Bitcoin’s Downside Capped at $60K

In a research note published this week, K33’s head of research, Vetle Lunde, argued that the conditions defining the 2026 bear market make an 80%-plus collapse (akin to those seen in 2018 and 2022) structurally unlikely. She added that the 2025 bull market was less aggressive than prior cycles, and a proportionally less severe bear market will follow as a consequence.

The firm’s key evidence sits in derivatives data as bitcoin’s 30-day average funding rate has remained negative for 81 consecutive days, an unusually prolonged stretch of bearish positioning in perpetual swap markets. Lunde describes this as a “uniquely pessimistic” sentiment, which paradoxically stands to limit further downside by exhausting near-term selling pressure before a sustained decline can develop.

K33’s base case projects bitcoin consolidating within a range of $60,000 to $75,000, with slow grind dynamics rather than a sharp capitulation event. The “maximum drawdown” in this scenario sits at the February low of approximately $60,000, a roughly 52% decline from the all-time high of $126,272 reached on October 6, 2025.

The numbers may be severe by historical standards for equities, but quite modest for a bitcoin bear market cycle, as previous cycles have produced peak-to-trough losses exceeding 80%.

The key structural difference K33 points to is the role of institutional capital. With access to bitcoin now largely routed through regulated products, the extreme leverage feedback loops that drove prior capitulations are harder to sustain at scale. Long-term holders also appear to be approaching selling exhaustion, a metric that in previous cycles has preceded a medium-term price floor.

Moreover, in February, K33 flagged parallels to the late 2022 bear market bottom when bitcoin first approached the $60,000 level. The latest note extends that argument forward, suggesting that if February was the floor, the market is now in slow recovery territory rather than mid-decline.

For traders and long-term holders alike, the question now shifts from how low bitcoin can go to how long the consolidation lasts.

Minnesota just signed a law allowing state-chartered banks and credit unions to hold crypto starting August 1, giving traditional financial institutions a regulated path to custody Bitcoin and other digital assets. That clarity arrives as every new cryptocurrency with real exchange tools attracts more capital than speculative tokens still pitching ideas. While banks prepare to safeguard digital assets, Pepeto https://pepetocoin.com/ has raised $10 million from wallets positioning before its expected Binance listing. Here is what the custody news means and why Pepeto could be the defining entry of 2026.

Minnesota Opens the Door for Bank-Held Crypto

Governor Tim Walz signed House File 3709 into law, making Minnesota the first Midwest state to let banks and credit unions offer crypto custody, according to CoinDesk. The law requires client assets to stay separated from bank holdings and mandates cybersecurity reviews before service begins. The Block noted the House passed the bill 130 to 4, showing overwhelming support. When regulated banks start holding crypto for retail clients, the tokens with audited code and working infrastructure gain the most institutional trust, and the ones without it fall further behind.

New Cryptocurrency Entries and the Tokens Set to Lead

Pepeto

Banks entering crypto custody proves the market now rewards verified infrastructure over empty roadmaps. Pepeto https://pepetocoin.com/ fits that mold, with a zero-fee swap engine that lets users trade across any chain without paying fees and a bridge connecting multiple blockchains so liquidity never gets trapped on one network. A trader can enter a position, shift it to wherever the best opportunity sits, and exit without fees cutting into returns.

The raise has passed $10 million at a presale price of $0.0000001871, and a SolidProof audit gives Pepeto the kind of verified security banks and exchanges now require before listing a token. The architect behind the original Pepe coin designed the project, and a former Binance expert is shaping exchange readiness. Early holders are not just buying a token, they are buying a complete trading ecosystem at a price that will never be available again once listing day arrives. With Binance listing approaching, this entry is a fixed window that closes permanently once trading begins. The new cryptocurrency space produces hundreds of tokens every month, but the ones that last are the ones with tools people use, and Pepeto is the only presale at this level delivering a working swap engine, a bridge, and risk scoring before its first day on an exchange.

https://youtu.be/shxO0J94CPw?si=ugvmBXGNLNG73e3H

Solana (SOL)

Solana trades near $84.34 after Goldman Sachs fully exited its SOL ETF positions in Q1 2026, according to BeInCrypto. Wall Street firms like Visa continue moving billions onto Solana for tokenized funds and payments, but the token sits roughly 65% below its peak. Support holds near $77, with resistance at $93 and then $100. SOL remains a top layer-one contender, but climbing back to old highs requires a 3x move that depends on macro conditions and institutional return.

XRP

XRP trades near $1.35 after Goldman Sachs also dumped its XRP ETF exposure entirely in Q1, according to BeInCrypto. Support sits at $1.34, with resistance near $1.48. The CLARITY Act clearing the Senate Banking Committee adds regulatory wind. XRP’s $76 billion cap makes triple-digit percentage returns a challenge that few cycles deliver, and the kind of return that changes a portfolio comes from entries priced before their first exchange listing.

The Bottom Line

Every massive crypto fortune began the same way. BNB launched at $0.15 in 2017 and reached $1,369. ADA sold for $0.0024 and crossed $3.09, multiplying early entries by over 1,200 times. DOGE traded below a penny for years before touching $0.73. The one thing every early buyer shared is they committed while everyone else waited. Pepeto sits in that position today as a new cryptocurrency with $10 million raised, working exchange tools, and Binance listing approaching. Getting in at presale pricing is the kind of move that delivers generational returns, but the clock is running and every day brings the listing closer. Visit the Pepeto official website for the full breakdown.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale: https://pepetocoin.com/

FAQ

What makes a new cryptocurrency worth buying in 2026?

The strongest new cryptocurrency entries this year have audited code, working tools, and a clear exchange timeline. Tokens without those rarely survive their first year of open trading.

Are large caps like SOL and XRP still worth holding?

Both offer long-term value, but their large caps limit percentage returns in a single cycle. Presale entries with defined listing dates offer a different return structure.

What is the top new cryptocurrency presale right now?

Pepeto has $10 million raised, a SolidProof audit, and Binance listing expected. Visit the Pepeto official website for the complete project overview.

Disclaimer:

This content is for informational use only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing in cryptocurrencies carries substantial risk and volatility, including the possible loss of your investment. Always perform your own research or consult an advisor before making decisions.

Contact: Dani Bonocci

Website: https://www.tokenwire.io

Phone: +971586738991

SOURCE: Pepeto

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This release was published on openPR.

Verdict Reached, But Battle Not Over

A federal jury in Oakland, California sided with OpenAI on May 18, unanimously dismissing all claims in Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Sam Altman and the company he co-founded. The jury found that Musk’s claims were filed outside the three-year statute of limitations as district court judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers immediately adopted the advisory jury’s verdict.

The lawsuit, first filed in 2024, centered on Musk’s allegation that Altman had broken a foundational promise to keep OpenAI structured as a nonprofit dedicated to the public benefit. The court did not rule on whether that promise existed or was violated and the timing issue rendered the substantive claims legally moot before any evidence on the merits was weighed.

Writing on X shortly after the verdict, Musk called the outcome a “calendar technicality” and confirmed he would take the matter to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. His legal team formally reserved the right to appeal in open court.

Judge Gonzalez Rogers expressed open skepticism in response, indicating she was prepared to dismiss any such appeal given the weight of evidence behind the jury’s finding.

A Two-Year Legal Feud

The verdict is just a single chapter within a broader conflict between Musk and OpenAI that has played out across courtrooms as well as social media because shortly after Musk filed his original suit, OpenAI counter-sued him, accusing Musk of waging a bad-faith legal campaign as a competitive weapon.

Musk founded xAI in 2023, whose Grok model competes directly with OpenAI’s ChatGPT, creating a clear financial incentive behind the litigation that OpenAI’s lawyers leaned on throughout the trial.

The backdrop to the verdict is a company that has continued scaling regardless of the courtroom drama. OpenAI is approaching a $730 billion pre-funding valuation and has targeted a public market debut before the end of 2026. The company made headlines last year (alongside Robinhood) when its name surfaced in a debate over tokenized stocks and equity exposure, a sign of how deeply its footprint now extends beyond pure AI into financial markets.

Musk’s X platform remains one of the most active venues for crypto discourse, and xAI has been actively exploring integrations spanning AI and decentralized applications. In all of this, whether the Ninth Circuit takes up the case remains to be seen because if it declines, the door on Musk’s nonprofit-breach argument closes permanently (at least through the U.S. federal court system).