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Goldman Sachs Plans Bitcoin Income ETF Using Options Strategy

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Goldman Sachs Plans Bitcoin Income ETF Using Options Strategy

Goldman Sachs is looking to expand its crypto offerings with a new exchange-traded fund designed to generate income while reducing exposure to Bitcoin’s price volatility.

According to a preliminary prospectus filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on April 14, the firm plans to launch the Goldman Sachs Bitcoin Premium Income ETF, a product that focuses on income generation alongside potential capital growth.

Income-Focused Strategy Built Around Bitcoin ETPs

Instead of holding Bitcoin directly, the proposed ETF will primarily invest in spot Bitcoin exchange-traded products and related derivatives.

The fund’s core strategy involves selling call options on Bitcoin-linked ETPs. This approach allows the fund to collect premium income, though it may limit gains if Bitcoin experiences strong upward price movements.

Goldman Sachs noted in its filing that at least 80% of the fund’s assets will be tied to Bitcoin-related investments. Additionally, up to 25% of holdings may be routed through a Cayman Islands subsidiary, a structure often used to gain exposure to commodities under US regulatory frameworks.

Flexible Options Approach to Manage Risk and Returns

The ETF will actively adjust its “overwrite” strategy, which refers to selling call options against its holdings. Depending on market conditions, this could range from covering roughly 40% to 100% of its Bitcoin exposure.

By combining direct exposure to Bitcoin ETPs with options-based strategies, the fund aims to perform well in flat or moderately rising markets. However, the tradeoff is clear: in a strong rally, returns could be capped due to the nature of selling call options.

The fund also plans to distribute a significant portion of its returns as income or return of capital, making it more appealing to income-focused investors.

Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas described the product as “Boomer Candy” in a post on X, suggesting it may resonate with investors who prefer steady income and reduced volatility over full exposure to Bitcoin’s upside.

Goldman Expands Its ETF Footprint

The ETF filing comes shortly after Goldman Sachs strengthened its position in the ETF market. Chairman and CEO David Solomon confirmed that the firm recently completed its acquisition of Innovator Capital Management, a provider of defined outcome ETFs.

With the addition of Innovator’s 170 ETFs, Goldman Sachs now ranks among the top 10 global providers of active ETFs, according to Solomon’s remarks during the company’s first-quarter earnings call.

Active Crypto ETFs Gain Momentum

Goldman’s move reflects a broader trend in the crypto investment space, where asset managers are shifting beyond simple price-tracking products toward more advanced, actively managed strategies.

Earlier this year, Bitwise Asset Management launched an actively managed ETF aimed at hedging against currency debasement, with exposure spanning Bitcoin, precious metals, and mining stocks.

Similarly, T. Rowe Price updated its SEC filing for a proposed active crypto ETF that may invest directly in digital assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

Meanwhile, 21Shares continues to develop more sophisticated products. In February, the firm introduced a Europe-listed ETP linked to Strategy’s preferred stock, offering yield-generating exposure tied to a Bitcoin-focused capital approach.

Industry executives say this shift highlights growing demand for more flexible and strategic crypto investment vehicles. Duncan Moir, president of 21Shares, noted that digital assets are particularly well suited for active management strategies.

Active ETFs See Rapid Growth

The rise of products like Goldman Sachs’ proposed fund aligns with broader growth in the active ETF sector.

A March report from Morningstar and Goldman Sachs Asset Management found that active ETFs held nearly $1.8 trillion in global assets by the end of 2025. Investor inflows into these products have been outpacing those into passive funds, signaling a clear shift in preference.

Crypto Currency

CAP Token Debuts With $900M in 10-Day Volume and Climbs to Number Two Lending Protocol Within Days of Launch

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Few token launches in 2026 have generated the kind of immediate traction that Cap’s CAP token has produced. Launched on June 26 following a batch auction that closed 5.5x oversubscribed at a $106 million fully diluted valuation, CAP recorded nearly $900 million in volume during its first 10 days and closed day one at a $325 million fully diluted valuation — more than a 4x increase over early participants’ entry valuation and roughly 3x the public auction clearing price.

By the week of June 26 to July 3, CAP had climbed to the number two position in the lending and borrowing category by trading volume, trailing only Aave’s $2.3 billion with $394 million of its own — ahead of Maple Finance, Morpho, Compound, and Spark. For a protocol that launched its governance token less than two weeks prior, that positioning is remarkable.

A Launch Across Every Major Venue Simultaneously

CAP launched simultaneously across many of the industry’s largest venues: spot trading went live on Coinbase, Binance Alpha, Kraken, Bybit, Bithumb, Crypto.com, Bitvavo, HTX, MEXC, and BitMart, while perpetual futures opened on Binance, OKX, Bybit, and Bitget. That breadth of simultaneous availability is unusual even for well-capitalized protocol launches and reflects the institutional backing behind the project’s distribution strategy.

CAP is currently trading around $0.024 with a 24-hour volume of $373 million — a volume-to-market-cap ratio that reflects intense trading activity from a still-developing holder base.

What Cap Actually Builds

The protocol operates on what it calls a covered credit model — a structure that separates yield generation from speculative token economics in a way most DeFi lending platforms haven’t managed. Cap is a credit platform backed by financial guarantees. The platform relies on a market of underwriters to independently originate and insure USD loans out of its portfolio to companies in the real economy. In return, underwriters receive a premium from the credit spreads of loans. Dollar depositors earn a secured yield that’s insured by underwriters.

That design produces a yield source that doesn’t depend on token emissions — a distinction that matters enormously for protocols trying to attract capital that won’t flee the moment incentives taper.

In its most recent quarter, Cap originated a $100 million revolving credit facility to Susquehanna Crypto, which it described as the largest on-chain credit facility of its kind. Over the same period, borrower adoption rose 175% and total loans outstanding climbed more than 300%.

The Institutional Roster Behind the Protocol

The protocol counts Franklin Templeton, Susquehanna, Triton Capital, Flow Traders, Nomura’s Laser Digital, GSR, and IMC Trading among its seed backers following an $11 million round in April 2025. Franklin Templeton’s involvement goes beyond passive investment — Cap was onboarded as a BENJI client, adding Franklin Templeton’s tokenized money market fund as a supported deposit asset, directly linking traditional finance infrastructure to Cap’s credit rails.

Cap’s institutional restaking partnership with EtherFi, Symbiotic, M11 Credit, and FalconX brings real, non-inflationary yield from dollar-denominated institutional lending to ETH holders — marking a milestone for programmable credit and insured private credit on-chain.

TVL Is Growing Even as Price Pulls Back

Even as CAP’s price fell from its debut levels, deposits into the protocol continued to climb. Total value locked reached $260.6 million as of July 6, up from $218.2 million nine days earlier — a roughly 19% increase over the period. Cap has also processed more than $5 billion in cumulative volume across its lifetime and offers depositors 5-7% annualized yield on dollar deposits.

That divergence — price pulling back while TVL grows — is actually a healthier signal than a token price that stays elevated while the protocol stagnates. It suggests capital is entering the system for yield purposes rather than purely for speculative token exposure, which is exactly the dynamic a sustainable credit protocol needs to demonstrate.

CEO Benjamin Sarquis Peillard framed the launch succinctly: private credit is overdue for innovation, on-chain markets need sustainable yield, and Cap’s credit allocation mechanism addresses both concerns. With $260 million in TVL, number two lending protocol status by volume, and Franklin Templeton’s tokenized fund integrated as a deposit asset, the early evidence suggests the market agrees.

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Blockchain

WEMIX Solidifies Global Reach with Listing on Kraken

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The milestone listing propels WEMIX’s native coin into Western markets including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia

SINGAPORE, 8th July, 2026 — WEMIX, the Layer-1 blockchain ecosystem developed by gaming giant WEMADE, today announced that its native coin (WEMIX) has been officially listed on Kraken, one of the world’s longest-standing, most liquid and secure cryptocurrency exchanges. Trading is scheduled to commence on 7 July 2026, allowing Kraken’s global user base to deposit, withdraw, and trade WEMIX against the USD.

Listing on Kraken represents a pivotal shift in liquidity and market exposure for WEMIX. While WEMIX has historically maintained an entrenched position within South Korea, South America, and regional Asian markets, this integration into Kraken vastly expands its global reach. It opens access for Western institutional and retail investors across regions including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia, which will serve as a base for international users interacting with WEMIX’s extensive digital economy.

Shane Kim, CEO of WEMIX and Vice President of WEMADE, said: “Aligning with partners who share our commitment to compliance and security is paramount. Given Kraken’s reputation, we are honored to collaborate with them as we scale our market reach, establish a strategic foothold in the U.S. — the world’s largest financial market — alongside other key Western regions, and evolve into a truly global blockchain ecosystem.”

As WEMIX sets its sights on scaling its Real-World Asset (RWA) initiatives, securing this major listing by tapping into the immense capital pool of the biggest financial market in the world also significantly elevates WEMIX’s global visibility, enables deeper liquidity, and positions the ecosystem to attract a vast new wave of participants.

WEMIX’s listing on Kraken comes amid its parent company’s aggressive expansion across fintech, cross-border payments, and the RWA market. Along with upcoming AAA game launches designed to solidify its market leadership and deepen the WEMIX Web3 gaming ecosystem, WEMADE recently launched StableNet, Korea’s first dedicated Layer-1 blockchain for KRW-backed stablecoins, and established the Global Alliance for KRW Stablecoin (GAKS). Key alliance members include Web3 behemoths such as Chainlink, Chainalysis, and CertiK.

“Bolstered by massive infrastructure leaps like StableNet and the GAKS alliance, WEMADE is building the future of Web3 gaming and its convergence with fintech. Now, cementing our footprint in the Western financial ecosystem further proves that WEMIX, our Web3 arm, is built for the global stage,” Kim added.

Beyond its milestone listing on Kraken, WEMIX remains committed to securing further high-profile exchange integrations, systematically driving global liquidity, and expanding access for its growing international community.

For media enquiries, please contact: pr@wemix.com

About WEMIX
WEMIX is a leading blockchain ecosystem for gaming and digital economies, powered by its highly scalable, EVM-compatible Layer-1 mainnet, WEMIX3.0. With a wide range of integrated services-including NFTs, DeFi, stablecoin payments, and tokenized in-game assets-WEMIX enables seamless integration between gameplay and real-world value. Designed to be transparent, sustainable, and developer-friendly, WEMIX serves as the foundation for the global Web3 gaming ecosystem. For more information, please visit https://wemix.com.

About WEMADE
WEMADE is the only company combining over two decades of AAA game development success with a fully operational, game-proven blockchain ecosystem-built entirely on its proprietary Layer-1 mainnet, WEMIX3.0. Known for global hits such as The Legend of Mir, MIR4, NIGHT CROWS and Legend of YMIR, WEMADE is leading the industry in seamlessly integrating gameplay, tokenomics, NFTs, stablecoin payments, and blockchain infrastructure. Through WEMIX PLAY, WEMADE delivers a unified digital economy where players, creators, and investors can own, trade, and benefit from digital assets-powering the next generation of interactive entertainment and driving the evolution of Web3 gaming. For more information, please visit https://wemade.com.

About Kraken
Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the world’s longest-standing and most secure crypto platforms globally. Kraken clients trade more than 600 digital assets, traditional assets such as US futures and US-listed stocks and ETFs, and 6 different national currencies, including GBP, EUR, USD, CAD, CHF, and AUD. Trusted by millions of institutions, professional traders and consumers, Kraken is one of the fastest, most liquid and performant trading platforms available.

Kraken’s suite of products and services includes the Kraken App, Kraken Pro, the Krak App, Kraken Institutional, Kraken’s onchain offerings and the Ninja Trader retail trading platform. Across these offerings, clients can buy, sell, stake, earn rewards, send and receive assets, custody holdings, and access advanced trading, derivatives, and portfolio management tools.

Kraken has set the industry standard for transparency and client trust, and it was the first crypto platform to conduct Proof of Reserves. It complies with regulations and laws applicable to its business, while actively protecting client privacy and maintaining the highest security standards.

For more information about Kraken, please visit www.kraken.com.

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Blockchain

Upbit to List OpenGradient (OPG) for KRW Trading on July 7

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OpenGradient is heading to one of the most influential crypto markets in the world. South Korean exchange Upbit has confirmed it will list OPG for trading against the South Korean won, with the OPG/KRW pair going live at 6:30 a.m. UTC on July 7. Deposits and withdrawals will open shortly before trading begins.

For a token that’s already had a strong few weeks following its Binance listing and trading competition, a Upbit KRW listing adds a different dimension entirely — one that has historically produced some of the most aggressive price moves in the crypto space.

Why a KRW Pair Is Different From a Standard Listing

Most exchange listings open USD or USDT pairs, giving traders stablecoin-denominated exposure. A KRW trading pair on Upbit is a fundamentally different kind of listing. South Korea has one of the most active and concentrated retail crypto markets globally, and Korean won pairs on Upbit connect a token directly to a buyer base that operates with its own sentiment cycles, its own liquidity dynamics, and a well-documented history of premium pricing relative to global averages.

The so-called “Kimchi premium” — where tokens on Korean exchanges trade above international prices due to local demand dynamics — doesn’t appear on every listing, but it appears often enough that traders globally watch Upbit’s new additions closely as leading indicators of near-term price pressure.

What OPG’s Upbit Listing Signals Regulatorily

South Korean financial regulators have significantly tightened their oversight of digital asset listings over the past two years. Exchanges operating in Korea are required to conduct thorough due diligence on any token before it goes live — covering the project’s team, technical documentation, token distribution, and risk factors. A listing on Upbit is therefore not just a commercial decision but a regulatory signal: OpenGradient has cleared a review process that filters out a meaningful percentage of projects that apply.

For a relatively recently launched AI infrastructure token, that kind of regulatory validation in a major jurisdiction adds a layer of credibility that secondary exchange listings on less regulated platforms can’t replicate.

OpenGradient’s Position Going Into the Listing

The timing of the Upbit listing is notable. OPG recently completed a Binance Alpha listing alongside a 3 million OPG trading competition that drove a 357% single-day volume spike. That event introduced the token to a global retail audience. The Upbit listing now channels a concentrated, highly engaged Korean retail market into the same asset — with the listing date of July 7 coinciding with today’s date, meaning price discovery is beginning right now.

As a reminder of what OpenGradient is building: the protocol hosts over 4,500 AI models and has processed more than 2 million verifiable AI inferences, using zero-knowledge machine learning proofs and trusted execution environments to deliver verifiable on-chain AI computation. OPG serves as both the utility token for inference requests and the governance asset across the ecosystem — backed by a16z Crypto and Coinbase Ventures.

Only around 19% of the 1 billion total OPG supply is currently circulating, meaning the token carries significant future supply considerations that traders entering around this listing should factor into their positioning. New listings on high-volume Korean exchanges typically see elevated volatility in the first few hours as global arbitrageurs and local retail buyers simultaneously discover price equilibrium.

Traders should monitor the OPG/KRW pair closely at the 6:30 a.m. UTC open and watch for spread dynamics between Upbit and other venues where OPG already trades.

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