Bitcoin News Today: July Crypto Trading Hits Five-Month High on Altcoin Surge and Institutional Buying

July marked a significant turning point for the cryptocurrency market, with total exchange trading volume hitting a five-month high of $1.71 trillion — a 55% increase from June’s $1.1 trillion and the strongest performance since February. This sharp rise in volume reflects a combination of speculative fervor, growing interest in altcoins, and broader macroeconomic optimism [1].

Binance remained the dominant player, recording a trading volume of $683 billion for the month. Bitget, Bybit, and Upbit followed closely with $126 billion, $122 billion, and $110 billion, respectively. These platforms have increasingly focused on expanding services such as copy trading and derivatives, which have helped attract new retail traders and bolster liquidity [1].

Ethereum outperformed Bitcoin during the period, gaining nearly 55% since the beginning of July and nearing the $4,000 mark. This represented a 70% outperformance relative to Bitcoin, signaling a shift in investor sentiment toward altcoins. Notably, six altcoins from the top 300 by market capitalization recorded gains exceeding 100%, with ZORA surging by 746.5% and REKT rising by 208.3% [3].

The DeFi sector also experienced a resurgence, with total value locked (TVL) hitting a three-year high of $140 billion. Ethereum accounted for nearly 60% of TVL, driven by surges in liquid and restaking activity, which increased by 49% and 55%, respectively [5].

Bitcoin reached a record high of $123,000 on July 14, coinciding with the U.S. House of Representatives' first-ever “Crypto Week” and the passage of the GENIUS Act. Institutional on-chain activity also showed signs of bullish momentum, with Bitcoin treasury companies logging one of their largest single-day BTC purchases [6]. Analysts like Charles Edwards have suggested that this accumulation could indicate growing institutional confidence, despite lingering macroeconomic concerns tied to Federal Reserve policies [7].

Despite Bitcoin’s milestone, the market continued to shift away from its dominance. Bitcoin’s share of total trading volume declined as altcoins attracted more attention and liquidity. Altcoin futures reached $223.6 billion, and tokens like Hedera (HBAR) saw 24-hour trading volumes exceed $648 million, reflecting broader market participation [2][8].

The July data points to a maturing crypto market where both Bitcoin and altcoins are playing increasingly important roles. Institutional buying, regulatory developments, and improved on-chain metrics all contributed to the month’s performance. As the market continues to evolve, the interaction between macroeconomic conditions and digital asset dynamics will remain a key factor in determining future trends [1][5].

Source:

[1] https://coindoo.com/july-becomes-strongest-month-for-crypto-trading-in-five-months/

[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/bitcoin-news-today-altcoin-futures-hit-223-6b-bitcoin-market-share-slides-17-2508/

[3] https://coincentral.com/altcoin-season-almost-here-ethereum-leads-55-monthly-surge/

[4] https://www.panewslab.com/en/articles/xo3cpchx

[5] https://crypto.com/us/market-updates/defi-l1l2-weekly-30-07-2025

[6] https://blog.amberdata.io/bitcoin-hits-123k-as-u.s.-passes-genius-act

[7] https://blockchain.news/flashnews/bitcoin-treasury-companies-record-major-btc-buying-surge-amid-fed-concerns-key-signals-for-crypto-traders

[8] https://www.coinspeaker.com/hedera-hbar-explodes-8-whats-driving-the-surge/