Crypto Market Update: Bitcoin Miners Jump On AI Infrastructure Deals

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ether and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrencymarket news

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (July 20) as of 10:00 p.m. UTC.

Contents hide

1 Bitcoin price update

2 Bitcoin price chart

3 Ether and altcoin price update

4 Today’s crypto news to know

4.1 GENIUS Act turns one

4.2 Bitcoin miners rally on infrastructure deals

4.3 Grayscale to turn staking rewards into quarterly cash payouts

Bitcoin price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$65,102.57, up by 1.1 percent over the past 24 hours.

Crypto prices are higher after a shaky performance ahead of North America’s market open following hostilities in the Middle East over the weekend. Simon-Peter Massabni, head of business development at XS.com, said that while recent Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows have stabilized market sentiment and eased selling pressure, the recovery lacks the broad institutional strength required to signal a definitive new uptrend.

“The fact that inflows into the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:IBIT) exceeded the total net inflow for the entire market indicates that demand remains heavily concentrated in a single large fund rather than being broadly distributed,” he said in commentary shared with the Investing News Network (INN).

“Therefore, four consecutive sessions of inflows should be interpreted as a sign that selling pressure is easing, rather than clear evidence that institutional investors have returned on a broad scale.”

Lacie Zhang, research analyst at Bitget Wallet, noted:

“ETF inflows are supportive, but they are not large enough to overpower macro selling and deleveraging. Recent spot BTC ETF inflows show institutional demand has returned, but July is still repairing the damage from prior outflows, including heavy redemptions in May and June.”

“In this environment, ETF demand can absorb supply and prevent a deeper breakdown, but it does not automatically create upside momentum if hedge funds, miners, treasury vehicles or leveraged traders are reducing exposure at the same time.

“The key point is that ETFs are a stabilizer, not a full catalyst when macro volatility is rising.”

Meanwhile, Bitfire Research Institute argues that markets are misinterpreting recent inflation data as a broad disinflationary trend, failing to account for the systemic, persistent inflationary pressure caused by recurring supply chain disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing semiconductor sector instability.

Analysts at the firm noted that the market’s true test will arrive when the supply chain friction from the strait begins to manifest in the data, a process that could take a full quarter.

In the near term, Massabni identified the US$65,000 to US$65,500 range as the key resistance area.

“If BTC breaks above and holds this zone, the recovery could extend toward US$67,000 to US$68,000. Conversely, if prices continue to face rejection and ETF inflows weaken again, Bitcoin could return to test the area around US$62,000, followed by US$60,000,” he explained to INN.

Bitcoin price chart

Bitcoin price performance, July 20, 2026.

Chart via the Investing News Network.

Bitcoin price performance, July 20, 2026.

Ether and altcoin price update

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$1,898.52, trading 1.7 percent higher over the last 24 hours.

XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.12, trading 1.8 percent higher over the past 24 hours.

Solana (SOL) was trading at US$7759, trading 2.3 percent higher over the past 24 hours.

Today’s crypto news to know

Read on for a round-up of the biggest cryptomarket news

GENIUS Act turns one
Bitcoin miners rally on infrastructure deals
Grayscale to turn staking rewards into quarterly cash payouts

See also <!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <title>Intel Corporation's Stock Struggles Amidst Earnings Woes</title></head><body> <article> <h2>The Downfall of Intel's Stock Post-Earnings Revelation</h2> <p>Intel Corporation (INTC), known for its stronghold in the semiconductor industry, recently unveiled a challenging second quarter that has left analysts and investors apprehensive about the company's future performance. The disappointing earnings report, marked by revenue declines, substantial job cuts, and the suspension of dividends, has triggered a cascade of lowered price targets and downgrades, casting a somber shadow over Intel's once-sturdy stock standing.</p> <h3><strong>Insight into Intel's Stock</strong></h3> <p>Based in Santa Clara, California, Intel Corporation (INTC) commands a market capitalization of $80.84 billion within the global semiconductor domain. Specializing in the production of an array of computing products like microprocessors, chipsets, and cutting-edge driver assistance systems for autonomous vehicles, Intel has seen a plummet of 62.2% in its year-to-date stock performance, vastly underperforming the general market.</p> <figure class="image"> <img src="https://barchart-news-media-prod.aws.barchart.com/EXCLSV/ed586c1f318b3500d3b3667a89855af6/ad_4nxfouj1hd1aclniwy8xxcngyxurty_fv9qxuk5e9kze39hlsrdflw9er6qazks3mw39ji5zxgylovjajskap25w1lnlm-cbtiepmjnf2f6tsnvupyldujn0fjh1y0rpcar3wf_7f6crng_3lr-yrebit9wnm%3Fkey%3D7fnw1yei4p_5660rqwtl6a"> <figcaption>www.barchart.com</figcaption> </figure> <h3><strong>The Abrupt Plummet of Intel's Shares Post-Q2 Reveal</strong></h3> <p>Following the recent investor call on August 1, Intel reported lower-than-anticipated Q2 results, issuing a lackluster Q3 forecast. Additionally, the tech giant revealed plans for a sizable reduction in its workforce by over 15% and the halting of dividend payments. Subsequently, Intel's shares nosedived by over 26% in the subsequent trading period.</p> <p>In Q2, Intel recorded total revenue of $12.8 billion, a slight 1% drop compared to the previous year, missing estimates by $150 million. While the company witnessed a 4% revenue growth in its Products unit, led by robust client computing gains offsetting modest declines in the data center segment, it failed to match the soaring growth experienced by its competitors in this domain.</p> <p>With the revenue dip year-over-year, the non-GAAP gross margin fell as well, dropping 1.1 percentage points to 38.7%, notably beneath the company's anticipated 43.5% mark. This decline, coupled with a 5% increase in operational expenses, saw the adjusted operating margin shrink to a mere 0.2%, a significant regression from the 3.5% reported in the prior year.</p> <h3><strong>Challenges Ahead: Lunar Lake's Looming Margins and Margin-Recovery Strategies</strong></h3> <p>Intel's woes deepen with the impending release of its Lunar Lake CPU in late Q3, a product lineup that is slated to face margin constraints. The limited adoption of Lunar Lake, influenced by its release timing, poses a significant obstacle to Intel's profit margins, necessitating the company to postpone its 60% margin target until 2026.</p> <p>On a more hopeful note, Intel is counting on its forthcoming 18A process products, like Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest, due to launch in the latter half of 2025, to revamp its profit margins. However, the benefits from these new products and processes are not expected to materialize until 2026.</p> <p>Marked by revenue and margin hurdles alongside substantial capital expenses and a hefty $48 billion debt load, Intel has embarked on an aggressive cost-reduction initiative. This involves a 15% slash in its 110,000-strong workforce, a more than 20% decrease in projected 2024 investments in new infrastructure, with spending now ranging between $25 billion and $27 billion.</p> </article></body></html></div><!DOCTYPE html><html><head><title>Intel Faces Investor Backlash</title></head><body>Intel's Dive into the Abyss: Investor Backlash After Dividend Suspension

GENIUS Act turns one

The GENIUS Act celebrated its first anniversary on Saturday (July 18).

The act served as a critical signal, moving stablecoins into the mainstream and encouraging institutions to make long-term investments. Market adoption has grown, with increased transaction volumes and institutional participation.

Commentary provided to INN from financial and industry leaders reflects on its impact on stablecoin adoption and the US financial system. Experts emphasize that while the GENIUS Act provided issuance clarity, the proposed CLARITY Act is the necessary next piece of the puzzle to complete the architectural framework for institutional onchain finance, specifically regarding how stablecoins move through the banking system.

“If CLARITY passes, the biggest unlock will be speed,” said Trace Finance’s Diogo Cassinelli. “A definitive framework means banks and payment providers can say yes faster because the compliance question has already been answered at the federal level, rather than each institution making its own risk call. CLARITY gives a definitive path for large institutions to move money with stablecoins, while also giving startups a clear map to build for these institutions.”

Additionally, regulatory execution has lagged, forcing businesses to operate under legacy disclosures, complicating banking relationships, slowing down cross-border payment processes and adding costs.

The next six months are considered a crucial test for the industry. While the foundational framework is established, the industry is waiting on finalized rules and clear interpretations to resolve lingering issues.

Bitcoin miners rally on infrastructure deals

Bitcoin-mining stocks surged on Monday after Hut 8 (TSX:HUT,NASDAQ:HUT) and IREN (NASDAQ: IREN) both announced major artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure deals, boosting optimism about miners expanding into AI and high-performance computing. In early trading, IREN, Cipher Digital (NASDAQ:CIFR), CleanSpark (NASDAQ:CLSK), Hut 8 and MARA Holdings (NASDAQ:MARA) each jumped at least 11 percent.

The rally follows Hut 8’s announcement of a 15 year, US$9.8 billion AI data center lease.

At the same time, IREN disclosed US$2.8 billion in cloud services contracts. IREN now projects its AI cloud annual recurring revenue will surpass US$4 billion by the end of 2026.

Both companies have shifted from Bitcoin mining toward AI infrastructure as mining economics weakened.

Grayscale to turn staking rewards into quarterly cash payouts

According to Form 8-K filings submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Grayscale plans to modify the trust agreements for the Grayscale Solana Trust ETF (ARCA:GSOL) and the Grayscale Ethereum Trust ETF (ARCA:ETHE) around August 7. Under these new amendments, both trusts will be required to convert their staking rewards into cash at least quarterly and distribute the net proceeds directly to shareholders.

This would give holders a more traditional income-style structure, similar to receiving a cash distribution instead of just accumulating on-chain yield. It also formalizes a model Grayscale had already tested.

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Technology for real-time news updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.

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Crypto Market Update: Bitcoin Miners Jump on AI Infrastructure Deals