Wu Blockchain Daily Selected Crypto News - The U.S. announced a 2.7% unadjusted CPI annual rate for June, with an expected 2.7%, a new high since February.

1. U.S. Announces June Unadjusted CPI Annual Rate of 2.7%, Expected 2.7%, Highest Since February

The U.S. announced a seasonally adjusted CPI monthly rate of 0.30% for June, with an expected 0.30% and a previous value of 0.10%; the unadjusted CPI annual rate for June was 2.7%, with an expected 2.7% and a previous value of 2.40%, marking the highest since February.

2. Standard Chartered Launches Bitcoin and Ethereum Spot Trading Services for Institutional Clients

Standard Chartered has launched spot trading services for Bitcoin and Ethereum for institutional clients through its UK branch, in order to meet the growing demand for crypto assets. Standard Chartered stated that it is the first globally systemically important bank to offer deliverable Bitcoin and Ethereum spot trading services, with secure, compliant, and scalable access.

3. Scott Bessent: Formal Selection Process for Fed Chairman Powell's Successor Has Begun

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the "formal selection process has begun" for Fed Chairman Powell's successor, and there are currently several excellent candidates. The relevant process will be advanced according to President Trump's pace. He pointed out that, according to convention, the Fed Chairman will also step down from the position of governor at the end of his term. Regarding external discussions about a "shadow Fed Chairman," Scott Bessent clearly stated that if Powell continues to serve after his term ends, it may cause market confusion.

4. Mastercard: Stablecoins Still Difficult to Become Mainstream Payment Tools

Mastercard Chief Product Officer Jorn Lambert stated that although stablecoins have technical advantages such as high speed and low cost, they still face challenges such as user experience and channel coverage to achieve daily payments. Currently, about 90% of stablecoin transactions are still concentrated in crypto asset transactions. Lambert emphasized that technology alone is far from enough to support its popularity as a payment tool. Mastercard is positioning itself as a bridge connecting traditional finance and digital assets, and has partnered with institutions such as Paxos to support a variety of stablecoins, including $USDC, $PYUSD, etc., and plans to provide stablecoin scaled application infrastructure through a global merchant network and secure compliance capabilities.

5. Wintermute: Institutions Increase Holdings of $BTC and $ETH in 2025 Bull Market, Retail Investors Flood into Memecoin

Wintermute released a report pointing out that during the bull market in the first half of 2025, institutions and retail investors showed a clear divergence in investment strategies. Institutions mainly increased their holdings of Bitcoin and Ethereum, while retail investors turned to memecoin and other high-risk altcoins. Data shows that the proportion of institutional allocation to mainstream coins reached 67%, while the proportion of retail investors fell to 37%, and the gap between the two expanded to a historical high of 30 percentage points. Wintermute CEO Evgeny Gaevoy said that this divergence reflects the market becoming more mature and professional. The report also pointed out that institutions significantly adopted derivatives tools in the first half of 2025, with over-the-counter options trading volume increasing by 412% year-on-year.