Crypto markets delivered a volatile week, with standout rallies in select altcoins alongside sharp drawdowns across several mid-cap tokens. At the same time, major industry voices weighed in on Bitcoin’s stability, long-term blockchain development, and ongoing legal controversies shaping market sentiment. Below is a quick roundup of the top gainers, biggest losers, and key headlines that moved the sector this week.
Top gainers and losers of the week
- Audiera (BEAT) - soared by 436.84% to $8.60 this week;
- Stargate Finance (STG) - surged 161.16% during that time to reach a price of $0.6165;
- Zcash (ZEC) - The price went up 42.32% to $436.35.
- Humanity (H) - end week price of $0.2206, down this week by 64.11 %.
- siren (SIREN) - lost 25.39% to end the week at a price of $0.4987.
- Worldcoin (WLD) - ended the week down 9.8%, at $0.4795;
BTCTOP CEO dismisses fears of major Bitcoin sell-off by Strategy
BTCTOP CEO Jiang Zhuoer said he does not expect Strategy to carry out a substantial Bitcoin selloff, despite recent market concerns about its funding model and exposure to price declines.
In a post on X, Jiang argued that Strategy has a strong incentive to protect its public image as a long-term Bitcoin holder. He said the company’s brand relies on the perception that it does not sell Bitcoin in size, and breaking that narrative could carry higher costs than reducing risk.
Jiang also addressed downside scenarios. He said a drop in Bitcoin price to $30,000 would not put the company under significant pressure. According to his estimate, Strategy’s leverage ratio would rise from about 5% to around 10%, a level he described as manageable.
关于【图1】的FUD，
— 江卓尔_莱比特矿池 (@Jiangzhuoer2) June 7, 2026
我相信微策略不会大幅净卖出BTC，
原因见【图2~图4】的群讨论，
同时也讨论了微策略的负债、利息支付、资金等问题 ： ） pic.twitter.com/5jQlrLT33N
He outlined how Strategy could meet obligations tied to STRC preferred stock. The company can sell older Bitcoin acquired at lower prices, record accounting gains, and use those proceeds to cover interest payments.
Recent activity shows limited sales. Strategy sold 32 BTC between May 26 and May 31 for about $2.5 million to fund preferred dividends. The transaction drew attention, as the company has long promoted a no-sell stance under Michael Saylor.
Hoskinson outlines Cardano’s long-term strategy as network metrics decline
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson said blockchain systems can reduce coordination costs by allowing users and institutions to verify rules without relying on a central authority, as he outlined the network’s long-term direction.
Why Cardano is the only Ecosystem that can run the world https://t.co/tJd2sAvqjy
— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) June 8, 2026
He identified four core pillars that define Cardano’s design. These include Ouroboros, the network’s proof-of-stake consensus protocol, the extended UTXO accounting model, a modular structure used by partner chains such as Midnight, and a decentralized governance system.
“When you take these four things together, there is no cryptocurrency right now that has these properties,” Hoskinson said.
He contrasted Cardano’s approach with competing networks. “When I look at the competitors, we’re playing a different game than them,” he said, adding that Cardano focuses on infrastructure and system design rather than short-term product cycles.
Hoskinson also urged the community to avoid focusing only on total value locked or short-term ADA price movements.
“If you solve this problem, not only do you create a lot of economic value,” he said, linking the project to broader trust issues.
Bankman-Fried pardon bid sparks speculative FTT rally despite low odds
Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced founder of the bankrupt FTX exchange, has formally applied for a presidential pardon through the US Department of Justice’s Office of the Pardon Attorney, escalating a months-long push by his family and legal allies to secure his release. The request comes despite the standard five-year waiting period for clemency applications and faces long odds, as President Donald Trump has previously rejected the idea. Prediction market Polymarket currently assigns just a 6% probability that a pardon will be granted by the end of the year.
The filing nonetheless triggered a surge in speculative trading activity across crypto markets. FTT, the defunct exchange token tied to FTX, rose more than 50% within the same day, according to TradingView data.
Despite the rally, FTT remains a “ghost asset” with no operational utility following FTX’s collapse in November 2022. Bankman-Fried is currently serving a 25-year sentence after his 2024 conviction on multiple fraud and conspiracy charges tied to misuse of customer funds.
Canadian teen pleads guilty in $13M crypto scam fueled by social engineering
A Canadian teenager has pleaded guilty to his role in a social engineering scheme that stole more than $13 million in cryptocurrency, US prosecutors said, highlighting the growing role of manipulation-based attacks in digital asset crime.
Trenton Richard Johnston, now 20, admitted to conspiracy to commit money laundering after impersonating employees from companies such as Google and Trezor to gain access to victims’ accounts. The plea allows him to avoid additional charges that could have carried a maximum sentence of up to 40 years.
According to court documents, Johnston and his co-conspirators began targeting victims in early 2024. In one case, they convinced a victim their Google and Coinbase accounts were compromised, stealing about $41,000 in Ether. Weeks later, they drained roughly $13 million in Bitcoin from another victim by posing as support representatives.
Prosecutors said Johnston used about $1.2 million of the stolen funds to finance a luxury lifestyle in Miami and Los Angeles, including exotic cars, private jet travel and high-end rentals.
He has since surrendered over $3.7 million in crypto assets. Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of 51 to 63 months, citing cooperation.
Matvii Diadkov
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