Bitcoin flashes 3 macro-bottom signals – But can BTC reach $70K?

Crypto Clarity Act still at mercy of ethics section as Democrats balk at Trump deal

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July 22, 2026

U.S. senators seek to block foreign adversaries from AI technology in new bill

August 7 — the fast-approaching final day before the Senate’s summer recess — is seen as a major deadline for finishing the Clarity Act this year. Crypto insiders are expecting the bill to get to the floor as soon as the beginning of next week, which would fit with what Senate Majority Leader John Thune had previously indicated. The legislation could require several days to get to a final vote.

Earlier on Tuesday, CoinDesk had reported that a White House official said Trump agreed to “the most comprehensive and wide-ranging ethics provision in history,” though the actual language he’s accepted hadn’t yet been shared with Democrats. As of press time, it was still unclear if Democrats had seen the exact language. Still, the administration argued that it had “bent over backward” to satisfy Democrats, suggesting it would be their fault if the legislation doesn’t advance.

Trump’s agreement to a crypto constraint of his own business ties raises significant questions about how his involvement would be made sufficiently remote to comply with the limit. The president and his family are deeply connected to several crypto business initiatives, including their ownership stake in World Liberty Financial. While Trump has insisted he’s not conflicted as his administration imposes crypto policies that affect his own businesses, Democratic lawmakers have openly accused him of corruption.

Freedom Fuel Reportedly Raises Prices After Selling $3.47 Gas For Trump

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July 22, 2026

Freedom Fuel Reportedly Raises Prices After Selling $3.47 Gas For Trump

Topline

The Freedom Fuel Network, a private company that launched more than two dozen gas stations across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, is reportedly no longer selling fuel at the sharply discounted price of $3.47 per gallon, which was done in an apparent nod to President Donald Trump.

Analysts had said discounts offered by the Trump-promoted stations were unrealistic.

Key Facts

Several Freedom Fuel stations, including some locations in and around Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, sold gas at around $3.92 as of Monday while nearby competitors charged between $3.89 and $4.09, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The average price for a gallon of gas in Philadelphia was $4.19 as of Tuesday, up from $3.95 last week, matching the statewide average, which is the costliest on the East Coast, according to AAA.

A White House spokesperson told the Inquirer that Freedom Fuel did not receive government subsidies and did not acquire gas at a lower price, noting the company’s lower prices would continue “for as long as the company chooses.”

surprising fact

Randy Brown, a senior special teams coach for the Baltimore Ravens, and former commodities trader Yoni Gontownik formed Freedom Fuel on June 23, a week before Trump promoted the stations, according to Politico. Fourteen of Freedom Fuel’s 25 locations are controlled by companies linked to Shamikh and Syed Kazmi, eight of which are leased from the investment firm Blue Owl Capital, the Associated Press reported. Both Shamikh and Syed Kazmi have reportedly faced claims of unethical business practices in recent years: In 2021, a federal judge in New Jersey ordered the Kazmis to pay more than $600,000 to a fuel supplier that alleged they stole gas.

key background

Trump, who has repeatedly promised lower gas prices, announced the Freedom Fuel Network in a Truth Social post earlier this month. Trump said the gas stations were “taking the lead” at offering lower gas prices, even as costs began to rise again as a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran unraveled. It was previously unclear what company was behind the gas stations, and some analysts warned their lower costs were unrealistic without some form of government subsidy. Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, reportedly said of Freedom Fuel’s price point: “Generally, when losses happen, somebody’s got to pay for it.”

Jim Cramer says it may be time to trim comeback stock after 441% surge

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July 22, 2026

Also Read: Seagate Technology Holdings PLC Latest News and Stories

Jim Cramer says it may be time to trim comeback stock after 441% surge

I have watched Seagate’s comeback story, and it has been one of the most impressive in the entire S&P 500. In fact, after the comeback, Seagate now ranks fourth in the top year-to-date S&P 500 performers according to Slickcharts.

That performance is after Sandisk, Dell, and Micron. But on Friday, July 17, Jim Cramer posted on X (formerly Twitter) something you should pay attention to, and it was not a buy call.

Comeback in Seagate is impressive, even as I think it might be an excellent opportunity to trim if you don’t have much cash on hand.

Seagate Technology (STX) closed the week at $787.66, up 5.66% on the session, according to Yahoo Finance. The stock is up 186.72% year-to-date and 441.28% over the past year. You may think those are typos, but they’re not. The three-year return stands at 1,285.43%.

Cramer is not calling this a sell. No. He is calling it a trim, and the distinction matters.

Knowing when to lock in your profits and exactly when to trim a winner is an elite skill. So Cramer is acknowledging the comeback while flagging that investors who are light on cash might use the strength to rebalance rather than hold a position that has compounded this dramatically heading into July 28 earnings.

What has driven Seagate’s extraordinary comeback

The Seagate story in 2026 is a direct function of what Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure spending requires, at scale. Training and serving large language models generate enormous quantities of data.

That data needs somewhere to live, and hard disk drives remain the most cost-efficient mass-capacity storage medium available at hyperscale.

More Jim Cramer:

Seagate’s HAMR technology, which uses heat-assisted magnetic recording to pack vastly more data onto each drive, is the product innovation that elevated the company from a commoditized hardware maker into a differentiated AI infrastructure supplier.

The Mozaic 3 platform reached full qualification across all planned cloud service providers earlier in 2026, and Mozaic 4 has two customers already qualified, according to the company’s March 3 disclosures.

The financial results themselves validated the structural shift.

Q3 fiscal 2026 revenue came in at $3.11 billion
Non-GAAP gross margin of 47%
Non-GAAP diluted EPS of $4.10
Free cash flow of $953 million
$641 million in debt was retired in a single quarter
Source: April 29 Q3F26 Earnings Results.

CEO Dave Mosley described the quarter as “record margin performance” and said Seagate is “entering a new era of structural growth.”

What Seagate’s July 28 earnings needs to deliver

Management guided fiscal Q4 2026 revenue of $3.45 billion, plus or minus $100 million, with non-GAAP diluted EPS of $5.00, according to the company’s guidance.

Seagate holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) with an Earnings Surprise Prediction (ESP) of +1.75%, indicating a strong probability for an earnings beat.

For the July 28 earnings, Zacks also expects Seagate to report earnings of $5.10 per share, reflecting a 97% year-over-year increase.

The sequential revenue step from $3.11 billion in Q3 to $3.45 billion in Q4 is meaningful, and the EPS trajectory from $4.10 to $5.00 in a single quarter reflects continued margin expansion as higher-capacity drives generate more revenue per unit at lower incremental cost.

This is what Wall Street will focus on beyond the headline print.

Forward guidance language on hyperscaler demand trajectory into fiscal year 2027
Commentary on Mozaic 4 ramp timing
Any update on new long-term supply agreements

Those three items collectively will determine whether the July 28 print extends the rally or creates a “sell the news” event after an extraordinary run.

The Mozaic 3 platform reached full qualification across all planned cloud service providers earlier in 2026, and Mozaic 4 has two customers already qualified.Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Why Cramer’s trim call makes tactical sense at this level

My read of Cramer’s comment is that he is applying basic position management logic to a stock that has earned its gains but now carries elevated expectations heading into earnings.

That makes a lot of sense. I am also of the same idea because, at the end of the day, you need to pay yourself after a massive rally. Lock in some profits. If we get a retracement to a key level and positive forward guidance after the earnings, then you can also add to your winners for a potential extension of the rally.

STX at $787 is pricing in continued execution. The Q4 guidance is already known. For the stock to meaningfully re-rate higher after July 28, Seagate either needs to beat the $5.00 EPS guidance by a material margin or provide fiscal 2027 guidance that exceeds analyst estimates. Either outcome is possible given the demand environment. Neither is guaranteed.

The risk Cramer is pointing to is this. Investors who accumulated STX below $400, or even below $300, sitting on 3-digit percentage gains and more, have earned the right to take some profits before an event that could go either way. That is not a bearish call on the business. It is sound portfolio management.

Also Read: Jim Cramer’s Recent Stories

For investors who bought more recently and have a smaller gain, the calculus is different. The structural AI storage thesis has not changed. Seagate’s balance sheet is healthier than it has been in years.

The demand environment remains intact as well. My argument is that sitting through earnings with full conviction is a defensible position, too.

The question Cramer is posing is essentially this. How much of your portfolio is Seagate right now? If the answer is a lot, trimming before July 28 is prudent. If it is a modest position, the risk of cutting early may outweigh the benefit of the insurance.

This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jul 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Investing section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Crypto lobby group TDC sues Illinois to block digital asset tax

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July 21, 2026

Crypto lobby group TDC sues Illinois to block digital asset tax

A crypto lobbying organization has sued the state of Illinois over a last-minute tax provision inserted into the state budget last month.

The Digital Chamber alleged that Illinois’ Digital Asset Tax Act violated both the U.S. and state constitutions and is preempted by a federal tax law. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, asks a federal judge to block the Illinois state government from enforcing the tax.

The tax violates the Illinois state constitution’s uniformity and due process clauses, the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the Internet Tax Freedom Act by specifying digital asset transactions, the suit said.

The Digital Asset Tax Act was passed and approved on short notice last month, right before the Illinois state government wrapped up its session for the year. The 0.2% tax applies to any entities that are based in Illinois or provide services with gross receipts of over $100,000. The tax takes effect in January.

TDC’s lawsuit said the Internet Tax Freedom Act alone created a rule that “electronic commerce would not be subjected to discriminatory state and local taxation.”

Bitcoin: Will a $130.5M whale move derail BTC’s push toward $70K?

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July 21, 2026

Bitcoin: Will a $130.5M whale move derail BTC's push toward $70K?

As Bitcoin [BTC] shows relative strength, some long-term holders are starting to make moves. In fact, one whale has captured market attention after shifting away from accumulation.

Onchain Lens reported that a whale who has been aggressively accumulating Bitcoin over the past six years finally moved his assets. According to the on-chain monitor, $130.5 million worth of Bitcoin was transferred.

The associated wallet moved 800 BTC worth $52.2 million to Cumberland for OTC. At the same time, the wallet moved 1200 BTC worth $78.3 million to new addresses.

The whale’s decision to move some holdings to Cumberland signaled the intention to sell. While OTC hardly directly affects the market supply, it could significantly affect market sentiment. However, the transfer of the large amount to a new address suggested the whale is not fully exiting but repositioning.

Any impact on BTC?

Usually, a major transfer from long-term holders is closely watched by market players. Despite the attention, it seems the transfer had no negative impact on Bitcoin’s price action.

On the contrary, BTC has continued with its bullish streak, rising to a monthly high of $66,314 before a slight pullback. At press time, Bitcoin was trading around $66,195, after rising by 3.02% on the daily charts.

Bitcoin squeeze momentum indicator — Source: TradingView

With BTC holding within an uptrend since $62k a day ago, the momentum has strengthened extensively. The Stochastic Momentum Index (SMI) hiked to 67 after forming a bullish crossover two days ago.

At these levels, the current trend is relatively strong. Furthermore, the Squeeze Momentum Indicator has held and remained positive over the past week, reflecting strengthening momentum.

Often, when these indicators move in such a manner, the prevailing trend is likely to continue. If the momentum holds, Bitcoin will flip $67k and target a move above $70k.

Does Bitcoin still face rising pressure?

Although the whale transfers have had little to no impact on Bitcoin, the upward trajectory has incentivized profit takers to return.

For starters, the Bitcoin Fund Flow Ratio has been on the rise over the past week, climbing to a high of $0.06 at press time.

A rising Fund Flow Ratio suggests more coins have recently flowed into exchanges. Higher exchange flows increase the risk of short-term bearishness. This trend was further confirmed as Exchange Netflow turned positive, rising to 4.7K.

Bitcoin exchange netflow — Source: CryptoQuant

A positive Netflow suggests more BTC has recently flowed into exchanges. Historically, increased exchange inflows have preceded a weakened market structure.

Therefore, if sellers continue to offload, the pressure could weaken momentum and likely push it to $64,800.

Final Summary

A Bitcoin whale moved 2,000 BTC worth $130.5 million, moving 800 BTC to Cumberland OTC and 1,200 to fresh addresses.
Rising Fund Flow Ratio and positive Netflow signal growing exchange inflows, raising short‑term bearish risk for Bitcoin.

Spain just opened a door America slammed shut

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July 21, 2026

Spain just opened a door America slammed shut

Every country that builds things eventually faces the same question about a cheaper foreign rival, and there are only two honest answers to it.

You can wall the rival out and buy yourself time, or you can let the rival in and try to learn something before it eats you.

Both answers cost money. Only one of them tells you where you actually stand.

The United States picked the wall, and picked it hard. A 100% import duty on Chinese electric vehicles took effect in September 2024, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

A separate Commerce Department rule bars Chinese-linked vehicle software starting with model year 2027 cars and Chinese-linked connectivity hardware from model year 2030, according to the Bureau of Industry and Security.

The practical result is that almost no Chinese passenger car reaches an American driveway, and almost none will.

Europe went a different direction, and one country went furthest of all. A Spanish government report obtained by Bloomberg now spells out how far Madrid will go to keep its factories running, and the answer involves flying in Chinese workers to build the plants.

Why Spain is betting its car industry on Chinese money

Spain is not a bystander in the auto business. It is the second-largest vehicle producer in Europe behind Germany, and the sector accounts for roughly 10% of Spanish gross domestic product and 9% of national employment, according to Invest in Spain, the government’s foreign investment agency.

That is the context most American coverage skips. When a Spanish plant goes idle, the damage is not sector news. It is a national economic event.

Spain has already lived through that. Nissan walked away from Barcelona. Stellantis (STLA) and Volkswagen (VWAGY) have spent years managing underused European capacity while demand for combustion cars falls off faster than anyone budgeted for.

More Automotive:

The competition arrived anyway. Chinese brands took roughly 6% of European Union car registrations between January and April 2026, up from 3.2% from a year earlier, according to Euronews, which built the figure from registration data published by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.

I ran that against the same association’s May 2026 release, which showed battery-electric cars reaching 20% of the EU market, and the pattern is not subtle. Chinese share is growing fastest inside the exact segment Europe to which has legally committed itself.

Madrid drew the obvious conclusion. If Chinese carmakers will sell in Europe regardless, it’s better to have them building in Zaragoza than shipping in from Shenzhen.

Stellantis reached that conclusion first, expanding its Leapmotor partnership into Spanish plants earlier this year, TheStreet highlighted.

Spain is courting Chinese carmakers with plants and visas the U.S. has effectively banned.Bloomberg / Getty Images

What the report actually says about Chinese labor

The document, reviewed by Bloomberg ahead of publication, confirms that the country’s largest Chinese industrial investment will lean on workers brought in from China. The 4.1 billion euro battery plant jointly owned by CATL (HK:3750) and Stellantis will rely on “expatriate workers” through the fourth quarter of 2028.

That is the part Washington would never sign. Not the factory; the visas.

The report frames three joint ventures as investment done correctly, and it attaches numbers to them.

The Stellantis and CATL battery plant carries a 4.1 billion euro price tag, about $4.7 billion, and more than 4,000 direct jobs.
Chery’s venture with local firm Ebro Motors accounts for roughly 1,600 positions.
BAIC’s tie-up with Santana Motors adds about 210.
Source: Bloomberg

The report is far less specific about the two things Spain says actually matter. On supplier localization and on transferring underlying technology to Spanish ownership, it describes a gradual process without committing to a timeline, according to Investment Monitor.

That is the tell. Spain has the jobs in writing. It does not yet have the knowledge in writing.

What America’s closed door is quietly costing Detroit

Here is where my analysis parts ways with the usual take on tariffs.

The wall works. Chinese cars are not reaching American dealerships in volume, and the people who wrote that policy got what they wanted.

But a tariff protects a market, not a company. Ford (F), General Motors (GM), and Tesla (TSLA) do not only sell cars in the United States. They sell into Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Asia, where Chinese vehicles compete on price with no wall at all.

Ford chief executive Jim Farley has been the loudest voice on this. He has described Chinese export capacity as a “wild card” for established automakers worldwide, according to Automotive World.

Protection at home does nothing for a company in Madrid, Bogota, or Bangkok. It also does nothing to close the cost gap, because you cannot learn from a competitor you have made illegal to import.

Spain will learn things over the next four years that Detroit has to buy, license, or reverse-engineer later. That is the trade Madrid just made, and it made it with open eyes.

What investors should watch as Spain’s bet plays out

Three markers will tell you whether Spain got value or just got used.

Watch whether Spanish suppliers move from assembling imported kits to manufacturing real content. Watch whether that technology transfer language ever acquires a date. And watch whether Brussels follows Madrid or overrules it, since the European Commission has tightened scrutiny of Chinese investment, even as Spain argues for engagement.

For a reader with an index fund, this is not foreign policy trivia. Your retirement account almost certainly owns Ford, General Motors, and Tesla, and every one of them competes in markets where the American wall does not exist.

The question worth sitting with is not whether Chinese cars reach your local dealership. They probably will not.

It is whether the companies that built the car in your driveway can still win the rest of the world, the part that never built a wall. Spain has placed its bet. Washington placed a different one, and only one of them looks smart in 2030.

This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jul 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Automotive section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.