Ethereum’s Resilience Shines Despite Low Network Activity

Ethereum has defied market expectations by maintaining robust price performance even as network activity hits historic lows. Since April 2024, the cryptocurrency has consistently traded between $1,400 and $3,800, showcasing remarkable resilience. This stability comes despite a significant drop in transaction fees, which plummeted from 36 Gwei to near-zero levels following a March network update. Matrixport analyst Markus Thielen highlights this unusual disconnect between network activity and price performance, suggesting underlying strength in Ethereum's market position. The cryptocurrency's ability to sustain its value amid low gas fees indicates strong investor confidence and potential for future growth. As of July 2025, Ethereum continues to demonstrate its resilience, reinforcing its status as a leading digital asset in the crypto market.

Ethereum Defies Expectations with Robust Performance Amid Low Network Activity

Ethereum continues to demonstrate remarkable price resilience despite historically low gas fees, confounding market expectations. The second-largest cryptocurrency has maintained a trading range between $1,400 and $3,800 since April 2024, even as transaction fees plummeted from 36 Gwei to near-zero levels following a March network update.

Matrixport analyst Markus Thielen notes this disconnect between network fundamentals and price action suggests stronger underlying market forces at play. Institutional interest and seasonal patterns appear to be supporting ETH's valuation independent of on-chain activity metrics.

The altcoin's ability to withstand volatility while maintaining its price floor highlights growing maturity in cryptocurrency markets. Ethereum's performance challenges traditional valuation models that heavily weight network usage metrics.

Status Launches Gasless Layer 2 on Linea, Eliminating Sequencer Fees

Status, a decentralized communications project, has introduced a groundbreaking feature on Consensys' Linea zkEVM stack, claiming to be the first natively gasless LAYER 2 solution. The Status Network L2 eliminates transaction costs by repurposing yield from bridged assets and app fees instead of relying on sequencer fees.

The testnet is already live, offering a model where liquidity providers and builders earn yield rather than users paying gas fees. "We designed Status Network so developers can ship games, seamless social experiences, and DeFi protocols without forcing users to preload gas," said Cyprien Grau, lead at Status Network.

The protocol converts bridged ETH and stablecoins into yield-bearing assets like stETH or sDAI, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. This approach aligns incentives across stakeholders—builders receive funding, LPs earn sustainable returns, and users enjoy a truly free-to-play blockchain experience.

Greece Makes First Crypto Seizure Tied to North Korea's $1.5B Bybit Hack

Greek authorities have executed the country's inaugural cryptocurrency seizure, intercepting funds tied to February's $1.5 billion Bybit exchange hack attributed to North Korea's Lazarus Group. The Hellenic Anti-Money Laundering Authority identified a suspicious transaction linked to a wallet associated with the initial theft, tracing it to a local exchange service provider.

Forensic analysts employed Chainalysis Reactor to establish an unequivocal connection between the suspect wallet and primary addresses used in the Bybit breach. This evidence enabled authorities to freeze assets before their potential disappearance. Economy Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis confirmed approximately €10 million ($11.7 million) has been returned to victims, though the relation to this specific seizure remains unclear.

The hackers' laundering techniques included mixing services like Wasabi and Tornado Cash, cross-chain bridges, and peer-to-peer platforms. Bybit's transparency dashboard indicates $72 million (5% of stolen ETH) has been frozen, with $870 million still outstanding. A third of the pilfered assets remain traceable.

Monad Acquires Portal Labs to Expand Stablecoin Payments on High-Speed Blockchain

Monad Foundation, the organization behind the high-performance layer-1 blockchain Monad, has acquired stablecoin infrastructure platform Portal Labs. The MOVE aims to scale blockchain-based payments and bolster Monad's position in the stablecoin sector.

Portal Labs, known for its embedded wallet infrastructure tailored for stablecoin transactions, will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary under Monad. Raj Parekh, Portal's co-founder and former Visa crypto executive, joins Monad as head of payments and stablecoins.

The acquisition coincides with growing institutional interest in stablecoins as a payment solution. Citi analysts project the asset class could reach $3.7 trillion by 2030 with regulatory clarity, citing advantages over traditional cross-border settlement methods.