IREN Opens Higher in Early Trading
Bitcoin mining firm IREN Ltd. (NASDAQ: IREN) opened Tuesday’s trading session at $40.91, above its previous close of $40.20. The stock climbed as high as $41.68 in early trading before pulling back slightly, trading around $40.85, up 1.63% at the time of writing.
Source: Yahoo Finance
Jack Mallers Steps Down as CEO of Twenty One Capital
Bitcoin entrepreneur Jack Mallers announced on July 21, 2026, that he is stepping down as CEO of Twenty One Capital (NYSE: XXI), the second largest Bitcoin treasury company he co-founded.
The move comes as the firm, backed primarily by stablecoin issuer Tether, abandons plans to merge with Mallers’ payments app Strike and energy venture Elektron Energy.
In a personal video statement posted to X, Mallers described the decision as difficult but necessary. “This experience brought tremendous clarity about who I am and what I want to build,” he said. “My life’s work remains Bitcoin. My Bitcoin company is @Strike. The work continues.” He will assist with the transition while returning full-time to Strike, the Lightning Network-based app known for enabling low-cost Bitcoin payments and remittances.
Twenty One Capital named board member Raphael Zagury as its new CEO, effective immediately. Zagury, who also leads Elektron Energy, brings financial and Bitcoin-industry experience to the role.
The company confirmed that Strike will remain an independent entity, reversing an April 2026 restructuring proposal Mallers had outlined at the Bitcoin Conference that envisioned combining the three platforms into a single Bitcoin-native powerhouse.
The leadership change highlights ongoing tensions between operating Bitcoin businesses and pure treasury plays. Mallers, a prominent Bitcoin advocate who helped shape El Salvador’s adoption of the asset, has long positioned Strike as his flagship project for everyday Bitcoin use. Industry observers note that his reduced role at Twenty One may allow more focused execution at Strike while giving the treasury firm fresh direction under Zagury.
Bitcoin Surges Past $66,000 as Institutional Inflows Fuel Recovery
Bitcoin (BTC) has broken above the key $66,000 level on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, marking a two-week high and extending its recent rebound. The leading cryptocurrency climbed as high as $66,500 in intraday trading, supported by strong buying momentum and a surge in trading volume that exceeded $30 billion in the past 24 hours.
This move comes amid broader market optimism, with Bitcoin posting gains of around 2.8% on the day and roughly 5% over the past week, reclaiming territory lost in recent consolidation.
The rally is largely attributed to renewed institutional demand through U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, which recorded a fifth consecutive day of net inflows totaling over $600 million, including a robust $227 million on Monday, July 20 alone. This reversal follows weeks of outflows and coincides with easing macroeconomic concerns, such as softer inflation data reducing expectations for aggressive Federal Reserve rate hikes.
Technical indicators remain constructive, with the RSI hovering in bullish but not overbought territory around 72, and derivatives markets showing increased open interest and leveraged long positioning.
