Bitcoin News Today: Michael Saylor Backs CLARITY Act Amid BTC Update Bitcoin news covers three major stories shaping the market: Swan's report confirming self-custody remains Bitcoin's larges
Bitcoin news covers three major stories shaping the market: Swan's report confirming self-custody remains Bitcoin's largest ownership category, Michael Saylor's public backing of the CLARITY Act for regulatory clarity, and Strategy's disclosure that it may sell up to $5 billion in BTC to fund reserves, dividends, and buybacks.
Bitcoin News Today: At a Glance
Bitcoin Self-Custody: Swan reports around 12.6 million BTC are held in self-custody, exceeding combined holdings of exchanges, ETFs, funds, companies, and governments.
CLARITY Act News: Michael Saylor backs bipartisan efforts to pass the CLARITY Act, calling for clear and durable crypto regulations in the US.
Strategy Bitcoin Plan: Strategy may sell up to $5 billion in Bitcoin to strengthen cash reserves, fund preferred dividends, and support share buybacks while continuing its long-term Bitcoin strategy.
On 1 August 2026 at 3:00 PM UTC, Bitcoin price is $63,057.61, down 0.87% over the past 24 hours. Its market capitalization stands at $1.26 trillion, while 24-hour trading volume is $23.34 billion, down 16.91%.
According to Swan's latest infographic, roughly 12.6 million BTC is currently held without any identifiable third-party custodian. This figure, drawn from July 2026 data sourced from Glassnode and Chainalysis, makes self-custodied coins the single largest holding category in the ecosystem.
By comparison, exchanges, ETFs, funds, companies, and governments combined hold around 7.5 million BTC — meaning individually held coins outnumber institutional and third-party holdings put together.
Swan's report frames this gap as evidence that ordinary holders, not institutions, still control the majority of Bitcoin's circulating supply, a distinction that separates it from most traditional financial instruments where custodial intermediaries dominate ownership records.
Swan X Post
Why Self-Custody Continues to Define Bitcoin's Original VisionSwan's post argues that the "sovereign individual" — someone holding their own private keys rather than relying on an exchange or fund — remains the backbone of the network. Interestingly, the 12.6 million BTC figure includes coins that are presumed lost, since those coins also lack any custodial third party managing them.
Rather than being treated as a footnote, this inclusion reinforces the point: ownership was never meant to depend on any company staying solvent or any institution staying honest. For long-term holders, this matters because self-custody is directly tied to decentralization.
The more coins that sit outside centralized custodians, the harder it becomes for any single entity — corporate or governmental — to exert outsized influence over network supply or holder behavior.
Michael Saylor Supports CLARITY Act for US Crypto RegulationMichael Saylor used his platform to voice support for advancing the CLARITY Act through bipartisan cooperation, framing it as a path toward durable rules, stronger property rights, and continued innovation in American capital markets.
He paired his message with a statement from Strategy's official account, which backed the bill's market structure framework as a way to encourage broader institutional adoption of digital assets within the United States.
Saylor was careful to note that success for this asset class isn't contingent on legislation passing — the network will keep functioning regardless — but he emphasized that regulatory clarity would still meaningfully benefit the broader digital asset industry and its investors.
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, formally H.R. 3633, is designed to end years of jurisdictional ambiguity between US regulators. Under the proposed framework, the CFTC would gain exclusive oversight of spot markets for digital commodities like Bitcoin, while the SEC would retain authority over assets classified as securities.
This division removes guesswork that has historically discouraged institutional players from fully committing capital to crypto markets. Clearer jurisdictional lines could translate into stronger property rights protections and increased confidence for asset managers weighing exposure to this space.
Saylor's emphasis on bipartisan support positions the bill as a stabilizing step rather than a politically divisive one.
Strategy May Sell Up to $5 Billion Worth of BTCDuring its Q2 2026 earnings call, Strategy (MSTR) outlined a capital management framework that could allow the company to monetize as much as $5 billion in BTC. CEO Phong Le explained that any sales would serve three purposes:
building a US dollar reserve of up to $1.25 billion,
funding roughly $1.76 billion in annual preferred dividend and interest obligations
supporting up to $2 billion in stock and digital credit security buybacks.
As of July 26, Strategy held 843,775 coins at an average acquisition cost of $75,476, and the company has already sold about $218.4 million worth year-to-date to cover preferred dividend payments. Much of the current focus centers on Strategy's STRC preferred stock, which has struggled to trade at its $100 par value despite the dividend rate climbing to 12%.
Wu Blockchain X Post
Will Strategy's Sale Affect the BTC Market?Executives were clear that the $5 billion figure represents a ceiling under current programs rather than a confirmed sale amount, though Saylor suggested the number could eventually move higher if needed.
Markets reacted cautiously: the flagship cryptocurrency slipped to around $62,500 amid broader pressure from surging Treasury yields, while MSTR shares fell sharply, testing recent lows.
Strategy has paused new purchases for several weeks, citing unfavorable conditions for increasing holdings per share through additional stock issuance. Whether the company resumes buying will likely depend on Stretch (STRC) returning to par value and MSTR's valuation relative to its net holdings.
Timeline
Date
Event
July 2026
Swan reports approximately 12.6 million BTC remain in self-custody.
August 1, 2026
Michael Saylor reiterates support for the CLARITY Act and regulatory clarity.
July 31, 2026
Strategy announces it could sell up to $5 billion in Bitcoin for reserves, dividends, and share buybacks.
Current
Strategy continues holding 843,775 BTC while evaluating future treasury management and capital allocation.
ConclusionSelf-custody continues to define Bitcoin's decentralized foundation, with individual holders controlling more coins than all institutions combined. Regulatory clarity is also gaining bipartisan traction through the CLARITY Act, while Strategy prioritizes disciplined capital management — potentially selling Bitcoin — while remaining the largest corporate holder of the asset.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to high market risk. Please conduct your own research before making any investment decisions.
