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AI-driven deflation could lead to unexpected monetary policy shifts, impacting investment strategies and potentially strengthening the US dollar.

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Strategy's shift to prioritize Bitcoin Per Share over total holdings may redefine corporate Bitcoin strategies, impacting investor expectations.

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Bitcoin Magazine

What does Bitcoin “Power Projection” mean to the U.S. Military? 

On April 21st and 22nd 2026, during a Senate Armed Services Committee, Admiral Samuel Paparo of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command made comments on Bitcoin’s utility in cybersecurity for the country’s military, calling it a “valuable computer science tool as power projection,” and disclosing that INCOPACOM is running a Bitcoin node in their experiments with the protocol.  

The comments by the INCOPACOM Commander came just days after the Islamic Republic of Iran demanded payment in Bitcoin for safe passage across the Strait of Hormuz. The mention of “power projection” echoed the work of a famous and controversial Bitcoiner, Jason Lowery, author of Softwar: A Novel Theory on Power Projection, MIT Fellow and Special Assistant to the Commander of INDOPACOM. 

In his work — which involved an MIT thesis and book expanding on his work — Lowery discussed the cybersecurity value of Bitcoin and its unique ability to deliver “power projection” in cyberspace, a landscape of national security and military operations that otherwise lacks traditional deterrence options. 

The book gained significant popularity and earned Lowery both fans and critics across the Bitcoin industry, but was later taken down from distribution by Lowery at the request of his superiors. An event that suggested to some that the book might have something important enough that the U.S. military wants to keep it quiet. 

But what is this unique value that Bitcoin brings to military matters, and what does “Power Projection” in this context actually mean? 

According to Department of Defense’s 2002 Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, power projection is; “The ability of a nation to apply all or some of its elements of national power – political, economic, informational, or military – to rapidly and effectively deploy and sustain forces in and from multiple dispersed locations to respond to crises, to contribute to deterrence, and to enhance regional stability.” In other words, the ability of a nation to influence the behavior of other nations or political entities of interest, at a range beyond its national borders. Examples can range from diplomatic to economic influence, as well as military capabilities such as long-range missiles, drones or a powerful navy. 

The word deterrence is also doing a lot of work here. The DoD defines it as: “The prevention from action by fear of the consequences. Deterrence is a state of mind brought about by the existence of a credible threat of unacceptable counteraction.”

Lowery brings Bitcoin into the world of deterrence in the physical world by presenting a particularly interesting insight. That just as microchips are essentially wires moving electric power in “encoded logic” inside a computer’s motherboard, so can the globe’s electric grid be seen as a kind of “macrochip”, with giant wires moving large amounts of electricity from power sources across nations and throughout the world. These macrochips now also have logic gates in the form of Bitcoin mines — Lowery argues — they consume large quantities of energy, converting it into the scarce digital asset, which can be programmed via Bitcoin script. 

The Bitcoin macrochip could, in theory, bind cybersecurity matters to the physical world, since energy output is one of the most important and expensive resources a nation can muster. While governments can print paper money at will, summoning massive amounts of electricity to influence something like Bitcoin’s proof of work competition is orders of magnitude more difficult and is the basis of Bitcoin’s resilience.

Bitcoin’s Multisignature Deterrence

The most obvious and powerful demonstration of Bitcoin’s “embedded logic” security is the invention of multisignature Bitcoin wallets, which safeguard much of the Bitcoin wealth today. 

Multisignature wallets require multiple predefined private keys to sign valid transactions before Bitcoin can be transferred, making it possible to geographically decentralize the storage of Bitcoin private keys across space and jurisdictions. 

Multisig challenges hackers not just to hack one key pair, but multiple, across multiple locations under time constraints, since users have the advantage of legitimate access to those keys and can potentially move the bitcoin quickly in response to a threat. Hackers must gain access to enough keys while also fooling alarms and safeguards, avoiding getting caught. Multisig imposes high costs on attackers and, as such, might very well fit the definition of ‘deterrence’. It may even fit the definition of ‘power projection’ as Bitcoin funds can be kept secure and available to be sent when needed anywhere in the world, thanks to Bitcoin’s other networking-based censorship resistance qualities. 

This differs from traditional finance and its centralized databases since Banks can freeze and confiscate assets from their rightful owners when pressured politically, as seen in cases like that of Cyprus and their 40% bail in, or the United States’ confiscation of Russia’s foreign treasury reserves held in European custody.

But INDOPACOM did not explicitly talk about Bitcoin, the asset, in their comments; they seemed to think Bitcoin’s proof of work protocol could secure data and networks external to the Bitcoin asset. But the Bitcoin script, the logic internal to the Bitcoin blockchain, only governs BTC, its internal asset. 

For external networks to benefit from Bitcoin’s powerful proof of work macrochip, they would have to be anchored to Bitcoin somehow, and that’s where much of Lowery’s thesis starts to stall out. He does, however, develop this idea further by proposing the “Electro-Cyber Dome”.

Cyber Security Threats and the Electro-Cyber Dome

In Software 2.5, Lowery argues that “software system security vulnerabilities are derived from insufficient constraints on control signals” sent to networked machines. An example of this might be fake login attempts that cost a website more computer resources to authenticate than they cost attackers to send. Lowery adds that such vulnerabilities “can be exploited in such a way that it puts software into insecure or hazardous states.” Examples of such network security exploits include, but are not limited to:

• Email spam and comment spam — superfluous emails and comments that flood inboxes or forums.
• Sybil attacks — creation of large numbers of fake identities to manipulate systems.
• Bots and troll farms — automated or coordinated accounts used to amplify malicious activity.
• Weaponized misinformation/disinformation campaigns — flooding networks with false or manipulated information.
• Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks — flooding networks with superfluous control signals (service requests) to overwhelm bandwidth.
• Forged or replayed control signals — impersonating legitimate commands, orders, or data that put software into insecure/hazardous states.
• Systemic exploitation of administrative permissions/insider abuse — exploitation of trust-based hierarchies where high-privilege accounts can be compromised or misused.

Lowery suggests that other networks could defend themselves against all of these threats to some significant degree using proof of work (POW) protocols like Bitcoin’s.

In the Bitcoin white paper, Satoshi Nakamoto defined Bitcoin’s POW quite elegantly: “The proof-of-work involves scanning for a value that when hashed, such as with SHA-256, the hash begins with a number of zero bits. The average work required is exponential in the number of zero bits required and can be verified by executing a single hash.”

Nakamoto specifically references Adam Back’s “Hash Cash, A Denial of Service Counter-Measure”, which was designed to make email spam costly by requiring computers sending an email to produce a POW stamp of a difficulty defined by the recipient of the email. Recipient servers would need to keep a list of stamps already used, in order to prevent reuse of the same work by attackers, aka to prevent “double-spending” attacks. These stamps, however, were not transferable, a quality which some cypherpunks wanted in their pursuit of digital money. Hal Finney was one such engineer who furthered the field by inventing RPOW, or reusable proof of work.

RPOW essentially tokenized POW stamps via a centralized server that kept track and facilitated transfers. One of Nakamoto’s key innovations was decentralizing this server and its list of spent stamps, in the form of the blockchain, while also defining a global difficulty algorithm that all Bitcoin miners must satisfy, rather than relative difficulty targets chosen by each website at will. 

Lowery, in his concept of the Electro-Cyber Dome, is essentially talking about Hash Cash. He specifically says that servers can choose the difficulty target they see fit, and never proposes that the Dome would or should use Bitcoin’s SHA-256 protocol, though it is implied in his idea of the macrochip. What he does do is use Bitcoin as the principal example of such a cybersecurity network actually working at scale; “We know for sure that electro-cyber domes can function successfully as a security protocol because this is what Bitcoin uses to secure itself and its own bits of information against systemic exploitation.”

Lowery goes further than defense, pointing out that as such systems gain adoption, a concept of aggression becomes possible by large miners, he writes; “it should be noted that this wouldn’t be a strictly “defensive” power projection capability…People with access to proof-of-power can theoretically “smash” through these electro-cyber dome defenses if desired. Thus, proof-of-power protocols are not strictly “defense only” protocols as some have argued. A top threat to people using physical cost function protocols like Bitcoin is other people using the same protocol (hence why Nakamoto mentions the word “attack” 25 times in an 8-page whitepaper, each time referring to people running the same protocol).”

Criticisms of Lowery’s Softwar Thesis 

Lowery’s Softwar thesis can be fairly described as controversial within the Bitcoin community. It’s optimistic take that large portions of military conflict could instead be settled via hash rate wars in some future has been described by Shinobi at Bicoin Magazine as “delusional”. 

Broadly speaking, critics reject the idea that data or networks external to Bitcoin can be secured in any way with Bitcoin’s technology stack, be it its POW, its blockchain or its native asset. Jameson Lopp did a multi-part review of Lowery’s thesis and book, praising many aspects of the thesis but ultimately dismissing its conclusions, saying that: “Softwar falls short on acting as a blueprint for how we should build the future.”

The most obvious question to me is whether using SHA-256 proof of work to gatekeep access to networks outside of Bitcoin makes sense in the first place, or if it could even be considered using Bitcoin. If the Electro-Cyber Dome is not demanding a high enough POW difficulty to mine any Bitcoin, if it does not use Bitcoin’s target difficulty, its asset or its blockchain, then is it using Bitcoin? 

Furthermore, given that China has the bulk of the ASIC manufacturing industry for Bitcoin mining, would INDOPACOM — the U.S. military branch in charge of keeping the Indo Pacific in check — really want to secure its cyber networks with algorithms that China mass produces chips to brute force? That seems like an awkward decision to make at best, and is more likely to lead them to consider alternative POW algorithms. But at that point, they certainly would not be using Bitcoin and would lose the macrochip argument. It would instead be using classic Hash Cash, and maybe that’s the lesson in this story. Lowery’s affinity with Bitcoin might be more of a marketing strategy and a shout-out to an industry that inspired him, rather than the actual tool that INDOPACOM might end up using.  

The Happy Middle Ground

In the gap between theory, implementation, and criticisms of Software style ideas, there exist some projects that serve as young but curious examples of how Bitcoin can secure more than money. 

SimpleProof, an Open Time Stamps-based Bitcoin notary of sorts, has been using the blockchain to record hashes of data, demonstrating that a certain version existed at a certain time. This very narrow use of Bitcoin as a time-stamping server helped defend one side of the Guatemala elections a few years ago from accusations of fraud by the opposition, resulting in real political consequences for the country. 

Michael Saylor, on the other hand, led the creation of what some have called the Orange Checkmark protocol on top of Bitcoin. This tech stack, which can be found on Github, is a privacy preserving Bitcoin native decentralized digital identity system. It gained some interest from the Bitcoin community when it was announced a couple of years ago, but it does not appear to have gained any adoption. 

Finally and ironically enough, Jameson Lopp, perhaps Lowery’s most verbose critic with three dedicated articles on the topic, actually implemented a proof-of-work-based spam protection mechanism on his website for a submission form, which, according to Lopp, works well. So if even he can see the use of these old ideas, even if just based on Hash Cash, then perhaps we will one day see Bitcoin-like technologies used to secure the networks and data of the world. 

This post What does Bitcoin “Power Projection” mean to the U.S. Military?  first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Juan Galt.

Bitcoin Magazine

ANTPOOL, Block Inc, F2Pool, Foundry, Spiderpool, MARA Foundation & DMND Join Stratum v2 Working Group

The Stratum v2 Working Group announces today that ANTPOOL, Block Inc, F2Pool, Foundry, Spiderpool, MARA Foundation, and DMND have joined the working group to advance the adoption of the Stratum v2 protocol. 

The working group was founded in 2022 by Braiins and Spiral to develop and maintain the Stratum v2 protocol as an open and vendor-neutral specification usable by the Bitcoin mining ecosystem. The protocol is an upgrade to the original Stratum mining protocol, bringing massive efficiency gains, privacy, security, and functionality that can be used to improve overall mining decentralization. 

The onboarding of the new members, all substantial players in the mining ecosystem, represents a big leap forward for the working group’s progress in ensuring proper functioning and compatibility across real-world mining operations at scale. It also shows a growing consensus in the mining ecosystem that Stratum v2 is the direction to take going into the future. 

“We’re proud to support the broader adoption of Stratum V2. Aligning around an open, interoperable standard enables the industry to collaborate more effectively and drive improvements in efficiency, security and decentralization,” said Andy Zhou, CEO of ANTPOOL. 

Stratum v2 supports mechanisms for more efficient management of large fleets of miners, is end-to-end encrypted, and allows individual miners to produce their own block templates with supporting pools (among other features). 

Kenway Wang, CTO of Spiderpool had this to say: “Decentralization is core to our mission. Stratum V2 supports this by enabling miner-constructed templates, while also improving efficiency, especially for miners in bandwidth-constrained environments.” 

About the Stratum V2 Working Group

The Stratum V2 Working Group is an open collaboration initiative dedicated to advancing the development, adoption, and interoperability of the Stratum V2 mining protocol. It maintains a public specification and provides a coordination layer between developers and industry stakeholders.

This post ANTPOOL, Block Inc, F2Pool, Foundry, Spiderpool, MARA Foundation & DMND Join Stratum v2 Working Group first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Shinobi.

Bitcoin Magazine

Why eBay Should Ignore GameStop and Use Bitcoin to Save $1.2 Billion in Transaction Costs

Ryan Cohen’s unsolicited $55.5 billion unsolicited bid to absorb eBay into GameStop has the corporate world doing a double-take. Cohen’s pitch sounds seductive on paper: he promises to slash $2 billion in bloated overhead and instantly rocket eBay’s diluted GAAP earnings per share from $4.26 to $7.79 in year one.

But behind the flashy presentation lies a massive hurdle: a highly speculative cash-and-stock structure that requires taking on $20 billion in new debt from TD Securities and drastically diluting GameStop’s own stock to buy a company four times its size. Analysts and investors are deeply skeptical, which is why eBay’s stock continues to trade well below Cohen’s $125 offer price.

eBay’s board doesn’t need a smaller, meme-backed retailer to step in and aggressively strip its budget to find efficiency. Instead, they can look at a real-world blueprint proving that true operational efficiency isn’t found by gutting marketing, it’s found by upgrading the payment layer.

By taking a page out of the broader digital asset ecosystem and looking at how legacy brand Steak ‘n Shake just revolutionized its business model, eBay can unlock a massive structural victory completely on its own terms.

The Proof of Concept: The Steak ‘n Shake Case Study

When the national burger chain Steak ‘n Shake activated Bitcoin Lightning Network payments across its locations, it wasn’t just a marketing gimmick. The real-world data completely flipped the script on corporate retail finance:

• 50% Fee Savings: Steak ‘n Shake’s leadership confirmed that processing payments over the decentralized Bitcoin Lightning protocol instantly cut their payment transaction costs right in half compared to legacy credit card networks.
• The Strategic Reserve: Instead of converting those savings back to fiat, they funneled the capital directly into a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to fund employee bonuses, creating an organic, self-reinforcing financial flywheel.

The Opportunity Cost: What This Math Means for eBay

The Payments Blindspot

eBay is an e-commerce titan, facilitating massive scale across its global marketplace. In its fiscal year 2025 financial results, eBay reported steady momentum, yet it remains anchored to traditional payment rails. Because eBay runs its own internal payment infrastructure (eBay Managed Payments), it is stuck swallowing massive transaction fees from legacy credit card cartels, passing those costs onto sellers via a hefty ~13.25% take-rate.

While eBay guards its exact net processing fees, traditional credit card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) charge large digital merchants an average global interchange and processing toll hovering between 2.5% and 3.5%.

Assuming a standard 3% merchant legacy swipe fee across eBay’s massive $80 billion volume, replicating Steak ‘n Shake’s proven 50% reduction in processing costs reveals a staggering annual opportunity cost currently paid to the banking cartel:

• $80B (Annual GMV) x 3% (Est. Legacy Swipe Fee) = $2.4B in Friction
• $2.4B x 50% (Lightning Efficiency) = $1.2B Annually

The Treasury Blindspot

While eBay has been letting its $2.92B in cash reserves sit in low-yield traditional treasury notes (generating a baseline productivity of just 12.23%), the opportunity cost of ignoring Bitcoin over the last three years has turned into a multi-billion dollar boardroom mistake.

If eBay’s board had allocated 100% of those reserves to Bitcoin instead of flat fiat cash, that treasury would have grown by a massive 1,406%. That represents a $5.02B unrealized gain that eBay completely left on the table.

Try the Bitcoin Treasury simulator.

Legacy Credit Card Rails vs. The Bitcoin Lightning Network

Instead of letting a leveraged buyout dictate its future, a native crypto payment layer permanently restructures eBay’s economics in favor of its 135 million active users [1.1].

3 Reasons Why the Payment Play Beats Cohen’s Takeover

1. It Protects Shareholders from Volatile Corporate Debt

GameStop’s proposal relies on stitching together an unconfirmed $20 billion financing letter and highly unpredictable meme-stock equity to cover the massive acquisition. Integrating a decentralized payment protocol, by comparison, costs eBay virtually nothing to implement. It expands profit margins organically without adding a single dollar of toxic corporate leverage to the balance sheet.

2. It Empowers the Lifeblood of eBay: The Sellers

Ryan Cohen intends to extract value by aggressively cutting $1.2 billion from eBay’s sales and marketing budget. Tech-forward payment integration takes the opposite approach: it extracts value from the banks. Passing a massive fee reduction back to power-sellers gives them an overwhelming incentive to list their best inventory exclusively on eBay rather than moving to independent storefronts or Amazon.

3. It Dominates the Collectibles Market Automatically

A massive pillar of GameStop’s buyout logic is using its 1,600 brick-and-mortar storefronts as physical hubs to authenticate trading cards and luxury items. However, the high-end collectibles market is already deeply intertwined with digital asset wealth. Seamlessly allowing global buyers to purchase a luxury watch or a rare comic book natively via Bitcoin unlocks a vast ecosystem of highly liquid global capital that a physical retail storefront simply cannot replicate.

The Ultimate Counter-Punch

GameStop is targeting eBay because it views the platform as a massive cash-generating engine that has grown technologically stagnant. Rather than allowing a smaller company to leverage itself to the hilt for a takeover, eBay’s board can render GameStop’s cost-cutting thesis totally obsolete.

By using the retail industry’s blueprint to fix its payment layer, cutting out banking monopolies, and returning $1.2 billion in annual savings to the marketplace, eBay can drive its own historic earnings boost, proving it doesn’t need a savior to dominate the future of digital commerce.

Disclaimer: This content was prepared on behalf of Bitcoin For Corporations for informational purposes only. It reflects the author’s own analysis and opinion and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Nothing in this article constitutes an offer, invitation, or solicitation to purchase, sell, or subscribe for any security or financial product.

References

• [1.1] GameStop Investor Relations. (2026). GameStop Proposes to Acquire eBay at $125.00 Per Share. GameStop Investor Relations
• [1.2] ANI News. (2026). GameStop proposes to acquire ebay at USD 125 per share in cash and stock. ANI News
• [1.3] Bitcoin Magazine. (2026). Steak ‘n Shake Says Bitcoin Payments Cut Processing Costs by 50%, Save $6 Million Annually. Bitcoin Magazine
• [1.4] CoinoMedia via Binance Square. (2025). Steak ‘n Shake Saves Big with Bitcoin Payments. Binance Square
• [1.5] Reddit r/Bitcoin. (2026). Steak ‘n Shake Says Bitcoin Payments Cut Processing Costs by 50%, Save $6 Million Annually. Reddit
• [2.1] Kotaku. (2026). GameStop’s Absurd Bid To Buy eBay For $56 Billion Sounds Bad. Kotaku
• [2.2] Digital Transactions. (2026). How Steak ‘n Shake Slashed Costs With Crypto. Digital Transactions
• [2.3] MyBroadband. (2026). GameStop offers R930 billion for eBay. MyBroadband
• [2.4] Reddit r/Bitcoin. (2026). Starting March 1, Steak n Shake will give all hourly employees at its company-operated restaurants a Bitcoin bonus. Reddit
• [3.1] Bitcoin Magazine. (2026). Steak ‘n Shake Teases “Bitcoin Milkshake” For Bitcoin Conference 2026. Bitcoin Magazine
• [4.1] eBay Inc. Investor Relations. (2026). eBay Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Results. eBay Investor Relations
• [4.2] Value Added Resource. (2026). eBay Q4 2025 Earnings: GMV Growth & Depop Acquisition Surprise. Value Added Resource

This post Why eBay Should Ignore GameStop and Use Bitcoin to Save $1.2 Billion in Transaction Costs first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Nick Ward.

Bitcoin Magazine

Boltz Launches Non-Custodial USDC Swaps, Bridging Bitcoin Directly to Circle’s Regulated Dollar

Boltz, a leading non-custodial swap provider for Bitcoin, today announced the launch of USDC Swaps, enabling instant conversion between Bitcoin and USDC, the regulated stablecoin issued by Circle. Swaps are supported across all major Bitcoin layers, including the Lightning Network, and are live now at boltz.exchange.

“USDC Swaps mark a turning point for the Bitcoin ecosystem. For the first time, anyone can move between Bitcoin and the dollar most trusted by the regulated financial world without opening an account, completing KYC, or trusting a custodian in the process,” said the team in a press release shared with Bitcoin Magazine. 

A Non-Custodial Bridge

Exchanging Bitcoin for USDC is not new. What is new is doing it without giving up custody. Today, users who want to move between Bitcoin and a regulated dollar are typically funneled through centralized exchanges and brokerages that require account creation, identity verification, and full custody of user funds. A subset of services offer the same conversion without an account upfront, but because those services still take custody of user funds during the swap, they retain the ability to pause settlement and request identity documents if a transaction is flagged for review, with funds potentially getting confiscated in the meantime. The trade-off, in either case, has been the same: trust, surveillance, and friction in exchange for access.

Boltz removes that trade-off. USDC Swaps execute trustlessly, with no account, no sign-up, and no KYC at any stage. Funds remain under user control until the moment USDC arrives in the user’s wallet. This is the core innovation, and it is what separates Boltz from every other path between Bitcoin and Circle’s regulated Stablecoin.

Bridging Two Financial Worlds

For more than a decade, Bitcoin and the stablecoin economy have evolved on parallel tracks. Bitcoin built the open, permissionless side of the internet’s financial layer. Circle and USDC built the compliant, audited dollar that institutions require for operations. The two rarely connected directly.

USDC Swaps close that gap. With a single transaction, value can move between Bitcoin and a fully reserved, monthly-attested dollar that is already integrated into the products of Stripe, Coinbase, Visa, Mastercard, BlackRock, Robinhood, Revolut, Nubank, and a long list of banks, fintechs, and payment processors worldwide.

“The momentum is unmistakable,” wrote the Boltz team. USDC is the stablecoin that Stripe and Paradigm placed at the center of Tempo, their new payments-focused blockchain. It is the dollar on which Coinbase built its institutional infrastructure. It is the dollar that regulated card networks, asset managers, and global fintechs reach for when they need a digital dollar they can defend to a regulator. Boltz USDC swaps mean plugging Bitcoin directly into the rails that the regulated world is already standardizing on.

“Bitcoin and the regulated financial system have always been adjacent worlds, separated by intermediaries that demand custody and identity,” said Kilian Rausch, CEO of Boltz. “USDC Swaps remove that separation. A merchant accepting Bitcoin, a freelancer paid in sats, a treasury team managing operating capital, all of them can now reach the regulated dollar economy on their own terms, in seconds.”

Powered by the Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol

USDC Swaps are built on Circle’s Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), the native infrastructure that allows USDC to move across blockchains without wrapping or third-party bridges. Every USDC delivered through a Boltz swap is genuine, Circle-issued USDC, the same USDC accepted by regulated payment partners around the world.

By building on CCTP, Boltz is able to serve users across every USDC-supported network, including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, Polygon, and others, from a single, focused liquidity provider.

Use Cases Across Consumer and Business

Boltz believes that USDC Swaps unlock a broad set of practical applications, including:

• Off-ramping Bitcoin into the banking system through regulated partners that already accept USDC, such as Stripe, Coinbase, and Bridge.
• Day-to-day operations for Bitcoin-native businesses, such as paying vendors, funding payroll, and settling recurring bills in regulated dollars without leaving non-custodial infrastructure.
• Merchant settlement for Bitcoin-accepting businesses that need to book revenue in compliant, accountant-friendly USDC.

All of the above are now unlocked without having to use crypto wallets outside of Bitcoin. Users send Bitcoin through Boltz and the recipient can receive USDC.

Bitcoin First, by Design

Boltz emphasized that the launch does not change the company’s Bitcoin-first orientation. All swaps remain non-custodial, all swaps settle atomically, and a “Bitcoin-Only Mode” continues to be available for users who prefer a stripped-down interface. USDC Swaps simply extend the reach of Bitcoin into a part of the financial system that, until now, has been difficult to access without trusted intermediaries.

USDC Swaps are available immediately to all users at boltz.exchange. Integration into various SDKs and the Boltz BTCPay Plugin is planned to follow in the coming weeks, according to the company.

This post Boltz Launches Non-Custodial USDC Swaps, Bridging Bitcoin Directly to Circle’s Regulated Dollar first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Juan Galt.

Bitcoin Magazine

Strategy Opens Door to Bold Bitcoin Sales Pivot Unlocking $2.2 Billion Tax Benefit

Strategy Inc. (formerly MicroStrategy, Nasdaq: MSTR), the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder and first Bitcoin Treasury Company, held its Q1 2026 earnings call on May 5. The results were dominated by massive non-cash GAAP losses from Bitcoin’s fair-value accounting amid a volatile quarter. Yet the real story, and the market’s focal point, was a clear strategic pivot: the company signaled it is now willing to sell portions of its Bitcoin holdings tactically. This marks a departure from the long-standing “never sell” narrative and positions BTC as an actively managed capital allocation asset rather than untouchable inventory.

The Numbers: GAAP Pain, Operational Resilience, Bitcoin Growth

Strategy reported an operating loss of $14.47 billion and a net loss of $12.54 billion ($38.25 per diluted common share), compared to smaller losses in Q1 2025. The primary driver was a $14.46 billion unrealized fair-value loss on its digital assets as Bitcoin prices declined during the quarter (roughly from ~$87,000 to ~$68,000 by late March). These are non-cash charges under current accounting rules.

The core software business showed modest growth, with total revenues of $124.3 million (up ~12% year-over-year) and gross profit of $83.4 million (67.1% margin). Cash and equivalents stood at $2.21 billion. More importantly for the Bitcoin Treasury thesis:

• Holdings: 818,334 BTC as of early May (3.9% of total supply), up 22% year-to-date in 2026.
• Acquisitions: 89,599 BTC purchased in Q1 alone (~$7.3 billion at ~$80,900 average) plus another 56,235 BTC in Q2-to-date.
• Key Metrics: 9.4% BTC Yield and ~63,410 BTC gain year-to-date (equating to ~$5 billion in dollar gains). Bitcoin per share rose 18% year-over-year to 213,371 sats.
• Capital Raised: ~$11.7 billion year-to-date (roughly half common equity, half preferred—primarily the flagship STRC “Stretch” digital credit product, which has scaled to $8.5 billion outstanding with strong liquidity and a 11.5% dividend yield). fool.com

The balance sheet remains fortress-like: modest net leverage (~9%), ample cash reserves, and a sophisticated digital credit engine via STRC that has attracted institutional and DeFi interest (including tokenized versions). Executives highlighted a proposed shareholder vote to shift STRC dividends from monthly to semi-monthly for better liquidity, with return-of-capital (ROC) tax treatment expected for the foreseeable future.

The Headline Shift: Tactical Bitcoin Sales as Financial Engineering

The call’s biggest takeaway, echoed in real-time X (Twitter) commentary, was the explicit openness to selling Bitcoin under the right conditions. Executive Chairman Michael Saylor stated the company “will probably sell some Bitcoin to fund a dividend just to inoculate the market, just to send the message that we did it.” President and CEO Phong Le added: “We will sell Bitcoin when it’s advantageous to the company… We’re not gonna sit back and just say, ‘We’ll never sell the Bitcoin.’ We wanna be net aggregators of Bitcoin, increasing our total Bitcoin, but more importantly, increasing our Bitcoin per share.” This isn’t a fire sale or abandonment of accumulation. Instead, as detailed in the earnings presentation slides and elaborated by executives, it’s optimized capital allocation:

• Tax Harvesting Opportunity: Strategy’s BTC stack has clear cost-basis tiers (from early low-basis holdings to recent higher-cost purchases). Slides illustrated that selling higher-cost-basis BTC (e.g., ~$80k–$100k+ tiers) at current levels could realize substantial capital losses—potentially turning ~$7.6 billion in unrealized losses into immediate tax benefits (estimated $2.2 billion in tax assets at a 29% rate). These losses can offset gains elsewhere, reduce CAMT (corporate alternative minimum tax) exposure, and create valuable tax shields. Because Bitcoin is treated as property by the IRS, wash-sale rules don’t apply, allowing strategic repurchases if desired. thestreet.com
• Redeployment for Accretion: Proceeds would fund high-BPS-accretive actions—buying back undervalued MSTR shares (especially below ~1.22x mNAV), retiring convertible debt, or supporting dividends—while maintaining or growing Bitcoin per share. A presentation slide modeled a $1 billion “sell BTC to buy MSTR” trade, showing strong positive delta to BTC yield and gains at sub-1.22x mNAV levels (e.g., +636 bps yield at 0.5x mNAV). This could crush shorts, reduce float/dilution risk, and boost mNAV. thestreet.com
• Dividend and Liability Management: Small, targeted sales could perpetually fund STRC preferred dividends (with STRC issuance potentially outpacing the BTC “breakeven” cost). This inoculates against FUD about forced sales or dilution while keeping the company a net BTC buyer overall.

In short, BTC transitions from a static “digital gold” reserve to a dynamic tool for optimizing taxes, liquidity, capital structure, and shareholder value, without increasing leverage. As one sharp X analysis put it: “BTC is no longer treated as untouchable inventory. It’s becoming an actively managed capital allocation asset optimized around Bitcoin per share, float control, taxes, and capital structure.”

Follow BFC on X.

Market Reaction

Disclaimer: This content was prepared on behalf of Bitcoin For Corporations for informational purposes only. It reflects the author’s own analysis and opinion and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Nothing in this article constitutes an offer, invitation, or solicitation to purchase, sell, or subscribe for any security or financial product.

This post Strategy Opens Door to Bold Bitcoin Sales Pivot Unlocking $2.2 Billion Tax Benefit first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Nick Ward.

Bank of Canada stablecoin regulations could arrive in mid or late 2027, pushing the detailed rulebook later into the same year that Canada's government has already marked for its framework to take effect.

That timing lands just as Visa Canada and Wealthsimple are piloting USDC settlement for certain card-network obligations in Canada. The result is a live institutional use case in one part of the payment stack while the framework for non-bank stablecoin issuers remains unfinished.

A Reuters report said an early-2027 launch plan was ambitious and that regulations could instead be introduced by mid or late 2027. Canada's own stablecoin framework already set a broader 2027 window, saying regulatory development was expected to continue for 12 to 18 months from early 2026 and that the framework would come into force in 2027.

The gap creates a planning problem for issuers and fintech partners. Firms considering Canadian exposure still need to prepare for registration, reserves, redemption mechanics, governance controls, risk management, and product economics around yield restrictions.

At the same time, payment networks and large fintech platforms can test stablecoin settlement for defined obligations before every issuer rule is final.

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Settlement moves faster than rulemaking

Visa Canada and Wealthsimple said their pilot lets Wealthsimple satisfy certain Visa Canada settlement obligations using USD Coin. The announcement described stablecoin settlement as coming to the Canadian market through Visa's pilot and pointed to seven-day settlement availability.

The release also tied the Canada launch to treasury and liquidity management. Stablecoin settlement can give a fintech more flexibility around when obligations are met, how liquidity is positioned, and how treasury operations interact with existing payment infrastructure.

For a company such as Wealthsimple, which the release said serves more than 4 million Canadians and oversees more than $100 billion in assets under administration, those back-office mechanics can affect liquidity planning even when retail users never see the settlement rail.

The Canadian pilot extends a broader Visa strategy that CryptoSlate covered last week. Visa had already disclosed a stablecoin settlement pilot spanning nine blockchains and a $7 billion annualized settlement run rate.

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Visa is quietly building stablecoins into mainstream payment plumbing without you knowing

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Apr 30, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright

The new Canada peg adds a named local partner and a specific settlement function to that global infrastructure story.

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Visa Canada and Wealthsimple are describing a defined settlement pilot rather than a countrywide consumer rollout. The release says Wealthsimple can satisfy certain obligations with Visa Canada in USDC; the final Canadian issuer framework will decide a different set of questions around who can issue fiat-backed stablecoins into the Canadian market and under what conditions.

The rulebook still carries the heavier lift

Canada's framework is aimed at fiat-backed stablecoins issued by non-financial institutions. The government page says issuers would be supervised by the Bank of Canada and would face requirements including registration, one-to-one reserves in high-quality liquid assets, at-par redemption, governance controls, risk management, and a prohibition on offering interest or yield to holders.

Those requirements reach into the operating model. A non-bank issuer planning Canadian distribution has to design reserve composition, redemption channels, governance controls, and product terms around a ruleset that is still being drafted.

A move from early 2027 toward mid or late 2027 can shift when those decisions become binding and how much flexibility firms preserve while waiting for details.

The scope also keeps USDC relevant even though Canada's framework is domestic. The government page says the framework applies to domestic and foreign issuers that make fiat-backed stablecoins available to Canadians directly or indirectly, and that it does not distinguish between Canadian-dollar-denominated and foreign-currency-denominated stablecoins.

For a USDC-denominated pilot, the final rules could shape how issuers think about Canadian availability, even if the Visa-Wealthsimple arrangement itself remains a defined settlement program.

Canada has already seen stablecoin compliance questions affect market access. CryptoSlate previously covered Circle's Canada posture after USDC met Canadian virtual referenced crypto asset listing requirements, while the Bank of Canada framework would move that history into a more formal issuer regime.

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The strongest signal now is whether Canada can align a formal issuer regime with payment-network pilots that are already proving stablecoins useful for settlement, treasury, and liquidity operations.

CryptoSlate market pages showed stablecoins with a combined sector market cap of about $300.78 billion, USDC at about $78.31 billion, and USDT at about $189.61 billion. Those figures give the policy debate its scale, while the Canada-specific question is how much institutional settlement activity develops before the issuer framework is fully detailed.

Two paths are plausible from here. In one, Canada finalizes rules in time for issuers and partners to plan 2027 launches around a clear registration and reserve regime, while settlement pilots remain limited but operationally useful.

In the other, detailed rules arrive later in 2027, and firms have to choose between waiting for certainty, building adaptable compliance systems, or keeping Canadian exposure inside partner-led arrangements.

Later, the Bank of Canada or the government will need to clarify how the mid- or late-2027 timing translates into publication of regulations, legal force, and practical compliance expectations. Until then, Canada has a live example of institutional USDC settlement and an unfinished issuer rulebook moving on different clocks.

The post Bank of Canada to bring stablecoin rules in 2027 with US Clarity Act on the brink of stalling appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The Senate Banking Committee plans to mark up the CLARITY Act on May 14, giving the stalled crypto-market-structure bill its clearest path this year toward a committee vote.

The hearing would move one of Congress’s most closely watched digital-asset bills from private negotiations into a public amendment process, where lawmakers are expected to test whether a fragile compromise on stablecoin incentives can survive pressure from banks, crypto firms, and Democrats seeking stricter ethics language.

The committee step is significant because Banking controls a central piece of the Senate’s market-structure package. Any text approved by the panel would still need to be reconciled with the Senate Agriculture Committee's work before the legislation could move toward the Senate floor.

The bill has been one of the crypto industry’s top priorities in Washington because it would establish a broader federal framework for digital-asset markets, including how tokens are classified, which agencies oversee trading activity, and how intermediaries operate under federal law.

The latest calendar move suggests Senate negotiators have made enough progress to bring the bill into the open, even as major points of friction remain unresolved.

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Banks mount eleventh-hour lobby against CLARITY Act

The immediate test centers on the compromise language negotiated by Sens. Thom Tillis and Angela Alsobrooks to resolve a dispute over stablecoin-linked incentives.

The proposal would restrict yield-like payments on passive stablecoin reserve holdings while preserving room for rewards tied to active use.

Crypto firms have argued that a distinction is necessary to protect ordinary customer rewards and transaction-based incentives. Banking groups say the language could still allow digital-asset companies to offer products that function too much like interest-bearing accounts.

The compromise helped revive negotiations after months of uncertainty over the bill’s direction. Coinbase Chief Executive Officer Brian Armstrong said in January that the exchange was withdrawing support due to concerns about stablecoin yield restrictions and other provisions.

Since then, the yield fight has become a proxy for a broader dispute over how much room crypto firms should have to compete with banks for customer balances.

Banking groups have urged lawmakers to tighten the language before the markup, warning that stablecoin rewards could draw deposits away from federally insured institutions and reduce the funding base used for mortgages, small-business loans, and agricultural credit.

In a May 8 letter, a coalition led by the American Bankers Association argued that Congress should close what it describes as an interest loophole.

The groups have pressed senators to prevent crypto firms from using transaction rewards, loyalty programs, or other incentives to replicate yield products through different wording.

Lorrie Trogden, president and chief executive officer of the Arkansas Bankers Association, said stablecoins lack the protections and community-lending function of bank deposits.

Considering this, the banking groups are urging the public to ask senators to tighten the CLARITY Act before it advances.

Crypto firms push back against banks

Crypto executives have countered that the banks are trying to block competition, even though lawmakers have already moved to restrict stablecoin yield.

Paul Grewal, chief legal officer at Coinbase, has criticized the banking lobby’s position, arguing that banks first objected to products resembling interest-bearing accounts and are now targeting ordinary customer incentives.

However, other industry figures have urged lawmakers to move the bill forward rather than reopen the compromise.

Kristin Smith, president of the Solana Institute, described the markup as a foundational moment for US digital-asset policy, saying the country has the developers, capital markets, and institutions needed to lead if Congress creates workable rules.

Stuart Alderoty, chief legal officer at Ripple, has also described the hearing as a hard-earned milestone, while warning that Washington has a limited window to establish a viable framework before more digital-asset activity shifts overseas.

The industry’s argument is that the compromise already separates passive yield from active rewards and gives lawmakers a way to address bank concerns without turning the bill into a ban on customer incentives.

The banks’ argument is that any reward tied to stablecoin balances could become economically indistinguishable from interest, especially if large exchanges or payment platforms use incentives to attract customer funds at scale.

Ethics fight adds another hurdle

As the clock ticks down to May 14, the situation remains fluid. The committee had not released the finalized, fully updated text of the CLARITY Act to the public as of press time, leaving market analysts speculating on the exact wording of the stablecoin provisions.

Furthermore, some Democratic lawmakers are seeking ethics provisions that would restrict senior government officials and regulators from personally profiting from the digital-asset industry while overseeing it.

Supporters of that language argue that market-structure legislation should address conflicts of interest as crypto becomes more closely tied to politics and public policy.

However, Republicans and industry supporters have focused more heavily on advancing the core market-structure framework, arguing that prolonged delays would leave companies operating under enforcement-driven rules and fragmented agency oversight.

The May 14 markup will show whether Senate negotiators can convert months of private bargaining into a bill capable of surviving committee scrutiny.

A successful vote would not end the fight, but it would mark the strongest sign yet that Congress may be prepared to move the CLARITY Act beyond negotiation and into the formal legislative process.

The post Bankers are scrambling as Senate schedules CLARITY Act markup for May 14 appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin’s brief drop below $80,000 during the last 24 hours has exposed a more fragile market after weeks of gains, but options traders are not yet treating the pullback as the start of a deeper breakdown.

According to CryptoSlate data, the retreat erased part of a rally that had carried Bitcoin about 37% higher since early April, when traders began rebuilding exposure after a bruising first quarter. BTC has recovered to $80,360 as of press time.

Yet, a deep dive into options pricing, volatility metrics, and on-chain behavior reveals a market that is consolidating rather than capitulating.

Unlike the brutal drawdowns of the past, which were often catalyzed by macroeconomic headwinds, this week’s decline appears to be a mechanical byproduct of the cryptocurrency’s internal market structure.

With traditional equities like the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite lingering near record highs, Bitcoin’s localized weakness points to a combination of exhaustion, profit-taking, and the unwinding of over-leveraged long positions.

How Bitcoin’s market structure drove the break below $80,000

Bitcoin’s brief fall below $80,000 was driven less by a shift in macro sentiment than by pressure inside the crypto market itself.

The first source of stress came from profit-taking. After rallying about 37% from its April lows, Bitcoin pushed a large group of recent buyers back into profit, giving traders who had spent months underwater a reason to reduce exposure.

CryptoQuant data show investors realized profits on 14,600 Bitcoin on May 4, the largest one-day profit-taking event since December 2025. The Short-Term Holder Spent Output Profit Ratio, which tracks whether recent buyers are selling coins at a profit or loss, rose to 1.016 and has remained above 1 since mid-April.

That shift is significant because it shows that newer holders are no longer selling due to distress. Instead, they were selling into the market strength.

The behavior reflects the damage left by the first-quarter drawdown.

During February and March, many short-term traders held unrealized losses of 20% to 30%. April’s rebound repaired much of that damage, creating a natural exit point for investors who had been waiting to get back to breakeven or lock in a modest gain.

Meanwhile, the same pattern is visible in unrealized profits. Bitcoin traders are now sitting on an aggregate profit margin of about 18%, the highest since June 2025.

CryptoQuant said similar levels have historically coincided with heavier distribution, as traders use relief rallies to take money off the table.

Still, the selling has not yet developed into broadholder distribution. Exchange inflows remain muted, suggesting large holders are not aggressively moving coins onto centralized platforms. That limits the bearish signal from the latest profit-taking and points instead to a market digesting gains after a sharp rebound.

At the same time, the second source of pressure came from the derivatives market as Bitcoin’s early-May rally was powered by a rapid return of leverage to perpetual futures markets.

CryptoQuant data show BTC's open interest, or the total value of outstanding derivatives contracts, recorded its largest increase of 2026. The expansion was even larger than the build-up seen around Bitcoin’s 2025 all-time high.

Binance remained the center of that activity, accounting for roughly 34% of the market, with average monthly open interest reaching $2.5 billion. Gate.io and Bybit also saw elevated activity, reflecting a broader return of risk appetite across major trading venues.

That leverage helped drive the rally, but it also made the move more fragile.

CryptoQuant analyst IT Tech noted that BTC funding rates fell to -0.031% per hour between May 2 and 4, their lowest level since the post-COVID market stress in 2020. The deeply negative funding showed that traders had crowded into short positions just as liquidity was building above the market.

When Bitcoin broke through $78,600, those shorts were forced to unwind. From May 4 to May 6, about $535 million in short positions were liquidated, accelerating the move toward the $82,000 to $83,000 range.

Open interest surged from $26.5 billion to $29.1 billion during the squeeze, showing how much of the advance was driven by derivatives positioning rather than steady spot demand.

The move below $80,000 was the other side of that process.

As the squeeze faded, open interest cooled back to about $26.7 billion. That decline washed out part of the speculative buildup that had carried Bitcoin higher and reduced some of the immediate leverage risk.

Options traders shrug off the pullback

While spot markets digest the selling pressure, the options market was telling a decidedly more optimistic story. Volatility, which had been compressed to its lowest levels since October 2025, is violently repricing higher.

According to Glassnode data, this volatility surge is entirely driven by the front end of the curve. One-week implied volatility has jumped significantly from recent lows, indicating a renewed appetite for short-term optionality.

At the same time, the 25-delta skew, a metric that measures the cost difference between bullish call options and bearish put options, is aggressively normalizing. After briefly flashing a 5% premium for puts, the front-end skew is compressing back toward neutral.

The broader skew index, which evaluates the entirety of the options curve, paints an even clearer picture: downside hedges are being actively unwound, and demand for upside exposure is steadily building.

The market is effectively signaling that while traders are maintaining some baseline protection, they viewed the brief dip below $80,000 as a temporary deviation rather than a structural breakdown.

Further complicating the price action is a massive cluster of short gamma positioned near the $82,000 strike. With a total of nearly $2 billion, this concentration forces options dealers to hedge their books dynamically.

In practice, this means dealers are compelled to buy into market strength and sell into market weakness, a mechanical reflex that naturally amplifies price swings in this specific trading range.

Trading volumes support the thesis of renewed engagement. Blockscholes data shows that daily derivatives volumes, which had been languishing between $800 million and $1.2 billion, exploded to well over $4 billion during the push toward $83,000.

Despite the subsequent price drop, Blockscholes’ internal risk appetite index remains exceptionally strong, registering a +1.1720 reading.

The path to $88,000

Considering the above, the prevailing market question is whether this entire sequence marks the genesis of a sustained macroeconomic bull run or merely the final, euphoric gasp of a prolonged bear-market rally.

The answer likely lies in the behavior of cost-basis clusters.

Data from CryptoQuant shows that the age of unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs) provides a map of where different cohorts of buyers acquired their coins.

Currently, a highly bullish divergence is forming. The cost basis for the one-to-four-week holder cohort has surged from $67,000 to $76,000, recently surpassing the one-to-three-month cohort at $68,000.

In technical terms, this is a structural golden cross for on-chain sentiment. Short-term holders are the undisputed engine of market momentum.

When their aggregate position falls underwater, they generate relentless selling pressure. However, when their positions align in profit from the bottom up, they form the bedrock of a sustainable uptrend.

This foundational alignment is currently locking into place, setting the stage for the next major psychological and technical battleground: $88,000. This level represents the cost basis of the three-to-six-month holder cohort and stands as the ultimate resistance barrier.

If derivatives demand continues to absorb spot profit-taking and Bitcoin can successfully reclaim and hold $88,000, it would push every single short-term cohort into profit simultaneously.

Historically, that specific trigger has been the undeniable catalyst for a true trend reversal, turning cautious optimism into widespread retail euphoria.

The post Bitcoin briefly slips below $80,000, but options traders are betting the dip won’t last appeared first on CryptoSlate.

In a May 8 speech, SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the agency could consider a limited “innovation pathway” for on-chain trading systems in the near future.

Meanwhile, the agency will reserve formal notice-and-comment rulemaking to determine how crypto platforms fit inside the exchange definition. Atkins tied that idea directly to the SEC's handling of electronic trading in the 1990s.

The SEC spent years issuing ad hoc no-action letters as electronic trading challenged the exchange framework, then built Regulation ATS in 1998. The rule was a middle path that allowed alternative trading systems to operate as broker-dealers under specific conditions as the market matured.

The original adopting release described the framework as designed to “encourage market innovation” while preserving investor protections. Atkins is pointing at that sequence of targeted guidance first, fit-for-purpose architecture second, as a template for on-chain finance.

The two-step reading makes the speech different from generic crypto-policy rhetoric.

Atkins appears to be preparing the SEC to allow certain on-chain trading systems to operate inside the regulatory perimeter under conditions, while a longer rulemaking process settles how exchange, broker-dealer, clearing, and transfer-agent definitions apply to software-based markets.

For crypto firms that spent years facing enforcement before rules existed, that sequence would represent a genuine departure from recent agency posture.

Why on-chain markets force a new architecture

Traditional SEC rules were built around separate actors performing separate regulated functions, such as exchanges matching orders, broker-dealers routing and executing them, clearing agencies settling them, and transfer agents recording ownership.

A single on-chain protocol can perform all of those functions automatically, often within seconds, without distinct intermediaries at each step.

Applying a rulebook designed for that separation to software that collapses it produces legal uncertainty that firms and regulators alike are trying to escape, and Atkins acknowledged that friction directly.

Clean compliance requires the SEC to do more than declare existing rules apply. Some functions that appear to be exchange activity in on-chain form also resemble broker-dealer or clearing activity, or both simultaneously.

A limited pathway is intended to address this problem by giving firms a route to operate inside the perimeter before the more difficult definitional rewrites are complete.

This pathway could take the form of exemptive relief, conditional no-action letters, a pilot program, a tailored registration framework, or a registration-lite model for certain on-chain venues.

The sequence is near-term conditional access, then formal rulemaking to future-proof the framework.

The SEC has already been operating with temporary tools in this space. On Apr. 13, the Division of Trading and Markets issued a staff statement offering conditional relief to certain self-custodial crypto interfaces, calling it an “interim step” while broader regulatory questions are considered.

Between Mar. 17 and May 4, the SEC's Crypto@SEC page recorded five market structure or tokenization actions, and Atkins' speech serves as the policy frame that connects those operational moves into a coherent sequence.

Commissioner Hester Peirce pointed to specific design levers in December 2025, asking whether the SEC should tailor Form ATS for crypto alternative trading systems, revise public-versus-non-public disclosure requirements, and rethink ATS reporting in light of public blockchains.

The February FAQ clarified that pairs trading of securities and non-security crypto assets is permissible, confirmed that current ATS forms can accommodate crypto disclosures, and established that broker-dealer ATS operators may perform certain clearing and settlement functions under applicable law.

The pathway Atkins is hinting at appears to build on those components.

Bridge or funnel

The optimistic reading is that the SEC is preparing a true Reg ATS-style bridge, with formal conditional pathways for on-chain venues, purpose-built disclosure frameworks, and explicit recognition that some on-chain clearing and settlement can sit inside broker-dealer activity.

In that version, firms that have operated offshore or in legal ambiguity would have a practical route to register, disclose, and operate domestically.

The Nasdaq tokenized-securities approval, the NYSE tokenized-securities filing, and the HQLAx no-action relief are all operational evidence that the SEC can structure conditional accommodations without waiting for Congress.

Conditional accommodation and deregulation are distinct outcomes. The original Regulation ATS brought new trading venues inside the SEC's perimeter and imposed conditions on their operation.

A crypto equivalent would impose requirements on disclosure, recordkeeping, custody standards, routing transparency, and conflict-of-interest controls, with a framework built around how on-chain protocols actually function.

The practical benefit to the industry would be a compliance route built on an on-chain architecture.

The pessimistic reading is that the pathway materializes primarily for intermediated or hybrid actors, leaving autonomous protocols and decentralized systems in the same legal uncertainty they face today.

The conditional relief it offers applies only to providers that hold no customer assets, take no orders, route no transactions, execute no trades, and solicit no specific user activity. That exclusion list covers most of what makes an automated market-maker or lending protocol function.

A pathway designed around those parameters would help firms closest to the traditional broker-dealer model while doing little for parts of on-chain finance that have no obvious broker-dealer analog.

Atkins also used the speech to urge Congress to send the CLARITY Act to President Donald Trump's desk, and the legislative backdrop helps explain why SEC action carries independent weight.

CLARITY Act faced a February stalemate over stablecoin rewards provisions, an April push from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and a May 1 deal on a key provision that may restore Senate momentum.

That stop-start trajectory means the SEC must act with its own tools while Congress negotiates, and Atkins said in January that statute alone leaves operational questions for the agency to answer.

His FTX reference closed the political argument, noting that regulatory voids displace risk offshore, leaving American investors exposed.

FTX operated outside the US, yet American customers still lost money. A domestic pathway brings activity inside the system before the next structural failure makes the gaps undeniable.

The speech is best taken as a marker that the SEC appears to be moving from a classification argument about crypto fitting the old rulebook to a design exercise about what conditions a bridge for on-chain venues would actually require.

The post The SEC looks at a 1990s fix for crypto markets to allow true “innovation pathway” appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Toncoin (TON) surged from roughly $1.32 on May 1 to an intraday high of $2.90 by May 7, pushing its market cap to approximately $7.8 billion.

The catalyst was Pavel Durov's announcement that Telegram would replace the TON Foundation as the network's primary driving force and become its largest validator within two to three weeks.

Alongside that, ton.org was updated to state that the domain is “controlled by MTONGA.” Traders took the combination as confirmation that TON had, in substance, become Telegram's chain. This means being directed by the same company whose 1 billion users would determine its value.

In January 2025, Telegram and TON formalized exclusivity agreements that went far beyond branding.

TON became the sole blockchain infrastructure for Telegram Mini Apps, TON Connect became the required wallet-connection standard for blockchain-enabled mini apps, and Toncoin became the only cryptocurrency accepted for Telegram Stars, Premium, Ads, Gateway, and certain developer and channel-owner payouts.

Those terms gave TON a structural claim on every financial transaction running through Telegram's platform. What the early-May post added was a governance layer on top of that commercial position.

The practical effect of the January deal became apparent only once Telegram began building the product stack to exploit it.

TON Pay launched in February 2026, institutional stablecoin access came through SCRYPT in April, embedded wallet infrastructure arrived via Dynamic and Fireblocks in late March, and sub-second finality went live on mainnet in April, cutting confirmation times from roughly ten seconds to approximately one second, with blocks arriving every 400 milliseconds.

Those releases assembled an in-app payments architecture fast enough to feel invisible inside a chat window.

Distribution, data, and more to cover

TON's payments thesis shows that consumer crypto adoption wins by embedding inside surfaces where users already spend time. This argument becomes a product roadmap when Telegram's 1 billion-plus active users are on that surface.

Durov's announcement provided traders with a specific trigger, but the trade was a bet that Telegram could convert its user base into a payment network, with TON as the settlement layer.

DefiLlama showed $152.9 million in decentralized exchange volume for the seven days ended May 7, up 1,054% week-over-week, and $12.4 million in perpetuals volume over the same period, up 3,200%. App fees reached $1.48 million for a single day.

Those numbers show the distance TON still has to cover, as Solana recorded $6.37 million in app fees on a comparable day and holds $15.4 billion in stablecoins, compared with TON's $752.5 million.

TRON, built on dollar-denominated stablecoin transfer volume, has $89.6 billion in assets. TON's payment-rail footprint lags far behind the chains it would need to displace for the Telegram thesis to pay out at scale.

The more honest peer comparison sits closer to Sui, which shows $567.2 million in stablecoins, $120,600 in app fees per day, and over $4 billion market cap.

The difference between TON's current on-chain scale and its Telegram-narrative valuation is what the market is pricing in Telegram's ability to close. If Mini App payments and TON Pay generate real adoption, that premium holds.

The centralization problem at the center of the bull case

The uncomfortable dimension of Durov's announcement is that the feature traders are buying runs structurally opposite to what most blockchain projects sell as their core value.

Durov framed Telegram's validator role as a net positive, arguing that a credible anchor would attract more participants and lock more TON into staking at roughly 20% APR.

The case for decentralization-through-concentration relies on Telegram executing on its commitments without extracting monopoly rents from the network it now leads.

The Financial Times reported earlier this year that Telegram's revenue was already tied to Toncoin-linked exclusivity agreements, and that a writedown in Toncoin's value contributed to a net loss.

That entanglement means Telegram's balance sheet and TON's price move together, which is the same corporate dependency that makes the bull case intuitive, and it is also what makes Telegram a self-interested steward. Telegram has direct economic reasons to deepen TON's value, making it a financially invested principal with skin in every price move.

Three near-term risks could end that acceptance before the bull case proves itself.

DefiLlama flags a May 24 unlock of approximately 36.58 million TON, worth roughly $93.65 million at current prices, or 1.36% of float. For a rally built on an announcement, that supply overhang arrives at a vulnerable moment.

Durov's legal exposure adds another layer of uncertainty, as he received a Russian criminal summons naming him as a suspect, and earlier reporting documented an ongoing French inquiry.

A founder whose personal freedom is contested cannot provide the stable governance anchor that Telegram's central validator role requires.

The 2-to-3-week timeline Durov cited for the validator transition also means the market bought an announced intention, one that only settles once on-chain stake data confirm the move, and sell-the-news dynamics could punish any delay.

The bear case rests on the market's conclusion that Telegram control warrants a centralization discount and prices TON based on current fundamentals.

At that point, TON's stablecoin base, app fees, and validator structure place it in mid-tier territory, priced for a future that has yet to materialize.

The post TON price doubles after Telegram made a move critics say cuts against crypto’s core promise appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Ethereum Price Shows Early Comeback Signals

Ethereum price could be preparing for a stronger comeback as one important market signal starts to shift: Bitcoin dominance is losing momentum. After a 5-week uptrend, Bitcoin dominance has started to break down, while the daily MACD has flipped bearish.

This matters because when Bitcoin dominance weakens, capital often starts rotating into Ethereum and other altcoins. For $ETH, this could be an early bullish signal, especially after weeks of pressure and slow recovery attempts.

Bitcoin Dominance Breakdown Could Support Ethereum Price

The breakdown in $Bitcoin dominance suggests that traders may slowly be shifting attention away from $BTC and back into altcoins. Historically, when Bitcoin dominance loses strength, Ethereum is often one of the first major assets to benefit.

This does not confirm an immediate rally, but it does create a more supportive setup for ETH. If Bitcoin dominance continues to fall, Ethereum price could gain stronger momentum as liquidity starts moving into the broader altcoin market.

Ethereum Price Prediction: Is $3K Back in Sight?

The current Ethereum price prediction is turning more optimistic as market structure improves. A move toward $3K is possible if ETH holds key support levels, reclaims important resistance zones, and benefits from renewed altcoin demand.

For now, $3K is not guaranteed, but it is becoming a more realistic upside target. If ETH buyers return with stronger volume, $Ethereum price could attempt a bigger recovery in the coming sessions.

Altcoin Momentum Makes ETH One to Watch

This setup is also bullish for altcoins in general. A weaker Bitcoin dominance trend usually means traders are becoming more open to risk, which can support Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and other major altcoins.

Ethereum remains the key asset to watch because it often leads altcoin momentum. If ETH starts moving strongly, the broader altcoin market could follow.

Crypto Clarity Act heads to a key Senate vote

The Crypto Clarity Act is heading toward an important moment in Washington. The U.S. Senate Banking Committee has scheduled an executive session for May 14, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time to consider H.R.3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025. The session will take place in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, according to the committee’s official schedule.

Why the Crypto Clarity Act matters for the market

The main goal of the Crypto Clarity Act is to reduce the legal uncertainty that has surrounded the U.S. crypto sector for years. Crypto companies have often argued that unclear rules make it difficult to build, list tokens, offer services, or compete globally. Investors, meanwhile, have faced a market where regulation often comes through enforcement rather than clear legislation.

A clearer framework could support crypto adoption by giving exchanges, token issuers, investors, and institutions a more defined rulebook. This matters because regulatory clarity is often seen as one of the missing pieces for broader institutional participation in digital assets.

The bill is also important because it comes at a time when crypto regulation is no longer a niche issue. Stablecoins, tokenized assets, crypto exchanges, and digital payment systems are increasingly connected to the broader financial system. That makes the Crypto Clarity Act a major political and market event, not just a crypto industry update.

Stablecoin rewards are the biggest fight

One of the most controversial parts of the bill is stablecoin rewards. Banks oppose parts of the proposal because they fear that rewards paid on stablecoin holdings could compete with traditional savings accounts and pull deposits away from banks.

The latest compromise tries to separate passive stablecoin rewards from activity-based rewards. Under the deal brokered by Republican Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic Senator Angela Alsobrooks, rewards on idle stablecoin holdings would be prohibited because they may resemble bank deposit interest. However, rewards linked to other stablecoin activity, such as payments, would still be allowed.

This distinction is important. Banks want tighter limits because they believe stablecoin reward programs could weaken deposit flows into the regulated banking system. Crypto firms argue that a full ban on third-party stablecoin rewards would be anti-competitive and could limit innovation in digital payments.

Why Coinbase and crypto firms support the compromise

Crypto companies, including Coinbase, now support the updated language because it appears to protect some forms of user rewards while addressing concerns from banks. The compromise gives the bill a better chance of moving forward after months of disagreement between the crypto sector and traditional finance.

For Coinbase and other crypto platforms, the issue is bigger than stablecoins alone. If the Crypto Clarity Act advances, it could help create a more predictable operating environment in the U.S. That could benefit exchanges, blockchain projects, stablecoin issuers, and institutional investors waiting for clearer rules.

Still, this is not a final win for crypto. The bill can still change during the committee process, and the final Senate version may look different from the current proposal.

Democratic support remains uncertain

The biggest political question now is whether the Crypto Clarity Act can gain enough Democratic support. Reuters reported that several Democrats remain concerned that the bill may be too weak on anti-money laundering rules and does not do enough to prevent political officials from profiting from crypto ventures.

That issue could become one of the biggest obstacles before a full Senate vote. Even if the Senate Banking Committee advances the bill, it would still need broader support in the Senate. Reuters also noted that the bill would need support from at least seven Democrats to pass the full Senate.

This means the May 14 vote is only the first major step. The bill could still face amendments, delays, or political resistance before reaching a final vote.

What this could mean for crypto prices

The Crypto Clarity Act could become a positive catalyst for the crypto market if investors see progress toward a real U.S. regulatory framework. Regulatory clarity often supports market confidence, especially for Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, and major U.S.-linked crypto companies.

However, traders should be careful. A committee vote does not mean the bill has become law. The market may react positively if the bill advances, but volatility could return if political disagreement grows or if the final language becomes less favorable for crypto firms.

The key market reaction will depend on three things: whether the bill passes the Senate Banking Committee, whether Democrats push for major changes, and whether the stablecoin rewards compromise survives the next stage.

Bitcoin Price Recovery Puts Altcoins Back in Focus

The crypto market started May 2026 with a clearer upward trajectory after Bitcoin recovered from its low zone near $65,000–$66,000 and moved back toward the $80,000 level. Bitcoin crashed below $65,000 in Feb 2026, while current market data now places $BTC near $80,000, confirming a stronger short-term recovery phase.

This rebound matters because Bitcoin usually leads the first stage of a crypto market recovery. When BTC stabilizes after a deep correction, traders often start looking for altcoins with stronger upside potential, higher beta, active ecosystems and attractive weekly momentum. The current total crypto market cap sits at around $2.75 trillion, with Bitcoin dominance above 58%, meaning altcoins still have room to catch up if capital rotates beyond BTC.

Top 10 Altcoins to Buy in May 2026: Quick Stats

Current prices and weekly percentage changes are based on CoinMarketCap data available on May 8, 2026.

1. Ethereum (ETH): The Core Altcoin for DeFi and Tokenization

Ethereum remains one of the most important altcoins to watch in May 2026 because it is still the leading smart contract network by total value locked. CoinGecko’s blockchain TVL data shows Ethereum with around $45.2 billion in TVL and more than 54% dominance across tracked chains, making it the strongest base layer for DeFi liquidity, tokenized assets and institutional blockchain activity.

ETH is currently trading around $2,317.99, with a modest 7-day gain of 0.3%. That may not look explosive compared to smaller altcoins, but Ethereum’s appeal is its depth. If Bitcoin remains stable near $80,000 and investors begin rotating into major altcoins, ETH is usually one of the first assets to benefit.

Ethereum’s potential in May 2026 comes from three major narratives: DeFi recovery, Layer 2 activity and real-world asset tokenization. For investors looking for a more established altcoin rather than a high-risk small-cap token, ETH remains one of the strongest names on the list.

2. Solana (SOL): One of the Strongest Momentum Altcoins

Solana is currently one of the most interesting altcoins to buy in May 2026 because it combines strong market momentum with real ecosystem activity. SOL is trading around $92.38, up 10.0% over the past week, making it one of the stronger performers among large-cap altcoins.

Solana’s strength comes from its position as a fast, low-cost Layer 1 blockchain. It continues to attract memecoins, DeFi protocols, NFT activity and major token launches. In previous market cycles, Solana benefited when retail activity returned to crypto, and the same setup could develop again if Bitcoin’s recovery encourages traders to take more risk.

The key reason SOL stands out is that it is not only a speculative asset. It has a large user base, strong developer activity and a recognizable ecosystem. If altcoin season begins in May 2026, Solana could be one of the first major Layer 1 coins to react.

3. XRP (XRP): A Payments-Focused Altcoin With Institutional Appeal

XRP is trading around $1.42, with a 7-day gain of 1.9%. While its weekly move is not as aggressive as Solana, Sui or Chainlink, XRP remains one of the largest altcoins by market cap and continues to attract attention because of its payments and settlement narrative.

XRP’s potential comes from its role in cross-border payments, liquidity solutions and institutional crypto discussions. In a market where regulatory clarity and real-world use cases matter more than pure hype, XRP continues to hold a strong position.

For May 2026, XRP may appeal to investors looking for an altcoin that is already highly liquid, widely recognized and connected to the broader institutional adoption story. If Bitcoin remains stable and large-cap altcoins begin to move, XRP could benefit from renewed market confidence.

4. BNB (BNB): Utility, Exchange Exposure and Ecosystem Demand

BNB is trading around $647.80, up 4.6% over the past week. It remains one of the largest non-stablecoin crypto assets and continues to benefit from its role inside the Binance and BNB Chain ecosystem.

BNB’s strength is its utility. It is used for fees, ecosystem activity, launchpad participation and blockchain transactions across BNB Chain. That gives it a different profile from many altcoins that depend mainly on speculation.

In May 2026, BNB could remain attractive because it combines liquidity, utility and strong market recognition. It may not be the most aggressive high-risk altcoin on the list, but it is one of the more established names to watch if the broader crypto market continues to recover.

5. Chainlink (LINK): The Oracle Altcoin for Real-World Assets

Chainlink is one of the strongest weekly performers on this list, trading around $10.37 after a 12.6% gain over the past seven days.

LINK’s potential is tied to one of the most important crypto narratives of 2026: real-world asset tokenization. As more financial products, funds, bonds and institutional assets move on-chain, blockchains need reliable data infrastructure. Chainlink’s oracle network plays an important role in connecting smart contracts with external data.

This makes LINK more than a simple market momentum trade. It is an infrastructure altcoin. If tokenization continues to grow, Chainlink could remain one of the most relevant crypto projects for institutions, DeFi protocols and blockchain developers.

6. Sui (SUI): A High-Growth Layer 1 With Strong Weekly Momentum

Sui is trading around $1.02, with a 10.8% gain over the past week. That makes it one of the stronger Layer 1 altcoins in May 2026.

Sui’s appeal comes from its focus on scalability, fast transactions and developer-friendly infrastructure. The project has been closely watched in the Layer 1 sector because it aims to support DeFi, gaming, NFTs and consumer-facing blockchain applications.

SUI is higher risk than Ethereum or BNB, but it may also offer stronger upside if capital rotates into newer Layer 1 ecosystems. For investors searching for altcoins with growth potential in May 2026, Sui deserves a place on the watchlist.

7. Avalanche (AVAX): A Recovery Candidate for DeFi and RWA Growth

Avalanche is trading around $9.89, up 7.8% over the past week.

AVAX has gone through several difficult market phases, but it remains one of the most recognized Layer 1 projects. Avalanche’s long-term potential comes from its subnet architecture, DeFi ecosystem and real-world asset use cases.

In May 2026, AVAX looks interesting because it is not only a momentum play. It is also a recovery candidate. If the market continues to shift from Bitcoin into large and mid-cap altcoins, Avalanche could benefit from renewed attention toward scalable blockchain infrastructure.

8. Cardano (ADA): A Long-Term Altcoin With Renewed Weekly Strength

Cardano is trading around $0.2722, with a 9.0% gain over the past seven days.

ADA remains one of the most debated altcoins in the market. Supporters see Cardano as a research-driven blockchain with a long-term development approach, while critics argue that its ecosystem growth has been slower than competitors like Solana, Ethereum Layer 2s and Sui.

Still, ADA’s weekly performance shows that traders are paying attention again. If Bitcoin continues to stabilize near $80,000 and altcoin sentiment improves, Cardano could attract capital from investors looking for established names that have not yet fully recovered.

9. Hyperliquid (HYPE): A DeFi Trading Altcoin With Strong Market Interest

Hyperliquid is trading around $43.32, up 5.7% over the past week.

HYPE is different from most Layer 1 coins because its core narrative is tied to on-chain trading and derivatives. This is important because crypto traders are increasingly looking for decentralized platforms that offer speed, liquidity and advanced trading tools.

The potential of HYPE depends on whether Hyperliquid can continue growing as a serious DeFi trading venue. If decentralized derivatives remain one of the strongest sectors in crypto, HYPE could stay on investors’ radar throughout May 2026.

10. Toncoin (TON): The Highest Weekly Performer on This List

Toncoin is the most aggressive momentum play in this top 10 list. TON is trading around $2.59 after a massive 94.6% weekly gain.

TON’s potential is tied to its ecosystem growth and its connection to Telegram-related crypto adoption. The project has attracted attention because it sits at the intersection of messaging, payments, mini apps and consumer crypto usage.

However, TON’s strong weekly rally also means investors should be careful. A 94% move in seven days can attract momentum traders, but it can also lead to sharp pullbacks. TON may be one of the most exciting altcoins to watch in May 2026, but it is also one of the riskiest after such a strong short-term move.

Which Altcoin Looks Best in May 2026?

The best altcoin depends on risk appetite. For lower-risk exposure among altcoins, Ethereum, BNB and XRP remain the most established choices. For stronger upside potential, Solana, Sui, Chainlink and Avalanche look more attractive because they combine ecosystem growth with stronger weekly momentum.

For aggressive traders, HYPE and TON offer higher-risk opportunities. HYPE is linked to the growth of on-chain derivatives, while TON has the strongest weekly performance on the list. However, both require more caution because fast-moving altcoins can reverse quickly.

Final Thoughts: Is May 2026 a Good Time to Buy Altcoins?

May 2026 could be an important month for altcoins because Bitcoin’s recovery from the $65,000–$66,000 low zone toward $80,000 has improved market sentiment. When BTC stabilizes after a correction, capital often starts looking for stronger opportunities across the altcoin market.

Still, not every altcoin will perform well. The best altcoins to buy in May 2026 are not just the ones with short-term hype. Stronger picks should have liquidity, real ecosystem activity, clear narratives, weekly momentum and long-term relevance.

Based on current market structure, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, BNB, Chainlink, Sui, Avalanche, Cardano, Hyperliquid and Toncoin are among the top altcoins to watch as the crypto market attempts to recover.

Coinbase Service Restored After Major Infrastructure Failure

The leading U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, Coinbase, has officially resumed trading operations following a massive service disruption that lasted over five hours. The outage, which began early on May 8, 2026, left millions of users unable to execute trades, access accounts, or manage portfolios during a period of heightened market activity.

According to official status reports, the interruption was not caused by a cyberattack but by a physical infrastructure failure at an Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center in the US-EAST-1 region.

Why was Coinbase Down?

The exchange confirmed that the downtime was triggered by elevated temperatures at a primary AWS facility, specifically within availability zone use1-az4. This heat-related event caused a cascade of hardware impairments, forcing Coinbase to take its trading engines offline to protect the integrity of the order books.

To ensure market stability during the recovery phase, Coinbase implemented a staged restoration process:

• Offline: All trading halted.
• Cancel-Only Mode: Users could cancel existing orders but not place new ones.
• Auction Mode: Limit orders were collected to establish fair opening prices.
• Full Trading: Normal operations resumed across all pairs.

Is My Coinbase Account Safe?

In a statement released via their official status page, Coinbase emphasized that "all customer funds remain safe and secure." The issue was strictly limited to the interface and execution layers of the platform, with no compromise to the underlying cold storage or wallet security protocols.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the "centralization risk" within the crypto industry, as many major platforms rely on the same cloud providers. For users looking to mitigate such risks, diversifying across different crypto exchanges or moving long-term holdings to hardware wallets remains a recommended strategy.

Market Impact and Stock Performance

The outage comes on the heels of a difficult week for the company. Just yesterday, Coinbase (COIN) shares tumbled nearly 5% after reporting a $394 million net loss for Q1 2026. This technical glitch has added further pressure to the stock, which is currently down roughly 15% year-to-date.

The cryptocurrency market experienced a notable pullback on May 8, 2026, with Bitcoin (BTC) slipping below the psychologically significant $80,000 level. This move comes after a period of consolidation following April’s rally. The sudden downturn has wiped out millions in leveraged positions, bringing the total market capitalization down to approximately $2.66 trillion.

Why Is Crypto Crashing?

The primary reasons for the current crypto market decline include:

• Geopolitical Instability: Renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran regarding nuclear deal negotiations have sparked a "risk-off" sentiment across global markets.
• Profit Booking: After BTC tested resistance near $82,000, traders began securing gains, leading to a natural technical retracement.
• Mass Liquidations: Over $90 million in long positions were liquidated within 24 hours, accelerating the downward momentum as Bitcoin broke below its support levels.
• Corporate Moves: Major holders, including MicroStrategy (Strategy), have hinted at potential share offerings or portfolio rebalancing to manage debt, causing brief jitters among retail investors.

Current Crypto Prices: Market Overview

As of today, the market is showing significant red across major assets. You can track the live Bitcoin price here to see if the support at $75,000 holds.

Geopolitical Pressures and the "Safe Haven" Debate

The most immediate catalyst for the drop was the report that Iran rejected a proposed U.S. deal, leading to a spike in regional uncertainty. Traditionally, Bitcoin has been viewed as "Digital Gold," but in the short term, high-volatility assets are often the first to be sold during geopolitical flare-ups as investors flee to the U.S. Dollar.

According to reports from Reuters and Bloomberg, this macro-economic shift is also impacting traditional equities, though crypto has shown a higher sensitivity to these headlines this morning.

Crypto Price Analysis: Key Levels to Watch

Technically, Bitcoin faced a strong rejection at the $82,000 resistance. This level aligns with the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA), a critical line separating the long-term bullish trend from a potential bearish reversal.

• Immediate Support: The $75,000 – $77,000 zone is the next major area where buyers are expected to step in.
• The Bullish Scenario: If BTC can reclaim the $80,000–$81,700 range quickly, the move could be labeled a "fakeout," potentially leading to a fresh run toward $90,000.
• The Bearish Scenario: A sustained close below $75,000 could open the door for a deeper correction toward the $65,000 support level.

U.K. police charged British sprinter CJ Ujah in an alleged crypto fraud scheme involving wallet seed phrase theft and impersonation calls.

Senators had hoped the issue, which has plagued crypto legislation for months, had been put to bed with a proposed compromise last week.

Publicly traded Bitcoin miner and data center operator TeraWulf reported a hefty net loss in Q1 as its AI revenue took over from BTC.

A preliminary Apple-Intel manufacturing agreement—backed by a White House push—sent Intel stock above $130 on Friday.

The Senate Democrat said Meta’s reported plans to partner with a third-party stablecoin issuer could undermine “competition, privacy… and financial stability.”

China has reinforced its sweeping ban on cryptocurrency activity, targeting offshore yuan-backed stablecoins and tightening restrictions on digital asset trading while continuing to push its state-controlled digital yuan strategy.

XRP exchange balances take a hit with $115 million withdrawn in last 24 hours.

Shiba Inu gains deflationary momentum with millions of SHIB sent to dead wallets.

XRP Ledger sidechain gains utility in Blockchain-Based settlement launched for Euro remittances.

Cardano (ADA) recovery setup forms, but big test remains at key support level.

The XRP price prediction picked up serious momentum after Ripple, JPMorgan, Mastercard, and Ondo Finance completed the first cross border, cross bank redemption of a tokenized US Treasury fund on the XRP Ledger, as reported by CoinDesk. The pilot settled in under five seconds outside normal banking windows, plugging a public blockchain into JPMorgan’s $3 trillion Kinexys settlement platform.

This is the kind of plumbing that turns XRP from a payments narrative into live institutional infrastructure, with JPMorgan delivering US dollars to Ripple’s Singapore bank in the same flow that cleared the asset side on XRPL.

XRP trades at  $1.38 today after a 2.34% pullback. While XRP price watchers track whether $1.45 breaks first, Pepeto is drawing capital from wallets that know presale entries reprice the moment a Binance listing arrives. With $9.86 million already raised at $0.0000001869, the math is too clean to ignore.

XRP Price Prediction Gets a Major Boost as Tokenized Treasury Settlement Lands Live on XRPL

The Ondo OUSG redemption used the XRP Ledger as the asset rail, with Mastercard’s MTN routing instructions and JPMorgan delivering dollars across borders. The pilot is the first time a public blockchain and global banking infrastructure handled a cross border tokenized fund redemption as one continuous flow.

XRPL adoption keeps building. RLUSD handled the bridging while a fraction of XRP paid the network fee, which proves what XRP holders always pointed at: when banks plug in, the network underneath gets repriced.

But the XRP price barely moved on the news, up just 1% before pulling back, because an $80 billion network gets revalued slowly.

XRP Price Prediction Versus the Pepeto Setup at Presale Entry

Smart capital does not chase the headline coin. It looks for the next setup that mirrors what worked, and Pepeto is that setup right now, lining up with projects that delivered three figure returns within twelve months of hitting Binance.

The exchange is already live, with three pieces shipping today instead of sitting in a roadmap. PepetoSwap clears swaps on Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Solana at zero cost so the position lands intact, and the cross chain bridge ships tokens between networks without taking a cut. The contract scanner sits in front of every wallet approval and reads the code first, catching risky approvals at the door instead of after the loss.

The track record turns presale conviction into actual returns. The original Pepe cofounder who pushed a meme launch from zero to $11 billion on a 420 trillion supply leads the build, while a former Binance executive runs the listing path, so the people steering this presale already know how to land a meme token on a tier one exchange.

SolidProof audited the codebase before any dollar entered, $9.86M is locked in, 175% APY staking compounds every position daily, and at $0.0000001869 the entry sits where it does only until the Binance listing flips trading live.

XRP Price Forecast: Where Does XRP Go From  $1.38?

XRP trades at  $1.38 today per CoinMarketCap, sitting above the $1.40 breakout zone with $1.45 to $1.47 capping upside. The XRP price prediction for 2026 targets $2.80 per Standard Chartered, roughly a 2x from here, with $8 in play if the CLARITY Act passes this summer.

XRP ETF inflows have continued and the JPMorgan settlement deepens institutional confidence, but the move from  $1.38 to $2.80 plays out over months, and 2x is not the 100x a presale to listing event delivers.

Conclusion

The XRP price prediction for 2026 keeps strengthening as Ripple, JPMorgan, and Mastercard tie XRPL into live institutional banking, but the early days of XRP returns ended a long time ago. Picture the trader who watched Shiba Inu trade at fractions of a cent and said the entry would be there next month.

Picture the wallet that found Dogecoin in the early rounds and waited one more week before locking in. From  $1.38, even the most bullish XRP targets pay a fraction of what those entries delivered, and the same window is open right now on a project that has not seen its first Binance candle.

No other 2026 project combines the Pepe cofounder track record, a working exchange with audited tools, and meme coin energy at presale pricing. The Pepeto page is where this entry stays open until the listing flips live, and once that switch is thrown the wallets reading and waiting are the ones who read about it next month and ask what they were doing today.

Click To Visit Pepeto Website To Enter The Presale

FAQs

What is the XRP price prediction for 2026 after the JPMorgan tokenized treasury settlement?

XRP trades at  $1.38 with Standard Chartered targeting $2.80 in the moderate case and $8 if the CLARITY Act passes the Senate. Pepeto at presale targets 100x from one Binance listing.

Why is Pepeto considered the strongest crypto presale right now?

Pepeto is the presale exchange combining zero fee swaps, a cross chain bridge, and an AI risk scanner at $0.0000001869, with $9.86M raised and SolidProof audit complete. The XRP price prediction shows 2x while Pepeto targets 100x on listing day.

The post XRP Price Prediction Strengthens After Ripple, JPMorgan, Mastercard Settle First Cross Border Tokenized Treasury on XRP Ledger: Pepeto Holds the Bigger Multiple appeared first on Blockonomi.

Name recognition in online gambling is built on specialisation. Stake.com built its name by specialising in the crypto gambling community — a platform that understood what crypto-native players valued, built its product around those values, and became the name most associated with crypto casino culture globally. Bet365 built its name by specialising in sportsbook comprehensiveness — a platform that understood what serious sports bettors needed, built an unmatched market coverage product, and became the name most associated with comprehensive sports betting internationally.

Both names reflect genuine specialisation and genuine achievement. Both continue to attract the players their specialisation was built for.

In 2026 a platform is emerging that does not specialise in the same narrow direction as either established name. ZunaBet launched this year with a product that takes what both names do best and builds a more complete offering around it — crypto-native infrastructure at the level of the best crypto casinos, a game library that exceeds what either established platform offers in depth and provider diversity, a sportsbook that covers traditional sports and esports comprehensively, and a loyalty program that delivers transparent direct returns to every player regardless of volume. This article examines all three and explains what comes after specialisation.

Stake.com: What the Crypto Casino Name Was Built On

Stake.com’s name in crypto gambling was built on a foundation of genuine community and genuine crypto credentials. The platform understood that the crypto gambling audience valued more than just accepting Bitcoin — they valued the transparency that crypto culture emphasises, the community that forms around shared platforms and content creators, and the in-house gaming experience that reflects the provably fair principles the space had developed.

The Stake Originals library is the product of that understanding — in-house games built with transparent mechanics, available exclusively on the platform, and carrying the distinctive identity of a product built from within crypto culture rather than adapted toward it. The community that formed around Stake.com through streamer partnerships and player engagement is genuine and it produced the brand recognition the platform carries.

The crypto payment credentials are real. Native cryptocurrency processing rather than third-party layers. Withdrawals at the speed the infrastructure allows. A payment experience that reflects genuine crypto infrastructure rather than fiat banking with cryptocurrency as an option.

The limitations surface when the product is examined beyond its specialisation. The third-party game library — outside Stake Originals — is narrower than the largest dedicated casino platforms. Players who want extensive coverage from the industry’s top third-party providers find the selection more limited than what platforms built specifically around provider diversity offer. The sportsbook covers major markets but is not the product’s primary focus and reflects that in its depth. The loyalty structure delivers clear value at high volumes but is less transparent and calculable for the regular player at moderate activity levels. Geographic restrictions apply in several significant markets.

Bet365: What the Sportsbook Name Was Built On

Bet365’s name in sports betting was built on 25 years of singular investment in one direction — the most comprehensive sportsbook coverage possible. The product that resulted is the industry reference point for market access. Major global sports at full depth, minor events that other platforms do not price, in-play coverage running on competitions that competitors close before they begin, live streaming of events embedded in the platform. The name reflects genuine product leadership in the category it specialised in.

The casino grew alongside the sportsbook. A large library from established providers, strong live dealer content, polished and consistent platform experience. The product is broad and reflects the investment of an operator with the time and resources to build at scale.

The limitations are the limitations of a traditional platform built for a traditional player. Geographic restrictions eliminate the platform for the US market and several others. The loyalty program is structured around invite-only VIP tiers — the general player base operates without meaningful loyalty visibility or a clear pathway toward the levels where rewards matter. Crypto support is minimal. Fiat banking timelines apply throughout.

For the crypto-native player Bet365’s limitations are not incidental — they are structural. The platform was built for a different payment infrastructure, a different loyalty expectation, and a different player profile than the one arriving in growing numbers in 2026.

ZunaBet: Building What Comes After Both

ZunaBet launched in 2026 under Strathvale Group Ltd, operating under an Anjouan gaming license and registered in Belize. The team carries over 20 years of combined industry experience. It is not Stake.com’s community-first crypto brand and it is not Bet365’s 25-year sportsbook institution. It is a crypto-first, internationally accessible platform built to take what both names do well and construct a more complete product around those strengths while addressing what both leave open.

The game library builds what comes after both platforms’ casino offerings. ZunaBet carries 11,294 titles from 63 providers. Stake.com’s strength is Originals — a distinctive in-house product — but its third-party coverage is narrower. Bet365’s casino is substantial but not at the provider diversity level that ZunaBet reaches. Evolution for the full live dealer catalogue. Pragmatic Play across multiple product categories. Hacksaw Gaming for the high-volatility mechanics that experienced players seek. Yggdrasil for its distinctive design philosophy. BGaming for the crypto-native aesthetic. Sixty-three different creative approaches producing content with different mechanics, different volatility profiles, and different visual identities. The library sustains long-term engagement through genuine variety rather than the distinctive identity of Originals or the adequate breadth of an established casino product.

The sportsbook builds what comes after both platforms’ sports coverage for the modern player. Football, basketball, tennis, NHL, and other major global sports alongside CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, and Valorant as genuine primary markets. Virtual sports and combat sports complete a sportsbook built around the full range of what the 2026 player bets on. The esports coverage in particular goes beyond what either established name prioritises seriously.

The payment infrastructure builds what comes after both platforms’ payment approaches. More than 20 cryptocurrencies supported natively — BTC, ETH, USDT across multiple chains, SOL, DOGE, ADA, XRP, and others. No platform processing fees. Withdrawals settling in minutes. Apps across iOS, Android, Windows, and MacOS with 24-hour live chat support. The crypto credentials are genuine and the breadth of coin support exceeds what either established platform offers.

Payments: What Each Name Built and What Comes After

The payment comparison traces three different positions on the crypto-traditional spectrum.

Stake.com built native crypto payments for the crypto-native player. The infrastructure is genuine and the withdrawal experience reflects it. The specialisation is real.

Bet365 built fiat banking payments for the traditional sports bettor. The infrastructure reflects 25 years of fiat-era operation. Bank transfer, card payment, e-wallet — each with associated timelines. The specialisation is equally real and equally limiting for the player outside its profile.

ZunaBet builds what comes after both — native crypto infrastructure at the level of the best crypto casinos but with a coin breadth that exceeds the typical crypto casino offering. Twenty-plus coins supported natively. Withdrawals in minutes. No fees beyond network costs. The payment position takes Stake.com’s crypto authenticity and extends it across a wider range of currencies and a more complete platform.

For the player who valued Stake.com’s crypto payments but wanted more — ZunaBet’s payment infrastructure is what more looks like.

Loyalty: What Each Name Built and What Comes After

The loyalty comparison reveals three different approaches to rewarding regular players.

Stake.com built a loyalty structure around rakeback and bonuses that delivers clear value at the upper end of the volume curve. The community-driven rewards ecosystem is genuine. For the regular player at moderate volume the structure is less transparent and the effective return less clearly calculable in advance.

Bet365 built a loyalty structure around invite-only VIP tiers. The rewards at those tiers are genuine. For the general player base the structure offers minimal visibility and no accessible pathway toward the levels that matter.

ZunaBet builds what comes after both through the dragon evolution loyalty system. Six tiers — Squire, Warden, Champion, Divine, Knight, and Ultimate — with a gamified mascot called Zuno and direct rakeback rates of 1%, 2%, 4%, 5%, 10%, and 20%. All tiers open to all players. All rates applying to all activity — casino and sportsbook alike. No conversion. No invitation. The transparency that Stake.com’s culture values is built into the structure explicitly and the accessibility that Bet365’s VIP system lacks is available from tier one.

Twenty percent at the Ultimate tier. Calculable before joining. Consistent throughout membership. Additional tier benefits — up to 1,000 free spins, VIP club access, double wheel spins — extend the structure beyond the core rakeback.

The Welcome Bonus

ZunaBet new players receive a bonus across three deposits totalling up to $5,000 plus 75 free spins. First deposit matched 100% up to $2,000 with 25 free spins. Second deposit matched 50% up to $1,500 with 25 spins. Third deposit matched 100% up to $1,500 with 25 spins.

Stake.com and Bet365 offer their own promotional structures for new and existing players. Current terms vary and should be confirmed directly on each platform.

The Player That Comes After Both Names

The player ZunaBet was built for is the player that comes after both established names’ primary audiences. Not the Stake.com community member whose primary relationship with the platform is through streamers and Originals. Not the Bet365 sports bettor whose primary criterion is traditional market coverage. The player who wants crypto-native infrastructure across twenty-plus coins, a game library from sixty-three providers, serious esports coverage, and a loyalty program that states its return clearly before they commit to earning it.

ZunaBet launched in 2026 and is still establishing the track record that both established names built over years of consistent operation. That gap is real and players should weigh it honestly.

But what comes after both names — the platform that takes crypto authenticity, game library depth, sportsbook breadth, and loyalty transparency and combines them in a single product — launched in 2026. That platform is ZunaBet and the player it was built for is finding it.

The post Stake.com Built The Crypto Casino Name. Bet365 Built The Sportsbook Name. ZunaBet Is Building What Comes After Both. appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• Semiconductor stocks are experiencing a powerful rally fueled by artificial intelligence demand, with the PHLX Semiconductor Index posting its strongest outperformance versus the S&P 500 in more than 12 months
• Nvidia (NVDA) maintains the most bullish analyst consensus in the sector, boasting 48 buy recommendations and no sell ratings
• AMD (AMD) delivered first-quarter revenue of $10.25 billion with data-center sales surging 57%, prompting over 20 analysts to lift their price targets
• Micron Technology (MU) posted its strongest five-day performance since 2008, jumping 30% on surging demand for AI memory chips
• ASML Holding stands as the only company in this group facing sell-side skepticism, with 2 sell ratings among 21 buy calls

Artificial intelligence continues to dominate market momentum, and semiconductor companies remain squarely in the spotlight. As we move through May 2026, five chip stocks have emerged as the primary focus for investors tracking this critical sector.

The semiconductor benchmark index has recently delivered its most impressive outperformance against the broader S&P 500 in over a year. This rally has spread across multiple chip categories, including graphics processors, memory manufacturers, equipment providers, and connectivity specialists.

Let’s examine the five semiconductor equities capturing the most investor attention right now.

Nvidia (NVDA)

Nvidia maintains its position as the undisputed leader in artificial intelligence silicon. The company’s graphics processing units remain the foundation for both training and deploying sophisticated AI models, while its comprehensive software stack and networking infrastructure position it as far more than just a chip vendor.

NVIDIA Corporation, NVDA

Analyst sentiment couldn’t be clearer. According to MarketBeat tracking, Nvidia commands 48 buy ratings, 4 strong buy calls, 2 hold recommendations, and zero sell ratings. This represents one of the most lopsided professional consensus views across the entire equity market.

The primary concern centers on valuation. Following its substantial price appreciation, future gains hinge on whether the company can continue exceeding already elevated earnings forecasts.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)

Advanced Micro Devices stands as Nvidia’s primary competitor in the AI chip arena. The company recently reported first-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.37 on revenues totaling $10.25 billion, with data-center sales surging 57% compared to the prior year.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., AMD

AMD provided second-quarter revenue guidance of approximately $11.2 billion, exceeding Wall Street’s consensus estimates. Following the earnings release, no fewer than 20 brokerage firms increased their price objectives.

Analyst ratings currently stand at 30 buys, 2 strong buys, and 12 holds with no sell recommendations. The challenge lies in rising expectations that have climbed rapidly alongside the share price.

Broadcom (AVGO)

Broadcom offers investors artificial intelligence exposure extending beyond traditional GPU chips. The company’s involvement spans custom AI processors, networking equipment, and infrastructure spending by major technology platforms.

Industry reports have connected Broadcom to custom chip development projects with OpenAI, though questions regarding project financing and customer diversification have also emerged. Analyst sentiment reflects 27 buys, 2 strong buys, and 4 holds with no sell ratings.

Micron Technology (MU)

Micron represents the memory-focused investment opportunity within this group. AI data centers demand high-bandwidth memory solutions, positioning Micron as a direct beneficiary of this infrastructure buildout.

MarketWatch noted that Micron recorded its strongest weekly performance since 2008, advancing 30% across five consecutive trading days and eclipsing JPMorgan’s market capitalization. The analyst community assigns 30 buys, 5 strong buys, and 4 holds with zero sell ratings.

The cautionary element is memory’s historically cyclical nature, where pricing power can deteriorate rapidly if industry supply expands.

ASML Holding

ASML manufactures the specialized lithography systems essential for producing state-of-the-art semiconductors. Without ASML’s equipment, companies including Nvidia, AMD, and TSMC cannot fabricate their most advanced chip designs.

This positions ASML as a critical supply chain enabler rather than a chip producer. The stock carries 21 buys, 3 strong buys, 6 holds, and 2 sell ratings — making it the sole company in this group with any bearish recommendations. Export restrictions and lumpy capital equipment spending patterns represent the principal risk factors.

Bottom Line

The semiconductor industry is responding to genuine infrastructure demand, not speculative enthusiasm. AI computing facilities require processors, memory, and the manufacturing equipment to produce them — and these five companies occupy strategic positions across that value chain. Analyst coverage remains overwhelmingly positive across the group, though valuations have appreciated considerably, requiring investors to carefully balance growth potential against current pricing.

The post 5 Chip Stocks Dominating Investor Attention This May: Nvidia (NVDA), AMD (AMD), and More appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• RKLB shares climbed to a fresh 52-week peak of $105.62 following TD Cowen’s price target increase from $90 to $120 with a Buy recommendation
• First quarter 2026 revenue hit an all-time high of $200.3 million, representing a ~63% increase from the prior year and surpassing analyst projections
• Second quarter revenue outlook upgraded to a range of $225–$240 million, suggesting roughly 16% quarter-over-quarter expansion
• Total order backlog surged 108% to an unprecedented $2.2 billion, with launch services accounting for 42% and space systems making up 58%
• Major wins include a $30 million hypersonic HASTE agreement with Anduril and the strategic purchase of space robotics company Motive Space Systems

Shares of Rocket Lab (RKLB) exploded higher by 34% during Friday’s trading session, finishing at $105.55 after touching a new 52-week high of $105.62 — a dramatic leap from the previous day’s close of $78.58. Trading volume surged to 76 million shares, approximately 247% higher than the three-month daily average.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc., RKLB

The dramatic rally followed an exceptional first quarter 2026 earnings release. The company reported record revenue of $200.3 million, representing a 63% year-over-year increase that exceeded Wall Street consensus estimates. The per-share loss narrowed to just $0.07, also outperforming analyst expectations.

TD Cowen wasted no time responding to the strong results. The investment firm boosted its RKLB price objective from $90 to $120 while reaffirming its Buy recommendation, providing additional momentum to an already explosive trading day.

The impressive performance extended beyond just top-line figures. Rocket Lab’s total backlog expanded by 108% to reach an all-time high of $2.2 billion. The composition shows increasing diversification, with 42% attributed to launch services and 58% coming from space systems operations.

Executives also elevated their second quarter revenue projection to a range of $225 million through $240 million. Such performance would represent another quarterly record and indicate approximately 16% growth from the first quarter.

Strategic Contracts and Defense Partnerships

Along with the quarterly performance, Rocket Lab unveiled multiple strategic agreements supporting its forward outlook.

The aerospace company secured what it described as its largest-ever launch agreement, encompassing numerous Neutron and Electron missions for a client that wasn’t publicly disclosed. This deal provides substantial revenue certainty to an already expanding backlog.

Rocket Lab also secured a $30 million HASTE hypersonic launch agreement with Anduril Industries. This collaboration brings together two prominent players in the defense technology sector.

Additionally, a Space Force demonstration project with Raytheon was revealed, further validating strong demand for Rocket Lab’s launch services within the defense industry.

During the quarter, Rocket Lab completed the acquisition of Motive Space Systems, a space robotics company, in a strategic move that could position the firm for expanded involvement in upcoming exploration initiatives.

Wall Street Perspectives

Analyst sentiment leans positive overall, though opinions vary across the Street. Roth MKm increased its price objective from $90 to $100 while maintaining a Buy recommendation prior to the earnings announcement. Cantor Fitzgerald maintained its Overweight stance with an $85 target back in March.

Conversely, Wells Fargo launched coverage in April with an Equal Weight rating and a $60 price target — significantly beneath current trading levels. KeyCorp moved RKLB to Sector Weight in January.

According to MarketBeat consensus data, the stock carries a “Moderate Buy” rating with a mean price target of $90. That average now trails the actual stock price considerably after Friday’s surge.

Recent insider transactions have leaned toward selling activity. Chief Financial Officer Adam Spice offloaded approximately 62,744 shares at $69.59 during March. Insider Frank Klein disposed of 36,768 shares at $71.95 around that same period. Total insider sales over the previous 90 days reached roughly 233,449 shares valued at approximately $16.5 million.

Institutional investors control 71.78% of outstanding shares. The stock’s 50-day moving average currently stands at $72.88, while the 200-day moving average rests at $68.50, both significantly trailing current price levels.

Following Friday’s rally, Rocket Lab’s market capitalization now stands at roughly $61 billion.

The post Rocket Lab (RKLB) Stock Rockets 34% Higher on Record-Breaking Q1 Earnings Beat appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• Shares of MRAM peaked at $23.10 on May 8, closing near $22.59 with approximately 437,000 shares traded
• The company finalized a decade-long production agreement with Microchip Technology for U.S.-based MRAM manufacturing in Oregon
• First quarter earnings per share reached $0.11 on revenue of $14.87M, exceeding Wall Street’s $14.60M projection
• Second quarter 2026 EPS forecast ranges from $0.000 to $0.030; analyst rating averages Hold with $18.50 price target
• Top executives liquidated approximately $796K in shares during early May

Everspin Technologies (MRAM) shares touched a fresh 52-week peak at $23.10 this past Friday, May 8, ultimately closing the session near $22.59. The closing price represents a substantial premium over both the 50-day moving average of $11.18 and the 200-day moving average of $10.63.

Everspin Technologies, Inc., MRAM

Trading activity for the session registered approximately 437,000 shares, marking an increase from the previous session’s close at $21.51.

The semiconductor stock has appreciated roughly 25% in recent weeks, propelled primarily by a strategic manufacturing announcement made last month.

Strategic Partnership with Microchip Technology

On April 8, Everspin unveiled a 10-year manufacturing collaboration with Microchip Technology focused on producing MRAM and Tunnel Magnetoresistive (TMR) sensor solutions at Microchip’s Oregon production facility.

Under the terms, Everspin retains full ownership of its intellectual property and manufacturing processes. The arrangement also provides ITAR-compliant wafer processing capabilities, a critical requirement for defense and aerospace applications.

Everspin plans to maintain operations at its existing Chandler, Arizona fabrication plant simultaneously. Initial product shipments from the Oregon facility are anticipated during the latter half of 2027.

The collaboration includes provisions for extension beyond the initial 10-year period in two-year increments.

Strong Q1 Results Overshadowed by Conservative Q2 Forecast

For the first quarter of 2026, Everspin delivered earnings per share of $0.11 alongside revenue of $14.87 million, surpassing analyst projections of $14.60 million.

The company reported a net margin of 0.50% with return on equity at 4.78%.

However, the second quarter 2026 outlook presents a more subdued picture. Management issued EPS guidance spanning $0.000 to $0.030 — an unusually broad and modest range suggesting near-term uncertainty.

The company currently carries a market capitalization of $593 million, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 2,532 — underscoring the nascent stage of its profitability trajectory.

Mixed Signals from Analysts and Insider Activity

Wall Street sentiment remains divided. Needham elevated its price objective from $14.00 to $18.50 while reaffirming a Buy rating on April 30. Conversely, Weiss Ratings maintained a Sell recommendation in March. Wall Street Zen moved from Buy to Hold in February.

The consensus rating currently stands at Hold with an average price target of $18.50 — notably beneath current trading levels.

Regarding insider transactions, CEO Sanjeev Aggarwal divested 28,459 shares at $19.58 per share on May 4, generating proceeds of approximately $557,000. This transaction reduced his ownership stake by 3.36%.

CFO William Earl Cooper sold 11,000 shares at $21.75 on May 6, totaling $239,250 in proceeds — representing a 6.39% decrease in his holdings.

Collectively, company insiders have sold roughly 60,448 shares valued at approximately $990,000 during the past three months.

Institutional investors hold 44.68% of outstanding shares, with multiple hedge funds establishing fresh positions in recent quarters, including Raymond James Financial, Kestra Advisory Services, and Occudo Quantitative Strategies.

The stock’s beta coefficient of 1.75 indicates elevated volatility relative to the broader equity market.

The post Everspin Technologies (MRAM) Surges to 52-Week Peak Following Microchip Partnership appeared first on Blockonomi.

Although most of the market saw notable gains over the past few weeks, with BTC surging to a multi-month peak at almost $83,000, Ripple’s cross-border token couldn’t really mimic the rally and was rejected at $1.45.

Since then, the bears have resumed control, pushing it below $1.40, which allowed BNB to retake its position as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.

Yet, popular analyst EGRAG CRYPTO remains highly bullish on XRP’s long-term future and laid out three different scenarios. Interestingly, all of them envision quadruple-digit gains.

The XXXX% Road Ahead

The recent X post from EGRAG, titled “which historical EMA ribbon move is most likely,” begins with a brief history lesson, suggesting that XRP has typically exploded “after reclaiming and expanding away from the EMA Ribbon.” In the three past cycles cited by the analyst, the asset rocketed by 2,400%, 1,000%, and 1,250%, respectively.

Although all of these predictions seem quite bullish at the moment, EGRAG believes one stands out as the most probable based on the current macro structure, liquidity conditions, cycle maturity, and realities of market cap expansion.

It’s the middle scenario, which foresees a 1,250% price pump for XRP. According to EGRAG, it has a 50-55% chance of materializing as it “aligns best with current cycle structure and broader market conditions.”

The 1,000% move has a smaller 30-35% probability chance, while the wildcard 2,400% prediction is the least probable, with 10-15% odds.

#XRP – Which Historical EMA Ribbon Move Is Most Likely?

On the Weekly Time Frame, #XRP has historically exploded AFTER reclaiming and expanding away from the EMA Ribbon.

Historical expansions:
White Move: ~2,400%
Blue Move: ~1,000%
Green Move: ~1,250%

Now… pic.twitter.com/L0U9Z5mJTs

— EGRAG CRYPTO (@egragcrypto) May 8, 2026

Reality Check

Although EGRAG mentioned that these scenarios need to be checked, especially in terms of potential market cap expansions, to see whether they sound viable, it’s still worth noting that even the most modest prediction requires a massive rally. If XRP is to skyrocket by just 1,000%, it would still put its price at roughly $15 per token. The ‘most probable’ 1,250% scenario envisions a surge to $19, while the most bullish puts the token at $35.

Let’s just quickly examine the first two targets, as even EGRAG wasn’t too optimistic about the last one. If XRP taps $15, its market capitalization would need to be close to $1 trillion (with a T, yes). Consequently, a surge to $19 would make it a $1.250 trillion asset.

Just to put things into perspective – there’s only one cryptocurrency with a market cap beyond those numbers. And, overall, there are only 13-14 global assets bigger than that. So, we are not saying that XRP at $13 sounds impossible, but it would require nothing short of a miracle, especially given the current market environment.

The post All Ripple Roads Lead Up? Analyst Maps 3 Bullish Outcomes for XRP appeared first on CryptoPotato.

It’s like a few wars, rising inflation, and global uncertainty are not enough these days. Now, the world needs to pay attention to another health hazard that made the news in the past few weeks: the Hantavirus, and, more precisely, the Andes virus.

Aside from the potential threats it poses to human life (which we will explore later in the article), the question raised by some analysts is whether it will affect BTC as COVID did six years ago.

Will History Repeat?

For those of our readers who might not have been around the March 2020 developments, here’s a quick recap. BTC was coming out of a long bear market, but it had failed to stage a meaningful recovery in 2019, and all eyes were on 2020 as a halving year, which historically served as a major catalyst for future gains.

However, it all changed when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, especially since it was categorized as a global hazard in March. Over a two-day trading session, BTC plummeted from over $8,000 to a multi-year low of $3,750.

Analysts such as Crypto Rover have now speculated on a similar calamity if the Hantavirus explodes. The analyst with over 1.5 million followers on X noted that the mortality rate for COVID was 1%, while the Hantavirus’s is at 40%, which could spell a lot more trouble for everyone.

WARNING: THE COVID-LIKE $BTC DUMP IS ABOUT TO REPEAT??

COVID mortality rate: ~1%
Hantavirus mortality rate: ~40%

The WHO says this likely won’t become the next pandemic.

I don’t think so either.

But they said the same thing about COVID.

Eyes on Bitcoin. pic.twitter.com/F0Dar9gN0n

— Crypto Rover (@cryptorover) May 8, 2026

The Differences

The history of this version of the Hantavirus, according to National Geographic, shows that it stemmed from South America and caused significant harm on a Dutch cruise ship, including several deaths so far. It comes from the Hantaviridae family of viruses, carried by rodents. In most of its versions, it cannot be transferred human-to-human. However, this particular one, which the WHO called the Andes virus, is the only known hantavirus that can jump from human to human.

Some experts said its spread is “not particularly efficient,” unlike measles and COVID, which can be transferred by viruses lingering in the air after an infected person has left the room. Andes spreads only by close contact.

“So, when you have people sleeping in the same bed, or sex partners, or people sharing food, the virus can transmit that way. But it doesn’t transmit to huge groups of individuals,” said Steven Bradfute, an immunologist and hantavirus researcher at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.

Nevertheless, Bradfute, alongside other experts, such as Dr. Emily Abdoler, believes this virus should not be a main concern for most people as its spread will not be anything like COVID.

“I’m doing these interviews as a public service to try to reassure people that this shouldn’t be on their top 100 list of worries,” said Dr. Abdoler.

Hopefully, that’s true. Because we have heard similar reassurances even with COVID, which was not supposed to become a global pandemic at first. But, even if they are true (again, hopefully it’s not such a big threat), that doesn’t guarantee that markets won’t panic and overblow the potential consequences, leading to another major BTC dip.

The post Bitcoin vs. The Hantavirus: Is BTC Bracing for Another ‘Black Swan’ Event? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Ethereum’s native coin finally managed to break its all-time high during the 2025 rally, but only mildly compared to other assets, such as BTC. Its subsequent behavior has been quite painful, as it now trades over 53% away from its peak at $4,950 from August 2025, even after the market-wide rebound seen in the past few weeks.

Moreover, on-chain data shows that whales have been disposing of their assets, which begs the question: what does ETH need to recover to $3,000 and beyond?

Whales Moving Off ETH?

Recall that ETH whales went on a massive accumulation spree in the middle of last year, which peaked shortly after the asset’s all-time high and before the massive market-wide crash in early October. More precisely, those holding between 1,000 and 10,000 tokens had increased their portfolios from 12.95 million to 15.95 million in just several months, according to data shared by Ali Martinez.

Since then, though, their behavior has changed completely aside from a few brief exceptions. Their total holdings have declined by 21.5%, Martinez continued, bringing them below the starting point of 12.95 million to 12.52 million ETH.

Given this significant whale exodus, Martinez questioned whether they will be able to sustain a more profound rally to $3,000 and beyond. In fact, he suggested that the asset might require “a fresh wave of institutional or retail demand” to offset the whales’ distribution.

Ethereum whales are doing something they haven’t done in a year.

Since October 6, 2025, Ethereum whales holding 1,000 to 10,000 $ETH have undergone a significant regime change in their market behavior.

Before this shift, this cohort was in a steady accumulation regime. Their… https://t.co/5WAJSKsnl9 pic.twitter.com/qezrxfq6Re

— Ali Charts (@alicharts) May 7, 2026

ETF Inflows Incoming?

After five consecutive months of outflows dominating inflows, the spot Ethereum ETFs finally broke this adverse streak in April, attracting over $355 million in fresh capital. Although May began on a high note as well, with roughly $170 million entering the funds in just several days, the year-to-date numbers remain deep in the red.

Moreover, the ETH ETF cumulative total net inflows are far from their peak marked in early October of approximately $15 billion. As last week’s closing bell, they stood at just over $12 billion.

Consequently, it’s safe to assume that ETF investors have not stepped up to offset the whales’ distribution so far. Perhaps that’s why ETH remained over 53% below its August 2025 ATH, and every breakout attempt has been halted at $2,400.

The post What Does ETH Need to Surge Past $3,000 Again as Whales Are Abandoning Ship? appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bitcoin’s price slide below $80,000 didn’t last long, as the asset reclaimed that level yesterday following US President Trump’s announcement of a three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

Many altcoins have produced a lot more impressive gains today, led by ONDO, SIREN, JUP, ICP, and VVV.

BTC Taps $80K Again

Bitcoin’s late April/early May rally began at the end of the previous month when it had dipped to $75,000 following the latest FOMC meeting in which the Fed maintained the interest rates unchanged. In the following week, the cryptocurrency added roughly $8,000 to chart a three-month peak at $82,800.

Following such an impressive run in relatively unstable market conditions, many analysts warned that BTC could be due for a correction as the environment didn’t appear solid enough. This retracement transpired on Thursday and especially on Friday, when the asset fell to $79,100, thus dropping by almost $4,000 from its local peak.

Nevertheless, it rebounded swiftly, perhaps due to positive developments in the Ukraine/Russia war, where US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire.

This means that its market capitalization has returned to just over $1.6 trillion on CG, while its dominance over the alts has been reduced to 58.1%.

Alts Rocket

Essentially, all alts have posted some gains today. Ethereum has reclaimed $2,300 after a minor increase, while XRP and BNB continue to fight for the fourth spot in terms of market cap. XRP has taken a slight lead after a 3% daily jump. SOL, ADA, LINK, and CC have jumped by 5-8%, while ZEC is up by 10% to $630. SUI, UNI, and NEAR are also well in the green.

Even more impressive gains come from ONDO (25%), JUP (24%), ICP (20%), SIREN (19%), FIL (16%), VVV (15%), and ARB (13%).

The cumulative market cap of all crypto assets has added more than $40 billion since yesterday’s low and is up to $2.780 trillion on CG.

The post Massive Double-Digit Gains From These Alts as BTC Returns to $80K: Weekend Watch appeared first on CryptoPotato.

US President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform that the two warring parties in Europe, Russia and Ukraine, have agreed to a three-day ceasefire.

Bitcoin’s price reacted to the news positively, but in a more modest manner.

“This Ceasefire will include a suspension of all kinetic activity, and also a prison swap of 1,000 prisoners from each Country. This request was made directly by me, and I very much appreciate its agreement by President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” reads the Truth Social post.

Trump also expressed hopes that the ceasefire now will be the beginning of “the end of a very long, deadly, and hard-fought war.” He added that both parties have opened talks in an attempt to end the conflict, which he described as “the biggest since World War II.”

Bitcoin tends to react well to ceasefire news in the past month or so. The asset had dipped to $79,100 yesterday after it was rejected at $83,000 in the middle of the week, but jumped by over a grand to well above $80,000 as of now.

However, this $1,000 rally isn’t as impressive as its move after the ceasefire between the US and Iran. At the time, the cryptocurrency traded at around $68,000 before it shot up to $73,000 in minutes.

Weeks later, bitcoin registered another notable price pump after the ceasefire was extended, and most altcoins followed suit. Today, very few larger-cap alts have marked substantial gains, such as SOL (5.5%) and ZEC (10%).

The post Bitcoin Reclaimed $80K After Trump Announced Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire appeared first on CryptoPotato.