Increased AI model vetting for government use could set a precedent for broader industry safety standards, impacting tech and crypto sectors.

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Geopolitical tensions in key maritime routes could lead to significant economic impacts due to potential disruptions in global energy markets.

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Blackstone's lending platform could reshape the US housing market by filling financing gaps, potentially stabilizing prices and boosting supply.

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Bank of America delays Fed rate cuts to 2027 amid inflation concerns. No rate cuts in 2026 at 57.9% YES.

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The housing market imbalance may drive innovation in real estate investment, boosting interest in tokenized assets and decentralized finance.

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American Bankers Attempt Last Ditch Effort To Kill Crypto Market Structure Bill Regarding Stablecoins

American Bankers Association (ABA) CEO Rob Nichols sent an emergency Sunday letter to every bank CEO in the country, urging “immediate engagement” against what he called a stablecoin yield loophole in the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, days before a Senate Banking Committee markup scheduled for Thursday.

The letter, dated May 11 — Mother’s Day — and addressed to ABA member bank CEOs, asked bank leaders to contact their senators and mobilize their employees to do the same before the committee convenes for a scheduled May 14 executive session on the bill.

“I am reaching out to make every bank leader in this country aware of an urgent advocacy fight that requires your immediate engagement,” Nichols wrote, according to the letter. He warned that, without further changes, “we believe the current proposal would unnecessarily incentivize the flight of bank deposits into payment stablecoins, putting both economic growth and financial stability at risk”.

CLARITY Act vote looms

The ABA’s emergency outreach came hours after the Senate Banking Committee on Friday announced plans to mark up H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 — a bipartisan bill that would establish a comprehensive federal regulatory framework for digital assets, resolve longstanding jurisdictional questions between the SEC and CFTC, and set trading rules for crypto markets.

The timing of the letter drew sharp public pushback from Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal, who posted on X that the ABA’s alarm bells were misplaced. “Maybe the CEO didn’t get the message from the people actually in the room at the WH in meeting after meeting,” Grewal wrote. “We’ve already had ‘immediate engagement.’ You got ‘idle yield’ killed. I know because I was there — you weren’t. Take yes for an answer. Move on. Stop wasting the time of the Senate and the American people.”

Sen. Bernie Moreno, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, fired back at the ABA in a social media post, saying “the banking cartel in full panic mode” and accusing it of deceiving lawmakers by characterizing stablecoin yield as a “loophole” — a term he said was an insult to the bipartisan work already done during the GENIUS Act debate. 

Moreno said he would vote to advance the Clarity Act Thursday, declaring: “Innovation, freedom, and the American people will win.

Grewal and Moreno’s posts referenced months of negotiations that included at least three White House-convened sessions between crypto industry representatives and banking trade groups aimed at resolving the stablecoin yield dispute.

Those talks produced a compromise, negotiated by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD.), that bans passive yield on stablecoin balances while permitting certain narrowly defined activity-based rewards. The ABA and its allied bank groups have said that framework does not go far enough.

Speaking at Consensus Miami on May 7, Grewal said he supports the current compromise as “decent” and described the banking sector’s continued opposition as sour grapes over a fight they had already largely won.

Patrick Witt, who hosted the White House stablecoin yield meetings in February, said he personally invited Nichols and other bank trade CEOs to attend — and they declined.

The banking industry’s failing crypto lobby

The banking industry has spent months arguing that even partial stablecoin yield — particularly when routed through exchanges and third-party platforms rather than issuers directly — could trigger massive deposit outflows from federally insured banks.

A joint fact sheet released by the ABA, Bank Policy Institute, Consumer Bankers Association, Financial Services Forum, and Independent Community Bankers of America cited a Treasury Department report estimating that stablecoins could lead to as much as $6.6 trillion in deposit outflows if yield is permitted.

That figure faces pushback from within the executive branch. The White House Council of Economic Advisers released a report in April finding that prohibiting stablecoin yield “would do very little to protect bank lending,” estimating that a ban would increase bank lending by only 0.02%. The ABA objected to that report’s findings within days of its release.

Nichols sent a separate joint letter with 52 state bankers associations to Congress in December urging lawmakers to close the yield loophole, and the ABA joined those same groups in a similar letter to the OCC in April.

The Senate Banking Committee markup on May 14 represents a critical procedural hurdle for the Clarity Act. Even if the bill clears the committee, it still requires 60 votes on the Senate floor, reconciliation with the Senate Agriculture Committee’s version, alignment with the House-passed bill from July 2025, and a presidential signature. 

The White House has set a July 4 target for the bill’s passage.

This post American Bankers Attempt Last Ditch Effort To Kill Crypto Market Structure Bill Regarding Stablecoins first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Senate Schedules CLARITY Act Markup as Banking Lobby, Democrats Mount Resistance

The Senate Banking Committee has set May 14 as the date for its long-delayed markup of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, the most consequential piece of cryptocurrency legislation ever to reach this stage in Congress, as a last-minute lobbying blitz from major banks and a Democratic ethics standoff threaten to derail the bill before it clears committee.

The executive session is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at Room 538 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., where committee members will debate amendments and vote on whether to advance the legislation to the full Senate floor. Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) confirmed the date last week, and live video feed of the proceedings will be available to the public.

The CLARITY Act — formally H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 — passed the House of Representatives on July 17, 2025, by a 294–134 bipartisan vote, with all 216 Republicans in support and 78 Democrats crossing the aisle. Since then, the bill has stalled in the Senate through two cancelled markup sessions, extended negotiations over stablecoin regulation, and an intensifying lobbying fight between the crypto industry and the traditional banking sector.

At its core, the legislation would draw a regulatory boundary between the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, settling years of jurisdictional litigation over whether digital assets are securities or commodities. 

Under the bill, the CFTC would receive exclusive jurisdiction over spot and cash markets for “digital commodities” — tokens intrinsically linked to a functioning, decentralized blockchain — while the SEC retains authority over investment contract assets and primary market fundraising. Stablecoins are carved out as a separate category under shared oversight.

Crypto jurisdiction fight reaches the U.S. Senate

The Senate version of the bill expanded well beyond the House text, growing to nine titles covering decentralized finance protections, illicit finance provisions, bankruptcy safeguards for crypto customers, and the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act, which provides safe harbors for software developers.

The May 14 session marks the Senate’s first formal committee vote on CLARITY after months of procedural slippage. Committee Chairman Scott had originally targeted September 2025 for a Senate floor vote, then moved the goalposts to the end of 2025, and most recently told Fox Business he hoped to bring the bill to the Senate floor by June or July 2026.

The calendar pressure is severe: if the bill does not clear the Senate Banking Committee before the May 21 Memorial Day recess, the entire process resets — and Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Bernie Moreno (R-OH) have both warned that failure before Memorial Day could push the next viable legislative window to 2030 or beyond.

The White House has set July 4 as its target for a presidential signature.

Democrats threaten withdrawal of CLARITY Act as heavy-hitters chime in

The bill carries heavyweight backing from within the Trump administration. SEC Chair Paul Atkins publicly urged Congress on April 9 to move CLARITY to President Trump’s desk, stating that both the SEC and CFTC stand ready to implement the law the moment it is signed. Atkins has cited a project he calls “Project Crypto” as an internal agency readiness effort.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal framing the CLARITY Act as a national security matter, warning that without U.S. regulatory certainty, blockchain developers and crypto companies continue to migrate to Singapore and Abu Dhabi. White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt has described the stablecoin yield compromise as closed.

Senator Lummis, who chairs the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets, posted a single word on X after the Senate returned from Easter recess — “Clarity.” Speaking at the Bitcoin Conference in late April, she was direct: “We are gonna markup the CLARITY Act in May. We are gonna get it to the finish line. We are gonna have the market structure that allows us to innovate.”

Meanwhile, Democrats are threatening to withhold support unless the bill includes ethics provisions targeting crypto holdings by public officials, a demand Republicans argue could derail the legislation entirely. 

This post Senate Schedules CLARITY Act Markup as Banking Lobby, Democrats Mount Resistance first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

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Strategy (MSTR) Buys $43 Million More Bitcoin After Saylor Defends Potential BTC Sales

Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) purchased 535 bitcoin for approximately $43.0 million at an average price of $80,340 per coin, the company disclosed Monday in a Form 8-K filing. The firm now holds 818,869 BTC, acquired for roughly $61.86 billion at an average cost of $75,540 per bitcoin, and has recorded a bitcoin yield of 9.4% year-to-date in 2026.

The acquisition was funded through $0.1 million raised via Strategy’s STRC ATM program and $42.9 million from its MSTR ATM offering.

The purchase comes six days after executive chairman Michael Saylor told investors on the company’s Q1 earnings call that Strategy was prepared to sell a portion of its bitcoin holdings for the first time. This statement drew immediate scrutiny from a market that had long viewed the company’s accumulation strategy as one-directional.

Saylor: End every year with more bitcoin than you started

Saylor moved to contain the narrative over the weekend. In a podcast interview, he said that for every bitcoin sold, the company would buy 10 to 20 more. “You should be a net accumulator of bitcoin,” he said. “You want to end every year with more bitcoin than you started.” Monday’s purchase suggests the buying has not slowed.

The backdrop is financial pressure. Bitcoin fell 23% in Q1 2026 — from $87,500 to $67,700 — and under FASB fair value accounting rules adopted in January 2025, Strategy is required to mark its full bitcoin position to market each quarter. In Q1, that produced a $12.54 billion unrealized loss running directly through the income statement. More than 434,000 of the company’s coins were purchased above $80,000, generating a $7.6 billion unrealized loss and a $2.2 billion deferred tax asset at a 29% effective tax rate.

It is that deferred tax asset — not a change of heart — that explains Saylor’s openness to selling. The same move was made before. On Dec. 22, 2022, Strategy sold 704 BTC at $16,776 per coin and repurchased 810 BTC two days later in a tax-loss harvesting maneuver designed to carry capital losses back against prior gains. The structure now is larger, but the logic is identical.

CEO Phong Le put the decision framework on the record during the earnings call. “I believe in math over ideology,” Le said. “At the point where selling bitcoin versus selling equity to pay a dividend is better for our bitcoin-per-share, and for our common shareholders, we will do it.”

The company carries $8.2 billion in convertible debt and owes $1.5 billion annually in dividend obligations tied to its perpetual preferred stock, STRC. Both create real cash demands that equity issuance alone may not always cover at favorable terms.

Bitcoin per share — the ratio of total BTC holdings to diluted shares outstanding — remains the metric every financing decision runs through. JPMorgan analysts wrote last week that if Strategy maintains its current pace, total bitcoin purchases in 2026 could reach approximately $30 billion.

Strategy’s bitcoin and software business

The company’s software division, long treated as background noise, is gaining attention. Le said Q1 2026 was its strongest quarter in a decade, with revenue up 12%. Strategy has built an internal AI infrastructure layer called “Mosaic” and is rebuilding core workflows using multiple AI models. “I’m sometimes asked why a bitcoin treasury company should also operate a software business,” Le wrote Sunday on X. “The two create powerful and unique synergies.”

MSTR shares closed up 4.31% Friday at $187.59. The stock has gained 41.7% over the past month, though it remains down 18.9% over the past six months. In pre-market trading Monday, shares were up roughly 1%. Bitcoin traded around $81,000.

On Sunday evening, Saylor posted two words to X: “Back to work. BTC.” He has made similar posts before prior purchase announcements. Monday’s filing confirmed the pattern.

This post Strategy (MSTR) Buys $43 Million More Bitcoin After Saylor Defends Potential BTC Sales first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

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 faces 2026's densest macro test as CPI, Warsh, and Trump-Xi collide

This week (May 11-15) has a credible claim to being the most consequential macro window of 2026 so far, as it compresses every channel currently driving risk assets into a single sequence.

Inflation, producer costs, consumer demand, Fed liquidity, central bank leadership, trade risk, oil risk, and the dollar are all scheduled to move within five trading days.

Bitcoin enters that window as a liquidity-sensitive institutional asset, making the calendar a direct test of whether the recovery above $80,000 has macro sponsorship or only positioning support.

The strongest rival week came earlier in the year, when the Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz shock pushed energy markets into the center of the inflation debate.

The St. Louis Fed's review of market reactions to military action against Iran marked Feb. 28, Mar. 1, and Apr. 13 as key shock points for oil, volatility, and geopolitical repricing.

That episode carried the larger single exogenous impulse. It changed the inflation path through energy, widened the risk premium in crude, and forced investors to reprice the Fed's tolerance for cutting into a supply shock.

The March inflation data then showed how that shock entered the official series. The March CPI report showed consumer prices rising 0.9% month over month and 3.3% year over year, with energy up 10.9% and gasoline up 21.2%. The March PPI report showed final demand prices rising 0.5% in March and 4.0% over the prior 12 months, the largest annual increase since February 2023.

Those prints gave 2026 a genuine inflation shock rather than a routine data scare.

April 28-29 was the other major comparison point because it combined an FOMC decision, dissents, oil-related inflation anxiety, and the Senate Banking Committee's movement on Kevin Warsh.

The Fed held rates at 3.5% to 3.75%, but the April FOMC statement carried an unusually fractured vote. One governor dissented in favor of a 25 basis point cut, while three officials supported the hold and opposed language that leaned toward easing.

That meeting exposed a central bank split between inflation caution and growth insurance.

May 11-15 ranks above those weeks in event density.

The Iran shock was larger as a geopolitical impulse. The April FOMC was sharper as a policy signal.

This week combines both transmission paths and adds a leadership handoff. It forces markets to price in inflation persistence, consumer resilience, Treasury and reserve mechanics, Fed credibility, and U.S.-China geopolitical risk simultaneously.

For Bitcoin, that makes it the broadest macro stress test of the year so far.

The official calendar stacks inflation, demand, Fed liquidity, leadership risk, and China into one macro test sequence

The official sequence begins with inflation.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has the April CPI release scheduled for Tuesday, May 12 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

It then has the April PPI release scheduled for Wednesday, May 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

That pairing gives markets a two-day signal on whether the March energy shock and tariff pressure are still moving through consumer and producer prices, or whether the inflation impulse is already losing force.

Thursday broadens the test from prices to demand and liquidity.

The Census Bureau has April retail sales scheduled for Thursday, May 14 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

The Federal Reserve's May calendar lists H.4.1 balance sheet data for the same day at 4:30 p.m. ET.

That means markets receive a consumer-demand signal in the morning and a liquidity signal after the close.

A strong retail number alongside hot inflation would reinforce the case for policy restraint. A weaker retail print alongside softer inflation would give the next Fed chair more room to argue that the economy can absorb lower rates.

The balance sheet release carries direct information for crypto. The May 7 H.4.1 report showed total Fed assets near $6.71 trillion, reserve balances around $3.03 trillion on average, and the Treasury General Account near $878 billion on average.

For Bitcoin, the direction of reserves and Treasury cash balances often carries more direct market information than the headline size of the Fed's asset portfolio.

Falling reserves and a large Treasury cash balance can keep liquidity tight even when investors expect easier policy later.

Friday then adds the leadership handoff.

Jerome Powell's official term as Fed chair ends May 15, while his Board term runs to January 2028.

Powell also said at the Apr. 29 press conference that he expected to continue serving as a governor for a period after the chair term, while keeping a low public profile.

Kevin Warsh's nomination sits on the same track. The Senate Banking Committee held a nomination hearing on Apr. 21, and the committee later advanced him on a party-line vote.

Warsh could inherit his first inflation test before markets know his reaction function

Wednesday's official anchor is PPI, while the Fed calendar lists other officials and provides no primary-source basis for making a chair speech the central event.

The larger issue sits at the end of the week: Warsh could inherit his first inflation signal before his reaction function is visible.

If CPI or PPI accelerates, the new chair begins boxed in by data.

If inflation cools, he begins with room to define how quickly the Fed can pivot without inviting a bond-market credibility premium.

President Donald Trump's China trip then widens the map. He is scheduled to meet Xi Jinping in Beijing during a May 14-15 visit, according to AP.

That summit adds trade, tariffs, Taiwan, oil logistics, and dollar-risk channels to the same window as CPI, PPI, retail sales, H.4.1, and the Fed leadership transition.

A constructive summit could lower the trade-risk premium and ease the dollar bid.

A tense summit could lift the dollar and pressure offshore liquidity, especially if energy security and the Iran war remain tied to the negotiations.

That combination makes the week structurally different from the usual CPI cycle. Inflation data alone can move Bitcoin. A new Fed chair inheriting that data can change how markets price the next several meetings.

Warsh's nomination has already been framed around institutional change at the central bank, including questions about models, communications, bond holdings, and the Fed's reaction function.

That creates an immediate test: does the market treat the transition as a path toward a more responsive Fed, or as a source of uncertainty around independence, inflation tolerance, and the long-run policy framework?

A hotter sequence would put Warsh in the hardest possible opening position.

CPI and PPI strength would raise doubts about near-term cuts.

Strong retail sales would reduce the urgency for demand support.

Elevated oil prices would keep the inflation path vulnerable.

A tense Beijing summit would support the dollar through trade and geopolitical risk.

In that environment, a dovish signal from the incoming chair could backfire if bonds interpret it as political pressure or premature easing.

Bitcoin might initially respond to the idea of easier policy, but a rise in real yields and the dollar would likely cap that response.

Bitcoin's macro test transmission map runs through real yields, the dollar, ETF flows, leverage, and reserves

Bitcoin enters the week near $81,000 after recovering from the high-$75,000s around the Apr. 29 FOMC period.

That rally improved the chart structure, but the next leg depends on whether macro variables confirm the move. The relevant channel is now broader than spot demand on crypto exchanges.

Bitcoin now trades through real yields, the dollar, ETF allocation flows, leverage conditions, and the same liquidity variables that shape equities and credit.

The first channel is rates.

A hot CPI print would likely lift nominal yields and real yields if markets conclude that the Fed has less room to cut. A cooler CPI print would likely ease that pressure, especially if core inflation softens alongside headline inflation.

The distinction is important because an energy-driven headline shock can produce an awkward signal.

Powell said after the Apr. 29 meeting that officials wanted to see progress beyond the energy shock and tariff effects before easing.

If April shows hot headline inflation with cooler core inflation, the market reaction may depend on whether Warsh signals patience, urgency, or a willingness to look through the oil impulse.

The second channel is the dollar.

CryptoSlate's prior work on Bitcoin, M2, and dollar strength showed how a stronger dollar can interrupt the transmission from expanding global liquidity to BTC.

That remains the central macro risk. Bitcoin can benefit from easier policy expectations, but a rising dollar can offset that impulse by tightening global financial conditions.

This is why the Trump-Xi meeting sits inside the Bitcoin trade. Trade relief can soften the dollar and lower risk premia. Escalation can lift the dollar and pressure offshore liquidity.

The third channel is the Fed balance sheet and Treasury cash.

A Thursday H.4.1 release showing rising reserves and easing pressure from the Treasury General Account would give Bitcoin a stronger liquidity foundation.

A release showing reserve drain alongside a still-large Treasury cash pile would make any rally more dependent on ETF inflows and leverage.

CryptoSlate's analysis of debt, liquidity, and Bitcoin has already shown that aggregate liquidity can look supportive while the usable liquidity reaching risk assets remains constrained.

The next major Bitcoin move depends on whether macro test channels align

The fourth channel is institutional flow.

Since the launch of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, BTC has become easier for traditional portfolios to buy, rebalance, and sell.

CryptoSlate's coverage of the ETF-driven market-structure shift described how institutions have become a primary force in Bitcoin liquidity and price formation.

A separate analysis of passive money noted that U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs had accumulated roughly $58.4 billion in cumulative net inflows by late April, with IBIT above $60 billion in net assets, reinforcing how far Bitcoin has moved into traditional allocation workflows through ETF wrappers.

That structure works in both directions.

ETF inflows can amplify a macro relief rally when yields fall, and the dollar weakens. ETF outflows can accelerate downside when real yields rise, the dollar strengthens, and leveraged traders are forced to reduce exposure.

A hot CPI and PPI sequence, strong retail sales, falling reserves, and a tense Trump-Xi outcome would be the most difficult mix for BTC because every transmission channel would point toward tighter financial conditions.

A cooler inflation sequence, resilient but slowing retail sales, improving reserves, and a less hostile China signal would give Bitcoin the strongest macro foundation it has had in 2026.

A cooler sequence would change the setup. Softer CPI and PPI would validate the idea that the March energy spike was passing through rather than embedding.

A slower but stable retail number would support a soft-landing path. A Thursday balance sheet release showing firmer reserves would improve the liquidity backdrop. A constructive Trump-Xi meeting would reduce the trade-risk premium and could weaken the dollar.

In that scenario, Warsh would have more room to define a gradual policy pivot without starting his tenure under immediate inflation pressure.

Bitcoin would then have a clearer path to test higher levels, provided ETF creations expand, and derivatives positioning avoids an unstable long build.

The mixed outcome may be the most realistic one.

Headline inflation can stay firm because of energy while core inflation cools. Retail sales can remain solid in nominal terms while real demand slows. The Fed balance sheet can show a large aggregate asset base while reserves remain under pressure. Trump and Xi can produce limited trade relief while leaving Taiwan, oil logistics, and tariff enforcement unresolved.

That mix would keep Bitcoin in a macro waiting zone. It would reward intraday volatility, but it would withhold the confirmation needed for a durable range expansion.

The next test is specific.

• Watch Warsh's first signals on inflation tolerance, balance-sheet policy, and central-bank independence.
• Watch the June FOMC path, especially whether the statement language shifts after the leadership handoff.
• Watch real yields and DXY before treating Bitcoin's move as confirmation.
• Watch H.4.1 reserves and the Treasury General Account before assuming liquidity has improved.
• Watch spot ETF net flows, funding rates, and liquidation clusters before treating a breakout as structurally supported.

If those variables align, May 11-15 becomes the week Bitcoin regained a macro tailwind after months of rate, dollar, and oil pressure.

If they fail to align, the week becomes a sharper lesson in the post-ETF regime: Bitcoin can trade like a scarce asset, a liquidity asset, and an institutional risk asset at the same time.

The direction of the next major move will come from which identity markets choose after CPI, PPI, retail sales, H.4.1, Warsh, and Trump-Xi all hit the same window.

The post This week Bitcoin faces as a new fed chair colliding with inflation in its biggest macro test of the year appeared first on CryptoSlate.

A senior White House official has accused major banking trade leaders of refusing to join earlier talks on stablecoin rewards, escalating a dispute that has become one of the final pressure points ahead of the Senate Banking Committee taking up the CLARITY Act this week.

In a May 11 post on the social media platform X, Patrick Witt, executive director of the White House Presidential Advisory Committee on Digital Assets, said he had asked American Bankers Association President Rob Nichols and other bank trade CEOs to attend the February meetings aimed at resolving the question of stablecoin rewards and yield.

He stated:

“I specifically requested the attendance of Mr. Nichols and other bank trade CEOs at the meetings we hosted back in February to resolve the stablecoin rewards/yield issue. They refused. I guess the White House was beneath them?”

The criticism injected the White House more directly into a fight that has divided banks, crypto companies, and lawmakers ahead of a scheduled May 14 markup of the CLARITY Act.

The bill is designed to create a broader market structure framework for digital assets, but the treatment of stablecoin rewards has become a flashpoint over competition for deposits, consumer yield, and the future shape of dollar-based payments.

Witt’s comments also reframed the timing of the banking industry’s objections. Rather than a new technical concern emerging before a committee vote, the White House official cast the dispute as an unresolved issue that banking leaders had an opportunity to address months earlier.

Banks reopen stablecoin rewards fight before markup

Over the weekend, the American Bankers Association (ABA) urged bank executives and employees to press senators for tighter restrictions in the CLARITY Act before the committee vote, warning that the current bill could still allow crypto firms to offer reward structures that resemble interest on deposit-like products.

Nichols told bankers that lawmakers needed to hear from the industry before the legislation advanced.

The ABA’s concern is that stablecoin issuers, exchanges, or related companies could attract customer funds by offering returns on assets that compete directly with traditional bank deposits.

That argument has become central to the US bank lobby’s campaign.

Banks rely on deposits as a funding base for loans to households, small businesses, farms, and corporations. If customers move cash into stablecoins that offer rewards, banks argue that lenders could face higher funding costs, tighter margins, and less capacity to extend credit.

The banking industry has described the current compromise language as leaving a loophole.

In its view, a ban on stablecoin issuers paying yield would be insufficient if affiliated exchanges, brokers, or other crypto platforms could deliver similar economic benefits through rewards, rebates, or incentive programs.

That position has put banks at odds with crypto companies that see the rewards language as a basic competition issue.

Stablecoin reserves are typically held in cash, short-term Treasuries, or other liquid instruments that generate income. The policy fight centers on whether consumers should be able to receive part of that return, and which type of institution should be allowed to offer it.

The recent Senate compromise has attempted to separate passive yield from activity-based rewards.

That distinction was meant to prevent stablecoins from becoming direct substitutes for interest-bearing deposits while preserving room for crypto platforms to reward users for participation, payments, or other services.

White House analysis undercuts the lending warning

The banking industry’s warnings have met resistance from the White House’s own economic analysis.

The Council of Economic Advisers said in an April report that banning stablecoin yield would provide only a marginal lift to bank lending under its baseline assumptions. The CEA estimated that such a ban would increase bank lending by about $2.1 billion, equal to roughly 0.02% of total lending in the base case.

That finding gives the administration a counterweight to the banking sector’s claim that stablecoin rewards could meaningfully damage credit creation.

The report argued that most stablecoin reserves would not be permanently removed from the banking system. Instead, reserves held in cash, bank deposits, or Treasury instruments would continue to circulate through financial markets in different forms.

The CEA also said a more severe impact would require a much larger stablecoin market and more restrictive assumptions about how reserves are held. In the administration’s framing, stablecoin rewards may affect bank margins, but the baseline effect on lending capacity appears limited.

Moreover, a separate analysis by Galaxy Research furthered the argument by focusing on the international flow of dollars.

Galaxy said banks were overstating the risk that stablecoin growth would simply drain domestic deposits. Its model projected that much of the growth under a regulated stablecoin framework would come from offshore users seeking easier access to dollar-denominated assets.

That finding changes the economic lens. If stablecoins mostly draw funds from US bank accounts, banks face a direct deposit migration problem.

However, if much of the growth comes from foreign users moving into dollar stablecoins, the effect could be an inflow into US financial infrastructure rather than a one-way drain from domestic lenders.

Galaxy estimated that 60% to 70% of stablecoin growth under the GENIUS Act framework could originate offshore. It also projected that imported deposits from foreign demand could exceed domestic deposit migration by roughly 2:1.

The firm said each newly minted stablecoin dollar could generate about 32 cents of net US credit, with total credit expansion reaching about $400 billion through 2030 in its base case and as much as $1.2 trillion in a stronger growth scenario.

It also projected that stablecoin reserve demand could compress Treasury bill yields by 3 to 5 basis points, potentially lowering federal borrowing costs.

Meanwhile, Galaxy did not dismiss the pressure on banks. The report said some low-cost deposits would likely migrate, funding costs could rise at the margin, and net interest margins could compress in business lines sensitive to rate competition.

Still, the firm concluded that stablecoins could pressure banks that rely on cheap deposits, increase demand for US Treasury bills, import offshore dollar capital, and expand the reach of the US financial system.

Crypto allies accuse banks of protecting margins

Crypto advocacy groups have seized on the ABA’s push as evidence that banks are trying to block competition days before the committee vote on the CLARITY Act.

Coinbase-backed Stand With Crypto urged supporters to contact senators, saying banking lobbyists were trying to weaken stablecoin rewards language before the markup.

The group framed the dispute as a consumer-rights issue, arguing that users should be able to earn returns on their own digital assets rather than have that value captured by intermediaries.

Cody Carbone, CEO of The Digital Chamber, said banks had months to negotiate over the issue and were now trying to force changes late in the process. He described the ABA campaign as an attempt to shield incumbents from competition after earlier opportunities to engage had passed.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican on the Banking Committee and a supporter of crypto legislation, used sharper language about the bank's opposition to CLARITY Act.

He accused the “banking cartel” of trying to preserve a system in which banks pay depositors little while earning profits from lending and securities portfolios.

Moreno wrote on X:

“During the Biden era, these same banks worked hand-in-glove with Sen. Warren and her allies to debank Americans, including President Trump’s own family. They shut down accounts of conservatives, patriots, and anyone who dared challenge the regime, all while regulators applied pressure under schemes like Operation Choke Point 2.0. It wasn’t about risk. It was about political control. Now that innovative stablecoins threaten to break their monopoly and give you actual financial freedom? They’re running to Congress again, screaming about ‘threats to economic growth and financial stability.'”

Moreno’s statement showed how the stablecoin rewards dispute has moved beyond technical drafting.

The fight now carries a broader political message about financial competition, consumer returns, and resentment toward large banking institutions.

That rhetoric could help crypto advocates rally support, especially among Republicans who view stablecoins as part of a broader agenda around financial innovation and dollar competitiveness.

However, it also risks hardening opposition from lawmakers who are already concerned that crypto firms are seeking bank-like privileges without equivalent oversight.

Markup will test whether the stablecoin compromise can hold

The Senate Banking Committee’s May 14 markup will show whether the rewards compromise can withstand a coordinated pushback from the banking industry.

If the committee advances the CLARITY Act with the current language largely intact, crypto firms will claim momentum, and banks will likely shift their campaign to the full Senate.

If lawmakers tighten the rewards provisions, the banking industry will have succeeded in reopening one of the most contested parts of the bill at the final stage before markup.

Meanwhile, the vote will also test the broader coalition behind the CLARITY Act. Republicans have pushed digital-asset legislation as a priority, while some Democrats have remained open to a market-structure bill if it includes stronger consumer protections, ethics, and anti-money-laundering provisions.

The stablecoin fight complicates that effort because it cuts across several policy lines at once. It raises questions about bank funding, consumer yield, Treasury demand, offshore dollar usage, and the role of crypto firms in payments.

That gives senators several reasons to demand changes, but also makes the issue difficult to settle cleanly.

The post White House reveals US banks ‘refused’ to attend meetings to resolve stablecoin rewards issue in CLARITY Act appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin is entering one of its most consequential trading weeks since its February correction, with Middle East tensions pushing oil prices higher, inflation expectations hardening, and options traders positioning for a possible break above $85,000.

According to CryptoSlate's data, the largest digital asset briefly dipped on Sunday after President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest response to a US peace proposal, then recovered above $82,000 before easing near $81,034 as of press time.

The move kept Bitcoin inside the narrow range that has defined trading in recent weeks, even as geopolitical risk continued to feed into energy markets and rate expectations.

Notably, Trump called Iran’s counteroffer “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE” after Tehran sought war reparations, the unfreezing of blocked financial assets, and recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

The waterway has become the main channel through which the US-Iran conflict is reaching global markets, given its role in the movement of oil and liquefied natural gas.

That continued market tension has created a difficult setup for Bitcoin, as a prolonged oil shock can keep inflation sticky, delay Federal Reserve rate cuts, and pressure speculative assets.

Yet Bitcoin has continued to hold near $80,000, while options data, fund flows, and Washington’s crypto calendar suggest traders may be underestimating the risk of an upside squeeze.

Oil shock puts inflation back at the center

The immediate test comes Tuesday, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases April consumer price index data.

Markets are bracing for a reacceleration in headline inflation after the surge in global oil prices, with economists expecting CPI to rise 0.6% from March and 3.7% from a year earlier, up from 3.3% in March. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, is expected to hold near 2.7% year over year.

March already showed the strain from higher energy prices. CPI rose at the year's fastest annual pace, with the energy component surging as gasoline prices climbed.

That has made April’s report a direct test of whether the oil shock remains contained in headline inflation or is beginning to filter into broader goods and services prices.

David Auerbach, chief investment officer at Hoya Capital, said the coming data slate could shape expectations for the Fed’s policy path, with CPI on Tuesday, followed by producer prices on Wednesday, retail sales on Thursday, and jobless claims later in the week.

He said headline CPI is expected to show a notable reacceleration tied to oil, while core CPI will be watched for signs that energy costs are moving into broader categories.

Prediction markets have leaned toward the same sticky-inflation view. Polymarket traders assigned a 100% probability that 2026 inflation tops 3% and a 94% probability that it exceeds 3.5%, while Kalshi pricing showed April CPI above 3.2% year-over-year.

Polymarket traders also showed a 55.6% probability that the Fed will deliver no rate cuts in 2026, while traders assigned a 95.5% probability to the June Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting ending with rates unchanged.

However, the counterpoint is coming from real-time inflation gauges. Truflation’s US inflation index has been running near 2% year over year, with its methodology designed to track price changes daily rather than through the lagged monthly process used in official CPI data.

That softer reading has given crypto bulls an argument that goods, food, and gasoline pressures may already be cooling beneath the surface, even as official inflation forecasts rise on the oil shock.

For Bitcoin, the distinction is critical. A hot CPI print would reinforce expectations that the Fed remains on hold, potentially dragging Bitcoin back toward $80,000 and then the $78,000 support zone.

However, a cooler print would weaken the sticky-inflation trade, improve risk appetite, and reopen the path toward the $85,000 zone watched by traders.

Washington gives Bitcoin bulls a catalyst

The political calendar adds another source of potential volatility for BTC this week.

The Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to consider the CLARITY Act on May 14, advancing a long-awaited crypto market-structure bill that would define when digital tokens fall under securities or commodities rules.

The bill has become a focal point for crypto firms, banks, and investors seeking a clearer US regulatory framework.

A compromise negotiated by Sen. Thom Tillis and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks would prohibit customer rewards on idle stablecoin holdings, which banks argue resemble deposit interest, while allowing rewards tied to active stablecoin usage, such as payments.

That language has kept banking groups and crypto advocates locked in a late-stage dispute before the markup.

For Bitcoin traders, the May 14 vote is less about any single stablecoin provision than the signal it sends about whether Congress can move a crypto bill through a divided Senate.

A smooth markup would strengthen the argument that US digital-asset rules are moving toward legislation after years of enforcement-driven uncertainty. However, a delay or fractured vote would remove one of the week’s potential upside catalysts.

The Fed calendar is also in focus. Senate Republicans have made Kevin Warsh’s confirmation a priority, with the process unfolding as Jerome Powell’s term nears its end, according to Roll Call.

The leadership transition is landing at the same time as the CPI report, giving markets little room to separate inflation data from expectations for the central bank’s next phase.

Options book leaves room for a break higher

The macro risk is colliding with a market structure that has started to tilt away from the heavy defensive positioning seen earlier this year.

In a note shared with CryptoSlate, crypto research firm 10x Research said:

“The Kevin Warsh Senate confirmation vote on Monday May 11 and expected CLARITY Act progress on Thursday May 14 are precisely the kind of macro and regulatory catalysts that force defensive positioning to unwind. Institutions that placed put hedges during the January-to-April drawdown have no reason to maintain them into a confirmed Fed leadership transition and legislative crypto clarity.”

According to the firm, Bitcoin traders remain too complacent about the effect of expiring put positions, even as demand for upside calls has increased.

Since mid-January, Bitcoin’s aggregate gamma exposure has been deeply negative, reaching roughly -$3.2 billion around the $82,000 strike, according to the firm’s analysis.

Negative gamma forces dealers to hedge in the direction of the market. When Bitcoin rises, dealers buy to maintain their hedges. When it falls, they sell. That dynamic can intensify both rallies and selloffs, especially when a directional catalyst arrives.

10x Research stated that the same structure has helped keep Bitcoin pinned in a narrow band in recent weeks.

According to the firm, BTC rallies have been met by covered-call selling from yield-focused holders, while dips have been cushioned by put hedges.

The result has been a market that moves violently intraday but repeatedly returns to the $78,000 to $82,000 area.

However, that balance could change as the May 29 and June 26 expiries approach. The May expiry carries significant near-term put open interest, while June 26 is the largest expiry in the structure, with about $12 billion in notional exposure and calls and puts nearly balanced.

If those positions expire without being replaced, the hedging pressure that has restrained Bitcoin’s direction could fade.

Considering the above, the levels are straightforward. BTC holding above $80,000 into the May 29 expiry would reduce the near-term put overhang.

However, a move through $85,000 would put Bitcoin above the gamma-flip level identified by 10x Research, shifting dealer positioning in a way that could make rallies less constrained and force traders positioned defensively to chase upside.

The post These forces could push Bitcoin higher this week even as US-Iran tensions continue to rattle markets appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The CLARITY Act is heading back to the Senate Banking Committee on May 14 after months of stalled negotiations, putting a small group of Democrats at the center of the crypto industry’s push for a federal market-structure law.

The markup comes after the bill was slowed by disputes over stablecoin rewards, anti-money laundering safeguards and ethics provisions.

Those fights have turned a committee vote that Republicans may be able to win on numbers into a broader test of whether the measure can attract enough Democratic support to remain viable on the Senate floor.

Republicans hold 13 of the committee’s 24 seats, giving the bill a plausible path out of the panel if the party remains aligned.

However, the more important signal will come from Democrats. A vote that attracts several Democratic members would give the bill stronger footing for the Senate floor, where major legislation usually requires 60 votes.

On the other hand, a mostly party-line vote would leave the measure vulnerable to the same political resistance that has slowed crypto bills in previous sessions.

These Democrats could shape CLARITY Act's path

Galaxy Research has identified seven Democratic members of Senate Banking as the key votes to watch, including Ruben Gallego of Arizona, Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, Mark Warner of Virginia, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Andy Kim of New Jersey, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware.

The firm’s posture map classifies Gallego and Alsobrooks as constructive or pro-framework, Warner, Cortez Masto, Kim and Warnock as conditional dealmakers, and Blunt Rochester as a swing vote.

Gallego has a central role as the top Democrat on the digital-assets subcommittee. His support would help give the bill a Democratic policy anchor rather than leaving it as a Republican-led effort.

Alsobrooks has also become important after helping negotiate compromise language around stablecoin rewards, one of the provisions that had slowed the bill’s progress.

The conditional bloc may carry more weight. Warner, Cortez Masto, Kim and Warnock have shown willingness to support crypto legislation, including the GENIUS Act, but their votes are tied to safeguards around illicit finance, sanctions evasion, national security and consumer protection.

Their posture gives the bill a possible route to bipartisan support, while also creating room for last-minute negotiations over enforcement language.

Blunt Rochester is harder to place. She supported earlier procedural movement on stablecoin legislation but opposed the final GENIUS Act, making her position dependent on the final CLARITY text and the strength of any added guardrails.

Meanwhile, four other Democrats on the committee are seen as unlikely supporters: Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.

These lawmakers have taken a more restrictive approach to crypto legislation and are expected to press the case that the bill remains too favorable to the industry.

Considering the above, CLARITY Act supporters need to keep Gallego and Alsobrooks aligned, win enough backing from the conditional Democrats and avoid a committee vote that casts doubt on the bill’s ability to build a workable Senate coalition.

What next after CLARITY Act markup?

If the CLARITY Act clears Senate Banking, the bill would still face a more difficult path through the full Senate, where supporters need a broader bipartisan coalition to overcome the 60-vote threshold that governs most major legislation.

The measure would also need to be aligned with other Senate work on digital assets and reconciled with the House version before it could reach the president’s desk. Notably, reports have revealed that the Trump administration is targeting July 4 for the passage of the CLARITY Act.

That process leaves little room for a narrow or heavily partisan committee vote, especially with lawmakers still divided over stablecoin rewards, illicit finance and ethics language.

For crypto firms, the markup is therefore only the first test in a longer campaign for a federal rulebook.

Asset manager Grayscale has argued that the legislation would support the next phase of digital-asset innovation and capital formation by replacing regulatory uncertainty with a clearer legal framework.

According to the firm:

“The CLARITY Act can catalyze the next phase of innovation and capital formation in digital assets by replacing uncertainty with structure, providing developers, business, and investors with a long-awaited asset and regulatory legal framework.”

The post CLARITY Act’s markup progress now hinges on these Democrat lawmakers appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Crypto investors have lost more than $100 million to physical extortion in the first four months of 2026, according to blockchain security firm CertiK, as criminal groups increasingly target the people behind digital wallets rather than the technology securing them.

The attacks, known in the industry as “wrench attacks,” use kidnapping, assault, threats, or other forms of physical coercion to force victims to transfer crypto, unlock accounts, or surrender access to private keys.

The tactic has become a growing concern for an industry that has spent years building defenses against phishing, malware, smart-contract exploits, and exchange breaches.

CertiK said verified global incidents rose 41% to 34 from the same period last year. If the current pace continues, the blockchain security firm estimates the full-year count could reach about 130 incidents, with losses running into the several hundred million dollar range.

This projection means that this year's attacks are on track to exceed those of 2025, which researchers described as the most active year on record for crypto-related physical assaults.

However, security researchers and law enforcement universally acknowledge that these figures represent a fraction of the reality. The inherently traumatic nature of the crimes, combined with the victim's fear of retaliation, results in chronic underreporting.

That makes wrench attacks harder to track than on-chain exploits, where stolen funds can often be traced across wallets and exchanges in real time.

France becomes the center of Europe’s crypto violence

Europe has become the main center of the threat this year, accounting for 82% of CertiK’s verified cases in the first four months of 2026.

Reported incidents in the US and Asia have declined over the same period, leaving France as the clearest concentration of crypto-related physical crime.

French authorities have acknowledged the scale of the problem. During Paris Blockchain Week this year, the Ministry of the Interior reportedly identified 41 incidents involving physical coercion tied to digital assets since January, a rate of roughly one attack every two and a half days.

France’s rising exposure could be linked to a mix of industry concentration, public visibility, and data leakage.

The country is home to major crypto companies and executives, including firms such as Ledger and Paymium, creating a visible network of founders, developers, investors, and early adopters. Public events, meetups, and social media activity can make it easier for criminal groups to identify people they believe have access to digital assets.

The risk has been compounded by breaches involving sensitive personal information. CertiK cited the case of Ghalia C., a tax official at France’s General Directorate of Public Finances, who was accused of using government tax software to search for profiles of crypto-asset holders before allegedly selling the information to criminal networks.

That case has become a reference point for a broader concern, as attackers may no longer need to rely only on social media displays of wealth. Leaked tax records, customer files, home addresses, and accounting data can help turn a blockchain user into a physical target.

Criminal groups follow the path to liquidity

The appeal of wrench attacks lies in their directness. A criminal group does not need to defeat encryption, break a hardware wallet, or exploit a smart contract if it can force a victim to approve a transfer.

That calculation has made crypto attractive to groups already willing to use violence. Digital assets can be moved quickly, split across wallets, bridged between networks, or converted into harder-to-trace instruments.

Even when investigators can follow funds on-chain, recovery is difficult once assets pass through mixers, decentralized exchanges, or privacy-focused coins.

The first months of 2026 have produced several cases that show how the tactic is evolving.

In January, Chinese entrepreneur Yong Wang was abducted after arriving in Istanbul, Turkey. Investigators later said the case was tied to a crypto-asset dispute and that funds were extracted before he was killed. Ten suspects were arrested in China after an Interpol Red Notice.

The same month, Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie, was kidnapped in the US as part of a $6 million BTC ransom demand. The case illustrated a growing proxy-targeting strategy in which attackers go after relatives or associates rather than the primary holder.

In March, a UK-based crypto figure and indie game developer known as Sillytuna said he was forced by armed attackers to transfer about $24 million in aEthUSDC. The funds were then moved across multiple chains and converted into Monero, according to the account cited by CertiK.

Last year, Phil Ariss, director of UK public sector relations at TRM Labs, said these patterns reflect a migration of traditional criminal behavior into the crypto space.

Ariss said:

“One factor that should not be overlooked when it comes to wrench attacks is that, at its core, it’s a natural evolution of criminal behavior. Criminal groups already comfortable with using violence to achieve their goals were always likely to migrate to crypto. As long as there’s a viable route to launder or liquidate stolen assets, it makes little difference to the offender whether the target is a high-value watch or a crypto wallet.”

The shift also changes the meaning of personal security in crypto. A holder’s risk profile can now include social-media posts, conference appearances, tax records, leaked customer data, family routines, and public signs of wealth. The wallet may be secure, while the person controlling it remains exposed.

Industry tools add delay, but not a full defense

The rise in physical coercion has prompted crypto companies to build tools to slow forced withdrawals.

Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, recently introduced a withdrawal lockdown feature designed for situations in which a user may be pressured in person to move funds.

The feature allows users to set a delay of between 1 and 7 days for on-chain withdrawals. Once activated, the account cannot send crypto off the platform during the selected window, even if the account holder initiates the transfer.

Binance framed the tool as a response to a category of risk that digital security products do not address. The exchange said physical coercion sits outside the usual defenses built for phishing, impersonation scams, SIM swaps, and seed phrase theft.

The logic is deterrence through friction. If attackers know assets cannot be moved immediately, the target may become less attractive. A delay can also give victims, relatives, or colleagues time to alert law enforcement before funds leave the platform.

However, these time locks have limits. A criminal group willing to hold a victim for hours or days may be able to wait out the delay.

Self-custody users also face a different challenge because assets held outside centralized platforms require separate protections, such as multisignature arrangements, vaults, delayed spending policies, and geographically distributed signing controls.

Kevin Loaec, founder of Bitcoin security firm Wizardsardine, has warned that the problem cannot be solved by cryptography alone. He said holders in high-risk areas should think more seriously about physical awareness, communication with relatives, and immediate contact with authorities when threats arise.

That view is gaining ground as the crypto market grows larger and more visible. The industry’s early security culture focused heavily on keeping private keys offline and avoiding online scams.

The latest wave of attacks suggests that wealth exposure, leaked personal data, and public identity management now belong in the same conversation.

The post IRL crypto threats: Physical “wrench attacks” have led to over $100 million in losses since January alone appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The United Arab Emirates has officially authorized residents to pay government fees using cryptocurrency. This development comes through a strategic partnership between the Dubai Department of Finance (DOF) and Crypto.com, following the exchange's successful acquisition of a Stored Value Facilities (SVF) license from the Central Bank of the UAE.

Crypto for Public Services: How It Works

The new integration allows Dubai residents to settle various government-related charges—ranging from utility bills to permit fees—directly using their digital assets. While users pay in cryptocurrency, the backend system ensures that all settlements are received by the government in UAE Dirhams (AED) or Central Bank-approved, dirham-backed stablecoins.

"This initiative supports the Dubai Cashless Strategy, which aims to reach 90% cashless transactions across the public and private sectors by 2026." — Dubai Department of Finance Statement

Regulatory Framework and Access

To access this service, residents must be onboarded through the VARA-licensed (Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority) platform of Crypto.com. The SVF license issued to Foris DAX Middle East FZE (Crypto.com's local entity) is a critical component, as it bridges the gap between virtual asset wallets and traditional financial settlements under the Central Bank's framework.

Key Technical Details:

• Settlement Currency: UAE Dirham (AED).
• Approved Assets: Large-cap cryptocurrencies and approved dirham-backed stablecoins.
• Compliance: Users must undergo full KYC on the Crypto.com platform.
• Infrastructure: Integration with the Dubai Department of Finance's existing payment gateways.

What’s Next: Emirates Airline and Beyond

The scope of crypto payments in the UAE is expected to expand rapidly. Sources indicate that once further approvals from the Central Bank of the UAE are secured, the payment model could be integrated into Emirates Airline and Dubai Duty Free. This would effectively allow travelers to fund their journeys and retail purchases using their crypto portfolios.

This move reinforces Dubai's position as a premier global hub for the digital economy, providing a seamless bridge between the Bitcoin ecosystem and daily administrative life.

OMR Festival 2026: AI Takes Center Stage in Hamburg

The OMR Festival keeps getting bigger. This year's edition wrapped up on May 6 in Hamburg, drawing more than 70,000 visitors to the festival grounds, with roughly 85,000 people making their way to Hamburg in total as part of the broader event. Over 1,000 exhibitors and partners and more than 800 speakers took part, spanning tech, politics, marketing, finance, and culture.

What made 2026 stand out? More than 20% of attendees came from outside the DACH region — the most international crowd in the festival's 15-year history. The vibe on the floor matched the numbers: packed halls, live music, brand activations from the likes of Porsche, Google, Meta, and Amazon, and conversations that felt genuinely urgent.

AI Isn't the Future Anymore — It's Now

If there was one theme that ran through every stage, every panel, and every side conversation, it was AI. But not in the breathless, hype-cycle way of years past — where the year before was still an exploratory experiment, 2026 saw AI treated as a strategic necessity.

The most-quoted moment of the festival came from Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT at OpenAI. He signaled the arrival of agentic AI, describing a shift from reactive to proactive assistants: "In the near future, AI will be our personal assistant that prompts us — not the other way around." He also revealed that Germany is today OpenAI's largest ChatGPT market in Europe and ranks among the top three globally for paying subscribers and weekly active users. For anyone in the crypto and fintech space, where AI-driven trading tools and automation are accelerating fast, this framing of AI as a proactive agent — not a reactive tool — is a signal worth paying attention to.

German Federal Minister for Digital Transformation Dr. Karsten Wildberger put it plainly: "AI is our chance for a comeback in industry." He stressed that building selective partnerships while also developing homegrown models was the only path forward, adding: "Germany has the talent, we have the capabilities. Now it's about scaling Germany."

Data Sovereignty: The Crypto Argument Goes Mainstream

One of the sharpest talks of the two days came from Rolf Schumann, Co-CEO of Schwarz Digits, who made a case that will resonate with anyone in the Web3 space. "In China, data belongs to the state. In America, data belongs to companies. In Europe, data still belongs to us." His core argument: AI models are essentially a delivery mechanism — what really matters is who controls the data they're trained on. "Data is the new code," he said. The parallel to blockchain's foundational premise around data ownership isn't subtle.

Meredith Whittaker, President of the Signal Foundation, added a cautionary note, warning about the risks of AI agents and careless handling of personal data, noting that people are increasingly anxious about the collateral damage of AI systems that are helpful on one hand and deeply problematic on the other.

Politics Gets Digital

Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil used the OMR stage for some of the bluntest political statements of the festival. He declared that Europe needed to assert itself and stop letting its future be decided in Washington, Beijing, or Moscow — and specifically said he had no interest in the future of artificial intelligence being shaped by the likes of Peter Thiel and Elon Musk. On a more constructive note, he pledged to strengthen financing for scale-ups, acknowledging that Germany has a real gap in the growth-phase funding of startups. For fintech founders, that's worth watching.

Beyond the Panels

The festival was also a full-on cultural event — brand experiences from major players, rooftop dinners, creator breakfasts, and music across both evenings turned all of Hamburg into a festival footprint. Tom Brady and Heidi Klum brought the celebrity firepower, with Brady speaking openly about performance pressure, leadership, and how sport has become a global entertainment product — and Wladimir Klitschko reminding the crowd not to forget Ukraine amidst the party atmosphere.

What's Next: OMR27 Goes Three Days

OMR Festival 2027 is already confirmed and will expand to three days for the first time — running May 3–5, 2027 in Hamburg. Pre-sale tickets are available now at early-bird pricing.

Overall, OMR 2026 was a clear signal: the conversations that matter in tech, finance, and digital business are no longer happening in isolation. AI, sovereignty, data, and regulation are converging — and Hamburg, for two days in May, was where Europe's digital industry chose to hash it all out.

After weeks of outsized gains driven by the expansion of decentralized AI agents and Model Context Protocols (MCP), the market has entered a sharp correction phase. While major assets like $Bitcoin have shown resilience near the $80,000 mark, smaller, high-beta projects are experiencing double-digit drawdowns.

Analysis of the Top 3 Worst Performers

Based on current market data, the following three assets have faced the most significant selling pressure over the last week.

1. SKYAI (SKYAI): The -23.46% Correction

$SKYAI currently holds the title for the worst weekly performance. After hitting an all-time high of approximately $0.85 on May 6, the price plummeted to the $0.46 range.

• The Reason: This is a textbook "sell the news" event following its recent listing on major exchanges like Bitget. Additionally, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) reached an extreme overbought level of 85, signaling a technical exhaustion.
• Current Outlook: The token is currently testing psychological support at $0.45. A failure to hold this level could see a further slide toward the $0.35 liquidity zone.

2. Pi (PI): -2.37% Weekly Decline

While the loss is modest compared to the lead loser, $Pi has struggled to maintain its momentum above the $0.19 resistance zone.

• The Reason: The decline is largely attributed to a lack of concrete updates regarding the Open Mainnet transition. Speculative fatigue is setting in as the community awaits version 26 of the ecosystem upgrades.
• Technical Status: PI is currently hovering around $0.17, consolidating within a tight range. Traders are watching for a breakout above the 50-day EMA to confirm a reversal.

3. Sky (SKY): -2.36% Weekly Decline

The governance token for the rebranded MakerDAO ecosystem, $Sky, mirrors the slight bearish bias of the broader altcoin market.

• The Reason: Unlike the AI-driven volatility of its namesake (SKYAI), this asset's decline is linked to a decrease in USDS stablecoin minting activity over the past week.
• Market Context: At a price of $0.078, the token remains a core DeFi play, though it currently lacks the short-term catalysts needed to overcome the $0.085 resistance level.

Technical Factors: RSI Overextension and Whale Movements

The common thread among this week's losers—particularly the AI-themed tokens—is the extreme concentration of supply. Data from Etherscan and BNB Chain trackers suggest that a small number of "whale" wallets initiated the sell-off in SKYAI.

When an asset gains over 1,116% in a few months, liquidity becomes thin at the top. Even moderate sell orders can cause a "slippage" effect, driving the price down rapidly and triggering automated stop-loss orders from retail traders.

Michael Saylor is once again at the centre of the Bitcoin conversation after hinting that Strategy could be preparing for more BTC activity. His latest “back to work” style message caught the attention of crypto traders, especially as Bitcoin price continues to hold above the important $80,000 level.

The timing matters. Bitcoin is trading around $81,000, while the broader crypto market is showing signs of recovery. Ethereum is back above $2,300, XRP is outperforming several major coins, and Solana is also moving higher. In this environment, any signal from Strategy, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder, can quickly become a market catalyst.

Michael Saylor Bitcoin Signal: Why Traders Are Watching Strategy Again

Michael Saylor has built a strong reputation in the crypto market because of Strategy’s aggressive Bitcoin accumulation strategy. Over the past years, the company has turned into a corporate Bitcoin proxy, with investors often watching its moves as a signal of institutional conviction.

According to recent reports, Strategy holds around 818,334 BTC, making it the largest corporate Bitcoin holder in the market. The company also recently reported a major quarterly loss linked to Bitcoin’s earlier price decline, but it still remains deeply exposed to the long-term Bitcoin thesis.

This is why Saylor’s public signals matter. Whenever he posts or hints at renewed activity, traders often speculate that another Bitcoin purchase could follow. While a post alone does not confirm a new buy, the market tends to treat Saylor’s messages as important because they have often appeared around periods of Strategy Bitcoin accumulation.

Bitcoin Holds Above $80K as Market Sentiment Improves

Bitcoin price is currently holding around $81,272, according to the latest market data shown on TradingView. The coin is up slightly over the past 24 hours, while its market cap remains above $1.6 trillion.

This is important because the $80,000 zone has become a key psychological level for BTC. After the recent correction and recovery, traders are watching whether Bitcoin can hold this area as support. If BTC stays above $80K, the market could begin pricing in another move toward higher resistance levels.

The broader market also supports this narrative. Ethereum is trading around $2,348, Solana is near $94.5, XRP is around $1.47, and BNB is above $656. This shows that the recovery is not limited to Bitcoin only. However, BTC remains the main driver of crypto market direction.

Could More Strategy Bitcoin Buying Push BTC Higher?

If Strategy announces another Bitcoin purchase, it could strengthen bullish sentiment in the short term. Corporate buying does not guarantee a price rally, but it can create confidence among traders, especially during uncertain market phases.

There are three reasons why a new Strategy purchase would matter now.

First, it would show that Saylor and Strategy are still committed to the Bitcoin accumulation strategy despite recent volatility and financial pressure.

Second, it would reinforce the idea that institutional buyers are willing to buy BTC even above $80,000.

Third, it could bring fresh attention to Bitcoin at a time when the market is already trying to recover from recent weakness.

At the same time, traders should remain careful. Strategy’s Bitcoin exposure is already massive, and recent reports showed that the company faced a large quarterly loss due to Bitcoin’s earlier decline. That means every new purchase also increases the company’s dependence on BTC price performance.

Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can BTC Move Toward $85K Next?

From a market structure perspective, Bitcoin holding above $80K keeps the short-term outlook constructive. If buyers defend this level, BTC could attempt another move toward the $84,000 to $85,000 range. A clean breakout above that zone could open the door for a stronger move toward $88,000 and possibly $90,000.

However, if Bitcoin loses the $80K support again, the market could see renewed selling pressure. In that case, traders may watch the $78,000 to $76,000 area as the next important support zone.

For now, the key question is simple: can Bitcoin stay above $80,000 long enough for institutional and retail confidence to return? If Saylor’s hint turns into another confirmed Strategy purchase, BTC could receive the extra push it needs to continue its recovery.

What This Means for the Crypto Market

Michael Saylor’s latest hint comes at a sensitive moment for crypto. Bitcoin is recovering, altcoins are starting to move, and traders are looking for confirmation that the market has enough strength to continue higher.

A new Strategy Bitcoin buy would not only affect BTC sentiment. It could also support the broader crypto market by improving confidence in digital assets as a long-term investment class. Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and other major altcoins could benefit if Bitcoin continues to lead the market upward.

Still, the market remains volatile. Macro risks, regulatory uncertainty, and profit-taking can quickly change the trend. For now, Bitcoin holding above $80K is the level to watch, and Michael Saylor may have just given traders another reason to stay focused on the next move.

$BTC, $ETH, $XRP, $SOL, $BNB

Solana and Bitcoin Lead the May 2026 Bull Charge

Solana ($SOL) is currently on a critical recovery path toward the triple-digit mark. Meanwhile, the "king of crypto," Bitcoin ($BTC), has successfully converted the $80,000 resistance into a foundational support level, providing the necessary liquidity and sentiment boost for the broader altcoin market.

SOL Price Recovery: The Path to $100

As of May 10, 2026, the Solana price is trading near $93.43, showing significant resilience after a period of consolidation. Technical indicators on the daily chart reveal a compelling story for the bulls:

• Inverse Head-and-Shoulders: SOL has completed a bullish reversal pattern, suggesting that the recent "bottoming out" phase is over.
• Moving Average Crossover: The 20-day EMA is trending toward a "golden cross" with the 50-day EMA, a signal often followed by aggressive buying volume.
• Liquidity Influx: Onchain data shows that the USDC Treasury minted 250 million USDC on the Solana blockchain today, May 10, indicating massive institutional preparation for decentralized finance (DeFi) activity.

If SOL can clear the immediate resistance at $96.95, analysts predict a swift 14% move that would not only breach the $100 target but potentially extend toward $111.00 in the short term.

Bitcoin Price Holds the $80k Line: Institutional Dominance

Bitcoin's ascent above $80,000 earlier this month was not a mere "flash in the pan." Unlike previous cycles driven by retail speculation, the 2026 rally is anchored by sustained spot ETF inflows and corporate treasury adoption. Major financial institutions like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs have fully integrated Bitcoin trading and custody services, creating a "floor" that was absent in earlier years.

The current stability of BTC above $80,000 is particularly impressive given the macroeconomic backdrop. Despite the transition in Federal Reserve leadership and persistent inflation concerns, the "Clarity Act" progress in the U.S. Senate has provided the regulatory certainty that institutional investors required.

"Bitcoin is no longer just a digital gold; it has become the anchor for a new era of digital credit," noted a lead analyst at Strategy Inc., which recently reported record first-quarter results for its Bitcoin-backed financial products.

Solana's Alpenglow consensus protocol upgrade is one step closer to being rolled out on the layer-1 network's mainnet.

Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange, says it has deployed more than 100 AI models to counter a surge in AI-powered scams.

Decades of sci-fi tropes about self-preserving AI apparently taught Claude to blackmail people. Anthropic's fix wasn't more rules—it was moral philosophy.

Formerly known as Bitfarms, the newly rebranded Keel touted a $533 million war chest to fund AI infrastructure buildout.

FBI Director Kash Patel said the use of AI has accelerated child exploitation investigations, threat detection, and internal operations.

Washington is moving closer than ever to passing a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets.

Circle posted 20% revenue growth in Q1 2026, but collapsing profits and rising costs exposed mounting pressure from Ripple's stablecoin push and PayPal's expanding PYUSD ecosystem.

The wall dividing traditional Wall Street plumbing and the digital asset ecosystem continues to erode.

Michael Saylor and Strategy are facing calls for an SEC antifraud investigation as Peter Schiff warns that the company's STRC model exposes retirees to what he calls a Bitcoin-linked Ponzi scheme.

Shiba Inu sees rising demand as its market supply continues to tighten aggressively, positioning the leading meme token for a potential supply shock.

Key Takeaways

• AST SpaceMobile shares climbed 12.15% Monday before its Q1 2026 quarterly results, scheduled for release after market close
• Wall Street consensus calls for a $0.2125 per-share loss with $37.5 million in quarterly revenue
• The company lost a BlueBird 7 satellite following a Blue Origin launch malfunction; insurance coverage anticipated
• Rising rivalry from Amazon’s $10.8 billion Globalstar acquisition and SpaceX’s Starlink platform intensifies market dynamics
• Implied volatility suggests a roughly 12.1% price swing following the earnings announcement

Shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) surged more than 12% during Monday’s session, reaching $75.05, as market participants braced for the company’s first-quarter 2026 financial results set to drop after the closing bell.

AST SpaceMobile, Inc., ASTS

Despite Monday’s strong performance, the stock remains significantly below its 52-week peak of $129.89, indicating substantial ground left to recover.

Analyst consensus points to a quarterly loss of $0.2125 per share alongside revenue of $37.5 million for the March period. These figures would represent progress from the previous quarter’s $0.26 loss per share, although revenue is projected to decline from the $54.3 million recorded in Q4.

Per-share loss estimates have deteriorated by 15.1% during the last two months, reflecting increasing analyst skepticism ahead of the results.

Launch Failure Raises Questions About Deployment Strategy

A failed Blue Origin New Glenn rocket mission last month resulted in AST‘s BlueBird 7 satellite being placed in an incorrect orbit. The satellite has since reentered the atmosphere and is classified as a complete loss, although the company confirms insurance will cover the incident.

Initial projections called for deploying 45 to 60 satellites throughout this year. Industry analyst Tim Farrar now forecasts actual deployments between 21 and 42 units, complicated by the FAA’s current grounding of the launch vehicle.

Market observers will pay close attention to any guidance updates regarding adjusted deployment schedules and backup launch provider arrangements.

Company leadership previously established a 2026 revenue goal ranging from $150 million to $200 million, banking on accelerated commercial launches during the year’s latter half. Wall Street projects revenue could hit $1 billion in 2027.

Amazon and SpaceX Intensify Direct-to-Device Battle

Competitive dynamics have evolved rapidly. Amazon’s approximately $10.8 billion deal to purchase Globalstar represents a major entry into satellite-to-device communications. Deutsche Bank subsequently lowered its AST price target, anticipating increased pricing competition.

SpaceX’s Starlink platform maintains market leadership and currently operates commercial services in partnership with T-Mobile.

Industry forecasts project the direct-to-device sector will expand from $570 million in 2025 to $2.64 billion by 2030, underscoring the importance of successful execution.

Among 10 analysts tracking ASTS, three maintain buy ratings, five recommend holding, and two advise selling. The average price target stands at $83.90, suggesting approximately 12% potential upside from current trading levels. Price targets span from Scotiabank’s $41.20 to Clear Street’s $115.

Options trading volume ahead of earnings runs at 1.6 times typical levels, with call options outnumbering puts by a 3-to-1 margin. Derivatives markets indicate an expected price movement of approximately 12.1%, or roughly $10, following the earnings release. Historical data shows a median 9% post-earnings move across the previous eight quarters.

The broader space technology sector also posted gains Monday, contributing momentum to ASTS’s advance.

The post AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) Stock Surges 12% Before Q1 Earnings: Analyst Forecasts Inside appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Bitmine reduced its weekly ether purchases after months of rapid accumulation in 2026.
• The company bought 26,659 ETH last week, worth about $63 million at current prices.
• Bitmine now holds more than 5.2 million ETH, which equals about 4.31% of Ethereum’s circulating supply.
• Tom Lee said the firm slowed buying as it approached its long-term goal of owning 5% of supply.
• Bitmine has acquired over 1 million ETH since the start of this year.
• The company’s total crypto and cash holdings stand at $13.4 billion.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies has reduced its weekly ether purchases after months of rapid accumulation. Chairman Tom Lee confirmed the shift after the firm approached its 5% Ethereum supply target. The company still holds over 5.2 million ETH after buying more than 1 million tokens this year.

Bitmine Eases Weekly Ether Accumulation Pace

Bitmine bought 26,659 ETH last week, valued at about $63 million at current prices. However, that figure equals roughly one quarter of its recent weekly average. The purchase increased total holdings to over 5.2 million ETH, or about 4.31% of the circulating supply.

Tom Lee addressed the change during remarks at Consensus 2026 in Miami. He said the company would reduce weekly purchases from over 100,000 ETH. “Our previous pace of buys would have us reach 5% by mid-July,” Lee said in a statement.

The company adjusted its pace as it neared its long-term acquisition target. Lee said Bitmine considered easing purchases once it approached the 5% threshold. The firm has already acquired more than 1 million ETH since January 2026.

Bitmine continues to buy ether despite the broader market downturn. Lee stated that the company remains committed to its treasury strategy. He described the recent months as one of the fastest accumulation periods in the crypto sector.

He also expressed confidence in current market trends and recovery signals. “We have decided to slow down our pace of weekly accumulation,” Lee said. He linked the change to timing rather than a shift in outlook.

Ethereum Holdings and Treasury Composition

Bitmine’s total crypto and cash holdings stand at $13.4 billion. The company holds 201 Bitcoin alongside its Ether reserves. It also maintains $775 million in cash and equity stakes.

Those equity investments include Beast Industries and Eightco Holdings. However, ether remains the core asset in the company’s treasury. The firm focuses its strategy on Ethereum’s long-term supply position.

Bitmine has staked more than 4.7 million ETH from its total holdings. That amount represents over 90% of its ether balance. The staked assets currently hold an estimated value of $11.1 billion.

The company operates its MAVAN staking platform to manage these assets. It launched the platform earlier this year for institutional clients. Bitmine also uses MAVAN for its internal treasury operations.

Lee reiterated his outlook for Ether’s price performance. “If ETH closes above $2,100 at the end of May, this would be the third consecutive monthly gain,” he said. He added that such a streak has not occurred during a crypto bear market.

The company continues to monitor Ether’s monthly performance levels. Lee linked price strength to improving sentiment in software and growth stocks. He maintained that what he calls “crypto spring” has begun.

The post Bitmine Slows Ether Buys After Acquiring 1M ETH in 2026 appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• Ronin will migrate from an independent sidechain to an Ethereum layer 2 on May 12.
• The network will execute a hard fork at block 55,577,490 and pause activity for about 10 hours.
• Ronin said all transfers, swaps, and smart contract interactions will stop during the downtime.
• The upgrade will introduce a Proof of Distribution model to reward active contributors.
• The new model will reduce RON token inflation from over 20 percent to below 1%.

Ronin will migrate from an independent sidechain to an Ethereum layer 2 on May 12. The network will execute a hard fork at block 55,577,490 and pause operations for about 10 hours. The team said the move will strengthen security while maintaining throughput and lower token inflation.

Ronin Migration Plan and Network Downtime

Ronin announced the transition in April and confirmed the execution timeline this week. The network said it will begin the upgrade around 15:16 UTC on Tuesday, based on onchain data. The hard fork will halt transfers, swaps, and smart contract activity during the downtime window. Ronin stated on X, “All network transactions will be paused,” and urged users to complete actions before the pause.

The team said all games built on the network will experience temporary disruption. It confirmed that Axie Infinity and Pixels will suspend in-game onchain actions during the upgrade. Ronin explained, “To avoid any inconvenience, please complete all necessary transactions before the downtime begins.” The network will resume operations after completing the technical transition.

Ronin launched four years ago to support Axie Infinity’s need for faster transactions. The company said, “Axie Infinity onboarded millions of gamers to crypto.” It added that Pixels later demonstrated repeated onboarding success. The team now aims to reconnect with Ethereum and integrate more closely with its base layer.

Ronin suffered a $625 million bridge exploit in 2022 while operating as a sidechain. The attack remains the largest DeFi bridge exploit recorded. The new structure will link the network directly to Ethereum as a layer 2. The team said this structure will enhance bridge security and reduce structural risk.

RON Token Economics and OP Stack Integration

The migration will introduce a “Proof of Distribution” model during the downtime. Ronin said the model will reward builders based on active network contribution. The company stated that the change will reduce token inflation from over 20% to below 1%. It described the adjustment as “fundamentally bullish for RON.”

Ronin will redirect 90 million RON tokens from staking rewards to the treasury. The network will also increase marketplace fees to 1.25% from 0.5%. The team confirmed these changes as part of its revised token structure. It aims to reset supply dynamics through lower emissions and updated incentives.

RON trades at about $0.11 with a market capitalization near $89.5 million. The token remains below its 2024 peak level. However, prices rose 30% over the past 30 days following the migration announcement. Onchain data reflects increased activity during the preparation phase.

Ronin will transition to the OP Stack to operate as an Ethereum layer 2. The network said this integration will allow it to inherit Ethereum’s security framework. It will also use EigenDA for data availability to support scalability. The company confirmed that it will begin the migration process on Tuesday at 15:16 UTC.

The post Ronin Schedules Upgrade to Become Ethereum Layer 2 appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• MARA is expected to report a first-quarter loss on revenue of $184.21 million and earnings per share of $2.34.
• Bitcoin prices fell about 25% during the quarter, which pressured MARA’s digital asset holdings and earnings.
• The company sold 15,133 BTC for about $1.1 billion to strengthen liquidity and repurchase $1.0 billion in convertible notes.
• MARA agreed to acquire Long Ridge Energy from FTAI Infrastructure in a $1.5 billion transaction.
• The company partnered with Starwood to develop data centers targeting one gigawatt of computing capacity

MARA will report first-quarter earnings after the market closes on May 11, and analysts expect a loss on both revenue and earnings. Wall Street forecasts revenue of $184.21 million and a loss per share of $2.34, reflecting the weaker Bitcoin price during the quarter. However, the company continues to advance its infrastructure strategy as it shifts toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing services.

MARA Prepares for Earnings Release as Bitcoin Weighs on Results

Analysts expect MARA to reflect lower bitcoin prices in its first quarter results, as BTC fell about 25% from $87,000 to $67,000. That decline created mark-to-market losses on the company’s digital asset holdings, which pressured reported earnings. As a result, forecasts point to weaker revenue compared with prior quarters.

In the fourth quarter, MARA reported revenue of $206 million, down 6% from $214 million a year earlier. The company also confirmed plans to diversify operations beyond bitcoin mining. Executives stated that the strategy aims to secure steadier revenue streams tied to data center and computing contracts.

During the first quarter, MARA sold 15,133 BTC valued at about $1.1 billion. The company used $1.0 billion of the proceeds to repurchase convertible notes and improve liquidity. Management said the move supports its long-term infrastructure expansion plans.

MARA Expands AI Infrastructure Through Energy and Data Center Deals

MARA advanced its transition strategy through a $1.5 billion agreement with FTAI Infrastructure. Under the deal, FTAI agreed to sell Long Ridge Energy to MARA, providing long-term power generation capacity. The transaction aims to secure a stable cash flow linked to computing and data center operations.

The company also announced a partnership with Starwood to develop data centers delivering about one gigawatt of computing capacity. MARA said the initiative will support growing demand for high-performance computing workloads. The company continues to allocate capital toward these projects as part of its strategic shift.

Other miners have taken similar steps toward computing services. IREN expanded its transition through a $3.4 billion cloud agreement with NVIDIA. The company also recorded a $140.4 million non-cash impairment tied to the sale of ASIC mining hardware.

HIVE Digital Technologies reported further investment in computing infrastructure. The company committed $3.1 million to install high-speed fiber supporting a planned 50MW computing facility. These developments show ongoing capital deployment across the sector.

MARA shares rose 1% to $13 in pre-market trading ahead of the earnings release. The company will publish its financial results after the closing bell on May 11.

The post MARA Set to Post Q1 Loss as AI Strategy Gains Focus appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• The Senate Banking Committee scheduled May 14 for the markup of the CLARITY Act.
• Lawmakers will debate amendments before voting on whether to advance the bill to the Senate floor.
• The House previously passed the CLARITY Act with a 294–134 bipartisan vote.
• The bill would define regulatory boundaries between the SEC and the CFTC.
• The Senate version expands the legislation to nine titles, including stablecoin oversight and bankruptcy protections.

The Senate Banking Committee will meet May 14 to mark up the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. Lawmakers will debate amendments and decide whether to send the measure to the Senate floor. However, bank lobbyists and some Democrats now threaten to block the bill before it advances.

CLARITY Act Faces Senate Test After House Approval

The committee will hold the executive session at 10:30 a.m. in Room 538 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. Chairman Tim Scott confirmed the schedule last week and opened the meeting to public livestream. Lawmakers will consider amendments before voting on whether to advance the bill.

The House passed H.R. 3633 on July 17, 2025, with a 294–134 bipartisan vote. All 216 Republicans supported the measure, while 78 Democrats joined them. Since then, the Senate delayed two markup sessions and extended talks over stablecoin oversight.

The CLARITY Act would define regulatory boundaries between the SEC and the CFTC. The bill grants the CFTC authority over spot markets for digital commodities. Meanwhile, the SEC would retain control over investment contract assets and primary offerings.

Senators expanded the Senate draft to nine titles covering decentralized finance safeguards and illicit finance rules. The text also includes bankruptcy protections for crypto customers and the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act. That provision would provide safe harbors for blockchain software developers.

Banking Lobby and Democratic Ethics Dispute Intensify

Major banks have increased lobbying efforts in recent weeks as the vote approaches. At the same time, Democrats demand ethics rules covering crypto holdings by public officials. Republicans argue that such provisions could derail the measure entirely.

Senators Cynthia Lummis and Bernie Moreno warned about tight legislative deadlines. They said failure to clear committee before the May 21 Memorial Day recess could delay action until 2030. The White House has set July 4 as its target for presidential approval.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins urged Congress on April 9 to advance the bill. He said both agencies stand ready to implement the framework once enacted. Atkins referenced “Project Crypto” as an internal readiness initiative.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent framed the legislation as a national security issue in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. He warned that regulatory gaps push blockchain firms toward Singapore and Abu Dhabi. White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt said negotiations over stablecoin yield have concluded.

Senator Lummis reiterated support after the Easter recess and wrote “Clarity” on X.

Speaking at the Bitcoin Conference, she stated, “We are gonna markup the CLARITY Act in May.” She added, “We are gonna get it to the finish line.”

Chairman Scott previously targeted September 2025 for a floor vote. He later moved the timeline to late 2025 and then to June or July 2026. The May 14 markup now represents the Senate’s first formal committee vote on the bill.

The post Senate Banking Panel to Debate CLARITY Act May 14 appeared first on Blockonomi.

Pseudonymous crypto analyst Doctor Profit is predicting a steep Bitcoin (BTC) correction after the asset reclaimed the $82,000 level, warning that retail buyers flooding back into the market are walking into a trap.

In a lengthy post on X, they laid out a detailed short strategy targeting the $82,000-$85,000 zone, with a price target of $50,000 or below for the eventual downside move.

The Setup, According to Doctor Profit

Doctor Profit’s core argument is that the current bounce off the $71,000 low is not a new bull run. It is, in his words, “a beautiful trap, to tap as many retails as possible before the next downside move.”

He said the thesis has been in place since February, when he publicly predicted Bitcoin would recover to the $79,000-$85,000 range before rolling over, with the move playing out in May or June.

“Most people forget my words from February,” he wrote. “I gave the exact plan on what to do.”

He credits the same analytical framework he used to short Bitcoin at what he describes as the $115,000-$125,000 top in 2025.

On sentiment, he is blunt:

“I can see a lot of low IQ content on X, many altcoin calls, and accounts shouting for $100K or more right now. The fear is gone, retail has been piling back in since 76K at a very strong pace, and soon they will realize it was a big mistake.”

That retail re-entry, he argued, is exactly the fuel a distribution top requires.

What the Charts and Broader Market Are Saying

Not everyone shares the bearish read. Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor posted three words on X Sunday morning: No More Bears,” with Doctor Profit replying directly, telling Saylor he warned him to sell at $120,000, and was met with a laughing emoji.

“Now I’m telling you that the days for BTC above 80K are numbered,” he wrote. “You are lucky if we see 85K, and overall the crash will start from this region.”

Meanwhile, crypto analyst Ash Crypto noted on Sunday that Bitcoin had just closed its first weekly candle above $82,000 since January 26, with the weekly MACD printing a bullish crossover and the RSI climbing to 52, back in neutral-to-bullish territory.

He also drew a structural comparison to Google’s stock, which broke above its 2021 highs, retested the breakout zone, and then entered an expansion phase. According to him, Bitcoin may be following the same sequence, one cycle behind.

Another technical analyst, Ali Martinez, added that the breakout above the 200-day simple moving average near $82,500 will open room for gains towards $94,000, whereas failure to do so may lead to declines towards $75,000, where the 50-day SMA is located.

BTC hit $82,500 early Monday before pulling back below $81,000 after President Donald Trump publicly rejected Iran’s latest nuclear proposal as “totally unacceptable,” reintroducing geopolitical risk that had briefly faded from traders’ minds.

The post Is Bitcoin’s Rally Fake? Analyst Sees Massive Downside Ahead appeared first on CryptoPotato.

A comparative analysis published on May 11 by XWIN Japan tracked how Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, BNB, and Solana held up during the six months of market stress between October 2025 and April 2026.

According to the report, that downturn was less about panic selling alone and more about “internal selection,” with investors separating Bitcoin from the broader altcoin market amid macro stress and shrinking liquidity.

Bitcoin Stayed Ahead While Altcoins Took Deeper Losses

Going by XWIN’s data, BTC dropped 52.5% in that period, going from a peak of around $126,000 to roughly $60,000. And while that was a brutal fall in absolute terms, compared to the rest of the group, the flagship crypto held up better.

Solana got battered the most. It fell 71.6% from its highest level of $238 to $67. At the same time, Ethereum and XRP declined by 63%, while Binance Coin dropped 59%.

In terms of recovery from their bottom prices, SOL enjoyed the biggest bounce at 38%, with Bitcoin the second-best at 34.7%.

XWIN Japan’s analysis divided the six-month period into three phases, namely a derivatives-driven unwind in late 2025, a macro fear and liquidity contraction phase in early 2026, and an institutional-led recovery this spring.

What it found, broadly, is that BTC’s relative resilience wasn’t accidental, with the report pointing to ETF inflows, corporate treasury buying, and demand as a geopolitical hedge as ongoing sources of support through the worst of the selling.

“Even during market stress, capital consistently returned to Bitcoin,” the analysis stated, describing BTC as having become a global macro asset rather than just a crypto token.

ETH, by contrast, saw its price collapse despite network activity holding up. The report noted that staking growth, Layer-2 usage, and stablecoin settlement stayed strong throughout the drawdown period, even as the price fell from around $4,700 to below $1,800.

On the other hand, XRP’s relative performance was tied mostly to regulatory narrative and ETF expectations around cross-border payment themes, while BNB stayed somewhat steadier due to activity within the Binance ecosystem.

Where Things Stand

We can get an indication of how much progress has been made so far by looking at present-day prices for the assets XWIN quoted in its research. For instance, Bitcoin is trading at around $81,000, which is an 11% increase from the previous month.

ETH is around $2,300, up about 4% on the month, while XRP gained some 7.5% in the same period and was changing hands near $1.45 at the time of writing.

Solana, however, has had the strongest performance of them all, up more than 12% in the past month and about 12% on the week, and is currently trading near $95.

The post How Bitcoin Outperformed ETH, XRP, BNB, and SOL During 2025-2026 Market Stress appeared first on CryptoPotato.

The company behind XRP and RLUSD has announced its latest push toward increasing its presence in institutional crypto finance, which comes with a $200 million boost.

Ripple said it has officially secured a substantial debt facility from funds managed by Neuberger Berman, signaling growing confidence from traditional finance giants in its expanding ecosystem.

Neuberger Private Markets, a division of Neuberger, has been an active and successful private markets investor for nearly 40 years, as it invests across strategies, asset classes, and geographies for a large number of sophisticated and renowned institutions and individuals globally.

The $200 million debt facility from funds managed by it will support the “continued growth of Ripple’s multi-asset prime brokerage platform,” which was renamed to Ripple Prime last year after the acquisition of Hidden Road.

The Brad Garlinghouse-led firm said the move comes as his company has enjoyed a steady increase in client demand for institutional-grade prime services and margin financing solutions.

Ripple Prime, which reportedly tripled its revenue in 2025, can draw up to $200 million from the facility to provide flexibility as client needs evolve.

“This facility enables us to grow alongside our clients by delivering increased margin capacity, greater responsiveness, and improved capital efficiency. Neuberger Specialty Finance has deep expertise in asset-based finance and a strong understanding of our business model, and its support reflects the differentiated prime services platform we have built and the many growth opportunities available to us,” commented Ripple Prime’s President, Noel Kimmel.

Kimmel added that dependable access to financing and balance sheet strength are “critical to institutional participants in today’s dynamic markets.”

Peter Sterling, Head of Neuberger Specialty Finance, noted that Ripple Prime has evolved into an “innovative brokerage platform combining fintech-grade technology and agility with bank-level compliance and operational rigor.”

The post Ripple (XRP) Makes a $200 Million Move to Strengthen Institutional Ties appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies has slowed the pace of accumulation of more ETH, as it’s well within its timeframe to reach the 5% supply target this year.

Nevertheless, its chairman remains highly bullish on crypto and Ethereum in particular, predicting the end of the bull market and the beginning of crypto spring.

The new press release from the firm shows that its total ETH holdings have risen to 5.21 million tokens from 5.18 million last week. This means that the firm has bought roughly 30,000 coins in the past week, which is a substantial decline from the over 100,000 in the previous few accumulation announcements.

The reason for this, according to chair Tom Lee, is that the previous pace of over 100,000 ETH per week “would have us reach 5% by mid-July.” He talks about the percentage of the asset’s total supply owned by the company he runs, which is now at around 4.3%. The company’s goal is to actually hit the coveted 5% in late 2026.

The declining buying efforts don’t mean that Lee and Bitmine are not as bullish on ETH as they were before; just the opposite.

“‘Crypto spring’ has commenced, and we wanted to highlight the importance of owning ETH as a source of diversification, and the likely drivers of this coming ‘crypto bull’ cycle. If ETH closes above $2,100 at the end of May 2026, this would be the third consecutive monthly gain – this has never been seen in a crypto bear market. Thus, a close above $2,100 would validate [that] ‘crypto spring’ has arrived.”

The company has accumulated over a million ETH since the start of 2026. In addition, its portfolio consists of 201 BTC, a $200 million stake in Beast Industries, an $88 million stake in Eightco Holdings, and total cash of $775 million.

It’s still the second-largest corporate holder of any cryptocurrency, trailing only Strategy, which increased its BTC holdings again today.

The post Tom Lee Doubles Down on ‘Crypto Spring’ Theory but Bitmine Slows ETH Accumulation appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Sui’s native cryptocurrency has outperformed all top 10 digital assets over the past week after its valuation surged by double digits.

While optimism is running high on crypto X that the uptrend is far from over, some technical indicators suggest that a downside move could also be approaching.

What Sparked the Rally?

Several hours ago, SUI briefly pushed above $1.40, marking its highest level since January. The bears, though, quickly stepped in and trimmed part of the gains, bringing the price back to around $1.27 – still an impressive 35% jump on the week. SUI’s market capitalization surged past the $5 billion milestone, making it the 23rd-biggest cryptocurrency.

The main catalyst behind the upswing seems to be Sui Group Holdings’ decision to stake 108.7 million SUI tokens (worth over $140 million), thus removing almost 3% of the coin’s circulating supply from the market.

The analytics platform Santiment Intelligence added two more factors that could have also positively impacted the valuation. The first is the upcoming launch of CME Group SUI futures (scheduled for May 29) and the partnership with Paga, which focuses on cross-border African payments.

Paga is a leading settlement platform that allows millions of people to send, receive, and manage money across Africa. The collaboration with Sui aims to bring the Sui Dollar (USDsui) to the continent, giving users access to faster, cheaper, and more reliable digital payments.

Numerous analysts believe the asset’s valuation may reach new peaks soon. X user OxNeena noted the “massive breakout attempt” on the daily chart, envisioning an explosion above $2.50 should the price make a “clean flip” of the $1.30 zone.

For their part, CoinForge said they dismiss 98% of altcoins, but SUI isn’t among those. They argued that the asset’s price trajectory repeats the pattern seen last cycle, suggesting it could be gearing up for a major bull run in the coming months.

The Pre-Correction Signs

Contrary to the prevailing optimism among market observers, SUI’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) suggests a pullback may be the next move in the short term. The technical analysis tool measures the speed and magnitude of recent price changes and is used by traders to spot potential price reversal points.

It ranges from 0 to 100, where anything above 70 signals that the valuation has risen too much in a short period, which could be a precursor to a cool-off. Conversely, ratios below 30 hint that the asset is oversold and could be on the verge of a pump. Currently, SUI’s RSI stands at nearly 75.

In the meantime, exchange inflows have outpaced outflows over the past few days, indicating that investors have abandoned self-custody in favor of centralized platforms. This, in turn, increases the immediate selling pressure.

The post Sui (SUI) Soars 35% Weekly: What Fueled the Pump and What’s Next? appeared first on CryptoPotato.