Blockworks launched the Transparency Alliance with Coinbase, Kraken, Ripple, and others to standardize token disclosures.

The post Blockworks forms Transparency Alliance with Coinbase, Kraken, Ripple, and other crypto firms appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

This case could lead to stricter regulations on prediction markets, impacting their operation and increasing oversight to prevent insider trading.

The post Google engineer Michele Spagnuolo charged with insider trading on Polymarket appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Warren's AI tax proposal could reshape economic equity, impacting tech giants and potentially altering state-federal fiscal dynamics.

The post Elizabeth Warren proposes taxing AI companies to benefit all Americans appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

KKR's move into private credit trading could enhance liquidity but may introduce volatility and fragmentation, reshaping investment strategies.

The post KKR co-CEO Scott Nuttall signals firm is likely to start trading private credit appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

BP's leadership shake-up highlights the critical role of governance and whistleblower mechanisms, impacting investor confidence and strategic direction.

The post BP removes chairman Albert Manifold amid whistleblower complaints appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

Strive’s SATA Tops Estimated 490 Bitcoin in a Single Day — More Than the Entire Daily Mining Supply

Strive, Inc. crossed a notable threshold on Wednesday, with its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock (Nasdaq: SATA) estimated to have acquired around 490 bitcoin through the company’s at-the-market program — a figure that exceeds the roughly 450 BTC the Bitcoin network produces in an average day.

The milestone places Strive in rare company. With miners currently earning 3.125 BTC per block and roughly 144 blocks produced each day, the global Bitcoin network adds approximately 450 new coins to circulation every 24 hours at baseline — a rate set at the April 2024 halving and unchanged until the next halving, expected in 2028.

On Wednesday, Strive’s SATA program absorbed more than that entire daily issuance through a single equity instrument in a single session.

Wednesday’s Bitcoin for Corporation’s SATA Tracker dashboard showed roughly $66.9 million in total volume, a 13% yield, and 95% of volume above the $100 par threshold — the floor below which Strive’s board has directed management not to issue shares. At a 58% estimated capture rate, ATM proceeds reached approximately $35.3 million, with bitcoin spot at $74,956.

In the week ending May 24, SATA posted a weekly record of approximately 794 BTC acquired. Wednesday’s revised 475 BTC estimate now stands as the instrument’s second confirmed daily supply absorption event in eight days.

The broader 8-K confirmed data visible in the dashboard showed that between May 18 and May 26, SATA generated $50 million in total proceeds and added roughly 650 BTC to Strive’s treasury at a 48% capture rate for that filing window. 

Strive’s most recent SEC filing confirmed the purchase of 1,109 bitcoin between May 19 and May 22 at an average cost of approximately $76,989 per coin, bringing total holdings to 16,500 BTC.

Strive is becoming a bitcoin company 

Strive is a Dallas based corporate treasury and structured finance company that uses preferred equity to accumulate bitcoin at scale. The firm issues Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Preferred Stock, branded SATA, which will soon pay cash dividends on each business day at a 13 percent stated annual rate that compounds through frequent distributions.

Strive eliminates traditional debt and leans on preferred stock instead, seeking long duration funding that matches bitcoin’s long duration profile. Proceeds from SATA offerings fund large bitcoin purchases, retirement of convertible notes from its Semler Scientific acquisition, and repayment of a Coinbase Credit loan, which leaves the company’s bitcoin stack unencumbered.

Founder Vivek Ramaswamy established Strive as a vehicle for “digital credit” strategies, and CEO Matthew Cole leads the current treasury design and capital markets playbook.

This post Strive’s SATA Tops Estimated 490 Bitcoin in a Single Day — More Than the Entire Daily Mining Supply first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Miami IT Worker Arrested in $1.9 Million Bitcoin Theft from Former Boss

A Miami man faces multiple felony charges after police say he stole nearly $2 million worth of Bitcoin from a former employer — a theft that went undetected for years while the cryptocurrency sat locked in a safe.

Nahum Reynaldo Castro, 40, was arrested Tuesday on charges of grand theft, money laundering, unlawful use of a communications device, and offenses against computer users, according to an arrest report obtained by NBC 6.

The case stretches back to December 2017, when the victim began purchasing Bitcoin as a long-term investment. He bought a hardware wallet to store the digital currency, and turned to Castro — a trusted employee since 2013 and an IT specialist — to handle the wallet’s setup and security, the report said.

By the end of January 2018, Castro had secured more than $217,000 worth of Bitcoin on behalf of his employer. The hardware wallet was then locked in a safe inside the victim’s home, where it remained untouched for years.

That changed in July 2025. While in the middle of a move, the victim opened the safe and accessed the wallet — only to find it empty. The Bitcoin was gone. At the time of the discovery, the stolen holdings had grown to a value of more than $1.9 million, according to the arrest report.

Investigators determined the theft had taken place in 2020, more than five years before the victim realized anything was missing. Castro continued working for the victim until 2024, the report said.

The wallets seed phrase gave away Castro

Central to the investigation was the wallet’s seed phrase — a master recovery key that grants full access to a cryptocurrency wallet. According to the report, only two people had knowledge of that phrase: the victim and Castro.

Bank records proved critical in building the case. Deposits into Castro’s accounts aligned with withdrawals from the Bitcoin wallet, providing investigators with the financial corroboration needed to connect him to the theft, NBC 6 reported.

The case highlights a risk in the cryptocurrency space that security experts have long flagged: placing complete trust in a single person during the setup of a digital asset wallet. 

Because Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a public blockchain but are not reversible, stolen funds are nearly impossible to recover without law enforcement intervention.

Castro was booked into jail following his arrest and was set to appear in bond court Wednesday. He has not entered a formal plea in the case.

This post Miami IT Worker Arrested in $1.9 Million Bitcoin Theft from Former Boss first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Casa Launches Four Security Features to Combat Rising Social Engineering Attacks on Bitcoin Holders

Bitcoin security firm Casa has released a suite of four features targeting social engineering, the attack vector responsible for the bulk of crypto theft in 2025. The features are live now for Casa customers, arriving as the FBI reports crypto fraud losses climbed 22% year over year to more than $11 billion last year.

Social engineering — where scammers manipulate victims into sending funds or handing over wallet access — now dwarfs other forms of crypto theft. For every physical attack on a crypto holder reported in 2025, there were more than 2,000 phishing attacks filed with the FBI. 

Casa CEO Nick Neuman said the firm treats attacks on its clients as a direct challenge. “Social engineering is the lowest of the low,” Neuman wrote. “People are trying to trick others into losing their life savings. We will not stand for it.”

Guardian Mode

The first feature, Guardian Mode, adds a human checkpoint to every transaction. When enabled, the Casa Recovery Key will not sign a transaction until two Casa Advisors complete a live video verification call with the account holder. 

After that call, a 48-hour hold activates before the signature is applied. The window gives users the ability to reverse course if they acted under pressure. Disabling Guardian Mode follows the same process — a verification call plus a 48-hour delay — so an attacker cannot strip the protection and strike in the same session. 

Guardian Mode is opt-in and available to Premium and Private Client members.

Whitelisting Addresses

Whitelisting restricts vault withdrawals to a list of pre-approved addresses. Any new address added to the list enters a 48-hour waiting period before it becomes active. During that window, Casa sends an email alert to the account holder. 

The delay is designed to interrupt a core element of social engineering: the manufactured urgency that pushes victims to send funds before they reconsider. Turning off Whitelisting carries its own 48-hour hold, preventing an attacker from disabling the feature and draining funds in a single move.

Suspicious Account Activity

The third feature monitors login locations and flags sessions that are physically impossible given the timing of prior logins. Casa records city-level location data at sign-in but does not store IP addresses; location data is deleted after 48 hours. If a login from Tokyo follows a login from Montreal by 20 minutes, the system sends an email alert. 

The feature is built to catch unauthorized account access without building a surveillance profile on the user.

Phone Call Detection

The fourth feature addresses the role phone calls play in social engineering. Casa found that 20% of such attacks begin with an unexpected call, where the attacker uses real-time conversation to manufacture urgency and override the victim’s judgment. 

The Casa app now detects an active phone call on the device and, when a user attempts to send funds mid-call, requires them to enter a Casa Advisor Verification Code before the transaction proceeds. 

A legitimate Casa advisor will have the code. The app checks call state only and does not access audio, caller ID, or call content.

Casa said the features are part of a broader five-week campaign with industry experts to raise awareness about social engineering. AI tools and data breaches, the company noted, have made these attacks more targeted and convincing than before.

This post Casa Launches Four Security Features to Combat Rising Social Engineering Attacks on Bitcoin Holders first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Mastercard Secures New York BitLicense to Advance Digital Asset Strategy

Mastercard has received a BitLicense from the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), clearing the way for the payments giant to conduct digital asset activities under one of the strictest crypto regulatory frameworks in the United States.

The license was granted to Mastercard Transaction Services (U.S.) LLC, a subsidiary of the global payments company, which operates in more than 200 countries and territories. The announcement came on May 27, 2026, and positions Mastercard to deepen its involvement in stablecoin infrastructure and blockchain-based payment systems.

New York’s BitLicense framework, first introduced in 2015, sets out rigorous requirements for companies seeking to operate digital asset businesses in the state. 

Those requirements cover capital reserves, cybersecurity protocols, consumer protection standards, and ongoing compliance oversight by NYDFS. Firms that hold the license are subject to continuous regulatory scrutiny — a condition that has made the approval process both lengthy and resource-intensive.

For Mastercard, the license opens a formal regulatory channel to engage with stablecoins and tokenized deposits, two fast-growing areas within digital finance. 

Stablecoins — digital tokens whose value is pegged to fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar — have gained traction for cross-border payments, treasury management, and business-to-business settlements due to their ability to settle around the clock and at greater speed than traditional banking rails.

Mastercard’s push into crypto

The BitLicense approval is one piece of a broader push by Mastercard into digital asset infrastructure.

In March 2026, the company agreed to acquire BVNK, a stablecoin payments firm, for $1.8 billion — a deal that analysts viewed as a signal that stablecoins are becoming part of mainstream financial infrastructure rather than remaining a niche crypto product.

Jorn Lambert, Chief Product Officer at Mastercard, said in a statement: “Clear regulatory frameworks play an important role in building trust and confidence as new forms of digital value move from experimentation toward practical application. This approval underscores our focus on aligning innovation with regulatory expectations of high levels of security, compliance and risk management.”

Mastercard joins a small but expanding group of firms to hold a BitLicense. Galaxy Digital received its license earlier in May 2026, and Strike received its approval in March. 

Since the regime’s launch a decade ago, only a few dozen firms have received the license, reflecting the demands of the application process. The NYDFS has positioned itself as one of the most active state regulators in the digital asset space, and its BitLicense has become a benchmark for state-level crypto oversight across the U.S.

This post Mastercard Secures New York BitLicense to Advance Digital Asset Strategy first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Bitcoin Magazine

Kraken Launches Bitcoin Vault, Offering Yield on BTC Holdings

Kraken has introduced Bitcoin Vault, a new product within its Kraken Earn suite that allows customers to earn BTC-denominated rewards on their Bitcoin holdings without selling the asset. The offering targets long-term holders who want passive yield tied to Bitcoin’s price exposure rather than a fiat-denominated return.

The product carries a variable rate of up to 2.5% APY, paid in Bitcoin. Under the hood, customer assets are routed through DeFi infrastructure built by Veda, with strategy design and risk curation handled by Sentora. 

Those firms allocate capital across established onchain lending protocols including Aave, Morpho, and Tydro — platforms that have processed billions in DeFi volume. The exchange does not control these third-party protocols, and the company disclosed that users face technological, market, and operational risks, including the possibility of losing some or all assets.

The launch reflects a broader shift in how crypto exchanges compete for customers. Bitcoin ownership has long been characterized by a buy-and-hold mentality, but exchanges are now racing to offer yield products that give holders a reason to keep assets on-platform rather than in cold storage. 

Kraken’s foray into onchain products follows a period of product expansion ahead of an initial public offering the company is targeting for later in 2026.

Kraken’s Bitcoin Vault details

Kraken drew on its own data to justify the product. Its USDC Vaults offering, launched in January 2026, crossed $240 million in assets without the use of incentive programs — a benchmark the company cited as evidence of organic demand for structured yield products. Bitcoin Vault is designed to replicate that model for BTC holders, a segment that represents the largest share of the customer base.

“Many Bitcoin holders on Kraken have made it clear they want simple ways to earn on the Bitcoin they already plan to hold,” said John Zettler, Director of Product, Kraken Earn & Trade. “Bitcoin Vault is built for that mindset.”

The product is accessible through Kraken’s web interface, its Pro platform, the mobile app, and the Krak app. It is available in all Kraken operating jurisdictions except the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. 

Setup requires seconds from within an existing account, a design choice aimed at removing friction for users without DeFi experience.

Bitcoin Vault is classified as an unregulated product provided by Payward Wallet, LLC, a subsidiary of Kraken. 

The product puts the exchange at the intersection of centralized exchange convenience and decentralized finance yield — a space where competitors including Coinbase and Binance have also been building, as crypto platforms work to broaden revenue streams beyond trading fees.

This post Kraken Launches Bitcoin Vault, Offering Yield on BTC Holdings first appeared on Bitcoin Magazine and is written by Micah Zimmerman.

Hut 8 is pushing even further into AI infrastructure than most other Bitcoin miners are. Its latest disclosures show a company using power access, data center leases, project debt, and BTC-backed liquidity to build the financing stack for that move.

The company's latest disclosures put numbers around that transition. Hut 8 reported $16.8 billion in triple-net, take-or-pay contracted lease revenue across two hyperscale AI campuses, then separately refinanced a $200 million Bitcoin-backed credit facility with FalconX.

The new facility cut the fixed rate to 7.0% from 9.0% and unencumbered roughly 3,300 BTC from the prior collateral package.

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Taken together, the disclosures show a miner identity changing into something closer to an infrastructure landlord. Hut 8 is turning megawatts, lease commitments, project debt, and Bitcoin holdings into the machinery for a business that depends less on mining alone.

The result is a case study with more substance than a generic AI pivot. Hut 8 is showing a funded path into data center infrastructure, though the model still needs operating proof. The test is whether contracted AI cash flows arrive on schedule and become durable enough that Bitcoin collateral becomes a bridge instead of a recurring source of balance-sheet dependence.

The lease base turns power into finance

The strongest number in Hut 8's first-quarter disclosure sits outside the Q1 income statement: $16.8 billion of contracted lease revenue across River Bend and Beacon Point, covering 597 MW of AI data center capacity.

Hut 8 generated $71 million of revenue in the first quarter, including $66 million from Compute, and posted a $253 million net loss that included $295 million of primarily unrealized digital-asset losses.

The $16.8 billion figure represents long-term contracted lease value that Hut 8 is presenting as the foundation for a different kind of business.

The pieces are specific. Hut 8's Beacon Point lease added 352 MW of IT capacity and $9.8 billion of base-term value. Its earlier River Bend lease added 245 MW and $7 billion of base-term value, with Google providing a financial backstop for the base lease term.

Hut 8 is commercializing scarce power and data center capacity under long-term lease structures. The appeal comes from contracts and power access rather than a token, a cloud slogan, or a vague compute promise.

Triple-net and take-or-pay terms are designed to make those cash flows more financeable because the tenant obligation is less tied to day-to-day mining economics.

Hut 8's disclosures line up across four moving parts:

Hut 8's AI transition has more to it than most, but each component still carries a different kind of risk.

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The leases reduce some revenue uncertainty. The bond financing reduces some parent-level funding pressure. The Bitcoin facility improves liquidity. Still, all three leave Hut 8 with the task of building, delivering, and operating infrastructure for customers whose requirements differ from Bitcoin mining.

Bitcoin becomes bridge capital

The FalconX refinancing is the clearest sign that Bitcoin is becoming part of the financing machinery rather than only the asset being mined.

The full Hut 8 release distributed through Nasdaq described the facility as a 364-day Bitcoin-backed loan with limited recourse to pledged BTC, a no-rehypothecation covenant, fixed loan-to-value thresholds, and no loan-to-value ratchet triggered by declines in Bitcoin's price.

Those terms blunt part of the obvious criticism. The deal improves the terms of a miner's coin-backed borrowing instead of worsening them to chase a new market.

Hut 8 lowered its fixed cost of debt by 200 basis points and increased Bitcoin held outside collateral covenants. The release valued the newly unencumbered coins at roughly $260 million as of May 1, 2026, giving Hut 8 more balance-sheet room without selling the asset.

That makes the facility a better tool, but not a risk-free one.

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Hut 8's own balance sheet shows why the distinction is important. Its 10-Q said the company held about 16,332 BTC as of March 31, 2026, including about 9,311 BTC held by Hut 8 and about 7,021 BTC held by American Bitcoin.

The aggregate fair value was about $1.11 billion, based on approximately $68,222 per BTC. The same filing tied the first-quarter digital-asset loss to Bitcoin's decline during the period.

Today, Bitcoin trades near $75,782 on CryptoSlate's price page, down 2.1% over 24 hours and roughly 40% below its October 2025 all-time high. The market-price channel is the relevant risk.

Bitcoin can provide liquidity without a sale, but the borrowing value, covenant comfort, and refinancing backdrop still depend on the asset's market behavior.

That is why the AI landlord strategy cannot be separated from the Bitcoin treasury strategy. If AI leases produce reliable cash flows, BTC collateral can be transitional capital. If delivery slips, financing markets tighten, or Bitcoin weakens at the wrong time, the same collateral can keep the pivot tied to the volatility it was meant to escape.

The miner label is becoming less useful

Earlier coverage of miners' AI pivot showed the broader identity split facing the sector. Miners are moving toward AI and high-performance computing because power access, cooling infrastructure, land, interconnection work, and industrial operations can be worth more under contracted dollar revenue than under compressed mining margins.

Hut 8 fits that broader sector shift. Public miners built businesses around converting power into BTC, and AI data center demand is now giving some of them a second possible use for the same physical footprint.

The difference is that AI customers do not buy the same thing the Bitcoin network buys. Mining can tolerate interruption when economics or grid conditions change. AI tenants want uptime, delivery certainty, dense power, cooling, network architecture, and creditworthy execution.

A miner with megawatts still has to become a hyperscale landlord. It has to turn a power position into infrastructure that lenders and tenants will treat as dependable.

Hut 8's disclosures show both sides of that transition. The company describes itself as an energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure, and compute. It also still reports digital-asset losses, BTC holdings, and exposure to mining economics.

Some Compute revenue and BTC holdings are held by American Bitcoin, a consolidated subsidiary, making Hut 8's strategy less straightforward than a clean exit from mining.

That complexity is part of the shift. The market is watching whether miners can stop being pure BTC proxies without losing the balance-sheet optionality that made their treasuries valuable in the first place.

The strongest argument in Hut 8's favor is that the AI pivot uses more than Bitcoin-backed debt. The company said it closed $3.25 billion of fully amortizing 16.5-year investment-grade senior secured notes to finance River Bend.

Hut 8 described the financing as non-dilutive and non-recourse to Hut 8, with loan-to-cost increasing to about 95%.

That weakens the crutch argument. If project-level debt funds the campus and long-term leases support the debt, then Bitcoin collateral is one part of the structure rather than the whole. It is a liquidity tool alongside project finance and contracted revenue.

The caution is that the financial structure still has to become operationally sound. River Bend is still advancing toward delivery, Beacon Point still has to be built out, and the company still has to convert an 8,375 MW development pipeline into real contracted capacity.

Hut 8 also warned investors about risks tied to data center construction, financing, power expansion, permitting, supply chains, technical challenges, and market conditions.

Hut 8 is showing that miners can finance a route into AI infrastructure when they have scarce power, credible tenants, project-finance access, and a Bitcoin balance sheet lenders will underwrite. It has yet to show that the route is self-sustaining.

The next test is whether AI infrastructure cash flows become strong enough to push Bitcoin collateral into the background. If they do, Hut 8's BTC-backed financing will look like bridge capital for a miner that successfully monetized its power footprint.

If they fail to do so, the pivot will remain tethered to the same balance-sheet asset that made the strategy possible in the first place.

The post Hut 8 AI landlord data center strategy turns Bitcoin collateral into bridge capital appeared first on CryptoSlate.

CME gaps are supposed to die Friday.

CME Group says its regulated crypto futures and options will move to 24-hour, seven-day trading on May 29, pending regulatory review, cutting into one of Bitcoin‘s familiar institutional market tells.

The weekday venue that helped create weekend CME-gap talk is preparing to keep matching trades while crypto prices keep moving.

CME is extending the moment traders can execute, while other parts of the regulated futures stack still keep a business-day clock.

Weekend and holiday trades from Friday evening through Sunday evening will still carry the following business day's trade date, and CME says clearing, settlement and regulatory reporting tied to that activity will be processed on that following business day.

For participating institutional users, the execution gap gets smaller. The harder question shifts to liquidity quality, clearing behavior and Monday post-trade processing.

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What CME Is Changing

CME announced that its regulated cryptocurrency futures and options will become available for trading 24 hours a day, seven days a week beginning May 29, pending regulatory review.

The move applies to the exchange's crypto futures and options complex and is being implemented through CME Globex and ClearPort, subject to maintenance windows.

The commercial case is clear. CME said client demand for digital-asset risk management reached a record level, with $3 trillion in notional volume across its crypto futures and options in 2025.

It also reported 407,200 year-to-date average daily contracts in 2026, up 46% from the prior year.

Those figures show why the weekend access problem has moved beyond a meme. Bitcoin traded around $75,782 in CryptoSlate's May 27 snapshot, with a market capitalization near $1.52 trillion and 24-hour volume near $35.17 billion.

In a market of that size, a regulated derivatives venue that closes through the weekend can leave institutional desks managing price risk with a time-zone mismatch.

For traders using futures to hedge spot exposure, manage basis, or offset ETF-linked flows, the practical question is whether the regulated instruments they are allowed or required to use can respond when prices move outside the old CME week.

CME's move gives qualified participants a regulated execution channel during periods that previously sat outside that trading window.

That access can change how a weekend shock is absorbed. Instead of compressing every move into a Sunday evening or Monday reopening, participating desks can hedge, roll, quote or adjust exposure while the broader crypto market is already trading.

The improvement is meaningful for basis trades, ETF-linked exposure, liquidation risk and headline-driven volatility, even as the rest of the regulated workflow remains more constrained.

For CME, the scale also shifts the launch from product housekeeping into market-structure work: a large derivatives franchise is adapting its access model to an asset class that keeps pricing risk through weekends.

The Post-Trade Clock Still Runs On Business Days

CME's clearing and global operations guidelines spell out the limit of the change. The document says there will still be five business days, Monday through Friday, and that Saturday and Sunday clearing settlement cycles are outside the new setup.

The distinction is operationally important: execution becomes continuous, while the official machinery that turns trades into cleared obligations still leans on the next business day.

That design reflects the unresolved operating problem for regulated crypto markets. Crypto prices can move continuously, while futures markets depend on clearing members, collateral, risk controls, settlement cycles, reporting records and operational staffing built around business-day discipline.

CME's guidelines show how the exchange is trying to bridge the mismatch. Clearing members that participate in supplemental trading hours must be approved by CME Clearing.

They must have risk policies and procedures that cover the extra hours, including account monitoring, credit controls, position limits, intraday and overnight monitoring, and defined liquidity sources.

During certain weekend hours, CME Clearing will monitor exposure against posted performance bond and available liquidity. Clearing members are required to submit weekly liquidity templates and deposit collateral for anticipated weekend clearing activity by Friday afternoon into separate weekend settlement accounts.

Those mechanics are the back-office version of 24/7 trading: prefunded risk capacity and monitoring until the business-day cycle catches up.

Weekend Liquidity Has To Prove Itself

The old CME gap became shorthand because Bitcoin and other crypto assets kept trading while CME's institutional venue was closed. If spot prices moved sharply on Saturday, CME futures reopened later at a different level, creating a visible gap on the chart.

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That chart pattern was only one part of the issue. The deeper problem was that regulated access stopped during precisely the period when crypto-native venues, offshore platforms, ETFs, market makers and leveraged traders could still be forced to react.

CME's BTIC materials show how weekend access reaches the basis-trading and ETF workflows around crypto futures, not just directional bets.

In plain terms, a basis trade at index close lets participants trade crypto futures basis against CME CF reference rates, including reference-rate closes in London, New York and APAC. CME also cites ETF creation and redemption NAV risk as a use case.

That places CME's derivatives complex close to the plumbing of institutional exposure. A desk managing basis against a reference rate, hedging ETF-linked exposure, or carrying futures against spot needs instruments, margin processes and liquidity when prices move.

Access alone still leaves market quality to prove itself. If weekend books are thin, spreads widen, or clearing constraints bite during stress, the market may feel more available without feeling fully continuous.

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CME appears aware of that risk. Separate CFTC filings show weekend market-maker programs for cryptocurrency futures and options.

The options program says participants must quote continuous two-sided markets in covered products at maximum bid-ask spreads and minimum quote sizes during a required share of time in market.

Those filings support a launch-liquidity program rather than evidence of deep weekend markets. The first live measure will be practical: which clearing members enable seven-day access, how much volume trades outside old hours, how weekend bid-ask spreads compare with weekdays, whether options quotes remain reliable, and whether exposure alerts or prefunding requirements shape behavior during volatile periods.

There are two plausible paths. In the stronger version, CME's weekend access becomes a genuine pressure valve.

Institutional traders can hedge, roll, quote and adjust exposure while crypto-native markets are already moving, and Monday becomes more of an administrative processing point than a delayed risk event.

In the weaker version, the venue is technically open while liquidity remains uneven, with many users still treating Monday as the real moment when weekend activity becomes visible in clearing, settlement and reporting.

The launch would still be important; it would show that the weekend gap has migrated from price charts into market depth and operations.

CME's 24/7 launch gives institutional traders a way to use familiar futures and options products while Bitcoin and the broader crypto market move through weekends and holidays.

It also exposes the limits of the shift. Regulated crypto can trade more like crypto, while it still clears and reports through machinery built for business days.

For the weekend gap, the split is now clearer. CME is likely to kill the most visible version for traders who can access the venue through the weekend.

The tougher part moves into a less visible place: whether liquidity, risk controls and clearing behavior can make regulated crypto feel continuous when the back office still keeps a business-day clock.

The post CME’s 24/7 crypto launch will kill Bitcoin’s weekend gap, but Monday now matters more appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Ethereum developers are racing to bring native privacy to the world’s largest smart contract blockchain as investors warn that delays could weaken ETH’s claim as crypto’s default settlement layer.

The pressure has intensified as the market rotates toward privacy-focused assets while Ethereum struggles to hold investor attention amid its current wave of FUD and questions over its identity.

ETH has fallen roughly 30% this year and recently traded near $2,000, even as Zcash has registered double-digit gains during the same period.

That divergence has turned privacy from a long-running cypherpunk goal into a product deadline for Ethereum.

The network still dominates stablecoin settlement, tokenization, decentralized finance, and Layer 2 activity, but its default transparency remains a problem for users and institutions that do not want balances, counterparties, or transaction histories visible in real time.

Tom Dunleavy, head of venture at Varys Capital, said Ethereum’s privacy push is bullish, but only if developers move quickly.

According to him:

“Super bullish on the privacy push for Ethereum, but it needs to happen in a reasonable, under-12-month timeframe, or it effectively doesn’t matter. Ethereum now more than ever is in a race on the product side, and its competition is extremely well-funded, motivated, and has all of the connections Ethereum lacks. Ship or die.”

The warning comes as Ethereum’s market position is already under pressure. GSR Research said blockchain revenue is shifting toward rival networks such as Solana, Tron, and Hyperliquid, while the ETH-to-Bitcoin ratio recently hit its lowest level since mid-2025.

This trend is also reflected in CryptoQuant data, which points to a sharp retreat among retail and mid-tier Ethereum holders.

According to the firm, wallets holding between 100 and 1,000 ETH have nearly halved their balances over the past three years, falling from a 2023 peak of 16.2 million ETH to roughly 8.75 million ETH today.

Larger holders have also begun reducing exposure. Wallets holding between 1,000 and 10,000 ETH, which helped drive Ethereum’s 2024 rally, reportedly started trimming their positions late last year.

Those outflows cannot be directly attributed to demand for privacy. However, they add pressure to Ethereum’s broader narrative at a time when privacy-focused assets are gaining market attention, and investors are questioning what could restore ETH’s momentum.

How privacy became a crypto market trade

The push for Ethereum privacy coincides with a broader market thesis that financial confidentiality will dictate the next major cryptocurrency cycle.

Grayscale Research recently published an analysis arguing that the digital asset sector is on the cusp of a “third wave” of widespread public attention regarding financial privacy.

According to the firm, this shift is driven by the proliferation of stablecoins and blockchain-based applications, as well as the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. These AI tools, Grayscale warned, introduce new and highly sophisticated methods of financial surveillance.

On public blockchains, balances, counterparties, and transaction histories can remain visible indefinitely.

Grayscale researchers emphasized that the demand for privacy is not solely limited to users seeking full anonymity. Instead, it reflects ordinary preferences for confidentiality in economic life.

Individuals generally do not want their spending history exposed by default, while businesses require confidentiality for supplier payments, payroll, and treasury flows. Institutions similarly view the real-time mapping of their wallet structures as a non-starter.

However, implementing these features involves significant commercial tradeoffs.

Grayscale noted that stronger privacy protections have historically led to weaker market distribution, creating friction with centralized exchange support, regulatory compliance, and wallet integration.

Despite these hurdles, Grayscale Investments Chairman Barry Silbert echoed the report’s sentiment, declaring that the “privacy era” in digital assets has officially commenced.

This narrative shift is already evident in the crypto market, where Zcash's market capitalization has surged by over 900% in the past year, approaching nearly $10 billion. Even Monero, which frequently faces regulatory scrutiny over its use in illicit markets, has doubled in value.

Ethereum co-founder makes play for privacy

Over the past weeks, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has pushed the issue back to the front of the network’s technical agenda, calling for developers to “accelerate the cypherpunk privacy reality” after years of privacy research and debate.

His near-term roadmap focuses on three areas, including account abstraction and FOCIL, keyed nonces, and access-layer privacy work.

Together, they are designed to make private Ethereum activity harder to censor, harder to link, and less dependent on trusted infrastructure.

FOCIL, short for fork-choice-enforced inclusion lists, is designed to address transaction censorship.

Today, transactions can sit in a public mempool before they are finalized, giving block builders and other intermediaries visibility into pending activity. That creates openings for exclusion, front-running, and surveillance.

FOCIL would allow a committee of validators to propose lists of transactions that block builders are expected to include.

If builders ignore those transactions, their blocks may be rejected by the network. The mechanism is designed to make it harder to censor transactions, including private transfers, before they reach the chain.

Account abstraction addresses another weakness in Ethereum’s current design. Most users still rely on externally owned accounts controlled by a single private key.

Account abstraction allows accounts to behave more like programmable smart contracts, supporting features such as social recovery, multisignature approval, and fee sponsorship.

For privacy, that flexibility matters because wallet activity can be structured to reduce obvious behavioral patterns. It also makes it easier for applications or relayers to pay fees on behalf of users without forcing every action through the same exposed account model.

Keyed nonces target a narrower but important metadata leak. Ethereum accounts currently use a single counter, known as a nonce, to prevent the same transaction from being replayed. Because that counter increases in sequence, observers can use it to link transactions that might otherwise appear separate.

The proposed fix splits the account counter into different replay domains. That would allow separate types of activity to use different nonce keys, making it harder to link private actions back to the same account through simple sequencing.

Lastly, the most ambitious part of that wider push may be Kohaku, an Ethereum Foundation-backed open-source toolkit designed to bring privacy features into the wallets people already use. The project goes beyond private transfers by targeting the access-layer leaks that expose users before a transaction even settles.

Even if transactions become private, wallets can still leak information when they query the blockchain. Most wallets rely on remote procedure call providers to check balances, read smart contracts, and submit transactions, giving those providers visibility into a user’s IP address, wallet identity, and requested data.

Kohaku is designed to reduce that exposure by giving wallet developers privacy and security components that can be integrated into existing products. Its roadmap includes private sending, safer key management, private reads, and a reference wallet for developers and power users.

The toolkit can also connect wallets to shielded protocols such as Railgun, which is already live on Ethereum, and Privacy Pools, which remains in development.

Ultimately, its goal is to give users private transfers and DeFi access without forcing them to adopt niche tools or move away from wallets they already use.

Ethereum researcher soispoke.eth said the combined package could enable the blockchain network to offer native, trustless, and censorship-resistant private transactions as soon as next year if the proposals ship together.

Why ETH needs to ship privacy features

Crypto lawyer Gabriel Shapiro said these privacy works could help Ethereum compete for institutional tokenization because enterprises need confidentiality for tokenized securities, treasury flows, and DeFi interactions.

That argument goes to the center of Ethereum’s investment case. The network’s advantage has long been its breadth: stablecoins, lending markets, decentralized exchanges, tokenized assets, Layer 2 networks, and developer infrastructure.

However, this breadth alone may not be enough if every financial interaction remains visible by default.

For institutions, public settlement without privacy can be a liability. A company does not want competitors mapping its suppliers. A fund does not want trading routes exposed. A bank does not want clients’ tokenized securities activity to be visible on a public ledger.

Ethereum has the infrastructure to serve those users, but the market is pressing for proof that privacy can reach wallet-level products rather than remain a research agenda.

That is why Dunleavy’s 12-month warning lands with force: Zcash already has the clearest privacy narrative, and Monero remains a major privacy asset despite exchange and regulatory pressure.

At the same time, rival blockchain networks, including Solana, Tron, and Hyperliquid, are capturing market attention while Bitcoin still commands the strongest institutional demand.

Still, Ethereum has the deepest application base in crypto with over $350 billion in assets tokenized on the blockchain, but the market is no longer treating that lead as permanent.

If Hegota introduces usable privacy products within the next year, the feature could strengthen ETH’s role as a settlement infrastructure for both individuals and institutions.

However, if those upgrades remain technical promises, the current privacy trade may continue rewarding assets that made confidentiality their core feature from the start.

The post Ethereum’s privacy push faces a 12-month deadline as markets reward privacy-first assets appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Agentic payment protocol x402 volume collapsed roughly 77% from its November 2025 peak of $5.15 million to $1.19 million by May 2026.

Meanwhile, transaction count fell only 41% from its December 2025 peak of 4.85 million, then rebounded to 2.89 million in May, up 12.5x from a February trough, with an average transaction size of $0.52.

The market's recovery took the form of high-frequency, low-value usage, revealing that agents are paying for APIs, data, and compute over HTTP at sub-dollar amounts, relying on automation to function.

A conservative 5-to-15-second wallet confirmation to each of those 2.89 million monthly x402 transactions can generate between 4,000 and 12,000 user-hours of approval friction in a single month.

At a $25/hour time value, each manual confirmation costs $0.03 to $0.10, which is material for a $0.52 transaction, and economically absurd for a $0.01 API call.

At sub-cent payment sizes, the friction cost exceeds the transaction value itself, and the smaller the payment, the wider that distance.

That logic explains why every major actor building agentic payment infrastructure now concentrates on authorization frameworks.

Industry actors building the delegation layer

Google donated AP2 to the FIDO Alliance in April 2026 after developing it as an authorization framework for delegated AI tasks.

AP2 uses cryptographically signed “mandates,” instructions that define what an agent can do, under what conditions, and within what limits.

For tasks where the user is absent, AP2 supports pre-authorized rules that cover price ceilings, time windows, and action scope. Donating it to FIDO pushes it toward a cross-platform standard, and FIDO frames AP2 as enabling secure delegation, verifiable authorization, and trusted transaction execution.

Mastercard's Verifiable Intent creates a tamper-resistant record linking what the user authorized to what the agent executed, an audit trail that travels with the transaction and answers whether an agent did exactly what the user asked and nothing more.

Stripe and Tempo's implementation of the Model Context Protocol for payments addresses the on-chain friction version of the same challenge.

A Tempo Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) session requires only two on-chain transactions, one to open, one to settle, regardless of how many payments occur in between, letting agents execute high-frequency, low-value payments without paying on-chain costs per request.

Stripe's machine payments documentation describes pay-per-use models starting at 0.01 USDC per agent invocation, recurring payments, and programmatic API calls, all designed for agents acting without a human in the loop.

Cloudflare treats x402 and MPP as HTTP infrastructure, with agents discovering services, receiving 402 Payment Required challenges, and retrying with payment credentials programmatically.

Visa's Intelligent Commerce Connect, already in pilot with AWS, Diddo, Highnote, Mesh, Payabli, and Sumvin, adds tokenization, spend controls, and authentication to the same stack.

Across all of these, the common architecture positions authorization at the policy level, where a single user decision governs many agent actions.

Both sides of the contradiction

Base expands what agents can do by enabling check balances, sending funds, swapping tokens, signing messages, executing contract calls, and paying via x402-enabled APIs, but every write action still requires user approval through Base Account.

For swaps, lending positions, and larger wallet actions, that gate is a safety feature. For recurring micropayments of $0.52 or less, it is the same approval wall as at the wallet layer.

Launched on May 26, Base MCP exposes the delegation disconnect: an agent that can propose an x402 payment but cannot execute it without a wallet pop-up cannot function autonomously in a micropayment economy.

The distance between “agents can propose” and “agents can spend” is what AP2 mandates, MPP sessions, and Verifiable Intent are trying to close.

Infrastructure ahead of trust

If the delegation frameworks mature and achieve broad adoption, x402 adjusted transactions could climb from 2.89 million monthly to 10 to 30 million, with average transaction size remaining mostly sub-dollar.

The growth driver would be a higher ratio of payments per user authorization, in which a user sets a budget and defines an allowlist, and an agent executes thousands of microtransactions within those parameters.

McKinsey estimates that by 2030, agentic commerce could orchestrate up to $1 trillion in US B2C retail revenue and $3 to $5 trillion globally.

That figure depends on agents operating reliably within delegated authority, across machine-readable transaction objects, at frequencies no human approval loop can support.

The bear case turns on institutional coordination, and trust-building moves more slowly than infrastructure does. Gartner predicts that over 40% of agentic AI projects will be canceled by the end of 2027, citing costs, unclear value, and weak risk controls.

If wallets default to human-in-the-loop for liability reasons, if merchants add friction to agent-initiated payments because they cannot verify intent, or if a single high-profile exploit forces regulators into the conversation before standards harden, x402 adjusted transactions could stay in the 1-to-3 million monthly range.

Standards like AP2 and Verifiable Intent require broad adoption to serve as trust signals, and that adoption depends on wallets, merchants, and platforms converging on a common authorization model.

MPP routes through Tempo stablecoins, Stripe-supported cards, Lightning, and custom payment methods, so on-chain Artemis data covers only a portion of its activity.

When judged by agent invocations per authorized session, MPP's footprint expands into the foundational plumbing layer of machine payments.

That measurement difference shapes how the category gets evaluated, and miscalibrated evaluation affects where capital goes and which standards win the adoption race.

The next phase of agentic payments is proving they deserve the authority to spend, and that the humans, wallets, and merchants on the other side of those transactions are willing to grant it in advance.

The post Tiny x402 payments expose the approval gap holding AI agents back appeared first on CryptoSlate.

At 10:30:34 a.m. ET, a single IBIT print of 29,212,864 shares, crossed at $43.16, for a notional of roughly $1.26 billion.

The next-largest visible movement was 1.3 million shares, making one trade dwarf everything else in IBIT's session, accounting for about 34.8% of the ETF's reported intraday volume of 83.86 million shares.

IBIT ended the sequence at $42.99, up about 0.09%, while Bitcoin traded around $75,911, down roughly 1.73%. A dark pool executed the trade with a momentary 1% dip in Bitcoin, which recovered immediately, confirming the block absorbed through organized liquidity and settled cleanly.

IBIT's intraday volume of 83.86 million shares gave the market enough daily turnover to absorb even a 29.2 million-share print, and a buyer or a network of buyers matched the seller at $43.16 without triggering a disorderly repricing of the ETF.

Before spot Bitcoin ETFs launched, moving a billion dollars of Bitcoin exposure required either a large OTC desk arrangement or a sequence of exchange orders that would leave visible price impact across crypto markets.

Today's block routed through block desks, market makers, arbitrage desks, authorized participants standing ready, and IBIT closed near where it started.

The secondary market distinction

IBIT shares trade continuously on the secondary market among investors, and a block trade between those investors changes ownership of the shares, leaving the trust's underlying Bitcoin holdings intact unless something else happens.

BlackRock's fund documentation states that IBIT shares are bought and sold on the secondary market and are not individually redeemable from the trust.

Only authorized participants, which are large financial institutions that interact directly with the fund, can create or redeem shares in large baskets. This happens through a separate process, and that process determines whether the trust actually sells Bitcoin.

Farside Investors May 26 IBIT flow row was not yet populated, leaving confirmation of whether today's block translated into fund-level Bitcoin selling still pending.

IBIT's previous single-day withdrawal record was approximately $523 million, set in November 2025. A confirmed outflow matching today's full notional size would more than double that record.

If IBIT reports no major outflow, the block transfer of exposure from one institutional holder to another is a liquidity event confined to the secondary market.

If IBIT posts a large outflow, particularly one approaching or exceeding its prior record of $523 million, the block translates into basket-redemption pressure.

A large holder may have wanted to cut Bitcoin exposure and used IBIT because it offered enough liquidity to move size discreetly. The buyer may have been a different institution rotating into Bitcoin exposure via the ETF wrapper.

The trade could also reflect a portfolio rebalancing, a basis-trade unwind, a hedge adjustment, or a mandate-driven allocation change, none of which requires a directional view on Bitcoin's price.

Plumbing under pressure

In the bull case, ETF flow data shows no major IBIT outflow, and today's block confirms the depth of Bitcoin's institutional market.

One institution reduced exposure, and another absorbed it through the ETF structure, keeping spot Bitcoin off the exchange order books and the ETF price intact.

That outcome supports the argument that Bitcoin's market structure has matured, as billion-dollar exposure transfers can now occur within ETF plumbing.

Institutions looking to size into or out of Bitcoin have a liquid, organized venue capable of handling the volume, and May 26 movement is the evidence.

In the bear case, IBIT reports a large outflow in the next flow print, one that approaches or exceeds its prior record of $523 million.

That would mean the block translated into basket redemption pressure, as authorized participants returned shares to BlackRock, the fund sold Bitcoin to meet redemptions, and the ETF structure amplified the concentrated selling, transmitting it into spot price pressure.

The broader implication is that institutional de-risking at scale can activate the redemption cycle, converting a secondary-market block trade into primary-market Bitcoin sales in a sequence the tape alone cannot show.

Whatever the flow data confirms, today's block already demonstrated the depth of Bitcoin's institutional infrastructure.

A trade worth roughly $1.26 billion crossed at a single venue, and the ETF held its price, sustained by IBIT's order book depth, block-desk liquidity, and the arbitrage apparatus that keeps the ETF's price tethered to its net asset value under stress.

The block trade only converts into deeper Bitcoin sell pressure if it shows up in the next ETF flow print. Until then, the cleaner interpretation is that a billion-dollar transfer of Bitcoin exposure happened, and the market absorbed it.

The post Bitcoin just absorbed a single $1.3B IBIT block trade with barely any price movement appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Retail brokerage Robinhood has launched a breakthrough feature allowing customers to connect third-party artificial intelligence (AI) agents directly to their accounts. This system, known as Agentic Trading, enables advanced AI models to autonomously execute market strategies within a partitioned financial ecosystem.

Robinhood AI Trading News

Robinhood rolled out the beta phase of its Agentic Trading platform on May 27, 2026. Currently, the setup supports automated operations strictly for equities (stocks). While cryptocurrency execution is not available at launch, Robinhood confirmed that support for Robinhood Crypto and options will be integrated as the ecosystem expands out of beta.

What is Robinhood Agentic Trading?

Agentic Trading enables users to delegate deployment choices and execution power to an independent AI agent. Instead of relying on static algorithmic APIs, traders can connect LLMs (like Claude or ChatGPT) to evaluate data and adjust portfolios based on conversational natural language instructions.

To maintain security, Robinhood implemented the open-standard Model Context Protocol (MCP) server architecture. Built-in safeguards include:

• Siloed Accounts: AI agents cannot touch a user’s primary portfolio. They can only use funds explicitly moved to a separate, dedicated Agentic Trading account.
• Real-Time Monitoring: Holders receive instant push notifications for all automated operations, with a distinct app interface tracking live performance.
• Master Kill Switch: Investors maintain complete oversight and can immediately sever an agent's connection with a single tap.

What are Agentic Credit Cards

Alongside market access, Robinhood is bridging AI with everyday consumer spending via the new Agentic Credit Card. Available to Robinhood Gold members, this virtual credit card leverages secure banking MCP servers to let an AI agent shop autonomously on behalf of the customer.

Users can instruct their AI agent to scan the web for consumer items—such as tracking optimal travel deals—and authorize the purchase automatically when specific price thresholds are met. These virtual cards feature strict spending caps to insulate core financial assets.

After a brutal multi-week downtrend stemming from the $2,500 region, the Ethereum price is currently trading at $2,075, hovering above the psychologically vital $2,000 baseline.

The central question is whether the current consolidation is the final pause before a catastrophic $ETH coin crash below $2,000, or a classic liquidity hunt designed to trap short-sellers before a sharp bullish reversal.

How Other Cryptos Are Performing

The current weakness in $ETH does not exist in a vacuum; it is part of a systemic pullback visible across the entire crypto ecosystem. Heavy institutional liquidations and spot ETF outflows are weighing heavily on major assets:

• Bitcoin ($BTC): The premier cryptocurrency has lost its grip on the crucial $76,000 support level, down roughly 1.2% over the last session to trade near $75,800. A multi-day streak of net outflows from major U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs has dented the near-term bullish momentum for $BTC.
• Ripple ($XRP): Despite positive fundamental updates to the XRP Ledger (XRPL), $XRP has steadied around $1.32. A failed local breakout keeps the asset locked within a narrowing trading range, closely tracking $BTC's macro pullbacks.
• Solana ($SOL): Much like $XRP, Solana has faced structural headwinds, sliding down to approximately $84 despite recording occasional green ticks in its isolated fund inflows.

Compared to its peers, $ETH has notably underperformed over the past month due to an extended ten-day streak of negative ETF flows, placing its immediate technical floors under maximum stress.

Ethereum Price Analysis: Deciphering the $2,000 Floor

An analysis of the daily ETH/USD chart reveals a highly defined horizontal support and resistance matrix that has dictated price action throughout the year.

The $2,100 Breakdown and the Orange Zone

Over the past few weeks, the $2,100 level served as a firm structural floor, repelling multiple downside attempts. However, the chart shows that after three successive tests, this defensive perimeter finally gave way. The price has descended into the orange-highlighted circle, finding temporary friction just above the primary horizontal support at $2,000.

When a critical level like $2,100 breaks, it typically triggers momentum expansion toward the next major psychological boundary. In this case, the $2,000 level represents the absolute line in the sand for macro bulls.

RSI Momentum: Approaching Oversold Territory

Complementing the candlestick structure is the Relative Strength Index (RSI), currently registering at 37.49, with its moving average sitting slightly higher at 37.65.

• Bearish Continuation Risk: Because the RSI has not yet dipped below the traditional oversold threshold of 30.00, there remains mathematical room for a final flush downward to sweep liquidity beneath $2,000.
• Bullish Divergence Potential: Conversely, the flattening out of the RSI while price makes lower local lows indicates that selling pressure is beginning to exhaust itself. This exhaustion is a primary prerequisite for a market fakeout.

The Bear Case: A Clean Break and Descent to $1,800

If macroeconomic headwinds—specifically via hotter-than-expected inflation metrics or persistent spot ETF outflows—continue to dominate the news, a clean breakdown becomes highly probable.

In a strict bearish continuation scenario, a daily candle closing decisively below $2,000 will invalidate the local accumulation thesis. This would effectively turn the $2,000 floor into a formidable overhead resistance level. According to historical volume profiles shown on the chart, the next defensive bastions for buyers are situated at $1,800 (marked by the teal horizontal line) and $1,600 (marked by the lower yellow support line).

Traders looking to manage their risk safely during such structural shifts often utilize secure storage solutions, which can be reviewed on our comprehensive guide to hardware wallets.

The Bull Case: The Liquidity Sweep and "Fakeout" Blueprint

Despite the grim short-term price action, several institutional and underlying variables point heavily toward a potential bullish fakeout (also known as a spring or bear trap) rather than a complete market collapse.

• What is a Market Fakeout? A fakeout occurs when an asset's price briefly breaches a well-known support level to trigger stop-loss orders and liquidate over-leveraged long positions. Once this deep pool of liquidity is absorbed by major market makers, the price rapidly and aggressively reverses in the opposite direction.

Institutional Accumulation Signals

While retail sentiment remains fearful, deep-pocketed entities are treating this correction as a premier buying window. Massive corporate treasuries and institutional buyers have been taking advantage of the sub-$2,200 discount, showing that structural demand remains strong under the surface of the spot market.

Furthermore, recent efforts to minimize operational selling pressure from major ecosystem foundations are helping establish a cleaner fundamental launchpad for the asset.

If a fakeout occurs, expect the price to momentarily wick down to the $1,950–$1,980 range to sweep stops before closing the daily candle back above $2,020. This behavior would confirm a structural failure to break lower, rapidly shifting momentum back toward the overhead targets at $2,400 and $2,600.

What to know:

• The cryptocurrency market has entered a critical consolidation phase in late May 2026.
• After a painful 40% drop over the last six months and a harsh rejection above $2.20, XRP's aggressive selling pressure is finally exhausting.
• Price action shows XRP is establishing a firm cyclical floor, offering a high-potential entry point for buyers.
• A breakout from this defensive posture eyes key resistance levels at $1.80, $2.20, and $2.50.

Is the XRP Bottom In?

Data from the daily charts strongly confirms that XRP has found its cyclical bottom at current prices. Despite a broader market slowdown that has dragged down top assets, $XRP has repeatedly held its ground above the $1.29 horizontal support line.

While the 40% drop over the last six months shaken out speculative weak hands, on-chain metrics show aggressive accumulation by institutional entities. With sell-side liquidity drying up on major exchanges, the path of least resistance for XRP is shifting heavily to the upside, making a trend reversal toward $2.50 highly probable.

XRP Analysis: Breaking Down the XRP Price Bottom

A closer look at the daily XRP/USD chart reveals a clear structural shift from an aggressive sell-off to a prolonged, tightly wound accumulation phase.

The $1.29 Support Floor Holds Firm

Following the steep 40% decline from its local highs, XRP found major buyer interest just above the $1.2931 horizontal support line. Despite multiple tests throughout April and May, bears have repeatedly failed to push the price decisively below this threshold. This tells us that institutional demand and retail accumulation are heavily concentrated in this pocket, validating it as a reliable market bottom.

Relative Strength Index (RSI) Divergence

The 14-period Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently hovering around 41.18. While this indicates mild bearish momentum in the short term, it also highlights that XRP is approaching oversold territory on a macro scale. More importantly, the RSI has stopped making lower lows, showing a subtle bullish divergence against the stabilizing price action. This typically precedes a violent trend reversal as selling momentum completely dries up.

How High can XRP Price Reach?

With XRP hovering around $1.3452, entering a position at these levels offers a highly favorable risk-to-reward ratio. If the identified bottom holds and the broader crypto market enters an upward expansion phase, the potential percentage returns for investors targeting key resistance levels are substantial:

• Target 1 ($1.80): A rally to this initial psychological barrier represents a gain of +33.8% from current prices.
• Target 2 ($2.20): Reaching the previous local highs would yield a return of +63.5%.
• Target 3 ($2.50): A clean breakout into a fresh bullish expansion toward the $2.50 macro target represents an impressive +85.8% price increase.

To execute trades safely during these accumulation phases, choosing a secure and liquid platform is vital. You can evaluate top-tier trading venues using our comprehensive crypto exchange comparison.

When will XRP Price Turn Bullish?

The technical bottoming structure does not exist in a vacuum; it is heavily backed by shifting global fundamentals. While the chart shows a tightening coil, external events are providing the fuel needed for a violent breakout.

Global Regulatory Shifts

According to recent reports, regulatory clarity continues to act as a primary tailwind for Ripple. Japan’s upcoming reclassification of XRP under its strict Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, paired with progress on the U.S. CLARITY Act, has given institutional investors the legal safety they need to deploy capital into the asset.

Ecosystem Interoperability and Stablecoin Growth

Ripple is fundamentally transforming its utility narrative. The company recently backed a $6 million funding round for Squid, a cross-chain routing protocol, aiming to embed the XRP Ledger directly into over 100 blockchains. Concurrently, Ripple’s USD stablecoin (RLUSD) hit an all-time high supply of $1.76 billion, dramatically outperforming competitors. This expanding liquidity ecosystem ensures that XRP is no longer just a speculative tool, but core financial infrastructure.

Road to Recovery: The Key Obstacles Ahead

While the long-term outlook remains highly asymmetric to the upside, XRP faces immediate structural hurdles before it can trigger its violent expansion toward the $2.50 milestone.

The first major test for the bulls sits between $1.45 and $1.50. This zone previously acted as a rigid support-turned-resistance level. A daily candle close above $1.50 will confirm a bullish market structure break, likely triggering a rapid short-squeeze toward the $1.80 level.

Volume profiles indicate that thin liquidity exists between $1.50 and $1.80. This drop in liquidity—evidenced by Binance order books hitting multi-year depths—means that large orders can move the price much faster than usual. Once the immediate overhead supply is cleared, the upward move could happen in a matter of days. For broader context on how these movements align with major market leaders, keeping an eye on the $Bitcoin price remains essential, as macro liquidity trends still heavily dictate altcoin momentum.

From escalating military conflicts to systemic fractures in the banking and bond markets, the traditional financial architecture is under immense strain. Under normal historical conditions, such a barrage of negative catalysts would trigger a severe, prolonged capitulation across the high-risk asset spectrum.

Yet, Bitcoin has not only withstood these systemic shocks but managed to post consecutive positive monthly closures. This divergence between deteriorating global fundamentals and crypto market performance highlights a structural shift in investor psychology and asset allocation.

Has Bitcoin Formed a Structural Bottom?

A foundational principle in financial market analysis states that a market reaches its cyclical bottom when prices stop reacting negatively to bad news. Over the last three months, the macroeconomic environment has delivered a relentless stream of worst-case scenarios. Despite this, the Bitcoin price successfully printed green monthly candles for both March (+1.81%) and April (+11.87%), with May continuing to hold positive territory (+0.65%).

This persistent strength in the face of macro headwinds confirms that selling exhaustion has been reached. The market has fully priced in the negative externalities, signaling that the cyclical bottom for Bitcoin is firmly established.

The Macroeconomic Gauntlet: 3 Months of Global Chaos

To appreciate the significance of Bitcoin's current price action, it is necessary to examine the sheer scale of the negative catalysts that failed to depress the market.

1. Geopolitical Warfare (US and Iran)

The geopolitical landscape fractured severely following the initiation of direct military engagements between the United States, Israel, and Iran under Operation Epic Fury. The ensuing conflict severely disrupted the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world's most critical oil chokepoints—instantly threatening global trade and energy security. Historically, sudden outbreaks of war trigger an immediate flight from risk assets into cash and gold. While traditional equities staggered, Bitcoin maintained its structural integrity.

2. Multi-Year High Inflation & Energy Crises

Driven by the war-induced energy supply disruptions, headline inflation across OECD nations spiked aggressively, hitting a multi-year high of 4.0% in March. In the United States, energy inflation surged by double digits, forcing central banks to reconsider prolonged higher-for-longer interest rate frameworks. High inflation typically diminishes consumer purchasing power and dampens liquidity—yet Bitcoin's inflows remained net-positive.

3. Global Stock Dumps and the Bond Market Crisis

Simultaneously, public equities suffered intense liquidations. The intersection of highly leveraged private asset distress and rising long-duration sovereign bond yields sparked severe volatility. Institutional investors faced margin pressures globally, often forcing them to liquidate liquid assets to cover structural losses in the fixed-income and real estate sectors.

4. Yen Interventions & Carry Trade Dissolution

The currency markets experienced extreme turbulence as the Bank of Japan spent roughly ¥10 trillion in aggressive foreign exchange interventions to stabilize the rapidly depreciating Yen. The steepening of the Japanese yield curve shook the foundations of the global macro "carry trade," introducing massive systemic instability into international funding markets.

5. Quantum FUD

Compounding these macroeconomic pressures, the crypto-specific narrative was hit with a wave of Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) regarding rapid advancements in quantum computing. Sensationalist reports claimed that emerging quantum capabilities would imminently compromise Bitcoin’s SHA-256 encryption protocol, threatening the integrity of the network.

Why Bitcoin Did NOT Crash Yet

The structural behavior observed in the crypto news cycle reflects a classic financial phenomenon: the absorption of peak capitulation.

A market asset achieves a macro trend reversal when the volume of structural sellers is completely exhausted. At this juncture, even the most severe macroeconomic downgrades fail to induce lower technical lows because all participants inclined to panic-sell have already exited the market.

Instead of acting as a speculative tech stock, Bitcoin is increasingly treated as a systemic hedge against fiat debasement, sovereign debt crises, and geopolitical isolation. When the stability of major fiat pairs (like the Yen or Euro) is called into question, or when banking systems face contagion, the immutable and politically neutral architecture of Bitcoin transforms it into an alternative safe haven.

Data Analysis: Evaluating the Monthly Returns

An inspection of the empirical monthly returns highlights the anomalous nature of the 2026 price action:

The steep corrections observed in January (-10.17%) and February (-14.94%) effectively washed out late-cycle leverage and speculative retail positioning. When the geopolitical and inflationary shocks manifested in March, the market lacked the speculative sellers needed to drive prices lower. The subsequent +11.87% recovery in April, under peak wartime conditions, serves as definitive proof of institutional accumulation.

Investors seeking to navigate these volatile market environments safely are increasingly shifting capital away from centralized platforms prone to liquidity freezes, opting instead to evaluate security frameworks using dedicated hardware wallets comparison guides to secure their sovereign assets.

The cryptocurrency market has entered a sharp correction, erasing recent gains and catching many retail traders off guard.  Bitcoin (BTC) has plunged below the critical $77,000 support level, triggering a broader wave of liquidations across the altcoin space.

Why Are Cryptos Crashing Today?

For investors asking why cryptos are crashing right now, the sudden downturn is not tied to a single isolated event. Instead, it is the result of a simultaneous breakdown in geopolitical stability, fading momentum for favorable U.S. regulatory legislation, and severe stress building up in global fixed-income markets. These factors have collectively forced institutional investors to scale back risk, putting downward pressure on token prices.

Top 3 Reasons Behind the Crypto Crash

1. Escalating Geopolitical Tensions with Iran

Geopolitical instability remains a premier driver of financial market volatility. Recent reports from major media outlets, including CBS News, indicate that the United States could execute new military strikes against Iran. This comes amidst an ongoing conflict that has already heavily restricted commercial traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz.

The immediate economic fallout of an expanded military intervention is felt in the energy sector. Crude oil prices, which have hovered near the $100 per barrel mark, face immediate upward pressure. Higher energy costs directly accelerate consumer price index (CPI) inflation. For the Federal Reserve—now led by newly appointed Chairman Kevin Warsh—resurgent inflation fears diminish the probability of anticipated interest rate cuts. Instead, it forces the central bank to maintain a hawkish stance or even consider further interest rate hikes, which historically drains liquidity out of speculative environments like cryptocurrency trading.

2. Diminishing Odds for the Clarity Act and SEC Delays

On the domestic front, regulatory headwinds are shifting from tailwinds to obstacles. In a matter of two weeks, political forecasting models tracking the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 (H.R. 3633) saw the odds of the crypto market structure bill passing into law drop from a promising 75% down to 50%. The bill is highly anticipated by institutional players because it establishes a clear federal rulebook, distinguishing digital commodities under CFTC jurisdiction from securities.

Compounding this regulatory friction, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officially delayed a highly anticipated plan that would grant innovation exemptions for crypto firms to trade tokenized stocks on public blockchains. The regulatory pushback, driven by concerns over third-party token compliance and investor protection, has dampened short-term institutional optimism. Investors looking to benchmark exchange infrastructure before deploying capital can monitor institutional grade platforms via our crypto exchange comparison.

3. Global Bond Market and Debt Stress

The third pillars of the downturn rests heavily within the fixed-income markets. Government bond yields worldwide are surging to multi-year highs. The yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury note has neared 4.7%, while the 30-year yield touched 5.19%. Concurrently, Japanese government bond yields are testing new heights as international debt holdings shift.

High sovereign debt yields present two distinct problems for crypto assets:

• Increased Cost of Capital: High yields make corporate and margin borrowing significantly more expensive, reducing the amount of speculative capital flowing into alternative assets.
• Risk-Free Return Competition: When traditional, government-backed bonds offer reliable yields near or above 5%, institutional capital frequently rotates out of volatile risk assets (like Bitcoin and altcoins) and into the safety of debt instruments.

Bitcoin Price Analysis: What Happens Next for BTC?

From a technical perspective, Bitcoin's failure to maintain its footing above $75,000 exposes the asset to further downside risk over the weekend.

If military strikes manifest over the weekend, the immediate emotional reaction from algorithms and spot traders will likely push BTC toward the primary support zone between $72,000 and $72,500. Conversely, if geopolitical headlines calm and no strikes occur, the market will likely experience an aggressive short-squeeze and reversal heading into the next weekly candle open.

During periods of heightened market volatility and rapid price movements, keeping your long-term assets secure in cold storage is paramount; you can explore market-verified security options via our hardware wallets comparison.

Researchers warn that prolonged chatbot interactions could distort how some users experience reality and social connection.

If Tesla and SpaceX merged—as is a reported possibility—then Elon Musk's combined entity would hold billions of dollars' worth of Bitcoin.

Predictors on Myriad are losing faith, believing it's more likely that Ethereum dumps to $1,500 before a prospective move up to $3,000.

Music v2 brings genre-shifting and section-by-section composition to ElevenLabs. Stable Audio 3.0 ships open weights and six-minute tracks. Is either good enough to dethrone the category leader?

ElevenLabs has licensed Stan Lee’s voice and likeness, adding the late Marvel comic creator to a growing market for AI celebrity replicas.

A New York man and two corporate entities have filed an unprecedented lawsuit in the Supreme Court of the State of New York against 39,069 dormant digital wallets, seeking a formal judicial declaration establishing them as the legal owners of millions of.

Bitcoin is bracing for a massive surge in volatility as a dangerous mix of surging leverage, retail speculation.

While retail sentiment remains negative, Wall Street is quietly absorbing XRP supply via spot ETFs, fueled by a 63% monthly surge in the network's stablecoin capitalization.

Strategy has acquired 2.6 times of the total amount of Bitcoin miners have produced so far in this year despite the frequent volatility.

Pro-XRP attorney Bill Morgan and other commentators quickly dismissed the zero-sum narrative.

TLDR:

• Banca Sella completes Bank of Italy notification, becoming Italy’s first MiCA-compliant crypto bank.
• The bank plans to launch digital asset custody and transfer services for select clients by end of 2026.
• Banca Sella is a founding member of Qivalis, a 37-bank European consortium developing a euro stablecoin.
• While Europe advances under MiCA, the US Clarity Act remains stalled, leaving American banks without clear crypto rules.

Banca Sella has completed the notification process with the Bank of Italy, making it the first Italian bank cleared to offer cryptocurrency-related services. The group plans to launch digital asset custody and transfer services for selected clients by the end of 2026.

This move places Banca Sella ahead of other Italian financial institutions in embracing regulated crypto offerings under Europe’s MiCA framework.

Crypto Custody and Transfer Services Launching in 2026

Banca Sella confirmed its intention to offer digital asset custody and transfer services before the end of 2026. The services will initially target specific categories of customers, according to the group’s official press release.

The bank has already built substantial technological infrastructure and blockchain expertise over recent years.

Andrea Tessera, Managing Director of Digital Banking at Banca Sella, spoke directly to this shift. “The evolution of payments towards instantaneous, interoperable and programmable models, also favored by the tokenization of money and assets, is redefining financial infrastructures at European and global level,” he stated. Banca Sella’s new services are designed to sit squarely within this transformation.

The bank has also been part of the Bank of Italy’s Fintech Milano Hub pilot program since 2022. This participation reflects a long-standing commitment to digital finance well before regulatory clarity arrived. That head start now positions the bank as a clear industry leader in Italy.

Banca Sella’s compliance with MiCA gives it a competitive edge over peers still awaiting regulatory direction. MiCA, the European Union’s comprehensive crypto regulation, provides a clear legal framework for crypto asset service providers.

Operating within this structure allows Banca Sella to move forward with confidence and legal certainty.

Qivalis Consortium and Broader Tokenization Strategy

Beyond custody services, Banca Sella is also a founding member of the Qivalis consortium. The group brings together 37 European banks with a shared goal of launching a euro-pegged stablecoin. This collaborative effort adds another layer to the bank’s digital asset strategy.

Qivalis represents a coordinated push by European banks to develop a stablecoin anchored to the euro. Such an initiative could reshape retail and institutional payments across the continent. Banca Sella’s role as a founding member reflects its long-term commitment to the space.

The bank is also monitoring the Eurosystem’s Pontes and Appia projects, both managed by the European Central Bank.

These initiatives further connect Banca Sella’s strategy to broader European financial infrastructure developments. Staying close to ECB-led projects keeps the bank aligned with regulatory and monetary trends.

Meanwhile, the United States continues to lag behind on crypto banking legislation. The proposed Clarity Act remains stalled in Congress, with approval prospects for the year looking uncertain.

Europe, through frameworks like MiCA, is setting the pace for regulated crypto adoption within traditional banking.

The post Banca Sella Becomes Italy’s First Bank to Offer Crypto Services Under MiCA appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• PDD Holdings shares plummet 10% following disappointing Q1 earnings results.
• Revenue climbed 11% year-over-year while net income declined 15%.
• Rising operational costs and supply chain investments pressure profit margins.
• Transaction services revenue increased 20%, demonstrating platform strength.
• Company maintains robust liquidity position with RMB436.1 billion in cash reserves.

Shares of PDD Holdings (PDD) experienced significant downward pressure following the release of first-quarter financial results that revealed declining profitability despite topline expansion. The e-commerce platform operator saw its stock tumble 10.85% to close at $86.16, retreating from intraday levels near $97. The decline came as investors reacted to earnings that demonstrated revenue momentum but highlighted mounting cost pressures.

PDD Holdings Inc., PDD

First Quarter Earnings Fall Short Despite Topline Beat

PDD Holdings disclosed total quarterly revenue of RMB106.2 billion for the three months ending March 31, 2026. This figure represented an 11% year-over-year improvement compared to RMB95.7 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. Despite this revenue acceleration, profitability metrics disappointed investors and triggered the selloff.

Net income allocated to ordinary shareholders contracted 15% to RMB12.5 billion for the quarter. The company’s non-GAAP net income similarly declined 17% to RMB14.1 billion, down from RMB16.9 billion in the prior-year quarter. This earnings compression overshadowed the positive revenue momentum and drove negative sentiment.

Diluted earnings per American Depositary Share came in at RMB8.48, representing a decline from RMB9.94 posted in Q1 2025. On a non-GAAP basis, diluted EPS per ADS decreased to RMB9.51 from RMB11.41 year-over-year. The earnings shortfall triggered significant selling pressure on PDD Holdings shares throughout the trading session.

Topline Momentum Offset by Escalating Operating Expenses

PDD Holdings demonstrated continued strength in its core revenue streams throughout the reporting period. Transaction services revenue surged 20% to reach RMB56.3 billion, up from RMB47.0 billion in the year-ago quarter. Online marketing services and additional revenue streams contributed RMB49.9 billion to the quarterly total.

However, the company confronted elevated cost pressures across multiple operational areas. Total cost of revenues expanded 15% to RMB46.9 billion compared to RMB40.9 billion in the prior year. These increased expenses stemmed primarily from higher fulfillment costs, expanded server infrastructure, bandwidth requirements, and payment processing charges.

Operating expenses climbed to RMB39.8 billion versus RMB38.6 billion in the comparable quarter. Research and development spending increased notably to RMB4.4 billion from RMB3.6 billion as the company invested in platform capabilities. Sales and marketing expenditures held relatively stable at RMB33.8 billion year-over-year.

Strategic Supply Chain Investments Drive Long-Term Transition

PDD Holdings characterized the quarterly results as marking the beginning of a strategic business transformation. Company leadership indicated intentions to allocate additional capital toward supply chain infrastructure development. The organization also outlined plans to expand its proprietary brand portfolio as part of its long-term growth strategy.

Despite the net income decline, operating profit expanded 22% to RMB19.6 billion during the quarter. Non-GAAP operating profit registered a 15% increase to RMB21.1 billion compared to RMB18.3 billion in the prior year. Nevertheless, the bottom-line earnings weakness maintained downward pressure on the stock following management’s commentary.

The company concluded the quarter with RMB436.1 billion in combined cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investment holdings. This represented an increase from RMB422.3 billion held at year-end 2025. The substantial liquidity position provides PDD Holdings with financial flexibility to execute its supply chain enhancement initiatives and platform evolution strategy.

The post PDD Holdings (PDD) Stock Plunges 10% Despite Revenue Gains as Q1 Earnings Disappoint appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Highlights

• Micron Technology jumped 19.3% to $895.88 following a UBS price target increase to $1,625, elevating its valuation beyond $1 trillion
• SK Hynix achieved a $1 trillion market capitalization milestone as memory chip valuations doubled during Q1
• Marvell Technology climbed more than 5% before its earnings release, benefiting from its AI networking and custom chip exposure
• Abercrombie & Fitch exceeded profit forecasts with $1.47 EPS while revenue came in marginally below expectations
• Goldman Sachs elevated its S&P 500 year-end projection to 8,000, citing AI sector earnings as a primary catalyst for roughly 50% of anticipated gains

May 26 brought significant market action across Micron Technology, SK Hynix, Marvell Technology, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Goldman Sachs. The trading session featured notable movements in AI memory manufacturers, retail sector updates, and optimistic market forecasts.

Below is a comprehensive analysis of each major development.

Micron Technology Rallies 19% on UBS Upgrade

Micron Technology delivered an exceptional trading performance with one of its strongest single-day gains. Following UBS’s dramatic price target revision from $535 to $1,625, shares climbed 19.3% to close at $895.88.

This substantial rally propelled Micron’s valuation past the $1 trillion threshold for the first time in company history. UBS analysts pointed to extended customer contracts, constrained memory supply, and escalating artificial intelligence demand as primary catalysts behind their bullish stance.

AI infrastructure deployments require substantial quantities of DRAM, NAND flash, and high-bandwidth memory solutions for training and operating advanced language models. Market analysts anticipate that ongoing memory supply constraints will support elevated pricing power and expanded profit margins for semiconductor manufacturers.

SK Hynix Achieves Historic $1 Trillion Valuation Milestone

SK Hynix reached the $1 trillion market capitalization benchmark for the first time during the same trading session. The stock advanced 9.3% as institutional interest in AI-focused memory manufacturers intensified.

Reuters data indicated that memory chip valuations doubled throughout the first quarter. Industry analysts project additional price appreciation during the current quarter.

The Korean semiconductor giant has emerged as a primary beneficiary of expanding AI infrastructure investments. Its specialized high-bandwidth memory products power Nvidia’s cutting-edge AI processing units.

The simultaneous achievement of trillion-dollar valuations by both Micron and SK Hynix signals an evolution in investor perception of AI opportunities. Memory technology has emerged as a recognized constraint in AI data center expansion efforts.

Marvell Technology Gains Momentum Before Earnings Report

Marvell Technology advanced over 5% on May 26, reaching approximately $207 per share. The semiconductor company specializes in custom processors, optical networking infrastructure, and data center interconnect solutions.

Market participants await the company’s upcoming financial results to determine whether performance can justify recent valuation expansion. Advanced networking capabilities and rapid data transmission infrastructure represent essential components of contemporary AI data center architecture.

Marvell offers investors diversified exposure to AI infrastructure growth beyond dominant chip manufacturers. Custom semiconductor solutions and optical connectivity are gaining strategic importance as data center requirements escalate.

Abercrombie & Fitch Delivers Strong Earnings Despite Revenue Shortfall

Abercrombie & Fitch announced adjusted earnings of $1.47 per share, surpassing analyst consensus of $1.28. Net revenue reached $1.11 billion, falling marginally short of projections.

Shares advanced despite the revenue miss as market participants emphasized the earnings beat and management’s reaffirmed annual guidance. The outcome demonstrates evolving retail market dynamics, where profitability and forward outlook carry greater weight than revenue figures alone.

Goldman Sachs Elevates S&P 500 Forecast to 8,000

Goldman Sachs increased its year-end S&P 500 projection to 8,000 from the previous 7,600 target. The investment bank anticipates S&P 500 earnings of $340 for 2026 and $385 for 2027.

Goldman analysts indicated that AI infrastructure businesses will contribute approximately half of this year’s aggregate earnings growth. This forecast reinforces the bullish market narrative despite persistent consumer spending headwinds.

Space Sector Stocks Surge on SpaceX Speculation

Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile, and Redwire all posted gains amid speculation surrounding a possible SpaceX public offering, NASA lunar program developments, and short-covering activity.

Certain market analysts have highlighted elevated valuations within the sector, drawing parallels to the electric vehicle speculation bubble. Nevertheless, the space industry remains among the most actively traded speculative segments currently.

The trading session underscored continued market focus on three dominant investment themes: AI memory technology, AI infrastructure buildout, and high-growth space exploration stocks. Across these sectors, valuations and investor expectations maintain upward momentum.

The post Market Movers: Memory Chip Giants Hit $1 Trillion as Goldman Sees S&P 500 Reaching 8,000 appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• A Goldman Sachs analysis indicates that Nvidia and Micron may collectively contribute approximately one-third of total S&P 500 earnings expansion in 2026.
• Companies benefiting from AI infrastructure buildout are projected to fuel close to 50% of S&P 500 EPS expansion in both 2026 and 2027.
• Nvidia’s position stems from surging AI accelerator demand, while Micron’s growth links to memory needs for expanding AI models and data center operations.
• The investment bank highlighted increasing depreciation expenses from massive hyperscaler capital spending as a potential headwind to profit growth, especially by 2027.
• Analyst consensus shows 45.4% potential upside for NVDA with a price target of $306.46, whereas MU faces a 21.6% downside projection.

A recent Goldman Sachs analysis has positioned two semiconductor titans as critical drivers of S&P 500 profit expansion for 2026, with projections that are commanding attention across Wall Street.

According to Goldman Sachs forecasts issued on May 27, Nvidia and Micron are poised to deliver approximately one-third of the S&P 500’s total earnings growth this year.

NVIDIA Corporation, NVDA

This represents a remarkable concentration of earnings power within just two corporate entities.

Goldman’s comprehensive analysis suggests that AI infrastructure beneficiaries collectively will drive approximately half of S&P 500 earnings per share expansion across 2026 and 2027. This category encompasses not only semiconductor manufacturers but extends to technology hardware providers, industrial companies, and utility firms capitalizing on the data center construction boom.

NVDA stock declined 1.14% during the trading session, while MU advanced 1.25%.

Nvidia’s central role in this narrative is clear-cut. The appetite for AI accelerators — specialized GPUs that enable model training and inference operations — has remained robust. The company has established itself as the primary choice for organizations expanding AI capabilities.

Micron’s contribution, though receiving less attention, carries equal significance. As artificial intelligence models expand in scale and data center operations intensify, high-bandwidth memory requirements escalate proportionally. This represents Micron’s strategic opportunity.

Goldman’s research emphasizes that the impact extends beyond the semiconductor sector. Utilities and industrial companies connected to data center infrastructure development are also capturing earnings benefits as the infrastructure expansion continues.

Potential Headwinds Identified by Goldman

The outlook isn’t without complications. Goldman explicitly cautioned that hyperscale cloud platforms are deploying substantial capital toward AI infrastructure, creating costs that persist over time. Depreciation expenses associated with this spending will begin pressuring earnings, particularly as 2027 approaches.

This represents a meaningful consideration. Today’s substantial capital investment generates future accounting expenses that could diminish portions of Goldman’s projected earnings acceleration.

Insider trading patterns at Nvidia merit attention as well. During the past three months, company insiders offloaded $163.7 million in shares without any recorded purchases. While not inherently alarming, this activity provides relevant context.

Analyst Sentiment and Projections

When examining analyst preferences between these stocks, a significant divergence emerges.

NVDA holds a consensus Wall Street price target of $306.46, suggesting 45.4% appreciation potential from present levels. Micron’s analyst consensus, conversely, indicates 21.6% downside risk.

Nvidia maintains a GF Score of 96 out of 100, achieving perfect 10/10 rankings in both profitability and growth categories. Its current P/E ratio stands at 32.17x, reflecting the valuation premium investors have assigned given its earnings momentum.

While Goldman Sachs’ AI infrastructure investment thesis encompasses numerous companies, Nvidia and Micron represent the most direct semiconductor beneficiaries of this secular trend.

The post Nvidia (NVDA) and Micron (MU) Set to Power 33% of S&P 500 Profit Expansion in 2026 appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• Bank of America maintains Buy rating on Walmart while adjusting price target from $150 down to $144
• Revised target suggests 18.7% potential gain from approximately $121, positioning the recent decline as an attractive entry point
• Company elevated full-year net sales outlook to the upper boundary of its 3.5%–4.5% forecast range
• First-quarter revenue climbed 7.3% to reach $177.8 billion; worldwide e-commerce surged 26%
• Shares tumbled 8.1% following earnings announcement and started Wednesday trading at $118.57

Bank of America remains bullish on Walmart despite the recent market turbulence.

Christopher Nardone, an analyst at the firm, maintained his Buy recommendation on Walmart (WMT) shares while adjusting the price objective to $144 from the previous $150. Based on the $121.34 valuation referenced in the firm’s analysis, this represents approximately 18.7% potential appreciation.

Walmart Inc., WMT

WMT began Wednesday’s session at $118.57. The shares have fallen considerably from their 12-month peak of $135.15, with the 8.1% post-earnings decline accounting for a substantial portion of that retreat.

The first-quarter results were genuinely impressive. Revenue reached $177.75 billion, representing a 7.4% year-over-year increase and exceeding the $174.84 billion analyst consensus. Earnings per share landed at $0.66, precisely matching projections.

Worldwide e-commerce revenue expanded 26%, and Walmart elevated its full-year net sales forecast to the upper end of its 3.5%–4.5% constant-currency projection. Second-quarter guidance anticipates 4%–5% expansion.

What triggered the market reaction? Rising expenses. Company leadership highlighted approximately $1 billion in additional freight and fuel costs, and the full-year operating profit growth forecast of 6%–8% fell short of some optimistic projections. UBS similarly reduced its price objective following the earnings release.

The Bull Case from Bank of America

Bank of America’s fundamental thesis centers on Walmart’s positioning during periods of consumer caution. When shoppers tighten their budgets, they naturally gravitate toward value retailers — precisely where Walmart dominates.

The investment firm notes that Walmart is “playing offense,” with price rollbacks climbing 20% year over year during the first quarter. Analysts anticipate Walmart will be among the final major retailers to implement price increases should fuel costs drive inflation higher during the latter half of the year.

Bank of America also emphasized Walmart’s diversified revenue channels — including advertising, marketplace commissions, and membership subscriptions — as margin protection mechanisms. These higher-margin operations have become increasingly central to the investment narrative.

The firm noted that fiscal 2026 demonstrates Walmart’s capability to navigate cost pressures. During that period, the retailer absorbed more than $1 billion in challenges from claims expenses and tariff impacts while still achieving 5.4% constant-currency operating income growth.

Institutional Ownership Trends

King Luther Capital Management expanded its Walmart holdings by 8.8% during the fourth quarter, purchasing 113,952 shares to reach a total position of 1,415,423 shares, valued at approximately $157.7 million.

Additional institutional activity showed varied patterns. Tennessee Valley Asset Management increased its stake by 466.6% in the third quarter. Fox Run Management and Life Cycle Investment Partners both established fresh positions.

Institutional investors and hedge funds combined control 26.76% of WMT shares.

Regarding insider transactions, Director C. Douglas McMillon divested 19,416 shares at $132.21 on April 23rd, while EVP John Rainey sold 20,000 shares at $127.79 during March. Aggregate insider sales over the past 90 days totaled 126,008 shares valued at roughly $15.9 million.

The Wall Street consensus recommendation stands at “Moderate Buy” with an average price objective of $138.71. Thirty-one analysts rate the stock as Buy, two assign Strong Buy ratings, and three maintain Hold positions.

Walmart’s FY2027 EPS projection ranges from $2.75–$2.85, with second-quarter guidance established at $0.72–$0.74.

The retailer is also scheduled to enter the top 10 constituents of the Russell 3000 during the June 2026 rebalancing.

The post BofA Maintains Buy Rating on Walmart (WMT) Stock Despite Price Target Reduction appeared first on Blockonomi.

Bankless co-founder David Hoffman said he sold his Ether holdings because he believes the long-standing “ETH is money” thesis has already largely played out. Despite this, he remains strongly bullish on Ethereum as a network.

According to Hoffman, the decision did not come lightly, given that he built his career, business, community, and identity around Ethereum.

Ethereum Chose the Hard Path Unlike Bitcoin

In his latest tweet, Hoffman stated that the “ETH is money” thesis depended on Ethereum succeeding across multiple layers of coordination, including decentralized leadership, governance, Layer 2 ecosystems, roadmap execution, and technological development.

Hoffman described Ethereum as “not Bitcoin,” and said that Bitcoin simplified its blockchain to maximize the value of BTC, while Ethereum pursued a more ambitious path by expanding utility across decentralized applications, finance, tokenization, and infrastructure. He even went on to add that Ethereum achieved part of that vision and earned the market capitalization it currently has, but said the opportunity for ETH to be significantly rerated higher by the market now appears to be closing.

The Bankless co-founder also explained that the broader “strong version” of crypto, which focused on decentralized finance, NFTs, DAOs, and crypto-native systems, failed to maintain long-term mainstream support outside the 2020 to 2022 period. He said crypto’s reputation later became associated with scams, grifts, and speculative behavior, which ended up weakening the social belief system required for ETH to function as money at a global scale.

He further stated that Ether’s utility increasingly benefits other forms of money, especially stablecoins and tokenized dollars, rather than ETH itself. Hoffman described Ethereum as a “giver, not a taker,” while saying that the network provides secure blockspace, tokenization infrastructure, and DeFi support at minimal cost rather than extracting maximum value for ETH holders. He said Ethereum’s architecture prioritizes applications, rollups, and ecosystem growth over ETH itself, which makes it difficult for the underlying crypto asset to fully achieve global money status without overwhelming market dominance.

Ethereum in Crisis?

Hoffman’s decision also comes at a time when bearish sentiment around Ethereum has been intensifying. A recent report by Santiment found that social media discussions have increasingly shifted from optimism toward frustration and concerns about further downside.

The analytics firm said traders have increasingly viewed ETH as “dead money” compared to stronger-performing crypto assets in 2026, as weakening ETF flows, declining on-chain activity, and growing competition from ecosystems such as Solana and BNB Chain added pressure on sentiment.

Rumors about prominent Ethereum figures reducing or exiting ETH positions, including discussions surrounding Hoffman, have also contributed to rising uncertainty in the market, especially as traders worried about insiders losing confidence in the asset.

The post “Ethereum Is a Giver, Not a Taker”: David Hoffman Explains ETH Exit appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Ripple (XRP) continues trading within a narrow range between around $1.30 and $1.38 despite several failed breakout attempts.

Santiment has identified a rare XRP signal as traders remain under increasing pressure.

High-Potential Rebound Zone

According to on-chain analytics platform Santiment, the average XRP trader active over the past 30 days is currently down 47%, as many investors are reportedly selling at the bottom during the recent market decline.

Santiment found that XRP’s 30-day Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV), a metric used to measure average trader returns, has now dropped to its lowest level since December 2020. MVRV readings historically tend to return toward 0%, which makes the current level an indication that the crypto asset may be in an extreme undervalued zone.

As per the analysis, the sharp decline is indicative of a growing fear and frustration among traders following XRP’s retracement, which has erased more than half of its market value since last summer. Santiment said XRP’s strong rally during late 2024 and early 2025 led many traders to enter positions near local highs before momentum weakened and repeated selloffs pushed short-term holders into heavy losses.

Despite the decline, the findings reveal that some long-term investors remain optimistic due to expectations surrounding regulatory progress, speculation about a potential XRP ETF, and Ripple’s broader adoption narrative. Santiment added that deeply negative MVRV zones like the current one have historically appeared when retail traders capitulate, often creating conditions where even minor positive catalysts can trigger strong recoveries.

Additionally, fear around the crypto asset has climbed to unusually high levels on social media. The ratio of bullish to bearish comments has dropped to just 1.1 positive comments for every 1 negative comment as traders grow more cautious about XRP’s outlook.

Santiment observed that similar periods of fear and skepticism have historically acted as contrarian signals for XRP, as many weaker holders tend to exit the market during sharp downturns. The platform added that previous moves into this “FUD zone” were often followed by price stabilization or short-term rebounds.

Rising Speculative Momentum

At the same time, fresh data from CryptoQuant pointed to growing speculative activity around XRP perpetual futures on Binance, even though the token itself has continued hovering near $1.34. The analytics firm said XRP’s volume imbalance reading climbed to roughly 0.54, which means that perpetual contract trading volumes are now significantly higher than during earlier periods of quieter market activity.

According to CryptoQuant, this suggests more traders are returning to short-term leveraged positions. The platform also noted that XRP’s Z-Score rose to nearly 0.95, meaning current trading activity is approaching one full standard deviation above its usual average.

CryptoQuant added that the indicator had spent an extended period in negative territory before recently moving back into positive levels, which points to a gradual improvement in trader risk appetite and renewed speculative participation in the market.

The post Important for Ripple (XRP) Traders: Rare Bottom Signal Emerges appeared first on CryptoPotato.

[PRESS RELEASE – GEORGE TOWN, CAYMAN ISLANDS, May 27th, 2026]

• Issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, N.A., the first federally-chartered crypto bank in the U.S. with reserves under OCC supervision and attested monthly by Deloitte
• The GENIUS-ready stablecoin will launch on Ceffu’s institutional infrastructure with a rewards structure: qualifying institutional holders share in the economics of fUSD’s reserves, targeting an estimated 3% per year
• Rewards are paid by Falcon Finance, the commercial partner, under separate bilateral agreements with qualifying institutional holders, not by Anchorage, the issuer nor Ceffu, the custodian
• Falcon Finance will be a launch holder, deploying a portion of its own corporate reserves into fUSD from day one

With more than $320 billion in dollar stablecoins now in circulation and short-dated Treasury yields near 4%, holders collectively forgo well over $10 billion a year in potential returns — income that accrues to issuers rather than the desks holding the tokens. fUSD, launched today by Falcon Finance and Anchorage Digital Bank, N.A., is built to close that gap: a GENIUS-ready digital dollar that meets institutional compliance mandates while sharing a portion of its reserve economics with qualifying holders. The GENIUS-ready stablecoin will launch on Ceffu’s institutional custody and collateral infrastructure with a rewards structure.

Falcon Finance, the synthetic dollar protocol with $1.63 billion in USDf circulating supply and ranked among the top ten stablecoins on Ethereum by market cap, today announced the launch of fUSD, a U.S. dollar payment stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, N.A. fUSD is GENIUS Act ready, the federal framework for payment stablecoins enacted on 18 July 2025.

The GENIUS Act restricts stablecoin issuers from paying interest or yield to holders. Anchorage Digital Bank issues fUSD but does not pay yield or rewards on the stablecoin itself. Rewards are offered by an entity separate from Anchorage Digital Bank, NA. and are tied to the stablecoin’s underlying collateral, such as U.S. Treasuries. Falcon Finance, as the name partner, operates an institutional rewards program, targeting roughly 3% per year. The rewards are available only to institutional entities that enter a contractual agreement with Falcon; no other regulated U.S. dollar stablecoin currently offers this structure to institutional holders.

fUSD is supported by Ceffu’s institutional custody and collateral infrastructure, the same platform used by leading trading firms and liquidity providers, including FalconX, Presto and Orderly. Falcon already uses Ceffu within its existing custody stack for USDf, its overcollateralized synthetic dollar. By launching fUSD on Ceffu, Falcon positions the stablecoin where professional desks, treasury desks, high-frequency trading firms, basis traders, and counterparties operating under tight compliance mandates, already manage collateral. For these desks, the most widely-used stablecoins return nothing on the balances they hold; a regulated, rewards-bearing dollar lets them improve the economics of their strategies without stepping outside their compliance requirements.

Falcon Finance will be a launch holder of fUSD, deploying a portion of its own corporate reserves into the stablecoin from launch, a signal of the firm’s confidence in the issuance framework and of how it expects institutional counterparties to engage with the product.

Andrei Grachev, Founding Partner of Falcon Finance, said: “The desks we work with operate under compliance mandates that synthetic and offshore stablecoins were never designed to satisfy, and the regulated dollars they can hold today pay them nothing. fUSD closes both gaps. It’s issued by a federally-chartered bank, backed by Treasuries, launched on the infrastructure these desks already use to manage collateral, and built so qualifying institutional holders can share in the economics of the reserves. We’re putting our own balance sheet behind it from day one.”

Nathan McCauley, CEO and Co-Founder of Anchorage Digital, said: “fUSD is built from the ground up for institutional use, and that’s only possible because of our federal bank charter. Falcon Finance is exactly the kind of partner the GENIUS framework was designed to serve: sophisticated, institutional, and choosing to operate inside U.S. regulation rather than around it.”

Ian Loh, CEO of Ceffu, said: “The integration of fUSD into Ceffu’s ecosystem delivers institutional-grade custody and collateral utility. We look forward to supporting Falcon Finance in expanding the institutional adoption and utility of stablecoins.”

Falcon Finance now operates two complementary dollar products. USDf, the overcollateralized synthetic dollar, continues to serve DeFi-native users and multi-collateral mandates. fUSD extends Falcon’s reach to federally-regulated treasury desks, compliance-constrained counterparties, and institutional collateral mandates that require a regulated, non-synthetic dollar.

About Falcon Finance

Falcon Finance is building a universal collateral layer that turns any liquid asset, including digital assets, currency-backed tokens, and tokenized real-world assets, into USD-pegged onchain liquidity. By bridging onchain and offchain financial systems, Falcon enables institutions, protocols, and capital allocators to unlock stable, yield-generating liquidity from assets they already hold.

About Anchorage Digital

Anchorage Digital is a global crypto platform that enables institutions to participate in digital assets through trading, staking, custody, governance, settlement, stablecoin issuance, and the industry’s leading security infrastructure. Home to Anchorage Digital Bank N.A., the first federally chartered crypto bank in the U.S., Anchorage Digital also serves institutions through Anchorage Digital Singapore, which is licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore; Anchorage Digital NY, which holds a BitLicense from the New York Department of Financial Services; and self-custody wallet Porto by Anchorage Digital. Anchorage Digital Bank also offers fiat custody services through the use of an FDIC-insured, licensed sub-custodian. Anchorage Digital is funded by leading institutions including Andreessen Horowitz, GIC, Goldman Sachs, KKR, and Visa, with a valuation of $4.2 billion. Founded in 2017 in San Francisco, California, Anchorage Digital has offices in New York, New York; Porto, Portugal; Singapore; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Learn more at anchorage.com, on X @Anchorage, and on LinkedIn.

About Ceffu

Ceffu is a compliant, institutional-grade custody platform offering custody and liquidity solutions that are ISO 27001 & 27701 certified and SOC2 Type 2 attested. Our multi-party computation (MPC) technology, combined with a customizable multi-approval scheme, provides bespoke solutions allowing institutional clients to safely store and manage their virtual assets.

About fUSD

fUSD is a U.S. dollar payment stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, N.A. Subject to final applicable law, fUSD is GENIUS-ready, the federal framework for payment stablecoins. Each fUSD token is backed 1:1 by a reserve pool of cash, short-dated U.S. Treasuries, and Treasury-backed repo via eligible MMF exposure, held at Anchorage Digital Bank under federal supervision. Reserves are attested by Deloitte on a monthly and annual basis. fUSD is purpose-built for institutional trading desks, collateral mandates, and counterparties operating under federally-regulated compliance requirements.

fUSD is not a deposit, not FDIC insured, and not endorsed or guaranteed by the U.S. government.

The post Falcon Finance and Anchorage Digital Bank Launch fUSD, a GENIUS-Ready Stablecoin with Rewards on Ceffu appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Tuesday turned ugly for crypto markets, with a broad wave of selling hitting altcoins across the board, led by Zcash (ZEC), which dropped 11%, World Liberty Financial’s WLFI, which was down 8%, and Ondo Finance (ONDO), falling 7%.

The losses came against a backdrop of rising bearish sentiment in the crowd, which, according to blockchain analytics firm Santiment, has historically happened right before prices rebounded.

Details of the Sell-Off

Santiment flagged the damage in a post on X earlier today, noting drops in Ondo, Zcash, WLFI, and DeXe, among others.

For Ondo, the timing was particularly grim, seeing as the dip came right on the heels of the passing of 32-year-old founder and CEO Nathan Allman. The company announced that longtime President Ian De Bode will take over as CEO. The token is now trading near $0.41, putting its performance in the last seven days up by roughly 9%.

Zcash’s 11% single-day drop was the sharpest among the named losers, although at the time of writing the decline was at about 7.5% in the last 24 hours, with ZEC trading at around $570. For context, the asset is up 60% over the past month and nearly 970% across the last year, so the daily move looks less alarming against that backdrop.

Meanwhile, WLFI’s 8% dip added to a difficult stretch for the token, which hit a new all-time low in late April after crashing 16% in one day. It has had to navigate a controversial lock-up proposal, a lawsuit by Tron’s Justin Sun, and continued scrutiny over ties to the Trump family.

It Wasn’t All Red

Despite the losses mentioned above, the weekly picture looked different for some tokens. For example, NEAR was up more than 55% over seven days, and it was changing hands around the $2.50 level, although it pulled back nearly 8% on Tuesday alone. Another gainer was Hyperliquid’s HYPE token, which went up 25% per Santiment’s data.

However, the week’s standout was RAIN, which hit an all-time high of around $0.012 on Tuesday after climbing almost 55% for the week and over 44% in the last 24 hours alone.

Separate data from Santiment posted on the same day showed that bearish crowd expectations have been building for about 10 days now, with the firm noting that this kind of collective lean toward caution has historically heralded price recoveries, considering that markets tend to move against the crowd’s prevailing mood.

But traders will have to wait and see whether that plays out this time, especially with Bitcoin still stuck below $77,000 and struggling to break above its descending 200-day moving average near $80,000.

The post Altcoins Crushed as Bearish Sentiment Sweeps Crypto Markets appeared first on CryptoPotato.

Two recently launched US exchange-traded funds linked to Hyperliquid’s HYPE token are off to a strong start.

New data suggests that the funds have reached a milestone in just 10 days of trading that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ETFs failed to match.

Strongest Crypto ETF Debut Yet

Kairos Research said spot HYPE ETFs absorbed 1.04% of HYPE’s market cap in just their first 10 trading days. The firm called it the strongest debut for any spot crypto ETF so far. To put things into perspective, spot Bitcoin ETFs reached 0.59%, while that of Ethereum stood at 0.41%, excluding GBTC and ETHE outflows.

Meanwhile, spot Solana ETFs came in at 0.31%.

21Shares’ THYP and Bitwise Asset Management’s BHYP have together pulled in more than $95 million in net inflows within weeks of launching. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas had previously described the timing of the launches as “perfectly timed.” THYP, which launched on May 12 on Nasdaq, became the first HYPE-related ETF available in the US market and has attracted $44 million in net inflows as of May 26. BHYP followed two days later on May 14 and has already recorded $55 million in net inflows, according to data compiled by SoSoValue.

The funds have recorded nine straight days of inflows, with no single day of outflows during the entire period. On Tuesday alone, Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs collectively shed almost $370 million, while Solana funds recorded no flows for the day.

Sharp Monthly Gains

Strong inflows into HYPE ETFs have coincided with a steep rise in the underlying token’s price. While leading crypto assets have failed to establish a solid uptrend this month, HYPE has gained close to 50% during the same period. At the time of writing, the token is trading near $62.31.

On-chain activity revealed one trader who made a well-timed move on this run-up. According to Lookonchain, a trader created a new wallet 46 days ago and used $5 million in USDC to buy HYPE. After holding the position for over a month, they sold all their HYPE on Tuesday for $7.51 million. The trade resulted in a profit of a whopping $2.51 million in just 46 days.

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