Nvidia's expansion in Israel strengthens its global R&D capabilities, potentially boosting innovation and economic growth in the region.

The post BST Group to build new Nvidia office tower in Yokneam for NIS 170M appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

The fire incident underscores ongoing instability in the Strait of Hormuz, affecting global oil supply and escalating geopolitical tensions.

The post Bulk carrier fire off Qatar heightens Strait of Hormuz tensions appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Putin's statement suggests a potential shift in geopolitical dynamics, impacting regional stability and international diplomatic relations.

The post Putin claims Ukraine conflict is ‘coming to an end’ after Victory Day parade appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Increased military tensions in the Strait of Hormuz could destabilize global oil markets and heighten the risk of broader regional conflict.

The post Iran deploys submarines amid heightened US tensions in Strait of Hormuz appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Iran's uranium enrichment stance may stall diplomatic progress, affecting regional stability and market confidence in a timely resolution.

The post Iran’s uranium stance threatens US nuclear deal prospects by May 31 appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Bitcoin Magazine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bitcoin’s Multisignature Deterrence

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cyber Security Threats and the Electro-Cyber Dome

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Criticisms of Lowery’s Softwar Thesis 

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

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

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

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

The Happy Middle Ground

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

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

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

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

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

Bitcoin Magazine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Stratum V2 Working Group

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

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

Bitcoin Magazine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Opportunity Cost: What This Math Means for eBay

The Payments Blindspot

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

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

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

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

The Treasury Blindspot

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

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

Try the Bitcoin Treasury simulator.

Legacy Credit Card Rails vs. The Bitcoin Lightning Network

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

3 Reasons Why the Payment Play Beats Cohen’s Takeover

1. It Protects Shareholders from Volatile Corporate Debt

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

2. It Empowers the Lifeblood of eBay: The Sellers

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

3. It Dominates the Collectibles Market Automatically

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

The Ultimate Counter-Punch

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

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

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

References

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

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

Bitcoin Magazine

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

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

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

A Non-Custodial Bridge

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

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

Bridging Two Financial Worlds

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

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

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

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

Powered by the Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol

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

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

Use Cases Across Consumer and Business

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

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

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

Bitcoin First, by Design

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

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

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

Bitcoin Magazine

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

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

The Numbers: GAAP Pain, Operational Resilience, Bitcoin Growth

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

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

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

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

The Headline Shift: Tactical Bitcoin Sales as Financial Engineering

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

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

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

Follow BFC on X.

Market Reaction

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

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

BlackRock is accelerating its push to bring Wall Street yields to the blockchain, filing paperwork with US regulators to introduce a pair of tokenized money market funds.

The move represents a major escalation in the asset management giant's strategy to bridge traditional financial instruments with the rapidly expanding digital asset ecosystem.

According to May 8 filings submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the world’s largest asset manager intends to issue digital shares for an existing multibillion-dollar treasury fund, alongside an entirely new vehicle tailored specifically for the crypto-native market.

The dual rollout targets a growing demographic of investors who park their wealth in digital wallets and stablecoins rather than traditional brokerage accounts. It also cements BlackRock’s position as a dominant infrastructure provider for the burgeoning tokenized real-world asset (RWA) sector.

Nate Geraci, president of investment advisory firm NovaDius Wealth, characterized the filings as a bellwether for the broader financial industry.

“You'll be seeing much more of this from top asset managers,” Geraci said, noting that BlackRock's initiative would be the first of many similar strategic pivots expected from institutional heavyweights in the near future.

BSTBL and BRSRV

The first of the two proposed products will digitize a portion of the BlackRock Select Treasury-Based Liquidity Fund (BSTBL).

The $6.1 billion mutual fund, which operates under the strict quality and diversification mandates of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, will now offer a blockchain-based share class that operates concurrently with its traditional institutional shares.

The tokenized BSTBL securities are slated to debut on the Ethereum network.

True to its traditional counterpart, the digital class will maintain a conservative investment strategy, allocating 100% of its assets into cash, US Treasury bills, and overnight government-secured repurchase agreements.

The portfolio mandates a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less, ensuring high liquidity and minimal risk.

The second filing introduces a ground-up tokenized product: the BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle (BRSRV).

Unlike the Ethereum-exclusive BSTBL shares, BRSRV is designed for multi-chain deployment, maximizing its interoperability across the decentralized web.

The fund is constructed as a treasury-backed money market product and mirrors the strict underlying asset profile of BSTBL. This means that it focuses exclusively on short-term US government obligations with maturities under 93 days.

However, its structural purpose is distinctly aimed at serving as institutional-grade plumbing for the crypto economy.

Positioning for the GENIUS Act

Industry analysts view the BRSRV filing as a highly strategic maneuver designed to capitalize on the shifting US regulatory landscape, particularly the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act.

Market experts broadly speculate that BlackRock is positioning the fund to serve as a compliant, yield-bearing reserve asset for stablecoin issuers under the impending legislative framework.

The asset manager is already deeply entrenched in this space, currently managing roughly $65 billion in existing stablecoin reserves.

Notably, BlackRock recently submitted a comment letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) regarding the agency's proposed framework for permitted payment stablecoin issuers (PPSIs).

In the letter, BlackRock advocated for a flexible, principles-based regulatory environment, officially backing the OCC’s proposed “Option A.”

This preferred regulatory path includes a quantitative safe harbor featuring 10% daily and 30% weekly liquidity thresholds, alongside a 40% concentration limit and a 20-day weighted average maturity cap.

Crucially, BlackRock urged the OCC to allow same-day settling government money market funds to count toward these weekly liquidity floors, a classification that would directly benefit vehicles like BRSRV.

Riding crypto tokenization wave

Meanwhile, BlackRock's aggressive product rollout takes place against the backdrop of an expanding market for blockchain-based financial assets.

According to data tracker rwa.xyz, the distributed asset value of the tokenized market now exceeds $30 billion, shared among more than 767,000 investors. This marks a staggering $10 billion acceleration since January 2026 alone.

BlackRock already commands a significant slice of this market. Its existing BUIDL product is ranked the fourth-largest tokenized fund globally, with an estimated value of over $2.4 billion.

The corporate philosophy driving these product launches was clearly telegraphed earlier this year by BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink.

In his annual shareholder letter, Fink framed digital assets as essential tools to modernize global finance, while warning that the current US economic model leaves too many middle-class workers behind.

Fink argued that the traditional financial system has disproportionately rewarded existing asset holders. By recording asset ownership on digital ledgers, he posited, the industry can drastically reduce the friction, cost, and time required to move securities, ultimately democratizing access.

Fink wrote:

“Half the world’s population carries a digital wallet on their phone. Imagine if that same digital wallet could also let you invest in a broad mix of companies for the long term—as easily as sending a payment.”

Likening the current state of tokenization to the internet in 1996, Fink acknowledged that blockchain integration will not displace the old model overnight.

Instead, he views products like the newly filed money market funds as the necessary bridges connecting legacy financial plumbing to the future of digital distribution, provided policymakers institute clear counterparty-risk standards and digital identity checks.

The post BlackRock looks to sidestep Clarity yield issues, filing for two new tokenized money market funds appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Ondo Finance said Ripple has redeemed OUSG on XRP Ledger and received a USD payout in Singapore through Mastercard and Kinexys by J.P. Morgan.

The May 6 pilot tested whether a tokenized fund redemption on a public blockchain could trigger a bank-account payout across borders and banks, using a transaction path that Ondo said operated outside traditional banking windows.

Ondo said the XRP Ledger leg processed in under five seconds. The cash leg stayed inside bank infrastructure, moving through Mastercard's Multi-Token Network, Kinexys by J.P. Morgan, and J.P. Morgan's correspondent banking network.

That split is the core of the development. The pilot links public-chain settlement speed to bank-account completion while keeping the USD payout on bank infrastructure. The available record separates XRP Ledger's asset role from the USD payout, which was initiated on Kinexys and delivered to Ripple's Singapore bank account through J.P. Morgan's rails.

How the settlement chain was divided

Ondo described the transaction as the first near-real-time, cross-border, cross-bank redemption of a tokenized U.S. Treasury fund. Ripple redeemed part of its Ondo Short-Term U.S. Government Treasuries holdings on XRP Ledger.

The redemption then moved into a payout path. Ondo processed the request, Mastercard's Multi-Token Network routed the instruction, Kinexys debited Ondo's Blockchain Deposit Account, and J.P. Morgan's correspondent banking network delivered the USD proceeds to Ripple's Singapore bank account.

The structure shows how the asset record, instruction layer, and fiat payout can be coordinated so an institution can avoid a separate manual process after a tokenized fund redemption.

XRP Ledger documentation says new ledger versions usually close about every three to five seconds, which supports the plausibility of a fast asset leg. The pilot-specific processing time and first-of-its-kind framing remain attributed to Ondo.

Ondo's June 2025 launch brought the tokenized Treasury product to XRPL with minting and redemption support tied to Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin, and CryptoSlate covered that launch at the time.

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The fresh peg is the redemption-to-bank-account path. Ripple's OUSG redemption was tied to a cross-border payout route involving Mastercard and J.P. Morgan infrastructure, building on the tokenized fund's existing XRPL deployment.

Kinexys also entered the pilot with prior tokenized-settlement work behind it. J.P. Morgan's blockchain unit had already completed a tokenized Treasury settlement test with Ondo and Chainlink in 2025, using a delivery-versus-payment structure that connected Kinexys Digital Payments to Ondo Chain testnet activity.

CryptoSlate covered that Kinexys-Ondo test as an earlier bridge between bank payment rails and tokenized asset markets. The May 2026 pilot extends that baseline into a different pattern: OUSG redemption on the XRP Ledger, a payout instruction via Mastercard, and a USD payment to a Singapore bank account.

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Mastercard's role also fits a prior setup. The company announced Ondo in 2025 as the first tokenized real-world asset provider on its Multi-Token Network, describing MTN as a way to link commercial banks with digital assets that can move around the clock. In this pilot, MTN served as the routing layer between on-chain redemption and Kinexys settlement, with the issuer and dollar-settlement roles handled elsewhere.

Scale gives the pilot useful context

OUSG is a qualified-access product. Ondo's documentation describes it as tokenized exposure primarily to short-term U.S. Treasuries and government-sponsored enterprise securities, with access limited to eligible investors who complete onboarding for Ondo's qualified-access products.

That restriction changes the likely near-term audience. The first users of this type of settlement design are more likely to be funds, payment firms, market makers, treasury teams, or financial institutions managing tokenized collateral and cash positions across time zones.

The setup points first toward institutional settlement design, with consumer-facing access left to other product channels.

RWA.xyz showed OUSG with a total asset value of about $680 million when accessed on May 9. The same page showed XRP Ledger as one of the product's supported networks, with roughly 2.8 million OUSG tokens on XRPL and about $101 million in monthly transfer volume associated with the XRPL row. Ethereum, meanwhile, holds around $2.4 million in tokens.

Those figures give the product scale while leaving the pilot itself unquantified. Ondo's release did not disclose how much OUSG Ripple redeemed, the exact timestamp of the transaction, the Singapore bank involved, or whether the process is now available beyond the pilot participants.

The product data also shows why the transaction should be treated as infrastructure context before adoption proof. OUSG is large enough to be a relevant tokenized Treasury instrument, and the XRPL row points to activity around the product.

The same data leaves this specific redemption undisclosed, so the scale belongs in the background rather than in the lede claim.

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For XRP, the market backdrop is separate from the settlement claim. CryptoSlate's XRP page listed the token at around $1.42, with roughly $86 billion in market cap and about $2 billion in 24-hour volume.

CryptoSlate's aggregate market page listed the total crypto market cap at about $2.68 trillion.

Repeatability is the next test

The pilot lands inside a larger tokenization debate. Ripple and Boston Consulting Group projected in 2025 that tokenized real-world assets could grow to $18.9 trillion by 2033.

That figure is useful as a scenario marker, but it comes from a Ripple release about a Ripple-BCG report and should be treated as participant forecast context.

The operational test is more concrete than the forecast. Tokenized Treasuries already make sense on paper as collateral, cash-management instruments, and yield-bearing assets that can move on ledgers outside market hours.

The harder question is whether redemptions can settle into bank accounts while reducing the batch processes, cutoffs, and manual instructions that tokenization is supposed to shrink.

Ondo, Ripple, Mastercard, and Kinexys have now shown one controlled answer: public-chain redemption records can be coordinated with interbank settlement infrastructure. That is a real infrastructure step, but it remains a pilot with missing details.

The signal to watch is whether the same structure becomes available to more institutions, larger transaction sizes, more banks, or more public blockchains where OUSG is issued.

If it does, tokenized Treasury products become less like blockchain wrappers around familiar assets and more like operating components in cross-border liquidity management. A bespoke transaction among named partners would keep the development closer to infrastructure validation than market transformation.

For now, the important detail is the split. XRP Ledger handled the tokenized fund record quickly. Mastercard and Kinexys connected that event to bank instructions. J.P. Morgan's network delivered USD.

The pilot's strongest message is that tokenized funds may be moving toward a model where public ledgers and bank rails have to work together in the same transaction.

The post JPMorgan, Mastercard and Ripple complete cross-border XRP tokenized Treasury settlement appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Matthew Sigel of VanEck said Bitcoin could reach $1 million by the next US Presidential term.

That puts a 1,150% increase as a 2031 target inside a market that is still trying to prove it can hold the $80,000 area.

CryptoSlate's Bitcoin page shows BTC near $80,200 on May 9, with a market capitalization near $1.61 trillion and an all-time high of $126,198 set on Oct. 6, 2025.

A move to $200,000, another price target being batted around lately, would require Bitcoin to rise roughly 2.5 times from that level. A move to $1 million would require roughly 12.5 times.

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Bitcoin has produced larger percentage moves before, but the current forecast cycle now rests on a market question: whether the latest institutional demand is strong enough to absorb coins being sold into the rebound.

Why seven-figure math is back

The VanEck call lands alongside other seven-figure frameworks. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan laid out a formal $1 million model in March, arguing that Bitcoin can reach seven figures by gaining share as the store-of-value market expands.

In his model, the market grows to about $121 trillion over 10 years, and Bitcoin reaches $1 million if it captures about 17% of the total.

That is a different time horizon from Sigel's reported five-year view, but the logic overlaps. Both depend less on a single trading catalyst and more on Bitcoin becoming a larger part of how institutions, advisers, sovereign entities, and younger investors think about long-term savings outside the fiat banking system.

VanEck's own research desk had already published a longer-range version of that argument. In a 2024 Bitcoin 2050 scenario, the firm modeled a possible $2.9 million Bitcoin price by 2050 if BTC becomes a meaningful medium of exchange and reserve asset.

That report used assumptions around trade settlement, reserve holdings, and Bitcoin scaling infrastructure. The newly reported call is more immediate, but it comes from the same broad research posture: Bitcoin as a macro asset whose valuation depends on adoption beyond crypto-native buyers.

If the thesis is only a trading call, the next resistance level carries most of the weight. If the thesis is that adoption math, ETF flows, portfolio allocation, sovereign reserve behavior, and the size of the global store-of-value market carry more weight than a single weekly candle.

The near-term price frame is less clean. Fundstrat's Tom Lee's $200,000 to $250,000 Bitcoin range for 2026 should also be part of the conversation.

Prior CryptoSlate coverage had already placed Lee's $200,000 forecast among a wide 2026 target set that also included more conservative and more aggressive institutional calls.

Arthur Hayes, the Maelstrom CIO and BitMEX co-founder, is cited as aiming for a shorter-term $125,000 target tied to liquidity and war-driven spending.

Together, those calls make Bitcoin look like it is re-entering a target-heavy phase. Hayes' framework is macro-liquidity and event-driven. Lee's is a 2026 market-cycle view.

Bitwise's model is a store-of-value share calculation. VanEck's reported call compresses a seven-figure outcome into roughly half a decade.

That difference should keep us grounded. A cluster of bullish forecasts can shift sentiment, but the market structure still has to carry the price there. The Fear and & Greed Index still sits firmly in the ‘fear' category.

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The low-$80,000 test carries the forecast

Recent CryptoSlate coverage framed Bitcoin's rebound above $80,000 as a live test between seller supply and ETF demand. Long-term holders have been taking profits into strength, while spot Bitcoin ETF buyers have helped absorb supply.

That standoff is why the $90,000 area keeps appearing as the next upside test.

The bullish version is straightforward. If ETF demand continues to absorb coins from older holders, the low-$80,000 range could become a base rather than a ceiling. From there, a move toward $90,000 would provide the market with evidence that institutional access is doing real price-discovery work, rather than merely softening a rebound.

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That would still leave $200,000 as a stretch target. It would, however, make six-figure 2026 targets easier to discuss without treating them as detached from traded demand.

A market that can hold $80,000, push through $90,000, and do it on broad spot demand would look more compatible with the Fundstrat-style bull case than a market that keeps rejecting the same supply zone.

The failure case is just as important. If ETF demand fades while long-term holders continue selling into rallies, the $1 million conversation becomes a long-horizon adoption argument rather than an explanation for the current price.

In that case, the five-year and 10-year targets can remain intellectually coherent while the 2026 market still struggles to escape its range.

That tension separates price targets from the evidence that would make them relevant now. Bitcoin can leave the $1 million debate unresolved for now. It needs to show whether the buyers who arrived through ETFs and institutional channels are still willing to absorb supply near levels that recently acted as resistance.

The practical threshold is therefore smaller than the largest target on the board. A clean $90,000 push would not validate seven-figure math, but it would show that the market can handle seller pressure while fresh capital still reaches spot Bitcoin products.

What would change the market signal next

Bitcoin needs to hold the low-$80,000 area and then attack $90,000 with enough spot demand to make the move look durable.

ETF flow data, long-term holder distribution, and any fresh confirmation of the VanEck comments will carry more weight than another round number from an executive or strategist.

The seven-figure targets are moving the debate away from whether Bitcoin can regain its 2025 high and toward whether the asset can claim a larger share of global savings. That is a much larger argument than a technical breakout, but it still needs the current market to cooperate.

For now, the credible takeaway is that institutional researchers are again willing to publish or defend seven-figure math while the market tests whether ETF-era demand can turn $80,000 from a stress point into a launch point.

The post Second Bitcoin ETF issuer predicts BTC hitting $1M – but cuts timeline to within the next US Presidential term appeared first on CryptoSlate.

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

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

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

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

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

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Settlement moves faster than rulemaking

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

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

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

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

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

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

The rulebook still carries the heavier lift

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Banks mount eleventh-hour lobby against CLARITY Act

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crypto firms push back against banks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ethics fight adds another hurdle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ethereum Price Shows Early Comeback Signals

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

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

Bitcoin Dominance Breakdown Could Support Ethereum Price

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

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

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

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

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

Altcoin Momentum Makes ETH One to Watch

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

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

Crypto Clarity Act heads to a key Senate vote

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

Why the Crypto Clarity Act matters for the market

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

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

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

Stablecoin rewards are the biggest fight

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

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

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

Why Coinbase and crypto firms support the compromise

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

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

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

Democratic support remains uncertain

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

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

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

What this could mean for crypto prices

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

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

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

Bitcoin Price Recovery Puts Altcoins Back in Focus

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

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

Top 10 Altcoins to Buy in May 2026: Quick Stats

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Which Altcoin Looks Best in May 2026?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coinbase Service Restored After Major Infrastructure Failure

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

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

Why was Coinbase Down?

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

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

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

Is My Coinbase Account Safe?

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

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

Market Impact and Stock Performance

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

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

Why Is Crypto Crashing?

The primary reasons for the current crypto market decline include:

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

Current Crypto Prices: Market Overview

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

Geopolitical Pressures and the "Safe Haven" Debate

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

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

Crypto Price Analysis: Key Levels to Watch

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

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

Two men face money laundering and drug charges following the seizure of $4.2 million in Bitcoin from alleged darknet marketplace dealings.

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

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

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

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

Regulations of prediction markets was the question of time and the time has come.

New XRPL Foundation Director Hussain Zangana reveals two upgrades to execute a transition from payments to decentralized credit.

Zcash breaks higher, surpassing Cardano in crypto market standings.

Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor is setting the record straight after sending shockwaves through the crypto market by suggesting the firm might sell portions of its massive Bitcoin treasury.

Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor is setting the record straight after sending shockwaves through the crypto market by suggesting the firm might sell portions of its massive Bitcoin treasury.

Key Takeaways

• On March 15, 2026, the XRP Ledger recorded 3 million daily transactions, demonstrating genuine network utilization
• Ripple’s legal battle with the SEC concluded in August 2025 with a $125 million settlement
• Approximately 33 billion XRP remains locked in escrow accounts, representing a significant supply consideration
• Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin introduces potential internal competition for value capture within the payment ecosystem
• XRP represents a hybrid investment case — more established than speculative altcoins but facing legitimate economic questions

For years, XRP has sparked intense discussion within cryptocurrency circles. Advocates highlight its genuine application in cross-border payments. Skeptics question the centralization around Ripple Labs and whether token economics truly reward holders. Following significant legal clarity and expanding network metrics, investors now have a more transparent view — though complexity remains.

As the native digital asset of the XRP Ledger, XRP operates on a public blockchain that launched in 2012. Transactions finalize within three to five seconds with minimal fees. Recent XRPSCAN data captured over 1.2 million daily transactions, while Ripple confirmed the network processed 3 million transactions on March 15, 2026. These figures represent verifiable, on-chain usage.

The regulatory cloud that hung over XRP for an extended period has now dissipated. According to Reuters reporting from August 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission case against Ripple reached its conclusion. Ripple agreed to pay $125 million to settle. Importantly, the judicial finding that XRP trading on secondary markets did not constitute securities transactions remained undisturbed, although specific institutional offerings were deemed violations. This resolution eliminated a primary risk factor for token holders.

Token Distribution Dynamics Matter

Current CoinGecko figures indicate approximately 62 billion XRP tokens circulating, producing a market capitalization near $88 billion. XRPSCAN data reveals roughly 33 billion XRP still secured in escrow arrangements. While Ripple maintains transparency in its escrow operations and typically re-locks unused tokens, this controlled inventory is substantial and market participants remain conscious of it.

This reality doesn’t undermine XRP’s legitimacy as a digital asset. However, it clarifies that limited supply isn’t central to the value proposition in the manner it is for Bitcoin.

Examining How Value Accrues

Ripple’s payment solutions currently provide clients with options: execute settlements using XRP or leverage stablecoins such as RLUSD. This optionality strengthens Ripple’s competitive position when acquiring customers. Yet it simultaneously presents a valid concern — if Ripple’s ecosystem expands primarily through stablecoins and tokenized instruments without substantial XRP dependency, where does token value appreciation originate?

Additionally, XRP confronts competition from traditional bank settlement infrastructure, alternative blockchain payment networks, and the broader stablecoin sector. Notably, some competitive tension emerges from Ripple’s own diversified product offerings.

The March 15, 2026 milestone of 3 million daily transactions on the XRP Ledger represents the most recent validated network activity benchmark available.

Concluding Assessment

XRP occupies a fundamentally improved position compared to two years prior. Regulatory uncertainty has been resolved, network activity demonstrates utility, and Ripple continues product development. The outstanding considerations regarding token supply and value accrual mechanisms are legitimate, yet they’re transparent and well-documented. For those evaluating XRP as an investment, uncertainty has diminished — it functions as a major cryptocurrency asset with identifiable advantages and recognizable constraints.

The post XRP Investment Analysis: Evaluating Ripple’s Token After SEC Victory and Network Growth appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• Coinbase, Kraken and Gemini seek removal of manipulation rule affecting small token listings.
• Senate draft applies CFTC style safeguards raising concerns over crypto spot markets framework review.
• Banking Committee negotiates exchange rules defining listing, custody and broker standards.
• Industry lobbying continues as Senate works toward unified digital asset market structure.

Major U.S. crypto exchanges Coinbase, Kraken, and Gemini have intensified their engagement with Senate lawmakers as Congress drafts new digital asset market structure legislation.

Their focus centers on listing rules for smaller tokens and anti-manipulation provisions they argue are poorly suited to spot crypto markets.

The exchanges have become prominent voices in shaping how the Senate approaches digital asset oversight.

Exchanges Push Listing Flexibility

Exchange representatives contend that commodity-style self-certification does not align with spot crypto trading conditions, particularly for low-liquidity tokens that exhibit unique price behavior.

Compliance officers warn that applying derivatives-style standards to spot markets creates structural mismatches that could penalize legitimate token listings.

Beyond technical concerns, exchanges argue that overly rigid rules would concentrate market activity on larger, established tokens while effectively locking out smaller projects.

This, they say, would reduce competition and limit investor access to emerging digital assets. Their proposed alternative calls for a tailored framework that accounts for the distinct characteristics of spot crypto trading.

While publicly supporting stronger federal oversight, the firms maintain that regulation must not come at the cost of market access.

They have circulated messaging emphasizing the need to balance investor protection with innovation. These positions continue to shape ongoing Senate negotiations on the bill’s listing provisions.

Senate Committees Negotiate Agency Oversight

The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its portion of the digital asset bill earlier this year, with lawmakers revising the CFTC’s oversight role and refining how digital commodities should be defined.

These discussions reflect broader efforts to establish clear jurisdictional boundaries between federal regulators. Policymakers are also assessing how existing commodity frameworks translate to the realities of crypto spot markets.

The Senate Banking Committee, meanwhile, is negotiating exchange registration requirements, broker standards, and custody rules for digital assets.

Exchanges have engaged Banking Committee lawmakers directly on token listing constraints, seeking adjustments to liquidity thresholds and provisions affecting smaller assets.

Consistency across agencies remains a central goal as both committees work to harmonize their respective provisions.

Coordination between the Agriculture and Banking Committees continues as lawmakers pursue a unified regulatory approach.

Crypto firms remain actively involved in the drafting process, pressing for rules that preserve flexibility while strengthening federal oversight.

The outcome of these negotiations will define the compliance landscape for U.S. digital asset markets for years to come.

Path to Unified Legislation

Both Senate committees are working toward a consolidated market structure text that reconciles their separate jurisdictional frameworks.

The process involves ongoing dialogue between committee staff, agency representatives, and industry stakeholders.

Progress has been steady, though key provisions around listing standards and manipulation rules remain unresolved.

Crypto firms continue their active policy engagement, submitting formal comments and meeting with lawmakers to advance their preferred regulatory approach.

Their primary ask remains a framework that distinguishes spot market dynamics from the derivatives oversight model. Lobbying efforts are expected to intensify as the bill moves closer to a floor vote.

The final legislation will significantly shape U.S. digital asset oversight at the federal level, setting standards for exchanges, brokers, and custodians operating in the market.

Regulators and industry participants alike are watching the Senate process closely. How Congress resolves the remaining disputes will determine whether the U.S. establishes a competitive and coherent digital asset regulatory framework.

The post Coinbase, Kraken & Gemini Push Back on Senate Crypto Listing Rules appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR

• A data provider malfunction caused Revolut to show Bitcoin priced at $0.02 while actual market rates hovered around $79,000–$80,000
• The pricing error persisted for approximately five minutes, occurring between 7:45–7:50 GMT+1 on Thursday
• Revolut attributed the malfunction to disruption from a third-party data supplier
• Customer balances, transactions, and trading functionality remained unaffected throughout the incident
• The glitch occurred weeks after Revolut secured its complete UK banking authorization

On Thursday morning, Revolut—the financial technology platform serving more than 70 million users globally—momentarily displayed Bitcoin at a price of $0.02. Actual market prices at that moment ranged between $79,000 and $80,000. Though the malfunction lasted mere minutes, it quickly gained attention across social platforms after automated price alerts reached users’ devices.

Images circulated on X displayed a Revolut notification stating: “BTC reaches a 52-week low. The price of BTC has dropped to $0.02.” The message triggered concern among certain users, though many responded with humor.

“BTC ‘crashed’ to $0.02 on Revolut. For 3 seconds, I thought I was about to buy the entire supply and become Satoshi’s final boss,” one user posted on X.

User reports indicate the error surfaced between 7:45 and 7:50 GMT+1. Throughout this timeframe, Bitcoin maintained normal trading activity across Coinbase, CoinGecko, and CoinMarketCap. Major cryptocurrency exchanges experienced no pricing anomalies.

Revolut acknowledged the problem originated from an external service provider. A company representative confirmed the pricing discrepancy had been corrected and accurate market information was once again displaying within the application. The firm indicated it continues investigating the precise source of the data disruption.

Revolut emphasized the malfunction exclusively affected displayed prices and automated notifications. Trading capabilities, account balances, and client assets experienced no disruption.

What Caused the Error

As a digital banking platform rather than a specialized cryptocurrency exchange, Revolut depends on external vendors for market information, liquidity provision, and trade execution. When one such vendor experienced technical difficulties, it transmitted incorrect data into Revolut’s pricing infrastructure and alert mechanisms.

The specific provider responsible remains undisclosed. Revolut has not publicly identified the vendor and stated it continues assessing the circumstances.

Revolut’s 24-hour price graphs for additional digital assets, including Ethereum and XRP, similarly exhibited sudden downward movements coinciding with the Bitcoin pricing error.

Context: Revolut’s Recent Expansion

This incident followed closely after Revolut obtained full UK banking authorization. The organization submitted its application in 2021 and secured provisional approval in July 2024. Complete authorization arrived last month, enabling expanded UK banking operations including deposit services.

Revolut is pursuing US banking licensure and reportedly aims for a $200 billion valuation through a public offering, though such plans aren’t anticipated before 2028.

The platform reported £3.1 billion in revenue during 2024 and facilitated transaction volumes exceeding £1 trillion. Operations span 140 nations.

Italian authorities imposed an €11 million penalty on Revolut in April regarding unfair business practices. Lithuanian regulators separately levied a €3.5 million fine concerning anti-money laundering compliance shortcomings.

Revolut confirmed pricing functionality has been restored and the issue fully resolved.

The post Revolut Users See Bitcoin Priced at $0.02 in Brief Data Provider Error appeared first on Blockonomi.

Key Takeaways

• The 21 million BTC hard cap, reinforced by 2024’s halving event, continues reducing new token issuance rates
• Expert projections suggest a baseline target of $180,000 for BTC by 2029, with optimistic forecasts approaching $350,000
• Exchange-traded funds tracking Bitcoin have created accessible pathways for traditional financial institutions
• Conservative projections still position BTC around $90,000 by 2029, anchored by brand dominance and institutional acceptance
• Weighted probability calculations across scenarios suggest approximately $200,000 by 2029

Bitcoin’s transformation from fringe digital experiment to major financial instrument is complete. The conversation has evolved beyond whether it will persist to how massive it might become.

Market experts are constructing detailed projections for BTC’s potential valuation by 2029, revealing a substantial spectrum of outcomes.

Bitcoin’s programmatic scarcity continues dominating analytical discussions. The protocol enforces a maximum supply of 21 million coins. Approximately 20 million have already entered circulation. Last year’s halving event reduced block rewards from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC, with another reduction scheduled for 2028.

The historical pattern shows reduced supply expansion paired with increasing demand has consistently driven appreciation.

Three Distinct Price Trajectories

The baseline projection positions Bitcoin near $180,000 by decade’s end. This valuation implies a network worth approximately $3.5 to $4 trillion. By comparison, physical gold commands a total market exceeding $20 trillion. Bitcoin needn’t fully displace gold to warrant elevated valuations. Capturing even a modest fraction of that market supports the baseline outlook.

This middle scenario anticipates consistent ETF capital flows, broadening institutional participation, and Bitcoin maintaining 45% to 55% cryptocurrency market share.

The optimistic trajectory extends toward $300,000 to $350,000. Reaching these levels demands significantly deeper integration — including pension fund allocations, sovereign wealth fund positions, and substantial corporate treasury commitments to BTC. Supporting these valuations would require market capitalization exceeding $7 trillion.

The conservative scenario places Bitcoin around $90,000 by 2029. This outcome would follow restrictive regulatory frameworks, diminished ETF appetite, or competing blockchain platforms capturing more market share than anticipated. Nevertheless, Bitcoin’s established brand recognition, network security, and institutional foundation would likely preserve its leadership position.

How Spot ETFs Transformed Market Access

Spot Bitcoin ETF approvals represented a fundamental market restructuring. Previously, institutional participants faced the complexity of private key management or navigating cryptocurrency-native platforms. Today they can gain exposure through conventional investment vehicles.

This development eliminated a critical adoption obstacle. Capital inflows from established financial institutions have demonstrated consistent growth following regulatory approval, with analysts identifying this as among the most significant long-term demand catalysts.

Applying probability weighting across these three scenarios produces an expected Bitcoin value approaching $200,000 by 2029.

Current market data confirms institutional ownership continues expanding, with ETF inflows maintaining momentum throughout 2025.

The post Bitcoin (BTC) Price Forecast: Can It Surge to $350K by 2029? appeared first on Blockonomi.

TLDR:

• • CME Group plans to launch Bitcoin Volatility futures on June 1, 2026, pending CFTC regulatory review and approval.
    
  • Contracts settle to the BVX index, a 30-day implied volatility measure derived from real-time Bitcoin options data.
    
  • Traders can go long or short on Bitcoin volatility without taking any direct directional exposure to BTC price.
  • CF Benchmarks powers the BVX index, extending the same infrastructure behind regulated Bitcoin ETFs and ETPs.

CME Group has announced the planned launch of Bitcoin Volatility futures on June 1, 2026, subject to regulatory review by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

The contracts will settle to the CME CF Bitcoin Volatility Index (BVX), a 30-day implied volatility measure. This product allows traders to gain or hedge volatility exposure without taking a directional position in Bitcoin. It marks a notable step in the maturation of regulated digital asset derivatives.

A New Tool for Volatility Risk Management

The Bitcoin Volatility futures contract will carry a size of $500 multiplied by the BVX index value. The index tracks 30-day forward-looking implied volatility derived from real-time CME Bitcoin options order books. It updates every second during trading hours, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT.

Giovanni Vicioso, Global Head of Cryptocurrency Products at CME Group, explained the rationale behind the product. “Crypto market participants are seeking regulated products that provide opportunities to gain digital assets exposure when markets move,” Vicioso said.

He added that traders will now be able to invest or hedge against future Bitcoin volatility, accessing a critical new layer of risk management.

This separation of volatility from price direction has long been available in traditional markets through instruments like the VIX.

For Bitcoin, however, such a tool has been absent in regulated form. The BVX fills that gap using exchange-level order book data, not spot price tracking.

David Schlageter, Managing Director and Head of Derivatives Sales at Morgan Stanley, addressed the product’s institutional value. “Bitcoin volatility futures will be an important tool for market participants to better manage portfolio risk by directly trading volatility,” Schlageter said.

Institutional desks now have a regulated path to express views on Bitcoin market uncertainty without holding the asset directly.

CF Benchmarks and the Infrastructure Behind BVX

The CME CF Bitcoin Volatility Index extends the existing benchmark infrastructure built by CF Benchmarks. The firm already powers the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate (BRR), which underpins regulated ETFs, ETPs, and lending products. The BVX now adds a forward-looking volatility layer to that same framework.

Sui Chung, CEO of CF Benchmarks, pointed to the BRR’s track record to frame the BVX’s potential. “For years, the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate has served as the benchmark spot price, allowing regulated derivatives and ETFs to flourish,” Chung said. He anticipates a similar wave of regulated products forming around the BVX.

Chung further noted that the index introduces a new dimension for investors. It enables more precise risk management and sentiment expression tied specifically to Bitcoin’s forward-looking behavior.

“With the launch of these CFTC-regulated futures contracts, we anticipate a similar flourishing of regulated financial products,” he added.

These capabilities have, until now, been difficult to implement in a regulated setting. The June 1 launch date remains subject to CFTC regulatory clearance.

Once approved, the futures will trade through CME Group’s derivatives marketplace, the world’s largest by volume.

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While bitcoin (BTC) has continued to rise in what analysts have called a bear market rally, traders and investors have increased their profit-taking. Daily realized profits have risen to levels not seen since early December 2025, while unrealized profits hover near levels historically associated with intensified distribution.

According to a CryptoQuant report, BTC has surged 37% since the beginning of April. The rally has been driven by a combination of easing macro pressures, prior undervaluation, and a sharp increase in perpetual futures demand. Amid the rally, the leading digital asset has reached a peak not seen in the last three months.

Bitcoin Profit-Taking Surges

On May 4, Bitcoin holders realized daily profits of 14,600 BTC, a level not seen since December 10. This marks the highest profit realization since December 2025, when BTC traded above $90,000. With traders back in profitable territory, the short-term holder (STH) spent output profit ratio (SOPR) has risen above 1.016, holding above 1.00. The metric has been in profitable territory since mid-April.

CryptoQuant analysts insist that historical data show that increased realized profits at key resistance levels precede local tops or sustained consolidation phases. This suggests that the Bitcoin market could witness either of the two outcomes after the ongoing rally.

On a 30-day rolling basis, Bitcoin holders are realizing net profits of at least 20,000 BTC for the first time since December 22, 2025. This trend follows a period of heavy net losses in February and March, during which investor realization fell as low as -398,000 BTC.

“The shift from net loss realization to net profit realization is a structural inflection point in bear market dynamics. The crossing back into positive net territory reflects the degree to which the April–May price rally has restored profitability across the holder base,” analysts stated.

Spot Demand Still in Contraction

Despite traders being on a 30-day net profit of 20,000 BTC, the figure remains far below the 130,000–200,000 BTC threshold associated with bull markets. At the same time, they are sitting on their highest unrealized profit margin since June 2025. Unfortunately, this level historically indicates elevated correction risk, as there is a greater incentive to lock in profits.

Meanwhile, perpetual futures demand has continued to expand, sustaining the same speculative environment that triggered April’s rally. Spot demand remains in contraction, but at a milder level than early 2026. Combined with muted exchange inflows, the current market environment carries significant correction but has not reached a distributional peak.

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Bitcoin’s price rebounded impressively from the dip to $79,000 on Friday and, although the volatility has remained mostly muted, it managed to climb gradually to $81,000 yesterday.

Most altcoins have turned red on a daily scale after the Saturday gains, but ETH, XRP, and BNB managed to remain above their key respective support levels.

BTC Tapped $81K

The business week began with substantial price volatility for the primary cryptocurrency, which rose past $80,000 on Monday for the first time since late January before it dumped to $78,400 after some reports that Iran had hit a US Navy vessel. However, the attacks were refuted by the US, and BTC quickly reclaimed the $80,000 level.

Moreover, the bulls stepped on the gas pedal in the following couple of days and pushed the asset to a new three-month peak at almost $83,000. After gaining $8,000 in a week or so, bitcoin was due for a correction and slipped to $79,000 on Friday.

Nevertheless, it bounced after that dip and reclaimed $80,000 yesterday after US President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. It even reached $81,000 briefly, but couldn’t stay there and now remains inches below that level.

Its market cap remains above $1.610 trillion on CG, while its dominance over the alts is north of 58%.

Alts Retrace

Most altcoins registered impressive gains yesterday, including some double-digit price pumps from mid-cap alts. Now, though, red dominates most charts. ICP and WLFI have dumped the most by 9%, followed by a 7.5% decline from ONDO. ZEC, XLM, LINK, HYPE, DOGE, and ADA are also well in the red.

SOL, BCH, and ETH are with minor gains, while UNI has added 3.5% and now sits above $3.85. Pi Network’s PI token was stopped once again at $0.18 for the second time in the past few weeks. It has now slipped to $0.175 after a 5% weekly decline.

The total crypto market cap has remained close to $2.8 trillion on CG.

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Aside from a few impressive but relatively brief upticks during the late 2024/early 2025 rally, Cardano’s native token has mostly underperformed in the last cycle.

While many other large-cap altcoins, alongside the market leader, managed to break their previous all-time highs last year, ADA remained far from such a feat. Its subsequent decline was also quite painful, as it now trades over 90% below its record price seen in 2021. It’s also out of the top 10 alts by market cap, slipping to the 15th spot on CoinGecko.

However, popular analyst Ali Martinez noted that it has maintained a key level that has historically led to impressive price rallies, including one of triple digits.

ADA to Bouce by 240%?

The support level in question is at $0.25, according to the analyst. In early 2023, ADA managed to rebound swiftly from it after the major correction at the time, and jumped by 85% in a relatively short period of time. Although that’s an impressive feat, the September 2023 rally of 243% was even more profound after a successful bounce from that line.

Martinez noted that the asset stands firm above that level now, currently trading $0.27 after it was rejected at $0.30 earlier this week. His short-term target is set at $0.36, while the secondary, more macro target, is all the way up to $0.53. It’s worth noting that ADA hasn’t seen such high levels in over half a year.

$0.25 is a critical support level for Cardano!

In my analysis of the monthly chart, this floor has acted as a launchpad for significant rebounds on two major occasions:

• January 2023: $ADA bounced off $0.25, resulting in a 88.27% rally over the following weeks.
• September… pic.twitter.com/COknFMkG3H

— Ali Charts (@alicharts) May 9, 2026

No Downside Pressure?

Fellow analyst CW weighed in on how investors are positioning on ADA’s futures market. They noted that there has been a notable uptick in long position net buying, which led to a minor price increase for the asset.

Moreover, CW believes ADA’s momentum continues, and there’s no evident downside pressure yet.

$ADA rose following net buying of long positions.

And the upward momentum is being maintained. There is no downside pressure yet. https://t.co/5iURKjSxNH pic.twitter.com/rpk8QEH4AZ

— CW (@CW8900) May 9, 2026

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Ripple’s XRP has continued trading within a broader bearish market structure despite the recent stabilization around the $1.3 key support zone. While short-term volatility has declined in recent weeks, the asset is now approaching a decisive technical region where the next major directional move could soon emerge.

Ripple Price Analysis: The Daily Chart

On the daily timeframe, XRP is currently facing a strong confluence of resistance levels around the $1.4-$1.45 region. This area includes the 100-day moving average, positioned near $1.4 and aligned with the upper boundary of the long-term descending channel. Such a technical confluence significantly strengthens the importance of this resistance zone and increases the probability of a bearish rejection due to growing seller presence.

The recent recovery attempts have so far lacked sufficient bullish momentum, and failure to reclaim this region could trigger another pullback toward lower support levels around the $1.3 and $1.2 areas. From a broader perspective, only a valid bullish breakout above the descending blue channel on higher timeframes would invalidate the ongoing bearish structure and potentially initiate a sustained bullish rally toward higher resistance zones.

XRP/USDT 4-Hour Chart

On the 4-hour chart, XRP has entered a prolonged consolidation phase, forming a symmetrical triangle pattern. This structure reflects a temporary equilibrium between buyers and sellers, with neither side currently holding a decisive advantage. Typically, such formations lead to strong directional moves once a breakout eventually occurs.

The price has now reached the narrowest section of the triangle around the $1.4-$1.45 range, suggesting that a breakout scenario could unfold in the near term. A bullish breakout above the upper trendline may open the path toward higher resistance regions, while a bearish breakdown below the lower boundary would likely accelerate downside pressure and continue the broader bearish trend.

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American Bitcoin (ABTC), the Trump family-backed BTC company, released its Q1 2026 financial results earlier in the week, and they showed a nearly $82 million net loss for the period.

This was despite the firm mining a record 817 BTC.

Mining Output Goes Up, But BTC Price Drop Hits Earnings

Per documents it filed with the SEC, apart from the 817 BTC it mined, American Bitcoin also bought another 803 BTC, which took its strategic reserve to 7,021 BTC by March 31.

However, at the time of writing, the stash had grown to about 7,300 BTC after the firm purchased an additional 300 units, which saw it climb the ranks of publicly traded companies holding Bitcoin to number 16.

Mining revenues declined to $62.1 million from $78.3 million, due to lower prices per Bitcoin mined of $76,000 compared to the previous quarter’s about $100,000. Still, the company posted a gross margin over 50% and cut its cost to mine by 23% to $36,200 per Bitcoin, down from $46,900 or so in Q4 2025.

Satoshis per share, the firm’s preferred measure of value creation, rose by about 20% quarter-over-quarter to about 663.

“Strip out the non-cash mark-to-market adjustment on our Bitcoin required by FASB, and the underlying business was profitable, and we did not sell a single coin,” CEO Mike Ho said in the earnings release.

President Matthew Prusak framed the cost improvement as the key operational story, saying:

“We produced Bitcoin at 52% gross margin despite a 22% decline in Bitcoin price, reflecting meaningful cost improvements that partially offset the price headwind. Every share of American Bitcoin owns more Bitcoin today than it did three months ago.”

ABTC shares fell 8.4% to around $1.15 following the earnings release, keeping the stock far below its 52-week high of $14.65.

Expansion Strategy Mirrors Wider Bitcoin Treasury Trend

The production gains were partly the result of a hardware acquisition completed in early March 2026, when American Bitcoin took delivery of 11,298 next-generation miners from Bitmain.

As was reported at the time, that deal added about 3.05 EH/s of capacity at an efficiency of 13.5 joules per terahash, deployed at Hut 8’s Drumheller site in Alberta, Canada.

The company’s total owned fleet now stands at approximately 89,242 miners with 28.1 EH/s of capacity, though its operational fleet delivering active output is 58,999 miners at around 25.0 EH/s, still roughly half the scale of the largest publicly listed Bitcoin miners.

American Bitcoin is not alone in reporting large headline losses driven by Bitcoin’s poor run at the beginning of the year, as Strategy, the largest corporate owner of the flagship cryptocurrency, earlier in the week reported that it had incurred a net loss of $12.54 billion in Q1 2026.

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