News

The U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April, adjusted for seasonal variations, decreased to 0.6%, marking the lowest level since February this year. According to Jin10, this figure aligns with market expectations.

U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth has confirmed that the ceasefire agreement with Iran remains effective despite recent tensions and exchanges of fire. According to Odaily, Hegseth emphasized that any negotiations with Iran will proceed under U.S. terms, indicating Washington's firm stance in diplomatic and security matters.

Gradients has completed the training infrastructure within the TAO ecosystem, exploring a new paradigm of 'market-driven AI optimization.' According to PANews, this development has the potential to become a significant entry layer for decentralized AI training in the long term.

US inflation came in hotter than expected across every major measure in April, reinforcing the case for the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates on hold not just at its June 17 meeting but likely through the remainder of 2026. Bitcoin slipped 1.2% to around $80,600 following the release as Treasury yields climbed, stock futures fell, and markets digested the implications of an inflation print that surprised to the upside on both a monthly and annual basis.
The numbers: every measure beat forecasts
The Consumer Price Index rose 3.8% year-over-year in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — above economist forecasts of 3.7% and a meaningful acceleration from March's 3.3% reading. On a monthly basis, CPI rose 0.6%, double the expected 0.3% and well above March's 0.2% increase.
Core CPI, which strips out food and energy and is the measure the Federal Reserve watches most closely, also came in above expectations. Monthly core CPI rose 0.4% against forecasts of 0.2% and March's 0.3%. Year-over-year core CPI climbed to 2.8%, above the 2.7% forecast and March's 2.6% reading.
There were no soft spots to find in the report. Headline and core inflation both accelerated month-over-month and beat estimates at every level — a clean upside surprise that leaves the Fed with no data-driven justification to begin cutting rates.
Market reaction: yields up, stocks down, Bitcoin lower
The reaction across asset classes was swift and consistent. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 4.44% as bond markets priced in a longer period of elevated rates. US stock index futures fell across the board. WTI crude oil added further macro pressure, rising 3% on the day to $101 per barrel — a level that itself feeds back into inflation and complicates the Fed's path forward.
Bitcoin traded at approximately $80,600 to $80,800 in the minutes following the release, down 1.2% over the prior 24 hours. The move was contained relative to the equity market reaction, consistent with Bitcoin's recent pattern of holding above $80,000 even as macro headwinds emerge. Whether that support level holds through the week will depend on how markets continue to digest not just the CPI print but the PPI and retail sales data still to come.
Fed rate cuts: effectively off the table for 2026
Ahead of the CPI release, markets were already pricing a 98% probability that the Fed would leave rates unchanged at its June 17 meeting, according to the CME FedWatch tool. Wednesday's data does nothing to change that — and likely pushes any meaningful rate cut discussion further out into 2027.
The Fed currently holds its benchmark fed funds rate at 3.50% to 3.75%. Bank of America had already revised its forecast this week to project no cuts until the second half of 2027. With April CPI accelerating on both a monthly and annual basis — and core inflation moving in the wrong direction — the argument for earlier cuts has become harder to make.
The timing is particularly notable given that Kevin Warsh is set to be confirmed as the next Federal Reserve chair this week, expected to take over from Jerome Powell on May 15. Warsh is widely regarded as more hawkish on inflation than Powell. Inheriting a CPI print that shows inflation re-accelerating on his first week in the role sets a clear tone for how his tenure is likely to begin — prioritizing price stability over any pivot toward easier policy.
What it means for crypto
For Bitcoin and the broader crypto market, the hot CPI print removes one of the near-term bullish catalysts that had been building over the past several weeks. Rate cut expectations had been a supporting narrative for risk assets — the idea that an eventual Fed pivot would push capital into higher-risk, higher-return assets including crypto. That narrative now has to be pushed further into the future.
The more immediate risk is whether persistently elevated inflation, combined with oil at $101 and a newly confirmed hawkish Fed chair, begins to weigh on the institutional risk appetite that has been the primary driver of Bitcoin ETF inflows and the broader crypto rally since April. If professional investors begin treating higher-for-longer rates as a reason to reduce risk exposure rather than maintain it, the $80,000 support level that has held through recent turbulence will face a more sustained test.
The CLARITY Act deliberations in the Senate Banking Committee this week remain a potential positive offset — regulatory clarity would reduce institutional friction around crypto allocation regardless of the macro backdrop. But Wednesday's CPI data made clear that the path to Bitcoin's next leg higher runs through an inflation problem that is not yet resolved.

eBay has rejected a roughly $56 billion acquisition offer from GameStop, dismissing the bid as "neither credible nor attractive," according to market sources reported on May 12. The rejection sets the stage for a potential proxy battle after GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen signaled he is prepared to take the proposal directly to eBay shareholders if the board refuses to engage.
How the bid came together
GameStop made its offer on May 4, proposing to acquire eBay at $125 per share in a combination of cash and stock — a price that valued the e-commerce giant at approximately $56 billion. Cohen disclosed that GameStop already held around 5% of eBay's outstanding shares at the time of the offer, giving the company an existing stake in the target it was bidding for.
The $125 per share offer represented a meaningful premium to eBay's trading price, and Cohen's public disclosure of GameStop's existing stake was a clear signal that the approach was not a casual inquiry — it was a calculated opening move in what he was prepared to make a prolonged campaign if necessary.
eBay's rejection and what comes next
eBay's board moved quickly to reject the offer, characterizing it in blunt terms as lacking both credibility and attractiveness. The dismissal leaves Cohen with a decision to make: walk away or escalate. Based on his stated position ahead of the rejection, escalation appears to be the more likely path.
Cohen had already made clear that if eBay's board declined the offer, he was prepared to launch a proxy fight — a process through which GameStop would campaign directly to eBay's shareholders to either force a vote on the acquisition or push for board-level changes that would make a transaction more likely. With GameStop holding approximately 5% of eBay shares, Cohen has a meaningful platform from which to build that case to other investors.
Proxy fights at this scale are expensive, time-consuming, and uncertain in outcome. But Cohen has a track record of using aggressive shareholder activism to force corporate change — most notably at GameStop itself — which makes the threat more credible than it might be coming from another acquirer.
The broader context
The bid represents an unusual move for GameStop, a company that has spent the past several years rebuilding its balance sheet and pivoting away from its brick-and-mortar retail roots. An acquisition of eBay at $56 billion would be transformational in scale — eBay's marketplace business would dwarf GameStop's current operations — and the financing structure of a cash-and-stock deal raises questions about how GameStop would fund and integrate an acquisition of that magnitude.
Those are likely among the reasons eBay's board felt comfortable rejecting the offer as not credible. Whether shareholders agree with that assessment — or whether Cohen can assemble enough support to force a different outcome — is the question that will drive this story forward.

The most widely cited long-term valuation gauge for US equities just broke into uncharted territory. The Buffett Indicator — which measures total US stock market capitalization as a percentage of GDP — surpassed 230% for the first time in May 2026, setting a new all-time record and reigniting debate about whether Wall Street's rally has pushed valuations beyond any reasonable historical precedent.
What the Buffett Indicator measures
The ratio was popularized by Warren Buffett, who described it in a 2001 Fortune magazine interview as "probably the best single measure of where valuations stand at any given moment." The calculation is straightforward: divide the total market capitalization of all US-listed stocks by the country's gross domestic product. The result expresses how large the stock market is relative to the actual size of the underlying economy producing the wealth that stocks are supposed to represent.
A reading above 100% has historically been considered overvalued. The ratio peaked at around 140% during the dot-com bubble before the Nasdaq collapsed. It reached approximately 200% in late 2021 before the 2022 bear market. Breaking above 230% in May 2026 puts current valuations in a category with no direct historical comparison.
What is driving the record
Analysts point primarily to the concentration of market capitalization in a small number of mega-cap technology companies. The AI capital expenditure boom has driven extraordinary earnings growth and valuation expansion at the handful of companies sitting at the top of the index — and because those companies now represent an unusually large share of total market cap, their valuations pull the aggregate ratio higher in ways that do not necessarily reflect conditions across the broader market.
This concentration dynamic is important context for interpreting the indicator. A 230% reading driven by five or ten companies trading at extreme multiples tells a different story than a 230% reading spread evenly across thousands of companies. The former reflects a specific bet on a specific technology cycle. The latter would indicate broad-based speculative excess.
Both can end badly. But they tend to end differently and on different timelines.
What it doesn't mean: this is not a timing signal
Analysts are consistent on one point: a record Buffett Indicator reading is not a signal that a crash is imminent or even likely in the near term. The ratio has been elevated relative to historical norms for most of the past decade, and markets have continued higher for extended periods despite persistent overvaluation warnings.
The indicator is better understood as a long-term risk assessment tool than a precise market timing mechanism. It tells investors that the margin of safety in US equities is historically thin — that future returns over a ten or twenty year horizon are likely to be lower than they would be if stocks were purchased at more reasonable valuations. It does not tell investors that next month, or next quarter, will be the moment of reckoning.
Markets can remain extended for longer than any valuation model predicts, particularly when driven by structural forces — technological transformation, institutional capital flows, or regulatory tailwinds — that are difficult to price conventionally.
What it means for Bitcoin and crypto
The record Buffett Indicator reading sits uncomfortably alongside the broader market narrative that has supported Bitcoin's rally since April. The same institutional risk appetite and AI-driven optimism that pushed the Nasdaq to record highs and Bitcoin above $80,000 is also the force pushing the Buffett Indicator to levels never seen before.
If that risk appetite reverses — whether triggered by a policy shock, a geopolitical escalation, an earnings disappointment from a key tech giant, or simply the weight of extreme valuations becoming too heavy to ignore — the correlation between US equities and Bitcoin that has strengthened significantly since the launch of spot ETFs means crypto would not be insulated from the fallout.
The more constructive reading is that the same structural forces driving equity valuations — AI adoption, institutional digitization, tokenization of financial infrastructure — are also long-term tailwinds for crypto specifically. In that framing, Bitcoin and digital assets are not just along for the ride on the equity bubble; they are part of the same technological transformation that is reshaping how capital is allocated and valued.
Either way, a Buffett Indicator above 230% is a data point that belongs in every serious investor's risk framework — not as a reason to sell everything today, but as a reminder that the current environment offers less margin for error than almost any point in market history.

The ETH/BTC ratio fell to its lowest level in ten months on Tuesday, dropping to 0.02835 — the weakest reading since July 2025 and a decline of more than 35% from its August peak of 0.04324. The move came as Ether dropped more than 2% on the day against Bitcoin's more modest 1% decline, extending a pattern of persistent underperformance that has become one of the clearest signals of where institutional capital is — and isn't — flowing in the current cycle.
What the ETH/BTC ratio measures and why it matters
The ETH/BTC ratio tracks Ether's performance relative to Bitcoin across crypto exchanges and is one of the most widely followed gauges of broader market risk appetite. When the ratio rises, it typically signals that investors are rotating capital out of Bitcoin and into Ether and other higher-risk assets — a sign of strengthening risk sentiment and a broader crypto bull market gaining momentum. When the ratio falls, as it has been doing, it signals the opposite: investors favoring Bitcoin's relative stability and defensive characteristics over the more speculative exposure that Ether represents.
In that sense, Tuesday's ten-month low is not just an Ether story. It is a statement about where the current market cycle stands — and the picture it paints is one of selective, Bitcoin-centric institutional demand rather than the broad-based risk appetite that historically drives altcoin outperformance.
The long-term trend: a multi-year decline
Tuesday's reading fits into a deteriorating longer-term picture for Ether relative to Bitcoin. The ETH/BTC ratio peaked above 0.08 in December 2021 — more than double its current level — before entering a prolonged multi-year downtrend. Much of the weakness through 2024 and into 2025 was driven by Bitcoin's outperformance following the January 2024 launch of US spot Bitcoin ETFs, which attracted significant institutional inflows that disproportionately benefited Bitcoin rather than the broader crypto market.
The ratio eventually bottomed at 0.01770 in April 2025 during the market turmoil surrounding President Trump's Liberation Day tariff announcements. It then staged a sharp recovery, gaining roughly 135% through the remainder of 2025 as sentiment improved. But that recovery has since unwound by 35% from its highs, and the ratio is now trading substantially below its 200-week moving average of 0.04828 — a long-term technical benchmark that reinforces the view that Ether remains in a structural bear market relative to Bitcoin, not just a short-term dip.
Why Bitcoin keeps winning the institutional capital battle
The ETF dynamic is central to understanding the divergence. US spot Bitcoin ETFs have pulled in billions in institutional inflows since their January 2024 launch, creating a sustained and structurally new source of demand for Bitcoin that has no equivalent on the Ether side — at least not yet at the same scale. When professional capital allocators add crypto exposure through regulated vehicles, they are predominantly adding Bitcoin exposure. Ether ETFs exist but have attracted a fraction of the flows.
The result is a two-speed crypto market. Bitcoin benefits from institutional demand that is increasingly disconnected from retail sentiment cycles. Ether and the broader altcoin market remain more dependent on the kind of speculative retail rotation that tends to emerge later in bull cycles — if and when it emerges at all.
What a recovery would require
For the ETH/BTC ratio to reverse its downtrend meaningfully, one of two things would likely need to happen. Either Ether-specific catalysts — accelerating ETF inflows, a major network upgrade driving fee revenue and burn, or a breakout in DeFi and stablecoin activity — would need to attract fresh institutional demand specifically for ETH. Or Bitcoin would need to stall at a key resistance level long enough for capital to rotate into higher-beta assets, as has happened in previous cycle phases.
Neither condition is clearly in place right now. Bitcoin is holding above $80,000 with continued ETF support, the CLARITY Act's progress through the Senate Banking Committee this week is primarily a Bitcoin and broad digital asset story rather than an Ether-specific catalyst, and Ether's own ETF flows have been modest at best.
Until the ratio can reclaim and hold above the 200-week moving average at 0.04828 — a level nearly 70% above current prices — the long-term bearish trend for Ether relative to Bitcoin remains firmly intact.

Lawmakers have publicly released the text of the crypto market structure bill ahead of their vote, according to CoinDesk. The bill, which had been circulating within the industry behind closed doors, aims to address regulatory frameworks for the cryptocurrency sector. This move is seen as a significant step towards formalizing the legal landscape for digital assets, potentially impacting market participants and regulatory compliance.

Bitcoin's recent rise above $80,000 is attributed more to leverage than actual spot demand, according to Wintermute. The firm noted that open interest increased by approximately $10 billion over the past month. According to NS3.AI, Wintermute also highlighted that spot trading volume has dropped to its lowest level in two years, describing the situation as a classic short squeeze setup.

Spot silver continued its sharp rally into Monday morning, reaching a high of $87 and hitting its highest level in nearly two months. The move has put significant pressure on at least one large on-chain short position that is now just 2.5% away from forced liquidation — while a whale who went long with 20x leverage during the overnight surge is sitting on floating profits exceeding 100% of their initial investment.
Silver's rally: seven percent in 24 hours
Spot silver climbed steadily from Sunday night through Monday morning, peaking at $87 before the SILVER perpetual contract on Hyperliquid settled around $85.8 at the time of writing — still representing a 7% gain over the prior 24 hours and a new two-month high for the metal. The move comes against a broader backdrop of elevated commodity prices, with oil also trading above $100 per barrel amid ongoing geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.
The short position under pressure
Among all whale positions exceeding $1 million opened on-chain in the past week, only one is positioned against the current trend. A single short position worth $1.72 million carries a liquidation price of $88.26 — just 2.5% above current trading levels. If silver continues higher and breaks above $88, this position would become the first on-chain whale liquidation of the current rally, with the forced buyback potentially accelerating the move higher as the liquidation engine closes the position at market.
The proximity of that liquidation level to current prices makes it a closely watched technical trigger. Traders monitoring the move will be watching whether silver can sustain momentum above $86 and push toward the $88 zone where the liquidation would activate.
The long whale printing over 100%
On the other side of the trade, the most profitable on-chain address during this rally is wallet 0x9e8b1e51c642f4c8b87c6ba11c53d516a218afc4. During the main upward wave overnight, this address entered a long position with 20x leverage, deploying $5.17 million at an average entry price of $81.2. At current prices around $85.8, the position is carrying a floating profit of approximately $270,000 — representing more than 100% return on the initial margin deployed.
The position has not been closed at the time of writing, meaning the profit remains unrealized and subject to reversal if silver pulls back. At 20x leverage, a 5% adverse move from the entry price would eliminate the initial margin entirely — making position management critical as the metal approaches the $88 level where the opposing short liquidation sits.

U.S. inflation data has surpassed expectations, dampening hopes for a Federal Reserve rate cut this year and causing a broad retreat in risk assets. According to Odaily, following the data release, the market anticipates that the Federal Reserve will maintain interest rates between 3.50% and 3.75% at its June 17 meeting, potentially keeping them unchanged through the end of the year.
The data's impact led to a short-term decline in Bitcoin, trading around $80,700 to $80,814, with a 24-hour drop of approximately 1.2%. U.S. stock futures also weakened, and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury rose to 4.44%. In commodities, WTI crude oil increased by about 3%, reaching $101, further intensifying concerns over persistent inflation.
Analysts note that with inflation exceeding expectations and energy prices strengthening, market risk appetite is suppressed in the short term, putting pressure on the repricing of both crypto assets and equity markets.

Microsoft set a target to achieve a $92 billion return from its early significant investment in OpenAI, according to Bloomberg. This information was revealed during a court hearing on May 11 in Oakland, California, involving a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk against OpenAI and Microsoft. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated in court that the investment was successful because the company took on the associated risks.

Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA) has announced its financial results for the first quarter, revealing a revenue of $174.6 million, which marks an 18% decrease compared to the same period last year. According to NS3.AI, the company emphasized that bitcoin mining continues to be its core operational focus. The net loss for the quarter expanded to $1.3 billion, largely attributed to unrealized losses on the 38,689 BTC held on its balance sheet. In an effort to manage debt and improve financial flexibility, MARA sold approximately $1.1 billion worth of bitcoin towards the end of the quarter.

According to the announcement from Binance, the exchange will remove and cease trading on several spot trading pairs as part of its periodic review process. This decision is aimed at protecting users and maintaining a high-quality trading market. The delisting is scheduled for 2026-05-15 at 03:00 (UTC) and will affect the following pairs: ATOM/FDUSD, AXS/BTC, CELO/BTC, GAS/BTC, MANTA/FDUSD, PYTH/BTC, SANTOS/BTC, SIGN/FDUSD, SOPH/FDUSD, XVS/BNB, and XVS/BTC.The delisting of these spot trading pairs is based on multiple factors, including poor liquidity and trading volume. However, the availability of the tokens on Binance Spot will not be affected. Users can continue to trade the base and quote assets of these pairs through other available trading pairs on the platform. Additionally, Binance will terminate Spot Trading Bots services for the affected pairs at the same time. Users are advised to update or cancel their Spot Trading Bots before the cessation to avoid potential losses.

OpenAI has announced plans to acquire the consulting firm TOMORO to establish a private equity joint venture. According to Jin10, this strategic move aims to expand OpenAI's influence in the financial sector by leveraging TOMORO's expertise. The acquisition is expected to enhance OpenAI's capabilities in providing AI-driven solutions to private equity firms, marking a significant step in its business diversification efforts.

According to CoinDesk, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) will integrate Chainlink's Runtime Environment and data standard into its blockchain-based Collateral AppChain — a Besu-based platform enabling tokenized, 24/7 real-time collateral management across traditional and blockchain markets. Chainlink will handle pricing, valuation, margining, eligibility checks and settlement orchestration. The integration extends a 2024 Smart NAV pilot involving JPMorgan, BNY Mellon and Franklin Templeton. DTCC's subsidiaries processed $4.7 quadrillion in securities transactions in 2025 and custody assets valued at $114 trillion.

Bitcoin Ordinals browser Ord.io announced on the X platform that it will cease operations on June 1. According to PANews, the platform, launched three years ago, has served over one million users. The team plans to upload the complete history of likes, replies, and public address data to GitHub, allowing future developers to build related Ordinals browsing tools based on this data.

Sam Altman is set to testify in a federal court in Oakland, California, on Tuesday, according to Foresight News. This testimony is part of a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk against OpenAI. Altman will appear after OpenAI Board Chair Bret Taylor completes his testimony. Musk's 2024 lawsuit accuses OpenAI, Altman, and President Greg Brockman of deviating from the company's original 'non-profit' and 'public benefit' commitments, alleging that Musk's $38 million donation was used for unauthorized commercial purposes.

During Monday's hearing, Taylor highlighted the functions of the OpenAI board and the governance structure following the company's reorganization. He noted that the company faced a potential crisis when Altman was briefly removed as CEO in 2023. Taylor also mentioned that after last year's capital restructuring, the company's structure became clearer, although the non-profit entity still retains control.

Investors, including SoftBank and Thrive Capital, have linked their investment conditions to the company's structural adjustments. Additionally, Satya Nadella testified on Monday, stating that Musk never expressed concerns about Microsoft's investment in OpenAI violating any special agreements. Nadella expressed pride in Microsoft's decision to invest in OpenAI when others were hesitant. He also described the 2023 OpenAI board incident as 'amateurish' in his view.

Franklin Templeton is set to explore the launch of new tokenized versions of its financial instruments, including yield products. According to The Block, the initiative aims to leverage blockchain technology to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of Franklin Templeton's offerings. This move reflects a growing trend among traditional financial firms to integrate digital assets into their product lines, potentially expanding their reach and appeal in the evolving financial landscape.

ZKsync has announced on Platform X that governance service provider ScopeLift has officially proposed the 'ZK Fee Flow System.' According to Odaily, this proposal aims to implement a set of smart contract systems that will enable the ZKsync governance mechanism to distribute and route protocol-generated fees through a controllable on-chain path. This initiative seeks to create a more flexible and programmable framework for fee flow and governance design.

Stream Finance announced on Platform X that it is seeking ways to maximize the value of assets for customers and creditors. According to Odaily, the goal is to integrate, liquidate, and distribute assets prudently and swiftly. The team is considering several strategic alternatives that require the involvement of customers and creditors, with more details expected in the coming weeks. Inquiries can be directed to Jeremiah Ledgwidge at Cooley LLP.

In November last year, Stream Finance reported a loss of $93 million in assets and subsequently suspended withdrawals, leading to a significant de-pegging of XUSD.

Ondo Finance has been increasingly mentioned by major traditional financial institutions in their earnings calls, highlighting its growing role in the tokenization of capital markets. According to ChainCatcher, Broadridge CEO Tim Gokey referred to Ondo Global Markets as a 'leading provider in the field' during an earnings call in April 2026. Additionally, Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson noted Ondo Global Markets as a key distribution partner for their tokenized ETF products in a previous earnings call.

Ondo Finance stated that while a year ago, traditional financial institutions viewed 'asset tokenization' as a concept under observation, many CEOs of large financial institutions now consider Ondo Global Markets an essential part of future capital market infrastructure.

Nvidia shares have reached a new all-time high following the opening of the U.S. market, experiencing a 1.8% rise. According to NS3.AI, this marks another significant milestone for the company as it continues to perform strongly in the market.

On May 12, a significant transfer of ONDO tokens was observed. According to BlockBeats On-chain Detection, the Ondo project's multi-signature address transferred 150 million ONDO tokens seven hours ago. Subsequently, 21.338 million ONDO tokens were moved to centralized exchanges (CEX) one hour ago.

Aptos and tZERO have announced a partnership to integrate tZERO's institutional tokenization platform with the Aptos Layer 1 blockchain. According to NS3.AI, this collaboration aims to facilitate the issuance of real-world asset tokens on the Aptos platform, enhancing the capabilities for issuers in the blockchain ecosystem.

A recent investigation by on-chain detective ZachXBT has revealed that U.S. threat actor Dritan Kapllani Jr. is suspected of stealing $19 million from cryptocurrency holders through social engineering tactics. According to Foresight News, Dritan has been known for flaunting a lavish lifestyle on social media, showcasing luxury cars, watches, and private jets. On April 23, 2026, he publicly displayed $3.68 million in his Exodus wallet during a Discord call.

ZachXBT traced Dritan's Ethereum address (0x4487db847db2fc99372a985743a26f46e0b2bba6) to a social engineering theft of 185 BTC (approximately $13 million) on March 14, 2026. The following day, his Exodus wallet received $5.3 million in stolen funds, of which $1.6 million was spent within six weeks.

On May 11, 2026, a criminal complaint against co-conspirator Trenton Johnson was made public, with Johnson facing a maximum sentence of 40 years. Dritan is named as a co-conspirator (CC-1) in the complaint but has not yet been formally charged. Additionally, Dritan's previous interactions with John Daghita (Lick) in a 'wealth comparison' indirectly led to ZachXBT exposing his crimes in January 2026.

France's central bank deputy governor, Denis Beau, has called for European public and private sectors to collaborate on creating tokenized euro money. According to NS3.AI, this initiative comes as U.S. dollar-pegged tokens dominate 98% of the stablecoin market. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde expressed skepticism, noting that the case for euro-denominated stablecoins might be weaker than perceived. She also warned that the $310 billion stablecoin market could heighten financial vulnerabilities.

Beau emphasized the need for Europe to adapt central bank money services, develop pan-European tokenized private money through regulated financial institutions, and enhance the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. He announced that a tokenized wholesale central bank money service is expected to launch by the end of this year.

France’s central bank deputy governor has called for public and private European entities to engage in digital asset development, according to CoinDesk. This position contrasts with the stance of European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, who has been more cautious about digital assets. The deputy governor's comments highlight a growing divergence in views on digital asset strategy within European financial leadership.

Edward Jones Investment Strategy Senior Economist James McCann commented on the U.S. CPI report, stating that American residents continue to face the impact of soaring energy costs, adding to the inflationary pressures that have persisted since the pandemic. According to Jin10, the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, suggesting that the peak of this price pressure may not yet have been reached, with risks increasing. The good news is that the economy has shown resilience to this price shock so far. Many consumers have benefited from tax refunds this year, the job market has improved from its near-stagnation in 2025, and corporate profit growth has been quite strong. These buffers are limited, but they are expected to help the economy withstand the shock to some extent.

Fluid announced on Platform X that damage to Resolv infrastructure has resulted in approximately $21 million in bad debt. According to Odaily, a solution has been devised to address the remaining $19.3 million in debt: Resolv will cover about $9.7 million, Fluid's governance treasury will handle $8.2 million, and the Fluid team will take on $1.5 million. Fluid has destroyed all remaining USR tokens within the protocol at the contract level, allowing users to exchange them directly through Resolv.

To ensure long-term sustainability, Fluid will pause token buybacks, significantly reduce or eliminate FLUID token incentives, and the foundation will halt its monthly $250,000 grant from March to June. Additionally, its Solana DEX is expected to launch within six weeks.

SharpLink has announced on platform X that since the initiation of its Ethereum treasury strategy, the company has accumulated staking rewards totaling 19,277 ETH. According to ChainCatcher, the company also reported earning 477 ETH in staking rewards last week.

Digital asset investment products experienced significant inflows totaling $857.9 million over one week, according to NS3.AI. This marks the sixth consecutive week of positive inflows. Bitcoin was a major contributor, accounting for $706.1 million of the total. As a result, total assets under management have increased to $160 billion.

According to The Block, TD Cowen has reiterated its $16 price target on Sharplink Gaming after Q1 earnings, implying 106% upside, citing the company's Galaxy Digital-managed $125 million onchain Ethereum yield fund and a 0.8x net-asset-value discount as a "favorable setup." The firm highlighted broadening institutional Ethereum demand as a structural tailwind, positioning Sharplink — which holds 872,984 ETH — as a compelling risk-reward among corporate digital asset treasury companies.

Stellar Development Foundation and the Bermuda government have announced plans to migrate key payment and financial services to the Stellar network. According to Odaily, this initiative aims to establish a 'fully on-chain national economy' in Bermuda, leveraging the regulatory framework of the 2018 Digital Asset Business Act. The plan seeks to significantly reduce payment processing costs for local merchants, which currently range from 3% to 5% or higher.

Under the new system, Bermuda residents will be able to use Stellar network digital wallets to receive salaries, make merchant payments, pay government fees, and hold digital assets. The government will pilot stablecoin payments, and financial institutions will have access to tokenization tools. These assets will also be used in government payment scenarios, including social service distributions.

Federal Reserve President Austan D. Goolsbee stated that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for April did not meet expectations. According to Jin10, this development has raised concerns about the inflation trajectory and its potential impact on future monetary policy decisions. Goolsbee's comments highlight the ongoing challenges faced by the Federal Reserve in managing inflationary pressures while supporting economic growth.

Cerebras, a manufacturer of artificial intelligence chips, is set to go public this week with an initial public offering (IPO) valuation of $5.5 billion. According to Jin10, this move is expected to generate a windfall of potentially over $5 billion for OpenAI.

Strategy reported holding 221.9 million TON as of March 31. According to NS3.AI, this position represents 4.29% of the total TON supply. The Nasdaq-listed company disclosed these figures in its latest financial update.

According to ChainCatcher, data from Coinglass reveals that a whale on the Hyperliquid platform currently holds positions totaling $4.279 billion. Long positions account for $2.108 billion, representing 49.27% of the total, while short positions amount to $2.171 billion, making up 50.73%. The profit and loss for long positions is $23.0107 million, whereas short positions have a loss of $55.9643 million.

Notably, a whale address, 0xa5b0..41, has taken a 15x leveraged long position on ETH at a price of $2,265.48, with an unrealized profit and loss of $900,400.

Arthur Hayes has highlighted the global AI arms race as a catalyst for increasing fiat credit, positioning Bitcoin as the primary beneficiary. According to NS3.AI, Hayes noted that Bitcoin reached a low near $60,000 earlier this year and expressed confidence in its potential to rebound to $126,000.