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U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs experienced a net outflow totaling $290 million on May 15, with none of the 12 funds reporting net inflows. According to NS3.AI, U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs also faced net outflows amounting to $65.65 million, marking the fifth consecutive day of such activity.

On May 16, Bridgewater, the world's largest hedge fund, released its U.S. stock holdings report for the first quarter ending March 2026. According to Jin10, the report reveals that Bridgewater established 214 new stock positions, increased holdings in 292 stocks, liquidated 261 stocks, and reduced holdings in 487 stocks during the first quarter. The fund significantly increased its positions in chip stocks such as Nvidia (NVDA.O), Broadcom (AVGO.O), and Micron Technology (MU.O), while liquidating positions in enterprise software stocks like Salesforce (CRM.N) and ServiceNow (NOW.N), and reducing its stake in Adobe (ADBE.O). By the end of the first quarter, Bridgewater's U.S. stock holdings were valued at $22.4 billion, down from $27.4 billion in the previous quarter. Specifically, Bridgewater increased its Nvidia holdings by 827,800 shares, raising its portfolio share from 2.63% at the end of last year to 3.65%. It also added 670,000 shares of Broadcom, increasing its portfolio share from 1.47% to 2.54%, and 586,000 shares of Micron Technology, raising its portfolio share from 0.93% to 2.23%. Additionally, Bridgewater initiated a new position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) with 1,077,000 shares, which accounted for 1.62% of its portfolio by the end of the first quarter.

Bitcoin fell sharply on Friday as a surge in government bond yields triggered broad-based selling across equities, commodities, and crypto, with traders rapidly repricing Federal Reserve expectations from rate cuts to potential rate hikes in a matter of days. The selloff extended well beyond digital assets, with stocks, gold, and crypto-linked equities all declining simultaneously as markets grappled with the prospect of central banks returning to tightening mode.
Bitcoin drops to $78,600 before stabilizing
Bitcoin fell as low as $78,600 during Friday's US session — down roughly 4% from Thursday's high of $82,000 — before stabilizing slightly above $79,000, still lower by approximately 2.2% over the prior 24 hours. The drop erased the gains that had followed the Senate Banking Committee's advancement of the CLARITY Act on Thursday, a development that had briefly pushed Bitcoin back toward the critical $82,000 resistance zone before the bond market reaction overwhelmed the legislative tailwind.
The catalyst: a global bond market rout
The trigger for Friday's selloff was a sharp rise in government bond yields across major economies. The US 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.58% — its highest level in more than a year — as investors priced in a more aggressive Federal Reserve path in response to resurgent inflation. UK 10-year gilt yields surged to 5.2%, their highest level since 2008, signaling that the tightening concern is not confined to the United States but reflects a broader repricing of global rate expectations.
Oil added further inflationary pressure. WTI crude oil front-end futures jumped 3% to cross $100 per barrel, reinforcing the view that energy-driven price pressures are not abating — a dynamic that makes it increasingly difficult for central banks to justify holding rates steady, let alone cutting them.
Fed expectations flip dramatically: rate hikes now on the table
The most significant market development of Friday's session was the speed at which Fed rate expectations shifted. According to CME FedWatch data, market participants now see nearly 50% odds of at least one rate hike by year-end — with virtually zero probability assigned to any rate cuts. That represents a dramatic reversal from just one week ago, when traders were pricing a 28% chance of a cut and only 1% odds of a hike. The complete inversion of those probabilities in less than seven days reflects how rapidly this week's inflation data — hot CPI on Tuesday, elevated PPI on Wednesday, and oil above $100 on Friday — has reshaped the macro narrative.
Stocks and gold sell off alongside crypto
The selloff was broad and simultaneous across asset classes. The Nasdaq 100 opened Friday's session with a 1.7% decline and the S&P 500 fell 1.2%, as rising yields compressed equity valuations and risk appetite contracted sharply. Gold fell 2.5% to near $4,500 per ounce — an unusual move for an asset typically treated as an inflation hedge, suggesting the selloff reflected forced deleveraging and liquidity needs rather than a pure macro rotation.
Crypto stocks take the hardest hits
Crypto-linked equities declined more sharply than the broader market, reflecting their higher beta to risk sentiment. Coinbase fell nearly 6% and Robinhood dropped more than 3%. Digital asset investment firm Galaxy slid 5.4%. Stablecoin issuer Circle declined 7.4%, giving back a significant portion of this week's gains that had been tied to CLARITY Act progress. Strategy, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder, fell 5.4%, while Ethereum-focused treasury firm Bitmine lost almost 6%.
Bitcoin miners took the heaviest losses in the sector. MARA Holdings and Hut 8 each dropped around 7%, Cipher Mining fell nearly 9%, and Bitdeer sank almost 11% to lead declines across the mining cohort. Miners have become increasingly tied to AI infrastructure narratives in recent months — a positioning that amplifies their sensitivity to the kind of risk-off moves triggered by rising yields and inflation fears.
The bigger picture: inflation is winning
Friday's session crystallized a macro narrative that has been building all week. Three consecutive inflation surprises — CPI, PPI, and oil — have forced markets to confront the possibility that the Federal Reserve's next move may be a hike rather than a cut, a scenario that was virtually unthinkable in financial markets just two weeks ago. The speed of the repricing, from 28% cut odds to 50% hike odds in seven days, reflects how unprepared positioning was for that outcome.
For Bitcoin and crypto markets, the implications are significant. The institutional bid that has supported Bitcoin above $80,000 through recent weeks of macro uncertainty was built in part on an eventual Fed pivot narrative. With that narrative now running in reverse, the $78,600 low tested on Friday may not be the floor if bond yields continue to climb and the tightening narrative gains further momentum into the following week.
The CLARITY Act's advancement through the Senate Banking Committee remains a genuine long-term positive for crypto. But legislative tailwinds are proving no match for a bond market that is repricing the entire global rate environment in real time.

Grayscale has submitted an amended filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a spot BNB exchange-traded fund (ETF). According to NS3.AI, Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart noted that the submission involved revisions to the product's S-1 application.

SpaceX is expected to finalize its initial public offering (IPO) price on June 11, according to Odaily. The company's shares are scheduled to begin trading on June 12. SpaceX has chosen Nasdaq as the venue for its IPO, and the stock will trade under the ticker symbol 'SPCX.'

A group of victims who lost their life savings in the collapse of FTX have filed a lawsuit against Silicon Valley law firm Fenwick & West LLP, seeking $525 million in damages. According to ChainCatcher, Bloomberg Law reported that the plaintiffs accuse the firm of being aware of FTX's breach of fiduciary duty and misappropriation of billions in customer assets, yet still assisting in the establishment of shell companies and implementing communication controls to conceal evidence. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested following the exchange's collapse in 2022 and has been convicted on seven counts of fraud and money laundering, resulting in a 25-year prison sentence.

Druk Holding and Investments has refuted claims that it has been selling Bitcoin, following suggestions from Arkham that over $200 million in BTC had been sold since the beginning of the year. According to NS3.AI, CEO Ujjwal Deep Dahal stated that he could not remember the last instance when the sovereign wealth fund sold any Bitcoin.

On May 15, 2026, 21:58 PM(UTC). According to Binance Market Data, Bitcoin has dropped below 79,000 USDT and is now trading at 78,972.09375 USDT, with a narrowed 2.98% decrease in 24 hours.

Arkham Intelligence data reveals that more than $1 billion in bitcoin has exited wallets linked to Bhutan over the past year, moving to exchanges and trading firms. Despite this significant outflow, Bhutan asserts that it has not sold any of the bitcoin, according to CoinDesk. The movement of such a large amount of bitcoin raises questions about the country's cryptocurrency strategy and the potential impact on the market.

Aptos Labs has announced the launch of KRW1, the first stablecoin pegged to the Korean won, on the Aptos network. According to ChainCatcher, this stablecoin is issued by BDACS Korea and aims to enhance on-chain payments and digital commerce applications in Korea and beyond. Aptos Labs highlighted that the decision to use its infrastructure was due to its comprehensive blockchain capabilities, which support both cross-border and local on-chain commercial scenarios.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) is advancing toward 101 after forming a double bottom, a move that historically pressured Bitcoin (BTC) prices. However, 2026 data suggests a more complex relationship. Bitcoin is trading near $80,605, up 0.97% over 24 hours and 8.71% over the past 30 days, according to BeInCrypto. Traditionally, a weaker dollar signaled looser financial conditions, boosting Bitcoin. Yet, recent price action shows mixed correlations, with both assets sometimes moving together. Institutional demand, such as ETF flows reaching $1.97 billion in April, may now influence BTC pricing independently of dollar movements.

Optimism surrounding Bitcoin has increased after the U.S. Senate Banking Committee approved the CLARITY Act with a 15–9 vote. According to NS3.AI, Santiment noted a significant rise in social media expectations. However, Santiment cautioned that an overly bullish sentiment could potentially lead to a contrary market movement.

Berkshire Hathaway has released its first-quarter holdings report, revealing notable adjustments in its investment portfolio. According to Jin10, the company increased its stake in Alphabet (GOOGL.O) and The New York Times, with Alphabet seeing an addition of over 36 million shares, raising its holding from 2.04% to 5.93%. Conversely, Berkshire completely exited its positions in Amazon (AMZN.O), Visa (V.N), Mastercard (MA.N), and UnitedHealth (UNH.N). The company also reduced its holdings in Chevron (CVX.N) and Bank of America (BAC.N).
Additionally, Berkshire initiated a new position in Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), purchasing 39.8 million shares valued at approximately $2.65 billion. Overall, the market value of Berkshire's U.S. stock holdings stood at $26.3 billion by the end of the first quarter, down from $27.4 billion in the previous quarter. During the quarter, Berkshire bought stocks worth about $16 billion and sold approximately $24 billion, resulting in a net sale of around $8.15 billion. The number of holdings decreased sharply from 42 to 29, indicating a significant increase in portfolio concentration.

On May 16, according to BlockBeats On-chain Detection, a BlackRock-associated address withdrew 1,768 BTC from a centralized exchange (CEX) five hours ago. This transaction highlights ongoing significant movements within the cryptocurrency market.

Circle has announced the launch of Arc, a new platform designed to integrate various USDC operations. According to PANews, Arc is not just another high-TPS general-purpose blockchain. Instead, it represents a comprehensive upgrade aimed at unifying USDC issuance, cross-chain transactions, payments, institutional settlements, compliance privacy, and AI Agent payments on a single execution layer.

DefiLlama reported on the X platform that the top 10 protocols accounted for 87% of the income earned by DeFi token holders over the past month. According to Odaily, Hyperliquid led with 38.4%, amounting to $53.5 million. EdgeX followed with 16.7%, approximately $23.3 million, and Pump contributed 16.4%, around $22.9 million. DefiLlama's holder income primarily includes buyback and burn, fee destruction, and income distributed to stakers or token holders, which is not equivalent to the total protocol fees.

Chainalysis has reported on X platform that prior to the THORChain theft, the suspected attacker's wallet had been moving funds through Monero, Hyperliquid, and THORChain for several weeks. According to Odaily, the wallet associated with the attacker began funding Hyperliquid positions via Hyperliquid and Monero privacy bridges as early as late April. The funds were then converted to USDC, transferred to Arbitrum, and bridged to Ethereum. Some ETH was subsequently transferred to THORChain to stake RUNE as a new node, which is believed to be the attack source.
Following this, the attacker bridged some RUNE back to Ethereum, splitting it into four paths, one of which led directly to the attacker. Forty-three minutes before the attack, 8 ETH was transferred to the wallet that ultimately received the stolen funds, while the other three paths saw funds flowing in the opposite direction. Between May 14 and 15, these wallets bridged ETH back to Arbitrum, deposited it into Hyperliquid, and transferred it to Monero via the same privacy bridge. The last transaction occurred less than five hours before the attack began. As of Friday afternoon, the stolen funds remain unused, but the attacker has demonstrated adept cross-chain money laundering skills, with the Hyperliquid to Monero path potentially being the next step.

Zora (ZORA) is set to unlock approximately 166.67 million tokens on May 23 at 21:00 UTC+8. According to ChainCatcher, this token release is valued at around $2 million. The data comes from Web3 asset data platform RootData.

T. Rowe Price has submitted a fourth amended S-1 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its proposed T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF. According to NS3.AI, the fund aims to invest in a selection of 15 cryptocurrencies. Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart noted the filing, which outlines a proposed investment basket that includes major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, Cardano, and Dogecoin.

According to PANews, a roundtable on AI consumer ecosystem innovation featured discussions by representatives from MiniMax, FateTell, and others. The participants explored the barriers to implementing consumer-grade AI, noting that as model capabilities advance, competition is shifting towards scenario understanding, user education, and emotional value. They also highlighted that future developments in hardware and personalized services are expected to reshape the market.

Blockchain sleuth EmberCN posted on X that on a recent morning, Multicoin Capital transferred 150,000 AAVE tokens, valued at $14.91 million, to exchanges via Galaxy Digital and BitGo. Following this move, AAVE's price smoothly declined by 7%, from $99 to $92. Subsequently, after AAVE hit $92, Galaxy Digital withdrew 98,000 AAVE tokens, worth $9.08 million, from multiple exchanges and returned them to Multicoin Capital's address. This action led to a slight rebound in AAVE's price to $93.
The transactions have sparked speculation about whether Multicoin Capital engaged in a strategy of selling high and buying low, or if asset management platforms like Galaxy Digital borrowed the tokens from Multicoin Capital, sold them, and repurchased them at a lower price to return.

On May 16, 2026, 02:31 AM(UTC). According to Binance Market Data, BNB has dropped below 670 USDT and is now trading at 669.659973 USDT, with a narrowed 1.33% decrease in 24 hours.

Ranger Finance, a DeFi project within the Solana ecosystem, is in the process of shutting down, according to a statement by co-founder Cobra on the X platform. According to Odaily, the project has been operating beyond sustainable limits, with founders using personal funds to keep the team running. However, delays in financing led to accumulating bills, and the anticipated funding did not materialize, resulting in the return of raised funds.
Cobra noted that the team attempted to use the remaining two months of operational funds to fairly compensate employees and suppliers, but these efforts were insufficient to cover all expenses. Additionally, treasury liquidation exceeded expectations, severely impacting budget decisions. The subsequent Drift attack further depleted remaining funds and personal capital.
For users affected by the Drift attack, Cobra mentioned that recovery tokens will be provided during the Drift team's future distribution. He also acknowledged that, in hindsight, the team should have closed the project earlier and apologized for the oversight.

SpaceX shareholders have approved a 5-for-1 stock split, according to Jin10. This decision reflects the company's strategy to make its shares more accessible to a broader range of investors. The stock split will increase the number of shares while reducing the price per share, without affecting the overall market capitalization of the company. This move is part of SpaceX's ongoing efforts to enhance its market presence and attract more investment.

The Federal Reserve has announced that Jerome Powell will serve as the interim chair until Kevin Warsh is officially sworn in as the new chair. According to Odaily, Powell's current term as chair is set to expire this Friday.

Starbucks is set to open a technology office in India as part of its strategy to cut $2 billion in expenses. Bloomberg posted on X, highlighting the coffeehouse chain's efforts to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. This move aligns with Starbucks' broader cost-cutting measures and aims to leverage India's growing tech talent pool. The company is focusing on optimizing its global operations while maintaining its commitment to quality and customer experience. Starbucks' decision reflects a trend among multinational corporations to tap into India's technological expertise to drive innovation and cost efficiency.

On May 16, Jin10 reported that the prices of gold jewelry in China have decreased compared to the previous day. Several domestic brands, including Chow Tai Fook and Luk Fook Jewelry, have seen their pure gold jewelry prices fall by 15 yuan per gram, dropping below 1,400 yuan per gram.

Barclays analysts have highlighted that prediction markets are posing a threat to other speculative investment tools and have become strong competitors to leveraged ETPs. According to Odaily, data shows that since the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the nominal trading volume on prediction platforms has been steadily increasing. In April, platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket reported nominal trading volumes exceeding $24 billion, nearly matching the scale of 'buy-write strategies' for indices and individual stocks. A year ago, this figure was only $5 billion.
The analysis suggests that the surge in prediction markets is not driven by an AI bubble but rather by viral growth among younger generations. Nearly one-third of Generation Z and the next generation of millennials are either participating in or considering engaging in prediction markets and sports betting. However, prediction markets currently struggle to compete with flagship retail products like 0DTE, with the S&P 0DTE market reaching a total trading volume of $57 trillion in March this year.

On May 16, according to BlockBeats On-chain Detection, Punk #9233 was sold for 32.50 ETH. The transaction involved the buyer, identified as 0xe884...0db7 (urhomie.eth), purchasing the asset from the seller, 0x2a19...8c65 (ats.eth).

A newly established wallet has opened a leveraged position involving 20 million DOGE, valued at $2.25 million, according to Odaily. The position was opened with a 10x leverage and has a liquidation price set at $0.10284.

Hyperliquid's policy committee recently visited Washington to engage with policymakers regarding the regulatory path under the Clarity Act legislation. According to ChainCatcher, the discussions focused on Hyperliquid's value to U.S. consumers, the global demand for on-chain transactions, and the fundamental principles of the DeFi market. Jeff.hl noted bipartisan support for prudent cryptocurrency regulation and expressed optimism about enabling U.S. users to officially access Hyperliquid.

Fitch Ratings has projected that Germany's general government debt will continue to rise, surpassing 70% of GDP by 2029. According to Jin10, this forecast reflects ongoing fiscal challenges and economic conditions that may impact Germany's financial stability in the coming years. The anticipated increase in debt levels underscores the need for strategic fiscal management to address potential economic pressures.

Solayer has launched a new Visa-compatible card designed for spending USDC, featuring a $20 annual activation fee for new users. According to NS3.AI, the card facilitates in-store, online, contactless payments, and ATM withdrawals in regions where it is supported, all accessible via the Solayer Pay app. Solayer stated that this physical card enhances their payments platform, which initially reached 40,000 users across over 100 countries.

Bitcoin mining difficulty has been adjusted, increasing by 3.12% to 136.61 T at block height 949,536, according to PANews. The average hash rate across the network over the past seven days is currently 993.81 EH/s.

BlackRock Investment Institute has highlighted the growing impact of company-level AI capital expenditures on the macroeconomic landscape. According to BeInCrypto, the asset manager's strategists, Jean Boivin and Wei Li, noted that AI spending by major tech firms is projected to reach $725 billion this year, marking a 10% increase from earlier estimates. This spending is now comparable to traditional macroeconomic drivers such as central bank policies. BlackRock estimates AI infrastructure investment could total $5 trillion to $8 trillion this decade, potentially lifting US growth above 2%.

The Moscow Exchange reported a significant increase in gold trading volume, reaching 42.6 tonnes in March 2026. According to NS3.AI, this figure is more than 3.5 times higher compared to the same period a year earlier. In terms of price forecasts, JPMorgan has set a year-end target of $6,300 per ounce for gold. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, and UBS have projected prices of $6,000, $5,400, and $5,900 per ounce, respectively.

Wall Street's major banks have set ambitious gold price targets for 2026, with JPMorgan predicting $6,300 per ounce by year-end, Deutsche Bank projecting $6,000, Goldman Sachs targeting $5,400, and UBS forecasting $5,900. According to BeInCrypto, these predictions come as gold trades near $4,548, down 16% from its January peak. Meanwhile, Russian retail investors are rapidly increasing their gold purchases, with the Moscow Exchange reporting a trading volume of 42.6 tonnes in March 2026, a significant rise from the previous year. Monetary volume surged to 534.4 billion rubles ($7.1 billion).

The prediction market Polymarket has experienced significant fluctuations in the odds for the event 'Permanent Peace Agreement Between the U.S. and Iran by June 15.' According to ChainCatcher, the probability for the 'Yes' option in the sub-market for June 15 has plummeted from 49.5% an hour ago to the current 19.5%, marking a 30% drop. Observers are advised to consider the impact of any related breaking news.

Mubadala Investment Company has increased its stake in the BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust by 16% during the first quarter of 2026, reaching a total of 14,721,917 shares valued at $565.6 million, according to a 13F filing. According to NS3.AI, the fund previously held 12,702,323 shares at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025. This increase continues a trend of accumulation that began in the fourth quarter of 2024, maintaining the position above $500 million for the third consecutive quarter.