News

According to Bloomberg, China confirmed that Trump will pay a state visit to Beijing from May 13 to 15, Xinhua reported Monday, citing a Foreign Ministry spokesperson. The summit — the first US presidential trip to China in nearly a decade — had been delayed once due to the now three-month-old Iran war. Key agenda items include Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, an extension of the October trade truce covering rare earth exports, and Taiwan. An American business delegation including Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman and Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser is expected to accompany Trump, with a series of commercial deals anticipated.

Grayscale is reportedly planning to introduce an ETF focused on Cardano by the end of 2026. According to ChainCatcher, the ETF is expected to trade under the ticker symbol GADA. This new product will convert Grayscale's existing Cardano Trust into a publicly listed ETF. If regulatory filings are activated by mid-August, it could trigger a streamlined review process by the SEC, potentially allowing trading to commence by late October 2026.

Recently, Grayscale has adjusted the asset allocation within its smart contract fund, increasing Cardano's weight from approximately 17.96% to 18.33%, while reducing exposure to other assets like Ethereum.

Iran has turned down the United States' peace proposal, leading to a notable impact on financial markets. According to Odaily, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil opened 3% higher on Monday following the news. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran's latest response, labeling it as unacceptable. In reaction, U.S. stock index futures experienced a decline of approximately 0.3%. Meanwhile, Bitcoin saw a 1.59% increase over the past 24 hours, climbing back above the $82,000 mark.

Michael Saylor recently discussed the integration of Bitcoin (BTC) with the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem as a promising trend. According to ChainCatcher, Saylor said in an interview with The Wolf Of All Streets Podcast that the rapid growth of yield tokens based on STRC, with some protocols experiencing an increase in total value locked (TVL) by $1 million per hour.

Saylor highlighted that current DeFi protocols are utilizing STRC to create yield products offering returns between 8% and 11%, further amplified by leveraging three to five times. He anticipates that the yield token market will evolve into a multi-billion dollar industry in the coming months. Additionally, Saylor revealed that STRC's current Sharpe ratio stands at 2.5, surpassing many traditional credit products, stocks, and hedge fund strategies.

Saylor stated, "When you possess assets with a high Sharpe ratio, tokenization and leveraging can create a new digital financial structure."

Michael Saylor has indicated that Strategy might restart its Bitcoin acquisitions this week, following its previous purchase of 3,273 BTC for approximately $255 million on April 27. This acquisition increased Strategy's Bitcoin holdings to 818,334 BTC, valued at around $61.8 billion at the time of publication. According to Cointelegraph, during Strategy's Q1 earnings call, Saylor mentioned that the company might occasionally sell parts of its Bitcoin treasury to finance dividends on its credit instruments.

According to The Block, Morgan Stanley's bitcoin ETF (MSBT) absorbed $194 million in assets during its first month of trading with no net daily outflows recorded—a notably clean launch. The bulk of capital came from self-directed clients, as the bank's 16,000-person financial advisor network has not yet received clearance to recommend the fund. The strong debut underscores growing retail demand for regulated bitcoin exposure through traditional brokerage channels ahead of broader advisor distribution.

XRP experienced a notable increase of 2.5% within 24 hours, surpassing the performance of Bitcoin and Ether. According to NS3.AI, the surge was particularly pronounced during the May 10 16:00–17:00 window, when trading volume peaked at 169 million. Following this, XRP reached a high of $1.5073 before retreating towards the breakout area.

Strategy CEO Phong Le announced on the X platform that the company's software business achieved its strongest performance in nearly a decade during the first quarter of 2026, with revenue increasing by 12%. According to Odaily, cloud business revenue grew by 59%, and profits rose by 27%. Le highlighted the unique synergy between the company's Bitcoin treasury and software business, noting that the software division's expertise in engineering, security, and compliance provides institutional-level capabilities to the Bitcoin operations, while the Bitcoin mission attracts talent and accelerates software innovation.

Additionally, the company has developed an AI data platform named Mosaic and plans to utilize multiple AI models over the next year to restructure internal processes and achieve system autonomy.

BlackRock has submitted two proposals to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on May 8, aiming to establish blockchain-based Treasury fund structures. According to NS3.AI, one of the proposals seeks to integrate an on-chain share class into the BlackRock Select Treasury Based Liquidity Fund, which is valued at nearly $7 billion. This initiative involves BNY Mellon managing shareholder data on the Ethereum blockchain.

The second proposal involves a stablecoin reserve vehicle that would issue permissioned OnChain Shares, requiring a minimum investment of $3 million. However, the filing did not specify the initial blockchains to be used for this vehicle.

Bitcoin is experiencing an upward trend primarily driven by spot demand rather than leverage, according to ChainCatcher. Markus Thielen, founder of 10x Research, noted on social media that this structure is healthier compared to the crowded long positions seen earlier in the cycle. He highlighted continuous inflows into ETFs, significant rises in mining-related stocks, and a more optimistic outlook in the options market. Thielen also pointed out two key catalysts this week supporting Bitcoin and the broader altcoin market. With improved trading volumes and moderate capital inflows, the set target of $88,000 for Bitcoin appears achievable. The current total market capitalization of the crypto market stands at $2.69 trillion, marking a 2.7% increase from last week, while the average weekly trading volume is $123 billion, 2% above the average level.

Pavel Durov announced that the TON network has significantly reduced its fees by sixfold, bringing them close to zero. According to NS3.AI, Telegram is set to replace the TON Foundation as the primary driver of the network. Durov stated that Telegram will become the largest validator for TON and will concentrate on launching a new TON website, enhancing developer tools, and implementing performance upgrades within the next 2–3 weeks.

According to the Financial Times, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) is set to grant Palantir, a data analytics company, unlimited access to patient data. This decision has sparked discussions about data privacy and security within the healthcare sector. The move is part of a broader initiative to enhance data-driven decision-making in the NHS, aiming to improve patient care and operational efficiency. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential implications for patient privacy and data protection.

Real Vision CEO Raoul Pal has indicated an increasing likelihood of an investment market supercycle. According to NS3.AI, Pal attributes this potential development to several factors, including elevated U.S. interest costs, a growing proportion of short-term government bonds, and potential liquidity expansion driven by banks. He emphasized that inflation remains a crucial factor, noting that a supercycle would necessitate slower service inflation resulting from productivity improvements to counterbalance the rising inflation in goods.

The oil market is experiencing heightened uncertainty as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues. Bloomberg posted on X that Morgan Stanley has warned of a 'race against time' for the industry. The factors that have previously helped restrain price increases due to the Iran conflict may not be sustainable if the strait remains closed into June. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical passage for global oil shipments, and its prolonged closure could significantly impact oil prices and supply chains worldwide.

Haun Ventures, led by crypto investor Katie Haun, has successfully raised $1 billion for a new fund. According to PANews, Multi Investment has also completed a financing round, securing approximately $616 million to enhance its investments in blockchain and Web3 sectors.

Sui experienced a 25% surge in value over the past 24 hours, driven by Sui Group Holdings' strategic move to stake 108.7 million SUI tokens. According to The Block, this significant staking decision by the company has been identified by analysts as a key factor contributing to the recent price increase. The move underscores the growing interest and confidence in Sui's potential within the crypto market.

Analyst @ai_9684xtpa posted on X that the Trump team has transferred $12.09 million worth of tokens, equivalent to 4.915 million TRUMP, to Fireblocks after a three-month hiatus. The wallet address still holds 762 million TRUMP tokens, valued at $1.88 billion. The transfer marks a significant movement of assets within the blockchain network.

Bitcoin (BTC) surged past $81,000 over the weekend, with traders cautious as geopolitical tensions and key economic data loom. According to BeInCrypto, the next technical target for Bitcoin is $83,400, driven by Fibonacci projections and a rising RSI indicating momentum. This week, investors face crucial economic indicators including Tuesday’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), Wednesday’s Producer Price Index (PPI), and Thursday’s retail sales data. Additionally, Donald Trump’s recent comments on Iran add geopolitical risk, potentially impacting Bitcoin’s trajectory. Jerome Powell’s final day as Federal Reserve Chair on Friday adds further uncertainty.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is planning to issue yen-denominated bonds for the first time, potentially aiding its investment efforts in the increasingly competitive artificial intelligence sector. According to Jin10, the tech giant is expanding its financing channels as it continues to lead in nearly all aspects of AI development. Alphabet has raised its capital expenditure forecast for this year, now planning to spend up to $190 billion, surpassing the previous estimate of $185 billion. This revised forecast is already double its expenditure in 2025.

Qianwen and Taobao have integrated to offer a new AI shopping experience. According to Odaily, users can open the Qianwen app to interact with AI for selecting, comparing, and purchasing products on Taobao. Additionally, by accessing the 'Qianwen AI Shopping Assistant' on the Taobao app, users can utilize features such as AI fitting, AI discount calculations, and AI price assistance. This marks the first deep integration between a large-scale global e-commerce platform and a top-tier AI model application.

Alibaba has pioneered the full AI shopping chain in the industry, achieving a complete process from product recommendation to order placement, fulfillment, and after-sales service. This development signifies a significant step for Alibaba in AI e-commerce.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is on the verge of overtaking Nvidia as the world's highest-valued company. According to ChainCatcher, Alphabet's stock has surged by 43% since October last year, while Nvidia's stock has increased by only 6.3% during the same period.

On May 11, a prominent trader known as 'Loracle' on Hyperliquid initiated a 10x leveraged short position on SNDK, according to BlockBeats On-chain Detection. Early this morning, Loracle significantly increased the position during a brief price surge, with an average entry price of $1,622 and a position size of $8 million. Currently, the position shows an unrealized profit of $96,000, representing a return rate of approximately 10%. Loracle is now the second-largest holder of short positions on SNDK on the platform.

SNDK has seen a remarkable increase of over 300% this year, frequently reaching new historical highs. Loracle's short position average price of $1,622 is close to the buy target price of $1,625 set by Mizuho Securities analyst Vijay Rakesh on May 7.

China's factory prices have experienced their most significant increase since July 2022, driven by the repercussions of the ongoing conflict in Iran. Bloomberg posted on X, highlighting that the war has led to rising costs for companies, impacting the overall economic landscape. Despite these pressures, consumer inflation remains controlled due to lower food prices, providing some relief to consumers. The situation underscores the complex interplay between global geopolitical events and domestic economic conditions, as businesses navigate the challenges posed by external factors.

On May 11, Lyon released a report indicating that Baidu's core business revenue for the first quarter is expected to decrease by 2.5% year-on-year to 24.8 billion yuan, primarily due to a more than 20% drop in marketing revenue. According to Jin10, AI-related business revenue is projected to grow by 39% to 12.4 billion yuan, accounting for 50% of BGB revenue. AI cloud infrastructure has emerged as a new growth engine, benefiting from a surge in inference workloads, with revenue increasing by over 40% year-on-year. Management anticipates that BGB's total revenue will grow by 1.8% year-on-year in the second quarter, with profit margins continuing to improve sequentially. Baidu's Kunlun chip spin-off plan is progressing smoothly, and the company plans to enhance shareholder returns through share buybacks and dividends. Lyon expects Baidu's BGB marketing revenue to decline by 21% year-on-year in the first quarter, a larger drop compared to the 16% decrease in the fourth quarter of 2025. This is mainly due to the late Lunar New Year affecting seasonal performance and increasing competition in the AI advertising sector. However, AI-native marketing business has performed well, with revenue expected to grow significantly by 65% year-on-year to 2.8 billion yuan, representing 22% of BGB's total marketing revenue. Lyon maintains an 'outperform' rating for Baidu, with a target price of $176.

South Korean police have announced plans to intensify their crackdown on Tether laundromats, which are reportedly used by criminal organizations to launder funds using USDT. According to NS3.AI, Park Seong-ju stated that the Korean National Police Agency will enhance virtual asset investigation training in collaboration with the Financial Intelligence Unit and other related agencies.

Orderly Network initiated a community governance vote on May 4 to decide whether to discontinue support for six blockchains that have shown minimal trading activity over the past 90 days. According to NS3.AI, the voting period ends today, May 11, and each blockchain in question requires at least 10% of the total votes cast to maintain support.

According to the announcement from Binance, the platform has introduced a new Word of the Day (WOTD) game, themed 'Binance Chat,' running from 2026-05-11 00:00 (UTC) to 2026-05-17 23:59 (UTC). This educational game aims to enhance users' crypto vocabulary and keep them informed about market trends. Participants can play up to two games daily, with those achieving at least three correct answers eligible to share a 15 BNB reward pool. The rewards will be distributed based on the proportion of correct answers, with a maximum cap of 0.01 BNB per user, and will be credited to the user's Rewards Hub by 2026-05-31 23:59 (UTC).

To enable a second game, users must click 'Get A New WOTD' after the first game and share the featured link on social media. The second game unlocks once the link is clicked by a logged-in user. Additionally, new users registering with the 'WOTD' referral code during the activity period will receive a 10% discount on Spot trading fees and may qualify for further rewards by completing tasks in the Rewards Hub within 14 days of registration.

Binance reserves the right to modify or cancel the promotion without prior notice and may update the list of eligible countries or regions. Participation is subject to Binance's terms and conditions, and users must complete account verification to be eligible for rewards. The platform also reserves the right to disqualify users engaging in dishonest behavior or fraudulent activities. The 10% Spot trading fee discount remains valid as long as the Binance referral program is active.

OpenAI has permitted its employees to sell up to $30 million worth of shares each in a recent funding round. According to NS3.AI, last October, over 600 current and former employees sold a total of $6.6 billion in stock. Sources familiar with the situation indicated that approximately 75 individuals sold their entire $30 million allocation.

Overseas investors are entering the U.S. stock market at a record pace, according to Odaily. Cointelegraph reported on the X platform that the proportion of stocks held by these investors has reached 63%. This figure has doubled since the financial crisis of 2008 and has surpassed the peak levels seen during the internet bubble era.

Japanese government bond yields have continued their upward trend, with the 30-year bond yield reaching 3.760%. According to Odaily, this marks a significant increase in the long-term bond market.

Bitcoin and Ethereum are currently exhibiting a trend of decoupling from the U.S. stock market. According to Foresight News, Alpine Fox LP founder and managing partner Mike Alfred noted this development in a recent tweet. He suggested that while some might attribute this trend to specific news events like the Clarity Act or trading activities on certain platforms, the fundamental reason is simpler: Bitcoin and Ethereum are currently undervalued, whereas many U.S. stocks are overvalued.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has set a clear objective to maintain inflation at 2% over the medium term, according to ECB Governing Council Member Koehler. According to Jin10, the Council is committed to taking all necessary measures to achieve this target.

The European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member Kocher has stated that the decision to delay interest rate hikes does not imply a prolonged wait if energy prices do not improve swiftly and significantly. According to Jin10, Kocher emphasized the importance of monitoring energy price developments closely, suggesting that the ECB remains prepared to adjust rates should the situation demand it. This statement reflects the ECB's cautious approach in balancing economic growth with inflationary pressures driven by fluctuating energy costs.

Copper is approaching its highest-ever closing price as traders overlook the ongoing deadlock between the United States and Iran, joining a wider rally in risk assets. Bloomberg posted on X, highlighting the surge in copper prices alongside gains in other metals. The market's optimism comes despite geopolitical tensions, with investors focusing on potential growth opportunities in the commodities sector. This trend reflects a broader appetite for risk, as traders seek to capitalize on favorable market conditions. The rally in metals is part of a larger movement in risk assets, driven by positive sentiment and expectations of economic recovery.

South Korea's chip industry is experiencing significant growth, which is anticipated to increase the country's trade surplus and pressure its central bank to raise interest rates later this year. According to Jin10, a team led by Goldman Sachs economist Tilton forecasts that South Korea will implement two 25 basis point rate hikes in the third and fourth quarters. They predict that South Korea's AI-related exports could double this year, reaching nearly 30% of the country's GDP. Meanwhile, non-tech exports are expected to remain sluggish due to regional supply surplus and energy shocks. The report suggests that a K-shaped cycle indicates the need for targeted and prudent fiscal policy, and as AI-driven exports rise significantly, the currency should appreciate.

GANA has officially launched the currency withdrawal feature on Conflux PayFi, allowing users to directly transfer Web3 assets to bank cards via the GANA DApp. According to ChainCatcher, this feature supports real-time deposits in major currencies such as USD, CNY, KRW, JPY, and HKD.

The launch marks a significant milestone for GANA in the PayFi sector, indicating substantial progress in building compliant payment infrastructure. Users can now conveniently and securely convert Web3 assets into mainstream currencies and deposit them directly into global bank accounts, enhancing asset liquidity and usability. GANA aims to provide compliant, efficient, and reliable Web3 payment solutions to users worldwide. The platform plans to expand supported currency channels to cover more countries and regions in the future.

The European Central Bank (ECB) should approach interest rate hikes with caution, according to Vice President Luis de Guindos. Bloomberg posted on X that de Guindos emphasized the need for careful consideration due to the ongoing effects of the Iran conflict on economic growth. The full impact of the situation has yet to be realized, and the ECB must weigh these uncertainties when making monetary policy decisions. De Guindos's comments highlight the challenges central banks face in balancing inflation control with economic stability amid geopolitical tensions.

European Central Bank Governing Council member Benoit Coeure has highlighted the risks facing economic recovery, noting that inflation risks have intensified due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. According to Jin10, Coeure emphasized the challenges posed by geopolitical tensions, which could further impact inflationary pressures. The situation underscores the delicate balance central banks must maintain as they navigate economic uncertainties.

Malaysia's state pension fund, Kumpulan Wang Persaraan Diperbadankan, has announced the appointment of Jay Khairil Jeremy Abdullah as its new chief executive officer, effective May 20. Bloomberg posted on X, highlighting Abdullah's extensive experience in banking, which is expected to guide the fund's strategic direction. The appointment comes as the fund aims to enhance its investment strategies and strengthen its financial position in the market.

Bitcoin has continued its upward trend recently, with several potential catalysts to watch this week. According to Foresight News, the U.S. Senate may hold a confirmation vote on Monday for Kevin Warsh's nomination as Chair of the Federal Reserve. If confirmed, he could officially take office this week. On Thursday, the CLARITY Act is expected to undergo further review by the Senate Banking Committee. Progress on this legislation could clarify regulatory boundaries in the U.S. digital asset market, potentially improving perceptions of the regulatory environment. Additionally, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet this week. If their talks yield constructive signals, it could ease concerns over trade and geopolitical risks, potentially supporting overall risk appetite.