Crypto World
5 Crypto Companies Shutter This Week in Market Slump
At least five crypto companies have shuttered this week as a prolonged downturn in the crypto market has put downward pressure on user activity and investor funding.
Crypto trading card platform Fantasy.top, cross-blockchain infrastructure company Everclear, and Ethereum layer-2 blockchain ZERO Network all announced Thursday that they were winding down, with their products failing to find the right fit in the market or sustain enough revenue.
This came the same week Ethereum infrastructure firm Syndicate Labs announced it was winding down after five years in a shrinking rollup market, and crypto ATM company Bitcoin Depot filed for bankruptcy in the US on Monday, citing financial strain and regulatory pressure.
Crypto companies have struggled this year amid a broad market downturn that has seen Bitcoin (BTC) fall about 40% from a peak of $126,000 in early October. Many public companies also reported losses in the first quarter, and the crypto industry has laid off more than 5,000 employees this year.
Fantasy.top posted to X on Thursday that it would shut down in June after two years of operations because its trading volume “was not sufficient to sustainably support long-term operations.”
The company added that it explored different products, such as prediction markets, to stay afloat, but “none reached durable market fit.”
Fantasy.top co-founder “Kipit” said the company failed because it “tried to put crypto on top of a model that was never built for crypto,” and attracted people “who want to make money from cards” instead of those who enjoy trading card games.

Source: Kipit
Meanwhile, Everclear said it was winding down the Everclear Foundation and Everclear Labs, the two organizations that help manage and develop the protocol, because it “never developed the commercial depth we needed” and couldn’t sustain meaningful revenue.
The protocol added that it explored various unsuccessful acquisition options and moved to a different model focused on partnerships, but had “underestimated how long it would take those partners to go live — and our runway ran out before they did.”
Everclear said it is considering open-sourcing its protocol to give its community the option of continuing to run it.

The token tied to Everclear fell sharply on Thursday after the protocol announced it was shutting down. Source: CoinGecko
Also on Thursday, the ZERO Network team posted to X that it was shuttering the network to focus on its sister crypto wallet and data service, Zerion.
Related: Bitcoin treasury Nakamoto plans reverse stock split to save ailing share price
“We launched ZERO believing users shouldn’t pay to transact on-chain,” said Zerion co-founder and CEO Evgeny Yurtaev. “We were obsessed with moving on-chain mainstream. We still are. But the world didn’t need more blockchains — it needs a better way to access them.”
Other recent crypto company closures include crypto mobile superapp Legend, which announced its closure on May 13. Solana aggregator Step Finance, crypto derivatives protocol Polynomial, crypto lending protocol Seamless and Balancer Labs, the team behind the Balancer protocol, have also closed due to the fallout from hacks or for a lack of market fit.
NYDIG research lead Greg Cipolaro said in February that the number of crypto projects that can attract investors is shrinking, with only applications or services that “extend traditional finance products onto blockchain infrastructure” getting the most attention.
Crypto platform Hyperliquid, popular for its crypto perpetual futures, has seen continued interest, pushing its token above $62 on Thursday, according to CoinGecko.
Prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket, which use blockchains, have also seen continued growth in trading volume, recording a combined record monthly volume of $23.8 billion in April, according to Token Terminal data.
Conversely, major public crypto companies, including Bullish, BitGo, Galaxy Digital and Coinbase, posted losses in their first-quarter results due to market conditions.
Magazine: Guide to the top and emerging global crypto hubs: Mid-2026
Crypto World
REAL Finance inks $100M tokenization deal with EU broker Factori AD
- REAL Finance signs first securities tokenization deal with Factori AD.
- Agreement activates institutional pipeline exceeding $100 million in assets.
- Pilot covers 5 million Alpha Bulgaria warrants valued near €2.75 each.
REAL Technologies Inc., the parent company of REAL Finance, has signed its first securities tokenization agreement with Factori AD, a fully licensed and EU-regulated investment broker.
The deal marks the first live deployment of REAL Finance’s infrastructure for regulated securities and activates an institutional pipeline of more than $100 million in client assets.
The initial transaction will involve equity derivatives linked to Alpha Bulgaria AD, a Bulgarian Stock Exchange-listed investment company, and will be executed on an EVM-compatible blockchain before the planned launch of REAL Finance’s Layer 1 mainnet.
REAL Finance moves from infrastructure build-out to live deployment
REAL Technologies said the agreement with Factori AD represents a major step in the commercial rollout of REAL Finance’s tokenization infrastructure.
The company said the deal activates a committed institutional pipeline exceeding $100 million in client assets.
It also marks the first live deployment of REAL Finance’s tokenization infrastructure for regulated securities.
Under the structure, Factori AD will direct institutional and client assets through REAL’s infrastructure.
The broker will continue to manage all regulated brokerage functions, including client onboarding, KYC, AML compliance, licensed OTC execution, and segregated custody arrangements.
International securities custody will be maintained through Bank of New York. Bulgarian securities will be held at the Central Depository in Bulgaria.
The model is designed to keep regulated brokerage and compliance functions with the licensed broker, while REAL Finance provides the infrastructure and settlement layer for tokenization.
REAL Finance said its approach focuses exclusively on tokenizing real securities.
These include publicly traded equities and derivatives, private market shares, and bonds. The company said it does not focus on synthetic exposure products.
First tranche linked to Alpha Bulgaria warrants
The first transaction under the agreement involves equity derivatives tied to Alpha Bulgaria AD, a publicly traded investment company listed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange under the ticker ALFB.
The pilot includes 5,000,000 warrants currently valued at approximately €2.75 each.
These warrants have been designated for tokenization through REAL’s infrastructure under Factori AD’s licensed custody and transfer-agent framework.
The transaction represents the first tranche of a broader institutional pipeline.
Factori AD has committed more than $100 million in additional client assets for tokenization through REAL’s infrastructure.
The transaction will be executed on an EVM-compatible blockchain before the planned launch of REAL Finance’s Layer 1 mainnet.
REAL Technologies said the pilot is designed to validate the full workflow for tokenized securities.
That workflow includes regulated sourcing, licensed OTC execution, regulated custody, and on-chain tokenization.
Dimitar Tsvetanov, managing director at Factori AD, said institutional interest in regulated tokenization infrastructure is growing.
We see growing institutional demand for regulated tokenization infrastructure that can bridge traditional securities markets with blockchain-based settlement systems. Through this agreement with REAL Finance, we are able to provide clients with a compliant framework for bringing real financial instruments on-chain while maintaining regulated execution, custody, and onboarding standards.
Regulated custody remains central to the model
REAL Technologies positioned the agreement as evidence that its tokenization model is now operational and under contract with a regulated broker.
“Signing this agreement demonstrates that REAL’s tokenization capabilities are operational and under contract with real securities and a regulated broker. The pilot allows us to validate the full model before we scale to service our multi-nine-figure committed assets pipeline,” said Ivo Grigorov, chief executive officer of REAL Technologies.
Valentin Dimitrov, chief operating officer of REAL Technologies, said the company had built the system around compliance and real financial instruments.
“We designed the architecture around licensed custody, full compliance, and genuine instruments. This first executed deal, together with the committed flow, confirms institutional demand for the infrastructure we are building,” Dimitrov said.
The deal comes amid rising institutional interest in tokenized real-world assets and blockchain-based settlement systems.
Crypto World
Ripple (XRP) Could Hit $2.80 by Year-End as ETF Assets Reach $1.39 Billion
Key Highlights
- Steven McClurg, CEO of Canary Capital, forecasts XRP may reach prices exceeding $2.80 before 2026 concludes, anticipating a 30% surge in ETF participation.
- Last week witnessed XRP exchange-traded funds attracting $60 million in net capital, marking the most robust weekly showing in 2026 and pushing total inflows to $1.39 billion.
- XRPL mainnet version 3.1.3 deployment is confirmed for May 27, with half of all network nodes already running the updated software.
- Large holders purchased more than 71 million XRP tokens during the previous seven days, while 4,300 fresh addresses appeared within a single day.
- CME Group’s XRP derivatives products generated $62.87 billion in notional trading volume during their inaugural twelve months, with daily averages reaching $238 million.
Ripple’s native token currently hovers between $1.36 and $1.40, encountering significant price resistance at the $1.40 threshold. While institutional backing remains consistent, recent trading sessions have shown limited directional movement.

CME Group reported that its XRP futures offering surpassed $62.87 billion in notional value during the first year of operation. Daily trading volume averaged $238 million, representing approximately 1.32 million executed contracts and total exposure equivalent to roughly 28.6 billion XRP tokens.
Speaking with reporters this week, Canary Capital’s Steven McClurg stated that XRP has the potential to “probably double in price by the end of the year.” Based on the current trading range near $1.40, this projection would place XRP above the $2.80 mark by December 2026.
McClurg simultaneously projected a 30% expansion in exchange-traded fund participation before year-end. However, he cautioned against expecting a linear trajectory, characterizing the upcoming summer months as “a tough summer for equities and crypto across the board.”
His market outlook divides into three distinct phases. The initial phase involves challenging summer conditions. The second phase encompasses reduced market activity during the midterm electoral cycle as investors retreat from risk assets. The final phase anticipates a powerful post-election rally fueled by ETF capital deployment, implementation of the CLARITY Act, and accelerated tokenization of real-world assets.
XRP-focused exchange-traded products registered $60 million in net inflows during the previous week, representing the strongest seven-day performance recorded in 2026. Total cumulative inflows have now reached $1.39 billion.
Network Activity Demonstrates Growth
Blockchain analytics provider Santiment identified a significant increase in XRP network expansion this week. Data from Santiment reveals that 4,300 new wallet addresses were generated within a 24-hour window — representing the fourth-largest single-day increase observed in 2026. The firm emphasized that network growth metrics serve as reliable early indicators for identifying potential price trend reversals.
Large holder activity also demonstrated accumulation patterns. Blockchain monitoring data confirms that whale addresses acquired over 71 million XRP tokens throughout the past week, although the accumulation rate has decelerated compared to earlier monthly activity.
Major XRPL Network Enhancement Scheduled for May 27
The XRP Ledger mainnet is preparing for a significant upgrade scheduled for May 27 at 03:49 AM UTC. Version 3.1.3 incorporates the fixCleanup3_1_3 amendment, designed to resolve existing issues affecting NFTs, Permissioned Domains, Vaults, and the network’s Lending Protocol functionality.
Current statistics indicate that 50% of network nodes have successfully implemented the latest software version. Validator nodes have achieved complete 100% consensus regarding the proposed amendment. Nodes failing to complete the upgrade face the risk of becoming “amendment-blocked,” which would prevent them from processing transactions or participating in the consensus mechanism.
David Schwartz, Ripple’s CTO Emeritus, has responded to various community questions concerning the upcoming upgrade. This enhancement represents one component of the comprehensive XRPL development roadmap, which encompasses tokenized real-world asset integration, permissioned decentralized exchange capabilities, and post-quantum cryptographic security implementations.
Derivatives traders maintain optimistic positions on XRP reclaiming the $1.40 level before month-end. Open interest across futures markets has expanded in recent days as the upgrade date approaches, though diminished spot market volume continues to suggest potential headwinds for near-term price momentum.
Market analyst CRYPTOWZRD observed that a decisive breakthrough above $1.40 would establish a clear pathway toward $1.55, with subsequent movement beyond that level potentially targeting the $2.00 price zone.
Crypto World
Quantum Computing Threatens $469 Billion in Bitcoin Holdings, Study Reveals
TLDR
- New Glassnode analysis reveals 6.04 million BTC — representing 30.2% of total supply — faces quantum computing threats
- Bitcoin valued at more than $469 billion has public cryptographic keys exposed on the blockchain
- Major platforms including Binance and Bitfinex display quantum exposure rates of 85% and 100%
- AmericanFortress secures $8 million in funding to create post-quantum protection using zero-knowledge proof technology
- Proposed solution aims to safeguard Satoshi’s estimated 1.1 million BTC plus nearly 5 million additional dormant coins without requiring widespread migrations
Approximately 30% of the entire Bitcoin supply currently in circulation faces potential theft risk once quantum computers achieve sufficient processing power to break existing cryptographic protections, new data from Glassnode indicates.
The blockchain intelligence company conducted a comprehensive examination of Bitcoin’s ledger to identify coins with exposed public cryptographic keys. Their investigation uncovered 6.04 million BTC — valued at over $469 billion — in a quantum-vulnerable state. The balance of 13.99 million BTC remains protected without public key exposure.
Understanding the Security Gap
Bitcoin‘s security architecture depends on the pairing of private keys with corresponding public keys. In standard operations, public keys remain hidden from blockchain visibility. However, once exposed through outgoing transactions or repeated address usage, a quantum computer with adequate capabilities could deploy Shor’s algorithm to decrypt the private key and seize control of the assets.
Glassnode categorizes the vulnerable supply into two distinct classifications. The first, structural exposure, encompasses 1.92 million BTC, accounting for 9.6% of total supply. This segment includes original “pay-to-public-key” transactions associated with Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto, older multisignature configurations, and Taproot-based outputs.
The second and more substantial category, operational exposure, contains 4.12 million BTC, representing 20.6% of supply. These holdings became susceptible through repeated address utilization, where multiple transactions from identical addresses ultimately reveal the public key to the network.
Cryptocurrency exchanges contribute significantly to this vulnerability profile. Approximately 1.66 million BTC within the operational exposure category originates from exchange wallets. Coinbase demonstrates minimal exposure at just 5% of its tracked holdings. In contrast, Binance and Bitfinex register exposure rates of 85% and 100% respectively. Glassnode emphasized these figures reflect custody architecture decisions rather than indicating insolvency concerns.
Government-held Bitcoin reserves showed superior security positioning. National treasuries in the United States, United Kingdom, and El Salvador all recorded zero quantum vulnerability.
An Emerging Solution
Technology startup AmericanFortress believes it has engineered a viable remedy. The firm, supported by an $8 million seed financing round, has created a patent-pending post-quantum cryptographic signature system built on zero-knowledge proof foundations.
This protocol eliminates the need for large-scale fund transfers or launching alternative blockchains. Rather, it employs a backward-compatible soft fork mechanism to lock and shield inactive wallets — notably including Satoshi-period addresses that cannot undergo automatic modernization.
“Our quantum-resistant protocol would automatically freeze and protect those funds until governance decides what to do with them after Q-day,” said CEO Michal Pospieszalski.
The protection mechanism extends across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Tron networks. For current wallet users, the upgrade process requires approximately 50 milliseconds through a simple wallet notification. The company estimates implementation costs comparable to a single rollup transaction.
AmericanFortress estimates that more than $600 billion in cryptocurrency holdings remain in vulnerable conditions, with Solana addresses showing 100% exposure. The firm’s cryptographic approach for Bitcoin should become available for community review within weeks, preceding a formal unveiling scheduled for June 2 in Paris.
Concurrently, Bitcoin’s developer ecosystem continues deliberating BIP-360, a technical proposal for implementing quantum-resistant transaction structures. Projections for “Q-Day” — the milestone when quantum computers could potentially compromise Bitcoin’s cryptographic defenses — span from 2030 through 2032. The United States government recently announced over $2 billion in investments toward quantum computing ventures this week.
Crypto World
$725 Million in Ethereum (ETH) Just Left Whale Wallets: The Timing Is Suspicious
Ethereum (ETH) price trades at $2,132 on May 22, holding flat after a small rebound off recent lows. The action masks a deeper split between two on-chain cohorts pulling in opposite directions.
The price chart, whale supply data, and conviction holder behavior each tell different stories. Resolving the conflict points to one of two outcomes for Ethereum in the coming sessions.
Price Pattern and Whale Exit Point to Downside Risk
Ethereum has been trading inside an inverted cup and handle since March 29. The pattern is a bearish reversal formation where price climbs in a rounded arc before rolling over. The cup completed near May 18, with the small rebound since then forming the handle.
If the handle gives way, the measured move points to a 19% correction. The downside math would set up a cycle reset for Ethereum back to early February territory.
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Ethereum whales have been adding pressure to that scenario. Santiment data shows the supply held by whales (exchanges excluded) sat at 125.36 million ETH on May 17. The reading has since drifted to 125.02 million. This is a drop worth $725 million at the current ETH price.
The whale exit started in mid-May, coinciding exactly with the cup completion phase. That timing suggests the largest stack is rotating out as the pattern matures.
The whale read validates the bearish technical setup, but a separate cohort tells a contradictory story.
Smart Money Stays Bearish While Hodlers Build Aggressive Positions
The Smart Money Index measures informed-investor conviction by comparing trading patterns. The reading currently sits below its zero line. That signals institutional and informed buyers have not returned, even with the small rebound since May 18.
This reinforces the bearish read from the pattern and the whale exit.
However, Ethereum hodlers, ones with a stash older than 155 days, moved in the opposite direction. The Hodler Net Position Change rose from 77,978 ETH on May 16 to 151,890 ETH by May 21. That works out to a 95% jump in conviction-holder accumulation over five days.
Whales sell, smart money waits, hodlers stack. The hodler buying looks paradoxical, but the cost basis distribution map explains why.
Ethereum Price Levels Hinge on Handle Support and the Cost Basis Cluster
The Glassnode cost basis heatmap shows a concentrated cluster at the $2,059 to $2,075 zone. Roughly 1.378 million ETH sits at that Ethereum cost basis range, the only meaningful supply cluster anywhere near the current price.
Hodlers are defending this floor. If the price holds above the cluster, their positions stay green, and the bid keeps showing up. If the cluster breaks, the conviction wave likely reverses.
The handle’s structural support sits at $2,102. A clean loss of $2,102 sends the price directly into the cost basis cluster. Below $2,059, the next stops are $2,017 and $1,896, with the full measured move target at $1,697.
That $1,697 reading sits below the February 6 ETH cycle low of $1,744. A move there would mark a true cycle reset, fresh territory for the current leg.
For the bullish thesis to gain traction, the Ethereum price needs to clear $2,292 first. A daily close above $2,462 would invalidate the inverted cup and handle. The $2,102 level separates a hodler defense holding the line from a full cycle reset to $1,697.
The post $725 Million in Ethereum (ETH) Just Left Whale Wallets: The Timing Is Suspicious appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto World
Mark Cuban Offloads 80% of Bitcoin Holdings After Disappointing Performance
Key Takeaways
- Billionaire Mark Cuban liquidated approximately 80% of his Bitcoin position following disappointing performance
- During the US-Iran geopolitical tensions, gold reached $5,000 while Bitcoin declined in value
- Cuban maintains his Ethereum holdings, emphasizing its practical applications in DeFi and smart contracts
- The investor characterized the majority of alternative cryptocurrencies as worthless
- Bitcoin supporters counter that the asset has gained more than 16% since tensions escalated, depending on measurement period
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, known for owning the Dallas Mavericks, has divested approximately 80% of his Bitcoin portfolio. In an interview on the Front Office Sports podcast “Portfolio Players,” Cuban revealed that Bitcoin’s performance during recent geopolitical instability contradicted his investment hypothesis.
JUST IN: Billionaire Mark Cuban says he sold “most” of his Bitcoin.
“Bitcoin has lost the plot.” pic.twitter.com/8xbRbcPBpC
— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) May 21, 2026
For years, Cuban championed Bitcoin as an improved alternative to gold. He frequently cited its capped supply and decentralized framework as advantages that positioned it as a superior wealth preservation tool. Just months ago, in January 2025, Cuban publicly stated his preference for Bitcoin over gold during economic downturns.
His perspective has undergone a dramatic shift.
The Reasoning Behind Cuban’s Bitcoin Exit
“When all this hit the fan with the Iran war, bitcoin was always the best alternative to fiat currency losing its value,” Cuban explained. “Gold just blew up and went to $5,000. Bitcoin dropped.”
Cuban’s rationale centered on a straightforward expectation: whenever the U.S. dollar weakened, he anticipated Bitcoin would appreciate. The reality proved different. While gold rallied amid geopolitical uncertainty, Bitcoin experienced a decline.
Prior to 2026, Cuban’s digital asset allocation consisted of approximately 60% Bitcoin, 30% Ethereum, and 10% various other tokens. He previously stated he had never liquidated his Bitcoin holdings. That longstanding commitment has now dramatically shifted.
“Not the hedge I expected it to be, and that was really disappointing,” he remarked.
Cuban labeled most alternative digital currencies as worthless while noting his continued confidence in Ethereum.
Ethereum Retains Cuban’s Support
Despite his Bitcoin exit, Cuban retains his Ethereum position. He has repeatedly highlighted its smart contract capabilities and its foundational role in powering decentralized finance platforms and non-fungible tokens.
Cuban draws a clear distinction between Bitcoin, which he primarily evaluated as a value storage mechanism, and Ethereum, which he considers to have more tangible practical applications.
His recent statements indicate this differentiation has become increasingly significant in his investment framework.
Bitcoin Advocates Challenge Cuban’s Assessment
Cuban’s interpretation of recent market behavior hasn’t gone unchallenged.
Cryptocurrency proponents highlight that from the initial escalation of US-Iran tensions in late February, Bitcoin has appreciated over 16% while gold has declined more than 15%. The comparative performance varies significantly based on the selected timeframe.
Bitcoin currently trades around $77,500, representing approximately a 38% decrease from its October 2025 peak of $126,080. Gold is valued near $4,500 per ounce, having retreated from its $5,000 high.
Cuban’s decision appears isolated from wider institutional trends. Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds collectively manage over $100 billion in assets, demonstrating sustained institutional appetite for the cryptocurrency.
Cuban’s portfolio adjustment represents an individual investment choice rooted in his specific expectations about Bitcoin functioning as a macroeconomic hedge — expectations he now believes the asset has not fulfilled.
Crypto World
Australian Dollar Loses Momentum After May Peaks
Fundamental Background
The RBA’s third consecutive interest rate increase to 4.35% reflects the regulator’s concern over rising inflation: the conflict in the Middle East is increasing energy costs and putting upward pressure on prices. Annual consumer inflation stood at 4.6% in March. Analysts at CBA believe this rate hike should be sufficient, with the base-case scenario pointing to rates remaining unchanged until the end of 2026, provided neither the federal budget nor second-quarter inflation data deliver major surprises.
At the same time, the Australian dollar failed to hold near its May highs, as rising demand for safe-haven assets amid global uncertainty weighed on risk-sensitive currencies.
AUD/USD Technical Picture

On the 4-hour AUD/USD chart, the upward movement from late March to early May is clearly visible, forming a pronounced trend with a characteristic wave structure. In mid-May, the trend was broken and the price declined towards the 0.7100 area, ultimately forming a green support level. The Point of Control (POC) zone is currently being tested from below, while the horizontal volume profile boundaries cover the 0.7120–0.7190 range — the corridor where the bulk of market activity is concentrated.
The 0.7190 level could act as resistance in the event of recovery attempts within the profile. The red resistance level at 0.7260 — the local May high — may remain an important reference point should the pair test the upper trend levels. The RSI + MAs indicator currently shows readings of 51 / 43 / 42, reflecting the market’s restrained and neutral character.
Key Takeaways
The key driver for the pair remains the balance between expectations for further RBA action and demand for safe-haven assets — for now, both forces continue to compete with one another. The RSI picture offers no clear advantage to either side, while price action remains close to the POC zone within a relatively narrow market profile.
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Crypto World
Coinbase Premium Drops to Monthly Low as Institutions Sell
A fresh read on on-chain and derivatives signals suggests institutional appetite for crypto has cooled further, with the Coinbase premium slipping deeper into negative territory. The metric, which tracks the gap between Bitcoin prices on Coinbase (a venue favored by U.S. institutions) and Binance (more retail-oriented), slid to its lowest level this month at -0.0983% on May 21, underscoring renewed selling pressure from professional investors.
The premium has remained negative since late April, but the pace of decline picked up over the last week. CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost characterized the move as a heightening of selling pressure among institutional traders. “Institutional selling pressure has intensified recently,” Darkfost said. “This suggests that the population of institutional and professional investors trading on Coinbase Advanced is selling more aggressively than investors trading on Binance.”
Beyond the Coinbase premium, the broader macro backdrop appears to bolster a cautious stance among institutions. Gold—historically viewed as a hedge—has fallen about 5.8% over the past month, while equities across the S&P 500 and Dow Jones have shown gains since early April. That mix points to a risk-on tilt in traditional markets and a reallocation that may be weighing on crypto demand at the margin.
Key takeaways
- The Coinbase premium sits negative, with the May 21 reading at -0.0983%, signaling intensified institutional selling pressure on Coinbase Advanced relative to Binance.
- Analysts tie the shift to hedging behavior amid macro uncertainty, with institutions repositioning and possibly taking profits, which could dampen near-term crypto momentum.
- Bitcoin ETF outflows in the United States accumulate, totaling about $1.3 billion over four trading days since May 14, while derivatives demand shows signs of waning.
- Open interest in Bitcoin futures and perpetuals declined by roughly $1.5 billion in the week, suggesting a reset of leveraged bets and a potential reliance on actual spot demand for the next move.
- Bitcoin itself has fallen about 4.5% over the past week, trading near $77,600 after a monthly low just above $76,000, roughly 38% below its October peak.
Institutional positioning and the “premium” signal
The Coinbase premium has long been monitored as a proxy for the behavior of sophisticated buyers in the U.S. market. When the premium turns negative, it implies Coinbase’s price is softer than Binance’s, which can reflect a withdrawal of U.S. institutions from spot exposure or a shift toward hedging strategies. In this cycle, the trend toward negative readings has persisted for weeks, but the steep drop over the last seven days has heightened concerns about whether a larger cohort of funds is stepping back from fresh exposure to Bitcoin.
Nick Ruck, research director at LVRG, offered a cautionary angle: the drop in the premium could signal “the emergence of net selling pressure from larger holders,” potentially indicating profit-taking or portfolio rebalancing. He warned that such dynamics might weigh on near-term price momentum across major crypto assets, especially if spot demand remains lackluster as institutional selling persists.
By contrast, some market participants view the divergence between Coinbase and more retail-oriented venues as a gauge of sector rotation rather than a pure directional bet on price. Still, the current signal aligns with a broader pattern of institutions slowing or pausing fresh allocations while macro clarity remains elusive.
ETF outflows and dwindling derivatives activity
The latest data on U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs adds another layer to the selling narrative. CoinGlass reports four consecutive trading days of outflows totaling roughly $1.3 billion since May 14. The pace of withdrawals suggests institutions are reallocating capital away from spot exposure or consolidating risk in other assets amid ongoing uncertainty.
Concurrently, operator activity in the derivatives market is cooling. Bitfinex noted that open interest—the aggregate value of outstanding Bitcoin futures and perpetual contracts—dropped by around $1.5 billion during the week. That retrenchment follows a period in which leveraged positioning had been building as Bitcoin moved toward the $82,000 region. The exchange framed the current environment as a transition: “With short-side fuel exhausted and long positioning reset lower, the next major move likely depends on spot demand.”
Bitcoin itself has retraced recently, posting a 4.5% decline over the past week and touching a monthly low just above $76,000 on Tuesday. At the time of writing, the asset hovered around $77,600, about 38% below its October peak. The combination of ETF withdrawals, falling open interest, and a still-fragile spot bid paints a picture of a market waiting for a catalyst—whether macro clarity, stronger institutional demand, or a sustained shift in risk sentiment.
Implications for traders and builders
These indicators point to a market environment where institutional demand remains tepid and price action is predominantly contingent on spot-buying vigor rather than leveraged bets. For traders, the deterioration in the Coinbase premium and the uptick in ETF outflows suggest a cautious stance: any upside move will likely require a tangible uptick in spot demand rather than relief rallies driven by derivatives leverage.
From an infrastructure and product perspective, the signals reinforce the importance of robust on-ramp options, transparent liquidity channels for institutions, and clarity on how macro shifts might influence hedging behavior. For developers and builders, evolving custody and settlement workflows, regulatory clarity, and improved access to compliant institutional products could help bridge the gap between retail enthusiasm and institutional participation.
Looking ahead, observers will be watching two intertwined threads: whether spot demand strengthens enough to absorb the existing overhang from hedgers and large holders, and how ETF and derivatives flows respond to fresh macro data and regulatory signals. If institutional selling persists and the premium remains negative, risk assets, including Bitcoin, could face the near-term pressure that many market participants already anticipate.
In the near term, investors should monitor whether spot demand improves or whether the current dynamics prolong the consolidation phase. The coming weeks will be telling for whether the dip in the Coinbase premium and ETF outflows translate into a broader regime shift or a temporary pause before renewed interest from institutional buyers returns.
What remains uncertain is how incoming macro developments—ranging from inflation data to regulatory updates and central-bank policy—will shape the risk appetite of large funds with crypto exposure. As ever, the market’s next move is likely to hinge on the delicate balance between hedging needs, liquidity availability, and the evolving appetite for risk across traditional and digital asset classes.
Crypto World
Bitcoin Pizza Day 2026 Arrived Over $300 Million Lighter Than Last Year
Bitcoin Pizza Day arrived with a $328 million loss this year. The 10,000 Bitcoin (BTC) that bought two Papa John’s pizzas in 2010 is now worth $777.87 million, down from $1.106 billion on the 15th anniversary in 2025.
The 29.7% year-over-year decline is the steepest drop in any Bitcoin Pizza Day stack since 2015, when the cryptocurrency fell 54% during a bear market.
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From a Billion-Dollar Stack to $777 Million
Last year’s anniversary arrived during a clear bull run. Bitcoin traded at $110,568 on May 22, 2025, setting new all-time highs at the time. Programmer Laszlo Hanyecz’s original 10,000 BTC stack had a notional value of $1.106 billion, per CoinGecko data.
Bitcoin extended that rally through the summer and into October. The cryptocurrency hit a new all-time high of $126,000 on October 6, 2025, amid strong institutional flows and muted retail participation.
That run ended four days later. On October 10, President Donald Trump announced 100% tariffs on Chinese imports, triggering nearly $200 billion in losses in the crypto market. Bitcoin fell from $122,000 to $107,000 following the announcement.
Bitcoin’s Journey From All-Time High to Worst Opening Quarter
Bitcoin spent the rest of 2025 below its October peak. By the time 2026 began, the rally that had powered Pizza Day 2025’s record valuation had broken.
Q1 2026 became the worst opening quarter since 2018. Bitcoin closed the period down 22.2%, with spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) losing a net $496.5 million amid Iran tensions.
Q2 has brought partial relief. Bitcoin has climbed roughly 14% over the quarter. Nonetheless, the cryptocurrency remains in the red year-to-date.
Bitcoin traded near $77,787 on Pizza Day 2026. That sits 29.7% below last year’s $110,568 price and 38% below October’s $126,000 record.
The price has now fallen in six of 16 anniversaries. 2026 marks the largest absolute dollar drop in that streak.
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The post Bitcoin Pizza Day 2026 Arrived Over $300 Million Lighter Than Last Year appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Crypto World
Polymarket goes dark, Kalshi could be next
Polymarket, the world’s largest decentralized betting platform, has gone dark for users in India. The website says, “This site can’t be reached. Check if there is a typo in polymarket.com.”
Refreshing the page does not resolve the connection issue.
The outage follows an April 25 advisory from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed at VPN service providers. The advisory warned that local users were continuing to access “illegal and blocked prediction market and online betting platforms” despite “domestic prohibitions.”
According to the directive, internet service providers were required to terminate access to prediction markets, with Polymarket among the primary targets.
While Kalshi, a platform regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), is currently still accessible, it may soon face a similar fate. Local media reports, citing an anonymous source within MeitY, claim the agency has “already issued a blocking order to Polymarket and are in the process of issuing an order to Kalshi as soon as Friday.”
CoinDesk reached out to Polymarket and Kalshi for a comment.
Prediction markets enable users to wager real money on the outcomes of binary events, such as referendums, financial asset price movements, and election results. These platforms saw a massive surge in global popularity during the 2024 U.S. presidential election, becoming a primary venue for investors to hedge or bet on political outcomes.
However, the Indian government classifies the activity on these platforms as online money gaming. As a result, they fall under a category that is completely prohibited under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act 2025.
The Indian government has maintained a consistently “risk-averse” and prohibitive stance toward the cryptocurrency sector, prioritizing financial stability and capital control over industry growth. New Delhi has utilized a “shadow ban” strategy through punitive taxation, including a 30% flat tax on gains and a 1% tax deducted at source (TDS) on all transactions, which has effectively throttled domestic trading volumes.
The Ministry of Finance has focused on bringing the sector under strict Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Strike Financing (CFT) oversight via the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). This regulatory environment has pushed many local crypto startups to relocate to more friendly jurisdictions like Dubai or Singapore, as the government and the Reserve Bank of India continue to signal that it views private cryptocurrencies more as speculative “money games” than legitimate financial innovation.
India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance met crypto exchanges Binance, WazirX and Zebpay in Delhi on May 20 to discuss regulations and taxation for what it calls a virtual digital assets (VDA) industry.
The committee expressed concerns over massive outflows from the country via the crypto channel.
Crypto World
XRP ETFs attract inflows amid wallet surge. bitcoin, ether funds struggle.
XRP held near $1.37 by midday Hong Kong time on Thursday, according to CoinDesk market data, with fresh ETF and on-chain data suggesting some investors may be rotating into XRP. Meanwhile, market leader bitcoin hovered around $77,400 and ether (eTH) remained under pressure.
CoinGlass data shows XRP-linked funds pulled in $8.88 million in the latest session, extending a streak of positive flows that includes $18.52 million on May 14 and $10.87 million on May 15. Across the past week, XRP products have attracted roughly $42 million in net inflows.
This has caught analysts’ attention because money has been leaving the largest listed crypto products. Bitcoin ETFs lost another $100.9 million in the latest daily session, following redemptions of $648.6 million, $331.1 million, and $290.4 million earlier in the same stretch. Ether products also remained under pressure, losing $32.6 million in the latest session.
The data suggests a selective appetite for alternative crypto exposure, though XRP’s broader network growth trend remains weaker than late 2025 levels.
Onchain activity offers a second, though less definitive, signal.
XRP recorded the fourth-largest daily spike in wallet creation this year, with 4,300 new wallets added in 24 hours, according to Blockchain analytics firm Santiment.

Fresh wallet creation can sometimes point to new network participation, particularly when paired with capital inflows.
But the broader Santiment chart suggests caution.
XRP’s network growth has generally trended lower since late 2025, making the latest move look more like a sharp one-day spike than clear evidence of sustained adoption.
For traders, the question is whether XRP is seeing the early stages of a broader rotation trade, or simply a short-lived burst of speculative positioning while the wider crypto market remains under pressure.
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