Crypto World
Crypto Market Structure Bill Clears Committee; Senate Vote in Focus
The U.S. Senate moved a crucial digital asset framework forward, as the Banking Committee advanced the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY) with bipartisan support. While the development marks meaningful momentum for a long‑stalled market structure bill, its fate in the full Senate remains contingent on a broader political consensus, including ethics provisions and potential changes before a final vote.
On Thursday, Democratic Senators Ruben Gallego and Angela Alsobrooks joined 13 Republicans in backing CLARITY, signaling cross‑party alignment after months of procedural delays within the committee. The House earlier cleared its own version by a substantial margin, and the Senate Agriculture Committee had already moved its portion addressing commodities market rules. Together, the committee track signals a coordinated effort across chambers, but final passage will depend on how the full Senate negotiates the contours of the bill before sending it to the White House for sign‑off.
“The momentum and progress are strong,” commented Ji Hun Kim, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, after the vote. “The House passed its version with broad support, and the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its market‑structure provisions earlier this year. The Banking Committee followed suit with bipartisan backing, underscoring a shared interest in formalizing how digital assets fit into U.S. regulatory frameworks.”
Source: Cynthia Lummis
Nevertheless, a number of Senate Democrats and at least one Republican signaled they would not support CLARITY in its current form without ethics provisions addressing potential conflicts of interest involving officials’ ties to the crypto industry. Banking committee chair Tim Scott and the remaining 12 Republicans voted against an amendment that would have addressed President Trump’s potential connections to digital assets, reflecting a broader policy debate about governance and ethics in the crypto space.
Following the committee vote, Senator Thom Tillis acknowledged that “more work remains in the weeks ahead to make this legislation even better.” Some industry advocates echoed the sentiment, urging careful crafting of the bill to balance innovation with robust oversight. Senator Raphael Warnock, addressing the markup, argued that any final package should confront “pure corruption” concerns regarding executive‑branch and political‑figure involvement in the sector, a stance that has shaped the ethical debate surrounding CLARITY.
As of this report, no timetable had been set for a full Senate vote. The chamber’s calendar projected sessions through late May and again in June, excluding weekends and holidays. If CLARITY clears the 60‑vote threshold to invoke cloture, it would move back to the House for concurrence before potentially reaching the president’s desk. White House crypto policy adviser Patrick Witt has indicated the administration’s target for sign‑off remains aligned with a July 4 timeline, tying the legislation to the Independence Day period.
Key takeaways
- The Senate Banking Committee approved CLARITY with bipartisan support, marking a meaningful step toward a formal market‑structure framework for digital assets.
- Ethics provisions and concerns about officials’ ties to the crypto industry constitute a central hurdle for broader Senate acceptance.
- The bill’s fate depends on cloture discussions, cross‑chamber negotiations, and potential amendments before final passage in the Senate and House concurrence.
- Legislative momentum is mirrored by related committee actions in the Agriculture Committee and a confirmed House passage, signaling cross‑chamber alignment on market structure topics.
- Tax policy developments are moving in parallel, with discussions around how digital assets should be treated for statutory purposes, including stablecoins and income from lending or staking.
Legislative momentum and the path to law
The CLARITY framework seeks to codify a recognized market structure for digital assets, complementing existing commodity and securities regimes. The Banking Committee’s vote followed earlier progress from the Agriculture Committee, which had advanced its portion addressing commodities markets, and after the House approved its own version with broad Democratic support. Taken together, these actions reflect an emerging consensus on the need for a formalized oversight pathway for digital assets, even as lawmakers debate the balance between innovation, consumer protection, and national security concerns.
Despite the procedural gains, the path to passage remains uncertain. A 60‑vote threshold to advance the bill through the Senate could hinge on securing enough lawmaker support for ethics language and other contentious provisions. The White House has signaled an expectation that CLARITY could be signed into law in the near term, aligning with broader policy priorities around digital assets, but practical passage will depend on how lawmakers address outstanding concerns and finalize the text.
Policy context, cross‑border considerations, and market implications
The CLARITY discussions unfold against a wider regulatory backdrop that includes parallel efforts in the European Union’s MiCA framework and ongoing U.S. regulatory developments by agencies such as the SEC, CFTC, and DOJ. For market participants, a formalized U.S. market structure would influence licensing requirements, compliance regimes, and the handling of stablecoins and other tokenized instruments within regulated banking and payment rails. The evolving policy environment underscores the need for robust AML/KYC standards, clear disclosure obligations, and consistent enforcement expectations across jurisdictions.
Industry advocates emphasize that a well‑defined structure could reduce regulatory uncertainty for exchanges, liquidity venues, and financial institutions seeking to engage with digital assets. However, the ethics debate—partly rooted in concerns about potential conflicts of interest and provenance of certain market activities—highlights the political and governance dimensions that can shape the final form of the bill and its implementational timeline.
Tax policy discussions surface in closed sessions
Beyond market structure, lawmakers are actively examining how digital assets should be taxed. The House Ways and Means Committee reportedly hosted a bipartisan session to discuss crypto tax policy, a signal of ongoing interest in clarifying coding treatment for digital assets. The developments follow the December 2025 introduction of the Digital Asset PARITY Act by Representatives Max Miller and Steven Horsford, which seeks to clarify the tax code’s treatment of digital assets, with particular attention to stablecoins and income generated from lending or staking activities. These discussions reflect regulatory and policy efforts to align tax treatment with the practical realities of digital asset usage and investment strategies, with implications for both individuals and institutions seeking to maintain compliant tax positions.
For financial institutions, tax clarity is integral to risk management, reporting obligations, and compliance planning. Clear tax guidance helps banks, custodians, and exchanges design appropriate controls and disclosures, reducing ambiguity in cross‑border transactions and enhancing the reliability of financial reporting. The ongoing conversations illustrate how tax policy can shape the operational choices of crypto firms, including how they structure products, manage liquidity, and report income to regulators and tax authorities.
Closing perspective
As the political clock continues to run, CLARITY’s ultimate fate will hinge on the alignment of ethics provisions with market‑structure goals and on the broader willingness of lawmakers to settle outstanding governance questions. The cross‑committee momentum signals a serious bid to formalize U.S. digital asset regulation, with meaningful implications for exchanges, banks, and institutional investors. Keep a close watch on the Senate schedule, potential amendments, and the evolving tax policy narrative, all of which will shape how digital assets are regulated, taxed, and integrated into the mainstream financial system.
The US Senate Banking Committee passed the crypto framework CLARITY Act yesterday.
Now, the bill, for which the crypto industry has heavily lobbied since it was introduced in 2025, will head to the Senate floor for a broader debate.
As Cointelegraph reported, over 100 amendments were proposed while lawmakers hashed out the exact language of the bill. These covered a wide range of issues, including ethics, AI sandboxes and stablecoin yields.
But many of these fell apart. While two Democrats joined with their Republican colleagues, the vote was mainly along party lines.
The chances for the bill to pass look good, with nearly all Republicans and some Democrats supporting, but increasing partisan gridlock ahead of the elections could still delay passage.
CLARITY gets out of committee on party lines
After yesterday’s session, Senator and committee chairman Tim Scott announced “a successful bipartisan markup” in advance of the bill proceeding to the Senate floor.
Scott speaks at the markup session. Source: US Senate
“After nearly a year of good-faith bipartisan negotiations, Senate Banking Committee Republicans and Democrats came together today,” he said.
While the tone of Scott’s announcement leaned on supposed bipartisanship, the actual vote was mostly split along party lines. All 13 Republican members of the committee voted to advance the bill. All but two Democrats voted against, save for Senators Ruben Gallego and Angela Alsobrooks.
Contrary to Scott’s message of bipartisanship, Senator Jack Reed stated that Republicans arbitrarily dismissed Democrats’ concerns about the bill, which ranged from how crypto could enable crime to the president’s use of crypto projects for personal enrichment.
Indeed, the minority released a brief after the vote, outlining its concerns. They stated that the current version, as passed by the majority, fails to adopt global anti-money laundering standards, exempts DeFi protocols from financial standards and doesn’t close loopholes for crypto mixer services.
Related: Who supports CLARITY on the US Senate Banking Committee?
While there are clearly some pro-crypto Democrats in Congress, whether the bill can progress depends on them crossing the aisle to vote against their own party.
Currently, the Republicans hold a 53-seat majority in the 100-seat Senate. To pass CLARITY, they’ll need 60 votes, so at least seven Democrats willing to vote with them.
Republicans (red) hold a 53-seat majority in the Senate.
At the Wyoming Blockchain Summit last year, Scott said that there were 12 Democrats open to the market structure bill, giving Republicans and the crypto lobby what they need to cross the line.
But that may not ring as true now as it did then. The Congressional Progressive Caucus announced opposition to any bill which could “allow the President and his family to enrich themselves, engage in corruption, and sell access to the White House through cryptocurrency.” Notably, CLARITY’s current draft does not contain any such provisions.
Progressive groups have called on lawmakers to address these concerns. A group of organizations including Americans for Financial Reform, Demand Progress Action, Indivisible and Public Citizen wrote a letter on May 8.
“A bill without strong ethics provisions elevates the dangers of cheating consumers and investors, distorting and destabilizing financial markets, hindering competition, eroding longstanding investor protection laws, and making a mockery of regulatory enforcement,” they said.
Ryan Cooper, a senior editor at progressive politics publication The American Prospect, even suggested that Democrats who voted with the crypto industry ought to be primaried. “Allowing yourself to be bought by the crypto lobby is unforgivable,” he wrote.
Ethics could represent a politically volatile and important sticking point as the bill is debated on the Senate floor.
Industry still optimistic
Despite the largely partisan vote and the lingering ethics concerns, the crypto industry was largely optimsitc about the May 14 markup session.
Javier Martinez, CEO and former chief legal officer at crypto trading platform sFOX, said the vote represented a “major step toward resolving crypto’s regulatory identity crisis in the United States.”
Congress is “moving toward replacing regulatory ambiguity with a more defined legal framework. And markets respond to clarity,” he told Cointelegraph.
Ji Hun Kim of the Crypto Council for Innovation said the vote will make the US more competitive in the digital asset space. CLARITY will “ensure that our country leads when it comes to digital assets policy and innovation,” he said.
Blockchain investors and Blockstreet chief operating officer Kyle Chasse said, “This is the biggest regulatory moment in crypto since spot ETFs.”
Notably, the bill was held up for months as the banking and crypto lobbies argued over whether stablecoins could bear yields. Banks claimed this could lead to a critical flight of deposits, endangering financial stability, while crypto accused banks of stifling competition.
The version that passed markup last night sided with the banks, but would still allow crypto platforms to offer other activity-based rewards.
Even then, pseudonymous crypto trader 10 Delta said, “The yield ‘ban’ is cosmetic & simply something for banks to tout as a victory.”
“It bans stablecoins from paying you interest for just holding them: the way a savings account does. But it explicitly allows stablecoins to pay you rewards for using them: buying things, lending, providing liquidity, participating in any program.”
Ultimately, the focus is still on the market. Alexander Lorenzo, founder and chief investment officer of CoinPicks Capital, said, “The last crypto bill to clear this exact process was the GENIUS Act in July 2025. Bitcoin hit an all-time high of $123,000 within weeks.”
“CLARITY is bigger. It covers the entire crypto market, not just stablecoins.”
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Market analysts say Ether (ETH) faces “downside risks” that could trigger another 20% downtrend toward $1,700, new analysis said.
Key takeaways:
- Rising Ether supply on exchanges and declining ETF inflows suggested a possible ETH price drop over the coming days.
- Ether’s rising wedge pattern projected a potential 22% drop to $1,725
ETH inflows to exchanges rise
Ether’s 40% recovery from multi-month lows below $1,800 was dampened by resistance from the $2,400 level.
Analysts have outlined several reasons for Ether’s inability to break $2,400, including “significant” inflows into exchanges, according to CryptoQuant analyst BorisD.
The chart below shows a sharp increase in ETH reserves held on Binance to 3.84 million from 3.36 million between May 5 and May 9.
The analyst explained that as inflows accelerated, the “price action failed to show strong continuation to the upside,” dropping 7% to $2,260 from $2,390 over the same period.
“This suggests that liquidity was being both absorbed and distributed within the range,” BorisD said, adding:
“The broader structure still points toward downside risk remaining dominant for now.”
ETH exchange reserve on Binance. Source: CryptoQuant
While other analysts see potential for fresh upside in the coming days, “those moves may primarily serve distribution purposes rather than signal the start of a strong bullish trend,” the analyst added.
Making the same observations, fellow analyst PelinayPA said any short-term rebound in ETH would be “followed by high volatility, and then a continuation of the broader downtrend,” adding:
“The large amount of ETH being moved onto exchanges continues to create significant resistance against upward price movements.”
This coincided with sharp exchange inflows, as the Ether net position change among exchanges rose to 585,000 ETH on May 13, marking the largest spike since December 2025, when ETH was trading at $3,000. This preceded a 42% drop to $1,750 in February.
ETH: Exchange net position change
Such inflows typically indicate distribution by large holders, who move tokens from cold storage or redeem ETH investment products.
Meanwhile, demand for spot Ethereum ETFs continues to decline, with these investment products recording outflows for four consecutive days, totalling $190 million. This points to a drop in demand from US investors, adding to Ether’s headwinds.
Spot ETH ETFs flows chart. Source: SoSoValue
Ether’s rising wedge targets $1,725
The daily chart shows ETH/USD validating a rising wedge breakdown, after the price breached the support provided by the lower trend line of the pattern at $2,280.
A daily candlestick close below this level will confirm the breakdown, clearing that path for Ether’s drop toward the wedge’s measured target at $1,725, representing 22% decline from the current price. This coincides with its previous macro low reached on Feb. 6.
ETH/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView
Rising wedges are typically bearish reversal patterns, and Ether’s break below the pattern is “starting to become a concern,” analyst ShangoTrades said in a recent X post.
Zooming out, fellow analyst CryptoBullGod said ETH could drop to $1,280, which is the measured target of a bear flag, as shown on the weekly chart below.
ETH/USD weekly chart. Source: CryptoBullGod
Wall Street’s biggest banks have set their boldest gold targets yet for 2026, and Russian retail investors are not waiting.
JPMorgan now sees gold reaching $6,300 per ounce by year-end. Deutsche Bank projects $6,000, while Goldman Sachs targets $5,400 and UBS forecasts $5,900.
These calls land at a striking moment. Gold trades near $4,548, down roughly 16% from its January record all-time high. Most analysts call the pullback a buying opportunity inside a structural bull market.
Russians are Buying Gold Fast
Meanwhile, Russian investors are moving fast. The Moscow Exchange reported gold trading volume of 42.6 tonnes in March 2026, more than 3.5 times higher than a year earlier.
Monetary volume jumped fivefold to 534.4 billion rubles ($7.1 billion).
Russians now have five main ways to gain exposure. The simplest is an unallocated metal account (OMS) at a bank. Brokerage instruments like GLDRUB_TOM offer next-day spot settlement.
Investors can also choose exchange-traded gold funds, gold-mining stocks, or new digital financial assets (DFAs) tied to the metal.
Oleg Reshetnikov of BCS World of Investments says spot instruments lead the pack.
“The most convenient way for Russians to invest in gold and silver is the instruments ‘Gold for Rubles’ and ‘Silver for Rubles’ with next-day settlement,” Reshetnikov said.
His firm targets $5,385 in the next 12 months.
For smaller budgets, brokerage apps have opened the door.
“The easiest thing today is to buy gold from a broker,” portfolio manager Alexander Ryabinin of SF Education said. “Tinkoff Gold can be bought for 13 rubles, right in the broker’s app.”
Still, experts urge diversification across formats.
“One should not glorify a single channel but combine them — part in digital form for turnover, part on the exchange, and if necessary a small physical layer as insurance,” said Rais Ismagilov of AVI Capital.
However, risks remain. April US inflation hit 3.8%, the highest in a year, pushing back expected Fed rate cuts. India also raised gold import tariffs to 15%, cooling physical demand.
And Russia’s own central bank has been a net seller, offloading 22 tonnes in 2026 to plug budget gaps.
For now, though, retail demand keeps rising, and Wall Street keeps lifting its gold price prediction.
The post Wall Street’s Boldest Gold Prediction Has Russians Rushing to Buy appeared first on BeInCrypto.
The military government of Myanmar released the text of a bill aimed at combating online fraudsters, with several penalties related to cryptocurrencies and scam centers.
According to the text of the Anti-Online Fraud Bill, made public on Thursday, Myanmar’s parliament, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, proposed the law in response to online fraud in the country, which it said challenged its “sovereignty and stability.”
The law stated that anyone who was convicted of committing “digital currency fraud” or online fraud could face from ten years to life in prison, and possibly the death penalty.
In addition, the law set out conditions under which the death penalty would be imposed, including those related to the country’s scam centers. Anyone responsible for the death of an individual who had been coerced or exploited into committing online fraud would receive a sentence of death.
Source: Myanmar government
The proposed law and its potential penalties were some of the most severe imposed globally for digital currency fraudsters amid scam centers cropping up in areas of Southeast Asia. In January, China reportedly ordered the execution of 11 people linked to Myanmar scam centers that had been responsible for trafficking Chinese nationals.
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International authorities have been working to combat human trafficking in scam centers that continue to con people globally through schemes like pig butchering, romance scams, fake investments and more. The US announced in April that they had worked with authorities in China and Dubai to arrest more than 200 people and shutter nine centers.
Myanmar’s military overthrew its civilian government in a 2021 coup d’état, resulting in its parliament not reconvening until March 2026 following elections the Council on Foreign Relations called “neither free nor fair.” According to a Wednesday notice, the government is scheduled to meet the first week of June and may consider the bill at that time.
Americans lost billions to crypto scams in 2025
According to an FBI report released in April, Americans’ losses from crypto-related scams were more than $11 billion in 2025 and more than $20 billion overall through online fraud. The agency cited a March executive order from US President Donald Trump, who authorized officials to work against “scam centers and cybercrime.”
“The [US Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia] Scam Center Strike Force is investigating the worst scam compounds located in Southeast Asia,” said the FBI report. “Strike Force teams focus on identifying and pursuing key leaders—including Chinese organized crime affiliates operating in Cambodia, Laos, and Burma—to bring them to justice.”
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Myanmar’s military published a draft bill on May 14 proposing life in prison for crypto scam operators.
Summary
- Myanmar’s Anti-Online Scam Bill proposes life imprisonment for operating digital currency scam centers.
- The bill allows the death penalty for individuals using violence, torture or unlawful detention to force victims into scam work.
- Myanmar’s military-backed parliament is next scheduled to sit in the first week of June to advance the legislation.
The draft legislation, called the Anti-Online Scam Bill, states that anyone convicted of “digital currency fraud” or running an online scam center faces a sentence ranging from ten years to life in prison.
The bill permits capital punishment for operators who use “violence, torture, unlawful arrest and detention, or cruel treatment against another person for the purpose of forcing them to commit online scams.”
Military bill targets digital currency fraud with maximum sentences
Myanmar’s military-backed parliament, which analysts describe as a rubber-stamp legislature, is next scheduled to sit in the first week of June.
The bill is the first piece of legislation introduced by the new government led by coup leader Min Aung Hlaing, who assumed the civilian presidency last month.
Internet fraud compounds have become a major regional crisis. The FBI reported that cryptocurrency-related fraud losses in the United States reached $11.4 billion in its most recent crime report, with more than half of all internet crime losses tied to crypto schemes. Many of the networks behind those losses operate out of Southeast Asian compounds.
US authorities have escalated enforcement pressure. The DOJ froze $701 million in crypto tied to global scam networks in April 2026, naming Myanmar and Cambodia-based compounds that rely on trafficked or coerced workers to execute large-scale fraud.
The scale of Myanmar’s operations is well-documented. Chainalysis found that romance scammers operating from the KK Park compound in Myawaddy alone siphoned nearly $100 million in crypto from global victims between 2022 and 2024.
The bill is part of a broader regional shift. Cambodia adopted anti-fraud legislation in March 2026 with prison sentences up to 10 years for ringleaders. Singapore plans to launch a dedicated Cyber Command enforcement unit in July 2026.
Crypto World
BeInCrypto 100 Institutional Awards Nomination: KuCoin for Leader in Digital Asset Adoption and Best Trading Infrastructure
Digital asset adoption is moving into a more practical phase. The question is no longer which exchange has the loudest retail brand. It is which platform can give brokers, fintechs, institutions, and traders the infrastructure to connect with digital asset markets at scale.
KuCoin is nominated for Leader in Digital Asset Adoption and Best Trading Infrastructure at the BeInCrypto Institutional 100 Awards 2026.
Adoption Metric
Last Verified Data
Registered users
40M+
Active footprint
200+ countries and regions
Broker and fintech partners
1,000+
Regulatory footprint
AUSTRAC registration, MiCAR-CASP via KuCoin EU
Payment products
KuCoin Pay, KuCard
KuCoin Institutional Infrastructure Snapshot
The nomination reflects KuCoin’s shift from a retail trading venue to a broader liquidity and infrastructure provider. The exchange says it has surpassed 40 million users worldwide, while its institutional business now serves more than 1,000 broker and fintech partners.
In a BeInCrypto adjudication interview, Alison Qin, Head of KuCoin Institutional & VIP, described the change clearly.
“The industry has recognized that retail attention is transient, but infrastructure is foundational. KuCoin has fundamentally outpaced traditional retail marketing by transforming into a high-fidelity liquidity engine for over 1,000 brokers and fintech partners,” Qin said.
| Infrastructure Metric | Last Verified Data |
| Unified Trading Account | Spot, futures, and margin assets in one capital pool |
| OES integrations | BitGo Singapore Go Network, Cactus Custody, Ceffu MirrorX |
| RWA collateral framework | RCMS with UBS uMINT and Asseto CASH+ |
| Crypto-as-a-Service | Nearly 80 partners globally with liquidity solutions across partner ecosystems |
| Collateral support | BTC, ETH, and tokenized RWA assets |
Same Firm. Two Scoring Sheets
KuCoin’s dual nomination rests on two linked stories.
For Leader in Digital Asset Adoption, the case centers on distribution. KuCoin operates across more than 200 countries and regions, supports payment products such as KuCoin Pay and KuCard, and has expanded its regulated footprint through AUSTRAC registration in Australia and a MiCAR authorization for KuCoin EU in Austria.
The MiCAR approval allows KuCoin EU to offer regulated crypto-asset services across the European Economic Area.
For Best Trading Infrastructure, the case centers on how KuCoin is changing the way institutions access liquidity.
The clearest example is its Off-Exchange Settlement framework. Institutional clients can trade on KuCoin while keeping assets with a qualified custodian.
KuCoin has live integrations with BitGo’s Go Network and Ceffu’s MirrorX, both designed to reduce prefunding and counterparty risk by separating custody from exchange execution.
That matters because institutional traders don’t just need an order book. They need custody separation, settlement controls, collateral efficiency, and execution access that fit regulated workflows.
The UTA Advantage
KuCoin’s infrastructure nomination also centers on its Unified Trading Account, launched in 2026.
UTA allows traders to consolidate spot, futures, and margin assets into a single account. KuCoin says the system supports shared margin, integrated risk management, and lower-latency order placement, cancellation, and message updates for professional and high-frequency traders.
“When our Unified Trading Account architecture is paired with global data transparency, it levels the playing field,” Qin said. “We don’t ask for trust; we provide the data that makes trust inevitable.”
That data layer expanded in April 2026, when KuCoin made its futures market data available on TradingView. The integration gives TradingView’s 100 million-plus users access to KuCoin perpetual futures symbols, real-time market data, and liquidity insights directly inside TradingView charts.
Turning RWA Collateral Into Trading Infrastructure
KuCoin’s strongest institutional story is its RWA Collateral Mirroring Solution, or RCMS.
Through the framework, institutions can use tokenized real-world assets as trading collateral without moving the underlying assets out of their regulated structure.
In 2025, KuCoin partnered with DigiFT to support UBS uMINT, a tokenized money market fund product, as off-exchange collateral. DigiFT described the integration as a way for tokenholders to use their funds as collateral through KuCoin’s mirroring program while improving capital efficiency.
KuCoin later expanded the framework with Asseto’s CASH+, a tokenized product linked to a USD money market fund. KuCoin Institutional said the integration helps institutions deploy capital across traditional and digital markets while preserving yield and maintaining asset control.
This is where KuCoin’s two nominations overlap. Adoption is no longer only about user growth. It is about whether real financial instruments can move into the crypto market structure without breaking custody, compliance, or collateral rules.
The BeInCrypto Institutional 100 Awards recognize firms building the systems that could define the next phase of digital finance.
KuCoin’s nomination reflects its role in turning exchange infrastructure into a bridge for brokers, institutions, tokenized assets, and global digital asset users.
The post BeInCrypto 100 Institutional Awards Nomination: KuCoin for Leader in Digital Asset Adoption and Best Trading Infrastructure appeared first on BeInCrypto.
Key Takeaways
- Bank of America’s Justin Post predicts Google will reveal an advanced Gemini LLM at its May 19 I/O conference
- The upgraded Gemini version may feature enhanced reasoning capabilities, improved coding functions, multimodal processing, and extended context windows
- Agentic AI functionality is anticipated as the central focus, featuring enhanced integration throughout Chrome, Gmail, Maps, and Android platforms
- BofA reaffirms its Buy recommendation with a price objective of $430, suggesting approximately 8% potential gains
- Elevated market expectations present downside risk if product reveals fail to impress investors
Alphabet’s marquee Google I/O developer event is set to launch on May 19, and financial analysts are positioning for what’s expected to be a significant showcase.
Justin Post, an analyst at Bank of America, outlined his projections in a Friday research note, indicating he foresees a comprehensive suite of artificial intelligence reveals focused on Gemini technology and autonomous agent functionality.
GOOGL shares declined 0.96% on Friday in anticipation of the upcoming conference.
Bank of America projects Google will introduce a cutting-edge iteration of its Gemini large language model—possibly designated as version 4 or a substantial 3.X enhancement. This forthcoming model is anticipated to deliver advances in logical reasoning, programming capabilities, multimodal functionality, and extended context processing.
Additionally, more efficient and cost-effective Flash versions are expected, alongside enhanced models designed for video creation, image synthesis, and audio generation.
Autonomous AI Agents Expected to Dominate Conference
Agentic AI is projected to serve as the primary focus of the developer conference. Industry reports indicate Google is developing autonomous task execution features spanning Chrome, Gmail, Maps, Calendar, Search, and Android operating systems.
This evolution means Gemini could handle restaurant bookings, calendar modifications, form completion, and e-commerce workflows—all with minimal user intervention.
Chrome browser functionality is particularly highlighted. AI-enhanced browsing may enable Gemini to directly engage with web platforms and execute complex multi-step processes, though transaction approval would still require user authorization.
Google might also enhance its AI assistant with persistent memory features, real-time camera interaction capabilities, and proactive contextual assistance.
Search Evolution and Wearable Technology Updates Expected
Regarding search functionality, Post anticipates improvements to AI Mode features, framing it as a complimentary AI assistant offering superior personalization and cross-application integration.
Smart glasses capabilities are also projected to receive significant coverage, with Post observing that developments in this category could generate interest ahead of a possible second-half product launch.
Post indicates that ongoing Gemini advancements would bolster Google Cloud platform adoption and consumer interaction—two metrics under close market scrutiny.
However, he acknowledges that widespread implementation of autonomous agent systems will likely require years rather than months. Users will continue prioritizing efficiency and affordability from specialized applications.
“We would expect Booking and Expedia to be key partners in any agentic announcements around travel, while we would not expect Amazon to be an early partner for eCommerce,” Post said.
With Google shares trading around 27x projected 2027 earnings, Post suggests “AI surprises” will probably be necessary to drive valuation multiples higher.
Post identifies one notable risk: investor expectations entering I/O are considerably elevated. Should the product announcements disappoint, the stock could experience short-term selling pressure.
Bank of America upheld its Buy rating alongside a $430 price objective. This target represents approximately 8% appreciation potential from present trading levels.
Wall Street’s consensus price target stands at $426.44, similarly indicating roughly 7% upside potential. Among 33 analysts tracking the stock, 28 assign it a Buy rating while 5 recommend Hold. The overall consensus ranks as Strong Buy.
The Shiller cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio for U.S. stocks is nearing the 1999 peak seen during the dot-com bubble.
Cryptocurrency ATM company Bitcoin Depot reported “substantial doubts” about the company’s ability to continue operating amid ongoing litigation and a challenging regulatory environment.
In a Form 10-Q filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday, Bitcoin Depot chief financial officer David Gray reported that the company had accrued more than $20 million in legal judgments in the fourth quarter of 2025 and “ongoing litigation matters.” The company also reported “substantial year-over-year declines in revenue” amid US states and municipalities passing laws and regulations banning or restricting crypto ATMs.
“As a result of these factors, management has concluded that substantial doubt exists about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” said the report.
Source: SEC
The litigation affecting Bitcoin Depot included $1.9 million paid to Maine’s Consumer Credit Protection Bureau in January, with the company facing additional lawsuits from Massachusetts, Iowa and other state-level authorities. Individual municipalities have also been passing ordinances or laws restricting crypto kiosks and ATMs amid concerns that residents may be victims of scams.
Related: Crypto ATM losses surge 33% in 2025 as AI superpowers scams: CertiK
According to its SEC filing, Bitcoin Depot reported that its revenue decreased by $80.7 million for the three months ending March 31 compared to that in the first quarter of 2025, “primarily due to a decrease in transaction volume driven by a combination of regulatory impacts and enhanced compliance controls.” The company also reported a net loss of $9.5 million over the same period.
In March, Bitcoin Depot appointed Alex Holmes as CEO, replacing Scott Buchanan, who served in the position for three months. Holmes was the CEO of MoneyGram from 2016 until 2024, where, according to Bitcoin Depot, he had a reputation for “global regulatory compliance.”
Shares of Bitcoin Depot on the Nasdaq under the ticker BTM declined by more than 40% in the previous five days, from $5.01 to $2.93.
Canada weighing countrywide crypto ATM ban
In April, the Canadian government released its Spring Economic Update for 2026, which said policymakers “propose to ban crypto ATMs” in response to scammers and criminals using the machines for money laundering. Under the proposal, Canadians would still be allowed to buy digital assets from brick-and-mortar money services businesses.
Bitcoin Depot reported to have about 220 machines deployed across Canada at the time of publication.
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