KB Financial Group, the parent company of South Korea’s largest bank, KB Kookmin, completed a stablecoin pilot for offline payments and cross-border remittances through the Kaia blockchain.

KB tested the lifecycle of a South Korean won-denominated stablecoin, including issuance, merchant settlement and remittances, with Kaia, electronic payments company KG Inicis and fintech firm OpenAsset, local outlet Yonhap reported.

The stablecoin pilot adds to the growing list of legacy financial institutions in South Korea experimenting with stablecoins. In late April, one of the nation’s largest credit card providers, Shinhan Card, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Solana Foundation to test stablecoin payments.

KB Kookmin is South Korea’s largest bank with over 584.9 trillion won ($266.7 billion) in total assets, according to the bank’s factbook for the fourth quarter of 2025.

Source: Kaia

Stablecoin test reduced remittance fees by 87%

As part of KB Financial’s experiment, a won stablecoin was converted into a US dollar stablecoin and delivered to a bank account in Vietnam.

The full transfer was completed in under 3 minutes, with an 87% fee reduction compared to the same transaction executed through the SWIFT network, a Kaia spokesperson told Cointelegraph in an email.

The SWIFT network is the messaging network for international payments used by thousands of banks and financial institutions worldwide.

The offline payment test was executed through Seoul-based coffee franchise Hollys, enabling users to pay through QR codes, without needing to install a cryptocurrency wallet.

Related: Vietnam eyes Q3 launch for regulated crypto asset market: Report

KB plans stablecoin services launch after regulations take effect

KB is reportedly preparing to launch stablecoin services once digital asset regulations are established in the country.

But the country’s proposed Digital Asset Basic Act has repeatedly stalled due to disagreements between regulators over who should be allowed to issue stablecoins.

The Bank of Korea, the nation’s central bank, has argued that banks should retain majority ownership of stablecoin issuers, while the Financial Services Commission warned that strict limitations could slow innovation.

Formal deliberations are unlikely to resume before South Korea’s June local elections.

Magazine: Singapore isn’t a ‘crypto hub’ — it’s something better: StraitsX CEO

The blockchain bridge connecting the Verus and Ethereum networks has been exploited for over $11 million.

One of eight bridge hacks so far this year, this latest incident brings the running total of funds lost to almost $329 million.

DeFiLlama data shows Verus as the 58th largest blockchain by total-value-locked ($22 million); its website promises “security without the audits.”

In addition to the hack, Verus’ blockchain explorer shows block production stopping approximately 12 hours ago.

According to a screenshot posted by the Verus X account, the network halt is due to “most block-generating nodes taking themselves offline” following the attack.

Read more: DeFi projects lose $6M in fresh string of exploits this week

Blockchain security monitoring platform Blockaid, which flagged the loss, suspects that the root cause is similar to the 2022 hacks of the Wormhole and Nomad bridges.

The firm explains that three of the bridge’s verification steps worked correctly, but it failed to check that the parameters of the source chain transaction matched the payouts on Ethereum.

It estimates the vulnerability, which cost the attacker just $10 to exploit, is mitigated by 10 lines of code.

The hacker’s address on Ethereum received ETH, as well as tBTC and USDC, which were swapped to ETH.

Keep up to date on the day-to-day of crypto hacks with Protos’ new hack tracker, which has 79 entries since the beginning of 2026.

Read more: Crypto hackers snatch over $1B in 68 incidents this year

Troubled waters

Multi-million dollar bridge hacks were once the scourge of the crypto industry.

In 2022, a particularly bumper year, hacks of Qubit, Wormhole, Ronin, Harmony, Nomad and BNB bridges raked in a combined total of $1.9 billion. Of these, all but Ronin and Harmony were smart contract exploits.

In recent years, however, attackers have mostly moved onto new vectors to secure the biggest paydays.

Bridge exploits have been replaced by complex social engineering and supply-chain compromises, a speciality of the DPRK-linked Lazarus Group. Such schemes have been responsible for hefty losses from Bybit ($1.4 billion), and Drift Protocol ($280 million).

Crypto audit firm Peckshield estimates that the Versus incident brings the total lost to bridge hacks so far in 2026 to almost $329 million.

Read more: DeFi sector in $14B meltdown as $290M rsETH hack fallout burns Aave

The losses are dominated by a single incident, April’s $290 million rsETH hack, with fallout affecting the entire DeFi sector.

Other notable incidents this year include Hyperbridge’s $2.5 million loss, which came just days after joking about being hacked for April Fools’ Day, and Friday’s $10 million hack of THORChain, which has repeatedly faced criticism itself for inaction over its use to launder illicit funds.

Got a tip? Send us an email securely via Protos Leaks. For more informed news and investigations, follow us on X, Bluesky, and Google News, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

• Upbit listing sparked TRAC’s sharp liquidity-driven rally.
• OriginTrail (TRAC) broke above major EMAs with strong bullish momentum.
• The key support at $0.351 may decide the next price direction.

OriginTrail (TRAC) posted one of the strongest performances in the crypto market on May 18, sending the token sharply higher even as broader digital assets faced downward pressure.

TRAC surged by more than 75% within 24 hours, climbing to approximately $0.5986 after trading as low as $0.3228 during the same session.

The price surge pushed the token to its highest level in months and marked one of its most aggressive single-day rallies since previous bull market cycles.

Trading volume rose just as sharply, with 24-hour turnover exceeding $36 million as investors rushed to position ahead of the listing.

The sudden spike came after Upbit officially confirmed support for OriginTrail across three major trading pairs — KRW, BTC, and USDT — with trading scheduled to begin on May 18 at 16:00 KST.

Market Support OriginTrail(TRAC)

✅ Supported Markets: KRW, BTC, USDT Market
📅 Trading opens at: 2026-05-18 16:00 KST (estimated time)

🔗Discover more:https://t.co/Aw2JiroW6x#Upbit #TRAC@origin_trail pic.twitter.com/CJ4guNHReA

— Upbit Korea (@Official_Upbit) May 18, 2026

Upbit listing triggers major breakout

The announcement from Upbit Korea immediately changed TRAC’s liquidity profile.

South Korea remains one of the world’s most active crypto trading markets, and listings on top-tier exchanges such as Upbit often provide tokens with broader retail exposure, stronger fiat access, and deeper market participation.

This new accessibility appears to be the primary force behind TRAC’s explosive price movement.

Before the news, TRAC had been trading well below $0.32.

But after the news, the token broke out and is now positioned significantly above all major daily exponential moving averages, including the 10-day, 20-day, 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs.

This technical alignment signals a bullish trend across both short-term and long-term timeframes.

Technical structure points to elevated volatility

Although TRAC’s price action remains bullish, volatility remains exceptionally high.

The token’s 24-hour range stretched from $0.3228 to $0.6028, reflecting intense speculative participation.

Such large price expansions often create both breakout opportunities and rapid correction risks.

If buying pressure remains strong following the Upbit trading, the token could rise higher, while overbought conditions could trigger a classic sell-the-news scenario, where early buyers lock in gains and price retreats sharply.

OriginTrail (TRAC) price forecast

TRAC’s immediate outlook depends heavily on post-listing volume and whether new liquidity translates into sustained demand.

As long as the price remains above $0.351, analysts project that the bullish momentum may remain intact, with breakout continuation possible if bulls defend support.

A stronger upside scenario would, however, require TRAC to hold current gains and establish support above the $0.60 psychological region, which could open the path toward higher technical extensions.

But if TRAC loses $0.351 support, downside risks increase significantly, with the $0.337 region acting as the next important support level to watch.

Key Takeaways

• President Trump expressed regret about requesting only a 10% government stake in Intel, stating he “should have asked for more”
• Intel shares climbed 0.68% in premarket Monday to $109.51, bucking broader market weakness
• The chipmaker’s recent quarterly performance exceeded forecasts: $0.29 EPS versus $0.01 expected, and $13.58B revenue against $12.32B projections
• The North Dakota State Investment Board initiated a fresh $5.53M Intel stake during Q4
• Wall Street maintains a Hold consensus with a $77.38 mean price target — significantly below current price levels

President Trump sparked renewed attention around Intel on Monday following a Fortune magazine interview where he revealed the federal government should have negotiated a larger ownership percentage in the semiconductor giant.

Intel Corporation, INTC

“He said, ‘You have a deal.’ I said, ‘Shit, I should have asked for more,’” Trump recalled during the conversation.

Shares of INTC reached $109.51 during premarket trading Monday, advancing 0.68%, even as broader indices showed weakness — Nasdaq futures declined 0.14%, indicating Intel-specific momentum.

Trump positioned the Intel equity arrangement within his broader economic strategy that blends tariffs, government equity stakes, and major commercial agreements designed to channel international investment into American markets. He referenced the national debt reaching “$38 trillion” as justification for pursuing non-traditional government participation in corporate strategies.

The statement created immediate market impact, driving share price movement.

Intel’s technical trajectory has been among the most volatile within the semiconductor space. Currently, the stock trades 11.9% above its 20-day simple moving average and an impressive 143.8% above its 200-day SMA. A bullish golden cross emerged in August 2025, triggering a sustained rally.

The 52-week price range paints a striking picture: from a low of $18.97 to a peak of $132.75. Intel currently occupies the upper end of this substantial range.

Quarterly Results Exceed Projections, Yet Uncertainty Persists

Intel’s latest quarterly financial report provided encouraging data for optimistic investors. The semiconductor manufacturer delivered earnings per share of $0.29, crushing the $0.01 consensus forecast by $0.28. Revenue reached $13.58 billion compared to the $12.32 billion estimate — achieving beats across both metrics.

Revenue increased 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. For a corporation that faced significant headwinds throughout the previous two years, this growth metric carries weight.

Intel has projected Q2 2026 EPS guidance at $0.20. The analyst community anticipates full fiscal year EPS of $0.63, with the upcoming earnings announcement scheduled for approximately July 23, 2026.

Notwithstanding the robust quarterly performance, Wall Street’s collective stance remains conservative. The consensus analyst price target stands at $77.38 — approximately 30% beneath current trading prices.

Professional Ratings and Institutional Portfolio Adjustments

Mizuho elevated its price objective to $124 on May 12 while maintaining a Neutral stance. RBC Capital Markets continued its Sector Perform rating with an $80 target. Tigress Financial Partners affirmed its Buy recommendation and increased its target to $118.

The divergence among price targets reflects underlying uncertainty — Wall Street analysts lack consensus, and the stock has surpassed most valuation frameworks.

Regarding institutional activity, the North Dakota State Investment Board established a new $5.53 million position during Q4, acquiring 149,868 shares. Multiple smaller investment advisors also expanded their holdings throughout the quarter.

April Miller Boise, an Intel Executive Vice President, divested 40,256 shares on May 1st at a $99.53 average price, trimming her holdings by 27.7%.

Intel recently announced a partnership as the official compute partner for McLaren Racing, creating high-profile visibility for its processor technology.

Erste Group Bank upgraded its FY2026 and FY2027 earnings projections for Intel, though certain analysts continue highlighting competitive threats from AMD and Arm in the server CPU market.

Critical resistance remains at $132.75 — the 52-week high watermark.

Quick Summary

• Dominion Energy shares climbed more than 12% in early trading following news that NextEra Energy is exploring a potential acquisition valued at approximately $66 billion.
• LiveRamp shares spiked 26% after Publicis Groupe announced plans to acquire the company for $2.5 billion at $38.50 per share—representing nearly a 30% premium.
• Bitcoin Depot shares plummeted 63% after the company announced a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and shut down its ATM operations.
• S&P 500 futures declined 0.42% while Bitcoin fell 2.05% to $76,778 amid broader market weakness.
• Victory Capital and Regeneron led decliners with drops of 39.3% and 12.2% respectively during early market hours.

Monday’s early trading session delivered dramatic price swings across multiple equities, fueled by significant merger activity, a major bankruptcy announcement, and widespread market headwinds.

Dominion Energy emerged as one of the session’s strongest performers. The utility provider’s stock jumped over 12% following reports that NextEra Energy has entered preliminary acquisition discussions. According to sources, the potential all-stock merger would value Dominion at approximately $66 billion, with total enterprise value reaching roughly $116 billion including existing debt obligations.

NextEra Energy, Inc., NEE

If finalized, this transaction would represent the utility sector’s largest acquisition ever recorded. The deal would provide NextEra with expanded access to the PJM interconnection grid, particularly in Northern Virginia—a region experiencing explosive data center expansion driven by artificial intelligence infrastructure needs. However, negotiations remain ongoing and no definitive agreement has been reached, meaning discussions could ultimately collapse.

LiveRamp represented another significant winner in early trading. The company’s stock surged 26% following Publicis Groupe’s announcement of a $2.5 billion all-cash acquisition. Under the agreement terms, Publicis will pay $38.50 for each LiveRamp share—reflecting approximately a 29.8% premium compared to Thursday’s closing price. Publicis indicated the acquisition would bolster its data analytics and artificial intelligence offerings, simultaneously revising upward its financial projections for 2027 and 2028.

Bitcoin Depot Files for Bankruptcy Protection

Bitcoin Depot experienced the session’s most severe decline. The stock crashed 63% after management announced Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing. Company leadership stated intentions to cease operations and liquidate remaining assets.

Chief Executive Officer Alex Holmes attributed the collapse to increasingly stringent fraud prevention mandates, escalating regulatory compliance expenses, ongoing litigation challenges, and intensifying regulatory scrutiny that rendered the business model economically unviable. The entire Bitcoin ATM infrastructure has been deactivated. Canadian business units are similarly anticipated to enter restructuring proceedings.

Market-Wide Weakness Emerges

Beyond specific equity movements, markets faced generalized downward pressure. S&P 500 futures decreased 0.42%, with Dow futures sliding 0.66%.

Bitcoin declined 2.05% to reach $76,778. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.609%, while gold futures registered modest losses and crude oil futures posted slight gains.

During Friday’s session, the S&P 500 retreated 1.24% and the Dow fell 1.07%. Asian equity markets similarly declined, with Japan’s Nikkei index dropping nearly 1%.

Among notable losers, Victory Capital tumbled 39.3% and Regeneron declined 12.2% in early action. Natera also recorded a significant pullback, losing more than 5%.

Additional early session gainers included Bio-Rad Laboratories, MYR Group, and ServiceNow, each advancing at least 5%.