Bitcoin price started a recovery wave above the $80,500 zone. BTC is consolidating and might aim for more gains if it clears the $81,500 resistance zone. Bitcoin managed to form a base above $80,000 and started a recovery wave. The price is trading above $80,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a bearish trend line forming with resistance at $81,500 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might gain bullish momentum if it settles above the $81,500 zone. Bitcoin Price Eyes Fresh Upside Break Bitcoin price remained supported above the $80,000 zone. BTC formed a base and settled above $80,500 to start a recovery wave. There was a move above the $80,650 and $80,800 levels. The bulls were able to push the price above the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $82,100 swing high to the $79,844 low. However, the bears could be active near $81,250. There is also a bearish trend line forming with resistance at $81,500 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. Bitcoin is now trading above $80,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $80,500, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $81,250 level, the trend line, and the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $82,100 swing high to the $79,844 low. The first key resistance is near the $82,000 level. A close above the $82,000 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $82,500 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $83,500 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $85,000. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $81,500 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $80,500 level. The first major support is near the $80,000 level. The next support is now near the $79,200 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $78,250 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $77,500, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now gaining pace in the bullish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $80,500, followed by $80,000. Major Resistance Levels – $81,500 and $82,000.
Peter Schiff thinks Strategy executive chairman and co-founder Michael Saylor is misleading retirees. The outspoken economist fired off a warning on X, asking how the SEC could allow Saylor to publicly describe STRC as suitable for retired investors whose main goals are low-risk wealth preservation and steady income. Related Reading: Shiba Inu Bullish Momentum Explodes As Buying Pressure Intensifies Schiff called it a violation of SEC antifraud and marketing rules. Strategy has not publicly responded to the criticism. A Preferred Stock Built Around Bitcoin The debate comes as Strategy pulled in over $206 million through its STRC perpetual preferred stock program. According to data from Bitcoin Treasuries’ ATM tracker on May 11, the company issued 2.12 million shares to generate those proceeds. At an average Bitcoin price of $81,471, that haul could buy roughly 2,536 BTC. The capital raise happened the same day Strategy announced it bought $43 million worth of Bitcoin — its first purchase after a one-week pause. The timing was no coincidence. STRC’s return to its $100 par value earlier in the session reopened the door for fresh share sales under the company’s at-the-money program. Trading volume told the story clearly. STRC recorded close to $445 million in daily volume on May 11, with the stock barely moving — it ranged from $99.99 to $100.01. That kind of price stability was the green light the program needed. How STRC Works The stock’s structure was designed by Saylor himself. Reports indicate STRC is built to hold steady at $100 per share, with dividend payouts that shift depending on where the stock trades. When the price dips below par, yields go up to pull investors back in. When shares trade at or above the target, the company can cut the payout and redirect capital toward Bitcoin purchases. STRC currently yields 11.5% annually, with the next ex-dividend date set for May 15. STRC had already shown signs of recovery on May 8, when it closed at $99.99 and climbed back to $100 in after-hours trading. Volume that day topped $218 million — a signal the stock was regaining footing before Monday’s full rebound. Related Reading: Nearly 80% Of Bitcoin Supply Hasn’t Moved As Long-Term Holders Tighten Grip Schiff’s Challenge Draws Attention Schiff’s objection cuts to a basic question about who STRC is for. The preferred stock is linked, at least indirectly, to Strategy’s ongoing Bitcoin accumulation strategy, which carries its own risks. That tension — between the stock’s structured, fixed-price design and the volatile asset it funds — sits at the center of the dispute. Strategy has built a model around raising equity capital and using the proceeds to buy Bitcoin. The STRC program is one of several instruments the company uses to keep that cycle running. With Monday’s raise added in, the machine is moving again. Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView
Kelp was exploited on April 18 for $292 million from attackers suspected to be part of North Korea's Lazarus Group.
Regulatory clarity could unlock trillions in institutional capital, impacting global crypto competitiveness and encouraging U.S. market participation.
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China's mixed signals on US sanctions highlight the complex geopolitical balancing act, risking economic and legal challenges for global firms.
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JPMorgan’s filing comes nearly three weeks after rival investment bank Morgan Stanley launched its own money market fund, the Stablecoin Reserves Portfolio.
The deployment signifies deepening Israel-UAE military ties, potentially complicating regional peace efforts amid heightened tensions.
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A major piece of US crypto legislation is now in the spotlight with XRP at the center: the CLARITY Act draft text was released Monday night, totaling 309 pages and arriving ahead of a key Senate markup scheduled for Thursday. The bill has been delayed since January, but the appearance of the full draft has already triggered intense attention from XRP analysts who believe important parts of the document could meaningfully improve the altcoin’s regulatory outlook. ‘Legally Favorable’ For XRP According to market expert Bull Winkle, several provisions in the draft point to “significant bullish categories” for XRP. In a post shared after the release, Winkle said his reaction was not only excitement, but a sense that the framework is unusually favorable in legal and structural terms. He began by focusing on the early pages of the draft which creates a new regulatory category for a “network token.” In his reading, the bill defines a network token as a digital asset intrinsically tied to a distributed ledger, where the value comes from the network’s use rather than from any company’s profits. Related Reading: Top Analyst Confirms The Bearish Target: Bitcoin Could Ease Down To $40,000 He argued that this is the type of model XRP fits into, noting that the altcoin’s value, as he describes it, is tied to activity on the XRP Ledger (XRPL)—specifically payments, settlement, and utility—rather than Ripple’s profitability. He also emphasized that, in this view, the XRP Ledger continues running whether Ripple exists or not, and that the “network token” definition appears to be written for an asset with that exact structure. From there, Winkle pointed to what he said was the most striking legal detail he found in the draft. He said Section 105, spanning pages 110 to 112, includes language inside the decentralization test that he believes has major implications. The Best Regulatory Framework For Crypto? The clause he highlighted states that if a court has already determined that a transaction was not a security before the law was enacted, then the asset cannot later be reclassified as a security. In Winkle’s interpretation, this language is directly connected to the Ripple-related court findings that have already been established. He also referenced the legal context he believes matters most: Judge Torres’ ruling that XRP secondary market sales were not securities transactions, which he described as final. He characterized this as the single most important legal protection XRP has ever received, in part because it would put a firm boundary around how future re-interpretations could be handled. Related Reading: Circle Banks $200M From Giants Like BlackRock In Arc Token Presale, CRCL Jumps 15% Winkle’s post also cited Section 401, located on pages 195 through 204, and described it as a provision that explicitly authorizes banks and credit unions—along with their subsidiaries—to use digital assets for payments, custody, clearing, and settlement. In his view, this is not just a general permission slip, but an on-ramp for the banking sector to move forward with the same operational capabilities that XRP advocates have associated with payment infrastructure work. Even with his bullish conclusion, Winkle was careful to note that the CLARITY Act is still a Senate draft and has not passed yet. That means the provisions he highlighted remain subject to change as lawmakers negotiate and vote. Still, he argued that the document already contains the most favorable regulatory framework for XRP that the US government has put on paper to date. Featured image created with OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Increased tariffs could drive crypto mining operations overseas, consolidating the industry and potentially stifling domestic innovation.
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The temporary tax suspension highlights prolonged conflict expectations, impacting global markets, inflation, and crypto dynamics significantly.
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Trump's focus on non-proliferation over economic issues may hinder diplomatic progress, increasing geopolitical tensions and market uncertainty.
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The CLARITY Act could reshape crypto regulation by balancing innovation protection with enhanced law enforcement, impacting global digital asset dynamics.
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Strategy's Bitcoin-centric approach highlights potential for institutional crypto adoption but faces volatility and regulatory challenges.
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The boardroom turmoil highlights the fragility of AI governance, potentially reshaping tech partnerships and nonprofit structures in the sector.
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The UAE's covert strikes on Iran risk escalating regional tensions, potentially reshaping Gulf alliances and impacting global oil markets.
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The massive surge in the Bitcoin price since April 2026 is still viewed as part of a broader bear market phase, according to on-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant. While some market experts believe the rebound could signal a new bull run, CryptoQuant’s unrealized profit data show the numbers are nowhere near bull-market levels. Notably, as BTC’s value increases, rising selling pressure could threaten the cryptocurrency’s ongoing rally, potentially triggering a price breakdown. Profit-Taking Hits Three-Month Highs After Bitcoin Price Surge Bitcoin’s rally to $82,000 on May 6 came as a shock to the broader digital asset market, as that was the first time the cryptocurrency had reached that level since late January 2026. Initially, BTC broke above $81,000 on May 5 and pushed toward $82,000 the next day, only to be rejected. Now, after the surge, Julio Monero, the Head of Research at CryptoQuant, believes that investors could be gearing up to take profit, potentially adding more volatility to the cryptocurrency’s price. Related Reading: Here Are The Major Bitcoin Levels To Watch After Breaking $80,000 Monero said in an analysis report that Bitcoin holders realized daily profits of up to 14,600 BTC on May 4, marking the highest single-day figure since December 10, 2025. Net profits on a 30-day basis also surged, with holders realizing over 20,000 BTC. These numbers reinforce the analyst’s belief that selling pressure may be imminent. The CryptoQuant analyst also noted that Bitcoin has skyrocketed over 20% since the beginning of April, now trading around $80,000 after its latest rally. To some, this might look like a renewed and sustainable bull run. However, he described the move as a “bear market rally,” suggesting that Bitcoin remains within a broader bear trend despite recent price gains. Monero also revealed that BTC’s price surges since April have been fueled by easing macroeconomic pressures and an earlier undervaluation, which kept its price depressed all through January to March 2026. He added that a sharp increase in demand for perpetual futures has helped prop up BTC’s price, suggesting that much of the buying is probably driven by leveraged traders rather than fresh spot accumulation. All of these developments appear to be pushing the cryptocurrency’s price upward despite social and whale sentiment still firmly in the Fear territory. At the same time, price score and volatility indicators are flashing Greed, signaling that BTC’s rally is likely being driven by price action alone, rather than any meaningful or real shift in how investors actually feel about the market. Analyst Flags Upcoming Downside Risk For BTC In his report, Monero added that Bitcoin’s 30-day realized profit of over 20,000 BTC is still a long way from the 130,000 to 200,000 BTC range typically seen in bull markets. He believes the gap alone suggests the market could still have more pain ahead. Related Reading: Here’s The Next Major Bitcoin Resistance To Watch Out For Before A Crash Beyond the broader bear market and potential selling pressure, Monero also highlights specific warning signs that raise Bitcoin’s downside risk. He noted that while perpetual futures continue to climb, spot demand and exchange inflows remain weaker than expected. He described this setup as one that is “consistent with a rally that carries meaningful correction risk but has not yet reached a confirmed distributional peak.” Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
The ongoing blockade underscores geopolitical tensions, impacting global oil trade and highlighting the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz.
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Circle's Arc blockchain venture could redefine regulatory landscapes and competitive dynamics in the stablecoin and crypto markets.
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The lawsuit could redefine AI liability, prompting stricter safety protocols and reshaping industry standards for AI deployment and oversight.
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AI-driven exploits lower the barrier for sophisticated cyberattacks, challenging current security measures and necessitating enhanced defenses.
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The growing AI threats to infrastructure highlight the urgent need for tech collaboration, potentially reshaping regulatory approaches across sectors.
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eBay's rejection highlights potential challenges in large-scale acquisitions, emphasizing the importance of credible financing strategies.
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The airstrikes heighten regional instability, potentially triggering broader conflicts and complicating diplomatic resolutions in the Middle East.
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Trump's visit could reshape US-China relations, impacting global trade dynamics and geopolitical strategies amid existing tensions.
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Labour's internal strife and leadership uncertainty could weaken party cohesion, affecting its future electoral prospects and policy agenda.
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The EU's sanctions highlight growing international pressure on Israel, potentially straining diplomatic relations and impacting regional stability.
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The sanctions highlight escalating geopolitical tensions, potentially reshaping global financial compliance and impacting crypto markets.
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The sanctions could strain US-China relations, impacting global trade dynamics and intensifying geopolitical tensions over Iran's oil exports.
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The first Hyperliquid ETF officially began trading on Tuesday, and early signs suggest it cleared a key hurdle for a new product: a strong first day relative to typical exchange-traded product launches. The fund was approved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and was created by crypto asset manager 21Shares, with the ETF now trading under the ticker $THYP on the Nasdaq. Hyperliquid ETF Launch Recap Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart weighed in on the debut Hyperliquid ETF debut, offering what amounted to a clear-but-cautious read on the numbers. In a Tuesday post on X, Seyffart said $THYP finished the day at $1.8 million in trading, describing it as “very very solid” and stronger than an average ETF launch—though not in a category that he would label as extraordinary. Related Reading: Circle Banks $200M From Giants Like BlackRock In Arc Token Presale, CRCL Jumps 15% Alongside the trading activity, 21Shares also shared key launch disclosures. The firm set the fund’s management fee at 0.3%. By comparison, Morgan Stanley’s spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund, $MSBT, carries the lowest fee at 0.14%. In addition to pricing, 21Shares disclosed $1.2 million in net inflows on day one for its Hyperliquid ETF, giving investors another datapoint for how quickly demand may have formed after the launch. Even so, the broader market context may complicate near-term performance expectations. At the time of writing, Hyperliquid’s native token, HYPE, was down 3.5%, testing the $40 level as support. This decrease coincides with a period of market uncertainty brought on by Bitcoin’s recent retrace after failing to breach $83,000 during last week’s surge. If the $80,000 support breaks, some analysts believe this might lead to a new correction. If sentiment worsens again, it could potentially weigh on demand for 21Shares’ Hyperliquid ETF offering as well—particularly if inflows soften after the initial launch period. Bitwise And Grayscale Update HYPE ETF Filings Looking beyond 21shares’ Hyperliquid ETF launch, attention is now turning to other issuers. The market is watching Bitwise and Grayscale, both of which have updated their spot HYPE ETF filings, strengthening the sense that additional products could follow soon. Related Reading: Bitmine ETH Holdings Cross 5.2 Million—CEO Announces New Phase For Crypto Markets The expectation is that these Hyperliquid ETF efforts by the two asset managers may benefit from the current regulatory environment in the country, with a now pro-crypto Securities and Exchange Commission led by Paul Atkins. Featured image created with OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Australia's involvement in securing the Strait of Hormuz highlights a growing international commitment to maintaining global trade stability.
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