Raw News Items
99 itemsMay 19, 2026
- Cointelegraph
CFTC sues Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz over prediction markets ban
About 24 hours after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill into law passed by the state’s legislature to effectively ban prediction markets in the state, the CFTC pushed back with its own lawsuit.
- CoinDeskScore: 90
Echo Protocol suffers $76 million exploit in eBTC minting attack on Monad
The Bitcoin-focused DeFi protocol suffered an attack whereby about 1,000 unauthorized eBTC $77 million were minted on the Monad blockchain
- CryptoSlateScore: 90
SEC tokenized stock exemption to let equities move onto crypto rails
The SEC is expected to release an innovation exemption for tokenized stocks as soon as this week. SEC Chair Paul Atkins and Commissioner Hester Peirce had already sketched the plan in February, describing a temporary, limited framework with volume caps, white-listed buyers and sellers, automated mar...
- The BlockScore: 85
SEC’s innovation exemption for tokenized stocks to come as early as this week: Bloomberg
The SEC has approved several entities to move forward with tokenized stock initiatives, including the NYSE and Nasdaq.
- The BlockScore: 85
BTCFi protocol Echo exploited, targeting eBTC market on Monad: onchain analysts
BTCFi protocol Echo was exploited, with the attacker minting 1,000 eBTC on Monad and using it as collateral to borrow WBTC.
- CointelegraphScore: 85
Echo Protocol's eBTC exploited for $77M in admin key compromise
The hacker has already laundered nearly 5% of the loot through Tornado Cash and is still holding the remaining 955 eBTC.
- CointelegraphScore: 85
SEC to make ‘innovation exemption’ for tokenized stock trading: Report
Several SEC officials reportedly didn’t support the decision, while tokenization platform Securitize flagged risks with enabling third-party platforms to issue tokenized stocks.
- CointelegraphScore: 85
Republican lawmakers call for permanent CBDC ban as House vote approaches
Tom Emmer, the House majority whip, is also advocating for his Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, which has passed the House but has yet to pass the Senate.
- CryptoSlateScore: 85
The US Bitcoin ATM industry is breaking under fraud, bans, and fees
Bitcoin ATM company, Bitcoin Depot, filed for Chapter 11 protection on May 18 in the Southern District of Texas, announcing it would wind down operations and sell assets, and that its kiosk network, with over 9,000 locations globally as of August 2025, would go offline the same day. A May 12 SEC dis...
- CointelegraphScore: 85
Swan Bitcoin sued for nearly $1B over pre-bankruptcy transfers from Prime Trust
Swan Bitcoin has been sued for allegedly using insider access to pull nearly $1 billion in Bitcoin and cash from Prime Trust days before its 2023 bankruptcy filing.
- CryptoSlateScore: 85
Japan Bitcoin ETF plan ready to open route into household savings
SBI Group has told investors that its asset management arm plans to launch ETFs focused on Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as investment trusts that hold baskets of multiple crypto assets, once Japan reforms its rules on crypto funds and taxation. SBI has already built the architecture through a joint...
- DecryptScore: 85
Bitcoin DeFi Platform Echo Protocol Hit By $76M Monad Exploit
Echo Protocol said that a compromised admin key had enabled unauthorized eBTC minting on its Monad deployment.
- CoinDeskScore: 85
The SEC wants to let newly public companies raise cash instantly in its biggest rule change in decades
The agency is proposing its largest overhaul of public listing rules in over 20 years, cutting compliance costs and giving crypto firms a much easier path to raise cash on Wall Street.
- CoinDeskScore: 85
Trump orders government, Fed to review crypto firms' access to payment rails
Donald Trump's executive order asks the Fed to review how depository institutions may be granted access to payment services, an area the crypto industry is deeply involved with.
- DecryptScore: 80
Elizabeth Warren Calls Crypto Bank Charter Approvals for Firms Like Coinbase, Ripple Illegal
In a letter to the Comptroller of the Currency, Warren argued nine national trust bank charter approvals for crypto firms violated the National Bank Act.
- The BlockScore: 75
Minnesota signs law allowing banks, credit unions to offer crypto custody services
Governor Tim Walz has signed HF 3709 into law, permitting banks and credit unions to offer crypto custody services.
- The BlockScore: 75
Spot bitcoin ETFs log $649 million in net outflows, largest since January
Bitcoin is trading below $77,000 due to geopolitical tensions, inflation fears, and higher U.S. Treasury yields, analysts said.
- The BlockScore: 75
Japan’s ruling party advances proposal to build national AI-blockchain financial system
Japan's LDP formally approved a policy proposal to build a next-generation financial system based on blockchain and AI.
- DecryptScore: 75
Morning Minute: SEC Reverses Course on Tokenized Stocks, HYPE Soars
HYPE soared as the SEC opened the door to third-party tokenized stocks. Strategy bought another $2B in BTC, and price still went lower.
- CoinDeskScore: 75
Live markets: Bitcoin gives up $77,000 as interest rates continue surge, stocks continue slump
Crypto markets have turned lower in morning U.S. trade on Tuesday as the idea of coming rate hikes takes a toll on risk assets.
- CryptoSlateScore: 75
Bitcoin price risks slide toward $70,000 as $76,000 support weakens
The Bitcoin price dropping below $78,000 has shifted market attention to whether buyers can defend the $76,000 area or whether the pullback opens the way for a deeper move toward $70,000. Crypto market maker Wintermute said the latest decline followed another rejection near $82,000, where Bitcoin ha...
- CointelegraphScore: 75
Senator Warren questions OCC chief on approval of ‘ineligible’ crypto trust charters
The Massachusetts lawmaker asked the US Comptroller of the Currency to provide all communications between the agency and Donald Trump potentially related to the charter approvals.
- The BlockScore: 75
Tokenized equities daily volume hits all-time high of $3.57 billion
The Block's data shows onchain equities trading volume growing since the start of the year, and hitting an all-time high on Monday.
- CointelegraphScore: 70
Ether pullback was ‘attractive opportunity’ for 71,672 ETH buy: Bitmine’s Lee
Bitmine chairman Tom Lee said the company is expected to have accumulated 5% of Ether's total supply before the end of the year.
- CoinDeskScore: 70
Bitcoin has shed $5,000 within days. ETF flows, and derivatives say this selloff could worsen
Bitcoin has fallen about 6% from $82,000 to $76,800, but underlying data point to more than routine pullback.
- CointelegraphScore: 70
Ethereum Foundation sees 2 more high-profile departures
Ethereum Foundation researchers Julian Ma and Carl Beek have resigned, bringing the total number of major departures from the nonprofit to at least eight in 2026.
- CoinDeskScore: 70
XRP and Solana funds attract inflows as bitcoin outflows hit nearly $1 billion
CoinShares data shows investors are rotating into listed products based on XRP and SOL while bitcoin and ethereum products posted heavy weekly outflows.
- The BlockScore: 70
Strive buys 382 BTC for roughly $30 million, holding spot as ninth-largest bitcoin treasury
The DAT raised its total BTC holdings to 15,391, allowing Strive to maintain its position as the ninth-largest bitcoin treasury.
- DecryptScore: 70
Ohio Man Gets 9 Years for $10M Bitcoin Trading Ponzi Scheme
Rathnakishore Giri falsely promised guaranteed returns on Bitcoin derivatives trading, using new investor funds to pay earlier participants.
- DecryptScore: 70
Bitcoin ETFs Shed $649M in a Day as Long-Term BTC Holders ‘Limit Downside Potential’
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs posted $648 million outflows Monday as long-term BTC holders continue to accumulate the cryptocurrency.
- DecryptScore: 70
Minnesota Bans Prediction Markets—And Is Sued By the Trump Admin Hours Later
Minnesota's ban has made it a felony to create or operate a prediction market in the state. The CFTC and DOJ say it violates federal law.
- The BlockScore: 70
Bitcoin slide extends as record ETF outflows and 60% rate-hike probability signal structural cracks beneath the rally: analysts
Bitcoin fell to $76,700 amid the largest spot ETF outflows since January, thin spot volume, rising rate-hike bets, and unwinding leverage.
- CointelegraphScore: 70
Recent Bitcoin holders sell $770M BTC at a loss amid $65K BTC price calls
More than 10,000 Bitcoin have been sold at a loss by short-term holders in recent days, adding fuel to analysts’ predictions that BTC price will fall to $65,000.
- CoinDeskScore: 70
Senator Elizabeth Warren accuses U.S. regulator of approving unqualified crypto banks
The Senate Banking Committee's top Democrat sent a letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency questioning the charters of nine crypto firms.
- CryptoSlateScore: 70
Ethereum price pullback to $2,100 pits oil pressure against AI, tokenization bets
The Ethereum price pullback toward $2,100 has turned a short-term price correction into a broader test of the market’s conviction in one of crypto’s largest assets. Data from CryptoSlate show that ETH has fallen nearly 10% over the past week, wiping out its May gains and bringing traders’ focus back...
- The BlockScore: 70
CFTC sues Minnesota over first explicit state ban on prediction markets
Minnesota’s law could expose exchanges, payment providers, media partners, and sports leagues to criminal liability.
- CointelegraphScore: 70
Polymarket partners with Nasdaq to list private company contracts
New markets will let users trade on fundraising, valuation and other startup milestones using data from Nasdaq Private Market, extending forecasting into private capital.
- CointelegraphScore: 70
Bernstein: Bitcoin miners becoming critical suppliers in AI infrastructure
Bernstein says miners control 27 GW of planned power and $90 billion in AI deals, giving them a strategic edge as electricity becomes the main constraint on data center growth.
- CoinDeskScore: 65
BSC’s quantum defense works. The trade-off is 40% slower transaction throughput.
BSC’s quantum-security test worked, but bigger transaction data slowed network throughput by about 40%.
- CoinDeskScore: 65
Amid the Clarity Act fanfare is some worry over how a last-minute deal may punch DeFi
The crypto market structure bill saw a high-stakes, 11th-hour gambit to get Democrats on board for a bipartisan committee vote, but it might carry a cost.
- DecryptScore: 65
Japan’s Ruling Party Pushes On-Chain Finance Plan to Protect Yen
Stablecoins and tokenized deposits could help Japan modernize payments and reduce reliance on foreign rails, the proposal says.
- The BlockScore: 65
Senator Warren criticizes OCC over Ripple, Coinbase and other crypto trust charters
Last year, the OCC granted conditional approvals to Circle, Ripple, BitGo, Fidelity, and Paxos, as well as other firms more recently.
- DecryptScore: 65
Canaan Shares Plunge as CEO Says Middle East Conflict Is Clouding Outlook for Bitcoin Miners
Canaan shares fell after the Bitcoin mining company disclosed an $88.7 million first-quarter net loss, its second straight negative period.
- CointelegraphScore: 65
BoE deputy says tokenization could cut costs, boost competition
The UK central bank said digital money should remain trusted and interoperable as it weighs stablecoin reforms and near-24/7 settlement to support tokenized markets.
- CoinDeskScore: 65
Zerohash pursues new funding at more than $1.5 billion valuation after Mastercard drops investment plans
Crypto infrastructure providers are drawing renewed investor interest as Wall Street deepens its push into digital assets.
- CointelegraphScore: 65
BitGo creates modular digital asset infrastructure model for banks
The platform combines crypto custody, trading, settlement, staking and stablecoin infrastructure services for banks and financial institutions.
- CoinDeskScore: 60
World Liberty Financial treasury company AI Financial warns in SEC filing that it may not survive the year
The former Alt5 Sigma marked its 7.28 billion WLFI tokens at $706 million, down from a roughly $1.46 billion cost basis, while disclosing that the holdings remain locked amid liquidity concerns.
- CoinDeskScore: 60
A DeFi exchange becomes the first to offer equity perpetuals powered by Nasdaq data
The partnership underscores both the rapid growth of equity perpetuals in onchain markets and Nasdaq’s broader strategy to support tokenized equity trading infrastructure.
- The BlockScore: 60
‘Follow the gigawatts’: Bernstein sees upside in several bitcoin miners amid $90 billion in AI data center deals
Bernstein sees bitcoin miners benefiting from $90B in AI deals, with Outperform ratings on IREN, Riot, CleanSpark, and Core Scientific.
- CointelegraphScore: 60
Bitget Wallet integrates Kraken-backed xStocks tokenized equities
The self-custodial wallet platform integrated Kraken-backed xStocks infrastructure, adding more than 130 tokenized stocks and ETFs for users.
- CointelegraphScore: 60
Pump.fun accounts for over one-third of Solana’s Q1 revenue despite memecoin slowdown
Pump.fun pulled in $124.7 million in Q1 2026, making it Solana’s largest revenue generator even as memecoin activity cooled, while the network’s RWA market cap crossed $2 billion.
- CointelegraphScore: 60
Wallet cluster earned $2.4M with 98% win rate on Polymarket military bets: Bubblemaps
Bubblemaps’ investigation found a cluster of nine accounts that generated $2.4 million with a near-perfect win rate on Polymarket contracts tied to major US military operations.
- CointelegraphScore: 60
Estonian regulator partially suspends Zondacrypto operator license
Estonia’s FIU has partially suspended BB Trade Estonia OÜ’s license, giving the Zondacrypto operator 30 days to fix compliance issues or risk full revocation.
- DecryptScore: 60
Bitcoin Giant Strategy Gets Price Target Boost From TD Cowen After $2 Billion BTC Buy
Analysts at TD Cowen believe shares in Bitcoin-buying Strategy behemoth could jump more than 139% in the next 12 months.
- CoinDeskScore: 60
‘What's happening at the EF?’ Ethereum community looking for answers after high-profile departures
A wave of recent high-profile departures at the Ethereum Foundation has reignited longstanding questions from community members about what is going on inside the organization.
- CointelegraphScore: 60
Bitcoin price stays under $77K as US bond yields near 20-year highs
BTC price stayed pinned below $77,000 amid rising US bond yields and oil prices, with market analysts saying Bitcoin is now at a "crucial level of support."
- CointelegraphScore: 60
XRP price risks 50% drop despite 9-day ETF inflow streak
Spot XRP ETFs record net inflows for nine days, absorbing sell pressure and potentially supporting an XRP price recovery over time.
- The BlockScore: 60
Stablecoin supply tops $300 billion but growth stalls as Tether gains at rivals’ expense
The bank-issued and GENIUS Act-compliant stablecoin entrants have had a harder start than many expected.
- DecryptScore: 60
Bitcoin Miners Emerge as Unlikely Power Brokers in AI Infrastructure Race, Says Bernstein
Bernstein remains bullish on Bitcoin mining firms like IREN, Riot, and CleanSpark, who are all riding the wave of AI compute demand.
- The BlockScore: 60
Ethereum leads $65 billion RWA race as blockchains compete for institutional tokenization flows
The distributed market structure suggests the RWA landscape has not yet consolidated around a clear winner.
- The BlockScore: 55
Deloitte absorbs Blocknative team as crypto infra firm winds down APIs and Gas Network
The Blocknative website now returns a post noting that the firm is “now in the process of ceasing operations."
- CoinDeskScore: 55
Former BNY exec launches NUVA, bets tokenization will remake Wall Street
NUVA launched this week with nearly $19 billion in tokenized real-world assets from Figure Technologies, aiming to bring regulated U.S. yield products into DeFi.
- CoinDeskScore: 55
Even a mountain of T-bills won't save Tether and Circle from a sudden liquidity crisis, expert says
The head of digital assets and tokenization at one of Germany’s largest asset managers said that USDT and USDC are not stablecoins, from his perspective.
- CointelegraphScore: 50
About 10% of Americans used crypto in 2025, highest level since 2022: Fed
Among those who used crypto for payments, over 25% said they did so because the business preferred crypto, citing speed, privacy and lower cost advantages.
- The BlockScore: 50
XRP Alliance debuts as Flare, D’CENT link hardware wallets to XRP yield vaults
Flare and D'CENT launched an integration connecting hardware wallets to XRP yield vaults, with no new chain, wallet, or gas token required.
- CoinDeskScore: 50
Bitcoin treads water near pivotal monthly close while speculative tokens retreat
Bitcoin held near $76,800 as altcoins weakened, WLFI slid and traders watched whether the largest cryptocurrency can hold Tom Lee's line in the sand.
- CoinDeskScore: 50
Crypto IPO boom stalls as AI frenzy reshapes tech markets
Crypto firms are pausing long-awaited IPO plans as weak trading volumes and macro pressures weigh on valuations despite boom in AI-linked tech listings.
- CointelegraphScore: 50
Bitcoin miner Canaan posts $88.7M net loss in Q1 amid BTC decline
Canaan’s Q1 results were dragged down by a $25 million inventory write-down and a 75% quarterly drop in equipment sales as Bitcoin prices retreated from their highs.
- The BlockScore: 50
Polymarket rolls out prediction markets tracking IPOs, valuations for private companies like OpenAI and SpaceX
Early offerings from the prediction market focus on AI, fintech and crypto unicorns including OpenAI, Anthropic, Stripe and Kraken.
- The BlockScore: 50
Stablecoin infrastructure startup Checker raises $8 million from Galaxy Ventures and others
Stablecoin infrastructure startup Checker has raised $8 million in funding from a range of investors including Galaxy and Framework.
- CoinDeskScore: 50
This bitcoin bear market is different with 'uniquely pessimistic' traders limiting downside, K33 says
The research firm said bitcoin traders remain unusually defensive, reducing the risk of the kind of leverage-driven collapse seen in prior downturns.
- DecryptScore: 50
After Nearly a Decade, Gary Gensler's Poster Child for Crypto Compliance Executes Its First Trade
After weathering years of industry skepticism and navigating a shifting regulatory landscape, Prometheum executed its first crypto trades.
- CoinDeskScore: 45
Polymarket unlocks $5 trillion private market for retail traders, previously reserved for elites
Polymarket’s new private-company prediction markets let retail traders bet on startup milestones once reserved for Wall Street insiders.
- CoinDeskScore: 45
21Shares says Hyperliquid ETF demand shows appetite for 24/7 trading
21Shares says strong early flows into its new Hyperliquid ETF reflect growing investor demand for around-the-clock access to crypto and traditional assets.
- CoinDeskScore: 45
The U.S. can’t lose the bitcoin race to China
The next global power competition is not being fought over missiles alone. It’s being fought over money, and right now, China is moving aggressively to shape the future of it, argues Gooden.
- DecryptScore: 40
AI Slop Floods Bug Bounty Programs as Companies Struggle with Fake Reports
Bug bounty platforms and software companies are struggling to handle a surge of low-quality, AI-generated vulnerability reports.
- The BlockScore: 40
Wall Street analysts increasingly value crypto firms as infrastructure, AI and capital markets platforms
Analysts at Benchmark, TD Cowen, and Mizuho hold buy ratings on Bitdeer, Strive, DeFi Technologies, and Gemini amid infra and markets pivots.
- The BlockScore: 40
Wintermute enters DeFi vault space with Armitage, supporting ‘collateral types that other curators cannot’
Vault curators allow institutions to take a hands-off approach to crypto by allocating capital along pre-set risk parameters.
- CointelegraphScore: 40
South Korean funeral company records $33M unrealized loss on leveraged ETH ETFs
South Korea’s seventh-largest mutual aid company is currently sitting on a $33 million paper loss on its leveraged Ether ETF investment, following the crypto market downturn.
- CointelegraphScore: 40
Tor Project to lead Web3 crowdfunding to support internet freedom
Global internet freedom has declined for 15 consecutive years, with more countries restricting access to more of the internet, according to Freedom House.
- CointelegraphScore: 40
Hut 8 to fund Louisiana water system expansion tied to AI campus
The Bitcoin miner said the investment will support development of its River Bend AI data center campus as the company expands its long-term AI infrastructure business.
- The BlockScore: 40
Bitwise calls HYPE a ‘Gen 2’ crypto token, says its undervalued
The asset manager recently launched a HYPE-based exchange-traded fund and said it will use some of the fees generated to buy the token.
- The BlockScore: 35
Lolli launches automatic bitcoin cashback on linked debit and credit card purchases
The feature enables users to earn bitcoin automatically at thousands of merchants, with no extensions, codes, or checkout changes.
- The BlockScore: 30
WLFI treasury firm AI Financial posts $271 million quarterly net loss, flags doubt over survival within one year
AI Financial posted a net loss of $271.5 million for the quarter ended March 28, compared to a net loss of $2.4 million a year earlier.
- CoinDeskScore: 30
CoinDesk 20 performance update: Bitcoin Cash (BCH) rises 2.1%
NEAR Protocol (NEAR), up 2.8%, was also a top performer.
- The BlockScore: 30
TD Cowen raises Strategy price target to $400, citing faster bitcoin accumulation and accretive deleveraging
TD Cowen raised its Strategy MSTR price target to $400, noting accelerating BTC per share growth and $1.5B in accretive debt repurchases.
- The BlockScore: 30
Canaan posts $88.7 million Q1 net loss as revenue lands in line with guidance
Canaan posted an $88.7 million net loss for the first quarter of 2026 despite meeting revenue guidance at $62.7 million.
- CryptoSlateScore: 30
MSTR stock is beating Bitcoin, but another Strategy asset matters more now
Throughout 2026, MSTR stock and Strategy’s preferred securities are trading as more than a simple Bitcoin proxy. Bitcoin is down about 12.5% year to date, while Strategy stock, trading as MSTR, is up about 6.8% Strategy's preferred securities have also held up better than BTC in price. STRC is nearl...
- CoinDeskScore: 30
JPMorgan says ether and altcoins won't catch up to bitcoin without a major network boom
The bank said ether and the broader altcoin market continue to trail bitcoin as weak network activity, sluggish DeFi growth and limited real-world adoption weigh on investor demand.
- CointelegraphScore: 30
A viral hedgehog, Vitalik Buterin, and a bow: the GraphDex launch that crypto won't forget
5,800 users in two hours. One QR code. One bow that went viral.
- DecryptScore: 30
Google Launches Gemini Spark: A 24/7 AI Agent That Wants to Make You Ditch OpenClaw
Announced at Google I/O 2026, Spark is Google's most ambitious Gemini feature yet—a personal agent that manages your inbox, your calendar, and your workflows, with or without you watching.
- CointelegraphScore: 30
Data shows Bitcoin dip buyers waiting for lower prices: Is $70K BTC’s next stop?
Bitcoin futures and orderbook data show dip buyers waiting for a BTC price drop below $70,000.
- CoinDeskScore: 25
Hyperliquid’s HYPE one of crypto’s most undervalued assets, says Bitwise
The crypto asset manager argued the market is mispricing Hyperliquid as a niche derivatives exchange instead of a fast-growing “super-app” for global trading markets.
- CoinDeskScore: 20
Bitcoin may bottom in October if historical reward-halving cycle holds
Your day-ahead look for May 19, 2026
- DecryptScore: 20
People Are More Willing to Lie to AI Than Humans, Study Finds
Consumers feel less social pressure when lying to an AI chatbot, research finds, while human-like social cues reduce dishonest behavior.
- CointelegraphScore: 20
Zcash is 'running its own bull market' as ZEC price paints 88% rally setup
ZEC has jumped 18% in three days as privacy coins rally, defying a 3.45% drop across the wider crypto market.
- The BlockScore: 20
Zcash Foundation ends Q1 with $36.69M in liquid assets and operating expenses of $817K
Zcash Foundation Q1 operating expenses came in at about $817,000, with team compensation as the largest category.
- DecryptScore: 20
Google Unveils Gemini Omni—A Next-Gen AI Video Builder That Can 'Simulate the World'
Google's new multimodal AI model powers updates to Flow and Flow Music, including conversational video editing and AI-generated media tools.
- DecryptScore: 20
Americans Arrested in Japan for Entering Punch the Monkey’s Zoo Home to Promote Meme Coin
Viral Japanese macaque monkey Punch received unwelcome visitors this week, as trespassers attempted to promote a Solana meme coin.