Bitcoin News Today: Trump Moves From NFT Royalties to MARA Holdings Equity Stake

Bitcoin News Today: Donald Trump has disclosed a direct equity position in MARA Holdings , the Nasdaq-listed bitcoin mining and AI infrastructure company formerly known as Marathon Digital, marking the first time a sitting U.S. president has filed a personal stake in a publicly traded Bitcoin mining firm.  The disclosure, surfaced through OGE Form 278-T filings covering Q1 2026 activity, shows MARA appearing alongside purchases of Coinbase, Robinhood, and positions widely interpreted as MicroStrategy, as part of an estimated $220–$750 million in trust-executed trades during the quarter.  Where Trumps earlier crypto exposure was structured around passive licensing and royalty income, this is equity ownership in an operationally intensive, capital-heavy miner, a categorically different risk profile.  The analytical question is not why Trump invested in a bitcoin miner; it is whether direct equity ownership in mining infrastructure now structurally aligns his financial incentives with the regulatory outcomes his administration controls.  Bitcoin News Today: Trumps Crypto Portfolio Before MARA: What the $NFT and Licensing Phase Actually Represented  Trumps public crypto exposure first crystallized through the Trump Digital Trading Cards, $NFT collections issued on the Polygon network that generated at least $4.9 million in licensing income by mid-2023.  Those proceeds flowed primarily as Ethereum and Wrapped Ethereum, giving Trump

05-19Exchange

Hyperliquid price reenters bullish wedge pattern, will it break out?

Hyperliquid price stabilized over the weekend after reclaiming a key bullish chart structure, while growing institutional adoption narratives continued supporting investor sentiment around the decentralized derivatives protocol.  According to data from crypto.news, Hyperliquid ($HYPE) price was trading around $45 at press time on May 18 after briefly rallying above the $46 level earlier in the session. The token has now recovered more than 100% from its January lows near $22 as demand surrounding decentralized perpetual trading infrastructure continued strengthening.  Despite the recent recovery, Hyperliquid faced heightened volatility over the past two weeks following reports that CME Group and Intercontinental Exchange urged U.S. regulators to scrutinize the protocol over potential market manipulation and sanctions compliance risks.  The concerns reportedly centered around the growing influence of decentralized offshore trading platforms within the perpetual futures market and whether existing compliance frameworks remain sufficient as trading volumes continue expanding rapidly.  The regulatory scrutiny narrative contributed to a sharp correction in Hyperliquid price earlier this month as some traders reduced exposure amid fears that increased oversight could temporarily weigh on sentiment surrounding decentralized derivatives platforms.  However, bulls have since regained control as institutional demand for Hyperliquid-linked investment products continued to accelerate.  One of the biggest catalysts supporting sentiment remains the recent

05-18Exchange

Bitcoin Price Prediction 2030, 2040, and 2050: Will BTC Hit $1 Million?

Bitcoin has evolved from an experimental digital currency into one of the worlds most recognized financial assets. Since its launch in 2009, Bitcoin has delivered extraordinary returns, survived multiple market crashes, and attracted everyone from retail traders to major institutional investors.  As adoption continues to expand and Bitcoins supply remains permanently capped at 21 million coins, long-term investors keep asking the same question: how high can $BTC climb over the coming decades?  This article explores Bitcoin price predictions for 2030, 2040, and 2050. It also examines the major factors that could shape Bitcoins future valuation and analyzes whether the leading cryptocurrency can realistically reach the $1 million milestone during its lifetime.  What is Bitcoin ($BTC)?  Bitcoin is the worlds first cryptocurrency. The digital asset emerged in 2008 following the publication of its white paper by the pseudonymous developer Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin officially launched in January 2009.  Bitcoin operates on a decentralized blockchain network, allowing users to transfer value without relying on a central bank or financial intermediary. Instead, thousands of computers worldwide maintain the network and verify transactions. Every transaction is permanently recorded on a transparent public ledger, helping ensure security, immutability, and censorship resistance.  One of Bitcoins most important features is its fixed supply. Unlike

05-18Exchange

Can World LibertyFi's USD1 Compete with USDT & USDC?

How big is $USD1 right now?  $USD1 carries a market cap and circulating supply of roughly $4.53 billion, and the peg is holding firm around $1. That ranks it as the fourth-largest stablecoin and the 21st-largest crypto asset overall.  For scale, $USDT sits near $189.8 billion and $USDC near $77 billion as of today. $USD1 has cleared the next tier of dollar tokens, including Ethenas $USDe, PayPals $PYUSD and Ripples $RLUSD, but the two market leaders are an order of magnitude away. Total dollar-stablecoin supply is now above $324 billion, with $USD1 taking a small slice.  Top Stablecoins by Market Cap (CoinMarketCap)Is $4.53 billion an all-time high?  $USD1 first crossed $3 billion in December 2025, pushed above $5.3 billion in late January 2026, and peaked higher through the first quarter. The current $4.53 billion is a strong level and renewed momentum, not a fresh record. Supply has expanded steadily while the peg has held, which is the more durable signal.  What is driving the growth?  Most of the climb traces back to aggressive distribution and exchange support, not slow organic demand. The past several months:Binance incentives. Binance has run a continuously renewed $USD1 airdrop campaign, currently a $13 million WLFI pool distributing weekly to $USD1 holders

05-18Exchange

UK proposes near-24/7 settlement to prepare markets for tokenization

The Bank of England on Monday proposed extending operating hours for its core settlement infrastructure toward near-24/7 availability, part of a broader push with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to prepare UK wholesale markets for tokenized finance.  The proposal seeks to add weekend and extended daily operating hours to the central banks settlement mechanism, Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), and the Clearing House Automated Payment System (CHAPS).  The Bank of England said the expanded operating hours would support cross-border payments and new payment and settlement models as tokenization develops.  The consultation will support cross-border payments and new payment and settlement models based on tokenization developments, according to the joint letter published on Monday.  The BoE is seeking public feedback on the consultation paper until July 3 and plans to publish a feedback statement in the summer.  It comes weeks after the FCA said that tokenization and distributed ledger technologies could make fund management more efficient and support the innovation of the UK asset management sector.  Call for input on the future of tokenization in UK wholesale markets. Source: FCA  Fantastic to see the UK setting out a clear vision for tokenization in wholesale markets, Katie Harries, head of policy for Europe at Coinbase, told Cointelegraph.  The opportunity is huge

05-18Exchange

Brent Oil Eyes $115 Breakout After Trump’s ‘Clock Ticking’ Warning to Iran

Brent crude oil price climbed near $111 on Monday after President Donald Trump warned that Irans “clock is ticking.” The weekend Truth Social post fueled fresh fears of a renewed Middle East conflict that could choke global supply.  The International Energy Agency flagged record inventory depletion in its latest monthly update. The daily Brent crude chart now shows a symmetrical triangle approaching the apex that often dictates direction.  Trump‘s post on Iran / Source: Truth SocialDaily Triangle Sets Stage for Brent’s Next Big Move  The daily Brent crude oil chart shows price coiling inside a symmetrical triangle. The pattern began forming on March 19. Such patterns typically resolve once price travels roughly 70 to 80 percent of the way to the apex. The current setup is approaching that threshold.  The triangle traces lower highs and higher lows. Point A sits near $120, point B near $92, point C near $116, and point D near $100. The squeeze suggests a directional decision is close.  This compression marks the second re-accumulation zone for oil. It sits above the first base built between December 22, 2025, and February 26. From that earlier zone, Brent broke out and produced a sharp rally toward $120.  The Relative Strength Index (RSI) reads

05-18Industry

SBI Drives XRP Toward Tokyo Stock Exchange, $32B Target

Japan‘s XRP Moment: SBI’s Push Toward the Tokyo Stock Exchange Could Change Everything  Japans relationship with XRP is entering a more assertive phase, fueled by rising institutional experimentation that is steadily erasing the boundary between traditional finance and digital assets.  At the center of this shift is SBI Group, which is reportedly with plans to bring XRP-linked investment products closer to mainstream capital markets.  One of the most closely watched proposals is a Bitcoin and XRP ETF that could be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with projections targeting as much as $32 billion in assets under management within three years of launch. While regulatory approval is still pending, the trajectory is increasingly difficult to ignore.  Japans Financial Services Agency Financial Services Agency of Japan is currently reviewing frameworks that would formally classify crypto assets as financial instruments.  If adopted, the shift would be significant: it would move crypto from fragmented, niche investment channels into fully regulated brokerage systems, placing it alongside equities, bonds, and managed funds already accessible to millions of retail investors.  Japans Crypto Shift Accelerates as SBI Expands XRP and Brokerage Integration  SBI Securities and Rakuten Securities are moving toward launching their own crypto investment products, signaling a clear shift in Japans brokerage industry

05-18Industry

XRP News: Ripple and Validators Approve Critical XRP Ledger (XRPL) Upgrade

In todays big XRP news, Ripple has officially released a major upgrade to XRP Ledger (XRPL). The major upgrade introduces significant fixes to NFTs, permissioned domains, vaults, and the Lending protocol, boosting network stability and security.  Community Eyes Major XRPL Ledger (XRPL) 3.1.3 Upgrade  According to the XRPL blog, Ripple developers announced the rippled version 3.1.3 upgrade, introducing the fixCleanup3_1_3 amendment that contains fixes for NFTs, Permissioned Domains, Vaults, and the Lending Protocol.  Ripple emphasized the importance of the changes by setting the default vote to Yes in the new release. It requires all nodes to upgrade immediately for continued network participation.  Notably, it fixes an issue with expired ‘NFT token offer’ entries remaining on the XRP Ledger. The upgrade will ensure Permissioned Domains arent modified by failed transactions and fix a trust line token limit check when withdrawing vault assets.  It fixes loan accounting information, removes loan overpayments, and adds an additional check for cover matching assets held. Moreover, these changes protect data integrity, enforce transaction rules, and prevent potential ledger corruption in advanced DeFi and tokenized-asset use cases.  Ripple and XRP Validators Nod Progress to Go Live on Mainnet  The amendment in the XRP Ledger upgrade receives 97.14% approval from Ripple, Arrington XRP Capital, and

05-18Industry

Why is Ethereum Down? Blame Oil Prices

A massive red cliff at the far right of the chart shows that the inverse correlation between Ethereum and oil has plunged to roughly -0.40 (the highest level of negative correlation ever). Simply put, as oil prices surge upward, Ethereum is being sold off.  The two lines track each other with eerie precision. From mid-April through May, every localized spike in oil is matched by a drop in Ethereum‘s price. A plunge in the inverted oil line mirrors Ethereum’s recent steep sell-off almost perfectly.  An eventual reversal in oil prices will likely be a powerful price catalyst for Ethereum (ETH).  Tactical noise  Lee, who spearheads ETH treasury giant Bitmine, remains highly bullish on Ethereum in the long term despite temporary headwinds.  The permabull views the current price action merely as “short-term tactical noise”.  Lee has stressed that true macroeconomic drivers for the leading altcoins remain firmly intact despite the poor performance of the altcoin.  Fundstrat expects Ethereum prices to end up rallying because of this once energy markets calm down.  In the meantime, ETH/BTC recently plunged to 0.027, the lowest level since mid-July.

05-18Ethereum

Samsung Electronics Surges Nearly 4% as Seoul Intervenes to Prevent Massive Chip Strike

Compensation lies at the core of the conflict. The companys primary labor union, which represents more than 45,000 employees, is demanding that Samsung allocate 15% of its yearly operating profit toward a collective bonus fund. Additionally, the union seeks elimination of the existing 50% ceiling on annual compensation. Company leadership has resisted these demands, maintaining that performance-based incentives should determine bonus structures.  Employees within Samsungs semiconductor manufacturing operations had planned to initiate their 18-day work stoppage on May 21 should negotiations collapse. This rapidly approaching deadline prompted swift action from government officials in Seoul.  Prime Minister Kim Min-seok warned during the weekend that allowing a strike would inflict “unprecedented economic damage.” He announced Seouls commitment to exploring every available option, including emergency arbitration procedures, to avert the walkout — a legal tool that would suspend any industrial action for 30 days.  Additionally, a South Korean judicial body warned the union of potential daily fines approaching 100 million won ($66,500) should it proceed with strike activities against court directives.  President Lee Jae Myung also weighed in, stating via social media that management prerogatives deserve equal respect alongside workers rights.  Understanding the Critical Stakes  Samsung represents far more than just another corporation. The conglomerate generates 22.8% of South

05-18Industry
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