Pro Bitcoin traders might use bullish options strategies to build pressure on short sellers. Key takeaways: 97% of the $8.3 billion in Bitcoin put options expire worthless at a $102,000 BTC price. Short covering above $105,000 could trigger a Bitcoin price rally to new highs. Read more
Michelle Bond, facing campaign finance charges, is one of the last significant figures tied to cryptocurrency exchange FTX, through her husband, to be awaiting trial. Michelle Bond, the wife of former FTX Digital Markets co-CEO Ryan Salame, who faces federal campaign finance charges, is pushing for dismissal on the grounds that US prosecutors deceived her husband in a plea deal. In a May 7 filing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Bond’s lawyers reiterated some of the claims Salame made in opposing his plea deal with the government, which ultimately still led to him serving time in prison. She claimed that prosecutors obtained a deal with Salame through “stealth and deception” by allegedly agreeing they would not file charges against Bond. “Mr. Salame and Ms. Bond’s attorneys were advised that the agreement to cease investigating Ms. Bond could not be placed within the four corners of the Salame plea or other written agreement, but the government still offered it as an inducement...
A federal court has agreed with the Trump-appointed US attorney to levy a harsh sentence on former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky. The US federal court for the Southern District of New York has sentenced former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky to 12 years in prison for fraud. Mashinsky’s legal team sought a light sentence. They highlighted his spotless record before the Celsius incident, along with his military service and willingness to plead guilty. But US prosecutors were less inclined to leniency, suggesting on April 28 that the judge deliver a 20-year sentence for his actions. Betting markets predicted a light sentence ahead of the May 8 hearing. Polymarket showed only 11% odds for a 20-year sentence or higher. Read more
The impact of positive Bitcoin-related legislative and regulatory progress finally trickles down to BTC price as the top cryptocurrency rallies above $101,000. Key takeaways: Bitcoin rallies to $101,707 against a backdrop of strong fundamentals in the regulatory and traditional finance space. Traders are confident that $100,000 will hold as support. Read more
XRP price jumps as traders react to Trump’s trade deal tease, whale accumulation, and a bullish technical breakout. Key takeaways: XRP surged on May 8, boosted by risk-on sentiment following US President Donald Trump’s teased trade deal with the UK. Whale accumulation continues, with the number of addresses holding 10,000+ XRP rising steadily on price dips. Read more
The GENIUS Act failed to clear a procedure called cloture after pushback from Senate Democrats, who raised concerns about US President Donald Trump's crypto ventures. The Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins of 2025 Act, known as the GENIUS Act, failed to pass cloture in the United States Senate on May 8, dealing a slight blow to cryptocurrency regulation in the country. The bill, sponsored by Senator Bill Hagerty and co-sponsored by Senators Tim Scott, Kirsten Gillibrand, Cynthia Lummis and Angela Alsobrooks, received last-minute pushback from Democrats, who took aim at the bill and raised concerns about US President Donald Trump’s cryptocurrency ventures. To address the concerns of Senate Democrats, the bill had already been amended to include stricter requirements for stablecoin issuers for further provisions for Anti-Money Laundering. Read more
A March social media post announcing the president's plans for a strategic crypto reserve reportedly came from an employee of a lobbying firm tied to Ripple Labs. US President Donald Trump was reportedly manipulated by a lobbyist tied to Ripple Labs into announcing the XRP token would be part of his plans for a national cryptocurrency reserve. According to a May 8 Politico report, an employee of pro-Trump lobbyist Brian Ballard gave the president the text to a social media post she recommended he write announcing a US strategic crypto reserve that would include XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA). After he posted the message to his social media platform on March 2, Trump learned Ripple was one of Ballard’s clients, infuriating the president, who felt like he’d been used, Politico reported, citing two people familiar with the incident. “He is not welcome in anything anymore,” said Trump, referencing Ballard, according to the report. Read more