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Cointelegraph.com - 08:31 May 17, 2026
Intesa Sanpaolo grew its crypto holdings from $100 million to $235 million in Q1 2026, making first-time moves into Ethereum and XRP while nearly exiting Solana entirely. Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy’s largest bank, more than doubled its crypto exposure in the first quarter of 2026, with holdings climbing from approximately $100 million at the end of 2025 to around $235 million as of March 31. The growth was driven by expanded Bitcoin positions, with the bank adding to positions in both the ARK 21Shares BTC ETF and BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF. It also entered Ethereum for the first time through BlackRock’s iShares Staked Ethereum Trust, and picked up a fresh stake in Ripple’s XRP via the Grayscale XRP Trust ETF, worth approximately $26 million, according to a report by local crypto outlet Criptovaluta.it. Intesa also opened a new position in iShares Bitcoin Trust call options, its first derivatives play in the space. The bank previously confirmed to Criptovaluta.it that its crypto positions are held for p... -
Cointelegraph.com - 05:27 May 17, 2026
Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor said that continuing to use the “never sell” Bitcoin mantra could ultimately undermine the very asset his company is built around. Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor said he raised the possibility of selling Bitcoin during Strategy's recent earnings call to protect the asset's long-term interests. “We own about $65 billion worth of Bitcoin. If the market thought we would never sell it, the credit rating agencies would say, Well then, I guess it’s not an asset,” Saylor told Scott Melker on The Wolf Of All Streets podcast published to YouTube on May 10. “There is $20 to $100 billion of liquidity in the Bitcoin market that is not correlated to our equity or to our credit. If we were to say we’re never going to take advantage of that liquidity and we’re never going to use that asset, then we’re impairing the asset, which 98% of the company is built on,” Saylor explained, adding: Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 01:09 May 17, 2026
A16z crypto said that when US legal frameworks strike a balance between innovation and consumer protection, the impact tends to ripple through into global markets. The US CLARITY Act, which aims to provide the US crypto industry with more regulatory clarity, could have a positive ripple effect beyond the crypto sector itself, according to venture capital firm a16z crypto. “If the US provides builders with regulatory clarity, it will be a boon for domestic innovation,” a16z crypto said in an X post on Friday. A16z pointed to the passage of the GENIUS Act in July 2025, which created a regulatory framework for stablecoins, as a possible indication of what may happen following the CLARITY Act. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 22:50 May 16, 2026
Potential liquidity contractions in secondary markets and surging government bond yields could spell trouble for preferred perpetual stockholders. Investors are mispricing risk for perpetual preferred stocks, like Bitcoin treasury company Strategy’s Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock (STRC), according to Matt Dines, the chief investment officer of credit asset management company Build Markets. The corporate issuers of perpetual preferred stocks never have to repay holders their principal investment, and can just pay dividends indefinitely, without renegotiating the investment terms, Dines told the Truth for the Commoner (TFTC) media outlet. If holders want to cash out, they must sell the perpetuals on the secondary market to recover their principal, which leaves holders exposed to liquidity contraction and interest rate risks that exist forever because perpetuals lack a maturity date, he said. He added: Basic performance metrics for Strategy's STRC perpetual preferred stock. Source: Sayl... -
Cointelegraph.com - 19:03 May 16, 2026
The notes carry a 0% coupon, but can be converted into equity in the company if holders choose to redeem their notes for shares. Bitcoin treasury company Strategy announced on Friday that it will repurchase $1.5 billion in 0% convertible notes, due in 2029, retiring about half of the 2029 convertible note tranche’s total outstanding debt. Strategy entered into “privately negotiated transactions” with a portion of its 0% senior convertible note holders on Thursday, agreeing to repurchase the debt for an estimated $1.38 billion, according to the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing. The transaction is set to settle on Tuesday of the week following the publication of this article, the company said, adding that the final repurchase amount could “vary” from the estimated amount based on market conditions. The company added: Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 17:07 May 16, 2026
Bitcoin fell below $78,000 for the first time since the start of May, but traders refused to give up hope of a BTC price rebound coming next. Bitcoin (BTC) circled $78,000 on Saturday after geopolitical headwinds erased most of its May gains. Key points: Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 14:12 May 16, 2026
In a world-first deal, OpenAI and Malta will give all citizens free ChatGPT Plus for a year after they complete a government-backed AI literacy course. OpenAI and the Maltese government have announced a world-first partnership to roll out ChatGPT Plus to all Maltese citizens, marking the first time a government has struck such a deal with the AI company. Under the programme, citizens who complete a government-backed AI literacy course will receive free access to ChatGPT Plus for one year, OpenAI announced on Saturday. The course, developed by the University of Malta, covers what AI is, what it can and cannot do and how to use it responsibly at home and in the workplace. “Malta is the first country to launch a partnership of this scale because we refuse to let our citizens stay behind in the digital age,” Maltese minister for economy, enterprise and strategic projects Silvio Schembri said, adding that the goal is to turn AI “from an unfamiliar concept into practical assistance for our families, students, and w... -
Cointelegraph.com - 09:47 May 16, 2026
THORChain has launched a recovery portal following a $10 million exploit, allowing affected users across four chains to revoke malicious approvals and claim refunds. THORChain has confirmed a $10 million exploit and launched a recovery portal, giving affected users a self-custodial path to revoke malicious token approvals and submit refund claims backed by a treasury-provisioned refund pool of equal size. In a Saturday post on X, THORChain Foundation introduced the recovery portal, saying that “affected users are now able to check what they will be paid as compensation following the exploit.” The portal, citing a PeckShield post-mortem, claims that the attack was detected at 02:14 UTC on May 11, when node operators flagged anomalous outbound transactions. Trading and outbound signing were paused within eight minutes. In total, attackers drained 36.75 BTC, worth around $3 million, and approximately $7 million in tokens across BNB Chain, Ethereum and Base, hitting 12,847 wallets across four chains. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 09:00 May 16, 2026
The rest of the world is “really closely” watching the US CLARITY Act as the nation moves further away from the previous “hostile stance,” according to Sharplink’s chief. Ethereum needs three catalysts to fall into place for its price to regain momentum and surge higher, according to SharpLink Gaming CEO Joseph Chalom. “One is the CLARITY Act to pass in the US,” Chalom pointed out in an interview with Robert Baggs on Cointelegraph’s Chain Reaction show published to YouTube on Thursday. It came on the same day that all 13 Republican members and two Democrats voted to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY) at the US Senate Banking Committee meeting. Chalom said that while many view the legislation, which aims to give the US crypto industry greater clarity, as “a US phenomenon,” it is also being seen as a major signal for other jurisdictions around the world. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 08:19 May 16, 2026
Spot Bitcoin ETFs shed $1 billion in a single week as capital rotated toward AI stocks and macro uncertainty weighed on sentiment, ending a six-week run that had pulled in $3.4 billion. Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded $1 billion in weekly net outflows, ending a six-week inflow streak that had drawn a combined $3.4 billion. The week started on a cautiously optimistic note, with Monday posting modest inflows of $27.29 million, according to data from SoSoValue. The tide turned sharply on Tuesday, when investors pulled $233.25 million from the funds. Selling pressure intensified on Wednesday, the worst single day of the week, with outflows reaching $635.23 million. A brief reprieve came on Thursday, as inflows of $131.31 million offered a momentary reversal. However, Friday erased that recovery as well, when a further $290.42 million exited the products, sealing the week in the red at exactly $1 billion in net outflows. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 02:13 May 16, 2026
Santiment warned that the crypto market “typically” moves against crowd expectations, pointing to a recent rise in bullish sentiment driven by renewed momentum around the US CLARITY Act. Sentiment around Bitcoin’s near-term price direction has picked up as momentum builds behind the US CLARITY Act, which aims to provide the crypto industry with greater regulatory clarity, according to crypto sentiment platform Santiment. “Bitcoin has seen a major spike of euphoria across social media following news that the Senate Banking Committee advanced the CLARITY Act in a 15–9 bipartisan vote,” Santiment said in an X post on Friday. “This brings BTC and crypto one step closer to being ultimately passed,” Santiment said. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 23:10 May 15, 2026
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is currently headed by Chair Michael Selig, with no public statement from Donald Trump about fully staffing the five-member panel of commissioners. The Republican chair and Democratic ranking member of the US House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture have called on President Donald Trump to fully staff the leadership at a key financial regulator, citing the potential impact of a crypto market structure bill. In a Friday letter to Trump, House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson and ranking member Angie Craig asked the president to “nominate a full panel” of bipartisan leaders for the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The representatives cited “urgent regulatory issues” facing the US regulator in addition to a “significant rulemaking process” required if the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY) becomes law. “Ensuring the Commission is well-equipped as the leading derivatives markets regulator in the world is a bipartisan priority fo... -
Cointelegraph.com - 22:17 May 15, 2026
The crypto ATM company reported financial difficulties amid a changing regulatory environment and ongoing litigation, which have cost it millions of dollars. Cryptocurrency ATM company Bitcoin Depot reported “substantial doubts” about the company’s ability to continue operating amid ongoing litigation and a challenging regulatory environment. In a Form 10-Q filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday, Bitcoin Depot chief financial officer David Gray reported that the company had accrued more than $20 million in legal judgments in the fourth quarter of 2025 and “ongoing litigation matters.” The company also reported “substantial year-over-year declines in revenue” amid US states and municipalities passing laws and regulations banning or restricting crypto ATMs. “As a result of these factors, management has concluded that substantial doubt exists about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” said the report. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 21:42 May 15, 2026
The Hyperliquid decentralized exchange allows anyone who stakes 500,000 HYPE tokens, valued at roughly $22.2 million, to deploy new markets. Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), the two biggest exchanges for energy-linked commodities, are pressuring US regulators to clamp down on the Hyperliquid decentralized exchange’s expansion into commodity markets. Executives from both companies say that Hyperliquid’s energy-linked onchain derivatives create insider trading and price manipulation risks, according to Bloomberg, which cited unnamed sources familiar with the ongoing talks with US regulators. ICE and CME cited the “anonymous” and “unregulated” nature of Hyperliquid as major risks to critical energy markets, like oil and gas, which could be used by state actors to circumvent sanctions, the report added. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 21:11 May 15, 2026
The new card lets users spend USDC balances through online, in-store and contactless transactions while accessing ATM withdrawals in supported regions. Layer-1 blockchain developer Solayer launched a Visa-compatible payment card that allows users to spend USDC balances through in-store, online and contactless transactions. The card supports ATM withdrawals in supported regions and can be ordered through the Solayer Pay app, according to the announcement. Existing users can request the card for free, while new users pay a $20 annual activation fee. Source: Solayer Pay Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 18:41 May 15, 2026
Law firm Gerstein Harrow LLP is attempting to claim frozen cryptocurrency funds for claimants of unrelated judgments stretching back decades. Law firm Gerstein Harrow LLP filed a new motion on Thursday in a miscellaneous enforcement lawsuit, asking the court to compel stablecoin company Tether to hand over more than $344 million in frozen USDt linked to Iranian entities. The motion claims that the plaintiffs are owed more than $532 million in compensatory damages and more than $1.8 billion in punitive damages from acts of “terrorism committed or sponsored by Iran,” stretching back more than 25 years. The latest filing is part of a broader lawsuit against North Korea (DPRK) and Iran, attempting to claim and redistribute digital assets as compensation for victims of various and unrelated judgments tied to state-sponsored violence, drawing criticism from the crypto community. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 18:09 May 15, 2026
Sellers have pulled Bitcoin back below the $79,000 level, but buying may emerge as the price nears the $76,000 support. Key points: Bitcoin’s (BTC) recovery above $82,000 on Thursday was short-lived, as bears sold at higher levels and pulled the price back to the $79,000 level. Glassnode said in its Week On-chain report that several investors bought BTC between November 2025 and February near the $86,900 level. These holders may sell near their entry price after experiencing large drawdowns, creating a barrier for BTC’s continued rally. Another negative view came from crypto analytics firm CryptoQuant, which said in a recent report that BTC has hit its major resistance at the 200-day moving average near $82,400. In 2022, BTC had resumed its downtrend after failing to cross above the 200-day SMA. BTC may get into trouble if history repeats itself. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 17:56 May 15, 2026
BHYP offers spot exposure to Hyperliquid’s HYPE token and will stake a portion of its holdings through Bitwise’s in-house staking division. Bitwise Asset Management has launched a US-listed investment product tied to Hyperliquid, offering investors spot exposure to the token and staking rewards linked to the decentralized derivatives platform. The fund, trading under the ticker BHYP on the New York Stock Exchange, is the second US-listed Hyperliquid product to launch this week. Bitwise said the fund plans to stake a significant portion of its HYPE (HYPE) holdings through its in-house staking division. Hyperliquid is a decentralized trading-focused layer 1 blockchain launched in 2023 that offers perpetual futures, spot trading and lending services. Bitwise said the platform processed about $2.9 trillion in trading volume in 2025 and accounted for roughly 60% of global onchain derivatives open interest as of May 5, citing DefiLlama data. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 17:08 May 15, 2026
The text of Myanmar’s Anti-Online Fraud Bill said that anyone who was convicted of committing “digital currency fraud” could face from ten years to life in prison, and possibly the death penalty. The military government of Myanmar released the text of a bill aimed at combating online fraudsters, with several penalties related to cryptocurrencies and scam centers. According to the text of the Anti-Online Fraud Bill, made public on Thursday, Myanmar’s parliament, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, proposed the law in response to online fraud in the country, which it said challenged its “sovereignty and stability.” The law stated that anyone who was convicted of committing “digital currency fraud” or online fraud could face from ten years to life in prison, and possibly the death penalty. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 15:55 May 15, 2026
Ethereum analysts said that increasing supply on exchanges and declining ETF demand put ETH at risk of another leg down to $1,700. Market analysts say Ether (ETH) faces “downside risks” that could trigger another 20% downtrend toward $1,700, new analysis said. Key takeaways: Ether’s 40% recovery from multi-month lows below $1,800 was dampened by resistance from the $2,400 level. Read more
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