The global crypto market is constantly reacting to macroeconomic shifts, and a recent development has certainly captured attention. A temporary rollback of U.S.-China tariffs triggered a significant risk-on sentiment across financial markets. According to analysis from crypto trading firm QCP Capital , shared via their Telegram channel, this move lifted equity markets while simultaneously putting pressure on traditional safe-haven assets like gold. But how did the digital asset space, specifically Bitcoin and Ethereum , fare in this environment? How Did the Tariff Rollback Impact the Market Rally? When trade tensions ease, investors often feel more confident taking on risk. This is the classic ‘risk-on’ behavior. The temporary tariff rollback signaled a potential de-escalation, prompting a broad market rally in assets perceived as riskier, such as stocks. This flow of capital into equities often means a flow *out* of assets seen as less risky or used as hedges, like gold. The initial reaction in the crypto market was a brief dip for both Bitcoin and Ethereum , likely a knee-jerk reaction or perhaps profit-taking in volatile conditions, before stabilization occurred. Bitcoin’s Position Amidst Macro Uncertainty While the broader market rally provided a positive backdrop, Bitcoin ‘s reaction has been somewhat muted. QCP Capital notes that BTC dipped initially but has since stabilized. However, it still seems to be lacking a clear directional bias. Why might this be the case? Bitcoin often acts as a barometer for overall macro liquidity and risk appetite, but it also faces unique pressures. The lingering macro uncertainty, despite the temporary tariff news, could be keeping BTC in a holding pattern. Investors might be waiting for clearer signals on inflation, interest rates, or further geopolitical developments before committing strongly in either direction for Bitcoin . Ethereum Showing Structural Strength: What Did QCP Capital Observe? In contrast to Bitcoin ‘s sideways movement, Ethereum appears to be exhibiting more robust momentum, according to QCP Capital . They highlight that ETH is showing ‘stronger structural momentum’. This isn’t just about short-term price pumps; ‘structural strength’ suggests underlying factors are building a more solid foundation for future growth. This observation from a firm like QCP Capital , known for its derivatives trading insights, carries weight. What factors are contributing to this perceived strength in Ethereum ? The Pectra Upgrade: This upcoming network upgrade is highly anticipated. While details are technical, these protocol improvements are designed to enhance Ethereum’s efficiency, scalability, and security. Future network enhancements are crucial catalysts for investor confidence in a blockchain’s long-term viability and utility. Increased Interest in Long-Dated Options: QCP Capital specifically points to rising interest in long-dated Ethereum options. Options contracts that expire far in the future indicate that market participants are willing to bet on Ethereum’s price performance over a longer time horizon. This suggests bullish sentiment and confidence that ETH’s value will appreciate significantly in the coming months or even years, looking past immediate market volatility. These two points combined paint a picture of an asset class within the crypto market – Ethereum – that has fundamental and forward-looking drivers supporting its value proposition, potentially more so than Bitcoin in the current specific macro environment, as highlighted by QCP Capital ‘s analysis of the market rally fallout. Why the Divergence Between Bitcoin and Ethereum? It’s not uncommon for Bitcoin and Ethereum to show different price dynamics, especially when specific fundamental factors are at play for one but not the other. While Bitcoin remains the dominant force and often moves based on broad macro themes and institutional flows, Ethereum ‘s price can be significantly influenced by developments specific to its network – upgrades, DeFi activity, NFT trends, and staking dynamics. The Pectra upgrade and the options market activity are prime examples of ETH-specific catalysts that can create divergence from BTC’s price action, even within a general market rally context influenced by events like the tariff rollback. Challenges and Opportunities Ahead While Ethereum shows promising signs of structural strength, the broader crypto market is not without challenges. The macro uncertainty mentioned by QCP Capital still looms. Geopolitical risks, inflation concerns, and potential shifts in central bank policies could quickly change the market sentiment. However, for investors and traders, this divergence also presents opportunities. Understanding the specific drivers behind assets like Ethereum , beyond just the general market trends influenced by events like a tariff rollback and subsequent market rally , can inform more nuanced trading and investment strategies. Actionable Insight: Pay close attention to fundamental developments specific to blockchains like Ethereum, as they can provide uncorrelated catalysts compared to Bitcoin and the broader macro environment. Monitor options market data for signs of institutional or long-term conviction. Conclusion: Ethereum’s Moment in the Spotlight? The temporary U.S.-China tariff rollback provided a jolt to the global financial system, triggering a risk-on market rally that also touched the crypto market . While Bitcoin remains stable but directionless amidst ongoing macro uncertainty, Ethereum , according to QCP Capital , is demonstrating stronger structural momentum. This strength appears to be underpinned by positive forward-looking factors like the anticipated Pectra upgrade and increasing confidence reflected in the long-dated options market. While macro headwinds persist, Ethereum ‘s specific catalysts suggest it might be carving out its own path, making it a key asset to watch closely in the current market landscape. To learn more about the latest crypto market trends, explore our article on key developments shaping Ethereum price action .
Venture capital remains an essential driver for growth within the Bitcoin ecosystem, as highlighted at Token 2049 by industry leaders. While some factions of the Bitcoin community express skepticism, the
Meta’s ambitious entry into the crypto space aims to redefine stability as Tron surpasses Ethereum in the stablecoin ecosystem. Meta plans to launch its stablecoin on Ethereum later this year,
Bitcoin’s price rocketed past $100,000 on May 9, 2025, sending a ripple of excitement through the crypto world. Traders watched the tape as BTC climbed from $97,200 in early Asian hours to a peak of $99,050 before settling around $103,900. The move came amid a flurry of macro developments . Data point to a market caught between fresh liquidity, steady U.S. rates, and record bearish bets. Bitcoin Liquidity Boost Out of Beijing China’s central bank trimmed its one-year lending rate by 15 basis points. It also cut the reserve requirement ratio by half a percentage point. Together, these moves freed an estimated $100 billion of liquidity into the market. The rate cut marked the first easing since December 2024. It came as Beijing seeks to shore up growth and support its equity and property markets. Traders noted the timing: China announced the measures just hours before Bitcoin broke $99,000. Across the Pacific, the U.S. Federal Reserve paused its tightening cycle. In its May 1 statement, the Fed kept the federal funds target at 5.25 percent. Officials cited mixed growth signals and cooling inflation. The pause contrasted with Beijing’s easing. It underscored divergent policy paths. Behind the scenes, U.S.–China relations also warmed. Diplomats held discreet talks on May 2. They agreed to start formal trade negotiations on Friday, May 16 (U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, May 2, 2025). Traders interpreted the move as a sign of reduced friction in goods and capital flows. Market Internals Signal Divergence Not every indicator cheered the rally. On Coinbase Pro, Bitcoin’s price premium versus global benchmarks slipped into negative territory on May 9. U.S. traders paid a slight discount, marking the first negative premium in six weeks. Meanwhile, CryptoQuant reported record-high short interest among institutional funds on that same day. Funds increased bearish positions as prices climbed. The setup resembles prior short squeezes, where forced buy-ins accelerate rallies. Bulls point to China’s liquidity surge and the Fed’s hold. They see the thaw in U.S.–China ties as a further catalyst. They argue that cross-border flows may increase with formal trade talks slated for May 16. They add that record shorts on major funds set the stage for a short squeeze. If those bets unwind quickly, Bitcoin could vault past $100,000. Bears, however, urge caution. They note the negative Coinbase Pro premium as a warning sign. They argue that U.S. demand may lag overseas buying. They worry that heavy short positions reflect more profound skepticism. Those shorts could reinforce selling if policy easing disappoints or trade talks stall. They also flag lower Asian volume during Golden Week from May 10 to May 16. Thin liquidity could exaggerate price swings in either direction. Bitcoin’s climb to just over $104,000 captured a moment of policy tug-of-war. Beijing’s easing and Washington’s steady rates offered mixed signals. Improving U.S.–China ties hinted at smoother trade. Yet market internals from negative U.S. premiums to peak shorts paint a complex picture. BTC/USDT Chart| Source: TradingView Whether FOMO will push Bitcoin towards a new all-time high (ATH) remains open. Traders will watch for forced short-covering and volume shifts as Asia reopens after Golden Week. They will track updates from Beijing, the Fed, and USTR announcements. At the time of writing, Bitcoin’s price is $103,782, having dropped 0.65% over the last 24 hours. The next moves may hinge as much on policy headlines as on trader psychology.
Venture capital firms remain critical to infrastructure development in the Bitcoin ecosystem, despite pushback from some in the community, according to builders speaking at the Token2049 conference in Dubai. Charlie Yechuan Hu, CEO of Bitcoin layer-2 protocol Bitlayer, shared his insights on venture capital (VC) firms in the Bitcoin ( BTC ) ecosystem. Hu told Cointelegraph that he views many VC firms in the space positively, as they offer support to early ventures that need capital to build infrastructure. “You need developers, you need to open up the whole ecosystem foundation, everything,” Hu said. “You need to pay for the cloud, like AWS or RPCs, all that, servers So, we have to have VC on that.“ Hu argued against the usual Bitcoiner ethos that argues against outsider capital, saying, “It’s difficult to say, okay, let’s do a fair mint, and then have a very successful, healthy treasury, and you have to pay all this stuff.” “It doesn’t work that way,” he said. Related: StarkWare researchers propose smart contracts for Bitcoin with ColliderVM Lightning-only stance sparks debate Not everyone agrees. Mike Jarmuz, a managing partner at Bitcoin venture capital firm Lightning Ventures, told Cointelegraph that Lightning is the only L2 his company has invested in and is interested in. He said, “Anything with a ‘token’ that allows for ‘staking’ and earning some absurd APY interest on your Bitcoin should be avoided.” Jarmuz said that Lightning Network , on the other hand, is growing very quickly and makes Bitcoin transactions instant, nearly free and scalable. Bitcoin Visuals data shows that the Lightning Network has a cumulative capacity across all channels equivalent to almost $452 million at the time of writing. He added: “There is no ‘token’ when using the Lightning network. It’s Bitcoin. That to me is the only real L2, at least as of right now.“ Lightning Network capacity chart. Source: Bitcoin Visuals Jarmuz said that projects not meeting his criteria are “masquerading as useful” while doing nothing for Bitcoin. He claimed that sidechains like the Liquid Network and newer protocols such as e-cash and federations or Ark “are not widely used” but “are at least interesting.” He recognized that those “do not involve a staked token, promising yield,” with projects that have those features, “just waiting for rug pulls and issues.” “We don’t invest in that area,“ he added. Related: Spar supermarket in Switzerland starts accepting Bitcoin payments VCs seen as enablers of Bitcoin growth According to Hu, VCs bring liquidity, resources and experience to new startups while opening “up all the institutional ideas and connections.” He said that those were important additions to Bitlayer’s resources as well, noting that “we wouldn’t have that if those people didn’t invest in us.” He also argued that VCs tend to back long-term infrastructure efforts rather than speculative projects like memecoins or non-fungible tokens. That experience was echoed by Walter Maffione, lead engineer at Lightning Network-based decentralized exchange (DEX) Kaleidoswap, who told Cointelegraph that the protocol started as an open-source project and raised a pre-seed investment from Fulgur Ventures and Bitfinex Ventures. “Those funds were used to pay open-source developers and accelerate protocol development, not to build a token or capture governance rights,“ he said. Hu claimed that VCs have contributed significantly to developing layer-2 scalability solutions, wallets, Bitcoin lending and staking protocols. He added: “All of them are VC-backed, including us. And some of them are listed on top exchanges.” Vikash Singh, principal at Bitcoin VC firm Stillmark, told Cointelegraph that when selecting Bitcoin layer-2 protocols to invest in, they consider demonstrated security and robustness, proliferation and adoption of non-speculative use cases and growth of the application layer. Much like Jarmuz, he said that Stillmark believes that proof-of-work is the superior consensus model. Still, unlike Jarmuz, Singh said proof-of-stake or Byzantine fault-tolerant consensus “may be suitable for Bitcoin sidechains and rollups.” Magazine: ‘Bitcoin layer 2s’ aren’t really L2s at all: Here’s why that matters
Memecoins rode a surge in the past 24 hours. The presale of Yeti Ouro (YETIO) hit above $4 million at $0.041 per YETIO, and Dogecoin (DOGE) reached above $0.25 as a result of whale attention. While the retail traders are waiting and speculating on whose coin will reach $10 first, today’s on-chain statistics imply a shocking competition. DOGE Market Momentum Crypto mood turned “greed” overnight, lifting liquidity all around. Dogecoin price paced large-cap gainers with a 24% surge to $0.2571 following whales piling 600 million DOGE into cold storage—the biggest two-day inflow since February’s local peak. Intraday order books now indicate clustering of bids around $0.23, the round-bottom pattern neckline many experts signaled up on this morning. The up-move fueled discussions of DOGE at $1 prior to mid-2025 despite quants observing the coin needing to add approximately $130 billion in market cap to achieve it. Model algorithms released today still forecast a median spot range of $0.24–$0.26 through next week. DOGE/USDT 4h chart displays a strong positive deviation with the price action crossing above the upper Bollinger Band backed by high volume. Subsequent to the volatility expansion, a consolidation phase at 0.23503 above the 20-SMA hints at a respite. Yeti Ouro’s GameFi Advantage Yeti Ouro takes the meme narrative in a different direction: utility-first GameFi. The flagship racer, YetiGo, is developed using Unreal Engine 5 and promises elimination-style PvP with victors rewarded directly in-game with YETIO. By combining console-class graphics with a native reward loop, the group is targeting a user base wider than usual meme-coin collectors. Most importantly, the public beta of YetiGo is slated to hit the existing roadmap timeframe, providing the token with a playable proof-of-concept month ahead of centralized exchange listings. The game invites players into a sleek, high-speed world where every element is crafted for impact. Created alongside the celebrated developers behind Call of Duty, Spider-Man, The Witcher, and Dead Space, the game delivers a cinematic experience packed with detail and momentum. The soundtrack, developed by sound engineers with credits alongside Grammy-nominated artists like Major Lazer, Vybz Kartel, and Kabaka Pyramid, amplifies the action with energy and emotion. Presale traction supports the thesis: 239 million tokens sold and $4.075 million raised as of this morning @ $0.041 per token, with the next-stage price already confirmed to have a steeper increase than the price increase from Stage 3 to Stage 4. Early bird investors have seen a 242% ROI and enjoy a 20% bonus on token purchases. An additional 5% is added to purchases over $500. Tokenomics and Strategic Burn YETIO has a fixed billion supply, half of which drips into circulation through the multi-stage presale and community incentives. A portion of all season launches in YetiGo goes towards a permanent burn wallet, bestowing the ecosystem with a deflationary tailwind missing from most meme competitors. The liquidity, marketing, and team allocations are capped at a single-digit percent, keeping work capital thin while ensuring long-haul scarcity. Fully-diluted valuation at the presale price is around $41 million—paltry alongside large cap memes, but small enough that a single exchange listing might make a difference. YETIO’s Road to $10 A $0.041 to $10 swing requires a rally of 24,250 %, but the arithmetic appears less sensational when plotted against the project’s runway. A $10 price tag would set YETIO’s fully-diluted market cap at about $10 billion—a magnitude less than the 2021 peak of Dogecoin and comparable to second-rank gaming behemoths. Incentives already scheduled to appear in the next year are: A platform-crossing YetiGo beta that dispenses tokens to players First CEX listing to happen in Q2 2025 as per the live roadmap, and The initial season burn aligned with beta launch traffic. Every milestone directly reduces supply or increases demand, compressing distance to double-digits. Assuming presale allocations are used up and the community holds even 30 % of beta users, on-chain velocity models look to a theoretical year-end goal higher than $1 with compound monthly increases of 35 % propelling the token to two-figure levels before the next Bitcoin halving. Who Reaches the Summit First? The race is open. Legacy memes are dependent on renewed hype; Yeti Ouro counters by creating demand through gameplay and controlled scarcity. Dogecoin has liquidity, exchange depth, and cultural mind-share. Yeti Ouro responds with capped supply, deliberate burns, and a near-term Unreal-Engine title that turns playtime into buy pressure. If DOGE sustains its whale-led rally it might flirt with $1 in the next bull wave, but a sprint to $10 still depends on an unprecedented market-cap surge. YETIO, however, is early in its curve: a 250-fold increase from presale prices today stamps the same milestone—possible if GameFi uptake follows past breakout success stories and all roadmaps fire on cue. Join the Yeti Ouro Community Website: https://yetiouro.io/ X (Formerly Twitter): https://x.com/yetiouro Telegram: https://t.me/yetiouroofficial Discord: https://discord.gg/YtUsEZ2ZrV
In the latest episode of The Bitcoin Layer, host Nik Bhatia invited on-chain analyst James Check—better known as “Checkmate”—to dissect the forces that have carried bitcoin past six figures and to explain why he believes the market still points toward a move to roughly $150,000. From the outset, Check framed his analysis in sweeping macroeconomic terms. Since the 2008 financial crisis, he said, dollar strength has been “a big up-trend” that rewarded foreign investors who benchmark in other currencies, buy dollars, and place those dollars into US equities. But that era, he argued, is giving way to a “sound-money dominance regime”: “My favorite chart is the S&P 500 priced in gold. You get about ten years where equities trounce gold, then ten years where gold trounces equities. Since 2022 that chart flipped in gold’s favor, and for the first time in history we have a mature, trillion-dollar bitcoin sitting right alongside it. We’re watching the rules shift, and it’s not going to happen overnight—it’ll take a decade, maybe longer, to fully play out.” Why $150,000 Is Next For Bitcoin The conversation quickly moved from macro currents to market structure. After the spring sell-off that drove prices from the mid-$90,000s to the mid-$70,000s—an “air pocket” where little historical supply had transacted—bitcoin clawed back the dense supply cluster around $95,000 with surprising ease. Related Reading: Bitcoin Nears All-Time High as $312M BTC Exit Binance Following US-China Trade Deal “People were willing to just sit tight and allow the market to find its level. They’d bought at $100,000, watched it fall to $75,000, bought some more, and now they’re up on the whole stack. That kind of behavior is a real boost of confidence.” Shortly after that consolidation, the market printed a local high near $105,000. For veteran participants, the psychological shift was palpable. “$100,000 was the target for the last decade,” Check said. “Now it’s the floor. Bitcoin has proved it belongs at a trillion-dollar market cap, flipped silver, and feels perfectly natural sitting among the five largest monetary assets on earth.” Check’s quantitative framework hinges on the market-value-to-realized-value (MVRV) ratio, which benchmarks price against the aggregated on-chain cost basis. Translating historical MVRV extremes into forward levels puts the present cycle’s statistical ceiling near $166,000: “If price goes to $166,000, my objective analyst self has to say, ‘We’re two standard deviations above the mean, and we’ve only stayed higher than this five percent of the time.’” That band—roughly $150,000 to $160,000—marks the altitude where he expects the first serious wave of profit-taking. Yet the level remains plausible precisely because it is rooted in realized behavior, not in the supply-halving calendar: “There’s a reason MVRV only gets so high. When people look at their portfolio and see a house sitting there in green numbers, a chunk of them will hit the sell button. You don’t need everyone to sell—just enough to overwhelm new demand.” Derivatives, “Time Pain” And The Halving A maturing derivatives market is central to Check’s thesis. He expects perpetual-swap funding rates to breach 20 percent annualized on a rapid run toward $150,000, inviting basis traders to short futures and collect the premium. Options desks, meanwhile, can harvest fat volatility premia by selling calls. “Big asset managers must hedge. If they can’t lay off a billion-dollar position in options they won’t take the position in the first place. Derivatives aren’t papering over demand—they’re the plumbing that lets real capital scale into the asset.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Targets $110,000 All-Time High After Consolidation Trend Ends Those instruments also reshape corrections. Where 2017 pullbacks were 40% plunges that reversed in days, today’s market prefers shallower, longer consolidations—episodes that impose what Check calls time pain. “Depth pain is easy to see—your coins are 30% underwater. Time pain is harder. Three months of chop at the same level will wear investors out, and boredom is a powerful seller.” Perhaps one of the most striking element of the interview was Check’s deliberate break from the four-year, halving-centric cycle model. After studying the August–September 2023 pullback, the mid-2024 range, and the latest sell-off, he concluded that the short-term-holder cost basis now functions less as a binary floor or ceiling and more as a mean-reversion anchor. “People are now using bitcoin to respond to the world rather than us responding to bitcoin. Macro sentiment—not scheduled supply shocks—is steering the big flows.” Treasury Adoption And The Confidence Machine When tracking corporate treasuries, ETFs, and other large holders, Check zooms out to a 30-day change in realized cap—the cleanest view of net dollar inflows. Even March-April ETF outflows, he noted, were nearly matched by falling CME open interest, implying “mechanical cash-and-carry unwinds rather than lost conviction.” Closing the conversation, he returned to first principles: “Markets are a big confidence machine. The dollar cycle, the gold-equity rotation, the cost of hedging—all of that feeds straight into bitcoin order books, option smiles, and on-chain ledgers. The only real question is: what’s the fair macro premium for digital sound money?” For James Check, the chart already sketches an answer: somewhere around $150,000, the confidence machine will stage its next major test. At press time, BTC traded at $102,573. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) has appointed Andrew Charlton, a member of Parramatta, as Assistant Minister for Science, Technology, and the Digital Economy as part of the government’s push for clear guidelines for crypto traders. The ALP beat its conservative rivals, the Coalition, and is now reshuffling its cabinet. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the appointment, citing Charlton’s strong credentials as an economist. Albanese pointed out that a digital economy will profoundly impact how Australians work and live. Charlton will work alongside his colleague Tim Ayres, the Minister for Industry and Innovation. However, Charlton will focus his attention on digital assets and regulation. Albanese announced that Charlton will also promote emerging technologies and innovations. Charlton has shown a positive attitude towards cryptocurrencies, making a speech last November about developing balanced policies for crypto and encouraging industry growth. Charlton is a Rhodes scholar, joining the ranks of previous Australian prime ministers such as Bob Hawke, Tony Abbott, and Malcolm Turnbull. Charlton sold his economics firm, Accenture, in 2020 for $35.8 million. Australian political parties value wealthy candidates because they can pay for their campaign, which becomes essential during an economic downturn. Charlton entered politics through a Labor-aligned law firm. Charlton resembles former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in many ways and could be a future candidate for PM himself. Turnbull, who could still make a comeback, made his money as a trader in Siberian and Chinese mines. If this is the case, one may expect Charlton to blend digital assets with conservation and ecological technology, possibly using blockchains to conduct carbon accounting. In March, Charlton joined Treasurer Jim Chalmers to publish a regulatory framework for digital assets. The document signalled a positive switch for the Australian government to collaborate with industry leaders and support local crypto projects. Australia is currently struggling with a cost-of-living crisis and a housing market that is not sustainable in terms of affordability. Charlton described his regulatory approach as enhancing economic dynamism and increasing competitiveness. For Charlton, cryptocurrency is an opportunity to help Australia survive a financial crisis and boost local startups. Charlton suggested changes to government oversight of digital assets, including a review of the Enhanced Regulatory Sandbox, and exploring the benefits of crypto for financial markets. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has also been included in the new approach to digital assets. The ATO found that existing tax categories can accommodate cryptocurrencies. Charlton has also established an ATO group to provide crypto businesses with more guidance regarding tax procedures. The Independent Reserve, an Australian exchange, released April 2025 data, providing a snapshot of the Australian crypto market. Their data shows that 31% of Australians, or 6.2 million people, own cryptocurrency, up from the previous year of 28%. The majority of these investors at 70% are buying Bitcoin. At the same time, Ethereum makes up 29.8% of the people investing. Younger people aged 25-34 vastly dominate the market, with 53% of investors coming from this demographic. There also exists a gender disparity, with around 40% of male respondents investing in crypto, while only 20% of female respondents invest. Self Managed Superannuation Funds (SMSF) are also very popular in Australia, with 36.4% of SMSF holders likely to invest in Bitcoin, and 18% interested in adding Bitcoin to their SMSF, particularly amongst younger workers.
BTCFi is revolutionizing the landscape of decentralized finance by leveraging Bitcoin’s unparalleled security and capital potential, aiming to unlock sophisticated financial applications. This emerging sector is rapidly gaining traction as
The crypto market registered a notable decline over the past 24 hours despite Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announcing that the US and China had agreed to temporarily reduce tariffs to de-escalate their ongoing trade war. Bitcoin (BTC) made a sluggish start to the week, dropping to an intraday low of $100,833 as selling pressure intensified. However, it rebounded and moved to its current level but remains down nearly 2% over the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, Ethereum (ETH) slipped below $2,500, dropping over 2% to $2,458. Despite the bearish sentiment, Ripple (XRP) is up over 4% and trading at $2.50, while Solana (SOL) is down 2.31% and trading at $171. Dogecoin (DOGE) also registered a notable decline, dropping over 7% to $0.223. Meanwhile, Cardano (ADA) is down almost 3%, and Chainlink (LINK) is down over 4% at $16.44. Stellar (XLM) , Hedera (HBAR) , Toncoin (TON) , Polkadot (DOT) , and Litecoin (LTC) also registered notable declines. The crypto market cap is down 1.48% and currently sits at $3.28 trillion. US And China Temporarily Slash Tariffs The US and China have taken steps to defuse trade tensions, agreeing to temporarily reduce the trade tariffs imposed on each other. The decision is an indication of the high costs of an all-out trade war with China and comes after President Trump repeatedly stated he would not lower tariffs without concessions from China. The climbdown comes after both sides agreed to hold more formal talks after consumers and companies began showing considerable economic strain. President Trump stated during a press conference at the White House that talks would focus on opening up China to American businesses and revealed he would be speaking with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both sides have released a joint statement saying they will suspend reciprocal tariffs for 90 days as they continue negotiations that began this weekend. Under the new agreement, the US would reduce tariffs on Chinese goods to 30% while China would reduce the import duty on American goods to 10%. Dubai Partners With Crypto.com To Launch Crypto Payments Dubai has partnered with Crypto.com to launch crypto payments for government services. The agreement was finalized during the Dubai Fintech Summit on May 12 and is part of Dubai’s cashless strategy which aims to transform the city into a fully digital, cashless society by introducing a new digital payment channel across all official platforms. The partnership will allow individuals and business customers of government entities to pay service fees using the exchange’s digital wallets. The payments will be converted into Dirhams and transferred to DOF accounts. Amna Mohammed Lootah, Director of Digital Payment Systems Regulation, said that Dubai aims to make 90% of all financial transactions in the city cashless. “We are confident that this milestone will significantly accelerate the advancement of the Dubai Cashless Strategy.” However, the authorities do not clearly state which cryptocurrencies they will accept. The announcement stated that payments could be made using stable currencies, indicating the use of cryptocurrencies. Coinbase Makes History, Becomes First Crypto Company To Join The S&P 500 Coinbase has become the first crypto company to join the S&P 500. The announcement was made by S&P Global and will come into effect on Monday, May 19. Coinbase will replace Discover Financial Services, which was recently acquired by Capital One. Coinbase (COIN) shares jumped nearly 9% following the announcement. Coinbase has established itself as the largest crypto exchange in the US and reported a net income of $65.6 million in Q1 2025. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong celebrated the moment on X, stating, “Crypto is here to stay.” A company’s inclusion in the S&P 500 boosts its market exposure, as index-tracking funds must purchase its shares. The inclusion means Coinbase joins the likes of Apple and Nvidia in the benchmark index. However, Coinbase is expected to be at the lower end of the index, consisting of companies with a weighting between 0.01% and 0.2%. Bitcoin (BTC) Price Analysis Bitcoin (BTC) registered a decline over the past couple of sessions as buyer exhaustion and selling pressure prevented a move past $105,000. The flagship cryptocurrency started the week on a bearish note and faced substantial volatility on Monday as it fell to a low of $100,692 thanks to selling pressure at higher levels. BTC also encountered considerable profit-taking at higher levels as investors locked in their gains. BTC’s pullback coincided with macroeconomic shifts, including a strengthening US Dollar Index and renewed optimism around a US-China trade deal, boosting equities and leading to considerable profit-booking in crypto. Analysts have pointed out that the $100,000 level remains a crucial psychological and liquidation level, with over $3.4 billion in long-positions exposed to downside risk if selling pressure persists. The level has already been tested on Monday when BTC dropped to a low of $100,692 before rebounding. Despite the notable correction, BTC has seen positive developments over the past week. The most significant news surrounding the asset was Michael Saylor announcing that Strategy has acquired 13,390 BTC, taking its total holdings to 568,840 BTC. Meanwhile, Healthcare company KindlyMD announced a merger with Nakamoto Holdings, a Bitcoin investment company founded by David Bailey, President Trump’s current crypto advisor. Following last week’s stellar rally, analysts believe BTC could enter a period of consolidation as profit-taking impacts bullish momentum. Glassnode analysts stated, “BTC Supply Mapping shows sustained strength in new demand. First-Time Buyers RSI has held at 100 all week. But Momentum Buyers remain weak (RSI ~11), and Profit Takers are rising. If fresh inflows slow, lack of follow-through could lead to consolidation.” Major crypto exchanges also recorded a significant jump in selling in perpetual futures markets. Selling was also seen in spot markets as BTC ran into a wall of resistance around $106,000. Mena Theodorou, co-founder of crypto exchange Coinstash, stated, “The tariff reduction could see a broader return to risk-on positioning, with crypto and equities both likely to benefit from renewed investor confidence and global capital flows. The rally comes as the macro backdrop takes a positive turn: in a landmark move, the US has struck trade deals with both China and the UK, while Putin and Zelensky are set to meet on Thursday to discuss a potential ceasefire. These developments have lifted risk sentiment globally, crypto included.” Despite posting a significant rally last week, BTC started in the red, registering a drop of 0.98% on Saturday and 1.66% on Sunday to end the weekend at $94,390. Despite the bearish weekend, the flagship cryptocurrency rebounded on Monday, rising 0.41% to $94,773. Bullish sentiment intensified on Tuesday as BTC rose 2.19% to cross 96,000 and settle at $96,845. A marginal increase on Wednesday allowed BTC to claim $97,000 and settle at $97,013. Bullish sentiment intensified on Thursday as markets rallied after President Trump announced a trade deal with the UK. As a result, BTC soared over 6%, surging past $100,000 and settling at $103,096. Source: TradingView The rally cooled on Friday as the price registered a marginal decline to slip below $103,000 and settle at $102,851. Price action turned positive on Saturday as BTC rose almost 2% to $104,617. BTC could not push higher as it ran into a wall of resistance around $105,000. As a result, the price dropped nearly 1% on Sunday and settled at $103,804. BTC encountered volatility on Monday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Sellers ultimately gained the upper hand as the price dropped over 1% to $102,729, but not before falling to an intraday low of $100,692. The current session sees BTC marginally down as sellers look to drive the price below $100,000. Ethereum (ETH) Price Analysis Ethereum (ETH)’s stunning rally stalled over the weekend thanks to massive profit-taking from ETH holders. The world’s second-largest cryptocurrency stunned market watchers with a 40% increase, smashing past $2,000 and surging to a high of $2,597 on Saturday. However, it lost momentum after reaching this level and is down nearly 5% over the past 3 days. Open interest has also registered a notable decline, suggesting a reduction in leveraged bets. According to an analysis by analysts at Glassnode, ETH’s rally was supported by a lack of resistance between $1,800 and $2,500. However, the rally stalled just short of $2,600 at a critical level where 1.3 million ETH has amassed. “$ETH’s sharp move above $1.8K to $2.5K was aided by the low supply concentration in that range. The rally stalled near $2.58K, where ~1.3M ETH was held. As the price approached this level, the supply fell to 1M, indicating that distribution was near the cost basis as the holders exited.” In a separate analysis, a CryptoQuant analyst noted that Ethereum’s funding rates, which reflect futures market sentiment, have remained flat, indicating that the spot market, not traders using leverage, accounted for most of last week’s buying pressure. As we can see in the price chart, ETH’s price action was muted most of last week until the price action turned bullish on Thursday. The price traded in the red the previous weekend, dropping 0.40% on Saturday and 1.34% on Sunday to settle at $1,810. The price registered a marginal recovery on Monday but was back in bearish territory on Tuesday, falling 0.22% to $1,816. Price action remained bearish on Wednesday, with ETH registering another marginal decline and settling at $1,812. ETH rallied Thursday after Trump announced the US-UK trade deal, surging nearly 22% to cross $2,000 and settle at $2,206. Source: TradingView The price raced to an intraday high of $2,489 on Friday as bullish sentiment intensified. However, it could not stay at this level and settled at $2,345, ultimately registering an increase of $2,345. Price action remained bullish on Saturday as ETH rose over 10%, surging past $2,500 and settling at $2,585. However, ETH lost momentum on Sunday, dropping nearly 3% to $2,514. ETH encountered volatility on Monday as buyers attempted a move past $2,600 while sellers tried to drive the price below $2,500. Sellers ultimately gained the upper hand as the price fell almost 1% to $2,496. The current session sees ETH marginally down, trading around $2,480. Solana (SOL) Price Analysis Solana (SOL)’s rally stalled around the $175-$180 mark as buyer exhaustion set in, thanks to a wall of resistance at upper levels. However, despite losing momentum, SOL has not ceded ground to the bears, maintaining its position above $170. SOL’s rally coincided with substantial gains in the broader crypto market, as markets rallied thanks to positive macroeconomic developments. Volumes on Solana-based decentralized exchanges have also risen, handling transactions worth over $3.4 billion in the past 24 hours. Upcoming Solana ETF approvals could act as another catalyst and potentially drive SOL past $300. SOL registered a drop of almost 1% on Saturday (May 3) and 1.81% on Sunday to end the previous weekend at $144. The price found support at this level and rebounded on Monday, rising almost 2% to $146. Sellers attempted to lower the price on Tuesday as SOL fell to an intraday low of $141. However, it recovered from this level to register a marginal increase and reclaim $146. A marginal rise on Wednesday saw SOL move to $147. Bullish sentiment intensified on Thursday, and SOL surged nearly 12% to cross $160 and settle at $164. Source: TradingView Buyers retained control on Friday as the price rose over 5%, crossing $170 to settle at $172. SOL continued to push higher on Saturday, increasing nearly 3% to $177. However, it lost momentum after reaching this level and dropped almost 3% on Sunday to settle at $173. The price encountered volatility on Monday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Buyers ultimately gained the upper hand as SOL rose 0.61% to $174, but not before reaching an intraday high of $174. The current session sees SOL marginally down, recovering from a low of $165 and trading at $173. Dogecoin (DOGE) Price Analysis Dogecoin (DOGE) registered a substantial drop on Saturday (May 3), dropping over 3% and settling at $0.175. Selling pressure persisted on Sunday as the price fell 2.62%, ending the weekend in the red at $0.170. Sellers retained control on Monday as DOGE registered a marginal decline, remaining at $0.170. The price recovered on Tuesday, rebounding from an intraday low of $0.164 to settle at $0.172, ultimately registering an increase of 1%. Buyers retained control on Wednesday as the price rose 0.41% and settled at $0.173. Bullish sentiment intensified on Thursday as the price surged almost 14%, crossing the 20-day SMA and settling at $0.197. Source: TradingView DOGE continued to push higher on Friday despite volatility, rising nearly 4%, crossing $0.20 and settling at $0.204. Bullish sentiment intensified on Saturday as the price rallied an incredible 22.25%, shattering key levels and settling at $0.250. However, the world’s most popular meme coin lost momentum on Sunday, dropping almost 8% to $0.231. DOGE started the current week facing volatility as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Sellers ultimately gained the upper hand as the price dropped from an intraday high of $0.253 and settled at $0.230 after registering a marginal decline. The current session sees the price down nearly 2% and trading at $0.226. Arbitrum (ARB) Price Analysis Arbitrum (ARB) registered a substantial decline on Saturday (May 3), dropping nearly 6%, slipping below the 50-day SMA, and settling at $0.319. Bearish sentiment persisted on Sunday as ARB dropped 2.88%, going below the 20-day SMA and settling at $0.310. Despite the bearish sentiment, the price registered a marginal increase on Monday and moved to $0.311. However, ARB was back in the red on Tuesday, dropping almost 1% to $0.308, but recovered on Wednesday, rising 0.81% and settling at $0.310. Price action turned positive on Thursday as markets rallied. As a result, ARB surged nearly 17%, crossing the 20 and 50-day SMAs and settling at $0.362. Source: TradingView Buyers retained control on Friday as ARB registered an increase of 4.47% and moved to$0.378. Bullish sentiment intensified on Saturday as ARB surged a staggering 27.88% and moved to $0.484. However, buyers lost momentum after reaching this level, dropping almost 7% and settling at $0.451. ARB faced volatility on Monday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Sellers ultimately gained the upper hand as the price fell from an intraday high of $0.480 and settled at $0.430, registering a drop of 4.67%. The current session sees ARB down over 1%, trading around $0.426. Bittensor (TAO) Price Analysis Bittensor’s (TAO) price action followed a similar trajectory to ARB, dropping nearly 6% on Saturday and 2.53% on Sunday to settle at $344. Despite the overwhelming bearish sentiment, TAO rebounded on Monday, rising over 9% to surge past $350 and settle at $375. However, TAO was back in the red on Tuesday, registering a marginal decline and settling at $373. TAO faced volatility on Wednesday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Sellers ultimately gained the upper hand as the price registered a drop of 1.49% and settled at $367. TAO rebounded on Thursday, rising 15% to surge past $400 and the 200-day SMA, settling at $422. Source: TradingView Price action remained positive on Friday as TAO rose 1.75% and settled at $430, but not before reaching an intraday high of $451. Bullish sentiment intensified on Saturday as the price registered an increase of almost 8% and settled at $464. Selling pressure returned on Sunday as TAO fell to an intraday low of $439 before settling at $458, ultimately registering a drop of $458. TAO faced volatility on Monday, rising to an intraday high of $488 and falling to an intraday low of $435 before settling at $456 after a marginal decline. The current session sees TAO marginally up, trading at $460. Aptos (APT) Price Analysis Aptos (APT) registered a substantial recovery after plunging to an intraday low of $4.59 on Tuesday. APT started the previous week in the red, dropping 2.57% on Monday, slipping below $5 and settling at $4.97. Bearish sentiment intensified on Tuesday as the price plunged to an intraday low of $4.59 before settling at $4.75, ultimately registering a drop of 4.35%. Despite the overwhelming selling pressure, APT recovered on Wednesday, rising almost 1% and settling at $4.79. Bullish sentiment intensified on Thursday as APT surged over 14%, reclaiming $5, going past the 20 and 50-day SMAs, and settling at $5.48. Source: TradingView Buyers retained control on Friday as the price raced to an intraday high of $5.85 before settling at $5.58, ultimately registering an increase of almost 2%. Bullish sentiment intensified on Friday as APT registered an increase of nearly 9% to cross $6 and settle at $6.07. The price reached an intraday high of $6.27 but lost momentum after reaching this level, dropping over 3%, slipping below $6, and settling at $5.88. APT encountered volatility on Monday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Sellers ultimately gained the upper hand as the price registered a marginal decline and settled at $5.85. The current session sees APT down almost 2%, recovering from an intraday low of $5.50, trading around $5.75. Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.