Crypto News

May 25, 2026 | Read online

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Bitcoin reclaims $77K, but ETF bleed clouds rally

Key points:

Bitcoin rebounded from the weekend’s $74K zone as falling oil prices and U.S.-Iran deal hopes improved risk appetite.
Nasdaq’s Bitcoin options plan added an institutional access boost, but ETF outflows and altcoin weakness kept caution alive.

News - Bitcoin’s rebound above $77,000 came as markets began pricing in a possible easing of geopolitical stress. After falling close to $74,000 over the weekend, BTC recovered on Monday as crude prices slid more than 4% to 5% and Asian equities rallied.

The shift followed signs of progress in U.S.-Iran peace talks, including hopes around a potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil flows. Still, traders were not fully risk-on. U.S. President Donald Trump said there was “no rush” to finalize a deal, while the blockade around Hormuz remained in place.

Nasdaq adds an access boost - Crypto sentiment also drew support from Nasdaq PHLX receiving conditional SEC approval to list cash-settled Bitcoin index options under the ticker QBTC, pending CFTC approval.

The contracts would track the CME CF Bitcoin Real Time Index, settle in U.S. dollars, and allow investors to trade through existing brokerage accounts. Each contract represents exposure to 1 BTC, making it smaller than CME’s standard 5 BTC contracts and potentially more accessible for smaller institutions and retail traders.

Bitcoin’s lead faces a flow test - The stronger macro tone did not erase pressure from U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, which logged a six-day outflow streak worth $1.55 billion. Their 2026 net inflows have now shrunk to $536 million.

That backdrop sharpened Adam Back’s Bitcoin-only argument, as the Blockstream CEO said markets were repricing memecoins, smart contract tokens, and other “air tokens.” With altcoins showing weaker momentum than BTC, his “buy Bitcoin, hodl, repeat” stance landed into a market still testing whether Bitcoin’s rebound can hold.

Fake CZ surfing rumor turns into memecoin casino

Key points:

A false claim about CZ disappearing in a Dubai surfing accident triggered rapid SEAZ and RIPCZ token launches on Solana and BNB Chain.
CZ denied the rumor, but thin-liquidity memecoins still saw fast trading, exposing how quickly fake narratives can become market events.

News - A fabricated rumor about Changpeng Zhao (CZ) briefly became tradable crypto fuel, showing how fast meme markets can turn fake news into speculative activity.

The false claim, reportedly first circulated through Chinese-language WeChat groups, alleged that the Binance founder had gone missing after being swept out to sea near Dubai’s Jumeirah beach. The post also described fictional rescue operations involving speedboats, drones, helicopters, and coast guard teams.

CZ publicly dismissed the story, noting that Dubai is not a surfing destination. He clarified that he practices kite surfing, not surfing, and jokingly pointed followers toward Surf Abu Dhabi instead.

Hoax becomes a token factory - The denial did not stop traders from launching memecoins tied to the rumor. Within hours, tokens using tickers such as SEAZ and RIPCZ appeared across Solana and BNB Chain, including on Pump.fun and BNB Chain meme launchpads.

GeckoTerminal data showed several SEAZ pools on Solana with market caps between roughly $2,400 and $4,600, with liquidity below $6,000. One Solana pool generated about $114,000 in trading volume despite holding only around $5,683 in liquidity. A BNB Chain version traded near an $8,300 market cap.

Thin liquidity, real risk - The frenzy reinforced CZ’s earlier criticism that memecoins were getting “a little weird,” as traders chase tokens tied to celebrity names, rumors, and viral narratives.

Most tokens reportedly stayed below $10,000 in market cap, with some dropping 10% to 40% within hours. That made the hoax a reminder of how thin liquidity can amplify volatility, manipulation risk, and potential rug pulls.

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Hyperliquid’s Wall Street moment is getting harder to ignore

Key points:

HYPE is pulling capital while Bitcoin and Ether funds face heavy redemptions.
Hyperliquid’s push into RWA perps, pre-IPO markets, and outcome contracts is turning it into more than a crypto-native trading venue.

News - Crypto’s rotation trade is getting more selective, and HYPE is becoming one of its loudest signals.

While Bitcoin ETFs lost more than $1 billion last week and Ether funds shed over $215 million, HYPE products from Bitwise and 21Shares attracted about $72 million. XRP and SOL funds also saw inflows, but Hyperliquid’s token had the stronger story: price momentum, rising platform revenue, and expanding market access.

HYPE jumped from $38 to $63 in 10 days, gained 59% this month, and recently broke above $64. Behind that rally, Hyperliquid generated $13.2 million in weekly fees, while HIP-3 markets reached $2.6 billion in RWA perpetuals open interest.

The platform bet gets bigger - Hyperliquid is moving beyond crypto perps into pre-IPO contracts, tokenized assets, equities, commodities, forex, and HIP-4 outcome markets. FalconX said that shift puts it closer to traditional exchanges and prediction platforms.

The Coinbase and Circle partnership to integrate USDC as a quote asset could also support future protocol revenue, adding another layer to Hyperliquid’s growth case.

Why it matters - HYPE’s surge is not just a price story. It reflects a market hunting for crypto platforms with usage, fee generation, and new product lanes.

Still, attention cuts both ways. CME and ICE have flagged manipulation concerns, and Michael van de Poppe warned competitors could eventually pressure Hyperliquid’s lead. For now, HYPE is turning “altcoin rotation” into a platform-growth story.

Prediction markets hit Washington’s conflict zone

Key points:

A NYT investigation alleged that CFTC officials who questioned Trump-linked prediction market and crypto firms were suspended, investigated, or pushed out.
The report lands as Kalshi backs a new lobbying group and the CFTC battles states over who gets to police prediction markets.

News - Prediction markets are no longer just a fast-growing trading niche. They are becoming a Washington power fight over regulation, political ties, and who gets to control the industry’s next phase.

A New York Times (NYT) investigation alleged that senior CFTC officials who raised concerns about Polymarket, Crypto.com, and Gemini affiliate Gemini Titan were placed on leave, investigated, or pushed out. Career staff had reportedly questioned whether Crypto.com treated small bettors fairly, whether Polymarket had enough fraud protections, and whether Gemini Titan had completed its required review.

The firms named in the report all had ties to President Donald Trump’s family. Crypto.com partnered with Trump Media, Polymarket received investment from Donald Trump Jr.-backed 1789 Capital, and Gemini’s founders backed American Bitcoin, co-founded by Eric Trump. The White House rejected conflict claims, saying Trump acts in the public’s best interests.

CFTC’s crypto pullback raises stakes - The report also said the CFTC dropped at least five crypto investigations and filed only two digital asset cases under Trump, down from more than 80 during the Biden years. Former acting chair Caroline Pham later joined MoonPay, while former senior counsel Brigitte Weyls became general counsel at Gemini Titan.

Prediction markets build their lobby - At the same time, Kalshi backed Americans for Fair Markets, a new advocacy group advised by former Trump aide Taylor Budowich. The group plans to push federal policy for prediction markets as the CFTC sues several states over restrictions.

The timing is combustible: prediction markets are expanding, insider-trading concerns are rising, and the agency expected to regulate them is now facing questions about its own independence.

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Did you know?

Crypto’s transparency problem has moved offline: CertiK data showed that physical attacks on crypto holders rose 75% in 2025, reaching 72 confirmed incidents and $41 million in known losses, as public blockchain trails increasingly became a targeting risk for wealthy holders.
Europe’s stablecoin fight is turning into a banking bloc: A euro-pegged stablecoin project called Qivalis just added 25 more banks, bringing its consortium to 37 financial institutions across 15 countries as Europe tries to counter U.S. dominance in digital payments.
Stablecoins quietly became crypto’s trading engine: CEX.IO Research found that stablecoins accounted for 75% of all crypto trading volume in Q1 2026, their highest share on record, while total stablecoin transaction volume surpassed $28 trillion.

SpaceX has raised $9.4B across 35+ rounds. Most retail will misunderstand what they're buying at IPO. Our free cap table breakdown explains the share class math.Read the Free Full Analysis

Top 3 coins of the day

DeXe (DEXE)

Key points:

DEXE advanced to $17.63 on the 4H chart after hitting $17.80, extending a sharp breakout from its recent consolidation near $13.60 to $15.50.
The Elliott Wave count placed price at the $17.80 Wave 5 extension, while the Stochastic RSI held at 94.29, showing stretched upside momentum.

What you should know:

DEXE’s rally gained pace as buyers pushed the token into the $17.80 Elliott Wave extension, with volume rising to 62.93K during the breakout. The move aligned with strong spot demand and broader capital rotation into mid-tier altcoins, helped by improved risk appetite as Bitcoin stayed near $77,000 and Strait of Hormuz reopening hopes eased market nerves. However, the Stochastic RSI is already elevated at 94.29, so momentum may need to stabilize before another leg higher. A hold near $17.80 keeps the $21.38 extension in view, while a pullback could bring $14.75, $13.81, and $12.87 back into focus.

Sui (SUI)

Key points:

SUI recovered to $1.04 on the 4H chart after testing the lower Bollinger Band area, but price still traded below the $1.06 midline.
The CMF remained negative at -0.13, while volume stood at 4.14M, showing that the bounce had not yet flipped capital flow back in buyers’ favor.

What you should know:

SUI’s latest candle showed a rebound attempt from the lower half of the Bollinger Bands, with price moving away from the $0.99 lower band but still sitting under the $1.06 midline. That keeps the recovery incomplete, especially as CMF is negative at -0.13, reflecting weak capital inflows. The move followed profit-taking after SUI’s recent rally, while a reported 31.90% drop in 24H trading volume to roughly $560 million added to the cooldown narrative. Its gasless stablecoin transfer upgrade for assets like USDC remains a longer-term ecosystem catalyst, but near-term price action is still being shaped by weak participation. A reclaim of $1.06 could bring $1.12 into view, while $0.99 remains support.

Zcash (ZEC)

Key points:

ZEC rose to $662 on the 4H chart after recovering from $648, keeping price close to the $687 Elliott Wave resistance zone.
The MACD line remained above the signal line at 14.05 and 11.49, while volume stood at 7.96K, showing positive but softer follow-through.

What you should know:

ZEC’s move stayed supported by strong privacy-coin catalysts, including the SEC closing its Zcash Foundation probe without recommending enforcement action and Multicoin Capital’s disclosed accumulation. The chart reflected that improved sentiment, with price rebounding toward the $687 Elliott Wave resistance after holding above $648 on the latest candle. MACD remains constructive, with the line above the signal line and the histogram positive at 2.56, but volume at 7.96K was lighter than the earlier impulse that drove ZEC toward the high zone. A clean push through $687 could strengthen the continuation case, while rejection keeps $567 and $493 as the corrective levels to monitor.