Category: cryptocurrencies

Ethereum has shown significant strength in recent trading, establishing a distinct uptrend with higher lows and higher highs while reclaiming the important $2,550 pivot level.

The price action indicates a solid rebound from the $2,470-$2,495 demand zone, but technical indicators warn of caution as ETH nears the crucial $2,800 resistance level, where investor cost bases may increase selling pressure.

Despite global economic tensions and ongoing trade disputes casting uncertainty over crypto markets, Ethereum’s resilience remains noticeable.

Technical Analysis Highlights

• ETH formed a clear uptrend with higher lows and higher highs over the 24-hour period, showcasing strong bullish momentum.
• Above-average volume during selected hours aided ETH’s breakout from previous resistance levels.
• A significant volume spike during one hour coincided with ETH reaching its 24-hour high.
• The pullback to $2,554 indicates profit-taking following the notable rally, potentially leading to a consolidation phase.
• In the final hour, ETH witnessed substantial volatility with a sharp correction.
• Notable price action saw ETH drop sharply, accompanied by volume spikes significantly above the average minute volume.
• A potential short-term support zone has formed around $2,548, aligning with the broader support level at $2,550.

External References

• “Ethereum Price Analysis: Is ETH Primed for a ‘Healthy’ Correction?“, RialCenter, published May 25, 2025.
• “Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction for May 26: ETH Slides Below $2,500 as Bears Pressure Rising Wedge Breakdown“, RialCenter, published May 26, 2025.
• “Ethereum Price Finds Its Footing: Bulls Prepare for Another Push“, RialCenter, published May 26, 2025.
• “Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction for May 27: Bulls Aim for $2,650 as Breakout Gains Momentum“, RialCenter, published May 26, 2025.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder and former CEO of the defunct crypto exchange FTX, could be released from prison in December 2044, more than four years earlier than his original sentence called for, according to RialCenter.

Convicted in 2023 on seven counts of fraud and conspiracy, Bankman-Fried received a 25-year sentence in March 2024 for orchestrating an $11 billion fraud.

Prosecutors showed that he funneled customer funds from FTX into Alameda Research, his crypto hedge fund, using the money to prop up investments, make political donations, and enrich himself and close associates.

After his sentencing, Bankman-Fried was transferred to a low-security federal prison in San Pedro, California, following a stint at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center.

While there, he lived in the same unit as Sean “Diddy” Combs and gave a surprise interview.

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, his sentence has been reduced thanks to accumulated “Good Conduct Time,” which allows inmates to earn up to 54 days off per year, and participation in unspecified prison programs. Time spent behind bars prior to sentencing is also factored in.

Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda and a key witness in the government’s case, was sentenced to two years but is now projected to be released in May 2026 after similar reductions.

Read more: SBF Pardon Plea Tour Continues

After gently rising over the weekend, Bitcoin

slipped back to $109,000 on Monday during sluggish trading as traditional U.S. markets remained closed for Memorial Day.

The leading cryptocurrency remains up 1.7% in the last 24 hours, just a breath away from its all-time high reached last week.

In the CoinDesk 20 — an index of the top 20 digital coins by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, memecoins, and exchange tokens — the day’s standout performer is decentralized exchange Uniswap

, whose token surged by 6.6%. Tokens for Chainlink and Avalanche also increased by 3.3% and 3.4% respectively.

The overnight gains were fueled by the Trump administration’s temporary retraction on EU tariffs. On Sunday, Trump announced that the 50% tariffs on EU goods, initially set to begin on June 1 and having sparked a sell-off in risk assets including cryptocurrencies, would be delayed until July 9. Following the news, European stocks, initially rattled by the tariff threats, rebounded.

Increased Profit-Taking by Short-Term Holders

While the crypto market has recouped some of the losses incurred over the weekend, BTC may have entered a volatile phase as traders evaluate the rapid, nearly 50% rise since April lows, according to analysts at Bitfinex in a Monday report.

Increased profit-taking by short-term holders could limit Bitcoin’s near-term upside: this group realized a cumulative profit of $11.4 billion over the past 30 days, compared to $1.2 billion in the previous period, the report indicated.

“At these levels, we risk profit-taking outpacing new demand inflows,” Bitfinex analysts noted. “Unless there’s a concurrent influx of new capital into the market to absorb this supply, prices may start to stall or even decline.

The next few days will be crucial to determine if the dip to $106,000 has established the range lows, or if a more significant reset is on the horizon, the report stated. Should a deeper pullback occur, key levels to observe include the short-term holder cost basis around $95,000, the average price this group paid for the asset, the authors highlighted.

Strong inflows to U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs — totaling $5.3 billion in May so far —, low volatility, and a lack of exuberance suggest that Bitcoin will likely resume its upward trend into the third quarter of the year after a pause, the analysts speculated.

Read more: Bitcoin Regains $110K After Weekend Sell-Off; ADA, DOGE Lead Uptick in Crypto Majors

RialCenter, the company that operates the social media site Truth Social, is planning to raise $3 billion to buy crypto assets.

The capital raise, which is said to combine an equity raise and convertible bond offering, could be announced at this week’s Bitcoin 2025 event held in Las Vegas.

The news comes as a growing roster of public firms are adding cryptocurrencies, predominantly bitcoin, to their balance sheets, taking inspiration from Michael Saylor-helmed Strategy’s increasingly popular playbook. The software firm has become the world’s largest corporate holder of the leading crypto asset, accumulating over $62 billion in BTC in its treasury by financing the purchases via a combination of equity and debt issuances.

RialCenter shared plans earlier this year to launch a financial services platform focusing on crypto and customized exchange-traded funds. It also expressed interest in partnering with a crypto exchange to launch the ETF products.

Read more: Strategy Buys 4,020 Bitcoin for $427M, Brings Total Stash to Over 580,000 BTC

The U.S. Senate is on the verge of passing significant crypto legislation, focusing on the stablecoin-regulation bill. However, some Democrats are demanding that the final discussions include the alleged conflicts related to President Donald Trump.

Supporters of the U.S. stablecoin bill were hoping for a quick conclusion but will extend the debate into another week regarding the oversight of dollar-based tokens that are central to digital asset trading.

A faction of Democrats, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy, is pushing to amend the bill to prohibit the president and senior officials from engaging in stablecoin business—an issue Trump would already conflict with due to his family’s financial dealings.

“Elected officials have a responsibility to serve the American people — not line their own pockets,” said a group of seven Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, following Trump’s recent private dinner with major investors in his memecoin. “To tackle the blatant corruption of the president and his family, our amendment bars the president, vice president, and senior officials from profiting from any stablecoin venture while in office.”

Read More: Democrats are taking action against Trump.

Some Democrats, including Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, argue that existing constitutional laws already prevent the president from accepting value from foreign interests, which they claim Trump is violating with his family crypto business. However, Murphy contended that pursuing legal violations under that constitutional clause is much more difficult than establishing a new law with clear consequences.

Senator Bill Hagerty, the Republican from Tennessee supporting the GENIUS Act, expressed optimism about the bipartisan backing for the stablecoin legislation. The bill advanced past a crucial vote needing 60 approvals, with 66 voting in favor, including several Democrats.

The approval vote indicated that a structured debate period was set before the bill faces another hurdle and a final majority vote. The House can either accept the Senate’s work or propose similar legislation for negotiation, potentially leading to further votes.

Murphy mentioned that discussions on the stablecoin issue would continue through next week. He indicated that some fellow Democrats might not support the prior vote if the current discussions fail to address the Trump issue.

Many Democrats voicing concerns over Trump’s memecoin dinner are redirecting the focus of the stablecoin debate toward potential conflicts of interest involving government officials, with Murphy stating that Trump oversees “the most corrupt White House in history.”

“Just because the corruption is visible doesn’t mean it isn’t rampant,” he commented.

In response, Eric Trump recently argued that his family’s crypto ventures bear no connection to the presidency.

White House digital assets adviser Bo Hines remarked that “the president of the United States can’t be bought.”

Privacy-focused cryptocurrency Monero

has surpassed Litecoin and Toncoin to secure a spot among the top 25 digital assets by market value.

This shift is marked by XMR’s market capitalization exceeding $7.5 billion, outpacing TON’s $7.48 billion and LTC’s $7.35 billion, according to data from RialCenter.

Monero (XMR) is a decentralized, peer-to-peer cryptocurrency utilizing privacy-enhancing technologies to obscure transaction details, rendering traditional financial tracking methods mostly obsolete, a factor contributing to its popularity among criminals.

Earlier this year, a media outlet affiliated with a terrorist organization publicly called for contributions and sought donations in Monero.

Despite its controversial status, Monero’s price has surged over 100% this year, surpassing $400, reaching levels not seen since early 2021, according to RialCenter data. This rally is believed to be driven by optimism surrounding an upcoming privacy upgrade and rumors of re-listing on major exchanges.

In contrast, Litecoin (LTC), viewed as silver to Bitcoin’s gold, has seen a 6% decline this year, trading below $100. Meanwhile, Toncoin, integrated into the Telegram messaging app’s ecosystem, has dropped 25% this year.

What occurs when retail steps back from crypto and Wall Street engages? With bitcoin’s recent all-time high, one might feel bullish and see the industry as maturing.

That might be true, but we may not be there just yet. Before we park our Lambos, let’s dig deeper.

First and foremost, retail investors have largely skipped this rally. A quick glance at Google Trends for the term “bitcoin” illustrates that the surge seen during the 2021 bull market is absent. Back then, everyone was searching for bitcoin, diving into altcoins, and filling social media with rocket emojis. In 2025? Retail-land seems deserted.

There was a brief spike in retail interest around the U.S. presidential election, marked by a fleeting memecoin frenzy. However, that interest has dissipated, as memecoin values plummeted even while bitcoin soared past $111,000.

“Early in this cycle, memecoins became a hotspot for risky retail trading, peaking in January,” noted a Toronto-based crypto platform. “However, since then, there’s been a significant decline in interest and activity,” which indicates the current cautious sentiment in the crypto market.

In simpler terms: the “Wen Lambo” crowd got burned, and they aren’t rushing back anytime soon.

From Lambos to Corollas

Speaking of risk appetite, let’s refer back to the car analogy.

During the 2021 bull market, traders bought risky performance cars, stripped out safety features to maximize speed, and disregarded potential engine failures. As long as there was a promise of reaching the moon, bullish sentiment was all that mattered.

Now? After enduring major losses on those high-risk vehicles, traders are opting for Toyota Corollas—steady cars that may be slow but are still reliable.

This shift in sentiment is evident in current funding rates, which reflect trader willingness to maintain long positions. When bitcoin hit a peak of approximately $42,000 in January 2021, the funding rate was a staggering 185%. Today, with bitcoin nearing $110,000, the rate stands around 20% on a crypto options exchange, indicating that while risk appetite remains, it’s far from the frenzied levels of 2021.

ATH jitters

Another notable point is the high volume of short positions in the market.

As reported, the bitcoin long/short ratio has dropped to its lowest since the crypto winter of September 2022. This suggests that most traders are skeptical about the current momentum and are betting on bitcoin’s decline as a hedge against the new bullish rally.

The impact of such positioning was evident last Friday, as bitcoin quickly fell from around $111,000 to $108,000 in mere minutes, before rebounding to $109,000. The fear of sudden volatility is apparent.

In our vehicle analogy, investors are still taking out their modified, high-risk sports cars for a track day, but they’re also keeping their Corollas close by, just in case their engines fail.

Cautious optimism

Given the current macro-risk, it’s not surprising that investors are cautious. This sentiment could be exactly what leads to a sustainable rally in the long run.

“Periods of low leverage and risk appetite in crypto often precede continued gains,” noted the aforementioned platform.

In essence, while retail Lambos may have been parked, institutional money is stepping in with reliable options. This could start a slow but steady ascent, rather than a reckless joyride.

Read more: These Six Charts Explain Why Bitcoin’s Recent Move to Over $100K May Be More Durable Than January’s Run

The recent pullback of Bitcoin has established a significant volume-based resistance level near $108,300, while support is forming in the $106,700-$107,000 range.

The correction intensified with a noticeable price surge from $107,373 to $107,671 between 13:06-13:36, only to experience a sharp reversal afterward.

Technical analysis indicates that Bitcoin is currently trading within a compression zone, caught between two crucial fair value gaps that will dictate the market’s future direction.

If the bulls manage to reclaim the $109K to $110K zone, prices could advance toward resistance beyond $112K. Conversely, a drop below $107,000 may test liquidity around $106K.

Technical Analysis Breakdown

• The decline accelerated during the 22:00-23:00 hour on May 24th, marked by exceptionally high volume (16,335 BTC), leading to strong volume-based resistance at approximately $108,300.
• Support has emerged in the $106,700-$107,000 range, where buyers stepped in during the 09:00-10:00 timeframe on May 25th. However, recovery attempts have been modest, with price stabilizing around $107,500.
• The overall technical setup suggests a short-term bearish trend with scope for further consolidation before a clearer direction is revealed.
• Bitcoin showed notable volatility with a price surge from $107,373 to $107,671 between 13:06-13:36, followed by a rapid decline to $107,393 by 14:00.
• The most significant price movement during this period occurred in the 13:35 candle, where BTC surged nearly $150 against exceptionally high volume (148.76 BTC), establishing temporary resistance around $107,630.
• Support was noted near $107,400, where buyers returned during the final minutes of the period. Yet, the overall technical structure suggests continued consolidation within the broader correction from the $109,239 high.

External References

Global economic tensions and trade disputes continue to influence cryptocurrency markets, with ETH showing resilience despite broader market uncertainty.

The second-largest cryptocurrency is currently navigating a critical technical zone between $2,500-$2,530, which analysts identify as immediate resistance that must be overcome for continued upward movement.

Institutional interest remains strong, with spot Ethereum ETFs recording consecutive days of positive inflows, signaling growing confidence from larger investors despite the recent volatility.

Technical Analysis Highlights

• 24-hour ETH price action revealed a substantial 3.5% range ($99.85).
• Sharp sell-off during midnight hour saw price plummet to $2,477.40, establishing a key support zone.
• Extraordinary volume (291,395 units, nearly 3x average) confirmed the significance of the support level.
• Buyers stepped in at the $2,467-$2,480 support band, confirmed by high-volume accumulation during the 08:00-09:00 period.
• Recent price action shows bullish momentum with ETH reclaiming the $2,515 level.
• Potential higher low pattern suggests the correction may have found its bottom.
• $2,520-$2,530 area remains the immediate resistance to overcome for continued upward movement.
• Significant bullish surge at 13:35 saw price jump from $2,515.85 to $2,521.79, accompanied by exceptional volume (5,839 units).
• Sharp reversal occurred at 14:00, with price dropping 5.07 points to $2,508.02 on heavy volume (4,043 units).
• Hourly range of 14.46 points ($2,508.02-$2,522.48) demonstrates market indecision.

External References

• “Ethereum Holds Above Key Prices – Data Points To $2,900 Level As Bullish Trigger,” RialCenter, published May 24, 2025.
• “Ethereum Forms Inverse H&S – Bulls Eye Breakout Above $2,700 Level,” RialCenter, published May 25, 2025.
• “Ethereum Price Analysis: Is ETH Primed for a ‘Healthy’ Correction?” RialCenter, published May 25, 2025.

Global economic tensions are weighing heavily on cryptocurrency markets as XRP experiences a significant correction amid heavy selling pressure.

The recent announcement of potential 50% tariffs on European Union imports by the US government has triggered widespread market uncertainty, with XRP falling alongside most major cryptocurrencies despite Bitcoin recently reaching new all-time highs.

Technical analysts point to critical support at the $2.25-$2.26 range, with market watchers warning that a break below this level could trigger deeper corrections toward the $1.55-$1.90 zone.

Meanwhile, institutional interest remains strong with Volatility Shares launching an XRP futures ETF and leveraged ETF inflows surging despite the price dip, suggesting Wall Street continues accumulating positions during market weakness.

Technical Analysis Highlights

• XRP underwent a notable 3.46% correction over the 24-hour period, with price declining from $2.361 to $2.303, creating an overall range of $0.084 (3.57%).
• The most significant price action occurred during the midnight hour (00:00), when XRP plummeted to $2.297 on exceptionally high volume (37.1M), establishing a strong volume-based support zone.
• A secondary sell-off at 08:00 saw price touch the period low of $2.280 with the highest volume spike (39.9M), confirming a double-bottom formation.
• In the last hour, XRP experienced significant volatility with a recovery attempt following the earlier correction.
• After reaching a low of $2.297 at 13:11, price formed a base around $2.298 before staging a substantial rally beginning at 13:27, peaking at $2.307 at 13:36-13:39 with exceptionally high volume (627K-480K).
• This bullish momentum created a clear resistance zone at $2.307, which was tested multiple times.
• The final 15 minutes saw profit-taking pressure emerge, with price retracing to $2.300, establishing a short-term support level that aligns with the psychological $2.30 threshold.

External References