Global markets stabilized on Monday as U.S. President Trump postponed the implementation of proposed 50% tariffs on the EU, easing investor anxiety and lifting risk sentiment. While US equities were closed for Memorial Day, futures posted strong gains, and European stocks rallied broadly, led by industrials and autos. The euro strengthened after ECB President Lagarde hinted at a greater global role for the currency. In Australia, the ASX 200 was flat, with tech gains offsetting weakness in utilities and energy. Commodities were mixed—gold edged lower, oil held steady, and Bitcoin rose 1.5% amid broader risk-on flows.
In crypto, the global crypto market cap decreased 0.7% in 24 hours to $3.42tn. The total crypto market 24h increased 4% to $107.4bn.
In the past 24 hours, crypto liquidations increased 5% and totaled $214m, with 64% of them long positions. BTC positions made up more than 31% of all liquidated positions.
On May 26, blockchain compliance firm Cyvers revealed that a crypto investor lost $2.6 million in stablecoins after falling victim to two separate phishing scams within three hours. The attacker used a sophisticated onchain tactic known as a “zero-value transfer” to deceive the victim into sending large amounts of USDt—$843,000 first, followed by $1.75 million. This method, an advanced form of address poisoning, tricks users by inserting fake transactions into their wallet histories, making malicious addresses appear familiar. The incident underscores the growing threat of such scams across Ethereum and BNB Chain, where over $83 million has been stolen in similar attacks.
Michael Saylor's Strategy has acquired 4,020 additional bitcoins for $427.1 million, bringing its total holdings to 580,250 bitcoin, amid a brief surge in the cryptocurrency's value past $110,000, while also disclosing sales of company shares by a key director.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin weighed in on Sweden’s reversal of its cashless society ambitions, pointing to the fragility of centralized digital payment systems during times of crisis. As Sweden now urges citizens to hold physical cash amid rising civil defense concerns, Buterin argued that decentralized alternatives like Ethereum could serve as a financial fallback. While the technology for fully offline private crypto transfers exists, he noted that practical deployment still hinges on trusted hardware and post-crisis enforcement. Buterin’s comments highlight growing interest in blockchain-based resilience, even as industry voices like Mercuryo’s CEO suggest crypto will complement—not replace—fiat in everyday payments.
The Hashgraph Association and the Exponential Science Foundation have launched the Hedera Africa Hackathon 2025, a global event with a $1 million prize pool that aims to accelerate Web3 and AI adoption in Africa by attracting over 10,000 participants to build innovative solutions on the Hedera network.
Solana's total value locked has increased by 54% to $9.44 billion and its native token SOL has surged 86% since early April.
Pakistan's Prime Minister has appointed Bilal Bin Saqib as his special assistant on blockchain and crypto, tasking him with drafting regulations and overseeing blockchain integration, as part of the country's efforts to strengthen its presence in the digital asset space and become a major player in the crypto industry.
South Korea's snap presidential election has cryptocurrency as a central issue, with all three front-runners proposing crypto-friendly policies, including the legalization of bitcoin exchange-traded funds and easing of banking rules, to attract a growing base of digital asset investors across generations.
The Blockchain Group, a Paris-based crypto company, has raised $72 million through a bond sale, which it will use to buy approximately 590 more bitcoin, increasing its total holdings to 1,437 bitcoin, with 95% of the proceeds allocated for the purchase.
According to Cointelegraph, a second suspect, a Swiss crypto investor, is expected to turn himself in to police in connection with a high-profile kidnapping case in New York City, where a 28-year-old man was allegedly held captive and tortured for 17 days to reveal his crypto wallet phrase.
Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ: DJT) denied a Financial Times report claiming it plans to raise $3 billion to buy cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, calling the article’s authors “dumb” and its sources unreliable. The FT reported that TMTG, parent of Truth Social, was seeking $2 billion in equity and $1 billion via convertible bonds to fund crypto purchases, citing six unnamed sources. The company offered no further comment, while the report linked the move to Trump’s broader pro-crypto stance and suggested an announcement could coincide with an upcoming Las Vegas crypto conference.
Elon Musk has confirmed that X Money, a payment and banking app he previously endorsed, has started beta testing.
The Instagram account of former US rap trio Migos was hacked and used to post sensitive personal information and demands for 40 BTC in an apparent blackmail attempt targeting Solana co-founder Raj Gokal, who had previously warned of suspicious activity on his accounts.
Fake airdrop scams have resulted in over $9.9 billion in global cryptocurrency losses, with scammers exploiting user greed and curiosity through phishing websites, fake social media accounts, and other tactics, highlighting the need for users to be vigilant and cautious when participating in airdrops.
Dubai has launched the MENA region’s first licensed tokenized real estate project, enabling investors to buy fractional property shares starting at just 2,000 dirhams ($545). Developed in partnership with the Dubai Land Department, Central Bank, and Dubai Future Foundation, the pilot will run on the Prypco Mint platform with Zand Digital Bank and use only dirhams during its initial phase. The move follows new rules from Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority allowing real-world asset (RWA) tokenization to trade on secondary markets, part of a broader push to enhance liquidity and attract global investment to Dubai’s property market.
