Bitcoin and Ethereum Cool Following Early Surge, US-China Truce

Following the announcement by the S&P 500 that Coinbase's stock will be added to its index on May 19, COIN shares surged 8% in after-hours trading, reaching $225 per share. This move comes as Coinbase is set to replace Discover Financial Services on the S&P 500 index.

SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw questions the agency's focus on promoting blockchain technology for traditional finance firms, suggesting it may lead to picking winners and losers in the industry. She argues that delays in settlement on Wall Street provide key benefits, such as flexibility and security measures.

Nakamoto Holdings and KindlyMD have formed a new Bitcoin treasury, raising $710 million through private investment and convertible notes. The merger aims to accelerate Bitcoin adoption globally, with David Bailey as the CEO. KindlyMD, a healthcare firm, will maintain its focus on combating the opioid crisis.

CIC Digital LLC and Fight Fight Fight LLC organized a dinner where 220 crypto investors could dine with US president Donald Trump by purchasing his personal crypto coin. The investors were selected based on their TRUMP coin holdings and spending between the announcement and the deadline.

Anchorage Digital has announced the acquisition of stablecoin issuer Mountain Protocol to enhance institutional stablecoin support. The move aims to integrate Mountain's technology and team into Anchorage's operations pending regulatory approval. Stablecoins are gaining importance in the digital economy, with a potential market growth to trillions of dollars.

Craig Wright has been issued a General Civil Restraint Order by a UK court, preventing him from filing legal claims without High Court permission. The order may be extended and failure to comply could lead to contempt of court charges.

Coinbase considered allocating 80% of its balance sheet to Bitcoin but decided against it due to fears of potential harm to the company. The CEO highlighted the risk of Bitcoin's volatility affecting the company's growth during its early stages.

Strategy, led by Michael Saylor, purchased 13,390 BTC for over $1.34 billion, increasing its total holdings to 568,840 BTC worth $59 billion. The company, formerly MicroStrategy, is the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, with an average purchase price of $69,287 per coin.

The number of electricity thefts in Malaysia surged by 300% from 2018 to end-2024, primarily driven by illegal crypto mining activities. Joint operations involving Tenaga Nasional Berhad, the Energy Commission, and the police led to the detection of these cases.