hodler

13 May 2026, 09:21

Bitcoin Stalls at $82,000 Wall as Hot CPI Print Wipes Out 2026 Rate Cut Expectations

Bitcoin closed the week at approximately $80,960, down 0.76% across seven days of trading that saw the price touch $82,000 twice before being rejected at that level on both occasions. The pattern has now repeated four times in the current cycle, establishing $82,000 as a technical and macro resistance level that has hardened with each failed breakout attempt. The final catalyst of the week was Tuesday’s April CPI report showing annual headline inflation at 3.8%, the highest reading since 2023 and above the 3.7% consensus forecast. That single data point pushed rate cut expectations from 2026 entirely into 2027, lifted bond yields, and removed the easy-money macro tailwind that had quietly supported Bitcoin’s recovery from the roughly $63,000 level traded in early February. The relationship between Bitcoin and Federal Reserve policy expectations has become increasingly mechanical in the post-ETF era, as institutional capital now dominates flows in and out of the asset in ways that retail sentiment alone never could. When the CPI landed, yields moved immediately, the dollar strengthened, and risk assets including Bitcoin surrendered gains that had built over several weeks of improving sentiment. Ethereum was hit harder, falling 3% on the day to approximately $2,259, underperforming Bitcoin and reflecting the higher beta typically associated with second-tier crypto assets when macro conditions tighten. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF, IBIT, recorded $269 million in net inflows in a single session last week, the highest single-day figure in five weeks, and total weekly ETF inflows across all Bitcoin products reached $858 million. That institutional demand has been the structural support beneath the market during a period when price action has been uninspiring. Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, continued its weekly Bitcoin accumulation, purchasing another 535 BTC despite the price stagnation, the smallest weekly addition of 2026 but a signal that the company’s long-term thesis remains unchanged. Exchange reserves near seven-year lows and sustained buying by wallets holding more than 1,000 BTC provide the on-chain underpinning that analysts point to when arguing the current consolidation is accumulation rather than distribution. Funding rates in perpetual futures markets remain neutral, having shifted away from the negative readings that indicated heavy short positioning earlier in the year. The shift away from short pressure suggests the short squeeze dynamic that carried Bitcoin from $66,000 to $82,000 has largely played out, and the next directional move will be determined by macro triggers rather than technical positioning. The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act Senate Banking Committee markup, scheduled for Thursday, May 14, represents the most significant near-term fundamental catalyst for the market. A credible advance of the bill would provide regulatory clarity on digital asset classifications, custody, and jurisdictional boundaries between the SEC and CFTC, exactly the kind of structural certainty that institutional capital has been waiting for before deploying at scale. Polymarket currently prices a 75% probability of the CLARITY Act becoming law in 2026. If the markup produces a clean result and the bill advances toward a full Senate vote, Bitcoin has a clear path toward the $85,000 level that both on-chain analysts and options positioning have flagged as the next structural threshold.

13 May 2026, 09:17

Capital B raises €15.2 million to grow bitcoin treasury

Capital B, a France-based bitcoin treasury firm, raised €15.2 million through a private placement on 11 May 2026. Investors include Blockstream CEO Adam Back and French asset manager TOBAM.

13 May 2026, 09:10

The shift toward blockchain-based casinos in the crypto era

Over the past few years, the online gambling industry has begun experiencing a gradual but noticeable transformation. While traditional casinos have dominated the digital gaming landscape for decades, a growing segment of players is now exploring alternatives powered by blockchain technology. Among these innovations, Ethereum has emerged as one of the most influential platforms shaping Continue reading "The shift toward blockchain-based casinos in the crypto era"

13 May 2026, 09:03

Trump Just Flew to China With Elon Musk, Larry Fink, and Jensen Huang: Is a Trade Deal News About to Send Bitcoin to $90,000?

Bitcoin price climbed to a 24-hour high of $81,000 as Trump-China trade news pushed BTC toward its most structurally significant resistance in months. The question now is whether the geopolitical narrative has enough legs to carry BTC through $90,000, or whether the move is front-running an outcome that hasn’t materialized yet. Bitcoin (BTC) 24h 7d 30d 1y All time What Is the Trump-China Trade Driving Bitcoin Toward $90k? President Donald Trump’s state visit to China , the first U.S. presidential trip to the country in nearly a decade, landed with immediate market impact. Trump boarded Air Force One with a delegation of over a dozen U.S. executives, including Tesla’s Elon Musk, Apple’s Tim Cook, BlackRock’s Larry Fink, and, confirmed as a last-minute addition on May 13, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. This is absolutely insane. President Trump is currently flying to China with all of the following people to request "deals" with China's President Xi: 1. Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX CEO 2. Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO 3. Tim Cook, Apple CEO 4. Larry Fink, BlackRock CEO 5. Stephen… — The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) May 13, 2026 Markets are pricing in a specific scenario: a framework agreement between Trump and Xi Jinping that eases tariffs on semiconductors and electronics, tariffs that peaked at 60% on Chinese goods in late 2025, alongside potential deals on rare earths and aviation. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent began preparatory talks with Chinese officials in South Korea ahead of the summit, with meetings scheduled with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Wednesday. Successful outcomes could stabilize global supply chains and directly reduce one of the key macro headwinds suppressing risk appetite. Bitwise strategist Juan Leon framed the stakes precisely, stating that “reduced tariff risks could unlock $1 trillion in sidelined capital for crypto.” Near-term, if the Trump-Xi summit produces even a preliminary trade framework by May 15, Bitcoin’s path to $88,000–$90,000 opens quickly. If talks stall, the unwinding of the Trump trade could be sharp. BTC already dipped to $79,832 when US CPI came in hot at 3.8%, demonstrating how quickly macro data can cut through geopolitical optimism Can Bitcoin (BTC) Break $90,000 Upon the News? Bitcoin price is trading above $81,000 after printing a session high of $81,248, recovering from a $79,832 low set earlier when CPI data disappointed. The first meaningful resistance cluster sits at $82,500 to $83,500, a zone that has capped multiple recovery attempts over the past 2 weeks. Above that, $88,000 to $90,000 is the decisive range. The 200-day SMA sits in that vicinity, and $90,000 has become a magnet for stop orders and institutional limit sells. Source: BTCUSD / Tradingview Clearing $90,000 on above-average volume opens the door to $93,000 to $95,000, the range where BTC traded post-election in November 2024. The SMA-50 at $84,500 needs to flip to support before a clean $90,000 test becomes structurally sound rather than just a spike. On the downside, $79,500 to $80,000 is the line that must hold. A daily close below $79,500 breaks the current higher-low structure and reopens the $75,000 to $76,000 support band. The bull structure is intact above $80,000, but not yet confirmed as a trend resumption. That confirmation requires a clean close above $84,500. 2 external variables are in play this week. Kevin Warsh’s expected confirmation as Fed Chair and the CLARITY Act markup are scheduled for Thursday. Both are net positive for BTC if they land clean. Both could introduce volatility that resets the setup if they do not. The chart needs a daily close above $84,500. Everything else is noise until that print. The post Trump Just Flew to China With Elon Musk, Larry Fink, and Jensen Huang: Is a Trade Deal News About to Send Bitcoin to $90,000? appeared first on Cryptonews .

13 May 2026, 09:00

XRP ETFs rebound with $25.8M inflows – Can falling supply fuel a rally?

Whale accumulation and ETF demand increasingly reinforced XRP’s long-term conviction narrative.

13 May 2026, 09:00

XRP Breaks $1.46 Despite $434M In Futures Selling – Discover What Comes Next

XRP is showing strength as the market recovers from February’s lows, with the price pushing above $1.46 and derivatives activity rebuilding across major exchanges. The move is constructive on the surface — but a CryptoQuant report tracking the flow data beneath the price action has identified a structural divergence that complicates the straightforward bullish reading considerably. Related Reading: Altcoin CEX Volume Ratio Hasn’t Looked Like This Since The 2021 Bull Run: Capital Rotation Or Bear Market Rally? The open interest picture confirms that leverage is returning. On Binance, XRP open interest has climbed from approximately 207 million on April 30 to nearly 232 million today — a meaningful increase in derivatives positioning over a short period that reflects growing trader participation as the price recovers. In isolation, rising open interest during a price advance is a normal feature of a strengthening market. The CryptoQuant analysis looks beyond the open interest number to what is driving it — and that is where the divergence emerges. The relationship between price action, spot demand, and perpetual futures flow is not telling a single coherent story. It is telling three different stories simultaneously, and the gap between them is the signal that determines whether the current move represents genuine recovery or a derivatives-driven advance without the underlying demand structure to sustain it. Understanding which story the data ultimately supports is what separates a breakout from a headfake — and it is the question the CryptoQuant report is built to answer. Price Up. Spot Demand Flat. Futures Fighting the Move. This Is Not a Clean Breakout The CryptoQuant data identifies the specific tension beneath XRP’s advance with precision. Binance Perpetual CVD has dropped to approximately -$434 million — its lowest current reading — even as open interest on the same exchange continues climbing. Two metrics moving in opposite directions on the same venue confirm the central finding: perpetual futures traders are not riding the price recovery. They are selling into it, or at a minimum, positioning defensively against it. The spot market adds a second layer of concern. All CEX Estimated Spot CVD has declined to approximately $575 million despite XRP pushing above $1.46. If the move were being driven by genuine, broad-based spot accumulation, that number would be rising alongside the price. It is not — which weakens the case that real underlying demand is powering the advance. The leverage rebuild is not isolated to Binance. On May 11 alone, open interest increased by approximately $18 million on Binance, $10.4 million on OKX, and $8.5 million on Bybit — a combined $36.9 million added across three major venues in a single session. Derivatives participation is expanding across the ecosystem simultaneously. The structure that emerges from all three data points is specific and honest. Price is rising. Leverage is rebuilding. Spot demand is not following. That combination does not describe a bullish breakout — it describes a derivatives stress test, where the market is determining whether organic demand is strong enough to validate a move that futures positioning is currently fighting rather than supporting. Related Reading: Ethereum Cools Off Below $2,450 – Lower Leverage Sets The Stage For A Breakout XRP Holds Recovery Structure While Bulls Test Key Resistance XRP is trading around $1.44 after spending several weeks consolidating above the critical support zone that formed following February’s capitulation event. The chart shows a market attempting to transition from defensive stabilization into early recovery, but momentum remains constrained beneath a major resistance cluster. Technically, XRP has improved considerably from the February lows near $1.10. Buyers successfully reclaimed the 50-day moving average and pushed the price back into the $1.40–$1.50 region, which now functions as the most important short-term battleground. That area has repeatedly rejected upside attempts since March, showing that supply remains active whenever XRP approaches breakout territory. Related Reading: 14,600 Bitcoin Sold in Profit in One Day: Here Is How BTC’s Own Structure Broke It Below $80K At the same time, sellers have failed to force a meaningful breakdown despite multiple pullbacks. XRP continues printing higher lows from the April bottom, while the short-term moving average is beginning to flatten beneath price. That combination suggests bearish momentum is weakening gradually rather than accelerating. Volume also supports the consolidation narrative. Trading activity remains far below the panic-driven spikes seen during February’s collapse, indicating the market has moved out of forced liquidation conditions and into a more balanced environment. The broader structure still remains fragile while XRP trades below the 100-day and 200-day moving averages. However, if buyers reclaim and hold above the $1.50 region, the next upside target would likely emerge near $1.65–$1.70. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com