hodler

18 May 2026, 18:15

Breaking: Elon Musk losses OpenAI lawsuit as jury sides with Sam Altman and Greg Brockman

Elon Musk lost his lawsuit against OpenAI, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and Microsoft (MSFT) on Monday after a nine-person jury rejected his claims in under two hours. The decision followed a three-week trial in Oakland, California, in which Elon sought to prove that OpenAI breached the purpose for which it was formed. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers agreed with the advisory jury’s decision and found that neither Sam nor OpenAI was liable. She also dismissed the breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment claims since they were raised too late. Yvonne said that she was willing to dismiss the suit “right then and there.” Yvonne further added, “there is a lot of evidence to support the jury’s decision.” Steven Molo, Elon’s main lawyer, informed the judge that Elon still had a right to appeal. Thus, while the legal battle was not entirely concluded, Monday’s ruling marked a defeat for Elon. This ruling also put an end to the claim against Microsoft, which Elon alleged was responsible for the breach by OpenAI since Microsoft invested in OpenAI in 2019. Jury clears Sam Altman and OpenAI after Elon fails to prove a binding nonprofit deal Elon filed the suit against Sam and OpenAI in 2024. He claimed that OpenAI was created in 2015 as an AI lab with a charitable purpose; however, its founders switched to a business model afterward. Elon co-founded the organization in 2015 and left the board of directors in 2018. He stated in court that he invested around $38 million since he trusted that OpenAI would develop AI systems “for the benefit of humanity.” It was not meant to enrich one man. Elon’s legal representatives claimed that Sam and Greg “stole a charity,” which is the main accusation of the lawsuit. According to the plaintiff, OpenAI’s founders abandoned the initial goal and focused on their own enrichment. Elon demanded severe legal consequences for the shift. The amounts were huge. Elon’s attorneys requested that OpenAI and Microsoft forfeit up to $134 billion in “ill-gotten gains.” Additionally, they asked the court to exclude Sam and Greg from the leadership and roll back the restructuring that took place in 2025, which contributed to the growth of the for-profit part. Elon insisted that the funds were not for him personally. He asked that all the recovered amounts be returned to the “OpenAI charity.” However, the problem was the lack of evidence. Elon’s lawsuit did not mention any founding document that guaranteed the nonprofit status of OpenAI permanently. There apparently is no such document. As a result, his team was forced to construct arguments based on emails, messages, discussions, and records from OpenAI’s founding period. It means that the whole trial depended on memories, written documents, and credibility. The jury had to determine which version of events was more persuasive in the process of forming OpenAI. OpenAI says Elon wanted control while Microsoft and Google stayed central to the case OpenAI’s lawyers argued that Elon’s donations were not legally restricted. Their point was that he gave money, but did not attach clear written limits to it. They also said OpenAI had to restructure because advanced AI costs serious money. The company needed cash, chips, engineers, and cloud power to compete with Google DeepMind, which sits under Alphabet (GOOGL). OpenAI’s side also used Elon’s own history against him. They showed that Elon had discussed a for-profit setup before, but wanted control if that happened. They also said he once pushed for OpenAI to be folded into Tesla (TSLA). Microsoft was pulled into the case because of its deep financial link with OpenAI. Elon accused Microsoft of aiding the alleged breach of charitable trust. The court dismissed that claim too. After the ruling, lawyers for OpenAI and Microsoft hugged and slapped backs as they left the downtown Oakland courtroom. That was the courtroom mood on their side. Elon’s side kept the appeal option open. Yvonne also dismissed two extra claims after finding they were blocked by time-limit rules. She then thanked the jury and told them they could speak to “anyone about anything.” People in the gallery laughed. She warned them that any talks had to happen at a reasonable time and place, and only with their consent. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .

18 May 2026, 18:11

Solana payment activity jumps 13 percent to $246.8 billion

🚀 $SOL processed a record $246.8 billion in stablecoin transfers, up 13 percent. Big names like Visa and BlackRock expanded use of the Solana network. Continue Reading: Solana payment activity jumps 13 percent to $246.8 billion The post Solana payment activity jumps 13 percent to $246.8 billion appeared first on COINTURK NEWS .

18 May 2026, 18:00

Messari: Solana Is Shifting From Memecoin Hub to Institutional Finance Powerhouse

BitcoinWorld Messari: Solana Is Shifting From Memecoin Hub to Institutional Finance Powerhouse Blockchain analytics firm Messari has released a report detailing a significant shift in Solana’s (SOL) identity. Once primarily associated with speculative memecoin trading, the network is increasingly being adopted as a backbone for tokenized finance and global payments. According to Messari, the market capitalization of Solana-based real-world assets (RWA) surged 43% quarter-over-quarter in the first quarter of this year, reaching $2.01 billion. Institutional Giants Enter the Solana Ecosystem The growth in Solana’s RWA sector is not occurring in isolation. Major financial institutions are actively building on the network. Messari’s report highlights that firms including BlackRock, Ondo Finance, and Franklin Templeton have introduced tokenized funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and stock products to the Solana ecosystem. This influx of traditional finance players signals a vote of confidence in Solana’s technical capabilities and regulatory readiness. Furthermore, global payment companies are integrating Solana for stablecoin transactions and remittance infrastructure. Visa, Stripe, PayPal, and Western Union are among the firms now utilizing Solana’s network for these purposes, attracted by its low transaction fees and fast settlement speeds. Technical Upgrades Pave the Way for Broader Adoption Messari’s analysis projects that upcoming technical improvements will further accelerate Solana’s institutional adoption. The forthcoming Alpenglow upgrade is expected to reduce transaction finality to approximately 150 milliseconds, a significant improvement over current speeds. Such performance metrics are critical for high-frequency trading, real-time payments, and artificial intelligence-based applications, all of which are areas of growing interest for institutional clients. Why This Shift Matters for the Broader Crypto Market Solana’s evolution from a memecoin-centric chain to a hub for institutional finance represents a broader maturation of the cryptocurrency industry. The network’s ability to attract both Wall Street giants and global payment processors demonstrates that blockchain technology can serve practical, high-volume financial use cases beyond speculation. For investors and industry observers, this trend suggests that Solana may be positioning itself as a key infrastructure layer for the future of tokenized assets and digital payments. Conclusion Messari’s report underscores a pivotal moment for Solana. With a 43% quarterly increase in RWA market capitalization and growing support from established financial and payment companies, the network is shedding its memecoin reputation in favor of a more substantive role in institutional finance. The upcoming Alpenglow upgrade could further solidify this trajectory, making Solana a more attractive platform for demanding financial applications. FAQs Q1: What is driving the growth of Solana-based real-world assets? Major financial institutions like BlackRock, Ondo Finance, and Franklin Templeton are launching tokenized funds, ETFs, and stock products on Solana, contributing to a 43% quarterly increase in RWA market capitalization to $2.01 billion. Q2: Which global payment companies are using Solana? Visa, Stripe, PayPal, and Western Union are utilizing Solana’s network for stablecoin payments and remittance infrastructure, attracted by its low fees and fast settlement speeds. Q3: How will the Alpenglow upgrade impact Solana? The Alpenglow upgrade is expected to improve transaction finality to around 150 milliseconds, which could enhance Solana’s suitability for institutional finance, high-frequency trading, and AI-based applications. This post Messari: Solana Is Shifting From Memecoin Hub to Institutional Finance Powerhouse first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

18 May 2026, 18:00

Decoding OriginTrail’s [TRAC] 77% rally: Upbit, AI hype and more…

Traders rushed into TRAC after its listing, but the pullback has raised ONE KEY question.

18 May 2026, 17:58

Price predictions 5/18: SPX, DXY, BTC, ETH, XRP, BNB, SOL, DOGE, HYPE, ADA

Bitcoin dropped to the crucial $76,000 support level while large-cap altcoins sold off sharply. Do technical charts suggest that traders will buy the dip?

18 May 2026, 17:55

Bitcoin Bleeds $1B Weekly but XRP and SOL Defy Market Panic

Last week, digital asset investment products experienced $1.07 billion in outflows, according to CoinShares, making it the first negative week after seven straight weeks of gains. It was also the third-largest weekly outflow seen in 2026. Bitcoin saw the majority of the selling pressure as investors shifted toward a broader risk-off approach amid renewed geopolitical concerns surrounding Iran. However, investor sentiment appeared to stabilize toward the end of the week after news related to the CLARITY Act . CoinShares found that 11 digital assets continued to attract inflows despite the broader decline, while Thursday recorded $174 million in inflows. XRP and Solana Defy Market Panic Bitcoin recorded $982 million in outflow last week, which reduced its year-to-date total to $3.9 billion. Ethereum also faced heavy selling pressure, as $249 million left the asset in its largest weekly decline since January 30. Blockchain equity ETFs were similarly affected, posting a combined $133 million decline amid broader risk-off sentiment. On the other hand, several altcoins continued to attract investor interest. XRP led with $67.6 million inflows, followed by Solana with $55.1 million. Next up was Ton, which recorded $7.7 million, Sui $4.7 million, Ondo $4.1 million, Chainlink $3.9 million, and Dogecoin $3.2 million. The asset manager explained that investors are increasingly looking past Bitcoin and Ethereum for selective exposure. According to CoinShares, the latest wave of crypto investment product withdrawals was driven almost entirely by the US, which saw $1.14 billion pulled from funds last week. European markets held up much better, led by Switzerland with $22.8 million and Germany with $22 million. The Netherlands added $7.5 million, while Sweden was the only exception as it recorded a smaller $4 million decline. During the same period, Canada attracted $12.6 million, and Australia saw $4.4 million in fresh investment. Pressure May Continue QCP Capital also warned that Bitcoin could remain under pressure after breaking below the $78,000 support level earlier today. The Singapore-based firm said the expiry of more than $4 billion in IBIT options has weakened the stabilizing effect that previously helped keep Bitcoin trading within a tight range. The broader macro backdrop has also become less supportive, as seen with rising US Treasury yields and USD/JPY moving closer to the 160 level, where intervention risks could trigger a sharp unwind in yen-carry positions and drain a crucial source of global liquidity that has historically supported risk assets. QCP added that crypto is likely to remain range-bound unless markets see meaningful progress in US-China trade talks or US-Iran negotiations. The post Bitcoin Bleeds $1B Weekly but XRP and SOL Defy Market Panic appeared first on CryptoPotato .