News
26 May 2026, 21:45
ETH Treasury Firms Rely on Staking Revenue as Losses Top $1.4B, Everstake Says

Public companies holding ether are increasingly relying on staking income as losses mount and investor premiums shrink. Everstake’s study suggests the digital asset treasury model is moving away from simple crypto exposure and toward active yield generation. Staking Drives 60% of Revenue for ETH Treasury Companies Publicly listed ether treasury companies are facing a tougher
26 May 2026, 21:45
Trump Says Maintaining CFTC Oversight of Prediction Markets Is ‘Essential’ for US Leadership

BitcoinWorld Trump Says Maintaining CFTC Oversight of Prediction Markets Is ‘Essential’ for US Leadership U.S. President Donald Trump stated on May 26 via social media that preserving the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) exclusive authority over prediction markets is critical, arguing that federal oversight should remain intact to ensure the sector can develop responsibly. Trump warned against allowing individual state officials to set rules for the emerging industry. Federal Oversight vs. State-Level Regulation In his statement, Trump specifically named several politicians—including former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker—asserting that they should not be the ones shaping regulations for prediction markets. The president emphasized that his administration is developing federal rules that will serve as a national standard, overriding conflicting state approaches. Global Competition and US Crypto Leadership Trump framed the issue within a broader context of international competitiveness, noting that other countries are actively entering the prediction market space. He reiterated that the United States is currently the global capital for cryptocurrency, citing Bitcoin as a prime example, and stressed that the nation must not cede its lead. He described the industry as important and deserving of protection. Why This Matters for the Crypto and Prediction Market Sectors The CFTC has historically overseen derivatives and commodities markets, including certain types of event contracts. Trump’s stance signals a preference for centralized federal oversight rather than a patchwork of state laws, which could create compliance challenges for platforms operating nationwide. The statement also reinforces the administration’s broader pro-crypto posture, aligning with efforts to position the US as a dominant force in digital asset innovation. For market participants, clarity on which agency holds primary jurisdiction reduces legal uncertainty, potentially encouraging investment and platform development. Conclusion Trump’s call to maintain CFTC jurisdiction over prediction markets reflects a strategic push to keep regulatory control at the federal level while discouraging state-led initiatives. The statement also underscores the administration’s commitment to preserving US dominance in cryptocurrency and related financial technologies. As the regulatory framework takes shape, industry stakeholders will be watching closely for the specific rules the administration intends to propose. FAQs Q1: What are prediction markets? Prediction markets are platforms where participants trade contracts based on the outcome of future events, such as elections, sports results, or economic indicators. They are sometimes referred to as event contracts. Q2: Why does the CFTC have jurisdiction over prediction markets? The CFTC regulates derivatives and commodities markets under the Commodity Exchange Act. Certain event contracts fall under this purview, particularly when they involve financial stakes and are offered to the public. Q3: How might Trump’s statement affect prediction market platforms? It signals a preference for federal over state regulation, which could simplify compliance for platforms operating across multiple states. However, the specific rules being prepared by the administration will ultimately determine the operational landscape for these businesses. This post Trump Says Maintaining CFTC Oversight of Prediction Markets Is ‘Essential’ for US Leadership first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
26 May 2026, 21:40
South Korean Court Rejects Investor Lawsuit Against Upbit Over Martial Law Trading Disruption

BitcoinWorld South Korean Court Rejects Investor Lawsuit Against Upbit Over Martial Law Trading Disruption A South Korean court has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Dunamu, the operator of the cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, by an investor who claimed losses from a system failure that occurred immediately after the country’s short-lived emergency martial law declaration on December 3, 2024. The ruling, reported by Yonhap News, marks a significant legal precedent regarding exchange liability during extraordinary market events. Details of the Case The plaintiff, identified only by his surname Cho, alleged that a technical disruption on Upbit’s platform prevented his sell orders from executing at favorable prices during the chaotic minutes following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s surprise martial law announcement. Cho placed six market sell orders for a total of 43,551 XRP between 1:51 p.m. and 1:57 p.m. UTC on December 3. He argued that the market price was in the range of 3,000 won per XRP when he initiated the first order, but a system delay caused the transactions to execute later at an average price of 1,727 won. This discrepancy, he claimed, resulted in a loss exceeding 55.44 million won, or approximately $42,600. Court’s Reasoning The Seoul court rejected Cho’s claim, finding insufficient evidence that his initial orders would have been filled at the 3,000 won price even under normal operating conditions. The judge noted that the martial law declaration triggered an immediate and massive surge in sell orders across the exchange. Given the extreme market conditions, the court determined that the price drop was driven by the sheer volume of panic selling rather than solely by the platform’s technical issues. The ruling emphasized that during such unprecedented events, order execution prices are inherently volatile and unpredictable. Legal and Market Implications This case highlights the legal boundaries of exchange responsibility during national emergencies and market disruptions. For South Korean crypto investors, the ruling serves as a reminder that trading during periods of extreme volatility carries significant risk, and exchanges may not be held liable for system performance issues that coincide with extraordinary external events. Legal experts suggest the decision could influence future litigation involving platform outages during crises, though each case will be evaluated on its specific facts. The December 3 martial law declaration, which lasted only a few hours before being overturned by the National Assembly, caused widespread panic across South Korean financial markets. Cryptocurrency exchanges saw record trading volumes and sharp price swings as investors rushed to adjust positions. Upbit, as the country’s largest exchange, experienced heavy traffic that led to intermittent service disruptions. Conclusion The court’s dismissal of Cho’s lawsuit reinforces the principle that exchanges are not insurers against market volatility, especially during unforeseeable national events. While platform reliability remains a legitimate concern for traders, this ruling clarifies that proving direct causation between a technical glitch and specific trading losses is a high legal bar. The case underscores the importance of risk management and realistic expectations when trading during periods of extreme market stress. FAQs Q1: Why did the court dismiss the lawsuit against Upbit? The court ruled that the investor could not prove his orders would have executed at the higher price even without the system disruption, given the massive surge in sell orders triggered by the martial law announcement. Q2: What was the investor’s total claimed loss? The investor claimed a loss of over 55.44 million won, approximately $42,600, due to the difference between the expected execution price and the actual price received. Q3: Does this ruling set a legal precedent for crypto exchanges in South Korea? Yes, the decision provides legal guidance on exchange liability during national emergencies, suggesting that platforms may not be held responsible for trading losses caused by extraordinary external events beyond their control. This post South Korean Court Rejects Investor Lawsuit Against Upbit Over Martial Law Trading Disruption first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
26 May 2026, 20:54
CLARITY Act Clock Ticks Down: TD Cowen Says 2026 Passage Looks Less Likely–Here’s Why

The odds of the CLARITY Act becoming law this year are fading, according to TD Cowen, even after the bill cleared key legislative hurdles in the Senate. While the measure successfully passed through the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Banking Committee, a full Senate vote—and the final approval needed to send the bill to the finish line—now looks increasingly unlikely before year’s end. CLARITY Act Momentum Hits New Wall TD Cowen managing director Jaret Seiberg, writing in a Tuesday note from the firm’s Washington Research Group, said his team remains pessimistic that the CLARITY Act will be enacted this year. In his view, the main challenge is political: whether Democrats can support the bill if it includes provisions aimed at addressing presidential conflicts of interest. Related Reading: Ethereum Price Roadmap For The Rest Of 2026: Bull, Base, And Bear Scenarios Unpacked At the same time, Seiberg warned that Republicans could become more reluctant to advance the legislation if doing so requires them to vote against amendments intended to target or respond to Trump-related concerns. Seiberg said the progress in the Senate Banking Committee earlier this month does not necessarily signal a broad agreement across parties. Although the committee advanced the bill despite objections from Democrats and banks, he described that outcome as shifting the fight to the full Senate rather than resolving the underlying disputes. Seiberg also pointed to several Trump-related developments he says are making the political environment tougher for the CLARITY Act. One driver, he noted, is a legal case involving the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that has already been resolved. Washington Tensions Rise The dispute resulted in the creation of a $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund and permanently bars the IRS from auditing past tax returns for Trump, his family, and related companies. Seiberg’s takeaway is that the fallout from that dispute is likely to further raise the temperature in Washington, making it harder to find consensus on legislation like the already delayed CLARITY Act. Seiberg also cited a recent New York Times investigative report alleging that prediction markets and crypto-related interests may have influenced efforts aimed at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). He stressed that, as of his note, the claims have not been confirmed. Still, he pointed to a response from CFTC Chair Michael Selig, who told the New York Times that the agency is focused on major wrongdoing and is not “playing favorites.” Related Reading: XRP, ETH, SOL, LINK Look Cheap—The Catalysts That Could Drive The Next Leg Up Another factor cited in the TD Cowen note involves government financial disclosures released earlier this month. Those reports indicated that roughly 3,600 stock trades were executed on Trump’s behalf during the first three months of 2026. Seiberg argued that the surrounding controversy makes it more likely that lawmakers choose delay over action—especially as the midterm election approaches and the political calendar narrows the window for additional postponements. Featured image created with OpenArt; chart from TradingView.com
26 May 2026, 20:40
Ethereum Firm Sharplink, Solana Treasury Forward Industries Joining Russell 2000, 3000 Indexes

Crypto treasury firms Sharplink and Forward Industries will both be included in the Russell 2000 and 3000 indexes at the end of June.
26 May 2026, 20:25
Sam Altman said OpenAI wants AI to work like a utility that people pay for by usage

OpenAI’s founder and CEO Sam Altman sat before a massive crowd at a conference and said with a straight face that: “We see a future where intelligence is a utility, like electricity or water, and then we’ll make people buy it from us on a meter.” Chilling, isn’t it? Sam said OpenAI expects demand to keep rising as AI becomes harder to separate from serious work. “The demand that we see for that seems like it’s going to continue to just go like this. When can a CEO of a major company, a president of a major country, a Nobel Prize winning scientist, when can they not do their job without making heavy use of AI? This doesn’t mean that there will be an AI CEO or an AI president,” said Sam. Sam Altman says leaders will use AI because one person cannot manage every detail alone “We see a future where intelligence is a utility like electricity or water,” Sam added. He added that people would “buy it from us on a meter” and use it for whatever they want. Sam believes the role of a human CEO is already changing because no single person can cover every corner of a big company. He said: “You still do need a person to stand behind decisions and kind of exercise human judgment and all of the understanding that we expect out of someone running a an important organization to do. But the actual parts of my role that I will increasingly have to rely on an AI to do because no human can.” Sam’s view is that top jobs will become more about watching AI systems, checking their work, choosing when to trust them, and giving them direction. The human stays in charge, but the job becomes less about doing every task and more about managing the machines doing the work. Sam said this threshold may take “a little bit longer,” but “probably not a lot longer.” Sam Altman says OpenAI’s tools already shape his own business decisions Sam also said he is already leaning on OpenAI’s own agents and AI tools inside his daily job. “It’s ramping incredibly quickly,” he said. He said when he gets a new idea for a business model, a product, or a strategy change, he asks OpenAI’s tools before he speaks to another person about it. Sam said the answers get better when the systems have more company context, like internal documents, communication, code, customer data, and other company information, as the kind of material that can improve AI output. (This is absolutely not a good idea.) “As they can get close to full context of our company,” he said, “the quality of the answers gets better and better.” During the interview, Sam referred to the recent reports surrounding OpenAI, which raised $110 billion through an investment round just two weeks prior to the discussion. Among others, Amazon, Nvidia, and Softbank participated in the fundraising. He likened the fundraising to the public market and mentioned that the latter was four times smaller than the record-setting largest public offering ever made. It is worth noting that the public market deal was $25 billion raised by Saudi Aramco. Simply put, even though the public market should theoretically provide the largest amounts of money available, OpenAI raised more privately. Then, the interviewer wanted to know how OpenAI would be spending that vast amount of money. Sam did not really answer that, though. At another tech conference this week, Sam also admitted that some of his earlier job-market warnings were off. He had previously said AI could remove “entire classes” of jobs, especially as companies adopted the technology after ChatGPT launched in 2022. “My scorecard, at the highest level, would be we’ve been roughly right on technological predictions and pretty wrong on the social and economic implications,” Sam said during a conversation with Matt Comyn, CEO of Commonwealth Bank of Australia ($ CBA.AX ). Matt’s conversation with Sam was summarized on Tuesday. Sam said the near-term hit to entry-level white-collar jobs has not been as bad as he expected. “I’m delighted to be wrong about that,” Sam said. That is a major change from his older tone. In 2023, Sam told The Atlantic that jobs would “definitely” go away as companies used AI more widely. He also said better jobs would be created after that. Last year, at a Federal Reserve conference, Sam warned that “entire classes” of jobs would vanish. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .













































