Tether and LemFi, two financial juggernauts in different sectors, have announced a partnership. Tether, the issuer of popular stablecoin USDT, announced on Monday that it had invested in the fintech app used to transfer funds from Europe and the Americas to Africa and Asia.
The deal will embed USDT as a system for payments across LemFi’s operating regions, replacing slower bank-to-bank transfer chains with stablecoins and the blockchain.
The Tether-LemFi deal and what it means
Unlike conventional cross-border payment systems, stablecoin-based transfers allow funds to move directly across blockchain networks with fewer delays and lower operation costs. This model will enhance the speed and efficiency of international payments, especially in newly emerging markets.
According to Tether’s statement, the partnership is expected to support the wider adoption of Tether across LemFi’s platform, which could then extend the stablecoin-powered systems into other payment and financial service offerings.
The move reflects a broader trend among fintech firms and stablecoin issuers seeking to position blockchain infrastructure as an alternative to traditional banking rails for global payments, savings, and digital financial services.
The executives have their say
CEO of Tether, Paolo Ardoino, has said the investment aligns with Tether’s strategy of expanding financial access for its estimated 585 million users globally.
Ardoino framed the partnership as part of the company’s effort to strengthen the real-world utility of Tether by integrating blockchain-based settlement into everyday financial services, particularly in regions that rely heavily on cross-border payments and remittances.
“Our investment in LemFi reflects our shared vision on how money moves across borders, prioritizing speed, cost, and transparency,” Ardoino said in Tether’s announcement. “By supporting LemFi’s growth and innovation roadmap, we are helping bring the benefits of a stable digital asset to more people who rely on remittances in their daily lives.”
LemFi CEO and co-founder Ridwan Olalere called the deal “a validation of the direction we are heading.” Olalere added that integrating USDT into LemFi’s infrastructure “brings us closer to that reality” of a financial system that works regardless of where a user lives or sends money, according to Tether’s press release.
Neither company has disclosed the size of the investment.
How does this improve stablecoins’ standing?
For Tether, the LemFi deal extends the company’s push to position USDT as a practical payments infrastructure rather than just a trading instrument. The company reported $1.04 billion in profit for Q1 2026 and holds excess reserves of $8.23 billion, according to Binance Square. This financial position gives Tether capital to invest in distribution partners like LemFi that can help to put the stablecoin in front of non-crypto-native users.
LemFi, on its own part, gains access to Tether’s deep USDT liquidity pool and the technical backing to build a settlement layer on blockchain. The company described its customer base as consisting of “millions of people who live and work across borders,” many of whom, it said, have historically been underserved by traditional financial institutions.
0G Labs Wants to Make AI a Public Good — And It’s Building the Blockchain Stack to Prove It
At Consensus 2026 in Miami, 0G Labs co-founder Michael laid out a sweeping vision for decentralized AI — one where users own their data, agents handle payments on-chain, and a blockchain truth layer holds AI accountable. Here’s everything you need to know.
By Crypto Coin Show · May 18, 2026 · Miami, FL
Exclusive InterviewConsensus 2026Breaking
MIAMI — The air at Consensus 2026 is thick with AI energy, and few projects embody that collision of worlds more than 0G Labs — the self-described “Layer 1 for AI.” We sat down with co-founder Michael on the conference floor to get a full picture of where decentralized AI stands today and what the team is building next.
“Our mission is to make AI a public good — and we’re not stopping anytime soon.”
— Michael, Co-Founder, 0G Labs · Consensus 2026
The Case Against Blackbox AI
The conversation started with a sharp critique of the current AI landscape. Today’s hyperscalers — the OpenAIs and Anthropics of the world — operate what Michael calls “blackbox AI.” Massive GPU clusters, potentially nuclear-powered data centers, and API interfaces that give users zero visibility into what actually happens to their data behind the scenes.
“You may be able to click a button to say don’t use my data for AI training, but how can you verify that?” Michael asked pointedly. “The moment it’s on somebody else’s server, they can technically do whatever they want.” For users with sensitive medical, financial, or personally identifiable data, that’s a trust problem blockchain is uniquely positioned to solve.
How 0G’s Decentralized AI Actually Works
0G’s answer is a full-stack decentralized AI infrastructure — not just a blockchain, but a layered architecture combining a storage network, a distributed compute network, an AI safety layer, and a service marketplace. The core privacy mechanism relies on Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) — physical hardware on graphics cards that cryptographically enforces data privacy during computation. Once a job is complete, a verifiable entry is written to the blockchain.
Any user — not just enterprises — can contribute GPU resources to the network, earning from it while powering a permissionless AI ecosystem. The modular design also means other blockchains, including Ethereum and Solana-based projects, can plug into 0G’s storage, compute, and safety components independently.
Key Updates From Consensus 2026
New fine-tuned model released showing a 20–30% benchmark improvement over base Qwen 3.6, achieved through targeted retraining.
Two research papers accepted to ICML, covering agent-to-agent interactions, decentralized compute, and AI safety.
Apollo Accelerator launched in partnership with Stanford and the Blockchain Builders Association, funding projects from DeFi liquidity layers to AI applications.
app.0g.ai vibe coding app went live; burned over 4 billion tokens in its first three weeks.
Gas AI browser plugin (running OpenClaw on Chrome) is live with thousands of early users after just a few weeks.
X402 payment protocol integration underway, enabling AI agents to handle on-chain payments autonomously.
The Killer App Question: Onboarding Without the Pain
The elephant in the room for any blockchain-based product remains user experience. Wallets, gas fees, and unfamiliar token currencies create friction that keeps mainstream users on centralized platforms. Michael acknowledged this honestly — but outlined a clear path forward: abstraction via AI agents and seamless payment layers that hide blockchain complexity entirely.
The parallel to ChatGPT’s App Store moment wasn’t lost on him. OpenAI spent seven years building before their inflection point. 0G is only three years in. The gap between open-source models and state-of-the-art proprietary ones — currently roughly three months — is closing, and the team believes it will be narrow enough to matter for most use cases soon.
AI Agents, X402, and the Future of Autonomous Commerce
One of the most forward-looking threads in the conversation was agentic AI commerce. The X402 payment protocol is designed specifically for AI agents to transact on-chain — paying for services, data, and compute autonomously without human sign-off on every transaction. Michael put the current scale in perspective: stablecoin transaction volume last year hit $33 trillion; X402 has processed around $600 million — a fraction of a percent, but a foothold in what the team believes will be the dominant transaction type on blockchains within five years.
The trust problem is front and center here too. “Do you really want your agent to hold your private keys and have access to all your wealth right now?” Michael asked rhetorically. The answer, for most users, is no — which is exactly why the blockchain truth and safety layer isn’t just a nice-to-have, but the foundational prerequisite for the agentic economy to exist at all.
Follow 0G Labs’ updates at hub.0g.ai and on X at @0G_Labs. Try the vibe coding app live at app.0g.ai.
Live Coverage
Watch: Full Interview with Michael, Co-Founder of 0G Labs — Consensus 2026, Miami
Recorded live on the Consensus 2026 floor · Miami, FL · May 2026 · Crypto Coin Show Exclusive
South Korea’s KB Financial Group, the parent company of KB Kookmin, completed a stablecoin pilot project for offline payments, settlements, and cross-border remittances. The company announced on May 17 that it used the Kaia blockchain for the test.
KB conducted a proof-of-concept (PoC) for KRW stablecoin payments and settlements in collaboration with KG Inicis, Kaia Blockchain, and OpenAsset. The initiativeaddressed the entire lifecycle of using digital money, from issuance and payments to settlement, inside an integrated framework, according to a Yonhap News article.
KB Kookmin is the biggest bank in South Korea, with total assets of about 584.9 trillion won ($266.7 billion).
The stablecoin pilot program expands the number of South Korean traditional banking institutions testing with stablecoins. Shinhan Card, one of the country’s largest credit card companies, and the Solana Foundation inked a memorandum of understanding in late April to test stablecoin payments.
KB Financial explores stablecoins for faster remittance
BREAKING: South Korea’s largest bank, KB Kookmin, successfully pilots KRW stablecoin integration for offline payments and global remittances on @KaiaChain. 🇰🇷 pic.twitter.com/fkYNLndVBu
During KB Financial’s experiment, the feature used Kaia’s on-chain liquidity to convert Korean Won stablecoins into Dollar stablecoins for the international remittance verification procedure. The dollar stablecoins were then transferred into a bank account through a local partner in Vietnam.
According to local reports, the test cut prices by 87% and reduced transfer times from days to just 3 minutes. Holly’s, a coffee franchise in Seoul, conducted an offline payment test, allowing customers to pay via QR codes without installing a Bitcoin wallet.
After the project verification, a KB Financial Group official stated, “We will do our utmost to provide lifestyle-oriented digital financial services that customers can experience in their daily lives by combining blockchain technology with financial infrastructure based on verified stability and trust.”
Bank-led stablecoins reshape South Korea’s payments future
Banks are viewing stablecoins as the next step in regulated digital payments. Financial institutions across Asia are exploring stablecoin-based infrastructure that can process transactions in less than an hour, in contrast to traditional banking rails, which frequently take two to five business days for international transfers.
Cross-border remittances remain one of the best use cases because users care more about timeliness, lower fees, and consistent settlement than about the underlying technology. According to Finextra, banks increasingly see stablecoins as a 24/7 settlement rail that enhances liquidity efficiency and lessens reliance on pre-funded accounts, and remittance corridors are where traditional banking systems pose the greatest challenge.
South Korea’s regulatory approach may hasten mainstream adoption, as policymakers increasingly favor bank-led stablecoin issuance over uncontrolled private issuance. According to a June 24, 2025, report by Cryptopolitan, the Bank of Korea supports gradually implementing won-based stablecoins, though only strictly regulated commercial banks first.
Bank of Korea Senior Deputy Governor Ryoo Sang-dai said, “It is desirable to first allow banks, which are under a high level of regulations, to issue won-based stablecoins and gradually expand to the non-bank sector with the experience.” He also affirmed that the government is working on reforming the foreign exchange market.
Ryoo added that the authorities intended to expedite the opening of South Korea’s currency market to more overseas investors as digital finance expands. This came after the 2024 decision to expand FX trading hours and give foreign companies greater access.
KB Financial is reportedly preparing to launch stablecoin services in Korea once digital asset rules are approved. However, disputes among regulators over who should be permitted to issue stablecoins have frequently stalled the nation’s proposed Digital Asset Basic Act.
Cryptopolitan reported on December 30 of last year that the Financial Services Commission cautioned that strict regulation could impede innovation, while the Bank of Korea (BoK) maintained that banks should maintain majority ownership in stablecoin issuers.
Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It’s free.
Monero price prediction suggests a bullish trend, with XMR anticipated to reach $611.49 by the end of 2026.
XMR could reach a maximum price of $900.16 by the end of 2029.
By 2032, Monero’s price may surge to $1,392.38.
Monero (XMR) stands out in the crypto space for its strong focus on privacy and decentralization of transactions, particularly within the monero network, making it one of the leading privacy focused cryptocurrencies. This makes it a popular choice for privacy advocates and those prioritizing security. The Monero ecosystem constantly evolves, marked by significant milestones like enhanced protocol upgrades and growing adoption across various sectors, which underscore its utility.
As Monero progresses, many wonder about its future price trajectory. Will its unique features drive significant value growth, as many traders speculate, and can a price prediction tool provide insights into this? Can it sustain its competitive edge in the ever-evolving crypto market? Will the price of xmr recapture its ATH at $798 in the long term forecast?
Overview
Cryptocurrency
Monero
Token
XMR
Price
$394.75 (+1.93%)
Market Cap
$7.28 B
Trading Volume (24-hour)
$71.47 M
Circulating Supply
18.44M XMR
All-time High
$798.91 Jan 15, 2026
All-time Low
$0.213, Jan 15, 2015
24-h High
$388.58
24-h Low
$374.25
Monero price prediction: Technical analysis
Market Sentiment
Bullish
50-Day SMA
$361.68
200-Day SMA
$391.88
Price Prediction
$394.87 (+1.78%)
Fear & Greed Index
39.40 (Fear)
Green Days
16/30 (54%)
14-Day RSI
50.70(Neutral)
Monero price analysis
TL;DR Breakdown
Monero price analysis shows a bullish market sentiment.
Cryptocurrency gained 1.93% of its value in last 24 hours
XMR finds resistance at $402.5 mark
On May 17, 2026, Monero price analysis revealed a return to the $396 mark as the bulls continue the charge towards higher levels. XMR finds support at the $380 mark that enabled it to make a swift recovery.
Monero price analysis 1-day chart: XMR climbs to $396
The one-day price chart for Monero confirms a bullish trend forming after the decline to the $380 mark. The price found support at the $375 mark and bounced to the current $396 price level.
The Bollinger Bands are wide suggesting high volatility. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is trading at the center of the neutral region. The indicator’s value was recorded at 53.95 today showing bullish momentum. Further volatility can be expected if the buying momentum intensifies and the $404 mark is breached.
Monero price analysis 4-hour chart
The four-hour chart analysis of Monero shows rapid decline after a brief struggle at $400 mark. However, the price found support at the $370 mark that enabled it to climb back to $396 where it finds short-term resistance.
The Bollinger Bands are wide suggesting high volatility. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator is hovering above the mean line of the neutral region. The indicator’s value fell to 30.00 over the past few days before rising to the current 54.66 mark. The indicator’s slope is suggesting buying pressure at the price level.
Monero price analysis gives a bullish prediction for the asset’s short-term movements as the price charges at the $400 key level. If a breakthrough is achieved, movement to $440 is expected while a breakdown means a return to $375 and lower levels. Current market sentiment remains highly bullish.
Is Monero a good investment?
Monero is an attractive investment because it emphasizes privacy and security, utilizing advanced cryptographic techniques to ensure transaction confidentiality, which has created a strong demand in the market . Its growing adoption across various use cases and a decentralized development model enhance its long-term potential.
With a limited supply and increasing investor interest, Monero offers a unique opportunity for those seeking financial autonomy and privacy to invest in cryptocurrency. However, investors should remain cautious of regulatory risks and market volatility when considering Monero as part of their portfolio, making it essential to seek investment advice.
Why is XMR up?
Monero price analysis shows that XMR found support at $375 and rose to the $3966 mark where it hovers today.
Will XMR recover to its all-time high?
Monero recently reached a new all-time high of $798 before experiencing a sharp correction. The privacy-focused blockchain is expected to stabilize and potentially recover as it continues to reduce technical debt and enhance its utility and privacy features. However, widespread adoption may be hindered by regulatory scrutiny and market volatility, keeping the asset highly speculative.
How much will Monero be worth in 5 years?
The Monero price prediction for 2031, is expected to reach a minimum of $463.56, while averaging $726.61. The maximum projected value is $989.65.
Will XMR reach $1000?
The chances of Monero (XMR) hitting $1,000 hinge on various factors, which will influence its future price movements. The adoption of privacy transactions and technological advances could increase demand. Favorable regulations and market sentiment toward privacy coins would also help. Yet, regulatory risks, competition, and market volatility creating an atmosphere of extreme fear are challenges that Monero traders could face that could hinder significant growth. $1,000 is possible with favorable conditions, especially considering the current price but market dynamics and regulations will shape its path.
Does XMR have a good long-term future?
Monero (XMR) has the potential for a strong long-term future due to its focus on privacy and security, which makes it attractive to users seeking anonymity. However, many investors have concerns regarding privacy, regulatory scrutiny, and notoriety from being the favored medium for some past criminals, which impact the current Monero sentiment. Monero’s commitment to ring confidential transactions and the broader monero project gives it a solid foundation for long-term growth, but it must carefully navigate market and regulatory landscapes.
Recent news/ opinion on Monero
Monero recently announced the release of the beta stressnet software while the stressnet for FCMP++ and CARROT is expected to go live on |May 6
The beta stressnet software has been released!
The second testnet (beta stressnet) for Full-Chain Membership Proofs (FCMP++) and CARROT will go live on May 6!
We implore the Monero community to participate in testing and to report issues in order to ensure a smooth transition! https://t.co/Y9kK6INTmb
The XMR price prediction for May 2026 suggests a minimum value of $317.32 and an average price of $335.44. The price could reach a maximum of $451.09 during the month.
Month
Minimum Price ($)
Average Price ($)
Maximum Price ($)
May
317.32
393.44
451.09
Monero price prediction 2026
The Monero price prediction for 2026 anticipates a potential increase driven by growing adoption, with a maximum price forecasted at $619.98. Based on current analysis, investors can expect an average trading price of $492.32, while the minimum price could be around $240.91.
Year
Min. Price ($)
Average Price ($)
Maximum Price ($)
2026
240.91
492.32
619.98
Monero price prediction 2027-2032
Year
Min. Price ($)
Average Price ($)
Maximum Price ($)
2026
290.91
519.98
611.49
2027
336.73
560.63
678.04
2028
384.78
636.97
764.04
2029
417.76
685.58
900.16
2030
469.80
786.30
1102.83
2031
617.00
967.12
1317.23
Monero Price Prediction 2027
In 2027, Monero’s value is expected to continue its upward trend, with a minimum price of $336.73, an average price of $560.63, and a maximum price of $678.04.
Monero Price Prediction 2028
For 2028, Monero is anticipated to trade at a minimum of $384.78, with an average price of $636.97, and a maximum price reaching $764.04.
Monero Price Prediction 2029
The price outlook for 2029 suggests Monero will maintain a minimum value of $417.76, an average of $685.58, and a maximum of $900.16.
Monero Price Prediction 2030
By 2030, Monero is forecasted to achieve a minimum trading price of $469.80, with an average price of $786.30 and a potential peak of $1,102.83.
Monero Price Prediction 2031
In 2031, Monero’s price is expected to reach a minimum of $617.00, while averaging $967.12. The maximum projected value is $1,317.23.
Monero Price Prediction 2032
In 2032, Monero is projected to continue its growth trajectory, with a minimum trading price of $733.12, an average price of $1,062.75, and a maximum price reaching $1,392.38.
Cryptopolitan’s Monero price forecast suggests a bullish outlook for XMR’s future should the market recover. According to expert analysis, Monero could reach a maximum price of $611.49, record a minimum price of $290.91, and trade at an average price of $519.98 by the end of 2026.
Monero historic price sentiment
XMR price history
Monero’s market value has changed dramatically since its launch in 2014, from less than $1 to over $475.
May 2021 marked the highest point in Monero’s history. Monero’s price projections revealed the coin’s security. They provide investors with optimism that they will be freed from the persecution of some authorities simply by buying or selling Monero
Across 2023, Monero’s price rose by 11.49%. The highest price was $278.56, and the lowest was $114.16.
In January 2024, Monero stayed stable around the $150.00 mark as market momentum remained low. However, the stability was short-lived as February crashed to $101.95. However, XMR showed swift recovery as it closed the month near the $150.00 level again.
In March and April 2024, XMR saw a steady decline from $150.00 to $120.00, where it found key support.
In May 2024, XMR observed steady bullish pressure as the price rose from $120.00, approaching resistance at $150.
In June 2024, Monero (XMR) traded within the $150 – $175 price range as either side struggled to make a clear breakthrough. In July, the crypto traded around the $155 mark as the price volatility remained relatively low. XMR opened trading at $156.05 in August and ended the month at $176.00, making remarkable gains.
September was bearish for the asset, as the price declined below the $160 mark by the end of the month. In October, Monero observed a steep crash and has been making a swift recovery since then.
In December, Monero made remarkable strides as the asset’s price broke past the $220 mark, albeit briefly as it closed the month below $200.
In January, Monero saw a bullish January as the price rose from below the $200 mark to $238 by the end of the month.
In February, the price fell towards the $215 mark as bears dominate the markets. In March, the price observes mixed momentum and closed the month slightly below $215. In April the consolidation continued until late into the month when it spiked past the $325 mark before ending the month around $275.
In May the price continued rising rapidly as the bulls cruised past $300 ending the month around $320. During June the price continued to observe high volatility but observed low net change as the asset closed the month around $313.
In July the price saw a huge spike in volatility as the price rose past $340 but the asset closed the month below the $310 mark. In August the price declined rapidly falling to the $260 mark by the month’s end. In September, the price rose to the $340 and while it did not maintain the level but managed to close the month above the $320 mark.
In October the price continued to rise ending the month above the $340 mark, a trend separating it from most other cryptocurrencies that saw a decline during the period. In November, the bullish rally continued with XMR crossing the $400 mark by the end of the month. In December, the bulls continued to charge ending the month above the $430 mark.
In January 2026, price volatility rose sharply establishing a new all-time high but ended the month below the $500 mark. In February, the declined continued with XMR ending the month around the $340 level.
The price consolidated in March, observing a slight decline to $325 by the month’s end. In April the price made swift recovery ending the month above the $375 mark.
Crypto analyst Gargoyle has advised market participants not to buy Bitcoin until it sees high volume, which could mark the bottom. This comes amid BTC’s recent drop below the psychological $80,000 level, with the leading crypto at risk of another decline.
Analyst Advises Against Buying Bitcoin Until Bottom Is Confirmed
In an X post, Gargoyle advised against buying Bitcoin until the bottom is confirmed. He indicated that the BTC bottom forms when there is massive volume and that this massive volume hasn’t happened yet. The analyst alluded to the 2022/2023 cycle, when the capitulation spike marked the bottom for BTC.
However, at the moment, this capitulation spike hasn’t occurred with Bitcoin’s volume still moderate, suggesting that market participants aren’t truly panicking yet despite the downtrend. Gargoyle further noted that the hardest flush always comes after retail thinks it is over for BTC, which then leads to a spike in volume as investors capitulate.
The analyst’s accompanying chart showed that Bitcoin could still drop to around $45,000 before it bottoms, while this could happen between now and the start of next year. Once that happens, BTC could then see a reversal as it targets a new all-time high (ATH). Notably, BTC had rallied over the past week to as high as $83,000, providing optimism that the bear market may be over.
However, Bitcoin has since dropped below $80,000, raising concerns that the bear market may still be in force, as some analysts, such as Doctor Profit, had warned. The analyst had also mentioned before that BTC will likely bottom between September and October later this year based on its historical cycle patterns.
BTC Bound To Decline If Stock Market Crashes
Crypto analyst Colin warned that the current stock market pump is the only thing keeping Bitcoin afloat. He further noted that, in the short term, the S&P 500 appears bullish following the recent megaphone breakout. However, in the longer term, the economic backdrop doesn’t look good for these stocks and, by extension, for BTC.
Colin alluded to the CPI and PPI, which are both running hot, with inflation rising due to the U.S.-Iran war. The analyst stated that this is not a favorable environment for a Bitcoin “super cycle,” as some bulls are claiming. It is worth noting that the market is also beginning to price in a rate hike this year, which is bearish for the leading crypto. As such, with the macro environment not looking good, Colin suggested that BTC will crash if the stock market sees any significant drop in the future.
At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price is trading at around $79,000, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley wants AI-displaced tech workers to consider crypto. He argues that the industry’s messy problems create the kind of opportunity ambitious engineers should chase.
The pitch arrived inside a broader Silicon Valley conversation about AI-driven job anxiety. Investors and founders are describing a workforce reshaped by automation, widening wealth divides, and questions about future careers.
Horsley Frames Crypto as the Pre-Mainstream OpenAI Bet
Horsley told tech employees their pragmatism is what crypto needs. He pointed to problems around financial freedom, access, and cutting out middle men. He compared the move to joining OpenAI before mainstream adoption was clear.
The Bitwise executive also acknowledged the industry has scams, messy projects, and shallow headlines. He argued those flaws are the opportunity for engineers willing to build.
Crypto roles offer competitive pay across engineering, protocol design, and product talent.
Big tech is moving on from needing you, and will be celebrating laying off talent. Fine. But crypto needs you. We need talented, professional, pragmatic people,” Horsley explained.
It aligns with a recent BeInCrypto report, which highlighted how TradFi giants were offering crypto talent stability and prestige as crypto firms cut staff. This is after JPMorgan, BlackRock, and Citi posted crypto roles recently, with base salaries reaching $300,000.
Banks are also demanding hybrid talent fluent in blockchain and TradFi compliance.
Wall Street’s Crypto Hiring Boom Comes as Layoffs Rock the Industry
“It’s really about domain overlap,” Bloomberg reported, citing Paul Przybylski, JPMorgan Asset Management’s global head of product for digital and tokenized assets.
Justin Sun Echoes the Career Reset
Menlo Ventures partner Deedy Das described San Francisco as frenetic. Roughly 10,000 employees at Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI, and Nvidia have reached wealth above $20 million in five years. Meanwhile, AI-driven layoffs reshape the rest of the workforce.
The vibes in SF feel pretty frenetic right now. The divide in outcomes is the worst I’ve ever seen.
Over the last 5yrs, a group of ~10k people – employees at Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI, Nvidia, Meta TBD, founders – have hit retirement wealth of well above $20M (back of the envelope…
THORChain’s suspected multichain exploit and emergency halt on May 15 has turned into another DeFi security incident, and another test of cross-chain trust.
Emergency controls moved through chain-specific halts, Halt All Trading, Halt Signing, Halt Chain Global, Halt Churning, and repeated global node-pause updates.
One public alert described the likely exploit affecting Bitcoin, Ethereum, BSC, and Base, resulting in more than $10.7 million in losses, revised from an earlier $7.4 million estimate.
Another security estimate put the loss near $10 million, including 36.75 BTC and about $7 million across BNB Chain, Ethereum, and Base.
The chain scope was later expanded in a TRM Labs assessment, which reported that the attacker drained more than $11 million across at least nine chains. Those chains included Avalanche, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and XRP, in addition to the initial four-chain framing. The figures may still move as the accounting is reconciled, but the available record points to a multichain infrastructure event touching several native-asset routes.
The halt, therefore, carried consequences beyond THORChain. Cross-chain liquidity is supposed to make crypto feel more useful, liquid, and connected. Yet the same design that lets assets move between isolated networks can also compress the response window when something breaks.
In this case, DeFi’s promise of seamless routing ran straight into the need for an emergency stop.
The Halt Became The Signal
The operational response is documented in the chain’s emergency framework. THORChain’s procedures describe network and chain halts as tools node operators can use when funds are at risk.
Its architecture relies on Bifrost observation, vaults, and threshold-signature signing to move native assets across chains without wrapping them.
Those controls can protect funds by stopping further activity. They also show that cross-chain infrastructure is a stack of observers, validators, vaults, signing logic, node operations, and emergency procedures.
When that stack is tested, the market asks whether a single bug can be patched and whether the system can remain credible while the response itself disrupts routing.
I think that distinction brings the THORChain incident into the broader DeFi story. Mature financial infrastructure is expected to fail safely, explain quickly, and restore confidence with a documented root cause.
DeFi often moves faster than that standard. It ships integrations, new chains, and liquidity routes before users and institutions have a clear way to price the full operational risk.
One of six Asgard vaults was reportedly compromised for roughly $10.7 million; initial indications said individual swaps were unaffected.
Final root cause, final user-impact accounting, and postmortem detail.
THORChain’s May 15 halt showed how suspected multichain losses, emergency controls, and unresolved postmortem questions converged into a broader DeFi infrastructure test.
The Trust Discount Is Now Measurable
The damage from exploits rarely ends with the drained wallet. Immunefi’s 2026 security findings put the average direct theft at $25 million, while the median loss fell to $2.2 million.
That gap shows a market where routine defenses may improve while the largest incidents still define confidence.
The same report found that the top five hacks in 2024 and 2025 accounted for 62% of stolen funds, and hacked tokens saw a median six-month decline of 61%.
Those token moves cannot be cleanly separated from market conditions or project-specific weakness in every case. Still, the pattern supports the core market reaction: exploits become long-tail business events.
They drain capital, consume team time, slow integrations, and make partners question whether the next failure will hit them indirectly.
The trust discount reflects an extra layer of skepticism toward a sector that wants to be treated as financial infrastructure, yet still produces failures that look like crisis drills.
Users, exchanges, market makers, custodians, and institutions require more evidence to trust a protocol’s uptime, monitoring, key management, and emergency processes.
Recent cross-chain incidents reinforce that point. In the KelpDAO bridge exploit, attackers targeted off-chain verification and source-chain watching infrastructure rather than a conventional smart-contract bug.
The result was a false view of reality that led to valid-looking transactions releasing funds. Bridge-security fears have already influenced infrastructure decisions, including Kraken’s move to use Chainlink CCIP for kBTC and future wrapped assets following the KelpDAO shock.
That makes the THORChain halt feel less isolated. The sector is being forced to prove that the trust path across chains is observable, redundant, and controllable before billions of dollars of liquidity are routed through it.
For institutional users, the issue becomes operational due diligence. Cross-chain exposure touches custody policy, liquidity commitments, incident response, and counterparty reviews.
A protocol that routes native assets across chains has to prove that the monitoring and emergency process around that routing is as strong as the connectivity itself.
For builders, that changes what counts as progress. New routes and integrations can deepen liquidity, but they also create more surfaces for monitoring, key management, and incident response.
The next credibility gains will come from showing that controls scale with liquidity before a failure forces counterparties to revisit assumptions.
THORChain Carries A Compliance Layer Too
THORChain’s position is especially sensitive because the protocol combines an attack surface with a routing role in major illicit-flow episodes.
As of TRM’s report, the May 15 exploit had no public actor attribution. That caveat keeps the current incident separate from earlier laundering cases unless new evidence changes the record.
The same analysis described THORChain as a recurring rail for moving stolen funds, including flows tied to the Bybit and KelpDAO incidents.
Federal investigators attributed the February 2025 Bybit theft of about $1.5 billion in virtual assets to North Korea’s TraderTraitor activity.
The FBI also urged private-sector crypto entities, including DeFi services and bridges, to block transactions to or from addresses linked to laundering.
That history sharpens the current episode. A protocol can be useful because it makes native cross-chain swaps efficient. The same utility can make it attractive to attackers and difficult for compliance teams to ignore.
Once a protocol is seen as both exploitable infrastructure and a route for illicit funds, counterparties have to price in more than just smart-contract risk.
They have to price operational interruption, screening exposure, and the chance that integrations become reputational liabilities.
RUNE price reaction stays secondary. Market data on May 16 put RUNE at around $0.44, down 21.90% over 24 hours.
The broader crypto market stood near $2.61 trillion with Bitcoin dominance at 60.2%. The market noticed the incident, but the more important question is whether liquidity providers, routing interfaces, wallet integrations, and compliance desks change behavior after the halt.
The important market signal will come from the next set of operational choices rather than from a one-day chart. Liquidity interfaces can route around protocols that introduce uncertainty; custodians and market makers can raise internal risk scores.
Compliance teams can demand better screening and incident records before supporting integrations. Those reactions are slower than a token selloff, but they are the way a security event becomes a durable trust discount.
That is the slower repricing institutions notice. It shows up in due diligence questions, integration queues, and risk limits long after the emergency halt leaves the alert feed.
The Next Test Is The Postmortem
The next test starts with more than a recovery message: THORChain needs to produce a clear postmortem, reconcile the final loss figure and chain count, explain the root cause without speculation, and show what changed in its vault, key-management, node, monitoring, and halt processes.
Recovery details may help contain user harm while leaving the infrastructure question intact.
If THORChain completes compensation, resumes safely, and documents a credible fix, the incident can remain a severe but contained confidence hit.
If the root cause remains unsettled, final accounting keeps changing, or integrations pull back, the event becomes another data point in a broader repricing of cross-chain DeFi.
That is the sector-level consequence. DeFi wants to present itself as a durable, always-on financial infrastructure.
Every major cross-chain exploit makes that claim harder to defend until the industry can show that the bridges, vaults, signing systems, and emergency controls connecting its markets are as mature as the capital they aim to attract.
The Solana price has struggled to shake off its early-year woes despite a slightly improved general market climate in recent weeks. After falling from a nearly $150 valuation in the first quarter of 2026, the altcoin has been stuck within a consolidation range between $75 and $100 over the past few months.
The upper boundary of this consolidation zone proved formidable after the Solana price failed to fully capitalize on the injection of bullish momentum (triggered by news of the CLARITY Act passing the US Senate banking committee). A popular market analyst on the social media platform X has identified this specific resistance level and what lies on the other side for Solana.
A Break Above $98 Could Mean A Sustained Rally For SOL Price
In a recent post on the X platform, crypto pundit Ali Martinez pinpointed $98 as the level to break for the Solana price to reach its upside potential. According to the analyst, the cryptocurrency could embark on an approximately 30% rally if it sustains a break above this overhead resistance.
Martinez highlighted that the SOL token has been trading within a “well-defined” horizontal channel, with the lower and upper boundaries at $78 and $98, respectively. As a result of the CLARITY Act-induced market-wide rally, Solana’s price enjoyed some bullish momentum, only to be quickly truncated by the $98 ceiling.
Having bounced back from this rejection around the pivot point at $88, Martinez believes the altcoin could be returning to the channel ceiling for another breakout attempt. The crypto trader noted that if the price of Solana does manage to break and close above the $98 (on the daily timeframe), investors could see a surge toward $107.
However, that is only an immediate target, as Martinez believes the Solana price could travel further up towards its secondary target at $117. As hinted earlier, this secondary target represents a more than 30% uptick from the current price point.
At the same time, Martinez offered an alternative scenario where the $98 resistance refuses to give way. According to the market analyst, the price of Solana could experience a pullback to the $88 pivot point — or even to as low as the channel floor at $78 — if the resistance continues to hold strong.
In any case, the general market condition would need to improve if the altcoin is to enjoy sustained upside, especially given how sensitive financial markets have been to broader market dynamics in 2026.
Solana Price At A Glance
As of this writing, the price of SOL stands at around $89.33, reflecting an over 3% decline in the past 24 hours.
Ethereum (ETH) has now erased nearly all of the gains it posted earlier this month after facing renewed selling pressure across the market.
Its latest weekly sell signal has also raised concerns that another sharp corrective phase, similar to previous declines, could be developing.
Three Major ETH Downside Targets
Crypto analyst Ali Martinez flagged that a new weekly TD Sequential sell signal has appeared for Ethereum. The indicator has accurately predicted several major ETH moves over the past year, such as buy signals on April 14 and June 16, 2025, which were followed by rallies of 87% and 134%, respectively. Martinez also pointed to a sell signal on August 25, 2025, that “accurately timed” a 63% correction.
According to the analyst, if selling pressure increases, Ethereum could decline toward short-term support at $1,900, followed by mid-term and long-term downside targets at $1,565 and $1,090. He added that the $1,071 level, located near the bottom of a broader channel, appears to be a strong potential buying zone for Ethereum.
Santiment reported that Ethereum recorded its highest network realized profits in three weeks, as traders realized nearly $74.58 million in profits despite ETH’s correction. According to the on-chain analytics platform, the spike in realized profits was largely driven by holders who accumulated Ethereum earlier this year at much lower prices and are still selling at a profit during the recent decline.
The firm noted that ETH traded below the $2,000 level for much of February and March, a period when some traders continued accumulating despite broader market uncertainty and geopolitical concerns. Many of those wallets remain in profit even after the recent pullback and are now taking gains. The platform also highlighted increased on-chain transaction activity and price compression near the $2,240 level on four-hour charts, suggesting high distribution activity.
Higher transaction volume can lead to larger realized profit totals across the network, even when individual gains remain relatively modest.
Four Straight Days of Withdrawals
At the same time, US spot Ethereum ETFs have continued to see capital leaving the market over the past several days. Data compiled by SoSoValue revealed that these investment vehicles recorded four consecutive days of outflows this week. The funds saw $17 million in outflows on May 11, followed by a sharp $130.6 million withdrawal on May 12, which was the largest daily outflow level since March.
Outflows continued with $36.3 million on May 13 and another $5.65 million on May 14.
Ethereum has been moving sideways in recent weeks, leaving traders questioning why momentum keeps stalling despite multiple upward pushes. According to an analysis shared by an analyst on X, the answer lies in a specific technical level that the asset has repeatedly failed to reclaim.
Ethereum’s $2,450 Barrier
The recent price behavior of Ethereum can be traced to the market’s interaction with a resistance area near $2,450. In early May, the analyst outlined that this level functioned as a decisive confirmation point for bullish continuation. The structure suggested that if Ethereum could move above $2,450, even briefly, it would signal that the breakout from the current range was genuine.
In the chart shared at the time, the region around this price was highlighted as a critical reclaim zone. The analysis argued that once the price clears such a level, it becomes a strong directional signal for traders. Because the level lacked complicated confirmation requirements, even a quick move above it would have been enough to validate bullish momentum.
However, until that threshold was crossed, the analyst maintained a cautious stance. The reasoning was straightforward: markets often approach major breakout levels only to reverse if buying pressure cannot sustain the move. The repeated hesitation around $2,450 suggested that the upward move could still fail if the market could not overcome that barrier.
This framework also tied Ethereum’s behavior closely to that of Bitcoin. The analyst mapped the $2,450 level on Ethereum as roughly equivalent to a key resistance zone around $81,000 on Bitcoin. If Ethereum confirmed a breakout above that point, it would likely strengthen confidence across the broader crypto market.
Rejection Signals Downside Risk
Days later, price action delivered the scenario the analyst had warned about. Ethereum approached the resistance zone but failed to convincingly move above it. Although the market tested the area, it never produced the decisive wick above $2,450 that was required to confirm a reclaim.
Once the rejection occurred, the bearish scenario outlined in the earlier analysis began to unfold. Ethereum started to move lower, reinforcing the idea that the resistance had not been broken. The follow-up chart showed price drifting away, with the projected path pointing toward further downside if the market continued to lose momentum.
The outcome was also linked to Bitcoin’s movement. Because Ethereum failed to confirm strength at the crucial level, it suggested weakness across the broader market structure. That correlation was used to frame a short trade idea on Bitcoin around $82,300, based on the expectation that both assets would move lower together.
Technically, Ethereum remains in a distribution phase below resistance and is struggling to generate enough volume for a breakout. Until it decisively reclaims the $2,450 level, the analyst’s framework suggests the market could remain vulnerable to further pullbacks. In practical terms, the $2,450 level has become the dividing line between a renewed breakout and continued downside risk.
