News linked to both this project and an event.
on-chain detective ZachXBT has exposed US threat actor Dritan Kapllani Jr., alleging his involvement in social engineering thefts targeting crypto users, totaling approximately $19 million.ZachXBT stated that Dritan has long been flaunting luxury cars,名牌 watches, private jets, and nightclub lifestyles on social media. On April 23, 2026, during a "Band 4 Band (B4B)" voice call on Discord, in an attempt to prove he was wealthier than another hacker, he publicly displayed an Exodus wallet containing $3.68 million in assets.The relevant ETH address is: 0x4487db847db2fc99372a985743a26f46e0b2bba6ZachXBT's tracking revealed that this address is linked to a social engineering theft incident on March 14, 2026, involving 185 BTC (approximately $13 million). The following day, Dritan's Exodus wallet received about $5.3 million from that theft. By the time of the B4B call six weeks later, approximately $1.6 million had already been spent or laundered.On May 11, the US Department of Justice unsealed a criminal indictment against Trenton Johnson, charging him with participation in the theft of 185 BTC. He faces a potential maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. The indictment refers to "Co-Conspirator 1 (CC-1)," believed to be Dritan, who has not yet been formally charged.ZachXBT also noted that Dritan is connected to hacker John Daghita (Lick), who was previously arrested for stealing $46 million from the US government. John had previously exposed Dritan's old wallet address on Telegram. On-chain analysis shows that this address is linked to multiple high-confidence social engineering thefts in 2025, with a cumulative total exceeding $5.85 million.ZachXBT stated that Dritan has long been active in the "The Com" hacker circle and had seemingly avoided formal prosecution due to being a minor. Now that he has turned 18, his "borrowed time may finally be over."
ahead of the release of the April US CPI data, the crypto market rally has temporarily stalled. Bitcoin has been oscillating within the $80,000 to $82,000 range recently, failing to break out effectively since last Wednesday. Market participants believe that while capital flows still point to the potential for a future breakout, inflation and macroeconomic risks are weighing on risk appetite.The United States will release the April Consumer Price Index (CPI) at 8:30 PM Beijing time tonight. According to FactSet data, the market expects April CPI to rise 3.7% year-over-year, up from 3.3% in March. If this forecast materializes, it would mark the largest increase since January 2024 and be significantly higher than the average of 2.7% over the past 12 months. Core CPI is expected to rise 2.7% year-over-year, up from the previous 2.6%.Analysts are concerned that against a backdrop of high oil prices and Trump's characterization of the US-Iran ceasefire as "extremely fragile," inflation data exceeding expectations could further trigger risk-off sentiment in the markets, dragging down risk asset performance.Lukman Otunuga, Head of Market Research at FXTM, stated that the market is entering a sensitive phase where geopolitical risks, inflation concerns, and central bank expectations are intertwined. High oil prices, uncertainties surrounding the Iran situation, and key US economic data could drive increased volatility in commodities, currencies, and global stock markets.Beyond macroeconomic factors, XRP and SOL are also approaching key supply zones again. XRP tested $1.50 today, but this level has repeatedly failed to be breached since February this year; SOL is once again nearing the resistance zone around $97.Meanwhile, institutional interest in related assets is heating up. The US spot XRP ETF recorded net inflows of $25.8 million on Monday, the highest since January 5th. Bitcoin and Solana ETFs also maintained net capital inflows, while the Ethereum ETF saw net outflows of $16.9 million. (CoinDesk)
Wintermute released its weekly market analysis, covering the week ending May 11. During this period, BTC broke above $80,000 for the first time since January, peaking near $83,000 and decisively crossing its 200-day moving average—a resistance level that had held for seven months. However, Wintermute noted that this rally was primarily leveraged-driven: open interest surged by $10 billion month-on-month to $58 billion, while spot trading volume hit a two-year low—classic hallmarks of a short squeeze rather than a healthy breakout. Funding rates remain skewed bearish, indicating further short-covering potential in the near term; yet covering shorts does not equate to genuine bullish consensus. Looking at medium- to long-term fundamentals, institutional buying logic remains intact: BTC ETFs posted $623 million in net inflows for the week; Morgan Stanley’s BTC ETF attracted $194 million in its first month with zero net outflows on any single day; and BTC reserves held on exchanges remain at a seven-year low. Nevertheless, Wintermute cautioned that the RSI has entered overbought territory, and if spot buying fails to materialize after the squeeze concludes, prices face significant risk of a rapid correction. On the macro front, the Nasdaq rose 4.5% and the S&P 500 gained 2.3% for the week—both hitting all-time highs. Nonfarm payrolls significantly exceeded expectations (115,000 vs. forecast 65,000). U.S.-Iran negotiations collapsed, with Iran demanding sovereignty recognition and reparations—terms rejected by Trump. Oil prices swung violently between $88 and $113 per barrel during the week, yet equity markets reacted indifferently. Key events to watch this week:
According to Odaily, the latest 13F filing from Wells Fargo reveals that in the first quarter of 2026, the bank increased its holdings in multiple Ethereum spot ETFs, including BlackRock's ETHA and Bitwise's ETHW.Specifically, the ETHA position rose from approximately 672,600 shares in Q4 2025 to around 1.1 million shares, an increase of about 63.5%; while the ETHW position increased from roughly 186,800 shares to 257,000 shares, a gain of approximately 37%. As of the end of Q1, the total value of Wells Fargo's ETH ETF holdings stood at about $21.5 million.In contrast, its Bitcoin ETF holdings showed a divergence: the IBIT position declined slightly, while positions in BITB and the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF increased by approximately 24% and 41%, respectively. Currently, IBIT remains its largest crypto ETF holding, valued at around $250 million.Additionally, Wells Fargo made significant adjustments to its crypto-related stock portfolio, reducing its Galaxy Digital position by approximately 97%, while increasing its Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) holdings from about 322,700 shares to 726,000 shares—a surge of roughly 125%. (Cointelegraph)
Wintermute’s weekly market report indicates Bitcoin recently broke through $80,000 and briefly touched around $83,000, while also reclaiming the 200-day moving average for the first time in seven months. However, this rally is clearly more driven by leveraged capital rather than spot buying.The report notes that over the past month, Bitcoin open interest increased by approximately $10 billion, while spot trading volume dropped to a two-year low, a classic short squeeze scenario. Although ETFs still recorded net inflows of $623 million and BTC reserves on exchanges fell to a seven-year low, the current RSI has entered overbought territory. If spot buying fails to sustain after the short squeeze ends, BTC prices could face a rapid correction risk.Wintermute also stated that the current crypto market rally is more driven by the strength of US equities and the resonance of leverage, rather than an independent bull market narrative. Upcoming US CPI data and changes in Federal Reserve policy expectations will be key factors in determining whether BTC can stably hold above $80,000.
According to CoinDesk, the ETH/BTC ratio fell to 0.02835 on Tuesday—the lowest level since July 2025—and declined more than 35% from its August 2025 high of 0.04324. On the same day, Ethereum dropped over 2%, while Bitcoin fell approximately 1%. The ratio currently stands well below its 200-week moving average (0.04828), indicating a sustained long-term underperformance of Ethereum relative to Bitcoin on the technical chart. Analysis suggests that the continued inflow of institutional capital following the U.S. approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in early 2024 has been the key driver behind Bitcoin’s outperformance over Ethereum.
According to on-chain analytics platform Lookonchain (@lookonchain), a whale transferred 489 BTC—worth approximately $39.59 million—to Binance one hour ago. Data shows that this address purchased the aforementioned BTC at an average price of ~$90,144 four months ago; if sold at the current price, it would incur an estimated loss of ~$4.45 million.
According to Lookonchain monitoring, a whale transferred 489 BTC, worth approximately $39.59 million, to Binance 1 hour ago.Data shows that the address purchased these BTC at an average price of approximately $90,144 4 months ago. If sold at the current price, the estimated loss would be about $4.45 million.
According to an analysis released by CryptoQuant-certified analyst MorenoDV_, the Bitcoin Bull-Bear Market Cycle Indicator has just generated its first “Early Bull Market” signal since March 2023. Historically, when this indicator transitions from the bear market zone into the early bull market zone, it typically signals that the worst phase of correction is over and that market structure is beginning to recover—similar signals appeared after deep bear markets in early 2019 and early 2023, both of which preceded stronger upward trends. However, this signal should not be interpreted uncritically. In March 2022, the indicator also entered the early bull market zone, yet price subsequently faced rejection—indicating a local top rather than the start of a new bull market. Analysts note that Bitcoin is no longer behaving like a deep bear-market asset, and the rebound in its 30-day moving average suggests improving underlying momentum. At the same time, however, multiple other market indicators are already showing signs of weakness, making this signal less clear-cut than classic early-cycle confirmations. The analyst leans toward interpreting this signal as more likely indicating a local top—unless strong price follow-through confirms the bullish thesis—rather than the onset of a new bull market.
Grayscale submitted the first application for a Zcash spot ETF on May 8.ZEC’s price once touched $600, pushing its market cap into the top 15 and surpassing Cardano. Multicoin Capital co-founder Tushar Jain noted that this move is driven by growing demand for privacy assets amid U.S. wealth tax legislative proposals. The SEC concluded its review of Zcash in January 2026 without taking enforcement action. Data shows that approximately 30% of ZEC’s supply is held in shielded addresses. Last week, U.S. Bitcoin spot ETFs saw $268 million in outflows, with some capital rotating into privacy and AI infrastructure tokens.
Trader Eugene posted on his personal channel that, among major assets, SOL has demonstrated stronger relative strength compared to ETH and HYPE, positioning it as the first major cryptocurrency likely to break out of its three-month consolidation range. If SOL successfully breaks above the $96 resistance level, its next target would be the $120 zone—representing approximately 25% upside from current prices. Provided BTC holds its $80,000 support level, the trader stated he is willing to enter positions early to bet on SOL’s breakout.
according to Lookonchain monitoring, as updated on May 11, the Bitcoin ETF had a single-day net outflow of 3,685 BTC, valued at $298.89 million, and a 7-day net inflow of 7,287 BTC, valued at $591.04 million; the Ethereum ETF had a single-day net outflow of 6,492 ETH, valued at $15.1 million, and a 7-day net inflow of 24,921 ETH, valued at $57.97 million; the Solana ETF had a single-day net inflow of 70,721 SOL, valued at $6.76 million, and a 7-day net inflow of 451,400 SOL, valued at $43.15 million.
according to on-chain analyst Yu Jin's monitoring, Bitcoin treasury company Strategy (MSTR) purchased 535 BTC ($43 million) at a price of approximately $80,340 last week. They currently hold a total of 818,869 BTC ($66.398 billion) at an average cost of $75,540, with a floating profit of $4.54 billion (+7.3%).Ethereum treasury company Bitmine (BMNR) purchased 26,659 ETH ($62.14 million) at a price of approximately $2,331 last week. They currently hold a total of 5,206,790 ETH ($12.132 billion) at an average cost of $3,539, with a floating loss of $6.297 billion (-34.1%). Additionally, 90% of their ETH (4.713 million coins) has been deposited into Ethereum staking to earn interest.
Odaily News, Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas stated on the X platform that the pure memory chip exchange-traded fund DRAM (Roundhill Memory ETF, launched by Roundhill) has seen its assets under management (AUM) surpass $6.5 billion just 36 days after its launch, setting a new all-time record for ETFs and exceeding the previous record of 43 days held by BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF, IBIT.Eric Balchunas noted that DRAM surged 13% in a single day last Friday while attracting approximately $1 billion in inflows, a key driver behind its rapid asset expansion. He described this performance as "stunning" and stated that regardless of future trends, it is one of the most "perfectly timed" ETF launches on record.
the latest Bitfinex Alpha report indicates that as May began, BTC successfully navigated through the dense sell-off zone between $78,000 and $79,000, briefly approaching $83,000. This rally is primarily driven by spot demand, rather than leveraged funds. Since May 8, the spot CVD (Cumulative Volume Delta) has risen significantly, showing that buyers are continuously taking the initiative to absorb market supply. ETF inflows and public market accumulation are the main drivers, while long-term holders have now accumulated close to 4 million BTC, the largest increase since the pandemic crash in 2020, suggesting that circulating market supply is being further locked up. The market currently estimates the probability of the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates unchanged in June at approximately 94%. Against the backdrop of macroeconomic uncertainty, institutional capital continues to deploy into the crypto market.
CoinShares data shows crypto funds saw net inflows of $858 million last week, marking the fifth consecutive week of inflows and the largest single-week inflow since the end of April. Among them, Bitcoin funds attracted over $700 million in a single week, with year-to-date inflows reaching $4.9 billion, indicating sustained growth in institutional investor demand for the crypto market.Market analysis suggests that positive expectations related to the "Clarity Act" have driven an improvement in institutional sentiment. Currently, BTC prices remain above the $80,000 mark, with the market watching for a potential breakout of the 200-day moving average near $82,000. Marex analysts point out that if Bitcoin manages a daily close above $82,000 accompanied by stable spot buying, it could initiate a new upward trend.In the altcoin space, SUI rose 12% in 24 hours to $1.26. Mysten Labs co-founder Adeniyi Abiodun revealed that Sui plans to launch confidential transaction features this year to support fee-free private payments. Additionally, Nasdaq-listed Sui Group Holdings (SUIG) previously announced that it has staked most of its reserve SUI, effectively reducing the circulating market supply by approximately 2.7%. (CoinDesk)
According to QCP analysis, this week features a dense schedule of macroeconomic events, with market attention focused on three key themes: First, President Trump and President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in Beijing this week, with discussions expected to cover tariffs, the rare-earth supply chain, and the Middle East situation; markets are watching closely to see whether substantive progress can be achieved on trade. Second, April’s CPI, PPI, and retail sales data will be released sequentially; if inflation stabilizes, real yields may decline—historically providing support for the crypto market—whereas the opposite would reinforce expectations of monetary tightening. Third, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee will hold hearings on the CLARITY Act; legislative progress could further catalyze institutional capital inflows. Currently, despite ETF outflows last week, BTC has held the $80,000 level, while crypto volatility remains near its lowest point of the year, with the VIX at approximately 18. In the short term, BTC is highly likely to remain range-bound, with $84,000 serving as a key resistance level.
According to 10x Research analysis, Bitcoin’s total gamma exposure has remained negative since mid-January and currently stands at -$3.2 billion at the $82,000 strike price. In a negative gamma environment, market makers are forced to trade in the direction of price movement—buying aggressively on rallies and selling aggressively on declines—thereby amplifying price volatility. As options expire en masse on May 29 and June 26, the negative gamma drag is expected to gradually dissipate, easing Bitcoin’s downward bias. Currently, demand for call options has clearly outstripped that for put options, and institutions anticipate market sentiment will shift from bearish to bullish around those expiration dates.
According to CoinShares data, digital asset investment products saw net inflows of $857.9 million last week—the sixth consecutive week of net inflows and the largest single-week inflow since April 24. Total assets under management rose to $160 billion. By asset: Bitcoin saw inflows of $706.1 million; Ethereum, $77.1 million; Solana, $47.6 million; and XRP, $39.6 million. Short-Bitcoin products experienced outflows of $14.4 million, while multi-asset products saw outflows of $5.5 million. By region: the U.S. recorded inflows of $776.6 million; Germany, $50.6 million; Switzerland, $21.1 million; and the Netherlands, $5 million.
According to on-chain analyst PeckShield (@PeckShieldAlert), the TrustedVolumes attacker has laundered approximately $278,000 of stolen funds to date, including depositing 10.2 ETH (approx. $23,600) into Tornado Cash and swapping 110 ETH (approx. $250,000) for BTC via THORChain. Additionally, the attacker attempted to deposit 0.5 ETH into Railgun but subsequently withdrew it. TrustedVolumes was attacked on May 7, resulting in losses of approximately $6.7 million.