Japan's major brokerages, including SBI and Rakuten, are ramping up plans for Bitcoin and Ethereum-focused investment trusts, signaling a shift away from crypto exposure being dominated by native exchanges. Regulatory changes approved in April 2026 moved major cryptocurrencies under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and were paired with a tax change toward a flat 20% rate. A 2026 Nomura survey also found nearly 80% of professional investors plan crypto allocations of 2% to 5%, while ETF rollout timelines could still slow broader retail uptake.

Kevin Warsh is scheduled to be sworn in as chair of the US Federal Reserve Board of Governors on Friday, after the US Senate confirmed him on Wednesday to replace Jerome Powell. Markets tracking rate policy show reduced expectations for cuts: Kalshi priced a 38.2% chance of a Fed rate cut before 2027, while CME FedWatch indicated a 98.8% probability rates stay at 3.50% to 3.75% through the end of June. The next Federal Open Market Committee meeting is set for June 16, when rates could be adjusted.

Galaxy Digital said it obtained a BitLicense and a Money Transmission License from the New York State Department of Financial Services on May 18, enabling regulated digital-asset trading and custody services for institutions statewide. Through Galaxyone Prime NY, the firm will serve New York hedge funds, registered investment advisers, and family offices, and it reported $9 billion in client assets across its digital-asset business.

Bitcoin briefly dipped toward $76,000 on May 18 before trading near $77,000 around 5:36 p.m., a move that pushed the social sentiment ratio into bearish territory. Santiment said negative BTC commentary exceeded bullish posts for the first time since April 21, with a ratio reading of 0.94 bullish comments per bearish comment. The firm argues that elevated retail fear has historically aligned with improved odds of a short-term rebound.

Bitmine chairman Tom Lee said on May 18 that rising oil prices have been a key factor weighing on Ethereum, arguing the inverse ETH-oil correlation is at a record high. He made the comments as ETH traded near $2,100, down about 3% in 24 hours and 12% over the past month. Lee added that while the move may be near-term "noise," he still views tokenization and agentic AI as longer-term tailwinds into 2026.

Bitcoin failed to hold gains after being rejected above $82,000 on Thursday, then revisited $76,000 on Monday, contributing to $400 million in bullish-position liquidations over four days. Despite a 7% drop, the article points to three potential supports for a rebound above $80,000: Strategy's $2 billion BTC purchase, rising US bond yields that may favor scarce assets, and the possibility of a US-Iran agreement that could lift risk appetite.

HBAR-backed AI startup 1Works has been chosen for the Google for Startups × Antler Immersion Program, positioning it to receive mentorship, tools, and support aimed at scaling AI builders. In market trading, HBAR has ranged between $0.088 and $0.09 following Monday's 3% drop, while sentiment readings show the Crypto Fear & Greed Index at 38, down from 52 last week.

A pseudonymous analyst, @Whiplash437, said the US Digital Asset CLARITY Act contains provisions that could affect XRP, Ripple, and Ripple's stablecoin RLUSD. The post focuses on Sections 105, 110, 401, and 404, covering potential commodity treatment for XRP, compliance rules for digital-commodity intermediaries, bank use of digital assets, and limits on stablecoin yield payments.