The S&P 500 closed above 7,400 on Monday for the first time, returning to record highs even as the U.S.-Iran war continues into its third month and oil prices remain elevated. The index has rebounded about 17% from around 6,300 in a little over a month, supported by limited margin exposure to energy, strong profit concentration in big tech tied to AI, and a U.S. economy that is less oil-dependent than in past crises.

On 12 May 2026 at 19:51, Ethereum continued to hold a long-term ascending trendline that began in 2022 on the monthly chart, a structure that has repeatedly produced higher lows after major selloffs. However, the 50-period moving average remains overhead resistance at $2,419.73, keeping the recovery attempt constrained while RSI stabilizes well below prior cycle overbought extremes.

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2026 — CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig said the agency is working more closely with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to better align oversight, rulemaking and enforcement across securities and derivatives markets, including digital assets. He said the agencies have entered a memorandum of understanding and started joint efforts such as a harmonization initiative, participation in the SEC's Project Crypto, and work on a "common-sense" crypto asset taxonomy.

MARA Holdings reduced its Bitcoin treasury by selling 3,386 BTC in the first quarter of 2026 while repositioning toward AI and high-performance computing data centers. The company still held 35,303 BTC after the sale and said proceeds supported acquisitions, liquidity, and the repurchase of convertible senior notes.

On May 12, 2026, Elliptic announced it raised $120 million in a Series D round led by One Peak, with participation from Nasdaq Ventures, Deutsche Bank and the British Business Bank. The company said the financing values Elliptic at $670 million and will fund expansion of its blockchain analytics and compliance infrastructure for banks, fintechs, government agencies, exchanges and payments firms.

On May 12, Strategy (Nasdaq: MSTR) Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said the CLARITY Act could broaden institutional participation in bitcoin-related markets by clarifying U.S. rules around custody, collateral, and digital-asset exposure. He described Strategy’s framework as BTC as “digital capital,” STRC as “digital credit,” and MSTR as “digital equity,” arguing that regulated digital-yield infrastructure could support demand for STRC, MSTR and bitcoin-linked securities.

Bhutan has transferred 100 BTC worth $8.1 million from its holding wallets as it continues to reduce its sovereign Bitcoin stash. Since the start of 2026, it has sold $230.39 million in BTC and still holds about 3,119 BTC worth over $250M, with Arkham expecting the reserve could be depleted before the end of September.

Finbold's AI Agent projects Bitcoin (BTC) may finish May trading on May 31, 2026 at $79,325 after failing to decisively clear resistance near $82,200. The estimate implies a drop of nearly 2% from May 12, while model outputs also span a potential move up to about $82,483 or down to $76,976 over the same window.