Iran's Ministry of Economy launched Hormuz Safe on May 16, 2026, offering maritime insurance for vessels transiting the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz with premiums payable in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. After an on-chain payment is confirmed, the cargo is said to receive immediate coverage plus a digitally signed receipt. Iranian media have suggested the platform could generate more than $10 billion a year, though no official figures were provided.

Bitcoin slid Sunday night after US President Donald Trump posted a warning to Iran on Truth Social, and by early Monday it was trading around $76,780, down about 1.55% over 24 hours. The move pushed BTC below key hourly EMAs (20-hour $77,580; 50-hour $78,120; 100-hour $78,767; 200-hour $79,350) while MACD readings stayed negative (line -359; signal -243; histogram -116).

Strategy said it now holds 818,869 Bitcoin, valued at about $66 billion at current prices. On Thursday, its Variable Rate Series A Perpetual Stretch Preferred Stock (STRC) posted $1.53 billion in trading volume, the highest single-day level on record. Data cited by the company suggests that activity could support an estimated $735 million raise, potentially funding about 9,066 BTC, though any purchase decision was not confirmed.

Ripple’s former CTO David Schwartz warned XRP Ledger users about a surge in fake airdrops and giveaways after one reported victim lost 6,000 XRP. He said offers circulating across social platforms are largely fraudulent, and impersonators claiming to be him on apps like Instagram or Telegram should be treated as scams. Separate reports describe unsolicited NFTs and hidden Buy Offers that can drain XRP if users sign or accept them.

Bitcoin’s market dominance has strengthened in 2026 as capital rotation into smaller altcoins has weakened. Data indicates overall crypto risk appetite has fallen sharply since October 2025, alongside a Bitcoin premium that slid from about +30% to near 0%. The shift suggests institutions are favoring BTC over more speculative segments of the market.

MARA Holdings reported it still holds 35,303 Bitcoin worth about $2.84 billion, after selling 20,880 BTC for nearly $1.5 billion during Q1 2026. The stock fell 5% in Tuesday trading to an intraday low of $11.74 and later slipped another 1.85% after hours, following earnings that showed a $1.26 billion net loss on $175 million revenue.

A Bitcoin wallet inactive since November 2013 moved its full balance on Sunday, sending 500 BTC to a new bech32 address. Whale Alert flagged the transfer at about 19:16 UTC, valuing the coins at roughly $40,717,094 at current prices and noting they were worth $482,898 in 2013. The receiving wallet was not identified as an exchange address, leaving the motive unconfirmed.

Strategy generated over $206 million from its STRC perpetual preferred stock program and said it also bought $43 million in Bitcoin on May 11 after a one-week pause. STRC traded near its $100 par value as daily volume neared $445 million, while the instrument’s dividend mechanism is designed to adjust based on where shares trade.

Strategy may be preparing another Bitcoin purchase after co-founder Michael Saylor posted "Back to work, BTC" on X on May 10, 2026, a message the company has previously used ahead of buys. Strategy last purchased 3,273 BTC for about $255 million on April 27, lifting holdings to 818,334 BTC, valued at roughly $61.8 billion at publication and with an average cost basis near $75,537 per coin.