Japan’s major brokerage groups are preparing crypto investment trust products as regulators work toward allowing funds to hold digital assets by 2028. Summary SBI and Rakuten are preparing in-house crypto investment trusts for Japanese retail investors. Nomura, Daiwa, SMBC and Mizuho-linked firms are studying crypto fund products as rules evolve. Japan’s 2028 roadmap could allow
Israel carried out a series of air strikes on targets in southern Lebanon and the western Bekaa district on May 16-17, 2026, just days after agreeing to a 45-day extension of a US-brokered ceasefire. The strikes killed at least one person according to initial reports, though other accounts put the death toll as high as
Could this important step be what XRP needs to finally break out? After months of negotiations and delays, a US Senate panel on Thursday finally approved the CLARITY Act with a 15-9 vote. Although there’s still a long way to go until the bills become law, since there’s a lot of opposition left and
Intesa Sanpaolo more than doubled its crypto exposure in the first quarter of 2026, according to a report citing Criptovaluta.it data. Summary Intesa Sanpaolo more than doubled crypto exposure to $235 million during the first quarter. The bank added Ether and XRP positions while expanding Bitcoin ETF exposure through listed products. Intesa nearly exited Solana,
Xi Jinping and Donald Trump walked away from their Beijing summit with something markets tend to appreciate more than grand bargains: predictability. The two leaders committed to a new framework for what they’re calling “constructive strategic stability” between the US and China. No major agreements were signed. No dramatic concessions were made. What actually happened
Michael Saylor has said Strategy may sell Bitcoin when needed, marking a careful change from his long-running “never sell” message. Summary Saylor says Strategy may sell limited Bitcoin, but only while remaining a long-term net buyer. Strategy’s $1.5B note buyback lists Bitcoin sales as a possible funding option for debt retirement. Dividend costs, STRC growth,
Samsung Electronics and its largest labor union are heading back to the negotiating table on Monday, racing to prevent a strike that could idle tens of thousands of workers at the world’s largest memory chipmaker. The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) has set a May 21 deadline for a walkout lasting up to 18 days
The belief that the bear market bottom is in assumes “major invalidation of long-standing principles in bitcoin market cycles,” said one analyst. After dumping to $60,000 during the early February crash, bitcoin rebounded swiftly and jumped to almost $83,000 a week ago, posting a massive 38% increase. This caused many analysts to speculate whether
The Trump ethics fight over crypto is now the biggest obstacle to the CLARITY Act reaching 60 Senate votes. Summary The CLARITY Act needs 60 Senate votes to overcome a filibuster, requiring at least seven Democrats to cross the aisle. An ethics provision barring government officials from crypto dealings is missing from the current text
## Market Snapshot The market for “Strait of Hormuz traffic returns to normal by July 31” is currently priced at 42.5% YES, down from 46% a day ago. The “Will Trump restart Project Freedom by May 31” market shows a 37.5% YES probability, slightly down from 38%. Meanwhile, the “Will 20 ships transit the Strait