Solana logged record network usage in Q1 2026 even as SOL fell 33% to close around $83. Messari reported average daily non-vote transactions hit 112.6 million and application revenue stayed near-flat at $342.2 million. The quarter also saw RWAs rise 43% to $2.01 billion, while DeFi TVL dropped 22% to $6.16 billion alongside the token's price decline.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin rejected calls for the Ethereum Foundation to prioritize token price support and marketing, saying it will remain a purpose-limited participant focused on decentralization and security. He added that the Foundation holds about 0.16% of all ETH, compared with other protocol foundations that often control 10-50% of their native token supply. Buterin also said the Foundation plans to emphasize "longevity" and sell less ETH going forward, while noting it unstaked 21,270 ETH from Lido in May.

Keyrock's May 2026 report says AI agents settled more than $73 million across about 176 million transactions since May 2025, with the average payment near $0.48. It adds that 76% of those transactions fall below card networks' $0.30 fixed-fee floor and that 98.6% of recorded payments were settled in USDC. The report also outlines four emerging machine-payment approaches from Coinbase, Stripe/Tempo, Google, and Visa while noting upcoming enforcement dates for MiCA, the GENIUS Act, and the EU AI Act.

Ethereum’s April rebound has lost traction as leveraged long positioning grows faster than spot demand. Funding stayed positive near about 0.0105% with ETH around $2,114, while earlier on April 17 ETH was near $2,420 even as funding turned negative around -0.0040%. With spot absorption still fragile and macro conditions tightening, crowded longs could amplify ETH volatility rather than sustain a breakout.

Michael Saylor said on May 24, 2026 that Strategy is temporarily putting Bitcoin purchases on hold while it redirects capital toward debt instruments. The company reported holdings of 84,738 BTC worth about $64.45 billion and said it is also working on balance-sheet actions including a $1.5 billion convertible bond buyback tied to notes due in 2029.

Bitcoin rebounded after a weak weekend start tied to reports of a possible U.S.–Iran agreement, but a technical setup suggests the move may still be fragile. A chart shared by analyst Aksel Kibar outlines an ascending channel on the daily timeframe, with a potential pullback zone around $72,000–$72,500 before any rebound attempt.

Michael Burry said this week that the U.S. could drift toward a “Snow Crash cyber-punk future” as the SEC prepares rules that may allow crypto platforms to trade tokenized versions of U.S. stocks. He published the warning in a May 19 post on his Substack “Cassandra Unchained,” and later added that regulators should avoid “opening scary doors.” The SEC proposal was reported May 18 and was later paused on May 22, 2026.

Fenwick & West LLP, a key outside counsel to the former crypto exchange FTX, agreed on Friday to pay $54 million to resolve a 2023 class action brought by ex-customers. The deal was reached in February 2026 and still requires approval from a US judge. The firm is also facing a separate lawsuit seeking $525 million related to alleged involvement in events around FTX's collapse.