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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed that trade negotiations with China are currently stalled, emphasizing the necessity for direct talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to resolve the complex issues. Despite recent discussions in Switzerland that saw both nations step back from imposing over 100% tariffs on each other’s goods, tensions are escalating again due to US actions such as revoking Chinese student visas and restricting sales of chip design software and jet engine parts to China. Additionally, the US has targeted Huawei by attempting to block its sales of advanced AI chips globally, drawing sharp criticism from Beijing. Meanwhile, domestic legal battles over Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs continue, with a US court ruling them largely illegal, though an appellate court has temporarily upheld them during the appeal. Bessent remains hopeful, noting upcoming trade talks with Japan and asserting that international partners are still negotiating in good faith despite the legal uncertainties surrounding US trade policies.
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A federal appeals court has temporarily reinstated President Trump's extensive tariffs, reversing a prior ruling by the US Court of International Trade that declared their enactment unlawful. The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a temporary stay, allowing time for legal review, with the administration's briefings due by June 9. Despite the legal uncertainty, Trump's tariff agenda remains a cornerstone of his economic policy, with the White House prepared to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court if needed. The tariffs, including reciprocal duties and China-focused levies, continue to impact global trade, with ongoing negotiations involving India, the EU, and Taiwan. Corporate America, including tech giants like Nvidia and Apple, grapples with export controls and tariff threats, while analysts warn of potential economic repercussions, such as an accelerated US debt ceiling deadline. The situation remains fluid, with international tensions, particularly with China over tech and student visas, adding complexity to trade relations.
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In his Cointelegraph opinion piece, Oleksandr Lutskevych, CEO of CEX.io, argues that crypto's optimism is a structural strength, not mere hype, enabling it to withstand global crises better than traditional markets. He highlights how Bitcoin and digital assets show greater emotional resilience, with the Crypto Fear and Greed Index declining less than the Stock F&G Index during shocks like Trump's tariff announcements and the 2022 Federal Reserve rate hike. This resilience stems from crypto investors' acclimatization to volatility and a retail-driven culture of rapid innovation, contrasting with the cautious, institutional nature of equities. Lutskevych identifies two key investor groups—long-term believers who see crypto as a future-focused asset and short-term speculators more prone to panic—noting that Bitcoin's dominance by long-term holders (over 65% of supply) limits fear's impact. Despite growing institutional influence and correlations with equities potentially eroding this optimism, crypto's foundation remains solid, supported by a committed holder base, fixed supply, and strong liquidity, as seen in Bitcoin accumulation during recent tariff scares. Lutskevych concludes that crypto's embedded optimism, backed by history and principles, positions it as a system gearing up for significant future growth, even as fear dominates headlines.
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In 2025, Bitcoin bulls are making bold predictions, with price targets ranging from $130,000 to a staggering $1.5 million by 2030, as reported by Yohan Yun for Cointelegraph. Influential figures like Adam Back of Blockstream foresee a $1 million Bitcoin if the US codifies a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, while states like New Hampshire and Texas advance related legislation. Analysts such as Geoff Kendrick from Standard Chartered predict a $200,000 year-end target, driven by the legitimizing effect of stablecoins. Meanwhile, BitMEX’s Arthur Hayes ties a potential $250,000 surge to a Federal Reserve shift to quantitative easing. Cathie Wood of ARK Invest remains the most optimistic with her $1.5 million forecast, citing institutional interest. Despite skepticism from critics like Peter Schiff, Bitcoin has rallied to a new all-time high of $111,970 in May 2025, fueled by institutional inflows and retail demand following FTX bankruptcy repayments. These predictions reflect a mix of policy, economic, and market dynamics shaping Bitcoin’s trajectory.
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According to Glassnode, investors in BlackRock and Fidelity’s spot Ether ETFs are experiencing significant unrealized losses of around 21%, with Ether currently trading at $2,601 compared to cost bases of $3,300 and $3,500. The price downturn correlates with US President Donald Trump’s import tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico, pushing Ether to a yearly low of $1,472 on April 9. Despite this, Ether has rebounded with a 44.25% increase over the past month, and spot Ether ETFs have recorded consistent inflows of $435.6 million over nine days since May 16, totaling $2.94 billion since their July 2024 launch. However, Glassnode notes the ETFs’ limited impact on Ether’s spot price, initially representing just 1.5% of trade volume, peaking at 2.5% during a November 2024 rally following Trump’s election win. A recent court decision blocking most tariffs on May 28 has fueled optimism for further crypto market uptrends. BlackRock’s head of digital assets also highlighted the ETF’s imperfections without staking capabilities.
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The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has moved to dismiss its long-standing lawsuit against Binance, the crypto exchange, and its co-founder Changpeng Zhao, as part of a broader retreat from crypto enforcement under the Trump administration. Filed on May 29 in a Washington, D.C. federal court, the joint motion seeks dismissal with prejudice, preventing future refiling of the same claims made in June 2023, which accused Binance of securities law violations and mishandling customer funds. This follows pauses in the case earlier in 2024 and comes after Binance settled a separate $4.3 billion case with the Department of Justice in 2023, where Zhao admitted to money laundering charges and stepped down as CEO, later receiving a four-month prison sentence. The SEC’s shift aligns with new leadership under Paul Atkins, a former crypto lobbyist appointed by President Trump, who aims to establish a digital assets framework through industry collaboration. Binance hailed the dismissal as a “huge win for crypto,” crediting Trump and Atkins for opposing regulation by enforcement. This move is part of a larger SEC trend of dropping or settling cases against other crypto firms like Coinbase and Kraken, signaling a significant policy change.
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In their Cointelegraph opinion piece, Andre Omietanski and Amal Ibraymi of Aztec Labs explore how zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) address the growing conflict between online age verification and privacy concerns. As governments worldwide propose stricter laws to limit minors’ access to certain internet content, traditional verification methods like ID uploads and biometrics often compromise user privacy or prove ineffective. ZKPs offer a cryptographic alternative, allowing users to prove they meet age requirements without disclosing personal information. A trusted entity verifies the user’s age and issues a proof, which platforms can check without storing sensitive data, reducing breach risks. However, ZKPs face hurdles, including complex implementation, scalability issues, and potential regulatory resistance to trusting mathematical proofs over visible IDs. Despite these challenges, innovations like the Noir programming language and Google’s adoption of ZKPs signal progress toward mainstream acceptance. The authors advocate for decentralized, crypto-native systems over proprietary solutions to empower users with control over their digital identities. They argue that ZKPs represent a secure, privacy-focused future for online verification, protecting users and aiding platform compliance without creating new vulnerabilities.
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Nvidia reported mixed Q1 results for the fiscal year 2026, ending April 27, with revenue of $44.1 billion, exceeding Wall Street expectations by nearly 2.7% and reflecting a 69% year-over-year growth. However, earnings per share of 81 cents fell short of the anticipated 85 cents, despite a net income of $18.8 billion, up 26% from last year. The shortfall was attributed to a $4.5 billion charge due to US export restrictions on its H20 AI chips to China, with an anticipated $8 billion revenue hit in Q2. CEO Jensen Huang emphasized the soaring global demand for AI infrastructure, likening it to essential utilities like electricity. Nvidia plans to mitigate losses by introducing a lower-cost AI chip for China, with production starting in June. Data center revenue, at $39.1 billion, drove most of the quarter’s gains. Despite the earnings miss, Nvidia’s stock rose nearly 5% after-hours, closing at $141.40. The company remains focused on leading in agentic AI amid intensifying competition, while other US firms and even Bitcoin mining companies pivot toward AI infrastructure development.
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China has accused the United States of using tariffs as a weapon to coerce other nations into reducing trade with Beijing, vowing to retaliate against any country that makes deals against its interests. The US has imposed tariffs on all trading partners under the guise of "equivalence" and is pushing for "reciprocal tariffs" negotiations. This has led to a significant drop in US stocks as companies grapple with the uncertainty of tariff policies. Despite the tensions, China has expressed a willingness to engage in trade talks with the US, although the White House has clarified that China now faces tariffs of up to 245% on imports to the US. The ongoing trade war has also impacted various sectors, with the airfreight industry potentially losing $22 billion in revenue due to tariffs and the possible closure of the de minimis exemption. Additionally, the situation has led to increased costs for US consumers, with examples like the price hike of rice crackers in Chinatown, New York City, reflecting the broader economic impact of these trade policies.
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US stocks experienced a significant downturn on Monday as President Trump intensified his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, sparking concerns about the central bank's independence. The S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow Jones Industrial Average all saw substantial declines, with the Dow dropping nearly 1,000 points. Trump's focus on lowering interest rates and his threats to remove Powell have added to market volatility, especially as investors navigate the shifting landscape of his tariff policies. The US dollar weakened to its lowest level since 2022, while gold and bitcoin reached new highs, reflecting investor uncertainty. Amidst this backdrop, the earnings season continues with key reports from Tesla and Alphabet this week, which could provide insights into how companies are coping with the current economic environment. The market's reaction to these earnings will be closely watched to gauge whether stocks have bottomed out or if further declines are expected.
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Donald Trump's 2024 campaign promise to tackle inflation played a significant role in his election, as voters were weary of the high prices during the Biden administration. However, once in office in 2025, Trump's policies have taken a sharp turn towards promoting inflation. He has introduced massive import tariffs, which have raised the effective tariff rate on imports from 2.5% to around 27%, directly increasing the cost of numerous consumer goods. This shift in policy has led to a significant change in economic forecasts, with inflation now expected to rise to 3.4% by the end of the year, up from previous estimates. The Federal Reserve, concerned about these inflationary pressures, has not cut interest rates as anticipated, and the likelihood of rate cuts has significantly decreased. Trump's actions are not only tolerating inflation but actively encouraging it, defying economic advice and historical lessons from past administrations. His approval ratings are beginning to reflect public discontent, with his economic handling receiving the lowest marks in recent polls, mirroring the public's growing concern over rising prices and economic stability.
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The Ethereum Foundation has recently undergone a leadership reshuffle, leading to a strategic shift towards enhancing user experience and tackling layer-1 scaling issues. Co-executive director Tomasz Stańczak highlighted that this change allows Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin to dedicate more time to research and exploration, rather than managing daily operations. Since stepping back, Buterin has proposed significant upgrades to Ethereum's privacy and performance, including a privacy roadmap and changes to the Ethereum Virtual Machine's contract language to boost efficiency. The Foundation is now focusing on near-term goals like protocol upgrades, with emphasis on layer-1 scaling, support for layer-2 solutions, and improving user experience through upcoming upgrades like Pectra, Fusaka, and Glamsterdam. These efforts aim to not only address immediate challenges but also pave the way for long-term projects that could revolutionize Ethereum's execution and consensus layers.
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New Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings reveal that several cryptocurrency firms and their executives, including Uniswap CEO Hayden Adams, Solana Labs, and Consensys, made significant donations to Donald Trump's inauguration fund following the 2024 election. These contributions, totaling over $239 million, were part of a broader trend where major companies and individuals supported Trump's inauguration. Notably, the SEC, under Trump's administration, has since dropped investigations and lawsuits against these donating crypto firms, including Uniswap and Consensys. Additionally, Trump's family has ventured into the crypto space with the launch of a memecoin and a stablecoin, sparking concerns over potential conflicts of interest. The crypto industry's political influence was further highlighted by the spending of over $131 million by crypto-backed PACs in the 2024 election cycle, with plans to continue this trend into the 2026 midterms.
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Nvidia's stock took a significant hit, dropping 5.5% midday Monday, following a Reuters report that Huawei is set to begin shipping advanced AI chips next month. This development comes after the US government imposed new export rules that effectively banned Nvidia from selling its H20 chips in China. Huawei's new 910C chips are said to be competitive with Nvidia’s H100 AI chips, which were banned from export to China in 2022. The tightening US trade restrictions have forced Nvidia to adapt by creating less powerful chips for the Chinese market. The news led to a broader impact on the chip industry, with stocks of Broadcom, AMD, and Qualcomm also declining. Nvidia disclosed a $5.5 billion hit from lost inventory and contracts due to these trade policy changes, with analysts projecting a potential $16 billion loss for the fiscal year. Amidst these challenges, Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang met with Chinese trade officials, and the company pledged significant investment in the US AI supply chain.
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Tesla Inc. experienced a significant stock drop of over 6% as it approached its first-quarter earnings report, set to be released after the market closes. The decline comes amidst broader market concerns, with the S&P 500 nearing bear market territory and the tech-heavy Nasdaq already in it, exacerbated by Trump's tariff policies affecting the auto industry. Tesla's Q1 deliveries fell short of expectations, signaling demand issues, particularly in key European markets where sales have been sliding. CEO Elon Musk's political activities, including his association with right-wing politicians, have reportedly damaged Tesla's brand, leading to protests and vandalism at Tesla showrooms. Analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush has highlighted the need for Musk to refocus on Tesla, reducing his involvement in other ventures like DOGE. Despite these challenges, Tesla is expected to report slightly higher revenue and adjusted EPS than the previous year. Investors are also anticipating updates on Tesla's plans for a more affordable electric vehicle and progress in its self-driving technology trials.
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US stocks experienced a sharp decline on Monday, driven by President Trump's ongoing social media attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The S&P 500 fell nearly 3%, the Nasdaq dropped 3.3%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost over 1,100 points. Trump's criticism of Powell, particularly his call for lower interest rates, has raised concerns about the independence of the Federal Reserve at a time when markets are already volatile due to Trump's tariff policies. The US dollar weakened significantly, reaching its lowest level since 2022, while safe-haven assets like gold and bitcoin surged to new highs. Amidst this economic uncertainty, investors are closely watching earnings reports from major companies like Tesla and Alphabet, which are part of the "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks that have seen substantial declines this year. The market's reaction to these developments underscores the broader economic and political tensions influencing investor sentiment.
