Garlinghouse: Ripple is the Infrastructure for the Internet of Value

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, during an ‘XRP in a Minute’ segment at XRP Las Vegas, positioned the XRP Ledger as a specialized payment infrastructure capable of settling transactions in three to five seconds for mere fractions of a penny.  He highlighted its processing of over 4 billion transactions since 2012 and its potential as the foundational layer for the Internet of Value. Garlinghouse emphasized the ledger‘s technical architecture, tracing its origins to former Bitcoin developers, as XRP’s competitive advantage over Ethereum and Bitcoin.  This approach aims to shift XRPs audience from retail investors to institutional players, such as treasury managers and banks. By framing XRP as a payment infrastructure rather than an investment, Ripple is seeking to engage mainstream financial services and expand beyond niche crypto payments.  Following Garlinghouses comments, XRP USD is trading at $1.38, down -3.2% on the day amid a broader market-wide cooldown that has wiped more than $100Bn from the total crypto market cap.  $XRP/USDT 4H Analysis  XRP is riding an ascending trendline since late March, currently testing that support after a rejection from the $1.48–$1.50 resistance zone  Key levels to watch:  – Support: Trendline $1.38  – Resistance: $1.48–$1.50  Ripple Architecture and the Internet of Value: How Garlinghouses Payment-Focused Design Philosophy Actually Functions  The XRP Ledger

05-18

Intel stock just $8 billion away from overtaking Oracle in market cap

American semiconductor giant Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is closing in on overtaking Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) in market capitalization, with the gap between the two technology companies narrowing to just over $8 billion.  Based on market closing data for May 15, Intel held a valuation of approximately $546.67 billion, compared to Oracles $554.93 billion, a difference of $8.26 billion.  The gap places Intel at rank 23 among the largest U.S. companies, directly behind Oracle at rank 22.  The narrowing difference reflects Intel‘s dramatic resurgence in 2026, with the chipmaker’s stock rallying almost 200% year-to-date. As of press time, INTC shares were trading at about $108.  A major driver behind the rally has been Intels strong first-quarter 2026 earnings report. The company posted revenue of $13.6 billion, beating guidance by roughly $1.4 billion.  Intels data center and AI segment revenue rose 22% year-over-year, while AI-related businesses now account for nearly 60% of total revenue after expanding 40% annually.  The report also showed improving profitability, with adjusted gross margins climbing to about 41%, supported by stronger factory yields, tighter cost controls, and improved manufacturing execution.  At the same time, Intels advanced 18A process node is reportedly progressing ahead of schedule, with improving yields expected to support higher margins and faster production

05-18

Kraken cuts 150 staff amid AI efficiencies, potentially delaying IPO: Report

Crypto exchange Kraken has reportedly laid off some of its staff as a cost-cutting measure, which could delay its planned initial public offering in the US until next year.  The company, whose corporate name is Payward, laid off about 150 workers due to efficiencies from deploying artificial intelligence across the business, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing a person familiar with the matter.  The person said AI is being used more extensively throughout Kraken, but the company is not planning further job cuts at the moment.  Crypto-related companies have cut more than 5,000 jobs so far this year, with many citing increased efficiencies from AI as a reason for the layoffs. Block Inc. undertook the biggest round of layoffs by a crypto company so far in 2026, cutting 4,000 staff or about half its workforce in February in an AI-driven cutback.  A decline in crypto prices since late last year has also stung public crypto companies balance sheets, with many reporting losses in their first-quarter earnings.  Krakens cuts have reportedly pushed back its plan to go public sometime this year, with the company now eyeing a debut in the US in 2027.  Cointelegraph reached out to Kraken but did not receive an immediate response.  Krakens plans to go

05-18

Bitcoin sees sudden price crash below $77,000

Bitcoin dropped under $77,000 and traded at $76,901 after a brutal one-hour wipeout hit the crypto market.  About $600 million in positions were liquidated in 60 minutes, forcing leveraged traders out fast while the broader market turned red, according to data from Coinglass.  The pain was clear in U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs. Last week, those funds reportedly posted about 13,000 $BTC in net withdrawals. More than 4,000 $BTC came out of Ark-linked products, showing that ETF demand had cooled before the latest break lower.  Long-term holders keep buying Bitcoin while ETF demand weakens  CryptoQuants Bitcoin exchange netflow data across all exchanges still shows large withdrawals from trading platforms earlier this year. Traders usually watch that kind of activity closely because coins leaving exchanges are often linked to whale buying and longer-term storage.  Source: CryptoQuant  Bitcoin ($BTC) long-term holder supply has climbed to about 15.26 million $BTC, which is the highest reading since August 2025. CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost said these wallets added around 316,000 $BTC in the past 30 days. That is a big change from late November, when the same group reduced its balance by about 650,000 $BTC over a 30-day window.  The latest buildup shows that investors who bought near the cycle high around six months

05-18

Ethereum hosts 72.6% of all tokenized ETFs as market eyes $20 trillion by 2030

Nearly three out of every four tokenized ETF products live today sit on Ethereum. That 72.6% market share isn‘t a rounding error. It’s a structural moat.  The broader tokenization market, which includes everything from Treasury bills to equity funds represented as blockchain tokens, is projected to reach somewhere between $16 trillion and $20 trillion in tokenized assets by 2030. Ethereum has quietly positioned itself as the default rails for this migration, and the biggest names in traditional finance are the ones laying the track.  Why Ethereum keeps winning the institutional vote  Ethereum was the first programmable blockchain with meaningful liquidity, and institutions tend to go where the liquidity already is. The ERC-20 token standard has become something like the PDF of on-chain finance. Not because its perfect, but because everyone already knows how to use it. Wallets support it. Exchanges list it. Custody providers understand it.  Franklin Templeton offers one of the clearest case studies. Its BENJI token, which manages over $500 million, originally launched on Stellar. In 2023, the firm moved operations to Ethereum. Thats not a small decision for a company managing hundreds of billions in traditional assets.  Then theres Ondo Finance, which has emerged as one of the most aggressive players in

05-18

Ethereum News: Trump-Linked World Liberty Sells 4,870 ETH for $10.61M

A wallet linked to the Trump-affiliated World Liberty Financial project sold 4,870 ETH for about $10.61 million in USDC, according to market data shared by crypto trackers. The sale was executed at an average price of roughly $2,178 per ETH.  Ethereum traded near $2,185 after the transaction, moving slightly lower during the session as the asset continued to face pressure from exchange-traded fund outflows and broader market caution. ETH has been trading near the lower part of a recent channel, with analysts watching whether buyers defend the $2,150 support zone.  The World Liberty sale comes as the project remains under public and legal scrutiny. The Trump-linked crypto venture has faced questions over its governance token, treasury activity, investor restrictions, and reported disputes with early backers.  World Liberty Sells ETH as Market Watches Treasury Activity  The 4,870 ETH adds to recent treasury management activity tied to World Liberty Financial. The project has previously drawn market attention because of its political links, token structure, and reported asset movements.  The latest sale converted ETH into USDC, a dollar-pegged stablecoin widely used in crypto trading and treasury management. Such transactions are often watched by traders because large wallet sales can affect market sentiment, especially when they involve politically connected

05-18

Ethereum Price Prediction: Is ETH Setting Up for a Drop to the $1.8K Zone?

Ethereum  Ethereum Price Prediction: Is ETH Setting Up for a Drop to the $1.8K Zone?  10 hours ago  Bitcoin Ethereum News  ;  }  function loadTrinityPlayer(targetWrapper, theme,extras=“”) {  cleanupPlayer(targetWrapper); // Always clean first ✅  targetWrapper.classList.add(‘played’);  // Create script  const scriptEl = document.createElement(“script”);  scriptEl.setAttribute(“fetchpriority”, “high”);  scriptEl.setAttribute(“charset”, “UTF-8”);  const scriptURL = new URL(`https://trinitymedia.ai/player/trinity/2900019254/?themeAppearance=${theme}${extras}`);  scriptURL.searchParams.set(“pageURL”, window.location.href1);  scriptEl.src = scriptURL.toString();  // Insert player  const placeholder = targetWrapper.querySelector(“.add-before-this”);  placeholder.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptEl, placeholder.nextSibling);  }  function getTheme() {  return document.body.classList.contains(“dark”) ? “dark” : “light”;  }  // Initial Load for Desktop  if (window.innerWidth 768) {  const desktopBtn = document.getElementById(“desktopPlayBtn”);  if (desktopBtn) {  desktopBtn.addEventListener(“click”, function () {  const desktopWrapper = document.querySelector(“.desktop-player-wrapper.trinity-player-iframe-wrapper”);  if (desktopWrapper) loadTrinityPlayer(desktopWrapper, getTheme(),  });  }  }  // Mobile Button Click  const mobileBtn = document.getElementById(“mobilePlayBtn”);  if (mobileBtn) {  mobileBtn.addEventListener(“click”, function () {  const mobileWrapper = document.querySelector(“.mobile-player-wrapper.trinity-player-iframe-wrapper”);  if (mobileWrapper) loadTrinityPlayer(mobileWrapper, getTheme(),  });  }  function reInitButton(container,html){  container.innerHTML = + html;  }  // Theme switcher  const destroyButton = document.getElementById(“checkbox”);  if (destroyButton) {  destroyButton.addEventListener(“click”, () = {  setTimeout(() = {  const theme = getTheme();  if (window.innerWidth 768) {  const desktopWrapper = document.querySelector(“.desktop-player-wrapper.trinity-player-iframe-wrapper”);  if(desktopWrapper.classList.contains(‘played’)){  loadTrinityPlayer(desktopWrapper, theme,  }else{  reInitButton(desktopWrapper,‘’)  const desktopBtn = document.getElementById(“desktopPlayBtn”);  if (desktopBtn) {  desktopBtn.addEventListener(“click”, function () {  const desktopWrapper = document.querySelector(“.desktop-player-wrapper.trinity-player-iframe-wrapper”);  if (desktopWrapper) loadTrinityPlayer(desktopWrapper,theme,‘  });  }  }  } else {  const mobileWrapper = document.querySelector(“.mobile-player-wrapper.trinity-player-iframe-wrapper”);  if(mobileWrapper.classList.contains(‘played’)){  loadTrinityPlayer(mobileWrapper, theme,  }else{  const mobileBtn = document.getElementById(“mobilePlayBtn”);  if (mobileBtn) {  mobileBtn.addEventListener(“click”, function () {  const mobileWrapper = document.querySelector(“.mobile-player-wrapper.trinity-player-iframe-wrapper”);  if (mobileWrapper) loadTrinityPlayer(mobileWrapper,theme,  });  }  }  }  }, 100);  });  }  })();  Ethereums recent recovery phase has weakened considerably after repeated failures beneath the $2.4K major resistance level. The latest price action suggests bearish momentum is gradually building, while buyers struggle to maintain control above important support regions.  Ethereum Price Analysis: The Daily Chart  On the daily timeframe, ETH has experienced a notable bearish rejection

05-18

Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction: ETH Slides Near $2,180 as Whale Deposits and Smart Money Shorts Add Pressure Towards $2,100

Ethereum is back under pressure after losing momentum near the upper side of its recent range. According to Brave New Coin data, ETH is trading near $2,180, down 2.08% in the last 24 hours, with 24-hour asset volume around $11.23 billion.  Ethereum Slips Back Into the Lower Range  The latest Brave New Coin chart shows ETH losing its intraday footing after failing to sustain strength near the upper side of the session. Price has now moved back towards the $2,160–$2,180 region, making this the first area where buyers need to show a reaction.  What makes this move important is the shift in market focus. ETH was recently trying to build towards the $2,350–$2,380 resistance zone, but the latest rejection has pushed attention back to downside liquidity and support defense.  For now, ETH needs to recover above $2,220–$2,250 to reduce short-term pressure. Without that reclaim, the market may continue leaning towards the lower range, with $2,100 becoming the next area traders are likely to watch.  Whale Deposits Raise Short-Term Selling Risk  Lookonchain highlighted that two wallets, possibly linked to Gammafund, deposited 10,976 ETH, worth around $23.9 million, into Binance within the past hour. Large exchange deposits often create short-term caution because they can signal possible selling pressure.  This

05-18

ETH Price Prediction: $2,350 Breakout Imminent as Technical Reset Completes

Market Context: Why ETH is Moving Now  Ethereum trades at a crossroads around $2,180, having shed 16% from recent highs while institutional interest remains steady. The current price action reflects technical consolidation rather than fundamental deterioration, with derivatives markets showing no signs of panic selling or leverage unwinding.  The broader crypto environment supports ETHs recovery potential. Institutional flows continue at measured pace, and the absence of extreme fear suggests this pullback represents healthy profit-taking rather than structural breakdown. Blockchain.news analysis indicates smart money positioning for the next leg higher rather than fleeing to safety.  Technical Picture Shifts Bullish  Momentum indicators have reached oversold territory without triggering capitulation selling, creating conditions ripe for reversal. The daily trading range expansion signals increased volatility ahead, typically favoring directional moves rather than continued sideways grinding.  Support levels around $2,160-2,180 have absorbed selling pressure effectively, with each test producing diminishing volume. This price action suggests accumulation by larger players who prefer buying weakness rather than chasing strength. The technical structure points toward resolution higher rather than breakdown below key support.  Derivatives Signal Strength  Professional traders maintain bullish positioning despite the recent price weakness, with long exposure dominating across major platforms. This positioning creates natural buying support as any sharp decline would trigger

05-18

Ethereum Devs Clash Over Rising Data Costs

The state storage problemVitalik Buterin weighs in  The Ethereum network is approaching a critical infrastructure bottleneck, sparking intense debate among developers over how to handle the blockchains rapidly growing “state size.”  At the center of the controversy is a proposed network upgrade, EIP-8037, which aims to curb data bloat by significantly increasing the upfront gas costs for developers deploying new smart contracts and storage slots.  There seems to be an economic flaw in Ethereums current design: developers pay a one-time fee to write data to the blockchain, but network nodes are forced to pay the ongoing costs to store that data forever.  Why Zcash Beats Bitcoin: Cardano Creator Explains; XRP Breaks 2026 ETF Record With 16% Jump Over April; Strategy Set to Disclose $1.2 Billion BTC Acquisition – Morning Crypto Report  Peter Brandt Warns Solana Could Crash  The state storage problem  Ethereums “state” is the snapshot of all current account balances, smart contract code, and data stored on the network. Unlike transaction history, which can be archived, the state must be actively maintained and readily accessible by nodes to process new transactions.  Currently, the Ethereum state sits at approximately 390 GiB. At the current growth rate, the network is projected to hit a critical “danger zone” of 650

05-18
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