Dow Jones futures climb as Wall Street posts record closes overnight

Finance  Dow Jones futures climb as Wall Street posts record closes overnight  Dow Jones futures gain 0.14%, trading near 49,900 during the European hours on Friday, ahead of the United States (US) regular opening. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 rise 0.12%, to near 7,250. However, Nasdaq 100 futures advance 0.04% to near 27,600.  US stock futures edge higher following record closes on Wall Street the previous day. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 are reaching fresh record highs and posting their strongest monthly gains since 2020.  In Thursdays US regular trading, the Dow Jones climbed 1.62%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 rose 1.02% and 0.89%, respectively, driven by solid corporate earnings and easing oil prices. After the close, Apple posted quarterly results that exceeded expectations, further supporting sentiment in the technology sector. Traders are now focusing on more earnings reports due Friday, including Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Colgate-Palmolive, Estée Lauder, and CBOE, among others.  However, traders remain cautious amid ongoing US–Iran tensions. US President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that he would continue the naval blockade of Iranian ports, amid concerns that the strategically important Strait of Hormuz may not reopen in the near term. Trump also criticized congressional efforts aimed at restricting his war

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Will the Structure Market Bill (Clarity Act) Pass in May? What Experts Say!

Tech  Will the Structure Market Bill (Clarity Act) Pass in May? What Experts Say!  The post Will the Structure Market Bill (Clarity Act) Pass in May? What Experts Say! appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News  The CLARITY Act, Americas most ambitious attempt to create a proper regulatory structure for digital assets, is approaching its final, make-or-break moment. And the question everyone in crypto space is asking: Will May 2026 finally be the month it actually happens?  Heres what Industry experts and prediction markets say about it.  CLARITY Act is “in the Red Zone”  Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott said the CLARITY Act is “in the red zone,” meaning the bill is close to moving forward. He said it could reach committee markup in May, followed by a possible Senate floor vote in June or July.  Scott also said he expects the bill to reach the Presidents desk this summer, showing growing momentum in Washington.  Other lawmakers also sounded confident. At the Bitcoin 2026 Conference, Senator Cynthia Lummis said crypto market structure legislation will be marked up in May, adding,  “We are gonna get it to the finish line.”  Senator Tillis also backed the bill and urged leaders to “move forward.”  Meanwhile, Senator Bernie Moreno warned that missing the end of

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SBI Holdings eyes Bitbank takeover as Japan crypto sector consolidates

SBI Holdings has started formal talks with Bitbank over a capital and business alliance. The planned transaction would make Bitbank a consolidated subsidiary of SBI.SBI Holdings has begun talks to make Bitbank a consolidated subsidiary through a share acquisition.The move follows SBI VC Trades merger with Bitpoint Japan in April 2026.Bitbanks EPOS Crypto Card lets users settle monthly bills with bitcoin balances.  The company said it plans to acquire shares after due diligence and internal approval. Details on timing, structure, and acquisition method will be discussed later.  The move comes soon after SBI Group absorbed Bitpoint Japan through a merger with SBI VC Trade in April 2026. The latest talks show SBI is moving quickly to expand its crypto exchange business.  Japan is also reviewing how crypto assets fit under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. That process may bring tighter rules for exchanges and crypto investment products.  Bitbanks IPO path comes into focus  Bitbank had previously prepared for a possible Tokyo Stock Exchange listing by mid-2025. The company had also raised about 7 billion yen through a capital and business alliance with Mixi in 2021.  Mixi became a major shareholder with a 26.2% stake. SBI‘s proposal may now draw attention to Bitbank’s listing plans and

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AI model sets Bitcoin price target for May 31, 2026

Bitcoin price prediction for May 31, 2026. Source: Finbold AI Price Prediction  Finbold‘s AI forecast was generated for the May 1 to May 31 period using prompt version v1.1. The model incorporated Bitcoin’s reference price, MACD, RSI, moving averages, Fibonacci levels, ETF flow data, derivatives liquidations, market sentiment, and Bitcoin dominance readings. Forecasts are model outputs and should not be treated as guarantees.  Across the model range, the most bullish output implied a 4.07% gain, generated by GPT-5.2, while the most bearish outlook projected a 7.45% decline, generated by Gemini 3 Flash.  In that sense, the AI forecast reflects a market that is neither aggressively bearish nor convincingly bullish. Instead, Bitcoin appears to be trading in a fragile equilibrium, where easing selling pressure has improved sentiment, but the absence of a strong catalyst continues to cap expectations.  Bitcoin ETF outflows ease after three-day selling streak  At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $77,108, up 1.34% over the past 24 hours, slightly outperforming a broadly flat crypto market. Although the gain is not large enough to confirm a broader breakout, it marks an important shift after several sessions of pressure linked to institutional flows.  After three consecutive days of net outflows totaling nearly $500 million,

05-01

OKB (OKB) Had Its Moment, But BlockchainFX ($BFX) Could Be the Best Crypto Presale to Buy Now 

Crypto  OKB (OKB) Had Its Moment, But BlockchainFX ($BFX) Could Be the Best Crypto Presale to Buy Now  How many people ignored crypto early, watched prices rip, then sat there sick after missing life-changing gains? That pain is real. The best crypto presale to buy now feels obvious only after the chart goes wild and the train already left.  BlockchainFX ($BFX) is now grabbing serious attention as a fresh launch with a live beta app and a clear utility story, while OKB (OKB) price news keeps reminding the market how exchange tokens can surprise doubters. This breakdown covers what is moving now and why people are watching closely.  BlockchainFX ($BFX): The Best Crypto Presale to Buy Now for Multi-Asset Trading, Real Rewards, and a Faster Path to Launch  BlockchainFX ($BFX) is not just another token with pretty words and no backbone. It is a licensed multi-asset super app built to connect DeFi and traditional markets in one place. That means crypto, stocks, forex, gold, and more from a single Web3 interface. For early buyers, that matters because the project solves a real problem. Most platforms force users to jump between apps, accounts, and systems. BlockchainFX ($BFX) aims to cut that mess out.  Right now, BlockchainFX ($BFX)

05-01

USD/CHF hesitates above 0.7800 despite weak Swiss Retail Sales data

Finance  USD/CHF hesitates above 0.7800 despite weak Swiss Retail Sales data  The US Dollar (USD) remains practically flat against the Swiss Franc (CHF) on Friday, wavering within a few pips above 0.7800, on track for a 0.35% weekly loss after dropping from highs above 0.7900 the previous day. The softer-than-expected Swiss Retail Sales data have failed to impact the pair, while an alleged intervention by Japanese authorities to stem Yen weakness has hit the Greenback across the board.  The Swiss Federal Statistics Office revealed on Friday that retail consumption year-on-year rose 0.5% in March, slightly above the 0.4% growth seen in February, but well short of the 1% increase forecasted by market analysts. On an annual basis, total retail sales have declined 0.1%.  Apart from that, an alleged intervention by Japanese authorities, consisting of selling US Dollars to support the Japanese Yen (JPY), has sent the US Dollar lower against its main currency peers on Friday.  The Japanese Ministry of Finance is supposed to have stepped into the Forex markets on Thursday, following comments by the Finance Minister, Satsuki Katayama, warning about immediate action. The USD/JPY depreciated around 2.4% on Thursday, sending the US Dollar lower across the board and triggering a more than 1%

05-01

Stern Letter from Warren and Wyden to Tether-Lutnick

Tech  Stern Letter from Warren and Wyden to Tether-Lutnick  Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden sent stern letters to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Tether CEO Paulo Ardoino. The duo is questioning the alleged loan that Tether gave to the trust linked to Lutnicks children. This loan appears to have helped Lutnick transfer Cantor Fitzgerald shares to his children in a multi-billion dollar transfer due to ethical rules when he began his cabinet position.  Tether-Lutnick Loan Relationship and Ethical Questions  Lutnick is the former chairman of Cantor, which handles Tether‘s financial operations in the US. Democratic senators emphasize that this connection could influence policy decisions. The inquiry, based on Bloomberg news, comes from Warren’s role as the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee and Wydens role on the Finance Committee.Key Details: Lutnick is in Trumps Digital Assets Group; Ardoino was in the front row at the GENIUS Act ceremony.Congress passed the stablecoin regulation law with the Trump administration.Cantor is managed by his sons Brandon and Kyle; Tether entrusted the USAT stablecoin to its US arm Bo Hines.  RON and the Impact of Stablecoin Regulations  This development highlights Tethers US moves and political influence. Cantor supported Republicans by donating millions to Fellowship PAC. As regulatory tensions

05-01

Bitcoin community launches Bitcoin Beyond 66 AI tool to counter energy concerns

A Nordic Bitcoin education group has released an open-source AI database designed to generate evidence-backed responses to common criticisms about Bitcoins environmental impact and energy use.Bitcoin Beyond 66 has launched an AI database that generates evidence-based responses to claims about Bitcoins environmental impact and energy use.The tool draws on more than 22 peer-reviewed studies and cites Cambridge research showing over 52% of Bitcoin mining uses renewable energy.Users can input criticism and receive structured replies, with response tones ranging from direct to balanced or soft depending on context.  According to Bitcoin Beyond 66, the tool, called “The Bitcoin Evidence Base,” has been built in response to what it describes as a growing volume of peer-reviewed research on Bitcoin mining, while public narratives continue to rely on outdated or incomplete data.  The group said misinformation often spreads faster than research, leaving users without quick access to credible counterpoints during online discussions.  Developed as a searchable response engine, the database allows users to input claims or links and receive structured replies grounded in published research, industry reports, and energy data. Bitcoin Beyond 66 said the system regularly references studies, such as an April 2025 report from the University of Cambridge, which found that more than 52%

05-01

Crypto Sector Holds at $2.59T Amid Neutral Market Sentiment

The worldwide crypto sector is presenting mixed signals, as the latest 24-hour data suggests. Hence, the total crypto market capitalization is moving steadily while accounting for $2.59T after a 0.31% dip. However, the 24-hour crypto volume has surged by 22.25% to reach $120.46B. At the same time, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index currently stands at 44 points, displaying a “Neutral” sentiment among the market participants.  Bitcoin ($BTC) Surges by 1.86% and Ethereum ($ETH) Sees 1.65% Rise  Particularly, the top crypto asset, Bitcoin ($BTC), is now trading at $77,074.21. This price level indicates a 1.86% rise while the market dominance of Bitcoin ($BTC) sits at 60.0%. In addition to this, the flagship altcoin, Ethereum ($ETH), is now changing hands at $2,282.56, signifying a 1.65% increase. In the meantime, Ethereums ($ETH) market dominance accounts for 10.8%.  Gold Pump Meme ($GPM) and TRUMPTOPIA ($TTPA) Dominate Crypto Gainers of Day  Apart from that, the top crypto gainers of the day include Gold Pump Meme ($GPM), TRUMPTOPIA ($TTPA), and TRUMP AI ($TRUMP). Specifically, Gold Pump Meme ($GPM) has jumped by a staggering 2057.06% to reach the price level of up to $0.01099. Following that, a 516.07% increase has placed TRUMPTOPIA ($TTPA) at $0.001054. Subsequently, TRUMP AI ($TRUMP) is

05-01

OKX Unveils Agent Payments Protocol for AI-Driven Commercial Transactions

NEW: OKX LAUNCHES THE AGENT PAYMENTS PROTOCOL  The open standard enables AI agents to run end-to-end commerce on-chain, from negotiation and pricing to payments, escrow, and settlement, a step toward autonomous agent-driven economies. pic.twitter.com/4bVYwsR3VH  — Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) April 30, 2026  While current payment solutions primarily facilitate basic peer-to-peer transfers between machines, APP aims to address the complete commercial lifecycle. The framework encompasses price quotation, contract negotiation, escrow management, service usage monitoring, financial settlement, and conflict arbitration.  According to OKX, the primary challenge facing AI agents has evolved beyond computational intelligence to commercial capability. The exchange emphasized that autonomous agents can now manage “the full cycle of doing business,” extending far beyond simple payment processing.  Built on open-source principles, the protocol functions across various blockchain ecosystems. Support includes major networks such as Ethereum and Solana. Additionally, developers gain access to OKXs Payment SDK through its X Layer blockchain infrastructure, where certain stablecoin transactions benefit from minimal or eliminated gas costs.  Central to the infrastructure is a self-custodial Agentic Wallet. This wallet leverages trusted execution environment security and maintains interoperability with more than 20 distinct blockchain networks.  Communication between agents utilizes HTTP and XMTP protocols. The system also integrates with popular messaging services, including Telegram.  Understanding the Escrow Mechanism  Escrow

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