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According to QCP Capital's latest market report, Bitcoin has fallen approximately 11.6% this week, continuing to be under pressure. Market sentiment has been affected by the rare news of Strategy selling 32 BTC, although the sale size was only about $2.5 million, which had almost no substantial impact on its holdings of over 840,000 coins. However, it broke the long-standing market expectation of Strategy's "never selling coins," weakening the confidence of some investors.On a macro level, the situation is also unfavorable. The escalation of the Middle East situation and the stagnation of US-Iran negotiations have driven oil prices up, with the risk premium in the Strait of Hormuz being re-emphasized. Meanwhile, US job vacancy data was stronger than expected, reducing the market's bets on a short-term rate cut by the Federal Reserve and reinforcing the expectation of "higher rates for longer." The options market shows a significant increase in defensive sentiment. The 30-day at-the-money implied volatility (ATM IV) rose to about 41.4%, with a weekly increase of about 7 volatility points. The risk reversal indicator remains biased negative, with a short-term inverted yield curve reflecting strong demand for downside protection in the market.QCP believes that the current market is not in a panic sell-off but is re-pricing downside risks. Weak spot demand, rising oil prices, increasing real interest rates, and macro uncertainty are collectively suppressing the performance of risk assets. Meanwhile, AI concept stocks and large tech companies continue to attract significant capital inflows, further diverting risk appetite from the crypto market. QCP points out that if BTC cannot regain a foothold in the $67,000 to $68,000 range, the rebound may still face significant selling pressure. The current market is more inclined to purchase downside protection rather than actively increase risk exposure, as investors await a clearer direction from the macro environment between the paths of "soft landing" and "high inflation, high interest rates, low liquidity."

According to Bits.media, a large illegal cryptocurrency mining operation was discovered in the city of Nizhny Tagil in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, and the nearby city of Kushva. The mining operation was hidden in an abandoned industrial park and deployed about 10,000 mining machines, which were dismantled by a joint operation of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the police, and the power company.Local power companies estimate that the losses caused by the long-term illegal electricity usage of this mining operation amount to nearly 1 billion rubles (approximately 12.7 million USD). Investigators stated that its electricity consumption was sufficient to meet the lighting needs of a small city. Law enforcement has arrested three suspects, who are currently under house arrest and are being investigated for "causing property damage through deception or abuse of trust." Under Russian law, those involved could face up to 5 years in prison.Investigations revealed that the operators of the mining site accessed the power grid through intermediaries and allegedly tampered with electricity meter data to cover up the actual electricity usage. Law enforcement agencies stated that the actual electricity consumption of the mining operation was about twice the approved quota. The local energy department initially launched an investigation due to frequent voltage fluctuations, power outages, and equipment failures in the abandoned factory area, ultimately pinpointing the location of the mining operation. A local television station also produced a documentary titled "Mining" to document this operation.

According to Bits Media, the Russian government has expanded the scope of information that miners and mining infrastructure operators must submit to the tax authorities. Under the new regulations, the national registry of miners and operators must include network address data for equipment used in cryptocurrency mining (ASIC miners). The Russian Ministry of Finance stated that this move aims to simplify the regulation of digital asset transactions and the investigation of violations. Additionally, grid operators will be able to more accurately monitor the infrastructure load in areas with a high concentration of mining capacity.According to the law, government agencies, courts, the Bank of Russia, and grid operators can access the information in the miners' registry. The Federal Tax Service is responsible for maintaining the registry of miners and mining infrastructure operators. Under current law, miners and infrastructure operators (such as mining pools) must submit and regularly update the following information: for mining equipment, details such as manufacturer, model, serial number, algorithm, hash rate, power consumption, and operating mode. Regarding mining: the amount and type of cryptocurrency mined, mining pools, and links to online statistics.

According to Livecoins, the property crime investigation department DEIC of São Paulo, Brazil, in collaboration with the electricity company CPFL Piratininga, conducted an operation that seized approximately 1,400 Bitcoin mining machines suspected of operating with stolen electricity. It is estimated that the amount of stolen electricity is enough to supply about 2,000 households for a month. Although Bitcoin mining is not illegal in Brazil, the focus of the actions by CPFL and DEIC is on the theft of electricity.

According to the 13F filing submitted by the Australian financial services company Macquarie Group Ltd in mid-May, comparing the two periods ending December 31, 2025, and March 31, 2026, its IBIT holdings decreased from 5.126 million shares to 4.139 million shares, a reduction of about 19.3%, corresponding to an asset value decrease from approximately $255 million to $159 million; the ETHA holdings also decreased from 3.634 million shares to 3.289 million shares, a reduction of about 9.5%, corresponding to an asset value decrease from approximately $81.5 million to $52.1 million.At the same time, in the crypto stock sector, Macquarie Group reduced its position in Coinbase by 19%, but increased its position in Circle by 188% (valued at $2.326 million at the end of the first quarter) and added a position in BitMine (valued at $4.153 million at the end of the first quarter). In contrast, it did not show aggressive increases in the AI sector either, but rather maintained a cautious overall stance, with positions in Nvidia, Palantir, AMD, and others significantly decreasing, while only a few semiconductor stocks like Micron Technology saw slight increases.

According to Zhejiang Daily, recently, the Ningbo Customs Anti-Smuggling Bureau successfully dismantled multiple criminal gangs smuggling virtual currency "mining machines" through in-depth operations and meticulous investigations, effectively cutting off an illegal industrial chain.Previously, during a routine inspection of a batch of imported express shipments declared as "industrial blockers," Ningbo Customs discovered that the actual goods did not match the declaration and were, in fact, virtual currency "mining machines." Customs officers quickly transferred this lead to the anti-smuggling department. After receiving the report, the Ningbo Customs Anti-Smuggling Bureau immediately assembled a task force by drawing on elite personnel, and through data analysis and clue investigation, gradually clarified the organizational structure and operational model of the criminal network. When the timing was right, they decisively struck, simultaneously conducting net-seizing operations in Dongguan, Shenzhen, and other locations, successfully dismantling multiple smuggling gangs of mining machines.Upon investigation, it was confirmed that this series of cases seized over 400 illegal entry mining machines of brands such as Ant L9 and Ice River KS3. The investigation revealed that the smuggling gang led by Liao, in order to make illegal profits, procured "mining machines" from overseas suppliers, disassembled the whole machines, and misreported the product names to smuggle them into the country through international express channels from ports in Ningbo, Guangzhou, and other places. After the goods entered the country, the gang reassembled them, either selling them directly domestically or transporting them to hidden "mining sites" in Xinjiang, Hunan, and other places to engage in illegal virtual currency "mining" activities. At the same time, they utilized virtual currencies like USDT for cross-border payment settlements to evade financial supervision.

The latest market intelligence report released by the digital asset trading firm Wintermute shows that global financial markets are undergoing a large-scale macroeconomic repricing, with the market narrative shifting from discussions about the timing of interest rate cuts to preparing for potential rate hikes. This structural shift has been triggered by unexpectedly strong economic data and reignited inflationary pressures, creating significant headwinds for digital assets.The report notes that Bitcoin saw a sharp decline after briefly breaking through $83,000, giving back significant gains within a week, while mainstream alternative tokens experienced double-digit percentage drops. Global wealth managers are actively de-risking under macro constraints, highlighting the fragility of digital asset expansion. On-chain trading indicators suggest that the previous price increases were not driven by genuine spot market demand or organic retail accumulation, but rather primarily from short squeezes in the perpetual futures market.The total open interest in Bitcoin derivatives rapidly expanded by $10 billion to $58 billion within a month, while the underlying spot trading volume simultaneously fell to a two-year low. When Bitcoin broke through $80,000, a large number of short positions were forcibly liquidated, triggering a brief buying frenzy, but failed to establish a lasting structural bottom.The main driving factor behind the current market reversal is that global CPI data continues to exceed expectations, reigniting widespread concerns about interest rate hikes. At the same time, ongoing uncertainty surrounding the nomination of the next Federal Reserve chair has injected unpredictability into the market. Despite long-term positive signals, including a recent net inflow of $623 million into spot ETFs and Bitcoin reserves on trading platforms dropping to a seven-year low, Wintermute emphasizes that these long-term trends are insufficient to alleviate recent structural risks.As international asset managers shift capital towards short-term sovereign debt instruments, digital platforms are struggling to maintain momentum. The near-term outlook for the tokenized market will depend on whether genuine spot buyers return to stabilize the weak liquidity gap.

Cryptocurrency analyst Marcel Pechman stated that Bitcoin rapidly fell back after being rejected at $82,000 on Friday, dropping below $79,000. The movement is highly synchronized with the U.S. small-cap stock index, indicating that macro factors are the main driving force behind this round of decline. The Russell 2000 index, which covers small and medium-sized enterprises, has a higher capital cost and is more sensitive to interest rate trends. The high correlation between Bitcoin and this index suggests that the market currently characterizes Bitcoin as a risk asset rather than a safe-haven tool.The funding rate for Bitcoin perpetual contracts briefly turned deeply negative on Thursday and remained close to 0% on Friday, with continued absence of long leverage demand—this indicator has been below the neutral threshold of 6% for several weeks. Multiple attempts to breach $82,000 have failed to boost market confidence. Macro pressures have been piling up: the outcome of the U.S.-China summit disappointed the market, with no specific tariff agreements reached aside from a commitment to accelerate U.S. agricultural exports over the next three years; meanwhile, the ongoing war in Iran continues to weigh on market sentiment, with Brent crude oil prices jumping from $99 to $106 in the past week, further exacerbating inflationary pressures.Additionally, the inflation-adjusted Shiller price-to-earnings ratio shows that the S&P 500 index is currently only about 5% lower than its peak during the internet bubble in January 2000, indicating a significant contraction in overall market risk appetite. However, the massive sell-off in the fixed income market may provide mid-term support for Bitcoin. The yield on Japan's 10-year government bonds has risen to its highest level in over 20 years, while the yield on the Eurozone's 10-year government bonds has also surged to 3.18%, a 15-year high. Analysts believe that in response to recession risks, central banks may be forced to inject liquidity, and funds flowing out of fixed income may ultimately seek other asset allocations, with Bitcoin likely to benefit from this.

According to the Zhejiang Daily, the Ningbo Customs Anti-Smuggling Bureau in Zhejiang, China, recently cracked multiple cases of smuggling virtual currency mining machines, dismantling several criminal gangs and seizing over 400 mining machines of models such as Ant L9 and Ice River KS3.The report states that the involved gangs misrepresented the mining machines as "industrial block devices" and smuggled them into the country through international express channels from ports in Ningbo, Guangzhou, and other locations. They then reassembled the machines and sold them domestically or transported them to mining sites in Xinjiang, Hunan, and other areas for hosting and mining.Investigators stated that the relevant gangs also used USDT for cross-border payment settlements to evade financial regulation.

According to Jinshi reports, the US and Israel are expected to resume strikes against Iran as early as next week. Amidst the soaring expectations of interest rate hikes in the bond market, the last meeting minutes of the "Powell era" are coming. Here are the key points that the market will focus on next week (all in Beijing time):Tuesday 9:30, the Reserve Bank of Australia will release the minutes of the May monetary policy meeting;Tuesday 20:00, Federal Reserve Governor Waller will speak at the European Central Bank research conference;Tuesday 20:15, the weekly change in ADP employment numbers for the week ending May 2 in the United States;Wednesday 7:00, 2026 FOMC voting member and Philadelphia Fed President Harker will speak;Thursday 2:00, the Federal Reserve will release the minutes of the monetary policy meeting;Thursday 20:00, European Central Bank Chief Economist Lane will speak at the European Central Bank research conference.The AI boom and consumer spending under inflationary pressure are the two main themes currently influencing the direction of US stocks. Next week, semiconductor giant Nvidia (NVDA) and a number of retail companies such as Walmart (WMT) will successively disclose their earnings reports. Nvidia will release its earnings report after the US market closes on Wednesday, and Walmart will release its earnings report before the US market opens on Thursday.

According to official news, Gate will launch a Crazy Wednesday digital storage event from May 13 at 14:00 to May 17 at 16:00 (UTC+8). During the event, users can complete multiple tasks such as flash exchanges, spot trading, contracts, deposits, invitations, leftover coin treasure, and on-chain earning to get a chance to open blind boxes and win luxurious prizes like XPIN, lucky bags, Hasselblad X2D II & SanDisk 8TB SSD, MacBook Pro M5 Max & OWC 8TB SSD, and AYANEO 3 & SanDisk 4TB SSD, with a 100% winning rate.In addition, a limited-time USDT 14-day fixed-term financial product will be launched with an annualized return of 6%. New users can also participate in a 3-day USDT financial product with a 100% annualized return. Both new and old users can participate in leftover coin treasure financial products for ETH, USDD, AIA, SWCH, APT, with a maximum annualized return of 200%. At the same time, users who sign up for on-chain earning BTC, ETH, and SOL mining can enjoy an increased annualized interest rate during the event, with staking annualized returns of up to 16%.

According to the official announcement, Circle has launched a new infrastructure suite for the "Agentic Economy," called Circle Agent Stack, which includes products such as Circle CLI, Agent Wallets, Agent Marketplace, and Nanopayments based on Circle Gateway, supporting AI agents as autonomous economic entities for asset holding, service discovery, and on-chain payments.Among them, Nanopayments supports gas-free USDC transfers at a minimum level of $0.000001, aimed at high-frequency machine-to-machine payment scenarios; Agent Wallets allow AI agents to autonomously manage funds under preset permissions and risk control frameworks; Agent Marketplace provides an AI service directory, enabling agents to automatically discover and invoke services.Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire stated that traditional financial infrastructure is designed for "humans," while the future global economy will increasingly be driven by AI and agents. The Circle Agent Stack is the first complete product suite launched for "AI agents themselves" rather than developers.

According to market news, Microsoft's security research team has discovered that attackers have been inducing users to run malicious terminal commands by publishing fake macOS troubleshooting guides since the end of 2025, thereby stealing cryptocurrency wallets, iCloud data, and passwords saved in browsers.These fake guides are published on platforms such as Medium, Craft, and Squarespace, targeting common user issues like freeing up disk space or fixing system errors, and tricking users into copying and pasting malicious commands into the terminal, which automatically downloads and runs malware. This social engineering technique, named ClickFix, bypasses macOS's Gatekeeper security mechanism because the victims are actively executing the commands.The malware families involved include AMOS, Macsync, and SHub Stealer, which can steal cryptocurrency wallet keys from Exodus, Ledger, and Trezor, as well as usernames and passwords saved in Chrome and Firefox. In some cases, attackers also delete legitimate wallet applications and replace them with trojan versions. Apple has added a protective feature in macOS version 26.4 to prevent the pasting of potentially malicious commands.

The Financial Secretary of Hong Kong, Paul Chan, published a blog post in which he pointed out that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area possesses three capabilities: cutting-edge artificial intelligence research and development, a complete high-end manufacturing chain, and an international financial hub.Paul Chan stated that this "AI + manufacturing + finance" triple advantage allows Hong Kong to play two major roles during the 14th Five-Year Plan period: industrial synergy and regulatory alignment, including serving as the "international interface" for emerging industries landing in the Greater Bay Area, as well as being a "communication and conversion platform" for mutual reference between national standards and international standards.

According to Jinshi reports, this week, significant signs of peace have emerged in the US-Iran conflict and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, greatly easing geopolitical risks. Next week, it is worth paying close attention to whether these two geopolitical conflicts can further cool down. In addition, next week's macro events will focus on the US April CPI data, as detailed below:Tuesday 15:15, FOMC permanent voting member and New York Fed President Williams will participate in a panel discussion on monetary policy;Tuesday 20:15, US ADP employment change for the week ending April 25;Tuesday 20:30, US April CPI data;Wednesday 04:30, US API crude oil inventories for the week ending May 8;Wednesday 20:30, US April PPI year-on-year and month-on-month;Friday 05:30, Fed Governor Barr will deliver a speech;Friday 21:15, US April industrial production month-on-month.Finally, next week the Federal Reserve will undergo significant personnel changes. Nominee Chairman Kevin Warsh is expected to be confirmed by the Senate on Monday and will officially take over from Powell on May 15.In terms of US stocks, as of this Friday, a new round of surges has pushed the S&P 500 index up 8% cumulatively in 2026, continuing to rise on the basis of achieving double-digit returns for three consecutive years. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index has risen nearly 13% year-to-date, with both major indices reaching all-time highs. Although the first quarter earnings season is nearing its end, corporate reports will still be a key driver of stock prices in the coming days.AI

According to market news, American Bitcoin Company (NASDAQ: ABTC) disclosed in its latest quarterly report that the company purchased approximately 11,298 S21 XP ASIC miners (with a computing power of about 3.05 EH/s) from Bitmain for $49,400,000 this year, of which 80% of the payment was made by pledging 314 BTC.Based on this calculation, the valuation of the pledged Bitcoin agreement is approximately $125,900 per coin, while the average market price of BTC at that time was less than $70,000, resulting in a discount of about 44%. According to the agreement, Bitmain cannot forcibly liquidate the pledged BTC during the approximately 24-month redemption period. If the BTC price at maturity is higher than the agreement valuation, ABTC can choose to repay in cash and reclaim the BTC, locking in the appreciation gains; if it is lower than the agreement valuation, ABTC can forgo redemption and leave the BTC to Bitmain. This structure essentially grants ABTC a long-term Bitcoin call option.As of March 31, 2026, ABTC has cumulatively pledged 3,090 BTC to Bitmain, with a fair value of approximately $210,800,000, corresponding to a mining equipment purchase liability of about $364,300,000.