According to Foresight News, the South Korean Financial Services Commission (FSC) has finalized guidelines for the sale of virtual assets by nonprofit organizations and cryptocurrency exchanges. Starting in June 2025, nonprofits will be allowed to sell cryptocurrencies received through donations, with the requirement that these assets be liquidated immediately upon receipt. Exchanges will also be permitted to liquidate crypto assets obtained from user fees, with mandatory disclosure of the sale results and the use of proceeds. To mitigate money laundering risks, the FSC mandates that exchanges and banks enhance their Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures for new institutional clients, scrutinizing the sources of funds and the purposes of transactions. Additionally, the FSC will monitor the activities of institutions and their CEOs for potential money laundering activities.

According to BlockBeats On-chain Detection, prominent cryptocurrency investor James Wynn has significantly reduced his Bitcoin holdings. Within a span of just one and a half hours, Wynn liquidated positions worth $400 million, selling 3,688 BTC. This action decreased his total holdings from $830 million to $430 million. During the liquidation process, the price of Bitcoin experienced a pullback of approximately $1,000, dropping from $107,500. The previous day, Wynn had halted his sell-off when Bitcoin's price approached his initial entry point, opting instead to increase his long positions.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) experienced a brief price rally followed by a sharp reversal on May 21, as on-chain data revealed bearish whale activity and weakening market participation. The meme token climbed 3.18% intraday, reaching a local high of $0.00001492, before retracing 1.9% in the final trading hour, according to CoinDesk Research’s technical analysis model.Whale Outflows and Weak Holder Metrics Signal CautionDespite the short-lived rally, on-chain indicators point to deteriorating sentiment among large holders. Whale netflows dropped 311%, while the number of active addresses declined 68% compared to December 2024, signaling reduced engagement and declining transactional momentum.Data from IntoTheBlock shows that 25.74 trillion SHIB tokens are currently clustered within the $0.000014–$0.000015 support/resistance zone, held by over 34,000 addresses, marking this as a key battleground for bulls and bears alike.The profitability distribution remains skewed, with only 17% of holders currently in profit and over 80% still underwater. Any price increase is therefore likely to face heavy sell pressure from investors seeking to break even.Technical Analysis: Reversal Below Key Resistance LevelsSHIB’s market structure shows signs of short-term bearish momentum:The token is trading below the 50-day EMA, with a bearish exponential moving average (EMA) stack forming.An emerging descending channel pattern on the hourly chart shows lower highs and lower lows, reflecting bearish sentiment.Volume analysis identified a spike exceeding $700 million between 04:00–06:00 UTC, supporting the rally. However, a sharp 1.77% sell-off in the final hour erased gains, indicating profit-taking behavior.A breakdown below the $0.00001417 high-volume support level was accompanied by over 110 billion SHIB in trading volume, suggesting a shift in momentum.Burn Rate Surge Offers Limited ReliefSHIB’s 24-hour burn rate spiked by 106,040%, a notable increase in token removal from circulation. However, this has yet to translate into sustainable upward price movement, especially as the asset continues to trade below a dominant descending trendline resistance at $0.00002044.Analysts Divided on Short-Term OutlookMarket analysts remain split on SHIB's trajectory. Some highlight the potential for a breakout if SHIB can sustain movement above $0.000016, while others emphasize the weakening fundamentals and ongoing sell pressure from long-term holders as significant barriers to upward momentum.Until SHIB decisively breaks above the descending trendline and reclaims the 50-day EMA, traders may expect continued sideways consolidation with sharp volatility spikes.

Blackstone has disclosed its first-ever cryptocurrency investment, acquiring just over $1 million in shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT). The move marks a significant, albeit cautious, step into the digital asset space for the firm, which manages approximately $1.2 trillion in assets.SEC Filing Reveals Modest Position in Bitcoin-Linked ETFsAccording to a May 20 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Blackstone reported owning 23,094 shares of IBIT valued at approximately $1.08 million as of March 31, 2025. The shares were purchased through the firm’s Alternative Multi-Strategy Fund (BTMIX), which currently manages $2.63 billion in assets.In addition to its IBIT position, Blackstone disclosed:A $6,300 stake in Bitcoin Depot Inc. (BTM), a crypto ATM operator, comprising 4,300 sharesA $181,166 investment in ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO), totaling 9,889 sharesDespite branding itself as a leader in alternative investments, Blackstone has historically avoided direct exposure to cryptocurrencies. In 2019, CEO Steve Schwarzman publicly dismissed crypto as “odd,” favoring centralized currency systems over decentralized ones. At the time, he acknowledged blockchain's potential but questioned its use as a monetary vehicle.Industry-Wide Shifts Highlight Growing Institutional InterestBlackstone’s foray into Bitcoin ETFs coincides with sustained institutional inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs, particularly BlackRock’s IBIT, which has seen 20 consecutive trading days of inflows since April 9, 2025, per Farside Investors data.IBIT has now amassed over $46.1 billion in net inflows since launching in January 2024, solidifying its position as the leading spot Bitcoin ETF in the U.S. market. By contrast, Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) and ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) trail with $11.8 billion and $2.8 billion in cumulative inflows, respectively.Meanwhile, some institutional investors are reassessing their exposure. The Wisconsin Investment Board, which had initially made headlines as one of the first U.S. state funds to back Bitcoin ETFs, revealed on May 15 that it liquidated its entire position of 6.06 million IBIT shares — then worth $3.7 billion — during Q1 2025.A Conservative Entry Amid Surging FlowsWhile Blackstone’s investment in Bitcoin ETFs is minor relative to its total portfolio, it may signal increased openness among traditional asset managers toward crypto exposure. The firm reported $37 billion in investable capital as of March 31, 2025.Given the strong institutional flows into Bitcoin ETFs, and growing acceptance of digital assets as an emerging asset class, Blackstone’s move could represent the beginning of broader institutional participation in the crypto sector, according to Cointelegraph.

Texas is advancing plans to create a government-backed Bitcoin reserve after lawmakers approved Senate Bill 21 (SB 21) in its second House reading on May 20. According to voting records on the Texas Senate website, the proposal passed with a commanding 105 to 23 vote, reflecting rare bipartisan support. source: https://cryptoslate.com/worlds-8th-largest-economy-proceeds-toward-bitcoin-reserve-as-texas-heads-to-final-vote/

Hong Kong's Stablecoin Bill progresses but awaits subsequent legislative steps for full passage. source: https://coincu.com/338868-hong-kong-stablecoin-bill-progress

Ethereum is scaling fast, but that growth makes it harder for everyday users to run full nodes. These nodes require lots of storage and can be tough to manage. To solve this, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed “partially stateless nodes”—a lighter way to stay connected without needing all the data source: https://www.altcoinbuzz.io/cryptocurrency-news/vitalik-proposes-stateless-nodes-to-scale-ethereum/

21-5-2025 – South Korea is rolling out stringent regulations to govern digital asset transactions, paving the way for institutional investors to enter the market with confidence. The Financial Services Commission (FSC), during its fourth Virtual Asset Committee meeting on 20 May, unveiled a comprehensive framework designed to bolster oversight while fostering innovation in the sector. [. source: https://www.cointrackdaily.com/south-korea-tightens-crypto-rules-to-attract-institutional-investors-and-boost-market-integrity/

According to PANews, Hong Kong's Legislative Council member Ng Kit Chuang announced that the Legislative Council has passed the third reading of the Stablecoin Bill. It is anticipated that by the end of this year, institutions will be able to apply to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to become compliant stablecoin issuers. Ng Kit Chuang welcomed global enterprises to apply in Hong Kong and emphasized the importance of developing application scenarios and releasing stablecoin interest as future priorities. These efforts aim to support Hong Kong in becoming an international Web3 hub.

Crude oil prices jumped nearly 1. 5% to $62. 94 per barrel following reports suggesting Israel may be preparing strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. source: https://tokenist.com/oil-prices-rise-on-reports-of-potential-israeli-strike-on-iran/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=oil-prices-rise-on-reports-of-potential-israeli-strike-on-iran

The value of ROSS memecoin surged after speculation that President-elect Trump might pardon Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road creator. The coin’s rise reflects growing support for Ulbricht's release, with traders betting on a potential presidential commutation.