Shiba Inu rallies 23%, yet whale exits and RSI trends suggest slowdown

  • Whale count down to 10,205 from 10,232 in 9 days.
  • SHIB trading between $0.000014 support and $0.0000152 resistance.
  • EMA flattening suggests paused bullish momentum.

Shiba Inu (SHIB), the Ethereum-based meme coin, has gained 23% over the past month, reflecting broader interest in altcoins amid a relatively stable crypto market.

However, recent metrics show that the coin’s price action has entered a consolidation phase, with SHIB stuck between key support and resistance levels.

Its Relative Strength Index (RSI) has rebounded from oversold conditions but remains neutral, while whale activity continues to taper off.

These signals indicate the market may be undecided on SHIB’s next direction, awaiting a clearer catalyst for a breakout or breakdown.

RSI recovers but remains neutral below 50

Shiba Inu’s RSI, a widely watched momentum indicator, has recovered from a sharp dip.

The metric rose to 47.1 after falling to a low of 31.7 just a day earlier.

This follows a recent decline from a 6-day high of 68.4.

Despite the recovery, SHIB’s RSI remains below the neutral 50 mark, suggesting the token is neither overbought nor oversold.

This stabilisation reflects an indecisive market.

Traders are currently not aggressively buying or selling, and instead appear to be waiting for more direction.

If RSI continues to rise above 50, it could signal building bullish momentum.

Otherwise, the coin may face continued range-bound trading.

Whale count down by 27 holders in nine days

Another significant trend involves Shiba Inu’s whale wallet data.

The number of wallets holding at least 1 billion SHIB has dropped from 10,232 to 10,205 over the past nine days, a small yet telling sign of reduced interest among large holders.

Though the decline may not appear dramatic, it continues a broader pattern of fluctuation and gradual reduction in whale accumulation.

These addresses, which often hold influence over market movements through high-volume trades, seem to be stepping back.

This could reflect reduced long-term conviction, especially given the lack of strong bullish signals in recent sessions.

A resurgence in whale participation would likely be needed to support a more sustained upside move.

In the meantime, the data hints at cautious positioning among high-stake investors.

Price consolidates between $0.000014 and $0.0000152

SHIB is currently trading in a tight range, with support at $0.000014 and resistance at $0.0000152.

The token’s Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), which previously showed bullish alignment, are now flattening out.

This further indicates the recent pause in directional movement.

Shiba Inu
Source: TradingView

If the price fails to hold the $0.0000139 level, it may fall further to $0.0000127 or even $0.0000123. On the flip side, a breakout above $0.0000152 could pave the way toward the next resistance near $0.0000176.

This technical setup highlights a classic consolidation scenario—where traders and investors are looking for signs of either renewed buying pressure or a deeper retracement.

Without a major catalyst or shift in market sentiment, sideways action may persist in the short term.

Mixed short-term sentiment amid long-term uncertainty

In the last 24 hours, SHIB has gained 3.4%, but it remains down 8.5% over the past week. This divergence shows that while some short-term buying is returning, broader price action still points to caution.

Overall, the combination of neutral RSI readings, a narrowing whale base, and flattening EMAs suggests the meme coin may continue to face resistance unless broader market enthusiasm returns or specific events trigger a breakout.

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CME launches XRP futures as institutional demand drives crypto derivatives growth

  • Contracts settled in cash, benchmarked to XRP-Dollar Reference Rate.
  • Standard futures size is 50,000 XRP; micro contracts are at 2,500 XRP.
  • XRP joins CME’s existing suite, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group has officially launched XRP futures and Micro XRP futures, marking a significant expansion of its regulated cryptocurrency derivatives offerings.

With this addition, XRP—currently the fourth-largest digital asset by market capitalisation—joins Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana as part of CME’s crypto product suite.

The new contracts, which became tradable on Sunday evening, 18 May, aim to cater specifically to institutional investors seeking regulated exposure to XRP.

The move also reflects broader demand for diversified crypto assets within traditional financial infrastructure.

CME launches XRP contracts

CME introduced two XRP-based derivatives products—standard XRP futures and Micro XRP futures—on its CME Globex and CME ClearPort platforms.

The standard contract size is 50,000 XRP, while the Micro futures represent 2,500 XRP per contract.

Both instruments are cash-settled and benchmarked against the CME CF XRP-Dollar Reference Rate, a mechanism designed to offer a stable and transparent valuation of the underlying asset.

Fee structures vary depending on the type of participant and the trading venue, with separate classifications for institutional investors, market-makers, and proprietary trading firms.

These products were first reported in January through unofficial documentation and formally confirmed in April pending regulatory clearance.

Institutional interest rising

CME’s decision to launch XRP derivatives reflects rising institutional interest in diversified crypto investment vehicles.

XRP’s inclusion comes at a time when CME’s own crypto derivatives segment is experiencing rapid growth.

During the first quarter of 2025, CME reported a 141 percent year-on-year surge in average daily crypto derivatives volume, reaching 198,000 contracts and $11.3 billion in notional value.

Open interest also climbed 83 percent, totalling $21.8 billion.

The availability of XRP futures is expected to enhance market liquidity, provide new avenues for hedging strategies, and support price discovery.

These elements are particularly relevant for institutional asset managers, hedge funds, and trading desks evaluating exposure to digital assets within a compliant and risk-managed framework.

Ripple case still unresolved

The launch, however, coincides with Ripple’s ongoing legal challenges in the United States.

The Securities and Exchange Commission continues to pursue penalties against the company, despite a previous partial legal victory for Ripple regarding XRP’s status in secondary markets.

Most recently, a US federal judge declined Ripple’s request to reduce a proposed financial penalty, citing limitations on modifying final judgments.

This ongoing regulatory uncertainty in the US could potentially influence the market’s reception of the new futures products.

Nevertheless, the introduction of XRP contracts through a regulated exchange like CME may help mitigate some concerns by offering institutional-grade tools that adhere to compliance standards.

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Ethereum sees smart wallet activity spike as Pectra impact is felt

  • Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade, live since May 7, marks a major leap in staking, scalability, and smart wallet functionality.
  • Pectra slashed blob fees and doubled blob capacity, significantly enhancing Ethereum’s scalability and rollup efficiency.
  • ETH market cap soared 42% post-upgrade, fueled by investor confidence and rising futures market interest.

Ethereum’s long-awaited Pectra upgrade has already made its mark on the Proof-of-Stake network. 

Pectra – a portmanteau of Prague (execution layer) and Electra (consensus layer) upgrades intended to deliver a raft of significant improvements – has occupied an oversized presence in the Ethereum mindshare since going live on May 7.

And it’s little wonder given the way the upgrade’s been greeted by the wider community.

With TradFi institutions now better positioned to engage in native ETH staking, Pectra could be the greatest boon for the network since 2022’s The Merge.

Smart wallets take center stage  

One of the standout achievements of Pectra so far is the notable surge in smart wallet activity.

Driven by EIP-7702, which allows Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) to temporarily delegate control to smart contracts, the rise has seen no fewer than 11,000 smart wallet authorizations recorded.

EIP-7702 has been wholeheartedly embraced by dApps and wallets, with benefits flowing to end users; post-Pectra, EOA wallets are able to authorize smart contracts to act in their stead, obviating the need to migrate to a new smart contract-based wallet and enabling features like transaction batching, gas sponsorship, and privilege de-escalation.

EOAs are just the tip of the iceberg. On the scalability front, blob fees have dropped to near-zero, slashing costs for rollup operations, while  EIP-7691 has seen blob capacity double – enhancing app scalability.

Pectra’s impact is being felt across the board.

Needless to say, market optimism has been fueled as a result, with ETH’s market cap soaring by 42% by May 12, reflecting renewed investor confidence.

The ETH futures market has seen a similar uptick, with open interest rising from $21.3 billion to $30.4 billion between May 8 and May 11, indicating heightened market activity and interest from traders. 

Staking infrastructure steps up  

Staking infrastructure provider P2P.org was among the first to fully support Pectra’s major features – including validator consolidation, auto-compounding, partial withdrawals, and operator switching – through a live, production-ready staking dApp and API.

Indeed, these key features were made operational within a week of the upgrade. 

In addition, the provider has launched a live calculator to help users compare their current staking setup with a consolidated one, empowering them to optimize their validator sets immediately and capitalize on Pectra’s many benefits.

Artemiy Parshakov, vice president of institutions at P2P.org, has called Pectra “a major unlock for institutional staking, especially with account abstraction paving the way for smarter, automated strategies.”

Notably, Pectra raises the staking limit from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH, giving rise to the prospect of boosted rewards and streamlined validator management.

Ethereum’s steady evolution  

The tangible improvements bundled up in the Pectra upgrade have been welcomed by users, developers, and institutions alike, and the increased inflows into staking protocols tell only part of the story.

While these advancements have generated the lion’s share of coverage, the impact of Pectra is multifaceted, encompassing scalability, ease of use, and convenience. 

As Ethereum continues its methodical evolution, Pectra sets a strong foundation for future innovations, proving that slow and steady indeed wins the race in building lasting blockchain infrastructure.

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Bitcoin blasts past $106K: is Trump’s remittance tax bill crypto’s new rocket fuel?

  • Bitcoin price surged to $106,000 on Sunday, May 18, achieving its highest weekly close ever.
  • The rally saw Bitcoin’s market cap reach $2.11 trillion, liquidating over $44M in short positions.
  • Trump’s proposed 5% remittance tax on non-US citizens is seen as a key driver, likely pushing users to crypto.

Bitcoin surged to a new peak over the weekend, reaching $106,000 per coin on Sunday, May 18, marking its highest valuation since early February of this year.

This rally propelled the flagship cryptocurrency’s market capitalization to an impressive $2.11 trillion and triggered significant liquidations in the derivatives market.

The recent price action reportedly culminated in the highest weekly closing price for Bitcoin to date, surpassing a previous benchmark of $104,298.70 set in December of the prior year.

Reports indicated that this surge led to the liquidation of over $44 million in short positions tied to Bitcoin across various derivatives platforms, underscoring the potent buying pressure.

Market observers point to two primary catalysts providing the impetus for Bitcoin’s latest ascent.

A significant factor appears to be a legislative proposal from US President Donald Trump, dubbed the “big, beautiful bill.”

This package of legislative priorities includes a contentious five percent tax on remittances sent by non-US citizens residing in the US to their home countries.

The remittance tax ripple effect: a crypto catalyst?

This proposed remittance tax is projected to affect over 40 million individuals in the US who regularly send portions of their income to support families abroad.

While the measure has faced opposition from countries like Mexico, President Trump’s bill has reportedly advanced, having been cleared by the US House Budget Committee in a late-night vote on Sunday.

Analysts have voiced concerns that this bill could inadvertently drive migrants towards alternative, “unauthorised channels” such as cryptocurrencies to make remittances and circumvent the proposed tax.

Crypto advocacy group Coin Center has noted that self-hosted crypto wallets fall outside the purview of the bill, as they do not meet the definition of remittance-transfer providers.

This potential shift towards crypto for cross-border payments is seen as a bullish driver for Bitcoin.

Regulatory horizon: stablecoin bill sparks optimism

Another significant factor potentially fueling the increased buying interest in Bitcoin is the anticipation of upcoming regulation.

For years, the cryptocurrency industry has advocated for clear regulatory frameworks as a means to formally integrate digital assets into the established financial system.

Now, a US bill specifically designed to regulate stablecoin issuers is slated to be taken up by the US Congress this week.

Republican Senator Bill Hagerty, one of the sponsors of the ‘Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (Genius) Act,’ expressed optimism about the legislative progress.

“Next week, the Senate will make history when we debate and pass the Genius Act that establishes the first ever pro-growth regulatory framework for payment stablecoins,” Hagerty was quoted as saying.

According to a report by Coindesk, the bill was reportedly redrafted at the eleventh hour to address concerns raised by Democrats regarding consumer protection and national security elements.

The prospect of clearer rules for stablecoins, a cornerstone of the crypto ecosystem, is likely contributing to broader market confidence.

A year of volatility: navigating economic crosscurrents

Bitcoin’s journey this year has been characterized by extreme price swings.

These fluctuations have occurred amidst broader economic anxieties, including panic over the potential collapse of the US dollar, spurred by President Trump’s imposition of tariffs on China and other nations.

For instance, in April, Bitcoin’s price experienced a sharp downturn, plummeting by 30 percent from its all-time high of nearly $110,000 to around $75,000 per coin, illustrating the asset’s sensitivity to macroeconomic developments and market sentiment.

The current rally above $106,000 marks a significant recovery and a renewed wave of bullish momentum.

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PI coin price prediction as it drops below $1 despite $100m Pi Network Ventures launch

  • The PI coin has dropped to $0.803 despite the $100M Pi Network Ventures fund launch.
  • The Pi Network Ventures fund targets startups to boost PI’s real-world utility.
  • Bearish technicals suggest PI may fall to $0.75 or lower.

Pi Network’s Pi Coin has seen a drastic 10% drop in price over the past 24 hours despite Pi Network announcing a $100 million investment in startups as it launched the Pi Network Ventures.

Initially, the announcement sparked optimism among investors, but the market quickly turned bearish.

Consequently, PI now trades at $0.803, down from a recent high of $1.65.

This sharp decline suggests a classic “sell the news” reaction, with technical indicators pointing to further downside risks.

The Pi Network Ventures launch

On May 14, Pi Network unveiled Pi Network Ventures, committing $100 million to foster startup innovation.

Specifically, the fund, held in Pi and USD, targets ventures enhancing PI’s real-world utility.

For instance, it supports startups in AI, FinTech, and e-commerce, integrating Pi into their operations.

Moreover, the initiative draws from the Pi Foundation’s 10% token reserves.

As a result, it aims to transform Pi into a widely used cryptocurrency.

However, the lack of details on project selection has frustrated investors. Consequently, market sentiment soured post-announcement.

Additionally, the fund’s focus extends beyond blockchain to general tech sectors.

Therefore, it mirrors Silicon Valley venture capital strategies.

Ultimately, this broad approach seeks to strengthen Pi’s ecosystem for its 19 million KYC-verified users.

But despite these ambitions, the announcement failed to sustain bullish momentum.

Instead, PI’s price plummeted 26.2% within 24 hours of the news.

Furthermore, community complaints about slow migration processes after the Pi Network mainnet launch amplified selling pressure.

Nevertheless, the initiative offers startups access to Pi’s global user base across 200+ countries, and it could drive long-term adoption, although the immediate market reaction remains overwhelmingly bearish.

PI coin price prediction

At press time, PI traded at $0.803, down 10.6% over the past 24 hours according to Coingecko data.

Significantly, the price has breached the critical $1 psychological support level.

Moreover, technical analysis reveals a bear flag pattern on the 2-hour chart.

Consequently, this pattern signals potential further declines to $0.75 or even $0.57.

Additionally, the 21-period EMA has crossed below the 50-day and 200-period EMAs, reinforcing bearish signals.

However, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicates oversold conditions, hinting at intense selling pressure.

However, a bullish market reversal could push PI toward $1.25, aligning with the 0.618 Fibonacci level.

Despite recent losses, PI has remained 11.8% above where it was seven days ago, despite being 73.1% below its all-time high of $2.99 from February 2025.

Furthermore, trading volume has surged 11%, comprising 14% of the $5.75 billion market cap.

This heightened activity underscores the market’s reaction to the Ventures announcement, and looking ahead, the failure of Pi coin to reclaim $1 could intensify bearish momentum.

Conversely, a broader crypto market rally might bolster PI’s recovery, and traders should monitor the 50-day and 200-day EMAs as key resistance levels.

Ultimately, PI’s short-term outlook hinges on market sentiment and ecosystem developments.

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