TL;DR
BlackRock ETFs hit records; U.S. Senate advances stablecoin bill; ETH derivatives, inflows surge.
Highlights
- BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT ) surpassed $70B AUM, with spot Bitcoin ETFs seeing $6B in May net inflows; Ethereum spot ETFs (ETHA ) posted a record $240M daily inflow, extending an 18-day streak110.
- BlackRock (BLK ) set a $50B crypto AUM target by 2030, continuing large Bitcoin and Ethereum purchases4.
- U.S. Senate advanced the GENIUS Act stablecoin bill with bipartisan support; President Trump publicly backed the bill and broader crypto legislation, including a U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve27.
- Bank of America confirmed it is developing a stablecoin; DTCC is also exploring a dollar-pegged token, pending regulation38.
- Stablecoin market cap hit $250B; Circle’s IPO tripled in value, and USDC expanded to World Chain and XRP Ledger1618.
- Long-term Bitcoin holders now control a record 14.4M BTC (>70% of supply), as whale inflows to Binance dropped and BTC neared $112,00011.
- Ethereum futures open interest reached a record $41.66B, with derivatives volume surpassing Bitcoin and $336M in liquidations, mostly longs9.
- Coinbase plans to launch U.S. perpetual futures as early as June 14, bringing high-leverage derivatives onshore6.
- GameStop acquired 4,710 BTC (~$500M) and announced a $1.75B convertible note offering to fund further crypto investments5.
- Solana meme token AURA soared over 4,000% in a day, market cap nearing $100M, driven by speculation and thin liquidity12.
- Polygon named Sandeep Nailwal CEO, outlined a 100,000 TPS roadmap, and will phase out zkEVM to focus on PoS and AggLayer13.
- Tether released an open-source wallet toolkit and took a 32% stake in gold royalty firm Elemental Altus14.
- Plasma doubled its stablecoin deposit cap to $1B following large institutional deposits ahead of a $50M public sale19.
- Stripe agreed to acquire crypto wallet firm Privy, deepening its on-chain payments infrastructure15.
Commentary
ETF flows continue to dominate market structure, with BlackRock’s Bitcoin and Ethereum products attracting record inflows and trading volumes110. The rotation toward Ethereum is notable—spot ETF inflows have outpaced Bitcoin, open interest in ETH futures hit new highs, and derivatives turnover has surged910. This is supported by improved regulatory clarity and expectations for further Ethereum protocol upgrades110. However, the rise in leverage and liquidations, especially on ETH longs, highlights increased risk for traders9.
Stablecoins are in focus as the U.S. Senate moves the GENIUS Act forward, signaling the likelihood of federal regulation2. Major institutions are preparing: Bank of America confirmed stablecoin development, DTCC is evaluating its own token, and Circle’s USDC is expanding across blockchains following a highly successful IPO381618. The stablecoin market cap hitting $250B, alongside strong institutional participation in projects like Plasma, reinforces stablecoins’ growing role in both crypto and broader financial markets1819.
Coinbase ’s planned launch of U.S. perpetual futures could shift derivatives activity onshore, providing regulated access to high-leverage trading and intensifying competition with offshore venues6. Meanwhile, GameStop ’s significant Bitcoin acquisition and funding plans highlight ongoing corporate treasury adoption5. In altcoins, Solana’s AURA token rally and Polygon’s scaling roadmap reflect continued risk appetite and infrastructure development, though traders should be cautious of thin liquidity and momentum-driven moves1213.
Overall, traders should monitor ETF and stablecoin flows, regulatory progress, and the impact of new derivatives offerings on market volatility. Elevated leverage in ETH and crowded meme token trades warrant tight risk controls. Institutional activity and regulatory clarity are shaping a more mature—yet still volatile—market landscape.