During May 25–29, bitcoin spot ETFs posted $1.42 billion in net outflows and ether spot ETFs saw $241 million leave, capping the final week of May with combined withdrawals of more than $1.6 billion. Over the same period, altcoin products took in capital, led by HYPE spot ETFs with $26 million and XRP spot ETFs with $15.2 million, while solana spot ETFs added $2.4 million.

Iran said on Monday it has stopped indirect talks with the U.S. and threatened a full blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a move that pushed oil sharply higher. Brent rose about 6.5% to above $97 per barrel and WTI gained 7.5% to just under $94, as markets weighed renewed risks to Middle East supply routes.

Kalshi traders are positioning for slower job growth in May than April, but they still lean toward a result above the 90,000-job Dow Jones consensus. On Monday, the market implied a 56% chance the nonfarm payrolls figure beats Wall Street expectations, with 49% odds for more than 100,000 jobs and 40% for more than 110,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report is due Friday ahead of the Fed's June 16-17 meeting under Chair Kevin Warsh.

CoinShares reported that institutional crypto products recorded $1.67 billion in net outflows over the past week, extending the streak to three consecutive weeks of withdrawals. Bitcoin accounted for $1.438 billion of the redemptions and Ethereum saw $257 million, while total assets under management slipped to $141 billion. Three-week cumulative outflows were listed at $4.21 billion, with US products contributing $1.63 billion of the latest week's exits.

Bitcoin slipped under $72,000 after Strategy (MSTR) disclosed a sale of 32 BTC for $2.5 million, its first publicized bitcoin sale in four years. Liquidations jumped as the move unfolded, with CoinGlass showing $93.69 million wiped out in the past hour, while BTC fell from above $74,000 to around $72,250 during the late Asian session.

Coinbase has launched direct Indian rupee (INR) banking rails in India, enabling users to deposit and withdraw funds via the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS). The rollout also introduces dedicated INR order books and keeps access to spot trading, perpetual futures, and Coinbase Advanced as the exchange expands its push in the country.

Crypto exploits and scams led to about $68.3 million in losses across 60 confirmed incidents in May 2026, with $9.38 million later returned. Verus and Thorchain were the largest single events at $11.52 million and $10.12 million, while phishing contributed roughly $2.6 million. Code vulnerabilities dominated the breakdown at $45.13 million, followed by wallet compromises at $13.77 million.

Prediction markets posted $28.4 billion in trading volume in May, setting a new monthly high. The figure exceeded January's prior record of $27.1 billion and extended a run of four straight months of rising activity. Kalshi led the month with $17.3 billion, ahead of Polymarket's $8.4 billion.