The Bitcoin’s recent pullback may look concerning on the surface, but 
according to Brian Armstrong, the move has more to do with the market 
psychology than with any deterioration in fundamentals. After a period of 
strong performance, shifting sentiment and broader market uncertainty are 
playing a larger role in BTC’s price movement than structural weaknesses 
within the network or its long-term value proposition. Why Bitcoin’s Core 
Strengths Remain Intact A crypto expert known as Walter Bloomberg on X has 
revealed that the Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes Bitcoin’s recent slide 
is temporary and is driven primarily by market psychology rather than 
weakening fundamentals. Related Reading: Standard Chartered Lowers Bitcoin 
Forecast: Predicts Price Dive To $50,000 Before Rebound Speaking to the 
Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) at the World Liberty Forum in 
Florida, Armstrong pushed back against the speculation linking the decline to 
potential Federal Reserve (Fed) leadership changes or emerging risks such as 
quantum computing. Instead, Armstrong explained that the move reflects 
investors locking in profits and reacting to what they believe others are 
thinking. He described the downturn as likely temporary, noting that Coinbase 
is repurchasing shares and buying more BTC at a lower price. Armstrong 
emphasized that crypto market cycles are normal, reiterating that BTC remains 
the best-performing asset of the past decade and that the company continues to 
focus on long-term growth. Is This The Early Stage Of Another Supply Shock? 
Bitcoin whales have accumulated more than 200,000 BTC despite the ongoing 
selling pressure. Analyst Darkfost highlighted that while whale inflows to 
exchanges have increased recently, their overall holdings have continued to 
grow. Thus, inflows typically reflect short-term behaviour and can generate 
immediate selling pressure. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whales Flood Binance As 
Correction Deepens: On-Chain Data Shows The chart below provides a medium-term 
perspective by tracking the evolution of the whale-held supply on a monthly 
average basis. After a sharp drop in this average to nearly -7% on December 
15, whale behaviour appears to have shifted over the past month, with their 
holdings increasing by 3.4%. During this period, the BTC supply by whales grew 
from 2.9 million BTC to over 3.1 million BTC, representing an accumulation of 
more than 200,000 BTC. Meanwhile, the last time whale accumulation of this 
magnitude occurred was during the April 2025 market correction. At that time, 
this wave of accumulation had helped absorb selling pressure and supported the 
rally that pushed BTC from $76,000 to $126,000. However, with BTC still 
consolidating around 46% below its recent all-time high, the current level may 
be viewed as an attractive accumulation zone. Darkfost noted that it is not 
surprising to see some whales taking advantage of this opportunity. As selling 
pressure remains significant, this whale demand may not yet be sufficient on 
its own to fully counterbalance the broader market. Featured image from 
Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

Bitcoin’s Recent Drop Isn’t About Fundamentals, Brian Armstrong Says

Ether.fi will migrate 70,000 cards and 300,000 accounts to OP Mainnet, 
bringing $2M in daily crypto payments to Optimism.
The post Ether.fi moves Cash card product to OP Mainnet in major platform 
shift appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Ether.fi moves Cash card product to OP Mainnet in major platform shift

CME Group will begin offering 24/7 trading for its regulated cryptocurrency 
futures and options products starting May 29, marking a structural shift in 
how traditional derivatives markets engage with digital assets. Crypto Never 
Sleeps—Now CME Group Won’t Either The Chicago-based derivatives marketplace 
CME said on Thursday that its cryptocurrency futures and options will trade 
around […]

CME Group Bets on Around-the-Clock Crypto Futures Access

Bitcoin may stay capped under $70,000 as traders deploy bearish options 
strategies, and spot BTC ETF outflows point to a retest of the yearly low.

Bitcoin options market structure leans toward $60K retest in February

The CFTC is focusing on returning to foundational principles to enhance market 
oversight. Emphasis is placed on ensuring financial markets serve the economy 
through price discovery and risk mitigation. Regulatory efforts should 
prioritize market integrity over sensational headlines.
The post Caroline Pham: CFTC&#8217;s focus on foundational principles will enhance market integrity, why collaboration with SEC is essential, and the importance of a positive regulatory posture for crypto innovation | Empire appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Caroline Pham: CFTC’s focus on foundational principles will enhance market integrity, why collaboration with SEC is essential, and the importance of a positive regulatory posture for crypto innovation | Empire

Cryptocurrency price in ZAR