Sui has retreated from its recent high of $4.21 on May 12, now trading at $3.84, as technical indicators show weakening strength. Despite the recent dip, the layer-1 token remains one of the top performers in the sector, having risen…

Sui cools off after strong rally — can 21Shares partnership fuel new momentum?

A lag in Tether&#8217;s wallet blacklisting process allowed over $78 million in 
illicit funds to be moved before enforcement actions took effect, according to 
a new report from blockchain compliance firm AMLBot.
In a May 15 report, AMLBot&#8217;s onchain investigation team explained that 
Tether&#8217;s address blacklisting becomes effective after a considerable delay 
from when the process is initiated on Ethereum and Tron.
&#8220;This delay originates from Tether&#8217;s multisignature contract setup on both 
Tron and Ethereum, transforming what should be an immediate compliance action 
into a window of opportunity for illicit actors,&#8221; the report stated.
Tether&#8217;s blacklisting procedure is a multi-step process with a first 
transaction effectively warning of the upcoming blacklisting. First, a Tether 
administrator multisignature transaction submits a pending call to 
&#8220;addBlackList&#8221; on the USDT-TRC20 contract.
This results in a public &#8220;submission&#8221; of the target address as a blacklist 
candidate. This is followed by a second multisignature transaction confirming 
the submission, resulting in an &#8220;AddedBlackList&#8221; emission, making the 
blacklisting effective.
_**Related:**__**Tether, Tron and TRM Labs jointly froze $126M USDT in 2024**_
## A warning on incoming blacklisting
In one example shared with Cointelegraph, an onchain transaction submitting a 
Tron address as a blacklist candidate took place at 11:10:12 UTC. The second 
transaction that actually enforced the action did not occur until 11:54:51 UTC 
on the same day, a 44-minute delay.
In practice, this delay can be treated by owners of USDt about to be 
blacklisted as a notice to move their assets to avoid them being frozen. The 
report stated:
&gt; &#8220;This delay between a freeze request and its on-chain execution creates a 
&gt; critical attack window, allowing malicious actors to front-run enforcement 
&gt; and move or launder funds before the freeze takes effect.&#8221;
_Example of USDt blacklisting transactions. Source: AMLBot_
The report claimed that &#8220;for blockchain-savvy attackers, these delays are 
golden.&#8221; By tracking Tether&#8217;s calls in real time, a fraudster can be instantly 
alerted that their address is being targeted. When asked by Cointelegraph 
whether the delay is a technical limitation or just a delay in the actions of 
a multisignature wallet key holder, AMLBot researchers said that they cannot 
determine it without knowledge of Tether&#8217;s internal procedures.
Tether had not responded to Cointelegraph&#8217;s request for comment by 
publication.
_**Related:**__**Tether stablecoin issuer and Tron launch financial crime 
unit**_
## Not just theoretical
AMLBot claimed that its data shows that over $28.5 million in USDT was 
withdrawn during the delay between the two transactions on the Ethereum 
blockchain. This amount of freeze avoidance occurred between Nov. 28, 2017, 
and May 12, 2025. The average amount moved during the delay exceeded $365,000.
Similarly, $49.6 million was reportedly withdrawn during freeze delay windows 
on the Tron blockchain, resulting in a total on Ethereum and Tron of $78.1 
million. Exploiting this delay on Tron is not particularly rare, according to 
AMLBot:
&gt; &#8220;170 out of 3,480 wallets (4.88%) on Tron blockchain exploited the lag 
&gt; before getting blacklisted. Each of these wallets made 2-3 transfers during 
&gt; the delay, withdrawing: Average: $291,970.&#8221;
Tether has previously promoted its ability to freeze assets as a compliance 
feature. In 2024, Tether, Tron, and analytics firm TRM Labs cooperated to 
freeze over $126 million in USDT linked to illicit activity.
Still, the AMLBot report raises questions about the effectiveness and speed of 
those enforcement actions.
_**Magazine:**__**Chinese Tether laundromat, Bhutan enjoys recent Bitcoin 
boost: Asia Express**_

Tether blacklist delay allowed $78M in USDT transfers, report says

After the 2024 halving, Bitcoin mining entered its fifth epoch and block 
rewards were reduced from 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC. This forced miners to rethink 
their operations, optimize efficiency, cut energy costs and upgrade hardware 
to remain profitable. Cointelegraph Research, with insights from industry 
experts at Uminers, examines this transformation in its latest report. The 
analysis covers ASIC efficiency improvements, corporate performance, 
geographical expansion and new revenue models. As miners adapt, Bitcoin moves 
into a new era where institutional momentum and sovereign adoption could 
redefine its role in the global financial system.
**Download the full report to uncover how miners are navigating this shift and 
what the future holds for Bitcoin &#8216;s mining industry.**
## The mining industry&#8217;s response to rising hashrate and shrinking margins
Despite the adverse financial impact of the halving, Bitcoin&#8217;s network 
hashrate has continued to climb. As of May 1, 2025, the total computational 
power of the network reached 831 EH/s. Earlier in the month, hashrate peaked 
at 921 EH/s, marking a 77% increase from the 2024 low of 519 EH/s. This rapid 
recovery underscores the industry&#8217;s relentless drive for efficiency as larger 
mining firms reinvest in fleet upgrades and energy optimization to maintain 
profitability.
The mining arms race has always revolved around power efficiency. With energy 
costs rising, the latest ASIC models from Bitmain, MicroBT and Canaan are 
further optimizing the energy required per hash. Bitmain&#8217;s Antminer S21+ 
delivers 216 TH/s at 16.5 J/TH, while MicroBT&#8217;s WhatsMiner M66S+ pushes 
immersion-cooled performance to 17 J/TH. Meanwhile, semiconductor giants TSMC 
and Samsung are driving the next wave of innovation, with 3-nm chips already 
in use and 2-nm technology on the horizon.
## Post-halving profitability: The global shift toward low-cost energy
Bitcoin mining profitability has tightened significantly post-halving. 
Hashprice, the daily revenue per terahash per second, dropped from $0.12 in 
April 2024 to about $0.049 by April 2025. At the same time, network difficulty 
has surged to an all-time high of 123T, making it harder for miners to 
generate returns. To stay competitive, operations must extract maximum value 
from every watt of power consumed. This shift has intensified the search for 
cheap, reliable power, driving mining expansion into regions where energy 
costs remain low.
Electricity pricing now dictates mining profitability. In Oman, licensed 
miners benefit from government-backed subsidies, securing electricity at 
$0.05-$0.07 per kWh, while in the UAE, semi-governmental projects operate at 
even lower rates of $0.035-$0.045 per kWh. These incentives have turned the 
region into a prime destination for institutional-scale mining. Meanwhile, in 
the US, where industrial power costs often exceed $0.1 per kWh, miners face 
shrinking margins, forcing a migration toward more cost-efficient locations. 
Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia have emerged as key battlegrounds in 
this race, offering the energy arbitrage opportunities miners need to survive.
**Download the full report to uncover how miners are navigating this shift and 
what the future holds for Bitcoin &#8216;s mining industry.**
## What&#8217;s next for Bitcoin mining?
The 2024 halving has reinforced a hard truth: Efficiency is no longer 
optional; it&#8217;s a necessity. The industry is shifting toward leaner, more 
optimized operations, where only the most power-efficient miners can thrive. 
The rise of AI computing, global regulatory shifts and ongoing hardware 
advancements will continue to shape the sector over the next 12-18 months.
Cointelegraph Research&#8217;s _Bitcoin mining report: Post-halving insights and 
trends_ offers a data-driven breakdown of the key forces shaping mining 
profitability, infrastructure investments, and strategic decision-making.
**Download the full report to uncover how miners are navigating this shift and 
what the future holds for Bitcoin &#8216;s mining industry.**
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every 
investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their 
own research when making a decision.
This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and 
should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and 
opinions expressed here are the author&#8217;s alone and do not necessarily reflect 
or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
Cointelegraph does not endorse the content of this article nor any product 
mentioned herein. Readers should do their own research before taking any 
action related to any product or company mentioned and carry full 
responsibility for their decisions.

Bitcoin mining 2025: Post-halving profitability, hashrate and energy trends

The stock market faced downside pressure on Thursday, with the Dow Jones 
Industrial Average, S&amp;P 500, and Nasdaq all opening lower amid a wave of news 
developments. Dow opened 190 points lower to extend its negative trend after 
closing -0.4%…

Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq wobble as stocks rally cools

XRP has pushed past $2.60 again this week, marking its second break above that 
level in just a few days. The token is up 17% over the last seven days as 
traders set their sights on the $3 mark. Related Reading: XRP Frenzy Builds: 
Over $1 Billion in Open Interest Signals Breakout Tension Based on reports 
from well‑known trader CryptoWZRD, a fresh all‑time high could be around the 
corner. But what stands behind these bullish calls, and how realistic are 
they? Historical Patterns Point Higher According To CryptoWZRD, XRP’s climb 
follows a familiar script. He highlights two long phases of calm price 
action—in 2014–2017 and again since 2018—that were each followed by big 
rallies. After holding as low as $1.60 in the recent downturn, XRP is now up 
60% from that trough to return to $2.47, when this article was made. His chart 
suggests that this leg could carry XRP past the $5.00 mark. If that plays out, 
the token would more than double from today’s levels. 🚨 THE ONLY WAY IS UP 📈 
Grinding higher.. ⚠️ $XRP held its ground but not only that has reversed, stop 
fighting it.. a new all time high is inevitable 🚀 Patience Pays.. 
pic.twitter.com/ebqPJmDiso — CRYPTOWZRD (@cryptoWZRD_) May 12, 2025 Market Cap 
Could Eclipse Ethereum Based on the analyst&#8217;s math, a $5.90 XRP would push its 
market cap above $345 billion. That sits just above Ethereum’s current $317 
billion valuation. Flipping ETH might feel bold, but it’s worth noting that 
ETH bulls have piled back in. Ethereum jumped 30% over the past week—nearly 
twice XRP’s gain. So even if XRP finds room to run, it may face stiff 
competition on overall market share. Wider Community Weighs In Other analysts 
compared today’s roughly 5% market dominance to the 30% seen in early 2018, 
when XRP reached $3.84. They think a return to that share could drive the 
price past $10 this year. Related Reading: Avalanche Rumbles 21% Amid Record- 
Breaking Address Activity Bull Case Versus Bigger Risks Not Everyone is 
convinced that numbers tell the full story, though. Legal headwinds in the US 
still hang over XRP after its lawsuit with the SEC, and any setback there 
could send prices tumbling. Market experts painted a super‑bullish scenario 
too, saying that if the global crypto market hits $35 trillion, XRP could 
reach a $1.25 trillion cap—roughly $20 per coin. That’s a 750% jump from 
$2.60. But even seasoned investors know that giant leaps rarely happen without 
sharp pullbacks along the way. At this stage, traders have a clear choice. 
They can chase XRP as it tests new ground, or they can wait for a pause or 
pullback before jumping in. The token’s recent strength is real, but the road 
to fresh highs could be bumpy. Whether it’s $5.80 or even $20, odds are the 
journey will be anything but straight. Featured image from The Market 
Periodical, chart from TradingView

XRP Reverses Course—New All-Time High Looks Unstoppable, Analyst Says

Stablecoin issuer Tether minted another 1 billion USDt tokens on Tron, pushing 
the network&#8217;s authorized USDT supply to surpass Ethereum&#8217;s.
On May 15, blockchain data showed that Tether&#8217;s treasury minted $1 billion of 
its dollar-pegged stablecoin, USDt (USDT), into the Tron network.
As of May 14, Tether&#8217;s stablecoin transparency page shows that Tron&#8217;s 
authorized USDT totals $73.7 billion, while Ethereum has $74.5 billion in 
authorized USDT tokens. If the newly minted tokens are added to the number of 
authorized USDT assets, Tron&#8217;s supply would surpass Ethereum&#8217;s USDT supply.
In terms of circulating supply, Tron also has the lead with $73.6 billion USDT 
on the network, while Ethereum only has $71.8 billion.
_Source:__PeckShieldAlert_
## Tether&#8217;s USDT mints replenish the company&#8217;s token inventory
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino previously said on X that some of the company&#8217;s 
blockchain-based USDT mints are used to replenish their USDT inventory on 
blockchain networks. This means the tokens will be used for the next batch of 
issuance requests and chain swaps.
In traditional business settings, inventory replenishment requires stock 
orders to meet demands. Similarly, Tether may mint USDT to maintain a 
sufficient supply and hold on to the assets until they are issued officially. 
This ensures that the firm&#8217;s liquidity management is smooth.
This means that authorized USDT supply on a network means that the stablecoin 
issuer anticipates future issuance demand of the stablecoin on a blockchain.
_**Related:**__**Altcoins &#8216; roaring returns and falling USDT stablecoin 
dominance suggest &#8216;altseason&#8217; is here**_
## Ethereum and Tron battle for USDT supply dominance
Tron led USDT circulation between July 2022 and November 2024. However, 
CryptoQuant data showed that an $18 billion USDT mint on Ethereum pushed the 
network ahead in 2025. However, Tron&#8217;s USDT supply quickly caught up, with the 
latest mint putting it on top of Ethereum again.
According to Tether&#8217;s transparency page, Solana has the third-most supply of 
USDT in the market, with $2.3 billion authorized on the network. Avalanche has 
$1.8 billion in authorized USDT, making it the fourth-largest network in 
authorized USDT supply. While Avalanche has over $1 billion in authorized 
USDT, the network only has a net circulation of $752 million in tokens.
Meanwhile, The Open Network, Aptos, Near, Celo and Cosmos have smaller 
authorized and circulating USDT supplies.
CoinGecko data shows that Tether&#8217;s total circulation is at a record high of 
$150 million, a 9.4% increase compared to its supply at the start of 2025. 
This gives the stablecoin issuer 61% of all the USD stablecoins in the market.
Circle, its closest competitor, has $60.4 billion in stablecoins, giving it a 
market share of 24.6%, according to CoinGecko.
_**Magazine:**__**Danger signs for Bitcoin as retail abandons it to 
institutions: Sky Wee**_