K Wave has decided to abandon its Bitcoin treasury strategy, opting instead to redirect up to $485 million from its Anson Funds facility towards AI infrastructure. According to NS3.AI, the Nasdaq-listed company has also approved the sale of Play Co., a decision anticipated to eliminate approximately $48 million in debt and related contingent liabilities, pending shareholder approval. Following the announcement of these strategic changes, K Wave shares experienced a decline of over 25% on Monday.

Kaiko has identified unusual trading patterns occurring shortly before Robinhood's listing announcements. According to NS3.AI, the firm observed that one wallet established a significant long position on Hyperliquid just before Robinhood announced the listing of Litentry on January 15, subsequently closing the trade for a profit following the announcement. Similar trading behaviors were noted around the listings of Zcash, Synthetix, and Near Protocol. However, Kaiko stated that it remains uncertain whether these activities are indicative of insider trading or merely preemptive trading strategies.

South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago praised the resilience of the rand and other emerging-market currencies during the ongoing conflict in Iran. Bloomberg posted on X that Kganyago suggested this trend might indicate a broader shift away from U.S. assets. The governor's remarks come as global markets react to geopolitical tensions, with investors reassessing their portfolios in light of the situation. Emerging-market currencies, including the rand, have shown strength, which Kganyago attributes to their inherent fortitude in times of crisis. This development could signal a changing sentiment among investors, potentially impacting the global financial landscape.

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reported on May 5 that the expansion of the U.S. service sector slowed for the second consecutive month in April. According to Jin10, this was influenced by the largest decline in new orders in three years and sustained cost pressures at levels seen since late 2022. The ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI fell from 54.0 in March to 53.6 in April, slightly below the expected 53.7. While the business activity index rose by 2 points to 55.9, other components showed weaker performance. The new orders index dropped from a three-year high of 60.6 in March to 53.5, marking a 7.1-point decrease, the largest since March 2023. Meanwhile, cost pressures remained unchanged, with the prices paid index holding steady at 70.7, a high not seen since October 2022. The ongoing conflict in Iran has not only driven up energy prices but also caused supply chain bottlenecks, extending delivery times for essential business materials. According to data from the American Automobile Association, motor fuel prices have reached their highest level since the summer of 2022. The ISM supplier deliveries index, which rises as delivery times lengthen, increased from 56.2 in March to 56.8, the highest since July 2022.

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reported that the U.S. non-manufacturing PMI for April was 53.6, slightly below the anticipated 53.7. According to Jin10, the previous month's PMI was recorded at 54, indicating a slight decline in the non-manufacturing sector's growth rate.

The U.S. March JOLTs job openings were reported at 6.866 million, surpassing the expected 6.835 million. According to Jin10, the previous figure was revised from 6.882 million to 6.922 million.

The U.S. reported annualized new home sales totaling 682,000 units in March, exceeding the anticipated 650,000 units. According to Jin10, this data reflects a stronger-than-expected performance in the housing market.

S&P Global Market Intelligence's Chief Business Economist, Chris Williamson, noted on May 5 that U.S. business activity has resumed growth after a slight decline in March. However, according to Jin10, the momentum has significantly slowed since the beginning of the year. Survey data indicates an annualized GDP growth rate of approximately 1%. Growth may weaken further as the services sector reports a decrease in new business inflows for the first time in two years, reflecting the increasing impact of the Middle East conflict on demand. The direct effects of the conflict are most evident in the services sector, where high prices have led to a decline in discretionary spending, such as vacations and entertainment. Additionally, high fuel costs and travel disruptions have suppressed transportation activities. The demand for financial services has also decreased, partly due to rising market uncertainty and expectations of higher inflation and interest rates affecting real estate and credit activities. Input cost inflation has risen further, with fuel prices increasing and prices for goods and services generally rising, alongside wage growth. These factors are expected to contribute to consumer inflation in the coming months.

Key Takeaways Digital asset investment products recorded $117.8 million in net inflows last week, extending the inflow streak to five consecutive weeks and $4.02 billion in cumulative flows -- the longest and largest inflow streak of 2026ETPs shed $619 million across Monday through Thursday before a single Friday session of $737 million inflows flipped the week positive -- one of the largest single-day inflow figures of the yearBitcoin products attracted $192.1 million in weekly inflows, lifting year-to-date flows to $4.2 billion, though significantly below the prior three weeks' average of nearly $1 billionEthereum reversed course with $81.6 million in outflows, snapping a three-week inflow streak that had averaged above $190 millionUS spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $532.21 million on Monday alone, led by BlackRock's IBIT at $335.49 million and Fidelity's FBTC at $184.57 millionTotal crypto ETP assets under management held steady at $155 billion despite the volatile weekly flow pattern Crypto exchange-traded products extended their inflow streak to five consecutive weeks last week, but the headline figure masks a volatile underlying pattern that offers as much caution as it does comfort. According to CoinShares' weekly report published Tuesday, digital asset investment products recorded $117.8 million in net inflows for the week -- a positive result that was entirely engineered by a single Friday session that attracted $737 million after four days of consecutive outflows totaling $619 million had left the week in deeply negative territory heading into the weekend. Friday Saved the Streak CoinShares head of research James Butterfill described the Friday inflow figure as one of the largest single-day inflows of 2026, attributing it to "a sharp improvement in risk appetite" that coincided with Bitcoin's recovery above $80,000. The reversal from a $619 million four-day outflow run to a $737 million single-session inflow underscores how binary current market sentiment is -- and how quickly flows can shift in response to geopolitical or macro catalysts. The five-week cumulative total now stands at $4.02 billion, surpassing the previous 2026 best of $2.9 billion recorded in March and marking the longest sustained inflow run of the year. Total ETP assets under management held steady at $155 billion despite the week's volatility. Bitcoin Leads but Participation Narrows Bitcoin products attracted $192.1 million in weekly inflows, lifting year-to-date flows to $4.2 billion. The figure is positive but represents a significant step-down from the prior three weeks' average of nearly $1 billion per week -- a deceleration that Butterfill flagged as a signal of softening sentiment through the working week before Friday's recovery. Short-Bitcoin products attracted modest inflows of $6 million, reflecting residual bearish positioning despite the price recovery. Butterfill identified the narrowing of participation as the week's clearest warning signal. "The narrowing in participation from nine assets to four this week is the clearest signal that sentiment softened through the working week before recovering on Friday," he wrote -- a comment that points to a market where conviction is concentrated rather than broad-based. Ethereum Snaps Its Inflow Streak Ethereum reversed sharply with $81.6 million in outflows, ending a three-week inflow streak that had averaged more than $190 million per week. The reversal is notable given Ethereum's strong April performance and suggests profit-taking or rotation away from ETH at current levels rather than a structural change in institutional demand. Regional Flows: US Participation Drops Sharply The regional breakdown revealed a significant pullback in US participation. American investors contributed just $47.5 million in net inflows last week -- a sharp drop from the $1.1 billion recorded the prior week, reflecting the midweek outflow pressure that dominated the first four days of the period. Germany added $43.8 million and Canada contributed $16 million, providing a modest offset from international markets. Monday's ETF Inflows Signal Recovery The flow picture has already improved materially at the start of this week. US spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted $532.21 million on Monday alone, led by BlackRock's IBIT with $335.49 million and Fidelity's FBTC with $184.57 million -- extending a three-day winning streak and coming as Bitcoin crossed back above $80,000 for the first time in more than three months. The Monday inflow follows a $490.63 million outflow stretch last week, reinforcing the pattern of sharp reversals that has defined ETP flows through the volatile April-May period.

Intel's stock price increased by 11.16%, reaching $106.47 per share, according to Odaily. The company's total market capitalization now stands at $535.1 billion, with a year-to-date increase of nearly 190%.

I remember when I visited financial institutions in Taipei 10 years ago, they were all complaining: Taiwan's GDP fell by 0.89% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2016, marking the third consecutive quarter of decline, while their salaries had not increased for many years.

Court Hearing on May 4: A Self-Inflicted Bombshell Reflects the Entire AI Era

Western Union has officially stepped into the stablecoin arena, launching its US dollar-pegged USDPT on Solana in a move that signals a major shift from traditional remittance rails to blockchain-based settlement.

BitMine has bought over 100,000 ETH for three weeks in a row, lifting its total holdings above 5.18 million ETH. The firm says Ethereum demand is rising due to tokenisation, AI use and staking income growth.

North Korea has been accused of orchestrating more than 75% of the global crypto crime in 2026, with blockchain analytics firm TRM Labs estimating that the stolen funds could reach a whopping $577 million in just the past four months.

Polygon has introduced private stablecoin payments that hide transaction details using zero-knowledge proofs while still applying compliance checks. Users can produce audit files for regulators, targeting institutional use of onchain payments with privacy and oversight.

Tether, the crypto financial giant known for its stablecoins, is extending its reach into the Bitcoin mining field.

The progress of the CLARITY Act legislation has had a direct impact on stablecoin issuers and trading platforms, with Circle's stock price surging nearly 20% intraday and USDC trading activity increasing significantly.

Bitcoin surged past $80,000, hitting a four-month high of $80,529 just hours after Donald Trump unveiled “Project Freedom”—a U.S. naval initiative to escort cargo ships through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions with Iran.

Ben Felix, portfolio manager and chief investment officer at PWL Capital, is an evidence-based investment expert who translates academic financial research into practical decision-making that is understandable to the average person.