CoinMy Research Institute · Web3 Weekly

Issue #004 | May 18 to May 24, 2026

Insights Across the Crypto Market

1. Three Takeaways of the Week

1. Oil reprice flips macro from risk off to risk on. WTI fell 6% to $90.80 and Brent dropped 6% on signals that Iran talks are “proceeding constructively.” Asian equities ripped, Nikkei broke 65,000 for the first time, and BTC reclaimed $77,000. The blockade still stands per Trump, but markets are pricing the path to a deal.
2. BitMine made the Russell 1000 preliminary inclusion list. This is the first time a Bitcoin treasury company is being added to a mainstream large-cap index basket. Index funds tracking Russell will now buy BMNR mechanically, importing crypto exposure into pension and ETF flows.
3. Tokenization keeps compounding. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong laid out an 8-step financial system upgrade thesis with RWA tokenization at the top. xstocksFi mapped out the next leg into Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan markets for 2027 to 2028. Saylor reiterated BTC will outpace the S&P 500 by 30% this year.

2. Market Pulse

Key takeaway: The same Strait of Hormuz dynamic that drove last week’s selloff is now driving this week’s rip. Stay nimble on positioning until the deal is actually signed. Beneath the headlines, structural index inclusion and tokenization continue to compound.

3. Sector Rotation

1) RWA & Tokenization (Lead, third week in a row) — Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong published an 8-upgrade financial system thesis. RWA tokenization, 24/7 global trading, stablecoin payments, and AI-driven financial services are at the top of the list. — xstocksFi outlined the next leg of tokenized equities, mapping Asian issuer interest in HK / Korea / Japan with 2027 to 2028 timelines. Privates and real estate are likely to come first. — Spot XRP ETF approval flows continue to compound: trading volumes surged ~140% on a reported CBOE confirmation day. — Read: Tokenization is no longer a single market story. It is becoming a multi-region, multi-asset rail with a clear roadmap.

2) Stablecoins & Payments (Strong) — Continued global payments expansion narratives, Armstrong’s thesis reinforces the structural lane. — Read: The quiet compounder. No fireworks needed, the rails keep getting wider.

3) BTC & ETF (Renewed Strength) — BitMine on Russell 1000 preliminary inclusion list is a structural milestone. — Saylor reiterates BTC to outperform S&P 500 by ~30% this year, proposes converting BTC capital gains into 11.5% tax-deferred credit dividend. — BTC reclaims $77,000 on the Hormuz reprice. — Read: BTC’s institutional access path keeps widening. Index inclusion is the cleanest mechanical bid.

4) AI x Crypto (Steady) — Hyperscaler AI infra spend tracking $0.5T+ in 2026 alone. Decentralized AI infra narrative gaining traction as “centralized AI is the most expensive way humanity has ever built it.” — Render, Bittensor, and Virtuals ecosystem updates continue to ship. — Read: AI compute economics are the macro story of the decade. Crypto’s pitch is cost efficiency at scale.

5) DeFi (Selective) — Verus bridge exploiter returned 75% of $11.3M after negotiated settlement, keeping 25% as bounty. — HTX listing Citrea (CTR) on May 26. — Read: DeFi remains in a “regulated rails vs permissionless” split. Negotiated post-exploit settlements are becoming a recurring playbook.

4. Policy Watch

• United States: Trump says Iran blockade stays “until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.” Talks described as “proceeding constructively.” Secretary Rubio publicly rules out any deal that strengthens Iran’s nuclear posture.
• Iran: President says Iran is ready to declare it does not seek nuclear weapons. Iran reportedly in “third defensive phase.” Internet shutdown now at 114 days out of 144 this year, the longest in history.
• China: Pakistan PM and Serbia President in Beijing for state visits. Shenzhou 23 successful launch. Hong Kong markets closed Monday. China to publish Greater Bay Area integrated trade data “at an appropriate time.”
• Europe: ECB Stournaras warns Hormuz closure could have secondary effects on wages and prices.

5. Risk & Security

• Verus bridge exploit settlement (May 24). Verus bridge attacker returned 4,052 ETH (~$8.5M), 75% of the $11.3M stolen, after accepting a negotiated settlement. The attacker retained 1,350 ETH (~$2.8M) as a bounty in exchange for no legal action.
• What this signals: Negotiated white hat settlements are becoming a normalized recovery playbook for bridge exploits. Pros: faster funds recovery, no protracted forensics. Cons: it creates a moral hazard where attackers can effectively name their own “bounty.”
• Macro risk side: Oil reprice cuts both ways. If Iran talks stall, the same gap-down move can flip in 24 hours. Crypto correlation to oil remains inverse but tight.
• Lesson: Treat this week’s risk on as conditional, not confirmed. Index inclusion and tokenization flows are the durable bid; oil and geopolitics are the volatile overlay.

6. KOL Sentiment

Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong): “The financial system needs eight upgrades, including RWA tokenization, 24/7 global trading, stablecoin payments, and AI-driven financial services.”

Michael Saylor (@saylor): “Bitcoin will outperform the S&P 500 by ~30% this year. Converting BTC capital gains into an 11.5% tax-deferred credit dividend offers yield beating traditional fixed income.”

Thomas Lee (@fundstrat) on BitMine: “FTSE Russell preliminary inclusion list. BMNR market cap places it squarely in large cap territory.”

James Hallam (xstocksFi): “Demand for Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan tokenized equity markets is already visible. Asian issuers targeting 2027 to 2028. Privates and real estate first.”

President Trump: “The blockade will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.”

7. CoinMy Spotlight

• Platform: CoinMy continues to expand its compliance license matrix. This week’s BitMine Russell 1000 milestone and Armstrong’s 8-upgrade thesis both validate the institutional rail strategy CoinMy has been pursuing.
• Product: Copy Trading is live with lead trader applications open. Capital-Protected Copy Trading is in development. Both products operationalize CoinMy’s “the market can be complex, the user experience should not be” principle.
• Research: This is Issue #004 of CoinMy Web3 Weekly. Clear, opinionated, source-traceable read every Monday.
• Channels: Website / X (@CoinMyX) / Telegram / Discord / Medium / Instagram / Facebook.

8. Week Ahead (May 25 to May 31)

Disclaimer

This report is published by CoinMy Research Institute for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Crypto assets are highly volatile; trade at your own risk.

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