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Bitcoin dives, Strategy buys 🤿

Bitcoin dives, Strategy buys 🤿

Bitcoin slipped to lows under $77,000 Monday morning, as crypto came under pressure from "more institutional" transmission channels in the wake of geopolitical anxiety.

Stephen Graves
May 18, 2026

📝 What you need to know

Bitcoin tumbled to lows under $77,000 Monday morning, as a surge in U.S. Treasury yields sent ETF outflows to their worst level since late January.

With the U.S. bond market “collapsing in real-time,” according to The Kobeissi Letter, crypto is under pressure from an increasingly institutional transmission channel—with geopolitical shocks impacting on Treasury yields, denting risk appetite and hitting ETF flows.

Meanwhile, crypto treasury firms took advantage of the downturn to buy the dip, with Tom Lee’s BitMine adding $151 million in Ethereum last week as Strategy scooped up a whopping $2 billion in Bitcoin for its coffers.

Bitcoin Slides Under $77K as Crypto Liquidations Top $672M Amid Bond Sell-Off

Analysts flagged that geopolitical shocks no longer "hit crypto directly" thanks to institutional transmission via ETF flows.

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📰 In the News

Bitcoin, Ethereum ETFs Bleed as Crypto Funds Shed $1.07 Billion, Ending 6-Week Win Streak

Bitcoin ETFs bore the brunt of a geopolitically driven sell-off, CoinShares said, though altcoin funds largely held their ground.

Strategy Leverages Preferred Stock Issuance for $2 Billion Bitcoin Buy

Strategy purchased 24,869 Bitcoin last week for $2 billion, channeling billions of dollars that came from its flagship preferred stock.

'Attractive Opportunity': Tom Lee's BitMine Adds $151 Million in Ethereum Amid Price Dip

BitMine Immersion Technologies added $151 million in Ethereum amid last week's price slide, with Tom Lee citing the "attractive opportunity."

KuCoin Australia’s ‘Evolution’ Showcases Regulatory Focus, Mastercard Launch

The exchange’s KuCard rollout enables users to make "seamless payments" to Mastercard merchants using USDC.

Brought to you by KuCoin

📊 Myriad Insight of the Day

HYPE to hit $52 in May?

YES 16%

84% NO

Why it matters

HYPE posted gains Monday morning as BTC slipped, with Hyperliquid's HIP-3 pre-IPO perp marketplace handling $120 billion ahead of looming SpaceX, Anthropic and OpenAI listings, per Decrypt. But the broader crypto retreat, plus last week's 40 percent plunge in Anthropic and OpenAI pre-IPO tokens after both firms warned against unauthorized trading, has pulled YES from 44 to 16 since Sunday.

Source: Hyperliquid Defies Market Downturn as SpaceX, Anthropic, OpenAI IPOs Loom (Decrypt)

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🕵🏻‍♀️ Editor’s Picks

Iran Pushes $10B Bitcoin Insurance Plan for Strait of Hormuz: Report

The platform settles cargo cover in Bitcoin under a plan for marine policies and certificates that could generate $10 billion for Iran.

Crypto ATM Operator Bitcoin Depot Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

North America's largest Bitcoin ATM operator cited a hostile regulatory environment and an 'unsustainable' business model.

Tether Billionaire Enters UK's Richest People List Amid Farage Gift Inquiry

Christopher Harborne’s Rich List debut comes as Reform UK's Nigel Farage faces scrutiny over a $6.7 million gift from the Tether investor.

📚 Watch, Listen & Learn

📹️ WATCH: BTC Crashes to 77K, Trump Family’s Big Crypto Exposure, Drake Calls for SBF to be Freed on New Album

🎧 LISTEN: The Decrypt News roundup with TylerD - May 18th

Crypto majors are falling and the ETFs are seeing an exodus. SpaceX had a major debut on Hyperliquid. And the Trump family's latest disclosure shows big crypto exposure.

🎓️ LEARN: What Is Arc? The Stablecoin Blockchain From USDC Issuer Circle

Arc is a new Layer-1 blockchain developed by USDC issuer Circle, designed specifically for stablecoin-native finance.

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