Solana (SOL) spot ETF inflows strengthened in May 2026 after six straight months of declines, rebounding from $39.93 million in April versus $419 million in November 2025. By May 19, Solana spot ETFs had attracted more than $103 million for the month, ahead of XRP's $97 million over the same period. SOL traded near $86 on May 21, up about 2.15% in 24 hours, as broader weekly fund flows showed large outflows from Bitcoin and Ethereum products.

Italian financial investigators traced more than €1 million ($1.16 million) in allegedly undeclared crypto gains tied to Bitcoin Ordinals trading, after examining activity connected to a seized Ledger hardware wallet. The probe used wallet-clustering techniques and exchange KYC records to link pseudonymous on-chain flows to identified individuals, and to reconstruct a repeat trading pattern that cycled BTC proceeds back into further Ordinals activity.

The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned people linked to an alleged cocaine trafficking network that authorities say used cryptocurrency across multiple blockchains to launder millions of dollars. OFAC added the related wallet addresses and identifiers to its Specially Designated Nationals list, barring U.S. persons and entities from transacting with them. The case also involves a federal indictment unsealed by the FBI charging 10 individuals tied to the operation.

Minnesota’s SF760 public safety bill, signed by Governor Tim Walz on 18 May, bans prediction markets and allows felony charges after a state cease-and-desist notice. The CFTC filed suit on 19 May seeking to stop the law before it takes effect on 1 August, as the broader fight over oversight plays out while the sector averages about $20 billion in monthly trading volume.

On May 20, 2026, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Federal Reserve to review whether crypto and fintech firms should be allowed direct access to US payment rails via Reserve Bank "master accounts." The order also calls for agencies to roll back rules deemed overly restrictive to fintech and blockchain payments, and requests a report within 120 days on expanding access under the Fed's payment and settlement services.

D'CENT announced on May 19 a three-week campaign that lets XRP holders deposit into the Monarq XRP Yield Vault (MXRPY) via its app while staying in a hardware-wallet environment. Running from May 19 to June 8, the promotion offers zero platform fees and a $40,000 reward pool paid in XRP and FLR, while Flare network fees are handled without requiring users to buy separate gas tokens.

On May 21, technical charts showed Zcash (ZEC) extending a sharp rally above the $600 area while Hyperliquid (HYPE) held an uptrend after pushing through $50. Dogecoin (DOGE) slipped back toward $0.10 and Shiba Inu (SHIB) broke below key moving averages, as Bitcoin (BTC) consolidated near a $76,000-$78,000 support zone after peaking around $82,000.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that directs the Federal Reserve to consider whether certain digital-asset firms and uninsured depository institutions should gain access to Reserve Bank payment accounts. The order also instructs the Fed to review legal constraints, create clear application steps if permitted, and issue decisions on completed applications within 90 days.