Get up-to-date with the latest trends in crypto, Bitcoin, AI, and beyond. Oraichain's "Market Insights'' series delivers a monthly snapshot of the hottest narratives shaping the blockchain space. Dive into May's market news and discover what's driving innovation.

Major News

U.S. Senate Advances GENIUS Act

The U.S. Senate has advanced the GENIUS Act, a bipartisan bill that would create the first federal regulatory framework for stablecoins. With a 66-32 vote, the bill overcame a filibuster and now heads to a full Senate vote. It sets standards for reserves, audits, issuer restrictions, and anti-money laundering compliance. If passed, it could bring long-awaited clarity to the $232 billion stablecoin market and position the U.S. as a leader in digital asset regulation. (Source: Chainalysis)

Trump Extends Tariffs Deadline to July 9, 2025

In May 2025, former President Trump extended the deadline for potential tariffs on European Union imports to July 9, 2025. This extension backed away from his earlier threat to impose 50% tariffs on EU imports, giving more time for trade negotiations. 

The news caused European markets to rally as the extension provided temporary relief from immediate economic impacts. (Source: Various)

Circle's Jumps 168% In NYSE Debut

Circle Internet Group, the company behind the USDC stablecoin, had a remarkable NYSE debut with shares priced at $31, opening at $69, and trading as high as $103.75. The IPO raised nearly $1.1 billion and valued the company at $6.8 billion. This successful public offering is considered significant for the cryptocurrency industry, particularly for the stablecoin sector, which is projected to grow substantially in the coming years. (Source: Yahoo Finance)

Ethereum Activates PECTRA Upgrade to Boost Performance and Usability

Ethereum successfully activated its PECTRA upgrade on May 7, 2025, integrating both execution and consensus layer improvements. The update introduced account abstraction, improved scalability, and reduced transaction costs for Layer-2 solutions. 

Validator operations were enhanced with a higher staking limit and streamlined infrastructure. Overall, the upgrade strengthens Ethereum’s efficiency, accessibility, and decentralization. (Source: Various)

USDt Market Cap Hits $150B

Tether's USDt stablecoin surpassed a $150 billion market capitalization for the first time on May 12, 2025. The circulating supply has grown by 36% over the past year and now accounts for 61% of the global stablecoin market. 

As the largest stablecoin, USDt is considered a barometer for cryptocurrency demand. Tether has announced plans to enter the U.S. market with a new dollar-backed stablecoin later this year. (Source: Cointelegraph)

Cetus Protocol Suffers Major Exploit

Cetus Protocol, a decentralized exchange on the Sui blockchain, was exploited for $260 million on May 22, 2025. The attacker used flash loans and a vulnerability in the pricing math library to manipulate 46 liquidity pools. 

While $162 million was frozen and transferred to a multisig wallet, the incident exposed critical gaps in smart contract security. The case raised fresh concerns over the reliability of audits and emphasized the need for stronger defense mechanisms. (Source: Various)

The 8-Figure Trader Dividing Crypto Twitter: Who is James Wynn?

James Wynn, a high-risk memecoin trader turned Hyperliquid whale, reportedly earned up to $87 million through leveraged trades on trending assets like PEPE and Bitcoin. Known for bold calls and transparent trade posts on X, his reputation is now mixed with growing controversy over token promotions and alleged pump-and-dump schemes. While Wynn denies wrongdoing, the crypto community remains divided while watching his next moves closely. (Source: BeInCrypto)

BTC in May

Bitcoin surged by approximately 11% in May 2025, reaching a new all-time high of $112,000 as institutional demand and macroeconomic concerns fueled its upward trajectory. On-chain data revealed significant institutional activity, with U.S.-listed spot ETPs recording elevated net inflows of $5.2 billion and major corporations like Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) purchasing an additional 27,000 Bitcoin worth approximately $2.8 billion. (Source: Various)

AI in May

Mistral Rolls Out New AI Assistant, Coding Model, and Flagship LLM

In May 2025, Mistral AI launched major products:

• Medium 3: a high-performance model optimized for cost-efficiency and professional tasks like coding and multimodal understanding.
• Le Chat Enterprise: a robust AI assistant platform tailored for businesses, with advanced features like enterprise search, agent customization, and hybrid deployment.
• Devstral: an open-source coding model co-developed with All Hands AI, is designed for developers and excels at code exploration and editing across environments.

(Source: Various)

OpenAI Expands ChatGPT with GPT-4.1 Mini Rollout

OpenAI made GPT-4.1 mini available in ChatGPT for all users on May 14, 2025. GPT-4.1 was initially launched in the API in April and became available directly in ChatGPT in May due to popular demand. While specific details about the models' capabilities are limited from the available sources, they represent OpenAI's continued advancement in AI model development. (Source: OpenAI)

Google I/O 2025 Announcements

Google unveiled several major AI offerings at I/O in May 2025:

• Google Beam: A new AI-first video communications platform that transforms 2D video streams into realistic 3D experiences.
• Gemini 2.5 Pro: Featuring an enhanced reasoning mode called Deep Think.
• Gemini Live: Now incorporating Project Astra's camera and screen-sharing capabilities.
• Agent Mode: A new feature in the Gemini app that helps users accomplish tasks like finding real estate listings and scheduling tours.
• AI Mode in Search: A reimagined Search experience allowing for longer and more complex queries.
• Veho 3 and Imagen 4: State-of-the-art video and image generation models.
• Android XR: A new platform bringing Gemini to glasses and headsets.
• Google AI Ultra: A new AI subscription plan with high usage limits and premium features. 

(Source: Google)

Anthropic Launches Claude 4 Opus and Sonnet Models

In May 2025, Anthropic released two new models: Claude 4 Opus and Claude 4 Sonnet. Claude Opus 4 is marketed as their most capable model yet, excelling in advanced coding, search, and writing tasks. 

Claude Sonnet 4 builds on the prior version with improved performance, though full technical details remain limited. The Claude 4 series reflects Anthropic’s continued focus on high-performance AI for both creative and technical applications. (Source: Anthropic)

Oraichain in May

Introducing LFG!!!

LFG!!! is a new self-custodial crypto trading app that blends real-time AI insights with seamless fiat on-ramps and user-friendly features. The app includes AI Pilot, a research assistant powered by Thesis.io, helping users discover and evaluate new tokens based on social, hype, and risk metrics. 

Users can fund wallets via Google Pay or credit cards, manage multi-chain portfolios, and receive personalized smart alerts, all without relying on centralized exchanges. 

Now live on Android, LFG!!! is available on the Google Play Store with updates and news shared on X (Twitter) and Telegram.

Agents(dot)land Roadmap Update - May 2025

Agents(dot)land, a core part of the Oraichain ecosystem, released its May 2025 roadmap, outlining a strategic shift toward building more capable and utility-driven agents. The update introduces new architecture enabling agents to access real-time data, retain memory, reason through tasks, and perform on-chain actions. 

Key phases include developing a foundational AI layer, showcasing real-world agent workflows in DeFi via Thesis.io, and preparing for Initial Agentic Offerings (IAgOs) through a hybrid launchpad-marketplace model. 

You can read the full roadmap update here.

Oraichain Heads to Da Nang for Web3 x AI Week

In early June, we spent an incredible week in Da Nang connecting with the Web3 x AI community. On June 3, we joined as an organizing partner for the Web3 Builders’ Summit with sqrDAO, helping shape key conversations on agent tech and real-world AI utility. We also co-hosted the Alpha Brunch with Thesis.io, and participated in Polkadot’s HackCamp (June 4) and the Solana Summit (June 5–7). 

The energy was real, the conversations were deep, and we’re walking away even more excited about what we’re building next.

Wrapping up

May 2025 brought big strides across crypto and AI: from regulatory clarity and market rallies to next-gen AI model launches. For Oraichain, it was all about leveling up usability and intelligence. With LFG!!! live and a bold new roadmap for Agents(dot)land, we’re shaping a smarter, more actionable Web3.

Explore these advancements and join Oraichain’s thriving ecosystem today! Don’t forget to stay tuned for more exciting updates!