On May 16th, decentralized cloud infrastructure provider Aethir announced the launch of the Checker Node buyback program, offering existing Checker Node NFT holders the option to sell back to the Aethir Foundation at a fixed price. The program will start on May 22nd at 12:00 UTC, rewarding early supporters who may no longer wish to participate in the node ecosystem.
Payments will be made in eATH (EigenATH) tokens, with a 10% transaction fee applied to each trade.
DeFi strategy management platform XSY.fi announced the completion of a $5 million Pre-A round of financing, led by Borderless Capital and Protagonist, with participation from Paper Ventures, Chainview Capital, Avalanche Blizzard Fund, Sonic Boom Ventures, and others. In addition, XSY.fi also announced the launch of the digital synthetic dollar Unity (UTY) on the Avalanche blockchain, aimed at improving liquidity and capital efficiency in the blockchain ecosystem.
Ukrainian President Zelensky said on the 15th at a press conference held at the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey that he himself will not attend the Ukraine-Russia negotiations in Istanbul. Ukraine will send a high-level delegation to participate in the negotiations. He said that the Ukrainian delegation will be led by Defense Minister Umerov, and will include representatives from the military and intelligence departments. It is not yet clear whether the negotiations will take place on the 15th or the 16th.
Federal Reserve Chairman Powell stated that policymakers are considering adjusting the core content of the monetary policy guidance framework, including the way the US employment "gap" is described, and thoughts on how to achieve the inflation target. In 2020, the Federal Reserve made two important reforms to guide the economy: first, after a period of inflation persistently below 2%, allowing inflation to moderately exceed 2% for a period of time; second, during periods of low unemployment, the Federal Reserve will no longer preemptively raise interest rates to guard against potential inflationary pressures, aiming to narrow the "gap" between actual employment and the maximum employment goal. Powell stated on Thursday at a research conference on monetary policy framework, "Officials believe it is necessary to reconsider the description of the employment 'gap'. At last week's meeting, we also had similar thoughts on the average inflation target regime."
the market shows BTC breaking through $103,000, now reporting $103,021.99, with a 24-hour decline of 0.45%. The market is fluctuating greatly, please be cautious of risks.
analysts at JPMorgan Chase said that with the weakening of gold and changes in fund flows, Bitcoin may continue to outperform gold in the second half of 2025. The institution pointed out that companies such as MicroStrategy continue to purchase Bitcoin, and several states in the United States have included it in their strategic reserves, such as New Hampshire allowing up to 5% asset allocation in Bitcoin. In addition, the maturity of the crypto derivatives market and clear regulation also attract institutional participation.
Coinbase Canada CEO Lucas Matheson urged the new government led by Mark Carney to quickly develop a national encryption strategy at the Toronto Consensus 2025 conference. Matheson suggested the establishment of a dedicated encryption working group within 100 days of taking office, clearly defining digital assets, regulating stablecoins, and allowing banks to securely hold cryptocurrencies. He emphasized the need for a stablecoin pegged to the Canadian dollar, pointing out that current international remittance costs can be as high as 6%-12%, while encryption technology can significantly reduce these fees. Matheson also stated that about 15% of Canada's population belongs to the underserved banking group, and encryption technology can provide innovative solutions for them. Matheson warned that if swift action is not taken, Canada may fall behind in the global encryption financial competition, forcing citizens to use foreign platforms, increasing risks, and missing out on economic opportunities.
the US stock market rose, with the S&P 500 index turning higher, the Dow rising 0.1%, and the Nasdaq narrowing its decline to 0.3%.
on May 15th, He Yi, co-founder of Binance, detailed Binance's recruitment philosophy and standards in an AMA live broadcast, and recommended its latest talent recruitment program - the "New Seed Plan". The program aims to find and cultivate talents who are passionate about the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry. He Yi stated that Binance not only focuses on candidates' technical background, but also values innovative thinking, rapid learning ability, passion for industry development, and desire for success. The "New Seed Plan" is open for global applications, suitable for young people with different backgrounds and stages of development, and encourages applicants with diverse backgrounds to join in promoting the development of the blockchain ecosystem.
Sonic CSO officially announced that it will no longer renew its contract with market maker Wintermute, ending the exclusive partnership that lasted for five years. The Sonic team will turn to a market maker that can provide "MM++" services, hoping that the new partner will not only provide support for centralized exchanges, but also actively participate in the construction of the DeFi ecosystem, support application growth, host global community events, and maintain open and positive communication with the team.
