Crypto Price Analysis 5-19: BITCOIN: BTC, ETHEREUM: ETH, SOLANA: SOL, RIPPLE: XRP, APTOS: APT, JUPITER: JUP, FILECOIN: FIL

The crypto market opened the week firmly in bearish territory as nearly all cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), registered notable declines. The flagship cryptocurrency held above $103,000 for most of the weekend before moving late on Sunday/early Monday, rising to an intraday high of $106,847 before registering a steep decline and falling below $104,000. 

BTC is marginally down over the past 24 hours, trading at $103,296. Meanwhile, Ethereum (ETH) extended its losses over the weekend and has dropped nearly 4% over the past 24 hours, slipping below $2,400 to $2,394. Ripple (XRP) is down almost 1%, while Solana (SOL) is down 1.28%, trading around $165. 

Dogecoin (DOGE) has bucked the bearish trend, up nearly 2%. However, Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), Stellar (XLM), Hedera (HBAR), Toncoin (TON), Polkadot (DOT), and Litecoin (LTC) traded firmly in bearish territory. 

Australian Authorities Seize Bitcoin, Mansion Linked To Exchange Hack 

Authorities in Australia have seized Bitcoin, a waterfront mansion, and a Mercedes Benz car allegedly linked to a crypto exchange hack. The AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) issued a statement on May 18 saying it had seized nearly 25 BTC along with the mansion and the car. The total worth of the seizure was 4.5 million Australian Dollars ($2.88 million). The AFP began its investigation into the assets in September after law enforcement agencies in Luxembourg shared details about suspicious Bitcoin transactions. Luxembourg authorities said the transactions were linked to a Queensland individual previously convicted of hacking a US gaming company. The AFP stated their investigation also tied the individual to the theft of 950 BTC from a French crypto exchange in 2013. However, no criminal charges were brought over the theft of Bitcoin. 

According to local agencies, the owner of the assets is Shane Stephen Duffy, who pleaded guilty to fraud and computer hacking in 2016 and selling data of League of Legends players. However, prosecutors did not convict Duffy of the attack, stating he received a copy of the data online and sold it for profit. Duffy was also accused of hacking the X account of Riot Games President Marc Merrill to publicize his data-selling business. AFP Commander Jason Kennedy stated, 

“The profits derived from criminal activities are also often used to fund further criminal acts, which is why the AFP works closely with our partners in the CACT to target the proceeds of crime and ensure they are reinvested in the community.”

Crypto Firms In The UK Must Report Customer Transactions 

Crypto companies operating in the UK must collect and report data from every trade and transfer beginning January 2026 as part of an effort to improve tax reporting. According to a UK Revenue and Customs Department statement, crypto firms must collect the user’s full name, home address, and tax identification number for every transaction, including the cryptocurrency used and the amount moved. The statement added that failure to comply with the directive will incur penalties of up to 300 British pounds per user. The department stated it would inform companies on how to comply with the incoming guidelines. 

The new rules are part of the UK’s integration of the Organization for Economic Development’s Crypto Asset Reporting Framework, designed to improve transparency and efficiency in crypto tax reporting. The changes reflect the government’s aim to establish a robust regulatory environment supporting growth while ensuring consumer protection. The UK’s move to integrate crypto rules into its existing financial framework is in stark contrast with the EU’s approach. The EU introduced the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation framework last year. 

VCs View Stablecoins Positively 

The latest Pitchbook report on crypto VC trends has revealed their overwhelmingly positive views on stablecoins. The report stated, 

“Dollar-denominated settlement remains crypto’s killer application, insulated—at least partially—from broader risk-off moves. Our expectations remain that VC investments in the near term could see a step-up increase, especially in payment, remittance, and treasury-management startups that directly monetize stablecoin velocity.”

However, the report stated that VCs will commit more to the crypto industry only if it works to address growing security concerns. These concerns were amplified by the recent Bybit hack. The report also predicted that institutional investors would begin demanding real-time proof of real-time proof-of-reserve tooling and middleware that “abstracts” away key-management complexity. 

The report also highlighted a decline in retail speculation, leading to a substantial loss in meme coin volumes, especially on Solana. The drop in retail interest has led to a significant drop in investment in prominent meme coins. The report added that Circle’s upcoming IPO could create significant crypto liquidity and potentially validate the stablecoin model. 

“Taken together, Q1 2025 was a quarter of consolidation rather than capitulation. Market beta turned negative, but venture-relevant signals—stablecoin growth, infrastructure de-risking, and a credible IPO pipeline—remain intact.”

Bitcoin (BTC) Price Analysis 

Bitcoin’s (BTC) weekend calm was broken on Sunday when the flagship cryptocurrency unexpectedly jumped over 3%, catching the markets off guard. However, what followed next was even stranger, as the price dropped back, falling to a low of $102,145 before moving to its current levels above $103,000. The sudden increase saw over $460 million in long positions wiped out. The price jump took BTC just shy of its all-time high before it fell back to current levels. Economists have stated that BTC’s current price levels are due to growing institutional interest and sustained inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs. Analysts believe the current price levels are sustained by strong inflows into Bitcoin ETFs, which registered $2.8 billion in net inflows in May, taking the total value past $122 billion. Singapore-based QCP Capital stated in a note to investors, 

“Looking ahead, we believe there is further room for digital assets to rally, especially as Coinbase’s inclusion into the S&P 500 on May 19 draws closer. History tells us that index inclusion tends to act as a short-term catalyst, as passive managers adjust their allocations to track the benchmark more closely.”

A positive economic outlook has also helped BTC maintain its current price levels. The Federal Reserve has kept its benchmark interest rates unchanged at 4.25% to 4.50%, maintaining a cautious stance. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has said that the Fed is prepared to respond to evolving data but has offered no imminent shift in policy due to inflation concerns. 

BTC’s price action has been subdued after its May 8 rally, when it surged past $100,000 and settled at $103,093. The rally lost momentum on Friday, registering a marginal decline, slipping below $103,000 and settling at $102,851. The price recovered on Saturday, rising 1.72% and settling at $103,617. However, it was back in the red on Sunday, dropping nearly 1% and ending the weekend on a bearish note at $103,802. BTC encountered volatility on Monday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Sellers ultimately gained the upper hand as BTC dropped 1.04% and settled at $102,728.

Source: TradingView

The price rebounded on Tuesday, rising 1.36% to reclaim $104,000 and settle at $104,123, but was back in the red on Wednesday, falling 0.53% to $103,568. BTC plunged to an intraday low of $101,459 on Thursday but rebounded to register a marginal increase and settle at $103,816. However, sellers were back in control on Friday as BTC registered a marginal decline to $103,545. Price action remained muted on Saturday as BTC registered another marginal decline and settled at $103,235. Price action turned bullish on Sunday as BTC rallied over 3% to cross $106,000 and settle at $106,479. However, the flagship cryptocurrency has lost momentum during the ongoing session and is down nearly 3%, having slipped below $105,000 and trading around $103,275.

Ethereum (ETH) Price Analysis

Ethereum (ETH) continued its downward trajectory, starting the new week in the red after experiencing volatility on Sunday. The world’s second-largest cryptocurrency lost momentum after failing to move past the 200-day SMA on Tuesday (May 13) and has continued to trade downwards as buyers struggled to reclaim momentum. ETH must reclaim and close above $2,450 to prevent a decline to $2,000. Additionally, if the price fails to clear the $2,500 mark, it could indicate a fresh decline, with sellers already gaining the upper hand. However, if buyers regain momentum and break above $2,500, ETH could push towards $3,000.

ETH registered a stunning rally on Thursday, rising nearly 22%, surging past $2,000 and settling at $2,206. The price raced to an intraday high of $2,489 on Friday but failed to stay at that level, ultimately settling at $2,345. Bullish sentiment intensified on Saturday as ETH rose over 10%, crossing $2,500 and settling at $2,585. Despite the positive sentiment, ETH lost momentum on Sunday, dropping to a low of $2,437 before settling at $2,514, ultimately registering a decline of $2,514. ETH encountered volatility on Monday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Sellers gained the upper hand as the price registered a marginal decline, slipping below $2,500 and settling at $2,496.

Source: TradingView

Despite the volatile start to the week, ETH rebounded on Tuesday, rising over 7%, surging past $2,600 and settling at $2,691. ETH could not push higher as selling pressure overwhelmed buyers. As a result, ETH dropped nearly 3% on Wednesday and settled at $2,610. Sellers retained control on Thursday as the price fell 2.38%, slipping below $2,600 and settling at $2,548. ETH rose to an intraday high of $2,648 on Friday as buyers attempted to regain control. However, it lost momentum after reaching this level and fell to $2,537 after a marginal decline. The price continued to drop on Saturday, dropping 2.44%, slipping below the key $2,500 level and settling at $2,475. ETH encountered volatility on Sunday, plunging to an intraday low of $2,326 and rising to an intraday high of $2,586 before ultimately registering a marginal increase and settling at $2,498. The current session sees ETH down nearly 4% as sellers look to drive ETH toward $2,200.

Solana (SOL) Price Analysis

Solana (SOL) has dipped back into the red during the ongoing session after ending the weekend with an increase of nearly 5%. Analysts believe SOL is showing early signs of a breakdown after dipping below $165 during the ongoing session. SOL was rejected from the $180-$185 levels on May 14, declining nearly 10% until Saturday. However, it rebounded after finding support around $160 and the 200-day EMA. If SOL continues its decline and slips below $150, the price could see a retest of the support around $145 and the 50-day SMA.

SOL registered a significant increase on Thursday (May 8), rising nearly 12% to cross $160 and settling at $164. Buyers retained control on Friday as the price registered an increase of over 5%, crossing $170 and settling at $172. SOL continued to push higher on Saturday, increasing nearly 3% and settling at $177. Despite the positive sentiment, SOL registered a notable decline on Sunday, falling almost 3% and settling at $173. SOL experienced volatility on Monday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Buyers ultimately gained the upper hand as the price registered a marginal increase and settled at $174.

Source: TradingView

SOL plunged to an intraday low of $165 on Tuesday as selling pressure intensified. However, it rebounded from this level to register an increase of 5.50% and settle at $183. SOL lost momentum on Wednesday as sellers overwhelmed buyers. As a result, the price plunged nearly 4%, slipping below $180 and settling at $176. SOL continued to drop on Thursday, falling 4.28%, slipping below $170 and settling at $169. Price action remained bearish on Friday and Saturday, dropping 0.98% and 0.89% to settle at $165. Despite overwhelming selling pressure, SOL rebounded on Sunday, rising 4.45% to reclaim $170 and settle at $173. However, the price plummeted during the ongoing session and dropped over 7% to its current level of $161. A drop below $160 could see SOL plunge below $150. A bearish MACD suggests sellers have the upper hand.

Ripple (XRP) Price Analysis

Ripple (XRP) also registered a notable jump on Thursday (May 8) after President Trump announced the US-UK trade deal. As a result, the price rallied over 9%, surging past the 20 and 50-day SMAs and settling at $2.32. The price reached an intraday high of $2.42 on Friday but dropped to settle at $2.34. Bullish sentiment intensified on Saturday as XRP rose over 5% and settled at $2.47. However, it was back in the red on Sunday, dropping over 4% to end the weekend at $2.36. XRP rebounded on Monday, surging over 7% to reach an intraday high of $2.60 before settling at $2.54. XRP plunged to an intraday low of $2.42 on Tuesday as selling pressure intensified. It rebounded from this level to register an increase of 1.53% and settled at $2.58.

Source: TradingView

Price action turned bearish on Wednesday as sellers took control. As a result, the price fell 1.20% to $2.55. Bearish sentiment intensified on Thursday as XRP fell 6.51%, slipping below $2.50 and settling at $2.38. Sellers retained control on Friday as the price registered a marginal decline and settled at $2.37. Price action remained bearish on Saturday as XRP dropped 1.04% to $2.35. Despite the overwhelming bearish sentiment, XRP rebounded on Sunday, rising over 3% to $2.42. However, it is back in the red during the ongoing session, down over 4% and trading at $2.32.

Aptos (APT) Price Analysis

Aptos (APT) lost momentum after crossing $6 on Tuesday as markets turned bearish. The price registered a significant rally last Thursday, rising over 14%, surging past the 20 and 50-day SMAs and settling at $5.48. APT rose to an intraday high of $5.85 on Friday but could not stay at that level and ultimately settled at $5.58. Bullish sentiment intensified on Saturday as APT rose nearly 9%, crossing $6 and settling at $6.07. However, the price lost momentum on Sunday, dropping over 3%, slipping below $6 and settling at $5.88. APT encountered volatility on Monday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. Sellers gained the upper hand as the price registered a marginal decline and settled at $5.85.

Source: TradingView

APT plunged to an intraday low of $5.50 on Tuesday as selling pressure intensified. However, it rebounded from this level to register an increase of 5%, reclaim $6 and settle at $6.10. APT lost momentum on Wednesday as selling pressure increased. As a result, the price fell nearly 7% to $5.73. Bearish sentiment intensified on Thursday as APT plunged below the 20-day SMA and settled at $5.30. Buyers attempted a recovery on Friday but lost momentum, and the price dropped almost 1% to $5.26. APT fell below the 50-day SMA on Saturday, dropping to $5.06, but rebounded on Sunday, rising 2.14% and settling at $5.18. The current session sees APT down nearly 4%, slipping below $5 and trading around $4.98.

Jupiter (JUP) Price Analysis

Jupiter (JUP) entered the previous weekend on a bullish note, rising nearly 14% on Friday. Buying pressure persisted on Saturday as JUP surged almost 6% and settled at $0.572. However, it lost momentum on Sunday, dropping 2.95% to end the weekend at $0.555. JUP encountered extreme volatility on Monday, rising to an intraday high of $0.605 and falling to an intraday low of $0.523 before settling at $0.560. Volatility persisted on Tuesday, but JUP registered an increase of 1.10% and settled at $0.566.

Source: TradingView

Price action turned bearish on Wednesday as JUP plunged over 7% to $0.526. JUP continued to drop on Thursday, falling over 5%, slipping below $0.50, and settling at $0.499. The price continued to drop on Friday, falling over 1% and settling at $0.494. Bearish sentiment intensified on Saturday as JUP fell nearly 4%, slipping below the 20-day SMA and settling at $0.476. Despite the overwhelming selling pressure, JUP rebounded on Sunday, surging over 8%, crossing the 20-day SMA and settling at $0.514. However, the current session sees the price back in the red, down over 6% and trading around $0.471.

Filecoin (FIL) Price Analysis

Filecoin (FIL) registered a substantial increase last Thursday, rising nearly 13% to cross the 20 and 50-day SMAs and settle at $2.92. The price continued to push higher on Friday, rising 3.66% to cross $3 and settle at $3.02. Buyers retained control on Saturday as FIL registered an increase of over 7% and settled at $3.24. Despite the positive sentiment, FIL lost momentum on Sunday, dropping over 3% to $3.13. FIL encountered volatility on Monday as buyers and sellers struggled to establish control. As a result, FIL fell to an intraday low of $2.99, reaching an intraday high of $3.13 before settling at $3.13. The price plunged to an intraday low of $2.94 on Tuesday as selling pressure intensified. However, it rebounded from this level to register an increase of almost 3% and settled at $3.22.

Source: TradingView

Selling pressure returned Wednesday as FIL plunged over 5% to $3.04. Sellers retained control on Thursday as FIL dropped 3.50%, slipping below $3 and settling at $2.93. The price continued to fall on Friday and settled at $2.87. Saturday saw FIL drop below the 20-day SMA and settle at $2.78. Despite the overwhelming bearish sentiment, the price rebounded on Sunday, rising nearly 5% and settling at $2.92. However, FIL is back in the red during the ongoing session, dropping almost 6% and trading around $2.74.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.