Crypto Daily Brief — 2026-05-13
Bitcoin opened the week at its strongest level since January 31, touching $82,164 on Monday before a modest pullback as a double-top formation and lingering Iran tensions weighed on sentiment. Switzerland's UBS — the country's largest bank — officially entered crypto trading for private clients, joining 20 Swiss banks in a mass-market pivot. Meanwhile, the crypto market retreated roughly 0.86% to a $2.67 trillion total cap, as cautious analysts flagged weak volume and geopolitical headwinds.
Crypto Daily Brief — 2026-05-13
Market Snapshot
| Asset | Price | 24h Change | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | ~$82,164 | Mixed/slight pullback | – |
| Ethereum (ETH) | ~$2,308 | – | – |
| Solana (SOL) | ~$95.20 | – | – |
| BNB | – | – | – |
| XRP | – | – | – |
Total Crypto Market Cap: ~$2.67 trillion
⚠️ Prices sourced from search snippets as of May 11–13, 2026. Verify real-time figures on CoinMarketCap or CoinGecko.
Top Movers
- Gainers: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Dogecoin all spiked Sunday evening following geopolitical headlines around Iran, with BTC touching a multi-month high open on Monday.
- Losers: The broader market gave back gains Tuesday, with total market cap sliding ~0.86% to $2.67 trillion as a double-top pattern formed with weak volume.
Top Stories
1. Bitcoin Posts Strongest Opening in Months, Then Faces Turbulence
Bitcoin opened Monday at $82,164.43 — its highest opening price since January 31 — while Ethereum opened at $2,369.40, the highest since April 27. The surge came partly on the back of crypto assets rallying Sunday evening as investors processed President Trump's comments on Iran's response to a peace proposal. By Tuesday, however, the market pulled back, with analysts pointing to a forming double-top chart pattern and weak trading volume as signs of vulnerability.
2. UBS Joins 20 Swiss Banks in Mass Crypto Pivot
Switzerland's largest bank, UBS, launched crypto trading for private clients in January 2026, and is now reported as part of a sweeping industry shift in which over 20 Swiss banks have entered the mass-market crypto space in the current cycle. The development underscores how institutional and traditional financial players are accelerating their crypto exposure, even as market sentiment remains mixed.
3. Bear Case Gaining Traction: Analyst Warns BTC May Not Hit ATH in 2026
Crypto analyst Ben Cowen argued this week that millions of crypto tokens are undergoing a "purge," which he believes Bitcoin actually needs for a sustainable bull cycle. Cowen stated: "I think BTC is in a bear market and will likely drift lower as the year goes on, with headwinds like geopolitical tensions and the Fed delaying rate cuts," adding he doubts "bitcoin will see an ATH in 2026." The commentary arrives just as BTC hit multi-month highs, highlighting the deep divide in market outlooks.
Regulation & Policy
CLARITY Act Stablecoin Legislation Advances in Washington
U.S. lawmakers have made notable progress on the CLARITY Act, a legislative compromise aimed at establishing clearer federal rules for stablecoins. Markets are beginning to price in the prospect of regulatory clarity, and the development is being read as a sign of renewed U.S. leadership in digital-asset policy. The legislation is seen as a potential catalyst for broader institutional adoption of dollar-backed stablecoins.
DeFi Sector Under Regulatory Scrutiny After $770M+ in 2026 Hacks
The string of major DeFi exploits in 2026 — totaling over $770 million lost across more than 40 protocol shutdowns in what's being called the "Great Protocol Attrition" — is intensifying regulatory scrutiny of decentralized finance. Industry insiders say the scale of losses is forcing a fundamental rethink of risk management, security standards, and market structure in DeFi. Regulators are reportedly using the crisis as a basis for pushing DeFi protocols toward controls the sector once resisted.
DeFi & On-Chain
Aave's rsETH Bad Debt Highlights Systemic DeFi Risk
A new analysis published this week examines the aftermath of the $16.5 billion in cumulative DeFi exploits, with a particular focus on Aave's rsETH bad debt as a case study in cross-protocol risk. The piece argues that DeFi's next security crisis lies in broken assumptions across bridges, governance systems, collateral listings, and risk controls — and that the sector is now being "forced toward the controls it once resisted." Aave-led rescue efforts after the $292 million KelpDAO hack in April were widely credited with preventing a broader market contagion, according to Standard Chartered.
Exodus Wallet Dumps 1,000 BTC to Fund Payments Expansion
According to CoinDesk's homepage headline this morning, crypto wallet company Exodus sold $73.2 million in Bitcoin, causing its cash, cash equivalents, and stablecoins to jump from $5.2 million to $74.4 million by the end of Q1 2026. The move signals a strategic pivot by Exodus toward building a payments-focused business using crypto treasury reserves.
Market Analysis
Crypto market analyst Ben Cowen cautioned this week that despite Bitcoin's multi-month high open on Monday, macro headwinds remain formidable: "I think BTC is in a bear market and will likely drift lower as the year goes on, with headwinds like geopolitical tensions and the Fed delaying rate cuts." The double-top pattern forming on the BTC chart, combined with what Yahoo Finance describes as "weak volume," adds technical weight to the bearish case.
CoinGecko's market summary also noted that Bitcoin is "rangebound despite hot inflation data," supported by JPMorgan's expanding tokenization efforts on the Ethereum network and macro factors including Kevin Warsh's Fed confirmation. Sentiment remains cautious, with traders watching whether BTC can sustain levels above $80,000.
What to Watch
- CLARITY Act progress: Watch for Senate floor votes or committee markups on U.S. stablecoin legislation — passage would be a significant market catalyst.
- Bitcoin technical levels: Traders are watching $80,000 as key support and $85,000–$86,000 as near-term resistance after the double-top warning.
- Fed rate cut timeline: Any updated guidance from the Federal Reserve on rate cuts could shift crypto risk appetite sharply; Cowen flags Fed delays as a key headwind.
- DeFi security reforms: Following $770M+ in 2026 hacks, watch for protocol-level governance votes and risk-parameter changes across major DeFi platforms like Aave and Compound.
- Swiss bank crypto rollout: Track whether UBS and the 20+ Swiss banks accelerating crypto offerings drive measurable inflows into BTC and ETH spot products.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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