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Nasdaq files for 21Shares Sui ETF, kicking off SEC review

Nasdaq has filed for crypto asset manager 21Shares to list a spot Sui exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the US, initiating the Securities and Exchange Commission’s review process.

The stock market’s May 23 19b-4 filing, which asks the SEC to list the 21Shares SUI ETF, follows 21Shares’ April 30 submission of its S-1 registration statement to the SEC, which asked the regulator to approve trading of the proposed fund.

Both regulatory filings are needed for the Sui (SUI) tracking fund to go live, with the 19b-4 filing kicking off the SEC’s review process. The agency must decide whether to accept, reject or delay the application within 45 days and it can delay its decision multiple times, for a maximum review period of 240 days.

The SEC must decide on 21Shares’ application by Jan. 18, 2026, at the latest.

Nasdaq files for 21Shares Sui ETF, kicking off SEC reviewSource: Cointelegraph

21Shares proposed BitGo and Coinbase Custody as the custodians to hold SUI on behalf of the trust; however, the filing did not include details on a management fee or ticker.

Canary Capital is the only other asset manager that has submitted 19b-4 and S-1 filings to list a spot Sui ETF, filing the forms on April 8.

21Shares said in its 19b-4 filing that the SUI token powers the Sui network and serves four main purposes: it can be staked to earn rewards, used to pay gas fees, function as a liquid asset for Sui applications and serve as a governance token.

Related: SharpLink launches Ethereum treasury, taps Joe Lubin as board chair

The Sui ecosystem is largely focused on decentralized applications and has been dubbed a potential Solana killer.

SUI is the 13th-largest cryptocurrency, but its $12.3 billion market cap remains a fraction of Solana’s (SOL) $92 billion market cap, according to CoinGecko.

21Shares aims to add to SUI offerings

21Shares already lists a Sui exchange-traded product in Europe, on the Euronext Paris and Euronext Amsterdam stock exchanges.

Those listings have contributed to SUI-based exchange-traded products having $317.2 million in assets under management (AUM), according to a May 26 report from CoinShares.

Flows into SUI ETPs increased by $2.9 million between May 16 and May 24, and only trails Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Solana and XRP (XRP) in terms of net assets.

Magazine: TradFi is building Ethereum L2s to tokenize trillions in RWAs: Inside story

Read more at cointelegraph.com

Nasdaq files for 21Shares Sui ETF, kicking off SEC review

Nasdaq has filed for crypto asset manager 21Shares to list a spot Sui exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the US, initiating the Securities and Exchange Commission’s review process.

The stock market’s May 23 19b-4 filing, which asks the SEC to list the 21Shares SUI ETF, follows 21Shares’ April 30 submission of its S-1 registration statement to the SEC, which asked the regulator to approve trading of the proposed fund.

Both regulatory filings are needed for the Sui (SUI) tracking fund to gi live, with the 19b-4 filing kicking off the SEC’s review process. The agency must decide whether to accept, reject or delay the application within 45 days and it can delay its decision multiple times, for a maximum review period of 240 days.

The SEC must decide on 21Shares’ application by Jan. 18, 2026, at the latest.

Nasdaq files for 21Shares Sui ETF, kicking off SEC reviewSource: Cointelegraph

21Shares proposed BitGo and Coinbase Custody as the custodians to hold SUI on behalf of the trust, however, the filing did not include details on a management fee or ticker.

Canary Capital is the only other asset manager that has submitted 19b-4 and S-1 filings to list a spot Sui ETF, filing the forms on April 8.

21Shares said in its 19b-4 filing that the SUI token powers the Sui network and serves four main purposes: it can be staked to earn rewards, used to pay gas fees, function as a liquid asset for Sui applications and serve as a governance token.

Related: SharpLink launches Ethereum treasury, taps Joe Lubin as board chair

The Sui ecosystem is largely focused on decentralized applications and has been dubbed a potential Solana killer.

SUI is the 13th-largest cryptocurrency, but its $12.3 billion market cap remains a fraction of Solana (SOL)’s $92 billion market cap, according to CoinGecko.

21Shares aims to add to SUI offerings

21Shares already lists a Sui exchange-traded product in Europe, on the Euronext Paris and Euronext Amsterdam stock exchanges.

Those listings have contributed to SUI-based exchange-traded products having $317.2 million in assets under management (AUM), according to a May 26 report from CoinShares.

Flows into SUI ETPs increased by $2.9 million between May 16 and May 24, and only trails Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Solana and XRP (XRP) in terms of net assets.

Magazine: TradFi is building Ethereum L2s to tokenize trillions in RWAs: Inside story

Read more at cointelegraph.com

Third individual arrested in NYC crypto torture and kidnapping case

A third individual, suspected of being connected to the recent kidnapping, torture and attempted extortion of an Italian tourist in New York City, surrendered to law enforcement on May 27.

33-year-old William Duplessie was taken into custody by the New York Police Department (NYPD) and will be charged with “kidnapping and false imprisonment of an associate,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

The incident comes amid a string of kidnappings and ransom attempts targeting crypto investors and their loved ones, prompting additional security measures from investors and industry executives.

According to reporting from The New York Times, Duplessie and crypto investor John Woeltz, who was previously arrested by police in connection with the case, both had connections to an NYC-based crypto hedge fund.

Third individual arrested in NYC crypto torture and kidnapping caseSource: Jameson Lopp

Duplessie negotiated his surrender with the NYPD over the course of several days leading up to his arrest.

Related: France arrests over 12 suspects linked to crypto kidnappings: Report

Italian tourist kidnapped and drugged in an attempt to steal crypto

Michael Valentino Teofrasto, a 28-year-old Italian tourist in New York City, was kidnapped in Manhattan and held captive for weeks before managing to escape and alert law enforcement authorities.

Teofrasto said the suspects bound him, stole his passport and mobile device, and subjected him to physical beatings, which included being shocked with a Taser.

The victim also said the suspects repeatedly hit him with a firearm and would submerge his feet in the water while tasing him in an attempt to get him to reveal his crypto private keys.

The tourist was reportedly held in a luxury townhome in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan and escaped the luxury townhome where he was being held.

Once free, Teofrasto flagged down a police officer and relayed the kidnapping incident to the official.

Following his incident report, NYC police arrested crypto investor John Woeltz and charged the investor with kidnapping for ransom and three other felony counts.

Woeltz is expected to appear in court for an additional hearing on May 28 and is currently being held in custody without bail while awaiting trial.

Magazine: Crypto ‘more taboo than OnlyFans,’ says Violetta Zironi, who sold song for 1 BTC

Read more at cointelegraph.com

Growing BTC reserve requires Congressional legislation — VanEck exec

Building a permanent US strategic Bitcoin reserve would likely require targeted legislation rather than executive action, according to VanEck’s head of digital assets, Matthew Sigel. Speaking at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas, Sigel said the most viable path forward may involve inserting Bitcoin mining incentives into the congressional budget reconciliation process.

According to Sigel, the most effective path to growing a US strategic Bitcoin reserve would be through targeted amendments to congressional budget legislation. These could include tax credits for mining companies that use methane gas and other incentives aimed at encouraging miners to share a portion of their mined BTC with the federal government.

He argued that such an approach would allow the reserve to grow organically over time. Sigel also highlighted the limitations of executive actions in achieving this goal:

“The problem with executive action is that it’s going to prompt lawsuits. And anything over $100 million is going to get sued by the Elizabeth Warrens of the world. So, I would say start with something maybe in the Exchange Stabilization Fund for $100 million.”

US President Donald Trump established the US Bitcoin Strategic Reserve through a March 7 executive order. According to the order, the US government can only acquire Bitcoin through budget-neutral strategies or asset forfeiture, prompting a range of different ideas on how to add to the government’s stockpile of nearly 200,000 BTC.

Bitcoin Regulation, US Government, United States, Bitcoin Reserve, Bitcoin2025From left to right, Alex Thorn, Matthew Sigel, Matthew Pines and Fred Thiel. Source: Turner Wright/Cointelegraph

Related: Bitcoin’s new highs may have been driven by Japan bond market crisis

Lawmakers, officials pitch different ideas to grow strategic Bitcoin reserve

Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, the US lawmaker who introduced legislation for a Bitcoin strategic reserve in July 2024, proposed converting a portion of the gold certificates held by the US Treasury to Bitcoin.

Converting gold to Bitcoin would allow the US government to purchase more Bitcoin without incurring a cost to the taxpayer, Lummis said.

Bo Hines, the executive director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, echoed the idea in March 2025.

Hines called on the US Treasury to revalue its gold holdings, which are currently priced at just $42.22 per troy ounce, and convert a portion of those gains to Bitcoin. This strategy would also be budget-neutral, Hines said.

The price of gold reached an all-time high of $3,500 per ounce in April but experienced a minor pullback to around $3,300 on May 27.

Magazine: TradFi fans ignored Lyn Alden’s BTC tip — Now she says it’ll hit 7 figures: X Hall of Flame

Read more at cointelegraph.com

Trump supports bill to buy 1 million BTC — Senator Lummis

US President Donald Trump supports the BITCOIN Act and has a team of experts in the White House working to roll out landmark digital asset legislation in the coming weeks, according to Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis. 

Speaking at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lummis said she is bringing the BITCOIN ACT to the “attention of the American people and the world,” adding that, “President Trump supports the bill.”

In March, Lummis reintroduced the BITCOIN Act — landmark legislation that directs the US government to acquire 1 million Bitcoin (BTC) over five years. The acquisitions would be financed using existing funds within the Federal Reserve System and the Treasury Department. 

As Cointelegraph reported, the Trump administration has reiterated the need to use “budget-neutral ways” to acquire Bitcoin without burdening taxpayers.

Trump supports bill to buy 1 million BTC — Senator LummisSource: CryptoGoos

At the Bitcoin Conference, Lummis said the Trump administration has a team working on “digital asset issues,” including legislation on stablecoins, market structure and the Bitcoin Strategic Reserve.

“They will probably roll out in that order,” she said.

“The Senate Banking Committee has passed the stablecoin bill out of committee,” said Lummis, adding:

“We’re getting close to being ready to have it on the floor. We’ve worked for untold hours with the minority party to satisfy them, and we should be voting on it the week before we get back from this break.”

Related: Senator Lummis’ new BITCOIN Act allows US reserve to exceed 1M Bitcoin

GENIUS Act on stablecoins is “going to pass,” says White House crypto czar

The White House seems to be in alignment with Senator Lummis.

Last week, Trump’s top crypto adviser, David Sacks, said the GENIUS stablecoin bill is “going to pass” the Senate with bipartisan support after clearing a key procedural vote on May 19.

Trump supports bill to buy 1 million BTC — Senator LummisOn May 19, the Senate voted 66 to 32 to advance debate on the GENIUS Bill. Source: US Senate

GENIUS refers to the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act, possibly the most comprehensive federal push to establish a legal framework for dollar-pegged stablecoins.

Stablecoins have become one of the most prominent use cases for blockchain technology, with some industry advocates arguing that they could help extend the US dollar’s dominance as the global reserve currency.

Collateralized, dollar-backed stablecoins like Tether’s USDt (USDT) and Circle’s USDC (USDC) account for more than 85% of the $250 billion market, according to CoinMarketCap.

Related: Former CFTC chair criticizes STABLE Act amid calls for urgent regulatory clarity

Read more at cointelegraph.com

Selling Bitcoin is like playing in a ‘bad house-rate casino’ — Adam Back

Selling Bitcoin is like “playing in a really bad house-rate casino,” according to Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream and one of Bitcoin’s earliest adopters. In a recent interview with Bitcoin financial services firm Unchained, Back said the odds are stacked against traders trying to time the market.

Back came to this conclusion in the early days of Bitcoin, he said, when the price “was going up basically exponentially but it [was] extremely volatile.”

“So […] if you see something that’s going up exponentially but with volatility, if you sell it to time the market a bit falling, the odds are against you,” Back said, adding:

“The trend line is up and to the right, exponential, and so there’s extremely bad trading odds attached to selling because you’re really hoping that it falls.”Selling Bitcoin is like playing in a ‘bad house-rate casino’ — Adam BackAdam Back during the interview. Source: Unchained

Bitcoin is known for its extreme volatility and heightened bull-bear market cycles. It has seen multiple corrections above 80%, which may test the stomach of many investors and believers. However, those who have remained steady through the ups and downs have been rewarded: In the last 10 years, BTC has had a total return of over 39,000%.

“I think anything that has a really rapid growth curve ends up with some pretty extreme volatility until it gets closer to full adoption,” Back said.

Interview, Adam Back, Bitcoin AdoptionAverage returns of the Bitcoin index. Source: Curvo

Related: Bitcoin 2024 conference sparked 30% price crash — Can bulls escape this year?

Diminishing returns theory might not be in play this cycle

Back pointed to several factors that could support upward price momentum. He noted that companies like Strategy are not only acquiring Bitcoin directly but also offering indirect exposure through instruments such as convertible notes.

Another contributing factor is the growing institutional interest in Bitcoin, including investments by sovereign wealth funds. He cited Abu Dhabi’s $408.5 million stake in BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF.

Finally, government entities are starting to venture into crypto. US President Donald Trump issued an executive order to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve, while the US state of New Hampshire’s governor recently signed such a reserve into law. Texas lawmakers recently passed a bill allowing the state to create a state Bitcoin reserve.

Magazine: Hall of Flame: NBA star Tristan Thompson misses $32B in Bitcoin by taking $82M contract in cash

Read more at cointelegraph.com