Iranian Foreign Minister Says Still Willing to Engage in Diplomatic Dialogue with the United States

Data released on May 2 shows total crypto funding hit $659 million in April—down 74% from March’s $2.6 billion, with deal count falling from 84 to 63. Cumulative funding since 2024 stands at roughly $5.64 billion. April’s funding marked the lowest level since July 2024. The slump reflects institutional caution amid eroding liquidity and diminished risk appetite. Crypto funding has been on a steady decline since October 2025, while total market cap has dropped by ~37% over the same period. In key sectors, DeFi projects led in activity with 12 funding rounds closed in April, followed by blockchain services and AI-related projects—each securing 8 deals. Among institutional investors, market maker GSR was the month’s most active, participating in 4 funding transactions.

May 2 — Data from HTX shows LAB continued to surge, briefly breaking above $2.3. The token is currently trading at $2.19, with a 221% 24-hour gain. Total liquidations for LAB contract trading across all platforms over the past 24 hours hit $6.39 million: $1.07 million in long liquidations and $5.31 million in short liquidations.

**Breaking: Nigel Farage Accused of Conflict of Interest Over Crypto Donations** (May 2) — The Financial Times reports Reform Party leader Nigel Farage has been hit with a “conflict of interest” accusation from the opposition party. In 2024, Farage received a ￡5 million personal donation from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based crypto investor. Months later, in May 2025, the Reform Party rolled out a draft crypto regulation proposal: it would slash the crypto transaction stamp duty from 24% to 10%, establish a national Bitcoin reserve, and cut capital gains taxes on crypto assets. On Wednesday, Farage confirmed he accepted the donation, while the Reform Party insisted policy decisions were unrelated to the donor. Harborne added another ￡12 million to the party last year; crypto entrepreneur Ben Delo has donated ￡4 million to Reform so far this year. Farage now faces allegations of violating House of Commons rules. The harshest potential penalty: suspension of his parliame

On May 2, MN Trading Capital founder Michael van de Poppe said Bitcoin might not need a new narrative or catalyst to climb back to $100,000 — it’s been trading below that level for nearly five months. In an X post Friday, van de Poppe asked, “What narrative could push Bitcoin to $100k?” before adding, “No narrative is needed to drive prices higher. Prices go up first, then the narrative emerges. That’s why sticking just to math, stats, and logic works — and why Bitcoin’s current price range is still a solid accumulation zone.” Many crypto traders still think Bitcoin needs a strong narrative to rally. Lately, the market has fixated on the Fed’s interest rate decision, U.S. regulatory updates, and potential catalysts like inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs. Some also cite the possible passage of the CLARITY Act as a bullish factor. But veteran trader Peter Brandt said while the CLARITY Act is a positive step for the industry, it’s not likely to be a major price catalyst for Bitcoin. “Is t

On May 2nd, prediction market platforms Polymarket and Kalshi reported their combined trading volume exceeded $150 billion in April—ending their seven-month streak of monthly growth. Data shows Polymarket’s active trading users dropped from 733,000 in March to roughly 643,000, driving the overall market volume decline. Notably, Polymarket’s U.S. business continues to grow, while Kalshi’s performance remains positive.

May 2nd Foreign media analysis notes the Iran conflict has stretched over two months without decisive military or diplomatic outcomes. Trump has faced the risk of an indefinite standoff with Iran, which could pose more serious problems for the U.S. and world than before the conflict began. Outwardly, both sides appear confident, claiming they hold the upper hand and their positions remain far apart—leaving no clear de-escalation path now. Though Iran recently proposed restarting negotiations, Trump rejected the offer Friday. For Trump and the GOP, the ongoing stalemate carries steep consequences. If unresolved, the conflict will likely sustain negative global economic impacts—including persistently high U.S. gas prices—piling more pressure on Trump (whose approval ratings are falling) and dimming prospects for Republican candidates, especially ahead of November’s midterm congressional elections. (Jinse)