The popular AI framework Virtuals Protocol will host an in-person meet-up in Hong Kong on Friday, January 17.

May 22 update: Donald Trump Jr. and socialite Bettina Anderson will host a small wedding on a private island in the Bahamas during Memorial Day weekend 2026, with the ceremony scheduled for May 25. Donald Trump Sr. has signaled he may attend his son’s wedding but notes he needs to prioritize Iran-related matters first. Anderson, 39, hails from a wealthy family in Palm Beach, Florida, holds an Art History degree from Columbia University, and is a model, influencer, and philanthropist who co-founded a natural disaster relief fund.

On May 22, cross-chain settlement protocol EverclearOrg announced it is winding down operations for its foundation, Labs division, and product development team. The core issue? Its solver-based cross-chain fund rebalancing model, which reached $500 million in monthly transaction volume, failed to convert that scale into meaningful revenue due to user price sensitivity. Per the announcement, a six-month shift toward B2B2C partner collaborations didn’t come together as planned, and acquisition options also fell through. With funds depleted, the team made an orderly shutdown decision. The protocol has been taken offline—no user funds are stuck, though its UI and blockchain are currently inaccessible. The DAO will continue operating and is exploring open-sourcing the protocol. If any remaining funding exists, a CLEAR token buyback is under consideration.

On May 22, Trump announced the federal government will likely have to issue $149 billion in tariff refunds. In a ruling handed down back in February, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that Trump’s partial tariff policy exceeded the authority granted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), ordering the administration to reimburse the large sum of tariff revenue it collected from importers as a result of the disputed policy.

May 22nd — The signing of the AI Executive Order, originally scheduled to take place today, has been delayed. President Trump responded by stating he is "not satisfied with certain aspects" of the order. Earlier, the White House canceled the planned ceremony where Trump was set to sign the new executive order on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, with the event postponed to a later date.

May 22, CryptoQuant’s latest data shows Bitcoin miner reserves have continued to decline to roughly 41,915 BTC. While supply is still flowing into the market, the Miner’s Position Index (MPI) sits at a bearish level—around -0.26—pointing to limited selling pressure from miners and no signs of panic selling. Analyst PelinayPA notes that this mild supply pressure suggests Bitcoin will likely stay in a consolidation phase in the short term, rather than seeing a sharp rebound. Miners’ cautious attitude implies the market’s actual bottom may need more time to confirm, and investors should watch out for continued choppy market conditions.

May 22 — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters Thursday that Tehran’s implementation of a toll system in the Strait of Hormuz would make a U.S.-Iran diplomatic agreement nearly impossible. “No one globally supports this toll system,” Pompeo stated. “This cannot happen. It’s unacceptable. If they proceed with this action, reaching a diplomatic deal will become unworkable. Any attempt to do so would pose a threat to the world and is completely illegal.” Pompeo also disclosed that some progress has been made in negotiations with Tehran to resolve tensions between the two sides (correcting the mistranslated and nonsensical “U.S.-Israel war on Iran” context), but Washington is confronting “a somewhat fragmented system of its own.” “There are some positive signs,” Pompeo added. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic. So, we’ll just have to wait and see what unfolds in the coming days.”