If Bitcoin breaks through $86,000, the mainstream CEX aggregate short liquidation intensity will reach 9.12 billion

May 3 — UnblockPay, a stablecoin-focused bank and payment platform, announced it has closed a $4.5 million seed round. The funding was led by Prelude, with participation from Plug and Play, Wintermute, Reverie, Signature Ventures, Triaxis Capital, Crescera Capital and others. Founded in 2025, UnblockPay primarily offers enterprises stablecoin cross-border payment and forex settlement infrastructure. It supports seamless conversion between fiat currencies and stablecoins like USDC and USDT, covering Latin America, the U.S. and European markets. The company’s executives noted that in its first year of operations, it has processed over 300 million Brazilian Reals (roughly $53 million) in transaction volume.

**May 3 — On-chain data indicates a Morgan Stanley address executed two separate Bitcoin purchases totaling 286.693 BTC yesterday, with funds sourced from a Coinbase Prime address. The firm’s total BTC holdings now stand at 2,620 BTC.** **Previously reported by BlockBeats: On April 24, Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) — the asset management arm of Morgan Stanley — launched the stablecoin reserve portfolio fund MSNXX. Tailored exclusively for stablecoin issuers, this U.S. government money market fund aims to offer a regulated, secure storage solution for the reserve funds backing their tokenized fiat currencies.**

On May 3rd, Chris Perkins, CEO of 250 Digital Asset Management, stated that even if the U.S. Congress ultimately fails to pass the cryptocurrency market structure bill known as the "CLARITY Act," the long-term development of the U.S. crypto industry will not be a problem. Perkins noted that U.S. SEC Chair Paul Atkins and U.S. CFTC Chair Michael Selig are actively advancing the development of a crypto regulatory framework, delivering the long-awaited "certainty, stability, and classification system" the industry has sought. He noted that during former SEC Chair Gary Gensler’s tenure, being classified as a security was seen as a "death sentence" for crypto projects—but the market’s attitude toward security tokens has since shifted dramatically. Perkins also emphasized, however, that if the "CLARITY Act" is formally enacted, it will make it harder for future administrations to roll back the current regulatory framework, as "once a law is passed, it becomes far more difficult to repe

May 3 (IRNA via FXStreet) — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke separately by phone with his Japanese and Italian counterparts on Saturday, outlining Iran’s diplomatic efforts to end what it characterizes as US-Israeli aggression and stressing the need for the international community to act responsibly. In his call with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Araghchi discussed bilateral ties, regional developments, and Iran’s ongoing diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict and de-escalate tensions. He also spoke with Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, focusing on the latest regional updates, ceasefire efforts, and diplomatic steps. Araghchi expressed regret over what he called unconstructive, irresponsible repetition of incorrect clichés by some European countries regarding Iran’s nuclear program, emphasizing the program is strictly peaceful. He urged those countries to condemn US and Israeli aggression and hold the two nations accountable for serious viol

May 3rd — Local time on May 3rd, Iranian Parliament member Mojtaba Zolnouri disclosed new details about the Islamabad talks on social media. Zolnouri stated the Islamabad negotiations were predicated on securing approval from Iran’s Supreme Leader. Beyond just authorization to negotiate, talks had to stay within the Supreme Leader’s framework: When the U.S. sought to discuss nuclear technology, the Iranian delegation was told the Supreme Leader had barred them from technical discussions on the matter; going forward, all decisions on this front will be made solely by the Supreme Leader. Additionally, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization has been barred from joining the negotiation team. (Source: Jinse)

New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced Wednesday, May 3, that the state has recovered more than $5 million from cryptocurrency platform Uphold over its role in promoting a fraudulent investment product. The settlement centers on Uphold’s promotion of CredEarn—a product offered by Cred LLC and its CEO Daniel Schatt. Between January 2019 and October 2020, Uphold marketed CredEarn on its platform and mobile app as a secure, reliable, high-yield savings product. However, the Attorney General’s office noted in a statement that Uphold failed to disclose to users that Cred was actually generating those returns by issuing small loans to low-income mobile gamers—individuals who typically have no credit history and limited access to traditional financial services.