Crypto Market Fear Subsides Significantly, Today's Fear and Greed Index at 45

May 4th (Reuters) — The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has delayed its review of the first batch of predictive market ETFs, pushing back the launch of more than 24 products that were originally set to debut last week. Sources familiar with the matter said the SEC is seeking additional clarification from issuers on product mechanics and disclosure specifics, adding the delay is expected to be temporary. Issuers including Roundhill Investments, Bitwise Asset Management, and GraniteShares filed applications in February to launch ETFs tied to real-world events such as election outcomes, economic downturns, tech layoffs, and oil prices. Under SEC rules, ETF applications typically go into effect automatically 75 days after filing (with the original deadline falling this week) unless the regulator intervenes. Roundhill has set May 5th as its effective date, while Bitwise and GraniteShares’ products are also expected to launch around the same time. Bloomberg ETF analyst

May 4 — On-chain detective ZachXBT took to social media to declare war on Tokenlon DEX, the built-in exchange of imToken. ZachXBT claimed the bulk of Tokenlon’s trading volume stems from rug pulls, investment scams, and the dark web, adding that imToken co-founder Ben He should spend the rest of his life in prison. He also announced plans to target Tokenlon and imToken in the future. Per ZachXBT, Tokenlon has minimal to no legitimate trading volume outside Southeast Asia, with a large share of its activity tied to illicit fund flows — a situation that has worsened since 2022. He also stated that offshore “whale” Chinese exchanges Butter Network, HiFiSwap, Bridgers/SWFT, and Tokenlon must face severe punishment for their alleged criminal activities.

On May 4, AXIOS reported that a U.S. official said U.S. military rules of engagement in the Middle East have changed—authorizing strikes on vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz that pose a direct threat, including Iranian Revolutionary Guard fast boats and Iranian missile sites.

May 4 (Yonhap News) — South Korea’s Digital Asset Exchange Association (DAXA), representing 27 registered Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), has filed objections with the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) over proposed amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Specific Financial Information Act. The new rules would require domestic VASPs to submit Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) for all cross-border virtual asset transfers with overseas VASPs exceeding 10 million Korean won (≈$8,600) — regardless of risk level. DAXA warns this would send annual STR volumes for the country’s top five exchanges (Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, Gopax) soaring from roughly 63,000 last year to over 5.4 million, making compliance practically unfeasible. The industry also pushes back against proposed customer information accuracy verification requirements, arguing the draft imposes obligations not clearly defined in law. The backlash comes amid ongo

On May 4th, crypto whale “Sets 10 Big Goals First” (@Jason60704294) shared a trading screenshot on social media, revealing they’d successfully opened a long position using 46.1 BTC at $78,848.05—valued at roughly $3.63 million.

On May 4, artificial intelligence chipmaker Cerebras Systems officially launched its initial public offering (IPO), aiming to raise up to $3.5 billion. Per documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company plans to offer 28 million shares at a price range of $115 to $125 each, trade under the ticker symbol “CBRS,” and list on the Nasdaq. This marks Cerebras’ second IPO attempt—after withdrawing its listing application in October 2023. Financially, the firm has returned to profitability: it projects 2025 revenue of $5.1 billion (a roughly 76% year-over-year increase) and earnings per share (EPS) of $1.38, compared to a $9.90 per-share loss in the prior year. The market is now focused on how the IPO will validate the company’s targeted valuation of around $40 billion. Underwriters include Morgan Stanley, Citi, Barclays, and UBS.