XRP fell to $1.33, its lowest level since April 13, after failing to break $1.55 less than ten days earlier. Whale activity also dropped sharply, with large $1M+ transactions sliding from 157 to 67 over the last 9 days. Analysts additionally pointed to rising short positioning and said a move toward $1.30 remains possible if broader weakness persists.

Dogecoin fell to slightly above $0.10, its first return to that level since April 30, after failing to hold last week's move toward $0.12. Large holders have continued accumulating, including more than 525,000,000 DOGE over four days, while some analysts argue DOGE is echoing prior post-bottom setups that previously preceded strong rallies.

Bitcoin was above $82,000 in the prior business week before a sharp rejection pushed it down by more than $7,000 to a monthly low of $75,000 overnight. The pullback has been attributed to potential sell-side flows to exchanges, macro uncertainty tied to the incoming Fed chair, and renewed worries around U.S.–Iran military escalation.

Bitcoin fell below $76,000 after a sharp selloff, sliding from nearly $78,000 to $75,500 and marking its lowest level since April 30. Major altcoins also declined as ETH moved toward $2,050, XRP slipped under $1.35, and SOL dropped below $85. Total liquidations reached $485 million, including more than $430 million in long positions.

On May 22, 2026, on-chain investigator ZachXBT said a Polymarket admin address on Polygon appeared to be compromised, initially estimating losses at about $520,000. Later updates suggested the stolen amount may have surpassed $600,000, with the attacker splitting funds across 15 addresses. Polymarket’s Shantikiran Chanal said the team is investigating while claiming user funds and market resolutions remain safe.

Lookonchain reported that Trump Media, which runs Truth Social and is majority owned by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, deposited 2,650 BTC (about $205 million) to Crypto.com on May 22, 2026. The firm previously bought 11,542 BTC for $1.37 billion at an average cost of $118,522, while BTC was near $120,000, and its remaining stash was cited at roughly $455 million as BTC traded below $78,000.

XRP has traded in a narrow range for months, with Bollinger Bands on the 3-day chart compressing to their tightest level in over a year. Analysts say a 3-day close above $1.50 could point toward $1.80, while a break below $1.29 may shift focus to the $1.00 support area.

Bitcoin extended its drop after failing to hold $82,000 on Thursday evening, falling to $76,650 on Bitstamp and erasing more than $5,000 from the peak. The selloff triggered over $660 million in liquidations over 24 hours, with more than $610 million occurring within roughly 1–2 hours as BTC slipped below $76,700.

Merlijn The Trader argued on May 17, 2026 that Bitcoin could revisit $33,000 if its midterm-election-year drawdown pattern repeats. He pointed to prior declines of 61% (2014), 65% (2018), and 66% (2022), while offering a less-bearish alternative range of $45,000–$59,000 that hinges on whether BTC holds $78,000 support.