Bitcoin remains above $80,000 as Hyperliquid launches prediction markets and Bitcoin Core fixes a critical vulnerability.
Bitcoin has successfully maintained its value above $80,000, with recent developments including the launch of prediction markets by Hyperliquid and a critical vulnerability fix in Bitcoin Core.
Bitcoin Approaches $82,000
On May 4, Bitcoin broke the significant $80,000 mark, influenced by shifting geopolitical news, particularly concerning the U.S. and Iran. The price continued to rise, peaking at $82,791 on May 6 before entering a correction phase, yet it remained above $80,000 and began testing the $81,000 level again.
Throughout the week, Bitcoin experienced a growth of approximately 2.9%, while Ethereum's price remained stable around $2,320. Notably, several altcoins outperformed Bitcoin, with SOL increasing over 11%, BNB rising by 5.2%, HYPE gaining 4.5%, and TRON appreciating by 4%.
In terms of investment flows, spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a net inflow of $622.75 million, marking the sixth consecutive week of positive inflows, the first occurrence since July 2025. In contrast, Ethereum-based funds experienced an inflow of $70.5 million, failing to offset a previous outflow of $82.5 million.
The cryptocurrency market's fear and greed index fluctuated, dipping to 38 but closing at 47, indicating a neutral sentiment. The total market capitalization is now at $2.69 trillion, with Bitcoin holding a 60.2% dominance and Ethereum slightly above 10%.
Hyperliquid Introduces Prediction Markets
Hyperliquid has launched its HIP-4 protocol on the HyperEVM mainnet, introducing prediction markets. The first trading day saw a volume of 6.05 million contracts, significantly lower than competitors Kalshi and Polymarket, which recorded 546 million and 190 million contracts, respectively.
The new protocol allows users to create markets based on event outcomes by staking 1 million HYPE tokens, differing from Polymarket’s model that requires platform approval. The prediction markets are integrated within the HyperEVM network, and trading occurs through a centralized order book.
Bitcoin Core Vulnerability Resolved
The Bitcoin Core development team has addressed a critical memory safety issue affecting many nodes still operating on vulnerable software. Discovered by researcher Cory Fields in November 2024, the vulnerability was patched discreetly by programmer Peter Wuille to avoid attracting malicious attention. The fix was included in the Bitcoin Core 29.0 release in April 2025, with developers clarifying that the issue did not impact the blockchain’s consensus rules.
Western Union Launches USDPT Stablecoin on Solana
Western Union has introduced its stablecoin, USDPT, on the Solana blockchain, backed by U.S. dollar reserves and issued through Anchorage Digital. This move aims to enhance transaction speeds and reduce reliance on traditional banking systems. CEO Devin McGranahan highlighted that this regulated digital dollar will streamline transactions for partners and agents. In 2026, the company plans to launch a service enabling customers in 40 countries to use stablecoins directly.
Galaxy Research Discusses Quantum Computing Risks
Alex Thorn from Galaxy Research has shared insights on how quantum computing could threaten Bitcoin. He argues against altering Satoshi's coins due to hacking threats, suggesting that such actions could diminish Bitcoin's value proposition. Thorn advocates for developing post-quantum cryptography solutions without causing community discord and preparing for future updates as the quantum threat evolves.
