Crypto & Web3·May 21, 2026

Stablecoins retain the edge over tokenized money market funds, JPMorgan says

Stablecoins retain the edge over tokenized money market funds, JPMorgan saysThe bank said tokenized money market funds account for only about 5% of the broader stablecoin universe despite offering yield. May 21, 2026, 12:49 p.m. 2 min readM

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Stablecoins retain the edge over tokenized money market funds, JPMorgan says
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Stablecoins retain the edge over tokenized money market funds, JPMorgan saysThe bank said tokenized money market funds account for only about 5% of the broader stablecoin universe despite offering yield. May 21, 2026, 12:49 p.m. 2 min readM

  • Stablecoins retain the edge over tokenized money market funds, JPMorgan saysThe bank said tokenized money market funds account for only about 5% of the broader stablecoin universe despite offering yield.
  • By putting fund shares onchain, tokenized funds can enable near-instant settlement, 24/7 transfers, automated compliance and more efficient collateral management.
  • The bank pointed to a streamlined Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) process introduced earlier this year to simplify the issuance and redemption of onchain money market funds.
5%10%-15%
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Stablecoins retain the edge over tokenized money market funds, JPMorgan saysThe bank said tokenized money market funds account for only about 5% of the broader stablecoin universe despite offering yield. May 21, 2026, 12:49 p.m. 2 min readMake preferred on Tokenized money market funds still make up only around 5% of the stablecoin universe despite their ability to generate yield, Wall Street bank JPMorgan said in a Wednesday report.The bank said crypto market participants continue to favor stablecoins because they have become the ecosystem’s default cash instrument for trading, collateral management, settlement, cross-border payments and liquidity management across centralized exchanges (CEX) and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols.According to the report, money market funds face a “structural regulatory disadvantage” because they are classified as securities, subjecting them to registration, disclosure, reporting and transfer restrictions that limit their ability to circulate freely within the crypto ecosystem."We doubt that tokenized money market funds would grow beyond 10%-15% or so of the stablecoin universe, unless there is a regulatory change that reduces the structural disadvantage arising from tokenized money market funds classified as securities," wrote analysts led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou.As a result, the bank's analysts said demand for tokenized money market funds is largely confined to crypto-native investors seeking yield on idle cash and institutional investors looking to combine blockchain-based settlement and programmability with traditional investor protections.Advocates of tokenized money market funds say the products combine the safety and yield of traditional cash-management vehicles with the speed and flexibility of blockchain networks. By putting fund shares onchain, tokenized funds can enable near-instant settlement, 24/7 transfers, automated compliance and more efficient collateral management. Proponents also argue that tokenization can reduce operational costs, improve transparency and allow assets to move more seamlessly across trading, treasury and payments systemsTokenized money market funds promise faster settlement and broader access, but they still face risks tied to liquidity, counterparty exposure, regulatory uncertainty and the underlying stability of the traditional assets backing the tokens.These tokenized funds are likely to continue growing faster than stablecoins because of their interest-bearing nature, the analysts said, but it is unlikely they will expand beyond 10%-15% of the stablecoin market absent meaningful regulatory changes.Regulators have offered only limited support so far. The bank pointed to a streamlined Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) process introduced earlier this year to simplify the issuance and redemption of onchain money market funds. The report also highlighted emerging partnerships between traditional finance firms and crypto-native companies that allow institutions to use tokenized money market funds as off-exchange trading collateral while still earning yield.Still, these developments are “marginal” and unlikely to overcome the broader regulatory disadvantages that prevent tokenized money market funds from matching the seamless utility of stablecoins across crypto markets, the report added.Read more: Mike Cagney’s second act: Turning blockchain into Wall Street’s new plumbingAI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.More For YouWith MoonPay Trade, the crypto payments firm is building infrastructure for banks, fintechs to access stablecoins, tokenized funds and yield in a one-stop shop.What to know: MoonPay is expanding beyond crypto payments to give banks and fintechs access to tokenized assets, DeFi and stablecoin liquidity across more than 200 blockchains.The platform is underpinned by Decent.xyz, the cross-chain startup MoonPay acquired, and will support the firm's financial institutional business led by former acting CFTC Chair Caroline...Read full story

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Bitcoin analysis shows what bulls need to do next to end this bearish 2026
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Bitcoin analysis shows what bulls need to do next to end this bearish 2026

Bitcoin stabilizes near $63,000, but reclaiming $64,000 is the real test Bitcoin is stabilizing near $63,100 after buyers defended the lower part of its recent range. That is constructive, but it is not yet a confirmed recovery. BTC must first overcome resistance near $63,175-$63,270, while reclaiming and holding $64,000-$64,095 remains the more important test. Key takeaways for Bitcoin traders and investors Current position: BTC is holding above the previous month’s lower value boundary near $62,380. Immediate resistance: Buyers need to clear $63,130-$63,175, followed by $63,247-$63,270. Main recovery test: A sustained reclaim of $64,000-$64,095 would carry much more weight than a temporary bounce near $63,000. Major support: The broader $62,380-$62,535 region remains the most important defended zone. Bullish confirmation: Repeated closes, consolidation or a successful retest above $64,095 would show that Bitcoin is beginning to establish higher accepted value. Data note: The latest daily, four-hour and one-hour candles were incomplete when this analysis was prepared. Exchange-specific Bitcoin prices may also differ slightly. I'm also closely monitoring the digital asset space after , putting immediate pressure on lower order-flow shelves as bulls fight to defend structural trendlines. Regulatory headwinds also resurfaced as the , injecting fresh institutional hesitation into active trading books. Meanwhile, broader risk sentiment showed divergence across asset classes as , underscoring rotational breadth away from mega-cap tech into small-cap momentum. Macro headwinds and geopolitical posturing remain front and center following headline chatter that , all while monetary policy uncertainty lingers after amidst baseline model variances. Why Bitcoin’s stabilization is constructive but incomplete Bitcoin recently fell to approximately $62,535, where the decline attracted meaningful buying. Price subsequently recovered toward $63,100, strengthening the case that buyers are willing to defend the lower part of the previous month’s trading range. What stands out to me, however, is how little upward progress followed that buying. Several periods showed positive buying pressure, but BTC remained concentrated around $63,050 and repeatedly struggled to extend beyond $63,150-$63,175. In simple terms, buyers have shown that they can slow the decline, but they have not yet shown that they can move Bitcoin into a clearly higher trading range. This is the difference between stabilization and recovery: Stabilization means sellers are no longer pushing price lower with the same ease. Recovery means buyers are lifting price, holding above resistance and shifting the market’s most active trading area higher. Bitcoin has shown the first condition. The second still needs confirmation. Why $62,380 and $64,095 matter The previous month’s value area provides a useful map of where most Bitcoin trading took place: Value Area Low near $62,380: The lower boundary of the previous month’s heavily traded range. Point of Control near $64,095: The price that attracted the most trading activity during the month. Value Area High near $65,050: The upper boundary of the previous month’s accepted range. BTC is currently about $720 above the monthly Value Area Low, but almost $1,000 below the monthly Point of Control. Holding above $62,380 tells us that demand inside the previous month’s range has not completely failed. Remaining below $64,095 tells us that buyers have not regained control of the broader value structure. This is also why $64,095 may be more important than $64,000 itself. The round number attracts attention, but $64,095 represents the previous month’s busiest price area. A brief move above $64,000 could still become another failed breakout. Holding above $64,095 would provide stronger evidence that the market is accepting higher prices again. As discussed in our previous analysis, Bitcoin’s created technical repair work for buyers. That repair is not complete simply because BTC has bounced from $62,535. Bitcoin support and resistance levels to watch What would strengthen the bullish Bitcoin scenario? Swing traders should have 3 key price levels: The Value Area Low (VAL), Point of Control (POC) and Value Area High (VAH) of the previous month. Together, these levels map the previous month’s main area of accepted trading: the VAL marks its lower boundary, the VAH its upper boundary, and the POC the price where the most volume traded. Traders watch them because holding inside the area suggests continued acceptance, while a sustained break outside it may signal that the market is searching for a new value zone. The first constructive step would be sustained trade above $63,175. Buyers would then need to clear and hold above $63,247-$63,270. That would improve the probability of a move toward $63,350 and, eventually, the much larger $64,000-$64,095 test. A more convincing recovery would include: Bitcoin reclaiming $64,000. Price moving above the monthly point of control near $64,095. A pullback successfully defending the reclaimed area. Trading activity beginning to concentrate above $64,095 rather than immediately slipping back below it. If that sequence develops, approximately $65,050 becomes the next major value-area objective. What this means: Acceptance is more than touching a level. It means price spends time above it, survives pullbacks and begins treating the higher area as support. What would weaken the stabilization attempt? Failure to hold $62,920-$62,800 would weaken the current short-term base and increase the probability of another test of $62,535. The more serious bearish development would be sustained trade below $62,380. That would place BTC outside the previous month’s accepted value area and suggest that the market may need to search for demand at lower prices. Traders should still distinguish between a brief move below $62,380 and genuine acceptance beneath it. Crypto markets can produce fast stop-runs through visible support before reversing. Repeated closes or continued trading below the level would carry more bearish significance than a momentary sweep. What Bitcoin traders may consider watching Different traders may use these levels in different ways, at their own discretion: Short-term breakout confirmation: Watch whether BTC can break above $63,175 and successfully retest it, with $63,247-$63,270 providing the next validation area. Support-zone reaction: If BTC returns to $62,380-$62,535, watch whether buyers defend it again or whether selling begins to hold below the zone. Broader recovery confirmation: Treat $64,000-$64,095 as the decisive recovery test instead of assuming that every bounce from $63,000 marks a durable bottom. Because Bitcoin trades continuously, weekend conditions can sometimes involve thinner liquidity and less reliable breakouts. Confirmation through time, repeated closes or a successful retest may therefore be more useful than reacting to the first price spike. What should Bitcoin traders watch next? Bitcoin has defended the lower part of the previous month’s value area, but the rebound still needs to prove itself. The immediate challenge is to move beyond $63,175 and $63,270. The much larger test remains $64,000-$64,095. A successful reclaim would indicate that Bitcoin is returning toward the center of the previous month’s accepted value rather than merely bouncing from support. Until that happens, Bitcoin may be stabilizing, but it is not yet showing a fully confirmed bullish recovery. This analysis presents conditional market scenarios and opinions (not promises) at investingLive.com, not a guarantee of future performance. Traders should consider volatility, position size and their own risk limits before acting. This article was written by Itai Levitan at investinglive.com.

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