May Is Here, and Crypto Has a Lot Riding on the Calendar

May 2025 is shaping up to be a high-stakes month for the crypto industry. Packed with token unlocks, central bank decisions, major earnings calls, and crucial U.S. economic data, the coming weeks will test investor sentiment and asset resilience.

Crypto-native events, such as network upgrades and token generation events (TGEs), will collide with macroeconomic developments and geopolitical uncertainties. This confluence makes May one of the most consequential months for digital assets in recent memory.

May Kicks Off With Economic and Crypto Events

The month begins today, May 1, with a flurry of events. These include the release of U.S. initial jobless claims and the Federal Reserves balance sheet update.

These early data points help set the tone for market risk sentiment. Investors are now awaiting the Bank of Japan‘s (BoJ) rate decision later today and Strategy’s (former MicroStrategy) earnings report.

On the crypto side, the $SUI ecosystem saw both a major unlock worth $253 million and its Basecamp developer event. At the same time, $RUNE launched its V3.5 mainnet upgrade, while Coinbase rolled out a Bitcoin Yield Fund targeting institutions.

???? 2025 Crypto May Calendar

May 1 : US – Initial Jobless Claims

May 1 : US – Fed's Balance Sheet

May 1 : JP – BoJ Interest Rate Decision

May 1 : Coinbase – Bitcoin Yield Institutional Fund

May 1 : MSTR – Earnings Call

May 1 : $WLD – Live Update with Sam Altman

May 1 : $RUNE -… pic.twitter.com/oBNDSgPuwl

— Layergg (@layerggofficial) May 1, 2025

Key Crypto Events: Unlocks, Upgrades, and Delistings

Significantly, token unlocks will dominate May, with massive releases for $APT ($62M on May 12), $LAYER ($84M on May 11), and $ENA ($13M on May 2). These events could pressure prices and liquidity across DeFi markets. Meanwhile, $MOVE and $SUI also face substantial unlocks, further adding to potential volatility.

Besides token unlocks, blockchain development milestones play a key role this month. Ethereums Pectra upgrade, scheduled for May 7, will lead exchanges to pause ETH-related transactions temporarily.

Likewise, $CSPR is set to launch Casper 2.0 on May 6. Other mainnet launches include IOTA‘s network update on May 5 and $ZIL’s much-anticipated Zilliqa 2.0 later this month.

Exchange activity also remains intense. Binance will delist multiple trading pairs on May 2, while South Korean exchanges Upbit and Bithumb are removing several low-liquidity tokens throughout the month.

Regulatory Spotlight and Tech Giants Enter the Stage

In Washington, lawmakers will revisit digital asset regulation as the House Financial Services Committee holds a hearing on May 6. This is followed by the SEC‘s Virtual Asset Task Force roundtable on May 12, which could signal future enforcement directions. Investors are also watching the U.S. Senate’s possible vote on the GENIUS Act near the end of May, a bill that could reshape blockchain startup funding.

Additionally, Microsoft Build (May 19–22) and Google I/O (May 20–21) may highlight Web3 integrations and AI-crypto intersections. On May 28, NVIDIAs earnings could signal broader market momentum for GPU-based blockchain infrastructure.

With a Trump–Xi Jinping meeting and Elon Musks potential return both looming, the industry awaits clarity on multiple fronts.

Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.