May 19th is Packed with Major Crypto Events - From a Potential Geopolitical Ceasefire Impacting Bitcoin to Coinbase Joining the S&P 500

May 19th is turning out to be nothing like a regular (boring) Monday – everything seems to be hitting at once! This is a day packed with real-world

May 19th is shaping up to be anything but a regular (boring) Monday, as several major crypto events are set to unfold, potentially disrupting or immensely boosting the market.

From high-stakes calls from the White House that could affect a crucial ceasefire to a Senate vote to reshape how stablecoins are regulated in the U.S., there’s a lot happening.

Here’s a breakdown of what, why it matters, and what to keep an eye on:

#1 Trump, Putin & A Ceasefire Bid

Former President Donald Trump will be speaking separately with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday in a bid to secure a ceasefire.

“I will be speaking, by telephone, to President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Monday, at 10:00 A.M. in order to discuss how we can avert the upcoming, and what will be a devastating, war between Israel and Iran, and also to try and get a ceasefire in the Ukraine mess,” Trump announced on Truth Social.

The former president, who previously served as president for both Israel and Ukraine during his administration, stated that he would be contacting the president of each country, as well as NATO members. He added that he’ll be speaking with Zelensky on Monday evening.

“Perhaps, together, we can help to stop the bloodshed!” Trump concluded.

The geopolitical backdrop is heavy, but here’s the crypto tie-in: research shows the Russia-Ukraine war directly affects Bitcoin trading volumes. A 1% escalation in the war reportedly causes a 0.2% drop in BTC activity.

If this ceasefire progresses, don’t be surprised to see a volume bounce and a broader market reset.

#2 XRP Futures Go Live At CME

In other news, CME Group Inc. is set to begin offering futures contracts for XRP, the cryptocurrency used by payment network Ripple, on Monday, expanding its crypto derivatives lineup and clearing the way for new institutional strategies.

“We plan to introduce XRP futures, subject to regulatory approval, on Monday, May 19, and pending sufficient market interest,” CME said in a statement.

If it wasn’t clear enough, this is a big deal. Not just because CME is the world’s largest derivatives exchange, but because futures products often act as a gateway for hedge funds and tradfi institutions that can’t (or won’t) hold spot crypto.

To take a step back, CME launched regulated Bitcoin futures in late 2017, which famously coincided with the top of that bull cycle. So the XRP crowd will be watching closely – could this be a breakout moment?

For now, signals lean bullish. Technical indicators suggest XRP could push toward $2.50, and the token is holding firm above key moving averages. Plus, there’s growing noise around institutional interest, with BlackRock’s crypto strategies and the XRP ETF launch both in the mix.

#3 Coinbase Hits The S&P 500

Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) is set to enter the S&P 500 index today, May 19, replacing Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS), according to an announcement by S&P Global on Friday.

"Coinbase Global Inc. common shares will replace Discover Financial Services in the S&P 500 index, effective prior to the Monday, May 19 opening of trading," the statement said.

Founded in 2012, Coinbase has become the biggest U.S.-based crypto exchange and the world’s largest Bitcoin (BTC) custodian. As of Friday's close, the company has a market cap of $67.87 billion.

For crypto, this moment is both symbolic and strategic. It’s one thing to talk about adoption – it’s another to see one of the biggest names in the space sit shoulder to shoulder with Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), and JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) on one of Wall Street’s most elite lists, wouldn’t you agree?

#4 Saylor May Be Back To Buy More Bitcoin

Continuing with our crypto news coverage, it appears that Michael Saylor may be teasing yet another big Bitcoin purchase for his company, Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MBI)).

In a familiar move, Saylor took to X, formerly Twitter, to post a screenshot of the firm’s portfolio tracker, a signal that has historically been followed by a BTC buy within 24 hours.

“Never short a man who buys orange ink by the barrel,” he wrote.

The company currently holds 568,840 BTC valued at $59 billion, up $19.7 billion from the cost basis. If this next buy lands, Bitcoin bulls may just get the fuel they need to push toward $110K.

Fingers crossed.

#