SharpLink Gaming’s shares nosedived by 70%, driven by widespread confusion over regulatory filings tied to its $425 million Ethereum treasury strategy. The sharp drop, rather than the treasury move itself, dominated financial discussions and left investors scrambling to understand the fallout.
As speculation spread about the causes behind the plunge, SharpLink chairman Joseph Lubin offered some clarifications.
Misreading Filing Triggers Historic 70% Drop
SharpLink Gaming’s historic collapse caught markets off guard. While the company’s plan to make Ethereum its core treasury asset was already public knowledge, it was a regulatory S-3ASR filing that caused confusion. Many investors mistakenly believed this filing signified insider selling, not realizing it was a standard procedure following a private placement.
“The first Ethereum ‘Treasury company’ $SBET falls -75% after hours,” FinanceLancelot posted
The SEC S-3 filing involved is routine in such transactions, registering shares for potential resale but unrelated to immediate insider sales. The misunderstanding triggered panic, causing shares to tumble by more than two-thirds in a matter of hours.
SharpLink had previously made headlines with its $425 million private placement, making it the first NASDAQ-listed firm to publicly hold Ethereum as a primary reserve asset. This move set SharpLink apart from bitcoin-focused peers, sparking intense debate and rapid trading activity, but it was the misinterpretation of the latest filing—not the Ethereum strategy itself—that proved most consequential for its stock price.
The scale of the Ethereum treasury and the departure from typical Bitcoin positioning had added to market buzz, but investor reactions were ultimately shaped by regulatory misunderstanding rather than the underlying financial strategy.
Joseph Lubin Steps In to Steady the Market
Recognizing the confusion and panic gripping the market, Joseph Lubin appeared on social media to offer much-needed clarification. He stressed that neither he nor Consensys had sold any shares and explained the true purpose behind the S-3 filing, emphasizing its hypothetical and routine nature following private placements.
“Some are misinterpreting SBET’s S-3 filing: It registers shares for potential resale by prior investors. The “Shares Owned After the Offering” column is hypothetical, assuming full sale of registered shares. This is standard post-PIPE procedure in tradfi, not an indication of actual sales. To clarify, neither Consensys nor I have sold any shares,” Joseph Lubin posted
Lubin’s intervention brought greater understanding to a panicked market and underscored the need for improved financial literacy around standard regulatory protocols, especially as the worlds of crypto and traditional finance intersect. However, the positive impacts are yet to be reflected in SharpLink Gaming’s stock prices.
Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US recorded massive inflows of more than $3 billion last week.
This performance marks one of the strongest weeks for Bitcoin ETFs in 2025, driven by the recovering BTC price and renewed interest from institutional investors.
Bitcoin ETFs Post Strongest Six-Day Inflow Streak
According to SoSoValue, the 11 spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a combined inflow of approximately $3.06 billion over six consecutive trading sessions.
This wave of investment ranks as the second-largest net inflow on record for Bitcoin ETFs, highlighting increasing demand for crypto-focused financial products.
The largest inflows were seen on April 22 and April 23, when daily figures reached $936 million and $916 million, respectively. Analysts noted that these were among the best single-day performances since Donald Trump returned to the White House earlier this year.
US Bitcoin ETFs Six-Day Inflow Streak. Source: SoSoValue
The wave of investment lifted the total assets under management (AUM) for Bitcoin ETFs to $109 billion. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) continues leading the market, now managing more than $56 billion. This accounts for roughly 3% of Bitcoin’s circulating supply.
Moreover, analysts from The Kobeissi Letter suggest that Bitcoin’s decoupling from macro assets has supported its price rebound. Since dipping under $75,000 on April 7, BTC’s price has surged by more than 25% and is now trading above $94,000.
“As global money printing continues so will Bitcoin’s price appreciation. The value of paper money is backed by nothing more than debt, and that debt has been running out of control for quite some time. Bitcoin is the solution to our broken monetary system,” Mark Wlosinski, a crypto analyst, said.
Looking forward, David Puell, an analyst at ARK Invest, remains highly optimistic about the top crypto.
After numerous Congressional debates and revisions, the GENIUS Act is now on the verge of becoming law. The bill, which aims to regulate the stablecoin industry across the United States, is widely expected to be signed.
According to representatives from Digital Chamber, a D.C.-based advocacy group for the blockchain industry, the bill approval will likely come before the end of June. Such a move would increase institutional adoption and strengthen the US dollar’s dominance globally.
When Will the GENIUS Act Pass?
Poised for passage, the GENIUS Act is a landmark bill that would federally regulate the US stablecoin industry.
Despite recent disagreements between Republican and Democratic Senators, the bill passed a key procedural vote. Kristopher Klaich, Policy Director at The Digital Chamber, strongly believes in its impending approval.
“I feel pretty strongly that there won’t be more hiccups… I think the industry has been such a strong player in politics for the last couple of years and supporting campaigns… there’s a high cost for members that may be the stick in the mud,” he told BeInCrypto.
According to Taylor Barr, the advocacy group’s Government Affairs and PAC Manager, 53 amendments have been made.
“Majority leader Thune is committed to having what he’s calling a fully open amendment process, which means every single amendment has the full right to go through a debate vote and to have full closure on each amendment. So at the end of the day, that could be a three-week-long process,” Barr told BeInCrypto.
However, Barr clarified that a fully open process with 53 individual debates is unlikely. He expects these amendments to be divided into three or four groups, resulting in a more efficient and abbreviated open amendment process, given that many are duplicative.
If Barr’s estimations are correct, the bill will pass before the end of this month. When it does, the significance will be substantial for the greater crypto industry.
Understanding Stablecoin Impact
Stablecoins are arguably the most globally adopted digital asset. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or altcoins, they provide worldwide access to a stable medium of exchange.
According to a January report by crypto exchange CEX.io, the total stablecoin transaction volume reached 27.6 trillion in 2024, exceeding Visa’s total payment volume and Mastercard’s by 7.7%.
Tether and Circle dominate the market at $151 billion and $59 billion, respectively. Together, they have an 89% market share, according to rwa.xyz.
Tether and Circle dominate stablecoin market share. Source: rwa.xyz.
Their heavyweight presence in global economies makes a bill like the GENIUS Act all the more significant. This is especially true in the context of a debilitated US dollar.
The Dollar’s Waning Influence
The US dollar started the year exceptionally weakly. Two days ago, the US Dollar Index (DXY)—a key measure heavily influenced by the euro—fell nearly 9% to just under 99. The results marked its weakest calendar year opening since at least the mid-1980s.
This situation and broader de-dollarization efforts by major US debt holders like China and Japan intensify concerns about the dollar’s future.
US Dollar Index Continues to Decline. Source: Yahoo Finance
Data from Ark Invest illustrates this shift. In 2011, these three nations held 23% of the $10.1 trillion in outstanding US Treasury debt.
By November 2024, despite the total outstanding US Treasury debt rising to $36 trillion, their combined holdings had dropped significantly to approximately 6%.
This substantial decrease in holdings by key foreign creditors highlights growing worries about the dollar’s long-term stability and the United States’ ability to refinance its massive debt.
“Dollars are the world reserve currency. Demand for dollars has waned at the sovereign level. Over recent years, the largest purchasers of treasuries are cutting their holdings of treasuries. That is not a good situation for the United States as they try to refinance,” Klaich said.
Klaich added that legislation like the GENIUS Act is crucial:
“In my mind, there’s very little more important than the stablecoin bill being passed from an macroeconomic perspective… If demand for dollars diminishes at the sovereign level, structurally speaking, if that is or can be replaced by demand at a retail individual level, that is a huge boon to the US government.”
The data behind Klaich’s statements seems to back his analysis.
What Role Will Stablecoins Play in Future US Debt Demand?
The stablecoin market is poised for significant growth. According to an April report from Citigroup, the total stablecoin supply could reach $1.6 trillion by 2030. This growth could create a demand for US debt comparable to the historical levels supported by sovereign nations.
Stablecoin issuers could be one of the largest holders of US treasuries by 2030. Source: Citigroup.
The GENIUS Act could facilitate this transition.
“Hopefully, when it passes, demand for stablecoins will explode because there are many companies and banks that are planning to introduce stablecoins that will provide the rails for them to operate at a consumer and business level. So the efficiencies companies and individuals realize will help push that,” Klaich explained.
“It allows anybody in the world to access US dollars. What that affords the US from an economic warfare standpoint is significant,” Klaich added.
With persistent inflation risks, the Federal Reserve is unlikely to buy back significant amounts of US treasuries. Therefore, encouraging stablecoin use allows this market to effectively replace currently ineffective financial mechanisms.
Amendments to the Bill
If the GENIUS Act is implemented correctly, the stablecoin industry could become a valuable financial tool for the US government to ensure long-term support for the US dollar.
The bill underwent a difficult revision process. According to Barr, the process was tedious and politically challenging.
“If you look at all of the progress we’ve made, we’ve worked on this for three Congresses now. We’ve worked on this [through] multiple different leaderships– minority, majority split. So we’re so close. We’ve done all this progress so we can see the finish line. We’re going to get there,” he said.
However, multiple revisions were a prerequisite for its passage to ensure the bill responsibly addressed consumer protection, national security, and market integrity issues.
Klaich noted that these critical concerns were addressed fairly in the legislative process. He emphasized that recent versions of the bill effectively integrated these revisions.
“None of those issues are existential, and they’ve been negotiated into the latest version of the bill that’s being considered right now. I think the changes that have been made are reasonable and acceptable,” he said.
The future will reveal if the bill passes and achieves its desired effect in helping the US overcome its complicated economic reality.
