A fresh whale on the XRP ledger moved a large chunk of tokens in a very short time, and traders are split on what it means. According to on-chain records, a newly activated address received two equal transfers that together totaled $120 million XRP. The transfers came through an intermediary wallet that shuffled the coins across multiple quick moves. Related Reading: Crypto Funds Bleed $1.80 Billion As Metals Rally Heats Up Whale Activity And The Flow Of Funds Reports say the incoming batches were two transfers of $60 million XRP each. The intermediary took each batch and pushed them onward to a holding address within the hour. That receiving account now shows a balance of $185 million XRP after adding a leftover $35 million it already held. Exchange tags are absent. No known custodial label appears next to these addresses. That makes the trail harder to read. Why The Moves Could Be Routine Large holders move funds for many reasons. Custodians tidy up wallets. Exchanges consolidate holdings. Firms rotate funds locked in cold storage for operational reasons. Those are common explanations. Active traders watched the price around the same time. Reports note XRP had slid to the low $1.70 range, breaking below the $1.80 support and slipping about 10% since Jan. 29. Signals Traders Want To See If this were a quiet buy-the-dip, market signs would usually show up. Price stabilization or an uptick might follow. Spot volume could climb. Net outflows from exchange wallets might be visible. None of those clear, matching clues appeared right away. Instead, the funds sat put. That raises the chance this was internal reshuffling rather than aggressive accumulation. Related Reading: Ethereum Boost: Vitalik Buterin Sets Aside $45M In ETH For Privacy And Open Tech What The Intermediary Pattern Suggests Routing through a central wallet is common. Some teams prefer to funnel receipts into a single address for accounting or security checks before dispersing them. The pace of transfers can look dramatic on a block explorer. But drama does not equate to new money entering the market. Without evidence that the source funds came from outside exchanges, or that they were purchased on the open market, the move should be treated as ambiguous. Reports have disclosed similar on-chain activity in past months that later turned out to be either coordinated buying or routine housekeeping. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Shiba Inu has spent recent weeks locked in a downward price action with bullish momentum fading and investor interest thinning without a clear bullish direction. However, holders may finally have something concrete to anticipate. Refreshing activity from Shytoshi Kusama, the Shiba Inu ecosystem’s lead developer, has diverted attention to a key moment expected on Sunday. Lead Dev Breaks Silence, Teases Sunday That dynamic began to change when Shytoshi Kusama, the pseudonymous lead developer and co-founder of the Shiba Inu ecosystem, resurfaced on X after a prolonged absence since early December. However, Kusama broke his silence this week with a thread on X explaining the reasons behind his inactivity and has since returned to regular posting and reposting activity. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Slide To $82K Sets Off A $1.7 Billion Chain Reaction One post stood out more than the rest, in which Kusama hinted at a revelation scheduled for Sunday. In that message, he spoke about arriving at a discovery by pure chance and referenced what he described as an ancient marker older than time itself. Although the message was a bit cryptic, it immediately generated attention across the SHIB community, which has been hungry for direction and clarity amid recent challenges in Shiba Inu’s price action. The significance of Sunday became clearer following an interesting exchange between Kusama and a Shiba Inu community member who openly expressed concerns about transparency, reassurance, and leadership presence after recent ecosystem issues. The community member, known as RuggRat on X, noted how there has been no official statement or simple explanation of what happened from Kusama regarding the Shibarium exploit. This is in reference to the September 2025 Shibarim Bridge exploit, which saw attackers making off with $4.1 million worth of crypto assets. In response, Kusama acknowledged the concern, stating that silence can sometimes be strategic and framing Sunday as a moment for addressing issues step by step. “This is what Sunday is for. One at a time,” Kusama said. Fair. But sometimes silence is a weapon for quiet wars. This is what Sunday is for. One bandage. Take off. Fix. Put on. One at a time. — Shytoshi Kusama™ (@ShytoshiKusama) January 29, 2026 Shiba Inu’s Challenging Phase Has Tested Holder Confidence Shiba Inu’s price action has struggled to gain any meaningful upside traction since the beginning of 2026, an extension of its late 2025 run. At the time of writing, SHIB is trading around $0.0000071, keeping it pinned down by 1.8% and 10.5% in the past 24 hours and seven days, respectively. Price structure during this period has been marked by a series of lower lows, with persistent selling pressure leaving little room for a meaningful higher high to form. Related Reading: Ethereum Boost: Vitalik Buterin Sets Aside $45M In ETH For Privacy And Open Tech This prolonged stagnation has been difficult for many Shiba Inu holders, and many of them are increasingly becoming sellers. Furthermore, expectations around ecosystem expansion and utility has yet to reflect positively in the price. That environment is exactly why leadership communication has mattered more than usual. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Discussion around XRP’s long-term price outlook picked up this week following remarks from David Schwartz during a Q&A exchange with members of the XRP community on X. The former Chief Technology Officer of Ripple and one of the original architects of the XRP Ledger weighed in on claims that XRP could realistically reach price levels between $50 and $100. Related Reading: Ethereum Boost: Vitalik Buterin Sets Aside $45M In ETH For Privacy And Open Tech Interestingly, Schwartz’s view wasn’t one of outright bullishness but on how markets actually price belief, probability, and conviction with a blunt reality check. Schwartz Refuses To Admit Or Dismiss A $100 XRP When asked whether to tell investors that XRP cannot realistically reach $50 or $100, Schwartz refused to give in to take that position. Instead, he began by explaining why he was uncomfortable making absolute statements about XRP’s future price. Drawing on personal experience, he pointed out that he once considered much lower milestones unrealistic, including XRP trading above $0.25 and Bitcoin reaching $100 as an impossible dream. However, personal disbelief was not the issue. His contention is based on how rational markets behave when participants genuinely believe in a specific outcome. According to Schwartz, if a meaningful number of rational investors truly believed there was even a modest chance of XRP reaching $100 within a few years, the market would already reflect that belief. In such a scenario, investors would be unwilling to sell XRP at prices far below $10, and buyers with that conviction would rapidly absorb available supply. At the time of writing, XRP is trading well below $10, and is yet to even establish $2 as a support floor. The fact that XRP continues to trade well under that level, in his view, shows that very few market participants actually assign a serious probability to a $100 outcome. According to Schwartz, cryptocurrency markets are more rational than they are often given credit for. However, he also noted his personal belief that most significant crypto bull runs were due to unpredictable external changes. This caveat still opens up the possibility that XRP would, in fact, trade at $100 one day. Comparing XRP And Bitcoin Through A Rational Market Lens In a follow-up exchange, Schwartz responded to a comparison between XRP reaching $100 and Bitcoin’s early journey to $1,000. The unlikelihood of XRP reaching $100 is dependent more on the multiple of the asset than anything else. A ten-fold increase in XRP, he said, is about as unlikely as a ten-fold increase in Bitcoin or Ethereum right now, regardless of whether that move occurred in the past or might happen in the future. The idea that XRP would one day trade at $100 has been a popular idea among bullish XRP enthusiasts. However, a few critics have always downplayed the idea, citing the enormous amount of inflow this would take and saying it would be best to target lower prices like $10 first. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Slide To $82K Sets Off A $1.7 Billion Chain Reaction Schwartz’s remarks do not declare a $100 XRP impossible but follow the reasoning of the latter group. Instead, the Ripple emeritus CTO challenges the logic behind confidently promoting such targets when the market itself shows little willingness to price that outcome in today, something that might not sit well with XRP enthusiasts. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Despite a major outflow just a day earlier, Spot XRP ETFs have defied bearish sentiment, setting record trading volumes and attracting fresh inflows. This resilience and surge in investor demand is particularly surprising given the recent crash in the XRP price and the overall downturn in the broader crypto market. Related Reading: Ethereum Boost: Vitalik Buterin Sets Aside $45M In ETH For Privacy And Open Tech XRP ETFs Defy Trends And Hit Record Volume XRP is making headlines after its ETF experienced fresh inflows following a significant outflow. According to data from SoSoValue, XRP ETFs saw a record $92.9 million drop on January 29, 2026. This marked the largest reduction since their launch on November 13, 2025. Since becoming available for trading, XRP ETFs have registered only three outflows, with the recent $92.9 million decrease being the third. This withdrawal was primarily driven by Grayscale’s GXRP, which saw a whopping $98.39 million leave the fund, partially offset by inflows into Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ, Bitwise’s XRP ETF, and Canary’s XRPC. At the time of the outflow, the total net assets of XRP ETFs fell to $1.21 billion from $1.39 billion the day earlier. The decline coincided with a drop in XRP’s price, which fell from $1.92 to $1.80 over 24 hours. Unexpectedly, XRP ETFs picked up just a day after the $92.9 million withdrawal. They recorded a daily total net inflow of $16.79 million, although total net assets still declined slightly to $1.19 billion. More impressively, Spot XRP ETFs achieved record trading volumes despite the overall downtrend. Data from The Block shows that XRP ETFs saw their cumulative volume rise to $2.23 billion from $2.15 billion just one day after the $92.9 million daily outflow. Reports indicated that Bitwise’s XRP ETF had the highest trading volume at the time, followed by Grayscale’s GXRP, Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ, Canary’s XRPC, and 21Shares TOXR, in that order. In terms of total Assets Under Management (AUM), XRP ETFs declined slightly, falling from $1.48 billion to $1.32 billion following the January 29 outflow. XRP Price Continues Slide Amid Market Uncertainty While XRP ETFs are recovering from recent outflows, the cryptocurrency’s price continues to decline, extending its losses from earlier this year. According to CoinMarketCap, XRP has dropped by more than 11% over the past week and a little over 3% in the last 24 hours. Following this decline, its price now sits around $1.69, representing a more than 15% fall from its $2 level seen just a few weeks ago. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Slide To $82K Sets Off A $1.7 Billion Chain Reaction XRP’s daily trading volume is also down by more than 26.6% at the time of writing, indicating a potential decline in trader confidence and growing uncertainty in the market. Supporting this trend, XRP’s Fear and Greed Index has fallen into the “Fear” zone. The broader crypto market is showing similar weakness, with the index signaling extreme fear across major digital assets. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Tether closed out the year with numbers that turned a few heads in finance circles. Reports say the firm posted net profits above $10 billion for 2025 while the stablecoin USDT grew to roughly $186 billion in circulation — a new high for the token and a sign of how central it has become to crypto markets. Related Reading: Bitcoin Suppression? Analyst Claims Single Force Keeping Price Under $90K Strong Balance Sheet And Big Reserves Reports note that Tether’s balance sheet shows solid backing after dividends and payouts. The issuer reportedly ended the year with several billion in excess reserves and total assets that comfortably outmatched liabilities. That cushion has calmed investors who worry about backing for so much stablecoin. Tether’s cash and short-term holdings are heavy on US Treasury exposure. Based on reports, a large slice of its reserves sits in Treasuries and similar instruments that generate steady interest income. That income helped drive the large profit number, even as the company moved into other assets. The numbers came from Tether’s most recent annual attestation, prepared by independent accountants at BDO, highlighting the company’s status as one of the top earners in the digital asset sector. Gold Buys And A Shift In Mix Reports say Tether has been increasing its holdings of physical gold alongside Treasuries. Recent filings and public comments show roughly 27 tons of gold purchased in the final quarter of the year, and the firm has said it may aim for between 10% and 15% of its portfolio in gold over time. That move is meant to diversify reserves and trim exposure to any single market. Stock And Market Effects The profit and the increase in the USDT supply have spillover effects. Market makers and exchanges usually use Tether as the primary dollar substitute in the crypto market, and the increased USDT supply improves trading and payment liquidity. On the other hand, some rating agencies and analyst firms have pointed out some concerns. There are potential issues with transparency and risk if markets turn against them due to increased allocations to non-Treasury assets. What This Means For Users And Regulators For users, the first thing to note is that the increased supply of USDT in the market typically means improved on-ramps for trading and moving value between platforms. For regulators and big lenders, the numbers underline why stablecoins attract scrutiny. Reports note that watchdogs want clearer, repeatable disclosures to match the scale of these holdings. Related Reading: Ethereum Boost: Vitalik Buterin Sets Aside $45M In ETH For Privacy And Open Tech Tether’s recent performance frames a larger story about how crypto handles dollar-like liquidity in practice. The company says its reserves and reporting meet its own standards, while independent commentators push for still greater clarity. Either way, USDT’s role has grown, and the conversation about risk, disclosure, and where those backing assets sit is only getting louder. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
United States President Donald Trump has unveiled former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh as his pick for the next chair of the US central bank. This move confirms the circulating rumors after the former Fed governor reportedly met with Trump at the White House on Thursday, January 29. Trump Pushes Warsh To Senate For Fed Chair Position On Friday, January 30, Trump, via his social media platform Truth Social, announced his nomination of ex-Fed official Kevin Warsh as the successor of Jerome Powell as the Federal Reserve chairman. Prior to this announcement, prediction platforms had heavily tipped Warsh as Trump’s likely pick. Related Reading: Why Litecoin Price Going To $2,000 Is Not A Fantasy, But Market Cap Math Warsh previously served on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors from 2006 to 2011 and held senior roles at the White House National Economic Council during former President George Bush’s administration. The former Morgan Stanley banker was considered for the Fed chair job in 2017 before Powell was eventually appointed. Trump said in his announcement: I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best. On top of everything else, he is “central casting,” and he will never let you down. Congratulations Kevin! Warsh has been a vocal critic of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy long before Powell became chair. Unsurprisingly, his recent stance appears to align with Trump’s agenda of lowering interest rates. In fact, the former Wall Street executive said in an interview last July that President Trump was right to push the Fed to cut rates. Trump’s nomination of Warsh as the Fed chair still needs to be confirmed by the US Senate, with many commentators expecting a battle between the executive and legislative arms. While Trump seeks a Fed chair that listens to the White House, a homage that Powell has refused to pay, the Senate believes the Federal Reserve should function independently. What Does Warsh’s Selection Mean For Crypto? Warsh and Powell seem to be on opposite sides of the divide when it comes to the cryptocurrency industry and Bitcoin. While the current Federal Reserve chair has consistently played down BTC’s relevance in the greater US economy, Warsh has been fairly positive about the world’s largest cryptocurrency. In a recent conversation hosted by the Hoover Institution, Warsh said that Bitcoin is an important asset that doesn’t trouble him, and he doesn’t view the coin as a substitute for the dollar. “Bitcoin can help inform policymakers when they are doing things right or wrong,’ the former Morgan Stanley banker said. Related Reading: Bitcoin Needs Deeper Liquidity Before A Real Recovery Takes Shape: Analysts Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView
Hyperliquid (HYPE) has emerged as one of the few large‑cap cryptocurrencies showing sustained strength across multiple time frames, even as the broader digital asset market remains under pressure. While Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and most major tokens have struggled amid a market‑wide pullback, Hyperliquid has continued to post notable gains, setting it apart during what many consider the early stages of a bear market. What’s Driving Hyperliquid Higher Market data from CoinGecko shows that HYPE surged roughly 31% over the past week, pushing the token toward the $34 level earlier in the week, and marking its highest price in more than a month. Over the past 14 days, HYPE is up around 17%, while gains of 13% and 8% were recorded over the 30‑day and year‑over‑year periods, respectively. By comparison, Bitcoin has fallen 12% over two weeks, slipped 4% over the past month, and is down roughly 21% year‑over‑year. Related Reading: Bitcoin Supply In Loss Begins To Rise, Raising Early Bear Market Concerns Experts have pointed to fundamental and structural developments as key drivers behind HYPE’s performance. Crypto analyst Elite Crypto highlighted the impact of Hyperliquid’s HIP‑3 upgrade, which introduced permissionless perpetual contracts tied to real‑world assets (RWAs) such as gold, silver, and other commodities. According to the analyst, trading activity in these products has expanded rapidly, with silver‑based perpetuals alone exceeding $1 billion in daily volume on many occasions. Elite Crypto also pointed to signs of institutional accumulation, noting that decentralized autonomous traders, including strategies operating directly on Hyperliquid, have been steadily increasing their exposure. In addition, research firm Citrini has published bullish commentary on the platform, and speculation around a potential HYPE exchange‑traded fund (ETF) has added to market interest. HYPE Faces Crucial Technical Test From a technical perspective, analysts see important levels coming into focus. DeFi Guru noted that HYPE is currently testing its primary descending resistance, describing recent price action as impulsive and confidence‑driven, suggesting a shift in momentum. The analyst identified $30 as a key level to reclaim decisively. A clean move above that area could open the door to the next major target near $35, which aligns with the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement level. Related Reading: Bitcoin Slides Toward $85,000 Despite Progress On US Crypto Market Structure Bill Another analyst, Efloud, offered a more cautious view and outlined potential support and resistance zones for Hyperliquid. He identified a key support region near the $23.7 level, which is crucial in determining whether the cryptocurrency will continue its rally. Efloud noted that price has already reached an intermediate resistance area and suggested that short‑side setups would only be considered if bearish market structure appears on lower time frames, either at current levels or closer to the $38–$39 range. Despite the broader bullish narrative, Hyperliquid has not been immune to short‑term volatility. Over the past 24 hours, HYPE has pulled back by roughly 10%, falling toward around $29. Analyst Ox Kaize described the recent dip as a normal market reaction, particularly given recent developments affecting both gold and Bitcoin. He asserts that a recovery in those markets could provide additional upside momentum for Hyperliquid, potentially pushing the token toward the $50 level. Additional catalysts remain on the horizon. A second Hyperliquid airdrop is expected in the near future, and Kaize believes the timing could be deliberate, as distributing tokens while prices remain below peak levels may support longer‑term ecosystem growth. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
A newly released report from crypto market intelligence firm Messari offers a detailed look at Avalanche’s (AVAX) performance during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025, revealing a sharp contrast between weak price action and record‑breaking on‑chain activity. Metrics Climb Even As AVAX Suffers Steep Q4 Decline According to Messari, Avalanche’s native token, AVAX, experienced a steep decline during the final quarter of the year. The token fell 59.0% quarter‑over‑quarter (QoQ) and 65.5% year‑over‑year (YoY), dropping from around $30.00 at the end of Q3 in September to approximately $12.30 by the close of Q4. Related Reading: Bitcoin Slides Toward $85,000 Despite Progress On US Crypto Market Structure Bill Avalanche’s circulating market capitalization mirrored that drop, falling 58.3% QoQ and 63.9% YoY from $12.7 billion to $5.3 billion. Yet, the decline in valuation also impacted Avalanche’s relative standing among digital assets. AVAX slipped from 14th to 21st place in rankings by circulating market cap over the quarter. Despite this, Messari highlighted that network usage continued to expand, effectively breaking the typical link between token price performance and network fees. While total fees measured in US dollars declined 11.7% QoQ, that drop was modest compared with the 59.0% fall in AVAX’s price. In native terms, fees paid on the network increased meaningfully. Fees denominated in AVAX rose 24.9% QoQ, climbing from 105,719 AVAX to 132,016 AVAX. Average daily transactions on the C‑Chain jumped 63% to 2.1 million, while a wave of liquidations during the market crash on October 10, 2025, generated $520,715 in transaction fees. Messari noted that this was the highest single‑day fee total recorded on Avalanche since February 2024. Avalanche Sees Record Transaction And User Activity Looking more broadly, Avalanche’s ecosystem reached new activity highs in Q4 2025. Aggregate usage across the C‑Chain and all Avalanche Layer‑1 networks accelerated sharply. Average daily transactions increased 4.5% QoQ and surged 1,162.1% YoY to 38.2 million. At the same time, average daily active addresses climbed 25.1% QoQ and an extraordinary 16,360.3% YoY, reaching 24.7 million. Activity on the C‑Chain alone reached historic levels. Average daily transactions rose 69.0% QoQ and 799.3% YoY, making Q4 2025 the busiest quarter on record for the chain. Staking metrics, however, reflected the pressure from falling prices. The total USD value of staked AVAX declined 59.9% QoQ and 69.1% YoY to $2.3 billion, largely tracking the token’s price drop. Rising DeFi Base And Major RWA Growth Avalanche’s decentralized finance ecosystem also continued to evolve despite market headwinds. Messari reported that the DeFi Diversity Score, which measures how many protocols account for 90% of total value locked, rose 5.9% QoQ and 63.6% YoY, increasing from 17.0 to 18.0. Related Reading: Bitcoin Supply In Loss Begins To Rise, Raising Early Bear Market Concerns Total DeFi TVL across Avalanche L1s and the C‑Chain declined 41.9% QoQ and 3.8% YoY, falling from $2.2 billion to $1.3 billion. At the same time, the network’s stablecoin market cap grew modestly, increasing 1.7% QoQ and 24.3% YoY to $1.8 billion. As seen in the chart above, measured in AVAX rather than dollars, native DeFi TVL rose 34.5% QoQ to 97.5 million AVAX, even as USD‑denominated TVL fell 44.9%. Messari explained that this divergence occurred because AVAX’s price declined faster than the underlying value held within DeFi protocols. One of the strongest areas of growth for Avalanche in Q4 was real‑world assets (RWAs). RWA TVL jumped 68.6% QoQ and 949.3% YoY, rising from $789.8 million at the end of Q3 to $1.33 billion by the close of Q4 2025. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
According to reports, Vitalik Buterin has pulled 16,384 ETH from his reserves and plans to spend it on privacy and truly open technology. That move is paired with a call for five years of thrift at the Ethereum Foundation so the foundation can keep building core software while staying healthy for the long run. Related Reading: Gold, Silver Steal The Spotlight As Crypto Hype Fades On Social Media: Santiment A New Focus On Privacy And Openness Reports say the funds, worth about $45 million, will back a broad list of projects: open silicon, secure hardware, private messaging, local-first operating systems, and tools that mix zero-knowledge proofs with other privacy tools like FHE and differential privacy. He has already put money toward encrypted messaging and air quality work, and some new efforts aim to make secure hardware more affordable and verifiable. The plan covers both pieces of tech and the systems people run on them. Simple apps for daily life are included, not just fancy research. In these five years, the Ethereum Foundation is entering a period of mild austerity, in order to be able to simultaneously meet two goals: 1. Deliver on an aggressive roadmap that ensures Ethereum’s status as a performant and scalable world computer that does not compromise on… — vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 30, 2026 Personal Money For Public Good Buterin is taking on what might once have been “special projects” of the foundation. He withdrew the ETH personally, and reports note he is looking at secure, decentralized staking to route future staking rewards into these efforts. That shifts some financial risk from institutions to an individual who wants those projects to survive even when they are slow or controversial. Some of the initiatives are unlikely to attract fast capital. That is why personal backing matters. A Stronger Core, Not Bigger Hype The Foundation is said to be entering a phase of mild austerity so it can meet two clear goals at once: finish an aggressive technical roadmap and remain alive and independent into the far future. The technical aim is to keep Ethereum fast and scalable without losing decentralization or security. At the same time, the team wants to protect users’ ability to control their keys, their data, and their privacy. Reports note that “Ethereum for people who need it” is the guiding line, rather than chasing large corporate deals that transform how people use the chain. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Slide To $82K Sets Off A $1.7 Billion Chain Reaction Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
While gold has posted major gains, Bitcoin (BTC) continues to show major signs of weakness, with prices drifting toward lower support levels and now approaching the closely watched $82,000 mark, a pivotal point in determining the next major direction for the world’s largest cryptocurrency. Against this backdrop, market analyst Doctor Profit has drawn attention to what he describes as one of the most important charts of the current Bitcoin cycle: the Gold‑to‑Bitcoin (GOLD/BTC) ratio. What The Gold-To-Bitcoin Ratio Suggests According to Profit, this chart has repeatedly provided reliable signals for major market tops and bottoms. He noted that he first shared this framework nearly a year ago, highlighting a historical pattern in which Bitcoin tends to peak when 0.02 BTC equals one ounce of gold, and bottom when that ratio reaches 0.11 BTC per ounce. Related Reading: Bitcoin Slides Toward $85,000 Despite Progress On US Crypto Market Structure Bill Profit pointed out that this relationship played out during the previous cycle, accurately marking Bitcoin’s top in 2021 and its bottom in 2022. He argues that the same pattern has repeated in the current cycle, claiming Bitcoin’s recent top near $125,000 when the gold‑to‑Bitcoin ratio once again reached the 0.02 level. The key question now, he says, is whether the market will again reach the 0.11 BTC‑per‑ounce level that has historically signaled a bottom. Based on current prices, Profit walked through the math. Assuming a gold price of roughly $5,500 per ounce, dividing that figure by 0.11 implies a Bitcoin price near $50,000. That outcome, he noted, aligns with his broader expectation that Bitcoin’s cycle low could fall somewhere between $50,000 and $60,000. He added that even under a more bullish scenario for gold, the analysis still supports his thesis. If gold were to rise to $7,000 per ounce, the same ratio would imply a Bitcoin bottom near $63,000. In his view, both scenarios reinforce the idea that gold is likely to outperform Bitcoin in the coming months. BTC Nearing Late‑Cycle Bear Phase? Not all analysts, however, share that bearish outlook for Bitcoin. Offering a contrasting perspective, technical analyst Michael van de Poppe suggested that gold’s recent strength could be nearing exhaustion, potentially setting the stage for capital to rotate back into Bitcoin. Van de Poppe highlighted the relative strength index (RSI) of Bitcoin measured against gold on the weekly timeframe, noting that it has reached the lowest level ever recorded. In his assessment, this suggests a sharp imbalance in valuations, with one asset appearing overextended in the short term and the other deeply undervalued. He described the situation as part of what he calls the “big rotation” phase of the market cycle. Related Reading: Bitcoin Supply In Loss Begins To Rise, Raising Early Bear Market Concerns The analyst also pointed to Bitcoin’s Z‑Score indicator, a metric used to assess whether the cryptocurrency is overvalued or undervalued by comparing its market capitalization to its realized capitalization, adjusted for volatility. According to van de Poppe, the current Z‑Score for Bitcoin is lower than it was at several major historical bottoms, including those seen in 2015, 2018, the COVID‑19 crash in 2020, and the 2022 bear market low. In his view, this signals that BTC is already deep into a bear‑market phase and may be approaching its final stages. At the time of writing, BTC was trading at $83,435, with losses of 2.2% and 7% recorded in the 24-hour and seven-day time frames, respectively. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Ripple’s new stablecoin rollout has put a bright spotlight on a simple fact: most RLUSD is living on Ethereum right now. That imbalance has stirred worry among long-time XRP supporters. Some feel the company’s heart might be shifting away from the ledger that gave it a base. Others say the move is practical and short-term. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Slide To $82K Sets Off A $1.7 Billion Chain Reaction Exchange Rollouts And Technical Gaps According to Luke Judges, Ripple’s Global Partner Success Lead, the choice of which chain goes live first often comes down to plumbing — the systems exchanges already run. He told followers that Ripple talks about XRPL every time it speaks with an exchange, and that many trading platforms have promised to add XRPL support. Still, existing tools on Ethereum can make listings happen faster. That speed matters when liquidity and market access are the goals. What The On-Chain Numbers Show Reports note RLUSD’s circulating supply sits at roughly $1.45 billion across both chains. About $1.11 billion of that amount is on Ethereum, leaving around $337 million on XRPL. That split — roughly 77% on Ethereum — is a big part of why people worry. Numbers are blunt. They shape how investors react, and they shape headlines. When a major exchange launches support only on one chain, the signaled path is hard to ignore. Community Reaction And Company Tone Binance’s decision to enable RLUSD trading first on Ethereum raised the heat. Many XRP fans saw that as proof of a preference. Judges answered that some launches are a function of readiness, not preference. To ensure complete clarity: the RLUSD team consistently prioritizes the XRPL in every centralised exchange engagement. While some exchanges may complete their Ethereum technical integration first, simply because they have existing infrastructure for that network, making it a… — LJ (@luke_judges) January 29, 2026 He used plain language and made a short, clear point: Ripple “loves” XRP and the ledger it runs on. That line was meant to calm nerves. It did, for some. Others remain skeptical because commitments on paper do not always match activity on the ground. What Comes Next For XRPL What will settle this argument is data. If trading activity, transfers, and custody flows begin to move onto XRPL in meaningful ways, perception will shift. If XRPL volumes stay small, the worry will grow. Exchanges can keep their promises. They can also delay. Some technical work will be needed on both sides to make the experience as smooth for XRPL users as it is for those on Ethereum. Related Reading: Gold, Silver Steal The Spotlight As Crypto Hype Fades On Social Media: Santiment Ripple’s message, at least for now, is meant to be simple and firm. Judges pushed back on the idea that his comments were an apology, saying there was nothing to walk back. He framed the statement as a response to noise, not a change in direction. “We love XRP and XRPL” was not offered as a slogan, but as a reminder of where Ripple says its roots still sit. Whether that sentiment carries weight will depend less on words and more on how quickly XRPL sees real growth tied to RLUSD in the months ahead. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin drifted under $83,000 on Thursday as market focus shifted toward how liquidity is stacked on exchanges. Reports say a mix of big orders and tight ranges has left traders feeling boxed in. Some analysts warn that a break under a key level could spark sharper selling, while others point to concentrated buy orders that might cushion a drop. Related Reading: Gold, Silver Steal The Spotlight As Crypto Hype Fades On Social Media: Santiment Order-Book Pressure And Liquidity According to trading-room data, one group or a cluster of large accounts appears to be shaping short-term moves by placing big bids and offers in the order book. This can keep price stuck in a narrow band. Material Indicators’ research flagged a pattern where bids are clustering around $85,000 to $87,500 — a zone that could act like a floor for now. The idea is simple: by piling up liquidity at certain prices, large players can get fills on their orders or discourage quick recoveries before options expiry. Market participants say this kind of behavior can trap less-experienced traders who react to sudden moves. At times, the pressure seems deliberate; at other times, it may be a byproduct of many traders aiming for the same levels. Either way, the result has been choppy price action and rising tension in the book. FireCharts shows $BTC price is being suppressed by one entity using a liquidity herding strategy to push price lower, potentially to get their own bids filled, or possible to keep price pinned in the lower end of this range before Friday’s options expiry. A significant amount of… pic.twitter.com/c63miAxBkh — Material Indicators (@MI_Algos) January 29, 2026 Whales, Wyckoff And The Spring Idea Reports note that a group of traders using Wyckoff-style thinking expects a “spring” — a drop below recent lows that then leads to a strong bounce as heavy hands buy at lower prices. Pseudonymous analysts have pointed to $86,000 as a strong buy wall provided by large orders. One commentator shared charts showing how a quick dip under $80,000 could serve as the spring before a rebound. Some traders view this pattern as part of accumulation. Others see it as a risky setup that could widen losses if support fails. The truth may sit between those views: both accumulation and the risk of a flush are possible in a tense market. Bitcoin Price Action Bitcoin has been moving in a tight range after failing to hold above $90,000. Price slid near $82,300 as fresh worries about monetary policy and world events hit risk assets. Volatility has been low at times and then spikes quickly, which makes trading tricky. Buyers have stepped in at certain levels, but they have not yet forced a clear break higher. Geopolitics And Fed Moves Reports say rising tensions in parts of the Middle East and talk about a new Federal Reserve chair pick have added to uncertainty. Some investors fear tighter policy would drain liquidity from markets and weigh on crypto. Market chatter has even mentioned US President Donald Trump in relation to political shifts that could influence economic policy. Safe-haven flows into other assets have been seen when headlines worsen, and those moves have pulled money away from riskier holdings. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Slide To $82K Sets Off A $1.7 Billion Chain Reaction Key Levels To Watch Traders should watch the $83,000–$85,000 zone closely. A daily close below $86,000 would be read by many as a negative sign and could open the door to deeper selling. On the flip side, sustained buying at those levels could set up a rally if big liquidity holders decide to lift offers. For most people, patience and clear stop rules matter right now, because the market is being pushed by both order-book tactics and outside news, and either factor can shift price fast. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin slid sharply this week, hitting just above $82,000 in early US trading and triggering a wide purge of crowded positions. Based on data from Coinglass, roughly 270,000 accounts were wiped out across exchanges in the past day, and close to $1.70 billion in total liquidations was recorded. Many of the losses came from traders who had bet that prices would keep rising. Related Reading: Gold, Silver Steal The Spotlight As Crypto Hype Fades On Social Media: Santiment Liquidations And Market Shock The move was fast. Long bets were the hardest hit. Reports say over 90% of the liquidated contracts were long positions, mostly in Bitcoin and Ether. The market was shaken quickly as stop orders were pulled and margin calls were forced. Price gaps showed up on some platforms and volatility spiked. This kind of clearing event can leave prices unstable for a bit, even after traders calm down. Geopolitics And Policy Pressure Reports note heightened tensions in the Middle East added fuel to the selloff. A US warship deployment and renewed public statements from US President Donald Trump put risk assets on edge. At the same time, an executive action linked to tariffs on goods tied to certain oil deals raised fresh concern among global traders. Risk appetite cooled as investors mulled how those moves might affect energy flows and trade. Tech Earnings And Investor Mood Microsoft’s earnings miss was another note in the mix. Some big tech names fell hard after results that showed rising costs and slower growth in cloud services. That made investors question the near-term outlook for AI-driven growth stories. With confidence wobbling in both stocks and crypto, many reduced exposure. The market atmosphere turned cautious and buying dried up in minutes. Bitcoin price action, risk aversion and volatility amid conflict headlines were both feeding into the selling. News feeds were full of sharp alerts. Traders who follow headlines closely found themselves adjusting positions quickly. Support Test And Wider Market Drops Bitcoin is trading near a higher-timeframe support area that mattered in recent months. Weekly closes have been caged between roughly $94,000 and $84,000 for several weeks, and that structure faces another test now. If buyers do not step in, deeper weakness could follow. Reports say the wider crypto market lost around $200 billion in value across tokens during the worst of the move. What Traders Are Saying Some analysts called the reaction overblown and noted that prices had already been falling since October. Others warned that a longer correction could be in play if macro pressures persist. Related Reading: Banks And Crypto Firms Back At The Table As CLARITY Talks Restart Benjamin Cowen warned that Bitcoin may continue to act weak compared with stocks, suggesting any hoped-for rapid flip from gold or silver into crypto might not happen fast. According to Trading Economics, gold and silver have climbed to record levels, with gold reaching $5,608 per ounce and silver rising to $121.60. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Washington is trying again to clear a path for federal crypto rules. Talks that had stalled are being pulled back into the open as lawmakers and industry players head to a White House meeting. The plan, based on reports, brings bank executives and crypto company leaders to the same table with officials from the administration of US President Donald Trump. Related Reading: Gold, Silver Steal The Spotlight As Crypto Hype Fades On Social Media: Santiment White House Steps In Reports say the meeting is scheduled on Monday, and is meant to smooth over clashes that have held up a draft known as the CLARITY Act. About 10 bank and crypto leaders are expected to attend. Conversations have been quiet for weeks, but bringing them into a formal room raises the chance of a fresh compromise. What happens there may not be made public right away, and details could still change. Banks Have Real Concerns Lenders want limits written into law to stop certain token features from acting like bank deposits. They argue that reward-style payments on stablecoins could siphon money from traditional accounts. That worry has pushed them to demand clear language that keeps customer deposits in the conventional system. Strong guardrails are being sought so balance sheets and consumer protections do not get muddled. Crypto Firms Push Back Crypto companies say those same rules would clip useful features and slow innovation. They point out that users expect to earn yields in some crypto services and that strict limits would change how people use digital assets. Several firms stepped away from the current bill draft after saying it would harm parts of the market. That pullback helped stall the process and forced negotiators to rethink priorities. Markets Signal Mixed Views Bitcoin has reacted to the back-and-forth. Prices moved up on some headlines and fell on others. Traders are watching for clear rules; many feel long-term clarity would help markets. Short-term moves, though, have been choppy as investors digest each new report. The mood is cautious, and that caution has been visible in trading volumes and in how quickly prices bounce. Political Timing Matters The Senate calendar is tight. Lawmakers who support the bill want something to show before deadlines and committee work closes. That pressure could spur faster drafting if both sides give some ground. But politics will shape what language survives. Some aides say compromise is still possible, while others expect more delay. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, Most In 3 Years A Narrow Window For Action If those at the meeting signal flexibility, a revised draft could go back to committee in the weeks ahead. If no common ground appears, the CLARITY effort may be parked again. Either outcome will leave the industry watching how regulators handle stablecoins, custody, and who has oversight between agencies. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
Bulls kept a collapse from happening this week when Bitcoin found buying interest above the mid-$80,000s. Prices bounced off a key range, and that breathing room has traders watching the market’s plumbing — not just the headline price. Reports note that the path to a lasting recovery is likely to go through improved liquidity, with market watchers pointing to on-chain measures as the real signal to watch. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, Most In 3 Years At Center Stage: Market Structure And Liquidity Glassnode and other analysts have flagged a tight snapshot of supply stress: roughly 22% of circulating Bitcoin is sitting below its purchase price, which raises the chance that outsized selling could kick in if support fails. That’s a nontrivial share of coins that could change hands under pressure. Any meaningful transition back toward a strong market rally should be reflected in liquidity-sensitive indicators such as the Realized Profit/Loss Ratio (90D-SMA). A sustained rise above ~5 has historically signalled a renewal of liquidity inflows into the market.… https://t.co/ct0FhOLFXh pic.twitter.com/JqbfdlRk2b — glassnode (@glassnode) January 28, 2026 The specific metric now being watched is the realized profit/loss ratio on a 90-day basis. Historical episodes of steady recoveries have tended to line up with this ratio moving above about 5, which many analysts treat as a sign that real money is rotating back into the market. A repeat of that pattern would make rallies more durable; until then, rallies look vulnerable to being trimmed. According to a post shared on X, Glassnode said focus has moved toward liquidity after Bitcoin managed to defend the $80,700 to $83,400 support zone. Reports note that any move toward a lasting rally would need to show up in liquidity-based signals, with close attention on the 90-day moving average of the realized profit and loss ratio. Bitcoin Price Action And Geopolitics Midweek trading left Bitcoin in a cautious band near the high-$80,000s. Geopolitical headlines have been shaking risk appetite, nudging some traders into safer assets and prompting short bursts of volatility. That has kept follow-through buying muted even when prices test higher levels, and it helps explain why some short-term bets are focused on a squeeze toward the low-$90,000s before profit-taking reappears. Flows Into Exchanges Still Low Exchange inflows, a rough barometer of selling pressure, remain subdued. Data shared by market trackers shows monthly BTC inflows to Binance at levels far below the long-term average — only a fraction of what was typical in past years — suggesting many holders are choosing to keep coins off exchanges rather than move them for sale. That reduces immediate downside risk, but it does not prove that buyers will step in en masse. Related Reading: Gold, Silver Steal The Spotlight As Crypto Hype Fades On Social Media: Santiment Futures And The Risk Of A Liquidity Grab Futures markets and options positioning hint at a possible short-term liquidity grab near the low-$90,000s, where stops and leverage cluster and can be pulled into a quick move. Such moves are often violent and brief. They can create the impression of a breakout, only for spot markets to settle back once the extra liquidity is consumed. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin (BTC) continued to slide on Thursday, extending the downward trend seen throughout the week and briefly falling below the closely watched $85,000 level, despite progress on long-awaited US crypto legislation failing to lift market sentiment. Crypto Prices Fall Despite Regulatory Progress The decline came on the same day the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced its portion of the proposed crypto market structure legislation, known as the CLARITY Act. While the committee’s action was widely viewed as a positive development for the digital asset industry, it did little to support prices in the short term. Related Reading: White House To Host Crypto And Banking Leaders In Push To Break Regulatory Deadlock Instead of triggering a rally, the news coincided with a sharp market sell‑off. Bitcoin dropped by roughly $2,700 in a short period, setting off a wave of liquidations that erased an estimated $356 million in long positions. Data from Coinglass further shows that total liquidations across the crypto market reached about $803 million over the past 24 hours, including roughly $693 million in long liquidations and $109 million in short liquidations. Bitcoin Hovers Near Breakdown Levels As earlier reported by Bitcoinist, the CLARITY Act cleared an important procedural hurdle earlier on Thursday when the Senate Agriculture Committee approved its section of the bill during a scheduled markup. The legislation aims to establish a clearer regulatory framework for digital assets in the United States. With the Agriculture Committee’s approval secured, lawmakers must merge the provisions that expand the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) role with parallel sections overseen by the Senate Banking Committee, which address the Securities and Exchange Commission’s jurisdiction. At the same time, legislators will need to determine whether bipartisan backing can still be achieved for a measure that could significantly reshape crypto regulation in the US. Related Reading: Bitcoin Supply In Loss Begins To Rise, Raising Early Bear Market Concerns From a technical perspective, market analyst Rekt Capital said that in the near term, Bitcoin needs to prevent the former range low around $86,000 from turning into resistance on lower time frames. He added that a weekly close above that level would be necessary to avoid a deeper breakdown. According to his analysis, a decisive break below the roughly $86,000 area could open the door to another test of the macro triangle bottom near $82,500. A further drop below that level, he cautioned, would signal an acceleration of bearish momentum. As of now, the market’s leading cryptocurrency has only briefly recovered to $85,135. However, it is still far from reaching the critical level outlined by the analyst. Therefore, Friday’s price action will be crucial in determining Bitcoin’s next move. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
XRP has opened 2026 trading in a tight range under $2 as it failed to establish a clear trend in the year’s opening month. However, underlying data suggests high-net-worth investors are accumulating the token despite the lack of price momentum. Data from on-chain analytics firm Santiment revealed that the XRP network has added a net […]
The post Shockingly quiet XRP whales are stacking up 42 new millionaire wallets as price stays stuck under $2 appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Bellwether crypto exchange Coinbase was lower for an 8th straight session on Thursday to its weakest level since May.
ARK Invest said stablecoin growth is stalling after October’s shock, with Base taking the lead in transaction volume.
Crypto research firm CryptoQuant has flagged a potentially troubling development for Bitcoin (BTC) and the wider digital asset market, pointing to an early warning signal that has historically appeared ahead of prolonged downturns. In a report released Wednesday, the firm noted that Bitcoin’s supply in loss metric has begun to rise again, a shift that has often marked the early stages of past bear markets. Possible Shift Toward Bear Market Structure According to analysis by CryptoQuant contributor Woominkyu, increases in supply held at a loss tend to signal that market weakness is spreading beyond short‑term traders and gradually affecting longer‑term holders. In previous market cycles, including 2014, 2018, and 2022, this indicator started trending upward well before prices reached their eventual lows. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Braces For FOMC Volatility As History Shows Major Post‑Fed Sell‑Offs During those periods, Bitcoin prices continued to decline even after the metric turned higher, with true market bottoms forming only once supply in loss expanded much further and broader capitulation set in. At present, CryptoQuant notes that Bitcoin’s supply in loss remains well below levels typically associated with full market capitulation. However, the change in direction itself is significant. The analysts say it suggests the market may be shifting into a bearish structural phase, rather than experiencing a brief correction within an ongoing bull market. Bitcoin’s recent price action appears to reflect that uncertainty. The asset is currently trading around $89,700 and has struggled to reclaim the key $90,000 level as support. This follows a steady decline from earlier yearly-highs near $98,000, where upward momentum faded as buying pressure weakened and gains recorded at the start of the year were fully erased. US Dollar Tests Historic Zone For Bitcoin Rallies Despite these cautionary signals, not all analysts believe the outlook is entirely negative. Analysts at Bull Theory have highlighted a potentially bullish catalyst that could emerge in the months ahead, centered on movements in the US dollar. In a recent post on social media platform X (previously Twitter) the firm pointed out that the US Dollar Index is testing the same zone that preceded major Bitcoin bull runs in both 2017 and 2021. According to their analysis, the Dollar Index has broken below a long‑term trendline that has held for roughly 16 years and is now hovering around the critical level of 96. Historically, periods when the DXY fell below 96 and remained there coincided with strong Bitcoin rallies. Related Reading: Crypto Funds Funneled To Money Launderers Hit $82 Billion, According To Chainalysis As seen in the chart below, in mid‑2017, the index dropped under that level, after which Bitcoin surged nearly eightfold over the following five to six months. A similar pattern played out during the 2020 pandemic era. When a wave of liquidity entered financial markets at the time, the DXY again slipped below 96, and Bitcoin went on to rise roughly seven times over the next seven to eight months. During that same period, Ethereum (ETH) and many altcoins posted gains of tenfold or more. For now, the market sits at a crossroads. On‑chain data points to early bear‑market dynamics, while macro signals linked to the US dollar offer a counter‑narrative that could favor renewed strength. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Flare Networks says it has turned a chunk of XRP from an idle holding into something that can earn returns. The moves are recent and the numbers are concrete enough to grab attention, yet they raise as many questions as they answer. Related Reading: PayPal Survey: 4 In 10 US Merchants Now Accept Crypto Flare Bridging And Activity According to Flare, roughly 91.69 million XRP have been bridged onto its network. About 75% of that stock is said to be actively put to work onchain. Reports say the Flare vault system shows 90.55 million XRP in its core vault after inflows and outflows were counted, and the FXRP wrapper is reported to hold 91.67 million tokens with a 100% reserve ratio. The new Flare XRP Yield Vault crossed $10.54 million in TVL inside 30 days. That last figure is quick growth for a product aimed at XRP holders who until now had few options for earning yield. How @FlareNetworks is becoming the center of XRP DeFi: 91M+ XRP bridged. 75%+ deployed onchain. And now: the Flare XRP Yield Vault powered by @upshift_fi ’s modular vault infrastructure, bringing automated strategy execution, risk frameworks, and scalable yield to XRP for the… pic.twitter.com/VwnnCJVldC — Flare ☀️ (@FlareNetworks) January 27, 2026 High Deployment Rate The high deployment rate suggests people are not simply parking assets to chase an easy bonus. Activity has been recorded across a set of strategies and the wrapped FXRP is being moved into other protocols. That activity has been supported by a vault system built by Upshift, which automates yield processes and applies predefined risk controls. Reports indicate that returns are generated through a mix of onchain strategies, though details on how those yields may change over time have not been fully outlined. Based on past market patterns, yield levels across crypto platforms have tended to decline once incentive programs are reduced. At the same time, the use of bridges and smart contracts introduces added technical complexity, which has previously led to disruptions and losses across the sector. Where The Yield Comes From Reports note that other firms have adopted similar models. Axelar and Hex Trust are among those that issued wrapped XRP tools that earn returns when deployed. That means multiple places are trying to make XRP productive. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, Most In 3 Years At the same time, Ripple — the company closely tied to XRP — has been active on the business side: a $500 million funding round was reported in November, and regulatory steps in the UK were announced in January, including an Electronic Money Institution license and cryptoasset registration. GTreasury, acquired by Ripple for $1 billion in October, launched a product called Ripple Treasury this month. These moves add weight to the wider story but do not change the mechanics of how onchain yield is created or kept. Featured image from Yahoo Finance, chart from TradingView
Reports note that retail investors have been hopping from one market to another this month, following whatever asset is moving the most. Social chatter about gold and silver has outpaced crypto on many days, based on Santiment’s social data. That doesn’t mean crypto is dead. Far from it. But right now the spotlight has been on metals, and chatter often moves faster than prices. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, Most In 3 Years Retail Chatter Follows Price Moves According to Santiment, gold jumped in interest during the second week of January when it set fresh highs. Social feeds lit up. Traders talked about gains, charts, and quick flips. Then, around Jan. 19 to Jan. 22, crypto briefly reclaimed attention as some traders looked to buy dips in falling markets. The pattern shows how fast attention can switch. One minute one market rules the feeds. The next minute another does. ???? Are crypto traders & investors checked out? Based on social data across crypto social media circles, the focus in January has turned from: ???? Week 1: Minimal discourse as traders return from holidays (Crypto rises while traders sleep) ???? Week 2: Gold discussions erupt as the… pic.twitter.com/U5X0VzAGPb — Santiment (@santimentfeed) January 26, 2026 Search Trends Paint A Shifting Picture Based on Google Trends data, crypto searches hit a high point on Jan. 21, with Bitcoin scoring 100 on one day and dipping to lower levels over the weekend. Silver’s search interest peaked on Jan. 22. Reports note people were searching for phrases like “Silver price today,” “best crypto,” and “Bitcoin price.” That mix suggests casual users and new traders are toggling between simple how-to queries and price checks, depending on which asset is making headlines. Silver’s Wild Ride Warns Of Hype Santiment’s team pointed to a dramatic move in silver where prices briefly jumped above $117 and then plunged to below $102 within a couple of hours. That kind of swing is a classic sign of strong FOMO followed by fast selling. Retail excitement can lift a price quickly. It can also reverse it just as fast. Many traders who piled in at the peak likely felt the sting when the pullback came. Parallels Between Metals And Crypto Coach JV, a popular XRP commentator, argued that the forces acting on silver and gold could also shape Bitcoin and XRP when the same pressures build in those markets. What’s happening in silver will happen to Bitcoin and XRP. Paper markets suppress price… until reality breaks them. No timeline. No hype. When it snaps, it won’t rise slowly; it will reprice violently. — Coach, JV (@Coachjv_) January 26, 2026 He warned that if paper markets finally loosen their grip, repricing could be sharp. No dates were offered. The point was clear: a sudden shift can move prices quickly and surprise a lot of people. Related Reading: PayPal Survey: 4 In 10 US Merchants Now Accept Crypto Short-term traders will watch social feeds and search trends closely. Long-term investors should be aware that spikes driven by hype rarely end quietly. While the current buzz is about precious metals, history shows attention can swing back to crypto fast — sometimes in as little as a few days. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Since launching nine months ago, Doppler says more than 90% of new DEX pools on Base now launch through its protocol.
The White House is set to bring together senior figures from the banking and crypto industries on Monday in an effort to break the deadlock over the crypto market structure bill, namely the CLARITY Act, according to a Reuters report. The planned meeting comes as progress on the bill has stalled amid growing tensions between the two sectors over how digital assets should be regulated. White House Crypto Council To Lead Talks People familiar with the matter said the meeting will be organized by the White House’s crypto council and will include executives from several industry trade groups. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Braces For FOMC Volatility As History Shows Major Post‑Fed Sell‑Offs Discussions are expected to focus on one of the most contentious aspects of the legislation: whether and how crypto firms should be allowed to offer interest or other rewards on customer holdings of stablecoins. The anticipated market structure legislation has been under consideration in the Senate for several months. It is intended to establish a comprehensive federal framework for regulating digital assets following the passage of the GENIUS Act last July. Stablecoin Rewards Clash With Bank Stability Fears The House of Representatives passed its version of the bill in July, but progress in the Senate has been slower. Earlier this month, the Senate Banking Committee was scheduled to debate and vote on the measure. However, the markup was postponed after cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase (COIN) withdrew its support for the bill and criticized various elements of it, including stablecoin rewards. Crypto representatives argue that offering rewards such as interest is essential to attracting and retaining customers. Related Reading: Crypto Funds Funneled To Money Launderers Hit $82 Billion, According To Chainalysis Banks, on the other hand, have raised alarms that allowing crypto platforms to pay yield on stablecoins could draw deposits away from insured lenders. Since deposits are the primary source of funding for most banks, industry representatives warn that a significant outflow could pose risks to financial stability. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
The full rollout comes after an earlier limited launch and as prediction markets are seeing record levels of activity and revenue.
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
South Dakota has a new bill on the table that would let the state put up to 10% of certain public funds into Bitcoin. Reports say Rep. Logan Manhart filed House Bill 1155 this week, restarting an effort that stalled last year. Related Reading: PayPal Survey: 4 In 10 US Merchants Now Accept Crypto The measure would change state investment rules to give the State Investment Council explicit authority to hold Bitcoin in its portfolio. Lawmaker Files Bill For Bitcoin Reserve According to filings and public posts, Manhart’s proposal mirrors a move he tried in 2025 and keeps a clear cap on exposure: 10% of the moneys made available for investment. The bill text says the limit “may not exceed 10%” and lays out options for how the exposure could be taken, including direct holdings or regulated products. A South Dakota lawmaker is reviving a push to bring bitcoin into state finances. Republican Rep. Logan Manhart introduced House Bill 1155, which would allow the state to invest up to 10% of eligible public funds in bitcoin. It’s a renewed effort after a similar bill stalled… pic.twitter.com/hPBbiSB6zT — Timmy Shen (@timmyhmshen) January 28, 2026 The new push comes after last year’s proposal was deferred in committee. Reports note that HB 1202 was put aside during the 2025 session and did not advance, and Manhart signaled he would try again in 2026. That history matters because it shows the idea has support in some corners but also faces practical and political hurdles. What The Bill Allows Based on reports, the bill not only sets a 10% ceiling but also tries to handle custody and security concerns. It mentions requirements such as using qualified custodians or exchange-traded products, encrypted storage, and multi-signature controls. Those rules are aimed at lowering the risks that come with holding a volatile asset with public money. Supporters say Bitcoin could act as a hedge and add a new type of asset to the state’s mix. Opponents point to volatility and possible legal or accounting issues when state funds are used in this way. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, Most In 3 Years The debate will likely hinge on how the State Investment Council evaluates risk and which funds would be considered “eligible” under the bill’s language. Political And Financial Pushback There is practical pushback from fiscal watchdogs and some lawmakers who worry about public perception. Money managed for things like pensions carries duty of care. That duty was stressed last session and will be raised again now that the bill is back. The point has been made plainly and will shape committee hearings. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
BlackRock is moving deeper into the “Bitcoin as a portfolio sleeve” trade, this time by packaging the flagship digital asset's inherent volatility into distributable income. On Jan. 23, the $14 trillion asset management firm filed a registration statement for the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF. This is a fund designed to track BTC's price (via […]
The post BlackRock is cannibalizing Bitcoin gains for “income” in a move that could leave retail investors behind during rallies appeared first on CryptoSlate.
A rising share of shops in the US are now taking crypto at checkout. That shift is small in some places and big in others, but it is real. Reports say that roughly four in 10 US merchants accept cryptocurrency today, and customer interest is a clear reason why. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, Most In 3 Years Merchant Demand Is Rising According to a new survey from PayPal and the National Cryptocurrency Association, about 39% of merchants have added crypto as a payment option. Many of those firms say they hear from buyers about crypto use on a regular basis. Reports note that 88% of merchants have gotten questions about paying with crypto, and 69% say they see demand at least once a month. Also, 84% of respondents think crypto payments will be common within five years, which shows a lot of business leaders expect wider use soon. Who’s Accepting Crypto Adoption is uneven. Big companies with annual revenue above $500 million lead the pack, with roughly 50% accepting crypto. Smaller shops lag at about 34%, while midsize firms sit near 32%. Travel and hospitality, gaming and digital goods, and higher-end retail are among the sectors pushing crypto forward. These markets often sell online or to tech-savvy buyers, so it makes sense they’d move faster. Crypto’s Role In Sales For merchants that already accept digital assets, crypto is not just an occasional trickle. Reports say digital assets account for over a quarter of sales for some of those sellers. Around 72% of current crypto-accepting merchants said their crypto sales grew over the past year. That kind of growth helps explain why firms want to keep the option available. Barriers And Bright Spots A common complaint is that setup is still too hard. Surveys found about 90% of merchants would accept crypto if it were as easy as taking a credit card. Payment tools and integration are top concerns. Merchants list faster payments, the chance to reach new customers, and better buyer privacy as reasons to accept crypto. Younger generations are pushing the trend too — Millennials and Gen Z buyers are often the ones asking to use crypto at checkout. Related Reading: Bitcoin Influencers Get Spotlight In X’s New ‘Starterpacks’ What Merchants Want Next The survey was run in October 2025 and polled about 619 payment strategy decision-makers across retail, travel, and digital goods. PayPal and the NCA put the findings in a public release at the end of January 2026. Many executives say the next step is simpler tools and clearer rules. If merchants get easier on-ramps and reliable rails for settlements, acceptance could spread faster. Featured image from PayPal Newsroom, chart from TradingView
The Bitcoin price is under increasing pressure ahead of Wednesday’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, which has historically corresponded with big price movements in the market’s largest cryptocurrency. Rate Cut Odds Fade The Federal Reserve (Fed) is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at this meeting. Economists surveyed by financial data provider FactSet anticipate the federal funds rate — the benchmark rate banks use for overnight lending — will remain in the 3.5% to 3.75% range. Such a pause would follow three consecutive rate cuts delivered by the Fed toward the end of last year, a shift that initially fueled optimism across risk assets, including the Bitcoin price. Related Reading: XRP Outlook For 2026: AI Model Signals New Record Ahead — Can Price Reach $6? Despite that earlier momentum, the Bitcoin price has struggled to maintain its footing. Ahead of the FOMC decision, the cryptocurrency is trading near $87,780, roughly 30% below the all‑time highs reached last year. Market analyst Ali Martinez has pointed to Bitcoin’s historical behavior around FOMC meetings as a reason for caution. In a recent post on X (previously Twitter) Martinez highlighted that expectations for a January rate cut are extremely low, estimated at just 2.8%, signaling that meaningful policy easing is unlikely in the near term. That backdrop, he argues, has often set the stage for increased volatility for the Bitcoin price rather than sustained upside. Looking back at 2025, Martinez noted that Bitcoin reacted negatively after the vast majority of the Fed’s policy meetings. Of the eight FOMC decisions held during the year, seven were followed by notable declines for the Bitcoin price. The January meeting was followed by a 27% drop, March saw a 14% decline, June was down 8%, July slipped 6%, September fell 7%, October recorded a 29% pullback, and December ended with a 9% loss. The analysts noted that the only exception seen in the year came in May, when the Bitcoin price briefly rallied about 15% after the decision. Bitcoin Price Approaches Key Decision Zone From a technical and on‑chain perspective, analyst BitBull also sees the Bitcoin price approaching a critical moment. BitBull noted on social media that the asset has entered what she describes as a key on‑chain decision zone. At current levels, the Bitcoin price is trading almost exactly at the Active Investor Mean, estimated near $87,500. This level represents the average cost basis for active buyers, placing much of that capital at breakeven. Related Reading: Tether Reveals Massive Gold Accumulation In Q4: Adds 27 Tons To Reserves BitBull explained that pressure is building on both sides of the price. Above current levels, the short‑term holder cost basis sits near $96,500, meaning many recent buyers are already underwater. As a result, any upward move toward that zone could face selling pressure as traders look to exit at reduced losses. On the downside, the True Market Mean at around $80,700 has historically marked the boundary between a “routine correction and deeper structural weakness.” Further below, the realized price near $56,000 suggests that long‑term holders remain firmly in profit and largely unshaken by recent volatility. BitBull argues if the Bitcoin price can maintain support above the $87,500 level, it would indicate that active capital is defending its position and that broader market strength remains intact. A sustained break below that level, however, could open the door for a move toward $80,700. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com