Jane Street, one of the world’s largest market-making firms, has come under growing scrutiny as a series of allegations have surfaced linking the company to major disruptions in the crypto market. The firm is already facing a federal lawsuit tied to the collapse of Terraform Labs, and now new claims circulating on social media suggest that Trump Media has accused Jane Street and other trading firms of “naked short selling” in a letter to Congress. Jane Street Rejects Terra Allegations The legal troubles began earlier this week. On February 23, a lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York accusing Jane Street of using confidential information obtained from Terraform Labs to shield itself from heavy losses before the Terra/Luna ecosystem unraveled in May 2022. Related Reading: Coinbase Stablecoin Revenue Could Surge 7x Under GENIUS Act, Bloomberg Analysts Say According to the complaint, Jane Street allegedly leveraged insider knowledge to avoid more than $200 million in potential losses ahead of the implosion. The firm has strongly denied the accusations, characterizing the lawsuit as “desperate” and describing it as a “transparent attempt to extract money.” Beyond the courtroom, additional claims have gained traction online. Some market participants have alleged that Jane Street manipulated Bitcoin (BTC) prices by operating an algorithm that allegedly triggered consistent sell-offs at 10 a.m. each day for months. According to these claims, the strategy involved pushing prices lower, triggering liquidations among retail traders, and then repurchasing Bitcoin at reduced levels in a repeated cycle. Naked Short Selling Inquiry Adding another layer to the controversy, market commentator MartyParty stated on Thursday that Trump Media had sent a letter to members of Congress calling for a full investigation into Jane Street, Citadel and other firms over alleged naked short selling. Naked short selling refers to the practice of selling shares without first borrowing them, a tactic that is restricted under US securities law. Related Reading: Circle Tops Q4 Revenue Forecasts, Shares Surge 30% — Key Numbers Inside As of Thursday afternoon Eastern Time, there had been no official confirmation of such a letter, nor any public statement from Trump Media, Jane Street, or Citadel verifying the claim. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin climbed to $69,550 on Wednesday, its highest point in over a week, after a sharp swing upward from around $62,350 in less than a day. The move came as US stock markets turned green again, giving investors across the board a reason to buy back in. Related Reading: Crypto’s Biggest Bull Run Could Come From The Most Unexpected Place: AI Bubble ETF Cash Returns After Five Weeks Of Outflows One of the clearest signs of renewed confidence came from the spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund market. Reports say US-listed Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $257.7 million in a single day on Tuesday — a notable turnaround after five straight weeks of withdrawals that had drained roughly close to $4 billion from those same funds. Fidelity drew approximately $83 million of that total. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust attracted close to $79 million. The return of institutional buying added fuel to a rally already building on the back of a calmer macro backdrop. The broader stock market’s recovery was partly tied to US President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night, in which he described his first year in office as an economic success. He pointed to falling mortgage rates and a 1.7% drop in core inflation over the final three months of 2025. Markets took the speech as a sign that the policy chaos seen in recent months — particularly around tariffs and court battles — might be settling down. Spot Buyers, Not Speculators, Are Behind This Rally What makes this price move stand out is the data beneath the surface. Reports note that Bitcoin’s aggregated open interest — a measure of outstanding futures positions — has actually been declining even as prices climbed. It fell from above 240,000 BTC earlier in the week to around 235,167 BTC. That kind of drop suggests traders with borrowed money were closing out positions rather than opening new ones. Funding rates tell a similar story. They remain slightly negative at around -0.0037%, meaning short sellers are currently paying fees to traders betting on higher prices. That is an unusual setup during a strong rally, and it points to a market where aggressive speculation has been squeezed out rather than amplified. Related Reading: Bullish Signal? Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Turns Positive After Months In Red Ticking Upward The cumulative volume delta — which tracks whether buyers or sellers are more aggressive on spot markets — has been ticking upward, confirming that real purchasing activity is driving the move. According to market experts, options market dynamics are also playing a role. Dealers holding what is known as a positive gamma position tend to buy when prices dip and sell when prices rise, as part of routine hedging. That behavior acts as a natural shock absorber, smoothing out big swings and making explosive breakouts harder to sustain in either direction. Featured image from Yellow, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin flipped a small but notable technical switch this week when the Coinbase premium moved back above zero, ending a run of negative readings that began after heavy selling on February 6. Related Reading: XRP Fell Nearly 70% — Could History Repeat With An 835% Surge? Coinbase Premium Flips Above Zero According to market data published on February 23, 2026, Bitcoin was trading around $66,150 on Binance futures at one point, showing a brief hourly uptick of 0.40%. Yet other spot indexes told a different slice of the story: CoinMarketCap listed BTC near $65,070 and flagged a roughly 3% drop for the day. Those gaps are normal: futures, spot feeds, and aggregate trackers can diverge. What matters here is the premium’s direction — it had been negative for much of February and then crossed into positive territory. Coinbase Bitcoin Premium has flipped positive for the first time since the Feb 6th bottom. It looks like institutions are done with selling for now. pic.twitter.com/rUYgxO2Fo8 — Ted (@TedPillows) February 23, 2026 Why Traders Care About The Premium Coinbase is widely used by big US buyers, so a positive premium is read by many traders as a hint that domestic spot demand is outpacing offshore pressure. But a flip above zero is only a starting signal. The size of the spread, how long it holds, and whether exchange inflows back up the move are the things that turn a signal into a trend. Small, short-lived flips can be caused by temporary liquidity differences or quick arbitrage trades. Larger, sustained spreads are the ones that tend to matter to portfolio managers. Geopolitics And Market Mood Market watchers are also pointing to broader factors. Rising tensions between the US and Iran, along with talk about tariff adjustments linked to US President Donald Trump, have driven investors toward safer assets in recent sessions. That mood has at times pushed BTC below important technical cushions near $65,000, and some sessions saw brief dips under $64,000 before a few calm windows allowed minor rebounds. When fear spikes, crypto often feels it first. Derivatives, Volume, And Technical Levels Futures activity on Binance and other platforms stayed busy, even if volume didn’t show the sort of surge that precedes big breakouts. Reports put daily trading volume near $45.71 billion while market cap sat close to $1.30 trillion. Funding rates, open interest, and exchange inflows are being monitored closely; each can either confirm or undercut the message from the Coinbase premium. A rising open interest that aligns with a growing premium would be more persuasive than a lone spread tick. Related Reading: Bitcoin Buying Spree Nears Century Mark, Saylor Hints Encouraging Signs A Coinbase premium turning positive offers a hopeful signal after weeks below zero, but it doesn’t confirm a sustained rally. Investors will be tracking how large the spread is, whether Coinbase sees significant inflows, and if funding rates and open interest support the move. Traders are likely to wait through the next sessions for clear signs before considering the market stabilized. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView
The USD1 token briefly fell to $0.994, some 0.6% below its $1 peg, CoinGecko data shows.
A Trump-linked crypto firm is bringing the former president's brand into the structured credit market. World Liberty Financial plans to tokenize loan-revenue interests tied to the Trump International Hotel and Resort Maldives, offering investors exposure to projected interest payments connected to the project's financing rather than ownership of the property itself. With the completion date […]
The post Trump’s crypto firm made $1.2 billion in 16 months because it found a way to sell resort debt as tokens appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Retail investors of the official TRUMP and MELANIA memecoins have recorded significant losses since their launch, leaving holders absorbing over $4 billion in losses now that the tokens trade more than 90% below their early 2025 highs. Related Reading: Analyst ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ About Dogecoin As Price Rally Stalls Trump Family Memecoins Leave Investors In Red On Friday, a CryptoRank report shared how retail investors have lost billions on the official Trump family memecoins while insiders seemingly pocketed millions of dollars. Over a year ago, President Trump surprised the industry by launching his official token ahead of the start of his second term. The memecoin rapidly skyrocketed to an all-time high (ATH) of $75, bringing massive profits for many early investors. Two days later, the US First Lady, Melania Trump, announced the launch of her memecoin, which quickly surged to an ATH of $13.05 in less than 24 hours. However, the tokens faced significant backlash from the crypto community, with some X users calling the memecoins a “big red flag” as later reports revealed that one of the faces behind the MELANIA memecoin was Hayden Davis, the mastermind behind the LIBRA Token disaster. A year after their launch, the TRUMP and MELANIA memecoins have sunk, collapsing 92% and 99%, respectively, from their January 2025 highs. As of this writing, the token based on the US President trades around $3.55, while the First Lady’s token hovers around $0.11. According to CryptoRank, the damage to retail investors has been staggering, with holders absorbing losses at a 20-to-1 ratio. “For every dollar insiders earned, ordinary investors lost $20,” the report noted. As a result, retail losses have exceeded $4.3 billion from nearly two million wallets currently underwater. Citing data from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, CNBC shared that most wallets that lost money held smaller amounts of the token. Insiders And Crypto Exchanges Generate Millions While retail holders bear the losses, CryptoRank highlighted that insiders have cashed out over $600 million through fees and token sales. Notably, 45 wallets extracted approximately $1.2 billion combined, and 58 wallets made more than $10 million each, CNBC data shows. The report also noted that the selloff may not be over, as $2.7 billion in insider tokens that will be locked until 2028 suggests significant selling pressure is still on the horizon for the memecoins. As reported by NewsBTC, a Reuters analysis claimed that crypto exchanges were major beneficiaries of the presidential family’s memecoins, with the TRUMP token generating millions of dollars in revenue for some of the largest exchanges. Based on standard fee estimates compiled by the news outlet, the reviewed crypto platforms allegedly made more than $172 million in trading fees just six months after the token’s listing. Related Reading: SUI Eyes Price Recovery As Institutional Exposure Expands With Grayscale, Canary ETF Launches Meanwhile, the Trump family has also significantly benefited from their main crypto ventures, including World Liberty Financial (WLFI) and the TRUMP and MELANIA memecoins. According to recent Bloomberg data, the official presidential memecoins have generated gains worth roughly $280 million from the family’s holdings and associated proceeds. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com
Michael Saylor kept buying while the market slid, and he did it out loud: “Neven been more bullish,” he said in an X post Thursday. His public posts and regulatory filings show Strategy continued to add to its Bitcoin pile even as price swings turned paper gains into big unrealized losses. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Record Red Month May Be Setting Up A Reversal: Analysts The firm’s recent regulatory filing confirms a fresh purchase this month, while market reports and accounting disclosures show the wider hit to corporate treasuries. Market Value Drop Shakes Portfolios Bitcoin has shed roughly $1.2 trillion of market value since October 2025, and the wider crypto market has lost about $2 trillion in the same stretch. Prices that once pushed Bitcoin past $126,000 have fallen back toward the mid-$60,000s. That scale of decline has pushed several companies that used Bitcoin as a treasury asset into heavy mark-to-market losses, changing how investors view corporate crypto exposure. Never Been More ₿ullish. — Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 19, 2026 Strategy Keeps Buying According to the company’s own filings, Strategy acquired 2,486 BTC for roughly $168 million during mid-February, bringing its holdings above 700k coins. The buy was announced in a Form 8-K and has been picked up across market outlets. At the same time, accounting rules that require unrealized gains and losses to be reflected in reports mean the firm’s quarterly statements showed multibillion-dollar swings tied to Bitcoin’s price. That reality has put Strategy on the front lines of the debate over holding large crypto positions on balance sheets. Price Action And Headlines Moved Markets Bitcoin’s trading has been choppy. Headlines tied to geopolitics and macro policy moved traders, and low-volume sessions made swings feel bigger. ETF outflows and a string of liquidations amplified the slide. Still, there were moments when buyers stepped in and pushed prices up briefly; those countermoves have been picked over by analysts hunting for a bottom. Image: Wall Street Pit Bullish Voices, Loud And Public Eric Trump — speaking at an event at Mar-a-Lago — made a very bullish prediction that was reposted and amplified, and that kind of public optimism appears to have rubbed off on other high-profile backers. Go bitcoin today. The money won’t fix itself. — Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 13, 2026 Saylor reposted and echoed similar buy-the-dip messages, urging accumulation even as skeptics warned about the risks. At times political headlines tied to US President Donald Trump and related policy moves were singled out as part of the story behind the 2025 rally that preceded this correction. Related Reading: XRP On The Spotlight As Arizona Advances Landmark Digital Asset Bill Saylor’s latest comment shows he remains firmly confident in Bitcoin. Despite huge losses, he sees dips as buying chances and urges others to stay bullish, keeping his long-term conviction front and center. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView
The Bitcoin price action has taken a grim tone this month as trading rolls toward what may become a fifth straight red monthly candle. According to CoinGlass, BTC is down roughly 15% this month after closing the previous four months lower, a run not seen since 2018. Related Reading: XRP On The Spotlight As Arizona Advances Landmark Digital Asset Bill Reports note that similar multimonth selloffs in the past were sometimes followed by sudden, strong rebounds, but those outcomes were not automatic. Traders are watching support near recent lows while sentiment indicators show rising caution among both retail and institutional players. Historical Streaks And Reversals Reports from Milk Road point to a striking example: after a long losing streak in 2018/19, the market produced large gains in the months that followed. That episode is often referenced by bulls who argue that compressed prices can set the stage for big percentage moves to the upside. Yet context matters. Market cycles are messy, and raw percentage comparisons skip over differences in liquidity, participant mix, and macro settings. Source: CoinGlass Weekly And Quarterly Signals Weekly charts are shouting caution in some corners. Analyst Solana Sensei highlighted a run of red weekly candles that echoes parts of 2022, when extended selling drove BTC to the mid-$20,000s. At the same time, quarterly data from the 2022 drawdown shows losses can stack up for long stretches, and those patterns were painful for holders who expected quick turns. Some analysts have argued that the current cycle looks different because the monthly RSI never saw the same overbought expansion that preceded some prior bear phases; their view suggests rebounds might not follow the old script. $BTC is looking to log its 5th red month. Last time this happened was in 2018/19 when we saw 6 red months. Silver lining: it led to a reversal w/ 316% returns over the following 5 months. If history repeats – the reversal begins April 1st. Bookmark this. pic.twitter.com/IZwmdg0peV — Milk Road (@MilkRoad) February 18, 2026 Bitcoin Price Action The top crypto’s price movement has been mixed: thin sessions, sharp swings on headlines, muted volume between moves. The market has been both brittle and occasionally steady, depending on who is trading and where liquidity pools sit. Geopolitics And Market Mood Geopolitical flareups have acted as a volatility amplifier, and traders are pricing in headline risk more readily than before. Events tied to policies or public comments have dented confidence across risk assets. Related Reading: CEO Confirms Bitcoin Exposure, Says Bank Is Still Navigating US policy shifts and high-profile political statements — including ones linked to US President Donald Trump — are being watched for any spillover into dollar flows and investor risk tolerance. Thin market conditions can turn small news into big moves. That’s exactly what’s been happening on occasion over the last few weeks. Based on reports and the mix of indicators, a rebound in March or April is possible, but it cannot be counted on. Some traders will prepare for a quick bounce; others will keep dry powder and wait for clearer confirmation. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
CNBC reported Thursday that a group of House Democrats are pressing the Treasury Department to examine potential conflicts of interest and national security risks tied to World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the crypto venture associated with the Trump family. Security Concerns Over Trump-Linked Crypto Venture In a letter sent Thursday to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, more than 40 Democratic lawmakers, led by Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, called for a formal review of the company’s structure and foreign investment ties. The letter follows a tense House Financial Services Committee hearing earlier this month, during which Bessent testified before lawmakers. At that hearing, Meeks sharply criticized the Treasury secretary, referring to him as a “flunky” of President Trump. Related Reading: ‘Sell Bitcoin Now,’ Peter Schiff Warns, Predicts $20,000 Target On Breakdown He also raised concerns about a $500 million investment in World Liberty Financial made last year by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the United Arab Emirates’ royal family who has sometimes been referred to as the “spy sheikh.” In a statement accompanying the letter, Meeks said the half‑billion‑dollar deal involving an Emirati royal presents both financial and national security concerns. “The Trump family’s $500 million deal connected to the Emirati royal family is not only a matter of national financial instability, but it also carries serious national security implications,” he said. Treasury Asked To Clarify White House Role The lawmakers’ request comes as World Liberty Financial is pursuing a national bank charter. Democrats are seeking assurances that the chartering process remains insulated from political or foreign influence. As such, they argued that the matter extends beyond a technical debate over crypto regulation. “This is no longer just a debate about crypto chartering theory,” they wrote. “It is about foreign ownership, national security, regulatory integrity, and whether our bank‑chartering process is resilient to political and geopolitical pressure.” Related Reading: Revealed: The Biggest Bitcoin Holders Of 2026, According To Arkham Data The group asked Treasury officials to detail what safeguards are in place to prevent foreign governments, their proxies, or politically connected investors from using the national bank chartering process to gain leverage within the US financial system or access sensitive financial and technological infrastructure. They also sought clarification on the role, if any, played by the White House, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Treasury Department in reviewing or influencing charter decisions made by the OCC. The lawmakers requested a response from the Treasury Department by Feb. 26. In closing, they emphasized the broader implications for public trust. “The credibility of America’s banking regulatory framework, and of the institutions charged with protecting it, depends on transparency, independence, and a demonstrated willingness to resist undue influence,” they wrote. As of this writing, World Liberty Financial’s native crypto, WLFI, is trading at $0.1168, marking a 3% decline over the past 24 hours. However, according to CoinGecko data, the cryptocurrency has increased by nearly 10% in the past seven days. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Michael Saylor keeps things upbeat. He told a TV interviewer that the current Bitcoin dip feels milder than past crashes and that a quicker rebound is likely. He even said, “Spring is coming, and Bitcoin is winning.” Related Reading: Ethereum Staking Reaches Historic Levels, Price Hovers Near $2K Bitcoin Institutional Support Strengthens Outlook According to Saylor, a big reason for his confidence is that banks and big firms are far more involved than they were a few years ago. Reports note fresh banking tools and credit networks aimed at crypto are drawing new capital in. US President Donald Trump was mentioned by the Strategy big boss as a political force friendly to Bitcoin — a line that will be picked over by both supporters and critics. We may be in the middle of a crypto winter, but spring is coming — and Bitcoin is winning. pic.twitter.com/jxvzK3XwSN — Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 17, 2026 Strategy’s Holdings And Price Math Strategy holds 714,644 BTC on its books, bought at an average near $76,056 each. At the moment, Bitcoin trades around $67,900. That gap matters. The roughly $49 billion value sitting in the vault is compared to a company market value that trades around $42.80 billion. Those raw numbers give weight to Saylor’s claim that the company can handle big swings. He went further, saying that even a fall to $8,000 would leave the holdings enough to cover outstanding debt. That is a strong statement. It was presented as reassurance to investors. Strategy’s Position And Risk Calculations Reports say Strategy plans to swap its convertible debt into stock within three to six years. The firm has also signaled it will buy more Bitcoin each quarter. How these moves play out depends on markets, financing terms, and timing. Some analysts think the company’s approach lowers short-term pressure on the share price. Others point out that keeping such a large crypto stash concentrates risk in volatile markets. Past Cycles Saylor compared the current episode to deeper downturns that came before. That comparison is useful but needs numbers to be fully judged. Historical drops in crypto have been steep at times, which is why claims of a milder slump invite scrutiny. Other investors look at on-chain flows, macro cash conditions, and bank behavior to decide whether this time is different. Right now, evidence of a fast, broad institutional inflow is mixed. Related Reading: Urgent Crypto Reform: Treasury Secretary Says The Clock Is Ticking Outlook And What Could Shift The Story Markets could swing on a few catalysts: changes in lending policy, moves by large funds, or fresh regulatory signals from US authorities. News or shocks could tilt sentiment quickly. Some market watchers look at 10-year trendlines for context, while others focus on shorter trading indicators. Either way, Saylor’s optimism is clearly tied to a long view and a confident read of current market structure. Featured image from Long Island Weight Loss Institute, chart from TradingView
According to BitcoinTreasuries.net, American Bitcoin Corp now holds 6,039 BTC, placing the firm among the top 20 public corporate Bitcoin treasuries in the world. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation That number is big on its face. It also carries more questions than answers for anyone who follows both crypto and small-cap stocks. Fast Accumulation Through Mining And Purchases Reports note the company has been piling on coins by keeping what it mines and by buying on the open market. Blockchain trackers and industry write-ups say roughly 217 BTC were added over the course of January alone, a fast clip for a company that listed barely six months ago. Today we reached an incredible milestone for American Bitcoin — Crossing 6,000 BTC in under 6 months since our Nasdaq debut! Today is a testament to @ABTC execution which has build one of the fastest-growing Public Bitcoin reserves in the world, outpacing many established… pic.twitter.com/JNjYZfeajL — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) February 17, 2026 Eric Trump Celebrates Eric Trump broadcast the milestone on social media, framing it as proof the plan works and that the treasury build was rapid and deliberate. The message landed with fans. The rest of the market has been less kind. Shares have tumbled hard since the Nasdaq debut, with multiple reports showing equity losses in the area of 80% from early highs. A stock that drops this far while its balance sheet grows makes clear that ownership of Bitcoin alone has not calmed investor nerves. JUST IN: Trump family-backed #Bitcoin miner American Bitcoin Corp $ABTC increased its holdings by 196 BTC and now holds a total of 6,039 BTC. ????Bitcoin 100 Ranking: 17???? pic.twitter.com/ydp2wbN1Xn — BitcoinTreasuries.NET (@BTCtreasuries) February 17, 2026 How The Rank Compares To Others The firm now sits ahead of household names on the list, including GameStop and Gemini Space Station Inc in raw BTC held. That comparison grabs headlines. It also masks the difference between a company that treats Bitcoin as a treasury reserve versus firms that hold BTC as one of many assets. Political Branding Cuts Through The Noise The venture carries a clear political stamp, with ties to the family of US President Donald Trump. That connection brings attention and capital at times, and it draws scrutiny at others. For investors who prefer to keep politics off their balance sheets, the association will affect sentiment just as surely as quarterly numbers do. Related Reading: Bitcoin To Top $500,000 By 2029? Entrepreneur Makes Bold Call Reports say analysts have mixed views: some see a bet on Bitcoin’s next leg higher, others point to governance, execution risk, and thin market float. A firm that refuses to sell mined coins essentially doubles down on the coin’s future price. That can be wildly profitable in a rally. It can be brutal in a drawdown. The math is plain — holding inventory exposes the company to the same swings retail holders face, but with public shares amplifying the effects. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The World Liberty Forum held this week at Mar‑a‑Lago featured remarks from President Donald Trump’s sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., who used the event to reaffirm their strong support for Bitcoin (BTC) and repeat their long‑standing $1 million price projection for the cryptocurrency. ‘Never Been More Bullish On Bitcoin’ Speaking on Wednesday, Eric Trump described himself as “a huge proponent of Bitcoin” and said he has never felt more optimistic about the asset’s future. “I’ve never been more bullish on bitcoin in my life,” he said, arguing that the digital currency has the potential to eventually reach $1 million per coin. Related Reading: Macro Wobbles May Send Bitcoin Back To The $50,000s, Industry CEO Claims However, amid falling Bitcoin prices, Eric acknowledged the asset’s volatility and characterized price swings as typical for an emerging technology with significant growth potential. In his view, Bitcoin’s upside contrasts sharply with traditional fixed‑income investments such as municipal bonds or US Treasuries (T-Bills), which generally offer lower yields. At the same time, Donald Trump Jr. offered sharp criticism of the traditional banking system, calling it a “Ponzi scheme” and arguing that the family’s move into crypto was not driven by trend‑chasing but by necessity. Trump Brothers Accuse Banks Of Political ‘Debanking’ During an interview with CNBC at the forum, Donald Trump Jr. said his family turned to digital assets after banks closed “hundreds of accounts” belonging to the Trump Organization in early 2021. “You know, we didn’t get into crypto because we were on the leading edge,” Trump Jr. said. “We got into it out of necessity. They basically forced us into it.” The brothers attributed the account closures to the political fallout following the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol, when supporters of their father stormed the building while contesting the 2020 presidential election results. Related Reading: $274 Billion In Potential Bitcoin Selling Could Hit Markets, Expert Says They also claimed that banks had “debanked” other smaller clients over their conservative political views. Eric Trump said their crypto initiative, World Liberty Financial, is part of a broader effort to reshape the financial system. “We’re trying to modernize finance,” he said, adding that the family felt ostracized by mainstream institutions during that period. “We’re the most canceled people in the world in 2020, 2021,” he said. As of this writing, Bitcoin is still consolidating at approximately $66,258. This represents a 50% difference from the current trading prices and the all-time high of $126,000, which was reached last October. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Memecoins have taken a beating recently, and what looks like a rout may be closer to a turning point than many traders expect. Related Reading: XRP Set To Dethrone Bitcoin Within 6 Years, Entrepreneur Says Santiment said the sector is showing a classic capitulation signal: widespread talk that meme tokens are “dead” can sometimes mark the moment when buyers quietly return. According to Santiment, this “collective acceptance of the ‘end of the meme era’ is a classic capitulation signal,” pointing out that when a sector of the market is deemed worthless, it is often the “contrarian time” to take note of. Sentiment on social channels has tilted heavily toward fear, and when the crowd gives up on a whole category, prices can move the opposite way for a while. Some traders who stepped back early are now watching closely. Capitulation Can Signal A Turn Reports note that the memecoin market’s recent slide has been steep in raw numbers. Total memecoin market capitalization dropped 34% to $31 billion over the past 30 days, CoinMarketCap data shows. Bitcoin’s pullback — which hit near $60,000 on Feb. 3, the lowest since October 2024 — added pressure across the board and left speculative tokens more exposed. Positioning was concentrated in a handful of names, and when large holders moved to take profits the moves were amplified. Losses were not confined to tiny projects; some of the better known meme tokens gave up meaningful ground. Rotation May Not Lift All Boats Some market observers argue that the old pattern — Bitcoin runs first, then money flows into Ethereum, then to riskier altcoins — may not play out the same way this time around. As institutions grow and trading strategies change, capital could flow more selectively. That means a few tokens might rally strongly while many others are left behind. Reports from traders and analysts say selective strength, rather than a broad upswing, is a likely scenario. That raises the bar for anyone hoping to find the next big winner among dozens of speculative coins. Popular Meme Names Facing Pressure A handful of headline tokens led the decline. Dogecoin (DOGE) gave up support levels it had defended earlier, and PEPE showed heightened volatility as big holders trimmed positions. Official Trump (TRUMP), the politically tied token linked to US President Donald Trump, retraced sharply from its launch highs after the initial hype faded. Heavy concentration of supply in a few wallets left these projects vulnerable to rapid swings, and some gains from last year were erased in short order. Related Reading: Urgent Crypto Reform: Treasury Secretary Says The Clock Is Ticking Watch The Crowd’s Turning Point Contrarian traders will point to the admission of defeat across social feeds as a potential signal to start watching for a bottom. That approach is risky. Losses can deepen before the market finds a floor, and sellers may return on any short-lived recovery. Still, history shows that extreme pessimism can preface meaningful rebounds, especially when broader market pressure eases and liquidity returns. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
Companies linked to President Donald Trump are expanding their presence in the cryptocurrency industry, with the Trump Media & Technology Group taking another formal step into digital asset markets. Truth Social Funds, an affiliate of Trump Media, has submitted a registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) seeking approval to launch two new cryptocurrency exchange‑traded funds (ETFs). Trump Media Latest Crypto Proposal The filings outline plans for Crypto.com’s native token, Cronos (CRO), the Cronos Yield Maximizer ETF, and the Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) ETFs. Related Reading: Standard Chartered Lowers Bitcoin Forecast: Predicts Price Dive To $50,000 Before Rebound The Cronos-focused product is designed to provide exposure to CRO, the native token of the Cronos blockchain, while also capturing staking rewards associated with holding the asset. The second fund would track the performance of Bitcoin and Ethereum, the two largest cryptocurrencies by market value, and incorporate Ether staking yields into its strategy. Under the proposed structure, Crypto.com would play a central operational role. The digital asset platform is set to provide custody, liquidity, and staking services for the funds. Meanwhile, Yorkville America Equities has been named as the investment adviser, with the filings indicating a 0.95% annual management fee. Bitcoin Struggles Below $70,000 Friday’s announcement builds on a broader strategic partnership formed last year between Trump Media and Crypto.com. As part of that agreement, Trump Media was set to acquire 684.4 million Cronos (CRO) tokens at an approximate price of $0.153 per token. The transaction was structured as a 50% stock and 50% cash exchange and included the creation of a Trump Media Group CRO Strategy aimed at integrating Cronos into the company’s broader digital asset plans. Related Reading: Cardano Founder Hoskinson Warns Of 90-180 Days Of Pain Ahead: Here’s Why The expansion into crypto-linked investment products comes at a time when Bitcoin continues to face technical resistance. Although the leading cryptocurrency has posted gains of roughly 5% over the past 24 hours, it remains unable to decisively break above the $70,000 level. Shares of Trump Media (DJT) also moved modestly higher during Friday’s trading session, rising about 2.5% to trade near $11.18. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
A prominent market commentator’s offhand remark has set off fresh talk in crypto circles about whether the US might step into the Bitcoin market if prices fall to a certain level. Related Reading: Tron Accumulates TRX, Price Pops As Justin Sun Weighs In Reports say market commentator Jim Cramer told viewers on CNBC that he “heard at $60,000 the President is gonna fill the Bitcoin Reserve,” a line that quickly spread across social and financial news feeds. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Talk Gains Traction Based on reports, the comment revived talk about a possible US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and whether any purchases would come from regular Treasury funds or from assets already held by the government. Some outlets pointed out that while the idea makes for a headline, it does not line up with how the government has handled crypto so far. Officials and analysts note that most government Bitcoin holdings have come from seizures and forfeitures, not open market buys. Markets Reacted, But Not Like A Buy Signal Bitcoin prices wobbled as traders parsed the claim. There was a bounce after the recent dip, and some traders read the chatter as extra buying motivation. Yet on-chain checks and wallet scans did not show a pattern that would match a secret, large-scale government accumulation at the lows; holdings reported in public trackers looked steady rather than suddenly growing. Reports analyzing on-chain data say there’s been no clear trace of fresh government buys tied to the $60,000 mark. Why Experts Push Back Other crypto analysts warned that there’s no proof the US will swoop in to buy bitcoin with new taxpayer funds. Legal and budget limits make such purchases complicated: normally, federal bitcoin holdings are handled under rules for seized assets, and any new program to buy crypto with appropriated funds would likely need clear congressional approval or a new legal footing. Related Reading: After Predicting XRP’s Drop, Analyst Says The Bottom May Be In What Remains Unclear Reports note that Washington does hold a lot of Bitcoin on paper, and that makes the topic sensitive. But the key point is this: talk and headlines are not the same as policy. Claims circulating online and on TV have sparked more curiosity than confirmation, and the wallet data that observers can check has not flagged a recent, secret buying spree that would match Cramer’s suggestion. Featured image from So Money Podcast – Farnoosh Torabi, chart from TradingView
The crypto market that surged on Donald Trump’s campaign promise of a friendlier US posture is now back near where it started, after an 18-month round trip that added close to $2 trillion in value and then erased roughly the same amount. Data compiled by CryptoSlate put the total crypto market value at about $2.4 […]
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Congressional investigators seek ownership records, payment trails and stablecoin documents from the Trump-linked crypto firm following reports of Emirati backing and its USD1 token’s role in a $2 Billion Binance transaction
Reports say a wealthy Abu Dhabi investor bought a near-half stake in a crypto company tied to the Trump family. The transaction, reported to be worth about $500 million, involved an entity linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It has prompted questions in Washington and stirred activity in the markets where the company’s token trades. Related Reading: Mastercard Stresses Crypto Is An Enhancement, Not A Substitute Sheikh A Reported Buyer According to reporting by major outlets, Aryam Investment 1 — an investor connected to Sheikh Tahnoon — agreed to purchase roughly 49% of World Liberty Financial, known as WLFI. The payment was structured in phases, with about $250 million reported as an initial transfer. Reports note roughly $187 million moved to entities associated with the Trump family, while another $31 million reportedly went to companies tied to cofounders. JUST IN: ???????????????? President Trump says he did not know Abu Dhabi invested $500 million in his World Liberty crypto project. “I don’t know about it. My sons are handling that, I guess they get investments from people.” pic.twitter.com/AOBosetnpE — Bitcoin Black (@Bitcoinblacck) February 2, 2026 Timing And Deal Details The timing of the sale matters. It was completed shortly before an important political milestone for the buyer’s partner, and that has sharpened scrutiny. Some lawmakers and ethics experts raised alarms about a high-value foreign-backed investment in a business tied to a sitting US President. Others point out that private business dealings are common and that the legal thresholds for disclosure can be complex. Market participants reacted quickly; trading in WLFI-linked assets saw spikes in volume and price swings as news spread. Trump Responds When journalists pressed him about the report, US President Donald Trump denied having knowledge of the transaction. “I don’t know about it,” he said, adding that his sons run many family business matters. The remark was brief but clear: he insisted the family manages WLFI and that he was not personally involved in negotiating the sale. Some aides later reiterated that any operational decisions were handled by company executives and family members. Related Reading: Crypto Hacks Explode: $370 Million Stolen In January Alone: Researchers Reactions From Lawmakers And Regulators Reports say lawmakers from both parties want answers. A handful of senators have asked for briefings and documents, and a few regulators have been asked to look at whether any disclosure rules were followed. At the same time, legal experts caution that an investment by a foreign-backed firm is not automatically illegal or disqualifying. What matters, they say, are the exact terms, who signed which papers, and whether any statutory reporting obligations were met. Featured image from Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images, chart from TradingView
Investors stepped back this week as a mix of shifting bets and quick profit-taking pushed money out of spot crypto ETFs. Markets moved fast, and some of the biggest swings were driven by short-term reactions rather than a change in long-term views. Related Reading: Ethereum Boost: Vitalik Buterin Sets Aside $45M In ETH For Privacy And Open Tech Spot Crypto ETF Flows Based on reports from Farside, US-based spot Bitcoin ETFs saw about $1.50 billion leave over five trading days, while spot Ether ETFs had roughly $327 million in outflows. That adds up to about $1.80 billion pulled from these funds in just a few days. On Jan. 14, reports note a very large inflow for Bitcoin ETFs — $840 million — which shows how quickly money can go in and out. Some traders treated that day as a buying moment. Others used it to take profit. That push-and-pull shows up in the numbers. A Rally In Metals, Then A Sudden Drop Gold and silver grabbed attention when they climbed to fresh highs. Prices surged, and many investors moved money into precious metals. But the rally was short-lived. On a single trading day, gold fell sharply from its peak and silver tumbled even more. Reports say those sudden reversals left some investors rethinking their moves and helped create a wave of selling across other risk assets, including crypto. Bitcoin Price Action Bitcoin has been swinging. Over the past week, BTC fell about 6.50% while Ether dropped around 8.90%, and they were trading around $82,500 and $2,685, respectively, according to CoinMarketCap. The market had a short spike after talk of the US CLARITY Act, but prices then cooled. Moves like this are often tied to positioning, margin calls, and traders reacting to headlines. At times, large flows into ETFs have pushed prices up. Other times, outflows coincide with volatile days when traders close positions quickly. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Slide To $82K Sets Off A $1.7 Billion Chain Reaction What Analysts Are Saying Reports note that some market watchers view the pullback as temporary. ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said the current negativity about Bitcoin’s price is short-sighted and pointed to strong performance in prior years as context. Another voice, Bitwise’s Matt Hougan, suggested that continued ETF demand could send Bitcoin into a much higher trajectory over time. These views reflect different timeframes — some focus on immediate flows, others on how steady demand might shape prices months from now. 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
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
Reports note that Bitcoin holders realized large losses as prices slid, and the headline number is hard to ignore. According to on-chain tracker CryptoQuant, about $4.5 billion in net losses was recorded on January 23. Related Reading: Bitcoin Influencers Get Spotlight In X’s New ‘Starterpacks’ That number reflects moved coins sold at prices lower than when they were bought. It is a big transfer of paper pain into real losses. Realized Losses Spike While the dollar figure grabs attention, the meaning is what matters. Many who bought late in the run higher are choosing to sell rather than hold through more decline. That behavior shows frustration. Reports say the Net Realized Profit and Loss metric tallies this by comparing sell prices to purchase prices, and a negative reading this large signals a wave of capitulation. Some larger, long-term holders have been quieter. Their activity appears muted while smaller and mid-term participants make the day-to-day moves. According to analyst posts on CryptoQuant, this mix — quiet big holders and active smaller sellers — is common during corrective stretches. It does not automatically mean the market is broken; it means sentiment has shifted toward caution. $4.5 Billion in Realized Loss on Bitcoin “Highest amount of realized losses in three years. The last time this occurred in Bitcoin, the price was trading at $28,000 after a brief correction period that lasted about a year.” – By @gaah_im pic.twitter.com/OJ7bbL3RSC — CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) January 26, 2026 Bitcoin Price Action Midway through the week, Bitcoin traded around the mid-$80,000s, well below the $90,000 mark that some investors had eyed as a key level. Market chatter shows traders watching macro cues like the US Federal Reserve and inflation data for guidance. Volatility has not disappeared; it has simply become more tied to broader economic signals than to isolated crypto headlines. Whale addresses appeared to step in at times, helping to hold local price floors. But many traders remain cautious. Reports note that geopolitical headlines can cause quick swings, yet the current movement looks more like slow digestion of profit and repositioning than explosive panic selling. Activity on spot exchanges and ETF flows has been variable, reflecting the mixed mood across the market. Related Reading: XRP Showing Strength, Analyst Points To $4 Potential Capitulation Has Come Before Similar loss spikes were seen in March 2023, when realized losses reached close to $6 billion, and in November 2022, when losses hit roughly $4.3 billion. These events were followed by consolidation and then eventual recovery. Based on reports from analytics firms and market observers, spikes in realized losses can mark the late stages of selling pressure, after which the market sometimes finds a base. Featured image from Pexel, chart from TradingView
Whale-sized Bitcoin holders are piling up more coins even as prices wobble. According to blockchain tracker Santiment, wallets holding at least 1,000 BTC added 104,340 BTC in recent weeks. Related Reading: Gold Becomes The Whale Safe Haven As Bitcoin Takes A Back Seat Reports note that total supply held by these large wallets hit 7.17 million BTC, the highest level since September 15, 2025. Mid-sized holders joined in too, adding roughly $3.21 billion worth of Bitcoin between January 10 and January 19. Small retail wallets moved the other way, offloading about 132 BTC, worth around $11.66 million. Whales Push Their Stakes Higher The numbers point to patient buying by big players. Large transfers of $1 million or more have climbed to a two-month high, which suggests heavy participants are active on the network again. According to Santiment, this kind of flow is often tied to institutions and wealthy investors moving coins between custody, exchanges, and private wallets. Some of those moves are driven by strategic choices; some are meant to secure holdings. Either way, a growing pile in whale hands changes where supply sits. Smaller holders are stepping back, while the so-called smart money increases exposure. Reports say mid-sized wallets — those holding between 10 and 10,000 BTC — were net buyers in the same stretch. ???? Large Bitcoin whales are accumulating at an encouraging pace, wallets with at least 1K $BTC have collectively accumulated 104,340 more coins (a +1.5% rise). Additionally, the amount of $1M+ daily transfers is back up to 2-month high levels. ???? Chart: https://t.co/CJOfiOBbWU pic.twitter.com/4loxDFtUdb — Santiment (@santimentfeed) January 25, 2026 Price Action And Market Signals Bitcoin’s price has not matched the upbeat on-chain action. Trading was around $87,730 at one point, with intraday swings between $86,500 and $87,500. The alpha crypto asset was down about 0.5% over 24 hours and roughly 5.4% over the prior week. Volumes have ticked up, though, which makes the case that some investors are stepping in at these levels. The picture is mixed: on-chain accumulation suggests a base is being formed, but macro headlines keep the market on edge. On-Chain Strength Versus Headlines A growing stash by big holders can support a future rally if external stress eases. Yet prices move on more than Bitcoin flows. Large transfers and rising accumulation mean demand exists under the surface, but that demand has yet to fully push the market higher. Macro Risks And Market Jitters Geopolitical worries are casting a long shadow. Reports say US President Donald Trump has moved warships toward areas of tension, and prediction markets show a significant chance that the US could strike Iran by June. Trade friction with Canada over recent auto rules has raised fresh political noise, and Polymarket shows the probability of a US government shutdown above 70%. These are real risks that can lift oil, rattle markets, and sap appetite for risk assets. Related Reading: Money Keeps Leaving: Bitcoin ETFs Shed $1.72 Billion In Just 5 Sessions Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a crypto project backed by US President Donald Trump, moved a chunk of its Bitcoin exposure into Ethereum this week. Reports say the group sold wrapped Bitcoin holdings and picked up a large amount of Ether in the same set of transactions. Related Reading: Money Keeps Leaving: Bitcoin ETFs Shed $1.72 Billion In Just 5 Sessions WLFI Moves From WBTC To ETH According to blockchain trackers, about 93.77 WBTC was sold, which worked out to roughly $8 million at the time of the swap. The proceeds were used to buy around 2,868 ETH, with an average price of about $2,813 per unit. The trade was executed from a wallet that on-chain analysts link to WLFI’s treasury. That wallet activity was visible on public ledgers and has been shared across several crypto news sites and data monitors. Onchain Data And Market Context Prices were modestly lower for ETH when the purchase happened, which some traders see as a buying chance. Reports say this move comes as Ethereum trading ranges have made some holders rethink where to park large sums. The World Liberty Finance (@worldlibertyfi) has sold 93.77 $WBTC ($8.07M) for 2,868.4 $ETH at a price of $2,813. Address: 0xee7f7f53f0d0c8c56a38e97c5a58e4d321a174dc Data @nansen_ai pic.twitter.com/yhh7IvYLLz — Onchain Lens (@OnchainLens) January 26, 2026 WBTC is a tokenized form of Bitcoin that inhabits the Ethereum chain, so swapping it for native ETH changes how those funds can be used within decentralized finance. The funds were moved through a public wallet tied to WLFI. This was confirmed by on-chain evidence that was circulated by data platforms. Strategic Reasons Behind The Shift Several reasons could explain the swap. Holding ETH gives direct access to smart contracts, staking, and DeFi tools that WBTC cannot offer on its own. Some market watchers think WLFI may be positioning to use ETH for on-chain services, staking, or profit from future network activity. Others suggest it could be a way to rebalance risk between stores of value and utility tokens. Reports say no single motive can be proved from the chain itself, only the movement of funds. Reaction And Broader Signals Traders reacted with curiosity rather than panic. Prices barely moved on the news, showing the market may have already priced in similar flows. Smaller investors watched closely because such a swap by a high-profile, politically linked project draws attention. The wallet activity was tracked publicly, and analysts noted the timing matched a period of calmer ETH price action. Related Reading: XRP Charts Flash Familiar Signal As Analyst Calls For $11, Then $70 What This Could Mean For Investors Reports note that big reallocations like this can change short-term sentiment, though they do not always lead to lasting rallies. For holders who prefer simplicity, swapping WBTC for ETH changes the way capital can be used, moving from a Bitcoin peg to native network participation. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Gold shone brightly today, racing to a new high while crypto took the back seat, and the gap between the two assets opened wide. Related Reading: Money Keeps Leaving: Bitcoin ETFs Shed $1.72 Billion In Just 5 Sessions On Monday, the precious metal moved past the $5,000 mark, registering a price point market sentinels had not witnessed before. Bitcoin, by contrast, failed to keep pace and traded well below its recent highs. Gold Hits Record Levels Safe-haven demand pushed gold sharply higher. Prices were up above $5k an ounce and inked roughly $5,110 at the peak. Silver, for its part, did not go unnoticed, jumping to fresh peaks near $107/ounce. Source: Gold Price Traders pointed to simmering geopolitical friction and talk of tougher trade moves led by US President Donald Trump as fuel for the rally. A weaker greenback made metals more attractive to customers overseas, and central bank buying provided steady backing. Liquidity in some corners were thin as investors rushed to shift cash into things that feel stable when risk elevates. Bitcoin Falls Behind Market numbers show Bitcoin hovering in the mid-$80,000s range, retreating from peaks seen late last year. Reports note the alpha crypto is roughly 30% below the highest level it hit reached in October 2025, leaving some holders quite jittery. Volatility was another factor. Where bullion is being sought for safety, Bitcoin is viewed more as a growth or speculative play, and that difference in investor application becomes clear when markets tighten. Some funds slashed their crypto exposure, signaling a short reroute away from high-risk gambits. Why Investors Are Shifting Analysts and traders described a simple choice: shelter or swing for gains. When headlines push worry, money flows into assets that are widely trusted across markets and governments. Metals fit that ticket. Based on market chatter, fears of a US government funding clash and fresh tariff announcements stacked pressure on stocks and added a sense of urgency to safe-haven acquisition. Options and futures trading hinted at a more cautious perpective, with volatility indexes rising and bond yields behaving in ways that made the yellow metal look more appealing by comparison. Related Reading: XRP Charts Flash Familiar Signal As Analyst Calls For $11, Then $70 What Traders Are Watching Market watchers said eyes will be glued on a few key metrics: The dollar’s path, moves by major central banks, and any sign that US politics escalates could keep metals elevated. For Bitcoin, network activity, large wallet flows, and regulatory headlines will likely set the tone. Some traders expect swings both ways. Others caution that when risk appetite is back, crypto may bounce hard, but that outcome is not a sure thing and will be dependent on a string of policy and macro moves. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
"The solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the U.S. and all NATO nations," said President Trump in a Truth Social post.
Bitcoin tumbled sharply this week and erased the gains it had made in 2026. Reports from CoinGlass show that over the past 24 hours, 167,513 traders were forced out of their positions, with total liquidations reaching $857 million, with most of those losses coming from long bets. The price slid below the key $88,000 area on major exchanges as traders were forced out of leveraged positions. Related Reading: Bitcoin Senses Risk As Trump Balks At Europe With Major Tariffs Liquidations And Quick Drop According to CoinGlass and market trackers, the liquidations were concentrated in long positions, which amplified the fall and made the move faster than a simple sell-off would have been. Crypto market value fell by hundreds of millions over the same short span. Markets Turned Risk-Averse As Tariff Threats Spread Reports note that renewed tariff threats from US President Donald Trump toward some European countries set off a fresh “Sell America” trade, which pushed investors away from US assets and toward safer bets. Stocks fell and the dollar weakened. At the same time, traders were watching big moves in Japan’s bond market, where yields jumped sharply, increasing pressure on global liquidity. Those bond moves are important because they can force carry trades to unwind, pulling money out of risk assets — including crypto. A Tug Between Liquidity And Safe Havens The sell-off did not happen for only one reason. Reports point to a mix of political shocks, bond-market stress, and a wave of forced liquidations as the main drivers. As cash flowed into safe havens, gold surged to fresh highs while crypto lost ground. Many investors treated Bitcoin like a risky asset in this episode, selling it to cover losses or margin calls elsewhere. Different trackers gave slightly different figures on total market losses and exact liquidations over 24 and 48 hours. That is normal when markets move fast and data is pulled from different exchanges and windows. Still, the broad picture was clear: a fast, leveraged unwind sent prices lower and erased the year’s gains for Bitcoin. Related Reading: Trove’s New Token Craters 95%, Sparking Investor Revolt Markets Will Watch Liquidity And Diplomacy Looking ahead, investors will likely watch three things closely: moves in global bond markets, any escalation or de-escalation around the tariff threats tied to Greenland, and whether forced selling slows. If liquidity conditions calm, risk assets can recover more easily. If they keep tightening, the pressure on crypto and stocks could persist. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. (DJT) has officially announced the date for its highly anticipated distribution of a new digital token to its shareholders, as part of its partnership with cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com. The record date for this digital token initiative will be February 2, 2026. Trump Media’s New Crypto Initiative According to the announcement, eligible shareholders will include ultimate beneficial owners and registered holders of at least one whole share of DJT stock as of the record date. In order to ensure a smooth distribution process, Trump Media will gather information from broker participants about eligible holders. Related Reading: Is A New XRP Price Record Imminent? Analyst Forecast Colossal Short Squeeze Ahead After the record date, Trump Media plans to collaborate with Crypto.com to mint the digital tokens, which will be displayed on the blockchain and held in custody until distribution. In addition to the digital tokens, Trump Media has indicated that various rewards will be made available to record-date shareholders throughout the year. These rewards may include benefits or discounts associated with Trump Media’s offerings, such as Truth Social, Truth+, and Truth Predict. CRO Token Plummets The partnership between Crypto.com and Trump Media dates back to August last year, when the Trump-linked company announced a $6.4 billion investment in the crypto exchange’s native token, CRO, as part of a strategic reserve. Related Reading: Ethereum Poised For $4,000 Breakout? Expert Pinpoints On-Chain Triggers For Potential Rally Devin Nunes, Trump Media’s CEO and Chairman, expressed his enthusiasm about the latest move and the partnership with Crypto.com, stating: We look forward to leveraging Crypto.com’s blockchain technology consistent with Securities and Exchange Commission guidance to benefit our shareholders and promote transparency, including by obtaining a clear picture of bona fide beneficial ownership as of the record date. Despite the latest announcement, Crypto.com’s native token failed to capitalize on the news, dropping to $0.089 on Tuesday amid the broader crypto market’s retracement. It has recorded an 11% drop in the past week alone. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Crypto.com will mint nontradable tokens for DJT shareholders on Feb. 2, as Trump Media expands its blockchain rewards strategy.
A governance vote at World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a DeFi project marketed around the Trump brand, is drawing allegations of “slow” value extraction after a prominent trader claimed affiliated wallets pushed through a proposal while many public holders remained unable to access or vote with their tokens. DeFi^2 (@DeFiSquared), who describes himself as the #1 ranked trader on Bybit in 2023 and 2024, wrote on X that he was “bringing up an alarming governance vote by World Liberty Fi this month that appears to be the start of a slow extraction of value from WLFI holders by the team.” World Liberty Fi Hit With ‘Rigged Vote’ Claims DeFiSquared wrote: “What you see above appears to be a rigged vote, where the majority of top voters are indicated to be team wallets or strategic partner wallets by Bubble Maps. This is in contrast to the real voters lower in the screenshot, who have all been locked from accessing their WLFI tokens since TGE, and unable to vote on an unlock until the team allows it.” Related Reading: Trump-Linked World Liberty Backs USD1 With Treasury-Fueled Expansion The proposal at the center of the thread is what he calls the “USD1 growth proposal.” He argues it reads as “fairly mundane” on its face, but says the governance sequencing is the tell: “why would the team go out of their way to force this vote through, instead of voting on the WLFI token unlock that the majority of holders are asking for?” His thesis hinges on WLFI economics. DeFiSquared claims WLFI holders “are not entitled to ANY protocol revenue at all,” and says the project’s “Gold Paper” specifies revenue routing: “75% of protocol revenue goes to the Trump family, and 25% goes to the Witkoff family.” In his framing, that creates a perverse incentive: “It’s actually as crazy as it sounds: the team is forcing a vote to sell WLFI tokens at the expense of locked holders, in order to fund protocol revenue that goes only to themselves.” Related Reading: Trump’s WLFI Moves To Contain Wallet Breach While Federal Inquiry Looms He also alleges the vote’s outcome was manufactured late in the process. “This vote was actually failing by the time it reached quorum with a majority of votes rejecting the proposal, until the team / partners forced the vote through,” he wrote, adding token allocation context: “the WLFI team is allocated 33.5% of all tokens and strategic partners another 5.85%, while the public sale was allocated only 20%.” Post-vote, he points to on-chain flows as corroboration, citing “fresh transfers such as this one of 500 million WLFI tokens to Jump Trading,” while “investor WLFI allocations remain forcibly locked.” DeFiSquared closes with a valuation and positioning call: “it’s difficult to see the intrinsic value behind a 17 billion dollar token that has no real governance power, no revenue share, and new foundation sell pressure occurring for their own benefit.” He adds he has shorted WLFI “on and off since pre-market prices above $0.34,” and expects continued downside “due to dilution, intentional extraction,” and “other factors related to Trump’s final term in office.” At press time, WLFI traded at $0.1608. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com