Bitcoin climbed above $96,000 for the first time since November, triggering over $500 million in liquidations as altcoins outperformed and traders rushed to cover bearish bets.
Ugandan officials claimed that they could also shut down the internet-free, encrypted messaging app last week, but haven't done so yet.
U.K. tabletop gaming company Games Workshop says AI-generated content will not be used in Warhammer design or creative processes.
On Tuesday, Bitcoin (BTC) witnessed a notable surge, approaching its nearest resistance level at $94,000, a barrier that has thus far hindered the cryptocurrency’s return to significant milestones, including the coveted $100,000 mark. Despite this, experts remain optimistic about new all-time highs for Bitcoin within the year. Potential Bitcoin Return To $100,000 Nic Puckrin, a digital asset analyst and co-founder of Coin Bureau, commented on the recent price movements, suggesting that the uptick is more likely a reflexive response from investors who are rebalancing their portfolios after last year’s heavy sell-off, rather than an indication of a fundamental trend shift. “The bounce in Bitcoin we’re seeing this week is most likely a reflexive move by investors rather than something indicative of a major shift in trend,” Puckrin explained. Related Reading: New Hope For Crypto: Senators Introduce Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act Currently, Bitcoin has struggled to maintain momentum after rejecting the $94,700 resistance level. Puckrin warns that a failure to break through this barrier could lead to another decline in value. However, if BTC does breach this resistance, he believes a return to the $100,000 level may be achievable. Looking further ahead, Puckrin anticipates another all-time high in 2026, although he advises caution regarding the extent of that potential rise. “In the longer term, I expect to see another all-time high this year, but it won’t be as dramatic as some are predicting, and the possibility of a reversal into bear territory remains very real,” he added. Key Resistance Level Contrasting this optimism, some analysts express skepticism about Bitcoin’s immediate prospects. Vince Stanzione, CEO and founder of First Information, maintains a bearish outlook, arguing that the risk-reward ratio at current prices is unappealing. Stanzione evaluates Bitcoin against gold rather than the dollar, asserting that Bitcoin has considerable ground to cover. “I was negative on Bitcoin throughout 2025, and I’m sticking with that view in 2026,” he noted. He pointed out that while the market’s leading cryptocurrency experienced a decline of about 6% by the end of 2025, gold surged by 66%, resulting in a significant disparity in performance. Related Reading: Coinbase Mulls Exiting Support For Crypto Market Structure Bill Ahead Of January 15 Deadline Stanzione believes gold will continue to outperform Bitcoin this year, predicting that the digital asset will close the year at a lower price. “There are no compelling reasons to buy Bitcoin at the current $92,000 level,” he stated. Meanwhile, market analyst Ali Martinez highlighted a crucial price level for Bitcoin in the short term, stating on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that $94,555 is the “bullish trigger” for the cryptocurrency. Should Bitcoin break through this level, Martinez indicated that the next target could be $105,291, representing a potential 12% increase. This move would significantly narrow the gap to the all-time high of over $126,000 reached last October. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
XRP has lagged behind a modest rebound in the wider crypto market, even as the total market cap climbed by $20 billion this week. According to chartist analysis, the token’s recent calm may be part of a longer pattern that has, in past cycles, ended with sharp gains. Traders watching XRP’s swings are being told the real challenge is holding through slow stretches rather than reacting to short-term price moves. Related Reading: XRP Ledger May Get A Tokenized Gold Upgrade, Web3 Founder Reveals Part Sequence Cited As Historical Pattern According to reports from an analyst known as Cryptollica, XRP’s price history can be split into a four-part sequence that often precedes big rallies. The first known cycle ran from 2014 into 2017, when XRP bottomed at $0.002 in July 2014 and then formed higher lows while trading above an upward support line. The analyst argues that time and patience is the real obstacle facing XRP holders, not price swings. Long periods of flat movement can drain confidence, even when the broader structure remains intact. XRP has spent months moving sideways after its rise to $3.4, and this slow pace is described as the phase where many investors lose patience and exit early, long before any major move begins. They Shake You Out in “PART 3” So You Watch in “PART 4”. ????️ The biggest enemy of an $XRP holder is not price, it is TIME. Stick to the structure (Fractal): 2014-2017: Part 1, 2, & 3 executed ➡️ Result: Rally. 2021-2026: Part 1, 2, & 3 executed ➡️ What comes next? The… pic.twitter.com/thxMqFsRWk — Cryptollica⚡️ (@Cryptollica) January 12, 2026 Based on the same analysis, earlier XRP cycles followed a similar path. Price stayed quiet for extended stretches, then moved fast once the waiting phase ended. The message is blunt: nothing may look wrong on the chart, but the delay itself becomes the pressure. For those holding XRP near $2.05, the challenge is not avoiding losses, but enduring the wait without reacting to boredom or frustration. XRP’s Current Run Mirrors Past Phases Cryptollica maps a similar pattern onto more recent history. Part 1 is marked from a March 2020 low of $0.114, with higher lows forming until late 2024. Part 2, according to the charts, began in November 2024 when the token jumped from around $0.5 and peaked near $3.4 in January 2025. Since that peak, XRP has pulled back and entered what the analyst calls Part 3 — a consolidation phase that some holders find dull but which, based on the model, can set the stage for a final upward leg. Bull Case Pinned To Time And Utility Cryptollica projects that when the cycle moves into Part 4, XRP could run toward $8, which would be roughly a 290% rise from a current price near $2.05. Reports also highlight views from Bird, a developer in the XRP Ledger ecosystem, who has argued that XRP should be considered for long-term savings plans. XRP should be considered as part of your life saving plans. Most people keep their money in banks earning around 4–6% a year and feel comfortable doing so, but they rarely factor in inflation. Over time, the buying power of the US dollar and the British pound for example has… — Bird (@Bird_XRPL) January 11, 2026 Bird pointed out that common bank accounts offering 4–6% returns may not keep up with rising everyday costs and suggested that regulatory clarity and growing use cases could support demand for the token. Related Reading: Dogecoin Bulls Watch $0.28 As Breakout Signals Stack Up Tokenization, ETFs And Stablecoins In Focus The developer and other proponents link potential future demand to several trends: tokenizing real-world assets on the XRPL, the arrival of institutional ETFs, and new stablecoins such as RLUSD. These developments are cited as possible sources of steady capital inflows that would help sustain higher prices. At the same time, reports urge caution: patterns that worked before are not guarantees, and time can be costly for holders who sell during protracted quiet periods. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The Senate Agriculture Committee said Tuesday its postponed crypto market structure bill would drop on Jan. 21 and be debated six days later.
Upon completion, the combined firm would hold nearly 13,000 BTC, surpassing the holdings of Tesla and Trump Media & Technology Group.
Singapore-based Bitdeer reported a “total hash rate under management," including a self-mining hashrate of 55.2 EH/s and hosted rigs.
Kraken remains king in actively traded tokenized stocks, while Ondo has scaled issuance faster through its partnership with Bitget.
The “digital-first“ bank created in 2022 is set to go public on the Nasdaq, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
The all-stock deal adds Semler’s 5,048 BTC to Strive’s treasury, lifting total holdings to 12,797.9 BTC and ranking it 11th among public companies.
Government-ethics questions still hang over the U.S. Senate's plans to vote on the crypto market structure bill, and Warren is raising a related argument.
Bitcoin has started the year on firmer footing, recovering from late-2025 weakness and pushing back toward the $92,000 level. Price action has improved, and short-term momentum has turned constructive, but conviction remains fragile. Despite the rebound, Bitcoin continues to trade within a broader consolidation range that has capped upside since late November. Related Reading: Trump-Powell Conflict Fuels Volatility While Retail Sells Bitcoin At A Loss – Details As a result, analysts remain divided. Some see the recent strength as the early phase of a trend reversal, while others warn that the market may need more time to absorb supply before any sustained breakout can develop. Adding nuance to this debate, a recent report from CryptoQuant highlights a critical inflection point tied to short-term holder behavior. According to the analysis, Bitcoin’s short-term holders—typically the most reactive cohort—are close to flipping back into profit. The key level sits around $92.2K. A decisive break above this threshold would place the average short-term holder back in positive territory, easing psychological pressure and reducing the incentive to sell into minor rallies. Short-Term Holders Near a Psychological Inflection Point The same CryptoQuant report emphasizes that the $92,000–$92,200 zone is more than a simple technical level—it represents a psychological threshold for short-term holders (STHs). A sustained move above this area would place the average STH back into profit, easing stress among recent buyers who have been underwater for weeks. When this cohort returns to profit, selling pressure typically diminishes, as fear-driven exits give way to a greater willingness to hold or even add exposure. Historically, this transition has mattered. Past market data shows that when Bitcoin price crosses above the short-term holder realized price—a configuration often described as a “golden cross” between spot price and STH cost basis—market structure tends to improve. In several prior cycles, such flips marked the start of renewed upside momentum, as short-term participants shifted from defensive behavior to supportive demand. Related Reading: XRP Consolidates Above $2 As Volume Z-Score Signals A Quiet Market That said, context remains important. A profit flip does not guarantee immediate continuation higher, but it does change incentives. Instead of selling into rallies to recover losses, short-term holders are more likely to buy dips or hold through volatility, reinforcing bid-side depth. In practical terms, reclaiming and holding above $92K would signal that recent supply has been absorbed and that marginal demand is strengthening. If confirmed with follow-through, this psychological reset could act as fuel for a broader trend extension. However, failure to maintain this level would risk resetting pressure on the same cohort, keeping Bitcoin locked in consolidation rather than trend mode. Bitcoin Price Consolidates Below Key Resistance as Volatility Builds Bitcoin price action on this chart reflects a market attempting to stabilize after a sharp correction from the October highs near $125,000. Following that decline, BTC found strong demand in the $85,000–$88,000 region, where buyers repeatedly defended price and formed a higher low structure. Since then, Bitcoin has been consolidating in a relatively tight range, gradually pushing back toward the $92,000 area. From a trend perspective, price is currently trading above the 200-day moving average (red), which continues to slope upward and provides a key layer of long-term support. This suggests that, despite recent weakness, the broader macro trend remains intact. However, BTC is still trading below the 100-day and 50-day moving averages (green and blue), both of which are flattening and acting as dynamic resistance. This configuration explains the hesitation around $92,000–$94,000, where multiple technical factors converge. Related Reading: Ethereum Long-Term Cost Basis Holds Firm: Structural Floor Forms Near $2.8K Volume has declined compared to the sell-off phase, signaling reduced conviction from both buyers and sellers. This typically characterizes consolidation phases rather than impulsive trends. The recent series of higher lows since December indicates improving short-term structure, but confirmation is still lacking. For bullish continuation, Bitcoin would need a decisive daily and weekly close above the $92,000–$94,000 resistance zone, reclaiming the mid-term moving averages. Failure to do so could keep price range-bound or expose BTC to another test of support near $88,000. Overall, the chart points to compression and indecision, with a larger directional move likely once this range resolves. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com
Jeremy Barnum told JPMorgan shareholders that yield-bearing stablecoins risk creating a parallel banking system without the safeguards of traditional regulation.
As the cryptocurrency market enters the new year, optimism around XRP is growing, particularly following Standard Chartered’s positive outlook for the altcoin. As NewsBTC reported two weeks ago, the bank projects a significant surge for the token, forecasting a potential new all-time high of $8. Recently, market analyst Sam Daodu has identified four key catalysts that could drive XRP toward this major milestone, potentially in the first quarter of the year. What Could Drive Prices Higher? The first catalyst stems from the imminent passage of the CLARITY Act, the crypto market structure bill expected to be marked up on January 15. Daodu asserted that the clarity provided by this new bill could significantly enhance institutional participation in the XRP market. In addition, Ripple, the firm behind the altcoin, recently received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to launch Ripple National Trust Bank, which will be a federally supervised trust institution. Related Reading: New Hope For Crypto: Senators Introduce Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act Moreover, seven spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are now trading in the US, boasting a combined assets under management (AUM) exceeding $2 billion and locking up 777 million XRP tokens. Another significant factor in XRP’s potential rise is the growth of the RLUSD stablecoin, which has achieved a market capitalization of $1.33 billion and ranks third among US-regulated stablecoins poised for compliance under the GENIUS Act. As banks begin deploying RLUSD across various payment corridors, activity on the XRP Ledger is expected to surge. Network fees paid in XRP create a direct link between the growth of stablecoins and a gradual reduction in XRP supply, turning utility into ongoing demand. Finally, the GENIUS Act, signed into law by President Trump in July 2025, established clear regulations for US stablecoins. This clarity extends to Europe, Asia, and emerging markets, allowing for smoother cross-border expansion. Bullish XRP Scenario Analyzing these factors, Daodu suggests a “bull case” scenario in which XRP could reach between $8 and $10. This depends heavily on sustained institutional demand and consistent inflows into exchange-traded funds. He noted in the report that if ETF inflows maintain the $300 to $500 million monthly rate observed in late 2025, it could lead to an additional 750 million to 1.25 billion XRP being locked by mid-year. Related Reading: Coinbase Mulls Exiting Support For Crypto Market Structure Bill Ahead Of January 15 Deadline Under these conditions, Daodu concluded that XRP has the potential to not only surpass the $8 threshold but to extend its gains into the $10 range as supply constraints exert greater influence on pricing. At the time of writing, the fifth-largest cryptocurrency on the market was trading at $2.13, marking a 3.7% increase on Tuesday. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Ethereum remains the leader in total value locked, but declining usage and economic uncertainty in the United States may hinder a rally to $4,000.
The crypto industry contends that Wall Street giants stood behind community banks to undercut digital competitors before they could get a major legislative win.
Less than two weeks into office, Zohran Mamdani said ”no” when questioned whether he held any crypto or planned to invest in a former New York City mayor's memecoin project.
Bitcoin (BTC) price has rallied nearly 4% on Tuesday to retest $94k for the second time in 2026. The flagship coin gained bullish momentum on Tuesday during the mid-New York session catalyzed by easing inflation data, global geopolitical tensions, and rising capital rotation from the precious metal industry. Source: X Bitcoin Price Eyes New ATH …
Crypto pundit Bird has highlighted why this week could be a massive one for XRP. This comes as market investors keep an eye on key macro events such as the U.S. CPI and also the upcoming CLARITY Act markup. Why This Is A Massive Week For XRP In an X post, Bird stated that this is a massive week as the Russell 2000 has rallied to new all-time highs (ATHs). He explained that every previous time that this has happened, XRP has gone on to record a major run. The analyst also alluded to macro data dropping this week, which could also impact the XRP price. Related Reading: Analyst Outlines The Bull Case For XRP And Why Price Will Hit All-Time High Soon Bird noted that the CPI and PPI inflation data, which drops this week, always injects volatility into the crypto market. The crypto pundit also stated that the long-awaited markup of the market structure bill (CLARITY Act) is scheduled for this Thursday. This is significant because the legislation could provide legal clarity for XRP and other crypto assets. The pundit remarked that the charts and macro are aligning for XRP. He predicted that if these developments push the altcoin above $2.70, it could quickly rally to a new all-time high (ATH). Bird asserted that if this doesn’t happen, then the market is likely manipulated, as he believes that XRP and the broader crypto market should be recording significant gains right now. It is worth noting that XRP rallied to as high as $2.3 at the start of the year but has since lost most of those gains, though the altcoin is still up over 10% year-to-date (YTD). XRP could be one of the crypto assets that benefits most from the passage of the CLARITY Act, as it would boost Ripple’s operations, which could in turn drive more adoption for XRP. XRP Could Rally To $2.26 From Here Crypto analyst CasiTrades has predicted that XRP could rally to $2.26 from its current level. In an X post, she stated that she expects the altcoin to reach this level to complete a subwave 2 and that the next wave up is critical. The analyst warned that if the price action stays corrective, then there could be a sharp rejection that sends the altcoin into a subwave 3 down. XRP could break the .5 support in the process and target the $1.65 macro support. However, if XRP’s bounce has the strength to break above $2.41 and flip it into support, this could invalidate the scenario down to $1.65. CasiTrades remarked that this is the key decision in the market, even as market participants keep an eye on the macro fundamentals. Related Reading: Analyst Breaks Down Why Investors will Make More Money With XRP Than Bitcoin At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $2.06, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon will deploy AI across classified networks as critics continue to warn about Grok.
On Jan. 13, the US Senate Banking Committee released the full text of the highly anticipated Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY) ahead of its expected markup this week. The 278-page draft abandons the strategy of picking winners on a token-by-token basis. Instead, it constructs a comprehensive “lane system” that assigns jurisdiction based on the […]
The post Here’s how the US government now offers a path to a new all-time high for Bitcoin and crypto CLARITY appeared first on CryptoSlate.
From Braintree to Project Blueprint, Bryan Johnson views crypto and longevity as a unified war against systemic decay.
Lighter launches mobile app for iOS and Android with 100,000$LIT contest as LIT token pulls back from early gains.
The post Lighter launches iOS and Android app with full support for perps, spot, and RWAs appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Steady ETF inflows, a bullish cup and handle chart pattern and improving sentiment across the total crypto market could propel Solana price to $190.
Elon Musks lawsuit against OpenAI will go to trial April 27, 2026, over claims the AI lab abandoned its nonprofit mission.
The post Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI scheduled for April 27 trial appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
An XRP Ledger ecosystem developer behind the meme coin DROP is drawing attention after predicting a sharp shift in XRP’s relative value versus bitcoin this year, framing it as the start of a new “price discovery” phase for the token. Bird, who posts under @Bird_XRPL, wrote on X yesterday that “5,000 XRP will be worth 1 Bitcoin in 2026,” then clarified his math with a specific price path in mind. “I said I think 5,000 XRP will be worth 1 Bitcoin,” he added. “For example 5,000 * $27 (XRP) = $135K (BTC).” While the post reads like a headline-grabbing forecast, the structure of Bird’s claim is a ratio trade: XRP outperforming BTC enough that 5,000 XRP could purchase one bitcoin. By anchoring the example to $27 XRP and a $135,000 BTC, Bird effectively argued that the market’s next leg higher could involve a meaningful repricing of XRP’s utility narrative rather than a simple beta move to bitcoin. Related Reading: Get Ready For An XRP Price Explosion Once This Happens; Analyst XRP Entering ‘Price Discovery’ Phase The call arrived alongside a series of posts linking XRP’s setup to broader risk-asset conditions and upcoming US macro catalysts. Bird argued that “above $2.70 $XRP opens the path to all time highs and beyond,” presenting that level as a technical inflection point. “Take a breath. Stay present. Remember this moment,” he wrote. “This is the end of a 7–8 year suppression and the beginning of true price discovery.” Bird’s longer thesis, posted on Jan. 11, focused less on short-term trading and more on a personal allocation framework that treats XRP as a long-duration hold. “XRP should be considered as part of your life saving plans,” he wrote, contrasting bank deposit yields with inflation drag. Related Reading: Ripple Builds ‘Next Amazon’ With XRP At The Center, Says Crypto CEO “Most people keep their money in banks earning around 4–6% a year and feel comfortable doing so, but they rarely factor in inflation. Over time, the buying power of the US dollar and the British pound for example has fallen so much, meaning your money often grows on paper while quietly losing value in the real world.” He then positioned XRP as an alternative store of value tied to expanding usage rather than fiat purchasing power. “That’s where XRP comes in. XRP has spent years suppressed by legal uncertainty, yet during that time the technology continued to mature. Now we have clarity, and we can clearly see what’s being built,” Bird wrote, pointing to “cross border payments, institutional adoption, stablecoins like RLUSD, and real world assets being tokenised on chain.” Bird framed the trade-off as custody and counterparty risk versus upside participation. “That’s why I personally treat XRP as a long term savings vehicle rather than a short term trade,” he wrote. “You can self custody it, store it on a cold wallet, and remove reliance on banks altogether.” Bird also tied the timing of his forecast to what he described as a convergence of market structure and policy headlines. “It’s a massive week for XRP,” he wrote, citing CPI and PPI as volatility events and highlighting that the US market structure bill is scheduled to drop on Thursday. “The charts are aligning. The macro is aligned. If this pushes in our favour and we clear $2.70+, an all time high can come very fast for XRP people!” At press time, XRP traded at $2.06. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin’s muted 2025 rally and fading altcoin cycle point to a structural market shift, leaving crypto’s 2026 outlook tied to institutions, rates and retail return.
Strive Inc. (NASDAQ: ASST) has announced the acquisition of Semler Scientific (NASDAQ: SMLR). The shareholders of Semler Scientific voted unanimously to approve its sale to Strive in an all-stock transaction deal. Strive Increases Bitcoin Holdings Via Acquisition of Semler Scientific According to the announcement, Strive will acquire 5,048 BTC from Semler Scientific. Strive also acquired …
The 2026 edition of the Golden Globes was broadcast Sunday night on CBS and featured several prediction markets from Polymarket.