The Justice Department will drop its case against Nathaniel Chastain, a former OpenSea manager who successfully appealed a wire fraud and money laundering conviction.
The pullback comes as XRP continues to trade without a fresh headline catalyst, leaving price action largely driven by positioning and technical levels.
Kansas' move to create a digital assets reserve fund could set a precedent for other states, influencing national crypto asset management policies.
The post Kansas introduces bill to establish Bitcoin and digital assets reserve fund appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Trading remains a sell-the-rally environment, with resistance entrenched around $0.126 to $0.127 and only tentative, short-lived bounces emerging on intraday.
Prediction markets price further upside for bullion as volatility data shows silver absorbing momentum while gold grinds highe
Capital One’s acquisition of Brex comes just months after the payment company launched support for stablecoins.
The White House came under scrutiny for sharing a modified arrest image on X, as the administration pushes tougher limits on manipulated media.
XRP price extended losses and traded below $1.920. The price is now consolidating and might decline further if it remains below $1.980. XRP price started a fresh decline below the $1.920 zone. The price is now trading below $1.9250 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There are two bearish trend lines forming with resistance at $1.95 and $2.00 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair (data source from Kraken). The pair could continue to move down if it stays below $1.950. XRP Price Dips Again XRP price failed to stay above $2.00 and started a fresh decline, like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The price declined below $1.950 and $1.9350 to enter a short-term bearish zone. The price even spiked below $1.920. A low was formed at $1.90, and the price is now consolidating losses. There was a recovery wave above $1.9120. The price cleared the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $1.987 swing high to the $1.90 low, but the bears remained active. The price is now trading below $1.950 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. If there is a fresh upward move, the price might face resistance near the $1.9450 level and the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $1.987 swing high to the $1.90 low. There are also two bearish trend lines forming with resistance at $1.95 and $2.00 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair. The first major resistance is near the $2.00 level and the second trend line. A close above $2.00 could send the price to $2.050. The next hurdle sits at $2.10. A clear move above the $2.10 resistance might send the price toward the $2.120 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $2.150 resistance. The next major hurdle for the bulls might be near $2.20. Downside Break? If XRP fails to clear the $1.95 resistance zone, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $1.90 level. The next major support is near the $1.870 level. If there is a downside break and a close below the $1.870 level, the price might continue to decline toward $1.8480. The next major support sits near the $1.820 zone, below which the price could continue lower toward $1.7880. Technical Indicators Hourly MACD – The MACD for XRP/USD is now gaining pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for XRP/USD is now below the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $1.90 and $1.870. Major Resistance Levels – $1.950 and $2.00.
Prosecutors in South Korea have reportedly lost $47 million worth of seized Bitcoin through a phishing attack and are investigating and tracking the theft.
In its ‘Navigating Crypto in 2026’ outlook, the fund says non-bitcoin tokens have been sliding since late 2024, weighed down by weak value capture, slowing on-chain activity, and fading retail flows.
X is rolling out a feature called Starterpacks that will let new users follow ready-made groups of accounts tied to specific interests. It’s designed to make finding people to follow faster, and yes — that includes lists focused on Bitcoin and other crypto topics. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Sharp Reversal Leaves Over $800 Million Liquidated In 1 Day Reports say the company has spent months building these curated sets and plans to launch them in the coming weeks. Starterpacks Include Crypto And Hundreds Of Categories According To X’s product team, the feature will span more than 1,000 interest categories so people can join subject feeds without hunting around. Some packs will pull together prominent Bitcoin commentators, active traders and market watchers so newcomers land in front of the right conversations quickly. The idea echoes a feature that already exists on rival apps, but X’s lists are picked internally rather than built by users. Over the last few months, we scoured the world for the top posters in every niche & country We’ve compiled them into a new tool called Starterpacks: to help new users find the best accounts—big or small—for their interests ⬇️ Reply below with a topic you’re most interested in… pic.twitter.com/MYIIQAaJaL — Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) January 21, 2026 Why Crypto Is Getting Special Attention Reports note that crypto chatter on X cooled last year. Posts mentioning Bitcoin fell by a noticeable margin in 2025, according to platform watchers who track engagement. That slide appears to have pushed product staff to make it easier to surface crypto creators again. The change is meant to reduce friction for users who want to jump into market talk without following dozens of accounts one by one. A Look At How The Packs Work Each Starterpack groups a small set of accounts around a theme. Users can accept a pack as a starting point and then add or remove people just like that. Some packs will be regional, while others target hobbies or professional beats. The lists were assembled by the product team after a global search for active voices in each niche. In practice, this means a newly joined user could pick a crypto pack and instantly follow a mix of analysts, podcasters and traders. Community Reaction Has Been Mixed Crypto users on X had already been vocal about visibility and moderation. A number of creators welcomed any effort that helps their posts reach new readers. Other people worried that curated packs could favor certain voices over others or steer attention away from smaller accounts. Debate over how feeds are shaped is expected to continue as Starterpacks roll out. Related Reading: Trove’s New Token Craters 95%, Sparking Investor Revolt What To Watch Next Product updates will appear gradually. Reports say the rollout will start in the coming weeks, and X’s team will likely adjust the approach based on feedback. For people who follow Bitcoin and crypto, Starterpacks could mean quicker discovery and more steady streams of market talk. For the platform, it’s one more attempt to make joining feel less like starting from scratch. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView
BitMine's increased Ethereum stake could enhance its market influence and financial returns, impacting Ethereum's decentralization and price dynamics.
The post Bitmine increases staked Ethereum to 1.9M ETH, valued at $5.7B: On-chain data appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Spacecoin said the partnership includes a token swap between the two projects, though it did not disclose the terms.
The SEC’s Paul Atkins and the CFTC’s Michael Selig will discuss the two agencies' crypto oversight as legislative efforts to define their roles work through the Senate.
Ethereum price started a minor recovery wave from the $2,865 zone. ETH is now consolidating losses and might aim for a recovery if it clears $3,050. Ethereum started a consolidation phase below $3,050. The price is trading below $3,040 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. There was a break above a contracting triangle with resistance at $2,950 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken). The pair could start a fresh increase if it stays above the $2,900 zone. Ethereum Price Aims Recovery Ethereum price failed to remain stable above $3,050 and extended losses, like Bitcoin. ETH price declined below $3,000 and $2,920 to enter a bearish zone. The bears even pushed the price below $2,880. The price finally tested $2,865 and is currently consolidating losses. There was a minor upside above the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the downward wave from the $3,365 swing high to the $2,865 swing low. Besides, there was a break above a contracting triangle with resistance at $2,950 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD. Ethereum price is now trading below $3,040 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. If the bulls can protect more losses below $2,900, the price could attempt another increase. Immediate resistance is seen near the $3,050 level. The first key resistance is near the $3,110 level or the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward wave from the $3,365 swing high to the $2,865 swing low. The next major resistance is near the $3,175 level. A clear move above the $3,175 resistance might send the price toward the $3,220 resistance. An upside break above the $3,220 region might call for more gains in the coming days. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $3,280 resistance zone or even $3,300 in the near term. Another Drop In ETH? If Ethereum fails to clear the $3,050 resistance, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $2,910 level. The first major support sits near the $2,880 zone. A clear move below the $2,880 support might push the price toward the $2,865 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $2,820 region. The main support could be $2,750. Technical Indicators Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is now above the 50 zone. Major Support Level – $2,880 Major Resistance Level – $3,050
Bitcoin is facing a critical test as volatility returns and price action remains unstable around the $90,000 level. Bulls are attempting to defend this psychological zone after recent turbulence, but confidence across the market is still fragile. With uncertainty dominating short-term sentiment, many traders are treating every bounce as a potential trap rather than the start of a confirmed recovery. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Power Shift: New Whales Now Control The Market According to top analyst Darkfost, the market is still missing a key ingredient for a sustainable bullish continuation: a broad base of investors sitting in profit. He argues that despite Bitcoin’s resilience, there are not yet enough participants in positive territory to build the kind of structural comfort that fuels long-lasting uptrends. This matters because latent profits are not inherently bearish. In healthy conditions, when most holders are in profit, the market tends to stabilize. Investors feel less pressure to sell, panic fades, and holding becomes easier. That environment often supports stronger trend development and reduces the risk of sharp downside reactions. Still, Darkfost warns that profit dynamics only help up to a point. When unrealized gains become extreme across the entire market, they can eventually turn into overhead supply, triggering corrective phases. Bitcoin’s Profit Structure Still Isn’t Bullish Enough Profit distribution across holders can become a double-edged sword for Bitcoin. When the supply in profit climbs above 95% and approaches 100%, unrealized gains stop being supportive and begin turning into overhead pressure. At those extremes, investors have little incentive to hold through volatility, and even small shocks can trigger profit-taking that fuels corrective phases. From a structural perspective, Darkfost argues the market needs to reclaim the 75% supply-in-profit threshold to rebuild a healthier foundation. Historically, Bitcoin has tended to sustain bullish conditions when this metric holds above that level, as most participants remain comfortable and less reactive to downside volatility. Right now, however, the market sits near 71%, after dropping as low as 64%. Darkfost notes that readings this low have often appeared near the early stages of bear markets, even when the headline drawdown looks relatively contained. In this case, the decline of roughly 31% was enough to push a large portion of recent buyers underwater, suggesting many entered late in the move. The recent rebound briefly lifted supply in profit back to 75%, but it failed to hold. That rejection likely reflects investors using the bounce to exit at breakeven or reduce losses. Going forward, reclaiming 75%–80% would signal stabilization, while further weakness could amplify panic-driven selling. Related Reading: Ethereum Supply Tightens On Binance As Reserves Hit Lowest Level Since 2016 Volatility Keeps Bulls on the Defensive Bitcoin is attempting to stabilize near the $90,000 mark after a volatile correction that reshaped the market structure over the past few months. The chart shows BTC printing a major peak around $125,000 before rolling over into a sharp selloff. Accelerating into November and eventually finding a local floor near the mid-$80,000s. That drop marked a decisive break in momentum and triggered a shift toward a lower range, where price has struggled to regain prior support levels. Since the rebound off the lows, Bitcoin has moved into a consolidation phase, repeatedly testing resistance around $92,000–$95,000 but failing to generate sustained continuation. Each recovery attempt has been met with selling pressure, suggesting that short-term supply is still active near former breakdown zones. The latest bounce back toward $90,000 signals buyers are defending the level. But the structure still looks fragile without a clean breakout. Related Reading: Binance Order Flow Suggests Ethereum Is In Correction Mode: Demand Still Missing Volume also reflects uncertainty, with higher activity during selloffs and more muted participation during rebounds. Bulls likely need to hold $88,000–$90,000 and reclaim the $92,000 region with conviction. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com
The potential appointment of BlackRock's CIO as Fed chair could influence financial markets and policy direction, impacting economic stability.
The post Odds of BlackRock CIO becoming next Fed chair peak ahead of Trump call appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Ethereum mainnet surpassed all layer-2 networks in daily active addresses in January, though security analysts attributed part of the spike to address poisoning attacks.
Bitcoin price started a consolidation phase below $90,500. BTC is consolidating losses and might attempt a recovery wave if it clears $91,500. Bitcoin started a minor recovery wave from the $87,200 level. The price is trading below $90,500 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average. There was a break above a short-term bearish trend line with resistance at $89,700 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might recover if it manages to settle above $90,500 and $91,500. Bitcoin Price Eyes Recovery Bitcoin price failed to stay above the $90,000 support and extended losses. BTC declined sharply below the $89,500 and $88,000 support levels. The bears even pushed the price below $87,500. A low was formed at $87,200, and the price is now attempting a recovery wave. There was a move above the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $95,475 swing high to the $87,200 low. Besides, there was a break above a short-term bearish trend line with resistance at $89,700 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. Bitcoin is now trading below $90,500 and the 100 hourly Simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $89,000, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $90,300 level. The first key resistance is near the $91,500 level since it is close to the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $95,475 swing high to the $87,200 low. A close above the $91,500 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $92,300 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $93,000 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $95,000 and $95,500. Another Drop In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $91,500 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $89,000 level. The first major support is near the $88,200 level. The next support is now near the $87,500 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $86,500 support in the near term. The main support sits at $85,500, below which BTC might accelerate lower in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now losing pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $89,000, followed by $88,200. Major Resistance Levels – $90,300 and $91,500.
ARK Invest’s new roadmap puts a big number on the table, and it’s hard to ignore. Reports say Cathie Wood’s firm’s “Big Ideas 2026” research paints a scenario where the total value of crypto climbs to about $28 trillion by 2030. Related Reading: Trove’s New Token Craters 95%, Sparking Investor Revolt Big Ideas Point To A Shift According to ARK and its public writeups, that $28 trillion is not blind optimism. The firm breaks the future into three main drivers: Bitcoin, decentralized finance, and tokenized real-world assets. Reports note Bitcoin could make up roughly 70% of that total, which would mean about $16 trillion in Bitcoin market cap by 2030. DeFi And Tokenized Assets Take The Stage DeFi platforms and smart-contract networks are expected to grow a lot. ARK’s scenario puts smart money and on-chain services as a major contributor to market value in the run up to 2030. The firm also projects tokenized real-world assets — things like tokenized bonds, property shares, and other financial products moved onto ledgers — to climb into the trillions, with some reports pointing toward around $11 trillion for tokenization. How Bitcoin Fits Into The Picture Given the share ARK assigns to Bitcoin, the math pushes toward very large per-coin prices if that scenario plays out. Reports say ARK’s base case uses a little over 20 million Bitcoins in supply by 2030 and implies a per-coin price that could sit near the high hundreds of thousands — commonly quoted numbers range up to about $950,000 to $1,000,000 in that framework. Fast Growth Assumptions To reach $28 trillion, the forecast depends on very steep growth each year. ARK points to an implied compound annual growth rate near 61% from present levels to 2030. That is aggressive. It would mean rapid gains across many segments of the crypto market, not just a single rally. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Sharp Reversal Leaves Over $800 Million Liquidated In 1 Day Reports and industry analysts warn that the path to that future has a long list of hurdles. Regulation must become clearer in many places. Institutional rails and custody tools need to expand and prove reliable. Market sentiment has to stay positive long enough for major capital flows to arrive. Any of these things going wrong would change the numbers quickly. ARK’s “Big Ideas 2026” details a robust vision of a $28 trillion ecosystem driven by Bitcoin, DeFi, and tokenization. Although it holds a rather ambitious 61% growth trajectory riddled with numerous regulatory and market obstacles, the vision reinforces the faith of ARK Invest in the transformation of the digital asset space from being a speculative domain to the nucleus of the global finance system. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The former Alameda Research chief and key witness against Sam Bankman-Fried has exited federal custody but remains subject to long-term bans, injunctions, and supervision tied to the FTX collapse.
Some Bitcoiners are “highly skeptical” that quantum computing is to blame for Bitcoin’s sideways price action, while others argue it’s a major issue.
The deal brings a startup-focused spend platform with artificial intelligence and stablecoin capabilities into a major U.S. bank.
Bitcoin derivatives markets show traders holding steady, but the path back to $95,000 relies on institutional inflows returning, especially after this week’s $1.58 billion outflow.
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire says AI agents have no alternative to stablecoins and will conduct everyday activities with the tokens within as little as three years.
XRP is trading above $1.90 after several weeks of pressure that pushed the token below the $2 psychological level. The pullback comes amid a broader crypto market downturn that has erased roughly $200 billion in total market capitalization since early January. Related Reading: Dogecoin (DOGE) Rebound Looks Fragile With Multiple Hurdles Ahead For XRP, the decline has been accompanied by a sharp deterioration in retail sentiment, even as some on-chain analysts and ecosystem participants argue that the current range carries longer-term significance. While price action remains fragile, the debate around XRP has shifted from short-term momentum to questions of positioning, ownership structure, and adoption-driven fundamentals. XRP's price records important losses on the daily chart. Source: XRPUSD on Tradingview XRP Validator Highlights Accumulation Window Below $2 Crypto investor and XRPL validator 24HRSCRYPTO argues that XRP’s price below $2 represents a narrowing window for accumulation rather than a reflection of weakening fundamentals. The commentary focuses on affordability and timing, noting that earlier market participants were able to build large positions with relatively modest capital, a dynamic that becomes harder as prices rise. On-ledger data shows that more than 500,000 XRP Ledger accounts already hold over 10,000 XRP. Since these figures represent accounts rather than individuals, actual concentration may be higher. According to the validator, this suggests that sizeable XRP holdings are becoming structurally harder to achieve for new entrants, especially if prices move higher. The analysis also highlights cash flow constraints. Using fixed monthly investment scenarios, 24HRSCRYPTO explains that rising prices mathematically reduce the number of XRP units investors can accumulate over time. From this perspective, scarcity is not framed as sentiment-driven, but as a function of price appreciation. Retail Sentiment Hits “Extreme Fear” Territory Data from Santiment shows that XRP retail sentiment has slipped into “extreme fear” for the third time this year. The ratio of positive to negative sentiment dropped below 1.873 on January 20 and has continued to weaken. Historically, similar sentiment lows have coincided with short-term price rebounds, although outcomes have varied. XRP has already staged a modest recovery, rising from around $1.89 to near $1.95. However, analysts caution that fearful sentiment alone does not guarantee sustained upside, especially in a market shaped by geopolitical uncertainty and declining risk appetite. Technical Pressure Meets Ecosystem Developments From a technical standpoint, XRP’s monthly candle has turned bearish, with strong selling noted near the $2.70–$3.00 zone. Analysts point to $1.90 as a key pivot, warning that a monthly close below this level could open the door to deeper supports near $1.60. Related Reading: Chainlink Drops To $12.50, But Largest Whales Are Accumulating Similarly, developments within the Ripple ecosystem continue to unfold. The recent Binance listing of RLUSD has expanded liquidity and access to Ripple’s stablecoin infrastructure, while executives maintain that 2026 could mark a shift toward broader institutional use of blockchain-based payments. Cover image from ChatGPT, XRPUSD chart on Tradingview
The Center for Countering Digital Hate reports that Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok produced an estimated 23,338 sexualized images of children.
Technical analysis shared by crypto analyst CryptoBullet on X highlighted a familiar price action that suggests that Bitcoin’s current structure may be closely tracking a 2022 price fractal. Bitcoin’s price action in recent days has changed into a more fragile posture, with the cryptocurrency falling back below the psychological $90,000 level after failing to sustain higher ground above $97,000 on January 14. How Bitcoin’s Current Structure Resembles The 2022 Fractal According to CryptoBullet, Bitcoin’s present price action is closely following an interesting structure that it previously played out in 2022. Technical analysis on the daily candlestick timeframe chart posted by the analyst shows the earlier 2022 move as a transparent projection layered behind current price action, with a striking similarity in both rhythm and volatility. Related Reading: Bitcoin Price Will Still Rally Above $99,000 Despite Bearish Sentiment, Here’s Why As it stands, Bitcoin has experienced a significant 28.7% pullback from its October 2025 peak and is now trading in a choppy consolidation, a behavior that closely matches the early stages of the 2022 downturn. CryptoBullet noted, however, that there is an important distinction. During the 2022 decline, Bitcoin had already tested the 50-week moving average and the 200-day moving average at this stage of the cycle. In the current setup, Bitcoin’s price action is trading below those levels but has not yet made a direct test, and this means that the structure may still be incomplete. What The 2022 Outcome Predicts For Bitcoin’s Next Move The projection in the background of the chart shows Bitcoin making one more push higher over the coming month, briefly reclaiming levels above $100,000 before running into a strong resistance at the 50-week moving average. Related Reading: Party’s Over For Bitcoin Bulls: Analyst Reveals The Next Steps If this scenario plays out, the move would resemble the final relief rally seen in 2022, where the price rallied into long-term resistance before rolling over. CryptoBullet noted that timing also supports this idea, noting that considering the 2022 top is lined up with the October 2025 top, there appears to be roughly one month of price action left for a final leg up. The projection is that Bitcoin pushes to at least $100,000 again sometime in February 2026. However, support must hold above $83,000 in order for this bullish portion of the setup to be valid. Although the short-term projection is bullish, the broader implication of the 2022 fractal is bearish for the mid-term. According to the chart’s projected path, Bitcoin is shown rejecting at the 50-week moving average after a brief rally, followed by a sustained decline that eventually drags its price action below $71,500. This prediction is based on exactly what unfolded in 2022, when a final pump gave way to a deeper corrective phase. That said, fractals are guides, not guarantees, meaning price history may rhyme, but it does not always repeat itself exactly. Featured image from Pngtree, chart from Tradingview.com
Coinbase VP of US Policy Kara Calvert explains what tipped the scales for Coinbase against the legislation just hours before a scheduled markup.
In a press release from September, Brex said it was planning to launch native stablecoin payments as part of its business.