South Korea is gearing up to pass its first major crypto law. The ruling Democratic Party has finalized the “Digital Asset Basic Act” and plans to submit it before the Lunar New Year holiday. The bill sets capital requirements for stablecoin issuers and splits crypto businesses into eight regulated categories. The Democratic Party’s Digital Asset …
European Central Bank executive Piero Cipollone has argued that rising geopolitical tensions make a European-controlled payments system a strategic necessity.
Bitcoin ETF investors contend with price dropping to their aggregate entry level, but a crypto executive claimed that new institutions were lining up.
Hegota was named late last year as the upgrade following Glamsterdam, as Ethereum developers mapped out the network’s 2026 roadmap.
The proposed bank would offer cryptocurrency custody, spot trading and staking services under direct federal regulatory supervision.
Crypto asset manager 21Shares released its XRP 2026 outlook, projecting a base case target of $2.45, a bull case of $2.69, and a bear case of $1.60 if adoption slows. The predictions follow a historic run for XRP spot ETFs in the United States. According to 21Shares, XRP ETFs have pulled in over $1.3 billion …
Ethereum price is entering a high-risk, high-impact phase as traders brace for today’s FOMC decision, with price compressed at a key structural zone and on-chain leverage sitting at record levels. While the market broadly expects the Federal Reserve to hold rates steady, uncertainty around Jerome Powell’s forward guidance has pushed ETH into a volatility-sensitive setup, …
Arthur Hayes says Bitcoin’s next leg higher is less about crypto-specific catalysts and more about whether US policymakers are forced to respond to mounting stress in Japan’s currency and government bond markets. stress he argues will ultimately translate into fresh dollar liquidity. In his latest essay, “Woomph,” published Wednesday, Hayes frames the recent yen weakness and a selloff in long-dated Japanese government bonds (JGBs) as the kind of systemic “alarm sound” that precedes official intervention. “The financial markets went woomph as the yen weakened and JGB prices collapsed,” he wrote. “Therefore, analyzing the fragility that the yen and JGB injects into global markets at this juncture is extremely important. Will a meltdown of the yen and JGB markets cause some sort of money printing by the BOJ or the Fed? The answer is yes, and this essay will explain the mechanics of the said intervention that was foreshadowed last Friday.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Social Interest Fades As Retail Chases Gold, Silver Hype Hayes lays out a step-by-step scenario in which the New York Fed expands bank reserves, sells dollars for yen, and then deploys that yen into JGB purchases, effectively stabilizing both USD/JPY and Japan’s long-end yields while warehousing FX and duration risk on the Fed’s balance sheet. In his telling, the signature will be visible in a specific line item: “Foreign Currency Denominated Assets” on the Fed’s weekly H.4.1 balance sheet release. If that figure grows rapidly, Hayes argues it would suggest the Fed has begun accumulating foreign-currency assets, potentially JGBs, consistent with the intervention pathway he describes. The policy motive, he adds, is not charity. Hayes points to Japan’s large stock of foreign assets and its role as a major holder of US Treasuries, arguing that rising JGB yields could pull Japanese capital home and pressure US borrowing costs. Japanese policy debates over yen weakness and the BOJ’s tightening path, and the BOJ itself held its policy rate at 0.75% on January 23. Hayes centers on what he calls a deliberately telegraphed signal: market chatter that US officials had “checked prices” with Wall Street dealers, language traders often interpret as a precursor to FX intervention. The Financial Times reported that a US “rate check” helped drive a sharp yen move and stoked speculation about coordinated action. Related Reading: Expert Who Nailed The Bitcoin Top Now Says Buy At These Levels He also suggests the BOJ’s decision to stand pat, despite what he characterizes as a market demanding a stronger defense of the yen and the bond market, increased the odds of US help. Japan’s political backdrop matters here too: Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament and set a snap election for February 8, a move widely covered in international media in recent days. Why Hayes Ties It Back To Bitcoin For Hayes, the Japan stress story is ultimately a liquidity story and he argues Bitcoin remains tethered to the direction of the Fed’s balance sheet. “This discussion of Japanese financial markets is important because for Bitcoin to exit its sideways funk it needs a healthy dose of money printing,” he wrote. “What I will present is a theory which the actual flow of money through the corroded veins of the global monetary system doesn’t support yet. As time progresses, I will monitor the changes in certain line items on the Fed’s balance sheet in order to validate my hypothesis.” In the essay, he also flags a shorter-term complication: a rapidly strengthening yen has historically aligned with risk-off positioning as leveraged investors unwind yen-funded trades, dynamics he says can drag on Bitcoin before any liquidity impulse arrives. Hayes’ tactical conclusion is to stay patient until the balance-sheet evidence arrives. He says he exited levered Bitcoin proxies, including Strategy (MSTR) and Japan-listed Metaplanet, ahead of the yen move, and would consider re-entering if the “Foreign Currency Denominated Assets” line item starts rising sharply. Moreover, he writes that his fund Maelstrom is continuing to add to Zcash (ZEC), while keeping other “quality DeFi” positions unchanged and only adding further if intervention-driven balance sheet growth becomes visible. At press time, Bitcoin traded at $89,137. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin price traded below $90,000 as investors braced for Jerome Powell’s post-FOMC speech that could trigger volatile swings toward key BTC price levels.
California, which generates about $4.1 trillion and contributes over 14% of the U.S. GDP, is back in the spotlight. A new proposal called the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act aims to tax the ultra-rich with a 5% levy on net worth, sparking serious debate. However, the plan has raised fears of wealth leaving the state and …
Ripple is moving decisively to shut down speculation that XRP is being sidelined as the company broadens its reach across custody, stablecoins, and institutional finance. Despite rapid expansion into new financial products, Ripple executives have reiterated that XRP remains fundamental to the company’s long-term vision and operational strategy. Recent market chatter suggested that newer initiatives, …
Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan says if the CLARITY Act does not pass, crypto faces a three-year proving period before prices see any real momentum. Without legislation locking in today’s pro-crypto rules, a future administration could reverse everything. He wrote, “To imagine what’s at stake, picture Senator Elizabeth Warren as the next chair of the SEC.” …
Aave now controls 51.5% of the DeFi lending market share, the first time any protocol has crossed the 50% threshold since 2020. The milestone arrives not through competitor collapse but through steady accumulation: Aave's $33.37 billion in total value locked sits atop a $64.83 billion lending category that has consolidated around a single liquidity hub. […]
The post Aave created a risky DeFi feedback loop with only a $460M backstop as its lending monopoly reaches 51%, appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has revealed that he earned around $70,000 in profit on Polymarket over the past year, offering a rare glimpse into how one of crypto’s most influential figures approaches prediction markets. Starting with roughly $440,000 in capital, Buterin generated a return of about 16%, not by chasing bold bets, but by deliberately …
Bitget named Oliver Stauber as CEO of its new EU unit, establishing Vienna headquarters to support MiCAR compliance.
Bitget EU said it expects MiCA approval in Austria by mid-2026, with a broker-led model and strict asset standards for European users.
A wallet linked to an alleged theft from a US government crypto seizure launched a Solana memecoin on Pump.fun that later crashed 97%, sparking tokenomics warnings.
A rising share of shops in the US are now taking crypto at checkout. That shift is small in some places and big in others, but it is real. Reports say that roughly four in 10 US merchants accept cryptocurrency today, and customer interest is a clear reason why. Related Reading: Record Pain: Bitcoin Investors Suffer $4.5B Loss, Most In 3 Years Merchant Demand Is Rising According to a new survey from PayPal and the National Cryptocurrency Association, about 39% of merchants have added crypto as a payment option. Many of those firms say they hear from buyers about crypto use on a regular basis. Reports note that 88% of merchants have gotten questions about paying with crypto, and 69% say they see demand at least once a month. Also, 84% of respondents think crypto payments will be common within five years, which shows a lot of business leaders expect wider use soon. Who’s Accepting Crypto Adoption is uneven. Big companies with annual revenue above $500 million lead the pack, with roughly 50% accepting crypto. Smaller shops lag at about 34%, while midsize firms sit near 32%. Travel and hospitality, gaming and digital goods, and higher-end retail are among the sectors pushing crypto forward. These markets often sell online or to tech-savvy buyers, so it makes sense they’d move faster. Crypto’s Role In Sales For merchants that already accept digital assets, crypto is not just an occasional trickle. Reports say digital assets account for over a quarter of sales for some of those sellers. Around 72% of current crypto-accepting merchants said their crypto sales grew over the past year. That kind of growth helps explain why firms want to keep the option available. Barriers And Bright Spots A common complaint is that setup is still too hard. Surveys found about 90% of merchants would accept crypto if it were as easy as taking a credit card. Payment tools and integration are top concerns. Merchants list faster payments, the chance to reach new customers, and better buyer privacy as reasons to accept crypto. Younger generations are pushing the trend too — Millennials and Gen Z buyers are often the ones asking to use crypto at checkout. Related Reading: Bitcoin Influencers Get Spotlight In X’s New ‘Starterpacks’ What Merchants Want Next The survey was run in October 2025 and polled about 619 payment strategy decision-makers across retail, travel, and digital goods. PayPal and the NCA put the findings in a public release at the end of January 2026. Many executives say the next step is simpler tools and clearer rules. If merchants get easier on-ramps and reliable rails for settlements, acceptance could spread faster. Featured image from PayPal Newsroom, chart from TradingView
The crypto market is heading into a tense weekend, following the inclusion of the FOMC interest rate decision, Jerome Powell’s speech, the release of PPI inflation data, and an important vote on the crypto market structure bill. On top of all this, uncertainty is rising as fears grow over a possible second U.S. government shutdown, …
Ripple launched Ripple Treasury following its $1 billion acquisition of treasury management provider GTreasury.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) has a meeting today to decide on interest rates. The decision and the official statement from the Fed will be shared at 12:30 AM IST. After that, Fed Chair Jerome Powell will speak at 1:00 AM IST to explain the decision and answer questions. This is when we find out if …
US President Donald Trump has once again turned attention to monetary policy, saying interest rates will fall sharply once he names a new Federal Reserve chair to replace Jerome Powell. Speaking in Iowa on January 27, Trump said his pick would usher in a more aggressive rate-cutting cycle, reinforcing his long-held criticism that the Fed …
With EU banks exploring stablecoin issuance and regulators laying ground rules, OKX says its card marks a turning point in crypto’s integration into everyday finance.
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw significant net outflows of about $147.37 million on January 27, while Ethereum spot ETFs also recorded notable withdrawals of around $63.53 million, showing reduced demand for the two largest crypto assets. In contrast, XRP spot ETFs attracted approximately $9.16 million, and Solana spot ETFs gained about $1.87 million, suggesting growing …
HYPE has surged 30%, outperforming bitcoin, ether and the CoinDesk 20 index by a big margin.
The Bitcoin price is under increasing pressure ahead of Wednesday’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, which has historically corresponded with big price movements in the market’s largest cryptocurrency. Rate Cut Odds Fade The Federal Reserve (Fed) is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at this meeting. Economists surveyed by financial data provider FactSet anticipate the federal funds rate — the benchmark rate banks use for overnight lending — will remain in the 3.5% to 3.75% range. Such a pause would follow three consecutive rate cuts delivered by the Fed toward the end of last year, a shift that initially fueled optimism across risk assets, including the Bitcoin price. Related Reading: XRP Outlook For 2026: AI Model Signals New Record Ahead — Can Price Reach $6? Despite that earlier momentum, the Bitcoin price has struggled to maintain its footing. Ahead of the FOMC decision, the cryptocurrency is trading near $87,780, roughly 30% below the all‑time highs reached last year. Market analyst Ali Martinez has pointed to Bitcoin’s historical behavior around FOMC meetings as a reason for caution. In a recent post on X (previously Twitter) Martinez highlighted that expectations for a January rate cut are extremely low, estimated at just 2.8%, signaling that meaningful policy easing is unlikely in the near term. That backdrop, he argues, has often set the stage for increased volatility for the Bitcoin price rather than sustained upside. Looking back at 2025, Martinez noted that Bitcoin reacted negatively after the vast majority of the Fed’s policy meetings. Of the eight FOMC decisions held during the year, seven were followed by notable declines for the Bitcoin price. The January meeting was followed by a 27% drop, March saw a 14% decline, June was down 8%, July slipped 6%, September fell 7%, October recorded a 29% pullback, and December ended with a 9% loss. The analysts noted that the only exception seen in the year came in May, when the Bitcoin price briefly rallied about 15% after the decision. Bitcoin Price Approaches Key Decision Zone From a technical and on‑chain perspective, analyst BitBull also sees the Bitcoin price approaching a critical moment. BitBull noted on social media that the asset has entered what she describes as a key on‑chain decision zone. At current levels, the Bitcoin price is trading almost exactly at the Active Investor Mean, estimated near $87,500. This level represents the average cost basis for active buyers, placing much of that capital at breakeven. Related Reading: Tether Reveals Massive Gold Accumulation In Q4: Adds 27 Tons To Reserves BitBull explained that pressure is building on both sides of the price. Above current levels, the short‑term holder cost basis sits near $96,500, meaning many recent buyers are already underwater. As a result, any upward move toward that zone could face selling pressure as traders look to exit at reduced losses. On the downside, the True Market Mean at around $80,700 has historically marked the boundary between a “routine correction and deeper structural weakness.” Further below, the realized price near $56,000 suggests that long‑term holders remain firmly in profit and largely unshaken by recent volatility. BitBull argues if the Bitcoin price can maintain support above the $87,500 level, it would indicate that active capital is defending its position and that broader market strength remains intact. A sustained break below that level, however, could open the door for a move toward $80,700. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
OKX says the card supports USDC and USDG spending, is issued via Monavate on Mastercard’s network and is available to verified EU users.
With the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting scheduled for today, cryptocurrency markets have entered a cautious phase of price volatility. Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and XRP are trading in narrow ranges as traders pause for fresh direction from the U.S. central bank, widely expected to hold interest rates unchanged. The lack of near-term rate …
Crypto markets are set for a volatile week as several major U.S. economic events take place, increasing uncertainty among investors. How crypto prices move in the coming days may indicate whether the market is heading for a deeper correction or preparing for a bullish move. The key events start on January 28 with a speech …
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said he made around $70,000 on Polymarket last year by committing about $440,000 and consistently betting against hype-driven outcomes. He calls this approach “anti-insanity mode,” focusing on markets fueled by irrational behavior. In an interview with Foresight News, Vitalik named Decentralized Social as his top priority for developers, followed by smarter …