5 hours ago
Bitcoin Plunges Below $78,000 as $800M in Liquidations Trigger Weekend Cascade
BTC fell over 7% during weekend trading, breaking below its April 2025 low of $74,500 for the first time since October 2023. The collapse liquidated $800M in positions and pushed Bitcoin below its true market mean of $80.7K. MicroStrategy's 700,000 BTC treasury, the largest corporate holding, faces losses at current prices below its $76,037 cost basis.
5 hours ago
BitMine's $6B Ether Loss Exposes Risks of Crypto Treasury Strategies During Liquidations
BitMine Immersion Technologies, linked to investor Tom Lee, holds 4.24M ETH valued at $9.6B, down from $13.9B in October, with unrealized losses exceeding $6B as Ether fell toward $2,300. Weak liquidity and extreme leverage created "air pockets" in pricing, prompting Lee to warn 2026 will start "painful" before potential recovery, while market maker Wintermute cited need for structural improvements including renewed Bitcoin/Ether momentum and expanded ETF participation.
6 hours ago
Nvidia Invests $2B in CoreWeave as Crypto Miners Pivot to AI Infrastructure
CoreWeave, which shifted from Ethereum mining after 2019, is now a major independent GPU provider for AI workloads. Nvidia's equity investment reinforces its position outside Big Tech's control. Other miners including HIVE Digital, TeraWulf, and Hut 8 have similarly repurposed mining infrastructure for AI data centers. Bloomberg research projects Big Tech's share of global computing capacity could fall below 18% by 2032 as thousands of new entrants fragment the market.
8 hours ago
Crypto Venture Capital Rebounds to $1.4B in Early 2026 as Institutions Back Infrastructure
Capital is returning to digital asset companies following October's market liquidation, with major deals including Rain's $250M raise at $1.9B valuation and BitGo's $200M+ NYSE IPO. Institutional focus has shifted toward onchain financial infrastructure, with Galaxy completing a $75M onchain credit transaction on Avalanche and multiple seed rounds in financial services platforms attracting backing from traditional investors and crypto-focused funds.
10 hours ago
Bitcoin Hits Record Low Versus Gold, Analysts Cite February Recovery Potential
Bitcoin fell to its lowest level ever against gold in January after adjusting for global money supply, according to Bitwise Europe data. The ratio mirrors 2015 levels that preceded an 11,800% BTC rally to $20,000. Bitwise and Swyftx analysts expect capital rotation from gold to Bitcoin could begin in February or March, though analyst Benjamin Cowen warned the shift may take longer than anticipated.
Today
Solana Daily Active Addresses Surge 115% as AI-Powered Memecoin Tools Drive Network Activity
Solana's daily active addresses topped 5 million in late January, up 115% for the month, driven by Anthropic's Claude Cowork AI agent enabling rapid token launches via Bags launchpad. Fees on Bags spiked to $4.5M on Jan. 16 from typical five-digit daily levels. Meanwhile, Ethereum's daily active addresses rose 25% in January following network upgrades that reduced average fees to under $0.01, allowing it to overtake Layer 2s Base and Arbitrum.
Today
US Treasury Sanctions Two UK Crypto Exchanges Linked to Iran for First Time
OFAC designated Zedcex Exchange Ltd. and Zedxion Exchange Ltd. for processing $94B in transactions tied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps since 2022. Sanctions also target Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni Kalagari and businessman Babak Morteza Zanjani, marking the first time Washington has directly targeted digital asset platforms under its Iran sanctions program.
Today
Ripple's Larsen and VC Draper Back $40M California Political Effort to Counter Union Influence
Chris Larsen and Tim Draper each contributed $5 million to launch Grow California, a political initiative that has secured $40M in commitments to back moderate, business-friendly state legislative candidates. Larsen plans to contribute up to $30M across multiple election cycles, citing the need to counter union influence and a proposed wealth tax on California's richest residents.
Today
Bitcoin, Ether ETFs See $1.82B in Outflows as Prices Fall 6-9% in Five Days
US spot Bitcoin ETFs lost $1.49B and Ether ETFs saw $327M in outflows between Jan. 13-17, with BTC trading at $83,400 (down 6.55%) and ETH at $2,685 (down 8.99%). The decline follows a brief rally on Jan. 14 when Bitcoin ETFs recorded their highest inflow day of 2025 at $840.6M amid CLARITY Act speculation, before sentiment reversed as gold and silver rallied to record highs.
Today
Delaware Judge Allows Insider Trading Lawsuit Against Coinbase CEO Armstrong, Board Member Andreessen to Proceed
A Delaware Chancery Court judge rejected dismissal of a shareholder lawsuit alleging Coinbase directors sold $2.9 billion in shares ahead of the company's 2021 direct listing using confidential information. Armstrong sold $291.8 million and Andreessen $118.7 million. Judge Kathaleen St. J. McCormick cited independence concerns about a special litigation committee member's past ties to Andreessen Horowitz, despite the committee's 10-month investigation recommending the case be dropped.
Today
Crypto Market Hits Year-Low Sentiment as Fear Index Reaches 16
Santiment identified extreme negativity on social media as a potential bullish signal, with the Crypto Fear & Greed Index posting its lowest 2025 score of 16 on Friday. Bitcoin fell 7% over seven days to $83,950, while Ether dropped 9% to $2,690. Historically, crypto markets have rebounded when bearish sentiment peaks, though analyst Benjamin Cowens warned against expecting near-term institutional rotation into crypto.
Today
Tether Posts $10B Profit as US Treasury Holdings Hit $122B Record
The stablecoin issuer reported 2025 net profits of $10.1B, down 23% from $13B in 2024, while boosting US Treasury reserves to an all-time high of $122B. Tether issued $50B in new USDT over the period, with CEO Paolo Ardoino citing growing global demand for dollar-denominated assets outside traditional banking. USDt, the world's third-largest cryptocurrency with $185.5B market cap, now represents the dominant stablecoin in crypto markets.
Today
Bitcoin Options Hit 1-Year Fear Peak as Spot ETF Outflows Reach $2.7B
Bitcoin fell 10% to $81,000 as spot ETF outflows totaled $2.7B since Jan. 16, representing 2.3% of AUM. Options delta skew surged to 17%—highest in over a year—signaling extreme fear. $860M in leveraged long futures were liquidated Thursday-Friday, though overall futures open interest declined to $46B from $58B three months ago, suggesting market deleveraging rather than panic selling.
1 day ago
SoFi Reports Record $1B Quarterly Revenue as It Relaunches Crypto Trading and Stablecoin
The fintech bank's Q4 adjusted net revenue rose 37% year-over-year to $1 billion, with GAAP net income of $173.5 million. SoFi reintroduced crypto trading in June, launched blockchain remittances across 30+ countries, and debuted SoFiUSD stablecoin in December. Total members grew 35% to 13.7 million, with 63,441 crypto products added in the Dec. 22-31 launch window.
1 day ago
EU Commission Issues Formal Notices to 12 Countries Over Crypto Tax Reporting Failures
The European Commission sent letters of formal notice to Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal for failing to implement EU tax transparency rules requiring crypto asset service providers to report user and transaction data. Each country has two months to comply or face reasoned opinions. Hungary also received a separate notice for MiCA non-compliance after suspending exchange validation services under a local law amendment.
1 day ago
Gold Surges Past $5,300 as Dollar Weakens; Bitcoin Shifts to Secondary Hedge Role
Tokenized gold products like Tether's XAUt have captured over half the $2.2B tokenized gold market as spot prices climbed 90% in a year, while the dollar index hit 4-year lows. Bitwise launched a new ETF pairing Bitcoin with precious metals, and Fidelity is preparing to launch a dollar-pegged stablecoin (FIDD) aligned with federal standards, signaling institutional pivot toward gold and regulated digital finance over Bitcoin as primary currency hedge.
1 day ago
CZ Denies Binance Role in October's $19B Crypto Liquidation Event
Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao rejected claims the exchange triggered the Oct. 10 liquidation cascade, calling allegations "far-fetched." The event wiped out $19B in positions after USDe stablecoin depegged to $0.65 on Binance due to an oracle issue. Binance compensated affected users $283M. Bitcoin has since fallen from $126K to below $80K, erasing over $1T in crypto market value.
1 day ago
Jamie Dimon Confronts Brian Armstrong Over Crypto Bill Claims at Davos
JPMorgan Chase CEO told Coinbase's Armstrong to stop claiming banks are sabotaging the US market structure bill during a coffee meeting at the World Economic Forum. Armstrong also faced pushback from Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf. Coinbase withdrew support for the legislation over stablecoin yield provisions, halting Senate Banking Committee markup scheduled for Jan. 15.
1 day ago
Bitcoin Short Positions Surge to $6.5B at Risk as BTC Drops to $81,000
Bitcoin fell 14.5% in 16 days to near $81,000, pushing the Crypto Fear & Greed Index to 16 (Extreme Fear). Binance open interest climbed 31% from October lows to 123,500 BTC, signaling traders are rebuilding positions rather than exiting. CoinGlass data shows a rally to $92,000 could trigger $6.5B in short liquidations, potentially fueling a recovery toward $100,000, while a drop to $72,600 would threaten only $1.2B in longs. January Bitcoin futures volume fell to $1.09 trillion, the lowest since 2024.
1 day ago
Kraken-Backed SPAC Raises $345M on Nasdaq, Eyes Digital Asset Acquisitions
KRAKacquisition Corp completed an upsized IPO selling 34.5 million units at $10 each, with units trading on Nasdaq under ticker KRAQU. The blank-check company, backed by Kraken, Tribe Capital and Natural Capital, has identified no acquisition target but plans to focus on digital asset ecosystem companies.
1 day ago
Bitcoin Mining Costs Signal $59K–$74K Floor as Hash Rate Drops Trigger Exodus
Bitcoin's electricity cost to mine one coin stands at $59,450 average, with net production expenditure at $74,300 as of January, according to Capriole Investments data. BTC traded at $82,500 Friday, above miner breakeven but facing potential downside toward the cost zone. Hash rate dropped to mid-2025 levels at month-end, with miners possibly reallocating resources to AI operations. Historical precedent suggests rebounds toward Bitcoin's $121,000 energy-value fair price after hash rate recoveries, as occurred after China's 2021 mining ban when BTC fell 55% then recovered 138% within five months.
1 day ago
Bitcoin Drops to $81,000 as $1.6B in Longs Liquidate, Analysts Target $50K-$58K
Bitcoin fell to a two-month low of $81,000 Thursday after breaking below the $84,000 support level held since mid-November. Long liquidations totaled $1.6 billion across crypto markets, with $750 million from Bitcoin positions. The Fear and Greed Index plummeted to 16 from 26, signaling extreme fear. Analysts including Keith Alan and Daan Crypto Trades forecast extended bear market conditions targeting $50,000-$58,000, with the 200-week moving average at $57,974 representing a potential 30.5% decline from current levels.
1 day ago
Binance Shifts $1B User Protection Fund From Stablecoins to Bitcoin
The exchange is converting its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) from dollar-pegged assets into approximately 12,000 BTC over 30 days, betting Bitcoin is crypto's core long-term asset. The move increases volatility exposure for the emergency fund designed to reimburse users after hacks or platform failures, with Binance committing to top up reserves if Bitcoin holdings fall below $800 million.
1 day ago
Bybit Plans February Launch of Neobank Services via Tether-Backed Pave Bank
Bybit CEO Ben Zhou announced the exchange will launch MyBank retail banking product in February through a partnership with Pave Bank, a Georgia-licensed lender backed by Tether Investments' $39M Series A investment. The move marks a major crypto exchange attempt to offer deposit-taking services, though legal experts warn no major global crypto exchange currently operates as a fully licensed bank, and expansion into U.S. banking would require substantial regulatory restructuring and compliance with capital, liquidity and sanctions enforcement requirements.
1 day ago
US Government Finalizes $400M Forfeiture From Helix Bitcoin Mixer Operator
A federal court order transferred legal title of over $400 million in cryptocurrency and assets seized from Larry Harmon, who operated Helix between 2014-2017, to the DOJ. Harmon pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in August 2021 and was sentenced to three years in prison in November 2024. Helix processed at least 354,468 Bitcoin (worth ~$300M at transaction time) for darknet drug markets seeking to launder proceeds.
1 day ago
Circle Plans 2026 Push to Scale Arc Blockchain and Expand USDC Across Chains
Stablecoin issuer Circle will move its Layer-1 blockchain Arc from testnet to production and expand USDC, EURC, and USYC across more networks to drive institutional adoption. CPO Nikhil Chandhok said the company will also scale its payments applications to let institutions use stablecoins without building underlying infrastructure. USDC holds $70B in market cap, second only to Tether's $186B among dollar-pegged stablecoins.
1 day ago
Bitcoin Analyst Cowen Warns Against Expecting Gold-to-Crypto Rotation
Crypto analyst Benjamin Cowen said Bitcoin is unlikely to benefit from gold and silver hitting all-time highs ($5,608 and $121.64 respectively), predicting Bitcoin will continue declining against stocks. However, Swyftx analyst Pav Hundal countered that Bitcoin bottoms historically lag gold by 14 months, suggesting a potential bottom within 40 days if historical patterns hold. Bitcoin traded at $82,859, down 7.78% weekly, with the Crypto Fear & Greed Index at 16 indicating extreme fear.
1 day ago
Trump to Nominate Bitcoin-Friendly Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve Chair
Trump will announce Warsh as his pick to replace Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May. Warsh, a former Fed governor (2006-2011), has said Bitcoin could provide "market discipline" on fiscal policy. His nomination odds surged to 95% on Polymarket from 30%, while BlackRock's Rick Rieder dropped to 3.4%. The dollar strengthened and Treasury yields rose on the announcement.
1 day ago
Bitcoin Plunges to 9-Month Low of $81,058 as Geopolitical Tensions and Tech Selloff Trigger $1.68B in Liquidations
BTC fell 35% from October's $126,000 peak amid Middle East tensions, Trump's tariff threats, and Microsoft's 10% stock collapse. CoinGlass data shows 270,000 traders liquidated in 24 hours, with 93% being leveraged long positions. Crypto market cap dropped $200B in the same period.
1 day ago
Securitize Reports 841% Revenue Growth to $55.6M as SPAC Merger Advances
The tokenization platform filed for a public merger with Cantor Equity Partners II, a Cantor Fitzgerald-backed SPAC valued at $1.24B enterprise value with $225M PIPE funding. Nine-month 2025 revenues reached $55.6M versus $6.6M in the same 2024 period, driven by institutional adoption of real-world asset tokenization. The company manages $4B in assets with partnerships including BlackRock, Apollo, and Hamilton Lane. Deal expected to close H1 2026 pending shareholder and SEC approval.
1 day ago
Ethereum's Griff Green Plans $200M Security Fund From Unclaimed DAO Hack Proceeds
Green announced plans to redirect approximately $200M in unclaimed Ether from The DAO's 2016 hack into a security fund for Ethereum. The funds, held in a multisignature wallet with over 80% claimed by affected users, will be staked to generate revenue for ecosystem security projects. The initiative will prioritize DAO-style distribution methods including retroactive funding and quadratic voting rather than direct development.
2 days ago
Blockchain Infrastructure Falls Short for Institutional Trading, Solayer Labs Warns
Current layer-1 blockchains lack the throughput, finality speed, and transaction ordering fairness required for institutional-grade asset trading, according to Joshua Sum, head of product at Solayer Labs. The infrastructure suffers from congestion during asset launches, slow block times that impede price discovery, and rampant MEV-based front-running that creates unfair market conditions, deterring institutional capital deployment and undermining retail access to tokenized assets.
2 days ago
Bitcoin's Fixed Supply Could Outpace Gold If Investors Rotate Even 5% of Holdings
Bitcoin has underperformed gold by 13.25% over the past year while gold rallied nearly 100%, but analysts argue BTC's capped 21 million supply and fixed issuance schedule give it structural advantages over gold's expanding production. A theoretical 5% rotation of gold's $41.69 trillion market cap into Bitcoin would imply $2 trillion in inflows and a 116% price increase to $192,000, according to Cointelegraph analysis. Bitcoin's smaller market cap amplifies percentage gains from marginal demand shifts, while gold production reached a record 3,672 tonnes in 2025.
2 days ago
Bitcoin ETF Outflows Stabilize as BTC Tests $90,000 Resistance
Bitcoin stalled at $90,000 on Wednesday ahead of FOMC decision amid weakening institutional demand, but Glassnode data shows US spot Bitcoin ETF outflows are stabilizing toward neutral after sustained selling pressure. MicroStrategy remained the sole major corporate buyer, purchasing 2,932 BTC for $264.1M last week, bringing its total holdings to 712,647 BTC. Analysts expect a break above $93,000 could trigger a rally to $98,000 if institutional demand returns.
2 days ago
OSL Group Raises $200M to Expand Stablecoin and Digital Payments Business
The Hong Kong-listed digital asset firm secured fresh equity financing to fund acquisitions, international expansion, and technology infrastructure for its regulated stablecoin trading and payment services. The capital injection follows a $300M raise in July 2025 and comes as OSL scales its USDGO stablecoin and OSL BizPay B2B payment platform across multiple jurisdictions.
2 days ago
Solana Validator Count Plummets 68% to 795 as Operating Costs Squeeze Smaller Node Operators
Solana's validator network fell from 2,560 nodes in March 2023 to 795 as of Wednesday, with the Nakamoto Coefficient declining 35% to 20, signaling reduced decentralization. Rising operating costs—including $49,000 initial SOL investment and up to 1.1 SOL daily voting fees—combined with large validators charging 0% fees are forcing smaller operators offline, concentrating network control among larger players.
2 days ago
Metaplanet Raises Up to $137M Through Share and Warrant Offering to Boost Bitcoin Holdings
Tokyo-listed Bitcoin company Metaplanet approved issuance of 24.5M common shares at 499 yen ($78M) plus 159,440 warrants potentially raising $56M more. Proceeds target Bitcoin purchases, its Bitcoin income business, and partial debt repayment. The company holds 35,102 BTC worth $3B, making it the fourth-largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally.
2 days ago
South Korea Tightens Crypto Licensing With Expanded Shareholder Vetting and Conditional Approvals
The National Assembly approved amendments to the country's AML framework expanding regulator scrutiny beyond executives to major shareholders and adding drug trafficking, tax evasion and fair-trade violations to red flags. The Financial Intelligence Unit gains authority to grant conditional licenses and assess firms' finances, controls and credibility. Rules take effect six months after enactment. Separately, the Financial Services Commission backed ownership caps of 15-20% for exchange major shareholders, treating exchanges as market infrastructure.
2 days ago
Bybit Launches Banking Services With Personal IBANs, Fiat Access Starting February
The crypto exchange will offer users personal bank accounts with IBANs, multi-currency transfers, and direct fiat deposits through partnerships with Qatar National Bank, DMZ Finance, and Georgia-licensed Pave Bank. The service, launching in February, supports 18 currencies and allows users to deposit, pay bills, receive salaries and trade crypto under their own name after KYC verification.
2 days ago
Algorand Foundation Relocates Headquarters to Delaware After Years in Singapore
The Layer-1 blockchain foundation moved its incorporation to the US on Jan. 4, 2026, citing improved regulatory conditions under the new administration. New board includes Bill Barhydt (Abra founder), Alex Holmes (former MoneyGram CEO), and Michael Mosier (former FinCEN acting director), positioning Algorand to influence emerging crypto policy.
2 days ago
Hang Seng Launches Gold ETF With Future Tokenized Units on Ethereum
Hang Seng Investment Management began trading a physically backed gold ETF (code 3170) on Hong Kong Stock Exchange Thursday, tracking LBMA Gold Price AM with 0.40% annual fees. Plans include tokenized unlisted units on Ethereum pending regulatory approval, with HSBC as custodian and tokenization agent; secondary market trading prohibited for tokenized units.
2 days ago
Ethereum Breaks Below Triangle Support, Targets $2,250 on 25% Decline
ETH fell 2.85% to $2,920 after the Federal Reserve held rates steady, confirming a symmetrical triangle breakdown that could push the token toward $2,250 by mid-February if selling pressure persists. The bearish scenario reverses only if ETH reclaims the 50-3D EMA near $3,065, which has capped every rally above $3,000 since November.
2 days ago
Abu Dhabi's Universal Digital Launches USDU, First UAE Central Bank-Registered Dollar Stablecoin
Universal Digital issued USDU as an ERC-20 token on Ethereum, becoming the first US dollar stablecoin registered by the Central Bank of the UAE under its Payment Token Services Regulation. Reserves are fully backed 1:1 by US dollars held at Emirates NBD and Mashreq. The registration makes USDU the only dollar stablecoin meeting UAE regulatory requirements for digital asset payments, providing regulated institutions a compliant settlement option versus unregistered alternatives like USDT and USDC.
2 days ago
Sygnum's Bitcoin Alpha Fund Raises 750 BTC, Posts 8.9% Q4 Returns
The market-neutral fund attracted over 750 Bitcoin from institutional investors in four months since October 2025 launch, delivering 8.9% annualized returns in Q4 despite Bitcoin prices falling 25%. Strategy generates yields through arbitrage and carry trades across centralized exchanges, targeting 8-10% annual returns independent of spot price movements.
2 days ago
Ethereum Staking Queue Hits 3.6M ETH With 63-Day Wait as Exchange Supply Drops to 8.15M
The Ethereum validator entry queue is congested with 3.6 million ETH awaiting staking, up from 44,448 tokens in the exit queue. Exchange-held Ether has declined 34% to 8.15 million tokens since July's peak of 12.31 million, as staked ETH reaches 36 million (29% of supply). BitMine has staked 2.5 million tokens, representing 61% of its holdings.
2 days ago
Cere Network Co-Founder Sued for $100M in Alleged Pump-and-Dump Scheme
Vivian Liu filed a federal lawsuit in San Francisco accusing Cere co-founder Fred Jin, his family, and the board of stealing $41M from investors through a 2021 token launch fraud. Liu alleges Jin secretly sold locked tokens immediately after launch while working with market maker Gotbit to manipulate trading volumes. This is the second lawsuit against Cere this month; co-founder Ken Wang sued Jin on Jan. 13 alleging $58M in misappropriated assets. CERE token has fallen 99.9% from its November 2021 peak of $0.47.
2 days ago
XRP Millionaire Wallets Rise 42 Since January Despite 4% Price Decline
Santiment data shows XRP wallets holding over 1 million tokens increased for the first time since September, with 42 new addresses accumulating since Jan. 1, 2026. Smart money traders boosted XRP holdings 11.55% over 30 days per Nansen, though broader crypto sentiment remains weak with Fear & Greed Index at 26.
2 days ago
Gold Surges Past Bitcoin With 185% Five-Year Return vs. Bitcoin's 164%
Gold rallied 4.4% in 24 hours to breach $5,500 per troy ounce, adding $1.5 trillion to its $34 trillion market cap. Bitcoin has underperformed despite institutional conviction, with 71% of Coinbase-surveyed institutional investors calling BTC undervalued at $85K-$95K. Gold's Fear & Greed Index sits at 99 (extreme greed) versus Bitcoin's 26 (fear).
2 days ago
Bitcoin Needs Liquidity Surge Above 5.0 Ratio to Sustain Rally, Glassnode Says
Bitcoin held support at $80,700-$83,400 but lacks sufficient bid-side liquidity for sustained recovery, according to Glassnode analysis. The realized profit/loss ratio (90-day average) must exceed 5.0 to signal renewed inflows; 22% of BTC supply is underwater. Binance inflows average 5,700 BTC monthly—less than half the 12,000 BTC long-term average and lowest since 2020—reducing immediate sell pressure but delaying confirmation of a sustained uptrend.
2 days ago
SEC Clarifies Tokenized Securities Must Follow Traditional Securities Laws
The SEC released guidance Wednesday defining tokenized securities in two categories: issuer-sponsored and third-party-sponsored. The regulator stressed that blockchain issuance does not bypass federal securities laws, registration requirements, or legal treatment applicable to traditional securities. Third-party tokenized securities carry bankruptcy risks tied to custodians.