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A new report by blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs showed that crypto-related crime had a record nominal value in 2025, albeit that the proportion of illicit activity in the wider digital asset economy kept dropping as a whole.

The report estimates that the volume of illegitimate cryptocurrencies had risen to $158 billion in 2025, 145% higher than the figure of a year ago, which was $64.5 billion.

Source: TRM

Although the dollar terms increased sharply, the illicit transactions formed only 1.2% of the entire on-chain volume, compared to 1.3% in 2024 and much less than the 2.4% high in 2023.

These numbers are generally in line with the estimates released this month by Chainalysis, which estimated crypto crime at $154 billion in 2025 as being less than 1% of total crypto activity.

Illicit Actors Capture Less Crypto Capital Despite Higher Volumes

To better capture risk, TRM introduced a new metric that measures illicit activity relative to deployable capital rather than raw transaction volume.

Through this method, the company discovered that the illicit players took 2.7% of the liquidity of the crypto in 2025 compared to 2.9% the year before and 6.0% the year before.

Source: TRM Labs

TRM said the data suggest that while certain illicit categories expanded in absolute terms, criminal actors absorbed a smaller proportion of new capital entering the ecosystem.

In 2025, activity related to sanctions had led to the illicit volume, mostly associated with Russia-related flows. TRM credited the growth to the increased use of A7A5, a ruble-pegged stablecoin that transacted a total volume of more than $72 billion throughout the year.

Russia’s ruble-backed stablecoin A7A5 has surpassed more than $100 billion in transactions in less than a year.#RussiaStablecoin #A7A5 #RussiaSanctionshttps://t.co/QUp9twlECE

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 23, 2026

At least $39 billion of transactions were correlated to wallets belonging to the Russian sanctions-evasion system A7, suggesting a high level of coordination of an activity related to state-consistent financial infrastructure, instead of extensive use of the market.

Stablecoins were the main vehicle, and the activity moved to less regulated and riskier channels as enforcement increased.

Cryptography was reconfigured by geopolitical pressures that influenced several areas, as Venezuelans have turned into major users of stablecoins and peer-to-peer transactions to pay their daily income, remittances, and informal services due to the lack of economic stability.

In Iran, crypto buying and selling activities have been resilient to sanctions, with the total volume of transactions decreasing in the June 2025 Iran-Israel war, yet values went up, indicating larger transfers, with illegal operations reaching up to $580 million.

Iran is reportedly offering ballistic missiles, drones and warships to foreign governments for cryptocurrency, seeking payment routes that bypass Western financial controls.#Iran #ArmsTrade https://t.co/kfVy8B4bgL

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 2, 2026

Scams, Hacks, and AI Fuel Crypto Crime in 2025

Another key cause of illicit volume was crypto theft, where $2.87 billion was stolen in almost 150 hacks and exploits in 2025.

Although there was a slight decrease in the number of incidents, the number of losses shot up as attackers began to target operational infrastructure instead of smart contracts.

Source: TRM Labs

In February, a single breach at Bybit, which was linked to the North Koreans, cost the company $1.46 billion, or over half of the entire annual losses.

In total, five cases accounted for about 70% of stolen money, underlining the impact of several big attacks on annual results.

Fraud remained persistent, with scams accounting for an estimated $35 billion in losses, similar to 2024 levels. Investment scams, including so-called pig butchering schemes and Ponzi operations, made up nearly two-thirds of that figure.

Stablecoins dominated fraud inflows, and TRM noted that criminal networks increasingly used generative AI to scale outreach and create more convincing deceptions while accelerating laundering to move funds within days of receipt.

Other illicit markets also expanded, with online drug trafficking reaching more than $3.4 billion in crypto volume, driven largely by Russian-language darknet marketplaces.

The post Crypto Crime Hits $158B in 2025 – But Illicit Use Keeps Falling, Says TRM appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin just hit $90,000 today, January 28, before dumping again shortly after. Typical, yet this time it feels different as XRP and Solana are trying to catch up.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $89,500 and is up 2.14% on the day.

Bitcoin continues to look weak as stocks and gold break to new all-time highs again. Altcoins like XRP and Solana are passengers in this move and are suffering alongside Bitcoin after a tough 2025 overall. Below is how their prices may play out through 2026.

Bitcoin (BTC)

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Bitcoin Price Prediction: It’s The Deciding Time Now, Which Side Is BTC Going?

Source: Bitcoin ETF Net Flow Chart / CMC

Five out of the last six days have been negative for Bitcoin ETF flows. A total of $480M has left Bitcoin ETFs in the last 7 days alone.

Bitcoin dropped as low as $86,000 but is now trading around $89,500, meaning it is down 1% over the past 7 days despite all these outflows.

Technically, Bitcoin price remains stuck between a rising support line and a falling resistance line, signaling a tightening squeeze. Buyers are defending dips near support, but sellers continue to prevent rallies.

The lower trendline is still holding, so downside is being defended for now. However, the market keeps printing lower highs under resistance, which keeps the bias neutral to slightly bearish. Momentum agrees with that. RSI is sitting around the mid-40s, not oversold and nowhere near strong enough to signal a breakout.

A bullish scenario would require an improvement in ETF flows alongside a clean daily close above the $97,000 to $98,000 resistance zone. That would likely open the door toward $102,000 and potentially $105,000.

Until then, it is mostly a waiting game. A break of support would favor a move back toward the mid $80,000s, while a breakout above resistance would finally give bulls something real to work with.

XRP Price Prediction: Can XRP Finally Breakout Of Its Downtrend?

Bitcoin dominance has risen to 59.1% after dipping toward 58.3% earlier this month. This shows that capital remains concentrated in Bitcoin.

However, Ethereum has outperformed Bitcoin over the past 24 hours with a 3% move higher. This slightly improved short-term sentiment across the altcoin market. XRP followed that move with a 2% pump.

XRP is still stuck inside a descending channel that has been controlling price for months, with the latest bounce coming off the lower boundary around the $1.80 to $1.85 demand zone.

That area has now been defended multiple times, so it looks like real structural support, not just a random wick. Momentum is still weak, though. RSI is hovering around 43, below the 50 level, which tells you bearish pressure has cooled of,f but buyers are not in control yet.

The recent rejection around $2.30 to $2.35 lines up perfectly with channel resistance and prior supply, making that zone the first real wall bulls need to break. A clean daily close above the descending trendline would be the first proper signal that the trend is shifting, with upside toward $2.50 first and then the $3.00 area where heavier resistance sits.

Until that happens, this is still a corrective structure with bounce potential, not a confirmed reversal. On the bigger picture, XRP is still trading like a high beta alt, so any real follow-through likely depends on broader market stability and Bitcoin holding its own support.

Solana Price Prediction: Will SOL Get Past $144 Again?

Solana price is still trading inside a clean descending channel, with the price recently bouncing off the lower boundary around the $118 to $120 support zone.

That area has been attracting buyers consistently, but structurally, the trend is still corrective, not bullish. Lower highs are intact, and the price has not reclaimed the upper channel resistance yet.

RSI sitting around 43 shows bearish momentum is fading, but this is more stabilization than a true momentum reset. It suggests sellers are easing off, but buyers have not stepped in aggressively either. The $140 to $145 zone is the key area to watch, as it lines up with prior support turned resistance and the descending trendline.

A strong daily close above that region would be the first real sign of a structural shift, opening the door toward $200 initially, with the $250 to $260 zone acting as the next major supply area.

On the bearish side, if price fails to hold above $118, the setup weakens, and the $105 to $95 demand zone comes back into play. Solana is still highly sensitive to overall risk appetite and Bitcoin’s direction, but improving on-chain activity and ecosystem engagement give it a constructive backdrop if the market flips back to risk on.

Bitcoin Is Stuck. Bitcoin Hyper Is Betting On What Comes After

While Bitcoin remains stuck in a tightening range and altcoins like XRP and Solana struggle to break their downtrends, Bitcoin Hyper is positioning itself around a different thesis. Instead of waiting for Bitcoin or altcoins to lead the next leg higher, it focuses on fixing Bitcoin’s biggest limitation directly.

Bitcoin Hyper is a Bitcoin-focused Layer 2 designed to bring Solana-level speed and low-cost transactions to the Bitcoin ecosystem. The goal is to keep Bitcoin’s security intact while enabling faster payments, smart contracts, dApps, and even meme coin creation, all built around BTC rather than competing against it.

Momentum around the project is already building. The presale has raised over $31,000,000, with $HYPER currently priced at $0.013635 ahead of the next increase. Staking rewards of up to 38% are also being offered. This gives early participants exposure to yield that Bitcoin itself does not provide.

Bitcoin Hyper has completed audits by Consult. They are also building out a full ecosystem that includes wallets, bridges, staking, explorers, and on-chain tooling. The broader bet is simple. If Bitcoin continues to dominate market value but struggles with usability and speed, demand will shift toward solutions that extend Bitcoin rather than replace it.

In a market where Bitcoin is undecided, and altcoins remain reactive, Bitcoin Hyper is trying to position itself as the infrastructure play built for whatever comes next.

Visit the Official Bitcoin Hyper Website Here

The post Crypto Price Prediction Today 28 January – XRP, Solana, Bitcoin appeared first on Cryptonews.

Those hoping the opening of 2026 would deliver a clear turning point for mainstream crypto adoption may need to dial back expectations. Still, quieter periods are often the most compelling entry points for investors who want to maximise the next bull run.

Coinbase recently stepped away from backing the CLARITY Act, a proposed U.S. bill aimed at clarifying which regulators oversee different segments of the crypto market. In response, the Senate Banking Committee has delayed the bill by several weeks.

Even so, the path toward comprehensive crypto regulation in the United States appears increasingly unavoidable. At the same time, Bitcoin’s market dominance has been trending lower since summer, meaning the next bull run will more likely be led by altcoins like XRP, Cardano, and Pepe.

XRP (XRP): Payments-Focused Blockchain Targets $5 in Q1

XRP ($XRP), with a market capitalization hovering around $118 billion, is the most established digital asset in global payments, valued for rapid settlement and ultra-low transaction fees.

Ripple engineered the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as a faster, cheaper alternative to legacy messaging networks such as SWIFT for banks and financial institutions.

Ripple’s network has attracted attention from the UN Capital Development Fund and the White House, reinforcing XRP’s reputation as a serious paradigm changer in the field of global payments.

After resolving its long-running lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, XRP rallied to an all-time high (ATH) of $3.65 in mid-2025. Broader market weakness later triggered a pullback of roughly 47%, leaving the token trading near $1.93.

A key recent development has been the approval of spot XRP ETFs in the U.S., opening the door to regulated exposure for both institutional and retail investors.

Further ETF launches and clearer regulatory frameworks could provide the momentum needed for XRP to approach the $5 level by the second quarter.

Cardano (ADA): Ethereum Co-Founder Delivers DeFi Giant

Cardano ($ADA) was founded in 2015 by Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson and officially went live in 2017.

Its Proof-of-Stake network is built on a foundation of peer-reviewed academic research, a methodology that continues to distinguish Cardano from other blockchain projects.

With a market capitalization of over $13 billion and total value locked (TVL) of $164 million, ADA still has significant headroom for growth before it can rival Solana as Ethereum’s primary challenger.

From a technical standpoint, ADA’s Relative Strength Index sits around 44. Over the last 24 hours, the token has climbed roughly 4%, pushing its price to approximately $0.36.

The emergence of a bullish falling wedge pattern in late 2026 suggests a possible imminent breakout. Under favorable market conditions, ADA could overcome nearby resistance and rally toward $1.20 by the end of the first quarter.

Should the CLARITY Act move forward, Cardano will likely revisit its ATH of $3.09 before the close of the year.

Pepe (PEPE): The Iconic Webcomic Became One of Crypto’s Most Copied Coins

Since launching in April 2023, Pepe ($PEPE) has quickly climbed to become the third-largest meme coin, fueled by the endearing and enduring appeal of Matt Furie’s Pepe the Frog.

Now capitalizing $2.1 billion, PEPE is the largest meme coin not based on a Shiba Inu theme. Speculation surged when famous Dogecoin/Bitcoin investor Elon Musk briefly adopted a Pepe image as his profile picture on X, prompting chatter about his possible Pepe holdings.

PEPE is currently trading near $0.0000050, marking a 21% gain over the past month. Even so, it remains about 82% below its late-2024 peak of $0.00002803 after a quiet summer and an underwhelming end to 2025.

Its Relative Strength Index stands at 45, reflecting neutral conditions following recent profit-taking. If a broader bull market emerges in Q1, PEPE could potentially reclaim its previous all-time high by the end of the quarter.

A sharp 69% surge between December 30 and January 6 underscored the token’s classic meme-coin volatility, amplifying market moves both upward and downward.

Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER): Blending Meme Appeal With a Bitcoin Layer-2 Vision

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is a newly introduced Bitcoin Layer-2 initiative aimed at boosting transaction throughput, reducing fees, and enabling advanced smart contracts on Bitcoin.

Built on the Solana Virtual Machine, Bitcoin Hyper combines decentralized governance with a Canonical Bridge that allows seamless transfers of Bitcoin across different chains.

The project’s presale has already secured more than $31 million, with some analysts speculating on potential returns ranging from 10x to 100x once the token begins trading publicly. A recent Coinsult audit found no critical issues within the project’s smart contracts.

The HYPER token serves as the backbone of the ecosystem, powering transaction fees, governance voting, and staking rewards.

Presale participants can stake their tokens for yields of up to 38% APY, though rewards are structured to taper as more users join the network.

With exchange listings expected later this year, Bitcoin Hyper’s presale provides early exposure to what could represent the next phase of Bitcoin’s tech.

Visit the official website or follow Bitcoin Hyper on X and Telegram for more information.

Visit the Official Website Here

The post Best Crypto to Buy Now January 28 – XRP, Cardano, PEPE appeared first on Cryptonews.

When used with carefully structured prompts, Alibaba’s AI model, known as KIMI, produces striking price projections for XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin over the next eleven months.

The model suggests that an extended bull market, paired with clearer and more supportive regulatory frameworks in the United States, could push top digital assets to fresh record highs in the coming years.

Below is Alibaba AI’s outlook for three cryptocurrencies it believes could reach surprising new all-time highs (ATHs) this year.

XRP ($XRP): Alibaba AI Sees XRP Exploding to $25 by 2027

Ripple’s XRP ($XRP) entered 2026 with strong upside momentum, rising 19% during the first week of the year. Currently trading around $1.93, KIMI AI projects that a sustained bull market could drive XRP as high as $25 by the end of 2026. That forecast implies potential gains of roughly 1,200%, equating to more than a thirteenfold increase from current levels.

Source: KIMI

XRP was among the top-performing large-cap cryptocurrencies last year. In July, it achieved its first new ATH in seven years, reaching $3.65 after Ripple secured a landmark legal win against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

That decision significantly reduced regulatory ambiguity surrounding XRP and eased fears of wider enforcement actions across the altcoin market. Investor sentiment also improved following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, which renewed expectations of a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment.

From a technical standpoint, XRP’s Relative Strength Index is hovering near 43, indicating that selling pressure is currently dominant. However, since early January, price action has been consolidating into a bullish flag formation. Supportive macroeconomic conditions and clearer regulatory guidance could act as the catalyst for a sustained breakout that aligns with KIMI’s $25 projection.

Adding to the bullish case, newly approved spot XRP ETFs in the U.S. are beginning to attract interest from traditional investors, mirroring inflows previously seen after the launch of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.

Solana (SOL): Alibaba AI Targets $650 for SOL

The Solana ($SOL) ecosystem currently holds more than $8.3 billion in total value locked and boasts a market capitalization exceeding $71 billion, supported by steady growth in both developers and users.

Interest in SOL has intensified following the rollout of Solana-focused ETFs from major asset managers, including Bitwise and Grayscale.

After a sharp correction toward the end of 2025, SOL has spent recent months consolidating around a key support level and is now trading near $126. A decisive move higher will likely depend on Bitcoin reclaiming the $100,000 mark, a milestone many see as inevitable sooner rather than later.

Under Alibaba’s most bullish assumptions, Solana could surge to $650 by 2027. This would represent approximately 420% upside from current prices and more than double SOL’s previous all-time high of $293, set last January.

Institutional adoption continues to strengthen Solana’s long-term narrative. The network is increasingly being used for real-world asset tokenization, with firms such as Franklin Templeton and BlackRock highlighting Solana’s growing role within traditional finance.

Dogecoin (DOGE): Alibaba AI Expects a 7.5x Run for DOGE but No New ATH

What started in 2013 as a joke has grown into one of crypto’s largest digital assets. Dogecoin ($DOGE) now carries a market capitalization close to $21 billion, accounting for nearly half of the $44 billion meme coin sector.

DOGE formed several constructive chart patterns in late summer and early autumn of 2026, although momentum faded following a sharp, market-wide sell-off in October.

Dogecoin reached its all-time high of $0.7316 during the retail-driven bull market of 2021. While the widely discussed $1 target remains a psychological milestone for the Dogecoin community, Alibaba AI predicts DOGE could go even higher to hit $1.50 this year. From its current price of around $0.125, that would still represent a 1,100% gain, or 12x.

DOGE has also seen increasing use as a payment method. Tesla accepts Dogecoin for select merchandise, and major platforms such as PayPal and Revolut now support DOGE transactions, strengthening its real-world utility beyond meme culture.

Maxi Doge (MAXI): A Meme Coin Designed for High Volatility

Beyond Alibaba’s analysis, Maxi Doge ($MAXI) has emerged as one of January’s most talked-about meme coin presales, raising more than $4.5 million ahead of its exchange debut.

The project adopts Dogecoin’s louche, gym-bro distant cousin, a hilarious figure parading in over-the-top meme culture and embracing the irreverent spirit that originally propelled meme coins into the spotlight.

Maxi Doge is building its own community to defeat Dogecoin, uniting traders drawn to high-risk speculation, community-building fun, and unapologetically degen humor.

MAXI is issued as an ERC-20 token on Ethereum’s proof-of-stake network, giving it a smaller environmental footprint compared with Dogecoin’s proof-of-work structure.

Presale participants can stake MAXI for yields of up to 69% APY, with rewards gradually decreasing as more users join. The token is priced at $0.0002801 in the current presale phase, with automatic price increases triggered at each funding milestone. Purchases are supported via MetaMask and Best Wallet.

Move over, Dogecoin. Maxi Doge is the top dog in Memesville now!

Stay updated through Maxi Doge’s official X and Telegram pages.

Visit the Official Website Here

The post We Hacked China’s Alibaba AI to Predict the Price of XRP, Solana and Dogecoin By the End of 2026 appeared first on Cryptonews.

Grayscale’s parent firm has quietly been offloading Solana holdings, just as the token’s price continues to struggle after months of decline.

This has sparked fresh debate around bullish Solana price predictions, with traders now asking whether this is a signal of deeper downside ahead, and if major players are preparing for a steeper correction.

A total of 18,862 GSOL shares that DCG acquired back in September 2024 were sold recently. The value of these shares exceeds $170,000 at the time of writing.

These sales could be aimed at fulfilling normal liquidity shortages. However, they could also be a “canary in the coal mine” that warns of an increasingly bearish attitude from market insiders.

Interestingly, SOL has been recovering today, booking a 3.2% gain in the past 24 hours as the token bounced strongly off the $120 support.

Let’s see how the charts are looking.

Solana Price Prediction: SOL Has Broken Out of a Falling Wedge, Next Stop is $150+

The 4-hour chart shows SOL has reversed its downtrend after breaking above the $125 level.

This shift suggests growing bullish momentum, especially if the price holds above this key area.

If $125 flips into strong support, SOL could target $135 next, with a potential move toward $145 in the coming days.

Source: TradingView

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has climbed above the 14-period moving average and currently sits at 55.

These early buy signals indicate that market sentiment seems to be improving despite these fire sales from top execs at Grayscale.

This wave of positive sentiment could spill over into the best crypto presales in town, and Maxi Doge ($MAXI) is perfectly positioned to ride it.

With the same raw community energy that once sent Dogecoin soaring 1000x, this new presale might just be the next big thing.

Maxi Doge Presale Gives Those Who Missed Out on DOGE a Second Chance

While most tokens rely on social media hype, the Maxi Doge ($MAXI) presale is building an ecosystem for retail traders who like to compete and share ideas.

The project has already attracted serious attention, raising more than $4.5 million in its ongoing presale.

Its fast-growing appeal comes from a strong focus on community, with fun competitions like Maxi Ripped and Maxi Gains keeping $MAXI holders active, rewarded, and coming back for more.

MAXI holders gain access to an idea hub where members can exchange real-time trading insights and strategies.

They can also stake their tokens and earn an attractive 69% APY, tapping into a dynamic reward pool designed to favor those who join the “Maxi Army” early.

If you missed out on DOGE, $MAXI could be a chance to redeem yourself and finally ride a big pump.

To buy $MAXI at its presale price simply head to the official Maxi Doge website and connect your wallet (e.g. Best Wallet).

You can either swap USDC, USDT, or ETH, or complete the purchase by using a bank card.

Visit the Official Maxi Doge Website Here

The post Solana Price Prediction: Top Crypto Firm Reduces SOL ETF Exposure – Should Investors Be Worried Right Now? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Dogecoin co-founder Billy Markus has ruled out the broader market crash as a fundamental issue, assigning blame to a change in investor behavior for derailing bullish Dogecoin price predictions.

Addressing the current crypto market bloodbath in meme format, Markus noted precious metals as the market’s buy-the-dip play of choice to hedge against the macro narrative.

https://t.co/AGgBmkiF7C pic.twitter.com/5kyD4vxkY4

— Shibetoshi Nakamoto (@BillyM2k) January 27, 2026

It framed the issue as weakening risk sentiment, with capital rotating out of highly speculative assets like meme coins and into traditional safe havens as investors prioritise capital preservation.

Gold and silver have seen a parabolic run over the past few weeks, while the crypto market driver, Bitcoin, has not been holding its weight as the digital gold.

Gold and silver have soared to new all-time highs over this month, while crypto market driver, Bitcoin, has struggled to assert itself as the digital gold, failing to absorb risk-off flows

As the January bull run has matured, geopolitical uncertainty has taken centre stage. Tensions between the U.S. and NATO, alongside growing civil unrest in the U.S., have reshaped trader positioning.

Dogecoin Price Prediction: So is the Bull Run Derailed?

Dogecoin appears to be down, but not out, testing the bottom of a year-long falling wedge pattern that could rule out the dip as a continued consolidation.

Particularly with the formation of a potential launchpad pattern, with a second bounce forming a double bottom around $0.115. And momentum indicators support a bullish pivot.

DOGE USD 1-day chart – double bottom feeds falling wedge breakout. Source: TradingView.

The RSI continues to form a bullish divergence from price action, with a series of higher lows forming an uptrend that compresses against the neutral 50 line.

Strength is building beneath the surface, and an imminent MACD golden cross above the signal line suggests it may soon be realised as a full-fledged Dogecoin price uptrend.

The double bottom targets the key breakout threshold of the wedge around $0.27. Flipping this level to support would confirm its potential 550% breakout push targeting $0.80.

Maxi Doge: A Play For When Bullishness Returns

While safe-haven assets could be the better near-term play, when the bull market hits, one trend has a history of making the most of it: Doge meme tokens.

The pattern is clear. Dogecoin ran first, Shiba Inu was next in 2021, followed by Floki, Bonk, Dogwifhat, and Neiro. Every bull cycle eventually crowns a new Doge-inspired frontrunner.

This time around, Maxi Doge ($MAXI) is tapping into those early Dogecoin vibes with a community built around sharing early alpha, trading ideas, and competitive engagement.

Participation is at its core. Weekly Maxi Ripped and Maxi Pump competitions reward top performers with leaderboard recognition, incentives, and bragging rights.

The hype is already showing in the numbers. The ongoing $MAXI presale has raised almost $4.5 million, while early backers are earning up to 69% APY through staking rewards.

For those who missed the Doge wave before, Maxi Doge could be the next chance to catch a meme coin before it enters the mainstream.

Visit the Official Maxi Doge Website Here

The post Dogecoin Price Prediction: DOGE Founder Just Exposed the Real Reason Crypto Is Crashing – And It’s Not What You Think appeared first on Cryptonews.

Hyperliquid (HYPE), the native token of the leading perpetual decentralized exchange, has surged over 60% in the past three days, with technical indicators suggesting potential for an additional 20% upside as the protocol capitalizes on soaring precious metals demand.

After declining from its $59.46 peak reached in September to near $20 lows, HYPE has regained momentum, climbing to $34.64 following the expansion of HIP-3 to include precious metals trading.

This development enabled sidelined investors to participate in the debasement hedge rally that has propelled gold and silver to record highs.

$HYPE making a comeback from the lows

One of the only coin that have a viable market product that can sustain long term in the industry

Expecting this to continue lead the market as it previously does back in April 25' pic.twitter.com/3VzqEixO2w

— Exy (@eth_exy) January 28, 2026

Hyperliquid’s HIP-3 Opens 24/7 Access to Gold & Silver Trading

The Hyperliquid Improvement Proposal 3 (HIP-3), also known as “Builder-Deployed Perpetuals,” is a transformative upgrade to the Hyperliquid blockchain by making perpetual futures market listings fully permissionless.

This innovation eliminates centralized approval requirements for new markets, facilitating rapid expansion into diverse asset classes, including cryptocurrencies, commodities, and equities.

The protocol’s recent expansion into precious metals introduced a dedicated TradFi section to its native interface, consolidating stocks, indices, commodities, and foreign exchange into a unified tab.

Source: Hyperliquid

This integration allows investors to trade gold and silver continuously with up to 20x leverage, resulting in silver futures recording $1.1 billion in 24-hour trading volume.

The 60% price surge coincides with positive coverage from prominent TradFi figures.

Ark Invest’s Cathie Wood and Fundstrat’s Tom Lee have both highlighted Hyperliquid favorably to their investor bases, lending institutional credibility to the protocol’s innovative approach.

Source: Yunt Capital

Currently trading at $32.50, Hyperliquid ranks as the 12th largest cryptocurrency with a market capitalization approaching $10 billion.

Analysts believe substantial momentum remains for reclaiming the $40 level and beyond.

Hyperliquid Price Prediction: RSI Hits Upper 60s, Targeting $40 Resistance

The daily HYPE/USDT chart indicates a developing short-term trend reversal following an extended downtrend.

Price has bounced from long-term support around $25–$26, a level that previously absorbed selling pressure and established the base of the recent decline.

The strong bullish daily candle pushing price toward $32.50 indicates renewed demand, particularly as it coincides with reclaiming the 20-day Exponential Moving Average, often an early trend-shift indicator after prolonged weakness.

However, the broader trend structure remains cautiously mixed.

Price continues trading below the 50-day and 100-day EMAs, clustered around the $35–$36 region, which now forms the next major resistance band.

This zone aligns with the identified “next target” area and represents the initial test of whether the current bounce is merely corrective or marks the beginning of a larger upward movement.

A sustained daily close above this zone would improve bullish continuation probabilities and expose the $43–$44 level as a potential extension target, where prior supply previously capped upside.

Technical momentum supports the recovery narrative.

The Relative Strength Index has rebounded sharply from sub-40 levels and now approaches the upper 60s, indicating robust short-term momentum without displaying clear overbought conditions.

Maxi Doge Raises $4.5M Before HYPE Rally: Next 10X Memecoin Play?

If HYPE breaks toward $40 and continues its bullish trajectory, presale projects like Maxi Doge (MAXI) could attract capital from investors pursuing high-return opportunities in the expanding memecoin sector.

Maxi Doge is an early-stage memecoin following the Dogecoin playbook that helped it generate over 10x returns during the 2023-2024 breakout cycle.

The MAXI presale has already raised over $4.5 million, offering participants 70% annual staking rewards at the current $0.0002801 price point.

The project has established an alpha channel enabling traders to share strategies and ideas, mirroring community-building tactics from early Dogecoin that helped cultivate engaged holder communities.

Interested investors can participate by visiting the official Maxi Doge website and connecting a cryptocurrency wallet like Best Wallet.

The token is available for purchase using USDT, ETH, or direct bank card payment.

Visit the Official Maxi Doge Website Here

The post Hyperliquid Price Prediction: HYPE Surges 60% as Precious Metals Demand Sees Silver Futures Hit $1.1B Volume appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin is rebounding, and it has returned to the higher structure of the high-$90,000 and low-$80,000 area after temporarily falling to the mid-$80,000s.

The shift has relieved short-term downside pressure, but market evidence indicates that the rally alone is insufficient to indicate that a new leg of a bull market is beginning.

Rather, analysts believe that the next step is whether a number of deeper regime indicators start to reverse to risk-on.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading around $89,500, up about 1.4% over the past 24 hours.

Source: Cryptonews

Bitcoin is down more than 7% over the last 14 days, showing sustained selling pressure that followed its retreat from record highs near $126,000 late last year.

While prices have been modestly higher over the past month, Bitcoin remains nearly 13% lower year to date and about 29% below its all-time high.

Bitcoin’s Long-Term Trend Remains Positive Despite Pullbacks

The first test for whether this bounce has durability lies in the broader trend structure.

Glassnode data indicates that Bitcoin continues to trade above its 200-day exponential moving average, which is a long-term metric that many institutions and macro-oriented traders pay close attention to.

Source: Glassnode

Trading above this level has been historically associated with structural bull markets, whereas trading below it has been bear phases.

The 200-day EMA is continuing to trend up, indicating that long-term demand has not yet disaggregated, and recent retreats seem to be corrective as opposed to an outright reversal.

ETF Flows Turn Cautious as Bitcoin Hovers Near Cost Basis

The second metric centers on demand, particularly from institutional investors through U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds.

Since October 2025, ETF holdings have fallen by more than $6 billion, an 8% decline from peak levels, showing the first major stress test for this relatively new investor cohort.

On-chain data from CryptoQuant shows Bitcoin is now hovering close to the ETF realized price near $86,600, the average cost basis for ETF buyers.

Source: CryptoQuant

Analysts describe this zone as a psychological pivot, as staying above reinforces conviction and stabilizes flows, while trading below it has historically accelerated redemptions as investors lose their profit buffer.

While outflows have softened and ETF realized prices have remained relatively stable, inflows have yet to return in a sustained way, leaving institutional demand cautious rather than decisively risk-on.

Short-Term Holders Hold the Line as Bitcoin Tests Key Levels

The third and arguably most sensitive metric is Bitcoin’s on-chain cost basis for recent buyers.

BitBo data show that Bitcoin still exceeds the Short-Term Holder realized price, which is estimated at the low end of the high-$60,000 to low-$70,000 range.

Source: Bitbo

It implies that most new buyers are yet to be in profit, which makes panic selling less likely, and it will be easier to buy out dips.

Trading above this level has historically been consistent with the bull-market environment, and consistent breaks below indicated a transition into more serious bear markets.

Glassnode reported that this week, Bitcoin was unable to hold a move back towards the short-term holder cost basis around $96,500 and dropped into a shallow pullback, which is similar to the first phases of previous bear markets in 2018 and 2022.

Source: Glassnode

However, only about 19.5% of short-term holder supply is currently at a loss, well below levels associated with broad capitulation.

Meanwhile, CryptoQuant analysts get concerned because the trend of Bitcoin supply held at a loss is upward, a pattern historically preceding deeper bear markets, even though prices are drifting down before ultimately stabilizing.

Early Bear Market Signal

“Historically, this shift has marked the early phase of bear markets, when losses begin to spread beyond short-term holders and gradually reach longer-term participants.” – By @Woo_Minkyu

Link https://t.co/Y1HIXfUmLw pic.twitter.com/u9daSX9N4o

— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) January 28, 2026

Analysts also point to weakening on-chain demand, falling retail participation, and macro uncertainty, including concerns over U.S. liquidity conditions, as factors weighing on sentiment.

The post Bitcoin Is Bouncing – But These 3 Metrics Decide If the Bull Market Is Returning appeared first on Cryptonews.

ETH may have just received its strongest Wall Street vote of confidence yet, with corporate treasury company BitMine sacrificing its liquidity in a testament to bullish Ethereum price predictions.

While the broader market has de-risked over the past week in response to growing macro uncertainty, BitMine has deepened its holdings of the altcoin by another 40,202 ETH to a total of 4.2 million ETH.

Braver still, Lookonchain reports the company has staked an additional 209,504 ETH, bringing total staked holdings to 2,218,771 ETH. That means 52% of its treasury is now illiquid.

Tom Lee(@fundstrat)'s #Bitmine staked another 209,504 $ETH($610M) today.

In total, #Bitmine has staked 2,218,771 $ETH($6.52B), over 52% of its total holdings.https://t.co/P684j5YQaG pic.twitter.com/TsIk5f0x6e

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 27, 2026

This preference for long-term positioning and yield generation through staking, rather than short-term speculative trading, creates sustained structural demand for Ethereum.

With BitMine now controlling roughly 3.5% of ETH’s circulating supply, the move could place the asset on firmer footing by reducing the influence of short-term liquidity on Ethereum price action.

However, that same support is a double-edged sword. As a publicly listed company, BitMine is exposed to shareholder pressure, turning its ETH-heavy treasury into a concentration risk.

The average cost of its ETH holdings sits at $2,839. With ETH trading near $2,900, the company has a slim profit margin and could quickly fall into losses if the downtrend continues.

Ethereum Price Prediction: BitMine Could Help Fuel a Huge Move

Bitmines bet is the exact kind of long-term support Ethereum needs to maintain its multi-year ascending channel, and more recent developments could even see a breakout.

The past year of it has formed a bullish head-and-shoulders pattern, setting up a channel retest around $5000, and momentum indicators signal that this 70% push could be realized.

ETH USD 1-day chart – bullish head-and-shoulder pattern fuels ascending channel. Source: TradingView.

The MACD continues to compress against the neutral 50 line in a series of higher lows, suggesting that pressure is building for a bullish move.

A flip that is fast approaching, with the MACD closing in on a golden cross above the signal line, a move which often marks the start of bull runs on the weekly chart.

If a successful channel breakout follows, long-term upside could extend even further to the $20,000 milestone, representing a potential 470% move.

Still, if the head-and-shoulder pattern is invalidated, focus could shift to the channel’s lower boundary and put BitMine in danger of a deep unrealised loss.

Bitcoin Hyper: Bitcoin Might Have Better Short-Term Potential

While conviction builds in Ethereum as the long-term play, Bitcoin could be in to lead the near-term as it addresses its biggest limitation: scalability.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is bridging Bitcoin’s security with Solana tech, creating a new Layer-2 network that unlocks scalable, efficient use cases Bitcoin couldn’t support on its own.

Whatever Solana can do, Bitcoin can now too – top-performing narratives like DeFi and real-world assets could be Bitcoin’s for the taking.

The project has already raised over $31 million in its ongoing presale, and post-launch, even a small fraction of Bitcoin’s massive trading volume could send its valuation significantly higher.

Bitcoin Hyper is fixing the slow transactions, high fees, and limited programmability that have long capped Bitcoin’s potential – just as the market turns bullish.

Visit the Official Bitcoin Hyper Website Here

The post Ethereum Price Prediction: Wall Street Firm Starts Buying and Locking ETH – Is This Brave or Insane?  appeared first on Cryptonews.

XRP has been recovering lately, but the price is still trading relatively range-bound since the year started. However, crypto traders have spotted a key signal that may add momentum to bullish XRP price predictions, potentially triggering a new rally in the days ahead.

A trend reversal is approaching for the $XRP sub-indicator.

Convergence has been broken, and the trend is reversing. pic.twitter.com/nqpyASwoJN

— CW (@CW8900) January 27, 2026

Trader CW8900, a popular crypto analyst who is followed by more than 18,000 users on X, flagged an early buy signal of a descending price channel in the 4-hour chart that seems to indicate that XRP is ready to get moving.

Meanwhile, historical patterns in the token’s open interest (OI) in the futures market point to an upcoming trend reversal as this metric has dropped to its lowest levels since April 2025.

Back then, the price of XRP spent a while consolidating between $1.80 and $2.50, pretty much as it has in the past few months.

Just two months later, the price started to rally until it exploded to $3.55 – the nearest it had been to an all-time high since January 2018.

XRP Price Prediction: XRP Eyes $3.10 Following Early Buy Signal

XRP just bounced off the $1.90 area in the past few days and has broken a descending triangle as a result.

The last time this happened, XRP rallied to $2.35 in just 5 days.

Source: TradingView

The key resistance to watch would be the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA). A break above this line could catapult XRP to $2.35, and then $3.10 shortly after.

However, if the support at $1.90 fails to hold, the price could fall as low as $1.40 before bouncing again.

As altcoins seem ready to recover, a new crypto presale in the Solana ecosystem called Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) has captured the attention of investors, bringing over $31 million in a short period.

This project aims to solve this network’s long-standing hurdles by bringing Solana’s fast transaction speeds and low fees to support the launch of Bitcoin-native DeFi apps and more.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) Presale Brings Solana’s Speed and Utility to Bitcoin

BTC is the king of the crypto world, but it has always struggled with slow speeds and high fees.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is a new presale that is bringing Solana-like performance to the Bitcoin network through a layer 2 scaling protocol.

Instead of just holding BTC, investors can now look forward to a version of Bitcoin that supports smart contracts, decentralized apps, and lightning-fast transactions.

This project bridges the gap between Bitcoin’s unmatched security and the modern world of high-speed Web3 innovation.

As more Bitcoin users tap into this powerful L2, demand for $HYPER is expected to climb fast, giving early presale buyers the best shot at securing the biggest gains before it goes mainstream.

To buy $HYPER at its presale price, just head to the official Bitcoin Hyper website and link up any wallet such as Best Wallet.

You can buy using USDC, USDT, or ETH, or simply pay with a bank card for a quick and easy purchase.

Visit the Official Bitcoin Hyper Website Here

The post XRP Price Prediction: Price Looks Dead – But This One Signal Just Flashed Green for the First Time in Months appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bangkok is set to host Wiki Finance Expo Thailand 2026 on April 24 at the Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park. As a premier gathering for the region’s financial innovation community, the event will bring together over 7,000 attendees, 50+ speakers, and 70+ exhibitors from across Asia and beyond to explore the next wave of fintech and digital finance.

The expo will delve into critical themes shaping finance in Southeast Asia and globally, including:

• Fintech & AI: Automation and intelligent solutions.

• Digital Assets & Crypto: Market evolution and regulatory frameworks.

• Forex & Liquidity: Next-generation trading infrastructure.

• Web3.0, DeFi & DePIN: Decentralized finance and physical infrastructure networks.

• Tokenisation & RWAs: Bridging real-world assets with blockchain.

• Stablecoins & Payments: The future of digital settlement.

• TradFi Convergence: How traditional finance integrates new paradigms.

• ESG in Finance: Sustainable and responsible investment.

Attendees can expect a dynamic agenda featuring keynote addresses, interactive panels, startup showcases, and curated networking opportunities designed to foster meaningful connections among innovators, investors, and policymakers.

“Thailand represents one of the most vibrant fintech markets in Southeast Asia, with strong potential for cross-regional collaboration,” said Loki So, Chief Operating Officer of WikiEXPO. “This event aims to position Bangkok as a key dialogue hub where ideas and partnerships can flourish.”

Join the Event for free! Registration is now available at:
https://www.wikiexpo.com/Thailand/2026/en/?c=D3vIvCla

Sponsor or Exhibit: Explore tailored partnership opportunities.
Contact: Loki So
Email: [email protected]
Telegram: https://t.me/Loki_wikiexpo_coo

About WikiEXPO
WikiEXPO is a global hub for financial innovation, uniting visionaries and leaders in fintech, forex, and crypto industries. With a worldwide community of over two million followers, our iconic summits—held in global capitals including Dubai, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Bangkok, Singapore, Sydney, South Africa, and beyond—attract over 10,000 attendees per event, sparking thousands of transformative partnerships annually. From cutting-edge startups to industry giants, we connect the brightest minds. After six years of rapid development, WikiEXPO has become one of the world’s largest and most influential events in the forex and crypto field. Join WikiEXPO to inspire, collaborate, and discover the future of fintech.

Event Details:
Date: April 24, 2026
Venue: Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, Thailand

Mark your calendars—April 24, 2026 in Bangkok. Let’s shape the future of fintech together!

The post Wiki Finance Expo Thailand 2026 to Unfold in Bangkok This April — Spotlight onSoutheast Asia’s Fintech & Web3 Growth appeared first on Cryptonews.

The Cardano price has bounced by 3% in the past 24 hours, with its rise to $0.36 coming as the crypto market regains a $3.115 trillion cap and the S&P 500 hits new a record high.

A recent Ethereum-based exploit has highlighted some of Cardano’s relative security advantages.

As argued by Cardano community member Dori on X, Ethereum-based DeFi platform Makina Finance suffered a flash loan exploit last week in which a hacker stole over $4 million in tokens.

This is absurd. a hacker exploited a vulnerability in @makinafi on $ETH, but MEV bots detected it first and captured most of the profit. In the end, Makinafi lost about $4.13M to the hacker and MEV bots.

It’s basically like a bank robbery where a government official shows up and… https://t.co/jWh4PInW8Q

— dori (@dori_coin) January 27, 2026

Yet the interesting twist to this story is that the hacker responsible did not receive the vast majority of the stolen tokens, since an MEV frontrunner was able to intercept the relevant transaction.

According to Dori, this kind of front-running is not possible on Cardano, since the latter uses an Extended Unspent Transaction Output (eUTXO) model that makes each transaction’s validity independent of execution order, thereby limiting the scope for MEV builders to front run transactions.

And given the platform’s continued steady growth, the Cardano price prediction is looking very positive right now, with the alt very close to a strong rebound.

Cardano Price Prediction: Insider Exposes Ethereum Flaw After $4M Hack – Is ADA Safer Now?

As we can see from its chart, ADA looks as though it should be bouncing back up from an oversold position quite soon.

Its relative strength index (yellow) has bounced from the 30-40 range and looks ready to overtake 50 soon, potentially on its way to a pronounced rise.

Source: TradingView

We also see that the Cardano price has been trading within a bullish pennant, which is about to converge towards a breakout point.

We could therefore see the Cardano price hit $0.50 in the next few weeks, before crossing $1 in Q2, and then potentially ending the year above its current ATH of $3.09.

SUBBD Is Bringing AI Tools to Content Creation: Next 100x Coin?

If ADA’s recent progress is a little too modest for some traders, they may prefer to diversify into newer tokens, which can outperform in the right conditions.

This includes presale coins, which can often generate enough momentum during their sales to rally strong once they go live on exchanges.

One token aiming to do this is SUBBD ($SUBBD), an ERC-20 coin that has now raised in excess of $1.4 million in its sale.

Become an AI Creator and earn an extra $10k per month

Start here: https://t.co/9jJM0SyyiQ pic.twitter.com/ot5TutmU4Z

— SUBBD (@SUBBDofficial) December 22, 2025

SUBBED, is tapping into one of the most in-demand, high-revenue sectors online by building an AI-powered adult content creation platform.

This project gives creators access to AI tools that can generate content, build virtual influencers, and automate production.

It’s designed to help them earn more while doing less, with crypto payments ensuring fast, transparent, and censorship-resistant payouts.

With the $SUBBD token at the core of this ecosystem, early backers can position themselves ahead of what could become one of the biggest AI x content launches of 2026.

To join the presale before prices rise, visit the official SUBBD website here.

Visit the Official SUBBD Website Here

The post Cardano Price Prediction: Insider Exposes Ethereum Flaw After $4M Hack – Is ADA the Safer Bet Now? appeared first on Cryptonews.

A Solana-based memecoin launched by a wallet linked to an alleged theft of U.S. government-controlled crypto assets has collapsed rapidly after a brief surge in trading activity.

The token, John Daghita (LICK), was created on the Pump.fun launchpad and initially drew strong speculative interest, pushing its market capitalization to nearly $2.3 million within hours of launch.

On-chain data shows the token surged by more than 13,300% before sharply reversing course.

A screenshot shared by Bubblemaps shows that LICK later fell to around $0.0011, shedding over 14% of its value within five minutes as selling pressure intensified.

Source: Bubblemaps

Trading data indicates that the deployer wallet accumulated tokens early at low valuations, making four purchases before the rapid price rally and subsequent collapse.

Shortly after the sell-off, the token appeared to be deleted from Pump.fun, effectively ending its trading activity.

Bubblemaps Finds Concentrated Supply in LICK Token Debut

Further scrutiny came from Bubblemaps, which reported that the deployer of LICK held approximately 40% of the total token supply at launch.

John Daghita (@lick), who stole $40M from the US government, just launched $LICK on pumpfun and is live streaming on Telegram

He holds 40% of the supply

Unhinged https://t.co/jUku6wIfXg pic.twitter.com/apZQojKnuz

— Bubblemaps (@bubblemaps) January 27, 2026

Such concentration is widely viewed by analysts as a warning sign, as it allows insiders to exert outsized control over price action and liquidity.

Bubblemaps claimed that the same individual tied to the alleged theft controlled the deployer wallet and a significant share of the supply during the token’s launch phase.

The launch attracted attention after blockchain investigator ZachXBT said the wallet associated with the token deployer was connected to tens of millions of dollars in crypto allegedly tied to U.S. government-seized assets.

@ZachXBT alleges a crypto theft from US government wallets is linked to the son of a federal crypto custody contractor’s CEO.#Hack #Cryptohttps://t.co/5G1BLSmHCn

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 26, 2026

In an X post on Jan. 23, ZachXBT claimed the individual behind the online alias “John Daghita,” also known as “Lick,” had displayed control over wallets holding approximately $23 million during a recorded dispute with another actor in a Telegram group.

Public records show that Command Services & Support, a Virginia-based firm whose president is Dean Daghita, received a U.S. Marshals Service contract in October 2024 to assist with the custody and disposal of certain digital assets seized by the government.

ZachXBT alleged that John Daghita, the president’s son, gained unauthorized access to wallets connected to those holdings.

The allegations have not been tested in court, and no criminal charges have been announced.

Meme Coin Chaos Deepens Across Solana’s Pump.fun Ecosystem

The incident has also drawn attention from policymakers, as Patrick Witt, director of the White House Crypto Council, said in a post on X that he was reviewing the claims following ZachXBT’s disclosures.

On it. More to follow. https://t.co/lZJHM12Nx5

— Patrick Witt (@patrickjwitt) January 26, 2026

Additionally, Blockchain investigator Specter reported that John Daghita deposited $35.2 million into Tornado Cash over two days, draining his primary wallet.

John Daghita has begun depositing funds into Tornado Cash. Over the past two days, a total of $35.2M has been deposited, emptying his key wallet:

0xd8bC7Ea538c2E9f178a18cc148892Ae914a55D08

Note: An ENS name (johnlick.eth) has been registered by an unknown individual and has… pic.twitter.com/ga8aLlFKIA

— Specter (@SpecterAnalyst) January 28, 2026

Remaining funds were distributed across multiple wallets and chains.

Specter also flagged high-value ETH and SOL transfers and warned that recipients may be receiving stolen funds, citing ongoing links to related wallets and Telegram activity.

According to BitcoinTreasuries.NET, U.S. authorities may control more than 328,000 Bitcoin through various seizures, including assets from the Bitfinex case, potentially worth around $30 billion at current prices.

Beyond the specific allegations, the LICK collapse fits into a broader pattern within Solana’s meme coin ecosystem.

Data from early 2025 suggests that more than 98% of tokens launched on Pump.fun exhibit characteristics associated with rug pulls or rapid pump-and-dump schemes.

Recent cases have reinforced these concerns, as in December, Solana-based AI token AVA fell more than 96% after onchain analysis showed roughly 40% of its supply had been accumulated by wallets linked to the deployer at launch.

In January, the WhiteWhale memecoin briefly lost around 60% of its market value within minutes after a large holder sold a significant portion of the supply, an event widely described by traders as a rug pull despite later partial recovery.

The post US Crypto Theft Wallet Launches Solana Meme Coin — Why PumpFun Deleted $LICK appeared first on Cryptonews.

The European Central Bank’s Piero Cipollone has intensified warnings that Europe cannot afford to delay its digital euro project while waiting for private-sector alternatives, citing cash use collapsing to just 24% of daily transactions by value in 2024, down from 40% five years earlier.

In a January 22 interview with El País, the ECB Executive Board member argued that the central bank must adapt its payment infrastructure as technological shifts leave Europeans increasingly dependent on non-European providers for digital transactions that now dominate the economy.

The push comes as geopolitical tensions expose vulnerabilities in Europe’s payments architecture, with recent events exposing how foreign control over financial infrastructure can be weaponized.

While Cipollone resisted framing the digital euro purely as a defensive measure, he acknowledged that “all these potential geopolitical tensions and the weaponisation of every conceivable tool clearly increase the level of risk” and reinforce the case for a fully European-controlled system.

Source: Bloomberg

Cash Retreat Forces Central Bank Adaptation

Cipollone detailed that e-commerce now accounts for more than a third of day-to-day transactions by value, yet central bank money cannot be used for these purchases.

“We provide both retail and wholesale payment methods,” he said. “At the retail level, we offer cash – but it doesn’t fully cover people’s needs, because it can’t be used to pay digitally.“

The ECB official emphasized this represents accelerating change rather than stable conditions.

A decade ago, cash dominated and met nearly all consumer needs, but technological advances have fundamentally altered payment habits.

“The ability to use central bank money for retail transactions is declining rapidly,” Cipollone stated, describing the digital euro as simply adapting to this new environment by complementing banknotes and coins with a digital equivalent.

Technical preparations are complete after the ECB concluded its two-year preparation phase in October 2025, with President Christine Lagarde confirming last month that “we have done our work, we have carried the water.“

ECB President Christine Lagarde said that the digital euro is technically ready and is now awaiting legislative approval.#ECB #DigitalEuro #EUStablecoinhttps://t.co/4cdYV6UdSJ

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) December 19, 2025

Responsibility now sits with the EU institutions to finalize legislation, with Cipollone previously indicating that pilot transactions could begin mid-2027 and the first issuance possible in 2029 if lawmakers approve the framework this year.

Private Sector Solution Rejected as Insufficient

The ECB has dismissed proposals from some European Parliament members calling for authorities to wait while the banking sector develops pan-European payment alternatives.

Cipollone said the central bank has long urged private solutions and welcomes integration efforts, but stressed that the digital euro itself will likely accelerate the private sector’s development of continental systems.

As legal tender, the digital euro would require any merchant currently accepting digital payments to accept it, creating a single public standard across all European merchants.

“Currently, when a payment service provider (a bank or fintech firm) provides services to a merchant, the merchant has to sign up to its standards,” Cipollone explained. “With the digital euro, there will be one single, open standard, which will also be available for the private sector.“

He sharply criticized suggestions that the digital euro launch only in offline mode, questioning how such an approach could address the lack of viable European payment methods for e-commerce.

“How can an offline solution be used to pay in the e-commerce space? I don’t know,” Cipollone said.

Geopolitical Leverage Exposes Infrastructure Vulnerabilities

Recent events have shown the risks of foreign control in Europe’s payment systems.

According to a Cryptonews report, Cipollone cited International Criminal Court judges whose U.S. cards were blocked by Visa and Mastercard, limiting their ability to pay across Europe.

“With a digital euro they could have continued to pay throughout the euro area,” he noted in a separate Süddeutsche Zeitung interview.

Seventy European economists amplified these concerns in a January 12 open letter warning that thirteen euro area countries now rely entirely on international card schemes for basic retail transactions.

“This dependence on foreign (U.S.) payment providers exposes European citizens, businesses, and governments to geopolitical leverage, foreign commercial interests, and systemic risks beyond Europe’s control,” the academics wrote, demanding the digital euro function as “the backbone of a sovereign, resilient European payment infrastructure.“

Seventy European economists warn that weak digital euro design could leave Europe reliant on US payment systems and dollar-backed stablecoins.#DigitalEuro #EU #Stablecoinhttps://t.co/FqcWLtAyEG

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 12, 2026

The weaponization of payment systems gained fresh relevance when President Trump’s January 19 tariff threats against eight European nations over Greenland triggered $875 million in crypto liquidations within 24 hours, showing how geopolitical tensions rapidly cascade through financial markets.

While Cipollone avoided commenting directly on U.S. political developments when asked about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s independence, he emphasized that the ECB focuses exclusively on euro area inflation targeting.

The post ECB Warns Europe Can’t Wait for Private Solution as Cash Use Plunges – Is CBDC the Answer? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Zodia Custody, the digital asset custody startup founded by Standard Chartered, has partnered with Dubai Insurance to introduce a crypto digital wallet designed for the UAE insurance sector.

The wallet will allow policyholders to pay premiums and receive insurance claims in digital assets, offering greater transparency and “operational modernization” across insurance workflows, said the firm.

Premium Payments and Claims in Digital Assets

The new digital wallet provides a regulated infrastructure that supports the receipt of premiums and the settlement of claims using crypto assets.

Dubai Insurance said the initiative is intended to streamline processes while ensuring high standards of governance, security, and compliance.

The company positioned the launch as part of its broader digital transformation strategy, aimed at improving customer experience and aligning insurance services with evolving financial technologies.

Dubai Insurance Reflects UAE Innovation Vision

Abdellatif Abuqurah, CEO of Dubai Insurance, said the launch reflects the UAE’s ambition to lead the future of digital finance.

“This initiative marks a defining moment for us and the insurance sector in UAE,” Abuqurah said. “By becoming the first insurance company to allow the receipt of premiums and payment of claims in digital assets through a secure digital wallet, we are redefining how insurance services are delivered while remaining firmly aligned with regulatory and governance frameworks.”

He added that insurers have a growing responsibility to provide confidence, strong risk management, and long-term value as digital assets become part of everyday financial life.

Zodia Custody Provides Institutional-Grade Security

Through the partnership, Dubai Insurance said it will leverage Zodia Custody’s institutional-grade custody platform, supported by advanced security architecture and global compliance standards.

Zane Suren, Managing Director, Commercial, Middle East and Africa at Zodia Custody, described the launch as an important step toward mainstream digital asset adoption in financial services.

“Insurers need trusted infrastructure that allows policyholders to transact confidently with digital assets,” Suren said. “Customers will have institutional-grade custody and controls that help make premium payments and claims settlement in digital assets secure, transparent, and operationally robust.”

UAE’s Role as a Global Fintech Hub

The launch further reinforces the UAE’s standing as a leading center for fintech and blockchain innovation. It aligns with the country’s broader digital economy ambitions and reflects its progressive approach to financial technology regulation.

In a recent report, Zodia Custody predicts 2026 is the year digital assets will “grow up,” seeing custody, collateral, and connectivity as the rising backbone of “market infrastructure,” with stablecoins, staking, and tokenisation opening up capital efficiency for institutions globally.

2026 will be marked by a digital asset maturation specifically custody, #stablecoins, tokenised funds, staking, #DeFi, and collateral, building critical market infrastructure, says a report by @ZodiaCustody.https://t.co/ZsNHe2iwzp

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) November 10, 2025

The post StanChart’s Zodia Custody Partners With Dubai Insurance to Launch Crypto Digital Wallet in UAE appeared first on Cryptonews.

Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao has pushed back against growing criticism on social media after a short comment about “buy and hold” investing sparked renewed debate over market losses, exchange responsibility, and his influence on crypto markets.

The controversy traces back to a post Zhao shared on January 25, in which he said that, based on his experience, few trading strategies outperform a simple “buy and hold” approach, adding that it was not financial advice.

I've seen many different trading strategies over the years, very few can beat the simple "buy and hold", which is what I do.

Not financial advice.

— CZ BNB (@cz_binance) January 25, 2026

The remark quickly circulated across crypto social media, with some users interpreting it as a blanket endorsement of holding any token listed on major exchanges regardless of quality or market conditions.

CZ Defends Comments as Critics Link Losses to Market Crash

As prices continued to struggle across much of the market, critics argued that the message ignored the reality that many tokens never recover once they enter prolonged downturns.

On Sunday, Zhao responded directly to what he described as “twisted FUD” around the comment.

Writing on X, he clarified that the statement was never meant to apply to every cryptocurrency ever created.

4. Have seen some twisted FUD on this "buy and hold" tweet. It obviously does not apply to every coin.

If you "buy and hold" all crypto ever created, you know how your portfolio will perform. Same as if you bought every internet or AI projects/companies…

In any industry,… https://t.co/ipXIOCLH6m

— CZ BNB (@cz_binance) January 27, 2026

He argued that buying and holding all assets in any industry would inevitably lead to poor performance, since most projects fail while a small number generate outsized returns.

This reaction was preceded by a series of aggressive responses, such as harshly written messages accusing Zhao and Binance of market control, liquidations, and misinformed communication with the population.

Other users have pegged their criticism on the October 10 market crash, which erased tens of billions of dollars in leveraged positions in crypto.

Can Anyone Really Predict a Long-Term Crypto Winner? Changpeng Zhao Weighs In

Buy-and-hold questions also arose again in the token listing.

Zhao responded to a user when they inquired whether exchanges should just include assets that one can hold long-term by stating that nobody can credibly tell what projects will be successful several years later.

如果这个逻辑， 纳斯达克从1990年开始，就上10个（现在）头部的互联网公司就好了？曾经有成千上万个互联网创业公司，30年前怎么知道哪十个是最后的巨头呢？

没人能预测项目未来的发展。你能保证哪个币只涨不跌？

交易所应该尽量给努力的项目机会。不是交易所上的每个项目你都要买哦。DYOR。

— CZ BNB (@cz_binance) January 28, 2026

He likened the crypto market to the early internet years, where exchanges ought to provide credible teams with an opportunity and investment decisions be left to users.

He stressed that the presence of a token on the list does not imply that anybody has to purchase it and repeated the necessity of personal research.

The controversy surrounding holding strategies has been conducted within industry tension on the wider plane.

Other traders stated that long-term holding, especially of large-cap assets like Bitcoin and Ether, has traditionally performed better than frequent trading among disciplined investors.

Others argue that long-term drawdowns, particularly in altcoins, have put many portfolios underwater, and as such, generalized advice can no longer be easily implemented.

Binance Under the Spotlight as Industry Reflects on October 10/10 Crash

Binance was closely linked to the October 10–11, 2025 crypto market crash after technical failures during extreme volatility prevented users from managing orders, worsening mass liquidations.

Over 1.66 million crypto traders were liquidated as the market experienced a sharp downturn, wiping out $19.33 billion in positions.#Trump #Bitcoinhttps://t.co/7PNRagvFrx

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) October 11, 2025

System overloads, pricing display errors, asset depegging, and failed risk controls contributed to $283 million in losses.

Binance acknowledged the issues, compensated affected users, fixed pricing bugs, strengthened infrastructure, and updated risk parameters to prevent a repeat.

@Binance will compensate verified user losses caused by technical failures during the $19B market liquidation event.#Binance #Cryptohttps://t.co/DuhHhPwRzm

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) October 12, 2025

Institutional voices have also entered the conversation, with market observers noting that forced deleveraging following October’s crash appears largely complete, shifting attention toward longer-term positioning rather than short-term volatility.

At the same time, criticism of Binance has expanded beyond trading philosophy into governance and market structure.

Industry executives, including Star Xu, the CEO of OKX, have publicly warned that short-term incentives and aggressive token promotion can undermine trust and slow broader adoption.

People have underestimated the impact of 10/10. The incident caused real and lasting damage to the industry.

An industry-leading company should focus on strengthening core infrastructure, building trust with global users and regulators, and protecting the long-term interests of… https://t.co/DIU57u8utU

— Star (@star_okx) January 28, 2026

Supporters of Binance, however, argue that much of the backlash reflects broader frustration with the market cycle rather than evidence of coordinated wrongdoing.

The post Binance Founder CZ Fires Back at FUD Over ‘Buy and Hold’ Tweet — Here’s What He Really Meant appeared first on Cryptonews.

Fidelity Investments is preparing to enter the stablecoin market with the upcoming launch of its first digital dollar token, Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD).

In an announcement on Wednesday Fidelity one of the world’s largest asset managers said it is entering into regulated on-chain payments and blockchain-based financial infrastructure.

The stablecoin will be issued by Fidelity Digital Assets, National Association and is expected to be available to both retail and institutional investors in the coming weeks.

Fidelity said the product is designed to combine the reliability of the U.S. dollar with the operational benefits of blockchain technology.

A Digital Dollar Backed by Fidelity’s Institutional Infrastructure

FIDD will aim to provide investors with a stable digital representation of the U.S. dollar, supported by Fidelity’s institutional-grade custody and security framework. The company explains that the token will be built on more than a decade of digital asset research and development.

“At Fidelity, we have a long-standing belief in the transformative power of the digital assets ecosystem,” said Mike O’Reilly, President of Fidelity Digital Assets. “As a leading asset manager and a digital assets pioneer, Fidelity is uniquely positioned to provide investors with on-chain utility via a digital dollar.”

Full-Service Stablecoin Model: Issuance, Reserves, and Redemption

Fidelity said the key functions of FIDD will be supported by multiple Fidelity business units, offering what it described as a full-service stablecoin model.

Reserve asset management will be conducted by Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC, leveraging the firm’s longstanding experience overseeing client assets.

Eligible customers will be able to purchase or redeem FIDD tokens directly through Fidelity platforms, including Fidelity Digital Assets, Fidelity Crypto, and Fidelity Crypto for Wealth Managers, at a 1:1 exchange rate for U.S. dollars.

FIDD will also be available on major exchanges where listed, and holders will be able to transfer the token to any Ethereum mainnet address. Fidelity will publish daily disclosures on circulating supply and reserve net asset value on its website.

Launch Comes Amid Regulatory Clarity and Market Growth

Fidelity’s entry comes as stablecoins continue to expand rapidly, with the market now exceeding $316 billion in total capitalization.

The company also pointed to the recent passage of the GENIUS Act as a key development in providing clearer regulatory guardrails for payment stablecoins in the United States.

“We’re thrilled to launch a fiat-backed stablecoin at a time of increasing regulatory clarity,” O’Reilly said, adding that the goal is to support customer choice and enable a more efficient financial system.

Reports have been circulating for a while that Fidelity was preparing to launch its own stablecoin — and now the firm is officially set to roll out the Fidelity Digital Dollar.

@Fidelity Investments is reportedly close to launching a U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin, another step in its expansion into digital assets. #Fidelity #Stablecoinhttps://t.co/fmSaqAEO24

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) March 26, 2025

Fidelity Expands Its Digital Asset Ecosystem

Fidelity has been building its digital assets strategy since 2014, developing infrastructure and services comparable to those offered in traditional markets, including research, custody, trading, and investment products.

The launch of FIDD marks the firm’s latest step in broadening its digital asset offerings for intermediaries, institutions, and retail investors as stablecoins become a central component of modern financial rails.

The post Fidelity to Launch First Stablecoin, Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD) — A New Era for Investors? appeared first on Cryptonews.

South Korea is moving closer to passing a new crypto bill that would require stablecoin issuers to hold a minimum of 5 billion won ($3.5 million) in capital, as lawmakers seek to formalize oversight of the virtual asset market.

According to local reports, the Democratic Party’s Digital Asset Task Force, led by Chairman Lee Jeong-moon, convened its second plenary session on January 28 at the National Assembly Members’ Hall to discuss legislative directions based on the bill’s provisions.

Representative Ahn Do-geol, serving as task force secretary, confirmed during a press briefing: “We agreed to set the legal capital requirement for stablecoin issuers at least 5 billion won.”

According to Daily Economic News, South Korea's Democratic Party has finalized the virtual asset market bill as the "Digital Asset Basic Law," planning to submit it for deliberation before the Lunar New Year holiday. Stablecoin issuers must have minimum statutory capital of at…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) January 28, 2026

Stablecoin Capital Threshold Mirrors Electronic Money Standards

The proposal, part of the forthcoming Digital Asset Basic Act, places stablecoins closer to traditional electronic money under Korean law at a time of heightened concern over market stability and capital flows.

Under the draft, any company seeking to issue stablecoins in South Korea must meet the threshold, aligning the rule with existing requirements for electronic money firms.

Lawmakers argue that because stablecoins function like digital cash, issuers should be subject to comparable financial safeguards.

The measure is intended to prevent undercapitalized firms from issuing tokens without sufficient backing, reducing the risk of abrupt collapses.

Officials say stronger balance sheets should help issuers absorb losses and manage operational risks, limiting potential harm to users during periods of stress.

Korea’s in a full-on stablecoin bubble right now:

There are zero clear regulatory guidelines on stablecoins so far.

Every other day, Korean financial news headlines are like: “XYZ bank/company just filed a trademark for a stablecoin.”

Whenever a listed company files a… pic.twitter.com/GG7wphTdzg

— 100y.eth (@100y_eth) July 7, 2025

Beyond capital rules, the bill introduces a new governance structure to manage market risks more effectively.

A proposed inter-ministerial body, the Virtual Asset Committee, would be led by the chair of the Financial Services Commission.

Other members would include the Bank of Korea’s deputy governor and a vice minister from the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The committee is designed to coordinate rapid responses to hacks, system failures, and major market disruptions.

The task force plans final coordination with the party’s policy committee and relevant government bodies before introducing the bill.

Lawmakers are targeting submission ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls on February 17, 2026.

South Korea Central Bank Voices Concerns Over Stablecoin Risks

Despite progress on the bill, key policy disagreements remain unresolved.

Sensitive issues such as the scope of the Bank of Korea’s authority and potential limits on major shareholder holdings are still under discussion.

Bank of Korea Governor Lee Chang-yong has repeatedly raised concerns about stablecoins, particularly those linked to foreign currencies.

Speaking at the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong, Lee warned that stablecoins could enable rapid cross-border capital movement, weakening capital controls.

South Korea considers domestic crypto issuance regime as central bank governor warns won stablecoins could be used to circumvent capital flow controls.#SouthKorea #Crypto #Stablecoinhttps://t.co/191aiNvzvc

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 27, 2026

He said the risks would increase if U.S.-dollar-pegged stablecoins were connected to U.S.-dollar-pegged tokens, allowing funds to exit the country quickly during market stress.

Those warnings come as regulators remain split on whether stablecoin issuance should be restricted to bank-led consortia.

At the same time, currency pressures have added to policymakers’ caution, with the won sliding to 1,431.15 per dollar amid tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Source: Google Finance

Corporate Crypto Access Expands After 9-Year Ban

The current regulatory improvement aligns with South Korea’s recent rollback of a 9-year ban on corporate crypto investment.

New guidelines now allow listed companies and professional investors to trade digital assets under defined limits.

Under the Virtual Currency Trading Guidelines for Listed Corporations, firms would be permitted to invest up to 5% of their equity capital in top-20 cryptocurrencies by market value.

The change represents the final phase of a three-step plan introduced by the Financial Services Commission in February 2025.

Once implemented, around 3,500 corporate entities are expected to gain access to crypto markets, though discussions continue over whether dollar-pegged stablecoins such as USDT will be included.

The post South Korea’s New Crypto Bill Sets $3.5M Minimum for Stablecoin Issuers – Can It Pass? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin is trading around $89,000 this morning as crypto markets brace for the Federal Reserve’s policy announcement at 2:00 PM ET.

Source: TradingView

The FOMC meeting is expected to keep rates steady in the 3.5%-3.75% range with 97% market consensus, but Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s 2:30 PM press conference could trigger sharp volatility across digital assets.

XRP trades near $1.89 while Solana sits around $127, both consolidating after weekend weakness that erased over $100 billion from crypto markets in hours.

Beyond current price action, historical patterns suggest traders should approach today’s decision with caution. Bitcoin has declined in seven of the last eight FOMC meetings, averaging 9% drops following Fed announcements in 2025.

Critical support levels include the 100-week moving average at $87,145 and the ETF buyer cost basis near $84,099, which has held during recent consolidation.

Adding to these technical concerns, spot Bitcoin ETFs shed $1.33 billion over the past week while Ethereum ETFs lost $611 million, reflecting weak institutional appetite. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index has also plunged to “extreme fear” territory earlier this week as markets position defensively.

Source: Alternative[dot]me

Compounding the monetary policy uncertainty, macro crosscurrents are creating additional volatility triggers. The dollar hit a four-year low after Trump’s remarks dismissing currency weakness, briefly lifting Bitcoin above $89,000 before fading.

Gold surged past $5,200 as safe-haven flows intensified, with 76% Polymarket odds of a government shutdown by month-end adding political risk.

JUST IN: Gold reaches another new ATH of $5,200 pic.twitter.com/k9xHhShqba

— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) January 28, 2026

Trump’s expected Fed chair successor announcement this week and persistent tariff threats create additional wildcards that could overshadow Powell’s prepared remarks.

Given all the dynamics, analysts see Bitcoin trapped between the low $80,000s and mid-$90,000s until regulatory clarity improves, with Powell’s tone on inflation and rate path mattering more than today’s decision itself.

Whether the Fed chair delivers dovish reassurance or maintains hawkish vigilance could determine if crypto reclaims momentum or tests deeper support through February.

Live Updates: Bitcoin’s Reaction to Powell’s Press Conference

The post [LIVE] Bitcoin Price Alert: Will Powell Signal Cuts at 2:30 PM? Fed Holds Rates at 3.5-3.75% as Expected appeared first on Cryptonews.

The crypto market is up today. After sitting on the boundary between appreciation and drop yesterday, unchanged over the previous day, the cryptocurrency market capitalisation saw the green prevail, rising 2.2% over the past 24 hours. It now stands at $3.12 trillion. Also, 90 of the top 100 coins posted price increases. The total crypto trading volume stands at $128 billion.

TLDR:

Crypto market cap is up 2.2% on Wednesday morning (UTC);

90 of the top 100 coins and 9 of the top 10 coins have gone up;

BTC increased by 1.7% to $89,419 and ETH rose 3.8% to $3,020;

Bitcoin jumped in early Asia trade as well;

ETH is trading on a key breakeven zone for many holders;

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan says crypto now has a critical three-year window to prove real-world utility;

‘The longer Bitcoin remains under $100,000, the more momentum will trend to the downside’;

A South Dakota lawmaker reintroduced legislation that would allow the state to invest 10% of its public funds in BTC.

US spot BTC and ETH ETFs posted outflows of $147.37 million and $63.53 million, respectively;

Crypto market sentiment saw an increase but stayed in the fear zone.

Crypto Winners & Losers

On Wednesday morning (UTC), 9 of the top 10 coins per market capitalisation have seen their prices appreciate.

Bitcoin (BTC) increased by 1.7%, currently trading at $89,419. This is the smallest green percentage in the category.

Bitcoin (BTC)

24h7d30d1yAll time

Ethereum (ETH) appreciated just 3.8%, changing hands at $3,020. This is the category’s second-highest jump.

Among the best performers is Binance Coin (BNB), which increased by 3.4%, now trading at $905.

At the same time, the only fall among the top 10 is 0.7% by Tron (TRX), now trading at $0.2921.

Furthermore, of the top 100 coins per market cap, 90 have posted price increases today.

Hyperliquid (HYPE) is the day’s highest gainer, posting the category’s only double-digit rise of 25.3% to $34.62.

Canton (CC) follows with a 9.4% increase to $0.1655.

On the red side, at the top, we find River (RIVER). It’s down 9.3% to the price of $54.55.

Provenance Blockchain (HASH) follows, falling 7.6% to $0.02531.

The rest are down 3% and less per coin.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin jumped in early Asia trade as well, initially seeing a choppy open. Investors have since focused on US earnings and discussions on more funding for OpenAI.

Bitcoin edged toward $89,000 in Asia, but thin ETF inflows and lighter derivatives positioning kept traders cautious ahead of US earnings.#bitcoin #AsiaMarketOpenhttps://t.co/pNFPJkn2DS

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 28, 2026

ETH Trading In a Key Zone

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan recently said that crypto markets now have a critical three-year window to prove their real-world utility. Otherwise, the ongoing legislative uncertainty in the US could halt industry momentum.

“If, at the end of three years, we’re all using stablecoins and trading tokenized stocks, we’ll get positive crypto legislation regardless of who is in charge,” Hougan wrote. “But if crypto is instead still operating on the edges, a change in Washington could be a huge setback.”

Glassnode analyst Chris Beamish wrote on Twitter that ETH is trading in a breakeven zone for many holders.

Notably, he argues that this is a key level on which the next move depends.

“Holding here suggests absorption and base building,” Beamish writes. A breakdown, however, “would move price into thinner support where underwater supply may derisk.”

$ETH is trading on a dense cost basis cluster, a key breakeven zone for many holders. Holding here suggests absorption and base building, but a breakdown would move price into thinner support where underwater supply may derisk.
Next move hinges on this level.… pic.twitter.com/iI4jaX8zf6

— Chris Beamish (@ChrisBeamish_) January 27, 2026

Nic Puckrin, investment analyst and co-founder of Coin Bureau, argues that BTC needs the move above the $100,000 mark.

“The longer Bitcoin remains under $100,000, the more momentum will trend to the downside,” he writes in a comment.

A new all-time high in 2026 isn’t out of the question yet, Puckrin says, but “the next 30 days will be crucial in determining whether a bear market is already here.”

Levels & Events to Watch Next

At the time of writing on Wednesday morning, BTC was changing hands at $89,419. It started the day at the 87,990 level, soon reaching the intraday low of $87,315. However, it then surged to the day’s peak of $89,419.

It has turned red in the 1-week timeframe as well, even if barely. It’s up 0.2%, trading between $86,319 and $90,475.

BTC hasn’t been able to break the $90,000 level by the time of writing, but breaking it would open doors for higher zones, starting with $91,500-93,000. Staying above $91,200 could help it move up to $93,300 and then $95,500. Otherwise, it will return towards $86,000.

At the same time, Ethereum was trading at $3,020. Similarly to BTC, ETH attempted a jump higher earlier in the day, from the low of $2,899 to the $2,989 level. It, however, wasn’t able to hold it this time. It plunged before initiating a more sustainable push upwards, surpassing $3,000 and hitting the intraday high of $3,028.

Over the past week, ETH appreciated 2%, moving in the $2,801–$3,044 range.

ETH now has a chance to reclaim even higher levels, starting with $3,100, then $3,180 and $3,220. A bearish pullback would take it back to $2,900 and $2,840.

Ethereum (ETH)

24h7d30d1yAll time

Moreover, the crypto market sentiment has seen an increase after a couple of days of sitting on the fence.

The crypto fear and greed index currently stands at 34, compared to 29 seen over the past two days.

Notably, despite this jump, the metric remains within the fear zone. A higher surge in optimism is needed to push it back into the neutral territory.

ETFs Inflows Were Short-Lived

After a minor uptick yesterday, which broke a week-long red streak, the US BTC spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) posted outflows again on Tuesday. These funds let go of $147.37 million in total on 27 January.

Therefore, the total net inflow decreases to $56.35 billion.

Of the twelve ETFs, two saw outflows. BlackRock said goodbye to $102.81 million, while Fidelity posted outflows of $2.79 million.

The US ETH ETFs also recorded outflows during the Tuesday session. These totalled to $63.53 million. The total net inflow now stands at $12.36 billion.

Of the nine ETH ETFs, one saw inflows, and two posted outflows. Grayscale ETH Mini Trust added $9.99 million.

However, BlackRock recorded $58.97 million in negative flows, followed by Grayscale’s $14.55 million.

Meanwhile, in the US, a South Dakota lawmaker has reintroduced legislation that would allow the state to invest a portion of its public funds in Bitcoin.

It would amend South Dakota’s public investment statutes and permit the State Investment Council to allocate up to 10% of eligible state funds to BTC. Moreover, the bill would allow exposure through direct holdings, qualified custodians, or regulated exchange-traded products.

I am proud to say I have released my bill that would allow the State of South Dakota to invest in Bitcoin.

Strong money. Strong state.

— Logan Manhart (@ManhartLogan) January 27, 2026

Quick FAQ

Did crypto move with stocks today?

The crypto market has posted a higher increase over the past 24 hours than seen a day prior. Meanwhile, the US stock market closed the previous session with a mixed picture. By the closing time on Tuesday, 27 January, the S&P 500 was up 0.41%, the Nasdaq-100 increased by 0.88%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.83%. Also, gold futures hit a new record, while their silver counterparts pulled back after a new high seen on Monday.

Is this rally sustainable?

We could see prices rise further over the following days. However, participants should not be surprised by sudden pullbacks either, as these are normal for the market. Incoming macro signals could affect the price movement in either direction.

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(LIVE) Crypto News Today: Latest Updates for January 28, 2026

The crypto market is up today. After sitting on the boundary between appreciation and drop yesterday, unchanged over the previous day, the cryptocurrency market capitalisation saw the green prevail, rising 2.2% over the past 24 hours. It now stands at $3.12 trillion. Also, 90 of the top 100 coins posted price increases. The total crypto trading volume stands at $128 billion. Crypto Winners & Losers On Wednesday morning (UTC), 9 of the top 10 coins per market capitalisation have seen...

The post Why Is Crypto Up Today? – January 28, 2026 appeared first on Cryptonews.