Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

The European Commission is preparing a Cybersecurity Act that would require EU member states to remove equipment from designated “high-risk” Chinese vendors such as Huawei and ZTE from sensitive infrastructure. The scope of the crackdown is expanding beyond telecoms to include security scanners, solar inverters and wind turbines. Germany has already set firm deadlines: remove Huawei and ZTE from core networks by 2026 and from access networks by 2029; its regulator is proposing to classify Radio Access Network (RAN) hardware as “critical.” Other member states differ—Spain signed a €12.3m contract in July 2025 to use Huawei OceanStor servers for judicially authorised wiretaps, prompting U.S. warnings about intelligence-sharing risks. The Commission has previously probed Chinese companies (e.g., Nuctech under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation) and is investigating Chinese wind turbine makers like Ming Yang for potential unfair subsidies. Brussels says the moves are aimed at reducing dependence on Chinese and major U.S. technology and achieving technological self-reliance, leaving Europe largely reliant on Ericsson and Nokia for telecom alternatives. Beijing calls the measures market-distorting and warns of economic retaliation.

A Venezuelan national has been indicted in the United States on charges of operating a cryptocurrency-based money-laundering scheme that allegedly moved about $1 billion in illicit funds. Prosecutors say the defendant used crypto exchanges, mixers, and a network of shell companies and accounts to conceal the origin and destination of proceeds from narcotics trafficking and other crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges the scheme involved layering transactions across multiple platforms to evade anti-money-laundering controls and sanctions. If convicted on the principal charges, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and significant asset forfeiture. The case highlights growing regulatory and enforcement focus on illicit crypto flows, including scrutiny of centralized exchanges, privacy tools, and cross-border fund transfers. Traders should note that large enforcement actions of this type can prompt short-term volatility in digital-asset markets, raise compliance costs for firms, and accelerate tightening of exchange controls and travel-rule enforcement.

Bitcoin stabilized around $95,000 after a rapid rally that pushed the price from about $90,000 to a $98,000 peak within days, leaving BTC with roughly a $1.9 trillion market cap and 57.4% market dominance. A pullback followed the surge — briefly dipping below $94,500 after macro headlines — but buyers reclaimed the $95K level. Major altcoins largely traded sideways: Ethereum near $3,300, XRP at $2.05 support, while BNB, TRX and SOL showed limited gains. Notable declines included Monero (XMR), down about 12% to $620 from near-$800 highs, and Internet Computer (ICP), down ~9% in 24 hours. Total crypto market capitalization remained above $3.3 trillion. Reports of rising institutional inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs were flagged as potentially supportive for medium-term price action. The piece concludes that short-term lateral trading is likely, with macroeconomic developments and institutional demand being the main catalysts for the next directional move.

Bitcoin (BTC) edged up 0.8% on January 17, trading near $95,500 after a false hourly breakout of resistance at $95,537. If bulls hold the gained initiative and keep price around that level, BTC could test the $95,700–$95,800 range in the short term. On larger timeframes the market shows limited directional conviction, suggesting likely consolidation in a narrow $95,000–$97,000 band over the next few days. Traders should watch the weekly candle close relative to $95,938 — a close above that level would increase the probability of a move toward the $100,000 zone. Current spot price reported around $95,513. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, BTC price, $100,000 target, consolidation. Secondary/semantic keywords: resistance breakout, weekly close, short-term range, trading levels.

Ripple and UC Berkeley’s University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI) launched the University Digital Asset Xcelerator (UDAX), a six-week accelerator to drive institutional adoption of the XRP Ledger (XRPL). The pilot cohort at UC Berkeley included nine startups and combined technical mentorship from Ripple engineers, legal and academic guidance from Berkeley faculty, and investor exposure through Ripple’s network. Notable pilot outcomes: CRX Digital Assets grew tokenized volume from $39M to $58M; WaveTip migrated its tipping product to XRPL mainnet; X-Card onboarded over $1.5M in physical-collectible inventory; Blockroll launched stablecoin-backed virtual cards targeting African freelancers and indicated use of Ripple’s RLUSD; BlockBima tripled active users for climate-risk microinsurance. Program metrics reported an average 67% increase in product maturity and a 92% rise in fundraising confidence among participants. The initiative complements earlier UBRI funding to UC Berkeley’s Center for Digital Assets and aims to translate academic research into production tokenized financial products, especially for underserved regions. XRPL development updates flagged during the program include planned batch transaction features to group transfers for higher throughput and improved on-chain revenue use cases, with XRPL Labs confirming work in progress. For traders: UDAX signals Ripple’s continued push to increase real-world XRPL utility and institutional UX, which could support long-term demand for XRPL-based services and XRP utility—monitor developments around RLUSD, XRPL throughput upgrades, and pilot startups’ tokenization volumes as catalysts.

Bitcoin recently broke above $95,000 while Ethereum remains steady above $3,300 amid renewed institutional interest and bullish sentiment. The market showed measured consolidation rather than panic, suggesting deeper liquidity and a more mature investor base. Three major crypto events this week are expected to influence price action and volatility (article does not specify the exact events). Traders should monitor Bitcoin (BTC) momentum, Ethereum (ETH) network developments and upgrade progress, and overall market liquidity and institutional flows. Short-term: expect increased volatility around event announcements and potential pullbacks during consolidation. Long-term: sustained institutional inflows and continued Ethereum upgrades could support higher price floors and extended rallies. Key SEO keywords: Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, crypto market, institutional interest, consolidation.

Simon Gerovich, CEO of Metaplanet, says most companies do not hold Bitcoin not because they distrust it but because corporate conversations and playbooks simply never put it on the agenda. Gerovich argued that adoption is less about conviction in Bitcoin’s fundamentals and more about leadership willingness to tolerate prolonged market misunderstanding. For the few management teams that consider Bitcoin, the decision requires a long-term mindset and a tolerance for appearing wrong as markets react. Key points for traders: corporate non-adoption is often passive (absence of debate) rather than active rejection; any rise in board-level debate or high-profile corporate allocations could change adoption dynamics; leadership risk tolerance is a gating factor for institutional accumulation.

Polymarket prediction markets trimmed odds for Kevin Hassett to replace Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chair after President Trump’s public remarks. After Trump said he’d like to keep Hassett ‘‘where you are,’’ traders initially shifted toward Kevin Warsh; Warsh’s odds rose to around 56% on Polymarket (and ~59% on Kalshi), while Hassett’s settled near 18%, Christopher Waller about 15%, and BlackRock’s Rick Rieder about 8%. Approximately $11.4 million in open bets remained backing Hassett. The market movement follows Trump signaling Warsh or Hassett as top picks and ruling out others like Scott Bessent. Warsh’s recent dovish tone reportedly boosted his chances despite his prior hawkish record. Powell’s term expires in May, and he could remain a governor through 2028; he faces a separate investigation over Fed renovation cost overruns, which Hassett commented on, expressing support for Powell but urging more transparency. Key figures: Kevin Hassett, Kevin Warsh, Christopher Waller, Rick Rieder, Jerome Powell, President Donald Trump. Primary keywords: Polymarket, Kevin Hassett, Fed chair, prediction market, Kevin Warsh. Secondary/semantic keywords: Fed nomination odds, Kalshi, Trump remarks, Powell investigation, trading volume.

Binance Coin (BNB) is trading in a tight range around $894–$920 and has struggled to reclaim key resistance near $931, with recent prints around $908–$914. Analysts note limited upside for BNB given its large market cap (above $125 billion), prompting smaller traders to look for lower‑cost, higher‑volatility alternatives. One promoted alternative is Mutuum Finance (MUTM), which is in an active presale that has reportedly raised about $19.8 million from roughly 18.8k participants. MUTM moved from $0.01 in Phase 1 to $0.04 in Phase 7 (selling quickly) and is expected to enter Phase 8 at $0.045; the project caps supply at 4 billion tokens with roughly 45% allocated to presale and over 800 million tokens sold. Mutuum’s roadmap and tokenomics include buybacks funded by protocol revenue, staking rewards distributed to a safety module, lending products with cited yields (example: ~12% APR), and planned token distribution mechanisms. The coverage frames MUTM as a lower‑cost, potentially high‑return opportunity for traders seeking quick gains compared with BNB’s constrained momentum, but notes the piece is promotional in nature and advises due diligence before investing.

Solana (SOL) has rallied 16% in early 2026 amid a strategic push to capture on‑chain liquidity through asset diversification. The network’s stablecoin supply reached a record $15 billion (up 200% from $7.5 billion in 2025), while tokenized real‑world assets (RWA) hit an all‑time high of $1.13 billion. On 16 January Solana accelerated multi‑chain listings by introducing four new assets directly on its Layer‑1, a move framed as adopting a CEX‑style liquidity approach to deepen on‑chain trading capacity. Memecoins now account for 63% of Solana DEX activity, with daily trading volumes averaging $4 billion and hitting a seven‑month high. These combined flows across stables, memecoins and tokens underpin increased on‑chain activity and investor confidence, positioning SOL as the leading top‑cap L1 performer so far in 2026. Key metrics: SOL +16% YTD rally, stablecoins on Solana $15B market cap, RWA tokenized value $1.13B, memecoins 63% of DEX activity, $4B average daily DEX volume.

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has withdrawn Bitcoin from a fund offering as BTC price fell to around $95,000, prompting concern among traders about potential selling pressure. The move was reported amid heightened volatility in the bitcoin market. Market participants noted increased outflows and reduced on-platform exposure, which may temporarily add downward momentum to BTC. Short-term price action showed liquidations and elevated volatility across exchanges. Analysts emphasize monitoring exchange reserves, ETF flows, and institutional activity for confirmation. Key figures: BTC near $95K; BlackRock — major institutional actor whose adjustments can sway sentiment; observable short-term sell signals and liquidations. Traders should watch volume, order-book depth, funding rates, and institutional flow data to time entries and manage risk. The news underlines that institutional decisions (like BlackRock’s withdrawals) can accelerate short-term selling but do not necessarily change long-term adoption trends.

Nansen CEO Alex Svanevik publicly criticized Coinbase Advanced’s updated fee tier after receiving a notice that his account moved to "Intro 1." The new fee schedule shows a taker fee of 1.2% (120 basis points) and a maker fee of 0.6%, calculated based on the prior 30 days of trading activity or asset holdings. Svanevik posted his complaint on X, calling the 120-basis-point taker fee "ridiculous." The report highlights trader concern over rising centralized-exchange fees and potential cost impacts on active traders who take liquidity. No regulatory, technical, or trading-suspension details were reported. This development could increase attention on fee transparency and competitive pricing among centralized exchanges.

Tesla’s AI team patented a “Mixed-Precision Bridge” (US20260017019A1) that enables low-power 8-bit hardware to perform precise 32-bit operations, reducing compute power for robots and in-car AI below 100W. The approach—branded in the patent as ‘Silicon Bridge’ and a ‘Math Translator’—lets Tesla run RoPE (rotary positional encoding) rotations and long-context windows (keeping spatial data across ~30+ seconds) without positional drift. That fixes prior “forgetting” issues (for example, occluded stop signs being lost after several seconds). Tesla uses Log-Sum-Exp approximations to keep audio dynamic range in the logarithmic domain and applies Quantization-Aware Training (QAT) so models are trained under 8-bit constraints from day one rather than post-training quantization. The patent positions Tesla to deploy more efficient hardware (AI5 processor claimed ~40× current performance) in power-constrained devices like Optimus (2.3 kWh battery) and FSD systems, while reducing dependency on NVIDIA’s CUDA ecosystem and enabling multi-foundry manufacturing with Samsung and TSMC. The company claims the thermal “wall” is solved, allowing 8-hour operation under 100W. Critics note higher R&D and tooling costs for proprietary silicon and compilers despite lower per-unit chip costs. Key keywords: Tesla AI, mixed-precision, 8-bit quantization, Quantization-Aware Training, RoPE rotations, long-context memory, Optimus, FSD, silicon independence.

Sei Network will fully abandon its dual Cosmos–EVM architecture and become an EVM-only chain by mid-2026 under the SIP-3 transition plan. The network will implement the change in three phases (versions 6.3–6.5) from January to March 2026. Key changes: v6.3 (January) enables staking via the EVM; v6.4 (February) disables inbound IBC transfers—preventing bridging of Cosmos-specific tokens like ATOM and USDC.n into Sei; v6.5 (March) removes Sei’s native oracle codebase and replaces it with providers such as Chainlink, API3, and Pyth. Users holding Cosmos-native assets on Sei — notably about $1.4 million in USDC.n via Noble — must migrate to native USDC or otherwise risk losing access after late March 2026. Small swaps can be done on DEXs (DragonSwap, Symphony) though slippage may vary; larger migrations can use a migration tool that routes assets via Polygon using Circle’s CCTP v2. Sei Labs says removing hundreds of thousands of lines of Cosmos code will improve performance and could enable up to 200,000 TPS. SEI token has ~ $800M market cap; Robinhood listed SEI in Oct 2025 and there’s an unapproved spot SEI ETF filing by Canary Capital. Traders should act on migration guidance, unwind Cosmos-based positions on Sei, and monitor liquidity and slippage during conversion windows.

Ethereum (ETH) traded above $3,312 after a strong inflow into spot Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which added roughly $474 million. The ETF buying supported ETH’s price, contributing to renewed investor optimism. Concurrently, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin outlined aspects of the project’s roadmap that reassured the community about future scalability and protocol development. The combination of substantial ETF inflows and positive roadmap signals helped improve market sentiment for ETH, drawing increased trading volumes and speculative positioning. Key data points: ETH price north of $3,312, ETF inflows ≈ $474 million, renewed interest tied to development updates from Vitalik Buterin. Traders should watch ETF flow reports, on-chain indicators, and roadmap implementation milestones for potential continuation or reversal of current momentum.

Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded a $394.68 million net outflow on January 16, 2025, ending a four-day inflow streak that had brought $1.81 billion into BTC products. Total Bitcoin ETF assets slipped from $125.18 billion to $124.56 billion, while aggregate traded value across Bitcoin ETFs was $3.60 billion. Fidelity’s FBTC led withdrawals with $205.22 million (about 52% of the day’s outflows); other major redemptions included Bitwise (BITB) $90.38 million, ARK 21Shares (ARKB) $69.42 million and Grayscale’s GBTC $44.76 million. The single-day net outflow suggests redemptions exceeded creations, which can force custodial Bitcoin transfers to Authorized Participants and add short-term selling pressure on spot BTC markets. By contrast, Ethereum spot ETFs extended their inflow run to five consecutive trading days, adding $4.64 million on January 16 and lifting total ETH ETF assets to $20.42 billion; daily traded value for ETH ETFs was $1.19 billion. XRP ETFs saw $1.12 million in inflows, while Solana ETFs had $2.22 million in outflows. The divergence — concentrated profit-taking in a few large Bitcoin products versus steady institutional accumulation in Ethereum — indicates selective repositioning by institutions rather than broad risk-off. Key takeaways for traders: watch multi-day ETF flow trends and product-specific redemptions (notably FBTC) for potential short-term BTC volatility; monitor on-chain custodian transfers, ETF creation/redemption activity, and macro drivers such as treasury yields and equities which can amplify flows. While a single-day BTC outflow can pressure prices near term, the broader structural adoption of spot Bitcoin ETFs remains intact after substantial asset accumulation since 2024 approvals.

Steak ‘n Shake has expanded its strategic Bitcoin reserve by $10 million after rolling out Bitcoin payments via the Lightning Network across all U.S. locations. The chain began accepting Bitcoin in May and pledged to allocate all Bitcoin receipts to a corporate crypto reserve. Management says the payment rollout coincided with improved sales — reporting 15% month‑over‑month same‑store sales growth in Q4 2025 — and partly attributes the boost to its Bitcoin program and community engagement (including public support from industry figures such as Block CEO Jack Dorsey). To deepen crypto engagement the company introduced Bitcoin-themed promotions and partnered with a rewards platform to offer Bitcoin incentives on select menu items. Steak ‘n Shake frames the mechanism as self‑sustaining: higher sales lead to more Bitcoin inflows and a growing treasury position. The move places the chain among a small but growing group of nationwide merchants scaling Bitcoin payments, signaling incremental retail adoption of Lightning‑based acceptance and corporates experimenting with crypto treasury strategies.

Crypto-focused firms and insurance companies were among the largest movers in the financials sector for the week ended Jan. 16, 2026. Galaxy Digital (GLXY) led gains, surging 38%—the biggest weekly rise among financial stocks. The article highlights volatility among crypto-tied equities and notes broader activity in insurers and other financial names tied to cryptocurrency exposure. Key tickers mentioned include GLXY, RIOT, BTC-USD and others, indicating market sensitivity to crypto price action and firm-specific news. Traders should watch earnings, regulatory updates, and bitcoin (BTC) moves as primary drivers for short-term swings in crypto-linked equities.

PI (Pi Network) has traded around $0.20 for weeks amid weak momentum and persistent supply pressure. Price action shows consolidation in patterns (rising wedge, symmetrical triangle) with low volatility and bearish MACD; PI sits near $0.205, more than 90% below 2026 highs. On-chain dynamics are the dominant driver: large exchange inflows (≈1.8M PI moved to centralized platforms in 24 hours; Gate.io and Bitget hold large reserves) and heavy scheduled token unlocks (PiScan projects ~1.2B PI unlocking in 2026; over 130M due in the next 30 days) keep selling pressure and liquidity risk elevated. Daily unlocks have eased from prior peaks (daily averages ~4.36M; record 5.3M on Jan 8) but remain significant relative to thin demand and sub-$10M daily volumes. Technical levels to watch: support at $0.20, resistance band $0.208–$0.212 (sellers clustered $0.214–$0.216). A decisive break below $0.20 would target $0.18 or the all-time low $0.1545; a volume-backed breakout above $0.212–$0.215 could shift sentiment toward neutral-to-bullish with upside targets near $0.57 cited by some technical observers. Analysts’ short-term forecasts cluster between roughly $0.1538 and $0.194. Key catalysts required for a sustained rally are: (1) supply controls — burns, vesting cliffs or staking that absorb daily unlocks; (2) a technical breakout above $0.212 with rising volume to invalidate bearish patterns; (3) major visibility/utilility events — tier-1 exchange listings, real-world partnerships, mainnet milestones or regulatory clarity. For traders: monitor exchange inflows, daily unlock schedules, and volume at $0.20 support and $0.212 resistance. Until supply dynamics or meaningful adoption signals change, risk remains high and selling pressure is likely to persist.

The White House is prepared to withdraw its support for a bipartisan crypto regulatory bill if congressional negotiations fail, according to a report. Administration officials, concerned the current draft lacks adequate consumer protections and clear regulatory boundaries, signaled they prefer Congress reach an agreement that balances innovation with safeguards. Key players include White House officials and congressional negotiators from both parties working on a bill to provide clearer rules for digital assets, stablecoins and spot crypto markets. The move would remove presidential backing for the compromise framework that had been touted as a path to bring crypto oversight under federal law. Markets could react to the uncertainty as lawmakers attempt to resolve disputes over regulatory authority between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and banking regulators. The potential withdrawal underscores the fragile nature of the legislative process and highlights risks for crypto firms awaiting clearer federal rules. Traders should monitor progress closely: a collapse in negotiations may increase regulatory uncertainty and volatility, while successful compromise could reduce legal risk for major tokens and firms.

Steak ’n Shake said it purchased $10 million worth of Bitcoin (BTC) for its corporate treasury, funded from existing cash and cash equivalents. The company framed the allocation as a strategic treasury move to diversify cash holdings and hedge against inflation, and said the buy represents long-term value preservation rather than an operational shift into crypto services. Earlier coverage noted the chain had been accepting Bitcoin payments, retaining those receipts in BTC and promoting Bitcoin-themed menu items and customer rewards; the later disclosure clarifies the $10 million purchase is a treasury allocation and did not disclose the exact amount of BTC acquired or timing and mechanics of the purchase. Traders should view the announcement as an incremental institutional demand signal for BTC; the scale is modest relative to Bitcoin’s market cap but reinforces the continued trend of corporate treasury allocations to Bitcoin.

Legal expert Bill Morgan says the Ripple (XRP) lawsuit is legally final and cannot be reopened, citing the U.S. doctrine of res judicata. The case ended with a decisive victory for Ripple Labs in 2023, and courts typically prevent re-litigation of matters already finally adjudicated unless extraordinary circumstances (fraud, judicial misconduct, or major procedural error) are proven. Morgan and other legal analysts stress the separation between judicial finality and political oversight, responding to recent Democratic scrutiny of SEC enforcement decisions involving Ripple, Kraken, Binance and Coinbase. They argue congressional inquiries cannot overturn settled court judgments. Analysts say this legal certainty benefits market stability by reducing regulatory risk for XRP and the broader crypto sector, helping institutional participation and clearer regulatory precedent. The article notes varying SEC enforcement outcomes across firms—Ripple (closed), Kraken (settled), Binance (settled), Coinbase (ongoing)—and warns reopening settled cases would undermine market confidence. Key implications: reinforced legal precedent on securities law for digital assets, improved market certainty for traders, and continued focus on active regulatory matters rather than revisiting closed cases. (Main keyword: Ripple lawsuit; secondary keywords: res judicata, SEC enforcement, XRP, regulatory certainty.)

Bitcoin World has published a formal weekly news schedule to provide near‑continuous cryptocurrency coverage while preserving operational sustainability. The service will run continuous reporting from 22:00 UTC Sunday through 15:00 UTC Saturday (about 137 hours per week), aligning coverage with Asian, European and North American trading overlaps. During the scheduled break (15:00 UTC Saturday to 22:00 UTC Sunday), the platform will only publish updates for major, market‑moving events that meet strict criteria — regulatory announcements, significant security incidents, large exchange outages, extreme price volatility and other high‑impact developments. The model combines automated monitoring (price volatility indicators, social sentiment, regulatory feeds, exchange outage detection and blockchain transaction monitoring) to trigger editorial review and urgent alerts during the pause, alongside staffed reporting during peak hours. Bitcoin World positions this hybrid approach between full 24/7 staffing and traditional business‑hour reporting to improve verification, reduce staff burnout, allow planned maintenance and ensure consistent editorial standards. For traders, the change means clearer update windows (UTC‑timed), continued immediate alerts for critical events during off hours, and potentially more reliable, vetted reporting — though daily continuous coverage will be limited during the designated weekend pause. No pricing, personnel changes or new partnerships were disclosed.

Spot XRP ETFs returned to net inflows last week after a one-day outflow on January 7. Funds recorded net inflows of $38.07 million by week’s end, with daily inflows totaling $56.84 million across the week (Monday–Friday: $15.04M, $12.98M, $10.63M, $17.06M, $1.12M). Canary Capital’s XRPC leads cumulative inflows at $397.04M, followed by Bitwise ($310.48M), Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ ($288.08M) and Grayscale’s GXRP ($287.18M); 21Shares’ TOXR remains net negative at -$7.77M. Despite ETF demand and whales buying over 50 million tokens last week, XRP’s price dipped ~1% since the prior Saturday and sits below $2.10, losing fourth spot in market cap to BNB. Analysts remain broadly bullish on XRP’s outlook, though some short-term $10 price forecasts are viewed as unlikely. Key details for traders: strong ETF inflows continue to support demand, concentration among leading funds (XRPC dominant), whale accumulation has resumed, but price momentum has not followed—heightening short-term volatility risk.

Chris Dixon, managing partner of a16z Crypto, posted on X urging US lawmakers to accelerate passage of the CLARITY bill to provide clear rules for crypto developers. Dixon said bipartisan cooperation over the past five years — including between both parties and the Trump administration with industry participants — aimed to protect decentralization, support developers and give entrepreneurs a level playing field. He acknowledged the CLARITY bill is imperfect and will require amendments before becoming law, but warned that progress is too slow. Dixon argued that if the US wants to remain the best place to build crypto infrastructure and applications globally, Congress must speed up the bill’s advancement. The statement was brief and framed as a call to action rather than a legislative roadmap. (Note: article is a market informational item and not investment advice.)

An Oklahoma state lawmaker filed three bills focused on regulating artificial intelligence, led by House Bill 3545. The package would bar AI systems from being granted personhood under state or federal law, prohibit AI-generated deepfakes, restrict discriminatory AI classification and biometric surveillance by state agencies, and require human review of AI recommendations. The bills would also ban deployment of “social AI companions” to minors without age‑verification and exempt therapeutic AI tools when used under professional oversight. Agencies must contribute to an annual statewide AI report. The move follows high-profile incidents — notably xAI’s Grok being used to create nonconsensual images — and comes amid tensions with a December 2025 federal executive order intended to preempt state AI laws. Other jurisdictions (California, India, Indonesia) have acted against Grok, while platforms like X limited image generation to verified users. Primary keywords: Oklahoma AI bill, AI regulation, deepfake ban, AI personhood.

Crypto attorney Bill Morgan says the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) cannot retry Ripple Labs and 11 other crypto firms over the same matters due to the legal doctrine of res judicata. The discussion followed a letter from House Financial Services Democrats criticizing SEC Chair Paul Atkins for dropping major crypto cases and alleging political contributions influenced those decisions. Morgan noted res judicata bars relitigation once a court has finally decided an issue, meaning the SEC is legally prevented from bringing the same claims again against Ripple, Kraken, Binance, Robinhood, Coinbase, Crypto.com and others named by lawmakers. The Ripple litigation began in December 2020 with the SEC alleging XRP was a security; Judge Analisa Torres issued a key ruling in June 2023, and the prolonged dispute concluded in 2025 with a favourable outcome for Ripple. For traders, this legal finality reduces the likelihood of renewed regulatory risk from the same claims, though broader enforcement dynamics and political scrutiny may continue to affect market sentiment.

The article examines the current state of the cryptocurrency industry and explores likely next steps for the market. It reviews post-crisis regulatory shifts, evolving investor sentiment, and industry consolidation following major bankruptcies and exchange failures. Key themes include regulatory scrutiny, compliance and licensing trends, institutional adoption versus retail volatility, and the role of stablecoins and decentralized finance (DeFi) in liquidity dynamics. The piece highlights that tighter regulation and enforcement are driving firms to professionalize operations, increasing on-chain transparency and custody solutions. It notes that consolidation and capital constraints have reduced leverage and speculative excess, while renewed institutional interest in crypto infrastructure, custody, and tokenization could support longer-term growth. Short-term trading risks remain elevated due to macroeconomic uncertainty, liquidity fragmentation across trading venues, and potential regulatory shocks. Overall, the article frames the market as transitioning from a high-risk, speculative phase toward greater maturity, with implications for traders around volatility, liquidity, and regulatory-driven repricing.

Strive finalised its acquisition of Semler Scientific on 16 January 2026, marking the first public merger between listed digital asset treasury (DAT) companies. The deal exchanges Semler shares for 21.05 Strive Class A shares and brings Semler directors Avik Roy, Joe Burnett and Eric Semler onto Strive’s board. Post-merger, Strive’s BTC holdings rose from 7,626 BTC to 12,798 BTC, making it the 11th-largest corporate Bitcoin treasury ahead of Tesla and Trump Media. Strive’s Class A share (ASST) has rallied 28% year-to-date and traded at $0.96 at press time. The merger underscores consolidation in the Bitcoin treasury sector amid concerns about low market NAVs, debt pressures and potential forced liquidations; larger players can acquire smaller firms during distressed windows. DATs collectively held roughly 855,200 BTC by early 2026, adding over 55,000 BTC in Q4 2025 as firms bought into the dip. Industry players like Strategy have raised USD reserves (cited $2.25bn) to cover mid-term obligations and reduce forced-sale risk; Grayscale has downplayed fears that DATs will create major selling pressure in 2026. For traders: the deal signals continued consolidation among BTC treasury firms, potential reduction in liquidation risk, and increased corporate BTC accumulation that could support demand dynamics.