Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has entered the final consultation stage for regulating crypto firms and is asking for feedback on how its consumer duty rules should apply to crypto-asset businesses. The consultation runs until March 12 and seeks views on firms’ obligations under the FCA’s consumer duty, which requires financial firms to act with integrity, avoid foreseeable harm, provide clear information, fair pricing and support across the entire customer journey. The FCA plans to open applications for crypto-asset firm permissions in September 2026. Traders and firms are invited to respond ahead of the deadline; the consultation could shape conduct and compliance requirements that affect product disclosures, customer protections and operational costs for crypto businesses.

A large crypto whale purchased 5,157 ETH at an average price of $2,972 per ETH, spending $15.33 million at around 01:00 UTC, according to on-chain analyst Yu Jin via PANews. The same whale had previously lost $13.73 million in November after high-price buys and quick sells over a week. Unlike that prior pattern, the whale did not immediately sell the recent ETH and is currently holding the position, although the current ETH price has fallen below the whale’s cost basis. Key details: whale purchase size 5,157 ETH; average price $2,972; total outlay $15.33M; timestamp around 01:00. This development signals significant on-chain buying interest but also carries risk since the holding is underwater. Traders should note potential short-term volatility around this position and watch on-chain flows, whale wallet activity, and ETH price action for signs of further accumulation or an eventual sell-off.

Senate Democrats have introduced an amendment to the CLARITY (Crypto-Asset Market Structure) bill that would ban the president, vice president and members of Congress from conducting financial transactions in digital assets. The amendment, to be discussed by the Senate Agriculture Committee, aims to prevent conflicts of interest after reports — including a Bloomberg estimate that President Trump earned about $1.4 billion from crypto ventures such as the World Liberty Financial stablecoin initiative — raised scrutiny of officials’ crypto ties. Key provisions would cover all digital assets (cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, tokens), implement immediate prohibitions with no grandfathering, and rely on existing ethics committees for enforcement. Supporters cite ethics and conflict-of-interest prevention; critics warn blanket bans could reduce policymakers’ technical engagement and argue disclosure or blind-trust rules as alternatives. Legal scholars note similar ethics restrictions have precedent and expect constitutional challenges to face established standards, though specifics may be litigated. Market reaction has been muted so far, but analysts say the measure could affect investor confidence and set a global precedent if adopted. The committee discussion will determine whether the amendment proceeds; outcomes may influence regulatory expectations and political risk pricing in crypto markets.

Yann LeCun has launched AMI Labs (Advanced Machine Intelligence), a Paris‑headquartered startup focused on building foundational “world models” — AI systems that model real‑world physics, causality and persistent memory rather than relying solely on large language models. The company, confirmed in October 2025, reportedly holds a $3.5 billion pre‑launch valuation and aims for applications in healthcare, industrial automation, robotics and wearables where reliability and controllability are critical. LeCun is executive chairman; Alex LeBrun (ex‑Nabla) is CEO and Laurent Solly (ex‑Meta VP Europe) is part of the team. Investors in talks include Cathay Innovation, Greycroft and Hiro Capital, with others like Bpifrance and Daphni reported as potential backers. AMI positions itself against rivals such as Fei‑Fei Li’s World Labs by prioritizing foundational research that models the real world rather than generating 3D environments. The startup will keep offices in Montreal, New York and Singapore and has public support from the French government. AMI plans a B2B licensing model targeting high‑liability sectors and emphasises safety and explainability to reduce AI hallucinations and improve planning. This raises prospects for stronger industry demand for reliable AI primitives and reinforces Europe’s role in global AI research.

Stablecoins are emerging as a critical remittance tool across Africa, delivering faster settlement, lower fees and a hedge against high inflation and weak local currencies. At a Davos panel, former UN under‑secretary‑general Vera Songwe said traditional remittance costs can be about $6 per $100, while stablecoins enable transfers in minutes and allow smartphone users without bank accounts to preserve value. Adoption is strongest in Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa; a report shows Africa leads global stablecoin adoption at 9.3%, with Nigeria ranked first (25.9 million users, ~12% of the population). Sub‑Saharan on‑chain transactions reached over $205 billion from July 2024 to June 2025, a 52% YoY rise. Regulatory responses vary: Ghana legalized crypto trading via its VASP bill in December, Nigeria now links crypto transactions to tax IDs (rules from Jan 13), and South Africa flags crypto and stablecoins as financial‑stability risks even as use grows. For traders, the trends point to rising on‑chain volume, growing fiat‑crypto rails in Africa, and increased regulatory scrutiny — factors likely to influence liquidity, regional stablecoin demand, and volatility in related markets.

The Crypto Fear & Greed Index edged up to 25 from 24 but remains firmly in the “Extreme Fear” zone, according to Alternative.me. The index aggregates volatility, market volume, social media sentiment, surveys, Bitcoin dominance and search trends. Recent drivers cited include macro uncertainty (interest rates, inflation), regulatory pressure and reduced on-chain activity. Bitcoin dominance is elevated, indicating capital rotation from altcoins into BTC and a broader risk-off posture. For traders, extreme fear signals higher volatility, thinner liquidity and possible extended consolidation; it can offer contrarian buying opportunities for long-term investors but increases execution and leverage risk for short-term traders. Recommended actions: monitor exchange flows, derivatives metrics (funding rates, open interest), and on-chain indicators (MVRV, SOPR); use tighter risk management, smaller positions and caution with leverage. The index is a daily, lagging sentiment gauge and should be used alongside price action, volume and on-chain data when making trading decisions.

XRP has climbed above the critical $2.10 resistance level, prompting speculation that a sustained breakout could trigger a broader rally. The move follows rising on-chain activity and renewed investor interest after recent legal and market developments around Ripple. Traders are watching for confirmation — including volume surge and daily close above $2.10 — to validate continuation toward higher targets. Key technical levels: $2.10 (resistance-turned-support if held), near-term targets around $2.50–$3.00, and stop-loss areas below $1.90–$2.00. Risks include failure to hold the breakout, lower trading volumes, and broader market pullbacks that could invalidate bullish setups. Short-term implications: heightened volatility and increased intraday trading opportunities. Longer-term implications: if sustained, the breakout could draw momentum traders and institutional interest, supporting higher price discovery for XRP. Primary keywords: XRP price, breakout, $2.10, Ripple. Secondary/semantic keywords: trading volume, resistance, support, price targets, volatility.

Key developments across Southeast Asia and global crypto this week: Thailand’s SEC will publish guidelines to legalize crypto ETFs and futures, amending the Derivatives Act to allow cryptocurrencies as underlying assets — a move aimed at channeling retail demand into regulated products and enabling institutional hedging. Binance co‑founder Changpeng Zhao said he’s advising about a dozen governments on tokenizing state assets and forecasted crypto as payments for AI agents. Vietnam’s State Securities Commission opened licensing for crypto exchanges under a pilot with a 10 trillion dong (~$400M) charter capital requirement and a 49% foreign ownership cap, effectively limiting entrants to large domestic players. Tether partnered with Lao exchange Bitqik to run an education campaign targeting 10,000 people on USDT and blockchain basics. Portugal ordered prediction market Polymarket to cease operations after €103M in election bets, citing national gambling laws. South Korea’s customs service referred three suspects tied to a 149 billion won (~$102M) crypto money‑laundering ring to prosecutors. Internal discovery notes revealed Elon Musk once supported a proposed $10B OpenAI ICO in 2018 that did not proceed. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said institutional demand and recent legal/regulatory wins (notably the dismissal of the SEC suit) could lift crypto valuations and predicted Binance US may return to the market this year. Traders should note regulatory shifts in Thailand and Vietnam that may increase institutional product flows and liquidity in local markets, enforcement actions in Europe and South Korea that highlight compliance risks, and corporate/regulatory narratives (Ripple, Binance) that could influence institutional sentiment.

Former UN under‑secretary‑general Vera Songwe told the World Economic Forum that stablecoins are increasingly more impactful than traditional foreign aid for many Africans. Citing high remittance costs (about $6 per $100) and slow banking corridors, she said stablecoins enable near‑instant, lower‑cost cross‑border payments via mobile rails, improving net receipts for families and SMEs and advancing financial inclusion for an estimated 650 million unbanked Africans with smartphones. Songwe noted stablecoins’ fiat pegs reduce volatility versus other crypto assets and highlighted institutional activity: payments platforms exploring digital rails and central banks researching CBDCs. She warned of uneven regulation, internet and digital‑literacy gaps, and consumer‑protection risks, and linked stablecoin adoption to AfCFTA goals of boosting intra‑African trade. For traders, the shift signals growing on‑chain remittance flows and regional stablecoin demand as indicators to monitor—alongside regulatory developments and CBDC pilots that could reshape settlement rails. Overall, stablecoins present durable utility for remittance efficiency and economic integration in Africa, while aid remains important for emergencies and infrastructure.

Billionaire investor Kevin O’Leary argues that in 2025–2026 the best near-term investment is physical energy infrastructure rather than direct Bitcoin ownership. He cites soaring electricity demand from both Bitcoin mining and large-scale AI model training, which compete for high-density, reliable power. O’Leary says energy generation (renewables, natural gas, modular nuclear), grid technology (battery storage, smart-grid software) and compute hardware represent more predictable, lower-volatility plays. He also recommends equity exposure to regulated crypto intermediaries: Robinhood (as an integrated retail bridge) and Coinbase (as an institutional custody and trading platform likely to grow after regulatory clarity). The thesis echoes broader institutional analysis pointing to capital expenditure growth in energy-intensive data centers and positions “picks-and-shovels” (energy + financial infrastructure) as a diversified strategy to capture crypto ecosystem growth while mitigating token volatility. This view highlights investment opportunities across energy assets, grid storage, and financial infrastructure rather than pure Bitcoin speculation. Keywords: Kevin O’Leary, energy infrastructure, Bitcoin, Bitcoin mining, AI, Coinbase, Robinhood, battery storage, renewables.

Apeing (APEING) is promoted as the leading meme-coin whitelist opportunity in early 2026, offering limited whitelist spots and a planned listing price of $0.001 that the article claims could imply potential returns exceeding 10,000% for early participants. The piece stresses speed and decisive positioning as critical for meme-coin gains. Meanwhile, regulatory context is shifting: SEC Chair Paul Atkins indicated Congress is close to passing the CLARITY Act, which would clarify the regulatory split between the SEC and CFTC and could reduce legal risk for digital assets, potentially encouraging institutional participation. Market-level data cited: Toshi (TOSHI) trades near $0.0002957 with a $124.4M market cap and 24‑hour volume of $11.47M, showing +2.42% YTD modest gains; SPX6900 (SPX) trades near $0.4192 with a $390.3M market cap and 24‑hour volume of $22.9M, recently up +2.39% despite a Fear & Greed Index reading of 20 (extreme fear). The article is a sponsored press release and includes standard investment disclaimers, noting meme coins are highly speculative and risky. Key takeaways for traders: whitelist allocations can offer asymmetric upside but carry significant risk; regulatory clarity from the CLARITY Act could be a structural bullish catalyst for crypto markets; established meme coins like Toshi and SPX6900 currently show stability rather than explosive near-term upside.

Coinbase has placed native tokens for two major NFT projects—Doodles (DOOD) and Moonbirds (BIRB)—on its public listing roadmap, signaling a strategic shift toward tokenized cultural assets. The roadmap listing (announced April 2, 2025) starts Coinbase’s technical and compliance review but does not guarantee a final trading listing. Both DOOD and BIRB are governance and utility tokens airdropped to NFT holders and community treasuries; Doodles supports event access and project votes, while Moonbirds ties to nesting rewards and Proof ecosystem governance. Following the announcement, decentralized exchanges saw roughly a 15% increase in trading pairs for these tokens and positive secondary-market price reactions. Analysts say Coinbase’s move provides a regulated on‑ramp that can boost liquidity and institutional access but also increases volatility and correlation with broader crypto markets. Regulatory scrutiny remains a key hurdle—the exchange’s inclusion implies preliminary compliance assessment but not definitive SEC classification. Traders should note potential liquidity expansion if listed, short-term price spikes from roadmap rumors, and longer-term effects including greater institutional participation, higher market visibility, and elevated volatility tied to macro crypto trends.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has dismissed its civil enforcement action against Gemini Trust Company over the Gemini Earn program, filing a joint stipulation to dismiss with prejudice on Jan. 23, 2026. The suit—originally filed in January 2023—targeted Gemini’s Earn product that lent customer crypto to Genesis Global Capital for yield. The SEC cited Genesis’s 100% in‑kind return of Gemini Earn customer assets via bankruptcy proceedings and Gemini’s remediation steps (including a pledged contribution to fund customer recovery) as decisive factors. The dismissal does not establish legal precedent on whether crypto yield products are securities; the SEC said the outcome reflects the specific remediation here rather than a broader policy change. This closes one of the longest-running post‑2022 enforcement actions tied to crypto lending and yield, underscoring that full restitution can materially alter enforcement outcomes even as other SEC actions in the sector continue. For traders: the resolution removes an overhang tied directly to Gemini and the Earn-product claims, may lessen regulatory tail‑risk priced into Gemini-linked markets, but does not change ongoing regulatory scrutiny of crypto lending and yield products elsewhere.

The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) declined Senator Elizabeth Warren’s request for a special investigation and will continue reviewing World Liberty Financial’s national bank charter application under standard procedures. World Liberty’s application — in formal review for nine months — seeks a charter enabling digital-asset custody for institutions, blockchain-based payments, crypto-enabled traditional banking products, and cross-border DLT transaction platforms. The OCC emphasized statutory, multi-stage evaluations (capital adequacy, risk management, compliance, consumer protection, and financial-stability analysis), rejecting ad hoc political intervention. Senator Warren had asked for a pause citing potential conflicts of interest tied to President Trump’s reported financial stake and broader consumer-protection and systemic-risk concerns; her office expressed disappointment. Legal experts note the OCC’s charter authority stems from the National Bank Act and previous court rulings supporting regulatory independence. Industry stakeholders view the decision as regulatory consistency that could encourage crypto-bank innovation, while consumer groups remain wary. The case follows trends in special-purpose national bank charters since 2018 and may set a precedent for future crypto-related charter reviews. Average OCC processing times cited range from 14–16 months; World Liberty entered review nine months ago. The decision is likely to influence investment planning, product development, and regulatory expectations for crypto-banking entrants.

A federal court sentenced William Panzera of North Haledon, New Jersey, to 12 years in prison following his 2025 conviction for using Bitcoin and bank transfers to buy fentanyl analogues and other drugs from Chinese suppliers. The trafficking network operated from 2014 to 2020 and imported large volumes of synthetic opioids — including furanyl fentanyl and 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl — which were resold in New Jersey as powder and counterfeit pills. Prosecutors said the group moved hundreds of thousands of dollars to suppliers using a mix of traditional banking and Bitcoin payments to evade oversight. Panzera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of specified fentanyl analogues and conspiracy to commit international money laundering. The case underscores law enforcement’s growing ability to trace crypto transactions to criminal supply chains and highlights continued prosecution of crypto-linked cross-border drug trafficking and money laundering. For crypto traders, the ruling signals sustained regulatory and investigative scrutiny of Bitcoin use in illicit finance and reinforces that on-chain payments can be forensically linked to criminal activity.

A UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) court has ordered Malaysian national Sen Hok Ling to repay $7.6 million (over £5 million) tied to Bitcoin fraud by Chinese accused fraudster Zhimin Qian. Prosecutors say Ling received 83.7 BTC from Qian between February and April 2024 and then routed the funds through UAE bank accounts and intermediaries to disguise their criminal origin and convert them to cash. The CPS secured a confiscation order requiring full payment within three months; failure to pay risks up to eight additional years in prison. The CPS characterized Ling’s role as part of a sophisticated money‑laundering operation moving large sums from illegal activity. The case underscores ongoing law‑enforcement focus on crypto-enabled money laundering and the risks for intermediaries who handle illicit crypto funds.

Waltio, a French cryptocurrency tax reporting platform, is being extorted by notorious ransomware collective ShinyHunters, which claims to hold personal data for nearly 50,000 users, including 2024 tax reports. Waltio says its services and production systems remain secure and that no banking or crypto access credentials were compromised. The company has filed a complaint with France’s cybercrime unit. ShinyHunters has a history of high‑profile breaches and extortion — past victims include AT&T (six bitcoins paid), threats against Ticketmaster, and attacks on major Indian crypto exchanges. The incident highlights ongoing risks for crypto-focused service providers that hold sensitive user data and may prompt renewed scrutiny of security practices across tax, wallet and exchange services.

XRP has found repeated support at $1.90 while XRP-linked ETFs have resumed accumulation after a brief pullback, adding roughly $9 million over two days and bringing ETF assets to about $1.37 billion, surpassing Solana-linked products. On-chain and ETF flows suggest large holders (whales) are accumulating. Technically, XRP recently broke a descending triangle but stalled at the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA). A similar setup has reappeared: if $1.90 holds, the odds of a bullish breakout above the 200-day EMA increase, with short-term targets at $2.50 and a stronger move toward $3.10. The article notes renewed altcoin momentum and references ongoing presales (e.g., Bitcoin Hyper $HYPER) but the core market signals are ETF inflows, whale accumulation, and a potential technical breakout for XRP. Primary keywords: XRP, XRP price prediction, ETF inflows, whales, 200-day EMA. Secondary keywords: accumulation, descending triangle, breakout, altcoin momentum.

MicroStrategy announced "Bitcoin for Corporations 2026," a two-day summit in Las Vegas on Feb 24–25 targeting corporate executives, treasury managers and institutional investors. Led by founder Michael Saylor, the event leverages MicroStrategy’s experience after accumulating ~214,400 BTC (~$14bn), positioning the company as the largest publicly traded corporate Bitcoin holder. The agenda focuses on practical adoption topics — accounting under new FASB fair-value rules, regulatory compliance, custody and security, tax and portfolio allocation — and features case studies, custody demos and legal guidance. Industry data cited in advance shows rising institutional interest (e.g., Fidelity Digital Assets reporting a 300% year-over-year increase in institutional account openings; CoinShares reporting strong fund flows). The conference is timed to coincide with a key market cycle and aims to accelerate corporate treasury adoption of Bitcoin, promote best-practice standards, and foster dialogue with regulators and service providers. For traders, the event signals potential for increased institutional demand, greater market infrastructure, and product development that could influence liquidity and price discovery in both the near and longer term.

Binance and OKX are reportedly considering offering tokenized stocks—blockchain-based tokens that mirror U.S. equity prices—according to a March 2025 report. Tokenized stocks enable fractional ownership, 24/7 trading, and faster settlement by representing price exposure to underlying shares held by regulated custodians. Existing providers include Ondo Finance and Kraken’s xStocks, which demonstrate market demand and operational models. Major benefits include broader global access to U.S. markets, increased liquidity, and new product opportunities (programmable dividends, automated strategies). Key challenges are regulatory compliance across jurisdictions (SEC treatment in the U.S.), strict KYC/AML controls, custody and reserve audits, reliable price oracles, and smart-contract security. If Binance and OKX enter this space, they could accelerate mainstream adoption of tokenized securities, drive competition with traditional brokers, and influence regulatory approaches. Traders should watch for announcements about custody partners, geographic restrictions, listing scope, and how tokens handle corporate actions and dividends. Primary keywords: tokenized stocks, Binance, OKX. Secondary/semantic keywords: tokenization, real-world assets, custody, KYC/AML, price oracles.

Ethereum (ETH) has recovered modestly from a short-term dip (~$3,170) to about $3,200, with analysts monitoring resistance near $3,360. Because of ETH’s large market cap and limited near-term upside, some traders are seeking higher-risk, higher-reward opportunities. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is highlighted as a leading presale play. MUTM is in its 7th presale phase at $0.04 per token (phase 8 at $0.045) with a planned public launch price of $0.06. The project reports roughly $19.85 million raised and about 18,850 participants. Mutuum positions itself as a multi-chain DeFi lending protocol offering P2P lending, a collateralized stablecoin backed by ETH, yield-generating lending pools (advertised 10–15% APY), and buyback-and-redistribute mechanics to reward mtToken stakers. The team cites a Halborn-audited lending contract and plans a Sepolia testnet deployment for liquidity pools and automated liquidator testing. Some analysts quoted in the coverage project speculative post-listing prices in the $2–$4 range, implying large ROI potential for early presale buyers; example returns for $500–$1,000 stakes are provided as illustrative scenarios. The article reads like a promotional press release and includes reminders to perform due diligence. For traders, key takeaways are: MUTM presale offers asymmetric risk/reward relative to ETH but carries usual presale and project risk; watch audit results, testnet integration, and actual listing performance before committing capital.

Dormant Bitcoin wallets are showing renewed activity even while BTC trades below six-figure levels. On-chain data indicates wallets that had been inactive for extended periods — including some holding substantial balances — have begun moving coins. This behavior highlights continued accumulation and redistribution among long-term holders despite prices remaining under $100,000. Key metrics referenced include the uptick in movement from long-dormant addresses and the implication that older coins are entering circulation. Traders should note that such reactivation can signal profit-taking by long-term holders, opportunistic accumulation, or preparatory movements ahead of macro catalysts. Short-term volatility may increase as large dormant balances re-enter active supply, while long-term price direction will depend on whether net flows favor accumulation or distribution. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, dormant wallets, on-chain activity, accumulation, distribution, price impact.

PayPal is acquiring Tel Aviv-based Cymbio, a merchant product-listing platform for AI chatbots, to expand its agentic and conversational commerce capabilities. Financial terms were not disclosed; the deal is expected to close in H1 2026. Cymbio’s infrastructure makes product catalogs discoverable and purchasable inside AI chat interfaces and will be integrated with PayPal’s payments stack — including tokenized wallets, passkey checkout flows, fraud protections and Venmo — to enable in-chat purchases. The acquisition builds on PayPal’s prior integrations with AI platforms such as Perplexity and Microsoft Copilot and signals planned support for ChatGPT, Google Gemini and other AI search services. PayPal already works with major retail brands and aims to grow product discovery and merchant transaction volume across AI surfaces. For crypto traders, the move is notable because it accelerates fiat-based on-chat commerce adoption and could shift consumer payment flows away from crypto in conversational shopping channels, while increasing overall payment volumes processed by PayPal’s network.

XRP, Shiba Inu (SHIB) and Dogecoin (DOGE) showed divergent market signals in the latest crypto digest. Social sentiment for XRP flipped to “Extreme Fear” after a ~19% correction from its Jan. 5 year-to-date high and a fall below the $2.00 psychological level. The article notes retail traders shifted rapidly from euphoria to pessimism, and extreme negative sentiment could act as a contrarian signal for a local bottom if history repeats. SHIB’s trading volume dropped to its lowest level of 2026, indicating weak participation and market apathy; the piece highlights that low volume reflects loss of attention rather than accumulation, reducing the likelihood of an imminent breakout. DOGE is trading between its lower and upper Bollinger Bands ($0.1226–$0.1554), implying a roughly 30% volatility range. Recent price action (from $0.1207 to $0.1285 in 24 hours) and a 5.4% rise in 24h volume to $1.38 billion suggest improving momentum; a successful breakout toward $0.16+ would require clearing the upper band. Key data points: XRP down ~19% from Jan. 5 highs and under $2.00; SHIB volume at the lowest point so far in 2026; DOGE Bollinger Band range ~30%, 24h volume ~$1.38B and short-term bounce to $0.1285. Traders should watch XRP social sentiment for contrarian signs, SHIB volume for any revival of participation, and DOGE’s ability to break the upper Bollinger Band as triggers for trading setups.

Waltio, a French cryptocurrency tax-reporting platform, has disclosed a data breach that exposed personal information belonging to roughly 50,000 users. The company reported that files containing user identity details and some uploaded documents were accessed; there is no indication that private keys or direct crypto wallets were compromised. Waltio said the intrusion affected a subset of accounts and moved quickly to contain the incident, reset accounts, and notify affected users and French authorities. The firm warned users to remain vigilant for phishing and identity-theft attempts and recommended they monitor accounts and change passwords. The breach raises regulatory and compliance concerns for crypto tax services that store sensitive client data and may prompt tighter security scrutiny. Traders should watch for reputational fallout for custodial and tax-related crypto providers and potential short-term market sensitivity around firms handling user data.

XRP’s retail-driven “super cycle” narrative is clashing with emerging bearish technicals. After gains through 2025, XRP’s weekly SuperTrend flipped bearish and price slipped below the $2 psychological level to about $1.97 (CoinGecko). The token now trades beneath a previously supportive trendline, which is acting as resistance; rebound attempts face selling pressure. ATR-based volatility readings indicate bullish exhaustion, suggesting volatility contraction that often precedes consolidation or deeper corrections. Market analyst Paul Bennett warns liquidity — not retail narratives — moves markets, and says current signs point to rising downside risk unless XRP reclaims the weekly SuperTrend and the broken trendline. Key keywords: XRP, XRPUSD, SuperTrend, trendline, volatility, ATR, retail traders, liquidity.

Intel shares plunged about 17% after management’s Q1 outlook missed Wall Street expectations. Management guided Q1 revenue near $12.2B versus the $12.6B consensus and forecast breakeven non‑GAAP EPS, despite reporting stronger Q4 results ($13.7B revenue; $0.15 non‑GAAP EPS). The sell‑off follows an 80% rally in 2025 driven by turnaround optimism. Key drivers of continued volatility include significant government ownership tied to CHIPS Act incentives, which has left the U.S. federal position with large unrealized paper losses but overall gains since investment, and heavy institutional options activity (approx. $500M position flagged by CheddarFlow) interpreted as a bet on a major move. Management warns of near‑term supply constraints in server and AI data‑center chips, with supply dipping seasonally before recovering later in 2026 — a factor that could pressure revenue and market share versus rivals like AMD and Nvidia. Technical levels traders are watching: a bearish break below $44 could target $38–$40; consolidation could occur between $44–$50; a bullish breakout would require clearing $50 and follow‑through from foundry or cloud/OEM wins. For traders, the mix of policy support, execution risk, and large options positioning signals elevated short‑term volatility and trading opportunities around catalysts such as supply improvements, foundry adoption, and government policy updates.

Analysts expect Solana (SOL) to stage a strong Q1 rally as traders shift capital from meme-driven speculation toward utility-focused networks and infrastructure. SOL traded near $128 with a market cap of about $72.5 billion and 24-hour volume around $4.75 billion, reflecting cooled speculative volume but sustained on-chain activity across DeFi, NFTs and web3 apps due to Solana’s speed and low fees. The article highlights Remittix (RTX), a PayFi project positioned as a real-usage infrastructure play: priced near $0.123, it has raised about $28.8 million in private funding, sold ~701.5 million tokens, launched an Apple App Store wallet (Android pending), completed a CertiK audit and plans a crypto-to-fiat PayFi launch on 9 February 2026. Analysts argue reduced meme trading could lower SOL volatility and align price movement more with network usage, developer retention and institutional interest. Key takeaways for traders: SOL remains a high-activity chain with lower short-term speculative volume; watch on-chain metrics and developer/institutional signals for confirmation of a sustainable rally; monitor Remittix’s product launches and audits as an example of market appetite shifting to payment infrastructure and utility tokens.

Senate Agriculture Committee staff released a draft bill on crypto market structure that incorporates several Democratic proposals aimed at expanding consumer protections and regulatory clarity. The draft, circulated among committee members, blends Republican-led efforts to define commodities law for digital assets with Democratic priorities such as stronger investor safeguards, clearer custody rules, and enhanced oversight of stablecoins and trading platforms. Key stakeholders including exchanges, industry lobbyists and consumer advocates are expected to weigh in during markup. The draft does not finalize jurisdictional boundaries between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission but signals bipartisan willingness to legislate amid rising industry scrutiny. Traders should note that the bill’s focus on custody standards, stablecoin rules and market structure could influence exchange practices, liquidity, and compliance costs if enacted.