Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse told CNBC he is "very bullish" and expects the crypto market to reach new all-time highs in 2026, citing rising institutional adoption and the prospect of favourable U.S. regulation (the Clarity Act). Garlinghouse did not name specific price targets for assets, but expressed confidence that institutional interest is not yet fully priced into markets. The remarks come amid recent market weakness: Bitcoin slipped below $90,000 after an early-January breakout failed, and XRP has retraced roughly 47.7% from its July 2025 peak of $3.65 to trade near $1.91. Analysts and firms — notably Standard Chartered — have previously projected XRP could reach $8 in 2026, a forecast that market commentators often cite alongside Ripple leadership optimism. The U.S. regulatory backdrop remains uncertain: Coinbase abruptly withdrew support for the crypto market structure bill, prompting a Senate hearing postponement, though former President Trump said he hopes to sign the bill soon. Key points for traders: bullish executive commentary could lift sentiment; macro and regulatory developments (Clarity Act, exchange positions) remain primary drivers; XRP has significant recent volatility and high upside forecasts but also large retracement risk.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a new lending and borrowing protocol, has moved from $0.01 to about $0.04 during its ongoing presale, raising roughly $19.8–$19.9 million from ~18.7–18.9k wallets. The project allocates 45.5% of its 4 billion token supply to presale/community participation. MUTM offers two markets: pooled liquidity that issues mtTokens (interest-accruing) and peer-to-peer collateralized loans (initially supporting ETH and USDT) with liquidation bots. The team plans a Sepolia V1 testnet launch in Q1 2026 followed by mainnet after audits and testing. Security measures cited include a Halborn audit, a CertiK token-scan score of 90/100, and a $50,000 bug bounty. Roadmap items include card payment on-ramps, a 24-hour leaderboard rewards program, an overcollateralized stablecoin, and Layer-2 integration to lower liquidation/oracle costs and improve execution. Observers and price models referenced in the coverage project bullish mid-term price scenarios (examples: $0.20–$0.45 by 2026–2027, implying multiple-fold upside from current presale levels) if V1 delivery, audits, listings and core adoption occur — a dynamic that has attracted larger buyers/whales during the presale. The coverage is press-release based and includes a reminder to conduct independent due diligence before investing.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) told CNBC at Davos that a more favorable U.S. regulatory stance could spark a Bitcoin “supercycle” as early as 2026. CZ said clear U.S. policy, spot-Bitcoin ETF approvals and pro-innovation regulator signals could prompt synchronized global institutional adoption and break Bitcoin’s historical four-year cadence. He framed the view as structural — not a price target — and tied the timing to post-halving dynamics and broader crypto maturation. CZ also publicly denied any close personal ties with former President Trump, saying perceived alignment is policy-driven. Analysts remain divided: some see parallels with the 2020–21 institutional rally, while skeptics warn parabolic rallies often end in deep corrections. For traders, the key signals to watch are U.S. regulatory announcements, ETF approvals and institutional inflows, on-chain metrics (realized cap, HODLer behavior, BTC dominance), and macro indicators (inflation, interest rates). Short-term volatility may persist due to ongoing regulatory scrutiny of Binance and market uncertainty, but successful U.S. policy clarity and large-scale institutional flows would be bullish for BTC and could alter altcoin cycles and risk models.

KYC-verified teams are emerging as a key trust mechanism in Web3 by linking project teams to real, accountable identities. Know Your Customer (KYC) processes—performed by reputable third-party providers—confirm team members’ government IDs and professional histories, produce verification reports, and enable projects to publish transparency statements. Verified teams reduce perceived risk, increase professional accountability, and discourage common frauds such as rug pulls. They also improve prospects for developer collaboration, institutional partnerships, and mainstream adoption by signaling regulatory conformity and maturity. While KYC is not a cure-all, it helps convert speculative hype into verifiable credibility and supports sustainable ecosystem growth when combined with solid technology, clear roadmaps, and active community governance.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a fourth consecutive day of net outflows on Jan. 22, with total daily withdrawals of about $32.11 million, according to SosoValue. BlackRock’s IBIT led the single-day outflows with roughly $22.35 million redeemed, while Fidelity’s FBTC saw about $9.76 million withdrawn. Other major spot ETF providers (Grayscale, Bitwise, Ark & 21Shares) posted essentially flat flows that day. Trading remained active, with total value traded around $3.30 billion. Despite the short-term selling, cumulative historical net inflows into U.S. Bitcoin spot ETFs remain large at roughly $56.60 billion and total ETF NAV stood near $115.99 billion (about 6.49% of Bitcoin’s market cap). Bitcoin’s price slipped below $90,000 to about $88,785, down roughly 0.9% over 24 hours. For traders: continued short-term ETF redemptions may add selling pressure and heighten volatility, but the substantial cumulative inflows point to ongoing institutional demand that supports medium-to-long-term market interest.

Binance is reportedly planning to relaunch stock tokens — blockchain-based tokens that mirror U.S. equities one-to-one — after suspending the service in 2021 amid regulatory scrutiny. The reconsideration is driven by clearer regulatory frameworks (e.g., EU MiCA and evolving U.S. guidance), stronger institutional demand for hybrid crypto-traditional products, matured blockchain infrastructure, and competitive pressure from other platforms exploring tokenized equities. Binance’s earlier program partnered with CM-Equity and Digital Assets AG and covered names like Tesla, Microsoft and Apple before purchases were halted. A relaunch would require new partnerships with regulated custodians, enhanced compliance and risk controls, secure smart-contract and price-feed integrations, and jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction rollouts with extensive user education. For traders, a compliant Binance stock-token product could expand access to tokenized equities, enable 24/7 fractional trading, increase liquidity in tokenized instruments and create cross-asset trading opportunities; key risks remain regulatory approval uncertainty, custody and counterparty exposure, and integration challenges. Successful implementation could accelerate broader asset tokenization and push traditional brokers and exchanges to modernize infrastructure.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will hold a joint public event on January 27 at CFTC headquarters in Washington, D.C., to discuss regulatory harmonisation for digital assets. The session runs 10:00–11:00 a.m. ET and will be livestreamed; in-person attendees must register in advance. CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig and SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins will lead the programme: Atkins opens with a five-minute introduction, Selig gives 15 minutes of remarks, followed by a 30-minute fireside chat moderated by Crypto in America co-founder Eleanor Terrett. Both agencies cited overlapping jurisdiction and “regulatory chaos” as motivations and signalled a coordinated effort to clarify rules to keep crypto innovation and market leadership in the U.S. The announcement aligns with administration-level aims to position the U.S. as a crypto hub. The event is part of broader harmonisation work intended to produce clearer guidance for market participants who currently face uncertain regulatory boundaries.

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its final proposals to extend the Consumer Duty to crypto firms, raising the regulatory bar for firms operating in the sector. The Consumer Duty sets higher expectations for consumer outcomes, requiring firms to act to deliver good outcomes, improve communications, and ensure products and services are fit for purpose. Under the proposal, crypto firms will face stricter rules on product governance, clear customer disclosure, and stronger risk management. The FCA signals increased supervisory scrutiny and potential enforcement action for non-compliance. The move forms part of a broader push by U.K. regulators to bring crypto activity within mainstream consumer protection frameworks and to reduce harm from high-risk products. Crypto firms should expect closer oversight, compliance costs, and the need to adjust product offerings and marketing practices to meet the duty.

Grayscale has filed an S-1 registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a spot BNB exchange-traded fund that would hold BNB tokens directly and track their market price net of fees. If approved, the ETF would list on Nasdaq under the ticker GBNB. Bank of New York Mellon is named transfer agent and Coinbase Custody as custodian. The filing notes BNB is the native token of BNB Chain and was the fourth-largest crypto by market capitalization (around $120 billion). Grayscale’s filing follows its recent expansion of spot crypto ETFs (including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin and Chainlink) and comes after VanEck filed a similar BNB ETF (VBNB) earlier, with VanEck appearing further along in review. The move is part of a broader wave of U.S. spot crypto ETF approvals and launches covering tokens such as SOL, XRP, DOGE, HBAR and LINK, and signals Grayscale’s strategy to broaden regulated access to exchange-linked tokens. For traders: an approved BNB spot ETF would give U.S. investors regulated, custody-free exposure to BNB, likely raising institutional and retail demand and potentially increasing liquidity and price discovery for BNB; approval timing and regulatory outcomes remain key near-term catalysts.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) described his prison experience at Davos during a CNBC interview, saying he received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump around October 2025 and only felt fully free after the pardon took effect. CZ detailed harsh jail conditions — strip searches, invasive physical checks on the first day, and sharing a cell with a convicted double murderer — and said he received no special treatment. He expressed surprise at receiving a four-month prison sentence, noting he expected either a deferred prosecution agreement or home confinement given typical outcomes for Bank Secrecy Act cases. CZ denied any personal or business ties with Trump or the Trump family and said the pardon process was handled by his lawyers and remained opaque to him. Since leaving Binance, CZ said he is focusing on education and investment platforms, exploring national asset tokenization with multiple governments, and remains bullish on crypto — predicting a potential Bitcoin "super-cycle" in 2026. Primary keywords: CZ, Binance, Trump pardon, prison experience, Bitcoin super-cycle. Secondary/semantic keywords: Bank Secrecy Act, tokenization, Davos, crypto markets, sentencing. The article is relevant for traders tracking regulatory and leadership developments at major exchanges, sentiment around Binance’s legacy, and macro narratives (pardon-related political risk and institutional tokenization initiatives) that could influence market confidence.

Major derivatives exchanges forcibly liquidated $149 million of leveraged futures positions within one hour on March 21, 2025, and about $303 million over 24 hours. Data from Binance, Bybit and OKX show longs accounted for roughly $98 million of the hourly total and shorts about $51 million, indicating a rapid price decline and a long squeeze. Bitcoin and Ethereum futures comprised nearly 70% of the liquidations. The 24-hour window coincided with a roughly 5.2% drop in BTC from about $72,500 to $68,800. The event forced funding rates deeply negative, reflecting bearish sentiment and removing excessive leverage—conditions that can both amplify downside and create short-term rebound opportunities as positions unwind. Analysts said the cluster tested exchange risk engines and liquidity; exchanges may adjust margin rules, funding rates, and risk settings in response. For traders, the episode highlights key risks: high leverage (often >25x) strongly increases liquidation probability, long-heavy liquidations signal swift downward pressure, and funding-rate swings can indicate short-term sentiment and re-entry or hedging opportunities. Recommended actions: reduce leverage, increase margin buffers, use disciplined stop-losses, monitor liquidation and funding-flow trackers, and prepare for elevated volatility and potential price discovery once systemic leverage falls.

Bitcoin (BTC) surged past $90,000, triggering roughly $146 million in liquidations—primarily short positions—after traders had piled on shorts expecting a retest of $81,000. Analyst “BACH” highlights a recurring post-2022 pattern: a sharp drop, a 7–8 week consolidation, then renewed upside; he expects consolidation to end soon with Bitcoin potentially testing $98,000 and ultimately targeting a new peak near $150,000. Spot-flow data cited by analyst Kyledoops shows a shift toward net buying on Binance and overall cumulative volume delta (CVD) recovery, slowing sales from Coinbase and indicating increasing spot demand rather than distribution. Traders are advised to watch for confirmation via daily closes above $98,000 and $101,000. Short-term effects include liquidation-driven volatility and potential momentum continuation if spot buyers dominate; longer-term outcomes hinge on sustained spot accumulation and macro risk sentiment. Disclaimer notes the content is not investment advice.

A single on-chain transfer of 247,400,000 USDT (approximately $247 million) from an unknown wallet to Bitfinex was flagged by Whale Alert. The deposit increased Bitfinex’s stablecoin reserves and drew attention because such large inflows often precede sizable market activity. Possible motives include converting USDT into major cryptocurrencies (e.g., BTC, ETH), collateralizing margin positions or loans, providing liquidity, or settling an OTC trade. The sender remains unidentified. Analysts recommend monitoring subsequent on-exchange activity — large buy orders in BTC/ETH or rapid redistribution would clarify intent. On-chain stablecoin inflows to exchanges are watched as a leading indicator of institutional demand; the immediate effect is higher exchange liquidity, while price impact depends on whether the USDT is deployed into spot or derivatives markets. This event is a notable watchpoint for traders assessing short-term order flow and institutional sentiment.

Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin urged 2026 to be a year of “computing self‑sovereignty,” calling for wide adoption of decentralized, privacy‑first alternatives to mainstream services. In a Jan 22 post on X he described steps taken since 2025: moving encrypted documents to Fileverse; shifting messaging from Telegram toward Signal, SimpleX and Session; migrating email from Gmail to Proton Mail; and replacing Google Maps with OpenStreetMap‑based apps like Organic Maps. He plans to use decentralized social clients in 2026, posting through Firefly to federate across X, Lens, Farcaster and Bluesky, and has funded projects (Session, SimpleX) to remove phone‑number requirements and reduce metadata leakage. Buterin also highlighted experiments with locally hosted large language models (LLMs) to limit data exposure, noting current limitations — fragmentation, high resource use, and weak integrations for search and translation — that hinder mainstream adoption. His message reframes privacy and decentralization as everyday software choices rather than niche crypto activism, stressing usability and habit change over regulation. For crypto traders, this signals rising attention to privacy tooling, decentralized social and self‑hosting ecosystems that could boost developer activity and token demand for projects tied to decentralized identity, infrastructure and communication, while increasing scrutiny on centralized platforms. Keywords: computing self‑sovereignty, decentralized social, privacy tools, local LLMs, Web3 infrastructure.

A former Olympic snowboarder has been arrested in Mexico on allegations of running a major crypto money‑laundering and fraud operation. Mexican authorities detained the individual after an investigation linked them to a network accused of siphoning investor funds and converting proceeds into cryptocurrencies. Officials say the operation used trading platforms, crypto wallets and cross‑border transfers to hide proceeds. No formal conviction has been reported; local prosecutors are continuing their inquiry and may seek extradition depending on evidence and international requests. The arrest highlights growing law‑enforcement focus on crypto‑linked financial crime and may prompt enhanced scrutiny of crypto platforms and wallet services.

BofA Securities expects the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting to produce no major surprises, forecasting a likely hold on the federal funds rate. Market-implied probabilities price a >95% chance of a January rate pause at the current 5.25%–5.50% range. Key data shaping the view include December’s drop in the unemployment rate (from 3.9% to 3.6%) and easing CPI inflation (YoY 2.8% → 2.3%). BofA highlights that Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s post-meeting remarks may address political context in an election year while defending Fed independence. Analysts note discussions may revisit the neutral interest rate (r*) and the pace of balance-sheet runoff (QT). With inflation moderating and GDP growth modest, consensus from other banks (Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan) also points to a “hawkish hold” — unchanged rates but vigilant language. For crypto markets, a steady Fed reduces liquidity shocks and the discount rate for non-yielding assets, providing a clearer backdrop for risk assets; traders should watch forward guidance, balance-sheet commentary, and phrasing around future cuts. Key takeaways for traders: (1) high probability of no rate change; (2) focus on Powell’s wording for hints on timing of cuts or QT; (3) potential short-term reduced volatility if the outcome matches expectations, supporting risk-on moves in crypto, but any unexpected tone could trigger rapid repricing.

Grayscale Investments filed an S‑1 on Jan 23, 2026 to launch a spot Binance Coin (BNB) ETF, joining other institutional ETF applicants. The filing underscores growing institutional interest in altcoin ETFs, but BNB’s price remained range‑bound near $890–$900, well below the October 2025 peak above $1,300. On‑chain metrics cited in earlier reporting show BNB’s market strength—market cap north of $80bn, significant token burns and robust BSC activity—supporting a constructive long‑term case. However, technicals and recent price action show repeated rejections around $950–$1,000, lower highs since October, and retreat from the 50/100‑day moving averages; volume has been subdued. Traders should weigh a bullish structural catalyst (ETF listing potential and strong on‑chain fundamentals) against near‑term bearish technical pressure and lingering regulatory/legal overhang linked to Binance. Key levels: a sustained break above $1,000 would invalidate the current range and open upside, while a drop below $850–$812 risks deeper retracement. For now, the filing is seen as a material long‑term development but not an immediate price catalyst.

BlockDAG, Solana, Hyperliquid and Ethereum are highlighted as top trading opportunities as the 2026 bull market accelerates. BlockDAG (BDAG) has raised over $444 million in its presale, with batch 36 offering a $0.001 price and about 2.6 billion coins remaining; the presale ends January 26 and analysts project possible post-listing targets of $0.30–$0.43. Solana (SOL) is trading near $146–$150 with $81bn market cap and growing institutional interest after a Morgan Stanley Solana ETF filing; a break above $150 could aim toward $200. Hyperliquid (HYPE) trades near $26.5, handles billions in daily volume, and drew attention from Grayscale; it controls ~19.5% of decentralized trading volume and plans a USDH stablecoin with a burn mechanism. Ethereum (ETH) remains a market-stable choice trading near $3,300+, supported by rising institutional ETH ETF flows, staking lock-ups reducing circulating supply, and $152bn in TVL; analysts see a near-term upside to $3,600 if $3,300 holds. Overall, the piece frames BlockDAG as a high-risk, early-stage presale play with rapid upside potential, while Solana, Hyperliquid and Ethereum offer varied risk/return profiles for traders seeking momentum, institutional flows, or long-term stability.

The Dow Jones Index has formed a rising wedge pattern on the daily chart as it trades near its all-time high (~$49,705). The index was at $49,160, up 35% from its 2025 low but down 0.6% for the week. Key near-term catalysts are the Federal Reserve’s first interest-rate decision of the year (markets expect rates to stay at 3.5–3.75%) and upcoming earnings from the ‘Magnificent 7’ — Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla — plus other major Dow names like Caterpillar, Boeing, UnitedHealth, Chevron and IBM. Technical indicators show a bearish divergence: RSI and MACD have trended lower while price compressed into the wedge, suggesting a likely pullback toward the $48,000 psychological level before any rebound. Economists cite stronger macro data (Q3 GDP revised to 4.4%, December headline CPI 2.6%, core CPI 2.7%, unemployment 4.4%) that may keep the Fed on hold but raise volatility. Market context: mixed US session with Nasdaq outperforming, S&P 500 down slightly, and focus on earnings and Fed guidance. Traders should prepare for elevated volatility around the Fed decision and Magnificent 7 results; strong tech earnings could extend gains, while disappointing results or dovish/hawkish Fed guidance conflicting with expectations may trigger a sharper pullback.

BlockDAG has reopened a $0.001 special presale reset for Batch 36 with a fixed public listing price of $0.05, creating a 50× gap between presale entry and public price. The project reports over $444 million raised to date and ~2.6 billion coins remaining in this final window. The presale is scheduled to end in three days (final window closing January 26), with liquidity plans and infrastructure preparations already in place. The article compares BlockDAG to two other high-interest presales: APEMARS, which markets extremely high ROI claims and rapid social buzz but lacks clear timelines and proven mechanics; and Dodgeball, a community-driven tiered presale seen as a moderate upside play relying on sentiment. For traders, BlockDAG presents a defined time-limited opportunity emphasizing supply constraint, known pricing, and large prior funding—factors that may drive strong participation and high initial trading volumes (projected daily volume estimate: $380M–$430M). The piece is a paid press release and not investment advice.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) has rapidly scaled institutional Ethereum staking, raising its staked position to roughly 1.77–1.83 million ETH (~$5.6–6.0B) and reportedly targeting 4.2 million ETH. Recent on-chain activity included a $279.2M (86,848 ETH) staggered staking deployment from cold-wallet treasury addresses, executed in multiple transfers to limit market impact. Over the past month Bitmine has accounted for close to half of new ETH entering the staking queue, effectively locking large volumes away from liquid supply. Network context: roughly 32.4M ETH staked, >1M active validators, and average staking yields around 3–5% (Q1 2025 ~3.8%). Bitmine runs enterprise-grade validator infrastructure (multi-client setup, >99.9% uptime, geographic redundancy) to reduce slashing and downtime risk. Analysts interpret the move as a sign of growing institutional confidence in Ethereum’s proof-of-stake economics and upcoming protocol upgrades (withdrawal improvements, proto-danksharding) that could improve staking returns. Market reaction so far was muted — only moderate volume upticks and no abnormal volatility. Trading implications: large locked positions reduce circulating ETH supply (possible upward pressure over time), staking rewards create gradual sell-side pressure as validators liquidate rewards, and Bitmine’s scale increases its potential influence on staking dynamics and governance. Primary risks remain slashing, technical failures, regulatory shifts, ETH price volatility, and withdrawal-queue timing. Key trading keywords: Ethereum staking, institutional staking, ETH supply, staking rewards, validator operations.

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) said bitcoin could “break” its historical four-year price cycle this year amid growing global regulatory and institutional support for cryptocurrencies. Speaking on social media, CZ highlighted macro tailwinds such as greater government engagement, increased legal clarity in some jurisdictions, and expanding institutional adoption as factors that may alter bitcoin’s traditional cycle-driven price behavior. He suggested that stronger, broader support for crypto — including potential regulatory frameworks and more mainstream acceptance — reduces the likelihood that bitcoin will follow the familiar boom-and-bust rhythm tied to past halvings. CZ’s comments come as several countries and institutions have signaled more favorable or pragmatic approaches to crypto, and as Binance continues to engage with regulators and expand services. While CZ framed the potential cycle change as a positive sign of maturation for the market, he did not provide specific timing or price targets. Traders should note that such commentary from a major exchange leader can influence sentiment quickly, but fundamental and macro drivers (e.g., interest rates, regulatory outcomes, ETF flows) will still shape near-term price action.

TRON (TRX) recovered above the 21-day simple moving average after a recent pullback and traded near $0.306 as of Jan 23, 2026. The daily chart shows price sitting above upward-sloping moving averages, indicating short-term bullish potential so long as those lines hold. However, the 4-hour picture is weaker: TRX is confined under downward-sloping shorter-term moving averages and has stalled just below the $0.31–$0.32 resistance zone. A decisive break above $0.32 could push TRX toward the previous high around $0.37, while failure to clear $0.32 would likely keep the token range-bound and expose it to retests of key supports at $0.20, $0.15 and $0.10. Longer-term moving averages remain important; sustained trading below them would signal renewed downside risk. Key wider resistance levels are $0.40, $0.45 and $0.50. Traders should watch for a clear move above the 21-day and relevant moving averages to confirm bullish continuation; otherwise, expect consolidation above the noted support levels. This analysis is an independent market view and not investment advice.

Delphi Digital analysts highlight that the rapid rise in Japan’s 10-year government bond yield (JP10Y) has become a global policy-risk driver, pushing gold higher while weighing on Bitcoin. Market participants increasingly interpret the speed and magnitude of JP10Y moves as signs of policy credibility and balance-sheet stress rather than a normal tightening signal. Statistically, JP10Y sits about 3.65 standard deviations above its long-term mean — an unusually large move given years of Yield Curve Control (YCC) in Japan. Fast, near-vertical yield increases can shrink collateral values and strain financial institutions that hold large bond inventories, prompting preemptive intervention by the Bank of Japan (BOJ). Gold shows positive correlation with JP10Y across multiple timeframes and has been absorbing that policy-risk premium; technicals still point to a longer-term uptrend but momentum is moderating. Bitcoin exhibits a negative correlation with JP10Y and has underperformed during the yield surge, though its decline has stabilized rather than accelerated. Delphi’s view: if BOJ successfully stabilizes long-term yields, the policy-pressure tailwind for gold may fade and gold could enter consolidation; conversely, Bitcoin could find room to recover as global liquidity conditions ease. For traders: continued disorderly JP10Y rises support gold and may keep BTC under pressure; BOJ intervention or a cooling of yields would likely flip dynamics — easing pressure on risk assets and creating a tactical buying opportunity for Bitcoin.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said accelerated trade in AI hardware, software and data‑centre infrastructure may push global merchandise trade above the World Trade Organization’s October projection of 0.5% growth for 2026. She told Bloomberg that AI-related investment accounted for roughly 42% of the increase in goods trade expected for 2025. The WTO plans to review its forecasts if AI goods trade continues at current pace. Okonjo-Iweala highlighted recent US–China trade agreements and EU–China talks as stabilising factors. A World Economic Forum/Bain paper presented at Davos finds the US and China account for about 65% of global AI investment across the value chain and advises strategic interdependence—partnering with allies and targeting niche strengths—rather than full self-sufficiency. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned AI will reshape labour markets: IMF research estimates 60% of jobs in advanced economies and 40% globally will be affected (enhanced, transformed or eliminated), with entry-level roles particularly vulnerable. Key takeaways for traders: accelerating AI infrastructure trade could raise global trade growth expectations, favour sectors tied to semiconductors, cloud and data‑centre equipment, and prompt policy responses (tariffs, trade talks) that influence supply chains and tech equities.

A new program has tokenized more than 200 U.S. stocks on the Solana blockchain, enabling on-chain trading and settlement of U.S. equities as tokenized assets. The initiative uses Solana-based tokens that represent fractionalized shares and aims to offer faster settlement, lower fees and 24/7 availability compared with traditional markets. Key features include custody and wrap mechanisms to peg tokens to underlying equities, on-chain order books or AMM-style trading interfaces, and integrations with existing DeFi wallets and infrastructure. Advocates argue this broad listing could boost Solana’s on-chain volume, drive demand for SOL (transaction fees and gas), and attract institutional and retail traders seeking crypto-native exposure to equities. Critics highlight regulatory uncertainty (U.S. securities laws), counterparty and custody risk, and potential liquidity fragmentation across venues. Traders should watch on-chain volume, SOL fee revenue, custody partners, and any regulatory enforcement or guidance from U.S. authorities. Short-term impacts may include increased trading activity and volatility for SOL; longer-term effects depend on regulatory approvals, custodial robustness, and actual adoption by market participants.

Bitcoin (BTC) climbed above $91,000 after the Japanese yen strengthened sharply against the U.S. dollar, a move traders linked to suspected Bank of Japan (BOJ) intervention in currency markets. The yen’s surge reduced dollar liquidity and prompted risk-on flows into assets including bitcoin, helping BTC regain ground after prior weakness. Market participants cited cross-asset flows and technical buying around key levels as drivers. No official BOJ confirmation was reported. The event highlights how FX interventions and macro moves can quickly affect crypto prices through liquidity shifts, dollar strength changes, and leveraged positions. Traders should watch dollar/yen (USD/JPY) dynamics, on-chain flows, and leverage metrics for near-term BTC direction.

BitGo, a leading institutional crypto custody firm, saw its shares tumble about 12% on the second day of public trading, falling below the $18 IPO reference price after an initial debut high near $24. The decline continues a weak debut and reflects early post-IPO volatility as investors reassess valuation amid a muted crypto market and cautious tech IPO sentiment in early 2025. Drivers cited include profit-taking, investor selling pressure, concerns about growth prospects, regulatory uncertainty for crypto firms, and broader macroeconomic headwinds such as interest-rate expectations. BitGo’s revenue depends on institutional adoption, transaction volumes and custody fees, and it competes with Coinbase Custody, Anchorage and Fidelity Digital Assets. Traders should watch BitGo’s upcoming quarterly results, client growth announcements and any regulatory updates for signs of institutional demand and sector sentiment. Short-term implications include heightened volatility for crypto-adjacent equities and potential knock-on effects for desks and tokens that rely on custody services; recovery prospects hinge on earnings, major client wins and clearer regulatory signals.

CertiK, a New York–based Web3 security firm, is preparing a roadmap toward a public listing after receiving a strategic investment from Binance, now its largest investor. Founder Gu Ronghui told CBS the company aims to become the leading Web3 infrastructure stock. CertiK is accelerating development of Skynet Enterprise, an institutional-grade security and risk-monitoring platform built to meet regulator and large-institution transparency requirements. The firm is also expanding its core auditing services using formal verification powered by its proprietary Spoq engine, which integrates artificial intelligence to improve verification efficiency and scalability. Recent private rounds value CertiK at over $2 billion. The push to go public follows rising institutional interest in crypto infrastructure and a wave of recent and planned crypto industry listings — including Circle, BitGo, Bullish, Gemini, Galaxy Digital, Figure, Exodus, Kraken, Ledger, Consensys, and Animoca Brands — which has increased investor appetite for regulated, institutional-grade crypto services.