Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

SOL spot ETFs recorded a combined net outflow of $2.45 million for the trading week Jan 26–30 (EST), according to SoSoValue. Grayscale’s GSOL led the outflows with $5.492 million withdrawn this week, leaving GSOL with cumulative net inflows of about $114 million. Bitwise’s BSOL saw $3.5821 million in weekly outflows and retains roughly $678 million in historical net inflows. Fidelity’s FSOL was the primary inflow driver, receiving $5.1398 million this week and bringing its cumulative net inflows to about $153 million. Total NAV for SOL spot ETFs stands near $992 million, roughly 1.50% of SOL’s market cap, while cumulative historical net inflows across SOL spot ETFs total about $87.1 million. Data source: SoSoValue. This report is market information and not investment advice.

Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded a combined weekly net outflow of $327 million for Jan 26–30 (US ET), according to SoSoValue. BlackRock’s ETHA led withdrawals with $264 million in weekly outflows, though ETHA’s cumulative net inflows remain about $12.24 billion. Grayscale’s ETHE posted $27.6 million in weekly outflows, leaving its cumulative net outflows near $5.14 billion. Earlier intraday data had shown $253 million in single-day outflows on Jan 30, led by BlackRock ($157 million) and Fidelity ($95.7 million), with total spot-ETH ETF AUM around $15.86 billion (roughly 4.9% of Ethereum’s market cap). These flows likely reflect short-term profit-taking, product reallocation, or broader risk-off sentiment rather than a structural shift in demand; they should be considered informational only and not investment advice.

Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded a net outflow of $1.49 billion for the week of Jan 26–30 (US Eastern), extending recent redemption pressure seen in late January. BlackRock’s IBIT led weekly withdrawals with about $947 million outflow, though its cumulative inflows remain large at $61.96 billion. Fidelity’s FBTC saw $192 million of weekly outflows and cumulative inflows of $11.27 billion. WisdomTree’s BTCW was the largest weekly inflow among spot funds (+$2.79 million). Total assets under management for Bitcoin spot ETFs fell to $106.96 billion, equal to roughly 6.38% of Bitcoin’s market cap, while aggregate historical net inflows into these ETFs stand at $55.01 billion. Earlier reporting showed daily outflows (about $509.7 million on Jan 30) and a two-week outflow window removing roughly $2.82 billion, accompanying a short-term BTC price dip near $83,000. Ethereum spot ETFs also experienced compression, with $252.9 million in flows reported on Jan 30 and total ETH ETF AUM sliding to about $15.86 billion in the prior period. Trading volume across the ETF complex contracted during the selling. Data source: SoSoValue. This is market information, not investment advice.

Bitcoin dropped below a long-held realized cost basis at $76,000 during a weekend sell-off, signaling a liquidity-driven market reset rather than a panic-driven capitulation. The $76K zone represented roughly 27 months of accumulation by patient capital. Weakness came from ETF outflows, tighter liquidity and macro risk aversion, prompting short-term holders to realize losses and traders to reduce risk and increase hedging. On-chain metrics (7-day realized cost change) suggest repositioning by new entrants rather than mass selling. Price action saw expanded downside volume and RSI near oversold (~30); BTC stabilised around $78,000 with $80,000 the immediate reclaim target — a level tied to prior support-turned-resistance and short-term moving averages. Derivatives data showed negative funding (~-0.0026%) as longs were unwound and traders paid to stay short; options open interest rose while volumes remained muted, indicating cautious positioning. The report concludes the episode is a liquidity-led repositioning that leaves Bitcoin sensitive to further flow shocks; reclaiming and accepting above $80K is needed to reduce downside consolidation risk and rebuild spot demand.

CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju said persistent selling pressure and stalled fresh inflows are driving ongoing Bitcoin weakness. Early holders who accumulated large unrealized gains—boosted by ETF demand and MicroStrategy (MSTR) purchases—have been taking profits since early last year, and realized market capitalization has flattened, signaling liquidity exhaustion. Ki identified MicroStrategy as a primary driver of the prior rally and argued a repeat of a historical ~70% crash is unlikely unless Michael Saylor or MicroStrategy liquidates substantial BTC holdings. With robust inflows that previously supported prices now dried up, Ki expects the bear market to evolve into a prolonged, wide-range sideways consolidation rather than a sudden deep cyclical collapse. Traders should watch institutional concentration risk, profit-taking from long-term holders, ETF flows and any large MicroStrategy moves as key catalysts for volatility.

Industry groups, exchanges and some lawmakers are pressing India to revisit crypto taxation ahead of the Union Budget as retail and professional trading shifts to offshore platforms. Stakeholders cite rigid capital-gains treatment, high withholding/levy practices and unclear rules for crypto-to-crypto trades, staking rewards and derivatives as drivers pushing liquidity off domestic exchanges. Exchanges report falling retail volumes and thinner order books; some institutions delay onboarding or cut Indian operations. Policymakers are weighing tweaks to clarify definitions (asset vs currency), simplify reporting and ease withholding to retain trading and custody onshore. The debate balances near-term revenue collection against preventing capital flight and preserving onshore market oversight. For traders, potential outcomes include short-term volatility in local exchange volumes and on-chain flows; a clearer, trade-friendly tax regime could restore onshore liquidity, while continued ambiguity or high tax burdens may sustain migration to foreign venues. Primary keywords: India crypto tax, crypto taxation India, Union Budget crypto. Secondary keywords: offshore crypto trading, domestic exchanges, tax reform, trader migration.

A sharp market downturn over the weekend produced more than $2.5 billion in liquidations as major cryptocurrencies plunged. Bitcoin led declines, sliding below $80,000 to an intraday low near $75,000–$77,000 (a nine-month low), erasing a large portion of leveraged long positions. Glassnode and other on-chain metrics showed Bitcoin dipping below key on-chain benchmarks for the first time in years. Ether (ETH), XRP and many altcoins also fell by double digits at times, contributing to an estimated $200 billion wiped from total crypto market capitalization within hours. The crash concentrated liquidation pressure across futures and perpetual contracts, amplifying volatility and thinning liquidity on exchanges. Short-term price action included sharp rebounds after local lows, but heavy liquidations and elevated leverage increase odds of further amplified moves. Key takeaways for traders: primary keyword "crypto crash" and secondary keywords "liquidations", "Bitcoin", "Ethereum", "XRP", "leverage", "market liquidity". Monitor funding rates, exchange order books, and on-chain flows; reduce size or hedge leveraged positions; consider tighter stops or reduced leverage until volatility and funding normalize.

Internet personality iShowSpeed was filmed using USDT (Tether) to buy earrings at a shop in Nigeria, after the merchant said Apple Pay and card payments were unavailable. The short clip, reposted by Cointelegraph and shared by Tether CTO Paolo Ardoino, shows the buyer asking prices in local currency and USD, then completing the sale with USDT. The transaction illustrates cryptocurrencies — particularly stablecoins like USDT and USDC — functioning as practical payment tools where traditional international payment rails are limited. The video underscores growing merchant acceptance of crypto in regions with constrained banking or card infrastructure and reinforces the narrative that digital assets can serve everyday commerce roles beyond trading and investment. No financial figures or on-chain details were provided. Disclaimer: this is informational and not financial advice.

US federal authorities arrested two Indian nationals, Tejas Patel and Navya Bhatt, on charges of money laundering tied to a large-scale scam network targeting American victims across Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Each faces three counts of money laundering. The scheme included PayPal fraud, fake Microsoft tech-support repairs and cryptocurrency-related scams; victims were reportedly instructed to pay in cash, gold bars or crypto transfers. One Toledo woman was duped into handing over more than $40,000 after being told the callers were FTC representatives. The FBI Cleveland Cyber Squad led the probe. Court filings name additional conspirators and couriers, including Vedantkumar Patel and Visweswarayya Kunuku. Patel is due back in court for a detention hearing; Bhatt, a University of Toledo student, is held on an ICE detainer. Separately, India’s Enforcement Directorate executed searches at nine sites across Delhi, Punjab and Haryana in a related money-laundering probe of illegal call centers. The ED, acting on FBI intelligence, said the call center employed 36+ people who impersonated IRS or tech-support agents to trick US victims into transferring funds — sometimes to crypto wallets controlled by the suspects — and laundered proceeds into real estate. Seized items included digital devices, cash and records. Key implications for traders: criminal use of crypto as a payment and transfer mechanism is highlighted; enforcement cross-border cooperation is increasing; seizures and prosecutions may temporarily spotlight regulatory and compliance risk for crypto services and affect sentiment.

A mysterious wallet transferred 99,998 ETH (≈$242.5–$243.5 million) to Binance on March 15, 2025, according to Whale Alert. The single-block transfer used a modest gas fee and the non-round amount suggests tactical intent (e.g., exchange limits or tax/OTC planning). The inflow equals about 0.08% of circulating ETH and ranks among the top 20 single transfers to exchanges since Ethereum’s shift to proof-of-stake. Price dipped ~1.8% in the hour after the alert but largely recovered; derivatives showed increased put volume while funding rates stayed neutral. Analysts flagged possible causes including portfolio rebalancing, OTC settlement preparation, or pre-sale movement, but stressed intent is unclear without additional on-chain history. Exchanges typically subject large deposits to compliance checks and automated monitoring. Traders should monitor exchange inflows/outflows, order book depth, options activity (put/call ratios, IV), and subsequent wallet behavior for clearer sell or accumulation signals. This event underlines institutional-scale activity in an increasingly regulated ecosystem but does not yet confirm sustained downside pressure.

Bitcoin (BTC) remains under key resistance near $90K, prompting traders to hunt for higher-percentage gains in emerging DeFi tokens. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) has progressed through presale phases and raised over $20.25 million from more than 18,930 investors as of Phase 7 (price $0.04). MUTM’s token climbed from an initial $0.01 to $0.04, delivering early-phase returns; promoters cite possible future targets (for example $0.40) and example profit scenarios. The protocol markets dual lending/borrowing models (peer-to-contract liquidity pools and peer-to-peer contracts), over-collateralized loans with LTVs up to 80% for assets like ETH, Chainlink oracles for real-time price feeds, a Halborn-audited lending/borrowing smart contract, and yield opportunities (examples: 7–10% APY on deposited ETH) while preserving liquidity via a native stablecoin. The reporting is a paid press release and includes a disclaimer urging investors to perform due diligence. For traders: the presale progression and promotional price targets signal short-term speculative upside for MUTM, while Bitcoin’s inability to clear resistance is driving rotation into higher-risk DeFi presales. Monitor presale stage announcements, token unlock/vesting terms, on-chain liquidity plans, oracle/security audits, and overall market risk appetite before allocating capital.

The European Commission has issued infringement notices to several EU member states for failing to properly implement rules on crypto taxation and aspects of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. The notices signal that the Commission believes national laws or practices do not comply with agreed EU rules for crypto tax transparency and certain MiCA provisions. The move begins a formal enforcement process that can lead to reasoned opinions and, if unresolved, referrals to the European Court of Justice. The action underscores growing EU scrutiny of crypto regulation and tax compliance as authorities push for consistent application across the bloc. Traders should note rising regulatory enforcement risk and potential short-term volatility in crypto markets tied to policy uncertainty and compliance developments.

Major cryptocurrencies plunged on Saturday, erasing roughly $200 billion from the total crypto market cap. Bitcoin (BTC) crashed to just above $75,000 — its lowest level since April 2025 — falling about $20,000 in under two weeks and trading around $79,000 after a partial rebound. BTC dominance sits near 57.4% and market cap dipped below $1.6 trillion. Ethereum (ETH) dropped from about $2,800 to $2,250, while XRP hit a 14‑month low near $1.50. Other altcoins also suffered double‑digit intraday declines (SOL -9%, XMR -10%; LTC, SUI, LINK, DOGE down ~5%). The sell‑off followed volatile macro cues: the Fed pausing rate cuts after the FOMC meeting and escalating Middle East tensions involving US Navy movements closer to Iran. Short‑term liquidations and risk‑off positioning amplified losses; a modest rebound reduced some intraday drawdowns but overall market sentiment turned risk‑off. Key takeaways for traders: heightened short‑term volatility, potential for continued downside or fast rebounds on liquidity events, and a renewed flight to BTC dominance amid altcoin underperformance.

Jupiter announced integration with Polymarket, embedding Polymarket’s prediction-market functionality directly into the Jupiter App on Solana. The integration makes Polymarket available in-app to Jupiter users, simplifying access to predictive trading on outcomes. The announcement positions Jupiter as a more comprehensive on-chain trading and prediction hub within the Solana ecosystem. No financial figures, timelines or partner terms were disclosed. Key entities: Jupiter, Polymarket, Solana (SOL). Main keywords: Jupiter, Polymarket, prediction market, Solana, SOL.

Huobi HTX will open spot trading for CLAWNCH/USDT today, February 1, at 19:00 (GMT+8). Deposit (recharge) service for CLAWNCH is already available on the exchange; withdrawals will be enabled on February 2 at 19:00 (GMT+8). CLAWNCH is described as a launch platform created by and for AI agents, targeting AI agent applications. The announcement is a market listing notice and does not constitute investment advice.

ASTER plunged to a five-month low of $0.507 after a market-wide sell-off on Jan 31 that erased over $200 billion in crypto market value. At press time ASTER traded around $0.552, down 7% daily and extending a weekly downtrend. In response, AsterDex activated a Strategic Reserve Buyback Fund, allocating daily platform fees and remaining funds to targeted buybacks. Over the past four months the team repurchased 248.08 million ASTER (~$137 million), about 1.6% of circulating supply (ex-burns); season 5 purchases included 38 million ASTER for $24 million, and 2.9 million ASTER (~$1.6M) were bought in the last 24 hours. Despite buybacks, selling pressure persists: long liquidations hit a three-month high of $15M, futures saw $253.8M outflows versus $216M inflows (net -$36.9M), and 24h spot sell volume reached 79.6M. Technicals are weak — RSI ~35 (near oversold) and price below 20/50/200 EMAs — suggesting downside momentum that could breach the $0.50 support. A sustained reversal would require reclaiming the 20- and 50-day EMAs at ~$0.64 and ~$0.73 respectively. Key keywords: ASTER, AsterDex, buyback, sell volume, futures outflow, RSI, EMA.

A 75-year-old Singaporean retiree, identified as Victor, lost $4,249 after falling for a deepfake video that appeared to show a local minister endorsing a high-return cryptocurrency investment. The victim was added to a WhatsApp group where members shared the endorsement video and a registration link. He paid a $250 registration fee, provided personal details, and later received calls from people posing as Coinbase staff. Scammers instructed him to screen-share, log into his Central Provident Fund (CPF) and bank accounts, and withdraw funds; the CPF withdrawal limits were raised, enabling transfers. Victor discovered an unauthorized $3,999 withdrawal, reported the incident to his bank and police, and limited further loss. Police Superintendent Rosie Ann McIntyre warned that investment scam losses are rising, noting scammers use fake endorsements and long cultivation tactics; she highlighted the pseudonymous nature of crypto as facilitating crime and complicating fund recovery. Key details for traders: the scam used a deepfake political endorsement, social engineering via messaging apps, impersonation of a major exchange (Coinbase), and exploitation of account withdrawal processes — underlining ongoing operational and reputational risks in crypto markets and the need for vigilance against fraud.

A Tahnoon bin Zayed–backed Abu Dhabi entity, Aryam Investment 1, agreed in January 2025 to buy a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial (WLFI) for $500 million, the Wall Street Journal reports. Half the sum was paid upfront; $187 million went to Trump family-controlled entities, with additional tens of millions to co‑founder-related entities. The deal was signed days before Donald Trump returned to the White House and was reportedly executed by Eric Trump. Executives from G42 helped manage Aryam and took board seats at WLFI; weeks later, a Tahnoon-led firm used WLFI’s stablecoin to complete a $2 billion investment into Binance. WLFI has faced calls for US investigations after senators alleged token purchases by blockchain addresses linked to North Korea’s Lazarus Group and other sanctioned actors. WLFI and the White House deny wrongdoing and say Trump was not involved. Key names: Aryam Investment 1, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), Eric Trump, G42, MGX, Binance. Primary keywords: UAE investment, Trump-linked crypto, World Liberty Financial, $500M stake; secondary keywords: Aryam Investment, G42, stablecoin, US probe, token sales.

XRP Ledger (XRPL) recorded a new daily transaction high of nearly 1.9 million transfers, signaling rising on‑chain usage driven by large accounts and automated payment flows. Despite this record network activity, XRP’s market price has fallen sharply, breaking below a descending channel and key supports. The token briefly traded around the mid-$1.60 range — a symbolic “number of the beast” level noted by traders — as moving averages slope downwards and act as resistance. Analysts warn that unless buyers reclaim the $1.90–$2.00 zone, selling pressure may persist and volatility could continue. Key metrics: ~1.9M daily XRPL transactions; recent price slip into mid-$1.60s; major moving averages trending down. For traders: on‑chain fundamentals look constructive but short‑term momentum is bearish, suggesting readiness for further downside or choppy rebounds until clear buying strength returns.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said OpenAI invited Nvidia to invest up to $100 billion, but emphasized any funding is not a commitment and will be made incrementally. Huang framed the OpenAI opportunity as significant but cautioned that investments will proceed step by step rather than as a single pledge. The report originates from PA News citing Jinshi, and the statement underlines continued close ties between Nvidia and OpenAI amid rising AI demand for high-performance GPUs. No financing timetable, valuation details or firm commitment figures were disclosed.

The Hyperunit whale — a trader linked on-chain to Garrett Jin — suffered a near-total wipeout after a leveraged Ether (ETH) long on Hyperliquid collapsed, realizing an estimated $250 million loss. The account on Hyperliquid was reduced to just $53 after the position closed during a sharp Ether price drop in late January 2026, when ETH fell roughly 10% in 24 hours toward $2,400. Arkham Intelligence and on-chain data show the trader’s peak ETH long exceeded $730 million and combined exposure across ETH, SOL and BTC topped about $900 million. Despite the liquidation, Arkham data indicates the broader entity still holds roughly $2.7 billion in other crypto wallets. The event highlights the extreme tail risk of concentrated, highly leveraged positions and renewed market focus on margin management, liquidity and funding rates amid elevated volatility and macro uncertainty.

Bitcoin Everlight (BTCL) is drawing scrutiny during its staged public presale as traders and infrastructure participants evaluate live execution of its off-chain transaction-routing layer rather than promotional claims. Everlight positions itself as a lightweight routing and confirmation network that operates alongside — but does not change — Bitcoin’s base layer, using Bitcoin as a settlement anchor. Key mechanics: specialized routing nodes stake BTCL to participate; confirmations are quorum-based and occur in seconds independent of Bitcoin block cadence; node rewards and routing fees are weighted by uptime, latency and routing volume; operators stake BTCL with a 14-day lock and can run Light, Core or Prime node tiers. Tokenomics: total supply 21,000,000,000 BTCL; 45% allocated to a 20-stage public presale (current early stage pricing from $0.0008–$0.0010, final stage up to $0.0110); 20% node rewards; 15% liquidity; 10% team (12-month cliff, 24-month linear vesting); 10% treasury/ecosystem. Distribution rules: 20% unlock at token generation event, remaining 80% released linearly over 6–9 months. Security and credibility: Everlight cites third-party smart-contract and security audits (SpyWolf, SolidProof) and team KYC (SpyWolf KYC, Vital Block). Traders and node operators are monitoring live presale execution — routing performance, confirmation behavior and node incentive mechanics — as on-chain demonstrations mitigate promotional risk. This is a sponsored article and not investment advice.

South Korea’s exports reached a record $65.85 billion in January, up 34% year‑on‑year, driven primarily by a surge in semiconductor shipments. Semiconductor exports doubled year‑on‑year to $20.5 billion as global demand for AI servers and a recovery in memory prices supported the rally — marking the 10th consecutive month of record-high monthly chip exports. Daily average export value rose 14% to $2.8 billion. Automobile exports climbed 22% to $6.07 billion, helped by demand for hybrid and electric vehicles and more working days (Lunar New Year fell in February). Thirteen of 15 major export categories expanded, including wireless devices, displays, petroleum products, bio-health, agro-fisheries and cosmetics. By destination, exports to the US rose 30% to $12 billion (highest January on record), to China rose 47% to $13.5 billion, to ASEAN rose 41% to $12.1 billion, and to the EU rose 7% to $5.4 billion. Imports increased 12% to $57.1 billion, leaving a $8.7 billion trade surplus and extending a surplus streak to 12 months. Trade Minister Kim Jung‑kwan warned of rising global trade uncertainty amid US tariff policies and said Seoul will pursue consultations with the US while diversifying products, markets and participants to build resilience.

Digital Currency Group founder Barry Silbert described the severe market correction on Jan. 31— which erased about $2.44 billion in liquidations, largely from long positions—as a "gift from the crypto gods." The sell-off saw Bitcoin fall from a 24-hour high near $83,126 to intraday lows around $77,082 on some exchanges, with CoinGlass reporting $2.27 billion of long liquidations versus $171.09 million in shorts. MicroStrategy’s average BTC cost basis (~$76,037) was briefly tested when BTC hit an intraday low of $75,555 on Bitstamp, narrowing the firm’s margin of safety. Michael Saylor remained publicly unshaken, reaffirming a long-term stance. Silbert framed the purge as healthy for the market, arguing it flushes speculative excess. Key keywords: Bitcoin crash, liquidations, Barry Silbert, Digital Currency Group, MicroStrategy, market correction.

President Donald Trump said he welcomes investment from China and India into Venezuela’s oil sector after U.S. forces detained Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela’s interim government approved sweeping oil reforms that slash the extraction tax from 33% to a capped 15% and introduce sliding-scale royalties starting at 15% to attract foreign capital. The U.S. Treasury issued a general license allowing American firms to export, sell and refine Venezuelan crude under strict controls. Proceeds from sales are being held in a blocked account in Qatar and will be funneled to U.S.-approved humanitarian and reconstruction projects. India has been in talks with Washington and Caracas and is expected to increase Venezuelan crude purchases as an alternative to Iranian and Russian oil amid U.S. tariff pressure. U.S. imports of Venezuelan oil have risen to near one-year highs, largely supplied under license by Chevron, with commodity traders Vitol and Trafigura handling a material share. Shipments to China have halted following U.S. naval actions; Bloomberg estimates traders will manage millions of barrels stored in the Caribbean and redirect supplies to U.S. and European markets. Key points for traders: changes in Venezuelan tax and licensing policy could increase export volumes and shift global crude flows; curtailed China imports and redirected barrels to the U.S./Europe may tighten Asian crude supply; geopolitical oversight and blocked revenues introduce compliance and counterparty risk for energy and trading firms.

A Delaware judge has denied dismissal of a shareholder derivative lawsuit alleging insider trading by Coinbase executives and directors over stock sales tied to the April 2021 direct listing. The complaint claims officers and board members sold roughly $2.9 billion of Coinbase stock and avoided more than $1 billion in losses after the price fell, naming CEO Brian Armstrong (about $292m sold) and investor Marc Andreessen (about $119m sold) among defendants. The court’s decision focuses on procedural issues — notably doubts about the independence of Coinbase’s special litigation committee that previously cleared the directors — and permits the case to move into discovery rather than resolving the merits. Coinbase says the sales were legitimate liquidity actions connected to the direct listing. For crypto traders, the ruling raises near-term governance and reputational risks for COIN stock and could intensify regulatory scrutiny of insider trading practices at crypto firms; the case may trigger disclosure of executives’ communications and trading rationale and produce volatility around Coinbase equity and any token-linked sentiment. Keywords: Coinbase, insider trading, direct listing, shareholder lawsuit, corporate governance.

Morgan Stanley has appointed Amy Oldenburg as Head of Digital-Asset Strategy to coordinate and expand the bank’s crypto initiatives across asset management and wealth management. Oldenburg, with over 20 years at Morgan Stanley and previous leadership in emerging markets, will build internal capabilities, engage industry consortia, and connect the bank with external crypto infrastructure providers. Bloomberg noted banks are publicly outlining crypto plans; Morgan Stanley is formalizing its approach while still earlier-stage than peers like JPMorgan. Crypto commentator X Finance Bull framed the move as bullish for XRP, arguing the XRP Ledger offers compliant, fast settlement and scalable transactions suitable for institutional use; Morgan Stanley has previously identified XRP as a potential SWIFT alternative. The appointment is expected to strengthen partnerships (e.g., ETF filings, prior work with Zerohash) and prepare Morgan Stanley to offer compliant client exposure to digital assets. This indicates continued institutional integration of crypto infrastructure and may increase attention and demand for settlement-focused tokens like XRP. This article is informational and not financial advice.

Step Finance, a Solana-based DeFi portfolio platform, suffered a major treasury breach on January 31, 2026. Attackers accessed treasury wallets and withdrew 261,854 SOL (roughly $27–30M). Security firm CertiK and Step’s disclosures indicate the exploit targeted treasury wallet access (likely compromised private keys or weak wallet controls), not a smart-contract flaw. Step paused some operations and hired forensic and legal teams to trace funds and seek recovery. The incident removed a revenue stream tied to Step’s Solana validator (previously used for STEP buybacks). Market reaction was severe: the STEP governance token fell about 80–90% within 24 hours. The breach underscores wider Solana DeFi security concerns and calls for stronger treasury protections — multisig, hardware key management, time locks, spending limits, audits and insurance. Recovery is uncertain because stolen SOL moved pseudonymously across chains and exchanges. Traders should monitor on-chain tracing updates, exchange freezes or legal actions, project disclosures, and any token interventions or recoveries that could affect STEP liquidity and price.

Bitcoin fell about 7% to a low near $77,000 over the weekend before modestly rebounding to around $78,600. On X, analyst PlanC said there is a “decent chance” the drop represents a capitulation-style cycle low rather than the start of a prolonged bear trend, estimating a potential cycle bottom between $75,000 and $80,000. PlanC compared the move to past capitulations (2018, March 2020, post-FTX/Terra) that preceded major recoveries. The pullback leaves BTC down ~11% month-to-date and roughly 38% below its October all-time high of $126,100. Other commentators urged caution: weekend volatility can exaggerate moves, and some analysts — including Peter Brandt, Benjamin Cowen and Jurrien Timmer — expect lower lows later in 2026 (targets cited as low as $60,000 or mid-$60,000 range) or a later cycle bottom around October. Broader market pressure from tighter Fed policy expectations and geopolitical tensions has reduced risk appetite; futures open interest has dropped and capital rotated to traditional havens like gold and silver. Key takeaways for traders: watch the $75k–$80k area as a potential capitulation zone, expect heightened volatility and possible relief rallies, and factor in macro risk (Fed tone, geopolitics) that could push BTC lower before a durable recovery.