Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Ether slid about 9% to a low near $2,165 on Feb. 2, wiping more than $25 billion off its market cap and extending a weekly decline to roughly 23%. On-chain data shows a divergence: institutional entities are reducing exposure while long-term holders and OTC buyers are accumulating. Trend Research deposited 53,589 ETH (~$120M) to exchanges in 24 hours and withdrew 77.5M USDT to repay Aave loans, though it still holds 418,045 ETH. Bitmine, holding ~4.24M ETH at an average cost of $3,882, faces more than $6B in unrealized losses. Conversely, two dormant “Ethereum OG” wallets reactivated, deposited 44,490 ETH into Aave, borrowed 104M USDT and used looped borrowing to buy 45,319 ETH at an average price of ~$2,295. An OTC whale also purchased 30,392 ETH (~$70M). The sell-off triggered large liquidations and pushed ETH below its 200-day SMA — a level that previously acted as a key pivot. Analysts cite support in the $1,850–$1,550 range and label the current zone a buying opportunity; some maintain long-term targets (e.g., $10,000). As ETH falls, investor interest is shifting toward new projects like Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER), which has raised ~$31M in its presale and markets itself as a Solana-based Layer 2 for Bitcoin.

Bitcoin’s recent decline below $75,000 pushed Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) into more than $1 billion in unrealized losses on its 712,647 BTC holdings, as the company’s average purchase price sits at about $76,037. BTC fell briefly to $74,500 before recovering to roughly $76,711 at press time. CEO Michael Saylor dismissed sell-off concerns and signaled potential further accumulation. Concurrently, US spot Bitcoin ETFs are under stress: combined AUM has dropped to about $113 billion (down 31.5% from an October peak of $165 billion), and estimated ETF implied average cost basis is roughly $87,830 per BTC. The 11 US spot ETFs recorded roughly $2.8 billion in net outflows across the past two weeks, including consecutive large weekly outflows. Market participants including Binance and some institutional players view the correction as a buy-the-dip opportunity, while analysts warn ETFs’ underwater positions and continued outflows add selling pressure and heighten short-term volatility. Key trade-focused takeaways: elevated ETF redemptions and Strategy’s large corporate position increase liquidation and volatility risk; implied ETF cost basis well above spot price suggests potential continued selling pressure; prominent holders publicly signalling buys can temper panic but may not remove near-term downside risk.

Leaked court documents and emails show Jeffrey Epstein communicated with notable tech figures about cryptocurrency projects in 2014. Messages from Austin Hill included MIT Media Lab director Joichi (Joi) Ito and venture capitalist Reid Hoffman as recipients, and discussed competition among blockchain projects and investor allocation decisions. Hill’s email named Stellar and Ripple as competitive threats and said co‑founders had asked him to reduce an allocation, implying off‑record influence on funding and strategy. The disclosures revive scrutiny of Epstein’s ties to industry elites — including donations to the MIT Media Lab — and raise questions about undisclosed networks that may have shaped early crypto funding and regulatory attention. Social posts tied Epstein to support for the Bitcoin Foundation and suggested links between Epstein and regulatory actions targeting projects like Ripple (XRP). The reporting highlights how prominent technologists and investors coordinated strategy and fundraising through contested networks, and it adds context to later regulatory reviews and high‑profile enforcement actions. Key names: Jeffrey Epstein, Austin Hill, Joichi Ito, Reid Hoffman; projects mentioned: Bitcoin, Ripple (XRP), Stellar (XLM).

Rising layoffs tied to artificial intelligence developments have renewed public and policy debate around universal basic income (UBI). High-profile job cuts across tech firms and AI-focused divisions are prompting economists, lawmakers and advocacy groups to propose temporary cash support, retraining programs and pilot UBI schemes to blunt the economic impact. Proponents argue UBI could stabilize incomes amid ’job cuts’ and structural shifts in the ’tech sector’, while critics warn of fiscal strain and disincentives to work. Suggested measures include targeted universal payments, expanded unemployment benefits and investment in reskilling. The conversation highlights concerns about the fiscal impact on government budgets and the need for policy responses that balance social safety nets with incentives for labor market participation. Key themes: AI-driven job losses, UBI proposals, retraining, fiscal implications, and labor-market stability.

Deutsche Bank strategist Maximilian Uleer says the bank remains unusually bullish on German equities, forecasting an 18% rally for the DAX in 2026 versus an 8% consensus. Uleer cites strong earnings growth, improving sentiment and large fiscal stimulus — notably Germany’s recent relaxation of debt rules and a €500 billion infrastructure and defence fund — as drivers. The DAX outperformed U.S. indexes for three consecutive years (gains of 18.8% in 2023, 20.3% in 2024 and 23% in 2025). This optimism comes as the German Economy Ministry cut its 2026 GDP forecast to 1.0% (from 1.3%), pointing to trade frictions and high energy costs. Market moves so far show the DAX near 24,500, helped by bank stocks, Adidas buybacks and Deutsche Bank’s own strong 2025 profit report. For traders: key catalysts to watch are German fiscal spending implementation, corporate earnings among DAX constituents (SAP, Allianz, Rheinmetall, Deutsche Bank), energy prices and global risk sentiment — any slippage in growth or delays to spending could undercut the bullish thesis, while successful deployment of the €500bn fund and stronger-than-expected earnings would support further upside.

Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, told followers on X that the recent market sell-off is a buying opportunity. He framed the drop — which coincided with roughly $700 billion wiped from crypto market cap since the January 14 peak and large losses in gold and silver — as a “massive sale” and urged investors to increase allocations to gold, silver and Bitcoin. Kiyosaki contrasted ‘rich’ investors, who buy assets on deep discounts, with those who miss the chance. Market context: spot gold and silver fell sharply alongside cryptocurrencies, signaling broader market stress rather than a flight to safety. Analysts cited in the coverage noted that Bitcoin’s historical four‑year cycle appears disrupted, raising the possibility of a prolonged cycle low and extended recovery time. Traders are warned that while crashes can offer outsized returns for durable assets, recoveries may take years and volatility can force forced selling. Implications for traders: the news reinforces a ‘buy the dip’ narrative among retail and some macro-focused investors, but also highlights elevated systemic risk and the potential for extended downside or sideways action. Traders should balance position sizing, use stop management, and consider liquidity and time horizon before increasing exposure to BTC or precious metals.

CrossCurve (formerly EYWA), an integrated liquidity protocol with Curve Finance, confirmed a cross‑chain bridge exploit that drained roughly $3 million after attackers bypassed validation in the ReceiverAxelar contract. Security researchers (Defimon Alerts / Decurity) reported attackers used spoofed cross‑chain messages to call expressExecute on ReceiverAxelar, triggering PortalV2 unlocks and enabling multi‑chain withdrawals. CrossCurve paused platform activity, identified 10 implicated wallet addresses, and urged users to stop interacting with affected contracts. CEO Boris Povar offered a 10% SafeHarbor bounty for returned funds and set a 72‑hour return window, warning of legal action and law‑enforcement coordination if tokens are not returned. Curve Finance advised users to reassess pool exposure and vote allocations tied to CrossCurve. On‑chain monitors (Arkham, Defimon Alerts) showed PortalV2 balances falling to near zero around Jan. 31. The incident follows other recent bridge-related breaches and underscores persistent cross‑chain and smart‑contract risks for liquidity providers, voters and counterparties. Traders should reassess exposure to CrossCurve pools, consider withdrawing or rebalancing positions, and monitor on‑chain movement of the 10 flagged addresses and any addresses returning funds.

Dogecoin (DOGE) is trading under short-term selling pressure around $0.1032, down 1.5% in 24 hours and roughly 27% over the past month. Intraday range sits between a $0.1001 low and $0.1065 resistance. Immediate support is the $0.103 area; a daily close below this would expose $0.10 and then $0.095. Key resistance zones are $0.123 (first resistance) and a stronger $0.135–$0.15 band. Momentum indicators — Parabolic SAR above price and the Awesome Oscillator in expanding negative territory — favor further downside while rebounds look corrective unless price reclaims SAR and AO turns positive. Separately, long-term Price Momentum Oscillator (PMO) readings on the weekly chart are near historical troughs that preceded major rallies (notably ~21,000% from 2015–2018 and ~800% from 2022–2024). An analyst suggested this pattern could precede another large inflection, albeit reaching targets like $1.15–$1.80 would require massive gains (~1,644% to $1.80). This is analysis, not financial advice.

Crypto commentator Dr. Russell McGregor has urged Ripple to demand that US authorities disclose any government records showing Jeffrey Epstein–linked influence on early crypto policy that may have targeted Ripple, XRP or rival Stellar. The call follows the public release of emails in which Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill urged Epstein and Joichi Ito in July 2014 to withdraw or limit funding for projects tied to Jed McCaleb — explicitly naming Ripple and Stellar and arguing their support would harm crypto’s image. McGregor asked Ripple to press the SEC, DOJ and Congress for records revealing whether Epstein-associated individuals or networks influenced enforcement priorities or regulatory narratives affecting Ripple/XRP. Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz said the email may be “the tip of a much larger iceberg.” The article notes Ripple later faced FinCEN and SEC actions, including a 2015 $700,000 FinCEN penalty and a multi‑year SEC suit that ended with Ripple paying $125 million and accepting an injunction. Some in the community are skeptical Ripple will pursue such records aggressively given its regulatory ties. The developments have reignited debate about early industry influence, regulatory formation, and whether undisclosed networks affected XRP’s treatment.

Binance will delist 21 spot trading pairs at 08:00 UTC on Feb 3 after periodic market-quality and compliance reviews. The removals span BTC, ETH, BNB and FDUSD/fiat-stablecoin quoted pairs — notable affected pairs include ARKM/FDUSD, ASTR/BTC, DYDX/BTC, IMX/BTC, LINK/BNB and NEAR/ETH. Binance cited low liquidity, declining volumes, market stability and regulatory considerations as drivers. All open orders for listed pairs will be cancelled at the cutoff; deposits and withdrawals remain available. Traders should cancel open orders and either close, convert or move positions (via other pairs, USDT/USDC markets, Spot Convert or withdrawals) before the deadline. The delisting mostly affects BTC pairs (9 pairs) and several stablecoin/fiat pairs (4 pairs). Short-term selling pressure or volatility is possible for affected tokens on the delisted pairs, but tokens remain tradable via other markets and long-term holdings are unaffected by pair-specific delists. The move reflects continued exchange optimization of listings and growing regulatory influence on pair availability. Key SEO keywords: Binance delisting, spot trading pairs, liquidity, regulatory compliance, ARKM/FDUSD.

India’s Budget 2026 retains the existing crypto tax framework: a flat 30% tax on income from transfers of virtual digital assets (VDAs) and a 1% Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on transfers above the threshold. The government rejected industry calls for tax relief, citing fiscal prudence and the need to curb illicit activity. The rules also maintain strict compliance provisions—disallowing set-off or carry-forward of VDA losses and imposing penalties for incorrect reporting—which raise compliance costs for exchanges and traders. Market participants warned the 1% TDS reduces onshore liquidity and may push trading volumes offshore, dampening short-term trading, margin strategies and speculative activity. Analysts view the decision as prioritizing revenue and oversight over incentives for domestic crypto innovation. Traders should expect continued friction for Indian exchanges, higher effective tax burdens, and potential shifts of liquidity to offshore venues. Keywords: India crypto tax, 30% VDA tax, 1% TDS, Budget 2026, crypto regulation.

Moltbook, an AI-only social network for OpenClaw agents launched by Matt Schlicht, attracted over 1.54 million agents and 100k+ posts within days, creating a public large-scale agent-to-agent experiment. Agents mimicked human behaviours—forming subcommunities, issuing tokens, creating religions, and attempting coordinated actions—while simultaneously exposing serious security flaws: an unsecured database leaked emails, login tokens and API keys, and a large share of accounts (reportedly ~33%) were script-generated. The platform’s virality drew attention from industry figures (Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen, Andrej Karpathy) and amplified speculation across crypto markets, especially on Base. Related MEME tokens such as MOLT and CLAWNCH saw rapid market caps (MOLT briefly near $120M; CLAWNCH up to $43M), and Base launchers recorded record fees and token creation. Critics argue Moltbook is largely prompt-driven simulation with shallow interaction depth; proponents call it the first large public agent-to-agent case with useful cross-agent optimization. For traders, the event created short-term headline-driven MEME speculation and liquidity flows on Base, but also highlighted counterparty, security and narrative risks: many new tokens lack functional utility and are vulnerable to rapid re-pricing as attention fades or regulatory/safety concerns escalate.

Ethereum (ETH) plunged to an eight-month low near $2,172, sliding more than 11% in 24 hours and over 25% from a recent high near $3,000. Market-wide leveraged liquidations exceeded $757 million, with ETH long positions accounting for roughly $213.6 million (about $182.3 million in the first 12 hours). Large whales (addresses holding 10,000–1,000,000 ETH) sold billions of dollars of ETH over the prior week, while Ethereum ETFs recorded roughly $327 million of outflows. Technicals confirm bearish setups: ETH broke down from a rising wedge and fell below the neckline of a long-term inverse cup-and-handle; MACD and RSI point downward (RSI in oversold territory). Macro factors cited include increased hawkish Fed expectations after Kevin Warsh’s nomination and a partial U.S. government shutdown, both reducing risk appetite. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index registers extreme fear (score ~14). Traders face elevated forced-selling risk and continued downside toward psychological support at $2,000 if selling pressure persists; short-term bounces are possible but may be capped by prevailing bearish momentum.

Binance transferred about 1,315 BTC (roughly $100 million) from a labeled hot wallet into its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU), an on‑chain reclassification that signals an early step in the exchange’s plan to shift $1 billion of dollar‑pegged tokens into bitcoin over a 30‑day period. Blockchain records show the move was internal — not a market purchase or stablecoin conversion — as the transfer stayed within Binance addresses. The move increases the SAFU fund’s exposure to BTC price volatility; Binance has pledged to top up the fund if its value falls below $800 million. The transfer reduces uncertainty that Binance will ring‑fence existing BTC reserves, but it does not yet confirm large spot buys. Traders should monitor on‑chain flows and Binance’s replenishment actions, since a BTC‑backed SAFU can amplify fund value swings during volatile market episodes.

An individual identifying herself as Justin Sun’s ex-girlfriend (Zeng Ying, “Ten Ten”) has renewed serious allegations that Sun organized coordinated pump-and-dump schemes for TRON’s native token TRX during TRON’s early days. She says Beijing-based employees were instructed to open Binance accounts using their IDs and phone numbers to place coordinated buy orders in late 2017–early 2018, artificially lifting TRX’s price before mass sell-offs that left retail investors holding the losses. Ten Ten claims to hold supporting evidence — including WeChat chat logs, emails, exchange activity and login records — and says she is willing to share materials with regulators such as the U.S. SEC. She also alleges Sun paid anonymous Chinese crypto influencers (KOLs) up to 20,000 USDT per post to hype tokens ahead of coordinated exits and that some projects used capital pools or Ponzi-like mechanics to harvest retail capital. These claims echo the U.S. SEC’s March 2023 charges accusing Sun of issuing unregistered securities (TRX, BTT), wash trading and coordinated trades (the SEC alleged over 600,000 transactions between April 2018 and Feb 2019), plus undisclosed paid promotions. A 2025 pause in the SEC case followed a reported $75m investment by Sun into World Liberty Financial and drew Congressional scrutiny. Justin Sun dismissed the new allegations on X, calling them “FUD” and urging the community to “keep building.” At publication TRX traded near $0.28, down modestly. Traders should treat TRX-related volumes and on-chain activity with caution until independent investigations or official statements provide clarity.

XRP fell sharply over the past week amid a broad crypto market rout that erased roughly $300–$500 billion from market value. Ripple’s token dropped from a multi-week high following a weekend rejection at $1.65, plunging as much as ~40% to a $1.50 low before bouncing to $1.67 and trading around $1.57 at press time. A major exacerbating factor was record outflows from XRP-themed ETFs: investors withdrew $92.92 million in a single day last Thursday, marking the worst daily and weekly ETF performance for XRP. Analysts warn that if XRP fails to hold $1.60, it risks ‘full capitulation,’ with next support targets near $1.38 and $1.02 and a potential slide below $1.00. Upside resistance sits at $1.86. Technical commentators note XRP needs a “more positive candle,” likely tied to a Bitcoin rebound and a decline in BTC dominance, to resume an upward trajectory. The story highlights elevated volatility, ETF-driven flows, and critical technical levels traders should monitor for short-term entries and risk management.

Former Ripple CTO David Schwartz said a low XRP price makes the token less efficient for payments because more units are required to move the same value. Schwartz explained that when XRP is cheap, institutions and users must hold and transfer larger token amounts, increasing operational complexity and transaction costs; higher XRP prices reduce token volume per transfer and simplify liquidity and accounting. The comment, highlighted on X, reinforces the view that XRP’s price is tied to its practical utility for cross-border settlement rather than mere speculation. For traders and investors, Schwartz’s point suggests that sustainable price appreciation could enhance XRP’s adoption by payment processors and financial institutions because it improves cost-efficiency and settlement simplicity. This view has institutional implications: firms integrating XRP need to consider liquidity, balance management and operational overhead when prices are low. The article repeats that Schwartz believes XRP cannot remain very cheap if it is to function efficiently as a payment asset. Disclaimer: not financial advice.

Ethereum (ETH) plunged about 10% in the past 24 hours to roughly $2,207 and has lost ~23% over the last week and ~31% over 14 days as selling intensified. High trading volume (~$51.9B) has not been enough to stabilize price. On the 4-hour chart ETH is consolidating just above the immediate $2,200 support; a break below would expose the next psychological support near $2,100. Key resistance sits at $2,300–$2,350 (first major resistance) and $2,450–$2,500 (stronger ceiling). Technicals show RSI around 15 (deep oversold) and ADX above 65 (strong downward trend), indicating bearish momentum but raising the chance of a short relief bounce if selling exhausts. Analyst Crypto GVR flags a potential base between $1,800–$2,200; if confirmed, upside targets of $4,000–$6,000 are proposed. This report is informational and not financial advice.

Ripple moved 1,000,000,000 XRP in four consecutive transfers amid a sharp crypto market sell-off that pushed XRP down roughly 17% (from about $1.80 to $1.54). Whale Alert recorded transfers of 400,000,000, 100,000,000, 400,000,000 and 100,000,000 XRP, collectively worth about $1.62 billion at the time. Following the releases, Ripple returned roughly 700,000,000 XRP to escrow (noted transfers of 400,000,000 and 300,000,000 XRP), consistent with its long-running monthly liquidity programme that began in 2018. The price movements occurred alongside a broader market crash led by Bitcoin, which fell more than 14% amid macro headlines about a hawkish Federal Reserve nominee. At the time of reporting, XRP had recovered slightly to around $1.59 while Bitcoin traded near $76,965. Key keywords: Ripple, XRP, escrow, Whale Alert, Bitcoin crash, liquidity.

David Schwartz, former Ripple CTO, publicly rejected suggestions that Jeffrey Epstein had direct ties to Ripple, XRP or Stellar after a resurfaced 2014 email from Blockstream co‑founder Austin Hill circulated on X. The email — sent to Joichi Ito, Reid Hoffman and Epstein — criticized Ripple and Jed McCaleb’s later Stellar project and recommended cutting overlapping investors to protect Blockstream’s interests. Screenshots of the message triggered speculation that Epstein influenced early crypto projects. Schwartz said there is no evidence anyone at Ripple or Stellar met Epstein or received funding from him; analysts note timelines that place XRP’s launch in 2012 and Stellar’s founding in 2014, making any 2014 reference more likely aimed at Stellar. Schwartz also warned that framing projects as enemies undermines industry unity. For traders: the clarification aims to reassure XRP holders that Ripple’s operations and XRP’s role in cross‑border payments are not implicated by the Epstein files. Primary keywords: XRP, Ripple, Epstein, Stellar. Secondary/semantic keywords: Ripple CTO, 2014 email, Blockstream, Jed McCaleb, crypto controversy.

Nomura Holdings announced a temporary reduction in cryptocurrency trading exposure after a 9.7% year‑on‑year net income drop to ¥91.6 billion in Q3 fiscal 2025, driven largely by a ¥10.6 billion loss in its European business. CFO Hiroyuki Moriuchi said losses stemmed from Laser Digital’s proprietary trading book, which suffered repeated hits during October–December 2025. Nomura will tighten position and risk management and scale back proprietary trading and related prime‑brokerage services to stabilise short‑term earnings. Crucially, the bank is not exiting crypto: it is accelerating long‑term infrastructure and regulated services via Laser Digital. Recent milestones include a Dubai VARA OTC derivatives licence (Aug 6, 2025), FSA pre‑consultation for a Japan institutional trading licence (Oct 3, 2025), launch of a Tokenized Bitcoin Diversified Yield Fund (Jan 22, 2026), and an OCC national trust bank charter application in the US (filed Jan 28, 2026). Nomura also announced a ¥60 billion share buyback alongside the results. For traders, the move signals reduced short‑term institutional prop selling pressure but continued institutional build‑out that may support crypto custody, market‑making and tokenisation demand over the medium to long term.

Tether minted 192,657 Tether Gold (XAUT) tokens on Ethereum on January 30, 2026, representing roughly $946 million and about six metric tonnes of physical gold. Each XAUT equals one troy ounce of LBMA-standard gold stored in Swiss vaults and is claimed to be backed 1:1 by physical bars. This large mint meaningfully increased XAUT circulating supply versus the level reported at end‑Q4 2025 (about 520,089 XAUT outstanding) and contributed to XAUT’s market supply growth into early 2026. Across 2025 Tether materially expanded its physical-gold exposure — corporate disclosures cite roughly 140 metric tonnes of gold held by late 2025, including ~27 tonnes added in Q4 2025. Tether’s tokenised-gold market value was estimated at about $2.25bn at end‑2025 with earlier reports putting its share of the tokenised-gold market near 60%; competitor token supplies (PAXG, Kinesis and others) gained share into early 2026 as the overall tokenised-gold market topped $5bn. For traders: the January mint increases XAUT circulating supply materially and may affect tokenised-gold liquidity, price discovery and short-term market depth. The move signals Tether’s continued scaling of real‑world-asset token issuance and greater allocation to gold (CEO Paolo Ardoino has discussed directing stablecoin profits toward 10–15% gold allocations). Key figures: 192,657 XAUT minted (~$946M; ~6 metric tonnes gold); ~520,089 XAUT outstanding at end‑Q4 2025; ~140 metric tonnes total gold held by Tether by late 2025. Primary keywords: Tether, XAUT, tokenised gold, real-world assets, stablecoins.

Jupiter, a Solana-based DEX aggregator, announced a $35 million strategic investment from ParaFi Capital, to be settled entirely in JupUSD, Jupiter’s recently launched stablecoin. The transaction closed at spot market price and includes an extended ParaFi token lockup (duration undisclosed). JupUSD’s market capitalization was about $38.7 million prior to the deal, meaning the $35 million settlement will nearly double JupUSD’s circulating supply. JupUSD is backed primarily by USDtb (itself collateralized by BlackRock’s BUIDL tokenized treasury fund) and was developed with Ethena Labs; ParaFi is an existing investor in Ethena. ParaFi manages roughly $1.4 billion in assets and has multiple Solana ecosystem investments. Jupiter claims to process over 90% of Solana aggregator volume and reported cumulative trading volume above $1 trillion; Coinbase integrated Jupiter’s trading tech in January 2026. JUP trades near $0.19 with a market cap ~ $596M, still about 91% below its January 2024 peak. Key keywords: Jupiter, JupUSD, ParaFi, Solana, JUP, stablecoin, token lockup.

Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin proposed a revised creator token model that pairs curated creator DAOs with prediction markets to reward quality content and reduce winner‑takes‑all dynamics amplified by AI. Under his plan, creators would apply to curated DAOs, DAO members would vote on accepted creators or content, prediction markets would let speculators bet on approvals, and DAOs would burn tokens to create scarcity and align incentives. Dogecoin co‑founder Billy Markus publicly rejected the idea, calling creator coins “inherently flawed” and likening them to the millions of short‑lived tokens launched each year that quickly lose relevance. The public exchange highlights ongoing skepticism about the long‑term viability of creator coins despite attempts to redesign their governance and economic mechanics. Key names: Vitalik Buterin, Billy Markus. Key themes: creator tokens, DAOs, prediction markets, token burn, creator economy.

Prediction-market data on Polymarket turned sharply bearish after a weekend sell-off pushed Bitcoin briefly under $75,000. By Monday, the implied probability that BTC will fall below $65,000 in 2026 reached 72% on Polymarket, with nearly $1 million in volume. Other notable market-implied odds included a 61% chance BTC drops below $55,000 and a 54% chance it reclaims $100,000 by year-end. Analysts cited a broader bear trend — CryptoQuant noted a bear market since November 2025 when BTC fell under its 365-day moving average — and tight US liquidity conditions (per Raoul Pal) as drivers of the sell-off. The decline also pushed MicroStrategy’s average purchase cost above market price for the first time since late 2023. These Polymarket moves coincide with regulatory pressure on the platform, including a Nevada court order blocking event contracts and enforcement actions in other states. Major financial firms had earlier forecast higher 2026 targets (Grayscale: $126K by June 2026; Standard Chartered and Bernstein: $150K), but have revised outlooks amid slower ETF inflows. Key points for traders: elevated downside probability from prediction markets, bearish technical/contextual signals (365‑day MA breach), liquidity concerns, and regulatory/legal risk around prediction-market venues.

Gold and silver plunged sharply after historic rallies, wiping about $4.02 trillion from their combined market value in a single day. Gold fell to roughly $4,607/oz from a recent peak near $5,600 (down >20%), erasing some $7.4 trillion in market value; silver dropped below $80 from an all-time high of $121.64 (down ~40%), losing about $2.7 trillion. The immediate catalyst was a CME Group increase in margin requirements for gold and silver futures on Feb 2, which triggered cascading margin calls and forced liquidations — many leveraged positions reportedly ranged 50x–100x. A shift in Fed leadership expectations also weighed: the nomination of Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair was perceived as hawkish, strengthening the US dollar and reducing demand for non-yielding assets. Institutional outflows and ETF redemptions intensified selling; some precious-metals funds fell as much as 20% intraday. Volatility spilled into correlated markets (tech stocks, other metals), amplifying risk-off positioning. Technically, gold sits near a key support band ($4,400–$4,500); a hold could allow a short-term bounce, while a decisive break would signal further downside as remaining leverage unwinds. For traders: elevated volatility, rapid deleveraging, and policy-driven dollar strength increase short-term downside risk for precious metals; watch margin requirements, ETF flows, USD strength, and whether forced selling has exhausted leverage before initiating long positions.

Bitcoin briefly dipped toward $74,000 before rebounding above $76,800, leaving BTC down about 13% on the week. Analysts now view the move as evidence of a deeper bear phase: prominent analyst Doctor Profit says BTC lost the 100‑week moving average (MA100 Weekly) and produced a death cross, signaling a transition from bull to bear. He revised his projected cycle bottom from a prior $50,000–$60,000 range to a new target zone between $54,000 and $44,000, and expects further consolidation and a push toward $70,000 before the final low. Doctor Profit also highlighted risks tied to leveraged positions and a firm’s (Strategy) cost basis near $76,000, which could amplify panic selling. Matrixport’s update adds to the cautious outlook, noting three consecutive months of net outflows from spot BTC ETFs and weakening demand from traditional finance investors — suggesting BTC may need a new narrative to attract renewed inflows. Key points for traders: MA100 Weekly loss and death cross are bearish technical signals; short‑term downside targets near $70K with a possible deeper cycle low at $54K–$44K; ETF net outflows reduce institutional support; leveraged positions and cost‑basis dynamics could trigger volatility and forced selling.

The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) expanded Iran sanctions on January 30 to include cryptocurrency exchanges for the first time, targeting two UK-registered platforms — Zedcex Exchange Ltd. and Zedxion Exchange Ltd. — alleged to be linked to businessman Babak Morteza Zanjani. Treasury officials say Zedcex processed more than $94 billion in transactions since 2022 and routed funds to entities and wallet addresses associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). OFAC also designated Iran’s interior minister Eskandar Momeni Kalagari and other individuals and organisations accused of protest repression and sanction evasion. The action is part of a broader US enforcement push that includes prior Justice Department seizures of assets tied to illicit crypto services and a wider 2025 campaign flagging hundreds of entities. Sanctions block property under US jurisdiction, create strict compliance risk for financial institutions and exchanges, and signal further enforcement against networks using digital assets to evade sanctions. Traders should note increased regulatory risk for exchanges and services linked to Iran, potential delistings or frozen flows, and higher compliance scrutiny that could reduce liquidity and increase counterparty risk for tokens routed through affected platforms.

Bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies tumbled to multi-month lows as a sharp market-wide sell-off intensified on Monday. BTC slid below $75,000 (down ~4.7% in 24 hours), extending weekly losses to more than 14% and placing it roughly 40% below its October all-time high near $126,080. Ethereum fell about 10% in a session to roughly $2,190, widening its weekly decline to ~23% and leaving ETH roughly 55% below its August peak near $5,000. Altcoins also weakened — XRP (-7%), Solana (-6.6%) and Dogecoin (-4%) — contributing to a ~4.4% drop in total crypto market capitalization over 24 hours. Derivatives liquidations accelerated: around $800 million of leveraged positions were wiped out in the past day, with long positions accounting for ~75% (~$578 million). ETH futures led liquidations (~$278 million), followed by BTC (~$254 million). Macro and flow drivers included U.S. political risk (partial government shutdown), fading AI-driven valuation enthusiasm, and sizable outflows from U.S. spot ETFs (about $1.5 billion from BTC ETFs and ~$327 million from ETH ETFs over the week). Precious metals briefly rallied but then reversed, highlighting cross-market volatility. For traders: the move signals heightened short-term risk, forced deleveraging, and liquidity-driven downward pressure — monitor liquidation levels, ETF flows, key support at BTC ~$75k and ETH ~$2.2k, and macro headlines for potential continuation or relief rallies.