Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Mike Burry, famed for his 2008 housing market short, disclosed in a Substack post that he has built put-option positions on Oracle and has also shorted the stock over the past six months. Burry criticises Oracle’s aggressive cloud and AI expansion, arguing the company’s large data‑centre buildout and Nvidia chip purchases have driven debt to roughly $95 billion — the largest nonfinancial corporate borrower in Bloomberg’s high‑grade index. Oracle’s shares surged 36% in a single day in September on AI optimism but finished the year about 40% below that peak as costs, contract doubts and rising debt weighed on returns. Oracle recently replaced CEO Safra Catz with two executives to accelerate data‑centre rollouts and continues to prioritise Nvidia GPUs to run large AI models for customers such as OpenAI and xAI. Burry has also publicly targeted Nvidia and Palantir previously, calling Nvidia a preferred way to bet against an AI bubble. He says he avoids shorting Meta, Alphabet and Microsoft because their businesses are not pure AI plays. Key stats/points: put options + direct shorts on Oracle; ~6‑month position build; Oracle total debt ≈ $95 billion; September stock spike +36%, then ~40% off peak by year‑end. Primary keywords: Mike Burry, Oracle, put options, short, AI, Nvidia, debt, cloud.

BTCC, the long-running centralized crypto exchange, has launched its 2026 New Year Trading Festival featuring a landmark $10 million prize pool. The campaign runs in two phases; Phase 1 (Jan 4–30, 2026) includes a Futures Trading Competition with a 1.9 million USDT pool—rewards scale with trading volume—and a Profit Rate Competition awarding 100,000 USDT to top performers. Top three futures winners receive additional premium prizes: a 100g gold bar (≈15,000 USDT), 2 ETH (≈6,200 USDT), and a MacBook Pro (≈3,500 USDT). Phase 2 details will be announced later in January. The festival coincides with BTCC’s recognition as “Best Centralized Exchange – Community Choice” at the BeInCrypto 100 Awards 2025. BTCC says the campaign aims to reward its global user base as it enters 2026 with momentum; the exchange serves over 11 million users across 100+ countries. For full rules and eligibility, traders are directed to BTCC’s official website. Primary keywords: BTCC, trading festival, $10M prize pool, futures competition, USDT.

A paid 30‑second Fox News advertisement from group Investors For Transparency is urging U.S. senators to remove DeFi provisions from the Crypto Market Structure Bill (CLARITY Act). The spot encourages viewers to call a hotline and frames DeFi rules as a threat to innovation. Banking‑sector concerns driving the campaign focus on stablecoin yield products that could pull retail deposits, create regulatory arbitrage and raise systemic‑risk fears — a risk framed as material given roughly $17 trillion in U.S. bank deposits. The ad triggered pushback from DeFi figures, including Uniswap founder Hayden Adams, who criticized the campaign’s opaque backers. The CLARITY Act seeks to clarify treatment of exchanges, DAOs, liquidity pools and algorithmic protocols but has been repeatedly revised amid competing stakeholder demands. Analysts warn the ad marks an escalation of banking lobbying that could increase regulatory uncertainty, potentially causing short‑term volatility in DeFi token prices, reduced venture funding appetite for U.S. projects, and the risk of innovation moving offshore. Timing remains uncertain: the Senate Banking Committee has scheduled a markup, but midterm politics and negotiations could delay passage or prompt amendments. Key takeaways for traders: expect heightened policy‑driven volatility for DeFi and stablecoin‑linked tokens, tighter regulatory scrutiny as a bid‑ask for market structure rules, and amplified sensitivity of risk capital flows to legislative outcomes.

Bitcoin’s 1-year realized volatility has fallen to an all-time low (42%), a signal historically associated with long periods of consolidation followed by eventual new price highs. Large holders have been trimming exposure over the past year—one whale cohort reduced holdings by ~220,000 BTC—while miners face pressure as network hashrate growth stalls and breakeven costs sit around $95k–$96k. CryptoQuant and Fidelity data show long-term whale realized cost-basis at ~$39.6k and miner-cohort at ~$58.6k, keeping the current price comfortably above these levels. However, “new whales” (holdings <155 days) have a realized price near $99k and could sell on a bounce to breakeven, creating supply resistance. For traders: low realized volatility reduces short-term opportunity for large directional moves but can precede major bullish breakouts after extended consolidation. Key actionables: monitor realized volatility, cohort realized prices (especially short-aged holders), miner revenue/hashrate trends, and the $99k supply zone for potential distribution.

Injective (INJ) is positioning itself as a specialized layer-1 focused on decentralized finance, offering zero gas fees, EVM compatibility, and sub-second finality via a Tendermint-based proof-of-stake consensus. The protocol handled over $45 billion in cumulative trading volume in 2024 and supports 50+ dApps. INJ hit an all-time high of $52.75 in April 2024, later consolidating between $18–$32 with a strong support around $22. Current circulating supply is ~83.7M of a 100M max; roughly 6M INJ were burned in 2024 and the remaining ~16.3M tokens are scheduled to be released gradually through 2030. Roadmap milestones include the Volan mainnet upgrade (2025), cross-chain expansion (2026), an advanced derivatives marketplace (2027), and enterprise adoption efforts (2028–2030). Partnerships with traditional finance firms and major Asian exchanges were announced in 2025. Key drivers for INJ through 2026–2030 include broader crypto market cycles (notably the 2028 Bitcoin halving), regulatory clarity from frameworks like MiCA, tokenomics (burns and controlled emissions), and increased institutional adoption. Risks include regulatory headwinds, competition from L1 rivals (SOL, AVAX, MATIC), security incidents, and macroeconomic pressures. For traders, INJ’s catalysts are protocol upgrades, rising DEX volumes, burn cadence, and partnership-driven demand; primary technical levels to watch are support at ~$22 and the prior ATH near $52. Overall, achieving $50 by 2030 is plausible if adoption, revenue growth, and supply pressure align, but outcomes remain highly dependent on market cycles and execution.

XRP surged to $2.39 in early January and has since held support above $2, drawing attention from traders. Crypto commentator Ripple Bull Winkle (@RipBullWinkle) said the current price action — quiet accumulation and large green candles — looks like front-running ahead of a major Ripple announcement. He referenced historical patterns where XRP rallied before notable events (e.g., 2017 escrow release, 2018 MoneyGram pilot, Metaco acquisition, court ruling, RLUSD launch) and argued markets now often move ahead of news. CNBC labeled XRP the hottest trade of 2026, reinforcing trader interest. No official Ripple announcement has been made; however, continued buying and price stability above key support suggest the market is positioning for potential news. Traders should watch price action and emerging information; this article is informational and not financial advice.

Stablecoin payment cards are emerging as a major crypto theme for 2026, driven by rapid transaction growth, large funding rounds and accelerating regulatory attention. Data providers report sharp increases in stablecoin payment volumes and user activity; Rain — a Visa-backed fintech issuing stablecoin cards accepted in 150+ countries — raised $250 million at a near-$2 billion valuation, backing USDT and USDC across Ethereum, Solana, Tron and Stellar. Proponents highlight faster settlement, lower cross-border costs, instant payouts and broader dollar access in emerging markets. Bloomberg Intelligence forecasts stablecoin payments could expand at an 81% CAGR to $56.6 trillion by 2030, underlining the market opportunity. Critics caution adoption may be limited in developed markets because incumbent card networks and merchant economics (rewards, credit, exclusivity) remain strong incentives for consumers. Institutional moves — including Western Union’s plan for Solana-based stablecoin settlement and a consumer stablecoin card in early 2026 — plus regulatory proposals such as the U.S. GENIUS Act and moves in Canada and the U.K., suggest policy momentum that could reduce legal uncertainty. Implications for traders: the sector’s rising volumes, marquee funding events and clearer regulatory signals increase capital flow and sector visibility, which can lift sentiment for stablecoin rails and related tokens (e.g., SOL). However, execution risk from merchant adoption challenges and incumbent resistance introduces volatility and long-term business-model risk. Key SEO keywords: stablecoin cards, Rain funding, USDT, USDC, payments, settlement, Solana, regulation.

U.S.-listed Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded a collective net outflow of $252.09 million on January 9, 2025, marking the fourth consecutive day of outflows, per TraderT. Outflows were concentrated: BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led withdrawals with -$254.07M while Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) drew +$7.87M; Bitwise’s BITB saw a modest -$5.89M and the other eight funds were roughly neutral. Earlier, a separate data snapshot attributed smaller, widespread outflows across major crypto ETFs (Bitcoin and Ethereum) to short-term rebalancing. Analysts cite macro shifts, profit-taking after prior BTC rallies, and provider rotation driven by fees, liquidity and trust as likely drivers. Large redemptions can force authorized participants to sell spot BTC to meet redemptions, adding temporary selling pressure, but current outflows remain a small share of total assets under management and some funds are still attracting inflows, suggesting buyers persist. Traders should monitor cumulative ETF flows, correlation between ETF flows and BTC price, and volume-to-flow metrics as indicators of liquidity and potential absorption. The situation currently reads as consolidation and rebalancing rather than a structural rejection of the spot-ETF market; parallels are drawn with early gold ETF dynamics and improved flow transparency is viewed as a market positive.

U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs recorded consecutive net outflows on Jan. 8–9, totaling roughly $254.67 million across the two days. On Jan. 8 funds reported $159.94M of outflows led by BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA: $108.42M), Grayscale’s ETHE ($31.72M) and Grayscale’s Mini Trust ($12.90M), with smaller redemptions at Fidelity (FETH: $4.63M) and VanEck (ETHV: $2.27M). On Jan. 9 the withdrawals continued, totaling about $94.73M, again led by ETHA (~$84.69M) and Grayscale’s converted ETF (ETHE: ~$10.04M). Analysts attribute the selling to post‑launch profit‑taking, short‑term volatility after ETF listings, rotation into traditional yield products as macro yields rose, and arbitrage/unlocking tied to Grayscale’s conversion from a closed‑end trust. Mechanically, ETF redemptions require authorized participants to sell ETH held by funds, which can add selling pressure but remains small versus global ETH market volume; the larger effect is on market sentiment. Traders are advised to monitor daily and, more importantly, weekly/monthly net flow trends, fee and product competition among issuers, ETH price action, macro drivers (yields, risk appetite), and Ethereum fundamentals (staking, network upgrades, layer‑2 adoption) to determine whether outflows are transient profit‑taking or signal a broader institutional rotation. Keywords: Ethereum ETF, ETF flows, ETHA, ETHE, outflows.

On March 15, 2025, crypto perpetual futures across major exchanges (Binance, Bybit, OKX) triggered concentrated forced liquidations totaling roughly $112–125 million within a 24-hour window. The event hit long positions disproportionately: Bitcoin led with about $59.5M liquidated (~59–60% longs), Ethereum about $41.5M (~63–83% longs across reports), and Zcash faced outsized long liquidations (~$1.1M–$26M reported variability, with long share ~70–81%). The sell‑off was driven by high leverage (commonly 10x–25x+), routine intraday volatility (5–10% swings), elevated estimated leverage ratios (ELR) beforehand, and the mechanics of perpetuals—margin calls, automated liquidations and cascading market sales in lower‑liquidity markets. Exchanges’ risk controls (isolated vs cross margin, partial liquidations, insurance funds, ADL, oracles) prevented systemic failure, but the concentrated timing signalled fragile leverage conditions and produced short‑term selling pressure, notably in thinly traded altcoins like ZEC. For traders: reduce leverage, use conservative position sizing and stop‑losses, monitor funding rates and open interest, prefer higher‑liquidity assets and stable collateral, and be cautious trading perpetuals during volatility spikes. Primary SEO keywords: crypto liquidations, perpetual futures, Bitcoin liquidations, forced liquidations, leverage risk.

Walmart Inc. will be added to the Nasdaq-100 index on January 20, replacing AstraZeneca after Nasdaq Global Indexes announced the change. The move follows Walmart’s 2025 transfer from the NYSE to Nasdaq and could trigger roughly $19 billion of passive inflows as index-tracking funds and ETFs rebalance, according to Jefferies. Walmart’s market capitalization is approaching $1 trillion amid steady sales growth, expansion of digital operations, rising ad and membership revenue, and wider use of AI (including tools built with OpenAI). Walmart shares have returned about 146% over three years compared with AstraZeneca’s 42%. AstraZeneca’s exit reflects weaker post‑pandemic vaccine demand. The Nasdaq‑100, which excludes financials, underpins hundreds of billions in investment products (over $600B tracking the index by Dec 2025, with Invesco QQQ holding $408B). Separately, CEO Doug McMillon plans to retire in February; U.S. head John Furner will succeed him as Walmart accelerates AI integration across operations. Key implications for traders: expected large passive flows, potential re-rating of Walmart stock, and sector rotation consequences for healthcare/large-cap tech exposures.

Apeing, an upcoming token, is attracting trader attention as markets rotate away from established meme coins. The project has opened a whitelist for a capped Stage 1 allocation priced at $0.0001, with a projected listing price of $0.001. The whitelist and limited early supply are presented as mechanisms to concentrate demand, reduce dilution risk and create upside for early participants. Meanwhile Dogecoin (DOGE) and Bonk (BONK) showed modest short-term pullbacks — DOGE down ~1.3% to $0.1405 and BONK down ~1.1% to $0.00001078 — with analysts framing these moves as consolidation rather than structural weakness. The article cites research-platform comparisons that historically favor fixed early pricing and limited allocations for pre-listing outperformance. The piece is a sponsored press release and includes standard disclaimers: no guaranteed returns and encouragement for independent research.

Known technician CoinsKid warns that XRP’s 2026 bottom may be lower than current levels, predicting a potential drop to $1.14 before a renewed bullish impulse. XRP began 2026 strong, rising above $2 and briefly touching $2.41 on Jan. 6, but then fell to about $2.08 and retested $2 support. CoinsKid reviewed annual ‘bottom’ levels since 2020 and marked 2026’s bidding zone at $1.14. Using a 5-day chart, he argues the November 2024 breakout formed an Elliott Wave structure; the rally to $3.4 in Jan 2025 was Wave 1 and the current decline is Wave 2 showing an ABC correction. He says a deeper drop could reach the 1.414 Fibonacci extension (historically observed in 2015 and 2021) if XRP loses structure below $1.90. After the correction, CoinsKid forecasts a potential long-term target near $27, though he notes these calls are speculative and not financial advice. The article emphasizes technical reasons (symmetrical triangle breakout, Elliott Wave, Fibonacci levels) and frames $1.14 as a key bidding zone for traders watching XRP’s correction.

Microsoft and Stripe are integrating shopping and payments into Copilot in the U.S., allowing users to discover and buy products from merchants such as Etsy and Urban Outfitters directly inside chat. Stripe will power a secure Copilot Checkout using its Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), issuing a Shared Payment Token so buyers’ credentials remain private while merchants retain control as merchant of record. The integration also uses Stripe’s Agentic Commerce Suite to make merchant inventories discoverable to AI agents and to consolidate checkout, fraud protection, and payments through one integration. PayPal will participate to surface merchant inventory, branded checkouts and guest payments; Shopify merchants will gain Copilot Brand Agents trained on product catalogs. Stripe and Microsoft frame this as building the economic infrastructure for agentic, AI-driven commerce—an extension of prior work with OpenAI and ChatGPT Instant Checkout—aimed at scaling secure, seamless AI-led transactions for millions of merchants.

Ethereum’s staking activation queue has risen to roughly 1.76 million ETH (≈$5.5bn), producing an estimated 30‑day, 14‑hour wait for new validators to activate. The backlog is driven by strong deposit demand — including large institutional and retail staking flows — and is bounded by the Beacon Chain’s churn limit that caps daily validator activations (≈1,800 validators / ≈57,600 ETH per day). The unstaking (exit) queue is effectively empty, signaling low immediate exit pressure. For traders, the growing locked supply reduces liquid ETH available for trading, can exert upward price pressure, and reflects longer‑term holder conviction. Practical implications: prospective stakers must plan for the month‑long activation delay or use staking services and liquid staking tokens (LSTs) to access liquidity immediately. The churn limit is a deliberate safety mechanism; changing it requires community governance and protocol upgrades. Monitor queue length, deposit inflows, LST issuance/redemption activity, and validator concentration (centralization risk) for signs of shifting short‑term liquidity and sentiment. Key SEO keywords: Ethereum staking, staking queue, validator activation delay, unstaking queue, liquid staking tokens.

Asset manager VanEck released a long-horizon valuation model projecting Bitcoin (BTC) could reach roughly $2.9 million per coin by 2050 under its base-case assumptions. The firm models Bitcoin as a non-sovereign monetary asset and ties value to potential penetration in global trade settlement (5–10% in the base case) and a modest share of official reserves (~2.5%). That base case implies about a 15% compound annual growth rate from a baseline near $88,000 at end‑2025. VanEck also outlines a bear case (adoption stalls) that implies roughly $130,000 by 2050 and a bull case where BTC captures much larger shares of trade and GDP, implying an extreme upside (~$53.4 million per BTC). The report stresses structural, long-term drivers — fixed supply, institutional adoption, macro trends and reserve use — while noting substantial uncertainty around timing, regulation, capital flows and technology. For traders, the note functions as a long-term bullish valuation framework for BTC but does not provide short-term trade signals; the firm and other market commentators observe fragile near-term market conditions (declining volumes, muted inflows, supply distribution by long holders) that may favor tactical trading rather than assuming an imminent broad bull cycle.

Amazon filed plans for a single-level, 229,000-square-foot retail superstore in Orland Park, Illinois — larger than a typical Walmart Supercenter (about 179,000 sq ft). The proposed location would stock groceries, household goods, clothing and other general merchandise, include warehouse space and an order pickup area for delivery workers, and sits near Target, Costco and Trader Joe’s. Local planners approved the application and the village board will vote Jan. 19. Amazon operates physical formats including Amazon Fresh (58), Amazon Go (14) and 500+ Whole Foods stores; it sold over $100 billion in groceries to 150M+ U.S. customers in 2024. Separately, internal documents describe a pilot “rush” pickup service allowing customers to collect online or in-store inventory within 60 minutes, with tests targeted in at least one metro area by early 2026. Amazon also recently launched 30-minute Amazon Now delivery in parts of Seattle and Philadelphia. Market data from eMarketer shows U.S. click-and-collect sales are accelerating (projected $112.96B in 2025) and Walmart leads in pickup reach due to its 4,600 stores. The move signals Amazon borrowing traditional big-box retail strategies to expand physical footprint and speed up store-based fulfillment.

The article examines whether the U.S. government will begin purchasing Bitcoin for its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in 2026. Background: the Strategic Reserve was established in March 2025 to hold seized BTC, but federal purchases have not yet occurred. Despite stronger fundamentals—driven by regulations like the GENIUS Act and growing institutional trust—Bitcoin finished 2025 down 6.3%, while gold surged ~65% amid macro uncertainty. Recent events such as the MSCI exclusion noise around MicroStrategy (MSTR) paradoxically boosted confidence in digital asset trusts (DATs), and Kazakhstan’s renewed focus on Bitcoin mining highlights shifting macro incentives. Market implication: the groundwork of regulation and institutional acceptance increases the likelihood of U.S. reserve purchases, but persistent ETF outflows, price volatility and technical resistance (e.g., a challenging path to $100k) mean execution is not guaranteed. For traders: monitor on-chain custody flows, any Treasury announcements on reserve purchasing, ETF flows, and macro safe-haven rotation indicators (gold strength). Primary keywords: Bitcoin, Strategic Reserve, U.S. government, BTC. Secondary/semantic keywords: GENIUS Act, institutional demand, ETF outflows, digital asset trusts, macro uncertainty.

Binance Alpha will list CharacterX (CAI) on January 12, according to an official announcement. Eligible users can claim an airdrop using Binance Alpha points after Alpha trading opens; detailed instructions will be released later. The announcement is informational and not investment advice. Key keywords: Binance Alpha, CharacterX, CAI, airdrop, Alpha points.

Ripple Markets UK has been granted Electronic Money Institution (EMI) registration and registered under the UK Money Laundering Regulations by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The approval lets Ripple issue electronic money and provide regulated payment services in the UK, supporting its institutional Ripple Payments platform and potentially providing a regulatory framework for a USD‑pegged stablecoin (RLUSD). The FCA registration imposes explicit restrictions: Ripple Markets UK cannot serve retail consumers, micro‑enterprises or charities; cannot operate crypto ATMs; and cannot appoint agents or distributors or undertake certain retail activities without prior FCA consent. This EMI status strengthens Ripple’s regulated footprint in the UK alongside its other licenses (e.g., Singapore Major Payment Institution, New York Trust Charter) and aims to accelerate institutional adoption and cross‑border enterprise payments. Market participants should note the UK’s broader crypto regulatory roadmap: firms currently registered under Money Laundering Regulations must apply for authorization under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) during the FCA’s application window opening in September 2026; the new regime becomes effective October 2027. Ripple Markets UK will not convert automatically and must reapply for FSMA authorization or variations to continue regulated crypto activities beyond the transition — missing the FCA window will limit new regulated activity until authorised. Traders should monitor XRP for potential reaction (XRP was quoted around $2.09 at reporting) and watch developments on RLUSD issuance, FCA consent items, and Ripple’s FSMA application progress, as these carry implications for institutional liquidity and regulatory clarity in the UK payments and stablecoin space.

Tether and Circle minted a combined $3.75 billion in stablecoins this week, led by Tether’s recent 1 billion USDT mint on the Tron network. Tronscan records show the 1 billion USDT issuance occurred around six hours before publication. Tether’s transparency page reports $81.485 billion authorized USDT on Tron with $81.179 billion in net circulation, making Tron the second-largest USDT network after Ethereum. Overall Tether’s total authorized USDT supply stands near $102.7 billion (net circulation ~$100.88B). Solana and Aptos follow as smaller USDT-hosting networks. Market data (CoinGecko) lists USDT market cap at about $186.97 billion and USDC at roughly $74.85 billion. Circle’s USDC has outpaced USDT in market-cap growth in 2024–2025—USDC rose ~77% in 2024 and ~73% in 2025, while USDT grew ~50% (2024) and ~36% (2025)—a trend attributed to U.S. regulatory developments and institutional adoption, aided by the GENIUS Act and Circle’s regulated U.S. status and NYSE listing. Historical large-scale minting (e.g., a cumulative $15B during the 10/11 market crash) is noted as part of the expanding stablecoin ecosystem. Key trading implications: sizable minting increases stablecoin liquidity and can mute volatility or fund on-ramps into risk assets; regulatory positioning (US-regulated USDC vs. Tether’s El Salvador registration) continues to influence institutional preference.

Meme coins DOGE, SHIB, PEPE and BONK are leading a renewed rally in the meme-coin sector as total meme market capitalization rose over 10% to about $50.1 billion and daily trading volume climbed roughly 15% to above $4.4 billion. The surge coincides with a broader crypto market rebound—Bitcoin and Ethereum strength has restored risk appetite—and is driven by retail FOMO, large whale activity, influencer mentions, and strong community-led social media campaigns. Project-specific drivers include potential DOGE integrations tied to influential figures, Shibarium layer-2 development boosting SHIB’s ecosystem, PEPE’s viral community momentum, and BONK’s growing presence across Solana projects. Traders should note high volatility: meme coins offer rapid upside but elevated downside risk; position sizing, stop-loss discipline and exit planning are essential. Key SEO keywords: meme coins, DOGE, SHIB, PEPE, BONK, crypto rally, trading volume, market cap.

An anonymous Ethereum trader has recovered from a recent $3.5 million loss and recorded over $208 million in cumulative profits after swing trading ETH on Hyperliquid since late 2023. The trader primarily used over-the-counter (OTC) executions to reduce market impact and now holds roughly $125 million in staked ETH (stETH) and $350.5 million in USDC. Hyperliquid, a decentralized perpetual exchange built on its own Layer 1 with zero gas fees and up to 50x leverage, enabled high-leverage positions that amplified both gains and losses. The report highlights the trader’s use of leverage and OTC markets, a diversified pocket of stETH and USDC to manage risk, and the high-risk, high-reward nature of trading on decentralized leveraged venues.

A new analyst report finds Bitcoin mining now sources over 50% of its electricity from renewables (solar, wind, hydro) and is increasingly used to monetise otherwise curtailed or wasted clean power. Analyst Daniel Batten says miners absorb excess generation, shortening payback periods for solar and wind projects from roughly eight years to about 3.5 years and reducing grid-connection queues. Large firms and utilities — including Deutsche Telekom and Tepco — are deploying or experimenting with mining to monetise surplus renewable output. Reported public benefits include district heating from mining waste heat (Marathon Digital reportedly supplies heat to about 80,000 people in Finland), off-grid electrification in Africa through projects such as Gridless Compute, and support for conservation efforts like anti-poaching in Virunga National Park. The analysis challenges common criticisms of Bitcoin mining’s environmental impact, noting Bitcoin ranks 23rd in global electricity consumption but 59th in greenhouse-gas emissions versus national emitters (University of Cambridge data). The report argues green BTC mining reduces renewable curtailment, improves project economics, attracts industrial players, and can fund climate-tech and niche renewable development (for example reviving ocean thermal concepts) without expensive grid links. For traders: implications include improving ESG narratives around BTC, potential increase in institutional participation, and reputational and regulatory tailwinds that could support demand — factors likely to be gradually bullish for BTC fundamentals even if short-term price effects may be muted.

Circle reported net USDC outflows over the seven days ending Jan 8, with about $5.4 billion minted and $5.7 billion redeemed, cutting circulating USDC by roughly 300 million tokens to ~74.9 billion. Earlier data for the seven days ending Dec 11 showed net issuance (≈5.8B minted vs ≈5.3B redeemed), leaving circulation near 78.5B then. Circle now reports USDC reserves at about $75.0 billion, allocated mainly to overnight reverse repo Treasury repos (~$50.7B), short-term Treasuries under three months (~$13.7B), deposits at systemically important banks (~$9.9B) and other bank deposits (~$0.7B). These figures reflect short-term fluctuations in stablecoin supply and reserve composition rather than changes to USDC’s redemption mechanics. For traders: the week-over-week swing from net issuance in December to net redemptions in January signals shifting stablecoin liquidity that can affect funding rates, exchange balances and short-term trading liquidity. This is market information, not investment advice.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued no-action relief to Bitnomial, a provider of event contracts, resolving regulatory uncertainty over whether certain event-based digital contracts fall under federal commodity rules. The relief indicates the CFTC staff will not recommend enforcement action if Bitnomial offers specified event contracts under defined conditions. The decision centers on how event contracts—binary or outcome-based contracts tied to real-world events—are treated relative to swaps and commodities law. The relief includes compliance conditions and limitations intended to prevent evasion of CFTC regulation, such as delineated contract terms, participant protections, and reporting or record-keeping expectations. This move provides regulatory clarity for other platforms offering similar event contracts, reducing legal risk and potentially encouraging product development and market participation. Market participants and derivatives platforms should note the CFTC’s focus on substance over form and on preventing regulatory arbitrage. Traders may see increased liquidity and new instruments in OTC and platform markets if other firms follow Bitnomial’s model and seek similar relief.

South Korea has announced plans to enable a spot Bitcoin ETF by 2026 as part of its 2026 Economic Growth Strategy and will pass a Digital Asset Second-Phase Act this year to create a legal framework for spot crypto ETFs. The legislation will introduce stablecoin rules, issuer licensing, capital requirements, cross-border transfer controls and custody/issuance frameworks intended to expand regulated institutional access to crypto. Seoul is also exploring rules to permit up to 25% of certain treasury or public funds to be allocated to digital assets by 2030, and is considering amendments to the Bank of Korea Act and Treasury Administration Act to legalize blockchain-based payments, settlements and the potential use of crypto wallets for government transactions. Recent policy shifts include easing venture-capital access for crypto firms, examining deposit tokens backed by commercial bank deposits, and growing institutional activity such as Binance’s acquisition of Korean exchange Gopax and ongoing local listings. The government cited US and Hong Kong spot-ETF precedents in shaping its approach. Key uncertainties remain on the exact ETF launch timing, approved asset scope (currently focused on Bitcoin), custody rules, taxation and implementation details. For traders: a South Korea spot Bitcoin ETF could broaden institutional demand and onshore liquidity, while stablecoin and custody rules may support product development — but market impact will depend on specifics and timing.

Cardano (ADA) has struggled to regain momentum, trading in a tight $0.38–$0.41 range with muted volatility despite occasional bullish technical signals. Analysts cite slow ecosystem growth, late-stage catalysts, and market rotation toward real-world utility projects as reasons capital is flowing away from ADA. The article highlights Remittix — a PayFi cross-border payments project — as an example of a utility-focused alternative gaining traction: it claims $28.6M raised, planned listings on BitMart and LBank, a PAYFI wallet on Apple/Google stores, 40,000+ active holders, and a platform release scheduled for February 9. Traders are being drawn to payment solutions that promise lower remittance costs, multi-fiat support, and live product testing, while Cardano’s smart-contract and dApp development is described as slow and insufficient to attract near-term flows. Key takeaways for traders: ADA faces downside risk if market risk aversion returns or if money continues rotating to active utility projects; Remittix and similar payment-oriented tokens may see speculative interest ahead of product launches and exchange listings.

Three masked, armed men entered a residence in Manosque, France, restrained a woman and stole a USB drive reported to contain cryptocurrency. The victim escaped unharmed within minutes and alerted police. Local criminal investigators and the regional national police division opened an investigation; authorities have not disclosed the cryptocurrency type, amount stolen or suspect identities. The case is being treated as a targeted robbery focused on digital-asset storage, with evidence collection and follow-up inquiries ongoing. Traders should note the increasing frequency of physical attacks aimed at crypto holders and hardware or portable-storage devices. Key operational-security takeaways: secure hardware wallets, avoid storing plain private keys on portable media, use offline backups and distributed custody, and report suspicious approaches seeking private keys or seed phrases.