Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Crypto markets lost about $120 billion this week after January’s recovery stalled. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $729 million in outflows on Tuesday and Wednesday, reversing earlier inflows of over $1 billion and coinciding with Bitcoin sliding from ~$94,500 to ~$90,000 (a drop of ~5%, about $4,500). Growing odds of a Federal Reserve rate pause on 29 January (now ~86.7%) — with upcoming jobs and inflation data on 9 and 14 January — weakened risk appetite and weighed on crypto prices. Major altcoins fell harder: XRP dropped ~14% from $2.40 to $2.00, testing the $2 support and the 50-day moving average (a break could target $1.80). Ethereum fell ~6%, from $3,300 to $3,000; a bullish breakout would target $3,600, while a break below $2,900 would signal further downside. The altcoin season index rose from 25 to 57, suggesting short-term rebound potential despite the mid-week pullback. Key drivers: paused institutional demand via ETF flows, Fed rate expectations, and short-term technical levels for BTC, ETH and XRP.

The article calculates theoretical prices for 1 XRP if Ripple’s market capitalization matched that of Bitcoin, silver (XAG) or Apple (AAPL). Using a circulating supply of 60.67 billion XRP, the piece estimates: BTC’s $1.79 trillion market cap would imply about $29.50 per XRP; silver’s $4.068 trillion market cap implies roughly $67.00 per XRP; and Apple’s $4.021 trillion market cap implies about $66.27 per XRP. The article reviews XRP’s 2025 performance — a mid-year peak at $3.65, a year-end close at $1.84, and market-cap moves from a $216.69 billion peak down to $111.6 billion — and notes XRP’s current market cap of $121.1 billion. It highlights continued bullish commentary despite 2025 losses and includes a standard investment disclaimer. Primary keywords: XRP price, market cap, Bitcoin market cap, Apple market cap, silver market cap.

xAI reported a $1.46 billion net loss for Q3 (quarter ended Sept. 30, 2025), widening from about $1.0 billion earlier as the company accelerates spending on AI R&D, infrastructure and robotics. Revenue nearly doubled sequentially to roughly $107 million and gross profit rose to about $63 million, but EBITDA was deeply negative at around $2.4 billion through September. Management says current priorities are speeding development of AI agents and software (including an internal “Macrohard” project) intended to support Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot and other products. xAI is burning close to $1 billion per month and spent $7.8 billion in cash in the first nine months of 2025 while building a 2‑gigawatt “Colossus” data centre in Memphis. The company raised a $20 billion equity round valuing xAI at about $230 billion (and has raised at least $40 billion in equity overall) with investors that include Nvidia, Valour Equity Partners and the Qatar Investment Authority; executives say the recent funding is being deployed rapidly to finance expansion. Grok — xAI’s chatbot — is integrated with X and some Tesla vehicles; SpaceX holds a stake and xAI has invested in Tesla Megapack batteries. Leadership changes include a new CFO, Anthony Armstrong. Despite heavy cash burn and large stock-based compensation, management maintains revenue-growth targets and says current funding should underwrite spending for at least a year. Key takeaways for crypto traders: large fundraising and close ties to Nvidia and sovereign capital may underpin tech partnerships and infrastructure deals, but heavy losses and aggressive cash burn raise execution and financing risks that can affect market sentiment toward tokens or equities tied to the Musk ecosystem.

A hacker exploited the Truebit token (TRU) ecosystem, draining roughly $26.6 million worth of ether and forcing TRU’s price down about 99.9%. The attacker liquidated assets and moved funds through multiple addresses and decentralized exchanges. Trading liquidity for TRU evaporated, severely impacting holders and triggering large sell pressure. The incident follows a pattern of smart-contract and bridge-related exploits that rapidly collapse token prices and market confidence. Key figures: $26.6 million in ether stolen, TRU price collapse ~99.9%. Immediate effects include halted liquidity, panic selling, and likely token delistings or contract freezes. For traders, the event underscores acute smart-contract risk, potential contagion to small-cap tokens, and the importance of monitoring on-chain alerts, liquidity pools, and multisig controls before taking positions.

Truebit disclosed a security breach after attackers exploited a pricing-logic bug in an on-chain contract (0x764C64b2A09b09Acb100B80d8c505Aa6a0302EF2), allowing free minting via getPurchasePrice[uint256] returning zero for unusually large requests. On-chain trackers estimate the exploit drained about 8,535 ETH (≈ $26–26.5M). Attack transactions include a labelled “Attack” call; funds were consolidated into a primary address and roughly half routed through Tornado Cash. The team warned users not to interact with the affected contract, said it is working with law enforcement and will post updates, but has not published a full technical postmortem or compensation plan. Market reaction was severe: TRU’s on-chain price collapsed (over 60% intraday in early reports, later tracked as >99% on some metrics). For traders: expect heightened volatility, potential delistings or withdrawal limits on exchanges, and increased scrutiny of protocols that expose off-chain computation or complex bonding-curve mechanics. Primary keywords: Truebit, TRU, Ethereum exploit, smart contract bug, 8,535 ETH, Tornado Cash, on-chain security.

Asset manager VanEck projects Bitcoin (BTC) could reach $2.9 million by 2050 in a base-case scenario where BTC becomes a settlement currency for 5–10% of international trade and 5% of domestic trade and central banks hold roughly 2.5% of reserves in Bitcoin. Analysts Matthew Sigel and Patrick Bush derive the $2.9M target from a 15% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and estimate BTC would represent about 1.66% of global financial assets under these assumptions. VanEck frames Bitcoin as a long-duration hedge against monetary debasement and sovereign-debt-system risks driven by global liquidity expansion. The firm also outlines a bear case (2% CAGR → ~$130k by 2050) and a bull case (20% CAGR → ~$52.4M by 2050). The report notes existing trade-usage examples in sanctioned countries (Venezuela, Iran, Russia) but limited adoption among G7 economies; using VanEck’s model, a 5–10% settlement share would put BTC near the British pound’s current trade-settlement footprint. The analysts’ assumptions and growth rates differ from VanEck’s earlier models of sovereign BTC reserves. Key takeaways for traders: the projection is scenario-driven and sensitive to adoption and reserve-allocation assumptions; it reinforces a long-term bullish narrative but includes wide outcome ranges, implying significant model risk and the potential for high volatility should policy or adoption trends change.

Bank of America upgraded Coinbase (COIN) to a buy rating and set a $340 target, implying roughly 38% upside from recent levels. The upgrade cites accelerated product development, a cheaper valuation after a roughly 40% pullback from 2024 highs, and strategic expansion beyond trading into tokenization, stocks/ETFs, and prediction markets. Key growth drivers highlighted are Coinbase’s Base Layer‑2 network on Ethereum and the potential for a future native token, plus the Tokenize product that bundles issuance, custody and compliance for real‑world asset tokenization. BofA frames Coinbase as moving toward an “everything exchange” with broader cross‑sell opportunities and larger total addressable market, and notes a potentially more favorable U.S. regulatory outlook as an additional tailwind. Risks include renewed competition if Binance re‑enters the U.S. market and downside from further crypto price corrections. The bank’s view complements a recent Goldman Sachs buy call that observed crypto stocks trade at discounts after 2025 pullbacks. For traders, the upgrade signals analyst conviction in Coinbase’s product roadmap and tokenization strategy, suggesting medium‑term upside if execution and macro/regulatory conditions remain supportive, while short‑term volatility and sector risk remain significant.

Bloomberg Intelligence projects stablecoin payment flows could rise from $2.9 trillion in 2025 to $56.6 trillion by 2030, implying an 81% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Growth drivers include increased institutional adoption, nation-state frameworks for stablecoins, and demand from countries seeking protection against inflation and economic instability. Tether (USDT) remains dominant for centralized finance payments and savings, while Circle’s USDC leads in decentralized finance transaction volume — USDC recorded $18.3 trillion in 2025 versus USDT’s $13.3 trillion. Together they accounted for over 95% of a record $33 trillion transaction volume last year. Market capitalization favors USDT ($186.9B) over USDC ($74.9B), and the overall stablecoin market sits around $312B. Bloomberg noted that on-chain volume share for decentralized platforms fell despite total stablecoin flows rising 81% year-on-year in 2025. Regulatory momentum — including moves by the US, Canada and the UK to adopt stablecoin frameworks — and institutional projects (e.g., Western Union, MoneyGram, Zelle adopting stablecoin settlement solutions, with Western Union targeting Solana in H1 2026) are cited as key enablers. If realized, this scale-up would position stablecoins as a major global payments tool, reshaping cross-border settlement and remittances.

Masked assailants in France forced entry into a private residence, tied up a woman and stole a USB device reported to contain cryptocurrency wallet data. Police launched an investigation and are treating the incident as a targeted robbery given the apparent focus on digital-asset storage. No public figures or exchange platforms were named. Authorities warned the public to secure hardware wallets and to report suspicious approaches that could be attempts to obtain private keys or seed phrases. The incident highlights rising physical risks to crypto holders who store wallet access on portable devices and underscores the importance of hardware wallet best practices, offline backups, and distributed custody.

The Zcash Foundation issued a statement after the Electric Coin Company (ECC) team formed a new Zcash company, stressing that Zcash is an open‑source, decentralized protocol not controlled by any single organization. The Foundation confirmed the mainnet continues to operate normally—blocks are being produced, transactions are settling, and user funds and privacy remain secure. It reiterated its core mission: sustain protocol development, fund independent research and engineering, support infrastructure and governance decentralization, and advocate for privacy. The statement distinguishes organizational changes at ECC from network health, noting the protocol’s resilience is maintained by a global community of independent node operators, miners, developers, researchers and organizations. Aimed at reassuring users and markets, the message emphasizes continuity, transparency and that the operational decentralization of Zcash is proven and uninterrupted.

Ripple has outlined stablecoin yield opportunities that many users overlook, focusing on how holders can earn returns beyond basic custodial interest. The article explains pathways such as liquidity provision, staking-like programs, and institutional yield products that interact with stablecoins. Ripple stresses the importance of understanding counterparty risk, smart-contract risk, and regulatory considerations when pursuing higher yields. It also highlights that rates vary widely by platform and product type, and that opportunities often require familiarity with decentralized finance (DeFi) mechanisms or institutional-grade services. The piece urges traders to weigh yield against liquidity, security, and compliance, and recommends due diligence: vet counterparties, examine smart-contract audits, and monitor changing market and regulatory conditions. Key takeaways for traders: stablecoin yield strategies can boost returns but carry distinct operational and systemic risks; choose products that match risk tolerance and time horizon; and maintain liquidity for rapid market moves.

Electric Coin Company (ECC), the principal development team behind Zcash, has resigned from the nonprofit Bootstrap following a governance dispute. ECC CEO Josh Swihart said a board majority at Bootstrap created a “clear misalignment” with Zcash’s mission and changed employment terms, making it impossible for the team to operate with integrity. ECC plans to form a new company with the same developers and continue maintaining the Zcash protocol, which they say remains technically unaffected. Bootstrap disputes ECC’s account, saying the disagreement centers on legal and fiduciary concerns tied to a proposed transaction to privatize the Zashi wallet; the board warns certain deal structures could expose the nonprofit and donors to legal and political risk under US nonprofit law. Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox separated the organizational fight from network operations, reassuring users the open-source protocol is secure. The dispute has moved markets: ZEC experienced significant volatility after the departures were announced—initial drops of roughly 13–22% were reported as some traders feared developers were abandoning the protocol, followed by partial recoveries after ECC said the team would continue development and announced a new wallet project, CashZ. Derivatives positioning showed increased bullish exposure on platforms such as Binance. Key named figures include Josh Swihart (ECC), Zaki Manian, Christina Garman, Alan Fairless and Michelle Lai (Bootstrap board members), and Zooko Wilcox (Zcash founder). Primary keywords: Zcash, Electric Coin Company, Bootstrap, governance, ZEC. Secondary keywords: Zashi, CashZ, wallet privatization, developer exit, market reaction.

Former President Donald Trump has publicly declined to grant a presidential pardon to Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), the convicted founder of collapsed crypto exchange FTX. Trump told the New York Times he will not use clemency to reduce SBF’s 25‑year prison sentence, closing off a political pathway SBF’s legal team and family had pursued. Speculation over a possible pardon had been closely watched by market participants because executive clemency could have abruptly removed legal uncertainty around FTX’s collapse, affecting bankruptcy, restitution and creditor recoveries. With Trump’s denial, the legal process is expected to continue without presidential intervention, keeping focus on bankruptcy proceedings, civil suits, and restitution efforts that will determine creditor recoveries and long-term market implications. Primary keywords: Sam Bankman-Fried, presidential pardon, FTX collapse. Secondary/semantic keywords: clemency, bankruptcy proceedings, restitution, creditor recovery, legal uncertainty.

Asian currencies traded in narrow ranges as markets waited for the US nonfarm payrolls report, a key catalyst for dollar moves and Fed policy expectations. The US Dollar Index (DXY) rose for a third session, applying broad pressure on emerging-market and Asian currencies. Traders stayed cautious—squaring positions and keeping volatility compressed—ahead of potential directional moves from payrolls composition (wage growth, participation). The notable exception was the onshore Chinese yuan (CNY), which strengthened after China’s CPI rose 0.7% year-on-year versus a 0.4% forecast. The People’s Bank of China set a firmer daily midpoint, supporting the yuan alongside trade surplus inflows and incremental stimulus. Regional central banks (Japan, South Korea) reiterated readiness to intervene to curb disorderly moves. Macro divergence—resilient US consumption and a tight labor market versus recovering Asian economies—remains the dominant driver. Short-term: market volatility likely to spike after payrolls, dictating near-term FX and risk flows. Medium-to-long term: policy divergence and valuation dynamics could keep dollar support but create selective opportunities in Asian assets if US growth softens. Key figures: China CPI +0.7% YoY (consensus +0.4%); DXY ~105.20; expected US payrolls ~200k (upcoming).

Research from Daniel Batten, Willy Woo and the Digital Assets Research Institute (DARI) finds 56.7% of Bitcoin (BTC) hashrate is now powered by sustainable energy, up from roughly 34% in 2021. The authors argue mining acts as an immediate buyer for renewable projects stuck in long grid-connection queues, shortening payback periods and improving project economics. Miners provide flexible demand that helps stabilize grids with variable solar and wind output. Practical reuses of mining energy include district heating and greenhouse heat (example: Marathon’s Finland project supplying heat for ~80,000 residents) and funding or reviving sidelined renewables research such as ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). The sector is also capturing and monetizing waste gases — consuming landfill methane, flare gas and other emissions — so some operations run carbon-negative; Batten estimates carbon-negative mining offsets about 7% of Bitcoin network emissions. The analysis frames BTC mining as an accelerator for grid-scale renewables, off-grid electrification in parts of Africa through “Gridless Compute,” heat substitution away from fossil fuels, and industrial decarbonisation. Key figures: 56.7% sustainable energy share, ~34% in 2021, and ~7% of network emissions offset by carbon-negative mining. For traders: this strengthens Bitcoin’s ESG narrative, may improve miner cost curves where renewable-heavy operations lower effective energy costs, and could influence miner behavior, regional hashrate distribution and narrative-driven flows in BTC markets.

Ripple is testing Amazon Web Services’ Bedrock generative AI to automate and dramatically speed log analysis for the XRP Ledger (XRPL). Engineers previously spent two to three days inspecting C++-generated node and system logs to find performance bottlenecks or bugs; Bedrock aims to reduce that to minutes, enabling faster detection of network issues and quicker incident response across XRPL’s distributed node infrastructure. The initiative is presented alongside other XRPL developments — Smart Escrow Devnet upgrades, the Multi-Purpose Token (MPT) standard, and exploration of quantum-resistant Dilithium cryptography — signalling broader efforts to prepare XRPL for higher throughput, complex smart-contract activity and enterprise use. For traders, the integration suggests stronger operational resilience and faster recovery from outages or performance degradations, which could improve reliability during spikes in transaction volume and support institutional adoption. Details on scope, timeline and production rollout remain limited, but AWS Bedrock integration represents a notable AI-driven efficiency improvement for XRPL’s engineering operations.

Following Lighter’s 2025 token generation event, attention has shifted to perpetual contract decentralized exchanges (Perp DEXes) that have high on-chain trading activity but have not yet issued tokens. Using the past 30 days of perp volume from DefiLlama, SoSoValue and CryptoRank, the article highlights 23 high-volume Perp DEX projects that could be candidates for token launches in 2026. Top names by 30-day perp volume include EdgeX (~$91.0B), GRVT (~$35.7B), Paradex (~$30.2B), Extended (~$29.3B), Pacifica (~$17.8B), Reya (~$14.6B), Trade.xyz (~$11.7B), Nado (~$10.3B) and Variational (~$9.65B). Many listed projects are built on StarkEx/Starknet, Arbitrum, Hyperliquid, Solana, ZKsync Validium, Sui and Aptos. Several projects have institutional funding (e.g., Amber Group, Paradigm, Coinbase Ventures, Dragonfly, Sequoia) and feature CEX-like performance, order-book matching, cross-margin, privacy layers, real-world asset exposure, and low-latency execution. The article notes many have incentive/points programs and real user activity that could justify future token models. Data sources: DefiLlama, SoSoValue, CryptoRank. For traders, the list signals where pre-TGE liquidity and user engagement are concentrated and identifies protocol names that may generate token airdrops, liquidity events, or narrative-driven flows in 2026.

Perplexity has launched "Perplexity for Public Safety," an enterprise AI service tailored to law enforcement and public safety agencies. The offering emphasizes enterprise-grade security, compliance, and fast, trustworthy information support across workflows from on-scene response to courtroom evidence. Qualified institutions can access Perplexity Enterprise Pro free for 12 months for up to 200 accounts. Perplexity positions this as the first AI enterprise product customized for the policing sector, enabling agencies to use high-quality AI models to assist operational and judicial decision-making.

Colombia’s tax authority DIAN issued Resolution 000240 requiring crypto exchanges, intermediaries and trading platforms to collect and report detailed user and transaction data under rules aligned with the OECD’s Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF). Covered assets include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and stablecoins; central bank digital currencies are excluded. Service providers must implement due diligence, automated data sharing with foreign tax authorities, and report account ownership, beneficial owners, transaction volumes and fair market values. Transfers over $50,000 are treated as reportable retail transactions. Penalties for late, incomplete or incorrect filings range from 0.5% to 1% of the transaction value. Reporting obligations start for the 2026 tax year, with the first mass filings due May 2027. The move aims to boost tax transparency and international information exchange, and aligns Colombia with global CARF standards.

Morph, an Ethereum Layer-2 (L2) scaling solution incubated by crypto exchange Bitget, has launched a $150 million accelerator program targeting startups building real-world on-chain payment applications. The program requires applicants to have an existing product and the operational ability to launch measurable activities and report progress. Morph uses optimistic rollup technology to lower fees and increase transaction speed, aiming to make micro-payments and frequent transactions viable. Backed by Bitget’s liquidity and user base, the fund seeks to accelerate merchant gateways, cross-border remittances, subscription payments, gig-economy payouts and DeFi payment integrations. Industry observers view the dedicated payments funding as a sign of maturation in crypto infrastructure, favoring projects with proven products. The accelerator could speed commercialization and adoption, with typical cohort cycles of 3–6 months. Morph’s focused approach contrasts with broader L2 initiatives from Optimism, Arbitrum and Polygon, and the effort underscores exchanges’ growing role in funding ecosystem infrastructure. The program is positioned to tackle regulatory, security and product-development costs necessary for real-world payment systems; its success may increase transaction volume on Morph and drive on-chain payment utility.

Apeing ($APEING) is driving renewed focus on whitelist-based launches as meme coins shift from pure hype to structured, community-led strategies. The article highlights five meme tokens to watch in 2026: APEING (whitelist Stage 1 with a projected entry price of $0.0001 and listing target of $0.001), FLOKI (multi-chain utility in gaming, NFTs and DeFi education), APEMARS (ERC‑20, mission-driven narrative with whitelist access), Fartcoin (FARTCOIN; humor-led community engagement on ERC standards), and Brett (BRETT; Base-native token leveraging Coinbase’s layer-2). Whitelist mechanics are presented as tools to reduce bot activity, improve allocation fairness, and attract higher-quality holders. The piece frames spring seasonality as supportive for retail activity and on-chain engagement, and positions early whitelist access as a strategic entry for traders seeking prioritized allocation and lower launch volatility. Note: this is a sponsored press release and not investment advice.

Temple Digital Group has launched a private, non‑custodial institutional trading platform built on the permissioned Canton Network. The venue uses a central limit order book with price‑time priority, sub‑second matching and continuous 24/7 trading of major cryptocurrencies and stablecoins between approved counterparties while participants retain custody of their assets. Key features include confidential, atomic settlements via Canton, execution monitoring, transaction cost analysis, built‑in compliance tools (transaction reporting, audit trails, identity checks) and aggregated liquidity to reduce slippage on large orders. The platform targets asset managers, market makers, hedge funds and family offices and is already onboarding institutional participants; Temple Digital plans to add tokenized equities and commodities by 2026. The launch leverages growing institutional adoption of the Canton Network — developed by Digital Asset — which is being used in tokenized money‑market funds, on‑chain U.S. Treasury financing pilots, DTCC pilots and JPM Coin integrations. Canton’s native token has seen notable price gains recently. For traders, the product could attract more institutional flow, deepen off‑exchange liquidity for large trades, and offer a venue with lower counterparty custody risk; risks include achieving deep sustained liquidity, regulatory fragmentation across jurisdictions and scaling to real‑world volumes. Primary keywords: institutional trading, Canton Network, non‑custodial venue, tokenized assets.

Remitly and Coins.ph have formed a strategic partnership to deploy a stablecoin-powered remittance rail enabling near-instant, low-cost transfers to the Philippines. The integration lets Remitly route funds from its global network (over 170 countries; ~8.9 million quarterly active users) through Coins.ph’s regulated local infrastructure. The service converts incoming USD or CAD into stablecoins for fast on‑chain settlement, then converts to PHP for delivery into a recipient’s Coins.ph PHP e-wallet or linked bank account. The move targets major send corridors — notably the US and Canada, which represent roughly 45% of remittances to the Philippines and where an estimated four million overseas Filipino workers reside. Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhou emphasized stablecoins’ role as critical infrastructure for lowering costs and speeding transfers; Remitly’s VP Gene Nigro highlighted the partnership’s mission to increase value to recipient families. Both firms are licensed and regulated in their jurisdictions; Coins.ph is BSP-licensed as a virtual asset marketplace and mobile wallet. The rollout positions stablecoins as an operational rail for remittances, promising faster settlement, lower fees, and wider financial access for Filipino recipients.

Optimism Foundation has proposed routing 50% of incoming Superchain sequencer revenue into systematic OP token buybacks during a 12-month pilot. The Superchain — an expanding set of OP Stack layer‑2 networks (including OP Mainnet, Base, Unichain, World Chain, Ink, Soneium and others) — has routed sequencer fees to the governance treasury, totaling about 5,868 ETH over the past 12 months. If approved in a Jan. 22 governance vote, buybacks would begin in February and be executed to limit market disruption; purchased tokens would return to the Collective treasury for later governance-determined uses (burn, staking rewards, ecosystem incentives). Governance would retain control over buyback parameters. The proposal reframes OP from a primarily governance token to one more directly tied to Superchain activity; the Superchain now captures over 60% of L2 fee market share and about 13% of on‑chain transactions. OP has declined sharply from prior highs (roughly down ~87% year‑over‑year and >90% from its 2024 peak). The buyback policy aims to create sustained token demand while preserving treasury capital for operations and growth. Community discussion and leadership calls are scheduled prior to the vote — traders should watch the governance outcome, buyback cadence, and execution mechanics for potential direct price effects and impacts on circulating supply and liquidity.

Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes said he expects Bitcoin and certain altcoins to experience substantial price rallies. Hayes attributed potential upside to macroeconomic conditions, increased institutional interest, and structural factors affecting crypto liquidity. He highlighted Bitcoin (BTC) as the primary beneficiary, arguing that monetary policy trends and growing demand for digital scarcity could drive sharp BTC appreciation. Hayes also named select cryptocurrencies — those with strong use cases or supply dynamics — as likely to outperform, though he warned of episodic volatility. His remarks blend macro analysis with on-chain and market-structure observations, urging traders to watch liquidity, derivatives open interest, and macro indicators before positioning. The commentary serves as a bullish outlook tied to macro tailwinds but advises caution given crypto’s historic volatility.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded multi-day net outflows, with combined withdrawals accelerating over January 7–8. On Jan 7, funds posted a roughly $487 million net outflow led by Fidelity’s FBTC (-$247.6M) and BlackRock’s IBIT (-$130.8M). On Jan 8 the outflow trend continued, with an additional ~$400 million withdrawn; BlackRock’s IBIT (-$194.6M), Fidelity’s FBTC (-$120.5M) and Grayscale’s GBTC (-$73.1M) were the largest contributors. Smaller funds such as ARKB and Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust recorded modest outflows, while Bitwise’s BITB and WisdomTree’s BTCW showed minor inflows. Analysts attribute the withdrawals to profit-taking after recent rallies, rotation toward lower-fee ETFs (notably away from GBTC), equity-market volatility and shifting rate expectations. Large ETF redemptions typically force authorized participants to sell spot BTC to return cash, creating short-term selling pressure on Bitcoin. However, daily flows are noisy for newly launched ETFs and can reflect portfolio rebalancing and fee-driven rotation rather than a sustained trend. Traders should monitor multi-day net flows, fee-driven fund rotations, spot-market liquidity and broader risk sentiment to determine whether this is a short-term correction or the start of a larger downtrend.

U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs recorded significant net outflows across consecutive days, totaling $159.94 million on January 8, 2026, according to Trader T. Large issuers led withdrawals: BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) accounted for $108.42M, Grayscale’s ETHE $31.72M and Grayscale’s Mini Trust $12.90M. Smaller outflows hit Fidelity’s FETH ($4.63M) and VanEck’s ETHV ($2.27M). Earlier reporting (mid-2024) noted a smaller $72.11M one-day outflow after initial post-launch volatility. Analysts attribute the recent selling to profit-taking following post-listing rallies, rising yields and broader macro pressure, portfolio rebalancing, and competition from DeFi yield products. Mechanically, ETF redemptions require authorized participants to sell ETH from fund inventories, which can add selling pressure on spot ETH but remains small relative to global ETH trading volume; the larger effect is on investor sentiment. Traders should treat these flows as a short-term liquidity and sentiment signal rather than proof of structural demand decline. Actionable monitoring items: multi-day and weekly/monthly flow trends, AUM trajectories, fee competition among issuers, on-chain activity and staking metrics, and spot-price reactions. Short-term implications include transient downward pressure on ETH price and heightened volatility; long-term normalization is possible as ETF AUM grows and flows stabilize, mirroring early U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF behaviour.

Useless Coin (USELESS) fell more than 12% in 24 hours after breaking an ascending trendline that had held since early January. The memecoin failed to sustain a $0.12 resistance and technical indicators turned bearish: MACD showed weak bearish momentum and the Money Flow Index dropped from 77 to 35, signalling capital outflows. On-chain data showed institutional selling pressure — Wintermute moved ~$131K and Coinbase moved over $500K of USELESS to hot wallets, likely for sale, while Kraken moved ~$194K to cold storage (accumulation). Open interest plunged from $40M to $33M and 24h trading volume fell from $122M to $82M, indicating falling derivatives activity and liquidity. CoinGlass max-pain levels suggest a potential short squeeze if price returns to $0.1242, but a break below $0.1020 could intensify losses. Overall, mixed institutional flows, declining OI and volume, and a breached trendline point to a near-term pause or pullback, though a rally continuation remains possible if buying returns. Keywords: USELESS, memecoin, institutional selling, open interest, trading volume, trendline break.

Florida Representative John Snyder introduced House Bill 1039 to establish a Florida Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve as a special fund outside the State Treasury. The proposal targets large-cap crypto — effectively Bitcoin (BTC) today — by requiring a 24‑month average market capitalization of at least $500 billion for eligibility. The reserve would be managed and custodied by the state Chief Financial Officer (CFO), who may hire third‑party custodians, technology vendors and liquidity providers, use derivatives, and form a five‑member advisory committee chaired by the CFO. Funding sources include legislative appropriations, dedicated revenues, investment earnings, and crypto acquisitions (including forks and airdrops). If enacted, the bill would take effect July 1, 2026 and is the House companion to Senate Bill 1038 currently under committee review. Snyder’s plan continues prior 2024–2025 Florida efforts to allocate public funds or pension assets toward Bitcoin; earlier bills failed. If passed, Florida would join states such as Arizona, New Hampshire and Texas that have created strategic Bitcoin reserves. Key trading takeaways: the $500B market‑cap threshold explicitly narrows eligibility to Bitcoin for now; the measure centralizes custody and decision‑making with the CFO; and potential legislative appropriations or dedicated revenue streams could lead to direct state BTC purchases, a factor traders should monitor for demand-side impacts.