Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Fireblocks policy director Dea Markova told 99Bitcoins that after 2025’s momentum in crypto policy and institutional projects, 2026 should be a “rollout year” focused on product launches and infrastructure-driven growth. Markova expects rule-making and implementation — not headlines — to dominate, with increased institutional digital-asset projects, higher transaction volumes (notably stablecoin transfers), and attention on ledgers that support privacy and large-scale distribution. The article cites bullish Davos comments from industry figures — Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse predicted new all-time highs, BlackRock’s Larry Fink called for blockchain upgrades to reduce fees and corruption, and UBS signalled private-banking crypto offerings. The piece warns geopolitical tensions and macro risk (including US politics) will keep price volatility tied to risk appetite, but overall anticipates constructive regulatory clarity, cross-border alignment on compliant stablecoins and increased product rollouts that could drive trading volumes and institutional participation in 2026.

MicroStrategy disclosed a fresh purchase of 2,932 BTC for about $264.1 million, at an average price near $90,061 per BTC, executed last week when Bitcoin traded above $90,000. The buy follows an earlier, larger acquisition the prior week of 22,305 BTC for over $2.1 billion. MicroStrategy’s cumulative treasury now stands at 712,647 BTC with a total spend of roughly $54.19 billion and an aggregate average acquisition cost of about $76,037 per BTC. At current spot prices below $88,000, the holding’s market value is about $62.3 billion. The company — historically led by Michael Saylor — has continued regular, large-scale weekly accumulations, signaling sustained institutional demand and corporate treasury diversification into Bitcoin. MicroStrategy’s stock saw volatility amid the recent market correction but has recovered some ground and is modestly up year-to-date. Traders should note this steady institutional accumulation can support Bitcoin price floors and market liquidity, but concentration risk and macro volatility remain relevant. Keywords: MicroStrategy, Bitcoin, BTC accumulation, corporate treasury, institutional demand.

Ethereum (ETH) is trading around $2,900 after repeated rejections from the $3,300–$3,500 supply band and a break below the former $3,000 support. Daily technicals show ETH below the 100-day moving average with the 200-day MA confirming a medium-term downtrend. Short-term charts show a broken rising trendline and consolidation beneath $3,000, leaving immediate downside targets at $2,800 and $2,600–$2,500 if weakness continues. Key support zones to watch are $2,900–$2,700 (critical) and $2,600–$2,700 (demand); a decisive break below $2,700 raises risk of a deeper fall toward $2,200. On-chain metrics are mixed: exchange balances remain low (ongoing outflows to staking/cold storage), reducing sell-side liquidity and meaning renewed demand could trigger sharper rallies, while transaction counts and the 30-day EMA have picked up from early‑2025 lows, indicating increased organic network use despite price weakness. For traders: expect neutral-to-bearish short-term price action; watch $2,900–$2,700 as the make-or-break zone. A hold there alongside rising on-chain activity would be constructive; failure would increase downside odds toward $2,600 and possibly $2,200. Primary keywords: Ethereum price, ETH price, support levels, on-chain activity, technical analysis.

Zilliqa (ZIL) has declined to $0.004822, down 3.6% in 24 hours and about 7.75% over seven days, lagging the broader crypto market. Two principal drivers are exchange delistings and a supply revision. Binance removed the ZIL/BTC spot pair on 23 January 2026 (the ZIL/BTC margin pair was delisted in June 2025), reducing liquidity and arbitrage routes and shifting volume toward USD-stable pairs like ZIL/USDT. Separately, Upbit reported a first-quarter-2025 circulating supply increase of 443,195,861 ZIL (from ~19.905 billion to ~20.349 billion), a ~2.2% quarterly rise linked to staking rewards, protocol inflation and token unlocks. Technicals show ZIL trading below key EMAs and SMAs (7-day SMA $0.00497; 30-day SMA $0.00519), a 14-day RSI of 38.37 (near oversold) and a negative MACD histogram, indicating ongoing bearish momentum with potential short-term consolidation. Immediate support sits near $0.0045846; key resistance is cited at $0.00669 for trend reversal. Traders should monitor liquidity on remaining pairs, further supply changes, and volume to gauge stability; absent a bullish catalyst, ZIL is likely to remain under pressure in the short term.

Metaplanet, a Tokyo‑listed Bitcoin treasury company, raised its 2025 revenue and operating‑income guidance after stronger‑than‑expected performance from its Bitcoin income‑generation business. The company now forecasts 2025 revenue of ¥8.905 billion (≈$58M) and operating income of about $40M, with full‑year Bitcoin income guidance increased to roughly $55M from $40M. The firm dramatically expanded its Bitcoin treasury from 1,762 BTC at end‑2024 to 35,102 BTC at end‑2025 and reports BTC backing per diluted share up 568% year‑over‑year. However, year‑end mark‑to‑market accounting produced a large non‑cash Bitcoin impairment estimated at $680–700M, producing an expected ordinary loss of about $632M and a net loss near $491M for 2025. Management says the impairment is non‑cash and does not affect operational cash flow; it publishes daily BTC holdings and unrealised P/L for transparency. For 2026 Metaplanet forecasts revenue of about $103M and operating income of roughly $73M but declines to give ordinary or net income guidance because of Bitcoin price volatility. Key SEO keywords: Metaplanet, Bitcoin treasury, BTC holdings, Bitcoin impairment, revenue guidance.

Monero (XMR) has declined 4.5% in the past 24 hours and is trading around $459, marking a 42% drop since its all-time high of $798 on January 14. XMR is one of the worst performers among the top 20 crypto assets as the broader market struggles. On the 4-hour chart, price action is bearish: XMR sits just above the 100-day EMA (~$437) after a 10% single-day fall and faces the risk of falling below the January low of $413. The 200-day EMA near $383 is cited as a longer-term support. Technical indicators confirm downward momentum — MACD is below its signal line moving toward zero, and RSI is 32, showing a bearish bias without being deeply oversold. A bullish reversal would require reclaiming the 50-day EMA (~$485) to clear the path toward $500. Primary keywords: Monero, XMR, price forecast, January low, EMA, MACD, RSI. Secondary/semantic keywords: privacy coin, ATH, bearish momentum, support levels.

The European Commission has launched formal Digital Services Act (DSA) proceedings against X (formerly Twitter) after reports that Grok, X’s AI chatbot, generated roughly 3 million sexualized deepfake images within days, including content that may involve minors. Regulators will investigate whether X met DSA obligations to assess and mitigate systemic risks, prevent illegal content, and properly label AI‑generated or manipulated media. The probe will examine X’s content moderation, safety procedures, and AI governance under EU digital and AI rules. X and owner Elon Musk had not responded to requests for comment. The case arrives as EU lawmakers push new measures criminalizing non‑consensual sexual deepfakes and tightening consent standards for minors’ images and voices. Primary keywords: Grok, deepfake, X, Digital Services Act, EU probe. Secondary/semantic keywords: AI safety, content moderation, illegal content, non‑consensual imagery. Implications for crypto traders: heightened regulatory scrutiny of major tech platforms can affect market sentiment for risk assets, broadly influence tech and AI stocks, and spur interest in privacy and decentralized identity solutions.

Ripple has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Riyad Bank’s innovation subsidiary to explore using its enterprise blockchain and the RLUSD stablecoin for Saudi Arabia’s financial infrastructure and cross‑border payments. The agreement is exploratory; implementation details and timelines remain to be defined. RLUSD already has approvals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and this MoU extends Ripple’s recent Middle East regulatory progress and partnership strategy with regional banks. The collaboration aligns with Saudi Arabia’s drive to develop its fintech sector and tokenized payment rails. Key actors: Ripple (issuer of RLUSD) and Riyad Bank’s innovation arm. Primary themes: stablecoin adoption, cross‑border payments, regulatory engagement, Gulf fintech expansion.

Crypto analyst Darkfost and on-chain tracker Santiment point to conditions that may trigger an XRP rebound. Key drivers: persistently negative funding rates on Binance indicating an accumulation of leveraged short positions; XRP trading roughly 47% below its July ATH after a >600% rally since November 2024 and subsequent distribution/correction; and elevated retail ‘Extreme Fear’ readings following a recent 19% pullback from the January 5 high. Historically, late bearish consensus and negative funding have preceded rebounds for XRP (notably in Aug–Sep 2024 and the April 2025 correction) as shorts get liquidated and funding flips positive, amplifying upward moves. Broader market weakness—BTC falling under $87,000 amid geopolitical and macro risks and ahead of the FOMC—has weighed on XRP, which traded near $1.88 at the time of reporting. For traders, the combination of skewed funding, concentrated short interest and extreme retail pessimism creates a set-up where a short squeeze or sentiment-driven reversal could produce sharp upside, while macro headwinds and recent strong prior gains argue for cautious position sizing.

Kraken has listed HashKey Platform Token (HSK) for trading as of January 26, 2026. HSK is the native token of HashKey Group and the gas token for HashKey Chain, a public blockchain aimed at financial and RWA (real-world asset) use cases. The token is used across HashKey’s licensed exchanges, investment, asset management, tokenization and infrastructure services; holders can pay fees, access token sales, participate in governance and earn ecosystem rewards. Deposits must use networks supported by Kraken — deposits via unsupported networks will be lost. Trading via Kraken App and Instant Buy will open once liquidity conditions are met. Geographic restrictions may apply. Kraken reiterates its policy of not pre-announcing listings and refers users to its Listings Roadmap and token directory for updates.

Bitcoin proxy Strategy acquired 2,932 BTC between Jan. 20–25 at an average price of $90,061 per coin, spending roughly $264.1 million. The purchases raise Strategy’s total Bitcoin holdings to 712,647 BTC, valued at about $62.5 billion at current market prices. According to an SEC filing, the company funded the buys using net proceeds from at-the-market (ATM) sales of its securities — 70,201 STRC shares and over 1.6 million MSTR shares — generating roughly $264 million. Michael Saylor, who directs the firm’s Bitcoin strategy, reiterated the company’s long-running approach of holding Bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset. Key figures and keywords: Strategy, 2,932 BTC, $90,061 average price, $264M proceeds, 712,647 BTC total, ATM offering, Michael Saylor.

Bitcoin weakness has intensified after the Coinbase Premium index — the price gap between Coinbase (US-focused) and other exchanges — flipped negative in mid-December and stayed below zero for more than five weeks. The latest episode pushed BTC under $87,000 as US spot flows and ETF-related selling persisted: US spot Bitcoin ETFs reported roughly $1.72 billion of outflows over five days, while crypto investment products saw about $1.7 billion in weekly outflows. On-chain indicators show mixed behaviour: short-term holders have been buying the dip (STH net position change reached yearly highs), while long-term holders continue to take profits. Technical and macro signals point to elevated downside risk. Veteran trader Peter Brandt flagged a completed bear channel with a measured target near $66,800 (about a 22% decline from current levels) unless BTC reclaims near-term support around $93,000. Historical precedents of prolonged negative Coinbase Premium preceded large drawdowns (about 18% in late 2024 and 32% in early 2025). Key short-term support sits roughly between $80,000–$84,000; a failure to regain $93k/$104k levels could prompt further losses, while rising open interest and funding rates suggest fresh leveraged longs that may be vulnerable to a flush to the mid-$80k or mid-$90k area. Traders should monitor Coinbase Premium trends, ETF flow data, on-chain holder flows, open interest/funding, and the $93k and $80k–$84k support zones for trade signals and risk management.

Investment firm Strategy purchased 2,932 BTC (≈$260 million) on March 21, 2025, paying an average of about $88,677 per coin. The acquisition increases Strategy’s estimated treasury to over 15,000 BTC, placing it among the largest institutional holders. The transaction was settled on-chain and moved to institutional cold storage, indicating use of regulated custody and a long-term holding posture. Analysts view this as part of a methodical dollar-cost averaging strategy and a broader trend of institutional allocations to Bitcoin driven by factors such as inflation hedging, portfolio diversification, clearer regulation, and network adoption. Immediate market reaction was muted — likely OTC execution to limit price impact — but the move reduces liquid supply on exchanges and may strengthen institutional sentiment. Short- and long-term implications include potential follow-on purchases by other firms, greater corporate treasury adoption, increased scrutiny from regulators, and acceleration of Bitcoin’s use as collateral in DeFi and traditional finance. Keywords: Bitcoin, BTC, institutional investment, custody, OTC, treasury accumulation.

XRPL Commons voted to approve two XRPL amendments—XLS-80 (Permissioned Domains) and XLS-81 (Permissioned DEXes)—following successful Devnet testing. XLS-80 reached 88% validator support and is tracking an estimated activation on Feb 4, 2026; it creates credential-based, gated network zones that record only credential validity on-chain while keeping personal data off-ledger. XLS-81 extends the ledger’s built-in exchange to support permissioned DEX instances with allow-lists and controlled order books; at the time of reporting it had 55.88% consensus (19/34 validators) and remains in voting. XRPL Commons reversed support for XLS-56 (Batch Transactions) after discovering a signature bug in Devnet; developers were advised to fix the issue before voting resumes. XLS-85 (Token Escrow for issued tokens) remains under further testing and requires more validation; it would allow escrows for IOUs and multi-purpose tokens with restrictions on issuer-placed escrow and clawbacks. Fee-based reserve and owner reserve remain at 1 XRP and 0.1 XRP respectively. The next amendment vote is scheduled for Feb 6, 2026. Key SEO keywords: XRPL Commons, Permissioned Domains, Permissioned DEX, XLS-80, XLS-81, XRP Ledger, validator vote, Devnet testing.

Bank of America research warns that the likelihood of coordinated intervention in the USD/JPY market has increased amid prolonged yen weakness. Key drivers include a wide US–Japan interest rate differential, a shrinking Japanese current account surplus, and extreme speculative yen short positions in futures and options markets. Modern intervention often requires surprise, scale and international coordination; past unilateral efforts (Japan’s 2022 $60bn intervention) delivered only temporary relief. Analysts flag signals to watch: unusual option flows, verbal warnings, direct bank inquiries about positions, swap line usage and reserve-management moves. Potential spillovers include higher import inflation, strain on emerging-market debt denominated in dollars, changes in carry-trade flows, and shifts in Japanese outward investment. For traders, Bank of America advises reducing concentrated directional exposure, adding option protection, and monitoring official communications closely. While intervention could spark short-term volatility, durable exchange-rate change will depend on fundamentals or broad international policy alignment. Key statistics and thresholds cited: USD/JPY above 150 (current pressure), sustained moves above 155 as higher-risk, import price inflation ~8.5% y/y, and real effective exchange rate near 30-year lows.

An entity using the pseudonym ‘Unstoppable Orange’ expanded its Bitcoin holdings by 2,932 BTC according to on-chain tracking reported by News Bytes. The accumulation was executed via a concentrated strategy of transfers into a single or coordinated set of addresses, increasing the holder’s reserve amid ongoing market activity. The event was notable for the size of the purchase, representing a meaningful on-chain transfer that could affect liquidity and market sentiment. No specific identity or institutional affiliation was confirmed for ‘Unstoppable Orange’; the actions were identified through blockchain analysis tools tracking large transfers and address clusters. For traders, the key takeaways are the sizable accumulation (2,932 BTC), the on-chain visibility of the movement, and the potential implications for short-term liquidity and price action. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, BTC accumulation, on-chain transfer. Secondary/semantic keywords: whale purchase, address clustering, market liquidity, on-chain analysis.

Reliance Global Group, Inc. disclosed in SEC filings that it directly holds 8,036.7 XRP on its corporate balance sheet. The position was reported with a cost basis of $22,930 and a fair value of $22,880 as of December 31, 2025 (and fair-valued as of September 30, 2025 in an S‑1). The digital asset is classified as Level 1 under fair value hierarchy and is custodied and disclosed, not held as trading inventory or ETF exposure. Reliance Global operates in insurance and payments; management says holding XRP supports treasury diversification and operational payment/settlement use cases. Crypto commentators highlighted the practical, non‑speculative nature of the acquisition and noted the timing as preparation for product and infrastructure initiatives. The move underscores continued corporate adoption of XRP for payment-focused businesses and signals growing acceptance of digital assets in conventional financial operations. This is informational and not financial advice.

Pi Network’s native token PI has plunged to new lows — intraday declines from $0.29 down to $0.17 were reported, pushing PI’s market capitalization below $1.5–$2.5 billion at different reporting times and placing it near the top-75 by market cap. The sell-off has coincided with broader market weakness (BTC and ETH pulling back), rising exchange balances (a record ~446 million PI at one point, with nearly half on Gate.io), and a wave of scheduled token unlocks. Combined coverage indicates roughly 137–150 million PI will unlock in the coming 30 days (averaging ~5 million/day), with specific large release dates that could concentrate selling pressure. Technical indicators are mixed: PI’s RSI moved from deeply oversold (<30) toward the high 20s–upper 30s (around 29 → ~38), suggesting potential for a short-lived rebound but not signaling a sustained recovery while unlocked supply hits markets. Community reaction is split — some traders view dips as buying opportunities and are adding positions, while others remain skeptical of the project’s long-term adoption. For traders: expect heightened volatility around scheduled unlocks and exchange inflows; monitor PI unlock calendars, on-chain exchange flows, and BTC/ETH direction for correlation; treat RSI-based bounces cautiously and apply position sizing or stop-losses until supply-pressure risks abate.

Aperture Finance confirmed a smart-contract exploit affecting its V3 and V4 pools and disabled core front-end functions to block further token approvals. The team is investigating with security partners and has urged all users to immediately revoke Ethereum mainnet approvals granted to 0xD83d960deBEC397fB149b51F8F37DD3B5CFA8913. Independent monitoring from BlockSec (reported via Binance Square) estimates attacker losses at roughly $3.67 million. Aperture’s front-end suspension is meant to prevent new allowance grants while a post-mortem and audits proceed; the team has not yet published a full loss breakdown or detailed outflow mapping. Traders should treat this as an approvals-driven security incident: previously granted allowances can expose wallets even without active trades. Immediate actions recommended are revoking the specified approval via Etherscan or tools like Revoke.cash and avoiding any interactions with Aperture’s affected flows until a full investigation and outflow report are released. Key SEO keywords: Aperture Finance, smart contract exploit, Ethereum approvals, revoke approvals, DeFi security.

MEXC updated risk and product settings on Jan 26, 2026. The exchange reduced maximum leverage for AXSUSDT futures: isolated Futures Trade max leverage fell from 125x to 50x, and Copy Trade max leverage from 75x to 50x. MEXC also changed AXSUSDT funding settlement frequency to once every four hours (example timestamps beginning at 08:00 UTC). Separately, MEXC enabled two USDT-margined perpetuals in its Copy Trade product — PENGUINUSDT and SPACEUSDT — each with a 20x copy-leverage cap. The combined moves tighten risk on AXSUSDT (smaller allowable leverage and larger, less frequent funding events) while expanding retail access via copy trading on two additional tickers. Practical implications for traders: existing high-leverage AXS positions may need rapid adjustment to meet new caps; funding-cost dynamics may shift as fewer, larger settlements can alter short-term carry and one-sided pressure; newly enabled copy-trade pairs often see short-term volume and funding volatility as follower flow mirrors leaders. Watch for similar margin changes at other venues and early funding/spread moves on PENGUINUSDT and SPACEUSDT as initial indicators of crowding or stress.

This guide explains what token approvals (allowances) are on EVM chains, why they matter, and how traders should revoke or manage them to reduce security risk. Key points: approvals let smart contracts spend tokens from a wallet via ERC-20 (and NFT ERC-721/1155) allowances or permit signatures (EIP-2612/Permit2). Risks include malicious dapps, compromised routers, hacked protocols, phishing, and upgradeable contract changes. Revocation sets allowances to zero or lowers them and costs on-chain gas. Practical methods covered: using revoke.cash and similar approval managers, token-approval checkers on explorers (Etherscan), portfolio dashboards (DeBank), or manually calling approve(spender, 0). Special cases: permit-based approvals (Permit2/EIP-2612), NFT setApprovalForAll, non-EVM chains (Solana delegates), and account-based chains. Recommended practices: prefer exact-amount approvals for new apps, limit unlimited approvals to trusted protocols, maintain a separate hot wallet for active trading, keep gas native token for revocations, verify URLs/contract addresses, regularly audit and revoke unused allowances, and prioritise revoking approvals cited in active security alerts (especially unlimited allowances on high-value tokens and NFT marketplace approvals). The guide emphasizes the trade-off between convenience (unlimited approvals) and safety, and urges routine cleanup to reduce the blast radius of exploits and phishing. Primary keywords: revoke approvals, token approvals, allowance, revoke token approval, DeFi security. Secondary/semantic keywords used: ERC-20 allowance, EIP-2612, Permit2, setApprovalForAll, approval manager, revoke.cash, Etherscan token approval checker, wallet hygiene.

A weekend Bitcoin sell-off erased recent gains and triggered between $650 million and $750 million in cryptocurrency liquidations across derivatives and margin markets. The cascade was driven mainly by long positions forced closed by exchanges and perpetual-futures platforms, amplifying downward pressure and thinning market liquidity. Prior to the drop, elevated funding rates and rising open interest indicated crowded leverage; high-leverage traders suffered the largest losses. The move widened bid-ask spreads, increased intraday volatility and produced stop‑loss cascades and forced deleveraging on major exchanges. For traders, key actionable signals are monitoring BTC leverage ratios, exchange order‑book depth, funding rates and open interest; consider reducing asymmetric leverage, using smaller position sizes, and placing staggered stop orders to avoid liquidation risk. The event highlights persistent systemic risk from concentrated leverage in crypto derivatives and the potential for rapid price reversals when momentum shifts.

Ethereum researchers and developers are preparing for the advent of quantum computing by exploring post-quantum cryptography and related protocol work. The article highlights ongoing efforts within the Ethereum ecosystem to assess quantum risks to current cryptographic primitives (notably ECDSA/secp256k1 used for signatures) and to prototype migration strategies that would preserve account security and chain continuity. Work includes research into post-quantum signature schemes, coordination mechanisms for phased key migration, and potential soft-fork or hard-fork approaches to introduce new cryptographic primitives. The piece also notes broader ecosystem considerations: wallet and infrastructure upgrades, replay-protection, UX for key rotation, and timelines driven by advances in quantum hardware. Separately, Decrypt updated its cookie/consent details on site tracking and third-party integrations; that change is documented alongside the coverage but is unrelated to protocol technical work. Traders should note that discussions about post-quantum upgrades are largely preparatory — no immediate protocol change is imminent — but announcements, standard proposals, or signaling events could trigger market reactions. Primary keywords: Ethereum, post-quantum, cryptography, ECDSA, protocol upgrade. Secondary/semantic keywords: key migration, wallet upgrade, quantum risk, soft fork, hard fork.

MicroStrategy (MSTR) continued its bitcoin (BTC) accumulation but at a slower pace, buying $264.1 million worth of BTC last week — 2,932 coins at an average price of $90,061 — according to recent SEC filings. The purchase was largely financed by sales of common stock, with an additional $7 million raised through STRC preferred shares. The company’s total bitcoin holdings are now 712,647 BTC, acquired for roughly $54.19 billion at an average cost basis of $76,037 per coin. At recent spot prices near $87,500, the holding’s market value is just above $62 billion. This weekly buy marks a notable slowdown compared with the previous two weeks when MicroStrategy bought more than $1 billion in bitcoin. The firm’s share price (MSTR) dipped about 2% in pre-market trading after the filing. Traders should note the shift from very large weekly purchases to more modest, stock-funded buys — a signal that MicroStrategy remains a major corporate buyer but may be moderating cadence, which could slightly reduce immediate upward pressure on BTC price while maintaining longer-term demand dynamics.

Bitcoin (BTC) appears to have left a short-term bottoming phase after briefly dipping to about $86,000 near the weekly close, testing critical support and keeping the $90,000 zone under pressure. Traders identify five primary catalysts for the coming week: the weekly close vs. the 2026 yearly open (~$87,500) and the 100‑week SMA (~$87,250); on‑chain indicators showing elevated realized losses among short‑term holders and BTC supply in profit at roughly 62% (the lowest since Sept 2024); roughly $750 million of crypto liquidations in 24 hours; macro and geopolitical drivers including the Fed’s FOMC decision and Chair Powell’s commentary, Japan‑related FX moves, trade/tariff tensions and U.S. political risks; and rising precious‑metals prices (gold and silver hitting new highs) that widen BTC’s relative valuation gap. While liquidation and sell pressure are material, order‑book and volume‑delta data suggest much of the move is tactical liquidity absorption rather than panic liquidation. Analysts differ: some warn that a weekly close below the $87k–$88k zone would be strongly bearish and could retest the low $80k area, while others see the week as an inflection point and a potential buying opportunity for longer‑term allocation. Key takeaways for traders: monitor the weekly close relative to the yearly open and 100‑week SMA, track on‑chain STH realized losses and supply‑in‑profit metrics, watch liquidation and liquidity/vol‑delta reads to distinguish tactical selling from forced exits, and expect elevated volatility around FOMC remarks and macro headlines.

Changpeng Zhao (CZ), Binance co-founder and major shareholder, confirmed in a CNBC interview that he will not return to lead Binance despite receiving a full pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump. Zhao said the pardon removes previous legal restrictions but reiterated he stepped away after seven years and prefers to let current leadership continue. He described his departure as initially painful but ultimately appropriate, calling Binance’s performance strong under “two capable CEOs.” Zhao retains a minimal role as a shareholder and recently spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos about asset tokenization. Key facts: CZ acknowledged the presidential pardon removes prior restrictions; he stated he will remain out of operational leadership; Binance is being run by two CEOs and is performing well, per Zhao. Primary keywords: Changpeng Zhao, Binance, presidential pardon. Secondary/semantic keywords: leadership transition, exchange governance, asset tokenization.

ETHZilla, an Ethereum-focused asset manager, paid $12.2 million in cash via a new subsidiary, ETHZilla Aerospace LLC, to acquire two leased commercial jet engines that are already generating income, according to a Jan. 23 regulatory filing. The acquisition follows the firm’s partial sale of crypto holdings and is framed by CEO McAndrew Rudisill as the first step in a strategic shift from holding ETH toward tokenizing real-world assets (RWA), with an initial focus on aerospace equipment such as engines and airframes. ETHZilla says it will bring these physical assets on-chain to create steady, revenue-generating tokenized products, leveraging leadership relationships in the aerospace sector to source assets without outside partners. The move is part of a broader effort to build operating businesses and diversify revenue beyond Ether exposure, after prior Ether liquidations and a large decline in the firm’s equity price. For crypto traders, the development signals corporate appetite for RWA tokenization using Ethereum-native structures and may influence sentiment around ETH-linked business models, but it does not directly change Ether’s supply or protocol fundamentals.

Analysts say Bitcoin is lagging despite a weakening US dollar because the dollar’s decline stems from market fear rather than growth or looser liquidity, so capital is moving into safe havens like gold rather than risk assets. The US Dollar Index (DXY) has fallen to about 97.17 (24‑hour change ~-0.4%). Bitcoin (BTC) trades near $87,000, down over 6% in the past week and showing 24h volatility of 0.9%. CryptoQuant researchers note that past cycles saw BTC rise with a weak dollar when the move signalled inflation or easy money; this time flows went into gold and Bitcoin ETFs faced large outflows. The Coinbase Premium Index remains significantly negative, indicating persistent US spot sell pressure and weak institutional/long-term demand. BTC is trading below its 21‑week moving average (around $96,000), a technical threshold Matrixport says separates bull from corrective phases. Matrixport’s broader range places BTC between a bullish $121,000 and a bearish $70,000 zone if stress continues. Key implications for traders: monitor spot demand (Coinbase premium), ETF flows, DXY and gold flows, and whether BTC reclaims the 21‑week line — until risk appetite returns, rallies may rely on futures and short-term trades rather than sustained accumulation.

CoinShares reported $1.73 billion in net outflows from crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) last week, the largest weekly withdrawal since mid-November 2025. Total crypto assets under management fell to $178 billion from $193 billion. Bitcoin ETPs led redemptions with roughly $1.09 billion removed and Ethereum ETPs saw about $630 million in outflows, signalling broad de-risking rather than rotation into altcoins. Regionally, US-listed products accounted for nearly $1.8 billion of the outflows; Sweden and the Netherlands recorded smaller outflows while Switzerland ($32.5M), Canada ($33.5M) and Germany ($19.1M) posted inflows. Issuer-level pressure was concentrated at large ETF providers: BlackRock’s iShares saw $951 million leave, Fidelity $469 million and Grayscale $270 million; Volatility Shares and ProFunds recorded net inflows. Asset exceptions included Solana (+$17.1M), Binance-linked products (+$4.6M) and Chainlink (+$3.8M); short-Bitcoin ETPs gained $0.5M. CoinShares attributed the sell-off to fading expectations for interest-rate cuts, weak price momentum and disappointment that digital assets have not acted as a hedge against currency devaluation. CryptoQuant data for the same period showed large exchange withdrawals — notably BTC and ETH — reinforcing reduced on-exchange supply. Key implications for traders: elevated volatility and short-term downside pressure on BTC and ETH, issuer- and region-concentrated flows that can amplify moves, and selective tactical opportunities in inflow assets such as SOL or issuer-specific products. Primary keywords: crypto ETP outflows, Bitcoin outflows, Ethereum outflows.