Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

This article explains HORS (Hash to Obtain Random Subset), a hash-based few-times signature (FTS) scheme that extends one-time signatures (OTS) to allow multiple signatures from a compact key pair. HORS replaces simple bijective selection with a subset-resilient hash function H so that signatures reveal limited private key elements and prevent finding messages whose hash-index sets are subsets of previously signed messages. The scheme: generate t private integers, publish their hashes as the public key; to sign, compute h = Hash(m), split h into k indices (i1..ik), and output the corresponding private elements as the signature. Security rests on r-subset-resilience (attackers cannot find r+1 messages whose H-sets form a subset relation) and is typically modeled via a random oracle. HORS offers shorter signatures and faster signing/verification compared to Biba-like constructions and improves reuse over OTS while retaining hash-function-only assumptions. Primary keywords: HORS, hash-based signatures, few-times signatures, subset-resilient hash, one-time signature. Secondary/semantic keywords: random oracle, signature scheme, public key, private key, indices, security assumptions.

This article explains how to build practical many-time digital signatures from one-time signature (OTS) schemes using hash functions and Merkle trees. It outlines the naive approach of deploying many OTS keypairs (one per message), then describes optimizations: deriving private OTS keys from a single seed with a PRNG to avoid storing many private keys, and compressing the public key set into a single root using a Merkle tree. In the Merkle-signature scheme, each OTS public key is a leaf; the global public key is the tree root. A signature consists of the OTS signature, the OTS public key, the leaf index (state), and a short authentication path (a sequence of sibling hashes) that recomputes the root. The article highlights that this produces a stateful many-time signature scheme that keeps verifier work and storage low while preserving security based on hash functions. Primary keywords: hash-based signatures, Merkle trees, one-time signature, many-time signature. Secondary/semantic keywords: authentication path, PRNG seed, stateful signatures, public key compression.

RAKBank has received principled approval from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) to issue a dirham‑pegged stablecoin. The token will be backed 1:1 by UAE dirham reserves held in segregated, regulated accounts, governed by audited smart contracts and subject to real‑time reserve attestations. Approval is conditional on meeting final regulatory and operational requirements before live issuance. The move follows RAKBank’s earlier steps to enable retail crypto trading via regulated broker partners in 2025 and forms part of the UAE’s broader push — across CBUAE, ADGM and VARA — to modernize payments and support tokenized commerce. The announcement highlights rising regulatory acceptance for on‑shore stablecoins in the UAE and may accelerate local stablecoin adoption for payments and cross‑border flows. Outstanding questions include which blockchain rails RAKBank will use, interoperability with existing stablecoin infrastructure (for example USDC/RLUSD initiatives), custody arrangements and the pace of corporate and consumer adoption. For traders, the development signals expanding fiat on/off‑ramps, potential new liquidity in dirham‑settled pools and increased competition among regional stablecoins — factors that could affect regional trading volumes and fiat‑stablecoin flows.

Barclays has taken a disclosed minority stake in Ubyx, a U.S. startup building clearing and settlement infrastructure for tokenized money, including tokenized bank deposits and regulated stablecoins. Terms were not disclosed. The investment aligns with Barclays’ strategy to explore stablecoins and build connectivity and infrastructure for regulated financial institutions; Ryan Hayward, head of digital assets, said specialist technology is needed to link evolving tokens, blockchains and wallets. Ubyx previously raised a $10m seed round led by Galaxy Ventures. The move highlights growing interest from legacy banks in onchain settlement and stablecoin settlement pathways and adds momentum to broader industry tests (by banks and platforms) to integrate regulated stablecoins and tokenized funds into existing banking rails. For traders: expect increased institutional focus on regulated stablecoin infrastructure and interoperability — developments that could support tighter onchain liquidity, faster settlement and wider use of regulated stablecoins, improving market efficiency and institutional flows over time.

DOGEBALL, the native token tied to DOGECHAIN (an Ethereum Layer‑2 built for gaming), has opened a four‑month presale marketed as an early 2026 entry point. The project stresses execution: an active L2, a playable cross‑platform DOGEBALL game (mobile/PC/tablet), and an on‑chain explorer to verify activity. The presale Stage 1 price is $0.0003 and the published launch/listing price is $0.015, implying a theoretical ~50x gain from early presale to listing. DOGEBALL links token demand to gameplay via a $1 million prize pool (top prize $500,000) and lists Falcon Interactive as a confirmed partner to help promote the blockchain and game. The sale accepts multiple cryptocurrencies and credit cards, offers staking rewards (advertised up to 80%), a 10% referral bonus, zero transaction taxes, and has capped stages that raise price over the four‑month window. The offering is positioned as earlier‑stage upside compared with established meme coins. Note: coverage is a paid promotional release and not investment advice.

This guide reviews and ranks the top five Bitcoin poker sites for Canadian players in 2026: BCPoker, Stake, CoinPoker, GGPoker and ACR Poker. Sites were tested with real CAD deposits, gameplay and exchange withdrawals. Key findings: native BTC rooms (BCPoker, CoinPoker, Stake) deliver faster withdrawals (minutes to ~1 hour), greater privacy and softer tables; BTC-friendly rooms (GGPoker, ACR) offer larger traffic, regulated options (GGPoker is Ontario-licensed) and deeper tournament schedules but typically require KYC and have slower crypto cashouts (24–72 hours). Bonuses and rakeback vary significantly — ACR advertises up to 200% crypto bonus and up to 65% rakeback for grinders; CoinPoker emphasizes provably fair RNG and up to 150% rakeback; BCPoker highlights provable shuffles, private clubs and 50% rakeback potential. Traders should note stablecoin support (USDT/USDC) to avoid BTC volatility, compatibility with Canadian exchanges (Bitbuy, NDAX, Coinsquare, Kraken), and minimum withdrawal limits. Advantages of BTC poker: faster payments, lower costs, stronger privacy, softer competition and stablecoin play. Risks include crypto volatility, regulatory grey areas (Ontario exception), irreversible transactions and variable traffic. Practical steps to play: buy BTC on a Canadian exchange, send to chosen poker site, play and withdraw to wallet, then sell for CAD. Overall verdict: all tested sites paid; native sites offered fastest cashouts and softer games, while GGPoker and ACR provide the largest traffic and regulated access in Ontario. Canadian players currently have a window for private, low-KYC bitcoin poker, but regulators are tightening oversight and the passport-free era may be limited.

Ghana has enacted the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Act, 2025, formally legalising digital-asset trading and establishing the Bank of Ghana (BoG) as lead regulator with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) overseeing securities-related activity. The BoG has created a Virtual Assets Regulatory Office; the BoG and SEC will publish operational directives and licensing rules to implement the law. Cryptocurrencies are not legal tender—the Ghana cedi remains the sole official currency. The BoG says the framework aims to reduce uncertainty, strengthen consumer protection, curb scams and pyramid schemes, and improve accountability and costs for financial institutions. Authorities estimate roughly 3 million Ghanaians hold digital assets; Chainalysis ranks Ghana among Africa’s top five by crypto value received. SEC data show rapid growth in on‑chain flows (reported figures rose sharply year‑on‑year). Regulators have already frozen about $15.2m tied to an international scam. Local startups welcomed the law, noting benefits for remittances, cross‑border trade and ties with international partners. The Act’s effective date and detailed licensing procedures will be set out in forthcoming regulatory instruments. Key implications for traders: greater regulatory clarity should reduce operational risk for regulated exchanges and institutional on‑ramps, increase KYC/AML scrutiny, and could boost institutional flows and trading volumes — while enforcement actions and tighter controls may increase short‑term volatility.

Kaspa is gaining attention as a potential 2026 altcoin standout thanks to its Proof-of-Work BlockDAG architecture, fixed supply dynamics and reported real-world settlement use. The BlockDAG design enables parallel block production for near-instant confirmations and higher throughput while preserving PoW security and decentralization. Analysts describe Kaspa as a “Bitcoin evolution,” and compare its performance to Layer‑1 networks such as Solana and Ethereum. Key market factors cited: about 95% of Kaspa’s supply is expected to circulate by 2026, reducing future mining emissions and sell-pressure; on‑chain data shows declining exchange balances and increased self‑custody flows; and reported merchant and institutional adoption spans forex desks, energy firms and retail merchants. Market commentators including Finance Freeman and other analysts have framed Kaspa as an altcoin poised to capture liquidity during a possible 2026 altcoin upswing. Short‑term price volatility has been observed in early January 2026, but analysts point to tokenomics (fixed supply and lower new issuance) and growing non‑speculative use cases as supportive drivers for medium‑ to long‑term appreciation. Traders should watch supply emission schedules, exchange outflows, merchant settlement volumes and on‑chain activity for conviction signals.

Canaan has partnered with Bitforest in Manitoba on a 24-month, 3 MW pilot that captures waste heat from 360 liquid-cooled Avalon A1566HA-460T Bitcoin miners to preheat greenhouse water for tomato cultivation. The system integrates Canaan’s liquid-cooling units to recover thermal energy that would otherwise be dissipated, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel boilers and lowering greenhouse energy demand. Canaan CEO Nangeng Zhang said the trial aims to build a data-driven, replicable model for scaling heat recovery in cold climates and for household and industrial partners. The pilot complements broader industry moves toward greener mining operations, alongside hydro-, solar- and wind-powered sites announced by peers, and comes as Bitcoin mining difficulty remains high — near the reported ~148 trillion — prompting miners to seek cost and energy efficiencies. For traders: the project underscores miners’ push to cut operating costs and improve sustainability metrics, which can incrementally reduce selling pressure from large-scale mining operations and supports a gradual improvement in miner economics.

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) is proposing a system to allow pre-emptive freezing of crypto accounts suspected of holding illicit gains from market manipulation. The proposal—discussed since November and revisited in a January 6 meeting—would permit regulators to block withdrawals, transfers and payments from suspicious accounts before assets can be concealed, replacing the current requirement to wait for court warrants. Officials cited an equity-market payment-suspension mechanism (used in a KRW 100 billion manipulation case) as a model. Targeted behaviors include pre-purchasing, automated repetitive trades, wash trading, spoofing and pump-and-dump schemes. The measure may be folded into Phase Two of the Virtual Asset User Protection Act, whose submission has been delayed to early 2026 amid FSC and Bank of Korea disagreements on stablecoin rules. The FSC’s draft also reportedly includes investor-protection measures such as no-fault liability for crypto operators, bankruptcy-risk isolation for stablecoin issuers, disclosure obligations and strict liability for hacks or system failures. Traders should watch for the formal legislative text and implementation rules—especially the scope of freezing powers, criteria for suspicion, required court oversight, cross-exchange and self-custody treatment—as these details will determine market liquidity, withdrawal behaviour, surveillance/compliance burdens and counterparty risk.

Elon Musk’s xAI closed a $20 billion Series E round, surpassing a $15 billion target, with lead and strategic backers including Nvidia and Cisco alongside Valor Equity, Fidelity, StepStone, Baron Capital, Qatar’s sovereign fund and MGX. Proceeds will accelerate construction of large U.S. data centres (Colossus I and II) and expand compute capacity — the company says it will build among the world’s largest GPU clusters, targeting over one million Nvidia H100-equivalent GPUs by year-end. xAI reported rapid 2025 product and user growth: roughly 600 million monthly active users across X and Grok, progress on the Grok model family (including reinforcement learning on Grok 4 and training of Grok 5), and deployments of Grok Voice and Grok Imagine with multi-language, low-latency and tool-calling features integrated into mobile apps and Tesla vehicles. Bloomberg previously estimated xAI’s valuation near $230 billion and projected revenue growth to about $2 billion in 2026. For traders: the funding materially increases xAI’s cash runway for compute-heavy model training and infrastructure, intensifies competition for GPU supply and cloud services, and could raise demand (and prices) for GPU hardware, related cloud capacity and IP used in AI-crypto infrastructure integrations. Primary keywords: xAI, Nvidia, Grok, GPU cloud, AI funding. Secondary/semantic keywords: Series E, H100, data centres, Grok 5, Grok Voice, Colossus, compute capacity, valuation.

Binance has launched a US dollar–priced silver perpetual futures contract on Binance Futures, offering crypto traders direct exposure to silver prices per troy ounce. The contract is margined and settled in Tether (USDT), has a minimum notional of 5 USDT, and supports up to 50x leverage. Funding fees are charged every four hours with a cap of ±2%. Trading opened at 10:00 UTC (13:00 Istanbul time) and the product will be available for copy trading within 24 hours. Under multi-asset margin mode, traders can post cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) as collateral with volatility-based haircuts. Binance’s silver perp follows its recent gold perpetual launch and arrives amid a strong 2025 precious‑metals rally—silver rose about 147% to a peak near $83.75/oz while gold gained ~64%—driven by inflation concerns and industrial demand. The offering broadens commodity exposure for crypto investors but raises risk considerations for leveraged traders due to high leverage, funding‑fee mechanics, and collateral haircut rules. This is not investment advice.

Premarket trading was cautious ahead of a key U.S. jobs report, but several individual stocks moved sharply. Ventyx Biosciences (VTYX) jumped about 67% on takeover speculation after rumors of interest from Eli Lilly, driving a surge in volume and short-covering. Mobileye Global (MBLY) rose after announcing the acquisition of Mentee Robotics and unveiling a broader ‘Mobileye 3.0’ strategy to expand beyond autonomous driving into humanoid robotics and physical AI—a strategic shift that could diversify revenue and R&D focus. HIVE Digital Technologies (HIVE) posted a near-tripling of bitcoin production thanks to higher hashrate and improved fleet efficiency, and announced plans to expand renewable power capacity; its shares rose roughly 5%. The report also notes overall market caution as investors digest macro data and position ahead of the jobs release. Key trading takeaways for crypto traders: HIVE’s operational improvements and capacity expansion strengthen its BTC production profile and revenue outlook, potentially improving investor sentiment toward bitcoin-mining equities and related crypto exposure. Watch for volatility in names tied to M&A rumors (VTYX) and strategic expansions (MBLY), which can spill into sector peers. Primary keywords: Ventyx, Mobileye, HIVE, bitcoin production, acquisition; secondary/semantic keywords: Eli Lilly rumors, Mentee Robotics, Mobileye 3.0, hashrate, renewable power, market volatility.

MSCI’s decision not to exclude digital-asset treasury companies from its global indexes removed a near-term overhang for bitcoin-treasury stocks and spurred gains in Tokyo. Metaplanet (3350) jumped about 4% intraday and is up ~20% year-to-date, valuing the company at roughly 1.25 times its net bitcoin asset value (mNAV) — its highest multiple since before October’s liquidation-driven sell-off. Metaplanet holds 35,102 BTC, ranking it the fourth-largest publicly listed bitcoin treasury. U.S. peers also rose after the announcement: MicroStrategy (MSTR) traded about 5% higher in pre-market. MSCI said it will pursue a broader consultation on non-operating and investment-oriented firms, signalling that index and regulatory risk for treasury companies has been deferred, not eliminated. Key SEO keywords: Metaplanet, bitcoin treasury, MSCI decision, mNAV, MicroStrategy, BTC holdings.

Nano Labs Ltd (NA) is transitioning from fabless chip design and crypto-mining hardware toward Web3/digital assets, increasingly tying its strategy to BNB Chain and real-world-asset (RWA) tokenization. Management launched the Next Big BNB (NBNB) program to build compliant RWA infrastructure on BNB Chain, but commercialization remains unproven: there are no clear product launches, SDKs, custody or audit partnerships yet. Hardware revenue and R&D spending have fallen materially, signaling a strategic pivot rather than demand-led growth. Capital allocation actions include a $25 million buyback alongside an at-the-market (ATM) program, creating uncertainty over net share count while indicating management confidence. Near-term fundamentals look weak; key catalysts to watch are concrete product/SDK releases, custody/compliance partnerships, and updates on crypto holdings and buyback execution. For traders, NA represents a speculative play tied to BNB appreciation and successful RWA rollouts — potentially high upside if BNB and tokenization trends continue, but significant execution and dilution risk remain.

Korbit, a South Korean crypto exchange, was fined 2.73 billion won (~$2.0M) by the Financial Intelligence Unit after an October 2024 inspection found systemic AML/KYC failures, including nearly 22,000 violations, weak transaction monitoring, missing risk assessments, 19 flagged cross‑border transfers tied to unregistered overseas VASPs, and 655 NFT‑related compliance gaps. The enforcement action included an institutional warning, a written warning to the CEO and a reprimand for the compliance officer. Korbit holds roughly 3.5 billion won in cash and about 7.3 billion won in crypto assets; its board will decide whether to liquidate holdings — named assets include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and Ripple — to cover the penalty. Selling those positions could cause short‑term selling pressure on affected tokens, create tax consequences and reduce Korbit’s liquidity to process withdrawals. Alternatives to asset sales include negotiating a payment plan with regulators, seeking external financing (which could dilute ownership or change deal terms), or cutting costs. The case underscores South Korea’s tighter crypto regulation (real‑name verification, Travel Rule, Specific Financial Information Act) and follows heavy fines at other exchanges, signalling heightened enforcement that may prompt exchanges to upgrade AML/KYC systems. Traders should monitor Korbit for potential token sell‑offs, widening spreads or withdrawal constraints, and watch regulatory sentiment in South Korea for compliance‑driven market moves.

Bitcoin (BTC) is consolidating above key horizontal support around $90,400 after a recent upside push, forming short-term patterns that could precede a strong rally. On intraday charts a nascent bull flag is emerging; a measured move from that pattern points toward roughly $98,000. On the daily timeframe a larger bear flag remains in play, but an ascending triangle has also formed—with an upside breakout target above $108,000. Stochastic RSI readings across 4h, 8h and 12h charts are in focus: a clean reset (stochastics dropping then turning up above the 20 level) would strengthen momentum for a next leg higher. The RSI on daily charts must remain above its ascending trendline to support bullish continuation. Traders should watch: (1) price action vs. the $90,400 support and bull-flag bottom, (2) confirmation above the daily bear-flag/ascending-triangle trendline for a breakout, and (3) Stochastic RSI behaviour across 4h–weekly timeframes. Short-term target if bull flag resolves: ~$98k; larger breakout target from the ascending triangle: >$108k. Risk remains while the bear flag is not invalidated — failure to sustain momentum or a drop below key supports would favour downside. This analysis is informational and not investment advice.

Visa crypto lead Cuy Sheffield outlines eight 2026 trends at the intersection of crypto and AI, arguing the next phase emphasizes practical reliability over theoretical novelty. Key points: (1) Crypto is shifting from a speculative asset toward payments and settlement infrastructure, with stablecoins emerging as the primary utility by offering lower costs, faster settlement and easier integration into software flows. (2) Distribution capacity and regulatory/compliance readiness will matter more than technical novelty; firms with existing distribution channels and compliance frameworks gain advantage. (3) AI agents are moving from pure capability gains to trust and reliability requirements — production systems demand provenance, memory, verifiability and explicit uncertainty reporting to avoid hallucinations, inconsistency and opaque failures. (4) Programmable money (stablecoins) will enable machine-native payment flows between AI agents for API calls, microtransactions and continuous service settlement; early protocols (e.g., x402) experiment with API-driven payments but face UX, scale and security challenges. Sheffield’s conclusion: 2026 will be defined not by a single breakthrough but by steady infrastructure accumulation — with reliability, governance and distribution as the competitive axes. Primary keywords: crypto, stablecoin, AI agents, programmable money, payments, reliability.

The market capitalization of AI-focused cryptocurrencies reached roughly $29.5 billion on January 5, a 6.3% increase in 24 hours, as sector tokens rallied and recorded double-digit weekly gains. Render (RENDER) led performance — up about 79.9% over seven days and spiking as much as 34% intraday — driven by demand for decentralized GPU compute. Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) rose about 67.5% over the week, briefly hitting $1.10, supported by anticipation of upcoming AI-agent marketplace launches and renewed interest in autonomous on-chain agents. Other notable weekly performers include FET (+38.2%), IP (+33.0%), TAO (+26.6%), GLM (+22.7%), GRT (+19.9%), ICP (+16.7%) and NEAR (+15.8%). Industry sources cite growing compute requirements for AI applications as a key driver pushing capital toward decentralized infrastructure tokens. Trading volume for the AI category reached approximately $3.3 billion in the previous 24 hours. Key SEO keywords: AI crypto, Render (RENDER), Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL), decentralized GPU, AI tokens, market cap, crypto trading.

Ethereum (ETH) price dipped below $3,200 on January 7, trading at $3,199.61 on OKX, reflecting an intraday decline of 2.22%. The report is a brief market update from PANews noting the intraday movement; no additional market drivers, news events, or trading guidance were provided. This price snapshot signals short-term weakness in ETH during the reported session.

Zac Prince, head of Galaxy One at Galaxy Digital, told the Milk Road podcast that the coming intergenerational wealth transfer—chiefly from baby boomers to younger, tech-native heirs—could materially increase crypto adoption over time. Citing UBS’s 2025 global wealth report, U.S. households hold about $163 trillion in wealth, with baby boomers controlling roughly $83.3 trillion. Prince argues younger heirs are more comfortable with intuitive, app-driven investing and are therefore more likely to allocate a portion of inherited assets to digital assets instead of legacy instruments that require advisers or phone-based processes. The reporting references supporting data from Coinbase showing younger investors are several times more likely to hold non-traditional assets, and comments from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong about Bitcoin and the U.S. dollar that underline institutional and retail interest. For traders, the key takeaways are: a structural demand tailwind for crypto markets as sizable wealth is reallocated over decades; retail onboarding and user-experience improvements (all-in-one apps, faster on-ramps) will likely be primary channels for inflows; and the shift implies potential long-term price support and greater market participation, even if timing is gradual. Primary SEO keywords: crypto adoption, wealth transfer, Galaxy Digital. Secondary keywords: retail onboarding, Bitcoin, UBS wealth report.

Global index provider MSCI has postponed any changes to how it treats companies that hold large cryptocurrency treasuries until at least its February 2026 Index Review. The consultation examined so-called digital asset treasury companies (DATCOs) — firms that keep significant reserves in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin — and raised unresolved concerns about whether these firms behave like operating businesses or investment vehicles. MSCI cited issues around business classification, financial volatility and index construction integrity. As a result, eligible crypto-heavy companies that meet existing listing and eligibility criteria will remain in MSCI equity indexes through the February 2026 review cycle. The decision provides short-term index stability and extra time for investors and index users to assess whether DATCOs should be treated differently in future global benchmarks; MSCI said it will continue to consider long-term treatment but made no immediate rule changes. For traders: the announcement temporarily reduced near-term classification risk for firms with large crypto treasuries, briefly supporting those equities and related crypto market sentiment, while leaving open longer-term uncertainty about index inclusion rules and institutional acceptance of corporate crypto strategies.

Ethereum and Solana leaders have publicly framed competing visions of blockchain "resilience." Vitalik Buterin defines resilience as redundancy and sovereignty — protecting users from political exclusion, infrastructure collapse, developer disappearance, and financial confiscation. Ethereum’s approach emphasizes architectural diversity (independent execution and consensus clients), gradual capacity increases (recent blob limit raises), fee stability, and long-term validator commitment. By contrast, Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko defines resilience as high-throughput, low-latency global synchronization that reliably supports real-time markets and auctions. Solana’s roadmap prioritizes performance and economic viability under heavy real-time demand and has hardened after past outages. The debate highlights trade-offs: Ethereum favors survivability and decentralization even if it sacrifices raw speed; Solana favors performance and tighter coordination to meet market-grade throughput. Critics warn proposed Ethereum scaling elements (zkEVMs, proposer-builder separation) could centralize specialized, capital-intensive actors. Institutional signals diverge too: Ethereum remains the dominant settlement layer for stablecoins and tokenized treasuries, while Solana has seen growth in performance-sensitive institutional use cases (tokenized RWAs, spot SOL ETFs, enterprise payments). For traders: the debate may influence perceptions of capacity, risk, and adoption — affecting liquidity, institutional flows, and relative narratives around ETH and SOL as infrastructure for different use cases.

Nike reportedly sold its digital products unit RTFKT in December 2025, about a year after the company first announced the unit would shut down Web3 services. OregonLive reported the sale effective Dec. 16; buyer and financial terms were not disclosed. RTFKT was acquired by Nike in 2021 during a push into digital and virtual products. The move follows a strategic shift under CEO Elliott Hill, who since late 2024 has been steering Nike back toward sports, footwear and wholesale partnerships. The disposal coincides with wider weakness in the NFT market: monthly NFT sales fell to $320 million in November 2025, total NFT market capitalization sits near $2.78 billion (down ~67% year-over-year), and several NFT platforms and events have changed direction or shut down amid low demand. Nike’s Converse brand also reported a 30% quarterly sales drop in December 2025, prompting analyst speculation about further portfolio adjustments. Key points for traders: Nike’s exit from RTFKT signals reduced corporate appetite for NFT risk among major consumer brands, increasing downside pressure on speculative NFT and branded metaverse tokens; absence of deal terms limits immediate market signals for equities or token valuations; broader NFT market metrics point to continued low liquidity and heightened volatility for related assets.

XRP has outperformed top cryptocurrencies in early 2026 after U.S. spot XRP ETFs recorded more than $1 billion in cumulative inflows since mid-November. The ETFs show strong daily trading volumes, suggesting institutional buying. On-chain data show XRP balances on centralized exchanges at multi-year lows while XRPL decentralized exchange liquidity and transaction counts have surged to multi-year highs. Technical indicators point to bullish structure: a falling-wedge breakout, elevated Taker Buy Ratio, short liquidations, and rising futures open interest (highest since November). Ripple has completed strategic acquisitions — including custody, treasury, and a rebranded global prime broker (Ripple Prime) — building market-structure infrastructure for regulated on-chain settlement. These factors together imply increasing institutional adoption and tighter circulating supply, creating a structurally bullish setup for XRP in both spot and derivatives markets.

Hyperliquid (HYPE) has confirmed a breakout from a multi-month descending parallel (bearish) channel on the daily chart, supported by renewed accumulation from ’smart money’ investors and protocol token burns. HYPE rallied for a fifth consecutive day on Jan. 7, rising 17.5% from its Jan. 2 low to an intraday high of $28.20 and about 26% from its December low of $22.30. On-chain data from Nansen shows institutional and notable wallets increasing positions—examples include Maven 11 adding 161.3K HYPE (bringing its holdings to ~$4.5M) and a16z Crypto and Borderless Capital adding roughly 42.3K HYPE combined. Hyperliquid’s aggressive buyback-and-burns are another catalyst: the protocol burned nearly $912 million worth of HYPE in late December, reducing circulating supply and likely increasing scarcity. Technical indicators show short-term bullish bias: MACD bullish crossover with expanding green histogram and Chaikin Money Flow at +0.22, indicating momentum and capital inflows. Measured target from the breakout aligns with the Dec. 4 high of $35.80—approximately 30% above current levels at publication. Market data snapshot at press time: HYPE ~$27.25, 24h volume $305M, market cap ~$6.5B. Disclosure: Not investment advice.

The search term “Connect token WTC crypto” often confuses traders because it can refer to two distinct tokens: WalletConnect Token (WCT) and Waltonchain (WTC). WalletConnect Token (WCT) is the governance and utility token for the WalletConnect Network — a Web3 relay and connectivity protocol integrated with 600+ wallets and 40,000 dApps as of early 2026. WCT grants governance rights, staking and reward mechanisms for relay node operators, and potential network-payment utility. Waltonchain (WTC) is an older 2017-era project focused on RFID+IoT supply-chain solutions. WTC is used within its ecosystem for transaction fees, node rewards, and sub-chain operations for enterprise tracking and anti-counterfeiting. The two tokens are unrelated: WCT supports wallet-to-dApp connectivity and protocol governance, while WTC targets physical asset tracking and supply-chain use cases. Traders should verify tickers and project purpose before transacting: staking mechanics and token utilities differ, and misidentifying the asset could lead to exposure to unintended risks. This clarification is not investment advice; conduct independent research before trading.

Jay Jacobs, Head of Active ETFs at BlackRock, told CNBC that Bitcoin remains in an early stage of development despite nearly 16 years on the market and recent price gains. BlackRock — which manages about $10 trillion and launched the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in January 2024 — views institutional adoption as nascent: Fidelity data cited ~15% institutional participation among major financial firms and traditional institutions hold under 8% of Bitcoin’s supply. Other indicators Jacobs and market research referenced include roughly 4% of the global population owning Bitcoin, ~900,000 daily active Bitcoin addresses, a $1.8 trillion market cap (about 1.2% of global gold’s value), and evolving custody, trading and regulatory infrastructure. Recent milestones noted: Bitcoin hit an all-time high near $95,000 in Feb 2025, US spot Bitcoin ETFs approved in 2024, and the EU’s MiCA framework in 2025. Factors that could accelerate adoption include regulatory harmonization, expanded institutional allocations (pension funds, endowments), Lightning Network scaling, and broader integration with traditional finance. Jacobs’ view underscores both significant upside potential and ongoing uncertainty; traders should monitor adoption metrics, regulatory developments, ETF flows, and on-chain activity for signals affecting liquidity and volatility.

A sophisticated wallet address spoofing scam is targeting Shiba Inu (SHIB) holders as the token’s market activity rises. Security group Shibarium Trustwatch warned attackers monitor wallets with regular SHIB activity, then create counterfeit addresses that match the first and last characters of legitimate addresses. Scammers send tiny “dust” transactions from these spoofed addresses so they appear in victims’ transaction histories on explorers like Etherscan. Because many users copy addresses from recent transactions and visually verify only the start and end, victims can paste the fake address and send funds irreversibly to attackers. The attacks have become more frequent alongside SHIB’s recent price and volume gains; at the time of reporting SHIB traded near $0.00000922. Traders are advised to verify the full wallet address before every transfer, avoid copying addresses from public transaction histories, and use safer options such as address whitelists, QR codes or in-wallet saved contacts to reduce the risk of wallet spoofing and dusting attacks. Primary keywords: Shiba Inu, SHIB, wallet spoofing scam. Secondary keywords: dusting attack, address spoofing, Etherscan, wallet security.