Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

LayerZero announced a new blockchain named Zero aimed at institutional adoption, backed by Citadel Securities, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and DTCC, with Cathie Wood joining its advisory board. Zero uses an ‘heterogeneous architecture’ and zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) to separate execution from verification. LayerZero claims Zero can reach up to 2 million transactions per second (TPS) with per-transaction costs under one-millionth of a dollar — purportedly ~100,000× faster than Ethereum and ~500× faster than Solana. Zero will debut in September with three initial zones: an EVM-compatible general environment, a privacy-focused payments zone, and a cross-asset trading zone. DTCC and ICE are exploring tokenization and 24/7 trading/secured collateral integration; Google Cloud will collaborate on AI-agent micropayments. Zero’s native token ZRO will serve governance and staking roles; ZRO rose over 15% in the prior 24 hours. The project emphasizes institutional requirements and modular design, raising questions about decentralization as traditional financial players directly shape blockchain infrastructure. Traders should watch ZRO token moves, institutional partnership announcements, on-chain performance after mainnet launch, and any regulatory commentary from partnering firms and regulators.

LayerZero Labs CEO Bryan Pellegrino says blockchain scalability is primarily constrained by the storage layer and by inefficiencies from every node replicating computation. LayerZero built a storage layer reportedly capable of 3,000,000 updates per second and is developing a new blockchain, Zero, plus Zero OS to reduce computation replication via proof-based validation and log-based databases. Pellegrino argues moving from Merkle Patricia Tries to log-based databases yields large performance gains (he cites a 100x improvement) and notes Aptos can reach ~1,000,000 TPS on a single node. He warns recent industry shifts toward centralized, institution-focused chains are troubling and stresses the need for decentralized, permissionless systems that can support 24/7 global markets. LayerZero is positioned as immutable and dominant (claimed 82–85% market share) and emphasizes real-world system integrations — including work tied to partners such as PYUSD — as drivers of adoption. Key figures: Bryan Pellegrino (LayerZero CEO). Key metrics: 3,000,000 storage updates/sec, ~1,000,000 TPS single-node Aptos, claimed 82–85% LayerZero market share. Primary themes: storage-layer bottlenecks, node computation inefficiency, log-based verifiable databases, proof validation to cut replication costs, decentralization vs centralization, Zero blockchain and Zero OS rollout. Primary keywords: LayerZero, blockchain scalability, storage layer, node computation, Zero OS, Zero blockchain.

On-chain metrics indicate Ethereum may be entering a market bottom. Blockchain analytics show the Ethereum MVRV‑Z score at -0.42, a level historically associated with capitulation and undervaluation (past lows: -0.76 in Dec 2018; deep negatives in 2022). Analysts including Alphractal and trader Michaël van de Poppe interpret the reading as a potential accumulation zone rather than a guaranteed trough. Complementary on-chain indicators cited are exchange netflow, entity‑adjusted dormancy and network profit/loss (NPL). Implications: ETH acting as a bellwether could restore confidence across altcoins if sustained recovery follows, aided by network upgrades and Layer‑2 scaling progress. Risks remain—macro headwinds, regulatory uncertainty and the MVRV‑Z not yet at historic extremes—so strategies suggested include dollar‑cost averaging and watching for confirming signals (MVRV‑Z reversal toward zero, falling exchange inflows, break of technical resistance). This probabilistic signal favors cautious accumulation for traders who match exposure to risk tolerance and time horizon.

MUFG’s currency analysis finds Thailand’s recent political stability is a key driver of Thai baht (THB) resilience versus regional peers. Improved predictability after elections and government formation has reduced risk premia, boosted investor confidence, and made monetary and fiscal measures more effective. MUFG highlights three transmission channels: increased foreign direct investment (FDI) into manufacturing and tech, tourism recovery supplying foreign exchange, and stronger export competitiveness due to reduced currency volatility. Recent quarter moves cited: THB/USD +2.3%, THB/EUR +1.8%, THB/JPY +3.1%, THB/CNY +0.9%. Additional supportive fundamentals include a current account surplus and roughly $220 billion in FX reserves, lower external debt, 15% lower volatility than the regional average, and 22% YoY inflows into Thai bonds. MUFG warns future risks — local elections, constitutional reforms or trade shifts — could alter dynamics, but institutional continuity and fiscal discipline make THB comparatively stable. For traders, the report implies lower hedging needs and a more predictable environment for FX, equity and fixed-income positions tied to Thailand.

Bitcoin’s dominance has declined from about 65.2% in July 2025 to roughly 59.3% (a ~9% drop) amid broader market weakness. TradingView data shows altcoin market cap excluding BTC (TOTAL2) fell from ~$1.15T to ~$946B (‑17.7%), while Bitcoin’s market cap dropped ~35% from $2.13T to $1.38T — an underperformance versus altcoins. Technical analysis from CryptoInsightUK points to compressed Bollinger Bands on the Bitcoin dominance ratio (weekly), indicating low volatility and a possible imminent breakout. Historically, a downward move in BTC dominance has coincided with altcoin rallies; the analyst cites late 2024 when BTC dominance fell ~11% and XRP surged about 490% to $2.90. If dominance continues to fall, capital rotation into altcoins could benefit XRP given its liquidity and past responsiveness. No confirmed breakout has occurred; traders are advised to await market-structure and volatility confirmation before taking positions. (Keywords: Bitcoin dominance, XRP, altcoins, market cap, Bollinger Bands)

Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty described recent White House discussions on stablecoin policy as “productive,” signaling progress toward bipartisan agreement on how to regulate revenue from stablecoin reserves. Closed-door meetings brought together banking and crypto industry representatives to focus on interest and other income generated by reserve assets (for example, U.S. Treasury yields held to back tokens such as USDC and USDT). Key policy questions under consideration include revenue distribution, regulatory jurisdiction (banking vs. securities law or a bespoke framework), reserve transparency and consumer protections like 1:1 redeemability. With more than $150 billion in stablecoins outstanding and competing regulatory frameworks emerging globally, Alderoty said the window to pass comprehensive crypto market-structure legislation is open. Experts view a consensus on technical issues — especially reserve income — as a pragmatic pathway to federal law that would clarify asset classification, platform rules and oversight for large issuers. Traders should watch for legislative momentum and executive-branch alignment, which could reduce legal uncertainty for payment stablecoins, encourage institutional flows, and affect liquidity and peg stability for major stablecoins.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) has traded inside a long-term range (~$272–$640) for about 20 months. Weekly technicals remain constructive: accumulation (A/D) has trended higher since 2024 and weekly RSI sits near neutral (≈47). The $456 mid-range support has been wick-tested several times but not closed below on weekly charts, keeping the bullish case intact. Short-term liquidity and liquidation heatmaps point to magnetic supply around $550–$610, with local supply building at $540–$550. Analysts suggest a likely scenario where BCH is pushed up into the $550–$560 area (possible short squeeze) to collect liquidity before reversing toward the $440–$460 mid-range — a potential low-risk, high-reward buying zone. That bearish reversal would be invalidated if BCH closes above ~$580. Note: on-chain metrics show rising transactions and whale activity, indicating healthy liquidity movement. Traders should watch $540–$580 overhead resistance and $440–$460 support for trade setups.

On‑chain data shows realized losses are outweighing profits as Bitcoin trades below $70,000, signaling persistent bearish pressure. Darkfost’s analysis reports a realized profit‑to‑loss ratio near 0.25 (about $4 in losses for every $1 of profit), with the seven‑day average approaching levels typical of bear markets. Exchange and treasury selling — including large holders who bought near recent highs — has contributed to distribution volume and increased trading activity during the recent selloff. Price action broke intermediate support and slipped below short‑ and medium‑term moving averages; the $60,000–$65,000 range is identified as the next critical demand zone. While realized profits have recently started to slightly exceed losses after weeks of deficits, analysts view stabilization as tentative: a sustained recovery likely requires the purge of weaker hands and rebuilding of unrealized gains. Key points for traders: elevated realized losses indicate continued downside risk, watch volume for distribution vs. accumulation, monitor the $60k–$65k support band, and note moving averages remain bearish.

Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest has increased its bullish positions in crypto-related stocks amid a broader rally in digital-asset shares. Ark added to holdings in firms tied to bitcoin and blockchain exposure, reflecting confidence in the sector’s near-term momentum. The moves follow rising cryptocurrency prices and renewed institutional interest, prompting increased allocations across Ark’s actively managed ETFs. Key themes include higher weightings in companies with crypto revenue or bitcoin exposure, repositioning toward growth and innovation equities, and a focus on long-term adoption trends. Traders should note potential volatility from ETF flows, correlations between crypto prices and listed crypto-adjacent stocks, and the likelihood of amplified price moves in both directions as Ark’s trades influence market liquidity.

Coinbase announced the inclusion of GWEI on its public listing roadmap, marking a notable shift toward supporting utility and infrastructure-linked crypto assets. GWEI represents the denomination used to pay Ethereum gas (1 ETH = 1,000,000,000 gwei); the token referenced by Coinbase would be a tradable representation of that unit. Coinbase’s roadmap placement signals potential future trading products that let users hedge or speculate on Ethereum network congestion and transaction costs. The move follows Ethereum’s post-merge upgrades focused on gas efficiency and aligns with growing market demand for instruments tied to blockchain usage metrics. Coinbase stresses roadmap listings require further technical, compliance and legal review before live trading. For traders, a GWEI listing could create a new asset class correlated to network demand and gas price volatility, attract liquidity and spark volatility across venues when announced. Potential impacts include tools for hedging gas fees for developers and dApps, expanded product suites for exchanges, and competitive pressure on peers to list similar infrastructure tokens. Coinbase’s decision also reflects regulatory considerations: tokens with clear utility (representing consumable network resources) may face different scrutiny than securities. Market participants should monitor official Coinbase communications for due diligence outcomes and listing confirmations before adjusting positions.

Banking industry representatives proposed a near-total ban on interest and other compensation for payment stablecoins during a White House meeting, arguing yield-bearing stablecoins pose systemic risk, consumer-protection gaps and regulatory arbitrage. The proposal, documented in a White House paper shared by Decrypt, seeks to prohibit monetary and non-monetary rewards for holding, using or owning payment stablecoins, allowing only “extremely limited” exceptions. This stance is stricter than recent congressional market-structure drafts that permitted limited yields under conditions. Discussions were described as productive but unresolved; future deliberations will move to the Senate Banking Committee and industry self-regulatory bodies. Key concerns cited: potential shadow-banking effects, bank‑run–style withdrawal risks, lack of FDIC-style protections for yields, and market-manipulation risks. Technical and enforcement questions remain — notably how to define “payment stablecoin” and “non-monetary compensation,” and how cross-border operations would be handled. If adopted, the ban could reduce DeFi yield strategies (lending, liquidity provision, treasury management), raise compliance costs, spur migration of activity offshore, and fragment global stablecoin markets. Traders should watch Senate hearings, legislative drafts, and self-regulatory responses: a strict ban would likely compress demand for yield-bearing stablecoins and related DeFi tokens, while a compromise could preserve some protocol revenue models. This regulatory shift is significant for market structure and liquidity in crypto markets.

MoonPay’s fiat-infrastructure unit Iron has partnered with payroll and HR platform Deel to enable direct stablecoin payroll payouts to employees and contractors at roughly 40,000 businesses across the UK and EU, with plans to expand to the US. Deel — which added crypto payroll options in 2021 and processed billions in global payroll — will use Iron’s rails to send USD-pegged stablecoins (initially USDC and other supported assets) straight to recipients’ wallets, simplifying crypto salary distribution and on-ramping. The service aims to speed up cross-border payroll and lower costs compared with existing rails; it follows growing payments-industry momentum for stablecoin payouts (eg. Visa pilot with stablecoin withdrawal via Visa Direct). For traders, the move increases real-world utility and on‑chain volume for stablecoins (notably USDC), expands corporate demand for crypto payroll rails, and adds another institutional on-ramp that could modestly raise transaction flow into stablecoin markets.

Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, has joined the advisory board of LayerZero, an omnichain interoperability protocol that enables seamless messaging and value transfer across multiple blockchains. Announced March 21, 2025, Wood’s advisory role follows a prior strategic investment in LayerZero from Tether (USDT issuer), reinforcing institutional confidence in the protocol. LayerZero uses ultra-light nodes, oracles, relayers and endpoint contracts to let dApps operate natively across chains without wrapped assets or centralized bridges. Major projects such as Stargate Finance and SushiSwap already use LayerZero, which has supported billions in cross-chain volume. Market analysts say Wood’s participation signals growing institutional interest in cross-chain infrastructure and may attract capital, developer activity, and greater integration for stablecoins like USDT. Risks remain: cross-chain security and competition from rivals (e.g., Chainlink CCIP, Wormhole) persist. For traders, the news increases bullish sentiment toward interoperability-focused protocols and tokens tied to LayerZero integrations, but security and execution remain key variables.

Researchers say Bitcoin currently has a multi-year window to prepare for quantum computing attacks because building quantum machines capable of breaking Bitcoin’s cryptography will require substantial effort. They emphasise the immediate risk is limited — more likely attacks will target weaker systems or exploit poor key management — and that harvesting encrypted data now to decrypt later is a practical concern. However, several cryptography experts and some crypto community figures caution that the threat is uncertain and that migrating Bitcoin to post-quantum signatures is technically and politically difficult. Key points: Bitcoin relies on ECDSA and SHA-256 (ECDSA signatures are vulnerable to powerful quantum attacks); older address formats are the weakest link while SegWit and newer formats offer some long-range protection; a full protocol upgrade across a decentralized network could take many months to years and might be hard to pass; timelines for viable quantum hardware vary (estimates range from 5–15+ years to more aggressive hazard probabilities within a decade). Traders should monitor developer consensus, concrete upgrade proposals for post-quantum cryptography, and on-chain usage of legacy addresses. Any credible evidence that upgrades will stall or be delayed increases downside risk for BTC, whereas clear, fast upgrade plans would reduce quantum-related risk premia. SEO keywords: Bitcoin, quantum computing, post-quantum cryptography, ECDSA, SegWit.

Discord says its planned “teen-by-default” age-assurance rollout — expected in March — will only require explicit age checks for users accessing 18+ servers/channels or changing certain safety settings. The company claims most adults will be classified by internal age-prediction models using account signals, so they won’t need to upload IDs or perform facial scans. When manual verification is needed, Discord says facial age estimation runs on-device and identity documents are used only to confirm age and then deleted; the company receives only age data, not linked IDs. Discord’s Global Head of Product Policy, Savannah Badalich, framed the change as a proactive safety measure rather than a response to specific laws. Privacy advocates, including Suzanne Bernstein of EPIC, warned users must trust Discord’s data-handling claims and expressed broader concerns about user control over personal data. The announcement followed online backlash and surges in searches for alternatives. Context: age verification on social platforms is increasing globally, with comparisons to efforts by OpenAI and regulatory moves in countries such as Australia.

Market sell‑off continues across crypto: Vitalik Buterin questioned the standalone value of Layer‑2s, prompting ENS Labs to cancel its Namechain L2 and rebuild on Ethereum mainnet — a sign projects are prioritising clear value propositions over stacking infra. Bitcoin faces severe pressure: MicroStrategy posted a $12.6bn Q4’25 loss, mining difficulty fell 11.6% (the largest drop since China’s 2021 ban) and hashrate declined ~20% as miners paused operations and US storms forced outages. On‑chain estimates put the average cost to mine 1 BTC near $87,000, underscoring upside risk for unprofitable miners if prices stay low. Meanwhile, Tether (USDT issuer) reported Q4’25 growth: +35 million users and a $12.4bn market‑cap increase, plus $23bn in gold reserves and acquisition of gold.com shares — highlighting a flight to tangible reserves amid volatility. Key takeaways for traders: reassess exposure to L2‑native projects without clear utility; monitor miner capitulation and difficulty/hashrate metrics as potential short‑term price catalysts; Tether’s reserve moves and user growth may support stablecoin liquidity and market functioning during stress. Primary keywords: crypto sell‑off, Layer‑2, Bitcoin mining, Tether, USDT. Secondary keywords: ENS Labs, mining difficulty, hashrate, MicroStrategy, gold reserves.

NZD/USD trades tightly around the critical 0.6050 level ahead of the US Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) release at 8:30 AM EST. Traders are reducing exposure, compressing volatility ahead of the report. Technically, 0.6050 is a confluence zone — the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement from the 2024 high to Jan 2025 low — with the 50-day SMA near 0.6070. Support sits at the 0.6000 psychological level and the January low at 0.5935; upside breakout requires clearing 0.6100 toward 0.6180. NFP consensus centers near +180,000 jobs (range 140K–220K); wage growth (Avg. Hourly Earnings ~0.3%), unemployment (3.7%), and participation (62.5%) are key internals. A stronger-than-expected print would likely strengthen the USD and push NZD/USD below 0.6000; a weak report could spur a rally above 0.6100. RBNZ maintains OCR at 5.50% with cuts likely late 2025, while Fed rate-cut odds (market-implied) price a ~65% chance of a first cut by June 2025 — highly sensitive to NFP. Historical NFP days show NZD/USD average moves near 87 pips versus 45 pips on regular days; initial spikes often reverse. CFTC positioning shows leveraged funds net short NZD futures, increasing the potential for sharp short-covering rallies on weak US data. Traders should expect elevated post-NFP volatility and manage risk accordingly.

Cardano (ADA) remains trapped in a well-defined descending channel, forming lower highs and lower lows since peaking near $0.60 in November. Recent weakness pushed ADA to around $0.22 — the channel’s lower boundary and a critical support zone. A modest rebound to $0.263 failed to reclaim meaningful resistance, leaving sellers in control. If selling intensifies, a fall from $0.263 to $0.22 would be roughly a 16% decline. Conversely, sustained buying would need a move above the channel toward resistance near $0.34 to invalidate the bearish structure. Traders are watching intermediate levels: $0.25 could trigger liquidity cascades tied to leveraged positions, and Coinglass data shows notable liquidation clusters — about $424,350 in long liquidations near $0.25 (ADA/BTC on Binance) and roughly $735,890 in short-liquidation liquidity near $0.28. Near-term direction hinges on a clear break of descending resistance or a breakdown below $0.22; absent that, bearish momentum is likely to persist. This content is for information only and not financial advice.

GBP/USD failed to sustain a bullish breakout after hitting a key resistance cluster around 1.2900, retreating roughly 150 pips over three sessions to test support near the 50‑day SMA at 1.2700. Technical factors included rejection at the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement of the 2024 high, a long-term descending trendline, and an overbought daily RSI. Order-flow and options data showed heavy sell orders above 1.2880 and rising put demand as the pair neared resistance. Fundamentally, stickier UK core CPI and renewed political uncertainty dampened sterling’s outlook even as sticky inflation complicates Bank of England cuts; meanwhile stronger US retail sales and hawkish Fed commentary supported the dollar. Futures markets priced a narrowing probability gap for near-term rate cuts (BoE ~40% vs Fed ~35% by early May), reducing a sterling tailwind. Traders should watch immediate support at 1.2700 (50‑day SMA) and a deeper floor near 1.2600; key catalysts will be UK and US economic data and central bank communications. Short-term implications include liquidation of crowded long positions and elevated implied volatility, while a sustained rally requires fresh bullish catalysts and clearer policy divergence.

President Donald Trump projected 15% annual U.S. economic growth for 2026, tying the outlook to his Federal Reserve nominee and expectations of future rate cuts. The announcement split crypto markets: some analysts view potential rate cuts as bullish for late-2026 risk assets, while others call the projection overly optimistic given current macro data. Key headwinds noted include a high U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio (~120%), recent heavy liquidations in crypto (daily long liquidations exceeding $1bn at times), and nearly $1 trillion wiped from markets within a month as risk assets retraced to pre-election levels. Intraday crypto market action remained weak despite the headline, with total market cap down 1.44% on the day. The article concludes that Trump’s forecast is unlikely by itself to guarantee a straight-line crypto rally; data and liquidation pressure present meaningful downside risks for 2026. Primary keywords: Trump growth forecast, crypto market, rate cuts. Secondary keywords: Fed nominee, market liquidations, debt-to-GDP, risk assets.

Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz said the recent crypto market correction reflects a broad structural shift across the industry rather than a single collapse. Speaking at the CNBC Digital Finance Forum, he contrasted the 2022 FTX-driven crash—caused by loss of trust in one centralized entity—with the 2024–2025 downturn, which lacks a single trigger and instead stems from systemic changes. Novogratz highlighted an October liquidation event when leveraged positions worth about $19.37 billion caused 1.6 million traders to be liquidated in 24 hours, prompting many retail traders and liquidity providers to exit and reducing market depth. He argued the “age of speculation” is winding down as markets prioritize utility, adoption and regulatory clarity. Novogratz noted bipartisan momentum in the U.S. for comprehensive digital-asset legislation such as the CLARITY Act, which could define custody, asset classifications and market structure—prerequisites for larger institutional inflows. For traders, the implication is a market in consolidation and recalibration: reduced retail leverage, higher emphasis on fundamentals and rule-based frameworks, and the potential for steadier, institution-driven rallies once regulatory structure and product clarity improve.

Coinbase has included OPINION (OPN) in its listing roadmap. The exchange said OPN’s trading launch will require satisfying market-making and technical requirements; no specific listing date has been provided. The announcement signals potential future exchange support for OPN but emphasizes prerequisites (liquidity provision and technical readiness) before trading can begin. Traders should note that inclusion in a major exchange roadmap can increase visibility and speculative interest in the token, but actual price effects depend on whether market-making commitments and integration tests are completed.

Toncoin (TON) has shown renewed downside pressure after intraday weakness, falling as low as $1.13 in earlier trading before briefly recovering toward $1.35. The token remains below key moving averages and has been repeatedly rejected at the 21‑day simple moving average (SMA), which, together with a 21‑day SMA below the 50‑day SMA on the daily chart, signals a bearish bias. Price action shows multiple Doji candlesticks and clustered bars, indicating short‑term indecision and limited upward momentum. Immediate support sits near $1.20; a decisive break below that level would open the door toward the October low around $0.70. Conversely, a sustained move back above the 21‑day SMA and other moving averages would be needed to restore bullish momentum. The report also cites higher technical zones (resistance $4.00–$5.00; support $2.50–$3.50) that appear inconsistent with current price levels and should be treated cautiously. This is market commentary and not trading advice.

SEI is in a clear downtrend trading around $0.0773 with 24h volume near $36–47M and a daily range showing low volatility. Key technicals: RSI ~26–30 (oversold), Supertrend bearish with resistance ~ $0.09, price below EMA20 confirming short-term bearish momentum. Main supports: $0.0657 (primary, score 79) and $0.0705; critical bearish target is $0.0101 (downside up to ~85%). Bullish targets are $0.0793, $0.09 and a stretch target $0.1170 (~67% upside) but probability is low while downtrend persists. Recommended risk management: prioritize capital protection, use structure- or ATR-based stops (tight stop below $0.0657 or conservative stop under $0.0705), follow 1–2% risk-per-trade position sizing, and reduce leverage. SEI shows strong correlation with BTC; BTC losing $65,786 could drag SEI down to $0.0657, while BTC reclaiming $70,139 could enable SEI breakouts. Overall R/R for longs is currently poor (approx. 1:0.8 if stop at $0.0657); traders should wait for volatility expansion and confirmed breakout direction before initiating new long positions.

Czech ice dancers Kateřina Mrázková and Daniel Mrázek debuted a rhythm dance at the Olympics that incorporated a partially AI-generated ’90s rock track followed by AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” The International Skating Union (ISU) confirmed the music choice; no explicit ISU rule currently bans AI-generated music. The AI segment—prompted to emulate 1990s rock and bands like Bon Jovi—drew criticism after listeners found lyrics and phrases similar to existing songs (notably New Radicals and Bon Jovi). The duo previously used different AI-generated music earlier in the season that also prompted controversy and was revised after scrutiny. The incident spotlights technical and legal issues: generative audio models trained on copyrighted datasets can produce outputs that closely mimic source material, raising questions on originality, copyright infringement, and judging standards in artistic sports. Industry context: startups such as Suno and Udio make text-to-music widely accessible, while major labels have filed lawsuits against some AI companies over training-data use. Expected consequences include ISU/IOC policy reviews, possible disclosure or originality thresholds for AI content, and broader debates about AI’s role in creative sports. Key keywords: AI-generated music, figure skating, copyright, ISU, 1990s rock.

Spot silver (XAG/USD) slipped to $82.50 amid profit-taking after a multi-week rally, with trading volumes above the 30-day average. The $82.50 level now functions as critical technical and psychological support: holding it suggests continued bullish structure, while a break could invite further selling toward near-term support around $81.00. Market focus shifts to upcoming US Retail Sales data (consensus +0.5% month-over-month). A stronger-than-expected print would likely strengthen the US dollar and pressure silver prices; a downside surprise could weaken the dollar and lift XAG/USD. Analysts note structural bullish drivers—industrial demand from solar and EV sectors, mining supply constraints, and supportive moving-average alignment (50/200-day bullish)—are balanced by short-term macro headwinds such as real yields and Fed expectations. Possible near-term scenarios: strong retail sales → dollar appreciation → bearish pressure testing $81.00; in-line → consolidation around $82–$83.50; weak → bullish rebound toward ~$84.50. Traders should watch the $82.50 support, retail-sales core figures, USD moves, and real yields for trade signals. This is not financial advice.

Canaan (CAN) shares fell about 6.9% on Nasdaq after the company reported its strongest quarter in three years. Q4 revenue rose 121.1% year‑on‑year to $196.3 million, driven by record hardware sales (14.6 EH/s shipped) and improved mining performance. Bitcoin mining revenue grew 98.5% YoY to $30.4 million, and Canaan boosted its treasury to a record 1,750 BTC (≈$120M) and 3,950 ETH (≈$7.9M). Installed hashrate reached 9.91 EH/s with 7.65 EH/s operational. Despite these gains, shares slipped to $0.56, leaving the company below Nasdaq’s $1 minimum bid rule and at risk of delisting unless it closes above $1 for 10 consecutive trading days by the July 13 deadline. The stock is down 18.1% year‑to‑date and 70.2% over 12 months. Key keywords: Canaan, Bitcoin miner, Nasdaq delisting risk, hashrate, hardware sales, BTC treasury.

U.S. credit card balances reached a record $1.28 trillion at the end of Q4, a $44 billion quarterly increase and a 5.5% rise year‑over‑year, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s quarterly household debt report. The rise signals growing reliance on revolving credit as household finances remain under pressure. The report tracks multiple consumer debt categories including mortgages, auto loans and student loans; credit card debt now represents the highest level on record for American consumers. Key figures: $1.28T total credit card balances, +$44B quarter‑on‑quarter, +5.5% year‑on‑year. Implication: elevated consumer leverage could weigh on spending and broader financial stability, with possible knock‑on effects for risk assets and cyclical sectors.

Coinbase’s Base network has shifted the Base App away from creator rewards and Farcaster social features to focus on tradable assets, raising questions about whether a native BASE token is necessary. The Creator Rewards program — which paid roughly $450,000 to ~17,000 creators (about $26 each) over seven months — will end with final payouts on Feb. 18. Base’s trading ecosystem has been the main driver: decentralized exchanges on Base processed $15.2 billion in trading volume over the past 30 days, led by Aerodrome Finance (AERO). Token Terminal data shows Base has generated $190.6 million in cumulative fees and revenue to date, with steady weekly inflows. Coinbase’s strategic reorientation toward trading and revenue monetization — plus high-profile branding such as Coinbase’s Super Bowl ad — suggests Base can bootstrap growth through usage and fees rather than a native token. For traders, the implication is that Base’s on-chain activity and fee generation are current value drivers; a launch of a BASE token looks optional rather than essential in the near term.