Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the House Financial Services Committee he cannot order a government bailout of Bitcoin nor direct private banks to buy BTC, amid a recent ~25% week-on-week decline driving BTC toward $60,000. Representative Brad Sherman asked whether the Treasury, the Federal Open Market Committee or the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) could force banks or change reserve rules to boost Bitcoin demand; Bessent said neither he nor FSOC has that authority. He confirmed the administration is building a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve established by a March 2025 executive order, using seized crypto and other budget-neutral methods only. The Treasury reported roughly $500 million in confiscated Bitcoin that appreciated to about $15 billion while in custody. The executive order bars open-market purchases; future increases in holdings would come via asset forfeiture or budget-neutral conversions (proposals previously discussed include reallocating gold certificates or tariff receipts), though no concrete mechanism was announced. For traders, the Treasury’s stance removes a potential source of direct government demand that could have supported prices—meaning any price upside must come from private-market flows, macro factors, or institutional demand rather than forced public-sector purchases. Key keywords: Bitcoin, BTC, U.S. Treasury, Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, asset forfeiture, market demand.

Tether Investments (Tether’s El Salvador arm) has made a $100 million strategic equity investment in Anchorage Digital Bank, formalising and deepening an existing partnership that includes Anchorage-issued USAt, a USD‑pegged stablecoin launched under the U.S. federal stablecoin framework in January 2026. Anchorage is the first federally chartered U.S. digital asset bank and provides custody, settlement, staking, trading and stablecoin issuance for institutions. The deal follows reports Anchorage is preparing a $200M–$400M capital raise ahead of a potential IPO. Tether — issuer of USDT, the largest stablecoin with roughly $185B circulating — reported strong 2025 results (about $10B net profit and substantial reserves) and has been deploying profits across crypto, including building bitcoin reserves (over 96,000 BTC). The announcement comes amid sharp Bitcoin weakness: BTC fell below $70,000 for the first time since November 2024, dipping to around $63,200 with a ~14% 24h decline. Technical indicators cited show BTC in a clear downtrend (RSI oversold, bearish supertrend, 20‑day EMA well above price) with nearby supports near $64K and $61K and resistance around $67K–$70K. Analysts say large stablecoin-capital injections into custody and issuance platforms could act as a liquidity backstop and help market stability over time, but near-term trading implications point to heightened volatility and continued downside risk until technical support holds. (Not investment advice.)

BitMine Immersion chairman Tom Lee dismissed concerns that the company’s roughly $6 billion in unrealized losses on its Ethereum (ETH) treasury will force sales or cap ETH’s price. BitMine has increased its holdings to about 4.285 million ETH (≈3.5% of circulating supply), adding 41,788 ETH recently. The treasury’s market value fell from a peak near $13.9 billion in October to about $9.6 billion amid a broad crypto sell-off, generating approximately $6 billion in paper losses. Lee described the drawdown as “a feature, not a bug,” comparing BitMine’s long-cycle treasury strategy to index ETFs that register interim losses during downturns. Around 67% of BitMine’s ETH (≈2.897 million ETH) is staked to earn rewards, reducing immediate sell pressure. Lee cautioned that deleveraging after October’s crash could keep market pressure into early 2026 but reiterated a long-term bullish view that Ethereum underpins future finance. For traders: the position size is material enough (~3.5% of supply) to influence market psychology and perceived supply risk during drawdowns; BitMine signals no intent to liquidate, which lessens forced-sell risk; nevertheless, short-term volatility may persist while fundamentals support a longer-term bullish case for ETH.

Ripple Prime has integrated Hyperliquid (HYPE) into its institutional prime-brokerage offering, giving institutional clients access to decentralized perpetual futures liquidity through a single counterparty with centralized margin, risk controls and reporting. The integration removes a key usability barrier — institutions no longer need to manage wallets or smart contracts to tap on-chain perpetuals — while keeping Ripple Prime positioned as a prime broker (not an exchange) that aggregates crypto, FX, fixed income and derivatives access. Ripple said this is its first direct link to a decentralized trading protocol; market observers expect more prime-broker DeFi integrations as firms compete for institutional crypto flows in 2026. Market reaction was muted: XRP saw continued intraday weakness after the announcement, and HYPE posted a modest bounce but remained well below recent highs. For traders, the development expands institutional access to on-chain derivatives liquidity (potentially increasing long-term demand for DeFi-native venues and their tokens) but has not produced immediate bullish price moves for XRP or HYPE.

Moscow Exchange plans to introduce regulated crypto indices for Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP) and Tron (TRX) and to launch cash‑settled futures based on those indices by 2026. The indices will follow the same model used for the exchange’s existing Bitcoin and Ethereum benchmarks, which underpin monthly futures and were recently expanded to include ETF‑linked futures. Physical delivery of tokens will remain prohibited; all contracts will be cash‑settled and available only to qualified investors under Russian rules. The exchange is also considering perpetual futures for BTC and ETH and may add options on crypto indices later. A draft regulatory framework from December 2025 could permit limited access for non‑qualified investors under strict caps and testing, with lawmakers targeting finalization by July 1, 2026. For traders, the move is likely to increase institutional product choice, improve price discovery and liquidity for SOL, XRP and TRX in Russia, and enable structured products tied to these benchmarks — while regulatory limits and cash settlement will constrain direct retail and on‑chain exposure.

MetaMask has integrated Ondo Finance’s Ondo Global Markets tokenized U.S. stocks, ETFs and commodities into its wallet, letting eligible (non‑US) mobile users buy, hold and trade more than 200 tokenized securities on‑chain using USDC on Ethereum. Trades execute via MetaMask Swaps during market hours (24/5); token transfers and custody remain self‑custodial and available 24/7. The launch — announced at the Ondo Global Summit — includes major names such as Tesla, NVIDIA, Apple, Microsoft and Amazon and ETFs like QQQ, SLV and IAU. Ondo says pricing mirrors traditional brokerage markets while settlement occurs onchain. This follows MetaMask’s recent expansions into on‑chain perpetuals with Hyperliquid and prediction markets with Polymarket, and comes as real‑world asset (RWA) tokenization gains traction amid clearer U.S. regulatory signals: the RWA market is estimated near $24 billion and tokenized‑stock holdings rose sharply in January. MetaMask’s on‑chain perp volumes have also increased, reflecting rising demand for speculative products. ConsenSys CEO Joe Lubin framed the integration as reducing legacy friction for market access; Ondo’s team positions the product as Robinhood‑like economics but self‑custodial. The announcement did not confirm expansion to Ondo Perps (equity perps led by Hyperliquid).

Rails, an institutional crypto-derivatives provider, has launched an institution-grade on-chain vault on the Stellar network to give brokerages, fintechs and intermediaries a unified back-end for perpetuals markets. The architecture separates centralized trade matching from on-chain custody: Rails operates a centralized matching engine while client collateral is held in audited Stellar smart-contract vaults. Every 30 seconds Rails posts P&L, fees and liabilities as Merkle roots on-chain so counterparties can independently verify balances and reconcile books. The vault design segregates client collateral from market-making and company funds to reduce counterparty and operational risk — a response to past exchange failures tied to pooled custody (eg. FTX). Rails cited Stellar’s fast ~5-second finality, low predictable fees and regulatory-facing track record as reasons for the choice. The firm has processed over $3.4bn in volume to date, is registered with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) and is beginning registration with the U.S. National Futures Association; it plans to add options trading in Q2 2026. Context: global crypto derivatives volumes remain large (CoinGlass estimated $85.7tn in 2024), highlighting derivatives’ role in price discovery and the systemic risks of high leverage and concentrated venues. Key SEO keywords: Rails, Stellar, on-chain vault, institutional custody, perpetuals markets.

Former President Donald Trump said he was unaware that Aryam Investment, a vehicle linked to Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, bought roughly 49% of World Liberty Financial (WLFI) in a deal valued at about $500 million that closed four days before his inauguration. The purchase included an initial $250 million payment; about $187 million was routed to companies tied to the Trump family and roughly $31 million went to firms linked to WLFI co‑founders. WLFI lists Trump and several of his sons among its founders. The deal made Aryam the largest shareholder of WLFI and has drawn scrutiny over potential foreign influence on a U.S.-linked digital-asset platform. Reports note WLFI instruments have been used as settlement rails — for example, Abu Dhabi-backed MGX reportedly used a WLFI dollar-pegged stablecoin to settle a $2 billion investment into Binance. The disclosure has renewed interest in whether foreign capital may affect U.S. policy: months after the reported purchase, the Trump administration approved sales of advanced U.S. AI chips to the UAE despite earlier diversion‑risk concerns. WLFI and White House representatives have denied that the investment influenced government actions. Traders should watch WLFI liquidity and on‑chain flows, possible regulatory scrutiny, and reputational risk that could pressure WLFI token/stablecoin prices in the near term.

xAI posted a remote role for a “Finance Expert – Crypto” to help train its next-generation trading-focused AI on blockchain markets and crypto trading. The contractor will prepare and label training data (text, audio, video), review model outputs, provide step-by-step reasoning traces and recorded explanations, and critique AI performance — not execute live trades. Required expertise includes on-chain analytics, DeFi protocols, perpetual futures and derivatives, cross-exchange arbitrage, market microstructure, MEV-aware execution, and 24/7 risk/portfolio management. The U.S. pay range is $45–$100 per hour, with separate international rates. CoinDCX CEO Sumit Gupta noted the hire highlights growing convergence between AI and crypto. The posting and related commentary also raised regulatory concerns, with a UK parliamentary committee warning that AI is propagating through finance faster than rules can keep up. For traders, the vacancy signals more institutional-grade AI development aimed at crypto market strategies and model-driven execution insights — a development that can increase professionalization of algorithmic trading and data-driven signals, though the role appears focused on data labeling and model evaluation rather than deploying live trading systems.

French police detained six suspects, including a minor, after the abduction of a 35-year-old judge and her 67-year-old mother in Drôme. The kidnappers demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency, targeting the judge’s partner, a crypto entrepreneur, and used images and threats to force a digital payment. The victims were held about 30 hours in a garage before escaping and alerting authorities; no ransom was paid. Around 160 officers later executed coordinated arrests. Authorities note this case fits a rising wave of violent “wrench attacks” in France that coerce self-custody holders to hand over private keys or seed phrases. French prosecutors in 2025 charged 25 suspects (including minors) over related kidnappings and attempted kidnappings for digital-asset payments. Past high-profile incidents referenced include attacks on hardware-wallet users and the kidnapping of Ledger co‑founder David Balland. Security experts warn the growing frequency and brutality of these attacks increases physical custody risk for on-chain asset holders and may accelerate adoption of stronger custody practices (time-locked vaults, decoy wallets, multi‑party custody, delayed withdrawals). For traders: no direct market-moving transfers were reported in this case, but a surge in coercive physical attacks could prompt regulatory scrutiny, raise investors’ perceived custody risk, and boost demand for institutional custody and safer self-custody solutions.

Jump Trading will acquire minority equity positions in prediction-market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket in return for providing trading liquidity, Bloomberg reports. Under the Kalshi arrangement Jump receives a fixed stake; its Polymarket stake will scale over time tied to the trading capacity and liquidity it supplies in U.S. markets. Polymarket is valued at roughly $9 billion and Kalshi at about $11 billion. The deals resemble venture-style market-making agreements: Jump becomes a principal counterparty and institutional liquidity provider for CFTC-regulated event contracts while expanding beyond traditional asset classes. The firm has assigned more than 20 staff to build technology and operations for event-contract trading. Market implications include deeper liquidity, tighter spreads, and improved execution for prediction-market contracts, potentially raising volumes and market depth—especially in U.S.-regulated products—though regulatory and state-level legal risks for prediction markets persist. This summary is for market information only and not investment advice.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) has deployed its V1 protocol on the Sepolia testnet, enabling public verification and interaction with core lending features (mtTokens, debt tokens, automated liquidator). The project is in presale phase 7 at $0.04 with a projected $0.06 launch price. Key tokenomics: dual lending models (Peer-to-Contract for common assets and Peer-to-Peer for bespoke loans), over‑collateralization, and a fee mechanism that uses protocol fees to buy back MUTM and redistribute rewards to mtToken stakers. The team reports early presale appreciation and allocates a significant portion of supply to presale buyers. Analysts cited in press materials project a potential immediate post-listing uplift (to $0.35–$0.50 in one scenario) and a longer‑term target (examples in coverage suggested much higher gains), framing historical DeFi rollouts as precedent. This combination — a verifiable testnet launch, active presale, and buyback/staking mechanics — is presented as a bullish pathway for token demand if listings and user adoption follow. The piece is a press release and includes a reminder to perform independent due diligence before trading.

Publicly traded Bitcoin miner Cango (CANG) sold 4,451 BTC (about $305 million) over the weekend to repay part of a Bitcoin‑collateralized loan, reduce leverage and strengthen its balance sheet as it shifts capital toward AI computing services. The company said it will continue mining but will reallocate some resources and deploy modular GPU units across its 40+ global sites to offer on‑demand AI inference capacity to small and mid‑sized businesses. Cango named Jack Jin (formerly at Zoom) as CTO to lead the AI initiative. Management plans to selectively sell newly mined BTC to fund the AI expansion while retaining a multi‑thousand BTC reserve; Cango reported mining ~500 BTC in January and selling 550 BTC (~$39M), leaving about 7,474.6 BTC at month‑end. Shares fell nearly 3% on the news and are down roughly 62% over six months. Market implications for traders: large miner BTC sales can increase short‑term supply pressure on BTC (primary keyword: BTC sale; secondary: bitcoin miner, AI compute, balance sheet), while using proceeds to repay collateralized debt lowers liquidation risk. The strategic pivot follows an industry trend of miners reallocating capital toward AI/high‑performance compute, but analysts warn of execution and monetization risks. Traders should monitor miner selling cadence, on‑chain flows, custody reserves, and company guidance on future sales for short‑term liquidity effects and longer‑term shifts in capital allocation.

South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) will step up crypto-market oversight in 2026, targeting conduct that pushes prices away from normal market conditions. Governor Lee Chang-jin told Yonhap the FSS will focus on coordinated manipulation, large “whale” trades, exchange suspensions of deposits/withdrawals known as “gating,” misuse of market-order APIs, and price moves during exchange maintenance. The regulator also flagged efforts to influence markets via coordinated social‑media misinformation. To bolster enforcement the FSS will expand automated monitoring — adding short-interval anomaly detection, account-clustering and range flags, API‑pattern monitoring, and text-analysis to detect organized narratives. The agency has upgraded its VISTA surveillance with an AI module to flag suspected manipulation and will escalate exchange incidents more rapidly into formal probes. This push follows a Bithumb promotional glitch that briefly distributed bitcoin (nearly all later recovered) and sharp price swings during maintenance on platforms such as Upbit, prompting urgent reviews by the Financial Services Commission and other bodies. The FSS has formed a taskforce to prepare for a forthcoming Digital Asset Basic Law (Phase 2), aiming to tighten disclosure, exchange supervision and licensing standards. Implications for traders: heightened surveillance should reduce blatant exchange-level manipulation and gating-driven volatility but will increase scrutiny on large OTC and API-driven orders, make rapid short-term price moves more likely to trigger probes, and could bring new rules that constrain certain execution strategies. Primary keywords: crypto oversight, market manipulation. Secondary keywords: gating, whale trading, API trading, automated monitoring, AI surveillance.

Coinbase aired a one-minute Super Bowl karaoke-style ad using the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” aiming for wide brand awareness rather than product detail or security explanations. The nostalgia-driven spot displayed animated lyrics and encouraged singalongs; it aired early in the game and quickly spread across social media and public screens, producing massive reach and web traffic. Public reaction was mixed: some praised its memorability and viral potential, while critics said it failed to explain why users should choose Coinbase or how assets are protected. CEO Brian Armstrong defended the creative approach, saying distinctive hooks are necessary to stand out in crowded commercial breaks; marketing chief Catherine Ferdon framed it as bringing people together and reflecting crypto-community growth. The ad’s landing link reportedly received extremely high traffic (causing brief site issues), and the campaign replaced Coinbase’s 2022 QR-code stunt as a broad cultural play. Traders should view this primarily as a brand-awareness move with limited immediate price impact: it raises visibility and could influence sentiment over time, but it is unlikely to produce direct, short-term trading flows or materially move major tokens absent further product- or policy-related news. Keywords: Coinbase, Super Bowl ad, brand awareness, crypto marketing, market sentiment.

Block is undertaking a strategic reorganization that may cut up to 10% of its ~11,000 staff as it aligns Cash App (consumer) and Square (merchant) more closely. The company is running annual performance reviews and has begun notifying hundreds of employees of potential job losses as a cost-control measure. At the same time, Block is increasing investment in long-term technology initiatives: expanding its Bitcoin mining arm Proto and developing an AI payments and analytics project called Goose. Traders should note upcoming Q4 results on Feb. 26, where analysts expect roughly $403m adjusted profit and about $6.25bn revenue (prior quarter: $461.5m profit, $6.11bn revenue). Bitcoin remains a material revenue driver — Block reported $1.97bn of Bitcoin-related transaction revenue in Q3 and held about 8,780 BTC (roughly $1bn) at end-September, with a $59m valuation loss in the prior quarter. Key implications for traders: the restructuring could reduce operating costs and support margin improvement but may also increase near-term volatility around earnings and restructuring announcements; expansion of Proto and the AI Goose project increases Block’s direct crypto exposure and technology risk/reward; concentrated BTC holdings mean the company’s earnings and treasury are sensitive to BTC price swings. SEO keywords: Block Inc., Cash App, Square, layoffs, Bitcoin mining, Proto, AI Goose, BTC holdings, restructuring.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is an emerging Layer‑2 on‑chain lending protocol that has risen from $0.01 to roughly $0.04 since its early‑2025 launch. The project reports more than 19,000 holders and $20.4M raised, with 845 million MUTM sold across presale phases and current phase momentum described as strong. Recent developments include a V1 deployment on the Sepolia testnet—enabling public testing of lending pools, mintable mtTokens (interest‑bearing lending positions), and automated risk systems—and completion of a Halborn security audit alongside a strong CertiK score and an active bug bounty. Roadmap items highlighted are a buy‑and‑distribute mechanism using lending fees to buy MUTM for safety‑module participants and a planned over‑collateralized native stablecoin. Analysts and promotional materials point to constrained early supply, shrinking presale allocations and rising large‑wallet participation as bullish signals; some forecasts project up to 400–750% upside (to roughly $0.20–$0.30) if milestones and major exchange listings materialize. The current quoted presale price (~$0.04) is presented as discounted relative to an advertised opening price of $0.06. Traders should treat these claims as promotional, verify security audits and listings, and perform independent due diligence before allocating capital.

APEMARS (APRZ) is in a structured presale now at Stage 7 with a stage price of $0.00005576 and a targeted listing price of $0.0055, implying roughly 9,700% upside from the current stage. Updated presale metrics show about $175K raised, 840+ holders and approximately 6.5 billion tokens sold. Tokenomics highlighted: a Scheduled Burn System (unsold presale tokens to be burned at stages 6, 12, 18 and 23) and a staking product, APE Yield Station, claiming a 63% APY funded from 20% of total supply with a two-month mandatory lock after launch. The project positions itself as an early-stage meme token with stage-based pricing, visible weekly stage progression, a viral referral system and planned burns to create scarcity. The coverage contrasts APEMARS’ early-entry, presale-driven upside with larger established meme projects (examples cited: Baby Doge and Cyber), arguing those large-cap tokens now depend more on sentiment and hype cycles and may offer limited asymmetric upside. The articles are sponsored press releases and include a disclaimer that content is informational, not financial advice. For traders: APEMARS presents a high-risk, high-reward presale opportunity with defined entry points and explicit tokenomic mechanisms (burns, staged pricing, high APY staking). Key trading considerations are presale liquidity and vesting/lock mechanics, accuracy of the claimed listing price, smart-contract and team due diligence, and potential volatility around listing and unstaking unlocks.

Tether has made a strategic, undisclosed investment in t-0 Network, a payments-focused blockchain project building an institutional settlement rail that uses USDT (USD₮) as the exclusive on‑chain settlement asset. t-0 Network connects licensed banks, fintechs and payment firms via a shared ledger and single API to match, net and settle only net balances on‑chain, reducing pre‑funding, FX exposure, correspondent‑bank delays and fees while improving auditability. The partnership aims to integrate USDT liquidity with t-0’s settlement rails, supporting faster, lower‑cost international payments and tighter on‑chain settlement efficiency. Access to the network is limited to approved, regulated participants. Details on the size and stake of Tether’s investment were not disclosed. Traders should monitor announcements about product integrations, pilot programs with payment providers, and any rises in on‑chain USDT volume or settlement flows, as these could affect USDT liquidity and stablecoin trading pairs.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson disclosed during a Tokyo livestream that he has incurred more than $3 billion in unrealized crypto losses amid the recent market downturn. He cited steep weekly declines across major assets and forced liquidations, and warned of continued “red days” ahead. Despite the drawdown and investor skepticism in Japan, Hoskinson reaffirmed his long-term commitment to Cardano and to building decentralized systems rather than exiting positions. He highlighted ongoing Cardano projects—particularly Midnight (privacy and data sovereignty) and Starstream—and promoted Cardano’s Intersect governance and the Midnight Ambassadors program. Hoskinson framed blockchain capabilities (transaction throughput, identity, data integrity) as surpassing legacy systems, criticized traditional financial elites, and said he will continue to build through the selloff. Traders should note the disclosure because founder selling or retention signals can affect sentiment for ADA and founder-led projects; the admission of heavy unrealized losses may increase short-term volatility for ADA even as continued development updates provide a moderate long-term positive narrative for the protocol.

Binance has moved to convert roughly $250 million of its Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) reserves from stablecoins into Bitcoin, purchasing about 3,600 BTC in a single on-chain transfer and bringing SAFU’s total Bitcoin holdings to approximately 6,230 BTC. Founder Changpeng Zhao confirmed the purchases continued through a recent market dip around $60,000 and described the timing as “perfect.” Binance said the conversion is part of a planned reallocation announced in late January — SAFU funds are segregated from operational accounts and historically financed by trading fees and reserve reallocation — and that the exchange intends to complete the stablecoin-to-BTC conversion within 30 days of the original announcement while updating the community. The move increases SAFU’s exposure to Bitcoin price volatility and is positioned as strengthening user-protection reserves (an insurance-style buffer) rather than an active trading bet. Traders should note the operation was executed during heightened volumes and market weakness, which may have provided liquidity and market-depth benefits while also concentrating reserve risk in BTC.

China’s central bank and seven regulators have banned the issuance, sale and circulation of unapproved yuan‑pegged stablecoins issued abroad, and barred Chinese entities and residents from participating in such projects without formal approval. The guidance frames RMB‑pegged stablecoins as performing currency functions that could undermine monetary sovereignty, enable capital flight and circumvent domestic monetary policy. Regulators will coordinate with payment platforms, exchanges and crypto service providers to strengthen oversight and may impose penalties for non‑compliance. The move complements domestic measures to promote the digital yuan (e‑CNY), including expanded use cases for commercial banks, and targets tokenized RMB real‑world assets unless explicitly authorized. Market observers expect immediate reductions in issuance and trading prospects for offshore RMB stablecoins, heightened compliance scrutiny for platforms serving Chinese users, and a tightening of regulatory arbitrage. For crypto traders: expect reduced liquidity and listing risk for RMB‑pegged tokens, potential delisting or restricted service for affected pairs, and increased counterparty and jurisdictional risk when dealing with yuan‑linked instruments.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin sold more than 6,100 ETH (≈$13.2M) across a three-day period as ether fell below $2,000, according to on-chain tracker Lookonchain. Initial transactions showed about 2,961 ETH sold at an average near $2,228; later activity raised the total to 6,183 ETH at an average near $2,140. Roughly 212 ETH (~$500,000) of proceeds were donated to biotech philanthropy Kanro. Buterin had earlier withdrawn 16,384 ETH to fund long-term projects in biotech, secure hardware and privacy software amid reduced Ethereum Foundation spending, framing these disposals as planned funding rather than a panic sell. The sales occurred alongside broader whale and institutional deleveraging — reports suggest Trend Research sold large volumes (~170,000 ETH) to repay loans and Aave founder Stani Kulechov sold ~4,500 ETH — while buyers such as 7 Siblings bought about 9,000 ETH near the $2,000 level. On-chain metrics show elevated selling pressure and U.S. investors trading at a discount (Coinbase Premium Index near multi-year lows). ETH was trading around $1,900 after a ~7% 24-hour drop and a weekly decline exceeding 30%, increasing short-term volatility. For traders: expect elevated whale-led supply and potential continued downside pressure as markets search for support in the $1,800–$2,000 range, tempered by notable large buys that may provide intermittent support.

Tether Investments acquired a roughly 12% stake in Gold.com for $150 million to integrate its gold-backed stablecoin XAU₮ into Gold.com’s distribution, custody and redemption channels. The deal is intended to enable purchases and redemptions of physical gold using digital currencies such as USDT and XAU₮ (pending regulatory and technical clearances) and to link tokenized-gold liquidity with mainstream precious-metals infrastructure. XAU₮ now controls a majority share of the tokenized-gold market (over 60%) and is reportedly backed by about 140 tonnes of physical gold, with each token representing one fine troy ounce and daily 1:1 backing attestations tied to London Good Delivery bars. The tokenized-gold market has grown rapidly year-over-year (from roughly $1.3B to about $5.5B), reflecting increased demand for crypto-native exposure to gold amid macro uncertainty. Tether presents the allocation as a defensive, long-term hedge rather than speculative trading. For traders, the partnership could improve on- and off-ramps between crypto fiat-stablecoins and physical gold, increase XAU₮ liquidity and institutional access, and heighten correlation between gold prices and token flows—factors to monitor for arbitrage, basis trade and hedging strategies.

House Democrats have opened a formal inquiry into a reported $500 million investment by an Abu Dhabi–linked entity in World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a crypto firm associated with former President Donald Trump. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) requested documents and 16 detailed responses from WLFI CEO Zach Witkoff, seeking transaction agreements, revenue and profit-sharing records, and conflict-of-interest policies. Reporting links Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE national security adviser, to a roughly 49% stake in WLFI. Khanna asked a U.S. attorney to review potential legal violations and cited risks to public trust and transparency; he previously pushed to ban presidents, members of Congress and immediate relatives from trading crypto to avoid conflicts. WLFI and Trump deny his personal knowledge of the deal, saying family members handled it. For crypto traders, the probe raises regulatory and political risk for WLFI and any tokens or products tied to it, increases short-term uncertainty and potential volatility, and underscores heightened U.S. scrutiny of foreign sovereign-linked capital in crypto amid slow federal digital-asset legislation.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) is trading at a critical support zone amid a wider market pullback, showing relative strength versus major crypto assets. Over the latest 24‑hour window SHIB is down about 4% while Bitcoin and Ethereum fell roughly 8% and XRP about 10%. Price sits near $0.00000624 inside a historically important demand band; a breakdown could open the way to fresh lows while a successful defense may trigger a rebound. On‑chain data from CryptoQuant shows a negative exchange netflow of 5.18 billion SHIB in 24 hours and exchange reserves slipping from 81.5B to 81.4B, suggesting tokens are being withdrawn from exchanges and accumulation is occurring. Technical indicators point to fading bearish momentum: daily RSI ≈ 31.45 (near oversold), shrinking red MACD histogram bars, and a slightly positive perpetual futures funding rate (0.0042%) indicating a mild bullish bias. Analyst SwallowAcademy notes momentum improvements and argues SHIB may have bottomed; upside targets include reclaiming the 100‑day moving average (~$0.00000829) and the 200‑day EMA (~$0.00000992). Key trader actions: monitor exchange netflow and reserves for continued accumulation, watch whether SHIB reclaims the 100‑day MA as confirmation of a meaningful rebound, and set tight risk controls (stop losses, position sizing) in case of a breakdown to new lows. This is informational and not financial advice.

Tether’s Q4 2025 report shows USDT reached a market cap of $187.3 billion after quarterly net issuance of $12.4 billion, with multiple on‑chain records set. Key on‑chain metrics: estimated total users 534.5 million (+35.2M), on‑chain USDT holders 139.1 million (+14.7M), and monthly active on‑chain wallets averaged 24.8 million (all‑time high). On‑chain transfer value for the quarter totaled $4.4 trillion across 2.2 billion transfers. Distribution shifted toward exchanges and savings-type wallets: 36% of USDT is held on centralized exchanges, 33% with savings-style users and 26.5% with transfer‑type users; DEX/DeFi share declined following the October 10 liquidation events. Tether’s reported reserves grew to $192.9 billion (net assets $6.3B), including $141.6B in U.S. Treasuries, 96,184 BTC and 127.5 metric tonnes of gold. Tether states USDT’s growth reflects expanding use as a store of value and payments rail amid market stress. Separately, Tether has reportedly pared back plans for a $15–$20B fundraising after investor pushback on a near‑$500B valuation and is now considering a much smaller raise despite sizeable profits from reserve assets. For traders: the combination of larger reserves, increased exchange holdings, record on‑chain activity and dominant share in stablecoin transfers and spot quoting (majority share) implies USDT will remain central to liquidity, price discovery and counterparty risk in crypto markets. Primary keywords: Tether, USDT, stablecoin, reserves, BTC holdings. (Main keyword ’USDT’ appears multiple times.)

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Feb. 4 withdrew a 2024 Biden-era proposal that would have restricted trading in event-based contracts tied to sports, politics and similar outcomes. Chair Mike Selig said the prior plan overreached by trying to decide which markets could exist and will not form the basis for final rules. The agency also retracted a September staff advisory that had reminded regulated firms of legal duties when handling sports-event contracts, saying the letter caused confusion. Instead, the CFTC will develop a new regulatory framework aligned with the Commodity Exchange Act to provide clarity, consistency and support responsible innovation in derivatives and event contracts. The move follows other CFTC activity — including forming a committee for blockchain and AI oversight — and signals a shift away from broad prohibitions toward targeted, practical rules for event and prediction markets. For crypto traders, the decision reduces near-term regulatory risk for prediction-market platforms (including decentralized markets), preserves product development and liquidity, and lowers the chance of immediate enforcement actions that could have criminalized certain event contracts. However, legal uncertainty remains until the CFTC issues detailed guidance or Congress acts; traders should monitor rulemaking, staff advisories and enforcement statements for changes that could affect derivatives-linked tokens, on-chain markets and platform compliance.

Ripple-backed firms Billiton Diamond and Ctrl Alt have tokenized over AED 1 billion (≈ $280 million) of certified polished diamonds on the XRP Ledger (XRPL). Tokens represent Dubai-based certified inventory with on-chain proof of grading, certification and provenance. Ripple provides enterprise-grade custody and issuance infrastructure; partners cite XRPL’s fast settlement, low fees and scalability as reasons for selection. The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and the UAE’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) support the initiative. The project, first announced in July, aims to integrate real-time inventory and certification data, reduce paper-based workflows, accelerate settlement, and unlock liquidity by shortening working capital cycles for diamond trading. Plans include secondary-market readiness — custody, transfer and market participation — subject to VARA approval. Traders should note potential increases in institutional demand for XRPL utility and custody flows, plus improved on-chain provenance for high-value commodities that may broaden asset tokenization use cases.