Market Signal Briefing

TL;DR

Ethereum staking hit a new benchmark: more than 36 million ETH is staked on the Beacon Chain, close to 30% of circulating supply. The record reframes market structure, with more supply committed and less immediately liquid, sharpening liquidity management and potentially amplifying marginal flows for desks and custodians. Focus now shifts to persistence: whether the stake share holds near 30% as a 2026 planning baseline or retreats when conditions change. Ethereum staking just set a fresh benchmark: more than 36 million ETH is now staked on the network’s Beacon Chain, amounting to nearly 30% of circulating supply right now. This record-high staking level makes Ethereum’s supply profile look tighter, even before anyone talks about price. For market participants, the number is startling in its simplicity: it is a single, measurable share of supply that is committed rather than freely circulating. It also frames staking as a mainstream posture, not a niche preference, because 30% is too large to ignore in any liquidity discussion.

Locked supply shifts A figure like 30% does not explain everything, but it changes the operating context today materially. Staked ETH is, by definition, earmarked for staking, which reduces the pool that can move quickly in response to headlines. The governance takeaway is that participation is rising even as flexibility becomes a scarcer resource. In practice, this can sharpen day-to-day liquidity management for brokers, custodians, and trading desks that rely on predictable availability. When supply is more committed, marginal flows can have outsized visibility, and volatility can feel more abrupt because the buffer is thinner.

For builders, the milestone is a signal about user intent. If staking reaches an all-time high, product design gravitates toward simpler staking journeys and clearer reporting, since the behavior is no longer optional for many users. The commercial implication is that wallets and platforms will compete on how cleanly they operationalize staking, not on whether they offer it. That means transparent positioning, sensible defaults, and risk disclosures that match the fact pattern: a large share of supply is locked, and users need to understand what that commitment means for access, timing, and reversibility.

The next question is whether this level holds. If the staked total remains around 36 million ETH and the share stays near 30%, it becomes a reference point for 2026 planning. The key watch item is whether the market treats this lockup ratio as a new baseline or as a peak that retreats when conditions shift. Either outcome will be informative, because the benchmark is visible: the Beacon Chain’s staked ETH sits at a record, and the network’s liquid supply is smaller. That is the structural datapoint that persists beyond a single session over time.

21h05 ▪ 4 min read ▪ by Luc Jose A.

Summarize this article with:

At the start of 2026, markets show a striking contrast: traditional funds attract record inflows, while Bitcoin ETFs lose momentum. This divergence, far from anecdotal, could signify a strategic shift among institutional investors, between seeking stability and persistent distrust of cryptos. In an uncertain economic context, arbitrages harden, redefining allocation priorities. Bitcoin, long touted as an alternative safe-haven asset, now seems relegated to the background by portfolio managers.

In brief Bitcoin ETFs start 2026 in an uncertain climate, with only $660M in net inflows since the beginning of the year. After four days of losses, a technical rebound of $753M was recorded on January 13, without reversing the underlying trend. Monthly flows to Bitcoin ETFs have sharply declined since July 2025, falling from +$6B to -$1.09B in December. Meanwhile, traditional ETFs recorded a record inflow of $46B in just six days. A volatile start to the year for Bitcoin ETFs This start of the year illustrates the persistent volatility of Bitcoin ETFs. According to data from Farside Investors, these listed products saw an inflow of $753 million this Tuesday, January 13, marking their second consecutive day of recovery after four negative sessions.

This rebound comes amid uncertainty, where investors struggle to regain the momentum observed during the first half of 2025. Despite this temporary boost, cumulative flows for the year remain modest, with $660 million in net inflows since January 1st. This figure, well below prior peaks, reflects a gradual disengagement by institutional investors.

The underlying trend has sharply reversed over the past six months, as shown by the evolution of monthly flows :

July 2025 : nearly $6 billion in net inflows into Bitcoin ETFs ; December 2025 : $1.09 billion in net outflows, marking the low point of the second half of the year ; January 2026 : $660 million in net inflows, despite two positive technical days. This gradual decline in momentum can be explained by several factors: increased crypto market volatility at year-end, the absence of clear macroeconomic catalysts, as well as ongoing regulatory uncertainties.

Added to this is heightened investor caution, which seems to slow down positions taken on bitcoin-related products, despite the temporary return of flows observed over the past 48 hours.

Between strategic accumulation and signals of caution While Bitcoin ETFs struggle to regain traction, traditional investment products record an extraordinary start to the year.

According to Eric Balchunas, ETF analyst at Bloomberg, traditional ETFs attracted $46 billion in inflows in just six days, a pace four times higher than the historical average. “ETFs recorded $46 billion in inflows over the first six days of the year, an abnormally high level for a start to the year. If they maintain this pace, they would reach $158 billion for the month, about four times the usual average,” he specified in a post on X.

This rush to traditional products reflects a massive repositioning of investors towards vehicles perceived as more stable or predictable, in marked contrast to the structural volatility of cryptos.

In this environment, some crypto products still try to stand out. Ether ETFs recorded $130 million in net inflows on Tuesday, bringing their total to $240 million since the start of the year.

Meanwhile, Solana ETFs show steady growth, with $67 million in cumulative net inflows in 2026. However, leading savvy investors follow a different path. According to Nansen, these investors hold more short positions on bitcoin, with $122 million in short positions. Bullish bets focus only on a few specific assets like Ether, XRP, Zcash, or the memecoin PUMP, reflecting extreme selectivity in an uncertain market context.

While bitcoin jumps beyond $95,000, the question of its place in institutional portfolios remains open. Between ETF disengagement and strategic accumulation behind the scenes, market signals depict a quiet reconfiguration, where caution no longer necessarily means withdrawal, but repositioning.

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Luc Jose A.

Diplômé de Sciences Po Toulouse et titulaire d'une certification consultant blockchain délivrée par Alyra, j'ai rejoint l'aventure Cointribune en 2019. Convaincu du potentiel de la blockchain pour transformer de nombreux secteurs de l'économie, j'ai pris l'engagement de sensibiliser et d'informer le grand public sur cet écosystème en constante évolution. Mon objectif est de permettre à chacun de mieux comprendre la blockchain et de saisir les opportunités qu'elle offre. Je m'efforce chaque jour de fournir une analyse objective de l'actualité, de décrypter les tendances du marché, de relayer les dernières innovations technologiques et de mettre en perspective les enjeux économiques et sociétaux de cette révolution en marche.

DISCLAIMER

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.

Bitcoin’s price rallied above $95,000 during the last 24 hours, signalling a definitive shift in market structure rather than a simple volatility spike.

According to CryptoSlate's data, the top crypto rose by more than 3% to reach a high of over $96,000, its highest price level since mid-November. BTC has retraced to $95,028 as of press time.

Trading firm QCP Capital described this situation as a “Goldilocks environment” in which the US job market remains robust, and inflation appears stable.

According to a note from the firm, risk appetite is returning across the board, lifting equities, precious metals, the dollar, and digital assets simultaneously.

Bitcoin ETF flows and leverage flushMeanwhile, Bitcoin's price rise was fueled by a textbook convergence of spot demand and leverage fragility, as US spot Bitcoin ETFs drew in approximately $753.8 million in a single session.

Data from Coinperps showed net inflows of $753.8 million with no net outflow from any of the 12 spot Bitcoin ETFs that day. In practical terms, this suggests the move reflected broad-based creations across the complex rather than a single product’s quirk or a one-off rotation.

Meanwhile, the composition of these flows provides distinct evidence of institutional conviction.

The biggest contributions came from Fidelity’s FBTC, which saw $351.4 million in inflows, followed by Bitwise’s BITB with $159.4 million, BlackRock’s IBIT with $126.3 million, and Ark/21Shares’ ARKB with $84.9 million.

Compounding this buy-side pressure was a wave of forced buying that wiped out approximately $600 million in bearish crypto bets. Notably, this is the largest short liquidation event in the market since the Oct. 10 rout.

Data from CoinGlass showed that roughly $290 million in Bitcoin shorts were wiped out as part of the broader $600 million crypto liquidation event.

These liquidations function as mechanical buy orders that hit the market when traders run out of margin. This creates a feedback loop: ETF inflows tighten spot conditions, prices rise, shorts get squeezed, and liquidations force more buying.

Regulatory clarity and macro evolutionBeyond the immediate price action, the crypto market is digesting significant structural news that pairs domestic legislative progress with a broader macro-political tailwind.

Earlier this week, details of the Clarity Act, a market structure framework for crypto assets, were released by the US Senate.

The legislation seeks to clearly distinguish crypto assets as either commodities or securities and define which regulatory authorities oversee each category.

Essentially, the framework permanently co-opts Bitcoin, Ethereum, stablecoins, and spot ETFs into part of the US financial system. Market observers have argued that this legislation would spur a bull run for the industry.

As a result, on-chain data reflect this transition toward institutionalization.

CryptoQuant’s Spot Average Order Size shows that around the $90,000 level, retail participation remains limited while mid- to large-sized orders are relatively prominent. This suggests a phase in which large investors are cautiously adjusting positions while awaiting regulatory clarity.

Bitcoin Spot Average Order Size (Source: CryptoQuant)Meanwhile, this legislative momentum coincides with a macro environment in which the US is trying to reassert its dominance.

According to QCP, the market has remained resilient despite rising geopolitical tensions and US involvement in Venezuela and Iran.

QCP Capital posits that the upcoming midterm elections are a key driver of this resilience. The firm suggested that the Trump administration is incentivized to maintain flush liquidity and pursue equity market highs as a measure of political success.

Considering this, QCP argued that BTC's break above $95,000 fundamentally changes the dynamic, as the top crypto had previously lagged behind the recent rally in equities and precious metals.

It added:

“With potentially further fiat currency debasement in the US, which has been driving precious metals higher, the relative cheapness of Bitcoin relative to precious metals at this point may spur a rotation to digital assets.”

What is next for Bitcoin?Due to these developments, Bitcoin investors are now weighing three potential scenarios for the next weeks:

The first is a “squeeze-and-fade” range trade, where BTC gives back part of the move if ETF inflows revert toward flat or negative.The second is a “flow-led grind,” where multiple positive days of inflows allow BTC to behave less like a squeeze chart and more like a spot accumulation market.Lastly, the third scenario is a “reflexive breakout,” in which another cluster of $500 million to $700 million inflow days triggers a self-fulfilling rally in a supportive macro environment.Allen Ding, Head of Bitfire Research, told CryptoSlate that the market's volatility metrics would be a key indicator in the coming weeks.

According to him:

“Following a period where Bitcoin’s 30-day implied volatility hit a yearly low of 40%, the decisive breakout past $96,000 for BTC and $3,300 for ETH confirms that a clear upward direction for the market is now established.”

He added that this momentum would be supported by a stabilizing macro environment and significant liquidity catalysts, including South Korea's lifting of crypto investment bans.

Ultimately, the market would view this $95,000 recovery as a successful stress test of BTC's ability to climb back over six figures.

Bitcoin Market Data

At the time of press 2:13 pm UTC on Jan. 14, 2026, Bitcoin is ranked #1 by market cap and the price is up 3.66% over the past 24 hours. Bitcoin has a market capitalization of $1.9 trillion with a 24-hour trading volume of $58.67 billion. Learn more about Bitcoin ›

Crypto Market Summary

At the time of press 2:13 pm UTC on Jan. 14, 2026, the total crypto market is valued at at $3.24 trillion with a 24-hour volume of $153.74 billion. Bitcoin dominance is currently at 58.74%. Learn more about the crypto market ›

Mentioned in this article

Posted In: Bitcoin, US, Analysis, Crypto, ETF, Liquidations, Macro, Market, Price Watch, TradFi, Trading

XRP (XRP) is holding above $2, but the move has yet to confirm a bullish shift, with a stronger technical validation expected at higher levels, according to an analyst.

Key takeaways:

XRP reclaimed its 50-day moving average in early January, signaling early signs of a trend reversal.

Institutional flows into XRP were the highest last week, diverging sharply from the market, which saw heavy outflows during the same period.

Onchain volume metrics suggest XRP’s move above $2 is driven by balanced participation rather than speculative excess.

XRP investment product inflows support price stabilityXRP began 2026 by reclaiming a bullish position above its 50-day simple moving average (SMA) during the first weekend of January. The move aligns with a classic downtrend retest, a structure that leads to higher prices if buyers maintain control. However, the price action so far suggests stabilization rather than acceleration.

XRP one-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThis stability appears reinforced by institutional investors’ participation. While the digital asset market experienced one of its worst weekly performances since mid-2023, with roughly $454 million in outflows, XRP price moved in the opposite direction. 

CoinShares data showed $45 million in weekly inflows into XRP, a more than 400% increase week over week, that stood in contrast to broader market outflows.

This contrast has helped XRP hold above $2 even as liquidity conditions tightened elsewhere, highlighting that its recent strength is not purely sentiment-driven.

Volume data and trader outlook define the rangeCryptoQuant data adds further nuance. Trading volume Z-Scores on Binance hover around 0.44, placing activity slightly above the 30-day average but firmly within a neutral range.

XRP z-score for trading volumes on Binance. Source: CryptoQuantThis suggests XRP’s price is not being pushed by speculation, but by balanced activity between buyers and sellers, a condition seen during accumulation phases.

Meanwhile, market analyst CrediBULL said that a completed “triple tap” at range highs leaves two paths: either a pullback toward $1.77 within a larger uptrend, or a defended base around $2 where dips continue to be bought. Given the current market, the analyst favors an uptrend, targeting higher, untapped levels at around $3.

However, futures trader Dom emphasized that while $2.10 has held for months, moves toward the mid-$2.40 range could only deliver a meaningful market shift on the daily chart. The analyst believed that strong price action likely begins once the altcoin establishes acceptance well above the $2.40 level. 

XRP daily chart analysis by Dom. Source: XCoincidentally, XRP’s rally last week stalled just below $2.40, where the price was rejected on Jan. 6. The pullback followed more than $100 million in net whale selling between Jan. 4 and Jan. 7. While whale outflows remain elevated, a shift in behavior would need to be seen if XRP retests the $2.40 level.

XRP Whale flows 30-DMA. Source: CryptoQuantThis article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.

TLDR Zcash Foundation’s SEC investigation ends without enforcement action, providing regulatory clarity. Zcash faced internal disruptions after the resignation of several core team members earlier this year. Zcash’s price increased by 12.5%, reaching $437.28, following the SEC’s closure of its investigation. The SEC’s decision marks the first positive news for ZEC in 2024 after a difficult period. Zcash’s market cap grew by 12.51%, reaching $7.2 billion, while trading volume increased by 21.77%. The Zcash Foundation confirmed the U.S. SEC has concluded its investigation without recommending any enforcement action. This development brings regulatory relief to the foundation, following internal disruptions after the departure of core team members.

SEC Investigation Ends Without Enforcement On August 31, 2023, the Zcash Foundation received a subpoena from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The inquiry was titled “In the Matter of Certain Crypto Asset Offerings (SF-04569).” The SEC has now ended the investigation without proposing any enforcement or further action.

The foundation publicly confirmed the conclusion of the SEC’s review on its official website. It stated, “The SEC has informed us that it does not intend to recommend any enforcement action.” This notification ends a period of uncertainty for the privacy-focused project.

The foundation emphasized its commitment to transparency and compliance. It said this result reflects its efforts to align with regulatory expectations. No penalties or operational changes were required from the foundation as part of the conclusion.

Zcash Gains Relief Following Internal Team Exit Earlier this year, Zcash faced pressure after a major portion of its team resigned. Reports indicate that its members left the project. The development created concerns about the project’s future direction and internal stability.

This resolution from the SEC brings the first positive development for ZEC in 2024. The foundation has not announced any leadership replacements or structural changes. However, it continues to focus on privacy-first financial infrastructure.

The Zcash Foundation reaffirmed its mission to build public goods for financial privacy. It has resumed normal operations and communications. The SEC has not issued additional comments on the matter as of now.

ZEC Price Jumps Over 12% After the core team exited, Zcash price plunged 20%, but as of press time, CoinMarketCap data reveals that Zcash (ZEC) trades at 437.28, marking a 12.5% increase over the last 24 hours. The market cap followed with a 12.51% rise, reaching $7.2 billion. Trading volume rose by 21.77%, climbing to $791.52 million within the same time.

Source: CoinMarketCap The ZEC price chart shows a steep early spike followed by a brief decline, then steady upward momentum with multiple short corrections. Following this, the price gradually increased, reaching new intraday highs, with the price hitting a session high of approximately $443.

TL;DR

Solana logged 518,400 x402 stablecoin payments on Sunday, edging Base at 505,000 and marking the first lead shift between the two networks. The margin was 13,400 transactions, small in absolute terms but big as a signal that payment automation traffic can rotate quickly. With more than 1,023,000 combined payments in a single day, the metric turns stablecoin usage into a throughput race that will be watched into the next sessions. Solana just edged past Base in x402 on-chain activity, a metric described as automated stablecoin transactions. On Sunday, Solana recorded 518,400 payments while Base logged 505,000, marking the first time Solana has led on this measure. Solana’s brief lead over Base shows how quickly automated stablecoin traffic can rotate. For traders and builders watching payment rails, the crossover landed as an unexpected, data-first headline. The margin is slim, but the optics are sharp: one network topped the chart, and the other suddenly had to explain second place publicly.

What this x402 flip suggests for stablecoin payment rails That slim margin equals 13,400 payments, yet it still turns into a meaningful signal when the underlying activity is automated. With 1,023,400 combined payments in the same snapshot, x402 is producing a daily number that teams can actually track. A measurable throughput contest is emerging, and it is being scored in stablecoin payments. It also creates a KPI that can be benchmarked day to day, without relying on anecdotes or one-off screenshots. For anyone building payout workflows, the question becomes where the next wave of routable demand is forming.

The flip also highlights how programmatic flows can create sudden leadership changes without a marketing campaign. Automation sends traffic where integrations are live and where execution feels predictable, so small shifts can compound fast. When payments are automated, reliability becomes the growth lever that quietly decides winners. That puts pressure on providers to keep error rates low, handle spikes smoothly, and communicate incidents in plain language for users and counterparties. For operators, it translates into dashboards, alerting, and capacity planning, because high-frequency payments leave little room for manual intervention.

What happens next will matter more than the first headline. If Solana repeats the lead, the narrative hardens into momentum; if Base regains first place, it becomes a tug-of-war instead of a turning point. The next prints will show whether this was a one-day anomaly or the start of a new baseline. Stakeholders will watch whether totals keep rising and whether the lead widens beyond a rounding error. Either way, the takeaway is pragmatic: stablecoin automation is now visible enough to be measured, compared, and acted on.

Alpaca, a mature fintech startup that provides brokerage infrastructure for many notable crypto businesses, has raised $150 million in Series D financing and secured a $40 million line of credit as it pushes toward its next phase of growth. The firm is now valued at $1.15 billion.

Drive Capital led the Series D with participation from Citadel Securities, BNP Paribas's VC wing Opera Tech Ventures, DRW Venture Capital, Bank Muscat, and Kraken, among other notable venture firms. The round also included Revolut CTO Vlad Yatsenko as an angel investor.

In addition to providing APIs and self-clearing custody solutions (essentially tools for other companies to more easily offer stocks and ETF trading), Alpaca powers 94% of all tokenized U.S. equities and ETFs, it said. The firm provides these embedded brokerage services for some 300 organizations, including the Kraken crypto exchange.

"Our mission is to open financial services to everyone on the planet," Alpaca CEO Yoshi Yokokawa said. "We are building the global standard for brokerage infrastructure so our partners can bring investing to more people. This raise gives us the fuel to deliver more faster to both our enterprise partners and active traders globally."

Noting that 2025 was "a breakout year," Alpaca said it has “dramatically expanded its product suite” to include multi-leg options, fully paid securities lending, fixed-income, and 24/5 U.S. stock trading.

It also introduced its Instant Tokenization Network at TOKEN2049 Singapore last year, with launch partners including The Solana Foundation, as well as leading real-world asset projects Dinari, Ondo Finance, and xStocks, now a target for acquisition by Kraken.

Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.

© 2026 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

On Wednesday, the Zcash Foundation announced a significant development regarding its ongoing operations: the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has concluded its investigation into the public charity. 

This news has sparked a notable recovery in the price of the Zcash native token (ZEC), signalling renewed investor confidence, with trading volume surging by 39% over the past 24 hours.

Zcash Foundation Cleared By SEC The Zcash foundation received a subpoena from the regulatory agency back in August 31, 2023, as part of a broader inquiry titled “In the Matter of Certain Crypto Asset Offerings (SF-04569).” 

After a thorough review, the Zcash Foundation was informed that the SEC does not plan to recommend any enforcement actions or changes pertaining to the organization. 

This comes amid significant regulatory changes towards digital assets under the Trump administration, including the appointment of the pro-crypto Paul Atkins as chair of the SEC. Similar enforcement actions against firms such as Uniswap (UNI), Coinbase (COIN) and Robinhood (HOOD) were dropped last year.  

ZEC Price Surges Near $440 In their statement, the foundation expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing their commitment to transparency and adherence to regulatory standards. They reiterated their focus on advancing financial infrastructure that preserves user privacy for the greater good.

Following this announcement, ZEC experienced a robust increase of 12%, pushing its price to approximately $437.75 at the time of writing. This surge comes after the cryptocurrency had recently dipped to a near one-month low of $363 last Saturday, illustrating a significant turnaround. 

However, even with this recent boost, the Zcash token still has a long way to climb. The cryptocurrency remains 86% below its all-time high of over $3,191, according to CoinGecko data.

The 1-D chart shows ZEC’s price response to the SEC’s decision. Source: ZECUSDT on TradingView.com Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Sui price remained on edge on January 14 as the mainnet suffered a glitch and a network stall.

Summary

Sui price rose despite the network suffering a major glitch. The glitch led to a network stall that affected its activity. Technical analysis suggests that it may be ripe for a bullish breakout. Sui Coin (SUI) was trading at $1.8510, up by ~40% from the year’s lowest level, and is hovering near the highest point since November. Its market capitalization has increased to over $7 billion, making it the 17th-largest coin in the industry. 

In a statement, the team reported that the mainnet experienced a network stall and was working on a solution. 

Sui Mainnet is currently experiencing a network stall, and the Sui Core team is actively working on a solution. Be aware that dApps such as Slush or SuiScan may not be available, and transactions may be slow or temporarily unable to process at this time. Updates will be shared as…

— Sui (@SuiNetwork) January 14, 2026 This outage was the biggest event in the network after the Cetus Protocol hack that cost users between $223 million and $260 million. Over 62,000 users were affected.

Sui has become one of the biggest players in the crypto industry. Data compiled by DeFi Llama shows that the network has a total value locked of over $1.6 billion, up from the December low of $1.35 billion. Some of the biggest protocols in the network are NAVI Protocol, Suilend, Bluefin, and Haedal. 

More data shows that Sui network has handled over $4.1 billion this month. This means that the volume will likely cross last month’s $6.6 billion. Also, its stablecoin market cap stands at nearly $500 milion, down from over $1.17 billion in October.

Sui price technical analysis  Sui Coin price chart | Source: crypto.news The daily chart shows that the Sui Coin price formed a triple-bottom pattern at $1.3214 and a neckline at $1.769. A triple-bottom is a popular bullish reversal pattern.

Sui has made a break-and-retest pattern, a common bullish continuation sign in technical analysis. It has moved above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average and is nearing the 23.6% Fibonacci Retracement level.

Therefore, the most likely Sui forecast is bullish, with the key target being at $2.50, the 38.2% retracement level. Such a move is a 30% jump above the current level.

On the other hand, a move below the support at $1.7693 will invalidate the bullish forecast. Such a move will indicate further downside, potentially to the support at $1.50.

Bitcoin and the broader crypto market turned sharply bullish after the latest CPI print came in exactly as expected, easing near-term uncertainty for risk assets. BTC price broke out of the range it had been trapped in since mid-November, while Ethereum pushed above $3,300 and several altcoins—such as Dash, Internet Computer, Pump.fun, Monero, and Zcash—also cleared key resistance zones. Even laggards like Axie Infinity saw a strong jump, supported by a noticeable rise in trading volume, adding to the “risk-on” tone.

But while traders are already eyeing $100,000 as the next milestone, the path may not be instant. Market structure and positioning signals suggest Bitcoin could spend more time consolidating below the psychological barrier before a clean breakout attempt.

Why Is $100K Hard to Break for Bitcoin Price?Bitcoin is struggling to break $100,000 because an options-driven “gamma wall” is capping the move. According to the Escape Velocity Model (v3.1), a large $129.9M call gamma wall sits at the $100K strike. As the BTC price pushes higher, dealers hedging these options are often forced to sell Bitcoin, which absorbs buying pressure and keeps volatility muted. 

Source: XThe model estimates the market needs around $574M in net buying (CVD) to chew through this resistance and the sell orders stacked above it. Smaller liquidation pockets near $98K ($43M) and $99K ($36M) may not provide enough fuel. Based on current liquidity, the probability of generating that “escape velocity” is 2.2% in one day, 57.4% over a week, and 80%+ over 30 days, suggesting BTC may stay range-bound until positioning resets.

What Would Actually Break $100K Cleanly?Bitcoin may be close to $100,000, but a clean breakout usually needs more than hype. Sellers tend to stack orders near round numbers, and options hedging can add extra resistance. Here are the key triggers that could help BTC finally clear $100K and hold above it.

Sustained Spot Buying: BTC needs steady net buying for multiple sessions, not a quick leverage-driven spike.Strong Close And Hold Above $100K: A clean breakout is confirmed when Bitcoin flips $100K into support instead of wicking and rejecting.Options Reset (Expiry/Rollover): If the $100K “wall” is driven by options positioning, it often weakens when contracts expire or get rolled to new strikes.Fresh Institutional/ETF-Style Flows: Larger inflows can absorb the sell orders stacked near $100K and push the price into discovery.Macro Catalyst Tailwind: Softer inflation or a dovish shift can add confidence and follow-through.Tariff Ruling Headlines Could Add Volatility: A U.S. Supreme Court tariff decision can swing risk sentiment fast—risk-on could fuel a breakout, while a risk-off shock could trigger a pullback before the next attempt.What To Expect NextBitcoin is bullish, but the market is now entering the “hard part” of the move. The next phase may look less exciting than the breakout because high levels tend to slow the price down.

If BTC grinds below $100K, that’s not automatically weakness—it can be consolidation as liquidity builds. If BTC breaks and holds above $100K, the psychological barrier flips into a launchpad, and price discovery can accelerate.

For now, expect higher volatility, headline-driven swings, and a tug-of-war near $100K—until either demand overwhelms the sell wall or the market needs more time to refuel.

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Published: Jan 14, 2026 at 18:52

On January 12, 2026, MicroStrategy (now operating under the ticker "Strategy") announced its largest acquisition of the year, purchasing 13,627 BTC for approximately $1.25 billion.

This purchase, executed at an average price of $91,519, was funded by a massive stock issuance following the company’s recent inclusion in major MSCI indexing benchmarks.

MicroStrategy now controls 687,410 BTC—more than 3% of the total 21 million supply. With paper gains exceeding $10 billion, the company has effectively become a de facto "Bitcoin ETF with leverage," forcing other S&P 500 firms to reconsider their cash-heavy balance sheets.

While the federal government debates regulation, major corporate and state-level entities are aggressively locking down supply, signaling a permanent shift in how national and local treasuries view digital scarcity.

Florida’s strategic reserve Simultaneously, the state of Florida has officially entered the "Bitcoin Space Race." On January 7, 2026, State Senator Joe Gruters registered Senate Bill 1038, which would authorize the Chief Financial Officer to manage a Florida Strategic Cryptocurrency Reserve. To ensure institutional stability, the bill mandates that the state only purchase assets with a 24-month average market capitalization above $500 billion.

This "Sovereign-Scale" demand is creating a supply shock. As corporate treasuries buy Bitcoin at three times the rate it is being mined, the market is entering a "scarcity loop." Analysts suggest that if the U.S. federal GENIUS Act passes later this month, the government could transition from holding seized BTC to actively competing with corporations and states for a piece of the world's first global, digital reserve asset.

Key points:

Bitcoin is showing considerable strength in the short term, opening the gates for a rally to $100,000 and then to $107,500.

Select major altcoins are showing strength, but Monero (XMR) is leading from the front.

After the sharp rally on Tuesday, Bitcoin (BTC) bulls are attempting to extend the gains above $97,000. The strong inflows of $753.8 million in BTC exchange-traded funds on Tuesday, according to Farside Investors data, show that the rally was backed by solid buying from institutional investors.

Crypto sentiment platform Santiment said in a post on X that retail traders could FOMO if BTC begins “teasing $100k in the next few days.” 

Another bullish case was presented by crypto analyst Midas, who said in a post on X that BTC’s current structure is following the 2020-2021 cycle. If history repeats, BTC could reach $150,000.

Crypto market data daily view. Source: TradingViewHowever, not everyone is outright bullish on BTC. Global investment management firm VanEck said in its Q1 2026 Outlook that BTC’s four-year cycle broke in 2025, which supports “a more cautious near-term outlook over the next 3-6 months.” Interestingly, select analysts from the company differed in their view, “remaining more constructive on the immediate cycle,” the report added.

What are the target levels to watch out for in BTC and the major altcoins? Let’s analyze the charts of the top 10 cryptocurrencies to find out.

Bitcoin price predictionBTC rallied above the $94,789 resistance on Tuesday, but the breakout is facing selling near the $96,846 level.

BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe upsloping 20-day exponential moving average ($91,418) and the relative strength index (RSI) near the overbought zone signal that bulls are in control. A close above the $96,848 level clears the path for a rally to $100,000 and subsequently to $107,500.

The first support on the downside is the breakout level of $94,789 and then the 20-day EMA. Sellers will have to swiftly tug the price below the 50-day simple moving average ($89,959) to weaken the bullish momentum. 

Ether price predictionEther (ETH) broke above the resistance line of the symmetrical triangle pattern on Tuesday, indicating that the bulls have overpowered the bears.

ETH/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe bears will try to pull the price back inside the triangle, but if the bulls successfully defend the resistance line, the ETH/USDT pair could rally to $3,659 and then to $4,000.

Contrary to this assumption, if the price skids back into the triangle, it is likely to find support at the moving averages. If the price rebounds off the moving averages, the bulls will again attempt to resume the up move. The bears will be back in the driver’s seat on a close below the support line. 

XRP price predictionXRP (XRP) bounced off the moving averages on Tuesday, indicating solid demand at lower levels.

XRP/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe upsloping 20-day exponential moving average ($2.06) and the RSI in the positive territory indicate that the bulls have the upper hand. That increases the possibility of a break above the downtrend line, signaling a potential trend change. The XRP/USDT pair could then rally to $2.70.

This positive view will be invalidated in the near term if the XRP price turns down and breaks below the moving averages. That suggests the pair could remain inside the descending channel for a while longer.

BNB price predictionBNB (BNB) closed above the $928 level on Tuesday, completing a bullish ascending triangle pattern.

BNB/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe bears will attempt to trap the aggressive bulls by pulling the BNB price below the moving averages. If they manage to do that, the BNB/USDT pair could drop to the uptrend line and then to the $790.

Contrarily, if the price turns up from the $928 level, it suggests that the bulls have flipped the level into support. That increases the likelihood of a rally toward the pattern target of $1,066.

Solana price predictionSolana (SOL) reached the $147 level on Tuesday, where the bears are expected to pose a strong challenge. 

SOL/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe upsloping 20-day EMA ($135) and the RSI near the overbought zone suggest the path of least resistance is to the upside. If buyers clear the $147 level, the SOL/USDT pair could pick up momentum and soar toward $172.

The moving averages are the crucial support to watch out for on the downside. A break below the moving averages indicates that the bulls have given up. That could keep the Solana price inside the $117 to $147 range for a few more days.

Dogecoin price predictionDogecoin (DOGE) turned up from the moving averages on Tuesday, signaling that the bulls are attempting to take charge.

DOGE/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewIf buyers thrust the price above the $0.16 resistance, the DOGE/USDT pair will complete a bullish inverse head-and-shoulders pattern. The Dogecoin price could then rally toward the target objective of $0.20.

Instead, if the price turns down sharply from the $0.16 level, it suggests that the bears continue to sell on rallies. That could keep the pair range-bound between $0.16 and $0.12 for some time.

Cardano price predictionBuyers successfully defended the 20-day EMA ($0.39) in Cardano (ADA), indicating a positive sentiment.

ADA/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThere is minor resistance at $0.44, but if the level is crossed, the ADA/USDT pair could rally to the breakdown level of $0.50. The recovery is expected to face significant selling at the $0.50 level, but if the bulls prevail, the Cardano price could ascend to $0.60. Such a move signals a potential trend change in the near term.

Sellers will have to swiftly yank the price below the moving averages if they want to retain the advantage. The pair could then slide to $0.33. 

Monero price predictionMonero (XMR) has rallied sharply since bouncing off the 20-day EMA ($510) on Saturday, indicating aggressive buying by the bulls.

XMR/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe vertical rally has pushed the RSI above the 87 level, signalling that the XMR/USDT pair is overbought in the near term. That could result in a few days of consolidation or correction in the near term.

Any pullback is expected to find support at the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level of $607. A shallow correction increases the likelihood of the continuation of the uptrend. The Monero price could then skyrocket toward $915. The bullish momentum is expected to weaken on a close below the 50% retracement level of $571.

Bitcoin Cash price predictionBitcoin Cash (BCH) is attempting to find support at the moving averages, but the bears continue to exert pressure.

BCH/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewA break and close below the 50-day SMA ($589) suggests that the market rejected the breakout above the $631 level. That could trap the aggressive bulls, pulling the BCH/USDT pair to $563 and later to $518.

On the contrary, the bulls will attempt to resume the uptrend by pushing the Bitcoin Cash price above the $670 level. If they can pull it off, the pair could surge to $720, where the sellers are expected to step in.

Chainlink price predictionChainlink (LINK) turned up sharply from the moving averages on Tuesday, indicating that the bulls are trying to form a higher low.

LINK/USDT daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe bulls will attempt to strengthen their position by pushing the Chainlink price above the $14.98 resistance. If they manage to do that, the LINK/USDT pair could rally toward $17.66. That brings the large $10.94 to $27 range into play.

Sellers are likely to have other plans. They will try to halt the recovery at the $14.98 level and pull the price below the moving averages. That could keep the pair stuck inside the $11.61 to $14.98 range for some more time.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.

Digital asset manager Bitwise has listed seven crypto exchange-traded products denominated in Swedish krona on Nasdaq Stockholm, giving Swedish investors regulated exposure to Bitcoin, Ether and Solana.

According to a Wednesday announcement, the SEK-denominated ETPs are available to retail and professional investors through existing brokerage accounts and may qualify for Sweden’s tax-advantaged ISK savings structure, depending on the platform.

The listings include the Bitwise Core Bitcoin ETP, spot Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) products backed by institutional custody, as well as staking-linked ETPs tied to ETH and Solana (SOL). Bitwise also listed a diversified MSCI Digital Assets Select 20 ETP tracking the largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, along with a hybrid product combining exposure to Bitcoin and gold.

The company appointed Marco Poblete and Andre Havas to oversee its expansion across the Nordic region.

According to the company, all Bitwise ETPs are fully backed by the underlying crypto assets held in institutional cold storage, with holdings verified through weekly independent audits.

The launch in Sweden builds on Bitwise’s broader European expansion, which began with the acquisition of ETC Group in August 2024. In April 2025, the company listed four Bitcoin and Ether ETPs on the London Stock Exchange, followed by the listing of five crypto funds on the SIX Swiss Exchange in September.

Bitwise also expands presence in the US in 2025  Beyond Europe, Bitwise expanded its US presence in 2025 as regulatory clarity around crypto improved and enforcement uncertainty eased.

In September, Bitwise filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a proposed Stablecoin & Tokenization ETF, designed to track an index of companies involved in stablecoin issuance, tokenization infrastructure, payments, exchanges and regulated crypto ETPs with exposure to Bitcoin and Ether.

In October, the company launched the Solana Staking ETF (BSOL) on the New York Stock Exchange, giving US investors direct exposure to SOL staking rewards built into the fund structure.

In December, Bitwise filed with the SEC to launch a proposed a spot Sui ETF tracking the price of the Sui (SUI) token, with Coinbase named as custodian. The SEC has yet to rule on filings by Canary Capital and 21Shares for Sui ETFs.

According to Bitwise researcher Ryan Rasmussen, more than 100 crypto exchange-traded products may launch in 2026 after the SEC adopted generic listing standards in September designed to significantly reduce approval timelines.

Magazine: Here’s why crypto is moving to Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy

3 mins mins

Key Points:

USDC Treasury destroys 135.6 million USDC as part of regular operations.Routine burn reduces USDC supply, aligns with market practices.Institutional redemption, no immediate adverse market effects noted. Circle’s USDC Treasury burned approximately $135.6 million USDC on the Ethereum blockchain at 23:41 Beijing time, according to Whale Alert monitoring, as a routine supply adjustment.

The routine burn aligns with institutional redemption flows, reflecting standard operations rather than market distress, impacting USDC supply on Ethereum without indicating liquidity issues.

Circle’s $135.6M USDC Burn and Its Implications Circle conducted a sizable USDC burn as part of routine treasury operations, involving a burn of approximately 135.6 million USDC on Ethereum. The involved parties include Circle Internet Financial, which is responsible for minting and burning USDC via its treasury wallets, and Whale Alert, which detected the transaction.

The primary change is a reduction in the USDC circulating supply on Ethereum, aligning with Circle’s model where redemptions lead to a 1:1 USDC to USD payout. Such burns are typical within Circle’s redemption cycle, with this event reflecting the flow of USDC back into fiat.

Jeremy Allaire, Co-founder & CEO of Circle, stated, “USDC is a fully backed stablecoin, redeemable one-to-one with USD. As part of normal operations, large burns like the recent ~$135.6M occur when institutions redeem USDC for fiat.”The market reaction was neutral, with stakeholders recognizing the burn as routine and part of institutional activity. No significant commentary on this specific burn was released by Circle executives, and the action aligns with established USDC mint-burn mechanics.

Analyzing USDC Market Dynamics and Historical Trends Did you know? In the past, USDC releases and burns often indicated market sentiment shifts. Stablecoin burns typically suggest investors are moving capital out of crypto, while increased minting correlates with bull phases.

USDC, with a current price of $1.00 and a market cap of $75.22 billion, maintains a 2.3% market dominance. Its total market supply remains unrestricted, with recent fluctuations showing minimal change. CoinMarketCap data reveals a 24-hour trading volume of $22.75 billion, maintaining stability in the stablecoin market.

USDC(USDC), daily chart, screenshot on CoinMarketCap at 18:57 UTC on January 14, 2026. Source: CoinMarketCap According to Coincu research, consistent USDC burns align with fiat movement trends and broader economic cycles. Regulatory developments on stablecoin reserves will continue to influence issuance/redeem dynamics and Circle’s treasury operations.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.

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PEPE price surges 6% to $0.00000650 as short sellers face $2.99M in liquidations. Technical analysis reveals a critical resistance level ahead for the meme coin.

Newton Gitonga2 min read

14 January 2026, 07:05 PM

PEPE posted significant gains on Wednesday as market dynamics shifted in favor of bulls. The token climbed 6.57%  in the last 24 hours to reach $0.00000650 at the time of writing.

PEPE’s price action over the past 24 hours (Source: CoinCodex)

The rally comes amid broader market volatility affecting digital assets. PEPE's price movement has caught the attention of traders who monitor technical patterns for signs of sustained momentum.

Technical Analysis Points to Critical Resistance LevelMarket analysts are watching a key price threshold that could determine PEPE's trajectory in the coming weeks. The token is approaching the midpoint of its Gaussian channel, a technical formation that combines multiple indicators to identify potential trend reversals.

Crypto trader Eco Nomad highlighted the $0.00001078 level as particularly significant. This price point served as a launching pad for PEPE's record highs throughout 2024. The token struggled to maintain similar momentum in early 2025, despite showing strength during summer months.

Source: X

The Gaussian channel methodology integrates the Supertrend indicator with the Stochastic Relative Strength Index. These tools help traders assess whether current price action represents genuine breakout potential or temporary volatility.

Breaking above the midpoint could signal a shift in market sentiment. Failure to hold these levels might result in renewed downward pressure.

Trading Volume Reveals Strong Market InterestVolume metrics provide crucial insight into the strength behind PEPE's rally. Spot market activity reached $1.2 billion, placing the token second only to Dogecoin's $1.8 billion among meme coins.

Futures markets showed even stronger participation. PEPE recorded $1.76 billion in leveraged trading volume, surpassing its spot market figures. This divergence suggests traders are actively positioning for potential price movements.

The 84% increase in trading volume compared to previous periods adds weight to bullish arguments. Higher volume typically accompanies legitimate price trends rather than speculative spikes.

Liquidation data reveals an unusual pattern that favors long positions. Out of $3.10 million in forced position closures over 24 hours, short sellers accounted for $2.99 million. This represents a stark imbalance in market positioning.

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Newton Gitonga covers cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and digital finance. He specializes in breaking down complex trends with clear, data-driven reporting. His work focuses on market analysis, technical insights, and the evolving role of altcoins in shaping global markets.

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Key Points:Pump.fun’s protocol fees jumped to their highest level in four months.Its market share in the meme coin launchpad segment stands at 68%.PUMP broke above a key trend line resistance and seems ready to start recovering.

Pump.fun’s native asset, PUMP, has gone up by 13% in the past 24 hours alone, while the token has booked a 40% gain since the year started, as memecoins seem to be making a comeback.

The protocol’s activity has been surging in 2026, as top tokens like Bonk (BONK), Pudgy Penguins (PENGU), and Fartcoin (FARTCOIN) have performed quite positively.

Pump.fun Weekly Fees – Source: DeFi Llama

Data from DeFi Llama shows that Pump.fun had its best week in terms of fees since September last year. According to the crypto analytics firm, the protocol brought in nearly $24 million in fees last week.

The last time fees were this high, PUMP traded at around $0.0034, which is 17% higher than the current price. That said, this uptrend was only getting started, as PUMP quickly rose to $0.0074 just a few weeks after.

This renewed hype on memecoins seems to be catapulting Solana’s price as well, as the native asset of the smart contracts platform, SOL, has jumped by 18% as well in 2026.

Pump.fun has managed to maintain its lead in the memecoin launchpad market with a 68.3% market share. Its closest rival is Meteora, with a much lower 17.6% share, while a promising newcomer, LetsBonk.fun, faded into oblivion after the protocol stopped rewarding creators.

Pump.fun (PUMP) Token Burn Program – Source: Official Website

Another factor that contributes to boosting the price of PUMP is its ongoing token burn program. According to its official website, the protocol has taken advantage of this spike in fees to buy a higher number of tokens.

They increased the size of their daily purchases from around 370 million PUMP two weeks ago to 666 million tokens as of yesterday, bringing their total purchases to nearly 19% of the asset’s circulating supply.

Trading volumes for PUMP in the past 24 hours have increased by 28% to $346 million. This figure accounts for more than a third of the token’s circulating market cap and reflects that buying pressure is rising rapidly.

The number of PUMP holders has also jumped since the year started, from around 110,000 to 113,000 at the time of writing.

PUMP Eyes $0.0035 After Major Trend Line Resistance Breakout The daily chart shows that the price has broken above a key trend line resistance that had acted as a ceiling multiple times in the past.

PUMP/USD Daily Chart (Coinbase) – Source: TradingView

This is a relevant price action signal that could mark the beginning of PUMP’s next leg up. For now, the most relevant target for the token is the $0.0035 level, an area that acted as support in previous instances.

If the price moves above this level, that would confirm a full-blown trend reversal and could set the stage for the beginning of a bull market for the token. The next two targets in that case would be $0.0053 and $0.0072 if the rally continues.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) favors a bullish outlook too, as it has been on an uptrend since December 26, back when it broke above the 14-day moving average.

This means that positive momentum is strong. Meanwhile, since the oscillator is still a bit far from hitting “overbought”, there’s still enough runway for PUMP to break past these areas of resistance.

Is PUMP a “canary in the coal mine” for meme season?

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Chainlink (LINK) price jumped nearly 6% intraday and is now trading around $14.20, moving closer to the key $15 level that has capped upside for weeks. The rally has improved sentiment, but LINK has not confirmed a breakout yet. For now, price remains locked in a broader $13–$15 consolidation range, where buyers keep defending dips and sellers continue to show up near resistance.

Adding to the bullish backdrop, institutional attention around Chainlink has improved, with Bitwise’s approval of the Chainlink ETF on NYSE Arca strengthening credibility and potentially supporting steadier long-term positioning. If LINK flips $15 into support, the next targets sit near $18 and $21. Until then, LINK may keep consolidating, rewarding patience over aggressive chasing.

Chainlink Price Prediction—What’s Next For LINK in 2026?Over the last two months, $13 has acted as a strong support floor, repeatedly absorbing sell pressure. On the upside, $15 is the main hurdle, lining up with both the range ceiling and a trendline barrier. This tightening price action suggests LINK may be entering a “compression before expansion” phase, but the market needs a clean push above $15 with rising volume to validate the breakout.

The weekly LINK price shows the token following a pattern of accumulation followed by a breakout. The breakout in 2023 and 2024 resulted in a 130% jump, while in July 2025, the LINK price surged by more than 60%. On the other hand, the weekly MACD is also heading towards a bullish crossover as the selling pressure fades away. Therefore, the LINK price is required to break above the accumulation zone by surging above $15.2. Technically, this may trigger a bull run, elevating the levels beyond $30. 

Chainlink price is at the foothill of a massive explosion. Hence, if the DeFi giant follows the pattern, it may soon begin with a strong rally. On the other hand, a failure may extend the consoldition restricting the rally below $16.5 until market sentiments improve. 

Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.

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Bitcoin surged past $97,000 on Wednesday as the crypto finally caught up with a broader rally in equities and precious metals, with over $100 million in short positions liquidated in just one hour.

Source: TradingViewThe breakout comes after weeks of Bitcoin lagging behind traditional assets, with QCP Capital noting that the digital asset has pushed through the $95,000 resistance level that capped rallies since November.

The move higher reflects a strengthening risk-on environment driven by stable U.S. inflation and a resilient job market, creating what QCP describes as a “Goldilocks environment” where investors are piling into everything from stocks to precious metals and now crypto.

Despite geopolitical tensions in Venezuela and Iran, markets have remained resilient, interpreting U.S. involvement as a reassertion of global leadership rather than a source of instability.

Trump’s Economic Agenda Fuels Market ConfidenceQCP believes political calculations are driving the rally, arguing that President Trump is focused on achieving new equity market highs ahead of the midterm elections this year.

“The market is convinced that Trump will do anything to Make America Great Again, with his measure of success being new highs in equity markets,” QCP stated in its analysis.

The firm sees flush liquidity and renewed American leadership as Trump’s primary tools, naturally leading to U.S. outperformance and a global risk-on environment.

However, traditional markets showed cracks on Wednesday as Wall Street declined for a second straight session.

The S&P 500 fell 0.7%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 182 points, weighed down by mixed bank earnings that disappointed investors.

Wells Fargo plunged 4.6% on weaker-than-expected revenue, while Bank of America declined 3.8% despite beating profit estimates, highlighting how elevated valuations have left little room for disappointment.

Meanwhile, precious metals continued their explosive start to the year, with gold, silver, copper, and tin all hitting record highs as investors embraced the so-called debasement trade.

Source: YahooFinanceSilver jumped 6.1% to top $92 per ounce, while gold notched another all-time peak above $4,620, capping a remarkable 65% gain in 2025.

“When gold moves first, it usually signals declining trust in fiat currencies,” Hao Hong, chief investment officer at Lotus Asset Management, told Bloomberg. “Everything is measured against gold, then most assets look cheap right now.“

Political Turmoil Amplifies Safe-Haven DemandThe precious metals rally accelerated after deadly protests in Iran killed over 500 people, with Tehran warning it could target U.S. military bases if President Trump intervenes.

Political uncertainty intensified when the Justice Department served Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell with grand jury subpoenas over Senate testimony, pressuring the dollar and raising questions about central bank independence.

🙅‍♂️ Fed Chair Powell accuses Trump administration of using criminal threats to pressure rate cuts after DOJ grand jury subpoenas over renovation testimony, triggering bipartisan backlash.#Fed #Trump #DOJhttps://t.co/nKiwflcFWg

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 12, 2026 Farzam Ehsani, CEO of crypto exchange VALR, warned that the situation creates a paradox for digital assets.

“On the one hand, weakening confidence in dollar policy traditionally increases interest in decentralized assets as a hedge against political and currency risk,” he said.

“On the other hand, abrupt political maneuvers and aggressive polarization within the government are increasing instability, triggering short-term outflows from risky assets.“

Ray Youssef, CEO of the crypto app NoOnes, also noted that capital rotation, rather than panic, appears to be driving market moves.

“The US market is slightly down, but this is more likely due to capital rotation, as investors are shifting capital from riskier to more predictable sectors,” he explained, adding that gold and Bitcoin are increasingly treated as refuges from macro chaos.

QCP sees Bitcoin’s recent underperformance relative to precious metals as creating opportunity, suggesting that “the relative cheapness of Bitcoin relative to precious metals at this point may spur a rotation to digital assets.”

The firm acknowledged risks remain, particularly around pending Supreme Court decisions on tariffs, which have also been postponed again, and potential escalation in Venezuela or Iran, but believes these concerns are already priced in.

BREAKING: The US Supreme Court decides to NOT issue a highly anticipated ruling on the legality of President Trump's tariffs today.

This marks the second-straight time the ruling was not released as expected.

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) January 14, 2026 Youssef remained cautious, noting that the crypto market “continues to see active BTC selling during the U.S. trading session” and that “no compelling reason yet for the cryptocurrency’s rapid price growth.“

Shiba Inu Coin price was flat on Jan. 14, even as Bitcoin and other top altcoins rebounded. 

Summary

Shiba Inu Coin price has formed a large falling wedge chart pattern. The coin’s burn rate jumped by over 1,000% on Wednesday. The supply of SHIB coins in exchanges has dropped in the past few months. Shiba Inu (SHIB), a top meme coin on Ethereum’s network, was trading at $0.00000885, ~30% above its December low. This consolidation, however, could be about to end as the token’s burn rate jumps and a falling wedge pattern forms.

Data compiled by Shiburn shows that the daily burn rate soared by 1,057% today to over 1.4 million. Its token burns have led to a significant reduction in the circulating supply to 585.4 billion.

Additional data indicate that the supply of SHIB tokens on exchanges has continued to fall this year. In most cases, a decline in exchange supply is usually a bullish sign as it is a sign that investors are accumulating the token. Indeed, according to Nansen, whales have boosted their holdings this year, with transactions rising by 111%.

One reason for the accumulation is that Shiba Inu has become cheap after plunging by more than 70% from its peak in 2025. The 30-day Market Value to Realized Value (MVRV) ratio has declined to 4.7%, indicating further gains, as the historical average is between 10% and 25%.

Additionally, the Crypto Fear and Greed Index has jumped from the extreme fear zone of 10 to 53 today. It is likely to move into the greed zone soon. Meme coins often do well when the index moves to the greed area.

Shiba Inu Coin price technical analysis SHIB price chart | Source: crypto.news The daily chart shows that the SHIB price bottomed at $0.0000068 in December and then rebounded to nearly $0.000010. This rebound happened as the two lines of the multi-month falling wedge pattern neared their convergence. 

Shiba Inu rebounded above this upper side and then retested it. A break-and-retest is a common approach used to confirm breakouts. 

The coin’s Relative Strength Index and the Percentage Price Oscillator have pointed upwards. Therefore, the most likely scenario is a rebound as bulls target the crucial resistance level at $0.00001485, its highest level in September last year.

The bullish SHIB price forecast will become invalid if it drops below the lower side of the wedge at $0.0000068. 

Ethereum trades at $3,389.33, up 6.37% in 24 hours, 7.27% in the last 7 days, and 13.6% in the last 30 days. Volume surged to $36.4 billion, up more than 82%. Price looks healthy, yet it still lags the explosive growth under the hood. Ethereum now faces a familiar question. Does usage eventually force price to catch up?

Right now, that gap looks impossible to ignore.

Network Activity Reaches Record HighsEthereum’s on-chain metrics just printed historic levels. Santiment data shows 393,500 new wallets created in a single day. That marks an all-time high. Over the past three weeks, wallet creation averaged more than 327,000 per day.

Nansen data confirms the trend. Monthly active addresses jumped 45% to 12.4 million while transaction counts climbed 23% to over 55 million. Only Linea grew faster over the same period.

Ethereum also tightened its grip on high-value sectors:

76% dominance in DeFi

63% dominance in real-world assets

This happened despite growing competition from Layer 1s and Layer 2s. The Fusaka upgrade, rising stablecoin usage, and renewed RWA demand all played a role. Two more upgrades, Glamsterdam and Hegota, sit ahead and both aim to boost speed and security. Usage looks alive, and price still plays catch-up.

CLARITY Act Could Change the GameThe next catalyst comes from Washington. The U.S. Senate is set to mark up the CLARITY Act this week. The bill aims to draw a clear line between the SEC and CFTC. Many see it as a path to classify ETH as a digital commodity.

That matters. For years, Ethereum lived under regulatory fog. Unclear rules capped institutional conviction, and clarity could flip that script. Would large capital finally treat ETH like digital infrastructure rather than a legal risk? Markets rarely wait for certainty. They front-run it.

Institutions and Corporations Load Up on ETHCapital already moves quietly. Bitmine Immersion Technologies now holds 4.168 million ETH. That equals about 3.45% of total supply. Nearly 1.26 million ETH sits staked and Bitmine aims for 5% supply ownership in months, not years.

The company also holds nearly $14 billion in crypto and cash. Tom Lee urges shareholders to support a strategy focused on growing ETH per share. Bitmine remains the largest fresh-money buyer of ETH globally. Between Jan 5th and Jan 11th, Bitmine bought 24,266 $ETH($75.59M), marking its lowest weekly purchase on record.

This trend mirrors Bitcoin’s corporate phase, and Ethereum now enters its own version.

Technical Structure Sets the ToneTechnicals matter more than headlines. ETH trades near a $3,350 known supply zone. A recent CPI-driven rally helped ETH reclaim rising trend support and now, higher lows remain intact.

Key levels define the roadmap:

Break and close above $3,350 opens $3,600

Holding $3,600 sets sights on $4,000

Failure keeps ETH range-bound

Source: TradingView

Standard Chartered sees ETH at $40,000 by 2030. That sounds extreme, but the logic hinges on capital retention, staking growth, and long-duration holding. Without that, price spikes fade, but with all that, supply tightens.

$ETH Price Prediction TableYearMin PriceAvg PriceMax Price2026$3,800$5,200$7,5002027$5,500$7,200$9,8002028$7,800$10,500$14,0002029$11,500$16,000$22,0002030$18,000$28,000$40,0002040$95,000$140,000$220,000Final Thoughts on ETH’s Long-Term OutlookEthereum does not lack demand. It lacks price recognition. Record activity, regulatory momentum, and aggressive corporate accumulation change the equation, and the CLARITY Act could remove the final mental barrier.

Does ETH need hype? It just needs time for all the developments to materialise. The structure looks ready, but the question remains simple. Will the market wait, or will it rush in once the breakout starts?

Decentralized leverage trading platform Futureswap has been exploited for a second time in four days, with the hackers stealing an estimated $74,000 this time around.

Blockchain security firm BlockSec Phalcon disclosed the second attack on X, revealing that attackers had exploited a new vulnerability in the same contract they had targeted just days earlier. The security firm noted that “while the loss is not large, the interesting part is that a new attack surface appeared: a reentrancy vulnerability.”

The attacker employed a two-step process involving Futureswap’s mandatory three-day cooldown period to systematically drain funds.

According to Phalcon, BlockSec’s threat detection platform, the attacker first re-entered the 0x5308fcb1 function before the contract updated its internal accounting. Then the “attacker minted an excessive amount of LP tokens relative to the assets actually deposited.”

After waiting out the withdrawal cooldown, the attacker burned the illicitly minted tokens to redeem the underlying collateral, effectively siphoning assets from the protocol along with the profit.

Futureswap is hacked for the third time in one month The latest attack comes a few days after the platform lost over $395,000 in an exploit that popped up BlockSec’s Phalcon’s radar. The attackers that participated in that exploit stole the funds through multiple changePosition operations. That incident appeared related to unexpected stableBalance accounting changes during position updates that later allowed USDC to be released when removing collateral.

Futureswap also suffered a governance attack in December 2025 that netted attackers at least $830,000. In that incident, hackers used a flash loan to temporarily borrow governance tokens, gaining voting power to pass a malicious proposal that transferred funds from the protocol.

Futureswap has so far lost over $1 million cumulatively across three separate attacks that have leveraged different vulnerabilities on the platform.

Legacy DeFi protocols under siege The Futureswap incidents form part of the over $27 million lost to hackers who continue to target legacy DeFi platforms into 2026.

Other Arbitrum-based protocols have suffered similar fates in recent weeks. In early January, USDGambit and TLP lost $1.5 million when attackers gained admin access and deployed malicious smart contracts. TMX Tribe suffered a $1.4 million exploit, while the IPOR Fusion USDC vault lost $336,000 through a legacy contract vulnerability, though it has pledged to fully reimburse affected users.

Despite the security breaches that have hit protocols based on Arbitrum, the layer-2 blockchain still holds over $3.1 billion in total value locked in DeFi, which some analysts may say is part of what makes it an attractive target for attackers.

The network has remained near the top position among Ethereum Layer-2 solutions in terms of total value locked since launching in 2021.

What’s going on at the Futureswap camp? Nobody on the Futureswap team has released a statement concerning the exploits. The last post on the platform’s X account dates to 2023, and the protocol is said to have been last audited in 2021.

The case raises difficult questions about responsibility when protocols are abandoned but continue to hold user funds. Security experts recommend that teams either properly deprecate and sunset legacy contracts or conduct fresh security audits and verify source code.

Users, meanwhile, are advised to withdraw assets from older contracts showing signs of abandonment.

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Bitcoin’s (BTC) start-of-year recovery continued into the second week of January as the cryptocurrency made fresh 2026 highs above $96,000. The rally confirmed a new higher high structure, and traders are hopeful that a rally above $100,000 is the next target.

Bitcoin one-day chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewKey takeaways:

Bitcoin secured a daily close above $95,000, confirming a higher high and weakening near-term resistance.

Binance net taker volume briefly exceeded $500 million, coinciding with rising open interest and the lowest hourly funding rate since October 2025.

With limited resistance above $95,000, a technical rally to $103,500 is possible. 

Key Bitcoin metrics indicate a rally is here to stayOnchain data shows Bitcoin’s rally gaining strength. The Coinbase Premium Index has gradually reset after sustained selling between Jan. 6 and Jan. 11. While the index remains net-negative, the pace of selling pressure has clearly slowed, suggesting reduced panic from US-based investors.

Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Index. Source: CryptoQuantAdditionally, the seven-day average Bitcoin inflow to Coinbase Advanced is running at roughly 2.5 times its baseline. Similar inflow spikes in the past have preceded price appreciation, tied to spot accumulation, OTC settlement, or ETF positioning rather than outright selling.

At the same time, stablecoin inflows remain muted. This points to a waiting phase from investors, and in past cycles, stablecoin liquidity has frequently lagged BTC inflows, but it can turn into a conditional bullish signal if follow-through demand emerges.

Bitcoin price and open interest percentage change. Source: Amr Taha/CryptoQuantDerivatives data reinforces this view. Crypto analyst Amr Taha noted a sharp expansion in Binance net taker volume, with a single hourly candle exceeding $500 million in aggressive market buying.

Combined with rising open interest, this behavior has historically aligned with trend continuation rather than reversals. Similar conditions earlier this month preceded a rapid move toward $96,000.

Bitcoin’s hourly funding rate also hit its lowest level since October 17, 2025, reflecting crowded short exposure and cautious use of leverage. As funding normalized, the price rallied sharply, suggesting shorts were forced to unwind into strength.

Bitcoin funding rate across all exchanges. Source: CryptoQuantKey price levels to watch for BTCIn the short-term, traders will continue to watch $100,000. However, from a technical standpoint, the next major supply zone sits higher between $103,300 and $107,500. Between $95,000 and $103,300, overhead resistance is notably thin, allowing room for price expansion if the momentum persists.

Bitcoin four-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewThe broader market liquidity remains light across both spot and futures markets, leaving BTC vulnerable to sharp swings. The recent rally above $95,300 liquidated $270 millions in short positions, shifting the next meaningful liquidity cluster to the long side.

From a structural perspective, the $92,500 to $90,000 region also stands out on the lower end. A daily order block formed there following the rally, marking a potential zone where Bitcoin could establish its next higher low. Holding that area would strengthen the case for a sustained push above $100,000 before month-end.

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.

Ether’s price performance left many investors frustrated last cycle. While other assets captured attention with faster rallies, ETH has struggled to keep pace, raising questions about whether Ether is losing relevance or simply being misunderstood.

In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, Vivek Raman, CEO of Etherealize, offered a very different perspective. Rather than focusing on short-term price action, Raman pointed to a growing gap between market sentiment and Ether’s (ETH) underlying fundamentals, which he says may define the opportunity in 2026.

Raman highlighted Ethereum’s continued dominance in areas that matter most to institutions. Today, the Ethereum network and its layer-2 chains host the majority of stablecoin activity, within a market that exceeds $300 billion globally. Ethereum is also the leading network for tokenized real-world assets, with data showing it accounts for more than 90% of all tokenized assets onchain.

The interview also examined how traditional finance is shifting from experimentation to real-world deployment. Major institutions such as JPMorgan Chase and Fidelity have launched tokenized investment products using Ethereum infrastructure, a move that would have seemed unlikely just a few years ago. Raman argues that this shift has only recently become possible due to greater regulatory clarity, particularly in the United States.

Rather than offering a simple price forecast, Raman laid out a forward-looking framework linking the growth of stablecoins, tokenization and Ethereum’s role as neutral financial infrastructure. While still early, he says these structural trends could eventually prompt the market to reassess how ETH is valued.

The conversation challenges viewers to look beyond near-term price volatility and consider whether Ethereum’s recent underperformance may be obscuring a much larger long-term opportunity.

To hear Raman’s outlook for 2026, watch the complete interview on the Cointelegraph YouTube channel.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Prediction markets protocol to launch USD1‑denominated markets on BNB Chain, shifting all BNB markets to USD1 settlement. Key Takeaways Myriad integrates USD1 stablecoin as its first base settlement asset on BNB Chain. The integration aims to standardize liquidity and infrastructure while boosting stablecoin utility in prediction markets. Myriad Markets, a prediction market protocol, has integrated World Liberty Financial’s USD1 stablecoin as its first base settlement asset, bringing the dollar-backed token to BNB Chain as part of a broader product expansion.

The integration went live earlier today with USD1-denominated markets, starting with Myriad’s Candles product, a market structure designed for short timeframes, continuous liquidity, and automated resolution. USD1 pools will initially be available to users outside the US.

Following the rollout, Myriad plans to transition its BNB prediction markets to operate exclusively with USD1 during the first quarter of 2026, consolidating liquidity and standardizing infrastructure across the protocol.

“Myriad’s integration of USD1 expands the real-world utility of stable, dollar-backed digital assets in emerging on-chain markets,” said Zach Witkoff, co-founder of World Liberty Financial.

Farokh Sarmad, co-founder and president of Myriad, noted the personal significance of the partnership.

“From the moment I interviewed President Trump in September 2024, I knew WLFI would be something the team, their partners, and the broader industry would take very seriously,” Sarmad said. “This announcement is a full-circle moment as Myriad becomes the first prediction market using USD1 as a base settlement asset.”

Additional market formats and features are planned as part of a phased expansion in early 2026.

Disclaimer

Journalist

Posted: January 14, 2026

Pepe [PEPE] is back! After a strong start to 2026, the memecoin just jumped another 12% in the last 24 hours. What’s going on?

Pepe breaks out as pace returns PEPE’s latest move is a very clean breakout. The chart shows price pushing strongly above its recent range, delivering a 12% jump before slowing down slightly.

Source: TradingView

The memecoin is still holding above its prior support zone, so buyers haven’t rushed for the exits just yet. Increased volume means real crowds are pushing the move.

The RSI was in the mid-60s, so there was pace with mild overheating. Even as price pauses, Pepe’s structure remains constructive.

The short-term trend is in the bull’s favor.

Altcoins take the wheel, and Pepe keeps pace Over the past 60 days, a growing number of altcoins have outperformed Bitcoin [BTC], and PEPE sits firmly in that group.

Alphractal data showed Bitcoin’s returns going flat, while select altcoins pushed higher; this is a clear rotation. Perhaps traders are looking for higher upside beyond BTC, especially after the strong breakouts.

Source: Alphractal

PEPE’s recent jump fits neatly into the narrative, so the move isn’t happening out of the blue.

Whales keep the pace going There’s been a clear rise in whale activity around PEPE’s recent push higher, with frequent transactions above $100K. Some have even crossed the $1 million mark, appearing alongside the gains.

Source: Santiment

Large holders seem active during both breakouts and pullbacks, so traders are positioning for a time. Even when the price fell for a bit, whale transactions didn’t disappear, so interest is beyond just the price charts.

Bigger players haven’t walked away from the move yet. Provided the current pace holds, their steady presence could help cushion dips and keep PEPE in play.

Final Thoughts PEPE’s 12% daily jump is happening during a greater altcoin rotation. Dips may be supported, but momentum needs volume to stay strong.