Market Signal Briefing

Journalist

Posted: February 3, 2026

While the broader crypto market keeps a cautious eye on price volatility, Tom Lee’s Bitmine is busy executing a “buy the dip” strategy. 

The company revealed on the 2nd of February that its total holdings have reached a staggering $10.7 billion by adding 41,788 ETH to its treasury.

This acquisition brings Bitmine’s total Ethereum reserves to 4,285,125 tokens, effectively giving the company control over 3.55% of the circulating ETH supply.

Bitmine’s diversified holdings While Ethereum [ETH] remains the primary engine of Bitmine’s balance sheet, the firm also continues to maintain a diversified asset holding.

Beyond its dominant ETH position, the company’s treasury includes 193 Bitcoin [BTC], currently valued at approximately $15.2 million.

Moreover, the firm includes a $200 million equity stake in Beast Industries and $586 million in liquid cash, providing a critical buffer against market volatility.

Additionally, the firm has a $20 million stake in Eightco Holdings.

In fact, as of the 1st of February, Bitmine has already reached more than 70% of its “Alchemy of 5%” target, sending a clear signal to other institutions.

Tom Lee’s confidence in Ethereum Even after a sharp price drop that pushed ETH from around $3,000 to about $2,300, Bitmine’s leadership remains confident.

Remarking on which Tom Lee said,

“Bitmine has been steadily buying Ethereum, as we view this pullback as attractive, given the strengthening fundamentals. In our view, the price of ETH is not reflective of the high utility of ETH and its role as the future of finance.”

That said, Bitmine is moving beyond simply holding crypto and becoming a global yield-focused company.

A key part of this shift is its focus on U.S.-based infrastructure, known as the Made in America Validator Network (MAVAN), which emphasizes domestic control and reduces reliance on outside providers.

Stock price action and more This news, however, had no impact on its stock price as Bitmine’s stock recently fell nearly 10% to $22.80 as per Google Finance. 

But, this might be due to Bitmine’s Ethereum portfolio, which had fallen to about $9.04 billion in value.

However, on the other hand, over the past 24 hours, Ethereum has rebounded, rising about 4.3% to $2,324 as per CoinMarketCap.

Now, whether Bitmine is following the same bold strategy used by Michael Saylor’s Strategy Inc. is still debated on Wall Street.

But what is clear is that Bitmine is no longer sitting on the sidelines.

By buying aggressively during price dips and preparing to launch its MAVAN infrastructure, the company is betting that today’s gap between strong network activity and weak prices is a major opportunity. 

Final Thoughts By buying during weakness, the company is signaling long-term conviction rather than short-term trading intent. MAVAN positions Bitmine closer to financial infrastructure than speculative crypto exposure.

The crypto market in early 2026 is defined less by panic or euphoria and more by patience. Bitcoin continues to move sideways, volatility has cooled, and traders who once chased every breakout are now taking a step back. In this environment, a familiar question is quietly returning: which is the next crypto to explode once the market finds its direction again?

History suggests that these quieter phases often matter more than they appear. When price action slows, speculative capital does not disappear – it reorganizes. Investors begin looking beyond short-term charts and toward projects that can benefit from a shift in sentiment rather than depend on constant momentum. This change in behavior is one of the reasons Bitcoin Hyper is increasingly being mentioned as the market recalibrates.

👉 Explore Bitcoin Hyper as the market searches for its next breakout

Why consolidation phases often set the stage for explosive moves Crypto cycles rarely unfold in straight lines. Extended consolidation periods have historically acted as launchpads rather than dead ends. During these moments, large-cap assets like Bitcoin absorb macro pressure, while attention slowly migrates toward alternatives that are not directly tied to daily price fluctuations.

This is typically when the conversation around the next crypto to explode starts to gain traction. Not because prices are rising, but because investors are repositioning. They are evaluating which projects can attract interest even when the broader market feels uneventful. In previous cycles, many high-performing assets began building visibility precisely during these low-energy phases.

Bitcoin Hyper and the search for asymmetric opportunities Bitcoin Hyper is entering the discussion at exactly this point in the cycle. Positioned within the broader Bitcoin narrative, the project benefits from familiarity without being fully exposed to Bitcoin’s short-term price swings. That distinction matters in a market where uncertainty still dominates near-term outlooks.

For investors looking beyond traditional momentum strategies, Bitcoin Hyper represents a different kind of opportunity. It aligns with the long-standing credibility of Bitcoin while offering an alternative structure that may respond differently as market conditions evolve. This balance is what places it on watchlists for those assessing what the next crypto to explode could look like in a shifting environment.

Investor behavior is changing, not disappearing One of the most misunderstood aspects of the current market is investor sentiment. While trading activity has slowed, confidence has not collapsed. Instead, behavior has become more selective. Investors are spending more time observing, comparing, and waiting for signals that go beyond short-term price action.

Industry data supports this interpretation. Broader digital asset flow analysis published by organizations such as CoinShares shows that quieter markets often coincide with capital rotation rather than capital flight. This creates conditions where alternative narratives can gain traction without competing against aggressive market momentum.

Bitcoin Hyper appears to be benefiting from this shift, drawing attention during a phase when attention itself is scarce.

A market in transition rather than decline It would be misleading to frame early 2026 as a bearish period. There is little evidence of widespread fear or forced selling. Instead, the market feels suspended between cycles. Momentum has paused, but interest remains.

This transitional state often favors projects that can maintain relevance without relying on rapid price appreciation. Bitcoin Hyper fits into that category, not as a guaranteed outcome, but as a reflection of how speculative interest adapts when conventional strategies lose clarity.

Ongoing reporting at NewsBTC continues to highlight this pattern, as investor focus shifts toward structure, positioning, and timing rather than immediate returns.

What investors are watching next For those searching for the next crypto to explode, the emphasis in 2026 is changing. Instead of chasing headlines, investors are watching engagement trends, narrative consistency, and how projects behave during prolonged periods of indecision.

Bitcoin Hyper is being evaluated through that lens. Its growing visibility during a calm market phase is not accidental—it reflects a broader shift in how speculative capital positions itself ahead of potential momentum.

👉 Take a closer look at Bitcoin Hyper’s positioning as markets reset

As the market continues to stabilize, projects that can attract attention without relying on volatility may be the ones best positioned for the next phase.

Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency investments involve risk. Market conditions can change rapidly, and losses may occur. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.

The allegations and blame piling on ex-Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao over the past two weeks have now spread to Aster, but the exchange’s chief executive says the FUD is all unfair.

In a lengthy statement published early Tuesday on X, decentralized and perpetual crypto exchange Aster CEO Leonard replied to the accusations leveled against the platform and its collaboration with CZ. 

Some members of the crypto community are holding onto claims that Zhao pumped and dumped coins during Aster’s market debut days, a rumor Cryptopolitan debunked in October.

“There are some allegations swirling around regarding Aster and the team that are simply factually incorrect. These accusations are made without any evidence to deliberately sway public opinion with malicious intent,” Leonard said, trying to cool the angry community over Aster token’s bleak price performance. 

Aster CEO acknowledges community frustration over token price slump Leonard opened his message by saying the team understood holders’ frustration and was working to improve the situation, inviting feedback from investors in the project’s Discord channel. He argued that short-term price swings are difficult to forecast, but long-term valuation depends on the project’s real output and how its token model distributes value. 

“We believe the long-term price should gravitate towards the token’s intrinsic value, and we are working on both and will be addressing both later in the thread,” he wrote.

The statement is the first ever comprehensive response from Aster’s leadership since criticism over Zhao’s advisory role in the crypto trading platform. Leonard stressed that Zhao is only a consultant and Aster operates independently. He added that Yzi Labs, which he admitted is an investor in the project, holds its allocation under long-term lockup conditions.

Leonard rejected the assertion that the exchange was created to serve as an exit liquidity for insiders like CZ. He insisted that those claims lacked evidence and misrepresented how the project functions.

In his discussion of tokenomics, the CEO of the exchange said that the token emissions and buyback programs of the token follow a set of publicly disclosed rules. According to Leonard, the token mechanisms are intended for rewarding liquidity providers, traders, and long-term holders, but not for token sales or profit-taking.

He said the project recently updated its buyback system to automate daily repurchases using trading fees generated on the platform. Those transactions, he noted, are visible on-chain and can be tracked through community dashboards.

“We have recently updated our buyback mechanism to make the buybacks more predictable and independent by enabling on-chain daily buyback programs that execute automatically from fees generated,” the DEX founder announced.

Token burn executed to boost prices, CEO argues Leonard detailed that Aster had repurchased 254 million tokens, burned 78 million, and reallocated another 78 million to airdrop reserves, thereby lowering both the total and circulating supply. The remaining repurchased tokens, he continued explaining, are slated for future burns.

The exchange is also working on user experience improvements, including a redesigned interface and faster loading speeds. On the token side, Leonard said the current trading airdrop campaign, labeled S6, would be the final one. Moreover, he stated that automatic buybacks will continue, using up to 80% of fees collected during S6. 

“We stand by our product, and are happy to provide on-chain proofs, audits, or discuss specifics with analysts/community. Let’s judge by execution, not speculation. We are grateful to our supporters that chose to build with us for the long term,” Leonard concluded his statement.

Aster’s token showed signs of short-term recovery following the statement and recent buyback activity. According to Coingecko data, ASTER rose 6.11% over the past 24 hours, trying to fend off a 9% drop over the previous week and a 21% drop in the past month.

Last Sunday, AsterDex activated a Strategic Reserve Buyback Fund to repurchase 2.9 million ASTER, valued at $1.6 million. The latest purchase added to cumulative buybacks totaling 248 million ASTER, valued at about $137 million since last October. 

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Bitcoin bulls, forget the official stats, U.S. inflation is crashing in real time Your day-ahead look for Feb. 3, 2026 Feb 3, 2026, 12:15 p.m.

(Unsplash modified by CoinDesk)

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By Omkar Godbole (All times ET unless indicated otherwise)

A real-time tracker of U.S. inflation is offering good news to crypto bulls as bearish forecasts continue to roll in.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

The Truflation index, an independent, real-time blockchain-based tracker of daily changes in the consumer price index (CPI), has dropped below 1% for the first time since at least early 2021. The index has fallen from 2.67% since mid-December, taking it well below the Federal Reserve's 2% inflation target.

So while the official government reading stays 700 basis points above the Fed's target, the real-time level is showing fast disinflation, a scenario that supports the case for quick-fire interest-rate cuts by the bank.

That's good news for liquidity-sensitive assets such as bitcoin BTC$78,937.14, especially since the cryptocurrency is now trading 38% below the record $126,000 price from early October. The Truflation reading also contrasts forecasts of inflation resurgence by some analysts.

"As measured by Truflation, consumer price inflation has dropped to 0.86% on a year-over-year basis, breaking significantly below the 2-3% range in place for the past two years. In our view, inflation could turn negative, contrary to BlackRock and PIMCO forecasts," Cathie Wood, CEO of Ark Invest, said on X.

The good news doesn't stop there. Robin Brooks, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, who correctly warned of a worsening fiscal situation for Japan last year, predicted President Donald's Trump's pick for Fed chairman, Kevin Warsh, could cut rates by 100 basis points this year.

Let's see if these things offer relief to the crypto market. As of publication time, BTC is trading little changed around $78,000, with smaller tokens showing some recovery, as evidenced by the 2% gain in the CoinDesk 80 Index over 24 hours. Hyperliquid's HYPE and POL stand out as the only top-100 tokens with gains in excess of 10%.

Analysts remain optimistic about long-term prospects.

"In the near term, positioning in crypto does remain fragile. But structurally, ongoing institutional adoption, expanding use of stablecoins for cross-border settlement, and the rise of tokenized real-world assets should improve crypto market depth and interoperability," Emir Ibrahim, an analyst at digital asset trading firm Zerocap, told CoinDesk in an email.

"Over time, these dynamics are expected to reinforce Bitcoin's debasement hedge characteristics, even if the market is not yet fully pricing that narrative today," Ibrahim added.

In traditional markets, both the dollar index and Treasury yields are buoyant in the wake of Monday's strong manufacturing data. Stay alert!

Read more: For analysis of today's activity in altcoins and derivatives, see Crypto Markets Today

What to WatchFor a more comprehensive list of events this week, see CoinDesk's "Crypto Week Ahead".

CryptoFeb. 3: Ondo Finance ONDO$0.2841 to share an update of its roadmap at the Ondo Summit.Feb. 3: CHZ$0.04415 to share its Chiliz Vision 2030 roadmap.MacroFeb. 3 U.S. JOLTs data delayed over partial U.S. government shutdown.Earnings (Estimates based on FactSet data)Feb. 3: Galaxy Digital (GLXY), pre-market, -$0.95Feb. 3: PayPal Holdings (PYPL), pre-market, $1.29Token EventsFor a more comprehensive list of events this week, see CoinDesk's "Crypto Week Ahead".

Governance votes & callsFeb. 3: Lido to host a community call on the Lido V3 mainnet launch.Feb. 3: Axie Infinity to host a Lunacian Lounge.UnlocksNo major unlocks.Token LaunchesFeb. 3: Conflux (CFX) to be listed on Kraken.Feb. 3: Usualx’s unlock window closes.ConferencesFor a more comprehensive list of events this week, see CoinDesk's "Crypto Week Ahead".

Day 3 of 4: Web Summit Qatar (Doha, Qatar)Feb. 3: Ondo Summit (New York)Market MovementsBTC is down 0.1% from 4 p.m. ET Monday at $78,400.52 (24hrs: +0.9%)ETH is down 2.03% at $2,292.99 (24hrs: +0.14%)CoinDesk 20 is down 0.94% at at 2,278.33 (24hrs: +0.55%)Ether CESR Composite Staking Rate is up 3 bps at 3%BTC funding rate is at 0% (0.0372% annualized) on BinanceDXY is unchanged at 97.58Gold futures are up 6.13% at $4,938.00Silver futures are up 11.81% at $86.10Nikkei 225 closed up 3.92% at 54,720.66Hang Seng closed up 0.22% at 26,834.77FTSE is down 0.05% at 10,336.54Euro Stoxx 50 is up 0.56% at 6,041.35DJIA closed on Monday up 1.05% at 49,407.66S&P 500 closed up 0.54% at 6,976.44Nasdaq Composite closed up 0.56% at 23,592.11S&P/TSX Composite closed up 0.82% at 32,183.88S&P 40 Latin America closed up 0.91% at 3,656.11U.S. 10-Year Treasury rate is up 1.2 bps at 4.289%E-mini S&P 500 futures are up 0.2% at 7,016.25E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures are up 0.51% at 25,981.00E-mini Dow Jones Industrial Average Index futures are unchanged at 49,522.00Bitcoin StatsBTC Dominance: 60.08% (0.18%)Ether-bitcoin ratio: 0.02919 (-2.09%)Hashrate (seven-day moving average): 870 EH/sHashprice (spot): $35.10Total fees: 3.42 BTC / $266,100CME Futures Open Interest: 113,495 BTCBTC priced in gold: 15.8 oz.BTC vs gold market cap: 5.22%Technical Analysis

SOL's price chart. (TradingView)

The chart shows solana SOL$104.79 price swings in candlestick format since 2022. Prices dropped to support at $95.16 idenfitied by the horizontal line connecting the low hit in April last year. this support breaks, Solana faces little backing until the mid-$30s. Bulls, therefore, need to hold $95.16 to avoid a deeper crash. Crypto EquitiesCoinbase Global (COIN): closed on Monday at $187.86 (-3.53%), +0.90% at $189.55 in pre-marketCircle Internet (CRCL): closed at $58.86 (-7.93%), +1.95% at $60.01Galaxy Digital (GLXY): closed at $26.44 (-6.44%), +1.06% at $26.70Bullish (BLSH): closed at $28.77 (-4.74%), +2.57% at $29.51MARA Holdings (MARA): closed at $9.12 (-4.00%), +0.77% at $9.19Riot Platforms (RIOT): closed at $15.32 (-0.97%), +1.31% at $15.52Core Scientific (CORZ): closed at $17.87 (-0.67%)CleanSpark (CLSK): closed at $11.04 (-6.76%), +1.36% at $11.19CoinShares Valkyrie Bitcoin Miners ETF (WGMI): closed at $44.44 (-1.38%)Exodus Movement (EXOD): closed at $11.18 (-14.59%), -0.63% at $11.11Crypto Treasury Companies

Strategy (MSTR): closed at $139.63 (-6.73%), +1.12% at $141.19Strive (ASST): closed at $0.72 (-11.94%), +2.32% at $0.74SharpLink Gaming (SBET): closed at $7.79 (-12.27%), +0.77% at $7.85Upexi (UPXI): closed at $1.62 (-8.99%), +2.47% at $1.66Lite Strategy (LITS): closed at $1.14 (-5.79%)ETF FlowsSpot BTC ETFs

Daily net flows: $561.8 millionCumulative net flows: $55.55 billionTotal BTC holdings ~1.28 millionSpot ETH ETFs

Daily net flows: -$2.9 millionCumulative net flows: $12 billionTotal ETH holdings ~5.9 millionSource: Farside Investors

While You Were SleepingBitcoin ETFs see cash rush as traders hunt bargains (CoinDesk): Investors poured cash into the U.S.-listed bitcoin ETFs on Monday with total net inflow of $561.8 million, the largest single day of buying since Jan. 14.SpaceX, xAI Tie Up, Forming $1.25 Trillion Company (The Wall Street Journal): Elon Musk said SpaceX acquired xAI, a deal that combines his rocket-and-satellite business with his artificial-intelligence startup that is facing steep competition.Gold rallies with silver as historic rout lures back dip buyers (Bloomberg): Gold and silver rebounded after a historic collapse from all-time highs. Spot gold was up by 6.2% to near $4,950 an ounce. Silver rose more than 10% to top $87.India to ramp up purchases of US oil, arms, aircraft; open some farm access (Reuters): India agreed to buy oil, defense goods and aircraft from the U.S., as President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with India slashing tariffs to 18% from 50% in exchange for halting Russian oil purchases.

Trump denied any involvement in the $500 million Abu Dhabi investment in World Liberty Financial. The UAE-backed firm bought a 49% stake shortly before Trump’s 2025 inauguration. US President Donald Trump has denied any knowledge of a $500 million investment by an Abu Dhabi company in WLFI. The World Liberty Financial is a cryptocurrency firm that has ties to Trump and members of his family. When asked about the matter, Trump claimed he did not know, stating, “My sons are handling that—my family is handling it”.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan supports a company called Aryam Investment 1. They signed an agreement in January 2025 to purchase a 49% equity interest in WLFI for $500 million. It happened in about four days prior to Trump’s second inauguration as president. The purchase agreement included payments of $187 million to entities controlled by the Trump family, as well as payments to other companies with ties to WLFI’s founders.

Information about the Abu Dhabi Investment The acquisition made the UAE-supported company the largest non-controlling shareholder of WLFI, working on asset products such as a dollar-pegged stablecoin. Top officials from related companies joined the board, making the Abu Dhabi group a significant player.

Officials from both World Liberty Financial and the White House have denied that the investment influenced U.S. policy decisions or involved President Trump. Officials have continued to state that Trump was not involved in the investment process and that the investment was a business deal that did not relate to any government actions. World Liberty officials have continued to state that claims of the investment being linked to U.S.-UAE policy actions were “false” and that the company conducts its business on normal terms.

The timing of the investment has raised concerns, as it occurred before the U.S. government announced a framework. The move gives the UAE access to advanced artificial intelligence chips shortly after the investment was reported. However, WLFI and the White House have denied that there is any connection between the investment and the policy decisions.

Political and Regulatory Scrutiny The investment has also attracted political and regulatory attention, especially as foreign investments continue pouring into sectors. Last year, Democratic senators demanded investigations into reported connections between WLFI’s token sales and addresses associated with sanctioned individuals.

President Trump’s denial of any role in the alleged $500 million Abu Dhabi investment in World Liberty Financial highlights the attempt to distinguish between his public position and his family’s private affairs, as stated by official sources. Although World Liberty and the White House have argued that the investment had no policy impact or conflict of interest, the transaction’s timing and terms have still attracted considerable political and public attention.

Highlighted Crypto News:

Ethereum Treasury Firm BitMine Faces $7B Unrealized Loss Amid Crypto Downturn

I specialize in Web3 and crypto writing, producing clear, research-driven content on blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and market trends.

Cardano (ADA) price is drawing renewed attention after rebounding from the $0.27 level, a zone last seen in October 2023. This area has historically acted as a strong demand pocket, triggering dip-buying and short-covering activity. The bounce indicates that sellers are losing momentum near these discounted levels. From a market structure perspective, ADA is attempting to stabilize above the recent lows as liquidity begins to rebuild. 

If price continues to hold above the $0.27–$0.28 range and momentum improves, traders may look for speculative long setups. A higher low or range expansion could act as confirmation for a potential breakout attempt in the near term.

Cardano (ADA) Price Enters Bullish RangeCardano price is still stuck in a clear downtrend on the daily chart, moving inside a descending channel that’s been guiding price lower since the sharp October sell-off. Every bounce has been sold into, and the latest move toward the $0.27–0.28 zone shows that bears are still in control. For now, this channel defines the trend, and ADA needs to break out of it to change the broader narrative.

Looking at indicators, RSI is sitting near 32, which shows weak momentum and hints at exhaustion, but there’s no strong reversal signal yet. CMF hovering around neutral suggests buyers are hesitant, and capital inflows remain light. As long as ADA stays below $0.34–0.36, pressure likely persists toward $0.27, with $0.24–0.25 next if support breaks. A real trend shift starts only above $0.40.

What’s Next for Cardano Price?Cardano is likely to remain under pressure in the coming week as long as it trades below the descending channel resistance. In the short term, price may attempt a relief bounce toward $0.32–0.34, but this zone is expected to act as strong resistance. If selling pressure persists, $0.27 remains the key support to watch, with a deeper move toward $0.24–0.25 possible on a breakdown. For the monthly outlook, a trend shift only comes into play if ADA reclaims $0.36–0.40 with volume; otherwise, the structure favors consolidation to a mild downside rather than a strong recovery.

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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TL;DR

ING structured its Bitcoin operations through products managed by Bitwise, leaving custody and execution in the hands of the asset manager. Limitations at the BTC L1 level are pushing part of the activity toward Layer 2 solutions; Bitcoin Hyper executes transactions on the SVM and settles the final state on BTC L1. Hyper raised $31.2M in its presale, with the token reaching a price of $0.013675. ING structured its Bitcoin operations through products managed by Bitwise, a digital asset manager with a regulated structure and an established track record. The bank accesses custody services and crypto-related strategies through third-party managed vehicles, without holding BTC on its balance sheet or operating its own infrastructure.

Bitwise handles asset custody, technical execution, and product administration. ING participates as a financial institution that distributes and uses these vehicles within existing regulatory frameworks. This structure allows the bank to operate with digital assets under processes compatible with audits, internal controls, and financial supervision.

ING Leaves Operations in Bitwise’s Hands In addition, the bank avoids managing private keys, nodes, or onchain transaction flows. All of these functions are concentrated in a specialized provider. This setup allows ING to use Bitcoin within formal financial structures without intervening directly in the network’s technical layer.

The entry of institutional capital under this model highlights several operational limitations of BTC Layer 1. The base network lacks native smart contracts and has confirmation times that are incompatible with high-frequency trading, settlement, and position management. These constraints shift part of the activity toward solutions that execute transactions off the main layer and settle the final result on Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) stands out within this segment as a Layer 2 solution designed to separate execution from settlement. The protocol processes transactions in an external environment and records the final state on L1. The execution layer uses the Solana Virtual Machine, while BTC retains the settlement role.

Bitcoin Hyper: Separating Execution and Settlement Its design enables low-latency operations at reduced costs without altering the base network’s rules. The architecture supports high-performance applications such as intensive trading platforms, onchain games, and DeFi protocols with complex logic. Protocol development is based on Rust, a language commonly used in performance-oriented systems.

Bitcoin Hyper includes a decentralized canonical bridge that enables trustless transfers between BTC and the execution layer. The system manages asset movements within the protocol itself and avoids reliance on external bridges.

HYPER reported raising $31.2 million during its presale phase. The $HYPER token reached a price of $0.013675 at that stage. Staking will be enabled after the token generation event, with a seven-day vesting period for presale participants. The project’s roadmap includes the mainnet launch and full activation of SVM-based execution capabilities

TLDR Table of Contents

TLDRSpaceX Bitcoin Position Returns to SpotlightContrast With Tesla’s Bitcoin StrategyGet 3 Free Stock Ebooks Elon Musk’s SpaceX has merged with his AI startup xAI in a deal valued at $1.25 trillion The combined company plans to go public and holds 8,300 bitcoin worth approximately $650 million Musk cited space-based AI as necessary due to power limitations of terrestrial data centers SpaceX bought its bitcoin in 2021 and has never sold any holdings unlike Tesla The merger consolidates cryptocurrency holdings across Musk’s various business ventures Elon Musk announced the merger of his aerospace company SpaceX with artificial intelligence startup xAI. Bloomberg reports the combined entity will pursue an initial public offering at a $1.25 trillion valuation.

The merger unites two of Musk’s privately held ventures into what could become one of the world’s most valuable public companies. xAI recently raised funding at a $230 billion valuation while SpaceX was valued at roughly $800 billion.

Musk explained the strategic reasoning behind combining rocket technology with AI development. He wrote that current AI systems rely on large terrestrial data centers requiring enormous power and cooling resources. Global electricity demand for AI cannot be satisfied with ground-based infrastructure without negatively impacting communities and the environment, according to Musk.

“In the long term, space-based AI is obviously the only way to scale,” Musk stated. He noted that capturing even a tiny fraction of the Sun’s energy would provide over a million times more power than civilization currently consumes.

SpaceX Bitcoin Position Returns to Spotlight The merger brings renewed attention to SpaceX’s cryptocurrency holdings as the company moves toward a public listing. SpaceX owns roughly 8,300 bitcoin acquired in 2021, currently valued at about $650 million.

While this represents a small fraction of the merged company’s total worth, the bitcoin position will require careful handling under public company rules. SpaceX has remained private since purchasing its cryptocurrency, avoiding the quarterly earnings swings that affect public firms under fair-value accounting standards.

Once the IPO process begins, these protections disappear. The company will need to report bitcoin holdings and any value changes to shareholders regularly.

Contrast With Tesla’s Bitcoin Strategy Tesla’s bitcoin experience offers insight into potential challenges ahead. Musk’s electric vehicle company has recorded hundreds of millions in paper losses during cryptocurrency market downturns, even without selling holdings.

SpaceX has maintained a buy-and-hold approach since 2021. Unlike Tesla, which has both sold and repurchased bitcoin, SpaceX has not traded its position. This long-term strategy may appeal to investors seeking stability but reduces options if cryptocurrency markets decline during the IPO window.

The merger consolidates digital asset exposure across Musk’s business portfolio. Tesla ranks among the largest public companies holding bitcoin, and now the SpaceX-xAI combination adds another major corporate position.

Each company has operated under separate disclosure requirements and accounting methods due to their different public and private statuses. The merged entity will need unified policies for managing cryptocurrency assets going forward.

Bitcoin has experienced high volatility recently following liquidation-driven market selloffs. The timing of the IPO will determine how cryptocurrency market conditions affect investor reception and company valuation.

The combined SpaceX-xAI company will face new requirements for bitcoin disclosure and accounting once it goes public. The $650 million cryptocurrency position will appear in financial statements and be subject to mark-to-market accounting rules that can create earnings volatility unrelated to core business performance.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that he did not know about a reported $500 million agreement tied to World Liberty Financial (WLFI) and said “my family is handling it,”.

Recent claims centered on a 49% buyout of the Trump-linked WLFI, described as a deal reportedly valued at $500 million with UAE-based Aryam Investment. The buyer was not believed to receive governance or token-related rights, positioning Trump’s comments as a direct attempt to ring-fence day-to-day involvement and limit perceived conflicts.

Market confidence did not fully normalize. WLFI dropped more than 20% from recent local highs and briefly slipped toward $0.13, with selling pressure still dominant and RSI near oversold territory. The next checkpoint is whether ownership clarity improves and whether additional disclosures tighten the operating narrative around the project.

Source: Bitcoinblacck (X).

Disclaimer: Crypto Economy Flash News are based on verified public and official sources. Their purpose is to provide fast, factual updates about relevant events in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.

This information does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendation. Readers are encouraged to verify all details through official project channels before making any related decisions.

PEPE trades at $0.0000043, down 29% monthly. Whales fade rallies but price holds 21-day EMA. Upside targets $0.000007–$0.000012 if liquidity returns.

Summary

Pepe trades at $0.0000043, down 29% over the past month and 64% year-over-year, with $600M daily volume showing bruised but active speculation Whales continue fading short-term rallies while price reclaims the 21-day EMA, creating potential for mean-reversion spikes if memecoin liquidity rotates back Hyperliquid trader James Wynn’s $69B market cap forecast by end-2026 anchors community expectations despite current drawdown from late-2024 highs Pepe (PEPE) is trading in a fatigued downtrend but still primed for sharp mean‑reversion spikes if liquidity rotates back into memecoins over the next quarter.

PEPE price trends in fatigued downtrend with potential for mean-reversion spike, 03 February 2026 | Source: crypto.news Pepe price prediction: market context Pepe changes hands around 0.00000430.00000430.0000043 dollars, down roughly 29% over the past month and more than 64% over the past year, with 24‑hour volume near 600 million dollars signaling that speculation is bruised, not dead. The selloff followed a brutal slide from the late‑2024 high near 0.0000280.0000280.000028, erasing most of the prior cycle’s blow‑off and resetting positioning. On higher timeframes, recent analysis highlighted a weakening structure with a head‑and‑shoulders pattern and persistent distribution by whales into strength. At the same time, price has started to reclaim the 21‑day EMA on pullbacks, a first sign that aggressive shorts are no longer in total control.

Flows and intent On‑chain and derivatives data show large holders and “smart money” have been fading short‑term rallies, cutting long exposure even as retail chased double‑digit intraday pops. That behavior is pure memecoin microstructure: whales sell volatility to late buyers, then reload lower once sentiment cracks. Earlier this year, a Hyperliquid top trader openly targeted a 69‑billion‑dollar market cap for Pepe by end‑2026, injecting a new narrative that still anchors community expectations despite the subsequent drawdown. For disciplined traders, that mismatch between retail hopium and cautious pro flow defines the current edge: fade overcrowded spikes, accumulate only when panic volumes flush and derivatives positioning resets.

Price scenarios Technically, holding above the reclaimed 21‑day EMA keeps a squeeze toward the mid‑range at roughly 0.0000070.0000070.000007–0.0000080.0000080.000008 in play, aligning with prior consolidation and short‑covering zones mapped in recent coverage. A more aggressive upside path, contingent on broad risk‑on conditions and renewed whale accumulation, could extend toward 0.0000100.0000100.000010–0.0000120.0000120.000012, still far below the all‑time high but enough for a two‑to‑three‑times move from current levels. Breaks back below the recent spot lows and value area would invalidate that bull case and reopen a slide toward the low 0.0000030.0000030.000003 region flagged in prior capitulation phases. In other words: Pepe remains a high‑beta sentiment gauge where intent is clear, but execution must be ruthless.

Luisa Crawford Feb 03, 2026 11:40

Worldcoin (WLD) faces critical resistance at $0.42 with analysts projecting $0.62-$0.73 targets despite trading at $0.41 amid bearish technical signals.

WLD Price Prediction Summary • Short-term target (1 week): $0.42-$0.45
• Medium-term forecast (1 month): $0.62-$0.73 range
• Bullish breakout level: $0.42 • Critical support: $0.39

What Crypto Analysts Are Saying About Worldcoin Recent analyst coverage suggests cautious optimism for Worldcoin's February outlook. Zach Anderson noted on January 28, 2026: "Worldcoin (WLD) trades at $0.46 with analyst consensus pointing toward $0.62-$0.73 targets by February 2026, despite current bearish momentum and neutral RSI readings."

Felix Pinkston echoed similar sentiment on January 30, 2026, stating: "Worldcoin (WLD) analysts project $0.62-$0.73 targets by February 2026 despite current bearish momentum at $0.46, with key resistance at $0.49-$0.52 levels determining near-term direction."

The consensus among these analysts suggests WLD could experience significant upward movement if it successfully breaks through immediate resistance levels, though current technical conditions remain challenging.

WLD Technical Analysis Breakdown Worldcoin's technical picture presents a mixed outlook as of February 3, 2026. Trading at $0.41, WLD has shown modest gains of 1.75% in the last 24 hours, though it remains well below key moving averages.

The RSI reading of 38.55 places Worldcoin in neutral territory, suggesting neither overbought nor oversold conditions. However, the MACD histogram at 0.0000 indicates bearish momentum, while the MACD line itself sits at -0.0342, confirming the downward pressure.

Bollinger Bands analysis reveals WLD trading near the lower band support, with a %B position of 0.1556. This positioning suggests potential oversold conditions that could lead to a bounce if buying interest emerges. The upper Bollinger Band at $0.58 represents a significant upside target, aligning with analyst projections.

Moving averages paint a concerning picture, with WLD trading below all major timeframes. The 7-day SMA at $0.45, 20-day SMA at $0.48, and 50-day SMA at $0.52 all act as resistance levels that must be reclaimed for any sustainable recovery.

Worldcoin Price Targets: Bull vs Bear Case Bullish Scenario In an optimistic scenario for this WLD price prediction, Worldcoin could target the analyst consensus range of $0.62-$0.73. This Worldcoin forecast hinges on breaking the immediate resistance at $0.42, followed by sustained momentum above $0.45.

Key technical confirmations needed include RSI moving above 50, MACD turning positive, and volume expansion above the recent average of $8.8 million. A successful break above the 20-day SMA at $0.48 would likely trigger algorithmic buying and push WLD toward the $0.52-$0.58 range.

The upper Bollinger Band at $0.58 represents the first major target, with the analyst-projected $0.62-$0.73 zone serving as the ultimate bullish objective for February.

Bearish Scenario The bearish case for this WLD price prediction centers on the failure to hold current support levels. Critical support sits at $0.39, representing the strong support level identified in technical analysis.

A breakdown below $0.39 could trigger stops and push Worldcoin toward the lower Bollinger Band at $0.37. Further deterioration might see WLD testing psychological support around $0.35, representing a significant decline from current levels.

Risk factors include continued MACD bearish momentum, failure to reclaim moving averages, and broader cryptocurrency market weakness that could pressure all altcoins regardless of individual fundamentals.

Should You Buy WLD? Entry Strategy For traders considering WLD exposure, the current technical setup suggests waiting for clearer signals. Conservative investors might consider dollar-cost averaging between $0.39-$0.41, using the strong support level as a natural stop-loss placement.

Aggressive traders could look for a breakout above $0.42 with increased volume as an entry signal, targeting the $0.45-$0.48 range initially. This approach aligns with the analyst projections while respecting current technical resistance.

Stop-loss levels should be placed below $0.39 for any long positions, representing roughly a 5% risk from current prices. Position sizing should account for WLD's daily Average True Range (ATR) of $0.05, indicating significant intraday volatility.

Conclusion This WLD price prediction suggests a challenging near-term setup with potential for significant gains if key resistance levels are broken. While current technical indicators show bearish momentum, the analyst consensus pointing toward $0.62-$0.73 targets provides a compelling upside scenario.

The Worldcoin forecast for February remains cautiously optimistic, contingent on breaking above $0.42 and sustaining momentum. Traders should monitor volume patterns and broader market conditions closely, as cryptocurrency markets remain highly correlated during periods of volatility.

Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency price predictions are speculative and subject to high volatility. This analysis is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always conduct your own research and consider your risk tolerance before making investment decisions.

Image source: Shutterstock

wld price analysis wld price prediction

Key NotesBitcoin’s 14-day RSI fell into deeply oversold territory.On Feb.2, holders of 6 to 12-month-old coins transferred about 5,000 BTC to Binance.Miners sent roughly 175,000 BTC to Binance in January. Bitcoin BTC $78 193 24h volatility: 0.9% Market cap: $1.56 T Vol. 24h: $59.48 B recently dropped to $74,000 after failing to hold the November lows, extending a sharp pullback that has weakened short-term momentum. At the time of writing, the cryptocurrency is trading around $78,000 as the market sees a short-term relief.

The 14-day Relative Strength Index has fallen into deeply oversold territory amid intense downside pressure. According to Glassnode, spot trading volume has rebounded during the move, but it is more consistent with risk repositioning than fresh demand.

#Bitcoin fell to $74K after losing the November lows, with 14D RSI deep in oversold. Spot volume rebounded, but looks reactive, signalling churn in downside continuation, not dip buying.

Read more in this week’s Market Pulse👇https://t.co/ubkHWTTOz2 pic.twitter.com/4ODmioLQho

— glassnode (@glassnode) February 2, 2026

On-chain data shows a notable rise in Bitcoin transfers to Binance from whales and mid-term investors. On Feb. 2, 6 to 12-month-old coins deposited around 5,000 BTC to Binance. This was the first inflow of this size from that cohort since early 2024.

Bitcoin exchange inflow by holder age | Source: CryptoQuant

Whale behavior also shows a similar pattern. Wallets holding more than 1,000 BTC transferred roughly 5,000 BTC to Binance on Feb. 2. It was the second inflow of this size after a similar spike on Dec. 18.

Notably, after the December event, Bitcoin did not fall immediately, but later declined below $80,000.

Bitcoin whale to Binance inflow | Source: CryptoQuant

Miner Transfers Add to Exchange Supply CryptoQuant data shows that miners transferred about 175,000 BTC to Binance during January. Several days recorded sharp spikes, with miner outflows nearing 10,000 BTC per day. This points to targeted selling or liquidity management rather than routine operations.

Bitcoin miner to exchange flow in January | Source: CryptoQuant

These transfers happened while Bitcoin traded near $95,000 earlier in the month, before sliding toward $78,000 by late January.

Large transfers do not guarantee instant selling, but they increase spot market supply. If demand stays low, the added liquidity can result in a price drop in the short term.

Broad Risk Off Conditions Glassnode reported that spot market conditions remain weak, with Spot CVD reaching new lows and confirming sustained sell-side dominance. ETF outflows have slowed slightly, yet still points to ongoing distribution.

In derivatives markets, futures open interest has eased, and funding rates have cooled, showing fading long demand. Perpetual CVD continues to worsen, indicating aggressive selling by leveraged traders.

Glassnode sees a clear risk-off phase as profitability falls and realised losses dominate.

Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.

Cryptocurrency News, News

A crypto journalist with over 5 years of experience in the industry, Parth has worked with major media outlets in the crypto and finance world, gathering experience and expertise in the space after surviving bear and bull markets over the years. Parth is also an author of 4 self-published books.

Parth Dubey on LinkedIn

TLDR: BitGo Bank & Trust now provides regulated MPC custody for XDC tokens and USDC on XDC Network platform.  Integration removes custody barriers preventing corporates and exchanges from deploying capital on blockchain.  XDC Network gains competitive advantage in trade finance and cross-border payments through BitGo partnership.  Institutional asset managers can custody XDC using same security standards required for traditional assets. XDC Network has finalized a custody partnership with BitGo, enabling regulated storage solutions for XDC tokens and USDC.

The integration addresses a critical infrastructure gap that has prevented institutional participants from deploying capital on the network.

BitGo’s Multi-Party Computation wallet technology, delivered through BitGo Bank & Trust, now provides enterprises with the security and compliance frameworks required for blockchain operations.

Regulated Custody Infrastructure Enables Enterprise Deployment The partnership resolves a fundamental barrier facing corporate blockchain adoption. Financial institutions and payment platforms require regulated custody before committing resources to distributed ledger systems.

BitGo Bank & Trust, National Association, operates as the regulated custodian entity supporting XDC chain operations.

According to Amitava Mandal, Director of XDC Tech US, Inc., “BitGo’s custody is infrastructure that unlocks real enterprise deployment.”

He emphasized that trade finance and payment platforms cannot operate on blockchain without regulated custody.

The integration eliminates this obstacle and creates pathways for institutional capital that were previously unavailable.

XDC Network announced the development through its official channels, confirming the custody support would unlock regulated access for tokens on the platform.

XDC Network has secured institutional custody support with @BitGo , unlocking regulated custody for XDC tokens and @USDC on the network, a major step toward enabling enterprises, exchanges, and financial institutions to deploy real capital on-chain.

With BitGo’s regulated MPC… pic.twitter.com/7vLshjl29z

— XDC Network (@XDCNetwork) February 3, 2026

Exchanges and institutional asset managers can now onboard XDC using custody standards equivalent to traditional financial assets. The integration applies the same security protocols that institutions employ for conventional holdings.

BitGo’s MPC wallet technology distributes cryptographic keys across multiple parties, enhancing security while maintaining accessibility.

The architecture prevents single points of failure that have historically concerned institutional participants. Financial service providers can now custody XDC assets within their existing regulatory frameworks.

Trade Finance and Cross-Border Payment Applications Gain Infrastructure Support XDC Network’s technical architecture targets trade finance, tokenized assets, and cross-border payment systems. The BitGo integration strengthens the network’s position in these sectors by providing the custody layer that enterprise applications require.

Legacy payment infrastructure faces challenges including slow settlement times, elevated costs, and limited transparency.

Mandal stated that the integration “removes that blocker and positions XDC Network for institutional capital flows that weren’t previously possible.”

The custody solution enables corporates to evaluate XDC Network as an alternative to traditional payment rails. Enterprises can now deploy blockchain-based payment systems with the same custodial protections they expect from conventional financial infrastructure.

Tokenized real-world assets represent another application area gaining infrastructure support. Asset managers and financial institutions can custody tokenized securities, trade finance instruments, and other digital representations of physical assets. The regulated framework addresses compliance requirements that govern institutional asset management.

Cross-border payment providers can leverage the custody integration to build settlement systems on XDC Network. The combination of fast settlement times and regulated custody creates conditions for institutional payment flows.

Payment platforms can now construct blockchain-based solutions without sacrificing regulatory compliance or security standards that their operations demand.

XRP Price Under Pressure: ETF Outflows, Holder Losses, and a Possible ReboundXRP price stays weak as monthlong downtrend extends into early February.XRP exchange traded funds see renewed outflows despite recent stabilization.Oversold signals and holder losses suggest short term rebound potential.XRP continues to struggle as selling pressure keeps the token locked in a month-long downtrend heading into February. A recent sharp pullback has reinforced bearish sentiment, weighing on both spot markets and related investment products.

The weakness has also carried over into XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), where flow volatility highlights lingering investor caution. Nevertheless, signs of stabilization are appearing beneath the surface, which would determine whether XRP price will further downside or recover.

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XRP ETFs Are Yet To Do BetterSpot XRP ETFs posted net outflows of $404,690 on Monday despite closing the previous week on a positive note, recording $16.79 million on Friday. The improvement in ETF flows was reversed as this week began, signaling a comeback of selling pressure.

The shift shows that the macro bearishness hasn’t disappeared completely yet, given that on Thursday, January 29, XRP ETFs recorded $92.92 million in outflows, the largest since launch. That session coincided with a broader market crash and a 9% drop in XRP price.

Stabilizing flows offer much-needed support for restoring market confidence, a key requirement for any XRP price recovery. However, broader sentiment remains fragile, as doubts about a sustained rebound continue to weigh on investor outlook.

Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

XRP Spot ETF Flows. Source: SoSoValueSaturating Losses Could Prevent Sell-OffOn-chain data shows short-term holders facing heavy unrealized losses. The STH Net Unrealized Profit and Loss metric currently sits at -0.38. This marks the deepest loss level since July 2022 and a three and a half year high. This reflects widespread capitulation among recent XRP buyers.

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Despite appearing negative, rising STH losses may reduce immediate selling risk. Short-term holders are historically reactive, often selling quickly during profit periods. With losses deepening, selling incentives weaken.

This dynamic can temporarily suppress supply, giving XRP price space to stabilize and attempt a recovery if demand improves.

XRP STH-NUPL. Source: GlassnodeXRP Price Bounceback LikelyXRP price is trading near $1.62 at the time of writing, sitting below the $1.70 resistance. The altcoin has remained in a steady downtrend since early January. Last week’s 16% decline reinforced bearish structure, keeping XRP below key moving averages and limiting upside momentum.

XRP Price Analysis. Source: TradingViewHowever, these two factors suggest a short-term rebound remains possible. The first is that the short-term holder losses appear saturated, lowering distribution risk. The second is that momentum indicators show XRP is oversold, increasing the probability of a technical bounce toward $1.79.

The Money Flow Index currently sits near the oversold threshold. A decisive dip into oversold territory often precedes reversals. In a similar setup previously, XRP surged 14% within 48 hours. If broader market conditions remain supportive, a comparable reaction could unfold during this recovery attempt.

XRP MFI. Source: TradingViewHowever, downside risk persists if bullish momentum fails to materialize. A rejection below $1.70 may expose XRP to renewed selling pressure. Under this scenario, the price could fall to $1.54 or even $1.47. Losing these support levels would invalidate the bullish thesis and extend the ongoing decline.

Disclaimer

In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.

Payments entity NymCard, which covers CMEA region is now settling Circle’s USDC stablecoin in MENA region with the participation of Visa. The company will settle card transactions with Visa using USDC. This will offer 24/7 service in a streamlined way. 

The benefits for issuers is that they can lower operational costs, and pre-funding requirements as well as collateral. It is a more simple way to settle payments.  According to the CEO of NymCard, Omar Onsi, the company is the first issuers in the GCC region to offer stablecoin settlement. For him this is part of offering advanced payment services. 

Visa’s Head of Product, While Godfrey Sullivan, reasserted this noting that stablecoins are redefining how value moves globally. 

Stablecoin market is growing in GCC and MENA region PwC estimates that stablecoin-linked financial services in the GCC will grow at 32 percent per year. Stablecoins made up 52 percent of all cryptocurrency transactions carried out in the Mena region in the year to June 2024.

The UAE has already approved its AED stablecoin and the UAE Federal government is fully supporting AE Coin payments for governmental services. Notably USDC and USDT have received approvals in UAE’s ADGM as well as DIFC.

Moreover Saudi Arabia has noted that it will also be introducing stablecoin payments.

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The US ISM manufacturing PMI spiked to an unexpected high of 52.6. This sign of a newly expanding economy could be bullish for Bitcoin as the price potentially finds a bottom. What’s next?

US economic expansion good for BitcoinA forecast ISM of 48.5 actually turned out to be a whopping 52.6 on Monday. Anything above 50 means that the economy is expanding rather than contracting. A contracting phase had been in force for more than four years. Tight liquidity had meant falling risk assets, and this had its impact on Bitcoin.

While not necessarily leading to an instant recovery for Bitcoin, the possibility of a rise in the $BTC price may take place as the US economy begins to expand. 

Raoul Pal, macro economic expert, posted on X, putting the ISM reading into perspective:

No, the ISM is not everything and it doesn't mean up only yet necessarily, but it IS a necessary condition for strong crypto prices over time (as is liquidity). Liquidity will rise faster soon too, which creates reflexivity.

Bears hold firm at horizontal resistance

Source: TradingView

As though denying the possibility of a Bitcoin rally, at least in the short term, the Bitcoin bears have held firm, possibly now succeeding in rejecting the $BTC price from the $78,660 horizontal resistance. 

Looking at the 4-hour chart above, it can be noted that the constant pounding on the resistance level has so far led to nothing. It might have been expected that this level would have broken, given around 11 attempts in this short time frame, but at least up to now, the bears are winning this particular battle.

Double bottom and solid horizontal support

Source: TradingView

The daily time frame illustrates how important it is for the bulls to take advantage of a double bottom and solid horizontal support just below. The horizontal support levels are massive. $69,000 is the top of the previous bull market, so holding this is absolutely crucial.

Further in favour of the bulls is a ‘spring’ from a Wyckoff distribution pattern, together with Stochastic RSI and RSI that are both in oversold territory. The RSI is also sporting hidden bullish divergence. 

A bottom is in - or it is very close

Source: TradingView

Moving out into the 2-week time frame the question is can this weekly candle remain green and start the next rally? It has an incredibly strong price structure from which to base a reversal from. Unless there is something fundamentally wrong with Bitcoin, it would not make a lot of sense for the price to break below this structure.

The RSI at the bottom of the chart is getting to the lows associated with bear market bottoms, but then the Stochastic RSI indicators have rolled over now on the 2-week, as well as the weekly. However, they don’t have far to go to hit the bottom.

The higher the time frame the more they matter. This 2-week time frame suggests that a bottom is either in, or it is very close. The ISM has signalled that the world’s largest economy is pivoting. It’s quite likely that Bitcoin will pivot with it. 

Disclaimer: 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.

TLDR: Bitcoin’s weekend crash below $80K triggered $2.55 billion in liquidations, the tenth largest event ever.  Kevin Warsh’s Fed nomination, weak Microsoft earnings, and precious metals flush drove the sell-off.  Silver plummeted 26% intraday while gold dropped 9%, triggering CME Comex circuit breakers on Friday.  Current bear market lacks structural damage, potentially enabling faster recovery than previous cycles.
Bitcoin fell beneath the $80,000 threshold over the weekend, marking its first breach of this level since April 2025. The sharp decline triggered $2.55 billion in liquidations across cryptocurrency markets, representing the tenth largest liquidation event in crypto history.

Three primary factors drove the sell-off: mixed Big Tech earnings, Kevin Warsh’s Federal Reserve nomination, and a dramatic correction in precious metals markets.

Market Catalysts Behind the Weekend Collapse The cryptocurrency market entered last week with elevated risk positioning and complacent implied volatility levels.

After weeks of trading within a $95,000 to $85,000 range, Bitcoin rejected the upper boundary and established a weak technical setup heading into Monday.

However, the subsequent price action revealed a delayed reaction pattern as traders digested multiple negative catalysts simultaneously.

Microsoft’s quarterly earnings disappointed investors, raising questions about artificial intelligence infrastructure valuations that have supported equity markets.

The earnings miss was not catastrophic but sufficient to crack confidence in the AI narrative underpinning large portions of market sentiment. When technology stocks wobbled, risk appetite across financial markets contracted sharply.

Kevin Warsh’s surprise nomination as Federal Reserve Chair initially registered as hawkish given his historical opposition to quantitative easing. Markets reacted to his track record of skepticism toward balance sheet expansion.

Friday’s dollar strength, however, stemmed primarily from Chicago PMI data that beat expectations by 2.4 standard deviations rather than policy speculation around Warsh’s potential leadership.

The precious metals complex experienced violent unwinding as gold dropped 9 percent while silver crashed 26 percent intraday.

CME Comex implemented circuit breakers Friday after silver moved 10 percent within a single hour. According to Wintermute’s analysis, this flush resulted from margin calls following excessive speculative positioning rather than fundamental narrative changes.

Both metals nonetheless closed January with strong monthly gains, illustrating how overextended the prior rally had become.

Bear Market Dynamics Without Structural Damage The selling pressure hit during a traditionally illiquid weekend with leverage still elevated from earlier in the week. Cryptocurrency underperformed across asset classes, with only the S&P 500 and crude oil posting positive returns during this period.

The market now exhibits classic bear market characteristics: weak altcoin performance, narrow rallies, and deteriorating sentiment across social platforms.

This downturn differs from previous crypto bear markets in one critical aspect. The current environment lacks structural blowups comparable to FTX, Luna, or Three Arrows Capital collapses. Instead, organic deleveraging driven by macro factors, positioning adjustments, and shifting narratives has characterized this cycle. The absence of forced bankruptcies or contagion suggests potential for faster resolution than historical precedents.

Market positioning lightened following the liquidation cascade, yet conviction remains weak across institutional desks. Participants report heavy market conditions with limited buying interest at current price levels.

Institutions that supported markets throughout January retreated as headline uncertainty increased, leaving few incremental buyers willing to step in.

Price discovery has resumed after two months of range-bound trading. While discussing meaningful upward trends appears premature, any eventual recovery may break more cleanly from recent downtrends than previous bear cycles.

Stronger infrastructure, growing stablecoin adoption, and sidelined institutional interest could enable swift mindshare recovery when macro uncertainty clears and Federal Reserve policy direction becomes evident, potentially in the second half of 2026.

ING evaluates ETP products tied to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. The move reflects the growing institutional demand for regulated cryptocurrency exposure. Banks increasingly bridge traditional finance and digital assets. Dutch banking giant ING explores exchange-traded products (ETPs) tied to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. This move is a sign of how traditional financial institutions are increasing their involvement in the world of digital assets.

The bank examines structured products that follow the price of cryptocurrencies while staying within regulated structures. This approach is similar to what has been observed in the development of the Bitcoin ETF market and the institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies, as institutional investors look for regulated products.

ING is not driven by speculation. The bank is responding to the demand of its clients. They want products that are familiar and can be integrated into their current brokerage and custody infrastructure.

Why ETPs Attract Institutions ETPs provide a regulated entry point to the volatile world of cryptocurrencies. Investors can get exposure to the price of cryptocurrencies without having to deal with private keys or exchanges.

Financial institutions recognize the potential of bundling digital assets into familiar financial products. ETPs also make it easier to comply with regulations and reporting requirements.

Bitcoin and Ethereum are the most popular choices among institutional investors. Solana is gaining popularity due to its fast network and expanding ecosystem.

Traditional Finance Steps In ING’s announcement is the first sign of a larger trend. Banks are now competing with crypto-native companies in the area of product development. They bring their regulatory knowledge and customers’ trust to the table.

Financial news outlets such as Reuters frequently report on banks’ entry into the market of tokenized assets and digital investment products.

ING is not just keeping up with the times. The bank is reacting to customer inquiries and the competitive pressure of asset managers who have already launched crypto-linked funds.

Risk, Regulation, and Opportunity Crypto-related financial products remain under scrutiny by financial regulators. Banks are faced with risks of custody, liquidity, and regulatory compliance. ING adopts a cautious approach to the market and examines regulatory needs in different jurisdictions.

However, the demand for such products continues to grow. Investors seek diversification and growth opportunities that digital assets can offer. Structured products provide a link between innovation and regulation.

Broader Market Implications The ING foray may inspire other banks in Europe to hasten the development of crypto products. Institutional investment tends to stabilize markets and boost liquidity.

If ING goes ahead with the launch of these ETPs, it would be another milestone in the mainstream acceptance of digital assets in traditional portfolios.

The crypto markets have evolved from innovation to infrastructure, regulation, and institutional-quality products. Banks that are nimble and quick to react may help shape the next revolution in finance.

Highlighted Crypto News:

Tom Lee Calls ETH Dip Attractive as BitMine Keeps Buying

Bitcoin holds key support as 'extreme fear' grips traders: Crypto Markets TodayMajor cryptocurrencies eased off overnight highs during Asia trading, with bitcoin steady above a critical support zone even as investor sentiment remains deeply bearish. Feb 3, 2026, 11:30 a.m.

Fear grips crypto market (Patrick Hendry/Unsplash)

What to know: Bitcoin and ether held above support levels during Asian trading. The broader crypto market showed weakness even as equities and precious metals rallied.Investor sentiment remains highly negative, with the Fear and Greed index at 17/100 as some analysts warn the market’s structural downside risk is still unresolved.Altcoins saw a sharp bounce, with HYPE surging over 70% in a week. POL, LIT and MORPHO gained and privacy coins like XMR and ZEC extended declines.The crypto market held above a critical level of price support during Asia hours, with bitcoin BTC$78,195.57 changing hands at $78,400 and ether ETH$2,270.59 at $2,290.

Since midnight UTC, other major cryptocurrencies gave back some of their gains while precious metals and U.S. equities rallied, demonstrating relative weakness across the crypto sector.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

The Fear and Greed index is at 17/100, a reading of "extreme fear," as investors begin to accept the reality that October's high was the bull-market peak and the subsequent correction was indeed a reversal into a bear market.

While some analysts say the bear market will be short-lived with bitcoin approaching a key price floor at $60,000, a CryptoQuant analyst said the market is weakening structurally and downside risk remains unresolved.

The one outlier from the bearish sentiment is HyperLiquid's HYPE token, which has risen by more than 70% in the past week in light of a spike in volume across its silver futures market, suggesting participation from retail traders.

Derivatives positioningBitcoin's annualized 30-day implied volatility remains above its 200-day simple moving average, indicating potential for more price turbulence ahead. The same is true of ether.Over $300 million in leveraged crypto futures bets have been liquidated by exchanges in 24 hours. Still, notional open interest (OI) in crypto futures has stabilized at multimonth lows near $110 billion.In the past 24 hours, futures OI in major coins, including BTC, ETH, SOL and XRP has declined. HYPE futures stand out with a near 20% increase in open interest. The discrepancy indicates deployment of capital likely on the bullish side, expecting more gains in the token. Annualized perpetual funding rates for majors remain slightly positive, indicating a muted bullish skew. On Deribit, the premiums for BTC and ETH puts weakened somewhat from Monday. Puts, however, remain pricier across multiple expiries, a sign of lingering downside expectations. Block flows featured demand for bitcoin strangles, a volatility strategy, and ether risk reversals, a low-cost hedging strategy. Token talkHyperLiquid's HYPE advanced, a gain that can be attributed to rising volumes and revenue, and much of the broader altcoin market also rebounded on Tuesday. Polygon's POL token, as well as LIT and MORPHO, posted gains of as much as 13% over the past 24 hours.The advances follow a low-liquidity weekend selloff that thrust several assets into "oversold" territory. In a low-liquidity environment, where market depth is lacking, altcoins will often make exaggerated moves as the demand for instant buy or sell orders cannot be met by resting bids and asks on the orderbook.Privacy coins monero XMR$382.68 and zcash ZEC$282.60 failed to extend their a strong starts to the year. Both are down by more than 20% in the past week, with a further 3.5% selloff since midnight.Another asset that has been immune to the recent sell pressure has been layer-1 blockchain Canton's CC token, which added 28% in the past week on the back of participation from institutional investors.Canton chain is privacy-enabled blockchain designed for institutional finance and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. In December it was announced that Wall Street giant DTCC had struck a deal with Canton to tokenize U.S. Treasury securities on the blockchain.

Stacks rallied more than 20% toward the $0.30 region as the broader crypto market showed signs of recovery, drawing renewed attention. 

Its token, STX, pushed sharply higher, reclaiming the $0.29–$0.30 region after spending weeks trading with limited direction. 

Buyers stepped in aggressively near the $0.25 area, triggering a swift rebound that stood out against recent muted price behavior. 

The advance unfolded with expanding candles rather than slow grinding moves, reflecting urgency behind the buying.

However, the rally slowed as the price approached the $0.30 zone, a level that previously capped upside attempts. That reaction highlights lingering supply overhead. 

While buyers controlled the initial impulse, sellers responded quickly at higher levels. As a result, Stacks [STX] now trades near a short-term decision area.

Cup-and-handle structure begins to take shape On the daily chart, STX showed a recovery structure forming after the broader selloff.

Price rebounded cleanly from $0.25, creating the cup portion of a developing cup-and-handle pattern. The rebound reflected steady buyer re-entry rather than panic-driven spikes.

After the initial surge, STX pulled back toward the $0.27–$0.28 zone.

That shallow retracement formed the handle, holding well above prior lows and signaling controlled distribution.

Notably, the Parabolic SAR flipped below price during the rebound, reinforcing short-term directional support. Even so, SAR tightened as price consolidated, indicating momentum faced a near-term test.

A decisive break above $0.32 would strengthen the pattern, while rejection could expose the handle to deeper retracement.

Source: TradingView

STX Spot volume surge reflects urgency across markets Spot trading activity expanded sharply as 24-hour volume surged more than 260% during the rally. 

The Volume Bubble Map shifted into “heating” territory, confirming aggressive participation across exchanges. Traders entered positions rapidly as the price accelerated, amplifying short-term volatility. 

Unlike prior moves, volume remained elevated throughout the advance rather than fading after the first push. That behavior signals urgency rather than patience. 

High turnover often accompanies momentum-driven trades rather than deliberate accumulation. Therefore, the surge highlights strong interest but also raises questions about sustainability. 

For the Stacks token to maintain gains, volume must transition from reactive spikes into steadier participation near support levels. Otherwise, elevated volume may reflect short-term positioning that unwinds just as quickly.

Sell-side pressure persists beneath price strength Despite the rally, Spot Taker CVD remained clearly sell-dominant. Sellers continued hitting bids even as the price pushed higher, pointing to profit-taking rather than fresh accumulation. 

This divergence matters because it shows that not all participants share the bullish conviction implied by price action alone. 

Buyers absorbed that sell pressure without sharp rejection, which reflects resilience. However, persistent sell dominance often caps upside momentum over time. 

If taker behavior fails to shift toward buyer control, price may struggle to extend beyond nearby resistance. Therefore, STX now sits at a fragile balance point. 

Buyers must prove they can overpower sellers consistently. Without that shift, the rally risks losing momentum and rotating back into range-bound behavior.

STX rising Open Interest adds leverage-driven risk Open Interest (OI) jumped more than 45%, reaching roughly $24.7 million as STX rallied. Traders added leveraged exposure alongside rising prices, signaling growing speculative interest. 

While leverage can fuel continuation, it also increases vulnerability. 

Rapid OI expansion makes the price more sensitive to sudden moves in either direction. A failed breakout could trigger long liquidations, accelerating downside pressure. 

Conversely, sustained strength could force shorts to cover, extending gains.

At press time, positioning appeared directional rather than defensive. Traders leaned into the move instead of hedging risk. 

Therefore, STX now carries elevated volatility risk. Price stability above key support zones remains critical to prevent leverage from turning into a destabilizing force.

Stacks showed early recovery signals as price rebounded alongside broader market strength.

Participation increased and structure improved, but sell pressure and leverage expansion challenged sustainability.

Buyers must defend the $0.27–$0.28 zone and flip spot flows to maintain upside traction.

Without that shift, profit-taking could deepen into consolidation or a pullback before continuation.

Final Thoughts STX bounced from $0.25, with Spot Volume up 260% and Open Interest rising 45%, signaling aggressive participation. Stacks’ Sell-dominant Spot Taker CVD and elevated leverage near $0.30 may cap upside unless buyers regain flow control.

Elon Musk has confirmed SpaceX's DOGE-1 moon mission could launch in 2027.

Newton Gitonga2 min read

3 February 2026, 11:36 AM

Elon Musk has once again placed Dogecoin at the center of an ambitious plan. Musk confirmed the possibility of a lunar Dogecoin mission during a public exchange with Tesla Owners Silicon Valley. The group asked directly when SpaceX might place a physical Dogecoin on the lunar surface. Musk answered simply: "Maybe next year." That single response set off a wave of speculation and renewed investor confidence in the DOGE token.

The comment carries significant weight. Musk controls SpaceX. He also holds one of the most powerful personal brands in the technology sector. 

The DOGE-1 Mission: What It Is and Why It MattersThe DOGE-1 mission is not a new idea. SpaceX originally announced the project back in 2021. The satellite was designed specifically for collecting lunar data. What made it stand out from day one was its funding model. DOGE-1 was to be paid for entirely in Dogecoin, making it the first space mission in history funded by a single cryptocurrency.

Tom Ochinero, a vice president at SpaceX, previously addressed the mission's broader significance. He stated that the project would prove that cryptocurrencies could operate beyond Earth's orbit. That statement underscores the ambition behind DOGE-1. It is not simply a publicity stunt. It is a test case for decentralized finance in space.

The mission has faced repeated delays since its original 2021 announcement. SpaceX had initially targeted a Q1 2022 launch window. That date passed without a launch. Prior to Musk's latest comments, industry insiders projected a mid-to-late 2026 departure. His remarks have now pushed that timeline forward at least in the public conversation.

The 2021 announcement of the mission triggered a 30% surge in Dogecoin's price at the time. The token reached close to $0.60 during that rally. History may be repeating itself. Dogecoin is trading above $0.10 and has climbed 1.5% within 1 hour of Musk's recent statement.

SpaceX and xAI: A Merger That Changes EverythingThe DOGE-1 mission is unfolding amid major corporate restructuring at SpaceX. On Monday, SpaceX announced it had acquired xAI, Musk's artificial intelligence company. The combined entity is valued at $1.25 trillion. That figure places it among the largest private companies in the world.

The merger is strategic. SpaceX and xAI will pool their engineering talent, financial capital, and computing infrastructure. The goal is to accelerate innovation across AI, satellite technology, and space travel simultaneously. Starlink, SpaceX's global satellite internet network, will play a central role in the combined company's operations.

The timing of the acquisition is notable. SpaceX is currently planning what could be a record-breaking initial public offering. The xAI deal strengthens its position ahead of that event. 

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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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Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial.

In the early 16th century, a German named Ambrosius Ehinger marched deep into the Venezuelan interior, driven by a singular obsession: El Dorado. A city of unimaginable gold, ruled by a man said to cover himself in dusted metal. The legend consumed empires. Ehinger’s expedition ended in death, like so many others, but the myth endured, reshaping maps, alliances, and colonial ambition for centuries. 

Summary

Venezuela turns crypto into geopolitics: whether the $60B Bitcoin stash is real or not, belief alone is reshaping custody risk, sanctions exposure, and capital flows. Regime change exposes onchain assets: state-linked mining, stablecoin oil sales, and asset seizures suggest crypto is now part of sovereign balance sheets. Neutrality is ending: with the U.S. treating Bitcoin as a strategic reserve, crypto’s B2G era has arrived, and governments won’t stay sidelined. Five hundred years later, Venezuela is once again at the center of a treasure hunt. This time, the gold is digital and called Bitcoin (BTC). And once again, the myth may matter more than the treasure itself.

The $60 Billion fixation The crypto world is fixated on a single question: Does Venezuela control up to $60 billion in Bitcoin?

Whether the figure is accurate remains unclear. What is clear is that belief alone is already shaping behavior. The crypto industry tends to treat geopolitics as background noise, relevant mainly to prediction market traders and headline gamblers. That assumption is increasingly wrong. Whether Venezuela holds $60 billion in Bitcoin is almost beside the point. What matters is that crypto now operates inside the geopolitical system itself.

When regimes fall, sanctions tighten, or power shifts hands, crypto is no longer a side effect. It becomes part of the equation. For founders, investors, and operators, this is not optional context. It directly affects custody risk, regulatory exposure, capital flows, and legitimacy.

The industry likes to believe there are no vacuums. That markets self-correct. That protocols remain neutral. Reality is less romantic. Power vacuums do form, and they are rarely filled by communities alone. They are filled by institutional capital, sovereign actors, and state-aligned intermediaries.

The only open question is whether crypto companies will help shape that emerging layer, or operate under frameworks designed by those who do.

From regime change to asset exposure This is why Venezuela matters, not as an outlier, but as a signal. Following Operation Absolute Resolve, the U.S. military operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his transfer to stand trial in the United States, attention quickly shifted from regime change to asset exposure.

Officially, Washington’s interests are straightforward: oil, minerals, and strategic resources critical to the AI and energy competition with China. But beneath the surface, another question looms. What happened to the crypto?

Since 2018, Venezuela has operated one of the most extensive state-linked crypto ecosystems in the world. Under sanctions pressure, oil payments were settled through stablecoins, primarily Tether (USDT). Households turned to Bitcoin mining as an income source. Citizens used crypto to preserve value amid hyperinflation and currency collapse.

According to local economists and blockchain intelligence firms, stablecoins now account for a substantial share of Venezuela’s economy. Some estimates suggest up to 80% of oil-related revenues were settled in stablecoins. Under the guise of “national reform,” mining equipment was seized by the regime.

The logical inference followed: the state itself moved from regulating crypto to actively accumulating it.

Why this isn’t just a Venezuelan question This is where the intelligence picture becomes murky. If Venezuela holds a meaningful Bitcoin reserve, even far below the rumored $60 billion, who controls the private keys? Are the assets fragmented across hundreds of cold wallets? Were access rights centralized under Maduro or distributed among trusted operators? Does his removal disrupt operational control? Could portions be traced, frozen, or seized?

The timing is not accidental. President Trump’s posture toward crypto is unconventional by any historical standard. His administration has treated Bitcoin less as a speculative asset and more as a strategic resource. In January, he signed an executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. This is compounded by the Trump family’s deep exposure to the crypto industry itself.

Markets, states, and the end of neutrality Several scenarios now circulate. Strategic absorption, where Venezuelan Bitcoin is quietly integrated into U.S. reserves, echoing America’s post–World War II gold consolidation at Fort Knox. Forced liquidation, mirroring Germany’s sale of seized Bitcoin, triggered sharp volatility. Or prolonged legal limbo, freezing assets in disputes for years.

And Venezuela is unlikely to be the last case. Analysts are already watching Cuba, Colombia, and beyond. Periods of geopolitical instability consistently push households toward digital assets, not out of ideology, but out of necessity. At the same time, when the world’s largest economy formalizes Bitcoin as part of its strategic framework, other governments are forced to respond. Some will adopt. Some will resist. Very few will remain neutral.

This opens a new frontier for the industry: government-facing infrastructure, compliance tooling, custody solutions, and intelligence-grade analytics. Like it or not, crypto’s B2G moment has arrived.

So, is Venezuela’s Bitcoin stash real? Possibly. Is it exaggerated? Maybe. But like El Dorado, the real impact lies not in the treasure itself, but in the pursuit. This time, the City of Gold may not be hidden in the jungle. It may already exist on-chain. And the world is acting accordingly.

Jordan Braun works in business development at Chainstory, a crypto-focused PR and strategic communications firm. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and is driven by a strong foundation in national security and storytelling.

The company has been working through a major restructuring that includes a large-scale divestment program to free up funds and shore up its coffers.

Precious metals prices have found their footing after heavy losses.

HomeETFs and Funds AnalysisETF Analysis

SummaryProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) is structurally disadvantaged versus spot Bitcoin ETFs, with persistent underperformance due to futures costs and high expense ratio. BITO's high yield is unsustainable, NAV-erosive, and offers no tax efficiency; spot ETFs like IBIT enable more flexible, tax-advantaged payout strategies. Dividends from BITO are unreliable, mechanically driven by tax smoothing, and classified entirely as ordinary income, further reducing appeal for taxable accounts. I rate BITO as Hold, with only rare, tactical utility in backwardation regimes; long-term investors are better served by spot Bitcoin ETFs. jroballo/iStock via Getty Images

I last covered the ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) in May 2025 where I viewed it as a workable middle ground between direct Bitcoin growth investments and the income that BITO offered. The payout model

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