Market Signal Briefing

Step Finance, a decentralized finance (DeFi) portfolio tracking platform built on the Solana blockchain, has confirmed that several of its treasury wallets were compromised in a recent security breach that remains under active investigation. The incident has raised serious concerns across the Solana and broader crypto ecosystem, particularly after onchain data revealed the scale of funds involved.

According to blockchain security firm CertiK, approximately 261,854 SOL were unstaked and transferred during the breach. At current market prices, the amount is valued at roughly $27 million, making it one of the more significant treasury-related incidents on Solana in recent months. The movement of funds was publicly tracked via onchain data, fueling speculation and uncertainty among investors and users.

Step Finance disclosed the breach through an official post on X, stating that some of its treasury wallets had been affected and that the team is working with external cybersecurity firms to investigate the root cause. At this stage, the platform has not provided details on how the attacker gained access or whether any user funds were impacted. The lack of clarity has contributed to heightened market volatility around the project.

Following the disclosure, the governance token STEP experienced a dramatic sell-off. Data from SoSoValue shows that STEP’s price dropped more than 80% within 24 hours, reflecting shaken investor confidence. Step Finance operates a Solana validator node and has historically used validator rewards to fund STEP token buybacks, making the treasury breach particularly sensitive for the project’s long-term token economics.

Founded in 2021, Step Finance is known as a comprehensive DeFi portfolio tracker that aggregates yield farming positions, liquidity provider tokens, and DeFi assets across nearly all Solana protocols into a single dashboard. Beyond its core product, Step Finance also operates SolanaFloor, a Solana-focused crypto media outlet, and organizes the Solana Crossroads conference. In late 2024, the company expanded further by acquiring Moose Capital, now rebranded as Remora Markets, with plans to introduce tokenized equity trading on Solana.

As the investigation continues, the incident underscores the ongoing security risks facing DeFi platforms, even those deeply embedded in the Solana ecosystem.

<Copyright ⓒ TokenPost, unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited>

Bitcoin’s recent dip to around $75,500 briefly pushed the cryptocurrency below Strategy’s (formerly MicroStrategy, ticker: MSTR) average purchase price of roughly $76,037 per bitcoin. While this development may sound alarming at first, it does not fundamentally alter the company’s financial health or long-term bitcoin strategy. Instead, it primarily affects the pace at which Strategy can accumulate additional bitcoin in the near term.

Strategy currently holds approximately 712,647 bitcoin, all of which are unencumbered. This means none of its bitcoin holdings are pledged as collateral, eliminating the risk of forced selling if bitcoin trades below the firm’s cost basis. Even though the company is technically “underwater” on paper, there is no balance sheet stress tied directly to short-term price movements, and no margin calls or liquidation risks are triggered by bitcoin volatility.

Concerns have also surfaced around Strategy’s $8.2 billion in convertible debt. While the figure appears large, the structure of this debt provides significant flexibility. The company can roll over maturities, convert debt into equity when notes come due, or explore alternative capital management tools. Importantly, the first convertible note put date does not arrive until the third quarter of 2027, giving Strategy ample time to navigate market cycles. Other bitcoin-focused treasury firms, such as Strive (ASST), have used instruments like perpetual preferred shares to retire convertible debt, and Strategy could pursue similar options if necessary.

Additionally, Strategy holds about $2.25 billion in cash, primarily reserved for dividend payments, further reinforcing its liquidity position. The more immediate pressure point lies in fundraising. Historically, Strategy has financed bitcoin purchases through at-the-market equity offerings, which work best when MSTR trades at a premium to the net asset value of its bitcoin holdings. With bitcoin’s recent drop, that premium has flipped into a discount, making new equity issuance less attractive and potentially more dilutive.

Ultimately, trading below cost basis is not a crisis for Strategy. It simply slows the company’s ability to grow its bitcoin holdings without impacting shareholders. However, if bitcoin prices remain suppressed or decline further, MSTR shares could face near-term pressure when markets reopen.

<Copyright ⓒ TokenPost, unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited>

A historic liquidation event has shaken global financial markets, with gold and silver prices collapsing over the past 48 hours and wiping out an estimated $7 trillion in precious metals market value. In contrast, Bitcoin showed notable resilience, falling just 7% during the same period and avoiding the kind of cascading sell-off that crushed traditional safe-haven assets.

According to Bitcoin analyst Joe Consorti, the scale of the precious metals decline was staggering, amounting to roughly four times Bitcoin’s entire market capitalization. Data from blockchain analytics firm Santiment underscored the rarity of this divergence, noting that while gold dropped more than 8% and silver plunged over 25%, Bitcoin and most altcoins remained relatively flat by comparison.

Gold prices tumbled from recent highs near $5,600 per ounce to around $4,700, while silver sank sharply from $121 to approximately $77. Market participants largely attributed the violent sell-off to U.S. President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh to replace Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chairman. Warsh is widely viewed as an inflation hawk and a strong defender of the U.S. dollar, a stance that directly challenges the dollar-debasement narrative that had fueled the recent rally in precious metals.

In the weeks leading up to the crash, traders had crowded into highly leveraged positions, betting on aggressive interest rate cuts. The prospect of tighter monetary policy instead triggered rapid deleveraging, forced liquidations, and widespread profit-taking. Industry voices, including Bob Coleman of Idaho Armored Vaults, described the move as the inevitable unwinding of “hot money” chasing momentum in an overheated market. Cathie Wood of Ark Invest also suggested that gold had entered bubble territory, warning that a stronger dollar could lead to a prolonged correction similar to past cycles.

For Bitcoin investors, attention now turns to whether BTC’s stability near $82,000 signals a true decoupling from traditional commodities or simply a delayed reaction. Unlike gold and silver, Bitcoin did not experience a euphoric blow-off top, potentially leaving it with less speculative excess to unwind. Some analysts believe capital exiting the metals trade could rotate into digital assets, drawn by Bitcoin’s fixed supply and distinct scarcity narrative. However, sustained global liquidity tightening could still pose risks for cryptocurrencies in the weeks ahead.

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Journalist

Posted: February 1, 2026

Pi Network [PI] has rallied 2.03% in 24 hours, with a commensurate increase in daily trading volume to start the weekend. The team also released a technical update, allowing millions of their users, called “Pioneers”, to complete the mainnet migration.

The post also noted that Pi Network was testing palm print authentication as a beta feature. The Validator Rewards distribution was progressing as per the timeline released in December 2025.

Assessing the impact on PI sentiment

Source: PI/USDT on TradingView

These developments did little to affect PI positively. An AMBCrypto report from November highlighted that the token faced bearish pressure. To this day, sellers continue to dominate the higher timeframes.

The CMF was at -0.06, and has not climbed above +0.05 since early December. This showed that selling pressure has been predominant, and sizable capital flow out of the PI market was the norm.

The MACD formed a bearish crossover nearly two weeks ago on this timeframe, signaling another bearish impulse move. As things stand, the momentum remains firmly bearish.

The possibility of a price bounce

Source: PI/USDT on TradingView

Using the drop from $0.216 to $0.150 in January, a set of Fibonacci retracement levels was plotted. They showed that there was a chance of a price bounce toward $0.19-$0.20, where the 61.8% and 78.6% Fibonacci retracement levels were.

The MACD was climbing toward the zero line to show short-term bullishness, but in the past three H4 trading sessions, the Pi Network token has faced a hefty setback from the $0.173 supply zone.

Should traders look to sell? It is unclear if PI will succeed in climbing back above $0.17 in the coming days. It is a possibility traders should remain prepared for, but the evidence at hand did not warrant anyone looking to go long, except for scalp traders.

A retest of the $0.20 retracement level will offer a much better risk-reward shorting opportunity than the current market prices. A rally beyond $0.216 is required to shift swing traders’ bias bullishly.

Final Thoughts Pi bounced to the $0.17 supply zone on Friday and the early hours of Saturday before witnessing a rejection. The higher timeframe bias remained firmly biased, and a price bounce toward $0.20 would likely be sold off. Disclaimer: The information presented does not constitute financial, investment, trading, or other types of advice and is solely the writer’s opinion.

Akashnath S is a Senior Journalist and Technical Analysis expert at AMBCrypto. He specializes in dissecting price action, identifying key market trends through advanced chart patterns, and forecasting both short-term and long-term asset trajectories. His distinct analytical method is grounded in his academic training as a Chemical Engineer. This background provides him with a systematic, process-oriented approach to market data, enabling him to analyze the complex dynamics of financial markets with precision and objectivity. Having actively covered the cryptocurrency space since the landmark 2017 market cycle, Akashnath possesses years of experience navigating both bull and bear markets. This seasoned perspective is critical to his insightful reporting on market volatility and evolution. As an active market participant, Akashnath enhances his analysis with crucial, hands-on experience. This practical application of his technical skills ensures his insights are not merely theoretical, but are also relevant and actionable for an audience looking to understand and navigate trading opportunities. He is dedicated to educating readers on the nuances of technical analysis, empowering them with the knowledge to make more informed financial decisions.

Intuitive Surgical's 2025 earnings were strong, and the future remains bright, with valuation as the only big concern for investors.

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG 0.71%) ended 2025 on a strong note. The tech/healthcare company placed 532 of its da Vinci surgical robots in the fourth quarter, up from 493 in the final quarter of 2024. There are now 11,106 da Vinci systems operating around the world, up 12% from the previous year. But the big story isn't the robots.

What does Intuitive Surgical do? From a big-picture perspective, Intuitive Surgical makes the da Vinci surgical robotic system. So, the fact that it is selling more robots is good news. But when you dig in a little, you'll find that selling the actual surgical robot accounted for only around 25% of sales in 2025. That's not a fluke; da Vinci sales made up roughly 24% of the income statement's top line in 2024.

Image source: Getty Images.

The rest of the medical device company's revenue comes from services, instruments, and accessories. Services are the smallest part of the business, at roughly 15% of revenue. So, the biggest business is selling instruments and accessories, which account for roughly 60% of overall sales.

That said, around 75% of the company's revenue is recurring in nature. That's an annuity-like income stream that grows with each new da Vinci unit installed. Recurring revenue is the true flywheel of the business, since robots need maintenance and parts over time. Notably, more use means more recurring revenue.

This is why it is important to know that 18% more procedures were performed with the company's da Vinci system in 2025 than in 2024. That's well above the growth rate of the installed base, showing strong patient demand for surgical robots, too. The company currently projects surgery growth of up to 15% in 2026.

Is the opportunity big enough? There are future catalysts to consider here as well, with artificial intelligence a major opportunity. The company is already integrating AI into its products to assist surgeons. In late 2025, the company received FDA approval for an AI tool that provides real-time visual enhancements for doctors performing lung biopsies. While this is seemingly a small step, it could be a vital tool, given that the lungs are constantly moving. Essentially, any pre-surgery images would be out of date by the time the surgery began. Looking further out, it isn't a stretch to think that AI could, someday, perform surgery all on its own.

Still, Intuitive Surgical's strengths and opportunities haven't gone unnoticed on Wall Street. The stock is trading with a price-to-earnings ratio of nearly 67x. For comparison, the S&P 500 index (^GSPC 0.43%), which is trading near all-time highs, has a P/E ratio of 28 times. If you have a value bias, this is not a stock that you will find interesting.

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For growth investors, however, the story is a bit different. Intuitive Surgical's average P/E over the past five years was nearly 72 times. Compared to that, the current P/E looks a lot more attractive. That said, the average growth stock, using the Vanguard Growth ETF as a proxy, has a P/E ratio of just under 40 times. So, Intuitive Surgical is expensive, but not quite as expensive as it has been historically.

Understand what you are getting into Intuitive Surgical appears to have a significant opportunity ahead as surgical robotics continues to advance. However, Wall Street is aware of the opportunity and has priced the stock accordingly. If you buy Intuitive Surgical today, you have to be willing to hold for the long term, or you may end up disappointed with your outcome. Indeed, drawdowns of 30% or more are not uncommon. If you are patient, it might make more sense to wait for a deep sell-off.

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers or acquirers of senior notes by Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) issued pursuant and/or traceable to the Shelf Registration Statement filed with the SEC on March 15, 2024, and as supplemented on September 25, 2025 (together, the "Offering Documents"), of the New York State class action lawsuit filed on their behalf.

SO WHAT: If you purchased or acquired Oracle senior notes you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Oracle class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=51135 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, the Offering Documents contained false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that at the time of the Offering, Oracle would require a significant amount of additional debt to build the AI infrastructure. In addition, Oracle was organizing to raise that additional debt, which would ultimately bring the creditworthiness of these bonds into question. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Oracle class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=51135 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/282263

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

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Daniel Dines sold 135,000 shares over three days for a total value of ~$2,037,226.50 at a weighted average price of around $15.09 per share. The sale left Dines with 27,893,585 directly held shares and 9,615,297 indirectly held shares.

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Bitdeer Technologies Group (NASDAQ: BTDR) between June 6, 2024 and November 10, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important February 2, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Bitdeer securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Bitdeer class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=49102 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 2, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants provided investors with material information concerning Bitdeer's research and technology roadmap for its SEALMINER Bitcoin mining machine. Defendants' statements included, among other things, confidence in Bitdeer's mass production of its fourth-generation SEALMINER (A4) rigs using its SEAL04 ASIC ("application-specific integrated circuit") chip technology expected to have a chip energy efficiency of as low as 5J/TH. Defendants provided these positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating false and materially misleading statements and/or concerning material adverse facts concerning the true state of Bitdeer's SEALMINER A4 project. Specifically, defendants failed to disclose that the SEAL04 chip projected to have a chip-level energy efficiency of 5 J/TH would be ready for use in the A4 rigs with an expected mass production to begin in the second quarter 2025. Such statements absent these material facts caused investors to purchase Bitdeer securities at artificially inflated prices. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Bitdeer class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=49102 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/282229

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

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The VictoryShares Free Cash Flow ETF is one of the leading large-cap ETFs in the U.S., and this investment firm celebrated a victory of its own by selling over one million shares of the fund.

What happened According to an SEC filing dated Jan. 23, 2026, Annex Advisory Services, LLC reduced its stake in Victory Portfolios II - VictoryShares Free Cash Flow ETF (VFLO 0.18%) by 1,421,755 shares. The estimated value of the shares sold was $54.53 million, based on the average closing price during the quarter. The fund's quarter-end position value in VFLO decreased by $50.69 million, reflecting both trading activity and stock price movements.

What else to knowThis sale left VFLO at 1.0486% of Annex Advisory Services, LLC's 13F AUM as of Dec. 31, 2025.Top five holdings after the filing:NASDAQ: UBND: $373,537,062 (7.1% of AUM)NYSEMKT: AVUS: $275,474,732 (5.3% of AUM)NYSEMKT: SMTH: $181,835,936 (3.5% of AUM)NYSEMKT: AVEM: $162,237,486 (3.1% of AUM)NYSEMKT: IOO: $161,749,641 (3.1% of AUM)As of Jan. 31, 2026, VFLO shares were priced at $39.47, up 10.22% over the last 12 months. ETF overviewMetricValueAUM$5.91 billionPrice (as of market close 1/31/26)$39.47Dividend yield1.58%1-year total return10.22%ETF snapshotVictoryShares Free Cash Flow ETF (VFLO) provides investors with exposure to a curated basket of U.S. large- and mid-cap companies. The companies chosen for the fund are based on the largest U.S. companies by profit, selected to show strong free cash flow yields and growth metrics.

What this transaction means for investorsThe sale of VFLO shares by Annex doesn’t seem concerning, as the ETF wasn’t even among the firm’s top five holdings before the transaction. Outside of that, there are other ETFS in those top holdings that provide exposure to large-cap stocks, so Annex isn’t losing exposure to those types of companies.

What is interesting about Annex’s portfolio is that two of its top three holdings are bond ETFs, namely UBND and SMTH, indicating the firm’s strong stance on the bond market.

With VFLO, saw a modest return in 2025 with an approximate 10% gain throughout the year. It has a balanced approach to its holdings, where its strongest sector is healthcare, but not too far off from energy, and the consumer markets as well. Only created three years ago, the fund’s share price has seen a return of 59% since its inception, and with its focus on companies with strong profits, it looks well-positioned to continue delivering positive returns for the foreseeable future.

Adé Hennis has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Mars Sample Return would have turbo-charged Rocket Lab's revenue and added a feather to its cap.

It's official: Mars Sample Return (MSR) is DOA -- and Rocket Lab (RKLB 6.45%) investors are not at all happy about it.

As Science.org reported earlier in the month, the U.S. House and Senate have agreed on a series of appropriation bills that will help to restrain the federal budget deficit, but at the cost of cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from the budgets of NASA, the National Science Foundation, and other science-focused agencies.

Among the highest profile casualties of the cutting: MSR.

Image source: Getty Images.

What is MSR -- or what was MSR? For the past five years, ever since arriving at the Jezero Crater on Mars on Feb. 18, 2021, NASA's Perseverance rover has been tooling around, collecting air, soil, and rock samples for analysis back on Earth. It's got nearly three dozen test tubes filled so far, and the time is fast approaching when we really should be sending someone along to collect them.

That's what MSR would have done.

Under the Mars Sample Return project, NASA proposed sending a rocket to Mars, landing there, collecting samples, and returning them to Earth. (Hence the name.) The problem, as is so often the case with these kinds of ideas, was the cost.

NASA estimates put the total cost of MSR at $8 billion to $11 billion, and predicted it would take 16 years to complete. For over a year, Rocket Lab has been trying to convince NASA that it could do the work cheaper -- and faster. At one point, it appeared the space agency might be willing to listen, and it awarded Rocket Lab a tiny contract to at least study the problem and develop a solution.

Rocket Lab's solution By January 2025, Rocket Lab had a plan. It would send a rocket to Mars, drop a lander down to the surface, collect Perseverance's samples and pack them into another, smaller rocket, then shoot that rocket up to orbit, where the original rocket ship would take delivery and return the sample to Earth.

For $4 billion (half the cost of other companies' estimates), Rocket Lab would make MSR happen. By 2031, the samples could be back here on Earth if NASA acted quickly to approve its proposal.

Granted, NASA basically never acts quickly... but if it had done so, then MSR would add $4 billion to Rocket Lab's revenue stream. According to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, that would have been about 9 times Rocket Lab's 2024 sales. Even spread over six years, it would grow annual revenue by more than 50%.

Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck lobbied intensely and publicly for NASA to award him the contract, but it was not to be. One year after Rocket Lab made its proposal, Congress appears to have smothered MSR in its cradle. In one strikingly clear line of the House "minibus" appropriations bill, it state the situations clearly: "The agreement does not support the existing Mars Sample Return (MSR) program."

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What does this mean for Rocket Lab? The loss of MSR and its potential $4 billion windfall comes as a heavy blow to Rocket Lab and its fans.

The roughly $666 million in annual revenue the contract would have provided would have been more money than this rocket stock made in all of last year. It would have covered 74% of the $900 million in revenue analysts forecast for Rocket Lab in 2026 as well.

No longer.

Granted, not all is lost for Rocket Lab. Even without MSR, the company is on course to finally turn profitable in 2027, according to Wall Street analyst estimates. Significantly higher revenue from the company's new Neutron reusable rocket (expected to make its first launch this year) should help with that, and help to grow earnings steadily thereafter. It's just that Rocket Lab would probably be even more profitable and win significant PR by getting to do MSR, too.

For investors, it's a disappointment, but not in and of itself a reason to sell Rocket Lab stock.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants to bring personal superintelligence to the masses.

Meta Platforms' (META 2.95%) artificial intelligence (AI) investments are beginning to bear fruit.

Shares of Facebook's and Instagram's parent company climbed more than 7% this past week, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, following its fourth-quarter earnings release.

Image source: Getty Images.

AI-fueled advertising gains The number of daily active users across Meta's family of apps grew by 7% year over year to a staggering 3.58 billion. The social media colossus also ramped up its monetization efforts, with ad impressions increasing by 18% in the fourth quarter.

Despite the sharp increase in ads, Meta was able to command a 6% higher average price per ad, giving evidence of the rising value it's delivering to marketers.

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All told, Meta's revenue jumped 24% to $60 billion. Its earnings per share, which were impacted by the company's heavy growth investments, still grew by nearly 11% to $8.88. That topped Wall Street's estimates, which had called for per-share profits of $8.22.

Ramping AI capex Meta plans to pump even more money into its AI development efforts in 2026. Chief financial officer Susan Li told investors to expect full-year capital expenditures of $115 billion to $135 billion, up from $72 billion in 2025. Much of this spending will be on AI-related cloud computing, infrastructure, and labor costs.

"I'm looking forward to advancing personal superintelligence for people around the world in 2026," CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.

Joe Tenebruso has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Gauzy Ltd. (NASDAQ: GAUZ) between March 11, 2025 and November 13, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important February 6, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Gauzy securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Gauzy class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48715 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 6, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) three of Gauzy's French subsidiaries lacked the financial means to meet their debts as they became due; (2) as a result, it was substantially likely insolvency proceedings would be commenced; (3) as a result, it was substantially likely a potential default under Gauzy's existing senior secured debt facilities would be triggered; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about Gauzy's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Gauzy class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48715 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/282234

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

Ready to Announce with Confidence? Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.

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New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Vistagen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: VTGN) between April 1, 2024 and December 16, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important March 16, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Vistagen common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Vistagen class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50827 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 16, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants provided investors with material information concerning Vistagen's plan to develop and commercialize its drug fasedienol, an investigational pherine candidate in development for the acute treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Defendants' statements included, among other things, Vistagen's positive assertions of fasedienol's future trial success based on the prior positive results associated with the PALISADE-2 clinical trial, in addition to notable enhancements and operational changes made to the execution of the PALISADE-3 clinical trial supported a strong likelihood of Phase 3 success and positioned it as a confirmatory study.

According to the lawsuit, defendants provided these overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning its Phase 3 PALISADE-3 trial study of fasedienol. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Vistagen class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50827 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
[email protected]
www.rosenlegal.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/282304

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

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It's hard to believe a stock could move this much in five years.

Peloton Interactive (PTON 2.44%) has been a popular stock in recent years, though it's considerably less popular these days. If you're wondering how those who invested in the recent past have fared, check out the table below:

Time period

Average Annual Return

Past 1 year

(31.36%)

Past 3 years

(20.77%)

Past 5 years

(48.48%)

Data source: Morningstar.com as of Jan. 23, 2026.

Image source: Getty Images.

Yikes, right? The table shows that if you'd plunked, say, $1,000 of your hard-earned dollars into at-home fitness specialist Peloton Interactive five years ago, your stake in the company would now be worth around $37. (If you'd parked that money in an S&P 500 index fund instead, it would now be worth around $1,879.)

Today's Change

(

-2.44

%) $

-0.14

Current Price

$

5.59

What happened? Well, Peloton enjoyed a tailwind at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people opted to exercise at home instead of at a gym. But its equipment wasn't (and isn't) cheap, and sales eventually dropped. The company has had several CEOs in a relatively short period, and has laid off employees.

After the stock has fallen so far, is it now bargain-priced and worth buying? Is it a golden opportunity or a value trap? It depends on whom you ask. Bulls note that the company is back to generating positive cash flow again, and they like that much of its revenue comes from subscriptions -- as that produces fairly reliable income.

But bears note that those subscribers have shrunk in number (recently by 6% year over year) and total revenue for its first quarter was also down, also by 6%. A successful turnaround has not yet been fully achieved.

So I'd hold off on this stock. It will be a less risky proposition once it's growing more robustly. In the meantime, there's no shortage of promising growth stocks out there.

Selena Maranjian has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Peloton Interactive. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

These innovative biotechs could have plenty of upside ahead.

In the volatile biotech industry, companies can see their shares soar over relatively short periods on strong clinical progress for exciting pipeline candidates.

That's precisely what could happen to Exelixis (EXEL 2.18%) and Summit Therapeutics (SMMT 5.97%) this year. And the even better news is that there are reasons to consider holding onto these drugmakers' shares even beyond the next 12 months. Let's find out more.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Exelixis Exelixis is a relatively small biotech focused on oncology. Over the past decade or so, the company's sole growth driver has been Cabometyx, a medicine approved for several types of cancer, including some forms of kidney cancer. Cabometyx is an impressive drug and has earned many indications. Even so, Exelixis has been looking to diversify its lineup ahead of generic competition for its crown jewel, which is expected to enter the U.S. market by early 2030.

Exelixis is making solid progress toward that goal. Late last year, it submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its next-gen cancer drug, zanzalintinib, in metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with Roche's Tecentriq.

Today's Change

(

-2.18

%) $

-0.92

Current Price

$

41.36

If Zanzalintinib is to replace Cabometyx, though, it should also be a pipeline in a drug. Exelixis is planning to make more clinical headway this year to prove that it is. It expects several phase 3 study initiations and two late-stage data readouts. Positive results could jolt the stock. Zanzalintinib will take time to ramp up sales; in the meantime, Exelixis' main growth driver should continue to push it in the right direction, at least until 2030.

If the company can secure approval and label expansions for Zanzalintinib in the next few years while advancing early stage candidates, the stock could perform well over the next five years and beyond, despite Cabometyx's patent cliff.

2. Summit Therapeutics Summit Therapeutics' leading candidate, ivonescimab, is currently undergoing several phase 3 clinical trials. The medicine became famous after performing better than Keytruda -- the world's best-selling cancer drug -- in a head-to-head study in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a PD-L1 protein overexpression. That study was in China, though, and run by Summit's partner, Akeso Biopharma.

Now, Summit is looking to replicate these results and seek approval for the therapy in the U.S. The company should have some data readouts this year, including for a study investigating ivonescimab in squamous NSCLC.

Today's Change

(

-5.97

%) $

-0.92

Current Price

$

14.48

The biotech also submitted an application to the FDA for ivonescimab in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC. If ivonescimab earns FDA approval and achieves its ongoing phase 3 study, Summit Therapeutics' stock price could rise significantly in 2026. The great thing about ivonescimab is that Summit Therapeutics should, eventually, seek many other approvals for the medicine. It is being investigated across a range of different indications in China.

Between those and the ones being done outside of China, Summit is undergoing 42 studies for the medicine. Some analysts have estimated that ivonescimab could reach peak sales of $53 billion. It will take a long time and many successes to get there, but it does show Summit's potential with this medicine. There are risks, including potential clinical and regulatory setbacks. It's crucial to keep that in mind and invest accordingly.

Company Retains Ludlow Consulting to Elevate Institutional-Grade Messaging, Media Relations and AI-Enabled Investor Engagement

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FL / ACCESS Newswire / January 31, 2026 / Elektros Inc. (OTC PINK:ELEK), a hard-rock lithium mining developer with operations in Sierra Leone, today announced it has retained Ludlow Consulting as its strategic communications advisor to enhance corporate messaging, media visibility, and shareholder engagement.

For investors evaluating opportunities in critical minerals and the clean energy supply chain, Elektros believes its current market positioning represents an attractive entry-level opportunity within the lithium sector.

The engagement is designed to support the Company's next phase of growth through the development of an integrated public relations, media relations, and investor relations framework aligned with public company best practices and compliance standards.

Under this advisory mandate, Elektros will be guided in modernizing shareholder communications through AI-enhanced investor relations solutions. This includes strategic support for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) knowledgebase integration for virtual investor-facing communications, institutional-grade investor materials, and targeted digital outreach to mining-sector stakeholders.

Ludlow Consulting will also advise on establishing a corporate advisory board comprised of mining, critical minerals, and institutional resources expertise to support Elektros' long-term corporate positioning and execution strategy.

"In today's market, strong communications and disciplined stakeholder engagement are essential to building credibility and long-term shareholder value," said Thomas Bustamante, Founder of Ludlow Consulting. "Our mission is to help Elektros create consistent, professional messaging and a modern investor relations foundation that can scale alongside the Company's operational progress."

"We feel incredibly fortunate to be developing our lithium opportunity in Sierra Leone at a moment when demand for critical minerals is accelerating worldwide," said Shlomo Bleier, CEO of Elektros. "We have an exceptional team with boots on the ground, and we're proud of the coordination, discipline, and commitment it takes to build a special company around a resource that is becoming increasingly vital to the clean energy transition. We believe Elektros is positioned on the forefront of hard-rock lithium development, and we're grateful - and we thank God - to have the people, partners, and momentum to move forward into the next phase, including initial stockpiling efforts. This is only the beginning. We look forward to providing updates as milestones are achieved, and we are proud to have Ludlow Consulting on our team as we advance in the clean energy sector."

For more information, visit www.elektros.energy/investors.

About Elektros, Inc.

Elektros Inc. (OTC PINK: ELEK) business plan is to develop an artisanal mining operation based in Sierra Leone, Africa. This operation focuses on hard-rock lithium exploration, development, and the eventual exportation of mined material to lithium refineries in the United States. www.elektros.energy

Why Lithium Matters Now

Lithium is a critical ingredient in modern rechargeable batteries, powering electric vehicles and enabling grid-scale energy storage. As EV adoption expands and energy security becomes a central priority worldwide, access to reliable lithium supply is increasingly viewed as strategic.

Selected Industry Commentary on Lithium's Importance

Reuters: "Lithium [is a] key element for electric vehicle ramp up."

Bloomberg: "Lithium ... [is] a key ingredient in the batteries that power electric vehicles."

Financial Times: "Lithium price squeeze adds to cost of the energy transition."

Benzinga: "Lithium - a critical battery metal."

Wall Street Journal: "Lithium is the new gasoline for the electric-vehicle era."

Elektros believes Sierra Leone and the broader African region have an important role to play in responsibly developing critical mineral supply chains, including lithium resources needed to support EV manufacturing and energy storage worldwide.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking statements" that include information relating to future events and future financial and operating performance. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "can," "believe," "potential," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties.

Contact

Elektros, Inc.
IR and Media Inquiries
Email: [email protected]

Ludlow Consulting
Email: [email protected]

Elektros Inc. is a small company today, but we aspire to build toward the scale, discipline, and market leadership demonstrated by leading companies in the lithium sector - and we aim to join that peer group in the near future.

SOURCE: Elektros, Inc.

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of New Era Energy & Digital, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAI) resulting from allegations that New Era Energy & Digital may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

SO WHAT: If you purchased New Era Energy & Digital securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=49293 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On December 12, 2025, Investing.com published an article entitled "New Era Energy & Digital stock falls after Fuzzy Panda short report." The article stated that New Era Energy & Digital stock "tumbled" after "short seller Fuzzy Panda Research released a scathing report targeting the company." Further, the article stated that Fuzzy Panda's short report, "titled 'NUAI: Serial Penny Stock CEO Combined Bad Gas Assets, Paid Stock Promo, Renamed Co & Added 'AI',' alleges that the company spent 2.5 times more on stock promotions than on operating its oil and gas wells. Fuzzy Panda claims CEO E. Will Gray II has a history of running penny stock companies "into the ground" over approximately 20 years."

On this news, New Era Energy & Digital's stock fell 6.9% on December 12, 2025.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved, at that time, the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
Fax: (212) 202-3827
[email protected]
www.rosenlegal.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/282305

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

Ready to Announce with Confidence? Send us a message and a member of our TMX Newsfile team will contact you to discuss your needs.

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Bitcoin's price is having a rough day, sliding 8.3% over the past 24 hours and 13.6% across the last seven days, touching an intraday low of $75,555 on Bitstamp at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. What follows is a closer look at three factors that have succeeded in keeping bitcoin prices pinned to the mat.

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Capital is rotating back into high-potential crypto assets, and XRP is emerging as the primary beneficiary of the shift. As liquidity floods back into the market, many believe the altcoin is positioned for a powerful upside move that could dramatically reshape portfolios. 

Why This Capital Inflow Could Change XRP’s Price Forever XRP is about to make multi-millionaires. An analyst known as Dragon revealed a video on X that RealFi has officially approved Walmart as a vendor. Walmart, a global retail giant with a $800 billion market capitalization and responsible for approximately $680 billion in annual customer transactions, is now live in the RealFi ecosystem. 

This initiative now has the potential to onboard over 342 million Walmart customers annually to the RealFi ecosystem. The XRP Ledger and Real Token powers this RealFi infrastructure.

The market narrative about XRP may be misleading, and the millionaire wallets are rising fast. Crypto trader Skipper has noted that while the token continues to trade below the $2.00 level, it is still attracting serious attention from large investors. The new on-chain data from Santiment shows that 42 new whale wallets holding more than 1 million XRP have been created since the start of the year.

This steady rise in whale accumulation suggests that high-net-worth investors may be preparing for a major upside move. With smart money entering the market, this kind of accumulation trend could support a bullish XRP price prediction in the weeks ahead.

On the technical side, the daily chart shows an interesting pattern that led to a strong recovery the last time this setup occurred. This could be what whales are seeing that most retail investors are missing. 

XRP’s price has been squeezed down into a key support zone, and buying interest is rising. Meanwhile, whales are aggressively accumulating at around $1.75, and if retail participants start to follow whale behavior, the setup could quickly evolve into a short squeeze.

Retail And Institutions Are Watching The Same Asset According to Xfinancebull, while everyone is arguing over XRP price action and chart patterns, 2 million people are actively tracking the token on CoinMarketCap’s watchlist. That level of interest is not accidental; it reflects broad retail and institutional interest in the same asset. A high watchlist count typically signals positive sentiment and growing anticipation. Even traders and algorithms respond to this rising attention, which often influences short-term trends.

However, the signal here is that the watchlists represent investors who are monitoring closely and waiting for opportunities. A steadily growing watcher base is an early indicator of future buying pressure. When clarity comes or momentum shifts, those 2 million are already positioned to move, rather than starting from scratch.

This high visibility boosts the ecosystem, as increased attention attracts partnerships, adoption, and institutional interest. The feedback loop is real, and the altcoin is no longer a hidden opportunity, but has become one of the most-watched assets in crypto.

XRP trading at $1.70 on the 1D chart | Source: XRPUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Peakpx, chart from Tradingview.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

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Godspower Owie is my name, and I work for the news platforms NewsBTC and Bitcoinist. I sometimes like to think of myself as an explorer since I enjoy exploring new places, learning new things, especially valuable ones, and meeting new people who have an impact on my life, no matter how small. I value my family, friends, career, and time. Really, those are most likely the most significant aspects of every person's existence. Not illusions, but dreams are what I pursue.

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

A popular crypto pundit who previously criticized XRP has now changed his tune, acknowledging he was wrong to undermine the cryptocurrency and now calling it “the global currency”. The analyst cited his earlier misconceptions about the altcoin, highlighting developments such as Ripple’s new bank charter as major reasons for his shift in sentiment.  

XRP Critic Reverses Stance On The Cryptocurrency Crypto commentator Minus Wells has publicly reversed his stance on XRP, admitting he was wrong to be a “hater” and to have consistently criticized the cryptocurrency. In his post on X, Wells asserted that he was a “changed man now,” underscoring his newfound confidence in the token. 

He cited several reasons for his unexpected change of heart, highlighting Ripple’s recent milestone in receiving a bank charter license from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in the US and officially becoming a regulated bank. Wells revealed that Ripple had formally sent him their first coin, which could be going into minting soon. He described the cryptocurrency as “the future currency of the world,” indicating that XRP could play a transformative role in the global financial system. 

Wells said that he was astonished by how much he had overlooked XRP’s potential. He admitted that, in light of the recent positive developments surrounding Ripple, he had to step back and acknowledge he was utterly wrong about the cryptocurrency. Pointing to the Ripple coin in his possession, the crypto pundit described it as absolute proof of XRP’s legitimacy and future growth.

He went on to compare XRP to Bitcoin, arguing that the altcoin now has physical coins, whereas BTC does not. Wells dismissed Bitcoin for lacking real substance and questioned its legitimacy, further supporting his argument by asking whether the world’s largest cryptocurrency holds a banking license in the United States similar to Ripple. 

Wells also sought to preempt any future claims that he was acting as an influencer for XRP. He emphasized that he was never paid to spread Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) about XRP during his earlier criticisms. He explained that, in most cases, financial incentives in the crypto space are used to promote digital assets and convince investors of a token’s bullishness rather than criticize it.

According to Wells, criticism of the altcoin is rarely sponsored, as paid efforts typically focus on boosting hype and driving demand. He added that those who fund influencer promotions are not Ripple, but whales who control significant portions of its supply and cannot sell their holdings without crashing the market. To support his claims, the former critic pointed to the sharp flash crash on October 10 as a prime example of the impact of large-scale liquidations. 

No All-Time High For The Token Although he has backtracked on his previously negative position regarding XRP, Wells remains skeptical about its price potential. He stated that he does not expect the cryptocurrency to climb to $100, dismissing the notion that it could even reach $20.

The crypto pundit emphasized that the altcoin will never hit a new all-time high, and investors would be fortunate to see it ever trade above $5. He urged Ripple supporters to remain cautious and not be swayed by exaggerated predictions or claims from influencers.

XRP trading at $1.70 on the 1D chart | Source: XRPUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from Tradingview.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

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Scott Matherson is a leading crypto writer at Bitcoinist, who possesses a sharp analytical mind and a deep understanding of the digital currency landscape. Scott has earned a reputation for delivering thought-provoking and well-researched articles that resonate with both newcomers and seasoned crypto enthusiasts. Outside of his writing, Scott is passionate about promoting crypto literacy and often works to educate the public on the potential of blockchain.

President Donald Trump announced he will nominate former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh to lead the US central bank.

In a Jan. 30 post on Truth Social, the president confirmed the selection, writing:

I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best. On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,' and he will never let you down.

Trump’s move follows months of internal jockeying over who would replace Chair Jerome Powell when his term ends in May. Warsh, 55, served on the Fed’s board from 2006 to 2011 and later worked in economic policy, finance, and academia.

His return to the central bank is viewed by industry players as a shift toward a leader more willing than Powell to shrink the Fed’s balance sheet and rein in liquidity. This outcome typically pressures speculative assets, even if the policy-rate path eventually turns more dovish.

Meanwhile, the nomination lands as investors are already trying to price a leadership change into the 2026 rate path. The Fed held rates steady this week, pausing its easing cycle, and interest-rate futures have pointed to June as the next likely cut, which would occur under the next chair.

A rate-cut nominee with a balance-sheet planTrump has repeatedly criticized Powell for not lowering rates faster, and he has signaled he wants a chair aligned with pushing down borrowing costs.

This message resonates with households facing higher mortgage rates and with a White House focused on growth and federal financing costs.

Warsh, however, is not being interpreted as a simple “rates down” pick.

While his current stance on interest rates is that they should be lower and he has argued that AI-driven innovation can help contain inflationary pressures, his history at the Fed matters for how markets handicap the risk of swift easing.

At the time, Warsh took a tougher stance on inflation than his latest commentary suggests.

This contrast has led some investors to view him as a moderate choice unlikely to pursue aggressive cuts immediately.

Notably, this tension has shown up most clearly in the dollar reaction. Robin Brooks, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, wrote that Warsh is a “really good pick” for Fed chair and is known as a hawk.

However, Brooks said the market is asking what Warsh promised to get the nod, which is why the dollar (after a sharp decline in recent days) is not rallying despite news that should normally support its uptrend.

Meanwhile, some macro commentary pushed the “two levers” thesis even further.

Financial analysis platform MacroMicro summarized the prospective shift as “Shrink the Fed, Ease the Rate,” framing it as a hawkish-dove paradox.

This approach entails aggressive balance-sheet reduction in exchange for modest rate cuts and marks a broader shift away from demand management toward a supply-side growth model.

Warsh's crypto posture: software first, dollar firstWarsh has not consistently pitched himself as a crypto booster, and his public writing often separates blockchain infrastructure from the idea of private tokens functioning as money.

In a 2022 Wall Street Journal op-ed, Warsh argued that “cryptocurrency” is a misnomer and framed it primarily as software. At the same time, he urged the US to pursue a stronger “digital dollar” approach tied to privacy and dollar competitiveness.

According to him:

“The US should announce the essential design features of a digital dollar to be used exclusively for wholesale transactions. The existing wholesale payment system is slow, cumbersome, opaque, and expensive. The new regime would more effectively intermediate payments among the government, financial firms, and foreign central banks. Settlements would be made faster. Payments would be cheaper. Cross-border transfers would be seamless. Money creation would be more transparent.”

For Bitcoin, that framing cuts both ways. On the one hand, a Fed chair who treats crypto primarily as technology could be more comfortable modernizing payments plumbing and clarifying how regulated institutions interact with tokenized rails, developments that often benefit stablecoins, custody, and on-chain settlement.

On the other hand, his dollar-first lens and tacit support for a wholesale central bank digital currency (CBDC) in the guise of a digital dollar are less aligned with the “Bitcoin as alternative money” storyline.

Still, crypto industry figures such as Bitwise's CEO, Hunter Horsley, have portrayed Warsh as a critical supporter of the industry.

They describe him as pro-crypto and cited his advisory roles, arguing that he understands Bitcoin’s macro narrative, has invested in crypto, fintech, and AI companies, and brings a policymaker’s understanding of how liquidity and regulation intersect.

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Notably, Warsh’s remarks on the emerging industry further complicate that posture.

In a widely circulated video on X, Warsh pushed back against what he described as condescension toward Bitcoin buyers, said Bitcoin “does not make me nervous,” and suggested it could provide “market discipline” by signaling that macroeconomic problems need to be fixed.

In the same remarks, he described the Bitcoin white paper’s underlying technology as software and said building the technology in the US could improve productivity over the next decade, before adding that Bitcoin was gaining new life as an alternative currency.

A confirmation fight that doubles as a Fed-independence testWarsh’s nomination faces hurdles, as it requires Senate confirmation, and Democratic lawmakers argue that the move is part of a broader effort by Trump to exert more control over one of the few remaining independent federal institutions.

Senator Thom Tillis described Warsh as a qualified nominee with deep expertise in monetary policy, but he vowed to oppose the confirmation.

Tillis stated he would block any nominee to the Federal Reserve until the Department of Justice concludes its investigation into Powell, arguing that the probe threatens the central bank's independence and constitutes legal intimidation.

He said:

“The Department of Justice continues to pursue a criminal investigation into Chairman Jerome Powell based on committee testimony that no reasonable person could construe as possessing criminal intent. Protecting the independence of the Federal Reserve from political interference or legal intimidation is non-negotiable.”

However, Warsh's supporters argue that his profile could strengthen the institution rather than weaken it.

Mohamed A. El-Erian, the Rene M. Kern Professor of Practice at Wharton, noted that Warsh brings a strong mix of deep expertise, broad experience, and sharp communication skills that could reform and modernize the Fed.

According to El-Erian, this bodes well for enhancing policy effectiveness and protecting the institution’s political independence.

Meanwhile, some skeptics have also pointed out that Warsh's nomination could produce friction with Trump’s push for rapid easing.

Renaissance Macro Research said in a post on X that Warsh has been a monetary policy hawk for most of his career, including during a period when labor markets were under severe strain, and suggested his dovishness today stems from convenience.

The firm wrote:

“The President risks getting duped.”

For Bitcoin, the key tells are likely to be mundane, not crypto-specific. Traders will listen to Warsh's discussion of the balance sheet, the desired level of reserves, and the sequencing of rate cuts and quantitative tightening.

Those details determine whether a chair who argues rates should be lower also delivers easier financial conditions overall, or a different mix of levers that still constrains liquidity.

Mentioned in this articlePosted in

01/31 update below. This post was originally published on January 30

Bitcoin has fallen sharply after U.S. president Donald Trump revealed former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh as his Fed chair nominee, ending months of wild speculation.

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The bitcoin price, which has plummeted to nearly $80,000 per bitcoin from its peak of $126,000 in October, is battling to save its reputation as digital gold.

Now, as traders await what could be an even bigger bitcoin price shock, the market is braced for a 40% bitcoin price crash that would see $1 trillion wiped from the combined crypto market.

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ForbesWorse Than ‘2008 Financial Crisis’—Gold Surge Triggers Serious U.S. Dollar Warning As Bitcoin Price Suddenly DropsBy Billy Bambrough

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U.S. president Donald Trump has promised to make the country into the world's crypto capital, though the bitcoin price has crashed back from its October peak of $126,000 per bitcoin.

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“Key indicators we’re watching include bitcoin’s support levels around $50,000," Gracy Chen, the chief executive of crypto exchange Bitget, said in emailed comments, implying the bitcoin price could drop by another 40% to take the bitcoin market capitalization to $1 trillion.

Chen said he’s watching falling “trading volumes for signs of capitulation or rebound," and signs that the market is “oversold,” which could “signal stabilization and renewed buying interest."

01/31 update: The bitcoin price has plummeted under $80,000 per bitcoin, falling sharply as traders rush to exit bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the face of an increasingly hawkish Federal Reserve.

“A streak of negative catalysts pushed bitcoin to break its multi-week trading range to the downside,” Aurélie Barthere, principal research analyst at Nansen, said via email, pointing to outgoing “Fed chair Jerome Powell guiding for no Fed cut in its remaining mandate until June."

Barthere also warned that president Donald Trump’s choice of “the more hawkish” former Fed governor Kevin Warsh to succeed Powell as weighing on risk assets like bitcoin.

However, while technology stocks have begun to rebound, analysts fear the bitcoin price may continue to struggle, with a full-blown bitcoin price crash a looming possibility.

"The trouble for bitcoin and ethereum is that while they fall sharply when the equity tech sector sells off, they don’t tend to recover when tech bounces back," David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation, said in emailed comments.

“The same goes for the U.S. dollar, which has bounced off multi-year lows, yet has failed to offer any support to cryptos. For now, sentiment remains fragile and highly reactive.”

For now, traders are focused on the $80,000 level, with fears of a bitcoin price crash likely to escalate if bitcoin drops under it.

“A break below the key $80,000 psychological level could accelerate selling pressure once again,” Yuya Hasegawa, bitcoin and crypto market analyst at the Tokyo-based Bitbank, said in emailed comments.

“That said, should bitcoin decline another leg lower, oversold conditions and perceived value levels may increasingly attract dip-buying interest.”

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Forbes‘The Apocalypse Is Now’—Dollar Crisis Declared As Gold And Silver Price Boom Primes Bitcoin For Major ShockBy Billy Bambrough

The bitcoin price has dropped sharply, sparking fears a full-blown bitcoin price crash could be looming.

Forbes Digital Assets

Meanwhile, the wider crypto market has fallen sharply along with the bitcoin price, pushing it under the closely watched $3 trillion level.

“Our worst-case scenario assumes a decline to the $1.8 trillion to $2 trillion range, with an extension to 161.8% of the initial downward momentum in October-November,” Alex Kuptsikevich, FxPro chief market analyst, said in emailed comments.

Sat, 31/01/2026 - 20:30

XRP is seeing a mild increase in its open interest volume amid the broad crypto market downturn that has seen futures activity across major cryptocurrencies decline significantly.

Cover image via U.Today XRP has continued to show heavy price declines amid the broad crypto market downturn, retesting levels not seen in the past few months.

However, the XRP derivatives market has flashed a brief sign of recovery as its open interest has suddenly turned green among many other top crypto assets that have retained negative sentiment.

Data from CoinGlass showed that XRP’s open interest has briefly surged by 1.27% over the last day, with over 1.92 million XRP committed to active contracts over the period.

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XRP flips Bitcoin in futures marketThe surge in the XRP open interest comes as a surprise as other leading cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, have only recorded notable declines in open interest during the period.

While XRP has seen a mild increase of 1.27% in its open interest during the period, Bitcoin, on the other hand, has declined by about 2.57% in open interest during the same period, suggesting increased optimism among investors for a possible rebound in XRP’s price over that of Bitcoin.

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With the surge in XRP’s open interest coinciding with a notable decline in the trading price of the asset, it appears that the XRP future traders are opening new positions to hedge against the market volatility rather than closing the existing positions.

XRP retests $1.6 levelAmid the broad crypto market downturn, XRP is seeing a heavy decline in its price.

While it has slumped by a massive 4.54% over the last day, the asset is currently trading at $1.67, a level not seen since 2025.

While the massive price decline has coincided with the brief surge in its open interest, investors are optimistic that a recovery in the price of the asset might be imminent.

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Gold and Silver Erased $7 Trillion From Global Markets, Will Bitcoin Follow?Gold and silver price declines over the past twp days wiped roughly $7 trillion from their markets, while Bitcoin remained unexpectedly resilient.Market observers linked the massive sell-off in the metals to President Trump's nomination of inflation hawk Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve Chair.The top crypto asset's unexpected stability highlighted a potential decoupling from traditional safe-haven assets during liquidity shocks.A historic liquidation event swept through gold and silver markets over the past 48 hours, erasing roughly $7 trillion in value from precious metals. Meanwhile, Bitcoin fell 7% but remained surprisingly resilient amid the broader sell-off.

Bitcoin analyst Joe Consorti noted that the decline in the precious metals market cap was roughly four times Bitcoin’s entire capitalization.

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Gold and silver have lost a combined $6.52 trillion over the last 48 hours.

That is equivalent to Bitcoin's entire market cap nearly 4 times over.

Wild. pic.twitter.com/7tNipGt19e

— Joe Consorti (@JoeConsorti) January 30, 2026 BTC Avoids Liquidation Cascade That Crushed Gold and Silver PricesData from blockchain analytics firm Santiment highlighted the rarity of the event. The firm noted that Bitcoin and altcoin prices remained flat, while gold dropped by more than 8% and silver by over 25%.

Notably, gold’s price had collapsed from a high of $5,600 an ounce to trade around $4,700, while silver plummeted from $121 to $77.

Bitcoin vs Gold Price Performance. Source: SantimentMarket observers linked the sell-off in precious metals to President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh to replace Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chairman.

Warsh is widely regarded as an inflation hawk committed to defending the U.S. dollar. This stance upends the depreciation narrative that drove the recent surge in metals prices.

Notably, traders had piled into leveraged bets, assuming the administration would pursue aggressive rate cuts.

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However, the Warsh nomination signaled a pivot toward tighter monetary policy, which triggered a violent unwinding of trades.

“The violent move in the metals is a symptom of a lot of hot money chasing price recently which now are being stopped out, leverage being unwound, and profit taking among many players,” Bob Coleman, CEO of Idaho Armored Vaults, explained.

Meanwhile, some market experts noted that the gold market was due for a correction, having become overheated amid soaring public interest in precious metals.

“While parabolic moves often take asset prices higher than most investors would think possible, the out-of-this-world spikes tend to occur at the end of a cycle. In our view, the bubble today is not in AI, but in gold. An upturn in the dollar could pop that bubble, a la 1980 to 2000 when the gold price dropped more than 60%,”Cathie Wood, founder of Ark Invest, said.

What’s Next for Bitcoin?The question now facing Bitcoin investors is whether the top crypto’s stability near $82,000 signals a decoupling from traditional commodities or a delayed reaction.

Unlike metals, Bitcoin did not participate in the final, euphoric leg of the “debasement trade.” This potentially leaves it with less speculative froth to shed and more room to rally.

Some analysts argue that as liquidity exits the crowded metals trade, capital may rotate into digital assets. These observers view Bitcoin’s scarcity as distinct from the industrial dynamics that are currently weighing on gold and silver.

However, if the Warsh nomination leads to sustained global liquidity tightening, risk assets, including cryptocurrencies, could face renewed pressure in the coming weeks.

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Crypto prices extended their recent decline Saturday, with top assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP plunging to prices not seen in several months or more, with liquidations continuing to climb throughout the day.

Bitcoin is down 8% over the last day at a recent price of $77,195, according to CoinGecko, marking the lowest price seen in nine months and extending its weekly slide to over 13%. The price of the top cryptocurrency has fallen nearly 39% since peaking above $126,000 in October.

Meanwhile, Ethereum is showing a much harder hit, falling 13% on the day to a recent price of $2,362 and now down 20% over the last week. The second-largest coin by market cap has lost 52% of its value since peaking shy of $5,000 back in August.

Most major altcoins are similarly showing double-digit percentage losses over the last day, with XRP down 10% to $1.58, Solana falling 14% to $101, and Dogecoin diving 13% to $0.101. Broadly, the market is down 7.5% in the last 24 hours.

Futures traders betting on future gains have been hard hit over the last day, as CoinGlass shows $2.53 billion worth of liquidations during that span—$2.41 billion of which were long positions, or bets that an asset's price would go up.

Ethereum makes up nearly half of the total carnage with $1.14 billion worth of positions liquidated, with Bitcoin up next at $765 million.

Bitcoin traders on prediction market Myriad—which is owned by Decrypt's parent company, Dastan—have flipped bearish on the top asset, currently penciling in a nearly 65% chance that BTC will fall to $69,000 sooner than it can rebound to $100,000. Those odds have grown by 22% over the last day.

Saturday's crypto market dive follows a week of volatility for markets, driven by factors including fears over a potential U.S. government shutdown—which came to pass via a partial shutdown that began early Saturday—along with fears that a potential bubble for AI investments is ready to pop.

Nearly $1.5 billion worth of assets left U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs over the last week, according to data from Farside Investors, demonstrating investors' moves away from risk-on assets. Ethereum ETFs shed $327 million worth of assets during the same span.

Precious metals gold and silver surged to new all-time high prices this week as the risk-off attitude grew, though both metals fell sharply on Friday, with silver diving more than 31% during Friday's U.S. trading day.

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