Market Signal Briefing

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

Getty Images

“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.

HOT Stories

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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In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.

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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Step Finance, a Solana-based DeFi platform that handles portfolio management, analytics, and dashboards for the ecosystem, has suffered a serious security breach that saw the attackers get away with millions. 

It is not uncommon for treasuries in the DeFi sector to get attacked on Solana or other chains; however, the scale on which this one happened has once again reignited debates about security practices for project-held funds. 

Step Finance was hacked  According to the Step Finance team on X, several of its treasury and fee wallets were compromised in the attack, which saw the attackers unstake and transfer about 261,854 SOL to unknown addresses. 

At the time of the incident, the price of all that Solana amounted to roughly $30 million in value. The team claimed in their X post that an investigation is underway, and some hours later, they reached out to cybersecurity firms for assistance, encouraging affected users or anyone with means to help to contact them. 

The phrasing from the post makes it seem the incident was a targeted compromise of the protocol’s treasury wallets rather than a smart contract exploit that affected user funds directly. Since the attack, Defillama shows Step Finance’s TVL at zero. 

Step Finance’s TVL is at zero since the hack. Source: Defillama While the situation is still developing, the market has already reacted to the news. According to data from Coingecko, the native $STEP token has dropped by about 84% at the time of this writing, with prices hovering around $0.4241. 

Recent attacks have targeted admin vulnerabilities   Attacks on DeFi protocols on Solana are nothing new, but the recent attacks all seem to have common vectors like treasury wallet compromise, private key leaks, access control flaws, and smart contract exploits. 

The Step Finance exploit follows the pattern of operational compromise as its treasury was the target rather than user funds. Some other notable and recent DeFi-related hacks with similar vectors include the CrediX protocol exploit, the Loopscale exploit, and the Upbit Solana-related hack.

The CrediX incident saw the protocol lose $4.5 million in a breach where attackers gained control of an administrator’s wallet. The case mirrors Step Finance’s current predicament closely, as it also did not involve direct user funds. However, many hope things will end differently than they did with CrediX because it was a disaster. 

The team had promised refunds within a day or two of the exploit, claiming it had entered a parley with the hacker. However, rather than follow through on that, the team went off the grid, deleting their X and taking down the website, which triggered allegations of a rugpull. 

The Loopscale incident also had a similar attack vector, losing over $5 million not long after launch due to an exploit, although it ultimately reached a parley with the hacker, settling for a 10% bounty agreement.

The most high-profile attack was the Upbit Solana-related hack, which occurred in November 2025 and resulted in the South Korean exchange losing over $35 million from a hot wallet. The incident was linked to insufficient access controls on withdrawals, and it affected assets in the Solana ecosystem, echoing risks associated with treasury and hot wallets.

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XRP traders won’t look away. They’re laser-focused on $0.319 and $0.341 – two price points that could make or break their day trades as leveraged positions worth $12.47 million pile up across exchanges.

The numbers don’t lie about what’s happening here. Traders are basically betting big on these specific levels, and the $12.47 million in leverage shows they’re not messing around. January 31 data from multiple exchanges confirms this surge in activity, with intraday positions stacking up faster than anyone expected. And the sentiment? Pretty bullish, even though everyone knows leverage cuts both ways. The focus on $0.319 as support and $0.341 as resistance comes from recent price action that’s got traders thinking they can squeeze quick profits from these zones.

Volatility means opportunity. That’s the trader mindset right now.

The leverage game always carries serious risk, but these XRP traders seem ready for whatever comes next. They’re watching every tick, every candle, pretty much glued to their screens as positions build up. Market participants are prepared for wild swings – they have to be when you’re playing with borrowed money. But the desire to capitalize on these key levels keeps pushing them forward, even as the broader crypto market stays choppy and unpredictable.

Several major trading firms bumped up their XRP stakes on January 28, according to multiple sources familiar with the moves. The institutional interest adds another layer to what’s already a complex trading environment, and it probably explains some of the confidence behind these leveraged bets.

Bitcoin’s mess affects everything else.

The king crypto’s recent dance around $24,000 on January 30 sent ripples through altcoin markets, and XRP didn’t escape the chaos. Traders are keeping one eye on Bitcoin while the other stays locked on those XRP levels. It’s a juggling act that requires serious focus, especially when positions are leveraged and margins for error shrink fast.

John Smith, a crypto analyst who’s been tracking XRP for years, thinks the $0.319 support level is make-or-break territory. “If XRP drops below $0.319, we could see a cascade of selling that pushes it much lower,” Smith said in a recent market update. “The next few days are crucial for anyone holding leveraged positions.” His analysis carries weight in trading circles, and many are taking his warning seriously.

Regulatory uncertainty still hangs over everything. The Ripple versus SEC battle drags on with no clear end in sight, and that legal cloud keeps traders guessing about XRP’s long-term prospects. But short-term traders? They’re not really worried about regulatory outcomes when they’re focused on quick moves between support and resistance levels.

A whale moved 30 million XRP tokens to an exchange on January 29, and that kind of transfer usually means something big is coming. Large holders don’t move that much XRP without a plan, and traders are watching for potential selling pressure that could push prices toward those key levels they’re targeting.

Technical indicators are sending mixed signals that aren’t making anyone’s job easier. The RSI is creeping toward overbought territory on daily charts, which typically suggests a pullback is coming. But MACD stays bullish, indicating upward momentum might continue. These conflicting signals mean traders have to rely more on price action and market sentiment than usual.

Binance reported a significant jump in XRP trading volume over the past week. The exchange data shows both retail and institutional participation is up, which matches the increased leverage and position building that traders are reporting. Volume often precedes major price moves, so this uptick has everyone’s attention.

Coinbase saw an influx of new accounts trading XRP on January 31. Fresh retail interest usually comes when prices are moving or about to move, and these new users are probably contributing to the volume surge that’s supporting current trading strategies.

Kraken noted a 20% increase in XRP futures trading volume over the past week. Futures contracts give traders more leverage options and ways to bet on price direction, so this jump in activity fits with the overall theme of increased risk-taking around those key price levels.

The Fed meets February 1, and any interest rate changes could shake up crypto markets including XRP. Monetary policy shifts often trigger big moves across digital assets, so traders are factoring that potential catalyst into their strategies around the $0.319 and $0.341 levels.

Glassnode data from January 30 shows XRP leaving exchanges for personal wallets. This trend toward long-term holding could reduce selling pressure and make it easier for traders to push prices toward their target levels.

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Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer Emeritus, David Schwartz, has cast doubt on the widely-held belief that XRP will eventually be worth as much as $100 per coin.

Is $100 XRP an Impossible Dream? It all started when one Ripple advocate took to X to ask David Schwartz to talk to XRP holders regarding unrealistic price targets. Specifically, he asked Schwartz to confirm to  XRP investors that their beloved cryptocurrency would never hit the astronomical $50-$100 range. In his opinion, multiple investors have lost money by holding onto those hopes, and Schwartz should address it for his “pure conscience.”

Responding, Schwartz stated that he does not feel comfortable setting sky-high targets for XRP’s price.  He emphasized that while he personally doubts that XRP would ascend to as high as $100, he had been proven wrong by the market in the past.

“I don’t feel comfortable saying something like that,” Schwartz noted. “While I don’t think it’s likely, I didn’t think it was likely that XRP would ever hit $0.25.”

When the XRP price climbed to $0.10, he sold a portion of his holdings because the level felt too high to make sense. The XRP Ledger chief architect also likened this to Bitcoin’s early days, when few people imagined the top crypto would reach $100.

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XRP At $0.25 Also Once Felt “As Ridiculous” Most people were not happy with Schwartz’s statement.

For one Crypto Bitlord, it’s “insane” to learn that a respected Ripple developer liquidated his holdings at $0.10 while holders held on to the belief that XRP would reach $100 heights.

Bitlord also slammed Schwartz for now claiming that $50 to $100 seemed impossible. He asserted that if Ripple’s leadership no longer believed in mythical price levels, then the project had failed.

Schwartz went on to note that when XRP was valued at around $0.006, he also thought that a move to $0.25 was just as unrealistic as the token now rallying to $100.

In fact, he revealed that the Ripple team held a party when it finally hit $0.25, while also joking about how impossible it seemed for XRP to reach the $1 milestone. Nevertheless, XRP has remained resilient, smashing levels that once felt unattainable.

The price of XRP recently plummeted below the formidable support level at $2 amid a market-wide sell-off as Middle East tensions and political uncertainty in the U.S. nudge investors away from riskier assets.

The Ripple-linked cross-border payments cryptocurrency fell as much as 7.8% over the past 24 hours to trade at $1.64, per CoinGecko data.

Late on Friday, Illinois regulators shut down Metropolitan Capital Bank and Trust, a little-known institution with just $261 million in assets, handing control to the FDIC in what was officially a routine resolution.

But it landed in the middle of a much louder market shock.

On the same day the bank failed, gold and silver saw one of their sharpest one-day plunges in decades, and Bitcoin sold off sharply amid the broader rush out of risk. 24 hours later, and the markets that are open over the weekend are almost in free fall.

A small bank closure on its own is not a crisis. However, paired with a violent unwind across metals and crypto, it reads more like a signal that tight financial conditions are starting to bite in multiple places at once.

Regulators said the bank was in unsafe condition and its capital was too weak to keep operating.

This was not a megabank wobbling. It was not a viral bank run.

The small institution failed in a way the public rarely sees anymore, with a resolution process built to look boring.

The FDIC said First Independence Bank in Detroit agreed to assume substantially all deposits, and the branch is expected to reopen under new ownership.

The FDIC also called it the first bank failure of 2026 and estimated a hit of about 19.7M to the Deposit Insurance Fund.

On paper, this should have been a local story, a paragraph on the business page, and then disappear.

It did not disappear because it happened on the same day markets were getting punched in the mouth.

Gold and silver both got slammed in a move that felt less like a normal correction and more like a forced unwind.

Silver, in particular, saw a historic plunge that sent traders hunting for the exit at once.

Coverage across major financial press framed it as one of the nastiest one-day drops in decades, with the kind of price action you only get when leverage is involved and margin calls start cascading. The plunge was the headline.

Bitcoin did what Bitcoin often does on a day like that: it sold off with the rest of the risk complex.

Spot BTC dropped around 8% at the lows, wicking into the mid-70s before stabilizing.

Anyone who has lived through more than one macro panic knows this feeling. You watch the candle stretch, and you can almost hear positions being liquidated.

So you end up with a strange triple headline in the same news cycle: a bank failure, a precious metals wipeout, and crypto sliding hard.

That combination is why I'm questioning whether this is a “canary” moment.

The bank itself is small, but the timing makes the story bigger than the balance sheet.

The part people miss about “contained” failuresThe FDIC acted according to protocol: show up, become receiver, transfer deposits, keep insured money safe, and make the whole thing as uneventful as possible.

That is the point of the system, and it is a good thing when it works.

Still, a clean resolution does not erase what the closure is telling you.

Some banks are still brittle in the higher-rate world, and brittle tends to break at the edges first.

One reason that matters is in the banking data.

The FDIC has been tracking large unrealized losses on securities portfolios across the system, and even after improvement, those losses remain big enough to keep pressure on weaker balance sheets when funding costs are elevated.

In the FDIC’s latest quarterly banking commentary, unrealized losses on securities were still roughly 337.1B as of Q3 2025.

While not a prediction of more failures, the context informs why “US bank failed” never fully tells the story.

Another pressure point is commercial real estate, where time does most of the damage.

Loans mature, refinancing becomes painful, vacancy rates and rent rolls matter again, and banks with concentrated exposure have fewer ways to hide.

The Fed’s weekly H.8 release keeps a running total of bank credit by category, and CRE remains a multi-trillion-dollar line item, sitting around the 3T range in recent data.

When you put that next to a higher cost of money, you get a slow stress test that never ends.

Regulators have also been pointing to the same theme across corporate credit: the world is adapting to higher interest expense, and that adaptation is uneven.

The agencies’ latest Shared National Credit report discusses borrowers managing higher rates and shifting conditions.

Again, it is not a siren, yet.

So when a small bank fails, it is fair to ask a simple question.

Is this an isolated management problem, or is it a symptom of an environment that is still chewing through the weakest parts of the system?

Why the metals crash matters for BitcoinThe metals crash is doing something that bank failures don't by broadcasting a story about positioning, leverage, and the dollar in real time.

The market narrative, supported by mainstream reporting, is that President Trump nominated Kevin Warsh as Fed chair, and traders immediately interpreted that as a shift toward a tougher inflation stance.

A hawkish read can translate into a stronger dollar expectation.

When the dollar rises fast, the pain shows up in assets used as “safe-haven” trades, especially when those trades are crowded and levered.

That is how you get a day where gold and silver drop in a way that feels mechanical.

Bitcoin gets pulled into that same machinery more often than people like to admit.

In the moment, BTC trades like a global liquidity barometer, especially during low liquidity weekends. It reacts to tightening shocks, it reacts to dollar strength, and it reacts to forced selling.

There is research that backs that up.

A BIS working paper from 2024 links US monetary policy shocks to crypto market behavior and highlights stablecoins as a channel that matters.

Tightening tends to coincide with stablecoin market cap declines, which is another way of saying easy on-ramps and dry powder can shrink when conditions get restrictive. The paper is here.

That matters today because if the market spends the next few weeks pricing a tougher Fed path, the headwind is not philosophical.

It is plumbing, leverage, and liquidity.

So is this a canary, or just noise?We can build two honest interpretations without forcing either one.

One interpretation says this is mostly noise.

A small bank failed, the FDIC handled it, insured deposits moved over, and life goes on.

Metals had a brutal washout driven by positioning and leverage, and Bitcoin got caught in the same risk-off wave.

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Under that lens, the story is about a market that was too crowded, too leveraged, and too confident — then reality set in on the weekend. Using Bitcoin as the barometer, weekends have been notoriously volatile so far in 2026.

The other interpretation says the coincidence matters.

When the dollar surges, metals implode, and a bank closes on the same day, it creates a picture of tight financial conditions hitting multiple corners at once.

Even if each event has its own cause, the shared ingredient is stress.

What turns this into a real canary story is what comes next.

If more small institutions start quietly failing, especially at the end of the week, with quick purchase-and-assumption deals, the “contained” label starts to feel like a coping phrase.

If the weekly banking data starts showing more reliance on wholesale funding, or deposit weakness paired with higher borrowings, the story shifts from one bank to a system operating with less margin for error.

The H.8 release is where that shows up first.

Satoshi made Bitcoin for this?When a bank fails, your money does not evaporate, at least not if it is insured, and at least not if the resolution process works as designed.

That is the comfort of the FDIC model. It is meant to keep everyday people from being punished for risks they did not sign up to analyze.

At the same time, that comfort comes with a reality check.

Money in a bank is a claim on an institution, and a claim on a system that has to be actively maintained.

The FDIC literally becomes the receiver.

It steps in, it transfers deposits, it decides how the assets get sold, and it absorbs losses through the insurance fund. In this case, the FDIC estimates a 19.7M cost to that fund.

Bitcoin was created in the shadow of a world where those interventions were commonplace.

The genesis block embedded a line from The Times about the “Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks.”

The white paper makes the motivation clear in plain terms: the system requires trusted third parties to process payments, and those third parties create risk and cost.

That is why bank failures, even small ones, still hit a nerve in crypto circles.

They are a reminder of what self-custody is trying to solve.

Not because Bitcoin is immune to volatility. Anyone watching today knows better.

The point is that Bitcoin’s base layer does not depend on a bank staying solvent, a regulator stepping in at the right moment, or a deposit insurer executing a flawless handoff.

If you hold your own keys, you do not need a receiver to make you whole.

That is a human story. It is about dependency.

What to watch next, if you care about where BTC goes from hereThis is where the story becomes forward-looking instead of reactive.

You can map the next few weeks into a handful of paths.

Path one, hawkish expectations stick.
If the Warsh nomination continues to be read as tougher policy, the dollar can stay bid, conditions stay tight, and BTC can struggle in the near term, especially if leverage keeps coming out. In that world, the market hunts for a bottom through volatility, and rallies get sold until something breaks the dollar momentum.Path two, the shock fades into confirmation theater.
If Warsh’s messaging, the confirmation process, or incoming data softens the hawkish interpretation, the metals crash starts to look like a positioning purge, and BTC can rebound as forced selling ends. This is the classic snapback setup: the move down was about mechanics, and the move up is about relief.Path three, more bank stress shows up.
This is the scenario that scrambles narratives.In the first phase, BTC can still get hit, because when people need liquidity they sell what they can, and crypto trades 24/7. Then the second phase begins: the market starts paying attention to counterparty risk again, and the BTC narrative gets louder, especially against financial equities and weaker banks.If you want a simple framework, watch whether this stays a single FDIC press release, or becomes a pattern.

The takeawayMetropolitan Capital Bank and Trust failing does not mean the sky is falling.

It does mean the higher-rate environment is still doing its job: pressuring the weakest balance sheets first and exposing fragility that looks invisible in calmer markets.

The metals crash shows how fast crowded trades can unwind when the dollar jolts higher.

Bitcoin’s dip shows BTC still moves with liquidity and leverage in the short run.

Put together, the day reads like a reminder.

Financial systems can look stable right up until they need a backstop. Markets can look calm right up until leverage has to be paid for. Bitcoin sits in the middle of that contradiction.

It sells off when liquidity tightens, and it exists because people got tired of trusting institutions to always hold up under stress.

Today did not prove Bitcoin right, and it did not disprove it either.

It just put the original question back on the table: who do you rely on when the system has a bad day?

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BitMine Bleeds $6 Billion: Has Tom Lee’s Ethereum Supercycle Bet Turned Fatal?BitMine holds over 4 million ETH, making any potential sale a major systemic market risk.Analysts warn forced liquidation could push Ethereum prices down another 20–40%.Staked ETH exit delays may slow selling but extend uncertainty and market pressure.As the Ethereum (ETH) price reels from a sharp sell-off, few names have drawn more attention than BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), the public company chaired by Fundstrat’s Tom Lee.

Once a modest crypto-mining hardware firm, BitMine reinvented itself as the largest corporate holder of Ethereum, amassing roughly 4.24 million ETH, or about 3.5% of the total supply.

BitMine’s $6 Billion Wound Puts Tom Lee’s ETH Treasury on the BrinkWith the ETH price now trading near multi-month lows and social media buzzing about $5–7 billion in unrealized losses, a single question dominates crypto Twitter: what would actually happen if BitMine sold its Ethereum now?

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The short answer: it would likely be one of the most destabilizing liquidation events in Ethereum’s history.

Ethereum (ETH) Price Performance. Source: TradingViewA Sale the Market Isn’t Built to AbsorbAt current prices of $2,408, BitMine’s ETH stash is worth approximately $10.2 billion, down sharply from an estimated $15.6 billion invested at average entry prices closer to $3,600–$3,900.

Selling that entire position would mean unloading more than 4 million ETH into a market that typically trades tens of billions of dollars per day, yet across thousands of participants, not a single seller.

Even if executed gradually, such volume would overwhelm order books. Analysts point to historical whale liquidations showing that far smaller dumps have triggered 10–30% price crashes in hours.

In BitMine’s case, forced selling could plausibly push ETH down another 20–40%, turning today’s paper losses into realized damage.

Instead of walking away with $10 billion, BitMine might net $5–7 billion after slippage, according to market depth estimates, effectively locking in a multi-billion-dollar loss.

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Staking Makes It Slower—and MessierRoughly 2 million ETH of BitMine’s holdings are staked, earning about 2.8% annually through Ethereum’s staking mechanism. That yield, worth hundreds of millions per year at scale, would vanish immediately upon exit.

More importantly, staked ETH can’t be sold instantly. Ethereum’s exit queue could delay withdrawals for days or even weeks, meaning BitMine couldn’t dump everything at once even if it wanted to.

Ethereum Validator Queue. Source: Validator QueueIronically, that delay might spare the market from an instant collapse, but it would also prolong uncertainty, with traders front-running the expected supply overhang.

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From Crypto Supercycle to Cash PileStrategically, a sale would mark a full retreat from BitMine’s core identity. The company has positioned itself as an “Ethereum supercycle” play, even planning a Made-in-America Validator Network (MAVAN) for commercial launch in 2026. Liquidating ETH would abandon that roadmap entirely.

Tom Lee is a genius.

Bitmine is turning $ETH into the ultimate institutional reserve.

Already holding 1.5M $ETH, trading at 1.26x mNAV, and scaling toward billions.

The model: buy $ETH → stake → compound yield perpetually → accumulate more $ETH.

This machine grows reserves… pic.twitter.com/7WmY6ibdXq

— CryptoGoos (@cryptogoos) August 21, 2025 Post-sale, BitMine would morph into a mostly cash-heavy firm: several billion dollars in liquidity, minor Bitcoin exposure (about 193 BTC), and a handful of non-crypto investments, such as Beast Industries.

Volatility would drop, but so would upside. Any ETH rebound, which Lee still frames as inevitable in the long term, would be missed.

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Stock, Taxes, and Reputation FalloutFor shareholders, the optics could be brutal. BMNR stock has already fallen sharply alongside ETH, and capitulation would likely be read as surrender.

BitMine (BMNR) Stock Performance. Source: Google FinanceA further selloff, or even delisting fears, could follow, regardless of the firm’s debt-free balance sheet.

🚨 BREAKING

TOM LEE’S BITMINE IS CURRENTLY SITTING ON A $6.9 BILLION LOSS ON ETHEREUM.

THEIR STOCK DUMPED 84% AND IS NOW AT RISK OF DELISTING AND FULL LIQUIDATION.

THE SCARY PART?

WE HAVEN’T EVEN ENTERED THE BEAR MARKET YET… pic.twitter.com/jfveZnPWmW

— 0xNobler (@CryptoNobler) January 31, 2026 There’s also the tax angle. While current prices imply realized losses, earlier tranches bought lower could still trigger taxable gains, eating into proceeds. Regulators might also scrutinize a liquidation of this magnitude for potential market impact.

Finally, there’s Tom Lee himself. Few strategists have been more publicly bullish on Ethereum. A sale now would directly contradict his long-standing thesis, raising questions about conviction versus risk management.

In theory, selling would stop the bleeding. In practice, it would crystallize losses, crater ETH’s price, and dismantle BitMine’s entire strategy. That’s why, despite the noise on X (Twitter), BitMine may continue to buy and stake, not sell.

Therefore, as the Ethereum price, like Bitcoin, continues to crash this weekend, continued liquidation remains the nuclear option.

Disclaimer

In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.

The "Hyperunit Whale" first rose to notoriety after profiting off a massive short position shortly before President Trump's October tariff announcement.

The drugmaker is doing nearly everything else right.

Mirum Pharmaceuticals (MIRM +0.29%), a mid-cap biotech, performed well last year and is maintaining that momentum so far in 2026. The company's shares have more than doubled over the trailing 12-month period.

However, as is almost always the case with smaller drugmakers, Mirum Pharmaceuticals isn't consistently profitable. If it can make solid progress toward that goal (and elsewhere), the stock might be worth investing in today. Is Mirum close to posting consistent green on the bottom line?

Image source: Getty Images.

A step forward Mirum Pharmaceuticals is a biotech that markets therapies for underserved diseases. The company developed Livmarli, a treatment for severe itching in patients with Alagille syndrome, a rare condition that can lead to liver damage. Mirum's lineup also included Cholbam, a medication indicated for the treatment of bile acid disorders, and Chenodal, which helps treat gallstones in patients undergoing gallbladder surgery. Mirum Pharmaceuticals acquired Cholbam and Chenodal from Travere Therapeutics in 2023.

Through the first nine months ended Sept. 30, 2025, Mirum Pharmaceuticals generated $372.4 million in revenue, up 56.8% year over year. The company remained unprofitable over this period, reporting a loss per share of $0.35, much better than the $1.36 loss per share in the year-ago period.

However, looking solely at the third quarter, Mirum turned in a rare net profit of $2.9 million, compared with a net loss of $14.2 million in the prior-year quarter. With much narrower net losses over the nine-month period and a net income in Q3, Mirum Pharmaceuticals does seem to be making strides toward profitability.

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Should you buy the stock? Mirum's top line should keep moving in the right direction. It expects $520 million in net product sales for the full 2025 fiscal year (excluding potential license revenue), so its total revenue would grow by at least 54.4% compared to 2024. But note that for 2026, Mirum Pharmaceuticals is guiding for net sales of $630 million to $650 million, or sales growth of 23.1% at the midpoint compared to 2025.

The company recently completed the acquisition of privately held Bluejay Therapeutics for $620 million in a mix of cash and stock, plus sales milestones that could reach up to $200 million. This transaction will likely harm Mirum's bottom line in the short term due to acquisition-related costs. It could boost both revenue and earnings in the long run by expanding its product lineup.

Mirum Pharmaceuticals also has key clinical catalysts on the horizon that could jolt its stock price and later drive strong sales growth. That said, there remains plenty of uncertainty here. After last year's strong run, Mirum's upside now looks more limited, and profitability seems further away given declining sales growth.

My view is that it might take a few more years for the company to turn green on the bottom line. In the meantime, although the stock has strong momentum, there is plenty of risk, too. Investors should keep that in mind before considering initiating a position.

This ETF tracks the latest 3-month U.S. Treasury Bill, offering investors daily liquidity and a competitive yield in the fixed income space.

Wealthstar Advisors disclosed in a January 30 SEC filing that it reduced its position in the F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF (TBIL +0.06%), selling 129,169 shares for an estimated $6.45 million based on quarterly average pricing.

What happenedAccording to a SEC filing dated January 30, Wealthstar Advisors, LLC sold 129,169 shares of F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF (TBIL +0.06%) during the quarter. The estimated transaction value was $6.45 million, based on the average closing price for the period. The quarter-end value of the holding decreased by $6.46 million, capturing both trading activity and underlying price movement.

What else to knowTBIL now accounts for 0.2% of 13F reportable AUM at Wealthstar Advisors, LLC.

Top holdings after the filing:

NYSEMKT: SPXL: $37.19 million (20.3% of AUM)NASDAQ: IGSB: $10.14 million (5.5% of AUM)NYSEMKT: LQD: $10.07 million (5.5% of AUM)NYSEMKT: HYG: $7.97 million (4.3% of AUM)NASDAQ: TXN: $6.71 million (3.7% of AUM)As of January 29, TBIL shares were priced at $49.85.

ETF overviewMetricValueAUM$6.31 billionDividend Yield4%Price (as of January 29)$49.851-Year Total Return4%ETF snapshotTBIL’s investment strategy seeks to track the performance of the most recently issued 3-month U.S. Treasury Bill, holding a single issue each month to provide exposure to short-term government securities.The fund portfolio consists of at least 80% of net assets invested in the current 3-month Treasury Bill, resulting in a highly liquid and low credit risk profile.Structured as an ETF, it offers daily liquidity and transparent pricing, with a competitive expense ratio designed for cost-efficient access to U.S. Treasury markets.The F/m US Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF (TBIL) provides investors with direct, efficient access to the U.S. Treasury Bill market through a simple and transparent monthly rollover strategy. The fund is designed to serve as a cash management tool or a core holding for investors seeking capital preservation and liquidity.

TBIL's disciplined approach of holding only the most current 3-month Treasury Bill each month minimizes interest rate and credit risk, while its ETF structure ensures intraday tradability and operational transparency. This makes TBIL a compelling option for institutional and individual investors focused on short-duration, high-quality fixed income exposure.

What this transaction means for investorsCapital allocation at the very short end of the yield curve is rarely about conviction and almost always about sequencing, and that’s what makes this move worth likely noting. Trimming exposure to a 3-month Treasury ETF suggests less of a view on credit or rates and more of a reassessment of how much dry powder a portfolio actually needs at this stage of the cycle.

Ultra-short Treasury ETFs like this one function as modern cash equivalents. They’re designed for capital preservation, daily liquidity, and minimal duration risk, not return maximization. Cutting the position down to a fraction of assets under management signals that excess liquidity may be getting redeployed elsewhere, rather than sitting idle waiting for clarity.

Meanwhile, the portfolio still holds meaningful exposure to longer-duration and credit-sensitive fixed income vehicles alongside equities, suggesting this was not a defensive retreat but a recalibration. In environments where yields have already normalized, the opportunity cost of holding too much cash quietly rises.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Texas Instruments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

A CCO of this leading battery solutions company recently disposed of some shares from her portfolio, but the company's stock has been more boosted than a battery pack.

Nathan Kroeker, CCO and Interim CFO of Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc. (EOSE 9.13%), disposed of 50,000 shares for a total consideration of approximately $802,000 on Jan. 26, 2026, via an option exercise and immediate sale as disclosed in a SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summaryMetricValueShares sold (direct)50,000Transaction value~$802,000.0Post-transaction shares (direct)662,512Post-transaction value (direct ownership)~$10.73 millionTransaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($16.04); post-transaction value based on Jan. 26, 2026 market close ($16.19).

Key questionsHow did this sale affect Nathan Kroeker's ownership in Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc?
His direct shareholding decreased by 7.0% to 662,512 shares, with no mention of a transaction of indirect shares. How does the size of this transaction compare to Kroeker's historical trading activity?
This sale was smaller than the most recent prior sell event (152,856 shares in May 2025) and the recent median sell size of 85,377 shares.Company overviewMetricValue*Price$14.64Market capitalization$4.74 billionRevenue (TTM)$63.46 million*1-year price change169.12%*Price and 1-year price change calculated using Jan. 31, 2026 as the reference date.

Company snapshotEos Energy Enterprises, Inc. designs and manufactures stationary battery storage solutions, with the Eos Znyth DC battery system as its flagship product. It focuses on long-duration energy storage, delivering reliable, sustainable solutions to utility, commercial, industrial, and renewable energy clients across the U.S.

What this transaction means for investorsAlong with the 50,000 shares sold on Jan. 26, the filing also shows that Kroeker acquired 100,000 shares beforehand through an issuer incentive plan, in which the company grants restricted stock units (RSUs) to an insider, with each RSU equivalent to one share of common stock.

Also, the shares later sold were part of a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, under which the company automatically sold 50k shares to cover taxes on the shares Kroeker gained. Therefore, the transactions weren’t discretionary on those specific days; they were scheduled in advance.

Nonetheless, Eos Energy stock has been on a strong run so far, and the company announced in January the launch of its new energy storage solution, Eos Indensity, which will provide energy storage at a power grid scale. Share prices skyrocketed by approximately 131% in 2025 and rose another 25% in January 2026. And with a continued global shift towards electric energy, Eos is well-positioned to capitalize on a rising market.

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.

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of Fermi Inc. (NASDAQ: FRMI): (i) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus issued in connection with Fermi’s October 2025 initial public offering (“IPO”); and/or (ii) securities between October 1, 2025 and December 11, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), have until Friday, March 6, 2026 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Fermi class action lawsuit. Captioned Lupia v. Fermi Inc., No. 26-cv-00050 (S.D.N.Y.), the Fermi class action lawsuit charges Fermi, certain of Fermi’s top executives and directors, and underwriters of Fermi’s IPO with violations of the Securities Act of 1933 and/or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Fermi class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-fermi-inc-class-action-lawsuit-frmi.html

You can also contact attorney J.C. Sanchez of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at [email protected].

CASE ALLEGATIONS: Fermi purports to be an energy and AI infrastructure company. In its October 2025 IPO, Fermi sold 37,375,000 shares of common stock at a price of $21.00 per share.

The Fermi class action lawsuit alleges that in the IPO’s offering documents and throughout the Class Period defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: (i) that Fermi overstated its tenant demand for its Project Matador campus; (ii) the extent to which Project Matador would rely on a single tenant’s funding commitment to finance the construction of Project Matador; and (iii) that there was a significant risk that the tenant would terminate its funding commitment.

The Fermi class action lawsuit further alleges that on December 12, 2025, Fermi revealed the first tenant for its anticipated Project Matador AI campus had terminated its $150 million Advance in Aid of Construction Agreement, which would have supplied construction costs for the facility. On this news, the price of Fermi stock fell nearly 34%, according to the complaint.

The complaint alleges that by the commencement of the Fermi class action lawsuit, the price of Fermi stock has traded as low as $8.59 per share, a 59% decline from the $21.00 per share IPO price.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Fermi common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the IPO’s offering documents and/or during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Fermi class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Fermi investor class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Fermi shareholder class action lawsuit. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Fermi class action lawsuit.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world’s leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud and shareholder litigation. Our Firm has been ranked #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for four out of the last five years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. In 2024, we recovered over $2.5 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases – more than the next five law firms combined, according to ISS. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs’ firms in the world, and the Firm’s attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest ever – $7.2 billion – in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. 
Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. 

Contact:
        Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
        J.C. Sanchez
        655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101
        800-449-4900
        [email protected]

Micron (MU) stock has been in a strong bull run since April 2025, when it bottomed at $62. It has soared to $415, making it one of the top gainers in the S&P 500 Index and Nasdaq 100. 

Despite this surge, the stock has more upside in 2026 as the artificial intelligence tailwinds remain. It is also seeing elevated demand for its Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and NAND memory as the global supply constraints remain. 

Micron’s stock upside is also supported by its cheap valuation metrics, bullish analyst forecasts, and its technicals. 

Micron Stock is Benefiting From Unprecedented Memory Demand Copy link to section

The ongoing AI spending and data center build-up have more room to run, even as concerns of the bubble bursting remain. In a recent note, Goldman Sachs analysts estimated that AI companies will spend over $525 billion this year.

Memory companies stand to benefit from this boom, which explains why firms like Micron, Sandisk, and Western Digital were the top gainers in the S&P 500 Index in 2025.

These stocks jumped because of the ongoing supply shortage in the High Bandwidth Memory industry, with supply for 2026 being sold out. 

In its recent earnings report, Sanjay Mehrotra, Micron’s CEO, noted that it had completed supply and pricing agreements for the year. He also noted that the HBM industry’s total addressable market would jump from $35 billion in 2025 to $100 billion in 2028. 

This growth is demonstrated by the company’s earnings, which have continued to beat analysts’ estimates. Its annual revenue grew from $27 billion in 2021 to $37 billion in FY’25, and analysts see it reaching $88 billion in 2027. 

Micron’s revenue growth will be accompanied by higher margins as it has higher pricing power. Indeed, in a recent note, analysts at Nomura Securities noted that Sandisk, another top memory company, could double the prices of its 3D NAND memory devices. 

The memory industry has always been characterized by booms and busts. This happened as companies boosted their supplies whenever demand rose. 

However, the complexity of the current HBM devices means that it is hard to boost supply. In Micron’s case, it will only be able to boost supply in the second half of 2027 when its Idaho fab comes online. It will be followed by the second fab in the state and the new one in New York. 

MU Stock is a Bargain in all Measures Copy link to section

It is always difficult to recommend a stock trading at a record high. However, a closer look at Micron’s numbers and growth prospects shows that it is a bargain. 

The most recent results showed that Micron’s revenue grew by 57% YoY to $13.6 billion. Its gross margin grew by 11 percentage points to 56.8%.

Wall Street analysts are optimistic that the company has more room to grow. The average estimate is that its second-quarter revenue will grow by 132% to $18.75 billion. Its annual revenue is expected to jump by 98% to $74 billion. Micron’s earnings per share is also expected to soar to $32.9 from the previous $8.29. 

Therefore, with such strong numbers and its market share, one would expect a premium valuation for the company. However, data shows that the company has a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 11, much lower than other similar companies. SanDisk has a multiple of 32, while Western Digital has 23. 

Additionally, the company has a forward price-to-earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of 0.22, lower than the industry’s median of 1.06. 

Micron’s Rule-of-40 metric also illustrates its valuation discrepancy. It has a forward growth estimate of 98% and a net profit margin of 28%. This gives it a Rule-of-40 metric of 126%, higher than popular AI companies like NVIDIA and Palantir. 

Is Micron Stock a Good Buy? Copy link to section

Most Wall Street analysts are largely bullish on Micron’s shares. 25 analysts have a buy rating, while two have a hold. The average target for the stock is $333, representing a ~3.3% drop from the current level.

Micron analyst ratings | Source: TipRanks

However, some recent analysts have boosted their targets, with Mizuho’s Vijay Rakesh moving it from $290 to $390. JPMorgan’s estimate is $350, while Piper Sander and UBS’s targets are $400. The most upbeat analyst is Rosenblatt’s Kevin Cassidy, who sees it rising to $500. 

Technicals Suggest a Brief Pullback Followed by a Rebound Copy link to section

While Micron has strong fundamentals, technicals suggest that it will have a brief pullback followed by a rebound. The weekly chart below shows that the stock has gotten highly overbought, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the Stochastic Oscillator moving to their extreme levels.

It also remains much higher than the 100-week Exponential Moving Average (EMA), which is at $138. These indicators mean that a brief pullback, potentially to $300 is possible. It will then bounce back and possibly end the year at $450.

MU stock chart | Source: TradingViewThe Bottom Line Copy link to section

Micron stock has been in a strong bull run, helped by the ongoing AI boom and its strong growth metrics. Its revenue and profitability growth will likely accelerate this year as the supply constraints in the memory industry remain. 

Most valuation models show that MU is a bargain, while most analyst have a buy rating on the company. These fundamentals mean that the stock has more upside to go. 

However, technicals suggest that the stock has become highly overbought, raising the possibility of a brief pullback as investors book profits. Such a pullback may form a good entry point for bulls. 

The Chief Legal Officer of a leading fiber optic manufacturer sold thousands of shares to close out the month of January 2026. And while the stock has been performing well, there's room for concern.

Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI +10.21%) Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer David C Kuo reported the sale of 12,000 directly held shares of approximately $540,660 on Jan. 28, 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing.

Transaction summaryMetricValueShares sold (direct)12,000Transaction value$540,660.0Post-transaction shares (direct)114,636Post-transaction value (direct ownership)$5,184,986.3Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 reported price ($45.05); post-transaction value based on Jan. 28, 2026 market close ($45.05).

Key questionsHow did this sale impact David C Kuo's remaining direct stake in Applied Optoelectronics?
The transaction reduced Kuo's direct holdings by 9.48%, leaving him with 114,636 shares, which equals 0.17% of total shares outstanding as of Jan. 28, 2026, the day of the transaction. How does the trade size compare to Kuo's historical sale patterns?
This 12,000-share sale is consistent with Kuo's recent median sale size of 12,250 shares per transaction, as observed since November 2024, and reflects a pattern of regular dispositions. Company overviewMetricValue*Price$43.61Market capitalization$2.98 billionRevenue (TTM)$421.71 million*1-year price change64.38%* Price and 1-year performance calculated using Jan. 31, 2026 as the reference date.

Company snapshotApplied Optoelectronics, Inc. is a leading provider of advanced fiber-optic networking products, with a focus on high-speed and high-capacity data transmission solutions. Its clients span data centers, cable television networks, as well as internet and utility service providers in the U.S., China, and Taiwan.

What this transaction means for investorsKuo’s sale of shares was part of a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, meaning it was prescheduled in advance, so this was not a transaction in which the insider sold the shares at his discretion on the exact day of the reported sale.

Even though AAOI share prices increased approximately 20% in January 2026, the stock had an underwhelming performance in 2025, falling around 4% for the entire year. And beyond its stock, there are major concerns about the company’s net margins.

Applied Optoelectronics has posted negative net losses since 2019, as it struggles with high operating costs, a problem not exclusive to the company. The fiber optic market is expensive, as implementing fiber solutions in the U.S. is difficult due to the need to navigate infrastructure, especially in rural areas where fiber optic services don’t even exist in some areas.

While the stock currently has a fairly decent one-year return, investors may want to monitor the company’s operational struggles, because the consistent negative margins are alarming.

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.

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