Market Signal Briefing

PowerBank CEO Responds to Elon Musk's Davos Remarks on AI Power Demands; Highlights Company's Role in Space-Based Solar Infrastructure

, /PRNewswire/ - PowerBank Corporation (NASDAQ: SUUN) (Cboe CA: SUNN) (FSE: 103) ("PowerBank" or the "Company"), a North American renewable energy company focused on solar energy infrastructure and battery energy storage systems (BESS), with an intention to move into advanced data center solutions including spaced-based solar powered AI infrastructure, today comments on recent remarks at The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, highlighting the critical intersection of renewable energy and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

During his address at Davos, Musk emphasized that "I think the limiting factor for AI deployment is fundamentally electrical power." This observation resonates deeply with PowerBank's strategic focus on solar energy production and intention to move into space-based computing infrastructure through its collaboration with Smartlink AI ("Orbit AI").

Musk further outlined an ambitious vision for space-based solar power, stating: "It's really all about the sun. So that's why, one of the things that we're doing with SpaceX, within a few years, is launching solar powered AI satellites. Because space is really the source of immense power, and then you don't need to take up any room on earth, there's so much room in space, and you can scale to ultimately hundreds of terawatts per year." His remarks validate the fundamental premise of PowerBank's collaboration with Orbit AI: that solar-powered orbital infrastructure represents the next frontier in AI computing.

Dr. Richard Lu, CEO of PowerBank Corporation, responded to these comments: "Elon Musk's remarks at Davos confirm what we've been working toward through our collaboration with Orbit AI—that the future of AI computing lies beyond Earth's constraints. PowerBank's expertise in terrestrial solar operations positions it to collaborate with Orbit AI on solar and thermal energy management support for space-based initiatives. This isn't theoretical—the Orbit AI satellite is already operational, producing solar power and running AI compute in space. PowerBank intends to collaborate with Orbit AI on future missions."

Musk also announced aggressive production targets for terrestrial solar manufacturing: "SpaceX and Tesla, we're building up large scale solar. So the SpaceX and Tesla teams, both separately, are working to build to 100 GW a year of solar power in the US. Of manufactured solar power. That will probably take us, I don't know, about 3 years or something. These are pretty big numbers. And I'd encourage others to do the same." PowerBank shares this commitment to scaling solar infrastructure on earth, with a development pipeline of over one gigawatt and a proven track record of delivering renewable energy projects across North America.

Understanding Space-Based AI Infrastructure

Space-based AI infrastructure operates fundamentally differently from terrestrial data centers. In low-Earth orbit (LEO), satellites equipped with AI processing capabilities benefit from continuous solar exposure—an advantage Musk highlighted when noting that "When you have solar in space, you get maybe 5 times more effectiveness than solar on the ground." Unlike ground-based solar installations that face nighttime interruption and atmospheric interference, orbital solar panels harvest uninterrupted sunlight as they circle the Earth approximately every 90 minutes.

The DeStarlink Genesis-1 satellite, launched by Orbit AI on December 10, 2025, demonstrates this concept in practice. The satellite carries NVIDIA AI processing hardware powered entirely by space-grade solar panels, enabling it to perform AI inference operations—the computational process of applying trained AI models to new data—directly in orbit without relying on ground-based power infrastructure. PowerBank was not involved in the initial launch but through its Collaboration Framework Agreement with Orbit AI intends to help support solar and thermal management systems on future missions, subject to agreement on specific service and remuneration terms.

As confirmed in PowerBank's December 26, 2025 update, Genesis-1 has been recorded both operating and producing solar power as it orbits Earth. The satellite's successful deployment validates the technical architecture required for the planned Orbital Cloud constellation—a network where multiple solar-powered satellites operate together to provide distributed AI computing capacity, blockchain verification, and decentralized connectivity services.

The Role of Power Companies in Sustainable Space Technology

Power companies like PowerBank play a critical role in advancing solar technology. Musk's observation that "Net effect is that the lowest cost place to put AI will be space. And that'll be true within 2 years, maybe 3." underscores the economic imperative driving this transition. However, realizing this vision requires specialized expertise in solar energy systems optimized for the unique demands of orbital operation.

Space-grade solar panels must withstand extreme temperature fluctuations—ranging from approximately -150°C in Earth's shadow to +120°C in direct sunlight—while maintaining consistent power output. As computational loads increase with more sophisticated AI models, thermal management becomes increasingly critical. Satellites cannot rely on conventional cooling methods; instead, they must use passive radiative cooling and adaptive thermal control solutions to dissipate heat into space.

These challenges align with PowerBank's broader expertise in sustainable energy infrastructure. The company's experience developing battery energy storage systems (BESS) for terrestrial applications translates directly to potentially managing power fluctuations in orbital systems as satellites transition between sunlight and shadow.

The successful operation of Genesis-1 establishes a foundation for Orbit AI's expansion plans, with a second satellite launch targeted for Q1 2026 and additional deployments planned thereafter. At this time PowerBank elected not to make an investment in Orbit AI and the terms of any remuneration for services PowerBank may provide Orbit AI have not yet been determined.

About PowerBank Corporation

PowerBank Corporation is an independent renewable and clean energy project developer and owner focusing on distributed and community solar projects in Canada and the USA. The Company develops solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects that sell electricity to utilities, commercial, industrial, municipal and residential off-takers. The Company maximizes returns via a diverse portfolio of projects across multiple leading North America markets including projects with utilities, host off-takers, community solar, and virtual net metering projects. The Company has a potential development pipeline of over one gigawatt and has developed renewable and clean energy projects with a combined capacity of over 100 megawatts built.

To learn more about PowerBank, please visit www.powerbankcorp.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information ‎within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking ‎statements") that relate to the Company's current expectations and views of future events. ‎Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, ‎objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the ‎use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will ‎continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", ‎‎"projection", "strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be ‎forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties ‎which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in ‎such forward-looking statements. In particular and without limitation, this news release ‎contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the Company's expectations regarding industry trends and overall market growth; the details of the collaboration with Orbit AI and its expected benefits; the Company's contributions towards the collaboration with Orbit AI; the timelines for Orbit AI's operations the Company's growth strategies, and the size of the Company's development pipeline. No assurance ‎can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking ‎statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These ‎statements speak only as of the date of this news release.‎

Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of the experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. In making the forward looking statements included in this news release, the Company has made various material assumptions, including but not limited to: t ; Orbit AI and the Company are able to agree on commercial terms for the announced collaboration; obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals; that regulatory requirements will be maintained; general business and economic conditions; the Company's ability to successfully execute its plans and intentions; the availability of financing on reasonable terms; the Company's ability to attract and retain skilled staff; market competition; the products and services offered by the Company's competitors; that the Company's current good relationships with its service providers and other third parties will be maintained; and government subsidies and funding for renewable energy will continue as currently contemplated. Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect, and the Company cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Whether actual results, performance or achievements will conform to the Company's expectations and predictions is subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, including those listed under "Forward-‎Looking Statements" and "Risk ‎Factors" in the Company's most recently completed Annual Information Form, and other public filings of the Company, which include: Orbit AI is unable to raise sufficient financing to complete its launch of satellites on the timelines proposed or at all; Orbit AI and the Company fail to agree on commercial terms for the announced collaboration; technical risks associated with Orbit AI's planned operations; the Company may be adversely affected by volatile solar power market and industry conditions; the execution of the Company's growth strategy depends upon the continued availability of third-party financing arrangements; the Company's future success depends partly on its ability to expand the pipeline of its energy business in several key markets; governments may revise, reduce or eliminate incentives and policy support schemes for solar and battery storage power; general global economic conditions may have an adverse impact on our operating performance and results of operations; the Company's project development and construction activities may not be successful; developing and operating solar Project exposes the Company to various risks; the Company faces a number of risks involving Power Purchase Agreements ("PPAs") and project-level financing arrangements; any changes to the laws, regulations and policies that the Company is subject to may present technical, regulatory and economic barriers to the purchase and use of solar power; the markets in which the Company competes are highly competitive and evolving quickly; an anti-circumvention investigation could adversely affect the Company by potentially raising the prices of key supplies for the construction of solar power projects; foreign exchange rate fluctuations; a change in the Company's effective tax rate can have a significant adverse impact on its business; seasonal variations in demand linked to construction cycles and weather conditions may influence the Company's results of operations; the Company may be unable to generate sufficient cash flows or have access to external financing; the Company may incur substantial additional indebtedness in the future; the Company is subject to risks from supply chain issues; risks related to inflation and tariffs; unexpected warranty expenses that may not be adequately covered by the Company's insurance policies; if the Company is unable to attract and retain key personnel, it may not be able to compete effectively in the renewable energy market; there are a limited number of purchasers of utility-scale quantities of electricity; compliance with environmental laws and regulations can be expensive; corporate responsibility may adversely impose additional costs; the future impact of any global pandemic on the Company is unknown at this time; the Company has limited insurance coverage; the Company will be reliant on information technology systems and may be subject to damaging cyberattacks; the Company may become subject to litigation; there is no guarantee on how the Company will use its available funds; the Company will continue to sell securities for cash to fund operations, capital expansion, mergers and acquisitions that will dilute the current shareholders; and future dilution as a result of financings.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any ‎forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or ‎otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it ‎is not possible for the Company to predict all of them, or assess the impact of each such ‎factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to ‎differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-‎looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by ‎this cautionary statement.‎

SOURCE PowerBank Corporation

Key NotesSilver saw about $2 trillion in market cap swings within 14 hours during a historic session.Bitcoin remains below $90,000, with a market cap near $1.76 trillion.Attention now turns to January 28, with US oil data and the Fed rate decision in focus. Silver posted one of the most violent trading days on record on Jan. 26. The metal saw nearly $2 trillion in market cap shifting hands within 14 hours.

According to data from The Kobeissi Letter, on Jan. 26 between 9:00 AM ET and 1:00 PM ET, silver gained roughly $500 billion in market value.

It then dropped about $950 billion over the next three hours, before recovering another $500 billion by 10:30 PM ET.

At multiple points during the session, silver’s moves matched the full market cap of Bitcoin BTC $87 737 24h volatility: 0.1% Market cap: $1.75 T Vol. 24h: $40.04 B within hours.

The Kobeissi Letter believes that the current silver price action will be studied for decades to come.

This is absolutely insane:

Silver just swung nearly $2 TRILLION of market cap in 14 hours.

Between 9:00 AM ET and 1:00 PM ET, silver added +$500 billion of market cap.

Then, between 1:00 PM ET and 4:30 PM ET, silver lost -$950 billion.

Then, between 4:30 PM ET and 10:30 PM… pic.twitter.com/ync4MVQ9pP

— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) January 27, 2026

This major activity comes as spot silver prices recently surged to record levels, trading between $110 and $117 per ounce.

The rally came amid a weaker US dollar, global tensions, and broader market stress.

Bitcoin Lags, Metals Lead During the same time, Bitcoin failed to regain momentum. The cryptocurrency is down about 3% over the past week and remains below the key $90,000 level.

BTC reached a market cap of $2.49 trillion during the early Oct. 2025 rally but later dropped. Bitcoin’s market cap is currently around $1.76 trillion.

ETF analyst Eric Balchunas noted that over a 20 year span, investors holding gold and silver would have earned about 10.6% per year.

As of last year, silver was returning only 4.5% per year, before closing that gap within 12 months.

This is the inverse situation to Bitcoin which went on tear two years ago, gold silver, stocks playing catch up, but flat lately. With these metals and cryptos, I think you have to understand you get five or 10 years’ worth of returns in one or two years you just have to wait for…

— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) January 26, 2026

He added that metals and crypto often deliver years of gains in short bursts, suggesting investors to be patient.

Oil, Rates, and Super Wednesday Markets are now focused on Jan. 28, dubbed “Super Wednesday” by many in the trading community.

Investors are closely watching U.S. crude oil inventory data and the Federal Reserve’s rate decision, both of which could influence inflation expectations, liquidity, and overall risk appetite.

WTI crude futures last traded at $60.73 per barrel, down 0.72% on the day.

Volume stood at 136,057 contracts, while open interest fell by 21,771 contracts to 2,016,566. Bitcoin gained 5.08% over the same week, but crude oil rose just 0.01%.

A CryptoQuant contributor pointed to a slight negative link between the two assets, along with falling oil open interest.

This suggests reduced risk exposure ahead of Super Wednesday, meaning the crypto market could remain relatively flat until the events unfold.

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

Cryptocurrency News, News

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

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The next price drop for Bitcoin is just waiting in the wings. Whether it will be a big drop down to $80,000 or $74,000 no one knows yet. However, what is becoming interesting is the ratio between Bitcoin and gold. A reversal in favour of Bitcoin could be in sight. Could this correspond with a US dollar bottom?

An intriguing BTC/Gold chart

Source: TradingView

The weekly chart for Bitcoin compared with gold is looking quite intriguing. While $BTC has been in an uptrend against gold through the entirety of its existence, a certain uptrend is in play in the above chart since early 2020. That uptrend has had plenty of peaks and troughs, and it has to be admitted that gold has had the upper hand since mid-December 2024. 

Nevertheless, a change in the trend could be on the horizon. While $BTC is continuing to lose strength against gold, it can be seen that a potential pivot point is approaching. The 0.786 Fibonacci level coincides with the ascending trendline at a ratio of 15.7 gold ounces to a Bitcoin. This is also a good structural level as seen by previous ratio values. Look for a potential bounce from this level, and a possible return to Bitcoin ascendency over gold.

A likely descent in the short time frame

Source: TradingView

Back to the BTC/USD chart, it can be seen that the latest little rise for $BTC could turn into a bigger drop. First though, there may still be the possibility of a quick spurt up to the underside of the bear flag in order to confirm the breakdown.

What does look quite likely, is that a descent is going to take place soon. The Stochastic RSI indicators are pointing in this direction after having reached the top. This is also about to be the case in the 8-hour time frame.

Bear targets

Source: TradingView

The daily time frame shows the extent of the measured move from the ascending channel. This would take the price just under $80,000 and would perhaps bring a double bottom into play. 

There is also the scenario where the price comes a bit further down and tests the top of the falling wedge. This would put the price at around $73,000 and change. Finally, the horizontal level at $69,000 marks the top of the 2021 bull market, so this would be extremely strong support.

Higher highs and higher lows

Source: TradingView

Zooming right out into the 2-week chart gives one the perspective on either a pivot back to the highs, or a descent to huge structural support at $69,000, or even a plunge to $53,000, which is the full measured move out of the bear flag. 

Or, perhaps we could simply say that in the grand scheme of things, the $BTC price has continued to make higher highs and higher lows since its inception. Why would this change now?

Bitcoin has been beaten down for nearly 4 months. A change is due. Yes, that change could be a new leg down to $69,000, but it could also be a rally back to the upside. If the bears can’t force the price down by the end of this week, could a rally become the favoured outcome?

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

Tanzeel Akhtar

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Tanzeel Akhtar

Part of the Team Since

Feb 2018

About Author

Tanzeel Akhtar has been reporting on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology since 2015. Her work has appeared in leading publications including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CoinDesk, Bitcoin...

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Bitwise Asset Management, a global crypto asset manager, has launched a new onchain investor offering through non-custodial vault strategies on Morpho, an onchain lending network.

Finance is moving onchain. Vaults are a key part of that, offering investors a transparent way to earn digital yield on their assets.

Today, we’re excited to announce that Bitwise is launching non-custodial vault strategies as a curator on @Morpho.

The quick details:

-… pic.twitter.com/pUz9Upk4lV

— Bitwise (@BitwiseInvest) January 26, 2026 The firm said its first vault strategy will target up to 6% annual percentage yield (APY) on stablecoins, with plans to expand into additional strategies over time. The launch reflects growing institutional interest in accessing decentralized finance (DeFi) yield opportunities through more structured and risk-managed products.

First Strategy Focused on Stablecoin YieldBitwise said its initial vault strategy on Morpho is designed to generate yield by investing in overcollateralized lending pools. The strategy currently targets an APY of around 6%, providing investors exposure to onchain fixed-income-style returns through transparent lending markets.

Vaults function similarly to a portfolio of lending positions, allocating capital across programmable strategies to earn digital yield. Bitwise said its approach will combine onchain infrastructure with professional oversight to help investors participate in DeFi markets.

Strategy and Risk Oversight Led by Jonathan ManThe vault curation and risk management will be led by Jonathan Man, CFA, Bitwise Portfolio Manager and Head of Multi-Strategy Solutions and DeFi Strategies.

“Decentralized finance offers compelling yield opportunities, but the complexity of managing onchain risk has kept many investors on the sidelines,” Man said.

“That’s why we’re so excited for Bitwise to enter vault curation. Bitwise provides value-add by layering professional guidance and risk management experience onto these non-custodial tools,” adds Man.

Bitwise said the strategy will draw on the expertise of its 140-person team of investment and technology professionals and the firm’s more than eight-year track record as a crypto specialist.

Morpho Highlights Institutional Demand for Onchain InfrastructureMorpho provides programmable and non-custodial infrastructure for onchain lending and borrowing, with vaults operated through smart contracts that invest funds programmatically on behalf of users.

“Bitwise joining Morpho as a vault curator highlights growing institutional demand for allocating capital onchain through noncustodial infrastructure,” said Paul Frambot, co-founder and CEO of Morpho.

He added that Morpho Vaults are designed for institutional use, allowing professionally defined risk parameters to be expressed directly onchain.

“As major institutions like Bitwise recognise the value in diversified fixed-income strategies in digital assets, vaults are emerging as a core building block of onchain finance strategies,” Frambot said.

Vaults Positioned as Building Blocks of Onchain FinanceThe launch comes as crypto firms increasingly frame vault strategies as a key component of the broader shift toward onchain financial markets.

Bitwise said it believes vaults offer investors a transparent way to earn digital yield while maintaining non-custodial control of assets. The company indicated more strategies are expected to follow as institutional participation in DeFi continues to expand.

Bitwise launches onchain non‑custodial vault curation on Morpho, targeting up to 6% APY on stablecoins.

TLDR: Sui improved transaction finality and costs in 2025, enabling consumer apps without wallet complexity. Network architecture supports autonomous agents and machines as internet participants through object-based systems. Privacy features became core infrastructure allowing institutions to meet compliance while operating on-chain. DeFi evolution in 2026 focuses on user experiences and applications impossible to build on other platforms. Sui blockchain entered a new development phase in 2025, moving beyond theoretical capabilities to deliver production-ready applications with tangible user adoption.

The network’s evolution reflects a strategic pivot from building foundational infrastructure to enabling practical use cases across decentralized finance, privacy features, and autonomous systems.

This transition positions the protocol for broader mainstream adoption as developers deploy consumer-facing products that eliminate traditional blockchain complexity.

Production Systems Replace Experimental Features The network demonstrated measurable progress throughout 2025 by improving transaction finality and reducing operational costs.

These enhancements enabled developers to build applications without requiring users to manage private keys or wallets immediately.

Consumer applications in gaming, social networking, and payment processing began operating like conventional software rather than blockchain experiments.

Evan Cheng, CEO of Mysten Labs, emphasized the importance of practical impact during a year-end discussion on X. “The way to get people excited is to build products that actually impact their lives,” Cheng stated, framing the network’s broader shift.

The conversation included contributions from Adeniyi Abiodun, Kostas Chalkias, and Aslan Tashtanov, who shared insights on ecosystem growth, cryptography, and decentralized finance.

Cheng further explained the network’s comprehensive approach, noting that while competitors focus on building ledgers, Sui is constructing a complete stack and control layer for functional automation.

The protocol’s architecture addresses the expanding role of autonomous agents and machine participants on the internet. Traditional web infrastructure was not designed for this emerging reality.

Adeniyi Abiodun, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Mysten Labs, reflected on the ecosystem’s development. “It’s easy for progress to get lost in announcements of announcements. But what really mattered was seeing builders ship real products and users actually show up,” he observed.

The pattern showed infrastructure maturation leading to improved developer experience and subsequent adoption growth.

Cryptography Enables Real-World Integration Kostas Chalkias, Chief Cryptographer and Co-Founder at Mysten Labs, addressed how advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, and physical systems are reshaping cryptographic requirements.

“Object-oriented systems are exactly how people already work in robotics today. When they see that, the blockchain stops feeling abstract, it starts feeling natural,” Chalkias explained.

Machines are becoming active internet participants, creating new authentication, transaction, and coordination challenges. Object-based systems naturally align with existing robotics frameworks, making blockchain integration intuitive.

The network established practical privacy capabilities as a core feature rather than an optional addition, enabling institutions and enterprises to protect sensitive data while meeting regulatory compliance.

Chalkias described the ultimate vision for blockchain adoption. “The real win is when someone uses an app and doesn’t even know blockchain is behind it, but it wouldn’t be possible without it,” he stated.

This approach positions the technology as invisible infrastructure embedded within everyday products.

Decentralized finance matured significantly during 2025 as liquidity became more composable and capital efficiency improved.

Infrastructure like DeepBook demonstrated that fully on-chain markets can handle substantial volume beyond experimental use cases.

Aslan Tashtanov, Software Engineer at Mysten Labs, described the upcoming focus. “For me, 2026 is the year of experiences. Not just DeFi apps that already exist, but things you can’t do anywhere else,” he explained, highlighting the shift toward unique applications impossible to build on other platforms.

Large Cardano holders added 454.7m ADA over two months, lifting their share of supply as small retail wallets sold into market weakness and cut exposure.

Summary

Wallets with 100k–100m ADA boosted holdings by 454.7m tokens, growing supply share from 66.3% to 67.53%. Sub-100 ADA wallets sold about 22k tokens, trimming their slice of circulating supply from 0.122% to 0.121%. Pattern mirrors past corrections where institutions buy dips while retail reduces risk during volatility. Large Cardano (ADA) holders have increased their positions by approximately 454.7 million tokens over a two-month period while smaller retail investors reduced holdings, according to on-chain data released by analytics firm Santiment.

🧠 Cardano's smart money wallets have been quietly accumulating while the token's price is suppressed.

🐳 In 2 months, wallets with 100K-100M coins have added 454.7M $ADA (+$161,420,000)
🦐 In 3 weeks, wallets with 100 or less coins have dumped 22.0K $ADA (-$7,810) pic.twitter.com/P03zqKrKES

— Santiment (@santimentfeed) January 26, 2026 Wallets holding between 100,000 and 100 million Cardano tokens accumulated the additional holdings from late November 2025 through January 2026, Santiment reported. The accumulation increased these holders’ share of Cardano’s circulating supply from approximately 66.3% to 67.53%, bringing total holdings to approximately 24.33 billion tokens, according to the data.

The accumulation occurred during a period of market weakness and price declines across the cryptocurrency sector.

In contrast, smaller retail wallets holding 100 Cardano tokens or fewer collectively sold around 22,000 tokens over the past three weeks, the data showed. This activity reduced retail investors’ share of the circulating supply from approximately 0.122%, or 43.96 million tokens, to 0.121%, or 43.6 million tokens.

The divergence in behavior between large and small holders represents a pattern that has appeared during previous market corrections in the cryptocurrency sector, where institutional and high-net-worth investors increase positions during price declines while retail participants reduce exposure.

Cardano, a proof-of-stake blockchain platform, ranks among the largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. The token has experienced price volatility in recent months alongside broader cryptocurrency market fluctuations.

Santiment provides blockchain analytics and on-chain metrics for digital assets. The firm tracks wallet activity, token distribution, and holder behavior across multiple cryptocurrency networks.

PUMP jumps 25% even as Pump.fun and the Solana Foundation face a class action lawsuit, Solidus Labs’ rug-pull report, and questions over buybacks and platform reforms.

Summary

PUMP gained about 25% overnight while Pump.fun and the Solana Foundation were hit with a class action alleging insider trading and abusive launch practices. Solidus Labs’ 2025 report claims most Pump.fun and Raydium tokens show rug-pull or pump-and-dump traits, with billions allegedly extracted from investors. Despite SOL price volatility, on-chain metrics for Solana remain strong, while PUMP’s outlook hinges on buybacks, revenue sharing, and better safeguards. The PUMP (PUMP) token surged 25% overnight while its associated platform Pump.fun and the Solana Foundation face a class action lawsuit alleging insider trading and questionable token launch practices, according to market data.

Pump.fun tokens vibrates higher Solana’s (SOL) native token has experienced volatility in recent weeks, with price declines coinciding with increased scrutiny of Pump.fun, the blockchain’s leading memecoin launchpad. The platform has facilitated millions of token creations and generated substantial fee revenue since its January 2024 launch, according to on-chain data.

Token launches on the platform have declined as legal challenges and negative media coverage have intensified, market observers noted.

Pump.fun emerged as one of Solana’s top revenue-generating applications by offering simplified token creation tools for meme coins. The platform quickly attracted significant on-chain activity and became a major driver of Solana’s reputation in speculative digital assets.

The platform’s reputation shifted following a February 2025 report from analytics firm Solidus Labs titled “The 2025 Rug Pull Report: Rug Pulls and Pump-and-Dumps on Solana.” The report found that the majority of tokens on Pump.fun and liquidity pools on Raydium exhibited characteristics of pump-and-dump schemes or rug pulls, according to the firm’s analysis.

The report alleged that the platform and associated protocols extracted billions of dollars from investors throughout 2025, with a high rate of fraudulent token launches.

A class action lawsuit filed against Pump.fun and the Solana Foundation alleges insider trading and improper token launch practices, introducing legal uncertainty for both entities.

Solana’s price has declined amid the negative news flow, pulling back from recent highs before stabilizing near key support levels. Technical analysts report elevated volatility, with upside moves facing resistance.

Despite price weakness, Solana’s on-chain metrics remain robust, with developer activity, transaction volumes, and wallet engagement showing strength relative to competing Layer-1 blockchain networks, according to blockchain analytics platforms.

Market analysts suggest Solana’s price is currently driven more by narrative concerns than fundamental on-chain health.

The PUMP token has outperformed Solana during the same period, rallying while the broader network’s native token declined. The divergence comes despite reports of large fund movements from Pump.fun-linked wallets and selling activity by the platform’s developers in 2025, which initially created selling pressure on the token.

Recent buyback activity has supported PUMP’s price performance, with significant token repurchases reported by the platform. The buybacks have fueled speculation about a potential airdrop to token holders, according to cryptocurrency market analysts.

Some analysts indicate PUMP’s long-term valuation will depend on whether Pump.fun implements structural changes, including revenue-sharing models, improved launch safeguards, and enhanced transparency measures for token holders.

Coinbase's Bitcoin (BTC) price dropped below competing exchanges this week, and the gap continues to widen.

CoinGlass reported on Jan. 26 that its Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index, which tracks the price difference between Coinbase's BTC/USD and Binance's BTC/USDT, turned sharply negative, indicating Bitcoin trades at a discount on the largest US venue compared to offshore competitors.

The move arrives as US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $1.1 billion in outflows last week and broader risk appetite weakened, raising questions about whether American institutional demand is cracking or whether something messier is happening in crypto market plumbing.

The answer is likely both, and the distinction matters because a persistent discount reveals more than sentiment, exposing constraints in how liquidity moves between venues, how ETF flows translate to spot execution, and whether arbitrage infrastructure can keep markets connected during stress.

The Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index turned negative in mid-January and continued widening through January 26, indicating persistent selling pressure on the US exchange.Defining the signalCoinGlass documents its premium index as the price difference between Coinbase Pro and Binance, with a negative reading meaning Bitcoin is cheaper on Coinbase than on Binance.

The index is not purely a demand gauge, as it measures the spread between a USD-denominated venue and a USDT-denominated venue, which introduces mechanical effects from stablecoin deviations, funding conditions, and offshore leverage dynamics.

The baseline interpretation treats widening negative premiums as evidence of relatively stronger sell pressure or weaker bid depth on US-linked venues compared to offshore markets.

However, cross-exchange price deviations can persist for days or weeks even in liquid markets, reflecting genuine segmentation rather than pure supply-demand shifts.

Research on crypto price formation documents large recurring gaps driven by transfer frictions, compliance barriers, credit limits, and inventory constraints that prevent arbitrage from closing dislocations instantly.

The question is not whether selling exists, as it always does, but why cross-venue arbitrage failed to compress the gap and what that reveals about stress in financing, settlement infrastructure, or risk appetite.

ETF plumbing channelWhen US spot Bitcoin ETFs record net outflows, authorized participants and market makers adjust hedges and liquidity provision, which can translate into net spot selling or reduced bid depth.

Coinbase serves as a primary liquidity venue for US institutional crypto infrastructure, handling custody for over 80% of Bitcoin ETF issuers, and BlackRock materials reference Coinbase Prime as an affiliate of the iShares Bitcoin Trust custodian.

That embedded role means ETF redemption activity can route through Coinbase-linked execution pathways more directly than through offshore venues.

Farside Investors data shows multiple days of sizable outflows from US-traded Bitcoin ETFs over the past week, totaling over $1.3 billion.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows exceeding $700 million on Jan. 21, with continued redemptions through Jan. 23 totaling over $100 million.The timing correlation is suggestive but not definitive, as most US spot Bitcoin ETFs use cash creations and redemptions rather than pure in-kind transfers, which introduces latency between ETF share flow and spot execution.

The pattern resembles a symptom of balance sheet tightening.

When ETF flows wobble and macro risk appetite weakens, US-linked liquidity providers pull bids faster than offshore leverage unwinds, creating transient but persistent discounts.

The premium becomes a real-time gauge of whether institutional appetite is keeping pace with supply. And, right now, it suggests US bids are stepping back.

USD-USDT plumbing channelThe index structure introduces a second mechanical driver: because Coinbase trades against USD and Binance against USDT, any deviation in the USDT/USD rate affects the calculated premium even if spot demand is identical across venues.

Kaiko has documented episodes in which USDT rapidly flips between discount and premium during market stress, driven by stablecoin supply constraints, offshore funding conditions, or perp market basis dynamics.

If USDT trades above parity, then BTC/USDT prices appear optically higher, mechanically worsening Coinbase's discount even if no additional selling occurs on Coinbase itself.

Perpetual swap markets compound this effect. Funding rates are mechanically linked to spot-perp basis calculations. When funding turns negative or compresses, the relationship between USD and USDT venues can dislocate as traders adjust hedges venue-by-venue based on margin requirements and collateral preferences.

This channel doesn't invalidate the demand interpretation, complicating it instead. A widening discount can simultaneously reflect US spot selling pressure and offshore stablecoin microstructure stress.

Derivatives stress and arbitrage constraintsWhen the CME Bitcoin futures basis compresses, and perpetual swap funding turns negative or flat, spot becomes the fastest hedge leg for traders unwinding positions.

CF Benchmarks notes that the CME basis is strongly tied to sentiment shifts and momentum regimes, and that basis compression often coincides with risk-off moves.

If basis and premium both deteriorate simultaneously, that alignment points to a broader de-risk environment rather than an isolated US weakness.

In frictionless markets, a Coinbase discount should attract buy-on-Coinbase, sell-offshore arbitrage until the gap closes.

Persistent widening implies something is constraining that flow: balance sheet limits, compliance frictions, transfer costs, volatility risk, or simply that arbitrage capital is deployed elsewhere.

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Academic work on crypto arbitrage documents large recurring deviations and meaningful market segmentation, with price gaps persisting longer during sell-offs when liquidity deteriorates, and risk limits tighten.

Kaiko research discusses fragmentation-driven dislocations that flare during stress periods, noting order book depth can thin asymmetrically across venues.

If Coinbase's bid depth shrinks relative to Binance's, discounts persist even if arbitrageurs recognize the opportunity, because executing large size becomes prohibitively expensive or risky.

The most actionable signal is not that selling exists but that market connectivity is degrading.

When institutional flow turns negative, financing signals deteriorate, and arbitrage can't close gaps, the combination indicates genuine stress rather than routine volatility.

Bitcoin prices diverged sharply across venues on Aug. 5, 2025, with Binance.US dropping below $49,000 while Coinbase and Binance remained near $51,000.Three forward scenariosThe first foreseeable scenario is a reversion, in which ETF flows stabilize or turn positive, risk appetite recovers, and the premium mean-reverts to zero.

This path depends on macro stabilization and renewed institutional appetite, which aggregators' data can confirm day to day. If outflows stop and inflows resume, arbitrage capital returns, and discounts naturally compress.

The second scenario involves persistence, with the premium remaining negative as ETFs continue bleeding and macro conditions remain risk-off.

Rallies become fragile because the US bid depth never fully recovers, creating resistance at higher price levels. This regime favors patient sellers over momentum buyers and keeps volatility elevated.

Microstructure shock scenario: USDT/USD dislocates sharply, funding regimes shift abruptly, or a venue-specific event introduces new frictions.

The premium becomes noisy and less interpretable as a pure demand signal, with larger intraday swings driven by offshore stablecoin dynamics rather than spot flows.

Broader implicationCoinbase's widening discount functions as a symptom dashboard rather than a single diagnosis.
It reflects US-linked net selling and weak bids when ETF flows are negative, but it also reflects USD-versus-USDT plumbing stress and constrained arbitrage capacity.

All three dynamics intensify during risk-off regimes, making the premium a composite signal of institutional appetite, stablecoin microstructure health, and market connectivity.

The forward-looking question is whether arbitrage infrastructure can keep pace with institutional flow shifts. If ETFs continue bleeding while arbitrage remains constrained and financing conditions tighten, the discount becomes a leading indicator of liquidity fragmentation rather than a lagging indicator of sentiment.

The difference matters because fragmentation persists longer and resolves less predictably than simple supply-demand imbalances.

For now, the widening gap suggests US balance sheets are tightening faster than offshore leverage is unwinding, and that market plumbing is struggling to keep prices in sync.

That combination doesn't guarantee further downside, but it does indicate the infrastructure needed to absorb selling pressure or sustain rallies is operating under stress. And stress, once embedded in market microstructure, tends to linger even after headlines improve.

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The cryptocurrency market is in the green following the massive selloff recorded during the weekend.

Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency by market cap, has reclaimed the $88k level after adding 1% to its value since Monday. Ether is also eyeing the $3k psychological level after bouncing out of a key support zone.

The positive performance on Monday was met with the Ethereum (ETH) treasury firm Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) announcing its biggest Ether acquisition so far this year. 

BitMine purchased over 40k ETH last week Copy link to section

Tom Lee’s BitMine announced on Monday that it continued its weekly acquisition of the top altcoin, purchasing 40,302 ETH last week. 

Thanks to this latest acquisition, BitMine now holds 4.24 million ETH, worth about $12.29 billion at the time of publication.

Its stash accounts for 3.52% of the total Ethereum supply, bringing the company closer to its 5% goal. 

Furthermore, BitMine also staked an additional 171,264 ETH last week.

Its total staked assets have climbed to over 2 million ETH (roughly 50% of its Ether holdings), deployed across three staking providers. 

BitMine is optimistic of generating $374 million annually from staking when it stakes its entire ETH balance.

While speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Tom Lee stated that policymakers and business leaders are embracing digital assets.

“…We view 2026 as the year policymakers and world leaders now view digital assets as central to the future of the financial system. And as Larry Fink notes, this is positive for smart blockchains. Ethereum remains the most widely used by Wall Street today and the most reliable blockchain with zero downtime since inception,” Lee added.

In addition to over 4 million Ether, BitMine also holds 193 Bitcoin (BTC), a recent $200 million stake in Beast Industries, a $19 million stake in Eightco Holdings (ORBS), and a total cash of $682 million.

The latest acquisition comes after the company’s shareholders approved its proposal to increase its authorized shares from 500 million to 50 billion last week. 

Ether eyes the $3,058 resistance level Copy link to section

The ETH/USD 4-hour chart remains bearish despite the recent recovery.

The momentum indicators have improved, suggesting that the bulls could push ETH’s price higher in the near term. 

ETH’s bounce from the $2,786 support resulted in $81 million in liquidations over the past 24 hours, led by $52 million in short liquidations, 

At press time, Ether is trading above $2,920 and could rally higher in the near term.

If Ether sustains its recovery, it could face resistance at the $3,058 level, which is strengthened by the 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA).

The RSI of 47 is still below the neutral 50 but suggests that the bulls are regaining control.

The MACD lines are also showing signs of improvement and heading into the neutral region. 

However, if the bulls fail to sustain the recovery, Ether could retest the $2,775 support, with the weekly support level of $2,625 also a possibility in the near term. 

Bitcoin faces rising volatility as Federal Reserve rate decisions and U.S. oil data converge on January 28.

Bitcoin (BTC) is facing a test of its sensitivity to traditional finance as two major macro events converge on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

The cryptocurrency’s near-term trajectory may be swayed by U.S. crude oil inventory data and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision, with both holding power to shift market-wide expectations on inflation and liquidity.

Markets Enter “Super Wednesday” With Risk Appetite on Pause On-chain technician GugaOnChain described January 28 as a “super Wednesday” for global markets, pointing to U.S. crude oil inventories and the Federal Reserve meeting as parallel risk events.

“Both events have the potential to alter expectations of inflation, liquidity, and risk,” the analyst wrote. “In this scenario, Bitcoin emerges as an asset sensitive to the same variables, reacting both to energy shocks and to changes in monetary policy.”

According to them, West Texas Intermediate crude futures for March settled around $61 per barrel, down about 0.7% on the day, while open interest fell by more than 21,000 contracts. They noted that declining participation in oil markets suggests traders are reducing exposure before the key macro signals land.

GugaOnChain also highlighted a moderate negative correlation between Bitcoin and crude oil over the past week, with BTC up just over 5% in that period while oil was flat. According to the analyst, energy markets remain a reference point for inflation expectations, which in turn feed into liquidity conditions that affect Bitcoin and other risk assets.

They concluded with a direct assessment of the current setup:

“The numbers reveal a market in a waiting mode. Super Wednesday will be decisive to calibrate expectations and may redefine the correlation between energy and crypto.”

Bitcoin Price Action Reflects Broader Macro Caution At the market, the price of the number one cryptocurrency gained about 0.6% in the last 24 hours, trading in a narrow range between $87,000 and $89,000. Zooming out, the asset is down about 3.6% over the past week and nearly 4% across two weeks, even as the broader crypto market has been flat.

You may also like: Ripple (XRP) and Cardano (ADA) Show Deeper Undervaluation Than Bitcoin (BTC) ‘Bitcoin Isn’t in a Bull Market:’ Expert Warns $80K Wasn’t the Bottom A Wallet Flex Turned Into an On-Chain Trail: ZachXBT Links ‘Lick’ to US Seizure-Related Funds On a monthly view, BTC is marginally higher, but it remains about 12% lower year over year and almost 30% below its all-time high achieved in October last year when it went past $126,000.

This underperformance comes as institutional flows remain uneven. A recent CoinShares report showed $405 million leaving Bitcoin-linked investment products in a single week, reflecting reduced exposure as expectations for near-term Fed rate cuts faded.

At the time, analysts at QCP Capital said that BTC has struggled to hold gains even when supported by traditionally positive macro narratives, pointing to ongoing selling pressure during U.S. trading hours.

As traders await clarity on Fed guidance and inflation signals tied to energy prices, Bitcoin’s tight range suggests conviction is limited. However, both crypto and traditional markets seem to be focusing on absorbing the policy tone instead of chasing short-term moves.

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After the Lighter crypto token dropped to a low of $1.53, buyers stepped in and defended the market from further slip. As such, LIT successfully defended the $1.5 support level and jumped to a local high of $1.85, only to slightly retrace. 

As of this writing, Lighter [LIT] traded at $1.81, up 16.4% on the daily charts. This price uptick was backed by a 16% jump in trading volume, reflecting bullish momentum. 

Lighter sees renewed demand After LIT tested $1.5, traders in the Futures market rushed to take strategic positions. According to CoinGlass data, the altcoin’s Open Interest (OI) climbed 16% to $145.7 million while Volume rose 28% to $178 million. 

When OI and Volume rise in tandem, it signals increased participation and capital flows into the futures market. 

Source: CoinGlass

In fact, the altcoin saw over $83.37 million in Futures Inflow compared to $79.2 million in outflows. As a result, Futures Netflow jumped 237% to $4.08 million, indicating buyer dominance in the futures market. 

Meanwhile, the altcoins Long/Short Ratio climbed above 1, to 1.004, with Binance Top Traders dominating. A ratio above 1 suggested that most traders rushed into the market and took long positions, signaling market bullishness. 

Whales stake $2.3 million worth of LIT Interestingly, during the price pump, investors, especially whales, turned to the network’s staking pool. According to Winngamer, two whales deposited $2,322,712 worth of LIT into the lighter staking pool.

The first whale deposited $2,084,712 in LIT after holding the funds for a month. The second whale deposited $238,000 in LIT after holding the funds for 1 month. 

Source: Winngamer on X

Typically, when investors turn to staking, it signals long-term conviction while they lock tokens to earn yield. 

Even more importantly, locking tokens into the staking pool reduces supply, thus rising scarcity, a major boost for potential price appreciation. 

On top of that, the Lighter team has been extremely active on the token buyback side. As such, the team has spent most of its fee revenue on LIT buybacks. 

Source: DeFiLlama

In fact, Cryptolycus reported that the Lighter buyback program has repurchased over 2.4 million LIT in less than a month. 

Usually, increased buybacks also reduce supply, thereby increasing the risk of a supply shock. With demand for staking and tokenbacks, these two combined position the altcoin on a positive trajectory.

Is this demand enough to flip $2? LIT successfully defended $1.5, as demand returned from across all market participants. With capital flows into futures, whales staking and token buybacks, its upside momentum strengthened.

As a result, the altcoin’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) made a bullish crossover, but still failed to flip 50, now settling at 49. Likewise, the altcoin flipped its short-term moving average, EMA50, signaling strengthened upside momentum.

Source: TradingView

With RSI making a bullish move but still held within the bearish zone, it signaled the buyer’s attempted market takeover. For the bullish continuation, the altcoin’s RSI must flip 50, edge into the bullish zone, and also flip EMA20.

In doing so, the upside strength will be validated, boosting it to reclaim $2 and target $2.5 resistance. If this attempted takeover fails, LIT will retrace towards $1.7, with $1.49 as the key support level.

Final Thoughts Lighter successfully defended $1.5 and jumped to a local high of $1.8 amid renewed demand Whales turned staking, as they staked $2.3 million worth of LIT while token buybacks surpassed 2.4 million LIT. 

Shiba Inu's burn rate increased by 2,807% in 24 hours, but SHIB price remains unaffected.

Newton Gitonga2 min read

27 January 2026, 11:08 AM

Shiba Inu's token burn rate surged by 2,807% in the past 24 hours, sparking widespread discussion across cryptocurrency communities. The percentage increase appears substantial at first glance. The actual impact on SHIB's market fundamentals remains negligible.

Approximately 18.8 million SHIB tokens were removed from circulation during this period. Social media channels celebrated the development as a bullish signal, but market data tells a different story.

The Numbers Don't Add UpShiba Inu's circulating supply exceeds hundreds of trillions of tokens. Burning 18.8 million units represents a fraction so small it becomes statistically insignificant. The reduction accounts for less than 0.00002% of the total supply.

Even sustained daily burns at this rate would require decades to create measurable supply compression. The math simply doesn't support the narrative that such activity drives meaningful price appreciation.

The burn mechanism itself lacks systematic implementation. Transactions remain small, voluntary, and scattered. No protocol-level changes have been introduced to automate or enforce token destruction at scale.

This stands in stark contrast to deflationary models employed by networks like Ethereum. ETH burns transaction fees automatically through its base fee mechanism. The process is predictable, substantial, and built into network operations.

SHIB's burns depend on community participation and manual wallet sends. They carry no economic weight comparable to programmatic supply reduction.

Price Action Contradicts the HypeMarket performance provides the clearest evidence that burn activity isn't influencing SHIB's value. The token continues trading below critical moving averages. Technical indicators show no reversal pattern forming.

Volume remains weak across major exchanges. Recent attempts to establish upward momentum have failed to generate follow-through. Price consolidation persists within a defined downtrend.

If token burns were creating genuine scarcity pressure, markets would respond. Buyers would accumulate in anticipation of a tightening supply. Trading volume would expand as participants positioned for appreciation.

None of these signals is present. SHIB trades with the same characteristics it displayed before the burn rate increase. The correlation between burn announcements and price movement is essentially zero.

SHIB has dropped 0.37% over the last 24 hours, trading around $0.00000764 at the time of writing.

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

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Latest Shiba Inu News Today (SHIB)

Key NotesHYPE jumps over 21% in 24 hours as Hyperliquid’s liquidity claims go public.Hyperliquid says BTC and TradFi perps now rival major CEXs in depth and open interest.Critics argue visible order book depth on Hyperliquid overstates real executable liquidity. HYPE HYPE $27.61 24h volatility: 23.9% Market cap: $6.58 B Vol. 24h: $504.30 M jumped more than 21% in the last 24 hours, trading near $26.8 at the time of writing.

Trading volume doubled over the same period. The move followed public comments from Hyperliquid founder Jeff, who said the platform has now become the most liquid venue for global crypto price discovery.

Jeff shared internal comparisons that showed deeper BTC perpetual order book depth on Hyperliquid versus Binance.

He also pointed to strong growth in non-crypto perpetual markets, saying TradFi-linked contracts now trade with similar depth.

This was his first public statement since Jan. 1.

Hyperliquid has quietly achieved an important milestone of becoming the most liquid venue for crypto price discovery in the world. See below for side by side comparison of BTC perps on Binance (left) and Hyperliquid (right).

With HIP-3 teams leading the way, Hyperliquid has also… https://t.co/xu41eTqPfI pic.twitter.com/aJCFYjMoxV

— jeff.hl (@chameleon_jeff) January 26, 2026

Liquidity Debate Emerges The liquidity claim did not go unchallenged as analyst CryptoNoddy argued that direct order book comparisons between Hyperliquid and centralized exchanges miss key design differences.

Hyperliquid uses a speedbump model where order cancellations have priority over taker orders. This allows market makers to show size without the same fill risk seen on Binance.

Not discrediting what Hyperliquid has achieved – clearly it's both a major source of liquidity and price discovery, as shown with several ~$1B positions having been opened (congrats!) – but this type of surface level comparison of book depth as a measure of liquidity is pretty… pic.twitter.com/pvRI4YWRim

— CryptoNoddy (@Crypto_Noddy) January 27, 2026

During a recent ETH perpetual move at 9:41 PM UTC, Hyperliquid showed around $20 million in visible depth within a ±0.7% range near $2,914.

As the price shifted, most of that liquidity was pulled, leaving only around $2.5 million in actual trading volume.

Other major exchanges saw more volume filled during the same window, despite thinner-looking books, the analyst noted, adding that visible depth on Hyperliquid does not equal executable liquidity under fast conditions.

HIP-3 Open Interest Hits Record Levels Alongside the debate, Hyperliquid revealed that open interest tied to HIP-3 reached a new all-time high of $790 million.

Just one month ago, HIP-3 open interest was around $260 million. The increase was largely driven by growth in commodities-linked perpetuals.

HIP-3 open interest reached an all-time high of $790M, driven recently by a surge in commodities trading.

HIP-3 OI has been hitting new ATHs each week. A month ago, HIP-3 OI was $260M.

— Hyperliquid (@HyperliquidX) January 26, 2026

This rise in open interest shows that real capital continues to deploy on the platform, regardless of how liquidity is measured.

Large positions near the $1 billion mark have already appeared on Hyperliquid.

HYPE Daily Chart Analysis and Key Levels to Watch On the daily chart, HYPE broke out of a falling wedge structure after reclaiming the $26 zone.

Price now trades above short-term resistance that capped the pullback through November and December.

The next technical trigger sits at the 9-day and 21-day EMA on the daily timeframe. A bullish cross is projected in roughly 2.2 days if price holds above $24.12.

This level now acts as key short-term support. A clean hold keeps upside pressure active.

$HYPE pushing $26 level as mentioned

Got that falling wedge breakout now and a potential 1D 9/21 EMA cross setup if price can hold above $24.12 in ~2.23 days time

I still think anywhere in the orange box is a decent entry into HYPE, been buying since $20

Will update here https://t.co/lBWuG63pJw pic.twitter.com/24cwn9QytV

— that1618guy (@that1618guy) January 27, 2026

As per analyst “that1618guy” on X, HYPE demand zone sits between roughly $20.10 and $24.10.

This area previously absorbed sell pressure and marked accumulation during the prior correction.

Maxi Doge Presale Hits $4.53 Million, Gains Early Traction As HYPE continues to climb, Maxi Doge (MAXI) is drawing attention ahead of 2026. This fitness-themed meme coin mixes gym vibes with fast-paced crypto action and has already pulled in $4.53 million during its presale.

Maxi Doge positions itself as a high-energy alternative to the older meme coins. The project promises a raw, community-driven vibe while building a solid structure behind the hype.

Tokenomics of Maxi Doge Funds Raised So Far: $4.5M Staking APY: 69% Current Price: $0.0002801 MAXI holders take part in an active online community that includes trading chats, weekly events, and themed challenges. The project also runs the Maxi Fund, which is used to support liquidity and partnerships.

Early buyers are offered a 69% annual staking return to support long term holding. The token is currently priced at $0.0002801, with a price increase expected soon. Check out our guide on how to buy Maxi Doge if you want to join the presale.

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

Market News

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

Parth Dubey on LinkedIn

10h15 ▪ 4 min read ▪ by Luc Jose A.

Summarize this article with:

While bitcoin seemed to be initiating a rebound at the beginning of this year, the momentum suddenly froze. Around 88,000 dollars, the asset struggles to convince, held back by a climate of political and monetary uncertainty. Institutional investors are easing off, cooled by tensions in Washington and the Fed’s wait-and-see attitude. While some indicators reveal a continued upward trend, signals from the derivatives markets tell another story : that of a market that doubts, observes, and waits.

In Brief Bitcoin stalls around $88,000, held back by an uncertain political and economic context. Institutional investors reduce their exposure, as shown by data on futures and options. The drop in the futures premium and the rise in put options signal a decline in bullish confidence. The threat of a federal shutdown in the United States pushes markets towards safe havens, to Bitcoin’s detriment. Market Professionals Scale Back The derivatives market provides clear indicators of a retreat in risk appetite among the most seasoned investors.

Despite a recent rebound of Bitcoin around 88,000 dollars, institutional operators do not seem inclined to support a continued upward trend. Data extracted from exchange platforms reveal a significant drop in the futures premium. Thus, the annualized premium on three-month Bitcoin futures has fallen to 9 %, down from 13 % a week earlier.

Several elements confirm this cautious climate :

A decline in futures premium : the tightening premium suggests that market players no longer pay to secure long positions, reflecting a loss of confidence in a rapid price rise ; Stagnation of institutional positions on the CME : data from the Chicago exchange do not record a significant recovery of net long positions, showing a waiting attitude among professionals ; Overvalued put options : put options for levels below 80,000 dollars trade at a higher premium, signaling an anticipation of correction ; Unbalanced put/call ratio : the marked interest in put options translates a heightened willingness to hedge against potentially bearish volatility. Technical signals converge towards the same reading: institutional investors opt for caution and prefer marginal positioning, in a climate where bullish catalysts are neither obvious nor immediate.

The Macroeconomic Environment Redirects Flows Beyond internal crypto market dynamics, macroeconomic forces weigh on the trajectory of bitcoin. Among them, the prospect of a federal shutdown in the United States acts as a catalyst of uncertainty.

Concerns are growing about Congress’s ability to pass a budget law on time, and markets react by moving toward assets perceived as more stable. Indeed, this American institutional tension contributes to the current wait-and-see stance in the crypto market: the specter of a federal shutdown fuels a rotation towards safe-haven assets.

Moreover, the other point of tension comes from US monetary policy. Expectations of Federal Reserve decisions slow down risk-taking, in a context where any indication of tightening could increase selling pressure on volatile assets.

Thus, traders await clear signals from the Fed regarding interest rates, which delays positions on bitcoin. At the same time, gold has reached a historic high, capitalizing on this quest for security that benefits traditional financial instruments.

In a climate full of uncertainties, the bitcoin price reflects growing tensions between hopes of recovery and investor caution. Between Fed policy and the risk of a shutdown, market signals urge restraint.

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Luc Jose A.

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

DISCLAIMER

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

Tue, 27/01/2026 - 9:28

After 50 days of silence, Shiba Inu (SHIB) lead Shytoshi Kusama returns with a teaser that is cryptic but optimistic, hinting at an AI-driven project built "beyond crypto.".

Cover image via U.Today Shiba Inu's star figure, Shytoshi Kusama, just broke his longest silence in over a year — and he did not come back to talk about burns or bull flags.

Shytoshi had been missing from X since Dec. 8, but then he showed up again today, on Jan. 27, with a mysterious update aimed at the "wise and patient" rather than at speculators. 

His first message? Heads up: "This is war, not a battle." The context? It appears to be artificial intelligence — and what's coming next.

HOT Stories

SHIB/USD by TradingViewReferencing his now-resurfaced "AI Paper" from July 2025, the one published by The Shib Magazine, Shytoshi claimed the dystopian scenario laid out in that essay may have already been avoided because of it. 

For those not familiar, the piece had predicted 80% unemployment and systemic collapse driven by unchecked AI expansion.

Now, he says the tech he has been working on — which is beyond crypto, with a small company, and guided "by the grace of God" — is almost ready to launch. What exactly it is remains unknown. 

Is it about the price of Shiba Inu coin?But Shytoshi made it clear that whatever's coming will not be revealed in one drop. He said that this reveal would take a while, and he encouraged his followers to reread the paper and see how much AI has changed in just six months.

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SHIB's price has not reacted much yet. TradingView data shows a flat $0.00000768 print after a slight rebound from sub-$0.00000735 lows. There has been no spike or surge, just a calm situation. But if Shiba Inu's history is any indication, silence often means something is cooking. And Shytoshi's language was not just optimistic; it was full of vision.

The last time he used this tone, Shibarium followed. This time, he starts with "Amen" and ends with "We are here and we are ready."

Whatever it is, it does not sound like a meme anymore.

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Bitcoin Job Listings Grow 6% in 2025: Here’s What Employers Are Looking ForThe Bitcoin job market grew 6% in 2025, led by non-developer roles.US remained dominant, while Asia saw sharp job listing growth.Employers value skills, ecosystem fit, and public contributions.In 2025, the Bitcoin (BTC) ecosystem saw a 6% increase in job listings, with non-developer roles accounting for the majority of new openings, according to a recent report.

The data suggests the Bitcoin job market is maturing, as cultural fit, community involvement, and visible contribution increasingly outweigh traditional credentials in hiring decisions.

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Bitvocation Report Details Evolving Bitcoin Job Market in 2025Bitvocation’s 2025 Bitcoin Jobs Data report highlighted the hiring trends among Bitcoin-only companies and Bitcoin-adjacent companies. The report defines Bitcoin-only companies as businesses that meet three conditions:

Their products are exclusively focused on Bitcoin and not any competing cryptocurrencies. They publicly identify as Bitcoin-only or Bitcoin-first in their mission or communications. They actively contribute to the Bitcoin ecosystem, such as through open-source development or community involvement. According to the findings, in 2025, there were 1,801 unique Bitcoin-related job listings. This marked a 6% increase from 1,707 in 2024.

Bitcoin-only firms accounted for 47% of total listings, up from 42% last year. At the same time, Bitcoin-adjacent companies represented 53%. This signals that the gap between Bitcoin-focused and Bitcoin-adjacent companies continued to narrow in 2025.

Growth among Bitcoin-only employers was broadly distributed. The report counted 154 Bitcoin-only companies, each averaging 6 hires.

Bitcoin-Only Companies’ Job Listing Growth. Source: BitvocationRiot Platforms led these firms but held only a modest share. Collectively, the top 10 Bitcoin-only employers saw 122% year-over-year growth.

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“This is a distributed ecosystem. Growth isn’t concentrated in a few giants — it’s spread across mining, lightning network, financial services, and self-custody companies building at sustainable scale,” the report read.

In contrast, hiring at Bitcoin-adjacent companies was concentrated. Bitdeer accounted for almost one-third of all adjacent roles, with 307 postings. The top 10 adjacent firms captured 85% of their segment’s positions.

Meanwhile, non-developer roles accounted for 74% of all positions, up from 69% in 2024. Product Manager ranked highest among non-technical roles.

Bitvocation also observed a sharp increase in director-level hiring, suggesting that companies are expanding their operations. On the technical side, demand was highest for software engineers, particularly at senior levels. According to the report,

“Bitcoin-only companies lean toward mining, media, and design, and hire more at entry and leadership levels. Bitcoin-adjacent companies lead in finance, HR, and engineering, with a preference for senior and mid-level experience.”

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Bitcoin Job Growth Remains US-Led, With Expansion Across AsiaRegionally, the US continued to dominate the Bitcoin job market by a wide margin, hosting more Bitcoin-related roles than all other countries combined. Moreover, Asia also posted strong growth.

Singapore stood out with a 158% increase in Bitcoin-related job postings, driven largely by expansion at a single major employer. Smaller but notable clusters of hiring also emerged in countries such as El Salvador, Bhutan, and Brazil, highlighting how Bitcoin-friendly policies can translate into local job creation.

“The Americas are Bitcoin-only territory. North America leads with 309 Bitcoin-only jobs. Europe and Asia lean Bitcoin-adjacent, with a few exceptions,” Bitvocation noted.

Remote work remained a core feature of the Bitcoin job market in 2025, although its share declined year over year. Of the total job listings, 809 roles, or 45%, were advertised as remote, down from 53% in 2024.

Bitcoin-only companies continued to show a stronger preference for distributed teams, with 56% of their roles offering remote options.

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What Bitcoin Employers Value MostBitcoin employers in 2025 reported that hiring challenges were less about the volume of applicants and more about finding candidates with the right combination of skills, mindset, and ecosystem understanding.

Rather than relying solely on formal credentials or polished resumes, employers increasingly looked for proof of work, such as open-source contributions, community involvement, public writing, or hands-on experience within the Bitcoin ecosystem.

“The hardest roles to fill cluster at two ends: highly specialized technical positions (Bitcoin Core, Lightning, security) and nontechnical roles that require translating Bitcoin’s values into product, growth, operations, or communication,” the report added.

Versatility also emerged as a key theme. Many Bitcoin companies, particularly at earlier stages, favored individuals who could adapt across functions and take on multiple responsibilities.

Strong communication skills and the ability to translate Bitcoin principles into product, operations, growth, or strategy were seen as especially valuable in non-technical roles.

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Cryptocurrency analyst Willy Woo said Monday that fixing quantum computing risks is the most critical step for Bitcoin’s (CRYPTO: BTC) global adoption and its emergence as a major force in macro geopolitics.

Are Investors Hesitant Due To Quantum Uncertainty?In an X post, Woo argued that convincing nations and fiduciary organizations to invest in a “nascent” asset like Bitcoin is difficult. The quantum uncertainty, they added, makes it worse.

“I think the excuse of ‘it’s 20 years away’ does not cut it. The investors looking to allocate think in exactly these time horizons. So, time to get our ducks in a row,” Woo said, referring to estimates of when a computer — powerful enough to decode a Bitcoin public key to find its corresponding private key — becomes a reality.

Woo argued that fixing Bitcoin’s quantum issues is the “single most important thing” for the asset’s growth, given the current scale of buyers.

Can Bitcoin Match Gold’s Reputation?The analyst noted that countries like China are adopting a long-term perspective, spanning 5-15 years, and accumulating gold amid rising geopolitical and economic risks.

“Where the world is heading into, the world needs BTC for what it was designed for. Gold becomes the fallback that’s in a state of readiness, and they are buying,” Woo stated.

Are We Prepared For Quantum Threats Ahead?Woo’s concerns echo those of Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) creator Vitalik Buterin, who called for the swift deployment of quantum-resistant technology for the network, stressing its importance for long-term cryptographic safety.

Moreover, Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN), the biggest cryptocurrency-native company on Wall Street, announced the formation of an advisory board to assess the implications of quantum computing and prepare for “threats,” even those many years away.

Jameson Lopp, Chief Security Officer at self-custody platform firm Casa, said in December that upgrading Bitcoin, which involves migrating funds to a quantum-resistant version, could take up to a decade.

Notably, a report by digital asset management firm Grayscale suggested that quantum computing would not significantly impact cryptocurrency valuations in 2026. The report acknowledged a long-term risk to blockchain cryptography but deemed it unlikely to "meaningfully" influence the market.

Price Action: At the time of writing, BTC was exchanging hands at $88,453.85, up 0.94% in the last 24 hours, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

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Billy Markus, one of the two creators of the original meme cryptocurrency, Dogecoin, is well known on X for his ironic and often even sarcastic opinions and posts.

In today’s tweet, he commented on the current crypto market bloodbath, while silver and gold have been soaring to new all-time highs. These have been reached amid the current geopolitical turmoil.

DOGE creator explains crypto crash while silver and gold are spikingIn his typical and well-recognizable manner, Markus shared his take, using a meme that states: “Just sold my crypto yesterday to buy gold and silver.”

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Posting the meme, he responded to a tweet by The Kobeissi Letter agency. The latter reported that gold and silver managed to erase “$1.7 trillion of market cap in 90 minutes,” calling it “one of the largest reversals in history.”

Overall, according to his multiple earlier tweets, Markus is far from a crypto trading fan, and he views Bitcoin as a speculative asset, which can easily be pushed down by other assets on the market when their prices begin to accelerate.

Between last Monday and this Sunday, the world’s flagship cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has crashed by nearly 8%, falling from $93,300 to the $86,400 zone. By today, BTC managed to recover by 2.68% and regain $88,720. However, this recovery was followed by a reversal, and Bitcoin has been pushed down to $88,000 again, where it is trading at press time.

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Robert Kiyosaki predicts gold to hit $27,000 in short termRobert Kiyosaki, a prominent investor and Bitcoin advocate, as well as author of the “Rich Dad Poor Dad” book, has recently celebrated the surge in silver and gold prices to new historical highs. The financial guru has been supporting not only Bitcoin, but also these two precious metals, for the past six years, regularly tweeting about them.

GOLD soars over $5000.

Yay!!!!

Future for gold $27,000.

— Robert Kiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) January 26, 2026 Last week, Kiyosaki tweeted that he is not bothered about whether the gold, silver or Bitcoin prices are going up or down, since he is certain that the U.S. dollar is dying. He just continues to accumulate more and increase his bet on all three. On Jan. 26, he published a tweet, praising gold soaring above the $5,000 level for the first time in history and predicting that in the future it is likely to reach $27,000 per ounce.

Bitmine has staked more than 2 million ETH, with the potential for more than $160 million in annual staking rewards. Bitmine is scheduled to upgrade its infrastructure, such as the development of a local validator network. Bitmine Immersion Technologies, a publicly traded digital asset treasury management firm, has greatly improved its Ethereum staking offering by staking a total of 2,009,267 ETH worth approximately $5.9 billion. At the standard 2.81% Composite Ethereum Staking Rate (CESR), the staked Ether of the company is expected to generate annual staking revenue of approximately $160 million.

The staking effort is indicative of Bitmine’s move to capitalize on its massive Ethereum holdings, estimated to be in excess of 4.24 million ETH, by engaging in the staking process to earn rewards from the Ethereum proof-of-stake network.

Staking Operations and Revenue Potential Bitmine’s staking operations have contributed to the company’s staked ETH holdings increasing by 171,264 ETH over a recent reporting period, which is a testament to the company’s continued commitment to on-chain activities. Based on CESR data and current ETH prices, the company’s current staking activities have the potential to generate an annualized revenue stream in excess of $160 million. The company’s chairman has also stated that if the Ethereum assets Bitmine are fully staked, the revenue potential could increase substantially, potentially over $374 million per year under the same staking terms.

Apart from the staking operations, Bitmine also reported holding significant liquid assets, including cash of approximately $682 million and 193 Bitcoins, thus totaling approximately $12.8 billion in reported crypto and cash holdings. 

Infrastructure Development and Strategic Expansion In addition to the existing staking facilities, Bitmine is also collaborating with third-party staking facility providers and is developing its own validator infrastructure in the U.S., which is expected to be launched in 2026. 

The infrastructure development projects are in line with Bitmine’s plans to develop its own yield-generating capabilities and improve its presence within the Ethereum decentralized validation infrastructure.

The increasing Ethereum staking activities carried out by Bitmine Immersion Technologies have put the company on the right track to generate substantial annual revenues, estimated to be over $160 million at the current rate, by locking away a substantial portion of its Ether holdings in staking activities. Additionally, the company also has other plans to develop local validator infrastructure and increase its staked holdings.

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Bitcoin Holders Start Selling at a Loss — Could a Major Run Be Near?Bitcoin is displaying patterns that have historically preceded major market moves. Analyst Diana notes that BTC holders are now realizing losses, a classic signal of peak fear and potential smart-money accumulation.

Well, selling at a loss happens when investors offload assets below their purchase price. While it may seem negative, it often signals a potential market rebound because weaker hands exit, creating opportunities for savvy investors to accumulate at discounted levels.

Data shows this pattern last appeared in September 2023, with Bitcoin’s current price being $88,266 per CoinCodex data. Notably, BTC recently dipped below $88,000 following $60 million in long liquidations, as shutdown fears and Trump tariff concerns pressure the market.

Source: CoinCodexDiana highlighted a classic market setup where mass loss realization signals fear, but smart investors see opportunity. Current trends suggest Bitcoin may be nearing this inflection point. Historically, phases of widespread selling at a loss often precede strong bullish momentum, creating potential conditions for the next rally.

Current losses are driven by market volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and macroeconomic pressures, prompting short-term holders to exit. 

Yet these conditions often draw institutional investors who see Bitcoin’s long-term potential. For retail investors, this period underscores the value of patience, panic selling risks missing the next upswing, while strategic accumulation can position one for significant future gains.

Why does this matter? Well, Bitcoin is navigating a classic market cycle since realized losses are spiking, fear is high, and smart money is quietly buying. Historically, such conditions often precede major rallies, as seen after September 2023’s breakout.

CryptoQuant’s NRPL shows losses turning sharply negative, with $4.5B in recent realized losses, while CME gaps target $89,350 and $93,000, hints that BTC could be gearing up for its next bullish surge. The coming weeks may determine if panic selling gives way to renewed upward momentum.

ConclusionThe recent surge of Bitcoin holders selling at a loss signals more than fear, it may hint at opportunity. History shows such sell-offs often precede major rallies, as savvy investors accumulate while weaker hands exit. Therefore, this could mark the start of the next bullish phase, reminiscent of September 2023 as BTC approaches a pivotal moment in its cycle.

Orbs, a Layer 3 blockchain, has announced Gryps has integrated its Perpetual Hub Ultra to bring institutional-grade onchain perpetual futures trading to the Sei Network, expanding access to advanced derivatives infrastructure designed for execution certainty, capital efficiency, and deterministic risk management.

According to the announcement shared with Finbold on January 27, the integration allows Gryps to deploy a fully managed perpetuals stack on Sei using Orbs’ Layer-3 infrastructure alongside Symmio’s smart contract system. 

The setup provides core components such as hedging, liquidation, oracle pricing, and professional trading interfaces, without requiring Gryps to build its own complex backend infrastructure.

Bringing the next evolution of derivatives trading to Se Built specifically for perpetual futures, Gryps is positioned as specialized trading infrastructure rather than a general-purpose DeFi application. Through the integration, users gain access to intent-based execution coordinated by Orbs’ infrastructure, which is designed to optimize capital efficiency and execution certainty, including during periods of market volatility.

“This demonstrates how advanced onchain derivatives infrastructure can be deployed in a way that meets the operational requirements of professional traders,” said Ran Hammer, Chief Business Officer at Orbs. “By integrating Perpetual Hub Ultra, Gryps is able to deliver institutional-grade perpetuals trading on Sei using a modular, turnkey stack that prioritizes execution quality and predictable risk.”

Orbs said Perpetual Hub Ultra builds on earlier versions of its Perpetual Hub already live across several decentralized trading venues. The Ultra version extends these capabilities by allowing platforms to route liquidity from both onchain and offchain sources, including centralized exchanges, while keeping settlement and execution onchain.

The integration supports Orbs’ turnkey perpetuals infrastructure, aimed at helping decentralized venues compete with centralized exchanges on performance and user experience while remaining fully onchain.

Featured image via Shutterstock. 

Journalist

Posted: January 27, 2026

Tether continued its gold buying spree in late 2025, driven by macro uncertainty and growing demand for safe‑haven assets. According to its latest transparency report, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer purchased 27 metric tons of gold in Q4 2025.

This was nearly the same amount of gold as it acquired in Q3, 2025. In fact, its 2025 buying spree rivaled demand from central banks, as the metal crossed new highs and broke key psychological levels. 

In 2025, gold posted a 64% gain and is up another 17% so far in 2026, crossing the $5000 mark for the first time. 

Source: Gold price, TradingView 

This explosive run has also driven retail demand for tokenized gold, with the Tether gold [XAUT] market supply growing over 3x from $600 million to $ 1.8 billion by the end of 2025. 

In early 2026, Tether Gold’s market cap rose to $2.24 billion, up 26% in January alone, further underscoring investors’ interest in the tokenized gold. The firm’s aggressive demand for gold is used to back issued XAUT tokens on a 1:1 basis, the report noted.  

Commenting on the report, Tether’s CEO Paolo Ardoino said,

“Through Tether Gold, we are operating at a scale that now places the Tether Gold Investment Fund alongside sovereign gold holders, and that carries real responsibility.”

Ardoino added that XAUT exists to ‘remove ambiguity’ as confidence in monetary systems weakens and is put to a stress test by institutions and people. 

That said, the tokenized gold boom has also seen Tether’s market share trimmed by nearly 10%. According to CoinGecko data, Tether gold held nearly 60% market dominance as of November 2026. 

However, in early 2026, Tether Gold’s market share had dropped to 50% ($2.6 billion), while Pax Gold, the second-largest tokenized gold, had a 40% market share. 

Source: CoinGecko

Kinesis Gold appeared to be the rising star that has eaten into most of the market share. Its dominance rose from zero in November to nearly 8% as of early 2026. 

Meanwhile, the tokenized gold market has surpassed $5.2 billion and could grow further if geopolitical tensions and macro uncertainty drive physical gold prices higher.

Final Thoughts Tether added 27 tons of gold in Q4 2025, nearly the same amount bought in Q3, as the commodity extends its bull run into 2026.  However, Tether Gold has lost 10% of its market share amid the tokenized gold boom

Asset manager VanEck has brought to the U.S. market the first exchange-traded fund (ETF) offering spot exposure to Avalanche’s native token, AVAX.

VanEck Debuts America’s First AVAX-Based ETF According to Monday’s announcement, VanEck’s ETF began trading on the Nasdaq on Monday under the ticker symbol VAVX. 

The company touted VAVX as “the first and currently the only (as of January 26, 2026) U.S.-listed ETP focused on providing investors with exposure to the price return and potential staking rewards of Avalanche’s native token, AVAX.”

The fund offers investors exposure to spot AVAX token performance, all while generating returns through staking. VanEck said it will waive sponsor fees on the ETF’s first $500 million in assets until Feb. 28. Afterwards, the fund will charge a management fee of 0.2%.

Avalanche is an open-source blockchain network launched by Ava Labs in 2020 for decentralized applications and smart contracts. The platform aims to improve existing crypto scalability, interoperability, and usability. 

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VanEck Director of Digital Assets Kyle DaCruz said Avalanche is unique in that it can link traditional finance and blockchain, in a statement. “Avalanche’s architecture is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between traditional finance and the on-chain economy, focusing on verifiable, real-world utility,”  VanEck Director of Digital Assets Product Kyle DaCruz posited.

Avalanche’s AVAX is currently the 33rd-largest cryptocurrency with a market cap of $5.06 billion, according to CoinGecko data. The layer-1 network token is a staggering 91.9% away from its November 2021 all-time high of $144.96 and down around 68% over the past year.

VanEck first applied to launch an Avalanche ETF in March 2025, when it submitted an S-1 registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Nasdaq then followed with the necessary paperwork in April 2025, seeking the greenlight to list and trade the proposed Avalanche ETF, a key step before the product could go live on Wall Street.

Notably, VAVX is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. However, it may be subject to other US securities laws.

Altcoin ETF Momentum Builds Institutional demand for altcoins has risen steadily in recent months, with crypto ETF activity now rapidly expanding beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum amid a perceived pro-crypto regulatory environment under President Trump. 

The fund’s launch positions AVAX squarely alongside other major-cap altcoins, including Ripple’s XRP, Solana (SOL), and Dogecoin (DOGE), which all have their own spot ETFs trading on US exchanges.

Since Paul Atkins officially took over as the Chairman of the SEC in April, the Commission has taken steps to provide clarity for digital assets, as well as approved new generic listing standards that have opened a faster route for crypto ETFs.

XRP hovers on key support as Bloomberg’s McGlone warns of a breakdown while CryptoBull bets on a long consolidation before a major upside breakout.

Summary

McGlone warns that a sustained close below long-held XRP support could spark sharper declines and invalidate bullish calls.​ The correction from the November 2025 rally frames support as a critical line, even as a bounce could open a short-term recovery path.​ CryptoBull argues XRP is mirroring its previous bull run, needing extended consolidation at prior highs before a powerful breakout. Bloomberg Senior Commodities Strategist Mike McGlone has issued a warning regarding XRP’s (XRP) price trajectory, citing the potential for the cryptocurrency to fall below a critical support level, according to statements attributed to the analyst.

The warning comes as a broader correction wave continues across the cryptocurrency market. XRP is currently trading near a key support level, making its price movements a focal point for market participants, according to market observers.

The UK needs crypto innovation. $XRP delivers 👇

UK politicians admit they are behind on crypto in a Bloomberg interview in Davos. What happens next?

They look for solutions that are already compliant, already licensed, already operational.

Ripple has the FCA license. RLUSD… pic.twitter.com/BHG4hUjmVE

— QUANTUM FINANCIAL SYSTEM QFS (@qfsofficialnews) January 26, 2026 McGlone stated that a retest of the support level is imminent, emphasizing that a sustained close below it would invalidate bullish price predictions and could lead to further declines. The analyst noted the level has served as reliable support since the November 2025 rally.

The Bloomberg analyst, who has previously issued warnings about Bitcoin potentially falling to $10,000, predicted that sharper declines may be on the horizon for XRP as the correction trend that began in October continues.

In a bearish scenario for XRP, the support level remains important, while a bounce above higher resistance could signal a short-term recovery toward higher targets, according to the analysis.

An analyst using the pseudonym CryptoBull offered a contrasting view, noting that XRP was consolidating around its previous all-time highs. The analyst stated the price pattern is replicating the previous bull run.

CryptoBull said a longer accumulation period is needed for higher prices, predicting that XRP could consolidate around its previous high for an extended period before experiencing a major upward breakout. The analyst added that subsequent waves of momentum could take XRP to higher levels.

XRP’s price remained near recent levels at the time of the original report.