Market Signal Briefing

NEW YORK, Jan. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Ardent Health, Inc. (NYSE: ARDT) and certain of its officers.

This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Ardent securities between July 18, 2024 and November 12, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm’s site: bgandg.com/ARDT.

Ardent Case Details

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:

(1) Ardent Health’s third quarter 2025 revenue was overstated due to inadequate determinations of accounts receivable collectability following the Company’s transition to a new revenue accounting system and “recently completed hindsight evaluations of historical collection trends”;
(2) the Company’s 2025 EBITDA guidance was overstated and would be reduced by $57.5 million at the midpoint, or approximately 9.6%, due to “persistent industry-wide cost pressures,” including “payer denials”; and
(3) as a result, Defendants’ statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

What's Next for Ardent Investors?

A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm’s site: bgandg.com/ARDT. or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Ardent you have until March 9, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.

No Cost to Ardent Investors

We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys’ fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.

Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Ardent Securities Class Action?

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com

"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.

Contact Info

Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or Nathan Miller
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
917-590-0911 | [email protected]

Attorney advertising.
Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

, /PRNewswire/ -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized investor-rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE: BBWI) and certain of its officers.

This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Bath & Body securities between June 4, 2024 and November 19, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/BBWI.

Bath & Body Case Details

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, the Complaint alleges that Defendants failed to disclose to investors:

the Company's strategy of pursuing "adjacencies, collaborations and promotions" was not growing the customer base and/or delivering the level of growth in net sales touted; as the Company's strategy of "adjacencies, collaborations and promotions" faltered, the Company relied on brand collaborations "to carry quarters" and obfuscate otherwise weak underlying financial results; as a result, the Company was unlikely to meet its own previously issued financial guidance; and that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. What's Next for Bath & Body Investors?

A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/BBWI. or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 917-590-0911. If you suffered a loss in Bath & Body you have until March 13, 2026, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.

No Cost to Bath & Body Investors

We, Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.

Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC for Bath & Body Securities Class Action?

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide. More at www.bgandg.com

"Our practice centers on restoring investor capital and ensuring corporate accountability, which serves to uphold the essential integrity of the marketplace," said Peretz Bronstein, Founding Partner of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.

Contact Info

Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or Nathan Miller
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
917-590-0911 | [email protected]

Attorney advertising.
Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

SOURCE Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC

Over the past month here at the Sunday Digest, I’ve been lining up my top bets for 2026: 

Rocket Cos. Inc. (RKT)  Crispr Therapeutics AG (CRSP)  Evolv Technologies Holdings Inc. (EVLV)  Celanese Corp. (CE)  Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM)  PayPal Holdings Inc. (PYPL)  FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS)  Tronox Holdings PLC (TROX)  This list spans from the ultraconservative FactSet to the high-growth startup Evolv, and features virtually everything in between. 

Healthcare… basic materials… tech… 

In fact, the only common thread is that they’re all meant to be bought and held for at least a year for maximum returns. (I’ll be keeping you posted in the coming months on how these firms do.) 

But I also realize not everyone is so patient. In fact, there’s plenty of evidence that faster-moving investors routinely outperform their buy-and-hold counterparts… provided they have a proven system that powers their trades. It’s why high-frequency traders can earn billions even as buy-and-hold investors make millions. 

Nowhere is this clearer than at our partners at TradeSmith. Our quant-focused friends have created a system that has been running 50,000 tests a day across 33 years of stock market history. And it’s powered by a secret pioneered by a hedge fund that’s turned every $100 investment since its inception into $2.1 million. 

Essentially, that means TradeSmith now has an algorithm that pinpoints the optimal times to buy and sell virtually any U.S. stock. And it does so with incredible accuracy that can help any short-term trader. 

Here’s proof… 

Exactly this time last year, I used an earlier version of their system to identify three stocks to buy for a short holding period. And here’s how they did over the following 30 days: 

Cheniere Energy Inc. (LNG): -3%  DraftKings Inc. (DKNG): +10%  Cloudflare Inc. (NET): +44%  Average: 17%  If you held onto these stocks for the exact period recommended by TradeSmith’s algorithm (42 days on average), then you would have walked away with a 27% average return. 

I’ve used this quantitative tool to find other winners as well, including O’Reilly Automotive Inc. (ORLY) (+10% in just over two months) and Hanesbrands Inc. (HBI) (+43% in a month). These are not isolated wins. 

Now, our friends at TradeSmith believe we’re entering some of the best conditions yet for using their Trade Cycles algorithm, and they want you to be a part of that story. You can try out their software on the stocks you own by registering for a free, limited-time trial version here. They’re making it available ahead of their Prediction 2026 event, all about the seasonal patterns they say we need to be aware of as the year kicks off (more on that in a minute).  

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with three more seasonal stocks to buy immediately, as a preview of their system. 

Seasonal Stock No. 1: The AI Gem  The fourth quarter is a historically wonderful time for software firms. Managers at Fortune 500 companies all know that savings from one year can turn into permanent cuts the next, and so many use the opportunity to spend their “use it or lose it” budgets. 

That’s particularly good news for AI firm ServiceNow Inc. (NOW), my first “seasonal” pick from TradeSmith’s tool in this update. 

In short, ServiceNow is a rival of AI darling Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR). Both companies offer top-tier AI products that help customers make decisions, and Q4 is an excellent quarter for the pair. 

However, the two companies differ in their market strategy: 

Palantir’s “secret sauce” is its ability to manage unstructured data. If you’re the U.S. Army with hundreds of suppliers using hundreds of different standards, then you need Palantir to pull this information together.  ServiceNow’s edge is its broad portfolio of AI tools. The company has specific products aimed at IT, customer service, human resources, app development, supply chains, and more.   That means ServiceNow generates three times the sales of Palantir and is growing around 50% faster on a per-dollar basis. Its addressable market is far larger, and its product breadth makes cross-selling a breeze. 

Best of all, TradeSmith’s system is flagging now as the perfect time to buy ServiceNow. Shares of the AI firm trade at their best valuations since 2023, and history says investors can expect double-digit gains if they buy and hold through February 17. 

Seasonal Stock No. 2: The Media Spinoff  My second pick from TradeSmith’s seasonality tool this week is Versant Media Group Inc. (VSNT), a recent spinoff from Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) that took many of NBCUniversal’s cable channels (including USA Network, CNBC, E!, Golf Channel) and digital assets (Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes) along with it. 

That’s because the fourth-quarter earnings season is also a phenomenal time for cable news companies. This is when advertisers mount their holiday-period advertising surge, creating a boost at Fox Corp. (FOXA), the Walt Disney Co. (DIS), and more. Here’s the graph for the former, which typically logs a 40% to 50% increase in revenues that quarter. 

Versant Media is an even better bet because shares have gone through a post-spinoff selloff. The firm only became independent on January 5, and ETFs have spent the past two weeks dumping VSNT shares because it’s no longer part of the S&P 500 or Nasdaq Composite indexes. We saw similar selloffs in GE Vernova Inc. (GEV), Chemours Co. (CC), and Kenvue Inc. (KVUE) after they split from their larger parent organizations. 

After that, spinoffs then typically recover sharply – 31.6% over 22 months, according to one study. Chemours shares rose 1,100% from their post-spinoff trough. 

In addition, Versant has: 

An intact management team. Most of the NBCUniversal top brass migrated to the spinoff, including NBCUniversal Chairman Mark Lazarus  Significant sports and news assets. The company is an attractive acquisition target thanks to its ownership of top-rated CNBC and exclusive rights to the Premier League, WWE Wrestling, NASCAR, the U.S. Open, and more.  Low debt. Comcast avoided loading its spinoff with too much debt. Versant carries just $2.3 billion of net debt, which represents less than three years of net profits.  Irresistible valuation. The post-spin selloff now prices VSNT at under 5X forward earnings and 4.5X cash flows, by my estimates.  Together, that suggests Versant could see a double-digit pop in the near term. Though the spinoff is too recent to have its own graph in TradeSmith’s system, its data for Fox Corp, Disney, Warner Brothers (WBD) and other media firms show investors should hold Versant through February 20. 

Seasonal Stock No. 3: The Accounting Wizard  My final pick from TradeSmith’s tool this week is Intuit Inc. (INTU), a firm best known for its TurboTax offering. In fact, this tax accounting software is so central to Intuit’s business that the firm ends its fiscal year on July 31 to match the tax filing season. 

Below, you can see how TradeSmith’s system has flagged that midyear period as a way to earn consistent 6.43% returns (green section in the middle of the graph). 

Intuit also owns QuickBooks, an accounting platform designed for small businesses. Over the past several years, AI has turned this software into an “outsourced CFO,” allowing many small companies to run without a dedicated finance team. Business owners can simply ask QuickBooks’ AI to help automate its accounting, and the system does much of the rest. 

The result is that Intuit is beginning to look like more typical software firms as well. Shares now rise going into calendar fourth-quarter earnings, creating a 6.11% bump in share prices (shown by the green section on the left side of the graph). 

I’m particularly bullish on Intuit this year because many provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill impact the 2025 accounting and tax year. These changes include: 

No tax on tips or overtime  Additional senior deductions  Trump savings accounts  Restoration of 100% bonus depreciation and certain R&D expensing  And so on.  In other words, Intuit’s performance this year could look much like its 2017-2018 surge, when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) boosted demand to all-time highs. Shares jumped more than 80% during that period. That makes Intuit’s 13% selloff this week an excellent opportunity to buy in cheaply. The system recommends holding shares through February 25. 

The Importance of a System  In the 1980s, hedge fund Bridgewater Associates almost went bankrupt after founder Ray Dalio made a mistake in his global macro forecasts. He expected a depression to happen after Mexico defaulted on its debt… and he turned out to be flat wrong.  

Dalio was forced to lay off all his employees and rebuild his firm from scratch. 

For his second try, Dalio used a more formal investment approach – something that would turn into the Pure Alpha strategy in 1991. This data-driven method involved strict investment rules, model-based signals, and a lot of computing power to churn out decisions. 

It was wildly successful. 

Today, Bridgewater Associates is one of the world’s largest hedge funds with almost $100 billion under management. Its flagship fund has returned 12% annually since 1991, turning every $10,000 invested into almost a half-million dollars. 

The TradeSmith system puts a similar strategy in your back pocket. Rather than guess which assets will go up or down (as Dalio did before 1982), TradeSmith’s algorithms give you the tools to make decisions based on historic data. 

You don’t even have to take my word for it. 

 TradeSmith has made a version of their Seasonality software available for you to explore now.  

They’ve unlocked access so you can see the seasonal “green days” for thousands of stocks ahead of their Prediction 2026 event. (reserve your spot by going here). 

It kicks off Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 10 a.m. ET. During that event, the folks from TradeSmith will be getting into more detail about the fast-approaching seasonality patterns you need to be aware of.  

They’ll also walk you through how they uncovered these patterns, why they persist even in chaotic markets, and how you can use them to guide real-world trading decisions. Click here to save your seat for that free event.

Please note that the InvestorPlace offices and the U.S. stock market will be closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

I’ll see you here next Sunday. 

Thomas Yeung, CFA

Market Analyst, InvestorPlace 

Thomas Yeung is a market analyst and portfolio manager of the Omnia Portfolio, the highest-tier subscription at InvestorPlace. He is the former editor of Tom Yeung’s Profit & Protection, a free e-letter about investing to profit in good times and protecting gains during the bad.

President Trump's executive order to reschedule marijuana is one of the many things cannabis investors will be watching in 2026. AdvisorShares portfolio manager Dan Ahrens, who manages the firm's Pure US Cannabis ETF, joins Asking for a Trend to explain where the cannabis industry stands right now.

Revenue and profit growth have been off the charts for this fintech innovator.

When you're buying 100 shares of stock, the difference between a decent trade execution and a perfect one is a few dollars. But for institutional investors making billion-dollar trades, there's a lot more on the line. The importance of taking maximum advantage of the latest technology to facilitate trades has given Tradeweb Markets (TW +1.97%) an addressable market to serve, and as you learned in the first article on Tradeweb here, Tradeweb has captured that market admirably.

Helping Wall Street make money only works out well for Tradeweb, though, if Tradeweb is able to make money from Wall Street. This article will look further at how this fintech stock has managed to show the kind of financial performance that many other companies in the industry would love to have.

Image source: Getty Images.

The virtues of Tradeweb's balanced business model Tradeweb gets paid in a variety of different ways. About three-quarters of its revenue is variable, relying on the volume of trades its customers make and the fees that Tradeweb is able to negotiate with those customers. By far, Tradeweb makes the most money from its institutional clients, and its access to the interest rate and credit markets is what those clients want the most from Tradeweb.

However, a quarter of Tradeweb's revenue comes from fixed arrangements. Some of the trading arrangements the company makes involve fixed revenue, and the market data that Tradeweb provides also produces a reliable stream of recurring revenue on which the company can depend. In addition, Tradeweb's roughly 60/40 split between U.S. and international sales adds some geographical diversity to its mix of business.

A profitable combination of growth factors Increased penetration of its markets and rising levels of trading volume overall have fueled considerable growth in Tradeweb's business over the past decade. Between 2016 and 2024, Tradeweb saw its revenue rise at an average annual rate exceeding 16%. Those gains accelerated in 2025, with the company posting 21% year-over-year gains through the first nine months of the year. Over that stretch of time, average daily volume has gone from $324 billion to $2.56 trillion.

What's even more impressive is the way that Tradeweb has made its business more efficient over time. Between 2016 and 2024, Tradeweb's net income jumped almost sixfold to $695 million. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) has grown at an average 21% annual rate. Those outpaced gains have come largely from adjusted EBITDA margin improvements that have taken the figure from 38.7% 10 years ago to 54.2% for the first nine months of 2025.

Tradeweb is financially strong Tradeweb's business has generated about $1 billion in free cash flow over the past 12 months, and that has helped it maintain a strong balance sheet with $1.9 billion in cash and cash equivalents. Ample free cash flow leaves the company with plenty of room to pursue a balance capital allocation strategy . Some of that capital goes into acquisitions that help grow the business, while some gets invested internally to produce organic growth.

That still leaves ample money left over to return to shareholders. Tradeweb's dividend yield of 0.5% is nothing to write home about, but the company has made modest stock repurchases every year since 2021. And with $180 million in available future repurchases still available in its current stock buyback program, Tradeweb foresees plenty of chances to send more money back to shareholders as smart opportunities arise.

Today's Change

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$

106.16

What's ahead for Tradeweb? Despite Tradeweb's financial success, shareholders have been disappointed with the stock's performance recently. Shares are down almost 20% in the past year. Yet Tradeweb's future growth plans are aimed at reversing that trend. The third and final Voyager Portfolio article in this series on Tradeweb will look more closely at its growth prospects.

AI stocks may continue to advance in the new year.

Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have powered the overall market higher in recent years, and signs are showing that the AI story is far from over. Cloud service providers continue to invest in infrastructure to keep up with demand from their customers, and the revenue of many companies developing or using AI keeps roaring higher.

I recently predicted that gains in AI stocks in 2026 may not be as broad as they were in recent years; instead, winners and losers may start to emerge. But this investing theme should remain strong, and certain AI stocks could contribute significantly to the market's momentum.

Considering this, here are my top five AI stocks to buy for 2026.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Nvidia Nvidia (NVDA 0.29%) has been the "go-to" AI stock for many investors in recent years for one simple reason: It's the leading seller of AI chips, the elements powering this technology revolution.

Though Nvidia's earnings and stock price have soared, the shares still trade at a reasonable level considering the company's market dominance and likelihood of remaining on top.

NVDA PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

Nvidia has put the focus on innovation, launching updates annually, and demand for these new products has remained high. Meanwhile, the company also has acquired technology and forged partnerships to deepen its expertise and broaden its work across industries. Finally, in this era of infrastructure spending, Nvidia's chips are greatly needed -- so the company is well positioned to score yet another win.

2. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM +0.25%) is a great AI bet because the company manufactures the chips of not just one AI chip leader, but many. For example, TSMC produces the chips of Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Broadcom. This means the company benefits from the growth of all players -- and in a high-growth market such as AI, this is huge.

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In the fourth quarter of 2025, the company beat analysts' profit and revenue estimates and spoke brightly about the future. TSMC said it has talked with cloud service providers and other customers, and the message is clear: Demand for AI chips is strong, and this trend is set to continue.

All of this makes TSMC a likely winner as this story unfolds -- and a great stock to buy now.

3. Amazon Amazon (AMZN +0.49%) represents a fantastic buy for investors looking for a company that is involved in AI but doesn't greatly depend on it for revenue. This player built its e-commerce and cloud computing businesses well before the AI boom began. And these units have a long track record of delivering growth and billion-dollar revenue.

As AI emerged, Amazon jumped in, both as a user and a developer and seller of the technology. The company uses AI to gain efficiency in its e-commerce business. And its Amazon Web Services (AWS) business develops its own AI chips and tools for customers and also sells a wide range of other chips and products from leaders such as Nvidia. AWS recently reached a $132 billion annual revenue run rate thanks to its AI efforts.

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For this combination of safety and growth, Amazon is reasonably priced, trading at 30x forward earnings estimates.

4. Alphabet Alphabet (GOOG 0.80%) (GOOGL 0.80%) is another option if you want AI growth but aren't too keen on risk. Like Amazon, Alphabet has built a business over time, and it doesn't depend on AI. The company's biggest revenue driver is advertising across its Google platform, and the second key source of growth is the Google Cloud business.

Both of these businesses helped the company reach a milestone recently: the first-ever quarter of $100 billion in revenue. Alphabet, like Amazon, has gotten in on AI. The company has developed products, such as its own large language model, and offers access to these and other AI tools via its cloud business. And Alphabet also uses AI to improve operations across the company.

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330.10

Right now is an excellent time to invest in this solid tech company because it's dirt cheap, trading for only 29x forward earnings estimates.

5. CoreWeave And now, a potential buy for aggressive investors who don't mind some risk. Meet CoreWeave, (CRWV +6.67%) a company delivering what AI customers need a lot of these days: capacity for workloads.

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CoreWeave offers customers the ability to rent graphics processing units (GPUs) as needed from its fleet of high-powered Nvidia products. This saves customers time and money as they don't have to build out or invest in infrastructure. The company works closely with Nvidia, and that's resulted in CoreWeave being the first to make the chip giant's systems generally available.

A risk for CoreWeave is that it must rely on debt to invest heavily to meet demand. And any potential dip in AI spending could hurt revenue and the stock price. But, if AI demand continues to soar over time and CoreWeave can turn revenue growth into profit, this company could score a major win for investors over time.

, /PRNewswire/ -- 

Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Jayud Global Logistics Ltd. (NASDAQ: JYD) between April 21, 2023 and April 30, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important January 20, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

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

What to do next: To join the Jayud class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48196 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 20, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

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

Details of the case: According to the lawsuit throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Jayud was the subject of a fraudulent stock promotion scheme involving social media-based misinformation and impersonated financial professionals; (2) insiders and/or affiliates used offshore or nominee accounts to facilitate the coordinated dumping of shares during a price inflation campaign; (3) Jayud's public statements and risk disclosures omitted any mention of the false rumors and artificial trading activity driving the stock price; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about Jayud's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

To join the Jayud class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48196 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

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

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

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

Contact Information:

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

SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.

Taiwan Semiconductor stock looks set up for a meaningful breakout.

When it comes to leading semiconductor stocks, most investors probably don't bother looking past Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Broadcom. These three powerhouses dominate the market for AI accelerators -- graphics processing units (GPU) and custom application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) used to develop generative AI.

While investing in chip designers has been a good proxy for the overall health of the AI landscape, a more lucrative opportunity might be hiding in plain sight. As the world's largest chip manufacturer by revenue, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM +0.22%) plays an enormous role in ensuring AI chips make into data centers on time.

One of my predictions for 2026 is that Taiwan Semi will be the next member of the trillion-dollar club to reach a $2 trillion valuation. Let's unpack how TSMC can reach this milestone and assess why the stock looks like a no-brainer buy right now.

Image source: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing.

What would it take for Taiwan Semi to reach a $2 trillion valuation? Currently, Taiwan Semi has a market cap of $1.7 trillion -- making it one of the most valuable companies in the world. In order to reach a $2 trillion valuation, shares of TSMC would need to rise by another 18% this year -- or about $380 per share. Considering the stock has rallied 62% over the last 12 months, joining Amazon in the $2 trillion club looks attainable. Let's take a look at some of the company's tailwinds that support further valuation expansion.

How TSMC can dominate in 2026 and beyond Throughout the AI revolution, hyperscalers including Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Amazon have each accelerated their investments in AI capital expenditures (capex).

GOOGL Capital Expenditures (Quarterly) data by YCharts

According to consensus estimates from FactSet Research, Wall Street is expecting the hyperscalers to spend $527 billion on AI infrastructure in 2026 -- up 13% from previously issued forecasts at the beginning of the third quarter.

Taking this a step further, McKinsey & Company estimates that $5 trillion will be spent on supporting AI workloads by 2030. Translation: Appetite for training and inference (i.e., more chips) is expected to grow and accelerate among AI's largest developers for the next several years.

The obvious winners of the AI infrastructure era are companies like Nvidia, AMD, Broadcom, and Micron Technology. But behind the scenes, many of these companies are relying on Taiwan Semi to manufacture their chips in order to fulfill expanding backlog orders.

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TSMC is already getting ahead of the curve as it relates to ratcheting up its foundry capabilities. The company is expanding its geographic footprint beyond Taiwan -- in particular, setting up facilities in Japan and Germany. Perhaps more importantly, however, TSMC is also considering a $300 billion expansion to its existing $165 billion infrastructure project in Arizona.

By diversifying its manufacturing expertise and doubling down on its relationship with the U.S., I think Taiwan Semi is positioning itself for even stronger relationships with its major customers. As such, I think the company is poised to continue commanding a high degree of pricing power over the competition -- fueling even further acceleration across the top line complemented by expanding profit margins.

Should you buy Taiwan Semi stock right now? Taiwan Semi's forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 24 may not appear "cheap" upon first glance.

TSM PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts

The subtle nuance from the chart above is that the company is trading about 22% below its peak forward earnings levels. According to consensus estimates, sell-side analysts are anticipating TSMC to generate $13.26 in earnings per share (EPS) in 2026.

At its peak forward P/E of 30, TSMC could reach $390 per share assuming it meets analysts' earnings expectations. I think this is more than reasonable, as should the company reach or surpass these estimates, I would not be surprised to see the stock experience a meaningful rebound and propel well past a $2 trillion valuation.

To me, Taiwan Semi is one of the best examples of a pick-and-shovel opportunity tailor-made for the AI infrastructure chapter. With this in mind, I view TSMC as one of the most reasonably priced and safest AI chip stocks on the market right now relative to its growth prospects for this year and beyond.

Adam Spatacco has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, FactSet Research Systems, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and Micron Technology and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Following a recent pullback, the more established of these two nuclear stocks may have the greater upside potential.

In recent years, nuclear energy has experienced a resurgence. Around the world, government and corporate stakeholders are increasingly viewing nuclear power as a cleaner, more scalable energy source than past options. The growing need for energy to meet the demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers added to this resurgence and sparked huge interest in nuclear power generated by smaller-scale nuclear reactors.

All this led to increased speculation in stocks like NuScale Power (SMR +6.83%) and Nano Nuclear Energy (NNE +6.86%). Both stocks went on a bull run last year, but in recent months, each has experienced a pullback. The volatility is a byproduct of the speculation.

The question now is, between these two nuclear energy stocks, which one has the better opportunity?

Image source: Getty Images.

Still in the early stages  NuScale and Nano Nuclear Energy are both in what's known as the small modular reactor (SMR) business. The U.S. Department of Energy has noted that SMRs have numerous cost and efficiency advantages.

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NuScale focuses on developing permanently installed SMRs. Nano's specialty is microreactors, which offer greater flexibility and modularity for end users. Both companies are still in their early stages.

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Investors are valuing each company based on future potential rather than current results. While Nano may be the "smaller" of the two, don't assume this means this company has a greater amount of potential upside.

The stronger choice is NuScale Currently, NuScale has a market cap of around $6 billion, while Nano's market cap is around $1.75 billion. At first, this may suggest that Nano has greater long-term upside potential. While that's possible, it's also possible that Nano's lower market cap is reflective of greater uncertainty about its future success.

After all, NuScale already has regulatory approval for its reactors and has entered the commercialization stage. Last year, revenue came in at $40 million, with sell-side analysts estimating that sales could more than triple this year.

Barring some game-changing regulatory or commercial partnership news out of Nano, consider NuScale Power the more established of these nuclear start-ups and the stronger choice from a risk/reward standpoint.

Micron became one of the market's hottest stocks last year, and big wins have continued in 2026.

Micron (MU +7.68%) stock posted a run of explosive gains in 2025. The memory-chip specialist's share price surged 239.1% in the year, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

With the S&P 500 rising 16.4% and the Nasdaq Composite gaining 20.4% last year, Micron's incredible rally was aided by bullish valuation trends shaping the broader market -- but there's much more to the story. Demand and pricing power for memory chips used in artificial intelligence (AI) processors have been surging, and it's having a transformative impact on the business.

Image source: Getty Images.

AI demand made 2025 an incredible year for Micron stock Micron is the leading provider of high-bandwidth-memory (HBM) chips used in AI processors from companies including Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices. Ramping buildouts for AI infrastructure have spurred soaring demand for HBM chips, and the dynamic helped power robust sales and earnings growth for Micron last year.

In Micron's 2025 fiscal year, which ended Aug. 28, the business posted revenue of $37.38 billion -- up from $25.11 billion in fiscal 2024. non-GAAP (adjusted) earnings per share for the last fiscal year came in at $8.29 -- skyrocketing above adjusted per-share earnings of $1.30 in fiscal 2024.

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Impressive momentum continued in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, which ended Nov. 27. Revenue rose 56.6% year over year to $13.64 billion, and adjusted earnings per share surged 167% higher to reach $4.78.

Micron followed up its fiscal Q1 report with news that it had already sold out of HBM chips through 2026. The company also announced that it was moving out of the consumer chips space to focus on the enterprise market.

Micron stock has kept roaring in 2026 As of this writing, Micron stock has gained an additional 27.1% across 2026's trading. Over the same stretch, the S&P 500 has risen 1.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite is up 1.2%.

Micron stock has continued to rally thanks to expectations that demand for HBM chips will remain sky high for the foreseeable future. With the company anticipating that it will only be able to meet roughly 60% of the demand for AI memory chips this year, it looks like strong sales and earnings growth will extend into next year.

Micron's share price has also seen big jumps in conjunction with moves that the company is making in the manufacturing space. The company announced on Jan. 16 that it had started construction on its massive chip fabrication facility in New York. The next day, Micron announced that it had signed a deal to purchase a fabrication facility from Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation. With production capacity scaling to meet soaring demand, Micron's new growth phase could still be in early innings.

Keith Noonan has positions in Micron Technology. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Micron Technology. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

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Nuclear stocks were some of the biggest winners over the past year as investors are starting to notice their role in the AI bottleneck. Nuclear plants provide a reliable, carbon-free energy source that doesn’t put pressure on the power grid. Big tech companies are willing to invest hundreds of billions of dollars into AI each year, and some of those investments went to nuclear companies.

For instance, Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) recently signed a long-term deal with Oklo (NYSE:OKLO) that includes the development of a 1.2 gigawatt campus. Meta Platforms has agreed to prepay for power so Oklo can fund the site’s development. Oklo aims to complete the project by 2034, with some megawatts available as early as 2030. 

It may be the beginning of more dealmaking, but there are some reasons to remain patient for now.

The Short-Term Revenue Outlook Is Still Murky Oklo’s model involves accepting prepayments and using that money to build its sites. That way, Oklo and other nuclear power providers have access to capital without diluting investors. Centrus Energy (NYSE:LEU) is approaching a $6 billion market cap. The nuclear energy stock brought in $74.9 million in revenue and $3.9 million in net income in Q3 2025.

Centrus Energy also has a $3.9 billion backlog, but it extends all the way to 2040. Not all of that revenue will be realized right away, and as Centrus Energy’s stock continues to rise, its valuation becomes more lofty. 

Oklo doesn’t have the best growth either based on a $36.3 million loss from operations in Q3 2025. The Meta Platforms prepayment will help with additional funding, but meaningful profits and revenue expansion look like they are multiple years away.

This News Is More Bullish For Companies That Already Have AI Infrastructure The strong demand for nuclear stocks reflects the AI ambitions of many tech giants, but the partnership between Meta Platforms and Oklo is actually more bullish for AI infrastructure companies that already have energy and data centers set up.

The deal indicates Meta Platforms is comfortable with paying for 1.2 gigawatts that they know they can’t fully access in 2034. Meanwhile, IREN (NASDAQ:IREN) and Cipher Mining (NASDAQ:CIFR) are some of the AI infrastructure stocks that have multi-gigawatt pipelines that should be ready to go much sooner. IREN’s 1.4 gigawatt Sweetwater 1 site should be fully ready by April. 

These AI data center providers have a more clear and immediate path to realized revenue than nuclear energy stocks. 

Nuclear Energy Can Become A Mega Trend Nuclear energy is a hot topic, and with all of the capital flowing into the industry, it would be no surprise to see nuclear stocks dominate headlines in the years ahead. However, the thought of investing in a future winner can result in stretched valuations in the short run. 

Investors may be better off pursuing other stocks that address AI bottlenecks like energy and memory storage. Oklo is down by roughly 50% from its all-time high, while Centrus Energy has declined by about 30%. These declines show how quickly fortunes can change due to lofty valuations. These stocks are long-term winners, but some stocks are poised to generate compelling returns sooner than nuclear stocks. 

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The last day of the week started bullishly for most of the coins, however, later bears seized the initiative, according to CoinStats.

XRP chart by CoinStatsXRP/USDThe rate of XRP has dropped by 1.18% since yesterday.

Image by TradingViewOn the hourly chart, the price of XRP has made a false breakout of the local support at $2.0470. If the daily candle closes around that mark or below, the correction is likely to continue to the $2.04 area tomorrow.

Image by TradingViewOn the bigger time frame, there are no reversal signals so far. If a breakout of the $2.0350 level happens, the accumulated energy might be enough for a further downward move to the $2 zone.

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Such a scenario is relevant until the end of next week.

Image by TradingViewFrom the midterm point of view, the situation is similar. As the rate of XRP is far from the key levels, one should focus on the nearest zone of $2. If bulls lose it, there is a high possibility to witness an ongoing drop to the $1.8209 support.

XRP is trading at $2.0506 at press time.

Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko has challenged Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin’s vision for blockchain protocol development.

Summary

Yakovenko says Solana must keep iterating and warns stagnation kills protocols. Vitalik argues Ethereum should function long-term without mandatory upgrades. The debate contrasts perpetual innovation with resilience through ossification. Yakovenko argues that Solana must continue iterating indefinitely, warning that any protocol stopping its evolution to meet developer and user demands will “die.”

The exchange began when Yakovenko responded to Buterin’s post about Ethereum passing the “walkaway test.” Buterin advocates for reaching a state where Ethereum can ossify, meaning the protocol could theoretically stop receiving updates while maintaining its core value.

I actually think fairly differently on this. Solana needs to never stop iterating. It shouldn’t depend on any single group or individual to do so, but if it ever stops changing to fit the needs of its devs and users, it will die.

It needs to be so materially useful to humans… https://t.co/itqr1b5az4

— toly 🇺🇸 (@toly) January 17, 2026 Yakovenko counters that continuous adaptation is necessary for survival, though Solana shouldn’t depend on any single organization to drive these changes.

Yakovenko’s vision for continuous Solana evolution Yakovenko stated that Solana’s future depends on remaining “materially useful to humans” with enough active developers earning from the network’s transactions.

He envisions these developers having spare resources to contribute protocol improvements back to the open-source project.

The Solana co-founder shared a selective approach to protocol changes. While he advocates for constant iteration, he said the network must reject most proposed changes.

Upgrades should target real problems facing developers and users rather than attempting to satisfy every request.

Yakovenko predicts Solana will have future versions built by contributors outside the current core teams at Anza, Solana Labs, or Firedancer.

He suggested the ecosystem could transition toward a model where governance votes fund the computational resources needed to write new code.

Vitalik’s case for protocol ossification Buterin argues Ethereum must support trustless and trust-minimized applications across finance, governance, and other sectors. He compares these to tools like hammers.

The Ethereum founder contends that applications can’t achieve true trustlessness if built on a base layer requiring ongoing vendor updates.

He frames this as Ethereum needing to embody the same traits it enables for applications built on top of it.

Buterin clarified that reaching ossification capability doesn’t mean halting all protocol development. Rather, Ethereum’s value proposition shouldn’t strictly depend on features not yet implemented.

The network should reach a baseline where it can function indefinitely without mandatory upgrades.

This Is How Zcash May Be In For A Breakout RallyZcash shows bullish divergence as Chaikin Money Flow turns positive.Whale holdings increased 6.7%, signaling steady accumulation.Break above $450 could trigger rally toward $504 and $540.Zcash price has shown renewed strength after weeks of sideways movement and unclear direction. Recent investor behavior points to growing confidence, with accumulation picking up across several metrics. 

These bullish signals may act as a catalyst, helping ZEC break out of consolidation and establish a clearer trend in the near term.

Zcash Whales Attempt To Push Price UpMarket sentiment around Zcash is improving as technical indicators flash early bullish signals. The Chaikin Money Flow indicator is forming a bullish divergence on the charts. While the ZEC price has continued to post lower lows, the CMF has produced a lower high, signaling hidden accumulation.

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This divergence suggests that capital inflows are not yet fully reflected in price action. The CMF recently climbed above the zero line, confirming a shift toward net inflows. Historically, such setups often precede upward price moves, indicating Zcash may be preparing for a recovery rally.

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ZEC CMF. Source: TradingViewMacro momentum further supports the bullish case. On-chain data shows increased activity from large holders. Addresses holding more than $1 million worth of ZEC have been steadily accumulating over the past week, reinforcing the signal seen in momentum indicators.

Whale holdings have risen by approximately 6.7% during this period. While the pace of accumulation remains measured, consistency matters more than speed. Sustained buying by large investors often provides a stable foundation for price appreciation, especially when broader market conditions remain supportive.

Zcash Whale Holdings. Source: NansenZEC Price Breakout On The CardsZcash price trades near $396 at the time of writing after slipping below the $405 support level. The altcoin continues to move within a triangle pattern, suggesting compression before a larger move. Given improving sentiment and accumulation trends, a bullish breakout appears increasingly likely.

A decisive move above the $450 resistance would confirm the breakout. Such strength could lift ZEC toward $504, marking a clear escape from the pattern. Continued momentum may then push the price toward $540, allowing Zcash to recover much of its recent decline.

ZEC Price Analysis. Source: TradingViewHowever, risks remain on the downside. If whale sentiment shifts and selling pressure emerges, the bullish thesis would weaken. A breakdown below the triangle would invalidate the setup. Under that scenario, ZEC could slide toward $340, reflecting renewed distribution and loss of near-term momentum.

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

Bybit’s Risk-Appetite Index recorded an uptick, suggesting that some traders have opened perpetual positions to capture any further rallies in spot prices.

The derivatives market is witnessing a change in sentiment, with funding rates and open interest rising. A Crypto Derivatives Analytics report from the trading platform Bybit and research firm Block Scholes attributed this change to bitcoin’s (BTC) latest recovery and move to the upper $90,000 range.

According to analysts, bitcoin’s breakout coincided with rising perpetual futures open interest and higher funding rates for multiple altcoins. This is reflected in futures term structures clustering at similar levels and short-dated options moving toward a neutral volatility skew

Derivatives Sentiment Improves Before the price rally, BTC traded between $85,000 and $95,000. The breakout into the $97,000 region triggered a surge in open interest past $8 billion across nine major coins. As BTC rallied, the altcoin market was lifted and open interest returned to levels seen at the start of the year when BTC surged to $94,000.

Bybit’s Risk-Appetite Index recorded an uptick, suggesting that some traders opened perpetual positions to capture any further rallies in spot prices. This turn in spot price movement has been supported by flows into altcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Both ether (ETH), Solana (SOL), and XRP ETFs have seen multiple consecutive days of inflows over the past week.

As for Bitcoin options, the breakout had little impact on the at-the-market (ATM) volatility levels. While realized volatility spiked towards the end of last week after moving sideways, short-tenor implied volatility has been lower around 22% over the last 12 months. Analysts say it is unsurprising that options market volatility has continued its downward trend, as bitcoin’s price has traded in a sideways chop over the past month.

Will the Positive Change Hold? Nevertheless, derivatives market conditions are supporting a continuation of the latest bitcoin rally. There are signs of a strong willingness for leveraged exposure, with volatility smiles for shorter-dated options moving towards neutral skew from bearish positions. Also, the market is seeing a seven-day futures trade with a 10% premium over the spot price.

Amid this noticeable shift in derivatives sentiment, there are concerns that BTC hovering around $95,000 would not be enough to sustain the change from bearish to neutral. Although the market is yet to see short-dated volatility smiles fully skew towards calls, historical patterns suggest that bitcoin’s failure to hold $95,000 will trigger a return to the put premium.

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A sharp comment from a well-known XRP Ledger developer has sparked fresh debate around savings, inflation, and what smart money looks like today.

Bird, the developer behind the XRPL-based meme coin DROP, drew attention after saying that anyone holding more value in XRP than in their bank account is a “genius.”

The word choice was bold, and it quickly spread across social media, pulling in both supporters and critics.

Genius Or Gamble In An Inflation Era According to Bird, the label has less to do with bragging rights and more to do with awareness. He argues that many people trust banks by default, assuming savings accounts protect their future.

The problem, he says, is math. Savings rates around 4–6% often fail to keep pace with rising prices. Groceries, rent, transport, and healthcare keep climbing.

Over time, money sitting still can quietly lose strength. In that light, Bird frames holding XRP as a sign of foresight rather than recklessness.

If you have more money in $XRP than in your bank account, you’re a genius.

— Bird (@Bird_XRPL) January 11, 2026

Risk Still Has A Price XRP prices can swing hard in short periods, something banks are built to avoid. A savings account may feel boring, but it offers stability and fast access when bills arrive or emergencies hit.

That difference matters. Long-term holders respond that XRP was never meant to act like a checking account. It is treated as an asset tied to future payment rails and global transfers, not day-to-day spending money. The “genius” remark, they say, speaks to time horizon, not short-term comfort.

XRP market cap currently at $124 billion. Chart: TradingView Utility Gains After Years Of Pressure XRP spent years weighed down by legal uncertainty while its network continued to expand behind the scenes. With parts of that pressure easing, attention has shifted back to usage.

Cross-border payments remain a core focus. Stablecoin activity, including RLUSD, has increased. Tokenization of real-world assets is also being explored on the XRP Ledger. Supporters believe this growing use gives XRP value beyond price charts.

“ What’s the right amount of $XRP to hold? “

The truth is… it’s completely subjective.

We all live in different countries, have different costs, jobs, savings, families, goals. Some people chase money, some chase freedom. Some need security for health, travel, retirement,… https://t.co/A5g5Oa4f7c

— Bird (@Bird_XRPL) January 10, 2026

How Much Is Enough Depends On You Bird has also raised a question that keeps coming up online: what amount of XRP is “right.” Reports note he often mentions 10,000 XRP as a rough reference, not a target.

His thinking is simple. If XRP ever trades in double digits, that holding turns into a six-figure sum in US dollars. For some people, that could mean freedom. For others, it might only ease pressure. Living costs, family size, health needs, and location all shape what “enough” really means.

Calling someone a genius makes for catchy headlines, but real life sits in the middle. Keeping some money in banks helps cover daily needs. Holding assets like XRP is a bet on future systems and long-term growth.

Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

As a result, deposits climbed gradually, with brief accelerations during strong price phases rather than abrupt surges.

Source: Santiment/X

This level of staking removes nearly half of Ethereum [ETH] from liquid circulation. Consequently, downside volatility softens as sell pressure declines.

However, the reduced float could also limit rapid upside during sudden demand spikes.

Investor intent appeared strategic. Ethereum’s stakers prioritized yield, security, and duration exposure.

In the short term, a tighter supply supported price stability. Over longer horizons, it reinforced Ethereum’s scarcity profile.

Even so, exit dynamics remained a key variable. If yields compressed or macro stress intensified, delayed but clustered exits could reintroduce volatility.

Validator growth reinforces supply lockup Ethereum’s validator count showed sustained expansion alongside a strengthening price structure.

Active validators ranged between roughly 977,000 and 1.04 million, up from around 890,000 at the end of 2023.

That increase signaled rising confidence among participants. At the same time, lower circulating ETH reduced short-term sell pressure.

Source: Beaconcha.in

Consequently, price action becomes stable in the pullbacks. The history of validators shows a positive movement with the ETH price cycles.

Periods of accelerating entries from the validators often preceded upward momentum.

It is worth noting that the recent expansions in the entry queues, as well as the declining exit activity, preceded the rise of ETH to the $3,300-4,500 range in the years 2025-2026.

This tendency indicates that price is not the only validator of growth. On the contrary, it strengthens it.

Additional validators seal supply, enhance network security, and ensure valuation permanence.

Exit queues remain the swing factor

Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.

It is 18 days into 2026, and Shiba Inu's lead ambassador Shytoshi Kusama maintains his silence on X.

The Shiba Inu lead ambassador's last activity on X was on Dec. 7 and 8, when he interacted with a few posts from the crypto community.

While expectations remained about Kusama breaking his silence at the year's start, it was not so as he rather maintained a status quo.

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The Shiba Inu lead ambassador had always indicated a viewpoint of speaking when he believes the time is right and perfect. Perhaps he was waiting for announcements and developments toward the next phase for SHIB to build up before making a move on X.

At the year's end, Shiba Inu developer Kaal Dhairya informed of the plan to make Shibarium users who were affected by the bridge incident whole again through SHIB Owes You.

Dhairya stated that everything done from this point forward is oriented toward this goal.

The official SHIB Owes You, which refers to SOU NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain, are not yet live, but the community-powered SOUs have kicked off.

Shiba Inu team member speaks on next phase of SHIB growthDhairya mentioned in his 2025 year-end message to the SHIB community that the past year, especially in the final months, was the hardest period in Shiba Inu's history, given the Shibarium hack incident that happened in September.

In a Sunday read, Shiba Inu team member Lucie speaks of alignment, capability and the next phase for SHIB.

According to Lucie, holding through uncertainty is not passive but it costs attention, patience and often silence when noise would be easier. Lucie added that what matters most now is that the direction has not changed, with the SHIB framework still in place.

Looking ahead, Lucie says the path forward is less about commentary but more about participation, further adding that the Shib Army has grown past the phase where volume equals value.

"The strongest contributors are often the ones doing the unglamorous work, improving small things, or quietly pushing ideas forward," Lucie said, adding that "the SHIB ecosystem has never been about certainty. It has been about commitment. That is still true."

XRP continues to trade in a corrective environment after the sharp rebound earlier in the month. Against USDT, the asset has stabilized above the major demand region while failing to reclaim the broader distribution zone.

Versus Bitcoin, XRP remains in a structural downtrend and has resumed underperformance after a brief spike into resistance. Until the BTC pair can hold a higher low and recover above key moving averages, relative strength continues to favour Bitcoin over XRP.

Ripple Price Analysis: The USDT Pair On the daily XRP/USDT chart, the price recently bounced from the $1.80 support band and rallied into the $2.40 supply zone, where it met the declining 100-day moving average and sits still well below the 200-day moving average near the upper part of that resistance block.

The rejection from this confluence, together with a cooling daily RSI after an overbought push, indicates that the market has transitioned from impulse to consolidation or corrective pullback rather than a confirmed trend reversal.

In the short term, the $2.00 region now acts as the first important pivot; holding above it would preserve a constructive higher-low structure and keep open the prospect of another attempt at $2.40 and, later, a test of the 200-day moving average. On the other hand, a daily close back below roughly $2.00 would signal that selling pressure is re-establishing control and increase the probability of a deeper retracement toward the $1.80 demand zone, where the prior base of the rally was formed.

The BTC Pair The daily XRP/BTC pair shows a clear rejection from the 2,400–2,500 sats resistance band, which coincides with the key 200-day moving average and a prior distribution zone. After that failed breakout, the price has rotated lower and now trades around the 2,150 sats area, with the daily RSI rolling over from a local peak. This behavior is typical of continuation within an existing downtrend, with rallies into the moving averages repeatedly attracting supply.

If the current weakness persists, the next notable technical area lies around 2,000 sats. Only a sustained recovery back above the 2,400 sats region, coupled with a break and hold above the daily moving averages, would indicate a material shift in relative strength and open the way for a larger mean-reversion phase in favor of XRP against Bitcoin.

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Solana CEO Rejects Buterin’s ‘Ossification’ Vision, Vows Perpetual UpgradesSolana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko has rejected the concept of blockchain "ossification," arguing that networks must perpetually mutate to avoid obsolescence,Yakovenko positions Solana as a fast-moving blockchain platform that prioritizes constant upgrades, decentralized contributors, and even AI-assisted development.This view contrasts with Buterin’s vision for Ethereum, which aims to eventually lock its protocol into a self-sustaining state once key technical milestones are reached.Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko has declared that blockchain protocols must perpetually “iterate” to survive.

In a January 17 post on the social media platform X, Yakovenko argued that a network’s longevity is strictly tied to its ability to iterate.

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Yakovenko Outlines AI-Driven Future for SolanaHe posited that for a blockchain to avoid obsolescence, it must never stop changing to fit the shifting requirements of its developers and users.

“To not die requires to always be useful. So the primary goal of protocol changes should be to solve a dev or user problem. That doesn’t mean solve every problem, in fact, saying no to most problems is necessary,” he wrote.

Yakovenko outlined a future where Solana does not rely on any single individual or core engineering group to drive these iterations. Instead, he argued that protocol upgrades should emanate from a diverse, decentralized community of contributors.

I actually think fairly differently on this. Solana needs to never stop iterating. It shouldn’t depend on any single group or individual to do so, but if it ever stops changing to fit the needs of its devs and users, it will die.

It needs to be so materially useful to humans… https://t.co/itqr1b5az4

— toly 🇺🇸 (@toly) January 17, 2026 Interestingly, the Solana executive said artificial intelligence could play a central role in sustaining the network’s rapid development by shaping its governance and coding in the future.

“LLM can generate a SIMD spec so tight that LLM can verify it’s complete and unambiguous and implement it. The only long pole is agreement and testnet soak testing,” he claimed.

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This approach would ostensibly allow the network to self-optimize at a pace impossible for human-only teams.

Meanwhile, Yakovenko’s comments serve as a direct counter-argument to a recent strategic vision laid out by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.

Buterin recently introduced the concept of the “walkaway test.” This is a milestone in which the Ethereum network becomes self-sustaining and can operate permanently without its founding developers.

Under this vision, Ethereum will “ossify,” reaching a state in which its value proposition is derived from the protocol’s permanence rather than the promise of future features.

Buterin acknowledged that Ethereum must continue to change in the short term. However, he emphasized that the network aims to lock the protocol once it clears specific technical hurdles.

Some of these hurdles include the need for full quantum resistance, sufficient scalability, and a lasting state architecture.

Indeed, this clash of ideologies delineates two distinct paths for the crypto market.

Buterin’s roadmap positions Ethereum as a reliable settlement system that prioritizes security and immutability to attract trust.

Conversely, Yakovenko’s strategy positions Solana as a high-growth technology platform. This means the network prioritizes speed and aggressive adaptation to capture market share in a competitive environment.

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Sun, 18/01/2026 - 16:05

Monero has tumbled 26% from record highs, but technical indicators tell a different story.

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Privacy token Monero (XMR) is currently down 26% from an all-time high reached in the week just concluded.

Monero rose to an all-time high of $798 on Jan. 14 as privacy-focused tokens gained traction in the market. This capped a steady multi-month climb that began last September.

In the lead-up to Monero's price setting record highs, the token rose for five straight days from Jan. 10 to Jan. 14.

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According to analysts at 10x Research, Monero's surge was partly contributed to by increasing focus on privacy and anticipation around upcoming protocol upgrades, which have boosted demand despite persistent regulatory risks hanging over the sector.

On Jan. 11, a new version of the Monero software was released, v 0.18.4.5 Fluorine Fermi, which fixes a bug with Ledger hardware wallet.

The release fixes Ledger Monero app crash and adds support for Ledger Nano Gen5. Other fixes include those of Daemon and wallet, with a race condition causing dropped connections during sync fixed as well as an edge case where key images are marked unspent. The release also included minor bug fixes and improvements.

Monero down 26% from ATH: rally over?Monero fell for three consecutive days shortly after reaching an all-time high near $800 on Jan. 14. At the time of writing, XMR was down 5.98% in the last 24 hours to $590 but up 19% weekly.

XRM/USD Daily Chart, Courtesy: TradingViewIn a recent development, a social engineering attack was uncovered, which saw a $282 million loss in assets. The attacker is said to have stolen 2.05 million Litecoin and 1,459 Bitcoin on Jan. 10 and swapped most of the funds for Monero, which contributed to its price surge over four days, spanning from Jan. 10 to 14.

This incident might have contributed in a way to the recent price drop. Despite this, technical indicators suggest the recent rally might not yet be over.

This is as Monero continues to trade above the daily MA 50 and 200 at $349 and $455, converting them into support following a major golden cross in November.

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XRP is trading near the $2 level, but something bigger than daily price movement is happening behind the scenes. Data from the XRP Ledger shows a sharp rise in the number of wallets holding XRP, suggesting many holders are choosing to move tokens off exchanges and keep them in private custody.

XRP Supply Quietly Moves Off ExchangesOver the past few days, XRP has been leaving public exchanges at a pace not seen in several years. When tokens move off exchanges, they are usually less likely to be sold quickly. This does not guarantee higher prices, but it does reduce the amount of XRP readily available for trading.

At the same time, volatility in the broader crypto market has remained high. 

25,000 Wallets Join Higher Holding TiersOne of the most noticeable changes is the jump in higher-balance wallets. As reported by an analyst, in just 48 hours, more than 25,000 new XRP addresses moved into higher holding tiers, levels often tracked as part of the “rich list.” This marks one of the strongest accumulation periods since the 2021 bull market.

These new wallets are not limited to one group. They include smaller holders increasing their positions, mid-sized investors adding more XRP, and larger holders continuing to build. Together, they represent a growing portion of the circulating supply that is no longer sitting on exchange order books.

Wallet Growth Passes 7.5 MillionThe total number of XRP wallets has now crossed 7.5 million, a milestone reached earlier than many expected in 2026. A larger wallet base generally means ownership is spread across more participants, which can reduce the impact of sudden large sell-offs by a small number of holders.

With millions of wallets holding XRP, price movements increasingly depend on broad market behavior rather than single large transactions.

What It Takes to Be a Top XRP Holder Has ChangedAs the price has moved above $2, the entry point for higher holder tiers has risen. Current data shows that:

The top 10% of XRP holders now hold roughly 2,350 XRP or more
The top 1% tier begins near 50,000 XRPWhy the $2 Level MattersXRP’s ability to hold above $2 has become an important reference point. On-chain and exchange data shows strong buying interest between roughly $1.95 and $2.05, creating a zone where demand has repeatedly appeared.

With more XRP held across millions of wallets and less supply sitting on exchanges, it now takes more sustained selling pressure to push prices lower than in previous cycles.

This does not remove risk. Crypto prices can still move quickly in either direction. But the structure of XRP ownership in early 2026 looks different from past cycles, with more participants holding and fewer tokens immediately available to sell.

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XRP has finally shed the regulatory shackles that held it back for nearly half a decade. Following a landmark settlement with the SEC in August 2025 and the subsequent launch of several US-based spot XRP ETFs in late 2025, the token is now positioned as a primary institutional "workhorse" for global finance.

As of January 18, 2026, the XRP price is trading at approximately $2.05. Let’s dive into the technicals and what a $1,000 investment could look like by 2031.

XRP Chart Analysis: 2026 Market StructureThe current XRP chart shows a token under pressure but finding strong institutional support. After hitting multi-year highs near $3.66 in 2025, the price has pulled back to consolidate.

XRP/USD 1D - TradingView

Support: Significant buyers are defending the $1.80 - $1.85 zone, which aligns with the 100-week EMA and serves as a critical floor.Resistance: XRP faces immediate resistance at $2.20, with a decisive breakout above $2.45 needed to retest the $3.00 psychological barrier.Momentum: The RSI is currently hovering around 38 to 48, indicating a neutral-to-soft momentum that allows room for a short-term rally toward $2.20 if support holds.Analysts suggest that while the price is currently range-bound, the record-breaking inflows into XRP ETFs—totalling over $1.2 billion since November 2025—are steadily removing supply from exchanges.

XRP Price Prediction: The $1,000 ScenarioInvesting $1,000 in XRP today at a price of $2.05 would net you approximately 487 XRP. Based on current institutional adoption rates and predictions from major banks like Standard Chartered, here is a realistic potential trajectory:

YearPotential XRP PriceEstimated Value of $1,000 Investment2026 (Now)$2.05$1,0002027$4.20$2,0482028$8.50$4,1462029$12.50$6,0972030$18.00$8,7802031$25.00+$12,195+Note: These projections assume continued integration into global payment corridors. For real-time updates, check the latest crypto news.

Catalysts for the Next 5 YearsThe "Industrialization" of XRP is driven by three main factors:

The CLARITY Act: New US legislation in early 2026 is expected to give XRP "Bitcoin-like" status, formally excluding it from securities classification.RLUSD Stablecoin Integration: Ripple’s new USD-backed stablecoin (RLUSD) is now a top 5 stablecoin, acting as a "bridge" that creates organic demand for XRP as its underlying liquidity layer.SWIFT Market Disruption: Ripple is targeting 14% of the $150 trillion annual SWIFT volume. Even capturing 3% would represent trillions in annual transaction volume on the XRP Ledger.Managing Your InvestmentLong-term holding requires security. Ensure you compare the latest hardware wallets to store your XRP safely. While the regulatory clouds have cleared, the market remains volatile; always compare crypto exchanges for the best liquidity and fees when managing your position.

SummaryA $1,000 investment in XRP today is no longer a "legal gamble" but a strategic bet on the future of cross-border settlement infrastructure. While the current price is consolidating, the underlying fundamentals—ETF inflows, stablecoin utility, and regulatory clarity—point toward a strong five-year horizon.

Sun, 18/01/2026 - 16:43

XRP just printed an 8,700% liquidation imbalance as $522K in longs got wiped out near the $2 mark, turning the "bankers' coin" into a leverage graveyard with stablecoin behavior.

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XRP is looking less like a volatile cryptocurrency and more like a synthetic stablecoin — it has been fluctuating near $2 with weird consistency while the market deals with overleveraged optimists.

In the last 12 hours, XRP saw $528,940 in liquidations, with long positions accounting for a mind-boggling $522,900. Short sellers were barely registered — it was just $6,040, as per CoinGlass.

That is an 8,700% imbalance between longs and shorts. Just for context, Bitcoin's liquidations during the same period added up to $815,000, but with a much more even split. Ethereum lost $2.02 million, mostly from both sides.

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Source: CoinGlassXRP's liquidation profile, on the other hand, looks like a tough spot for bulls, but a green carpet for patient bears.

The coin has been trading pretty much flat at around $2.053, with minimal deviation despite the long squeeze. This unusual price stability, along with frequent long liquidations, points to either algorithmic reloading or systematic leverage mispricing.

The market might be treating $2 as a sort of unspoken reversion point — it could be a psychological anchor, an institutional entry point, or maybe it is just an exhaustion zone after the rallies triggered by XRP ETFs.

How has XRP become $2 stablecoin?XRP's price action suggests passive distribution: lower highs, a static base and nonstop liquidation. The $2 handle is becoming a magnet — every wick above gets sold, and every dip below gets bought back by the same liquidity-hungry bots that fuel these recurring squeezes.

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If this keeps up, XRP might become the first stablecoin that is not backed by the government or by fiat money, but by the market's desire to capitalize on leverage.

Right now, it is at $2.05, unchanged from before the liquidation. But the imbalance is still there. Keep an eye out for a breakdown under $2.04 — that is where the algorithms stop defending and real sellers start to step in.

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