Market Signal Briefing

Equities slipped last week after surging out of the gates to start the new year. The S&P 500 index ended the week down 0.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 0.7%. The S&P 500 Financials Sector fell 2.3%, despite generally good earnings reports, as President Donald Trump threatened to cap interest rates on credit cards at 10%, less than half the current average.

Sun, 18/01/2026 - 16:55

Binance Futures will delist four high-concept tokens — CreatorBid, DeLorean, Zircuit and Tanssi — on Jan. 21, signaling a brutal reality check for AI, EV and appchain narratives.

Cover image via U.Today The future was supposed to include AI-powered creator economies, blockchain-authenticated electric cars, zero-knowledge rollups with machine learning safeguards and sovereign appchains that could be deployed in minutes.

However, Binance may have just buried four of those dreams in a single blow.

As announced today, at 9 a.m. UTC on Jan. 21 Binance will execute final settlements on BIDUSDT, DMCUSDT, ZRCUSDT and TANSSIUSDT perpetual contracts. The move will close out all positions and delist the tokens from its futures platform. No new positions will be allowed starting 30 minutes prior.

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In other words, it is time to get out or get liquidated.

Back to the Future? Rather notOf course, the market reacted. CreatorBid (BID), which once envisioned tokenized AI agents co-owned by communities, plummeted to $0.022 after a 12.5% monthly loss turned into a sharp multi-day sell-off. And don't confuse the sudden spike in 24-hour volume worth $1.53 million with buying pressure. It is exit velocity.

DeLorean (DMC) fared worse. Tied to a nostalgic narrative about tokenized electric vehicles (EVs) and on-chain driving analytics, the coin pumped briefly, only to fall flat near $0.0011 as buyers evaporated. TANSSI staged a last-minute 30% surge before fading into post-announcement obscurity. ZRC barely reacted — perhaps the only mercy.

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Binance's post-mortem for these tokens was about extreme volatility, reduced liquidity and no insurance fund support. Those who leave positions open risk being flushed through auto-deleveraging.

Despite the futuristic jargon behind these tokens — AI sequencers, agent keys and sovereign appchains — their exit from Binance Futures feels unmistakably retro. It is the kind of under-the-radar delisting reserved for projects that ran out of narrative before they ran out of runway.

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Skip to the content Bruce Buterin January 18, 2026

Ripple’s XRP has shown notable performance in the early days of the new year, initially climbing from below $1.90 to $2.40 before facing resistance and settling below $2.10. The cryptocurrency is experiencing a phase of minor weekly decline, prompting discussions about its near-term prospects. To provide insights, four AI platforms shared their perspectives on XRP’s trajectory for the upcoming week.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT suggested that XRP is likely to undergo a period of continued consolidation after recent volatility. It anticipates that the cryptocurrency will hover above the $2.00 level, a psychological support that has consistently attracted buyers, while remaining below the $2.30 resistance. ChatGPT noted that this consolidation might lead to frustration among traders as XRP awaits clearer market signals, particularly from Bitcoin.

Grok offered a more cautious outlook for XRP, warning that a drop below $2.00 could allow bearish forces to dominate, potentially driving the asset back to its early 2026 levels of under $1.90. However, Grok also characterized such a decline as a “healthy correction” within a broader structural context, although it might temporarily weaken bullish sentiment.

Conversely, Perplexity predicted a bullish scenario for XRP, asserting that the cryptocurrency could reclaim the $2.20-$2.25 resistance zone if trading volumes increase significantly. This view hinges on continued or accelerated inflows into Ripple’s spot ETFs. According to Perplexity, if XRP surpasses this resistance and turns it into support, the asset might target a recovery toward $2.40-$2.50, particularly if Bitcoin stabilizes or rises.

Similarly, Gemini echoed a positive outlook, indicating that XRP could revisit the $2.40 high observed on January 6 if it breaks past $2.22. Gemini identified this price point as XRP’s “ceiling” and suggested that reclaiming it would signify the end of the corrective phase observed in the previous quarter. Gemini stated, “The week ahead will likely be a battle to defend $2.00. As long as XRP stays above that price, the monthly uptrend remains intact.” It further added that crossing $2.15 with substantial volume could signal a return to monthly highs.

In summary, while AI predictions vary, they highlight key price levels and market conditions that could influence XRP’s immediate direction. With differing outlooks, ranging from potential consolidation to the possibility of a bullish rebound, the cryptocurrency market participants will closely monitor these developments.

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Bruce Buterin Bruce Buterin is an American crypto analyst passionate about the evolution of Web3, crypto ETFs, and Ethereum innovations. Based in Miami, he closely follows market movements and regularly publishes in-depth insights on DeFi trends, emerging altcoins, and asset tokenization. With a mix of technical expertise and accessible language, Bruce makes the blockchain ecosystem clear and engaging for both enthusiasts and investors. Specialties: Ethereum, DeFi, NFTs, U.S. regulation, Layer 2 innovations.

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The global financial landscape has been jolted once again as President Donald Trump announced a fresh wave of tariffs targeting eight European nations. As of January 18, 2026, the administration has vowed to impose an initial 10% tariff—set to rise to 25% by June—on imports from Germany, France, the UK, and others. The primary catalyst? A renewed and aggressive push for the U.S. to acquire Greenland.

While trade wars traditionally impact equities and commodities, the crypto news cycle is now dominated by how these geopolitical tensions will ripple through digital assets.

Bitcoin as a Risk Asset vs. Digital GoldHistorically, Bitcoin has struggled during the immediate onset of trade "shocks." In April 2025, the so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs caused a massive liquidation event, and October 2025 saw $BTC price drop significantly following 100% tariffs on China.

In the current 2026 climate, Bitcoin is trading in a tight range between $94,000 and $97,000. Analysts are divided on the immediate outlook:

The Bearish View: Sharp tariff increases often lead to "risk-off" sentiment. Investors frequently flee volatile assets like $Ethereum and $Solana in favor of gold or cash.The Bullish View: High tariffs are inherently inflationary. As the cost of imported goods rises, the purchasing power of fiat currencies like the Euro and the Dollar may decline. This could eventually drive institutional demand back to Bitcoin as a hedge against debasement.Market Liquidation and Volatility RisksThe 2025 precedent shows that trade-induced volatility can lead to massive deleveraging. According to data from Reuters, previous tariff announcements triggered billions in liquidations within 24 hours. For traders using high leverage on an crypto exchanges, these sudden "Trump Tweets" or Truth Social posts represent a major systemic risk.

If the EU activates its "Anti-Coercion Instrument" to retaliate, we could see a prolonged period of market instability. During such times, securing assets in hardware wallets becomes even more critical as exchange liquidity can tighten during extreme price swings.

Can the "Crypto President" Save the Rally?The irony of the current situation is that the Trump administration has been outwardly pro-crypto, even launching its own financial products and ETFs. However, protectionist trade policies often counteract the "crypto-friendly" narrative by strengthening the US Dollar Index (DXY). Since Bitcoin and the Dollar often share an inverse relationship, a "stronger" dollar caused by trade barriers can keep $BTC prices suppressed in the short term.

As reported by Bloomberg, the next few weeks will be crucial. If Bitcoin breaks below the $80,000 support level, we could see a deeper correction. Conversely, if it holds the $95,000 mark despite the EU tariff news, it may confirm the "digital gold" thesis for the rest of 2026.

Journalist

Posted: January 18, 2026

Since reaching $126k three months ago, Bitcoin faced sustained selling pressure, sliding to a cycle low near $80k. That drawdown weighed heavily on short-term holders as unrealized losses expanded.

Checkonchain data showed Short-Term Holder (STH) Unrealized Loss surged to a record $110 billion in November.

Source: Checkonchain

However, conditions shifted over the past two weeks. Bitcoin rebounded sharply, rallying to $97k. That move reduced short-term holders’ unrealized losses to roughly $65 billion, pulling the cohort out of extreme stress.

Bitcoin STHs exit extreme stress According to CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost, Bitcoin short-term holders finally exited the extreme discomfort zone. Earlier in the cycle, BTC entered a capitulation phase, with STHs holding average losses exceeding 10%.

Source: CryptoQuant

Now, with Bitcoin trading just below $100k, short-term holders averaged losses near 6.4%. Although the cohort remained underwater, pressure eased meaningfully.

That shift reduced the likelihood of panic-driven selling from this group.

In fact, Short-Term Holder Sell-Side Risk declined sharply. The indicator dropped to 0.000875, approaching historical lows, per Checkonchain.

Source: Checkonchain

Such depressed readings suggested most STH selling already occurred. Remaining sellers appeared exhausted.

Even so, this did not guarantee immediate upside. It did imply that incremental demand could move the price more easily.

Why STHs stayed sidelined Despite Bitcoin’s rebound, short-term holders did not rush to sell into strength. The cohort largely lacked incentive.

Weaker hands already exited during prior drawdowns, reducing ongoing loss realization.

Source: Checkonchain

Checkonchain data showed the market transitioned away from forced selling.

On top of that, Short-Term Holder SOPR improved. The metric rose from 0.94 to 1.0 at press time, indicating recent losses were absorbed.

That stabilization suggested balance returned, raising the probability of continued recovery.

With limited profits available and losses already endured, STHs appeared more inclined to hold.

A glimpse of hope for BTC? Bitcoin attempted a breakout earlier but faced rejection near $97,939, triggering a modest pullback. Price then consolidated near $95k, with $94k acting as near-term support.

Source: TradingView

At press time, Bitcoin [BTC] traded at $95,147. It was down 0.5% daily but up 4.93% on the week.

Despite the pullback, momentum improved. The Chande Momentum Oscillator climbed from 16 to 52, signaling strengthening upside momentum.

Bitcoin also moved above its 20-day and 50-day EMAs. At press time, price tested the 100-day EMA near $95,942.

A sustained flip above that level could confirm bullish control and open a move toward the 200-day EMA at $99,423. By contrast, failure at the 100-day EMA could send BTC back toward the $92,388 support zone.

Final Thoughts  Bitcoin short-term holders are out of the extreme discomfort zone, as average losses for the cohort drop to 6.4%. Bitcoin [BTC] shows upside momentum, as STHs reduce selling pressure as they eye $99k. 

Original U.Today article

Sun, 18/01/2026 - 18:06

Can the rate of Bitcoin (BTC) test the $92,000 zone next week?

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.

Sunday is mostly under bears' control, according to CoinStats.

Top coins by CoinStatsBTC/USDThe rate of Bitcoin (BTC) has declined by 0.48% since yesterday. Over the last week, the price has risen by 4.51%.

Image by TradingViewOn the hourly chart, the price of BTC has made a false breakout of the local resistance at $95,249.

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If the daily bar closes near the support, traders may see a test of the $94,500 range shortly.

Image by TradingViewOn the bigger time frame, the rate of the main crypto is closer to the support than to the resistance. If a breakout of the $94,249 level happens, the accumulated energy might be enough for an ongoing decline to the $92,000-$94,000 range.

Image by TradingViewFrom the midterm point of view, traders should focus on the weekly bar closure in terms of the $95,938 level. If it happens far from it, sellers may seize the initiative, which may lead to a drop to the $92,000 area.

Bitcoin is trading at $95,056 at press time.

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Going into the weekend, the price of Bitcoin was unable to sustain the bullish momentum it displayed earlier in the past week. Since Friday, January 16th, the world’s leading cryptocurrency, repudiated by the price resistance above, now trades in a tight consolidatory bracket. Interestingly, this period of silence has been deemed transient, as recent on-chain data suggests an exciting time ahead for the BTC price.

Kimchi Premium Flips Positive As Local Demand Sees Buildup  In a January 17 post on the X platform, DeFi asset management platform XWIN Finance released an on-chain report, which suggests that Bitcoin might be closer to reaching a turning point than is apparent in its price action. 

This hypothesis is based on the Bitcoin Kimchi Premium indicator. This measures the percentage difference between a cryptocurrency’s price (in this case, Bitcoin) on South Korean exchanges and its price on global exchanges. Simply put, it shows how much more Korean traders are willing to pay for Bitcoin.

When the Kimchi Premium transitions steadily from low or negative levels to cross above historically significant levels, this is typically viewed as a long signal from the metric. This interpretation is because a rising Kimchi Premium reflects growing local demand in South Korea, usually often influenced by retail buyers.

In essence, Korean buyers are willing to pay more for Bitcoin, hence overwhelming the available supply and consequently pushing prices upwards.

Source: @xwinfinance on X In the post on X, XWIN Finance highlighted that this long signal had been sighted on the indicator. History also attests to the bullish significance of this signal; there have been major price moves to the upside following sustained increases in the Kimchi Premium.

An example is the last sighting of the long signal in October 2023, where the index rose above a major threshold, as shown in the chart above. The price of Bitcoin witnessed a 370% rally after this signal went off in 2023. 

According to XWIN Research, this same pattern seems to be playing out again in 2026. Hence, if the Kimchi Premium completes its long-signal formation, it could be a sign that buyers are occupying favourable positions for a bullish ride. 

If history does repeat itself, the Bitcoin price could be on track to witness another exciting voyage, with the flagship cryptocurrency possibly putting in a more than 300% surge in the next cycle. 

However, it is worth noting that macro conditions, institutional demand, and derivatives activity would be playing their roles to augment the pattern’s plausibility, as it should not be viewed as a standalone bullish sign.

Bitcoin Price At A Glance As of this writing, the price of BTC stands at around $95,280, reflecting no significant change in the past 24 hours.

The price of BTC on the daily timeframe | Source: BTCUSDT chart on TradingView Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has declared 2026 a crucial year for the blockchain network, openly acknowledging that the blockchain has lost sight of its founding principles, which are self-sovereignty and trustlessness. 

In a lengthy post on X, he expressed concerns about the long-term trajectory of the blockchain’s development as the chain grows more complex.

Ethereum’s long-term development may run into a complexity wall In a post on X, Vitalik expressed concerns about the trajectory of Ethereum’s protocol development, saying that the current changes being made to the protocol are invariably adding more bloat.

He argued that the basis of the blockchain is simplicity, and adding more complexity actually challenges the network’s sovereignty and trustlessness.

According to Vitalik, trustlessness, passing the “walkway test,” and self-sovereignty are essential parts of a protocol’s simplicity.

He added that if a protocol is decentralized with fault tolerance, “if the protocol is an unwieldy mess of hundreds of thousands of lines of code and five forms of PhD-level cryptography, ultimately that protocol fails all three tests.”

When only a small group of experts can grasp the full scope of a software, then trust has been shifted from the people to the code.

At the core of Vitalik’s message is a critique of protocol bloat, which happens when software gains new features and complexity over time as new use cases and demand arise.

While many upgrades, such as Fusaka and Pectra, have improved scalability and functionality, they also introduce more cryptographic complexity. He remarked that this is partly due to the need to maintain backwards compatibility, which results in additions rather than removals from the codebase.

Vitalik proposes how to handle bloat and protocol development Vitalik proposes “garbage collection,” by removing or demoting older and underused features. This will counter bloat on the protocol, reduce complexity, and make it easier for users to understand.

According to Vitalik, simplification requires three things: minimizing the total code in the protocol to a page, avoiding dependencies on complex technical components, and reducing how much storage is modified in a single operation.

The question now is “how do modern blockchains stand with high-performance networks without straying from the original ethos of censorship resistance, autonomy, and decentralized verification?”

Vitalik’s post fits into a larger discussion about Ethereum’s current phase. He has stated that 2026 should be a year to “take back lost ground” regarding trustlessness and self-sovereignty.

Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.

Bitcoin continues to consolidate just below a major resistance cluster after a strong recovery from the December lows. The price chart shows a clear sequence of higher lows, while on-chain data indicates that the percentage of supply in profit has undergone a deep reset and is now recovering.

Analysts see a green 2026 as likely if BTC secures strong monthly closes above $105K and holds $90K support.

Bitcoin’s price climbed above $97,000 on January 14, reaching its highest point since November.

The move happened as a well-known historical price pattern showed a clear deviation, leading analysts to debate whether the market’s fundamental structure is changing.

A Deviation From Historical Rhythm According to analyst Egrag Crypto, for over a decade, Bitcoin’s yearly price candles followed a simple, repeating sequence: three consecutive green (up) years followed by a single red (down) year. This pattern matched up with the four-year halving cycle, where the year after a halving was typically bullish.

Egrag noted that this cycle has already broken that rhythm. The sequence from 2023 to 2025 was Green, Green, Red, deviating from the expected Green, Green, Green, Red pattern of past cycles. The market watcher assigned a 55% to 65% probability that 2026 ends green, framing 2025’s red candle as a cooling phase instead of a broader turn.

That view hinges on confirmation signals, including strong monthly closes above the $105,000 area, price stability above a macro band near $90,000, and momentum strength on higher timeframes. A red 2026, which Egrag placed at 35–45%, would point to a stretched consolidation rather than a crash, with wider ranges and slower progress.

The debate echoed comments from chartist PlanB, who wrote on X that the four-year cycle should not be confused with the stock-to-flow model. He argued that while the post-halving year typically performs well, 2025 clearly broke that pattern.

PlanB added that stock-to-flow tracks average prices across a cycle, not tops or bottoms, and noted that the current cycle’s average sits near $90,000, well above the prior cycle’s $34,000.

You may also like: EU Calls Emergency Meeting, Democrats Move to Block Trump’s Tariffs, But BTC Stays Calm Massive Hardware Wallet Scam: Victim Loses $280M as Funds Move to Monero How US Investors Could Spark Bitcoin’s Deep Correction or Surge Price Action and Holder Behavior At the time of writing, BTC was trading at just under $97,000, up about 2% on the day, with a weekly gain near 8% and a roughly 12% rise in the last month, according to CoinGecko data.

Price moved from just under $90,000 to touching $98,000 within days, reclaiming several former resistance zones, with analysts like Ted Pillows now watching the 50-week exponential moving average near $97,500 as a technical checkpoint after the asset reclaimed the $95,000 region.

Short-term holders remain more reactive. Darkfost reported that as BTC rebounded toward $97,000, more than 40,000 BTC in profits were sent to exchanges in a single day, suggesting caution after the late-2025 correction.

By contrast, Bitcoin’s market share has climbed above 57%, while most large altcoins lagged, reinforcing its relative strength during the rebound.

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Renowned economist and market commentator Peter Schiff warned in an interview aired Thursday of an impending dollar crisis that could crush Bitcoin’s (CRYPTO: BTC) value, while promoting precious metals such as gold and silver as reliable investments.

A Looming Crisis Like The 2008 Meltdown?Speaking on the Randi Hipper Show, Schiff said that the economy is “getting closer” to a dollar crisis and described gold and silver’s surge as a “harbinger” of the brewing storm.

“I think what’s happening in gold and silver now reminds me of what happened to subprime in 2007,” Schiff said, referring to the housing market bubble that led to a surge in subprime loans, leading to the 2008 financial crisis.

Bitcoin Will Struggle, Commodities Will Skyrocket, Says SchiffSchiff said the crisis would affect the stock market, real estate bonds and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC).

“People need to realize that what I am forecasting is a negative for Bitcoin. It is not a positive for Bitcoin,” Schiff said, dismissing the “Digital Gold” narrative that several Bitcoiners push.

“And you think out of everything that’s going to survive, gold and silver are going to just skyrocket,” he added.

Lessons From 2025Schiff’s prediction comes in the wake of soaring U.S. national debt, exceeding $38 trillion as of this writing, with the interest on debt alone now surpassing the country's annual defense spending. 

Additionally, dollar-denominated assets have been hit, with the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) falling over 10% in 2025, marking its worst year in almost a decade

It’s worth noting that while Bitcoin fell alongside the dollar, gold surged over 60% in 2025.

Entity2025 Gains +/-Value (Recorded at 9:45 a.m. ET)Bitcoin -7.31%$95,503.01Spot Gold
               +63.65%$4,599.93 U.S. Dollar Index         -10.23%99.299Photo Courtesy: bitz100 on Shutterstock.com

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Institutions are increasingly betting on bitcoin's bullish moves and moving away from sophisticated 'arbitrage' bets.

European Central Bank chief economist Philip Lane delivered a warning that most markets treated as European housekeeping: the ECB can stay on its easing path for now, but a Federal Reserve “tussle” over mandate independence could destabilize global markets through higher US term premiums and a reassessment of the dollar's role.

Lane's framing matters because it names the exact transmission channels that matter most to Bitcoin: real yields, dollar liquidity, and the credibility scaffolding that holds the current macro regime together.

The immediate catalyst for cooling was geopolitical. Oil's risk premium faded as fears of a US strike on Iran receded, pulling Brent to around $63.55 and West Texas Intermediate to roughly $59.64 as of press time, a correction of approximately 4.5% since the Jan. 14 peak.

That defused the pipeline from geopolitics to inflation expectations to bonds, at least temporarily.

However, Lane's comments pointed to a different kind of risk: not supply shocks or growth data, but the possibility that political pressure on the Fed could force markets to reprice US assets on governance grounds rather than fundamentals.

The IMF has flagged Fed independence as critical in recent weeks, noting that erosion would be “credit negative.” This is the kind of institutional risk that shows up in term premiums and foreign-exchange risk premiums before it shows up in headlines.

Term premiums are the part of long-term yields that compensate investors for uncertainty and duration risk, separate from expected future short rates.

As of mid-January, the New York Fed's ACM term premium sat around 0.70%, while FRED's 10-year zero-coupon estimate registered roughly 0.59%. The 10-year Treasury nominal yield stood at approximately 4.15% on Jan. 14, with the 10-year TIPS real yield at 1.86% and the five-year breakeven inflation expectation at 2.36% on Jan. 15.

These are stable readings by recent standards, but Lane's point is that stability can vanish quickly if markets begin pricing a governance discount into US assets. A term-premium shock doesn't require a Fed rate hike, as it can happen when credibility erodes, pulling long-end yields higher even as the policy rate stays put.

Ten-year Treasury term premium rose to 0.772% in December 2025, the highest level since 2020, as yields reached 4.245%.The term-premium channel as the discount-rate channelBitcoin operates in the same discount-rate universe as equities and duration-sensitive assets.

When term premiums rise, long-end yields climb, financial conditions tighten, and liquidity premiums compress. ECB research has documented how dollar appreciation follows Fed tightenings across multiple policy dimensions, making US rates the world's pricing kernel.

Bitcoin's historical upside torque comes from expanding liquidity premiums: when real yields are low, discount rates are loose, and risk appetite is high.

A term-premium shock reverses that dynamic without the Fed changing the federal funds rate, which is why Lane's framing matters for crypto even though he was addressing European policymakers.

The dollar index sat at roughly 99.29 on Jan. 16, near the lower end of its recent range. But Lane's phrase “reassessment of the dollar's role” opens two distinct scenarios, not one.

In the classic yield-differential regime, higher US yields strengthen the dollar, tighten global liquidity, and pressure risk assets, including Bitcoin. Research shows that crypto has become more correlated with macro assets post-2020 and, in some samples, exhibits a negative relationship with the dollar index.

But in a credibility-risk regime, the outcome bifurcates: term premiums can rise even as the dollar weakens or chops if investors demand a governance risk discount on US assets. In that scenario, Bitcoin can trade more like an escape valve or an alternative monetary asset, especially if inflation expectations rise alongside credibility concerns.

Additionally, Bitcoin now trades with a tighter linkage to equities, artificial intelligence narratives, and Fed signals than in earlier cycles.

Bitcoin ETFs flipped back to net inflows, totaling over $1.6 billion in January, according to Farside Investors data. Coin Metrics noted that spot options open interest clustered at $100,000 strikes into late-January expiries.

That positioning structure means macro shocks can get amplified through leverage and gamma dynamics, turning Lane's abstract “term premium” concern into a concrete catalyst for volatility.

Bitcoin options open interest for January 30, 2026 expiration shows heaviest concentration at the $100,000 strike with over 9,000 call contracts.Stablecoin plumbing makes dollar risk crypto-nativeA large share of crypto's transactional layer runs on dollar-denominated stablecoins backed by safe assets, often Treasuries.

Bank for International Settlements research connects stablecoins to safe-asset pricing dynamics, meaning a term-premium shock isn't just “macro vibes.” It can feed into stablecoin yields, demand, and on-chain liquidity conditions.

When term premiums rise, the cost of holding duration increases, which can ripple through stablecoin reserve management and alter the liquidity available for risk trades. Bitcoin may not be a direct Treasury substitute, but it lives in an ecosystem where Treasury pricing sets the baseline for what “risk-free” means.

Markets currently assign about a 95% probability to the Fed holding rates steady at its January meeting, and major banks have pushed expected rate cuts later into 2026.

That consensus reflects confidence in near-term policy continuity, which keeps term premiums anchored. But Lane's warning is forward-looking: if that confidence breaks, term premiums can jump by 25 to 75 basis points over the course of weeks without any change in the funds rate.

A mechanical example: if term premiums rose 50 basis points while expected short rates stayed flat, the 10-year nominal yield could drift from around 4.15% toward 4.65%, and real yields would reprice higher in tandem.

For Bitcoin, that would mean tighter conditions and downside risk through the same channel that pressures high-duration equities.

The alternative scenario of a credibility shock that weakens the dollar creates a different risk profile.

If global investors diversify away from US assets on governance grounds, the dollar could weaken even as term premiums rise, and Bitcoin's volatility would spike in either direction depending on whether the yield-differential regime or the credibility-risk regime dominates.

Academic work debates Bitcoin's inflation-hedge properties, but the dominant channel in most risk regimes remains real yields and liquidity, not breakeven inflation expectations alone.

Lane's framing forces both possibilities onto the table, which is why “dollar repricing” isn't a single directional bet, but a fork in the regime.

What to watchThe checklist for tracking this story is straightforward.

On the macro side: term premiums, 10-year TIPS real yields, five-year breakeven inflation expectations, and the dollar index level and volatility.

On the crypto side: spot Bitcoin ETF flows, options positioning around key strikes like $100,000, and skew changes into macro events.

These indicators connect the dots between Lane's warning and Bitcoin's price action without requiring speculation about future Fed policy decisions.

Lane's message was aimed at European markets, but the pipes he described are the same ones that determine Bitcoin's macro environment. The oil premium faded, but the governance risk he flagged hasn't.

If markets begin pricing a Fed tussle, the shock won't stay US-local. It will transmit through the dollar and the yield curve, and Bitcoin will register the impact before most traditional assets do.

Mentioned in this article

Sun, 18/01/2026 - 16:20

The whale who dumped 255 BTC is back, and this time with a 10x leveraged long on 15.6 million DOGE, betting over $2.1 million on a breakout while Dogecoin accumulates under a key price resistance.

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.

A whale wallet famous for dumping 255 BTC back in December has just flipped the switch. This time, they are going long on Dogecoin with over 15.6 million DOGE, using 10x leverage.

According to Hyperliquid trading data, the position totals $2.14 million in notional value, already sitting on an $8,331 unrealized loss, with the entry marked at $0.137621 per DOGE.

Source: HyperbotThis Dogecoin long is not the whale's only new play as it was accompanied with a 5x short position on privacy coin DASH at the same time. The rest of the portfolio is mostly focused on Ethereum worth $232.4 million, Bitcoin worth $146.9 million and Solana worth $69.7 million — and yes, these all are long exposure.

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The total active perpetual value is now at $457 million, with the leverage ratio at around 11.35x and a floating portfolio-wide drawdown of $3.31 million.

No room for errorThe move into Dogecoin comes at a time when the meme coin is struggling to reclaim its December high of $0.15209. The price of DOGE had a brief surge, but has since dropped to $0.13721, basically making it a volatile week with no clear breakout.

With the funding being negative and DOGE not being able to break through the resistance, the timing of this new long position is pretty aggressive — maybe the anonymous whale is aiming for a reversal in the altcoin market in general.

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This is not a low-leverage test bet. At 10x, even small price changes will quickly liquidate or amplify gains. The liquidity for the DOGE position is marked at $0.12309, leaving a narrow margin for error. So, the long was opened with conviction.

Dogecoin may be quiet now, but this whale’s bet suggests fireworks are expected — and soon.

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The Hyperliquid Foundation has donated 10,000 HYPE tokens to blockchain investigator ZachXBT. The contribution, valued at approximately $254,000, ranks as his second-largest donation from any single entity.

Summary

Hyperliquid donated 10,000 HYPE worth $254K, ZachXBT’s second-largest single contribution. ZachXBT confirmed the donation on Jan. 18 and updated his public contributor leaderboard. The donation followed his exposure of a $282M hardware wallet social engineering theft. ZachXBT confirmed the receipt of funds on January 18, 2026, and shared an updated leaderboard of his top 10 contributors.

The list includes Optimism at the top, followed by Hyperliquid, Octant, The White Whale, Arbitrum, BNB Chain, Unipcs, Nouns, CL207, and High Stakes Capital at tenth place.

Announcement by ZachXBT ZachXBT posted the update on his Telegram channel, thanking Hyperliquid for the donation. The investigator maintains transparency about his funding sources, regularly publishing details about contributors who support his work tracking crypto crimes and scams.

Announcement by ZachXBT His investigations have helped recover millions in stolen funds and exposed numerous fraudulent operations across the crypto industry.

The donations allow him to continue working independently without relying on traditional funding models that might compromise his objectivity.

The timing of Hyperliquid’s contribution comes shortly after ZachXBT’s latest high-profile investigation into a major theft.

$282 million hardware wallet theft investigation On January 10, 2026, ZachXBT exposed a theft involving 2.05 million LTC and 1,459 BTC stolen from a single victim’s hardware wallet. The total value reached $282 million, making it the largest individual crypto theft of 2026.

The attack occurred around 11 PM UTC through what appears to be supply chain manipulation or social engineering tactics. The hackers bypassed the cold storage security measures that hardware wallets typically provide.

ZachXBT tracked the stolen funds as they moved through multiple exchanges. The attacker converted the Bitcoin and Litecoin into Monero to hide the trail. This conversion caused a temporary price spike in Monero as large volumes entered the privacy coin.

The so-called Fish-to-Shark cohort added 110,000 BTC over the past 30 days, according to Glassnode.

Ethereum is showing signs of strength on two critical fronts at the same time. On-chain activity has climbed to record levels, reflecting heavier real usage across the network, while long-term technical structure is leaning towards upside continuation.

Together, these signals suggest that Ethereum’s current phase may be more than just sideways movement, as underlying data points to sustained demand and constructive price behavior.

Ethereum Daily Transactions Reach New High Ethereum’s price action is turning bullish with a steady increase in recent days. Notably, on-chain data shows that this increase is on top of steady on-chain activity in recent days.

Data from Ethereum’s on-chain activity shows that daily transactions recently climbed to approximately 2.8 million, setting a new all-time high for the network. Interestingly, this figure stands out not just as a record, but because it is roughly 64% higher than the daily transaction levels observed during the peak of the 2021 bull market. 

The chart data from Sentora illustrates a progression showing Ethereum’s transaction count rising steadily over the years and spiking up in early 2026.

Comparing the transaction activity to 2021 adds more context considering the intense amount of activity that the Ethereum network was witnessing at the time. Back then, Ethereum was at the center of an altcoin season and NFT boom, all of which contributed to a spike in transaction activity and a push to new price highs.

BTCUSD currently trading at $3,334. Chart: TradingView The fact that Ethereum is now processing significantly more transactions per day compared to 2021 shows that its network usage has grown above speculative behavior. The steady climb in transaction activity shows the sheer amount of usage across decentralized finance and stablecoin settlement, among many others.

Ethereum Daily Transactions Chart. Source: @SentoraHQ On X

Ethereum Reaccumulation Within A Macro Uptrend Technical analysis of Ethereum’s market capitalization on the three-week candlestick timeframe shows the cryptocurrency is still trading in a zone of stability. Particularly, technical analysis done by crypto analyst Egrag Crypto suggests that Ethereum is in reaccumulation within a macro uptrend.

A look at the 3-week timeframe shows that ETH’s market cap is holding above the 21 EMA, respecting the rising macro trendline, printing higher highs & higher lows, and compressing under historical resistance. That is constructive behavior, not weakness. 

History shows that periods where Ethereum’s market cap held above the 21 EMA on this timeframe have led to expansion phases, whereas sustained moves below it have marked bear market conditions. 

At present, the structure indicates the EMA support is being defended. From a probabilistic standpoint, the current setup leans toward continuation rather than breakdown. A move through the overhead resistance band would likely confirm an expansion phase and allow Ethereum to go on a 70% to 75% bullish continuation.

Market Cap ETH. Source: @egragcrypto On X

On the other hand, a bearish outcome will become possible if the price action loses the 21 EMA on the three-week chart. This could validate a deeper 25% to 30% correction toward the lower trendline, but this scenario carries a lower probability.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

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.

The market remains mainly green at the end of the week, however, there are some exceptions, according to CoinMarketCap.

Top coins by CoinMarketCapSHIB/USDThe rate of SHIB has declined by 2.42% over the last 24 hours.

Image by TradingViewOn the hourly chart, the price of SHIB is on the way to the local support at $0.00000833. If a breakout happens, the drop is likely to continue to the $0.00000820-$0.00000830 range shortly.

Image by TradingViewOn the bigger time frame, the situation is also more bearish than bullish. The rate of SHIB is approaching the support at $0.00000826, which means bulls are not ready to seize the initiative yet.

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In this case, traders may see an ongoing drop to the $0.0000080 zone over the next few days.

Image by TradingViewFrom the midterm point of view, the picture is less clear. The price of the meme coin is far from the support and resistance levels. As neither buyers nor sellers are dominating, traders are unlikely to witness sharp moves by the end of the month.

SHIB is trading at $0.00000836 at press time.

TLDR: Steak ‘n Shake purchased $10 million in Bitcoin after eight months of accepting cryptocurrency payments The restaurant chain reported 15% same-store sales growth and 50% lower transaction fees since May 2025 All customer Bitcoin payments flow directly into a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve rather than cash conversion The burger chain’s consumer-driven approach contrasts with technology firms’ balance-sheet strategies Steak ‘n Shake has acquired $10 million worth of Bitcoin for its corporate treasury, marking the restaurant chain’s entry into cryptocurrency holdings. 

The 91-year-old American burger chain made the purchase eight months after enabling Bitcoin payments across its locations. 

The move establishes a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve that channels customer crypto payments directly into company holdings. 

Meanwhile, the restaurant reported rising same-store sales since adoption began in May 2025.

Bitcoin Reserve Linked to Customer Payment Integration The company began accepting Lightning Network payments at all US locations in mid-May 2025. Jack Dorsey publicly supported the rollout at launch. 

Subsequently, Steak ‘n Shake reported transaction fee savings of nearly 50% compared with traditional credit card processing.

Same-store sales increased by approximately 15% following the payment system launch. All Bitcoin received from customers now flows into the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve rather than being converted to cash. 

The purchase equals roughly 105 BTC at current market prices. Additionally, the company formalized its treasury strategy on October 31 through a partnership with Fold Holdings.

Customers received $5 worth of Bitcoin when purchasing branded menu items such as the Bitcoin Burger. Moreover, Steak ‘n Shake committed to donating 210 satoshis for every Bitcoin Meal sold. 

These funds support OpenSats for Bitcoin Core and open-source development work. The promotion connected consumer incentives directly to cryptocurrency adoption.

Management tied the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve growth to rising same-store sales performance. In a post on X, the company described the approach as a self-sustaining model. 

Eight months ago today, Steak n Shake launched its burger-to-Bitcoin transformation when we started accepting bitcoin payments. Our same-store sales have risen dramatically ever since.

All Bitcoin sales go into our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

Today we increased our Bitcoin…

— Steak 'n Shake (@SteaknShake) January 17, 2026

Therefore, improving food quality expands the restaurant’s reach while building Bitcoin holdings. The integration represents a consumer-driven strategy rather than balance-sheet speculation.

Corporate Bitcoin Strategy Differs from Technology Firms Steak ‘n Shake is owned by Biglari Holdings under CEO Sardar Biglari’s leadership. However, the parent company has not disclosed whether Bitcoin will factor into broader balance-sheet decisions. 

The restaurant’s approach contrasts with capital-market-driven accumulation strategies used by firms like Strategy.

More than 200 companies currently hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets. Nevertheless, Steak ‘n Shake’s $10 million position remains modest compared to larger corporate holders. 

Market analysts observed growing corporate interest in Bitcoin adoption beyond technology sectors. Consequently, the burger chain’s move represents experimentation within consumer-facing industries.

The company emphasized transparency about reserve inflows from customer payments. However, custody partners and internal security arrangements were not disclosed publicly.

 Bitcoin holdings are recorded directly on the balance sheet under current accounting standards. This aligns with increasing investor scrutiny around corporate digital asset exposure.

Management characterized the $10 million allocation as an initial foundation rather than a final position. Leadership discouraged narratives about operational distraction or speculative risk taking. 

Instead, executives positioned Bitcoin integration as complementary to core restaurant operations. Improved margins from payment savings support reinvestment into menu quality enhancements.

Explore how differences in sector focus, diversification, and cost structure set these two blue-chip ETFs apart for investors.

The key differences between the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO 0.08%) and the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA 0.18%) are cost, breadth, and sector mix, with VOO offering lower expenses and broader diversification, while DIA is more concentrated and leans into financials and industrials.

This comparison looks at two blue-chip U.S. equity ETFs: VOO, which tracks the S&P 500, and DIA, which follows the Dow Jones Industrial Average. While both aim to capture large-cap U.S. stock performance, their approaches, sector exposures, and costs differ in ways that may appeal to different investor preferences.

Snapshot (cost & size)MetricVOODIAIssuerVanguardSPDRExpense ratio0.03%0.16%1-yr return (as of 2026-01-09)19.6%18.1%Dividend yield1.1%1.4%AUM$1.5 trillion$44.4 billionBeta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year weekly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months.

VOO is more affordable, with a 0.03% expense ratio compared to DIA’s 0.16%. DIA offers a slightly higher dividend yield, which may appeal to investors prioritizing income.

Performance & risk comparisonMetricVOODIAMax drawdown (5 y)-24.52%-20.76%Growth of $1,000 over 5 years$1,834$1,596What's insideDIA is built to track the Dow Jones Industrial Average, a price-weighted index representing 30 of the largest and most established U.S. companies. The fund has a pronounced tilt toward financial services (28%), followed by technology (20%) and industrials (15%). Its top holdings include Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and Microsoft Corp. With only 30 holdings and a fund age of 28 years, DIA is highly concentrated, which can make its performance diverge from broader market benchmarks.

By contrast, VOO tracks the S&P 500, offering exposure to 505 companies and a much wider cross-section of the U.S. economy. The portfolio is technology-heavy (35%), with significant allocations to financial services and communication services. Its largest positions are Nvidia Corp., Apple Inc., and Microsoft Corp., reflecting the S&P 500’s current tech dominance.

For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the full guide at this link.

What this means for investorsThe Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) and SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) both track blue-chip companies, but they possess key differences. Because it tracks the Dow Jones Industrial Average, DIA contains only 30 stocks. This can lead to poor diversification and concentration of risk, especially since its holdings are price-weighted, which means higher-priced stocks have a disproportionately larger impact on the ETF’s performance.

However, DIA pays a higher dividend than VOO. Not only that, the dividend is paid out monthly, while VOO’s dividend is paid quarterly.

VOO offers far greater diversification than DIA, since it tracks the S&P 500. As a result of its larger number of holdings, VOO’s assets under management is far greater than DIA’s, leading to greater liquidity.

While VOO pays a lower and less-frequent dividend, its very low expense ratio compared to DIA means investors are saving on costs. VOO is well-suited for investors who want broad market exposure and who seek to “set it and forget it,” buying and holding the ETF for the long haul. Meanwhile, DIA is great for investors who want monthly passive income.

GlossaryETF: An exchange-traded fund that holds a basket of assets and trades like a stock.
Expense ratio: Annual fund operating costs expressed as a percentage of the fund’s average assets.
Diversification: Spreading investments across many securities or sectors to reduce the impact of any single holding.
Sector exposure: The percentage of a fund’s assets invested in specific industries, like technology or financials.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends per share divided by the current share price, shown as a percentage.
Total return: Investment performance including price changes plus all dividends and distributions, assuming reinvestment.
Max drawdown: The largest peak-to-trough decline in an investment’s value over a specific period.
Beta: A measure of an investment’s volatility compared with the overall market, typically the S&P 500.
AUM (Assets under management): The total market value of all assets managed by a fund.
Price-weighted index: An index where companies with higher share prices have greater influence on performance.
Large-cap: Companies with relatively large market values, generally among the biggest in the stock market.
Concentrated portfolio: A fund holding relatively few securities, increasing the impact of each holding on performance.

Robert Izquierdo has positions in Apple, Caterpillar, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Goldman Sachs Group, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool 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.

NEW YORK, Jan. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Integer Holdings Corporation (NYSE: ITGR) between July 25, 2024 and October 22, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important February 9, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

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

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Integer class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=49170 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 9, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

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

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Integer materially overstated its competitive position within the growing electrophysiology (“EP”) manufacturing market; (2) despite Integer’s claims of strong visibility into customer demand, Integer was experiencing a sustained deterioration in sales relating to two of its EP devices; (3) in turn, Integer mischaracterized its EP devices as a long-term growth driver for its cardio and vascular (“C&V”) segment; (4) as a result of the above, defendants’ positive statements about Integer’s business, and operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Integer class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=49170 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.

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Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.
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The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
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Tel: (212) 686-1060
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TCW Flexible Income ETF pursues income and capital growth through an actively managed, globally diversified bond portfolio.

On Jan. 16, First Pacific Financial disclosed a buy of 237,585 shares of TCW ETF Trust - TCW Flexible Income ETF (FLXR +0.00%).

Acquired 237,585 shares.Post-trade, the fund holds about 2.2 shares, valued at $86.2 millionThe stake now represents 11.3% of the fund's AUMWhat happenedAccording to an SEC filing dated Jan. 16, 2026, First Pacific Financial bought 237,585 additional shares of TCW ETF Trust - TCW Flexible Income ETF during the fourth quarter.

What else to knowTop holdings after the filing:NYSEMKT: JCPB: $91.16 million (11.9% of AUM)NYSE: FLXR: $86.16 (11.3% of AUM)NYSEMKT: DFAW: $60.35 million (7.9% of AUM)NYSEMKT: VUG: $46.54 million (6.1% of AUM)NYSEMKT: MDYV: $31.30 million (4.1% of AUM)As of Jan. 15, TCW Flexible Income ETF shares were priced at $39.68, returning 8.5% over the past year/ETF overviewMetricValueAUMN/APrice (as of market close 1/15/26)$39.68Dividend yield5.6%1-year total return8.5%ETF snapshotTCW Flexible Income ETF provides diversified exposure to global fixed income markets through an actively managed strategy, targeting both income and capital growth. The fund leverages a flexible mandate to adjust allocations across credit qualities, maturities, and geographies, including up to 50% in emerging markets and selective use of high-yield securities. Its structure allows for dynamic risk management and tactical positioning, appealing to investors seeking an adaptive approach to fixed income investing.

What this transaction means for investorsTCW Flexible Income ETF is First Pacific Financial’s second-largest holding among the 487 securities listed in its latest 13F filing. The total value summed to $765.8 million.

That equates to TCW Flexible Income ETF accounting for a large 11.3% of its assets under management (AUM). Overall, the firm is heavily weighted in exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

TCW Flexible Income ETF invests actively to beat its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The ETF had a fraction of the securities, fewer than 1,400, compared to the index’s nearly 14,000. Through Sept. 30, TCW Flexible Income had returns greater than its benchmark across various periods.

As of Nov. 30, the ETF had significantly heavier weightings in asset-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities, and non-agency mortgage-backed securities versus the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. It also had a 14.5% allocation to high-yield securities, while the index doesn’t have any weight assigned. These are a higher-risk, higher-reward asset class.

Lawrence Rothman, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vanguard Index Funds - Vanguard Growth ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

This quantum stock would have been a nice pick three years ago.

D-Wave Quantum (QBTS +0.38%) has captured the imagination of investors who believe that its technology will prove revolutionary. In the last year alone, the stock price is up by more than 400% as investors rushed into the quantum trade. But what if you had invested three years ago, just months after the company's entrance into the public market?

D-Wave went public via a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger in August 2022, debuting at $10 per share. It then cratered to below $2 a share by mid-December.

Today's Change

(

0.38

%) $

0.11

Current Price

$

28.83

A nearly 1,700% return in just three years If you'd invested $1,000 at that brutal low, you'd have nearly $17,700 today with shares trading just shy of $30. That's quite a return.

Data by YCharts.

Here's the uncomfortable truth, though: D-Wave generated just $24.14 million in sales over the last 12 months. The company trades at a market cap exceeding $10 billion. That's a price-to-sales ratio north of 400. The company had a net loss of nearly $400 million in the same period.

Image source: Getty Images.

Before chasing "what if" returns on speculative tech stocks, remember that D-Wave nearly faced delisting just 18 months ago, and its rise since has been fueled mainly by hype and speculation, pure and simple. The quantum computing thesis is compelling long-term, but the technology remains far too experimental at this point to jump in at this valuation.

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

Teamwork with business people analysis cost graph on the desk in the meeting room. The business team discussed meetings and briefing strategies. Negotiation, Analysis, Discussion

getty

Dozens of companies are poised to raise their dividends over the next few months once the quarterly earnings season gets underway. Most of those are going to be token upgrades—just enough to pacify shareholders.

We’ll let Wall Street keep the tokens. We are “elephant hunting” big dividend raises.

I’m talking about companies with both the potential and the track record to hike their cash distributions by a minimum of 39%—though a lot more could be in store.

Why are hikes like these retirement makers? Simple—the “dividend magnet” effect.

Lockheed Martin (LMT) is an example of this magnet in action. Look at how, for many years, LMT has traded almost in lockstep with its dividend—rarely getting too far behind or out in front of it.

LMT Dividend Growth

Ycharts

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Meanwhile, Lockheed isn’t setting the world on fire with a 2.5% current headline yield—but anyone who has owned the stock for 15 years is sitting on a wild yield on cost of more than 18%!

Looking for the next Lockheed? Let’s discuss five companies that are due to deliver dividend hikes over the next couple of months. These firms generously rewarded shareholders with massive raises, including hikes of between 39%-100% as recently as last year!

5 Dividend Growth Stocks For 2026Primerica (PRI)
Dividend Yield: 1.6%
2025 Increase: 39% (across multiple raises)
Projected Q1 Dividend Announcement: Early February

The first dividend-growth dynamo on this list is Primerica (PRI), which has more than doubled its payout in just the past four years.

Primerica deals in insurance, investments and other financial products. Specifically, Primerica offers term life insurance, mutual funds, annuities, business retirement plans, education savings plans, mortgages, identity theft protection plans, legal protection plans and other products targeting middle-income consumers in the U.S. and Canada.

Business has been steady. Primerica has delivered revenue growth every year for more than a decade. Bottom-line improvement hasn’t been as consistent, but the arrow has mostly been pointed upwards. The company’s full-year 2025 earnings per share (EPS) are expected to increase by low double digits, which is much quicker than usual. However, higher costs of living are pressuring Primerica’s customers, which is translating into more modest expectations for next year.

The question is whether Primerica’s next dividend hike—which likely would come in early February—will reflect the year it’s had or the year to come. The company’s 2025 hike was nearly 40% better than its 2024 starting dividend, and 15% better than its distribution by midyear (PRI raised twice in 2024).

Also worth noting: Primerica is throwing a lot of money at stock buybacks, and that should continue. In late 2025, the company announced a fresh $475 million buyback program for 2026.

Yum China Holdings (YUMC)
Dividend Yield: 2.0%
2025 Increase: 50%
Projected Q1 Dividend Announcement: Early February

Shanghai-based Yum China Holdings (YUMC) is best known in the U.S. as the owner and operator of Yum Brands’ (YUM) keystone KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell restaurants in China. However, it operates other chains in the world’s second-largest economy, including Lavazza coffee, Little Sheep hot pot, and Huang Ji Huang casual Chinese.

YUMC has driven fairly consistent top-line growth since its 2016 split from Yum Brands, and the restaurateur expects fairly aggressive expansion going forward. The company was on track to open 1,600 to 1,800 net new stores in 2025, and it’s modeling double-digit annual earnings per share growth through 2028. Profit growth hasn’t been nearly as consistent, however, and the stock has reflected that—shares are virtually flat since the beginning of 2020.

It would seem Yum China is throwing cash at the problem, pledging to return $3 billion to shareholders between 2025 to 2026. The company took seven years to raise its dividend from 10 cents per share (2017) to 16 cents per share 2024). But in 2025, it turbocharged the payday, announcing a 50% hike to 24 cents per share.

YUMC’s current dividend represents about 33% of 2026 profit estimates, so it certainly has room for another big bump. The question will be whether it wants to commit even more capital when it’s clearly still in the midst of aggressive expansion. We’ll keep watch for its next dividend announcement, which should come in early February.

Also, YUMC isn’t the only Chinese stock to monitor this quarter. JD.com (JD) and Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) both raised their payouts by more than 30% in March of last year.

Comfort Systems (FIX)
Dividend Yield: 0.2%
2025 Increase: 60% (across multiple raises)
Projected Q1 Dividend Announcement: Late February

Anyone who has ever worked or visited a commercial building (so, most of us) has likely benefited from Comfort Systems USA (FIX), which keeps buildings usable and comfortable. The company installs, renovates, maintains, repairs and replaces heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, monitoring, fire protection and other systems.

The company provides its services for buildings that serve a wide variety of sectors. Its two largest customer types are manufacturing and technology—and the latter is considered to be a significant driver of growth. One area of opportunity is artificial intelligence (AI); as technology companies continue to build the data centers necessary to power AI, they’ll need the types of HVAC and electrical solutions Comfort Systems provides and installs.

I pointed this out in mid-2024, and I’m not surprised to see FIX on this list again.

Comfort Systems’ dividend has simply exploded in recent years, up some 471% since 2020. The yield is modest but consider this: The stock yielded less than 1% at the start of 2021. But in just five years, anyone who bought them is sitting on more than 4x that, at a yield north of 4%! That’s because the company’s fortunes are rising fast.

The good times continue to roll. In its most recent quarter, organic revenues were up 33%, EPS doubled, and operating cash flow jumped 83%. That makes another dividend hike appear highly probable—and the likely timing based on past precedent would be sometime in late February.

Penske Automotive Group (PAG)
Dividend Yield: 3.4%
2025 Increase: 40.2% (across multiple raises)
Projected Q1 Dividend Announcement: Late January/Early February

Speaking of quarterly raisers, Penske Automotive Group (PAG) also gets the itch every three months or so.

Penske is an international automobile retailer that operates dealerships not just in the U.S., but also the U.K., Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan. And these dealerships cover just about every international auto brand under the sun.

But it’s not just passenger vehicles—Penske also has a commercial-truck retail business across North America, and it distributes and retails commercial vehicles, power systems, engines, and more across Australia and New Zealand. In addition to all that, it owns just shy of 29% of Penske Transportation Solutions, a North American transportation services, logistics, and supply-chain management services provider.

I’ve highlighted Penske in a previous look at dividend growers, but PAG is so prolific it bears shining a spotlight on it again. Penske has an almost uninterrupted run of quarterly dividend hikes going back more than a decade—it did suspend its payout for two quarters in 2020, which we don’t want to ignore—but it resumed distributions that same year, then just went right back to raising and raising and raising.

This has made Penske’s quarterly dividend announcements must-see events for dividend growth investors, and the next one is likely to come in late January or early February.

However, PAG’s next few quarters are worth watching to see what its dividend announcements say about management’s confidence. Net income has actually been on the downswing over the past couple years; Wall Street sees another slip for full-year 2025, and flat profits in 2026.

Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Dividend Yield: 0.2%
2025 Increase: 100% (across multiple raises)
Projected Q1 Dividend Announcement: Late January

Howmet Aerospace (HWM), the result of a split in Arconic back in April 2020, makes advanced engineered products for the aerospace and transportation industries worldwide. Its products include jet engine components, aerospace fasteners, airframe structures, and forged aluminum wheels for commercial trucks. Essentially, Howmet makes things faster, cleaner, stronger, and/or more fuel-efficient.

Like with Comfort Systems, Howmet’s current yield is microscopic, but it’s not for lack of effort. The company’s dividend has grown by 6x in just five years. The 10 cents it paid to start 2025 was double what it paid to start 2024, and it tacked on another 2 cents midyear.

Howmet’s latest potential growth driver? In late December, it announced a $1.8 billion acquisition of Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing—a maker of precision fasteners, fluid fittings, and other engineered products for aerospace and defense—from Stanley Black & Decker (SWK). Its revenue projections imply 20% revenue growth for the division in 2026.

The company is expected to grow its bottom line by 37% for full-year 2025, then slow to a still-robust 20% EPS expansion in 2026. It’s difficult to tell how much of that will flow through in the form of higher dividends, but the track record is encouraging. We should find out one way or the other in late January.

Brett Owens is Chief Investment Strategist for Contrarian Outlook. For more great income ideas, get your free copy his latest special report: How to Live off Huge Monthly Dividends (up to 8.2%) — Practically Forever.

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 18, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of DeFi Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: DEFT) between May 12, 2025 and November 14, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important January 30, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased DeFi Technologies 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 DeFi Technologies class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48771 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 30, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

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

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) DeFi Technologies was facing delays in executing its DeFi arbitrage strategy, which at all relevant times was a key revenue driver for DeFi Technologies; (2) DeFi Technologies had understated the extent of competition it faced from other digital asset treasury ("DAT") companies and the extent to which that competition would negatively impact its ability to execute its DeFi arbitrage strategy; (3) as a result of the foregoing issues, DeFi Technologies was unlikely to meet its previously issued revenue guidance for the fiscal year 2025; (4) accordingly, defendants had downplayed the true scope and severity of the negative impact that the foregoing issues were having on DeFi Technologies' business and financial results; and (5) as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the DeFi Technologies class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48771 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.

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

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280675

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

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