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Skip to the content Home Altcoins News Solana Faces Potential Price Correction Amid Rising Investor Activity

Julie Binoche January 18, 2026

Solana’s price trend remains upward, but concerns over short-term risks are emerging. Since the beginning of January, Solana (SOL) has formed an ascending wedge, a chart pattern that often indicates a possible pullback. Despite an influx of new investors, this setup could challenge recent bullish movements.

Significant on-chain activity highlights Solana’s network expansion. The number of addresses conducting transactions has sharply increased, with more than 8 million new addresses joining in a single day. This surge suggests increased demand for Solana, fueled by its appeal in decentralized finance (DeFi), memecoins, and high-throughput applications.

While network adoption is on the rise, broader market forces paint a different picture. Data on exchange position changes shows that existing holders are playing a more substantial role in influencing SOL’s price. The buying momentum from long-term participants has diminished, counteracting the effects of new capital inflows. As buying pressure weakens, selling pressure is gaining traction, indicating that some established SOL holders might be reducing their holdings or preparing to sell.

Solana’s current trading price is around $144, with the ascending wedge suggesting a potential 9.5% decline. This would place the downside target at approximately $129 if the pattern resolves lower. A confirmed breakdown might initially push SOL to $136, with further risks towards the $130 level if the support fails. This scenario reflects weakening momentum indicators.

However, the bearish outcome is not certain. If investor sentiment improves and selling pressure decreases, Solana could rebound from the lower trend line of the wedge. An upward move beyond $146 could indicate renewed strength, potentially leading Solana to reach $151, thus invalidating the bearish projection.

The increase in new addresses is significant. It reflects Solana’s growing ecosystem, which is attracting new participants. However, the interplay between new demand and the actions of current holders will be a key factor in determining the price direction in the near term.

No immediate comment was available from Solana’s representatives about these developments. As the market evaluates these dynamics, attention will focus on how Solana’s price responds to these pressures.

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Julie Binoche Julie is a renowned crypto journalist with a passion for uncovering the latest trends in blockchain and cryptocurrency. With over a decade of experience, she has become a trusted voice in the industry, providing insightful analysis and in-depth reporting on groundbreaking developments. Julie's work has been featured in leading publications, solidifying her reputation as a leading expert in the field.

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Trump plans 10% tariffs on European countries over Greenland: What it means for markets.

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HomeEconomy & PoliticsTrump levels latest threat at Europe as Supreme Court decision on his tariffs loomPublished: Jan. 17, 2026 at 2:15 p.m. ET

President Donald Trump said he would slap 10% tariffs on imports from eight European countries beginning next month, as he ramps up a pressure campaign on Denmark to sell Greenland to the U.S.

Denmark, which has sovereignty over Greenland, will be hit with the 10% levy on the goods it sells to the U.S. starting Feb. 1, Trump said in a lengthy post on his social-media network. Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland will also face 10% tariffs, Trump wrote, and threatened an even higher levy. He said all those countries would be subject to 25% tariffs on June 1 “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”

About the Author

Robert Schroeder is the Washington bureau chief for MarketWatch. Follow him on X @mktwrobs.

Joy Wiltermuth is a news editor and senior markets reporter based in New York.

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Microsoft's OpenAI investment could infuse cash into its business at the right time.

Microsoft (MSFT +0.77%) has been a massive investment success over the past few years. Anybody who has bought Microsoft stock has been the beneficiary of several key trends in the tech industry, primarily cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI). However, Microsoft's AI strategy is a bit different than most of its peers. Instead of building its own generative AI model internally like Alphabet or Meta Platforms, it chose to partner with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT.

While this relationship got a bit messy at times, Microsoft has a significant financial interest in OpenAI's success. I think this could be a top reason to buy Microsoft stock in 2026, as it bolsters the rest of the investment case.

Image source: Getty Images.

Microsoft's stake in OpenAI is worth around $203 billion After a lot of negotiation in determining exactly how much of OpenAI Microsoft owns, the lawyers came to the conclusion that Microsoft owned about a 27% stake in OpenAI. That's a huge chunk, and it could be worth a ton based on OpenAI's latest valuation target. In December, OpenAI was targeting a $750 billion valuation to raise more money to operate the business. If that figure turns out to be accurate, then Microsoft's stake is worth around $203 billion.

That's a huge investment, so seeing OpenAI succeed is a huge point for Microsoft. As a result, it has integrated OpenAI's ChatGPT into its Copilot product lineup, which helps users integrate generative AI features across Office products, as well as other business software Microsoft produces. However, Microsoft isn't betting the house on ChatGPT.

In its Azure AI Factory, it offers multiple generative AI models outside of ChatGPT. Developers can select from alternative models like Grok from xAI, Meta's open language model Llama, Anthropic's Claude, and many others. This neutral strategy of offering many types of models so developers can choose which one fits their needs most has been a great strategy for Microsoft. It's one of the primary reasons why Microsoft's cloud computing division has dramatically outpaced Amazon's and Google's.

In the first quarter of Microsoft's fiscal 2026 (ended Sept. 30), Azure's revenue rose a jaw-dropping 40% year over year. For comparison, Google Cloud, a smaller entity that should be able to grow faster, was up 34% year over year. AWS also had a strong quarter compared to recent results, but its revenue only rose 20%.

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The difference? Amazon and Google are pushing their own solutions while Microsoft offers a wide variety. While this may be more profitable for Google and Amazon in the end, from a revenue growth standpoint, Azure is winning. Furthermore, ChatGPT is still seen as the go-to generative AI model, so Microsoft is seeing a dual benefit by being one of the primary hosts for ChatGPT and being invested in it. But does that translate into Microsoft's stock being a buy?

Microsoft's stock isn't the cheapest around Microsoft trades for about 29 times forward earnings, which is pretty standard for most big tech companies nowadays. With its valuation at the expected level, that means most of its stock performance will likely come from its business growth. For fiscal 2026 (ending June 30), Wall Street analysts expect 16% revenue growth. For fiscal 2027, they expect 15%.

That's a solid growth rate for a big tech company like Microsoft, and I would expect its stock price to rise a similar amount over that time frame. The long-term average performance of the S&P 500 is about 10% per year, so if Microsoft can maintain its valuation and achieve its expected growth rate, it will be a successful investment over the long term.

If OpenAI goes public, it will bolster its investment case even further because now Microsoft has a $203 billion investment that it can convert to cash fairly easily to use for activities like constructing data centers. That could be a huge advantage in the AI arms race, and Microsoft looks like a great stock to buy for 2026 as a result.

Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. 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.

2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the electric vehicle startup.

Rivian (RIVN 2.26%) is gearing up to launch its next vehicle platform, and the stock price has surged by roughly 36% over the last year in anticipation. Still, the electric vehicle (EV) company's share price is down by roughly 90% from the all-time high it touched in late 2021 -- and big questions remain about the business's potential path to profitability.

Growth in the EV market has slowed substantially since the company held its initial public offering in 2021, and the rise of competition from Chinese manufacturers could seriously dampen Rivian's growth trajectory. Is Rivian stock yesterday's news, or could the EV maker carve out a durable position that translates into big returns for shareholders who buy now?

Image source: Rivian.

Is Rivian's valuation rebound sustainable? In the third quarter, Rivian's revenue grew by 78% year over year to roughly $1.56 billion. It also posted a gross profit of $24 million -- an improvement of $416 million compared to the prior-year period, when it booked a steep gross loss. Rivian has begun to post positive gross margins, which is admittedly a major positive development. On the other hand, those gross margins are still very low -- and it continues to post big net losses.

Its automotive gross profits still came in at negative $130 million. That shrunk its automotive gross loss by $249 million compared to last year's Q3, but its cost of goods sold continues to be higher than its revenue.

The company delivered 13,201 vehicles in the third quarter and announced at the beginning of this month that it had delivered 9,745 vehicles in Q4. The late-year drop-off meant that the company closed out 2025 with fewer deliveries than it posted in either 2023 or 2024, and on a quarterly basis, it has yet to surpass the peak of 15,564 units delivered in the third quarter of 2023.

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With the company on the verge of rolling out its R2 SUVs, Rivian will have opportunities to reenergize deliveries and significantly increase its customer base. The R2 models will be significantly cheaper than the company's R1 models. A surge in unit demand should help the company support the expansion of its manufacturing and provide it with some economies-of-scale benefits, but it could still be a while before Rivian is posting positive gross profits on its vehicles.

R2 SUVs are expected to hit the market in the first half of this year with a price of roughly $60,000 for the launch edition. A different R2 configuration with a base price of $45,000 is set to go into production later. Meanwhile, current R1 models have an average selling price of $86,500.

The more affordable R2 options could quickly come to make up a substantial portion of the company's overall sales mix. While the R2s have been designed with efficiencies to help support mass-market pricing, they could actually wind up pushing Rivian's gross margins and operating income margins lower for the foreseeable future.

With EV demand currently looking soft and a significant risk that the rollout of the R2 will lead to sustained margin headwinds that may eventually give way to potential improvements, I wouldn't bet on Rivian's stock comeback right now.

Standard Uranium Ltd (TSX-V:STND, OTCQB:STTDF, FRA:9SU0) VP exploration Sean Hillacre talked with Proactive about the company's upcoming drill program at the Corvo Project in Saskatchewan’s Eastern Athabasca Basin.

Hillacre outlined plans for the inaugural drill campaign on the project, which will target shallow, basement-hosted high-grade uranium across a 3,000-metre program. The work will involve 8 to 10 drill holes, with a focus on both historical targets and new zones identified through modern geophysics and prospecting.

The Corvo Project is being explored in partnership with Aventis Energy, marking the first drilling activity on the site in over 40 years. The company recently completed a large-scale ground gravity survey, covering over 5,000 stations along 29km of conductive strike, aimed at refining drill targets further. Hillacre noted that infrastructure preparation is already underway.

The program aims to keep costs low with a winter skid approach, projecting expenses of about $1.5 million – considered highly efficient in today’s exploration environment.

Proactive: Welcome back inside our Proactive newsroom, and joining me now is Sean Hillacre. He is the Vice President of Exploration for Standard Uranium. Sean, nice to see you again. Happy New Year.

Sean Hillacre: Happy New Year. Doing great.

Good to hear. I know the company is out with news now about your Corvo Project, and it's one we've talked about in the past, but it really is an intriguing project. So why don't you remind everyone a bit about the project and how this is going to work moving forward?

Sounds good. Corvo is one of our Eastern Athabasca Basin projects in northern Saskatchewan. It sits right on the edge of the current Athabasca Basin margin, so we're targeting shallow, basement-hosted high-grade uranium. We're looking for deposits similar to Eagle Point and Rabbit Lake. We're partnered with Aventis Energy on this project, and we’ll be drilling it for the first time in about 40 years. We picked it up a couple of years ago, and have been doing geophysics to get our drill targets ready. This year, we’re heading up to look for some basement-hosted uranium.

Let's talk about the drill program — you've finalized the plan and you're going to tackle a few different areas, right?

Yes, that’s right. We did prospecting and mapping in 2025 and uncovered some great surface showings. This project is unique because there's rock outcrop at surface. At one historical showing, called Manhattan, we got results up to 8.1% uranium right at surface. It’s never been drilled before, so that'll be a priority target in the first drill program in 2026. We'll also follow up on mineralization from historical drill holes from 1978 and 1979.

Getting on there this time with modern exploration — I know we've talked about how important that is. Using drilling alongside those updated tools really takes it to another level?

Exactly. We’ve been upgrading the geophysics for the past year and a half. We flew new electromagnetic and magnetic surveys early in 2025 and did a gravity survey later in the year — just completed it recently. That was part of the news released yesterday. We covered more than 5,000 gravity stations along 29 km of conductor strike length. This will help refine our drill targets. We're excited to get those results back this week. We’re also ahead of schedule — we’re up there right now pushing in the access road, looking to mobilize at the end of the month.

Lastly, I want to ask you about the Manhattan showing. You mentioned it's never been drilled. Is it that earlier drilling didn’t know it was there, or has modern geophysics just uncovered things they couldn't see before?

Great question. The historical drilling in the late '70s wasn’t near the Manhattan showing. That area was discovered later. The historical holes are along two main northeast-southwest structural corridors, with most drilling along the southernmost conductor. Manhattan is on a different, parallel conductor in the northeast. Some of the older drill holes returned uranium over good thicknesses, so we’ll follow up on those as well as test these new, high-grade surface areas.

Quotes have been lightly for clarity and style

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 17, 2026) - WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE: BBWI) securities between June 4, 2024 and November 19, 2025, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 16, 2026.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Bath & Body Works 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 Bath & Body Works class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50622 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than March 16, 2026. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. 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 that defendants failed to disclose that: (1) Bath & Body Works' strategy of pursuing "adjacencies, collaborations and promotions" was not growing the customer base and/or delivering the level of growth in net sales touted; (2) as Bath & Body Works' strategy of "adjacencies, collaborations and promotions" faltered, it relied on brand collaborations "to carry quarters" and obfuscate otherwise weak underlying financial results; (3) as a result, Bath & Body Works was unlikely to meet its own previously issued financial guidance; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants' positive statements about Bath & Body Works' business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Body & Body Works class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=50622 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

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

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

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

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

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/280677

Source: The Rosen Law Firm PA

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Eli Lilly, Nvidia team up in a $1B AI innovation lab.

This beaten-down tech stock could see a solid turnaround in its fortunes in the new year.

The stock market is off to a decent start in the new year. The S&P 500 index is up 1.5% in the first two weeks of 2026, and there is a good chance that the benchmark index will continue to head higher as the year progresses.

Goldman Sachs' analysts expect U.S. stocks to rise for the fourth straight year, driven by a resilient economy, robust artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure spending, and potential rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The investment bank's strategists expect a 12% appreciation in the S&P 500 in 2026. Tech stocks are likely to play a central role once again in driving the stock market rally this year on the back of continued growth in AI spending.

The investment bank estimates that large hyperscalers increased their capital spending by 70% last year. The good part is that these hyperscalers are expected to bump up their capital spending at healthy double-digit rates in 2026. This probably explains why investors continue to remain bullish about the tech sector. The Nasdaq-100 Technology Sector index has already gained 3% in 2026, outperforming the S&P 500 so far.

It won't be surprising to see tech stocks deliver bigger gains than the S&P 500 for the rest of 2026, just like they have done in the past year. That's why it would be a good time to take a closer look at one such tech stock -- Arm Holdings (ARM +0.64%) -- that can capitalize on the broader market's rally and deliver handsome gains to investors.

Image source: Getty Images.

Arm Holdings' solid growth could help the stock regain its mojo Arm Holdings has been under pressure in recent months despite posting impressive growth in revenue and earnings. Shares of the British technology company fell substantially in December 2025, driven by concerns about its expensive valuation and its ability to capitalize on the AI semiconductor boom.

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It is worth noting that shares trade down 40% since hitting a 52-week high in late October 2025. However, a closer look at Arm's performance and prospects will make it clear that its pullback could be an opportunity for investors looking to add a growth stock to their portfolios.

Arm is known for designing and licensing chip architectures. It doesn't manufacture any chips of its own but designs the blueprints for processors that power several applications. The company gets its revenue from sales of licenses, as well as a royalty on the sale of each chip designed using its intellectual property (IP).

Arm's IP is used to design chips that power smartphones, cars, data centers, and other consumer electronics devices. In fact, almost all smartphone processors are designed using Arm's architecture. Additionally, the company has been gaining share in fast-growing areas such as networking and cloud computing.

Its share of the cloud computing market has increased by 11 percentage points in three years, sitting at 20% at the end of fiscal 2025 (which ended in March last year). Looking ahead, Arm could continue to gain more share in the lucrative data center market as major hyperscalers have been designing custom chips using the company's IP.

Moreover, the company's latest AI-focused architecture, Armv9, commands a higher royalty than the previous architecture. This explains why the company's royalty from the data center business doubled year over year in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 (which ended on Sept. 30, 2025). Its overall revenue jumped by an impressive 34% from the year-ago period, while earnings increased by 30%.

Arm's earnings are likely to grow at a healthy pace, and they may even outpace consensus expectations.

Data by YCharts.

Analysts expect solid upside from the stock in the coming year Even though Arm stock has pulled back significantly in recent months, it trades at an expensive 138 times trailing earnings. However, the forward earnings multiple of 47 is way more reasonable, and points toward a significant acceleration that's expected in the company's bottom line.

Given that Arm's earnings growth is likely to accelerate as the Armv9 architecture contributes more toward its royalty revenue, the stock's forward earnings multiple seems justifiable. Additionally, analysts are upbeat about Arm stock's trajectory in the coming year. Its median price target of $180, as per 41 analysts covering the stock, points toward potential gains of 67% from current levels.

Arm could indeed deliver such gains by virtue of its ability to outpace Wall Street's growth expectations, making it a top growth stock to buy right now before it steps on the gas.

Silver, gold, copper, and other metals hit all-time highs throughout the week. David McAlvany has a price target of $8,000 an ounce in gold for the next three years.

Nvidia, Amazon, and Dutch Bros are top growth stocks to invest in now.

If you've got $1,000 available to start investing that isn't needed for monthly bills, to pay down short-term debt, or to bolster an emergency fund, buying some solid growth stocks across sectors can be a good place to start building a portfolio.

Let's look at three growth stocks to buy right now.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Nvidia If you're looking for a way to play the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom, Nvidia (NVDA 0.29%) is still a great choice. The company's graphics processing units (GPUs) are the main chips used to power AI workloads, and through its networking portfolio, it now offers customers end-to-end solutions for their AI data center needs.

While Nvidia is beginning to see more competition from AI ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits), its GPUs still hold distinct advantages. ASICs are custom chips that are hardwired for specific tasks and are less adaptable to a rapidly evolving tech landscape. ASICs also tend to require longer development cycles and often necessitate significant code redesigns from one generation to the next.

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Nvidia's CUDA software platform, on the other hand, has years of AI libraries and tools built on top of it to optimize the performance of its chips, especially for training large language models (LLMs). Meanwhile, its proprietary NVLink interconnect system can help its chips function as a single, powerful unit, further enhancing their performance.

While Nvidia ultimately won't be able to maintain its absolutely massive market share forever, it will still get more than its fair share of the AI infrastructure spending pie, making it a top growth stock to invest in.

2. Amazon Amazon (AMZN +0.49%) is a great combination of consumer goods and tech growth stock rolled into one. The company is seeing solid retail revenue growth, but more importantly, its investments in AI and robotics have led to strong operating leverage, with e-commerce profitability surges. This could be seen last quarter, when its North American segment's operating income jumped 28% year over year on an 11% increase in revenue.

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On top of that, the company sees revenue growth in its cloud computing unit, Amazon Web Services (AWS), beginning to accelerate. Demand for data center computing power and AI services is soaring, and Amazon is spending aggressively to meet growing demand. It's still ramping up its huge Project Rainier data center, which it built for Anthropic using its own custom AI chips, and it recently agreed to a seven-year, $38 billion deal with OpenAI to supply it with compute power using Nvidia GPUs.

Between accelerating cloud revenue growth and strong e-commerce operating leverage, Amazon is well-positioned for 2026 and beyond, making it a top stock to buy today.

3. Dutch Bros One of the top growth stocks in the consumer space is Dutch Bros (BROS +1.65%). The coffee shop operator offers a strong combination of same-store sales drivers and expansion opportunities that make it one of the most attractive growth stories in the market today.

The company is seeing robust comparable-store growth, led by the introduction of mobile ordering, increased brand awareness marketing, and new drink introductions. Meanwhile, the company has a big opportunity in front of it, as it rolls out hot food items to approximately 75% of its locations that can support this initiative. In early tests, pilot stores saw a 4% lift in sales from these hot items. Given that rival Starbucks gets around 20% of its sales from food, this is a large opportunity.

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At the same time, Dutch Bros has a huge expansion runway still in front of it. At the end of last quarter, it had fewer than 1,100 locations, with a goal of reaching 2,029 stores by 2029. Longer term, it thinks it can support as many as 7,000 locations in the U.S.

Its shops tend to be small, with no indoor seating and primarily served through drive-thru windows, giving it quick payback times on its investment spending. Importantly, this allows its new store expansion to be fully funded through its free cash flow, lessening the risk of this powerful growth story.

The right ETF can help protect your portfolio regardless of what happens with the market.

Stock prices continue to soar as we head into 2026, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting new all-time highs earlier this week.

However, many investors are still on edge about what may be coming, with 80% of Americans at least somewhat concerned about a looming recession, according to a December 2025 survey from financial association MDRT.

It's wise to continue investing, even if a market downturn is on the horizon. Stocks could still have further to climb, and by continuing to buy consistently, you can capitalize on those returns. That said, investing in strong, stable exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can also help protect your portfolio if stocks tumble. And there are three powerful Vanguard funds that could be especially smart buys right now.

1. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO 0.08%) is one of the largest and most popular ETFs out there. It tracks the S&P 500, containing just over 500 large-cap stocks from the nation's largest and strongest companies.

The S&P 500 itself has a decades-long track record of weathering even the most severe recessions, crashes, and bear markets. Not only has it survived these pullbacks, but it's gone on to earn positive total returns over time.

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If you're concerned about market volatility, an S&P 500 ETF can be a fantastic addition to your portfolio. With a long-term outlook, you're incredibly likely to see positive gains. In fact, over the last 82 years, every single one of the S&P 500's 10-year periods has ended in positive total returns, according to analysis from investment firm Capital Group.

While there are never any guarantees in the stock market, investing in an S&P 500 ETF and holding it for at least a decade can significantly limit the impact of volatility.

2. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF One potential downside of the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is its growing tilt toward the tech industry. Tech stocks are growing at staggering rates, and because the S&P 500 only includes large companies, an increasing number of stocks within the index are from the tech sector.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially considering that large companies, in general, are more likely to pull through periods of market turbulence. But if you're looking to limit your exposure to tech giants, the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI 0.06%) could be a smart alternative.

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This ETF aims to cover the entire U.S. equity market, with a whopping 3,527 stocks across all market segments. From small-cap to mega-cap and everything in between, this fund covers stocks of all sizes from all industries.

Increased diversification can further limit risk, especially when the market is shaky, and this ETF is about as diversified as you can get.

3. Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF Dividend stocks pay a portion of their profits back to shareholders in the form of a dividend, and a dividend ETF is a collection of those stocks bundled together into a single investment.

The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG +0.22%) focuses on companies with a history of increasing their dividend payouts year after year. For investors concerned about a market downturn taking a toll on their portfolios, a dividend ETF can help generate passive income in addition to any investment returns.

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This fund pays quarterly dividends, and its most recent payout was around $0.88 per share. That may not sound like much, but if you're investing consistently and accumulating shares over time, you can build a passive income source worth thousands of dollars per year.

Reinvesting those dividends can also help grow your passive income stream faster. The more you reinvest, the more shares you'll own, and the more you'll earn in dividends. Over time, that can create a snowball effect, exponentially increasing your dividend income.

No matter what lies ahead for the market, continuing to invest consistently can help build long-term wealth. By investing in quality ETFs with a track record of surviving volatility, you can rest easier knowing your portfolio is as protected as possible.

Don't get lured in by an outsized yield that won't last; focus on companies that are reliable dividend payers.

I'm a dividend investor, and I know what it feels like to explore stocks offering a double-digit yield. You want to believe it is a diamond in the rough that will pay you 10%-plus dividends forever. Those situations do occur, but not very often. Whether you have $500 or $5,000 to invest in dividend stocks right now, you need to make sure you focus on reliable dividend payers.

Image source: Getty Images.

REITs: A great sector to examine for income Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are designed to pass income on to investors in a tax-efficient manner. They avoid corporate-level taxation if they pay out at least 90% of their taxable income as dividends. The offset is that shareholders have to report the dividends as if they were earned income (taxes can be completely avoided by owning a REIT in a Roth IRA). Generally speaking, REITs pay attractive dividends and have relatively large dividend yields.

If you are trying to live off the income your portfolio generates, REITs should be in the mix. However, just like non-REITs, you have to be careful about which companies you buy. Some REITs have impressive dividend histories, while others have volatile dividend histories. Some REIT business models, by design, pay variable dividends.

The king of the REIT dividend stocks If dividend consistency is your top priority, there is one REIT that stands above all others: Federal Realty (FRT +1.84%). It has increased its dividend annually for 58 consecutive years, which makes it a Dividend King. That is the longest dividend streak in the REIT sector, and Federal Realty is the only REIT to have achieved Dividend King status.

Federal Realty achieved this goal by focusing on quality over quantity. It owns roughly 100 strip malls and mixed-use assets. They tend to be located near large population centers that have high concentrations of wealth. Furthermore, Federal Realty is an active portfolio manager, continually making capital investments to enhance the value of its properties. It is also willing to sell assets that have reached their full potential, so it can buy new properties that need a little love.

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Federal Realty's dividend yield is 4.4% today. That is roughly 4 times higher than the 1.1% yield of the S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.06%) index and above the 3.9% REIT average. For most dividend investors, Federal Realty will be a solid portfolio holding, with $500 netting you around four shares of this reliable dividend stock.

Be careful what you reach for For some investors, however, 4.4% will feel like a low number when you can buy a REIT like AGNC Investment (AGNC +2.14%) with a 12.5% yield. That yield is highly attractive, and the mortgage REIT is well respected. However, it is not a reliable dividend payer. The graph below highlights the problem.

Data by YCharts.

If you need to use the dividends you collect to supplement your Social Security checks, you would have been sorely disappointed with AGNC Investment. Not only has the dividend been volatile, but it has also trended steadily lower for over a decade. And the stock price has followed the dividend lower. Less income and less capital are not what most dividend investors have in mind when they buy a high-yield stock. I know for a fact that this isn't my goal.

Focus on reliable dividend stocks Federal Realty is the cream of the crop when it comes to dividend-paying REITs. But it is hardly the only reliable dividend payer in the REIT sector. For example, Realty Income (O +1.14%) has increased its dividend annually for 30 years and has a 5.4% yield.

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The company owns single-tenant properties using a net lease approach, which means the tenant is responsible for most property-level costs. Realty Income is the industry giant, with a portfolio of more than 15,500 properties spread across the United States and Europe. Although it is primarily concentrated in retail assets, the company also owns industrial properties and a diverse collection of unique assets, including data centers and casinos.

Moreover, it is branching out into lending and asset management for institutional investors, as well. A $500 investment will allow you to buy eight shares of this monthly paid dividend stock.

Buy these two REITs or keep digging Federal Realty and Realty Income are foundational investments for dividend lovers. However, they aren't the only reliable dividend stocks you'll find in the REIT sector. They are just two very good examples of what you can find if you dig into the sector.

AGNC Investment, meanwhile, is an example of the type of dividend-paying REIT that you need to be wary of. The company meets its goal of producing attractive total returns, but that goal assumes dividend reinvestment. That means you can't use the dividend, which is highly volatile, to pay for living expenses.

Make sure you put all the pieces of the puzzle together before you buy a dividend stock. Dividend yield alone isn't enough information for you to make a final investment decision.

Investors can bank on Ford's traditional dividend for income, but its highly valuable supplemental dividend could be at risk in the near term.

Dividend stocks are a great tool for investors to build long-term wealth in the market. Reinvesting these dividends uses the power of compounding to help generate even more wealth over time. Ford Motor Company's (F 1.52%) dividend is lauded for its yield that currently tops 4%, as well as the company's consistent supplemental dividends it often dishes out as a bonus payment to investors.

Let's take a look at a recent example of why these supplemental dividends are powerful and why they could be in danger in the near term.

Remember Rivian? A great example of how lucrative these supplemental dividend payments can be happened in 2023. Originally, Ford had invested in young start-up electric vehicle maker Rivian, with plans for the two to collaborate on a shared platform.

Image source: Ford Motor Company.

Later on, the plans were eventually scrapped, and each automaker went its own way. When Ford sold its investment stake in Rivian, it drove a significant boost in the company's cash flow, which it distributed through its dividend. Remember that Ford aims to return 40% to 50% of its free cash flow to investors via the dividend. That scenario led to Ford dishing out a significant $0.65 per share special dividend in 2023, on top of its regular quarterly dividend payment of $0.15 per share.

In more recent years, Ford's annual supplemental dividend has been roughly one extra quarterly payment, give or take a few pennies. It's a nice boost on top of an already highly valuable dividend yield. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances, Ford's supplemental dividend could be on the chopping block this year.

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What's going on? Ford is dealing with a couple of outside factors weighing on its financials. In fact, Ford previously noted that while its underlying business was performing at the high end of previous guidance, it was incurring a $1 billion net tariff headwind as well as an additional $1 billion headwind between 2025 and 2026 from the Novelis supplier fire.

Ultimately, while Ford has dished out a supplemental dividend three years running, the company's slowing cash flows will likely end that streak. In fact, Ford recently announced a massive pivot away from EVs that will cost the company a $19.5 billion charge with $5.5 billion in cash incurred over the next two years.

Dividend stocks historically outperform non-dividend-paying stocks, and income investors can still find immense value in Ford's traditional 4.2% dividend yield, but don't count on supplemental dividends in the near term.

Daniel Miller has positions in Ford Motor Company. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Monero tumbled on Jan. 17 after an onchain investigator ZachXBT linked its recent rally to a $280 million crypto heist. $280M Crypto Heist Reportedly Tied to Monero Surge The privacy-centric digital asset monero ( XMR) faced a sharp correction on Jan. 17, tumbling by over 5% in 24 hours and effectively stalling its bull rally.

Large Ripple [XRP] holders have accelerated accumulation over the past week, adding well over 50 million tokens during a period of sideways price action. This activity suggests deliberate positioning rather than reactive momentum chasing. 

Whales increased exposure near established demand zones instead of waiting for confirmation, which often signals expectations of volatility expansion. 

Besides, accumulation unfolded gradually, without sharp spikes that typically accompany speculative moves. 

This pattern reflects absorption, where supply shifts into stronger hands. However, whale activity alone does not drive price immediately. It reshapes market conditions. 

As more XRP leaves liquid circulation, the price becomes increasingly sensitive to marginal demand. Even moderate buying pressure can generate sharper moves once momentum returns.

Key pattern holds the $2.00 base! XRP’s daily chart outlines a clear inverse head-and-shoulders structure anchored firmly at the $2.00 support zone. 

The left shoulder formed after a controlled decline, while the head marked a deeper sell-off toward $1.80, where buyers stepped in aggressively. 

Price then rebounded to form a higher low, completing the right shoulder. Importantly, bulls defended $2.00 multiple times, reinforcing it as a structural floor. 

However, XRP still trades below the neckline near $2.35, keeping the pattern technically incomplete. Momentum improved during the right-shoulder recovery, which signals strengthening demand. 

As the price compresses between support and resistance, pressure continues to build. This setup typically precedes a decisive move rather than prolonged stagnation.

Source: TradingView

Exchange outflows steadily reduce sell-side pressure Spot exchange data continues to show consistent net outflows, with a daily reading near -$13.1 million, at press time. 

Holders keep moving XRP off exchanges even during periods of consolidation, which indicates longer-term positioning rather than short-term trading intent. 

Outflows don’t directly drive prices higher. Instead, they reduce sell‑side liquidity on exchanges. With fewer tokens available, prices react more sharply once buyers enter the market.

Moreover, the persistence of outflows aligns closely with whale accumulation behavior, reinforcing a broader supply contraction narrative. As exchange balances thin, both upside and downside moves gain intensity. 

Therefore, XRP now trades in a liquidity environment where reactions accelerate quickly near key levels, increasing the probability of a sharp resolution.

Source: CoinGlass

Long positioning dominates derivatives markets Derivatives data shows a pronounced long bias across major trading venues. On Binance, the XRP/USDT Long-to-short ratio by accounts stood at 3.04, while OKX reported 2.14 as of writing. 

Top traders lean even further toward the upside, with Binance ratios reaching 3.25 by accounts and 1.78 by positions. 

Despite this skew, overall leverage remains relatively balanced, as the 24-hour long/short ratio sits near 0.94. Liquidation data provides additional context. Over the past 24 hours, long liquidations reached $5.88 million, compared to $351.8K in shorts. 

This imbalance reflects aggressive upside positioning rather than defensive hedging. However, it also introduces volatility risk if XRP’s price fails to advance convincingly.

Source: CoinGlass

Short liquidity builds above the current range The liquidation heatmap highlights dense short exposure clustered above XRP’s current trading range, particularly between $2.10 and $2.16. 

These liquidity bands often act as magnets during volatility expansions, as forced short closures accelerate upward movement. 

Below current levels, liquidity appears thinner, which reduces the likelihood of cascading downside moves. However, this structure favors sharp reactions rather than gradual trends. 

If the price pushes higher into these zones, momentum could accelerate rapidly through short covering. Conversely, hesitation near current levels may prolong compression. 

As a result, XRP now trades between a tightening structure and visible liquidity targets. This alignment typically resolves with speed once the token’s price commits to a direction.

Source: CoinGlass

Conclusively, XRP stands at a critical inflection point where structure, supply dynamics, and leverage align. 

Whale accumulation and persistent exchange outflows continue tightening available supply, while price defends a well-defined base. 

Derivatives positioning leans bullish, and short liquidity overhead adds potential fuel if the price advances. The market now faces a resolution phase. 

A sustained move toward the neckline could trigger momentum expansion, while continued hesitation may extend consolidation briefly. 

Overall, conditions favor an imminent volatility release rather than prolonged range-bound trading.

Final Thoughts Whale accumulation and steady exchange outflows tighten supply, increasing sensitivity to even moderate buying pressure. XRP’s tightening structure and overhead short liquidity favor a sharp breakout once momentum commits.

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The global head of equity strategy at Jefferies has removed Bitcoin from his model portfolio, citing the potential threat of quantum computing as his reasoning.

Why Market Strategist Cut 10% BTC Exposure Christopher Wood, global head of equity strategy at Jefferies, has dropped a 10% allocation to Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, from his model portfolio. In his latest “Greed & Fear” newsletter release, the market strategist highlighted the rise of quantum computing as the reason behind this move.

Wood highlighted his fears that the advances in quantum computing could threaten Bitcoin’s place and reputation as a dependable store of value, especially in the long term. As the expert said in his newsletter, the market is currently riddled with the fear that quantum computing could be just a few years away.

This growing concern borders on quantum computers being hypothesized to have the capacity to breach the Bitcoin network’s cryptographic technology. It is believed that these computers can enable attackers to reverse-engineer private keys from public ones, thereby tampering with the integrity of blockchain transactions.

Wood, who was an early institutional supporter of BTC, initially added the premier cryptocurrency to his model portfolio in December 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2021, the Jefferies global head of equity strategy expanded this Bitcoin allocation to 10%.

However, the market expert appears to now be viewing the flagship cryptocurrency with a little bit of skepticism, as he believes that the Quantum threat is potentially existential, undermining its status as a store of value and “digital alternative to gold.” Hence, Wood refocused his model portfolio on older assets, splitting the 10% BTC allocation equally between physical gold and gold mining stocks.

While there is no clear timeline for when quantum computers will reach the market, Wood is not the only one who has recently expressed concerns about the Quantum threat. In the past week, Capriole Investments founder Charles Edwards has also discussed how Bitcoin has decoupled from global liquidity due to the quantum threat.

Edwards wrote on X:

The timeframe to a non-zero probability of a quantum machine breaking Bitcoin’s cryptography is now less than the estimated time it will take to upgrade Bitcoin. Money is repositioning to account for this risk accordingly.

Bitcoin Price At A Glance As of this writing, the price of BTC stands at around $95,370, reflecting a 0.3% dip 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

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Opeyemi Sule is a passionate crypto enthusiast, a proficient content writer, and a journalist at Bitcoinist. Opeyemi creates unique pieces unraveling the complexities of blockchain technology and sharing insights on the latest trends in the world of cryptocurrencies. Opeyemi enjoys reading poetry, chatting about politics, and listening to music, in addition to his strong interest in cryptocurrency.

Popular fast-food chain Steak ’n Shake added $10 million worth of bitcoin to its corporate treasury, deepening its commitment to bitcoin eight months after rolling out BTC payments across all U.S. locations.

The company said on social media that the move follows a “self-reinforcing cycle” driven by bitcoin adoption, where customers paying in BTC help generate incremental revenue that is then recycled into business improvements. 

According to Steak ’n Shake, all bitcoin-denominated revenue flows directly into what it calls its strategic bitcoin reserve, which is used to fund restaurant upgrades, ingredient improvements, and remodeling initiatives—without raising menu prices.

“Eight months ago today, Steak ’n Shake launched its burger-to-bitcoin transformation when we started accepting bitcoin payments,” the company wrote on social media. “Our same-store sales have risen dramatically ever since.”

Steak ’n Shake began accepting bitcoin payments in May 2025 using the Lightning Network, positioning the rollout as a way to cut card processing fees while attracting a younger, crypto-native customer base. The strategy is working.

Same-store sales rose more than 10% in the second quarter of 2025, according to the company.

Chief Operating Officer Dan Edwards previously said Steak ’n Shake saves roughly 50% in processing fees when customers choose to pay with bitcoin rather than traditional card networks.

NEW: Fast food giant Steak 'n Shake announces it acquired $10 million #Bitcoin for its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve 🚀

"All Bitcoin sales go into our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve." 👏 pic.twitter.com/tRlYaOzbtQ

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) January 17, 2026 Bitcoin is driving revenue for Steak ’n Shake The chain has leaned into its bitcoin branding over the past year, introducing a Bitcoin-themed burger in October and pledging to donate a small portion of revenue from its “Bitcoin Meal” to support open-source Bitcoin development.

The recent $10 million purchase—roughly 105 BTC at current prices—marks Steak ’n Shake’s most direct treasury allocation to bitcoin to date. 

While the position is modest compared with major corporate holders such as Strategy, which holds more than 687,000 BTC worth over $65 billion, it underscores a broader trend of corporate bitcoin accumulation.

According to data from Bitcointreasuries, total bitcoin held in treasuries—including public companies, private firms, governments, and exchange-traded funds—has now surpassed 4 million BTC.

Last fall, the company ran a poll on X over the weekend asking its 468,800 followers whether it should expand its crypto options to include Ethereum.

Nearly 49,000 votes were cast, with 53% in favor.

However, just four hours later, the company suspended the poll, declaring its allegiance to Bitcoiners. “Poll suspended. Our allegiance is with Bitcoiners. You have spoken,” Steak ‘n Shake posted.

Micah Zimmerman

Micah first discovered Bitcoin in 2018 but remained a skeptic on the sidelines for too long. Since 2021, he has covered crypto and business and now works as a news reporter for Bitcoin Magazine, based in North Carolina.

American Burger Chain Makes $10 Million Bitcoin PurchaseSteak ’n Shake has invested $10 million in Bitcoin as part of a strategy that converts daily restaurant cash flow into a corporate BTC treasury.The 90-year-old American restaurant chain credits its Bitcoin-first approach with double-digit same-store sales growth it recorded last year.As a result, the firm's management has doubled down on a Bitcoin-only stance, positioning the brand as a rare outlier in the fast-food industry.Steak ‘n Shake has purchased $10 million in Bitcoin, marking a significant escalation in its strategy to transform fast-food revenues into a corporate cryptocurrency treasury.

The acquisition marks the latest phase of the 90-year-old chain’s “Bitcoin-to-Burger” initiative, a financial pivot that converts operational cash flow directly into digital assets.

Sponsored

Sponsored

Steak ‘n Shake Claims Bitcoin Strategy Drove ‘Best in Industry’ Growth in 2025The program, launched in May 2025, integrates digital asset accumulation into the company’s daily operations.

By accepting Bitcoin payments and marketing directly to the crypto demographic, the chain aims to modernize its capital structure.

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 The firm’s management describes the model as a “self-sustaining system.” In this framework, improved food quality drives higher revenue, which is then channeled into the corporate Bitcoin reserve.

According to internal data, the strategy has yielded tangible results. Last year, the company reported a double-digit increase in same-store sales, driven by its BTC adoption, which allowed it to significantly outperform the industry.

Sponsored

Sponsored

“In 2025, Steak n Shake achieved double-digit same-store sales growth — the best in the industry! Becoming a Bitcoin company gave our business a major boost, allowing us to further improve our food quality,” it stated.

Crucially, the chain is positioning itself as a “Bitcoin-only” entity.

Despite a recent corporate poll in which 53% of respondents favored adding Ethereum (ETH) as a payment option, leadership explicitly rejected the proposal.

This decision reinforces a maximalist philosophy intended to secure loyalty from a specific, ideologically driven segment of the market.

Moreover, the BTC integration extends beyond the balance sheet to the workforce.

Last October, Steak ‘n Shake updated its payroll infrastructure to allow its 10,000 employees to receive a percentage of their wages in Bitcoin. The move signals the firm’s view of the asset as a viable store of value comparable to fiat currency.

Founded in 1934, Steak ‘n Shake operates hundreds of locations across the United States and internationally.

Its latest move cements its status as an outlier in the traditional dining sector, attempting to modernize a legacy brand by pegging its long-term financial health to the performance of the world’s largest cryptocurrency

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Bitcoin literacy and community growth are accelerating in West Virginia, and it’s starting to reshape how communities across the state engage with digital finance. What was once viewed as a niche interest among tech enthusiasts is now gaining traction across broader segments of the state’s population. As residents become more curious about digital assets, conversations are shifting from speculation to understanding how BTC works and what it could mean for personal and regional economic resilience.

Bitcoin As A Tool For Regional Economic Growth West Virginia has been making headlines in the Bitcoin space recently, particularly with fresh legislative moves as of January 2026. MartyParty revealed on X that the biggest current development is Senator Bill 143 (SB143), which was introduced this week by State Senator Chris Rose.

This is officially titled the Inflation Protection Act of 2026, which would allow the state’s Board of Treasury Investment to allocate up to 10% of public funds into precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum. The bill requires any qualifying digital asset to have maintained an average market capitalization of at least $750 billion over the prior year, which qualifies only BTC. In addition, the bill also allows for regulated stablecoins, but only the US federal or state regulators can approve the assets.

Source: Senator Bill 143 from MartyParty on X However, the bill frames this as a hedge against inflation and currency depreciation, and empowering the state treasurer to invest in BTC without directly naming it in most of the statute. Although the purpose section explicitly mentions empowering investment in gold, silver, and BTC. These assets would need to be made through qualified custodians, ETFs, or other secure frameworks.

What Pension Funds And Endowments Think About Bitcoin The Bitcoin price prediction by funds indicates a bullish outlook for 2026. CryptoRank.io has mentioned that the institutional analysts are pricing in a bullish scenario for BTC in 2026. The average target across the forecasts shown is around $150,000 per BTC, implying roughly 75% upside from current levels.

At the same time, longer-term valuation models assume a more gradual growth path. Popular asset manager VanEck predicts BTC could reach approximately $2.9 million by 2050, which equates to around 15% annualized growth broadly in line with the BTC historical long-term performance as a macro asset.

In contrast to institutional forecasts, prediction markets maintain a more conservative outlook. On Polymarket, the pricing base-case range between $110,000 to $130,000. This consensus could shift toward the institutional targets if spot ETF inflows remain strong and if the US regulatory uncertainty continues to decline, including initiatives such as the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act.

BTC trading at $95,118 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Pngtree, chart from Tradingview.com

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

Over the week, Ethereum struggled to sustain any significant move to the upside. Although the second-largest cryptocurrency reclaimed the $3,300 price level, it could not break above $3,400 to continue its path towards higher price levels. As it stands, it appears that the Ether token is taking on a short-term bearish structure. However, an on-chain evaluation has recently been put out, which suggests that market participants might be gearing up for a significant move in the near-term.

Ethereum Futures Activity Reaches Monthly High Following Market Inactivity In a recent QuickTake post on the CryptoQuant platform, analytics group Arab Chain reveals that there has recently been a spike in futures trading activity on the Binance derivatives market. This revelation is based on the Binance: ETH Futures Daily Volume metric, which monitors the total value of Ethereum futures contracts being traded on Binance each day, hence reflecting market activity, trader participation, and potential leverage exposure.

The latest reading of the metric has highlighted a major shift, with trading volume climbing as high as $21.7 billion. According to Arab Chain, this reading marks the highest level since mid-December, reflecting that strong momentum has returned to the futures market.

Source: CryptoQuant Notably, the spike in futures trading volume was preceded by a period of relative decline in the second half of December. This event coincides with a period of price stability, alongside a tapering risk appetite among traders. Interestingly, institutional investors also contributed prevalent aversion to risk.  Arab Chain explains that the decline is a typical sign that market participants want to “wait and see,” instead of speculatively opening large positions.

However, the present scenario — where futures volume surged — paints an opposing story. As the futures trading volume reflects levels above its mid-December high, it becomes apparent that interest among Ethereum traders is being rekindled. This is because increasing futures volume “is typically associated with higher leverage usage, hedging activity, and speculative positioning” — a line up which indicates that the market is preparing for significant movement.

The reason for this spike could also be attributed to traders who are reacting to key technical levels or shifting expectations around near-term price action of a potential trend reversal. In the grand scheme, however, the Ethereum price reacts to this activity, depending on the alignment of spot demand with derivatives activity. Till such a definite sign comes up, the market stands at a point of uncertainty.

ETH Price Overview As of this writing, Ethereum stands at a price of $3,292, reflecting no real growth since the past day.

ETH trading at $3,293 on the daily chart | Source: ETHUSDT chart on Tradingview.com Featured image from Flickr, chart from Tradingview

Bitcoin remains anchored above key support as weekend trading unfolds, keeping $98,200 and $107,500 in focus. Market participants are watching closely to see if the uptrend can continue or if the weekend liquidity will trigger a test of lower levels. The next few sessions could define BTC’s short-term trajectory.

Key Support Holds: $94,630 Remains Crucial According to a recent post by Kamile Uray, Bitcoin is still holding strong above the $89,326 support level, and as long as it remains above this zone, the possibility for the uptrend to continue remains intact. This level continues to act as a critical foundation for bulls, keeping the market structure aligned with potential further gains.

If BTC manages to break through the $98,200 resistance, the next key target at $107,500 comes into focus. At this level, a decisive move will determine whether the current uptrend is complete or push Bitcoin even higher. A daily close above $107,500 would mark the first higher high on the daily chart relative to the last downward wave, signaling a potential continuation of the bullish trend.

BTC’s price is demonstrating a bullish structure | Source: Chart from Kamile Uray on X However, if BTC is rejected at resistance and falls back below $89,326, the downtrend could resume. Should a reversal form within the $83,822–$82,477 support zone, Bitcoin may attempt another upward push, giving bulls a chance to regain control. 

If BTC closes below $82,477, further downside is expected, potentially testing the $74,496–$71,237 region. This zone has historically served as a strong support area, and any confirmed reversal from here could set the stage for another bullish leg.

Bitcoin Weekend Liquidity Ahead: Expect Range-Bound Action Crypto expert Lennaert Snyder outlined that Bitcoin is holding the key $94,630 support level, which also serves as the crucial H4 level to hold. On Friday, BTC retraced and briefly swept this low before stabilizing, reinforcing the importance of this zone for short-term market structure.

As we enter the weekend liquidity, Bitcoin is likely to trade within a defined range until Sunday evening or Monday. For bullish traders, the plan is to hold the low and watch for a market structure break above $95,820. Once this occurs, long positions could target the $97,960 monthly high.

In anticipation of continued upside, only part of the position may be closed at the monthly high, letting 30%-40% run to capture further gains if momentum persists. However, if BTC loses the $94,630 support on the H4 and falls back into the previous range, a continuation toward lower lows becomes more likely. In that scenario, short positions would be considered after confirmation on a retest, giving traders a structured approach to managing risk and potential downside.

BTC trading at $95,299 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

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Cardano is seeing an increase in volumes in the derivatives market, with the market now watching for what comes next for ADA's price.

According to CoinGlass data, Cardano has increased 10,654.62% in futures volume on the Bitmex exchange, reaching $40.04 million.

This suggests increased activity in the derivatives market, given that Bitmex is a major crypto derivatives exchange. This coincides with Cardano approaching a key milestone in the derivative markets.

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This week, the world's leading derivatives marketplace CME Group revealed plans to include Cardano futures in its lineup come Feb. 9, pending regulatory review.

Market participants will have the choice to trade both micro-sized and larger-sized contracts. In the case of Cardano, it will include ADA futures (100,000 ADA) and Micro ADA futures (10,000 ADA).

Cardano joins CME Group's cryptocurrency product suite, which includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Solana futures and options on futures.

Hidden price signal?The surge in futures volume remains significant as leverage resets and capital rotates selectively across the market, benefiting crypto assets with clear institutional flow signals.

Cardano's open interest has slightly rebounded following a drop in the past day, up 0.12% in the last 24 hours to $792.57 million.

Following two days of drop since Jan. 14, Cardano rebounded from a low of $0.379 on Friday, sustaining gains in the early Saturday session. At the time of writing, ADA was up 1.00% in the last 24 hours to $0.395 and up 1.16% weekly.

The first sign of strength will be a break and close above the $0.4378 high. Cardano's price may then eye $0.50, where bears are expected to pose a strong defense.

On the other hand, if ADA's price drops further, there is minor support at $0.38, but if the level falters, Cardano may slide toward $0.33. Buyers are expected to aggressively defend the $0.33 level, as a break below it may take Cardano's price to the Oct. 10 low of $0.27.

Corporate credit quality is deteriorating beneath a surface that looks deceptively calm. JPMorgan tallied roughly $55 billion in US corporate bonds that slid from investment-grade to junk status in 2025, the so-called “fallen angels.”

At the same time, only $10 billion returned to investment-grade status as “rising stars.” Another $63 billion of investment-grade debt now sits near the edge of junk, up from about $37 billion at the end of 2024.

Yet, spreads remain remarkably tight: as of Jan. 15, FRED data shows investment-grade option-adjusted spreads at 0.76%, BBB spreads at 0.97%, and high-yield spreads at 2.71%.

Those are levels that suggest investors are not yet treating this as a credit event, even as the pipeline of potential downgrades swells.

This disconnect of deterioration under the hood and complacency on the surface creates exactly the kind of backdrop where Bitcoin can become a convex macro trade. Modest spread widening typically acts as a headwind for risk assets, including Bitcoin.

However, if credit stress accelerates enough to pull forward Federal Reserve rate cuts or liquidity backstops, the same dynamic that hammers Bitcoin initially can flip into the monetary regime where it historically catches a bid.

Corporate bond downgrades surged to $55 billion in 2025 from $4 billion in 2024, while upgrades plunged from $22 billion to $10 billion.Credit stress as a two-stage mechanismBitcoin's relationship with corporate credit is state-dependent.

Academic research published in Wiley in August 2025 finds a negative relationship between cryptocurrency returns and credit spreads, with the linkage becoming significantly more pronounced in stressier market states.

That structure explains why Bitcoin often sells off when spreads widen, then rallies if the widening becomes severe enough to shift the policy outlook. The first phase tightens financial conditions and reduces risk appetite.

The second phase increases the probability of easier monetary policy, lower real yields, and a weaker dollar. These are variables that Bitcoin cares about more than crypto-specific news.

Bitcoin is highly sensitive to monetary liquidity narratives, not just narratives internal to the crypto market. That sensitivity is why the “fallen angel” pipeline matters.

When corporate bonds lose investment-grade status, they trigger forced selling by regulated or mandate-constrained holders, such as insurers, investment-grade-only funds, and index trackers. Additionally, dealers demand wider spreads to warehouse the risk.

European Central Bank financial stability work notes that fallen angels can hurt both prices and issuance conditions for the affected firms, which can spill into equities and volatility.

Bitcoin typically feels that spillover through the same channels that pressure high-beta equities: tighter conditions, reduced leverage, and risk-off positioning.

But the mechanism has a second act. If credit deterioration becomes macro-relevant, with spreads gap wider fast enough to threaten corporate refinancing or trigger broader financial stress, the Fed's toolkit includes precedent for intervention.

On Mar. 23, 2020, the Fed established the Primary Market Corporate Credit Facility and the Secondary Market Corporate Credit Facility to support corporate bond markets.

Bank for International Settlements research on the SMCCF finds that the announcements significantly lowered credit spreads, largely by compressing credit risk premiums.

For Bitcoin, backstops and balance-sheet-style actions represent the kind of liquidity regime change that crypto traders tend to front-run, often before traditional assets fully reprice the policy shift.

The non-credit asset angleCredit deterioration is a reminder that corporate claims carry default risk, maturity walls, and downgrade cascades. Bitcoin has none of those features. It has no issuer cash flow, no credit rating, and no refinancing calendar.

In a world where investors are de-risking credit exposure, especially when yields fall and the dollar weakens, Bitcoin can benefit at the margin as a non-credit alternative.

This is not a “safe haven” argument. Bitcoin's volatility profile makes that framing misleading. It is a rotation argument: when credit becomes the problem, assets without credit risk can attract flows even if they carry other risks.

Bitcoin-dollar correlations are time-varying and episodic, which means the “weaker dollar equals bullish Bitcoin” channel is not automatic.

However, in a scenario where credit stress drives both lower US yields and a policy pivot, the dollar can weaken alongside falling real rates, and that combination is historically the most supportive macro mix for Bitcoin.

When complacency breaksCurrent conditions sit in an unusual zone. Investment-grade spreads at 0.76% and high-yield spreads at 2.71% are compressed by historical standards, yet the downgrade pipeline is the largest since 2020.

That creates three plausible paths, each with different implications for Bitcoin.

In the “slow bleed” scenario, spreads drift wider but do not gap. High-yield spreads might rise 50 to 100 basis points, BBB spreads might widen 20 to 40 basis points, and financial conditions tighten incrementally.

The Fed stays cautious, and Bitcoin behaves like a risk asset, struggling as liquidity conditions tighten without any offsetting policy shift. This is the most common outcome when credit deteriorates gradually, and it is usually bearish or neutral for Bitcoin.

In the “credit wobble” scenario, spreads reprice to levels that change the policy conversation without triggering a full crisis.

Reuters reported that high-yield spreads hit roughly 401 basis points and investment-grade spreads reached about 106 basis points during the April 2025 stress episode. Those levels are not crisis territory, but they are enough to make the Fed reconsider its path.

If Treasuries rally on risk-off flows while the market pulls forward rate cuts, Bitcoin can pivot from risk-off to liquidity-on faster than equities. This is the “convex” scenario: Bitcoin dumps initially, then rallies ahead of the policy shift.

In the “credit shock” scenario, spreads gap to crisis levels, forced selling accelerates, and the Fed deploys balance-sheet tools or other liquidity backstops.

Bitcoin experiences extreme volatility in both directions: a selloff across the market, then a sharp rally as liquidity expectations shift.

The 2020 template is the clearest example. Bitcoin fell from roughly $10,000 to $4,000 in mid-March, then climbed above $60,000 within a year as the Fed's response flooded the system with liquidity.

The bullish argument for Bitcoin in credit stress is not that Bitcoin is immune to the initial shock, but that it can benefit disproportionately from the policy response.

RegimeCredit move (your ranges)What happens in creditPolicy signal to watchBitcoin pattern (Phase 1 → Phase 2)Slow bleedHY +50–100 bps; BBB +20–40 bpsIncremental tightening; refinancing anxiety rises slowlyNo clear pivot; financial conditions grind tighterRisk-off drag → little/no “liquidity flip”Credit wobbleReprice toward “policy-relevant” levels (e.g., HY ~401 bps; IG ~106 bps episode)Conditions tighten fast enough to change the Fed conversationCuts pulled forward; real yields start fallingDrop with risk → rebounds earlier than equities on pivot pricingCredit shockGap wider to crisis-like levelsForced selling, liquidity stress, market dysfunction riskFacilities/backstops; balance-sheet-type actionsSharp selloff → violent rally as liquidity regime turnsWhat to watchThe dashboard for tracking whether credit stress flips from headwind to tailwind is straightforward. High-yield and BBB spreads are the first line: if BBB widens disproportionately, the fallen-angel pipeline is getting priced.

CDX IG and CDX HY indices provide a cleaner read on market sentiment. US Treasury real yields and the dollar together form the critical cross-check: rising real yields and a rising dollar are the most toxic mix for Bitcoin, while falling real yields signal the potential policy flip.

Liquidity plumbing, such as any signs of Fed facilities, balance-sheet expansion, or repo operations, matters because stablecoins and on-chain crypto liquidity react to monetary shocks.

The credit market is showing both strength and warning lights. January opened with heavy investment-grade issuance and still-low risk premiums, suggesting investors are not yet treating this as a 2020-style event.

But the $63 billion near-junk pipeline is a loaded gun.

If spreads stay contained, Bitcoin's credit-stress narrative stays hypothetical. If the spreads gap, the sequencing matters: tighten the shock first, ease expectations later.

Bitcoin's bullish case in a credit deterioration scenario is not that it avoids the first phase, but that it can capitalize on the second phase faster than assets still tied to corporate cash flows and credit ratings.

Mentioned in this article

After a steady stretch of flexing above the 1,000 exahash per second (EH/s) — a clean 1 zettahash per second (ZH/s) — line, Bitcoin's network hashpower has dipped back under the 1 ZH/s bar and is now clocking in at 988 EH/s.

Solana ($SOL) remains one of the most talked-about "Ethereum killers" in the blockchain space. With its lightning-fast transaction speeds and growing ecosystem of decentralized applications (dApps), many investors are wondering: What happens if I invest $1,000 in Solana today?

As of January 17, 2026, the Solana price is hovering around $144.08. Let's break down the technicals and the fundamental outlook for the next five years.

Solana Chart Analysis: Current Market StructureLooking at the 4-hour chart provided, Solana is currently trading in a consolidated range between $122 and $160. After a period of volatility in late 2025, the price has found solid support around the $120.00 green zone.

SOL/USD 4H - TradingView

Resistance: The immediate hurdle is at $144.04 (yellow line), followed by a major psychological barrier at $160.00.Support: Strong buyers are stepping in at the $122.67 level.Stochastic RSI: The indicator shows a value of 74.05, suggesting that while momentum is bullish, we are approaching "overbought" territory in the short term.If Solana breaks above the $160 resistance, the path toward the previous highs near $175 becomes clear. For a long-term investor, this consolidation phase often represents an accumulation zone before the next macro leg up.

The $1,000 Scenario: Where Could You Be in 2031?If you put $1,000 into SOL today at a price of approximately $144, you would own roughly 6.94 SOL. To understand the potential return, we have to look at the historical growth of the network and adoption metrics reported by major financial institutions like Goldman Sachs or Bloomberg.

YearPotential SOL PriceEstimated Value of $1,000 Investment2026 (Now)$144$1,0002027$280$1,9432028$450$3,1232029$620$4,3022030$850$5,8992031$1,100$7,634Note: These are projections based on market cycles and increased institutional adoption. Crypto news and market volatility can significantly alter these outcomes.

Why Solana Could Reach New HeightsThe bull case for Solana over the next five years rests on three main pillars:

Institutional Adoption: More ETFs and institutional products are integrating SOL, similar to the trajectory seen with Bitcoin.Scalability Dominance: As Web3 games and high-frequency trading platforms move on-chain, Solana's sub-second finality becomes its biggest competitive advantage.The Firedancer Upgrade: This independent validator client is expected to push Solana's throughput even higher, potentially reaching 1 million transactions per second.Solana Risks to ConsiderNo investment is without risk. If you are planning a 5-year hold, ensure you are using secure hardware wallets to protect your assets. Network outages, which plagued Solana in its early years, remain a point of concern for some skeptics. Additionally, regulatory shifts in the US and EU could impact the entire exchange comparison landscape.

Final ThoughtsA $1,000 investment in Solana today is a bet on the future of high-performance blockchain. While the path won't be a straight line, the technical floor at $120 provides a clear risk-management level for new entrants. By 2031, if Solana captures even a fraction of the market share currently held by traditional finance, a four-figure SOL price is well within the realm of possibility.