Market Signal Briefing

Ethereum’s blockchain experienced unprecedented transaction volumes as 2025 concluded, with a record 2.23 million transactions processed on December 29. This marked the highest single-day transaction count in the network’s history. Subsequent days, including December 30 and 31, as well as January 2, 2026, also saw transaction levels near these historic highs.

The surge in activity highlights Ethereum’s substantial role in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, driven largely by its smart contract functionality and widespread use in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. Analysts attribute this increased activity to several factors, including year-end financial settlements, heightened interest in digital assets, and the growing popularity of Ethereum-based applications.

Ethereum’s smart contracts, self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code, have been instrumental in facilitating complex decentralized transactions. This capability has positioned Ethereum as a cornerstone of the DeFi sector, which allows users to engage in financial activities without traditional banking intermediaries.

The significant rise in transactions comes at a time when Ethereum continues to transition towards its Ethereum 2.0 upgrade, which aims to improve scalability, security, and energy efficiency. This ongoing upgrade process is expected to enhance the network’s capacity to handle even higher transaction volumes, addressing long-standing scalability issues.

Market observers note that the increased onchain activity could have implications for network congestion and transaction fees. Historically, high transaction volumes have led to elevated gas fees, the cost required to execute transactions on the Ethereum network. While this can be a barrier for some users, others view it as a reflection of the network’s robust demand and utility.

Ethereum’s performance contrasts with other blockchain networks, some of which have seen fluctuating transaction levels. Bitcoin, for example, often experiences varying transaction volumes depending on market conditions and overall network activity. Ethereum’s ability to maintain high transaction numbers underscores its unique position in the cryptocurrency landscape.

As the new year unfolds, stakeholders in the Ethereum ecosystem are closely monitoring the effects of its onchain activity on the broader market. This includes potential impacts on Ether’s (ETH) price, network security, and the ongoing development of Ethereum 2.0. With the network’s transition still underway, Ethereum’s trajectory in 2026 remains a focal point for investors and developers alike.

The Ethereum community continues to anticipate further enhancements and innovations, including sharding, a process that splits the network into smaller, more manageable parts. This is expected to further aid in scalability and transaction efficiency. As Ethereum navigates these changes, the outcomes of its increased activity and ongoing upgrades will be critical for its future development.

Looking ahead, market participants are cautious yet optimistic about Ethereum’s potential to sustain its growth and address scalability challenges. The upcoming months will likely see continued interest in how Ethereum adapts to the evolving demands of the digital economy, especially with its pivotal role in DeFi and smart contract applications.

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MYX Finance has captured significant market attention after its price posted an explosive rally over the past 24 hours, surging by nearly 87% at its peak. The sharp upside move is largely driven by growing anticipation surrounding the upcoming MYX Finance V2 upgrade, which is expected to introduce instant perpetual market creation. This anticipated functionality has reignited investor interest, accelerating demand and pushing MYX price sharply higher.

On-chain data and trading volume suggest that the rally is supported by genuine accumulation rather than short-lived speculation. The On-Balance Volume (OBV) indicator recorded a notable spike alongside the price increase. Prior to the breakout, OBV had been trending upward steadily, signaling sustained accumulation by market participants. This gradual buildup reflects growing conviction among MYX holders, and when the price finally accelerated, volume followed decisively, confirming broad-based participation.

Such alignment between MYX price action and volume often points to healthier rallies, as capital inflows support continuation rather than abrupt reversals caused by thin liquidity. Sustained volume expansion reduces the risk of immediate exhaustion, showing that buyers are willing to transact at higher price levels. This behavior strengthens confidence in MYX Finance’s long-term growth narrative and suggests the rally is underpinned by real market engagement.

Momentum indicators add nuance to the outlook. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has climbed above the 70 level, placing MYX in overbought territory. While this traditionally signals potential pullbacks, MYX Finance has historically sustained strong rallies despite elevated RSI readings. Previous surges in August and September 2025 saw gains exceeding 1,600% and 900% respectively without immediate corrections, indicating that RSI alone may not signal exhaustion during strong narrative-driven phases.

At the time of writing, MYX trades near $6.12 after briefly reclaiming the $7.00 level for the first time in roughly three months. The breakout from a long-standing ascending channel strengthens the bullish structure. If MYX can establish $7.00 as support, further upside toward $8.90 and the psychological $10.00 level remains possible. However, increased profit-taking could introduce downside risk, with a drop below $5.83 potentially opening the door to a deeper retracement toward $4.54.

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Ethereum is showing renewed signs of strength as it begins to stabilize after months of choppy price action. While recent technical improvements suggest momentum is turning in favor of the bulls, key resistance levels remain overhead, which means the recovery seems promising, but not yet fully confirmed.

Market Structure Remains Unconvincing Despite The Bounce
In a recent market update, crypto analyst Luca expressed a cautious outlook regarding Ethereum’s current market structure. While the price has managed a technical feat by breaking above the 1D Bull Market Support Band, a zone that has historically served as a reliable reversal point over the past several months, Luca remains unconvinced of a broader trend shift. 

The primary hurdle for a definitive bullish reversal lies at the 0.618 Fibonacci Point of Interest (POI), currently positioned at $3,120. Luca emphasizes that Ethereum must durably reclaim this level to shift the lower-timeframe sentiment. Until this specific price target is secured as support, the risk of the current move being a fake-out remains high.

ETH Bulls pushing for an upward move | Source: Chart from Luca on X
Drawing parallels to the current state of Bitcoin, Luca suggests that the most prudent approach for investors is to remain defensive, as the market has yet to confirm a breakout above the Fibonacci resistance. This cautious stance is intended to guard against emotional trading during a period of high uncertainty and potential volatility.

To manage this risk, Luca is maintaining a cash reserve to hedge spot holdings in case a rejection occurs. A failure to hold current levels would likely trigger a deeper pullback toward the previous high-timeframe resistance range near $2,700 before a more sustainable and durable reversal to the upside unfolds.

Ethereum Opens 2026 With A Key Trend Shift
According to StockTrader_max, Ethereum has started 2026 on a clearly positive technical footing. ETH has printed its first daily close above the 50-day moving average since October 9, a period that coincided with the liquidation-driven shock that rippled through the broader crypto market. This close marks a meaningful shift in trend behavior after months of trading below key short-term averages.

From a bullish perspective, reclaiming the 50-day MA is exactly the kind of confirmation sought for following an extended corrective phase. It signals improving momentum and suggests that buyers are beginning to regain control, potentially laying the groundwork for a more sustained recovery rather than a short-lived bounce.

Looking ahead, StockTrader_max highlighted the 200-day moving average around $3,550 as the next major upside objective. As capital starts to rotate back into Ethereum and risk appetite improves, the analyst expects price action to gravitate toward this level in the coming sessions.

ETH trading at $3,101 on the 1D chart | Source: ETHUSDT on Tradingview.com
Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

TLDR:

ZK-EVMs achieved production-grade performance at alpha stage with PeerDAS live on Ethereum mainnet today.

Ethereum now combines high bandwidth, consensus, and decentralization, solving the blockchain trilemma.

Gas limit increases begin in 2026, with ZK-EVMs becoming primary block validation by 2027 through 2030.

Distributed block building remains long-term goal to reduce centralization and improve geographic fairness.

ZK-EVMs have achieved production-grade performance at the alpha stage, marking a turning point for Ethereum’s scalability roadmap. 

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin announced that the combination of zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines and PeerDAS on mainnet represents a fundamental shift for the network. 

This development addresses the long-standing blockchain trilemma of achieving decentralization, consensus, and high bandwidth simultaneously. The milestone comes after a decade of research and development.

Breaking the Blockchain Trilemma with Live Technology
Buterin explained how Ethereum has evolved beyond previous peer-to-peer network models. BitTorrent offered high bandwidth and decentralization but lacked consensus mechanisms. 

Bitcoin provided decentralization and consensus yet suffered from limited bandwidth due to its replicated rather than distributed structure. Ethereum now combines all three elements through PeerDAS and ZK-EVM integration.

Now that ZKEVMs are at alpha stage (production-quality performance, remaining work is safety) and PeerDAS is live on mainnet, it's time to talk more about what this combination means for Ethereum.

These are not minor improvements; they are shifting Ethereum into being a…

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 3, 2026

The announcement emphasized that this achievement exists in live running code rather than theoretical proposals. PeerDAS currently operates on Ethereum mainnet, providing data availability sampling functionality. 

ZK-EVMs have reached production quality in terms of performance, with remaining work focused on safety enhancements. Both components working together enable the network to process significantly more data while maintaining security and decentralization.

This technical breakthrough concludes a journey that began around 2015 with early data availability sampling research. ZK-EVM development efforts started approximately in 2020. 

Buterin shared his original GitHub commit on data availability and erasure coding to illustrate the extended timeline. 

The convergence of these technologies now positions Ethereum to support substantially higher throughput.

Roadmap Through 2030 and Distributed Block Building Goals
The implementation timeline spans the next four years with specific milestones. In 2026, Ethereum will implement large gas limit increases independent of ZK-EVM requirements through BALs and ePBS. 

The network will also see initial opportunities for running ZK-EVM nodes. This phase focuses on expanding capacity while maintaining network stability.

Between 2026 and 2028, developers will introduce gas repricings and state structure modifications. Execution payloads will move into blobs alongside other technical adjustments. 

These changes aim to make higher gas limits operationally safe. The gradual approach allows the network to adapt incrementally rather than through disruptive upgrades.

From 2027 to 2030, ZK-EVMs will become the primary block validation method across Ethereum. This transition enables further substantial gas limit increases. Buterin also addressed distributed block building as a long-term objective. 

The goal involves preventing full block constitution in a single location, reducing centralized interference risks. This can occur through in-protocol solutions like expanded FOCIL or through distributed builder marketplaces, improving geographical fairness for transaction inclusion.

Networking could prove to be the next big opportunity in the AI market.

The rapid expansion of global artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure is increasingly constrained not by raw compute but by bandwidth, latency, and reliability of the networking interconnects. Hyperscalers are deploying AI clusters with over 100,000 compute nodes (GPUs, accelerators, CPUs) to support large-scale training and inferencing workloads. These clusters require tens of thousands of optical modules to move data efficiently between GPUs, switches, and racks.

Image source: Getty Images.

With copper-based networking unable to keep pace, hyperscalers are adopting 800-gigabit (800G) optical modules at scale, while 1.6-terabit (1.6T) silicon photonics-based interconnects are already in the advanced qualification and early customer adoption stages.

Despite the scale of this AI networking opportunity, investors have remained disproportionately focused on the GPUs. Here are two companies that can benefit from this underestimated AI trend in 2026.

Broadcom
Broadcom (AVGO +0.44%) is increasingly seeing strong demand for its AI networking components, as hyperscalers build data center infrastructure ahead of deploying custom accelerators.

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Broadcom exited its fiscal 2025 with AI switch backlog exceeding $10 billion, driven by record bookings for its 102-terabit-per-second Tomahawk 6 switch. The company has also secured record orders for digital signal processors and optical networking components, such as lasers and PCI Express switches. The company reported $73 billion total AI-related backlog to be delivered in the next 18 months, almost half of the $162 billion consolidated backlog. Since nearly $20 billion of the $73 billion backlog is nonaccelerator content, it is evident that networking and optical components are already becoming a material revenue source.

At the same time, Broadcom's custom accelerator business is still its primary growth engine. The company's AI semiconductor revenue was up 74% year over year in the quarter to $6.5 billion. Management expects AI revenue to double year over year to $8.2 billion in the current quarter.

Considering its strong accelerator and networking portfolio, Broadcom is well positioned to capture a significant share of global AI infrastructure buildout.

Coherent
Coherent (COHR +5.29%) designs and sells lasers, optical transceivers, and photonic components that enable high-speed, high-bandwidth, and low-latency data transmission in AI data centers, cloud networks, and telecommunication infrastructure.

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Coherent is already seeing clear AI-driven traction and is well positioned to benefit from the AI networking upgrade cycle. In the first quarter of fiscal 2026 (ending Sept. 30, 2025), revenue was up 17% year over year to $1.58 billion. Data center revenue was up 23% year over year, driven by strong demand from hyperscalers for its high-speed optical connectivity equipment. Coherent experienced record bookings in the first quarter, with some orders extending more than 12 months into the future. This highlights the company's robust revenue visibility, which can help protect it from near-term macro volatility.

The company has also demonstrated the capabilities of the 1.6T optical transceivers based on three different technologies: silicon photonics, electro-absorption modulated laser (EML), and vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL). While early ramp-ups are underway, the company expects broader adoption as customers scale their AI networks in calendar year 2026.

With accelerating 800G deployments, early 1.6T ramps, and expanding bookings backlog, Coherent could see rapid growth in the coming years.

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A delay on some furniture tariffs is good news for RH. But the bigger story is its strong free cash flow and an ambitious overseas expansion.

The furniture industry just got a bit of breathing room on the tariff front. On Dec. 31, the White House said it would delay a planned increase in tariff rates for upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities that was scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, while leaving the current 25% tariff in place.

Shares of RH (RH +7.90%) and other furniture companies rose on the news. Tariff uncertainty has been one more weight on an already choppy backdrop for the luxury furniture specialist. The company has been up against "the worst housing market in almost 50 years," RH CEO Gary Friedman told investors in the company's third-quarter update.

Despite the challenges it has faced, RH has returned to top-line growth and is reporting substantial free cash flow. In addition, it has been investing heavily in a global expansion it hopes will dramatically expand its addressable market.

Combining this positive news about tariffs with RH's recent business momentum and a stock that is still beaten down from previous highs, it's a good time to look at the stock.

Image source: Getty Images.

Uncertainty is the real issue
Tariffs have been damaging to RH's business in more ways than one. Yes, they hurt margins. But the volatile tariff environment has also led to significant uncertainty for management and its customers. Putting the volatile environment into perspective, Friedman noted in the company's most recent quarterly update that there have been "16 different tariff announcements over the past 10 months that have resulted in significant resourcing, product delays, out of stocks, and driven multiple rounds of price negotiations and increases."

While the White House didn't eliminate tariffs, it did delay a big step-up in tariffs. This will not only save RH money, but it will also help it plan its marketing and sourcing with a little more confidence.

Meanwhile, the company has been doing its best to address tariff challenges head-on by shifting sourcing away from China and implementing other measures to reduce its exposure to tariffs.

Robust free cash flow
The best reason RH stock looks more interesting today, however, is not the tariff delay -- it is the company's recent cash generation.

Helped by 9% revenue growth in its most recent quarter, RH's third-quarter free cash flow came in at $83 million, bringing year-to-date free cash flow to $198 million. Management also reiterated a full-year free-cash-flow outlook of $250 million to $300 million. For a company with a market capitalization of $3.6 billion, this is substantial.

Not only does strong free cash flow during a difficult housing market highlight the resilience of RH's business, but it also suggests the company should have no problem paying down its debt in the coming years -- and it has a lot of it. RH ended the third quarter with net debt of about $2.4 billion.

International expansion
But strong free cash flow isn't the only reason to be upbeat about RH. The company's international expansion also looks promising.

The company opened RH England in 2023 and expanded to Paris in 2025. Even more, the company positioned these locations as more than stores -- they are immaculate, immersive brand statements designed to build awareness and drive demand for its nascent design services business. RH believes these stores will make a lasting statement about its brand and establish RH as a global brand.

The company has also laid out plans for additional European galleries, including openings in London and Milan in 2026.

Importantly, RH is telling investors to expect near-term financial drag from this strategy. In the third-quarter outlook, management said its guidance included roughly a 200-basis-point operating-margin impact from investments and start-up costs tied to international expansion.

But if RH succeeds in building a durable luxury brand overseas, today's stock price could look cheap in hindsight.

Overall, shares look attractive at a valuation of 13 times the midpoint of management's full-year 2025 free cash flow guidance. But given the stock's debt levels and the unpredictable nature of both housing and furniture markets, investors should keep in mind that there are risks.

Additionally, it may make sense for investors who do buy shares to keep their positions small, given how volatile furniture sales have proven to be in recent years. While RH's sales could surge higher if the housing market picks back up, uncertainty in the housing market could also send luxury furniture sales sharply lower.

The tariff delay is undoubtedly a positive development for RH. It reduces tariff uncertainty and gives management more visibility. But the real reason to be excited about RH stock is its free cash flow and international expansion.

NEW YORK, Jan. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities and sellers of put options of Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (NASDAQ: SFM) between June 4, 2025 and October 29, 2025, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important January 26, 2026 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Sprouts securities and/or sold put options 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 Sprouts class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48630 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 26, 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 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 provided investors with material information concerning Sprouts’ growth potential for the fiscal year 2025. Defendants’ statements included, among other things, confidence in Sprouts’ customer base to remain resilient to macroeconomic pressures and that Sprouts would instead benefit from the perceived tailwinds from a more cautious consumer. Defendants provided these overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while, at the same time, disseminating materially false and misleading statements and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Sprouts’ growth potential; notably, that a more cautious consumer could result in significant slowdown in sales growth and the purported tailwinds would be unable to dampen the slowdown or would otherwise fail to manifest entirely. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Sprouts class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=48630 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.

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

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

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

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

Contact Information:

        Laurence Rosen, Esq.
        Phillip Kim, Esq.
        The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
        275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
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        Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
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As 2026 gets underway, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) sits in an awkward middle ground.

After pushing to an all-time high above $126,000 in mid-2025, prices have pulled back and stabilized in the high-$80,000s.

That kind of move naturally revives the same question for anyone watching from the sidelines: Is this the opportunity, or is there still more downside ahead?

The honest answer is that there is no single “right” moment.

Bitcoin doesn’t reward precision so much as discipline, patience, and position sizing. The investors who tend to do well aren’t the ones who guess the exact bottom — they’re the ones who enter with a process they can stick to.

Where Bitcoin Is Right NowStructurally, Bitcoin no longer looks euphoric, but it also doesn’t look broken.

Prices have consolidated after a sharp run-up rather than collapsing outright.

Long-term valuation models still place Bitcoin well below historical cycle extremes, while sentiment indicators reflect caution rather than greed.

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That combination matters. Markets tend to offer better long-term opportunities when enthusiasm has cooled but conviction hasn’t disappeared.

Put simply, Bitcoin isn’t screaming “buy immediately,” but it also doesn’t look like an asset that needs to reset from scratch.

Why Trying to Pick the Perfect Entry Usually BackfiresMost discussions about “the best time to buy” quietly assume something unrealistic: that investors can reliably identify the bottom.

Bitcoin’s history suggests otherwise.

Even during strong bull markets, 20–40% pullbacks are routine.

On average, Bitcoin undergoes a 30%+ correction every 3–6 months during bull runs. In real time, those drops rarely feel like “healthy corrections.” They feel like something worse, until they aren’t.

Look at 2017: Bitcoin experienced five distinct drops of over 30% on the path to $20,000. In 2021, it plummeted from $64,000 to $30,000 (a 53% decline) before eventually peaking at $69,000.

The current pullback from $126,000 to $89,900 represents a 29% decline, well within historical norms for mid-bull consolidation.

At current levels, Bitcoin isn’t cheap enough to remove risk, but it’s also not expensive enough to guarantee regret if prices move higher. That’s exactly the type of environment where process beats prediction.

Forecasts Are Useful as ContextYou’ll see no shortage of price targets for Bitcoin in 2026. Many cluster around $150,000. Some go higher. Others warn of sharp downside if macro conditions deteriorate.

The disagreement itself is the signal.

Bitcoin’s path depends on variables no one controls: liquidity, monetary policy, regulation, and risk appetite.

Forecasts can help frame upside and downside, but they’re poor tools for timing entries. What is consistent across cycles is volatility, and that volatility punishes investors who assume smooth progress.

A Smarter Way to Approach EntryInstead of asking “Is now the time?”, a better question is: How do I enter without needing to be right immediately?

That’s where dollar-cost averaging earns its reputation.

By spreading purchases over time, you reduce the risk of bad timing without needing a crystal ball. If prices fall, future buys happen lower. If prices rise, you’re already partially invested. You’re trading precision for durability, which is almost always a good exchange with Bitcoin.

For many investors heading into 2026, a reasonable approach looks like this:

Start small rather than all at once.
Add exposure gradually over several months.
Be willing to buy into weakness without anchoring to a single “perfect” level.
Avoid chasing short-term breakouts driven by excitement.
This doesn’t maximize gains in a best-case scenario. It does, however, minimize regret in the worst-case one.

Why Position Size Matters More Than Entry PriceOne of the most common Bitcoin mistakes isn’t buying too high, it’s buying too much.

Bitcoin remains volatile, regardless of institutional involvement.

Large drawdowns are still part of the experience. The difference between a tolerable correction and a panic-inducing one usually comes down to allocation size.

For most diversified investors, Bitcoin works best as a supplement, not a core holding.

Small allocations can matter over time without dominating outcomes. Oversized positions tend to turn normal volatility into emotional stress, and emotional stress leads to bad decisions.

If a 30% drawdown would cause you to abandon the strategy entirely, the allocation is probably too large.

A Practical On-Ramp for Buying Bitcoin in 2026For investors who want exposure without jumping through hoops, SoFi offers a straightforward way to get started.

SoFi allows users to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin alongside traditional banking and investing, all within one app. Funds move directly from checking or savings, and uninvested cash can continue earning interest rather than sitting idle on an exchange.

For newer investors especially, this matters. You’re not managing multiple platforms or navigating interfaces built for professional traders. You’re simply adding Bitcoin as another asset inside the same financial ecosystem where you already save, invest, and pay bills.

That simplicity pairs well with a gradual, process-driven approach. Instead of trying to time entries across different exchanges, investors can set a steady cadence and focus on consistency rather than constant monitoring.

Macro Tailwinds Don’t Eliminate VolatilityThere are legitimate structural reasons Bitcoin continues to attract attention going into 2026: easing monetary conditions, increasing institutional participation, clearer regulatory frameworks, and long-term concerns around sovereign debt.

These factors support the long-term case. They do not remove short-term turbulence.

Markets routinely sell off even when the broader thesis remains intact. Assuming tailwinds guarantee smooth price appreciation is one of the fastest ways to mismanage risk.

Buy, Wait, or Sit Tight?There’s no universal answer, but a simple framework helps.

Buying makes sense if you have a long time horizon, can tolerate sharp drawdowns, and plan to build exposure gradually.

Waiting makes sense if you already have exposure, feel overallocated, or want flexibility in an uncertain macro environment.

Doing nothing is also a valid choice, especially if Bitcoin doesn’t yet fit cleanly into your broader financial plan.

The mistake isn’t choosing the “wrong” option. It’s choosing without a plan.

What Actually Matters Going ForwardThe best time to buy Bitcoin in 2026 isn’t about catching a dip or predicting the next breakout. It’s about entering in a way that doesn’t require perfect timing, constant attention, or emotional fortitude you don’t actually have.

Bitcoin has always punished impatience and rewarded consistency. That hasn’t changed.

For investors willing to approach it methodically, with modest sizing, realistic expectations, and a repeatable process, the real edge isn’t buying on the perfect day.

It’s building an approach you can stick with when volatility inevitably tests it.

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© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Journalist

Posted: January 4, 2026

Shiba Inu [SHIB] ended its prolonged bearish trend and broke out of a strong resistance level that had capped its price action since September 2025.

At press time, the SHIB was trading at $0.0000079, up 8.5% over the past 24 hours. Alongside the price surge, investor and trader participation also strengthened, as trading volume jumped 96% to $228.5 million during the same period.

This rise in trading volume alongside the price increase suggests that market participants are showing strong interest in SHIB’s current trend, pointing to a bullish signal for holders.

SHIB price action and technical analysis
The key catalyst potentially driving the massive surge in SHIB’s trading volume is its price action.

According to technical analysis, SHIB has successfully broken out of a descending trendline on the daily chart that had capped its price action since September 2025.

Following this breakout, the path for further upside appears largely clear, as no major hurdles are visible on the chart.

Source: TradingView

If SHIB can hold above the $0.00000763 level, it may gain another 32% and climb toward $0.00001057 in the coming days. This bullish outlook, however, depends on the price staying above $0.00000763, a breakdown below that level would invalidate the setup.

Technical indicators add context. At the time of writing, the Average Directional Index (ADX) has risen to 27, crossing the key threshold of 25 and signaling a strong trend. 

At the same time, the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) sat at -0.12, showing that capital outflows still slightly outweigh inflows, which reflects cautious buying pressure.

Traders eyes on long-leveraged positions 
Besides price action and technical analysis, derivatives data from CoinGlass has also strengthened SHIB’s bullish outlook.

According to the latest data, intraday traders are heavily over-leveraged at $0.0000078 on the lower side and $0.00000844 on the upper side.

At these levels, traders have built $1.11 million worth of long-leveraged positions compared to $705.55K worth of short-leveraged positions.

Source: CoinGlass

This imbalance suggests that the current trend for the memecoin remains bullish and indicates that traders do not expect SHIB to fall below the $0.0000078 level anytime soon.

Final Thoughts

With an 8.5% uptick, Shiba Inu (SHIB) has ended its prolonged bearish trend, opening the door for a potential 32% rally.
Trading volume, traders’ bets, and technical indicators are all currently strengthening SHIB’s bullish outlook.

Vivaan Acharya is a Crypto-Economist and Journalist at AMBCrypto who brings a rare depth of financial and economic expertise to the world of digital assets. He holds a Master’s in Economics from the prestigious University of Delhi and has over five years of experience analyzing technology and financial markets.
His foray into the blockchain space began in 2018, marked by his prescient Master's thesis, "Payments and Stablecoin Integration in Banking," which showcased his early understanding of crypto's potential to disrupt traditional finance. Before specializing in crypto, Vivaan honed his skills in rigorous data and technical chart analysis at a major national financial daily, where he covered corporate earnings and market trends.
At AMBCrypto, Vivaan applies this powerful blend of classical economic training and seasoned financial journalism to his work. He is an expert in:
1. Bitcoin and Altcoin Market Analysis
2. Stablecoin Ecosystem Development, and
3 Emerging Crypto Regulations.
Known for his clear, no-nonsense approach, Vivaan translates robust research into straightforward, actionable insights. He is dedicated to demystifying the complexities of blockchain finance, empowering readers to confidently navigate the rapidly evolving digital economy.

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Bitcoin’s rally toward the $90,000 level shaped trading across the crypto market this week. The action also boosted the market sentiment and aligned with the weekly returns in several other alternative tokens, topped by MYX Finance, Pepe, and Canton, with high volumes and participation.

The rise of Bitcoin became the center of reference of traders. As Bitcoin price rises to 2.99% over the past week and trading above $90,000, this lowered short-term uncertainty and faster diversification into buying interest supported the point. As the most dominant asset became well balanced, there was focus on tokens that revealed momentum and liquidity.

MYX, Pepe, and Canton Post Weekly Gains as Bitcoin Rallies
MYX Finance (MYX) provided the best performance among substantial gainers on a weekly basis. The token increased 82.66% over the past week. As of press time, it is trading at $6.23. The past 24 hours trading volume is over $125 million which made MYX one of the most actively traded assets of the week.

The rally was a distinct turnaround after a period of weaknesses. The growth in prices was accompanied by increased turnover across major trading platforms. The move indicated the heightened speculative interest in a Bitcoin strength phase.

Pepe meme coin rally also registered a high weekly improvement. The token was up by almost 50% and it traded at an average of $0.000006123. Daily volume exceeded $1.23 billion which indicates heavy short term trading.

Source: CoinMarketCap
The relocation was after a breakout of a consolidation period. The price rise was accompanied by an increase in the trading activity. The same trends have been observed in previous Bitcoin-led spikes, as riskier tokens developed more flows.

Canton (CC) also registered a significant improvement. The token gained 40.29% during the week and it was trading around $0.1533. Daily volume was estimated at around 26 million, moreover, this means that this company has been participating in the market.

Even though the market size in Canton is still smaller than MYX or Pepe, the weekly growth was substantial. This relocation was in line with overall strength in other alternative assets. Performance indicated the increasing conditions throughout the broader crypto market.

BTC Liquidity Clusters Define Key Levels
The price structure of Bitcoin also continued to be a major area of concern as the rally kept on to major levels. In an X post, analyst Ted indicated that Bitcoin is trading between two well-defined liquidity zones. On the positive end, there is a liquidity concentration of $91,000 to $92,000.

Source: X
Liquidity on the down side is concentrated within the range of $88,500 to $89,000. Another gap in CME futures that Ted pointed out was around $88,200. He observed that Bitcoin has in the past been inclined towards bridging such gaps during periods of high trade.

As Bitcoin raises to $90,000, the analysis has provided definite short term positioning reference points. Bitcoin’s behavior at these levels influenced immediate market direction.

Zcash price has remained in an established uptrend, pushing higher within an ascending wedge formation. This structure often signals a potential breakout, drawing attention from traders. 

However, the rally faces headwinds as weakening investor sentiment threatens to undermine momentum despite ZEC’s technically constructive price pattern.

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Zcash Holders Exhibit Mixed SignalsInvestor sentiment around Zcash briefly improved during the final days of 2025. This shift raised expectations for a sustained recovery as price action remained elevated. However, optimism failed to hold into the new year, with sentiment turning negative once again.

Negative sentiment influences trading behavior and risk appetite. As confidence fades, investors become less willing to add exposure, even during uptrends.

This hesitation limits follow-through buying, increasing the risk that ZEC’s current structure loses support before a breakout materializes.

Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

Zcash Weighted Sentiment. Source: SantimentMacro data offers a counterbalance to declining sentiment. The top 100 Zcash holders have maintained a bullish stance over the past week. Their combined holdings have grown by approximately 6%, even as price action showed uncertainty.

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Their continued accumulation suggests confidence in ZEC’s medium-term prospects. This steady demand could help stabilize prices and reduce downside risk during periods of broader market hesitation.

Sustained support from major holders can absorb selling pressure from smaller investors. This dynamic often prevents sharp declines and allows prices to consolidate constructively. If accumulation persists, ZEC may retain the structure needed for a future breakout attempt.

ZEC Top 100 Holders. Source: NansenZEC Price Hovers Around $500ZEC price is currently moving within an ascending channel, trading near $503 at the time of writing. Price has hovered around this level for an extended period. This consolidation reflects a balance between buyers and sellers as the market awaits a decisive catalyst.

A confirmed breakout from the ascending wedge could trigger a rally of up to 38%, targeting $802. Achieving this move requires a clear shift in investor outlook. Flipping the $600 level into support is critical to validating bullish continuation.

ZEC Price Analysis. Source: TradingViewThe bearish scenario remains relevant if sentiment continues to deteriorate. A lack of investor support could drain upside momentum and trigger a breakdown.

In that case, the ZEC price may fall toward $442, invalidating the ascending wedge and the bullish thesis.

Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) has reached a crucial price point for the first time in 2026. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is charting a course towards the $100,000 mark, and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) is comfortably trading around the $3,000 level. And the Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) broke above key resistance on strong volume, hitting $0.126 and shifting focus to whether it can hold above the $0.124–$0.125 zone.

Shiba Inu’s price has risen slightly above the $0.0000075-$0.0000077 range, a level that has frequently provided temporary support. Momentum indicators are showing signs of stabilization, indicating a reduction in downward pressure. The current market structure suggests that SHIB is up against a thin layer of resistance, which could trigger a significant reaction with even a minor increase in demand.

Bitcoin, on the other hand, has seen a sharp correction recently, setting the stage for a more sustainable breakout. The price has stabilized and is now rebounding, making the $100,000 level a realistic target. The market is transitioning from distribution to accumulation, with Bitcoin returning to critical moving-average territory.

See Also: Did Elon Musk Just Confirm He Is Funding The GOP For Midterms? ‘America Is Toast If The…’

Ethereum’s casual return to the $3,000 mark suggests that the market is becoming more accepting of ETH’s current value. After a lengthy correction, Ethereum is showing significant signs of stabilization. The $3,000 level, which was once a technical and psychological hurdle, is now being traded around without any noticeable stress.

The trading volume for all three cryptocurrencies remains moderate, suggesting strategic positioning rather than reckless leverage. If current trends persist, the future for these cryptocurrencies appears bright.

Talking about the Dogecoin, it jumped to $0.126 after a surge in buying pressure pushed it past the long-standing $0.121 ceiling, with trading volume hitting its highest level in weeks and signaling a clear bullish breakout that now puts the spotlight on DOGE's ability to stay above the $0.124–$0.125 support range.

The shift reflects an effort by meme tokens to find footing in late-year and early-January trading, following a turbulent December marked by shrinking liquidity and spot markets that swung sharply in response to concentrated trading activity.

The recent price movements of Shiba Inu, Bitcoin, and Ethereum are indicative of the broader trends in the cryptocurrency market. The stabilization of momentum indicators for these cryptocurrencies suggests a decrease in selling pressure, which could pave the way for future price increases.

Moreover, the transition from distribution to accumulation in the Bitcoin market indicates a shift in investor sentiment, which could potentially lead to a more sustainable price rally.

The comfort with which Ethereum is trading around the $3,000 mark also suggests growing market acceptance of its current value, which could support its price in the future.

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© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

MYX Finance price posted an explosive rally over the past 24 hours, surging by nearly 87% at its peak. The sharp move follows rising anticipation around MYX Finance V2. 

The upcoming upgrade is expected to allow users to launch perpetual markets instantly, fueling speculation that accelerated sharply today.

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MYX Holders Are Backing The RiseOn-chain and volume indicators suggest the rally is supported by genuine demand rather than short-term speculation. The On-Balance Volume indicator recorded a sharp spike alongside the price. OBV had been rising steadily over several sessions, indicating sustained accumulation before the breakout.

This gradual buildup reflects increasing conviction among buyers. When price finally accelerated, volume followed decisively, confirming participation across the market.

Such alignment between MYX price and OBV often signals healthier rallies, as capital inflows support continuation rather than abrupt reversals driven by thin liquidity.

Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

MYX OBV. Source: TradingViewSustained volume expansion reduces the likelihood of immediate exhaustion. Buyers appear willing to transact at higher levels, reinforcing confidence in MYX Finance’s growth narrative. This behavior suggests the rally is not solely sentiment-driven but grounded in broader market engagement.

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MYX Is Used To The Danger ZoneMomentum indicators introduce caution but also context. The Relative Strength Index has climbed above the 70.0 threshold, placing MYX in overbought territory. Traditionally, this condition raises concerns about near-term pullbacks as traders lock in profits.

However, MYX Finance has previously sustained strong rallies while remaining overbought. In August 2025, MYX gained roughly 1,680% without immediate correction. A similar pattern emerged in September 2025, when the price advanced by over 913% during extended overbought conditions.

MYX RSI. Source: TradingViewThese historical precedents suggest RSI alone may not signal exhaustion for MYX. In strong narrative-driven phases, momentum can remain elevated for prolonged periods. The current RSI reading reflects strength rather than guaranteed reversal.

MYX Price Finally EscapesMYX price climbed more than 87% at its peak during the last 24 hours, trading near $6.12 at the time of writing. The rally briefly carried MYX above the $7.00 level, a threshold last seen roughly three months ago, signaling renewed market interest. This also helped MYX break out of the ascending channel pattern it had been stuck in for over two months.

Technical and momentum indicators favor continuation if support is established. Securing $7.00 as a stable support zone remains the next critical objective. If achieved, MYX could extend gains toward $8.90, with $10.00 emerging as a psychological recovery target.

MYX Price Analysis. Source: TradingViewDownside risk persists if profit-taking accelerates. Many holders have waited several months for favorable exit conditions. A wave of selling could pressure the price below $5.83. Losing this level would weaken the structure and potentially send MYX toward $4.54, invalidating the bullish thesis.

Journalist

Posted: January 4, 2026

Filecoin [FIL] was the leading AI and big data token in terms of development activity, Santiment revealed in a post on X. Chainlink [LINK] was second on the list, followed by Internet Computer [ICP].

As the crypto intelligence platform explained, projects with higher developmental activity have a greater chance of increased user adoption and a subsequent growth in demand for the token.

AMBCrypto has reported on the increased demand for the LINK token from large wallets. This accumulation behavior was also accompanied by the Chainlink reserve wallet adding just over 94k LINK tokens to its holdings.

Source: X

Filecoin also has bullish potential. It has rallied 19.5% over the past week. An analyst on X highlighted how FIL tends to see strong rallies in the first quarter of the year. If this pattern repeats, how high could FIL rally, and will it outperform Chainlink?

Assessing the long-term trends of Filecoin and Chainlink

Source: FIL/USDT on TradingView

The internal structure of FIL was technically bullish. One could argue the bearish side, since the 10/10 crash set the swing low at $0.32 under extremely stressful conditions, and the $1.37 is the low to consider. In this view, FIL has a bearish structure.

In either case, the higher timeframe trend has been bearish throughout 2025. The $3 psychological resistance was tested multiple times but has not been convincingly breached yet.

If FIL can fulfil the past three years’ pattern of an explosive rally in Q1 of 2026, the $3 level being flipped to support would be a good trigger for swing traders.

The volume indicators, combined with the long-term bearishness, showed why FIL buyers must remain cautious despite the past two weeks’ gains.

Source: LINK/USDT on TradingView

The weekly swing structure of LINK was bullish due to the massive rally the altcoin saw from June to August 2025. The internal structure was bearish on this timeframe, and the volume indicators once again reflected bearish dominance.

From a purely technical perspective, buying Chainlink was more favorable than buying Filecoin, due to LINK’s bullish swing structure.

Investors looking for AI tokens to buy should be wary that the altcoin market still looks shaky.

They can buy tokens in anticipation of a Q1 recovery, but should have clear invalidation levels and should not take as much risk as they would during more bullish market conditions.

Final Thoughts

The Chainlink vs. Filecoin debate for investors did not have a clear winner, as FIL has bullish potential in the coming months.
The long-term trends were not particularly friendly to bulls, and the volume indicators reflected that selling pressure remained dominant for both altcoins.

Akashnath S is a Senior Journalist and Technical Analysis expert at AMBCrypto. He specializes in dissecting price action, identifying key market trends through advanced chart patterns, and forecasting both short-term and long-term asset trajectories.
His distinct analytical method is grounded in his academic training as a Chemical Engineer. This background provides him with a systematic, process-oriented approach to market data, enabling him to analyze the complex dynamics of financial markets with precision and objectivity.
Having actively covered the cryptocurrency space since the landmark 2017 market cycle, Akashnath possesses years of experience navigating both bull and bear markets. This seasoned perspective is critical to his insightful reporting on market volatility and evolution.
As an active market participant, Akashnath enhances his analysis with crucial, hands-on experience. This practical application of his technical skills ensures his insights are not merely theoretical, but are also relevant and actionable for an audience looking to understand and navigate trading opportunities. He is dedicated to educating readers on the nuances of technical analysis, empowering them with the knowledge to make more informed financial decisions.

TLDR:

Metaplanet’s yen debt carries 4.9% coupons versus 10-12% for dollar-based Bitcoin treasury competitors.

Projected 20-year stock price reaches 2,520 for Metaplanet compared to 450-690 for dollar-funded rivals.

Yen depreciation adds 2% annual tailwind to 20% Bitcoin growth, creating 22.4% gross returns yearly.

Seven to ten percentage point annual spread compounds into 4-6x larger equity values over two decades.

Metaplanet’s Bitcoin treasury approach benefits from unique advantages in the Japanese financial market. Analyst Adam Livingston outlined projections comparing the company’s performance against dollar-denominated competitors over a 20-year period.

The analysis centers on low-coupon yen funding combined with favorable foreign exchange dynamics. These factors create a different cost structure than companies operating with high-coupon dollar debt. 

The projections suggest Metaplanet could achieve substantially higher equity values through this funding advantage.

Yen Funding Creates Lower Cost Structure
Japanese market conditions allow Metaplanet to access capital at significantly lower interest rates. The company’s yen-denominated debt carries approximately 4.9 percent coupons. 

This contrasts sharply with dollar-based treasury strategies that face 10 to 12 percent coupons. The lower borrowing costs directly reduce the drag on returns from Bitcoin holdings.

Adam Livingston shared his analysis on social media, presenting hypothetical stock price projections. His model assumes consistent Bitcoin growth rates and foreign exchange movements. 

🔥METAPLANET BULL FUEL🔥

You simply cannot forget how much better of an environment Japan is to run the Bitcoin treasury strategy.

This graph shows you why low-coupon yen funding leaves high-coupon USD structures in the dust.

These are hypothetical stock prices with the inputs… pic.twitter.com/TWRCyzGuSP

— Adam Livingston (@AdamBLiv) January 3, 2026

The projections show Metaplanet reaching 195 by year five, compared to 161 for Strategy and 147 for ASST. By year 20, the gap widens dramatically to 2,520 for Metaplanet versus 690 and 450 for competitors.

The cost differential compounds over time as debt must be serviced throughout the holding period. Companies with higher coupons surrender more of their Bitcoin appreciation to interest payments. 

Meanwhile, Metaplanet retains a larger portion of gains due to its lower financing expenses. This mathematical advantage becomes more pronounced with each passing year.

Dual Growth Engine Amplifies Returns
Metaplanet benefits from two simultaneous growth drivers rather than one. Bitcoin appreciation in dollar terms contributes the primary return stream at an assumed 20 percent annually. 

Additionally, the yen’s gradual weakening against the dollar adds approximately 2 percent per year. Combined, these factors produce roughly 22.4 percent gross returns before financing costs.

After subtracting the 4.9 percent coupon rate, Metaplanet achieves net growth near 17.5 percent yearly. Dollar-based competitors capture only the Bitcoin appreciation component without the foreign exchange benefit. 

Their net growth ranges from 7 to 10 percent after accounting for higher coupon payments. This 7 to 10 percentage point annual spread drives the divergence in outcomes.

The projections rely on simplified assumptions including constant growth rates and steady exchange rate movements. Actual results will vary based on market conditions, timing of debt issuances, and operational factors. 

However, the core principle remains valid across different scenarios. Lower-cost funding denominated in a depreciating currency creates exponential leverage on Bitcoin’s upside potential. This structural advantage compounds over extended periods, producing the projected valuation gaps.

Bitcoin has a talent for looking calm right up until it isn’t.

In the first trading days of 2026, the tape has had that familiar, coiled feel: enough headline noise to keep traders alert, not enough conviction to force a real move.

When crypto behaves like that, the next decisive push often doesn’t come from inside the industry at all.

It comes from the bond market, the dollar, and the set of economic releases that reprice the cost of money in minutes.

That’s why Monday, Jan. 5, matters.

At 10:00 a.m. ET, the Institute for Supply Management will publish its Manufacturing PMI, a single report that can slip under the radar in quiet weeks and then, at exactly the wrong moment, flip the narrative.

Calendars currently show the PMI expected to tick up to around 48.4 from 48.2, still below the 50 line that separates expansion from contraction.

That’s precisely the setup that makes the composition of the report more important than the headline itself.

For Bitcoin traders, the headline PMI is just the door handle.

The real information is inside the sub-indexes, especially the ones that hint at supply chains, tariffs, and the kind of cost pressure that can re-ignite rate fears even when growth looks mediocre.

If you want one phrase to keep in mind before the print, it’s this: Prices Paid is the story.

The supply-chain tell hidden in plain sightThe ISM Manufacturing PMI is a diffusion index built from a survey of purchasing managers, the people who sit close to the ground truth of factories: orders coming in, inventories building up, delivery times stretching, and supplier quotes moving.

It isn’t a perfect measure of the economy, but it’s fast, standardized, and historically sensitive to turning points.

That’s why markets still pay attention even in an age where traders have more data than they can digest.

The most common mistake is to treat the PMI like a binary, where above 50 is good, and below 50 is bad, then move on.

In practice, the PMI is better read like a weather report that contains several microclimates.

A weak headline can mask a re-acceleration in costs.

A stronger headline can be good news only if it doesn’t come with a fresh inflation penalty.

And that penalty is what tends to matter for Bitcoin, because it changes what markets think the Federal Reserve is allowed to do next.

Prices PaidThis is where Prices Paid earns its reputation as the market’s lie detector.

It measures whether respondents are seeing input costs rise or fall.

It’s not CPI or a direct consumer inflation read.

But it is a timely indicator of whether inflation pressure is showing up where it often starts: upstream, in the pipes of production.

When Prices Paid jumps, investors don’t need a lecture on logistics to understand the implications.

Higher costs can squeeze margins, push companies to raise prices, and keep inflation sticky.

In 2026, that upstream story has an extra charge because of the political and policy backdrop.

Markets have spent the past several years learning that supply-chain shocks don’t need a pandemic to appear.

Tariffs, trade rerouting, industrial policy, and geopolitical friction can all create mini supply shocks that show up first as higher input prices and longer delivery times.

So when Monday’s report lands, traders will be asking whether the inflation impulse is rebuilding beneath the surface.

Supplier DeliveriesThe companion piece to Prices Paid is Supplier Deliveries, a sub-index that often gets misunderstood.

In the ISM framework, slower deliveries can imply supply constraints or demand strength, both of which can be inflationary.

But context matters here.

Delivery times can lengthen because ports are congested or because suppliers are struggling to source components.

They can also lengthen because demand is rebounding and capacity is tight.

Either way, if deliveries slow while Prices Paid rise, the market tends to hear a single message: costs are pushing up, and the Fed’s “comfort zone” is shrinking.

New OrdersThen there’s New Orders, a forward-looking sub-index that helps you decide whether a strong Prices Paid print is likely to persist.

If New Orders are weak, rising costs may reflect a temporary disruption rather than a durable inflation cycle.

If New Orders are firming at the same time costs are rising, it starts to look like a more dangerous mix, where firms are paying up for inputs while demand refuses to cool.

That combination can reprice rate expectations quickly.

InventoriesFinally, keep one eye on Inventories.

Inventory builds can be a sign of caution, but they can also be a sign that supply is improving.

In a tariff-tinged world, inventories can reflect companies pulling forward imports or stockpiling inputs to get ahead of price changes.

It’s one more reason the report can tell a story that’s bigger than a single PMI number.

The value of ISM, in short, is that it can hint at the shape of the next inflation debate before the next inflation report arrives.

That’s why it still moves markets on days when there’s no dramatic headline, because the sub-indexes are often the first place the economy tells you it’s changing its mind.

How the PMI print travels into BitcoinBitcoin is not a manufacturing asset.

It’s also not a claim on corporate earnings, and it doesn’t need to trade like the S&P 500.

Yet in modern markets, it often does, especially around macro releases, because it sits at the intersection of liquidity, risk appetite, and the perceived trajectory of real yields.

The transmission mechanism is a chain reaction.

ISM changes the market’s view of growth and inflation.That view changes expectations for Fed policy and the path of interest rates.Rates and the dollar reset the price of risk across assets, from tech stocks and high-yield credit to crypto.Bitcoin, which has spent years behaving like a high-beta expression of liquidity conditions, reacts accordingly.

The tariff and supply-chain lens is the one the market should focus on because it tends to influence Bitcoin through the inflation channel, not the growth channel.

If Monday’s PMI is a little stronger, markets might initially take it as risk-on.

But if Prices Paid surprises higher, the mood can flip fast.

Inflation fear is the classic way a good growth signal turns into a bad market outcome.

Scenario 1: PMI modest, Prices Paid hot.This is the “inflation’s back” setup.

Manufacturing can be in contraction and still deliver an inflation shock if costs accelerate.

In that case, the bond market tends to do the talking.

Yields can jump, the dollar can firm, and risk assets can sag, not because demand is booming, but because inflation pressure implies tighter financial conditions.

Bitcoin, in that moment, is often treated less like digital gold and more like a liquidity-sensitive risk asset.

A range that felt stable can suddenly look fragile.

Scenario 2: PMI improves, Prices Paid contained.This is the cleanest bullish macro mix: growth is stabilizing, but inflation isn’t re-accelerating.

Markets can interpret it as less recession risk without more Fed risk.

In that environment, equities usually like the news, credit breathes easier, and Bitcoin often benefits as the broader risk complex lifts.

Now that Bitcoin is stuck in a range, this is the kind of print that can provide the confidence to finally lean.

Scenario 3: PMI weak, Prices Paid cool.This is the demand-is-fading story.

On its face, it can be risk-off, but it can also produce lower yields and a weaker dollar if the market starts to price faster easing.

Bitcoin’s reaction here can be more complicated.

Sometimes it sells with other risk assets due to growth fears.

Sometimes it finds support if the market begins to believe easier policy is coming sooner.

The deciding factor is whether the move in rates feels like a benign lower-inflation repricing or a panicked growth-is-breaking repricing.

The reason this matters for a range-bound Bitcoin is that macro prints don’t have to be dramatic to matter.

In a tight, indecisive market, traders are looking for an excuse to stop selling rips or stop buying dips.

A single data point that shifts the balance of probabilities (toward higher rates for longer, or toward a quicker pivot) can be enough to break the stalemate.

That’s also why the first market you should watch after the number hits isn’t Bitcoin, but Treasuries.

A hot Prices Paid surprise that pushes yields higher tends to be a more reliable tell than Bitcoin’s initial knee-jerk, because the bond market is where macro reality gets priced first.

If yields jump and stay up for 20–30 minutes, the odds rise that Bitcoin’s move won’t be a fake-out.

If yields whipsaw and settle back, Bitcoin’s first impulse is more likely to fade as traders reassess.

The ISM report can matter even when the headline PMI is near consensus, because markets frequently trade the surprises inside the report rather than the top line.

A nothing headline can still hide a meaningful re-acceleration in Prices Paid, or a sudden deterioration in New Orders.

Those are the kinds of shifts that don’t need to be huge to matter.

They only need to be directional, especially early in the year, when positioning is being rebuilt and narratives are still forming.

So if you’re looking at Bitcoin on Monday and wondering whether the range is about to snap, don’t ask whether manufacturing is expanding.

Ask whether upstream prices are telling you inflation pressure is returning, whether supply-chain frictions are easing or tightening, and whether the bond market believes the story.

In 2026’s first major macro moment, that may be the difference between another week of sideways drift and the kind of move that turns a quiet start into a new trend.

The price of Bitcoin (BTC) remained firm at about $90,000, despite geopolitical tensions between the United States and Venezuela reaching a boiling point in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Bitcoin briefly fell below $90,000 on Saturday before climbing back up above the $90,000 level, where it is trading at the time of this writing.

“The US bombed a country and captured its leader, on a weekend no less, and yet Bitcoin has barely moved,” Nic Puckrin, market analyst and founder of the crypto media company Coin Bureau, said in an X post. 

The price of Bitcoin barely moved, despite the US attack on Venezuela, which dominated media headlines on Saturday. Source: TradingViewBTC is trading above the 21-day moving average, and if it stays above this dynamic, short-term support level, it signals continued price appreciation in January, according to market analyst Michaël van de Poppe.

The price of BTC remaining firm despite the recent geopolitical shock is significant because risk-on assets, including BTC, tend to record sudden declines in response to geopolitical crises or macroeconomic headwinds. 

US President Trump announces an attack on Venezuela, but will the situation escalate? US President Donald Trump announced airstrikes on Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas, on Saturday, culminating in the capture of Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro.

Source: Donald TrumpThe announcement drew mixed reactions online, ranging from support to condemnation, but had little impact on financial markets so far.

“There's a lot of geopolitical tension, and next week the big players will return. So we'll probably see more volatility in Bitcoin after the weekend,” crypto market analyst and trader Lennaert Snyder said.

Institutional investors in traditional financial markets do not typically operate during weekends, nights, or holidays. These institutional players could still react to the news at the US market open on Monday by dumping assets and heightening market volatility.

This could add to the selling pressure contributing to Bitcoin’s recent price decline, which began following a flash crash in October that derailed Bitcoin’s upward price momentum.

The price of BTC declined by over 30% from an all-time high above $125,000 to a low of about $80,000 in November due to the crash before rebounding to the $90,000 level.

Magazine: Bitcoin is ‘funny internet money’ during a crisis: Tezos co-founder

// Price

Reading time: 2 min

Published: Jan 03, 2026 at 22:24

Binance Coin has resumed its bullish ascent after breaking above the moving average lines

BNB price long-term prediction: bullish

The cryptocurrency is approaching the $920 level. Since November 21, the price has been range-bound, trading above the $800 support but below the $920 resistance. Buyers failed to sustain the price above the $920 barrier.

On the upside, if the ascending trend breaks above the $920 high, the altcoin could reach $1,000. Continued positive momentum may push the price to a high of $1,120. However, if the altcoin falls below $920, the current price range will persist. BNB is at $886.70.

Technical indicators:  

Resistance Levels – $1,000, $1,050, $1,200

Support Levels – $900, $850, $800 

BNB price indicators reading

The price bars have moved back above the horizontal moving average lines. On the upside, bullish momentum will continue if the price retraces and remains above the 50-day SMA support. If the price falls below the 50-day SMA support, BNB will revert to its previous range above $800. On the 4-hour chart, the price bars are above the upward-sloping moving average lines.

What is the next direction for BNB/USD?

The BNB price is rising but has stalled at $890. The altcoin is currently trading above the $820 support but below the $920 resistance on the 4-hour chart.

On the positive side, the price will continue to rise if buyers keep it above the moving average lines. The altcoin will depreciate if the price drops below the moving average lines.

Disclaimer. This analysis and forecast are the personal opinions of the author. The data provided is collected by the author and is not sponsored by any company or token developer. This is not a recommendation to buy or sell cryptocurrency and should not be viewed as an endorsement by Coinidol.com. Readers should do their research before investing in funds.

One particular fund makes a point of maintaining a balance that makes sense in the long run.

Describing the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution as the best investment opportunity of a generation isn't hyperbole -- this technology truly is game changing, capable of accomplishing things that were unthinkable just a few years back. There are few industries that AI can't help improve at least a little bit, if not a lot.

Investing in AI, however, isn't necessarily easy. There are an overwhelming number of companies in this business. Some will thrive. Others will end up floundering. But it's difficult (if not impossible) to distinguish which is which. In the meantime, worry of an AI bubble being popped makes it uncomfortable to wade into the industry's most obvious and popular picks like Nvidia or Palantir Technologies.

Fortunately, there's a simple, effective solution. An exchange-traded fund focused solely on artificial intelligence offers instant, diversified access to the entire industry. And one ETF in particular is arguably your best bet among these names. That's the Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF (AIQ +1.12%). Here's why.

Sidestepping the problem too many other ETFs face
It's certainly not the only artificial intelligence ETF to consider. The Roundhill Generative AI & Technology ETF and VistaShares Artificial Intelligence Supercycle ETF are viable options as well, as is the fairly new Dan Ives Wedbush AI Revolution ETF or the iShares Future AI and Tech ETF. And if you're a fan of the Global X family of funds, the Global X AI Semiconductor & Quantum ETF and the Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF are worth a look.

NASDAQ: AIQGlobal X Funds - Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF

Today's Change

(

1.12

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0.57

Current Price

$

51.43

The Global X's Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF doesn't hold any of the AI stocks you wouldn't also own through alternatives; like most other ETFs of this ilk, this AI exchange-traded funds owns familiar names including Alphabet, Broadcom, Nvidia, Palantir, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and all the rest you'd expect it to.

Where AIQ stands out, rather, is in how it's assembled -- the Indxx Artificial Intelligence & Big Data index it's meant to mirror is far better balanced than the majority of your other options. First but not foremost, all of AIQ's holdings fall into one of two well-defined categories. The first of these is artificial intelligence developers and service providers. The second is AI hardware, including quantum computing platforms.

The index includes 60 handpicked stocks from the first group, and 25 stocks from the second category, with reasonable size minimums for both. While handpicking tickers contradicts the idea of index investing, when it comes to AI, a bit of handpicking may be the best way of getting started.

Image source: Getty Images.

That's not quite what makes the Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF such a savvy play, however. It's the weighting methodology. Companies with significant exposure to the artificial intelligence industry can't make up more than 3% of the index's total value, while companies with only modest exposure to the AI market can't make up more than 1% of the fund's total holdings. And the ETF's holdings are rebalanced semiannually, in cases where ordinary price changes might have skewed this allocation too far out of place.

This is a dramatically different weighting approach from other indexes and exchange-traded funds. For perspective, the Invesco QQQ Trust (and the Nasdaq-100 index it's based on) has a 9% Nvidia, 8% Apple, and 7% Microsoft weighting. This may be relatively close to these companies' proper market cap weightings, but it's not necessarily a balanced allocation that most investors would choose -- if they had the choice. Big gains that cause poorly balanced portfolios can leave you exposed to too much profit-taking risk.

A simple but brilliant solution
Now, much of the time since this ETF's mid-2018 launch, this allocation approach hasn't made much difference. And, some of the time, it's actually worked against AIQ (compared to similar technology funds). Enough of the time, however, it's helped more than it's hurt. It's been particularly advantageous since April's low, for instance, shortly before concerns about an artificial intelligence bubble first began quietly simmering.

AIQ Total Return Level data by YCharts

More than anything, though, holding the Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF allows you to invest in the entire artificial intelligence movement in a way that gives you easy, balanced exposure to all the names in the business that really matter. And it does so in an automatically balanced way that sidesteps one of the chief challenges of owning a large group of volatile stocks. That's the dangerous imbalance that develops when only a few stocks are driving most of its gains.

Just bear in mind that -- like almost all other exchange-traded funds -- this one is best seen and used as a long-term thematic investment. Global X will swap out any AI stocks as merited, so you'll ideally be holding the best of the best tickers in the artificial intelligence business. But you won't remain too overweighted for too long with high-performing tickers that are inviting a wave of profit-taking.

As Nvidia’s (NASDAQ: NVDA) stock trades just below the $200 mark, insights from OpenAI’s ChatGPT suggest the equity is likely to trade higher by the end of January 2025.

As of press time, NVDA shares were valued at $188, ending the last session up 1.2%. Over the past year, the semiconductor giant has rallied more than 30%.

NVDA one-year stock price chart. Source: Finbold
Regarding the price outlook for January 31, ChatGPT noted that the stock is likely to be supported by continued strength in AI-related demand, though gains could be tempered by valuation and macroeconomic risks.

Nvidia stock price prediction 
ChatGPT’s base-case forecast places Nvidia’s share price in the $240 to $260 range by the end of January 2025, assuming sustained demand for AI accelerators in data centers, particularly advanced GPUs used for training and inference, alongside solid revenue and earnings growth.

The outlook reflects Nvidia’s dominant position in the AI hardware market, with hyperscalers and major technology firms continuing to invest heavily in AI infrastructure. Strong demand for high-end chips and a robust order pipeline are expected to keep revenue growth ahead of most large-cap peers.

The forecast also aligns with broader analyst expectations for further upside, while accounting for the likelihood that gains moderate as Nvidia’s valuation and market capitalization expand.

Nvidia stock bullish case 
In a more bullish scenario, ChatGPT sees Nvidia trading between $280 and $320 by January 31, 2025. This would require stronger-than-expected earnings, faster global deployment of AI infrastructure, and supportive broader market conditions for high-growth technology stocks.

NVDA stock price prediction. Source: ChatGPT
Conversely, a bearish scenario places Nvidia in the $180 to $210 range, potentially driven by a faster-than-expected slowdown in AI spending, intensifying competition, or broader market volatility leading to valuation compression across the technology sector.

Overall, ChatGPT’s point estimate centers around $250 by January 31, 2025, balancing Nvidia’s strong fundamental growth drivers against the risks tied to elevated valuations and shifting market sentiment.

Featured image via Shutterstock

President Donald Trump on Saturday said U.S. oil companies will invest billions of dollars in Venezuela's energy sector after the overthrow of President Nicolas Maduro. 

"We're going to have our very large United States oil companies — the biggest anywhere in the world — go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure," Trump said in a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.

"Let's start making money for the country," Trump said.

U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a large scale attack on the South American nation overnight. They have been indicted on drug-trafficking charges in the Southern District of New York.

Trump said the U.S. will "run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition."

This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates.

Artificial intelligence (AI) could serve as a tailwind for these three financial stocks in the coming year.

You've likely heard plenty about how big tech companies are capitalizing on the rise of generative AI, but tech is not the only sector embracing this technological breakthrough.

Financial services companies across the sector are also embracing artificial intelligence (AI). Some are integrating it into their daily operations. Other financial companies are synergizing other growth initiatives with their pivot into AI-based finance.

Among hundreds of publicly traded financial stocks, these three stand out as the names making the biggest AI moves over the coming year: Robinhood Markets (HOOD +1.71%), JPMorgan Chase (JPM +0.81%), and PayPal (PYPL 0.39%).

Image source: Getty Images

1. This month, Robinhood Markets quietly announced the launch of a new AI-based investment tool
A few weeks back, there was great hype and excitement surrounding Robinhood's announced expansion of its prediction markets hub. However, at the same time that the company made this announcement, it also quietly announced the upcoming launch of a new AI assistant, Cortex, on its platform.

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Cortex, which will become available for Robinhood Gold subscribers early next year, enables users to use generative AI to craft investing and trading ideas. Only time will tell, but this could become a popular way for retail investors to approach the market.

In turn, this could help spur increased trading volumes on the Robinhood platform. As you may recall, the company recently reported significant declines in trading volume for November. The Cortex launch, not to mention the prediction markets pivot, could help to reverse this concerning trend, which has resulted in a double-digit pullback in the Robinhood stock price.

2. JPMorgan Chase's AI integration could pay off in more ways than one
Among the major banks, JPMorgan Chase stands out as the one that has most aggressively embraced the AI revolution. In recent months, the money center bank has deployed agentic AI to help employees complete internal tasks efficiently, including investment banking pitch decks.

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While the "payoff" from this endeavor is likely years away, the benefits of this big AI move extend beyond the potential for the bank to generate significant cost savings from the resultant labor efficiencies. By starting now rather than later, JPMorgan Chase could become the first major bank to benefit from AI. While competitors attempt to play catch-up, it could even gain ground in terms of market share by offering better service and/or more competitively priced financial products.

In turn, success with this endeavor could enable the stock to maintain its leading position in terms of valuation and market cap.

3. PayPal's stablecoin to play a big role in AI infrastructure project
There's no sugarcoating it: PayPal shareholders had a rough year in 2025. Shares in the fintech giant fell by over 30%, as the market maintains a "watch and wait" stance regarding an eventual turnaround. Still, although not certain, an AI-related potential catalyst has emerged, which could ultimately have a positive impact on the stock's performance.

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I'm talking, of course, about PayPal's recent announcement regarding its PYUSD stablecoin. As announced on Dec. 18, USD.AI, a provider of financing to AI companies, announced it will denominate its loans in PYUSD.

With the increasing integration of AI and crypto, this collaboration could have a positive impact on PayPal's growth and profitability moving forward. If growth concerns ease, the stock, trading for just 10 times forward earnings, could even receive a market rerating.

Amsterdam, 3 January 2026

EXOR AND THE FERRARI FAMILY EXTEND SHAREHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT ON FERRARI

Exor N.V., on the one hand, and Piero Ferrari and Trust Piero Ferrari, on the other hand, have agreed to renew the shareholders’ agreement relating to Ferrari N.V., confirming their respective alignment and commitment to Ferrari.

The new agreement enters into force upon expiration of the current shareholders’ agreement and will have a three-year term until 4 January 2029, with an automatic renewal for a further three-year period unless terminated by the parties in accordance with its terms.

The agreement provides for consultation arrangements designed to allow the parties to coordinate their positions on matters to be resolved at general meetings of Ferrari shareholders and sets out reciprocal rights of first offer in case of transfers of Ferrari shares to third parties.

ABOUT EXOR

Exor N.V. (AEX: EXO) has been building great companies since its foundation by the Agnelli Family. For more than a century, Exor has made successful investments worldwide, applying a culture that combines entrepreneurial spirit and financial discipline. Its portfolio is principally made up of companies in which Exor is the largest shareholder including Ferrari, CNH, Stellantis and Philips.

Exor-Ferrari Family Press Release

The company's stock has surged higher, but the next few years will likely be rough for its share price.

There has been considerable buzz around quantum computing stocks over the past several years, as many investors have hopped on the hype train for this emerging technology, which promises improved artificial intelligence (AI) models, new pharmaceuticals, and advancements in materials science.

That has led to the share prices of some companies to soar, including Quantum Computing Inc.'s (QUBT +7.26%), which has seen a staggering 600% increase over the past three years.

Despite those impressive gains, there are a few important reasons why Quantum Computing Inc., also called QCi, likely won't deliver similar returns over the next three years -- and why investors may want to steer clear of this stock for a while.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. The company is burning through cash and generating few sales
All companies trying to establish themselves in an up-and-coming market have to spend heavily. This is even more important when it comes to investing in new technologies, which often take years of research and development before a viable product emerges.

However, even with this in mind, investors should be cautious about QCi's spending. The company reported an operating loss of $10.4 million in the third quarter -- and had just $384,000 in sales. Even by the standards of a young growth stock, that's a very large gap between what QCi is losing and its sales.

QCi has $1.6 billion in cash, which will enable the company to continue investing heavily in the development of its room-temperature quantum computing technology. However, I think investors should take the company's low sales and high spending at face value. The quantum computing market is still new, and QCi generates nearly no revenue from it -- and that's likely to be the case for at least the next few years as quantum computing companies try to prove their worth.

2. Investors are losing their appetite for risky investments
In addition to QCi's nominal revenue, I believe it's essential for investors to recognize that the substantial gains experienced by QCi and other quantum computing stocks are largely driven by market euphoria rather than any other factor.

A very strong bull market has been underway for years, fueling speculation in high-risk companies, including QCi and other quantum computing stocks. The excitement for AI stocks has spilled over into crypto and quantum computing, helping to push the S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.19%) up 79% over the past three years.

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11.01

But some of the excitement appears to be coming to an end. Over the past year, some investors have shifted away from more speculative investments, including cryptocurrencies and some quantum computing stocks.

The result has been that QCi's shares are down 42% over the past year. Part of the shift away from some risky investments may be fueled by the economy showing signs of slowing down. For example, layoffs in the U.S. reached a five-year high in 2025, and unemployment crept up to 4.6% in November.

In short, investors' appetite for risk is already shifting, and without solid sales and earnings to back up QCi's high-flying gains, I think the stock could fall further in the coming years.

3. Quantum computing is still years away from true real-world applications
The CEO of fellow quantum computing company Rigetti Computing said on the company's Q1 2025 call that Rigetti won't have meaningful commercial revenue for another three to five years. Alphabet has been similarly upfront, acknowledging that "useful" quantum computer are still five to 10 years away.

The point here is that investors may have become too excited about quantum computing stocks too early, with QCi being one of them. With many in the industry not expecting significant sales or practical uses from quantum computing for at least several more years, QCi's minimal revenue is unlikely to skyrocket anytime soon.

All this means investors will likely be better off staying on the sidelines of QCi stock for the next few years to see if it can generate meaningful sales and with its technology -- if it ever does.