Reports say the Ethereum Foundation has started a new team to prepare the network for possible quantum computer attacks. These machines could one day break the math behind wallets and signatures. The team’s work is moving from research into practical tests and experiments, which has drawn attention across the crypto community.

Ethereum Launches Post-Quantum Team

Based on reports, Thomas Coratger will lead the effort. The team includes cryptographers and engineers already testing new systems on devnets. Some work ties into a project called leanVM and a researcher named Emile, who focuses on building simple quantum-safe tools. The goal is to test new algorithms in real software while keeping current transactions running smoothly.

Today marks an inflection in the Ethereum Foundation’s long-term quantum strategy.

We’ve formed a new Post Quantum (PQ) team, led by the brilliant Thomas Coratger (@tcoratger). Joining him is Emile, one of the world-class talents behind leanVM. leanVM is the cryptographic…

— Justin Drake (@drakefjustin) January 23, 2026

$2 Million In Prizes Encourage Development

A $1 million prize has been set for improvements to the Poseidon hash function. Another $1 million prize supports broader post-quantum research. In total, roughly $2 million are being offered to labs and independent developers to design and test quantum-resistant solutions. Reports say this funding is meant to speed up work and show what can realistically replace current signatures.

Early Tests And Community Involvement

Multi-client devnets are already active. Developers are experimenting with new signature types to see what works and what fails. Biweekly sessions led by researchers like Antonio Sanso let teams share results and update code. A Post-Quantum Day is scheduled for March 2026 before ETHCC, with a larger event planned in October 2026 to show progress and plan next steps.

Quantum computers could, in theory, break the ECDSA and secp256k1 schemes used today. That risk is not immediate but serious enough that Ethereum is acting now. Reports note users should watch for official guidance, follow wallet updates, and avoid reusing addresses once upgrades roll out.

Community reaction has been mixed. Some online discussions praised the careful planning, while traders noticed a small dip in ETH price. Others questioned how upgrades would reach millions of wallets and what happens to old keys. The Foundation’s approach is to test solutions early so users and services are better protected when changes happen.

This step is part of Ethereum’s long-term plan for safety. Tests will continue, standards will be debated, and progress will be shared publicly. By acting now, Ethereum aims to reduce risk and make future transitions smoother for everyday users and the network as a whole.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Nifty Gateway, the marketplace that once helped bring NFT drops to a wider audience, will stop running its marketplace on February 23, 2026. The company put the site into a withdrawal-only mode the same day it made the announcement, and users were told they must move any remaining funds and NFTs off the platform before that date.

Withdrawal Window Opens

According to the company, withdrawal tools are available now. Reports note users can pull USD or ETH balances through a linked Gemini Exchange account or send funds to their bank via Stripe.

Emails with step-by-step instructions will be sent to account holders, and a shutdown notice already appears on the Nifty Gateway homepage. The aim, as described by the owner, is to let people retrieve what they own before the platform goes dark.

Today, we are announcing that the Nifty Gateway platform will be closing on February 23, 2026. Starting today, Nifty Gateway is in withdrawal-only mode.

Nifty Gateway was launched in 2020 with the vision of revolutionizing digital art. Since launching, Nifty supported dozens of…

— Nifty Gateway Studio (@niftygateway) January 24, 2026

A Decision To Reassign Resources

Based on reports from Gemini, the closure is meant to let the parent firm concentrate on building one bigger app for customers. The move highlights how interest and trading activity in many NFT markets have cooled from the highs seen in earlier years.

Some collectors and artists are left scrambling to rehome items they once sold or stored on Nifty Gateway.

End Of An Early Player

Nifty Gateway helped make buying NFTs easier for people who preferred credit cards and familiar checkout flows. It launched as a high-profile marketplace and hosted major drops from well-known creators.

The platform supported hundreds of millions in sales at its peak and played a clear part in bringing NFT art into mainstream headlines. Its exit marks the end of an important chapter for that wave of marketplaces.

What Owners Must Do Now

Owners should check their inboxes for the official instructions, confirm where their tokens are stored, and move assets before the deadline. If NFTs are stored in custodial wallets on the site, they will need to be transferred out.

USD and ETH balances should be withdrawn or moved into a connected Gemini account if that option suits the owner. Waiting past the closure date will reduce options.

A Quiet Turning Point

For many collectors, this will feel like another sign that the early boom years have passed. For creators, the change raises questions about where drops and secondary sales will happen next.

Gemini says it will keep supporting NFTs through its other products, including the Gemini Wallet, but the specific ways that creators and buyers reconnect with those audiences will depend on new tools and services that arrive in the next months.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

US-based spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds pulled funds for a fifth straight trading day, and the totals added up quickly. According to Farside data, about $103.5 million left on Friday, bringing the five-day sum to roughly $1.72 billion.

Bitcoin was trading near $89,160 at the time of these reports — still well below the $100,000 mark it last reached on November 13. This movement has sent a clear signal: many investors are stepping back right now.

ETF Flows And Who Is Selling

Reports note that ETF flows are often on the radar as a quick read on investor mood, but the picture is not always simple. Large outflows can reflect institutional rebalancing or tactical moves by funds, not only mass retail selling.

The US market had a four-day trading week because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, which may have concentrated trades into fewer sessions and amplified the numbers. Still, losing more than a billion dollars in a few days will get attention.

Market Mood And Metals

The wider mood has soured. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index registered an Extreme Fear score of 25, and sentiment trackers have been flashing caution. Reports say Santiment believes retail traders are pulling back while attention drifts toward more traditional assets.

Meanwhile, metals have been strong. Reports disclose that with gold trading near $5,000 and silver approaching $100, some market players feel Bitcoin has been left out of a rally that lifted metals, which has weighed on confidence in the crypto market.

Bitcoin Price Action

Bitcoin has struggled to find a steady rhythm over the past week. Prices slipped below the $89,000 to $90,000 range as traders reacted to fresh geopolitical tension and renewed trade worries, before stabilizing as nerves eased.

This was driven higher after some soft political indicators around tariff threats, only to substantiate the idea that markets rarely react to conflict but rather to changes in tone and expectations.

Signals That Could Matter

These movements illustrate how Bitcoin behaves more like a risk asset rather than an asset shelter, falling in tandem with equities when unexpected financial shocks hit the globe, before rebounding when the fever subsides to gather fresh buyers.

Current price patterns indicate caution, where traders are weighing short-term political risks against medium- and long-term macro patterns, as well as institutional interests.

There are some quieter indications that the rout could be losing steam. To this effect, there are assertions suggesting that supply distribution on-chain and social chatter can be circumstantial evidence showing there is less selling pressure.

Featured image from Money; Shutterstock, chart from TradingView

Africa is seeing a quiet shift in how people send and hold value. Mobile phones are central. According to Vera Songwe, a former UN under-secretary-general, millions who lack bank accounts can use stablecoins to protect savings and move money faster. That access matters in places where inflation has been high and bank fees are steep.

Use By Businesses And Everyday People

Reports have disclosed that stablecoins now make up around 43% of all crypto transaction volume in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria alone processed nearly $22 billion in dollar-linked stablecoin activity over a recent 12-month span.

That money is used for remittances, payroll and business settlements. Firms and market traders are among the biggest users, but many everyday people are joining in too.

In countries such as Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa, demand is driven by volatile local currencies and rules that limit access to dollars. Mobile money networks help push adoption along.

Stablecoins Speed Up Cross-Border Payments

Traditional remittances can be costly. At a World Economic Forum panel in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, Songwe noted that sending $100 through traditional money transfer services in Africa often costs around $6, making cross-border payments both slow and costly.

Stablecoins cut those costs and shorten wait times from days to minutes for many transfers. Small payments and wages can be settled quickly, and that speed changes how businesses plan cash flow.

Local Rules Are Changing Fast

Governments are reacting in different ways. Ghana passed a Virtual Asset Service Providers law to bring trading into a formal framework. On January 13, Nigeria required crypto platforms to link transactions to tax ID numbers, a move meant to bring activity into official records.

South Africa’s central bank has warned that stablecoins and other tokens could pose risks to financial stability as use grows. Policy is being written while users and tech firms keep pushing ahead.

Risks And The Road Ahead

High inflation remains a core reason people are turning to stablecoins. Reports say inflation has exceeded 20% in 12 to 15 countries since the pandemic, and that reality pushes people to look for alternatives to local notes.

Everyday Use, Measured Change

What started as a tech niche has grown into a practical tool for many across the continent. For small and medium businesses, the benefit is clear: faster settlements and lower costs.

For people without bank accounts, a smartphone can now open a route to store value in currencies less tied to local inflation. Adoption will likely keep rising, but how quickly it becomes part of mainstream finance will depend on stronger rules, better safeguards, and the continued spread of simple mobile services that people trust.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

💾

GameStop moved its entire Bitcoin stash into Coinbase Prime this month, according to blockchain trackers that monitor large transfers.

The wallet associated with the company sent a large deposit to the institutional arm of Coinbase, a platform used by big traders and companies.

Analysts watching on-chain flows immediately flagged the move as a likely setup for a sale, though no confirmed sell orders have been announced.

Big Move To Coinbase Prime

According to on-chain reports, GameStop holds 4,710 BTC that it bought last year, and that full balance was shifted into Coinbase Prime.

The company first bought the coins in May 2025 at prices that averaged near $107,900 per BTC, a buy that cost roughly $504 million at the time.

Moving a corporate treasury from cold storage to an active institutional account is often read as a step toward execution — to sell, hedge, or rebalance — but it is not the same as a sale itself.

GameStop throws in the towel?

Their on-chain wallets just moved all BTC holdings to Coinbase Prime, likely to sell.

Between May 14–23, 2025, they bought 4,710 BTC at an avg. price of $107.9K, investing ~$504M.

Now selling for around $90.8K, potentially realising approximately… pic.twitter.com/Bp7MwRVQ43

— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) January 23, 2026

What Analysts Are Saying

Reports say the math is simple and stark: selling now, with Bitcoin trading closer to the $90,000 area, would lock in a sizable loss versus the initial purchase price.

Several analytics firms put that figure near $76 million if the whole lot were sold at recent market levels. Some market watchers suggest the company could be doing tax-loss harvesting or trimming volatile assets on its books.

Others view it as a pragmatic adjustment to reduce treasury exposure to crypto swings. Still, defenders of the move point out that GameStop’s Bitcoin stake was never a core retail play; it was a treasury experiment meant to diversify.

How Much Has Already Moved

Not all outlets agree on timing or size of day-by-day transfers. Reports note that some transfers earlier this month added up to about half of the original position — roughly 2,396 BTC moved in smaller tranches before the full deposit was flagged.

On-chain sleuths track each shift, and those staggered movements can mean many things: a staged sale, an internal reorganization, or simply routing through a trusted custodian before any trades.

Market And Shareholder Reaction

Share action around GameStop has not mirrored the crypto chatter. While Bitcoin watchers focused on the wallet move, investors were also reacting to company news on other fronts, including fresh share purchases by CEO Ryan Cohen.

Featured image from PeterPhoto, chart from TradingView

A large investor shifted funds into tokenized gold this week, and Bitcoin felt the impact. Prices dipped while a whale quietly bought millions in XAUT, a gold-backed token, signaling a short-term move toward traditional hedges.

Whales Move Into Tokenized Gold

According to on-chain trackers, one address moved $1.53 million in USDC into Hyperliquid to buy XAUT. Reports note that the same wallet had earlier bought about 481 XAUT, a purchase worth roughly $2.38 million.

The address still holds close to $1.44 million in USDC, which suggests more purchases could follow. These moves were picked up on public blockchains and then flagged by analysts watching large transfers.

This kind of action can matter. When big players shuffle cash, smaller traders often take notice and hedge their bets. The shift is not proof of a long-term trend, but it shows that, at least for now, some large holders prefer gold exposure over extra crypto risk.

Whales are buying gold, not crypto.

~30 mins ago, whale 0x6B99 deposited 1.53M $USDC into Hyperliquid to buy $XAUT again.

He has already bought 481.6 $XAUT($2.38M) and still holds 1.44M $USDC, which may be used to buy more $XAUT.https://t.co/0uV2kNEiD0 pic.twitter.com/rYA09b1OEn

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 23, 2026

Gold And Silver Hit Fresh Highs

Reports say gold has been moving sharply higher, with spot prices climbing close to $5,000 per ounce in global trading this week. Silver also rose above $100 per ounce, with intraday gold prints near $4,988 before settling.

Traders tie the surge to geopolitical tensions and the idea that interest rates may ease, which encourages money into metal-based stores of value.

A weaker dollar has also helped. Market chatter points to increased demand as investors seek steadier places to park capital while global politics and policy choices create more worry.

Bitcoin’s Price Action And Market Mood

Bitcoin traded around $88,653 at one stage, slipping about 1% on the day and nearly 30% below its prior cycle top. That gap is large. It has market participants questioning whether BTC will stay the go-to hedge during times of high stress. Some long-term holders remain confident. Others are watching liquidity and macro signals more closely.

Reports have disclosed renewed criticism from economist Peter Schiff, who argued that Bitcoin has underperformed versus gold since 2021.

He highlighted the opportunity cost for investors holding BTC while metals climb to record prices. Schiff wrote on social platforms that precious metals are outperforming and that this weak run for Bitcoin weakens its role as a store of value in the eyes of some.

What This Means For Crypto Investors

Short-term rotations like this often reflect risk preferences rather than permanent shifts. Some funds and wealthy individuals seek lower-volatility assets when headlines grow louder and policy paths look uncertain.

Others still view Bitcoin as a long-term play tied to scarcity and network effects. The current picture is a mix: metals are strong, tokenized gold is drawing attention, and crypto markets are reacting.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Reports say Swiss banking giant UBS is planning to let a small group of its private bank clients buy and sell major cryptocurrencies. The step would open access to Bitcoin and Ethereum for people who have worked with the bank for years, not for every customer.

Private Clients First

According to a Bloomberg report, the service would start in Switzerland and be offered only to select private banking clients, with any wider rollout dependent on rules and demand. The move is careful and measured. It is being tested with a narrow set of clients before any wider push is considered.

How It Would Work

Reports note that UBS has been talking with outside firms about providing the trading, custody and compliance pieces needed to make crypto trading run smoothly.

Partners would likely handle technical tasks while UBS keeps the client relationship front and center. Those talks have been going on for months, and no final deals are said to be done yet.

Why Now

Wealthy clients have been asking for ways to own digital assets safely. UBS has run pilots on tokenized funds and has worked on blockchain payments before.

The bank’s size and reputation mean it can offer a more cautious path into crypto than many smaller players. At the same time, changes in regulation and the broader market have made the plan more realistic than it might have seemed a few years ago.

Based on reports, the initial offering would focus on Bitcoin and Ethereum. More coins could be added later, but that would depend on which assets meet the bank’s risk and compliance checks.

UBS will reportedly decide what custody model to use and whether it needs third parties for trade execution. No launch date has been set.

A Broader Trend

Banks from different countries are slowly giving rich clients more ways to touch crypto, but each does it in its own style. Some offer ETFs and funds. Some go further and let clients trade coins directly.

UBS’s cautious design fits a pattern where big banks move slowly, testing the systems before widening access. A handful of recent moves by other institutions show the same pattern.

What Comes Next

Reports note that regulators and client interest will help decide how fast this goes. If rules in the US and other places stay friendly and clients respond, the offering could broaden beyond Switzerland.

If not, the bank could keep the plan tightly limited. For now, the idea remains a plan under discussion rather than a product on the market.

UBS’s steps reflect growing demand from wealthy investors for safer ways to hold crypto through trusted firms. The bank’s careful progress shows how traditional finance is testing the waters without rushing in.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

XRP has begun attracting attention again after months of sideways trading. The coin has risen slightly over the past day, though it remains down for the week. Traders are pointing to familiar chart patterns, suggesting the quiet period may be nearing an end.

Traders Spot A Familiar Price Pattern

A fresh take on XRP came from DonWedge, who posted a half-day chart on TradingView. Though he kept it short – just “XRP looks good” – the message carried weight.

Instead of bold predictions, his analysis leaned on patterns. A downward-sloping channel draws the eye, much like one seen months before.

Shape echoes past rhythm. What stands out is how closely current movement tracks earlier behavior. The image tells part of the story; context fills in the rest. Time will show whether history bends toward repetition.

That old rise in XRP moved fast. Following that climb, it slipped into a steady decline lasting around half a year. Once sellers slowed their pace, the price jumped again without warning.

$XRP looks good pic.twitter.com/OnyChRVzNp

— Don (@DonWedge) January 21, 2026

Fresh lows in XRP’s path hug the bottom stretch of a familiar range, pressure easing – some watchful eyes guess what comes next might climb.

Volume And Resistance Are Key

According to reports, the next major hurdle is a multi-month trendline resistance near $2.10. A clean daily close above this line, combined with rising volume, could signal the start of a new uptrend.

DonWedge projects that if the breakout occurs, XRP could aim for $4. From current levels, this would require a little over a 100% increase. Traders note, however, that moves without volume confirmation can fail, leading to false breakouts and extended consolidation.

Market Expert Projects A Telling Year

Based on reports, analyst ChartNerd says 2026 will be a “telling year” for XRP. He expects the coin either to confirm a strong breakout with fresh momentum or to fall below the structure it has defended for over a year.

After a macro breakout in Q4 2024, $XRP has been accumulating above its prior 2021 highs for over a year. The whole of 2025 was sideways, boring, and a test of even the most durable minds. 2026 is going to be the telling year. Compression typically leads to expansion. Buckle up. pic.twitter.com/QJb7JAmIkL

— ChartNerd (@ChartNerdTA) January 18, 2026

Lately, the sideways grind has worn thin for some investors – yet hints of resilience still flicker through the numbers. Breaking past $2.10 with force might spark what comes next, lining up with the pattern DonWedge laid out on his chart. Patience now may quietly pay off later.

A Breakout Might Shift What Happens Next

A sudden jump in price might push XRP toward $4 fast, provided it finishes above the trendline with strong movement. Higher goals are possible, yet reaching them means buyers keep stepping in without pause.

So far, things look cautious rather than certain. Traders will probably keep an eye on activity levels, holding back bigger moves until signs become clearer. What happens next might show if XRP surges again or just drifts sideways some more.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

South Korean authorities have come under scrutiny after a large stash of seized Bitcoin went missing during a routine check. The loss was discovered when officials found that some of the wallets that had been held as criminal evidence were empty.

According to multiple reports, the value of the missing Bitcoin is about 70 billion won — roughly $47.7–$48 million.

How Officials Found The Theft

Reports say the gap showed up during a routine audit of confiscated digital assets at the Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office.

An internal check flagged transfers from wallets that had been marked as evidence, and investigators traced the movement back to external addresses. The office immediately opened an inquiry to determine how access was lost and whether any recovery is possible.

Initial findings point to a phishing scam as the trigger. According to local coverage, a staff member accessed a fraudulent website that impersonated a legitimate service, and that interaction exposed passwords and private keys.

Once the credentials were captured, the Bitcoin was moved out in transactions that cannot be reversed.

Security Lapses And USB Storage

Reports note that some of the access details for the seized assets were kept on portable drives rather than in hardened custody systems.

That practice appears to have made it easier for attackers to grab the keys once the phishing trap was sprung. Simple mistakes can cost millions when the asset is bearer-like and transfers are final.

The theft has raised hard questions about how state agencies handle crypto. Some experts say that the tools used by prosecutors were more suited to personal use than to government-level custody.

There are calls for stricter rules, multi-signature setups, and cold storage protocols that do not rely on easily copied passwords.

Tracing The Bitcoin

Blockchain records show the funds moving through several wallets after the initial transfer. That public trail gives investigators leads, but tracing tokens to a final cash-out point is often slow and requires cooperation from foreign exchanges and on-chain analytics firms. Reports say authorities are working with outside specialists to map the flow.

What Prosecutors Are Doing Next

The Gwangju prosecutors’ office has vowed a full probe, and officials are trying to reconstruct events step by step.

There are also signs that the incident will trigger a review of national procedures for holding seized digital property. Some lawmakers and legal experts have already called for clearer standards and oversight.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Nathaniel Chastain, a former product manager at OpenSea, will not face a retrial after federal prosecutors chose to drop their re-review of his insider trading case.

Reports say the US Attorney’s Office reached a deferred prosecution agreement with Chastain that will lead to dismissal of the charges once the agreement runs its course.

What Prosecutors Decided

Prosecutors told a Manhattan federal court they would not retry Chastain following an appeals court ruling that tossed his earlier conviction.

Under the deferred prosecution deal, the government will dismiss the case about a month after notifying the court, and Chastain has agreed to forfeit roughly 15.98 ETH tied to the trades. He has already served three months in prison from his original sentence.

How The Appeals Court Changed The Case

According to the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the jury in the first trial had been given the wrong instructions about what the wire fraud law covers.

The judges said confidential information only counts as property under the statute when it has commercial value to the employer, and jurors might otherwise convict someone for behavior that is unethical but not criminal. That legal point is at the heart of the reversal.

Reports note that prosecutors had called the matter the first-ever insider trading case tied to NFTs. Now, lower courts and enforcement teams will have to think carefully before using traditional fraud laws to police activity in NFT markets.

The ruling highlights a gap between old statutes and new kinds of online goods, which may push lawmakers to give clearer rules for how to treat confidential business signals related to crypto platforms.

OpenSea: The Case’s Earlier Chapters

Chastain was first charged in mid-2022 after prosecutors said he bought certain NFTs before they were featured on OpenSea’s homepage, then sold them after prices rose.

He was convicted at trial in 2023 of wire fraud and money laundering and received a sentence that included three months behind bars. The US Attorney’s Office originally described the scheme as a novel use of insider knowledge in digital markets.

With the deferred prosecution agreement in place for OpenSea, prosecutors can close this chapter without a new trial.

Chastain’s forfeiture of crypto assets and his already served time mean the government has secured some remedy, while the appellate decision leaves open big questions about when private business information can be treated as property for federal fraud charges.

Legal teams, judges, and regulators are likely to keep a close eye on how similar cases are handled in the future.

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView

According to on-chain trackers, a big wave of old Bitcoin has started moving after long dormancy. Coins that sat untouched for more than two years have been transferred in numbers larger than what was seen during past peaks in 2017 and 2021.

CryptoQuant analyst Kripto Mevsimi said on-chain data shows that 2024 and 2025 marked the largest release of long-held Bitcoin supply ever recorded. He tracks “revived supply,” or coins that stayed dormant for more than two years before being moved.

That kind of movement usually means deep-pocketed holders are changing their plans, not small traders chasing a quick gain.

A Shift Without A Party

Reports say this release of long-held supply arrived with little fanfare. There was no mass retail mania. Prices did not spike in a frenzy. Instead, the transfers came during a stretch when the market has been under steady pressure from broader financial stress.

Some of those older coins were likely sold for profit. Some may have been moved for other reasons — custody upgrades, private trades, or to back financial products. On-chain signals show the coins moved, but they do not write the reasons on the blockchain.

Long-Term Holders Change Course

Based on reports from analysts tracking these flows, the pattern suggests a changing of the guard. Early adopters who held through multiple cycles and pointed to scarcity and self-control have been trimming positions.

New buyers are appearing who watch price swings and macro headlines. Institutions, fresh large accounts, and price-driven traders are now shaping much of the market’s short-term activity.

Global Risk Pressures Risk Assets

Reports have linked recent weakness in Bitcoin to rising global risk. Research ties part of the pullback to tariff moves by US President Donald Trump, which have pushed investors away from risky assets.

Tariffs can dent corporate profits, stir up inflation uncertainty, and change how the market views future rates — all of which hits sentiment. When big markets wobble, crypto often follows. That pressure helps explain why long-held coins moved without the usual hype.

New Buyers Step Forward

According To on-chain and price data, institutions and new “whales” are stepping into the gaps left by sellers. Bitcoin has been trading near the high $80k range, with recent figures around $89,140 as markets test demand. The old holders may have taken gains, but the market did not collapse. That shows there is still appetite, even if it is different from the past.

This cycle feels different because selling came without euphoria, and buying looks more tactical. That does not mean the story is over. The market might be shifting toward price-sensitive participants and outside financial forces.

Or the recent calm could be a pause before fresh buying. Either way, these on-chain moves matter. They change where the coins sit, and that changes how future price swings may play out.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Circle’s chief executive painted a brisk picture at Davos this week: autonomous software agents that act for people could be using stablecoins to pay for everyday things within three to five years.

He said these agents will need a money system that is stable, fast, and programmable. That, he argued, points to stablecoins as the likely choice.

AI Agents And Money

According to reports, Jeremy Allaire of Circle said “literally billions” of AI agents may be transacting on behalf of users in the near term.

“Three years, five years from now, one can expect that there will be billions, literally billions of AI agents conducting economic activity in the world on a continuous basis,” Allaire said during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

He described work on new networks and tools aimed at letting software act like small businesses or helpers that buy services, settle bills, and tip content creators.

This idea is simple on the surface: software needs a reliable unit of account when it spends, and tokenized dollars can fit that role.

Building The Tools

Reports say companies across the crypto and tech world are racing to build the plumbing for this future. Circle is pitching USDC as a neutral payments layer that software can plug into.

Other firms are testing protocols that let a machine sign off on a payment when certain conditions are met. Some large tech groups are also exploring ways for their platforms to let software pay for services automatically. Progress is visible, but the path is not yet clear.

What Regulators Might Ask

Regulators will have questions. Reports note concerns about money flow, consumer protections, and where bank deposits sit if stablecoins grow rapidly.

At Davos, the CEO pushed back on the idea that stablecoins would drain bank deposits the way some fear, saying comparisons to other financial instruments are more fitting.

Still, lawmakers in the US and elsewhere are watching closely. Rules could move faster if policy makers see real volume coming from so-called agentic commerce.

New Networks, New Risks

Based on reports, the technical choices will shape both convenience and danger. If agents can move value at scale, fraud and theft risks may rise too.

Systems will need clear identity checks, fault handling, and ways to stop runaway payments. Some safety work is already under way, but much remains to be designed and tested.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Reports say Capital One will buy stablecoin fintech Brex for $5.15 billion in a deal that mixes cash and stock. According to the bank’s release, roughly half of the price will be paid in cash and the other half in Capital One stock.

Regulators must still sign off. The two companies expect the transaction to finish by mid-2026, though that timing could shift if approvals take longer.

Brex Brings Cards, Software — And Stablecoin Plans

Brex began as a corporate card and expense tool for startups and has added services for larger firms.

Reports note the company moved quickly into payment tech last year when it announced plans to offer native stablecoin payments, letting customers send and accept dollar-pegged tokens with automatic conversion back into USD balances.

That bit of tech is a major part of why the deal matters to a bank that wants faster settlement options.

A Mix Of Old And New

This is not just about software. It is also a play for customers. Brex runs business accounts, serves big names in tech, and has built a set of tools that many businesses use daily.

Some of those clients moved business deposits to Brex after the 2023 banking turmoil, and those relationships are part of the package Capital One is buying.

The price tag looks smaller than Brex’s peak private valuation years ago, which shows how venture valuations have reset across the sector.

Why This Matters For Payments

Banks have been testing token-based rails and faster settlement for a while. By folding Brex into its operations, Capital One gains a ready platform that already experiments with stablecoin rails.

Real-time settlement for businesses can lower friction and could cut the waiting time for funds to clear. At the same time, regulators in the US and abroad are paying closer attention to token projects, so the new setup will run under tighter scrutiny.

Source: Coingecko The Growing Stablecoin Market

Stablecoins have drawn growing attention across traditional finance after Congress approved major rules for the tokens last year.

Based on data from Coingecko, the total value of stablecoins has climbed over 18% to an all-time high of $315 billion since the GENIUS Act was passed in July 2025. USDT takes the lion share of the overall stablecoin market.

Leadership And Market Reaction

Reports note that Pedro Franceschi, Brex’s CEO, will continue to lead the unit after the sale, now inside Capital One.

Investors reacted calmly overall; Capital One’s shares dipped early but were supported by robust quarterly results announced at the same time. That earnings strength helped soften any sharp market moves.

Featured image from YouHodler, chart from TradingView

A little token that few people had heard of a year ago has become a big mover of money. Reports say the A7A5 stablecoin, launched as a rouble-linked coin, has processed the equivalent of $100 billion in transfers since it began moving at scale.

Elliptic Finds Rapid Growth And Large Volumes

According to analysis by Elliptic, A7A5 grew quickly after its launch and was used heavily for settlement between firms that could not rely on regular banks. The firm traced huge daily flows, with transaction totals rising into the billions and aggregate transfers passing major milestones.

Origins And Backing

A7A5 was set up in a way that tied it to rouble deposits and to a handful of private entities connected to Russia’s financial network.

Reports say the project was linked to a payments group and to banking partners that have been under western scrutiny. Some of the people and firms behind the token were later sanctioned by authorities in the US and the UK.

How The Money Moved

Transactions were concentrated on a small number of exchanges and on on-chain routes that made cross-border transfers possible without the usual banking rails.

In practice, the coin served as a bridge into other stablecoins and crypto markets. That routing let trade keep moving even when formal channels were closed to certain actors.

A7A5 Stablecoin Role In Sanctions Evasion Claims

Reports note that regulators and analysts view those flows as a tool that could help avoid sanctions. Regulators in several countries have taken action against linked platforms and individuals after patterns of transfers were uncovered.

Some of the design choices around the token made monitoring harder for a time, and in a few cases tokens were reissued in new wallets to muddy traces.

Market Reaction And The Wider Impact

Markets noticed. The token’s market cap surged, and exchanges that handled it saw sharply higher volumes.

Ordinary traders were not the main users; activity was often timed with business hours and weekdays, which suggested corporate or institutional flows rather than retail swaps. This type of pattern changed how people outside the region looked at crypto as a payments tool.

Authorities responded by blacklisting some addresses and platforms and by stepping up enforcement against those named in the network.

The moves show that a token can move a lot of value, but it can also draw regulatory heat and prompt countermeasures that affect every participant in the chain.

Featured image from Pixabay, chart from TradingView

X is rolling out a feature called Starterpacks that will let new users follow ready-made groups of accounts tied to specific interests. It’s designed to make finding people to follow faster, and yes — that includes lists focused on Bitcoin and other crypto topics.

Reports say the company has spent months building these curated sets and plans to launch them in the coming weeks.

Starterpacks Include Crypto And Hundreds Of Categories

According To X’s product team, the feature will span more than 1,000 interest categories so people can join subject feeds without hunting around.

Some packs will pull together prominent Bitcoin commentators, active traders and market watchers so newcomers land in front of the right conversations quickly.

The idea echoes a feature that already exists on rival apps, but X’s lists are picked internally rather than built by users.

Over the last few months, we scoured the world for the top posters in every niche & country

We’ve compiled them into a new tool called Starterpacks: to help new users find the best accounts—big or small—for their interests

Reply below with a topic you’re most interested in… pic.twitter.com/MYIIQAaJaL

— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) January 21, 2026

Why Crypto Is Getting Special Attention

Reports note that crypto chatter on X cooled last year. Posts mentioning Bitcoin fell by a noticeable margin in 2025, according to platform watchers who track engagement.

That slide appears to have pushed product staff to make it easier to surface crypto creators again. The change is meant to reduce friction for users who want to jump into market talk without following dozens of accounts one by one.

A Look At How The Packs Work

Each Starterpack groups a small set of accounts around a theme. Users can accept a pack as a starting point and then add or remove people just like that.

Some packs will be regional, while others target hobbies or professional beats. The lists were assembled by the product team after a global search for active voices in each niche.

In practice, this means a newly joined user could pick a crypto pack and instantly follow a mix of analysts, podcasters and traders.

Community Reaction Has Been Mixed

Crypto users on X had already been vocal about visibility and moderation. A number of creators welcomed any effort that helps their posts reach new readers.

Other people worried that curated packs could favor certain voices over others or steer attention away from smaller accounts. Debate over how feeds are shaped is expected to continue as Starterpacks roll out.

What To Watch Next

Product updates will appear gradually. Reports say the rollout will start in the coming weeks, and X’s team will likely adjust the approach based on feedback.

For people who follow Bitcoin and crypto, Starterpacks could mean quicker discovery and more steady streams of market talk.

For the platform, it’s one more attempt to make joining feel less like starting from scratch.

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView

Iran’s central bank quietly built up a large stash of Tether’s USDT last year as the rial struggled and trade with the outside world grew harder. The move turned parts of the crypto ledger into a public trail of a policy that would normally be private.

Central Bank’s Crypto Moves

According to a blockchain analysis by Elliptic, the Central Bank of Iran acquired at least $507 million in USDT over 2025, a figure the firm treats as a conservative minimum because it only counts wallets it could tie to the bank with high confidence.

Reports say much of the buying happened in the spring months of 2025 and that payments were routed through channels that included Emirati dirhams and public blockchains. Those stablecoins were then used in local crypto markets to add dollar-linked liquidity and help slow the rial’s slide.

New Elliptic research: We have identified wallets used by Iran’s Central Bank to acquire at least $507 million worth of cryptoassets.

The findings suggest that the Iranian regime used these cryptoassets to evade sanctions and support the plummeting value of Iran’s currency,… pic.twitter.com/I7NHGO0wtP

— Elliptic (@elliptic) January 21, 2026

How The Money Flowed

Elliptic’s tracing shows an early flow of USDT into Nobitex, Iran’s biggest crypto exchange, where the coins could be swapped into rials and fed into the market. After a breach and growing scrutiny in mid-2025, other paths were used, including cross-chain bridges and decentralized exchanges, to move and convert funds.

A Freeze And A Warning

That open ledger also left the transactions visible to outside observers. On June 15, 2025, Tether blacklisted several wallets linked to the central bank and froze about $37 million in USDT, showing that stablecoins can be cut off when issuers or regulators step in. That intervention narrowed some options for on-chain liquidity.

This episode matters for two reasons. First, it shows how a state institution can use stablecoins to gain access to dollar value when normal banking routes are closed.

Second, it highlights a weakness: if a private issuer can freeze balances, those reserves are not the same as cash held in hard foreign accounts.

Trade, Sanctions, And A New Tool

Reports note the purchases likely served a twin goal — to smooth domestic exchange rates and to help settle trade with partners who avoid direct dollar banking.

The method is blunt. It gives a way to move value, but it also creates new points of control and exposure that can be tracked on public ledgers.

Analysts will be watching how regulators and stablecoin issuers respond. They will also track whether other countries under pressure turn to similar mixes of centralized and decentralized tools.

The public tracing of these flows makes it harder to hide big moves, even when actors try to obscure them across chains and exchanges.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

ARK Invest’s new roadmap puts a big number on the table, and it’s hard to ignore. Reports say Cathie Wood’s firm’s “Big Ideas 2026” research paints a scenario where the total value of crypto climbs to about $28 trillion by 2030.

Big Ideas Point To A Shift

According to ARK and its public writeups, that $28 trillion is not blind optimism. The firm breaks the future into three main drivers: Bitcoin, decentralized finance, and tokenized real-world assets.

Reports note Bitcoin could make up roughly 70% of that total, which would mean about $16 trillion in Bitcoin market cap by 2030.

DeFi And Tokenized Assets Take The Stage

DeFi platforms and smart-contract networks are expected to grow a lot. ARK’s scenario puts smart money and on-chain services as a major contributor to market value in the run up to 2030.

The firm also projects tokenized real-world assets — things like tokenized bonds, property shares, and other financial products moved onto ledgers — to climb into the trillions, with some reports pointing toward around $11 trillion for tokenization.

How Bitcoin Fits Into The Picture

Given the share ARK assigns to Bitcoin, the math pushes toward very large per-coin prices if that scenario plays out. Reports say ARK’s base case uses a little over 20 million Bitcoins in supply by 2030 and implies a per-coin price that could sit near the high hundreds of thousands — commonly quoted numbers range up to about $950,000 to $1,000,000 in that framework.

Fast Growth Assumptions

To reach $28 trillion, the forecast depends on very steep growth each year. ARK points to an implied compound annual growth rate near 61% from present levels to 2030. That is aggressive. It would mean rapid gains across many segments of the crypto market, not just a single rally.

Reports and industry analysts warn that the path to that future has a long list of hurdles. Regulation must become clearer in many places. Institutional rails and custody tools need to expand and prove reliable.

Market sentiment has to stay positive long enough for major capital flows to arrive. Any of these things going wrong would change the numbers quickly.

ARK’s “Big Ideas 2026” details a robust vision of a $28 trillion ecosystem driven by Bitcoin, DeFi, and tokenization. Although it holds a rather ambitious 61% growth trajectory riddled with numerous regulatory and market obstacles, the vision reinforces the faith of ARK Invest in the transformation of the digital asset space from being a speculative domain to the nucleus of the global finance system.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Markets showed signs of life after a sudden political retreat in Davos. Prices that had tumbled earlier this week found buyers again, though the mood stayed cautious and quick to keep an eye on the next headline.

Political Shift Calms Markets

According to Reuters, US President Donald Trump announced he would not go ahead with planned tariffs tied to Greenland after talks with NATO officials, calling the outcome an outline for future cooperation.

Reports say the initial shock knocked big chunks off crypto positions. More than $600 million in leveraged bets were wiped out within a day as Bitcoin and major altcoins slid during the selloff.

Market sentinels counted over $620 million in liquidations, while other market trackers put the toll as high as about $870 million as traders rushed to close risky positions.

Risk Appetite Returned, Slowly

After the tariff threat was pulled, stock indexes rallied. The pan-European STOXX 600 gained back ground, rising about 1.2% as traders stepped back into risk assets and some panic cooled. London shares also moved up in a broad rally that reflected relief across sectors.

Short, sharp moves hit markets. One minute confidence; the next minute forced selling. That pattern left bitcoin and ether lower from recent highs, and it reminded many investors that headlines still drive big swings.

Some long holders were squeezed out. Some traders were burned by over-extended bets. Reports note rare split liquidations where both long and short positions were affected.

Recovery Was Cautious Not Complete

According to market stories, crypto prices rebounded after the immediate scare, but volume stayed thin and sentiment stayed tilted toward fear.

Traders who saw the drop as a buying chance kept their distance, while short-term players moved back in to chase quick gains. The bounce was real, but fragile.

On Crypto & Geopolitical Noise

This episode shows that geopolitical noise can still push crypto the same way it pushes stocks. Even when the issue is not directly about digital assets, risk appetite matters.

When big, headline-driven moves happen, leveraged markets get whipsawed and people who bet too much either lose a lot or get forced out of their positions.

According to reports, the tariff retreat eased immediate worry and allowed markets to recover some lost ground, but the relief felt measured and watchful.

News can move markets fast. The mental framing of the selloff will probably keep traders cautious for a while, and any new twist in policy or diplomacy could bring fresh volatility.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Now hanging in uncertainty, a big US cryptocurrency bill meant to set firmer ground for trading platforms, digital tokens and stablecoins lost its urgent status among Congress leaders. Attention shifting elsewhere, several influential senators paused work on it this week. Talks continue behind the scenes, aiming to fix unresolved parts before moving forward.

Lawmakers Focus On Housing

A handful of senators shift attention toward affordable housing plans linked to US President Donald Trump’s priorities. This move shrinks the chance for quick approval of the cryptocurrency legislation. Time runs short as political energy flows elsewhere.

Now the Banking Committee changed its timeline because of that move, so the expected vote on the bill got delayed for now. This puts a pause on efforts to build one clear system.

Big Industry Pushback

Out of nowhere, Coinbase stopped backing the plan. Its executives said the proposal might limit how stablecoins work, affecting services people rely on. That shift made them step away quietly. Right after, the group in charge paused things as well.

That shift laid bare growing tensions. Not every bank welcomed the rise of stablecoins. Rivalry looms when digital coin returns gain wider reach. Some financial players see threat in that growth.

Industry Response And Market Effects

Fear spread through trading floors. When talks got delayed, digital currencies started falling because people began questioning how much longer the arguing could last – alongside what kind of outcome might finally emerge.

Useful, perhaps, if waiting brings sharper rules. Still, dragging too long risks confusing banks more, leaving them unsure when to act.

Separate Tracks Emerge

Ahead of the curve, some lawmakers are eyeing a fresh approach where certain digital tokens fall under commodity rules. This version, quietly shared by the Senate Agriculture team, might follow its own path forward – timing unclear.

While others debate classification, this draft sidesteps the main gridlock and suggests an alternate route through regulatory terrain.

One path might still move forward, even if the Banking Committee’s proposal gets stuck. Still, running two versions at once brings up concerns – how will they merge them should both make it to debate?

Crypto Bill: What Might Happen Next

Few believe it’s dead, though time slips fast. Elections loom; attention wanders. Agreement must come soon, or nothing sticks.

Some members of Congress quietly say pushing into late February could kill chances, yet backers still meet out of view to adjust the proposal and pull in more votes.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Bitwise’s take on the final months of 2025 reads like a careful, hopeful note rather than a loud market call. Momentum on the chains rose even as prices stalled, and that gap is exactly what has traders talking. Some think it marks a bottom. Others say it’s too soon to be sure.

Crypto: On-Chain Activity Surges

According to Bitwise, Ethereum activity and layer-two transactions climbed to new highs, and decentralized trading grew markedly. Stablecoin supplies also swelled, with the total market cap passing the $300 billion mark in Q4.

Reports note that decentralized exchange volumes at times matched or exceeded those of major centralized venues. These are hard numbers. They are signs that real use and liquidity are expanding under the surface.

The latest Bitwise Crypto Market Review just dropped—and it’s the most important one we’ve ever published.

Why? Because it shows a tension in crypto markets that has historically signaled a bear-market bottom (see Q1 2023).

Receipts: During Q4 2025…

– ETH’s price fell 29% ……

— Bitwise (@BitwiseInvest) January 21, 2026

Why Prices Have Lagged

Bitwise’s chief investment officer, Matt Hougan, compared this setup to early 2023 when prices trailed rising fundamentals before a significant rebound took hold over the following two years.

The comparison makes sense on paper. Price can be stubborn. Market psychology often lags behind on-chain realities, and traders sometimes wait for a clearer macro story before committing capital.

Fundstrat’s Tom Lee offers a counterpoint, saying the year could be bumpy until late, with tariffs and political tensions weighing on risk appetite. That view keeps many investors cautious.

Crypto, Stablecoins And DeFi At The Center

According to market data, flows into stablecoins accelerated, and fund inflows to crypto firms outpaced several other sectors in the stock market. DeFi use was no longer a niche metric; it was central to the Q4 narrative.

“That’s the type of divergence you get at the bottom of bear markets, when sentiment is down but fundamentals are up,” Hougan said.

Some infrastructure firms reported rising revenues. At the same time, trading volumes remained muted compared with the peaks seen earlier, which helps explain the mismatch between on-chain strength and sideways price action.

Why This Might Matter For 2026

Bitwise highlighted 10 broad indicators it sees as health signs for the market, ranging from transaction counts to custody and fee trends. Progress on regulatory clarity was also flagged.

Reports say the Clarity Act could change how stablecoins are treated in the US, and a new US Federal Reserve chair could shift policy in ways that matter for risk assets.

Bitwise sees Q4 as a quiet period where things were improving behind the scenes, even if prices didn’t show it. The firm says this kind of gap between price and activity has happened before big rebounds. It doesn’t mean a rally will happen right away, but the market could be setting itself up for a stronger year ahead.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView