The cryptocurrency market faced a sharp correction in the early hours of January 26, with BTC erasing its entire monthly progress. After peaking at $97,000 on January 14, Bitcoin slid approximately 10.9% to briefly dip below the $87,000 mark. This volatility has pushed the January return to -0.5%, reflecting a broader “risk-off” sentiment across the digital asset space. The pullback is being attributed largely to rising uncertainty around U.S. government shutdown, alongside broader risk-off sentiment across global markets.The GameFi sector bore the brunt of the sell-off, dropping nearly 5%, led by double-digit losses in Axie Infinity (AXS). While Ethereum fell below $2,900, some assets showed resilience; notably, River (RIVER) surged 30% and Beam (BEAM) rose 19%, suggesting that despite the macro-level decline, specific project catalysts continue to drive isolated pockets of growth.

But what else is happening in crypto news today? Follow our up-to-date live coverage below.

The post [LIVE] Crypto News Today: Latest Updates for Jan. 26, 2026 – BTC Slumps 11% From Monthly High Below $87K Amid Market Wide Slump appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin dipped under $88,000 as Asia opened to mixed trade, with investors leaning into safety and pushing gold to a record above $5,000 an ounce.

In China, stocks moved in different directions. The Shanghai index rose 0.12%, and China A50 gained 0.49%, while the SZSE Component slid 0.74% and DJ Shanghai eased 0.09%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged up 0.04%.

Gold extended a rally that has reshaped the commodity market. Spot gold rose 1.79% to $5,071.96 an ounce by 0159 GMT after touching $5,085.50 earlier, and US gold futures for February delivery gained 1.79% to $5,068.70.

Market snapshot

• Bitcoin: $87,781, down 1.3%
• Ether: $2,867, down 2.6%
• XRP: $1.89, down 0.6%
• Total crypto market cap: $3.04 trillion, down 1.4%

Greenland Tariff Threat Rolled Back As Trade Risks Linger

Investors have treated the metal as a refuge through shifting policy expectations and geopolitical stress. Prices surged 64% in 2025, and they have gained more than 17% this year, supported by safe-haven demand, expectations of easier US monetary policy, central bank buying and ETF inflows.

President Donald Trump’s trade threats stayed in focus. He abruptly stepped back on Wednesday from threats to impose tariffs on European allies as leverage to seize Greenland, and he said over the weekend he would impose a 100% tariff on Canada if it followed through on a trade deal with China.

He has also threatened to hit French wines and champagnes with 200% tariffs in an apparent effort to pressure French President Emmanuel Macron into joining his “Board of Peace” initiative.

Some observers fear the board could undermine the United Nations’ role as the main global platform for conflict resolution, though Trump has said it will work with the UN.

US Futures Ease After Volatile Week Marked By Trade Risks

Currency markets also turned volatile. The yen jumped to more than a two-month high on speculation that coordinated intervention by US and Japanese authorities could be imminent, and Tokyo’s top currency diplomat left that prospect open while keeping markets guessing.

The yen rose as much as 1.2% to 153.89 per dollar, its strongest since November. The euro hit a four-month high of $1.1898 and was last up 0.4% at $1.18665, as traders trimmed dollar positions ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting and watched for a possible announcement by the Trump administration of a new Fed chairman.

Wall Street faces another busy week after a rocky stretch. US stock index futures fell modestly on Sunday evening as markets braced for the Fed decision on Wednesday and a wave of corporate earnings, after last week’s pullback tied to geopolitical strains and trade uncertainty.

The post Asia Market Open: Bitcoin Dips Under $88K, Gold Hits Record Above $5K As Yen Hits Two-Month Peak appeared first on Cryptonews.

A collection of colorful moments from

We know this one is a few years old, but unless you’re deep into the cycling scene, there’s a good chance this is the first time you’ve heard of [Ali Clarkson’s] foray into home made rope spokes. 

The journey to home-made rope spoke begun all the way back in 2018, shortly after the company Berd introduced their very expensive rope spokes. Berd’s spokes are made of a hollow weaved ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) rope with very low creep. They claim wheels stronger than steel spoke equivalents at a fraction of the weight. Naturally forum users asked themselves, “well why can’t we make our own?” As it turns out, there are a handful of problems with trying this at home.

There are a number of ways to skin this proverbial cat, but they all center around some very special nautical ropes, namely, Robline DM20. This rope has excellent wear and creep characteristics, in a hollow weave much like what Berd developed. The hubs also require the addition of a bevel around the spoke holes to prevent wear. Beyond those two similarities, there are quite a number of ways to lace the spokes between the hub and wheels.

As detailed by [Ali Clarkson], one method involves creating loops out of bike spokes, with a custom jig and some brazing. Then a length of rope is passed through the hub and a special hitch is used to keep it in place. Two loops are made in the ends of this length of rope and passed through the spoke ends made earlier. Finally everything is brought up to tension and trued much like a normal wheelset. The front wheel ended up weighing around 700g, a rather impressive feat for a 24 inch downhill wheel.

However, a number of other methods have been tried on the forum threads. Namely, a number of users have attempted to varying degrees of success putting a length of spoke inside the hollow rope weave and “Chinese finger trapping” it together. The key issue here is sourcing a glue strong enough to hold the spoke piece on at lower tensions, but flexible enough to not crack with the cyclical loading on a rim.

Ultimately, this is a great look at the properties of some extremely special rope. This also isn’t the first time we have seen strange bicycle wheels made with UHMWPE.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Japan is edging closer to approving spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds, with regulators signaling that the first products could be cleared for listing as early as 2028. A report published by Nikkei Asia on Jan. 26 said the Financial Services Agency…

Bitcoin price began the week under pressure after CME futures reopened well below Friday’s close, drawing attention to a large pricing gap. CME Bitcoin futures opened near $86,560 after closing the previous session around $89,500, leaving a downside gap of…

XRP price extended losses and traded below $1.880. The price is now consolidating and might decline further if it remains below $1.920.

• XRP price started a fresh decline below the $1.90 zone.
• The price is now trading below $1.90 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average.
• There is a key bearish trend line forming with resistance at $1.885 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair (data source from Kraken).
• The pair could continue to move down if it stays below $1.90.

XRP Price Dips Further

XRP price failed to stay above $1.950 and started a fresh decline, like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The price declined below $1.920 and $1.90 to enter a short-term bearish zone.

The price even spiked below $1.850. A low was formed at $1.810, and the price is now consolidating losses. There was a recovery wave above $1.850. The price cleared the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $1.963 swing high to the $1.810 low, but the bears remained active.

The price is now trading below $1.90 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. If there is a fresh upward move, the price might face resistance near the $1.8850 level and the 50% Fib retracement level of the downward move from the $1.963 swing high to the $1.810 low. There is also a key bearish trend line forming with resistance at $1.885 on the hourly chart of the XRP/USD pair.

The first major resistance is near the $1.90 level. A close above $1.90 could send the price to $1.950. The next hurdle sits at $2.00. A clear move above the $2.00 resistance might send the price toward the $2.050 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $2.120 resistance. The next major hurdle for the bulls might be near $2.20.

Downside Break?

If XRP fails to clear the $1.90 resistance zone, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $1.840 level. The next major support is near the $1.820 level.

If there is a downside break and a close below the $1.820 level, the price might continue to decline toward $1.780. The next major support sits near the $1.750 zone, below which the price could continue lower toward $1.70.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for XRP/USD is now gaining pace in the bearish zone.

Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for XRP/USD is now near the 50 level.

Major Support Levels – $1.840 and $1.820.

Major Resistance Levels – $1.8850 and $1.90.

Bitcoin has fallen nearly 30% since a major market crash in October, while traditional safe havens like gold and silver have soared.

Gold reached a record over $5,000 amid trade tensions while Bitcoin fell to $86,000, marking a sharp divergence as the precious metal surged 17% in January.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is already bucking Game of Thrones' tradition in several big ways.

Unlike its predecessors, Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms doesn't feature dragons or scheming for the Iron Throne. As episode 2 reveals, it's also missing another Game of Thrones series staple: an elaborate title sequence.

Where Game of Thrones has its clockwork map, and where House of the Dragon has its Targaryen family tree and historical tapestries, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms simply has a title card. It's just white text on a black background, all without Ramin Djawadi's epic Game of Thrones theme to accompany it. (While A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms occasionally interpolates Djawadi's theme, the show's score is composed by Dan Romer.)

The difference between opening sequences is starker than Ned, especially since House of the Dragon's titles so clearly ape those of Game of Thrones. So, why the big switch-up for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

For showrunner Ira Parker, the decision stems from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' central character, Ser Duncan "Dunk" the Tall (Peter Claffey).

"All decisions came down to Dunk, trying to channel the type of person he is into every aspect of this show, even the title sequence," showrunner Ira Parker told Entertainment Weekly in an October 2025 story.

He continued: "The title sequences on the original [Game of Thrones] and House of Dragon are big and epic and incredible. Ramin Djawadi's score is orchestral and large and beautiful. That's not really Dunk's M.O. He's plain and he's simple and he's to-the-point. He doesn't have a lot of flash to him."

Dunk's lack of flashiness is central to George R.R. Martin's Dunk and Egg novellas, upon which A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based. These are not epic tales of Westeros-wide war. Instead, they're ground-level stories about the Seven Kingdoms' smallfolk. With that in mind, a smaller scale requires a smaller title sequence.

The title card also has the added benefit of setting A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms apart from other Westeros-set shows, allowing it to forge its own identity and prove that there's room for stories of all scales in the Seven Kingdoms.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes Sundays at 10 p.m. ET.

While the Game of Thrones universe has always had moments of comedy thrown in amongst the betrayal, incest, and murder, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes Westeros' comic streak into uncharted territory.

Episode 1 had that gloriously disgusting phlegm scene, and while there are many amusing moments in episode 2, a conversation between Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) is probably the thing that made us laugh most — while also acting as the perfect representation of their relationship as a whole.

Let's recap.

What's the conversation between Dunk and Egg?

The conversation takes place after Dunk's floundering attempt to talk to Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford), a puppeteer working at the Ashford tourney who agrees to paint a new sigil on his shield.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

After attempting to console Dunk, who is worried the conversation was "ill-handled," Egg changes the subject to knighthood. We've copied the resulting, hilarious exchange below, in full:

Egg: "Do you think I'll ever make a knight one day?"

Dunk: "Sure. Why not? You're a likely lad."

Egg: "I'm a bit puny."

Dunk: "You'll grow."

Egg: "Even for my age. Everyone's always told me so."

Dunk: "Everyone's always told me I was stupid."

[Massive pause while Dunk sips his drink, not saying anything else.]

Egg: "And?"

Dunk: "Hm?"

Egg: "Hm, what?"

Dunk: "What?"

Egg: "What did you do when people said you were stupid, ser?"

Dunk: "What business is that of yours? My problems are my own."

Egg: "I thought... Aren't you trying to help me?"

Dunk: "Help you what? Grow?"

It's an absolutely beat-perfect exchange, from Egg's exasperated "And?" to Dunk's complete confusion that follows it. This kind of conversation is also why the show, and Dunk and Egg as characters, are so deeply lovable — we will never tire of seeing a small child growing increasingly frustrated with his giant, well-meaning companion's total lack of understanding.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays at 10 p.m. ET.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a film buff.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: To suck dry

• Green: To intimidate

• Blue: Hollywood icons

• Purple: Animals

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Exploit

• Green: Daunt

• Blue: Iconic actresses

• Purple: Mammals minus last letter

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #969 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Exploit: DRAIN, FLEECE, MILK, SQUEEZE

• Daunt: BUFFALO, COW, RATTLE, RUFFLE

• Iconic actresses: CLOSE, FIELD, FOSTER, WEAVER

• Mammals minus last letter: BADGE, GOA, MOOS, RABBI

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're always a wine drinker.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Grape expectations

The words are related to drinks.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe an alcoholic drink.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is By the Bottle.

NYT Strands word list for January 26

• Zinfandel

• Chardonnay

• By the Bottle

• Shiraz

• Merlot

• Malbec

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're unusual.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A weirdo.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter F.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

FREAK

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

It’s almost a new lunar phase, with the Moon one night away from the First Quarter. This means that just under half of the Moon is illuminated tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, Jan. 26, the Moon phase is First Quarter. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 54% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

Half of the Moon is illuminated tonight, so there's plenty surface area to look for features. With just your naked, you should be able to spot the Crisum, Serenitatis and Vaporum mares. If you have binoculars you'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Apennine Mountains, Alphonsus Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. There's even more to see with a telescope, including the Apollo 11 and 15 landing spots and the Rupes Altai.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will be on Feb. 1. The last full moon was on Jan. 3.

What are Moon phases?

NASA tells us the lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days, which is how long the Moon takes to travel once around Earth. Over that period, it passes through eight recognised phases. While the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the portion that appears lit changes as the Moon moves along its orbit. The varying amount of sunlight reaching the Moon is what makes it appear full, partially illuminated, or almost invisible at different points in the cycle. The eight lunar phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Brax Technologies just announced "a privacy-focused alternative to locked-down tablets" called open_slate that can double as a consumer tablet and a Linux-capable workstation on ARM. Earlier Brax Technologies built the privacy-focused smartphone BraX3, which co-founder Plamen Todorov says proved "a privacy-focused mobile device could be designed, crowdfunded, manufactured, and delivered outside the traditional Big Tech ecosystem." Just as importantly, BraX3 showed us the value of building with the community. The feedback we received — what worked, what didn't, and what people wanted next — played a major role in shaping our direction going forward. Today, we're ready to share the next step in that journey... They're promising their "2-in-1" open_slate tablet will be built with these guiding principles: Modularity beyond repairability". ("In addition to a user-replaceable battery, it supports an M.2 expansion slot, allowing users to customize storage and configurations to better fit their needs.") Hardware-level privacy and control, with physical switches allowing users to disable key components like wireless radios, sensors, microphones, and cameras. Multi-OS compatibility, supporting "multiple" Android-based operating systems as well as native Linux distributions. ("We're working with partners and the community to ensure proper, long-term OS support rather than one-off ports.") Longevity by design — a tablet that's "supported over time" Brax has already created an open thread with preliminary design specs. "The planned retail price is 599$ for the base version and 799$ for the Pro version," they write. "We will be offering open_slate (both versions) at a discount during our pre-order campaign, starting as low as 399$ for the base version and 529$ for the Pro version for limited quantities only which may sell out in a day or two from launching pre-orders... "Pre-orders will open in February, via IndieGoGo. Make sure to subscribe for notifications if you don't want to miss the launch date." Thanks to long-time Slashdot reader walterbyrd for sharing the news.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A 19-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man reported missing was found dead in Plymouth.

Skip the trip to the dentist with these top-notch at-home strips, tried and tested by our hygiene experts.

Walking counts as exercise and offers plenty of health benefits.

Ethereum price extended losses and traded below the $2,865 zone. ETH is now consolidating losses and might aim for a recovery if it clears $2,920.

• Ethereum remained in a bearish zone and traded below $2,950.
• The price is trading below $2,900 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average.
• There is a bearish trend line forming with resistance at $2,920 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken).
• The pair could start a fresh increase if it stays above the $2,800 zone.

Ethereum Price Dips Further

Ethereum price failed to remain stable above $2,950 and extended losses, like Bitcoin. ETH price declined below $2,880 and $2,865 to enter a bearish zone.

The bears even pushed the price below $2,840. The price finally tested $2,800 and is currently consolidating losses. There was a minor upside above the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the downward wave from the $3,067 swing high to the $2,784 swing low.

Ethereum price is now trading below $2,900 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. If the bulls can protect more losses below $2,800, the price could attempt another increase.

Immediate resistance is seen near the $2,920 level. There is also a bearish trend line forming with resistance at $2,920 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD. The first key resistance is near the $2,960 level or the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the downward wave from the $3,067 swing high to the $2,784 swing low. The next major resistance is near the $3,000 level. A clear move above the $3,000 resistance might send the price toward the $3,065 resistance.

An upside break above the $3,065 region might call for more gains in the coming days. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $3,120 resistance zone or even $3,150 in the near term.

More Losses In ETH?

If Ethereum fails to clear the $2,920 resistance, it could start a fresh decline. Initial support on the downside is near the $2,840 level. The first major support sits near the $2,800 zone.

A clear move below the $2,800 support might push the price toward the $2,780 support. Any more losses might send the price toward the $2,720 region. The main support could be $2,650.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACD – The MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bearish zone.

Hourly RSI – The RSI for ETH/USD is now below the 50 zone.

Major Support Level – $2,800

Major Resistance Level – $2,920