$SOL is starting to push higher after breaking out of a tight compression zone.
Technical view: an ascending triangle is forming after a long corrective phase. The bias stays bullish as long as price holds above the reclaimed trendline and keeps respecting the rising support.
If SOL slips back below the breakout area and loses trendline support, the upside attempt can weaken and turn into more sideways action.
Strive (ASST) announced an all-stock acquisition of Semler Scientific (SMLR). The key detail: Semler holds 5,048 BTC, so Strive is effectively acquiring a BTC treasury through a corporate deal.
They also bought 123 $BTC around ~$91.5K. After the transaction, the combined total is expected to reach 12,797 BTC, making them the 11th largest corporate holder.
This is a new trend: companies aren’t only buying $BTC , they’re buying companies that already hold BTC.
Franklin Templeton Positions Two Money Market Funds for Tokenized Finance Under GENIUS Act.
On Tuesday, Franklin Templeton said the updates apply to two existing Rule 2a-7 government money market funds, expanding their usability in regulated digital finance without altering their status as traditional, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-registered products. The move targets two fast-developing use cases: stablecoin reserve management and blockchain-based fund distribution.
The first update involves the Western Asset Institutional Treasury Obligations Fund, which has been restructured to align with reserve requirements under the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act. The fund now invests exclusively in U.S. Treasuries with maturities of 93 days or less, positioning it for use by stablecoin issuers operating under the federal framework enacted in July 2025.
Franklin Templeton pointed to the expanding stablecoin market as a driver of demand for regulated, high-quality liquidity products. With stablecoins increasingly used for payments, settlement, and collateral, institutional issuers are seeking compliant reserve assets that behave more like infrastructure than speculation.
The second update centers on the Western Asset Institutional Treasury Reserves Fund, which introduced a Digital Institutional Share Class designed for distribution through blockchain-enabled intermediary platforms. Approved intermediaries can use blockchain technology to record and transfer fund share ownership, enabling faster settlement and around-the-clock transaction capabilities.
Importantly, Franklin Templeton emphasized that the fund itself remains a traditional money market vehicle. The firm explained that the blockchain component affects how shares are distributed and recorded, not the underlying investment strategy or regulatory framework. In short, the plumbing changes, not the product on the shelf.
🔥 The Fed Story Just Changed — Markets Are Repricing
For months, traders expected rate cuts in 2026. Now that view is fading, and crypto is reacting as liquidity expectations reset.
JPMorgan no longer expects any cuts in 2026 and now forecasts a 25 bps hike in Q3 2027. Goldman Sachs also pushed cut expectations to mid–late 2026, while other banks are delaying their timelines as well. CME FedWatch shows a 95% probability the Fed holds rates at its January meeting.
For $BTC and $ETH , this matters because tighter liquidity usually slows momentum and rewards patience over chasing narratives.
In a Benzinga interview, WhiteBIT founder Volodymyr Nosov says the 2025 correction was a healthy reset, and that the market is now shifting from short-term price noise to long-term structure.
His main points: Institutions are reshaping crypto RWA tokenization could be a major growth driver Regulation and real-world adoption matter more each cycle
He also estimates tokenized assets could reach $10–15T within the next 5 years.
$BTC Jurisdictional Unity on Privacy The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) have finalized a comprehensive regulatory environment that leaves no room for anonymity-enhanced digital assets. As of Jan. 12, 2026, new rules have reinforced the categorical ban on privacy coins across all of Dubai, including the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Regulators in Dubai define privacy tokens or anonymity-enhanced cryptocurrencies, as assets that prevent the tracking of ownership or transaction flows. Under the latest updates, core privacy coins like Monero ( XMR) and Zcash (ZEC) are strictly prohibited. This ban extends to the use of anonymizing tools such as mixers or tumblers, including Tornado Cash, which are explicitly barred from use by regulated firms. Additionally, algorithmic tokens are subject to intense scrutiny and are often excluded due to concerns regarding transparency and their potential for market manipulation. While Dubai’s regulatory landscape is divided between onshore zones and the DIFC, both primary regulators have converged on a unified stance against privacy-centric assets. VARA, which oversees onshore Dubai and its free zones, has maintained an explicit ban since 2023. This prohibits the issuance, listing and facilitation of transactions for any anonymity-enhanced cryptocurrencies. Violations under VARA’s jurisdiction can trigger fines reaching tens of millions of dollars, alongside the potential revocation of commercial licenses. Dubai’s decisive move to prohibit these tokens comes amid a significant global resurgence in privacy-focused assets. Throughout 2025, a powerful market narrative emerged as investors sought refuge from increasing blockchain surveillance and “forensic-heavy” regulatory environments. This shift turned privacy coins from a niche category into one of the year’s most resilient outliers.
Robert Kiyosaki Warns Silver Crash Coming as Market Shows Clear Signs of Peaking Silver’s rally may be nearing a dangerous peak, with growing speculation and selling pressure signaling a sharp pullback ahead even as long-term bullish conviction remains intact
$XRP Ripple Urges SEC to Separate Crypto Assets From Securities Transactions.
Ripple submitted a letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Crypto Task Force on Jan. 9, urging a rights-based framework for digital asset regulation. The blockchain payments company framed its position around legal obligations rather than market activity, speculation, or technological design.
The letter was signed by Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty, General Counsel Sameer Dhond, and Deputy General Counsel Deborah McCrimmon. In the letter, Ripple argues that securities oversight should apply only for the duration of enforceable promises tied to a transaction. The company writes:
“The Commission’s jurisdiction should track the lifespan of the obligation; regulating the ‘promise’ while it exists, but liberating the ‘asset’ once that promise is fulfilled or otherwise ends.”
“The dispositive factor is the holder’s legal rights, not their economic hopes. Without that bright line, the definition of a security, and the SEC’s jurisdictional limits, become amorphous and unbounded,” Ripple added.
The submission explains that collapsing the distinction between a transaction and the underlying asset risks expanding securities jurisdiction indefinitely and criticizes approaches that rely on decentralization, trading behavior, or ongoing development as legal substitutes.
$BTC Standard Chartered Readying Launch of New Crypto Prime Brokerage: Report Multinational banking giant Standard Chartered is reportedly preparing an expansion into digital assets with a new prime brokerage platform.
There are reports that a “Satoshi-era” whale has become active again after years of silence, with claims of buying around 26,900 $BTC (roughly $2.45B).
If confirmed on-chain, this would be one of the most notable whale reactivations in a long time, and it would show strong conviction at current prices.
For now, it’s important to treat this as unconfirmed until the wallet activity is verified by reliable on-chain tracking.
$BTC Offline Messaging App Bitchat Gains Users in Iran During Protests Bitchat is a peer-to-peer messaging application developed by Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, now known as X. Launched in mid-2025, the app was built around the idea of censorship-resistant communication and operates without central servers, phone numbers, or user accounts.
The application relies on Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networking, allowing messages to be transmitted directly between nearby devices. Messages can “hop” from one device to another, extending communication across wider areas as more users join the network. This structure allows Bitchat to function even when mobile data and broadband connections are unavailable.
In addition to its offline capabilities, Bitchat can optionally integrate with open internet protocols such as Nostr, enabling global message reach when connectivity is restored. This hybrid design positions the app for use during natural disasters, protests, or government-imposed internet restrictions.
Crypto Rallies as Venezuela Shock Shifts Risk Mood After weeks of tight trading in December, crypto prices broke higher during early Asian hours. Bitcoin moved above $92,000, while ether cleared $3,100, tracking gains in equities and a drop in oil prices. The timing mattered. Markets reacted to a U.S. operation that resulted in the detention of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, a development that rippled across commodities and risk assets. Crypto’s alignment with that broader move is feeding talk of a regime shift as the new year begins. With year-end tax loss selling behind the market and a new U.S. crypto bill expected, bullish narratives appear to be gaining traction.
The current $BTC liquidation heatmap shows a clear imbalance. While there are some long liquidations clustered near 88K, the majority of liquidation liquidity is positioned on the short side above the current price.
This matters because markets are often attracted to areas with higher liquidity. If price begins to move upward, short positions may be forced to close, which can accelerate upside momentum.
At the moment, this setup suggests upside pressure remains active, as short sellers carry more risk than longs. Monitoring how price reacts around these zones is key for understanding the next move.
BTC is showing very similar price behavior to April 2025: • Breakout structure looks the same • Whales are closing longs • A double-bottom pattern is forming
If history rhymes, this setup could lead to a Q2-2025-style rally.
Institutional $XRP Adoption Takes a Structural Step Forward With Evernorth–Doppler Alliance XRP is increasingly emerging as a cornerstone asset for large-scale institutional finance. XRP digital asset treasury company Evernorth and XRPfi infrastructure provider Doppler Finance (Doppler) announced on Jan. 8, 2026, that they have entered into a strategic collaboration to explore treasury-scale liquidity and institutional use cases on the XRP Ledger.
$XRP is trading sideways despite a wave of positive developments around Ripple and its growing institutional presence. The token is consolidating near an important level, suggesting the market is in a wait-and-see phase rather than showing signs of weakness. As of 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 10, XRP is hovering around $2.09, moving within a tight intraday range with neither buyers nor sellers pressing aggressively for control. This period of calm price action comes as Ripple continues to expand the infrastructure supporting XRP. Recent approvals from the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority, including an Electronic Money Institution license and crypto asset registration, strengthen Ripple’s regulatory standing for compliant cross-border payments. In parallel, Ripple’s partnership with BNY has brought tokenized deposits into active institutional use, reinforcing XRP’s role in real-world, enterprise-level settlement systems. Adoption momentum is also steadily building. XRP now has exposure through multiple spot ETFs and benefits from established regulatory clarity in the U.S. following court rulings that classify it as a non-security. On-chain activity remains robust, with the XRP Ledger surpassing $1 trillion in total value settled, driven by growth in real-world asset tokenization, expanding stablecoin liquidity, and increasing institutional participation. Taken together, the narrow trading range appears constructive, reflecting consolidation alongside strengthening fundamentals rather than a fading bullish outlook.
$BTC 2010 Bitcoin Mega Whale Wakes up, Moves $181M in Dormant BTC After Yearlong Silence After a lengthy disappearing act—last spotted in November 2024—the elusive 2010-era mega whale has resurfaced yet again, finally rousing 2,000 long-slumbering bitcoins mined in bitcoin’s earliest chapter. The hoard, now valued at $181 million, traveled in a single, clean sweep and was processed in full at block height 931668.