Из жизни альткоинов

The entire Electric Coin Company (ECC) team behind privacy coin Zcash has left Bootstrap, a nonprofit created to support the token, after what ECC CEO Josh Swihart described as a governance breakdown that made the team’s work untenable. Swihart said the team will form a new company and continue building on Zcash, while stressing that the protocol itself is unaffected.

A Zcash Civil War In The Making?

In a statement posted to X, Swihart said that “over the past few weeks, it’s become clear that the majority of Bootstrap board members … have moved into clear misalignment with the mission of Zcash,” naming Zaki Manian, Christina Garman, Alan Fairless, and Michelle Lai, which he referred to collectively as “ZCAM.”

Swihart framed the departure as a response to employment changes imposed by the board majority. “Yesterday, the entire ECC team left after being constructively discharged* by ZCAM,” he wrote. “In short, the terms of our employment were changed in ways that made it impossible for us to perform our duties effectively and with integrity.”

The exit represents a sharp escalation in tensions inside one of the support structures surrounding Zcash, a network that has historically relied on a small number of specialist organizations to fund and coordinate development. Swihart did not provide specific details on the governance actions or employment terms at issue, but portrayed the split as a defensive move to protect Electric Coin Company’s ability to execute its mandate.

“We’re founding a new company, but we’re still the same team with the same mission: building unstoppable private money,” Swihart said. He emphasized that “the Zcash protocol is unaffected,” adding that the decision was “simply about protecting our team’s work from malicious governance actions that have made it impossible to honor ECC’s original mission.”

Zooko Wilcox, the founder of Zcash said the conflict does not involve him or Shielded Labs, also sought to separate the organizational dispute from the operational status of the network. “Big drama in one (or two now?) of the many Zcash support orgs,” he wrote on X, before offering reassurance to users.

“The Zcash network is open source, permissionless, secure, and private, and nothing that happens in this conflict can change that,” Zooko said. “You can safely continue to use Zcash.”

In a second point, Zooko offered a character reference for the board members named by Swihart, highlighting how personal trust and long-running working relationships can factor into ecosystem governance disputes. “I’ve worked closely with Alan Fairless, Zaki Manian, and Christina Garman for more than 10 years, through many intense and difficult situations, and with Michelle Lai for about 5 years,” he wrote. “Based on my experiences, I believe them all to be people of exceptionally high integrity.”

Bootstrap Board Responds

[UPDATE:] After Swihart’s post, Bootstrap’s board issued its own statement tying the dispute to governance and legal constraints around a proposed transaction involving Zashi, describing the fallout as a disagreement over structure rather than over Zcash’s underlying mission. “We are saddened by this outcome and respect the contributions of those who have chosen to depart,” the board wrote, before adding that “it’s important to clarify the nature of the disagreement.”

Bootstrap said it was formed as a 501(c)(3) public-benefit nonprofit with “specific legal and fiduciary obligations” governing how assets, intellectual property, and transactions can be structured. According to the board, it had been discussing “external investment and alternative structures to privatize Zashi,” while working with legal counsel to ensure any path forward complied with US nonprofit law and preserved the long-term Zcash mission.

“There is nothing wrong with for-profits,” the statement said, adding that a well-executed effort could bring “a large amount of outside capital into making Zcash and privacy great and user-friendly,” but emphasizing that “Bootstrap/ECC’s nonprofit constraints are real.”

The board warned that the most recent version of the proposed deal could create legal and political risk for the broader ecosystem, arguing it “introduces new vulnerabilities for politically-motivated attacks on Zcash.” It cited the possibility of donor lawsuits and even an unwinding scenario in which “Zashi would have to be transferred back to ECC,” framing those tail risks as a threat not just to the parties involved but to “the entire Zcash ecosystem.”

In that context, the statement cast the standoff as a compliance issue: “This is not a disagreement about Zcash’s mission, which remains unchanged,” the board wrote. “It is about compliance with the legal and fiduciary obligations of a 501(c)(3), and about the moral imperative of ensuring Bootstrap’s assets remain dedicated to the mission they were meant to serve.”

At press time, the ZEC price was strongly affected by the drama, trading at $408.57.

Bitcoin is struggling to maintain strength above the $90,000 level after once again failing to break through the critical $94,000 resistance zone. What initially appeared to be a recovery attempt has gradually lost momentum, leaving BTC trapped in a broad consolidation range that has persisted since late November. Each push higher has been met with selling pressure, reinforcing the idea that bulls are losing control of the short-term trend.

Market sentiment remains fragile. Volatility has compressed, directional conviction is weak, and price action increasingly reflects indecision rather than accumulation. While long-term holders appear largely inactive, the absence of aggressive dip buying suggests that confidence across the broader market is still muted. This environment has created fertile ground for sharp reactions, but not yet for a sustainable trend reversal.

Crucially, on-chain data shows that retail investors are still missing in action. Measures tracking retail demand indicate continued weakness, highlighting that the recent stabilization in price has not been driven by renewed participation from smaller investors.

Historically, strong Bitcoin advances tend to coincide with rising retail involvement, as fresh demand reinforces upside momentum. Without that cohort returning, current price support looks increasingly vulnerable.

Retail Demand Remains Absent

According to data shared by Maartunn, Bitcoin’s 30-day change in Retail Investor Demand remains deeply negative, underscoring a critical weakness beneath the surface of current price action. In simple terms, the crowd has not returned to the market—at least not in a meaningful way.

Retail investors historically play a crucial role in sustaining bullish trends. They provide incremental demand, amplify momentum, and often arrive after periods of consolidation or early recoveries. When retail demand is expanding, price advances tend to be more durable. The opposite is also true. A persistently negative 30-day retail demand metric signals that smaller investors are either staying on the sidelines or continuing to reduce exposure.

This helps explain why Bitcoin’s recent attempts to reclaim higher levels have struggled. Without fresh retail inflows, upside moves rely almost entirely on larger players absorbing supply. That dynamic can support temporary bounces, but it often lacks the depth required for a sustained breakout.

From a risk perspective, weak retail participation also increases fragility. If price rallies into resistance without new demand entering the system, it becomes more vulnerable to pullbacks triggered by profit-taking or external shocks.

Until retail demand begins to recover and shift into positive territory, Bitcoin’s price action is likely to remain range-bound, with rallies facing structural headwinds rather than broad-based support.

Bitcoin Consolidates Below Key Resistance

Bitcoin’s lower-timeframe structure highlights a market that remains fragile despite recent recovery attempts. On the 4-hour chart, BTC is trading just below the $90,000 level after failing to sustain momentum above the $94,000–$95,000 zone earlier this month. That rejection marked a clear lower high, reinforcing the broader corrective structure that has been in place since late November.

From a trend perspective, price is oscillating around its short- and medium-term moving averages, with the 50-period and 100-period averages acting as dynamic resistance rather than support. Each push higher has been met with selling pressure, suggesting that upside liquidity is still being used as an exit rather than as confirmation of renewed demand. The 200-period moving average on this timeframe remains overhead, capping rallies and defining the upper boundary of the current range.

Structurally, Bitcoin is consolidating between roughly $87,000 and $92,000. This range reflects indecision rather than strength. While buyers have defended the lower boundary multiple times, the lack of follow-through above resistance signals exhaustion. Volume has also compressed compared to the November sell-off, indicating reduced participation and a lack of conviction on both sides.

Unless BTC can reclaim the $92,000–$94,000 region with strong volume and hold it as support, the current move remains a corrective bounce. A breakdown below the $87,000 support would likely reopen downside risk toward deeper liquidity levels, keeping short-term risk elevated.

Reece Merrick, Senior Executive Officer and Managing Director for the Middle East & Africa at Ripple, has revealed what’s coming for the ecosystem, highlighting developments that could have potential implications on the XRP price. Although XRP is rebounding and trading above $2, further improvements in its market dynamics and institutional engagement could strengthen its momentum and drive prices higher. 

Ripple Executive Reveals What’s Ahead For XRP

In an X post on Wednesday, Merrick gave a detailed perspective on where XRP is heading and why its role in global finance is expanding. The Ripple executive highlighted XRP’s continued role as a bridge asset connecting real-world finance with emerging digital markets. 

He stated that XRP is actively supporting stablecoins, Real-World Assets (RWAs), and institutional payment flows at scale. He also noted that these use cases show the cryptocurrency moving beyond theory and into practical financial infrastructure. 

In his post, Merrick emphasized that growing momentum in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) is amplifying institutional participation in XRP. He said that more corporate treasuries are now exploring the cryptocurrency as a reserve asset, signaling that adoption is still in an early phase. 

Merrick indicated that all these developments lay the foundation for XRP’s price outlook. By positioning the cryptocurrency at the center of global settlement and liquidity, increased institutional demand can drive stronger market dynamics that push the XRP price higher over time. Moreover, the Ripple executive believes these developments are just the beginning, suggesting more growth ahead for XRP. 

Notably, Merrick’s statements were issued in response to a broader discussion initiated by RippleX, the developer-focused arm of the crypto company. The thread explained XRP’s functional design and its role in global financial systems. RippleX emphasized that XRP is purpose-built for settlement and liquidity, not speculation. 

The team described the cryptocurrency as a neutral bridge that enables value movement across payment rails, stablecoins, tokenized assets, and collateral worldwide. RippleX also noted that XRP is among the few digital assets with clear regulatory standing in the United States and ranks within the top three cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. 

RippleX further highlighted that XRP has achieved its first institutional treasury through Evernorth, which has secured more than $1 billion in commitments. It also noted support from multiple spot ETF issuers, including Bitwise, Canary Capital, Franklin Templeton, and Grayscale.

How These Developments Could Drive The XRP Price

In his post, Merrick highlighted several bullish factors for XRP, including ETFs, settlements, institutional adoption, and RWAs. Each of these developments could support the XRP price in different ways. 

Firstly, ETFs could drive prices higher as investors buy more products to gain exposure to XRP without the typical security and regulatory risks. Analysts also theorize that a supply shock could occur, leading to a subsequent price spike as institutions absorb significant portions of XRP’s available supply. 

Institutional adoption through global settlements could also rapidly increase demand, possibly influencing price action. RWAs and stablecoins also create a new demand market for XRP, supporting potential upward price movement.

Speculation regarding a potential presidential pardon for Sam Bankman-Fried, the disgraced former CEO and co-founder of crypto exchange FTX, intensified since former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao received clemency from President Donald Trump last year. 

However, a recent report by The New York Times indicates that Trump has firmly rejected the idea of pardoning Bankman-Fried, alongside other high-profile figures.

No Clemency For FTX Co-Founder

When questioned about the possibility of issuing presidential pardons for individuals such as Sean Combs, Nicolas Maduro, and Bankman-Fried, Trump made it clear that he had no intentions of granting clemency to these individuals. 

This news comes as the former crypto mogul continues to seek relief from his 25-year sentence for one of the largest financial frauds in modern history.

Bankman-Fried’s parents are reportedly working behind the scenes to lobby for a reduction in their son’s sentence. Despite these efforts, the extensive fallout from FTX’s collapse appears to have swayed Trump’s thinking against issuing a pardon.

In November 2023, Bankman-Fried was convicted on seven criminal counts, including fraud and conspiracy, resulting in a 25-year prison sentence and a mandate to repay $11 billion to FTX customers. 

His legal team stated back in November 2025 that their client had been “unfairly convicted,” claiming he was denied a fair opportunity to defend himself amid intense media scrutiny and prosecutorial pressure. 

“Sam Bankman-Fried was never presumed innocent,” they argued in their appeal. “He was presumed guilty—before he was even charged.”

 Bankman-Fried Pursues Legal Remedies

The situation drew further comparisons to Zhao’s case when, on October 23, the White House announced Trump had pardoned the Binance co-founder, who had previously pleaded guilty to charges two years earlier. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt remarked that the President was exercising his constitutional authority in pardoning Zhao, who faced prosecution by the Biden Administration amidst its regulatory actions against cryptocurrency.

However, the circumstances surrounding FTX’s dramatic collapse suggest that a pardon for the former FTX CEO is unlikely at this time. As it stands, Bankman-Fried remains focused on his legal options.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

In a devastating blow for Ripple’s XRP, global asset management firm WisdomTree has announced the withdrawal of its Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) application. Notably, this move comes as XRP ETFs experience significant demand in the highly competitive ETF market. Moreover, the news has triggered a substantial decline in the altcoin’s price, which just recently began to recover from previous lows. 

Ripple’s XRP Declines As WisdomTree Abandons ETF 

XRP has faced a significant setback in its recent rally, as WisdomTree formally withdraws its registration for an ETF. Filed just over a month ago in December 2024, the asset manager has now requested the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to cancel its ETF application.

The news likely triggered the sharp decline in XRP’s price, erasing significant gains made earlier this week. WisdomTree’s filing with the US SEC confirmed that its planned ETF product would not proceed, despite months of coordination with regulators and exchanges and substantial costs invested in the project. 

Notably, the filing cited Rule 477 of Regulation C under the Securities Act of 1933 and clarified that no shares had been sold under the original registration. This means the planned product was effectively halted before it reached the market. 

Initially, WisdomTree’s XRP ETF was designed to provide regulated exposure to the token through shares listed on Cboe BZX. This structure followed a model similar to the asset manager’s previous Bitcoin ETF. Given that WisdomTree’s Spot Bitcoin ETF is among the most prominent and widely adopted US-based crypto products, its decision to withdraw its XRP ETF comes as a surprise. 

This move highlights the underlying difficulties of launching new crypto investment vehicles, even for firms with an established reputation and a track record of success in related products. Currently, competition in the XRP ETF market is fierce, and this could have been a contributing factor to WisdomTree’s exit. 

Several firms, including Grayscale, Canary Capital, Franklin Templeton, and Bitwise, are already capturing the majority of inflows, vying for liquidity in an increasingly crowded space. By stepping away from its XRP ETF plans, WisdomTree not only avoids this congestion but also strategically positions itself to recalibrate its next move in the crypto space. 

XRP ETFs See First Outflow Since Launch

Following WisdomTree’s withdrawal of its XRP ETF application, data from SoSovalue revealed significant outflows across four of the five available products. Daily total net inflows turned negative on January 7, recording an outflow of approximately $40.8 million. 

This marks the first outflow since XRP ETFs launched in Q4 2025, ending a streak of over 35 days of consistent inflows. Canary Capital, Bitwise, Franklin Templeton, and 21Shares all experienced major outflows. Only Grayscale recorded positive flows of about 0.13%, roughly $1.69 million. 

Cumulative net inflows into the XRP ETF also reached $1.25 billion on January 6, 2026. However, as of writing, this figure has fallen to $1.2 billion, reducing the market value by approximately $5 billion.

XRP is attempting to stabilize around the $2.10 level after suffering a sharp 12% retrace from its recent local highs. The pullback has cooled momentum and left the market searching for direction, with bulls struggling to regain control amid broader uncertainty across the crypto sector. While downside pressure has eased for now, price action remains indecisive, reflecting a fragile balance between buyers defending support and sellers taking advantage of recent strength.

Adding important context to this consolidation, a recent CryptoQuant analysis highlights a notable shift in XRP’s on-chain flow dynamics. Data tracking XRP movements to Binance shows that whales have continued to dominate exchange inflows, accounting for roughly 60.3% of total transfers, compared with 39.7% attributed to retail participants.

However, despite whales still representing the majority, their relative participation has been steadily declining since mid-December. This marks a clear change from November and early December, when whale activity peaked above 70% of total flows.

Historically, elevated whale inflows to exchanges are often associated with distribution or increased selling pressure. The gradual reduction in whale dominance suggests that large holders may be easing back from aggressive positioning following the recent correction.

Whale Flows Ease as XRP Searches for a Base

The CryptoQuant report highlights that the recent decline in whale flows to Binance has unfolded alongside a clear price correction in XRP. After peaking near the $3.20 area in late 2025, the average price has retraced toward the $2.26 zone, cooling speculative excess built during the prior rally. Historically, heavy whale inflows to exchanges tend to signal preparation for selling or redistribution. In that context, the gradual reduction in these flows suggests that large holders are, at least for now, stepping back from aggressive distribution.

This shift becomes more meaningful when contrasted with retail behavior. Data show that retail flow percentages have remained relatively stable since mid-December, with no sharp spike in exchange transfers. That stability implies an absence of panic selling among smaller participants, even as the price corrected. When both whales and retail investors refrain from escalating sell pressure simultaneously, market conditions often transition away from impulsive downside moves.

Taken together, this dynamic points toward a potential re-accumulation phase following XRP’s strong advance earlier in the cycle. While whale activity remains elevated in absolute terms, its declining share reduces the probability of a sudden, disorderly sell-off in the near term.

That said, this balance remains fragile. Any renewed surge in whale flows to Binance would quickly alter the outlook, serving as an early warning that distribution may be resuming and that downside risk is increasing again.

Price Struggles To Stabilize After Deep Retracement

XRP price action on the daily chart reflects a market still searching for balance after a sharp correction from late-2025 highs. Following the rejection near the $3.30–$3.40 region, XRP entered a sustained downtrend, printing a series of lower highs and lower lows. This structure remained intact through November and December, confirming persistent bearish pressure as price slipped below key moving averages.

Recently, XRP has attempted to stabilize around the $2.10 area, which is acting as a short-term demand zone. The bounce from sub-$1.90 lows suggests sellers are losing momentum, but the recovery remains technically weak. Price is still trading below the 50-day and 100-day moving averages, both of which are sloping downward and now represent dynamic resistance near the $2.40–$2.60 range. As long as XRP remains capped below these levels, upside moves are likely to face selling pressure.

Volume during the rebound has been relatively muted compared to the sell-off, indicating a lack of strong conviction from buyers. This supports the view that the current move is corrective rather than the start of a new trend. Structurally, XRP would need to reclaim and hold above the $2.50 zone to invalidate the broader bearish setup.

The chart suggests consolidation risk remains elevated. Failure to defend $2.00 decisively could reopen downside toward prior liquidity zones, while a clean break above moving-average resistance would be required to signal a meaningful shift in momentum.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Despite the recent pullback, the price of Bitcoin has managed to hold above the $91,000 level as the market shifts towards a volatile state once again. While BTC continues to face sideways movements, short-term holders remain underwater. However, a sharp bounce above a specific level could be a game-changer for these investors.

A Make-Or-Break Point For Bitcoin STHs Is Fast Approaching

Following the brief bounce on Monday, Bitcoin is closing in on a pivotal price zone that could reshape the sentiment and behavior of short-term BTC holders. This objective was disclosed by Alphractal, an advanced investment and on-chain data analytics platform, after examining the BTC Short-Term Holder NUPL (Net Unrealized Profit/Loss).

Related Reading: Bitcoin Value Days Destroyed Reaches Lowest Point Of The Current Cycle, A Structural Calm?

As the market approaches this threshold, On-chain measures indicate a change in attitude, with speculative capital starting to reevaluate risk, spending patterns shifting, and unrealized profits and losses constricting. The level signifies the zone where feeble hands may capitulate or re-enter the market with conviction.

According to the platform, the Bitcoin short-term holder NUPL has started to rise again and is currently heading toward the 0 level. Such a move toward the level indicates that the holders are moving to a break-even zone and are close to lowering their unrealized losses.

It is important to note that the area around the 0 level has historically served as a resistance for the short-term holder NUPL metric. However, a move into positive territory is only expected to occur if BTC breaks above and holds the $99,000 mark, which currently represents the short-term holder realized price.

Until that happens, the platform highlighted that the majority of short-term holders continue to operate at a loss. Interestingly, this will keep the market sensitive to volatility spikes and defensive profit-taking, especially from the group.

Whether the $99,000 level serves as a launchpad or a stress test, it is clear that Bitcoin’s path to this crucial area might completely change the near-term environment for both traders and short-term investors. 

BTC’s Bullish Movement Is Weak Because Of Investors’ Demand

Bitcoin quickly lost its renewed bullish momentum, and several reasons have been linked to why this happened. However, one of the key reasons that stands out strongly is the demand for the flagship crypto asset.

In a CryptoQuant Quicktake research, Caueconomy, a market expert and author, revealed that the demand for BTC is still weak and needs to recover. Despite the price of BTC recently rising to the $93,000 level, the expert noted that apparent on-chain demand is still low and requires a stronger comeback to sustain a return to $100,000.

Currently, demand for a return to on-chain movement has not yet shown clear signs of improvement due to the market’s low trading volume and still conflicting attitude. However, Caueconomy stated that this could happen now, with the end of the holiday period, as many investors are likely to reduce trading.

JPMorgan has moved its blockchain strategy into a new phase after confirming plans to deploy its proprietary digital dollar token on a public blockchain network. The development is part of how major banks are increasingly comfortable using public blockchain infrastructure, provided it can be adapted to meet institutional and regulatory requirements. 

Although the XRP Ledger ticks all the boxes required, JPMorgan’s leadership has gravitated toward Cronos as the environment best suited for expanding the real-world use of its in-house digital asset.

JPM Coin Steps Onto Public Blockchain Infrastructure

Digital Asset and Kinexys by J.P. Morgan, the global banking heavyweight, disclosed that its USD-backed deposit token, known as JPM Coin, will now be deployed on a public blockchain framework. 

JPM Coin is the first bank-issued USD-denominated deposit token fully backed by US dollar deposits held at the bank. The coin is designed for wholesale payments and settlements between institutional clients, and this provides the ability for transfers to be completed far faster than traditional banking rails.

Moving JPM Coin onto a public blockchain means that JPMorgan sees long-term value in shared infrastructure, especially as tokenized assets and on-chain settlement gain traction across global markets. The bank’s approach centers on efficiency and interoperability while still preserving strict controls around who can access and use the token.

Interestingly, J.P. Morgan’s leadership aligned around Cronos as the most suitable option for the deployment of JPM Coin on a public blockchain. Cronos offers compatibility with existing smart contract standards, established tooling, and an ecosystem already familiar to institutions experimenting with tokenized assets and payments. 

According to the press release, by bringing JPM Coin natively to Canton, Digital Asset and Kinexys by J.P. Morgan are laying the foundation for regulated, interoperable digital money that can move quickly across financial markets. 

Under the terms of the collaboration, Digital Asset and JPMorgan plan a phased integration through 2026, starting with the technical and operational groundwork needed to support the issuance, transfer, and near-instant redemption of JPM Coin directly on Canton. Later phases may include introducing additional products, including J.P. Morgan’s Blockchain Deposit Accounts, to expand the offerings.

Direction Of Bank-Led Blockchain Adoption

JPMorgan’s recent move shows how major financial institutions are selectively embracing public blockchains, and this is a reflection of the growth of the entire crypto ecosystem. Interestingly, this blockchain expansion comes against the backdrop of growing internal discussions at JPMorgan about deeper involvement in digital assets. 

Recent reports show that the bank is already evaluating whether its markets division should begin offering cryptocurrency trading services to institutional clients. 

The internal review reportedly includes potential spot trading as well as derivatives exposure tied to digital assets, pointing to a wider reassessment of how crypto fits into JPMorgan’s business. Although the company is already involved in crypto-related initiatives, this would be the first time it will be directly involved.

The explosive rise of Solana meme coins has reshaped speculative crypto trading, but a growing segment of analysts now argues that a similar — and potentially more efficient — rotation could be forming around the XRP Ledger. In a recent market commentary, one analyst went further by pointing to select XRP meme coins as potential high-beta opportunities, particularly for investors looking to amplify exposure without rotating into already overheated assets.

Why Analysts Foresee An XRP Meme Coin Takeover

On January 6, 2026, the analyst outlined an investment approach for XRP meme coins that prioritizes capital efficiency and market dynamics, highlighting tokens where strategic positioning can maximize potential returns. He cited the Solana meme coin surge as a reference point, where low transaction costs, rapid execution, and strong community-driven momentum allowed small-cap tokens to deliver outsized returns within compressed timeframes.

The argument now shifts to the XRP Ledger, which offers similar transactional advantages but with a critical distinction: XRPL-based meme coins remain far less crowded and are still trading at comparatively lower valuations. This imbalance, according to the analyst, creates a potential window for capital rotation into ecosystems with room for rapid price expansion.

As XRP’s spot price appreciates, many retail participants find it increasingly difficult to accumulate large positions. The proposed workaround is strategic rotation — reallocating smaller XRP holdings into XRPL-native meme tokens that historically exhibit sharper percentage moves during speculative phases. In such conditions, XRPL meme coins can act as leveraged proxies to broader XRP sentiment, allowing traders to synthetically increase exposure without additional capital.

Best XRP Meme Coins To Invest In

The analyst’s approach focuses on capital efficiency rather than long-term token holding. He argues that during active meme cycles, reallocating a relatively small XRP position into select XRPL meme coins can significantly increase exposure. In practical terms, he suggests that pushing roughly $2,000 into a basket of high-momentum XRPL meme tokens could realistically scale into $10,000 if meme liquidity turns aggressive. The objective is not to hold meme assets indefinitely, but to convert short-term price acceleration back into a larger XRP position.

The analyst went further to spotlight a handful of XRPL meme coins that currently combine visibility, liquidity, and community traction — factors that tend to matter more than fundamentals in speculative markets. $DROP stands out as an early and recognizable XRPL meme, often attracting liquidity first when sentiment shifts. $ARMY relies on strong community coordination, which can accelerate price movement during hype-driven phases. $FUZZY benefits from simple, character-based branding that appeals quickly to retail traders, while $PHNIX leverages a resurgence narrative that aligns with broader optimism around the XRP Ledger.

By investing in these XRP meme tokens, the analyst believes investors can amplify their XRP exposure. The opportunity lies in timing and execution, leveraging momentum to potentially turn smaller capital allocations into significantly larger positions, rather than relying on gradual large-cap price appreciation.

As the year begins, Ethereum has displayed notable bullish performance. However, the recent strength of ETH is not only reflected in its price action. On-chain data also shows that the ETH network has sharply picked up pace this new year, with adoption and usage reaching historical levels.

Ethereum Crosses Major TVL Landmark

The Ethereum network is making a powerful statement across the dynamic cryptocurrency and blockchain sector just a few days into the new year. A recent report from Leon Waidmann, a market expert and On-Chain Foundation’s head of research, has outlined a new milestone for the leading blockchain network.

As seen in the chart, the network has crossed a significant landmark in application Total Value Locked (TVL), which reflects its expanding role as a foundation for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and Web3 innovation. ETH’s total application TVL has now surpassed the $300 billion mark.

This new increase in TVL is likely due to fresh investment in DeFi protocols, liquid staking systems, and on-chain apps that are based on Ethereum’s strong infrastructure. A figure of this magnitude signals a surge in user confidence, growing utility, and a maturing ecosystem that is steadily attracting both developers and institutional investors. 

With the latest milestone in app TVL, the Ethereum network is not only demonstrating present strength but also solidifying its standing as a major hub for value creation and on-chain activities. According to the expert, this figure matters more than it may seem. It is a sign that capital is actively used within unchain applications.

Ethereum’s growth in DeFi, stablecoins, Real World Assets (RWAs), and staking indicates real economic activity, surpassing other major networks. Waidmann highlighted that liquidity often follows depth, and yet the deepest pools are found in ETH.

Developers follow composability, and the network is becoming the hub for the richest set of developers. Furthermore, institutions that follow predictability are heavily found in the ETH network. Lastly, Ethereum has become the center for new apps, which follow users and capital.

A New Level Of Network Activity For ETH

Ethereum’s performance has picked up pace, and the main network activity has experienced a dramatic surge. In another X post, Waidamann disclosed that the activity of the ETH main network is at a new all-time high, signaling renewed confidence across the ecosystem.

Data shared by Waidmann shows that the daily transactions conducted on the network on a daily basis has now reached 2 million. At the same time, the total number of active wallet addresses per day on the blockchain rose sharply, reaching between 500,000 and 600,000.

In addition to demonstrating Ethereum’s supremacy as a leading smart contract platform, this surge in transactions and active addresses also shows expanding practical use at a time when network principles are more important than ever.

Should the network maintain the substantial wave of adoption, the expert believes that this renewed conviction could extend toward ETH’s price action. “It’s just a matter of time until the price catches up,” Waidmann stated.

The Bitcoin ATMs are trending at the moment, following a government action in Missouri. This involves an investigation into companies allegedly operating scams using these crypto kiosks, defrauding customers in the process. 

Missouri AG Launches Investigation Into Companies Using Bitcoin ATMs

In a press release, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her office had launched a statewide investigation into companies that were operating Bitcoin ATMs. She stated that this investigation was due to national concerns of deceptive fee structures and bad actors using them to defraud customers. 

The AG Hanaway said they had received reports of “devastating” new scams involving Bitcoin ATMs that prey on Missourians. She further remarked that her office is investigating these allegations regarding hidden fees and deceptive charges on these machines and will hold bad actors accountable. 

The AG gave a hint into how these scam Bitcoin ATM operators work, noting that the scammers might call claiming that one is in legal trouble and must pay using the crypto ATMs immediately or face charges. Hanaway urged those who have been victims of this fraud to reach out to her office. 

As part of the action against these bad actors, the Attorney General’s office has already issued five Civil Investigation Demands (CIDs) to Bitcoin ATM companies across Missouri. These crypto kiosk companies are said to be engaging in practices that may be in violation of the state’s consumer protection laws. The CIDs also require these companies to disclose anti-fraud policies and procedures. 

Companies Currently Under Investigation

The Missouri AG office listed GPD Holdings, Rockitcoin, Bitcoin Depot, Athena Bitcoin, and Byte Federal as Bitcoin ATM companies currently under investigation. These businesses are said to each own and operate numerous crypto kiosks located across Missouri. These kiosks typically allow customers to transact in crypto, such as BTC, rather than U.S. dollars. 

The AG’s office noted that these transactions are nonrefundable and difficult to trace, making them the preferred method for scammers to prey on vulnerable Missourians. Interestingly, BTC Depot, one of the companies under investigation, recently reached a settlement in Maine over crypto ATM scams. According to an ABC News report, the crypto kiosk vendor agreed to pay $1.9 million to the state as part of a settlement to compensate victims of fraud. 

The rise of Bitcoin ATM scams has led states such as Arizona to enact new laws to crack down on them. The state had reported that residents lost about $177 million to schemes tied to crypto ATMs. The FBI has also warned about the scam, revealing that Americans lost over $330 million to these crypto ATM scams last year. This represents a significant increase from the $250 million in losses recorded in 2024.

Сооснователь и бывший директор криптобиржи BitMEX Артур Хейс (Arthur Hayes) заявил, что дешевая нефть в США и прилив ликвидности на крипторынок приведут к росту биткоина.

The US Marshals Service (USMS) says it did not sell 57.5 Bitcoin that crypto media and on-chain sleuths had recently flagged as liquidated, pushing back on a narrative that the government may be offloading coins despite the Strategic BTC Reserve directive by US President Donald Trump.

The dispute surfaced after Bitcoin Magazine cited court paperwork that appeared to authorize liquidation of BTC tied to the Samourai Wallet case, and as blockchain movements showed the coins landing at Coinbase Prime, activity that traders often treat as a sale signal, even if it is not definitive on its own.

Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis, one of Washington’s most vocal Bitcoin proponents, seized on the reporting to question why the government would be selling at all. “We can’t afford to squander these strategic assets while other nations are accumulating Bitcoin. I’m deeply concerned about this report,” she wrote on X, referencing the purported Samourai-linked sale.

Why is the U.S. gov still liquidating bitcoin when @POTUS explicitly directed these assets be preserved for our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve? We can’t afford to squander these strategic assets while other nations are accumulating bitcoin. I’m deeply concerned about this report. https://t.co/XW5WxsfliA

— Senator Cynthia Lummis (@SenLummis) January 6, 2026

No Bitcoin Sold: USMS

At the center of the controversy is Executive Order 14233, which requires BTC obtained via criminal or civil forfeiture to be preserved as part of a US Strategic BTC Reserve. The reporting suggested the alleged sale clashed with that mandate.

After DL News published its story, however, USMS directly denied that any such sale occurred, also criticizing the reporting process: [The USMS] has not sold the Bitcoin mentioned and it has no idea how Bitcoin Magazine would get that information. But they did not fact check nor contact us for information.”

Furthermore, the US Marshals told DL News that “USMS cryptocurrency liquidations go through a multi-level approval process to ensure only forfeited digital assets that meet the requirements of Section D of Executive Order 14233 are disposed.”

What sparked the confusion in the first place was a document described as an “Asset Liquidation Agreement” and an associated dollar figure—$6,367,139.69—tied to 57.5 BTC that were transferred on Nov. 3, 2025, in connection with the Samourai matter. Separately, on-chain tracking showed the same 57.5 BTC deposited to Coinbase Prime, a pattern that can be consistent with liquidation but “could not prove” a sale by itself.

In the Samourai case, federal authorities arrested developers Keonne Rodriguez and William Lonergan Hill in 2024, alleging the service operated as an unlicensed money transmitting business used by criminals. The report at issue centered on BTC that the developers paid to the Department of Justice as part of a guilty plea.

At press time, BTC traded at $89,915.

Инвестиционный директор управляющей криптоактивами компании Bitwise Мэтт Хоуган (Matt Hougan) заявил, что рост цены крупных криптомонет будет зависеть от двух факторов: ситуации на фондовых площадках и изменения законодательства в США.

Data shows the Bitcoin transfer volume has been following a long-term decline, suggesting network activity has been shrinking despite price growth.

Bitcoin Total Transfer Volume Has Been Going Down

As explained by CryptoQuant author Axel Adler Jr in a new post on X, the Total Transfer Volume has steadily been declining for Bitcoin since January 2023. This metric measures, as its name suggests, the total amount of the cryptocurrency that’s becoming involved in transactions on the blockchain every day.

When the value of this metric rises, it means the investors are ramping up their transfer activity. Such a trend may be a sign that trading interest in the asset is going up.

On the other hand, the indicator registering a drop suggests holders are moving around fewer tokens, potentially because the market isn’t attracting their attention.

Now, here’s the chart for the Bitcoin Total Transfer Volume (denominated in BTC) shared by Adler Jr that shows the trend in its 30-day and 365-day simple moving averages (SMAs) over the last decade:

As displayed in the above graph, the Bitcoin Total Transfer Volume saw its 30-day SMA plummet during the 2022 bear market. This trend isn’t anything unusual, as bearish phases with long stretches of consolidation tend to be boring for investors, so they tend to shift their interest away from the cryptocurrency.

The sharp decline in the metric ended at the start of 2023, but interestingly, even though BTC has seen a significant amount of price appreciation since then, the Total Transfer Volume has only continued to slide further, albeit this time at a more gradual pace.

As the analyst has highlighted in the chart, the 30-day SMA has been following this slow decline for three years now. The 365-day has followed a bit of a delayed trajectory, with its phase of gradual downtrend only beginning in late 2023, naturally due to the fact that it’s a long-term average.

One factor behind the cooldown in Bitcoin network activity could be the introduction of spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States at the start of 2024. These investment vehicles allow for an off-chain route of investment into the asset, so the activity occurring on-chain no longer captures the full picture.

In some other news, the Bitcoin Coinbase Premium Gap saw a breakout into the positive territory alongside the asset’s recent recovery above $94,000, as CryptoQuant community analyst Maartunn has pointed out in an X post.

The Coinbase Premium Gap measures the difference between the asset’s price listed on Coinbase (USD pair) and that on Binance (USDT pair), so it being positive suggests that the former’s userbase, made up of American institutional entities, applied a higher amount of buying pressure than the latter’s global userbase during the price surge.

BTC Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $90,700, up 5.5% over the last seven days.

On Wednesday, Governor Mark Gordon announced that Wyoming had officially introduced its state-issued stablecoin, the Frontier Stable Token (FRNT), making it the first fully state-issued stable token in the United States. 

Wyoming’s Stablecoin Launch

In his announcement, Governor Gordon highlighted the stablecoin’s purpose as a fiat-backed and fully reserved token issued by a public entity. 

He also revealed that the Frontier Stable Token is now available to the public on Kraken, a Wyoming-based cryptocurrency exchange recognised as a Special Purpose Depository Institution in the state. 

Users can purchase FRNT on the Solana (SOL) blockchain, with the capability to transfer the token across additional blockchains including Arbitrum (ARB), Avalanche (AVAX), Base, Ethereum (ETH), Optimism (OP), Polygon (POL), using the Stargate platform. Governor Gordon said: 

Today, our embrace of digital assets further demonstrates the strength of our enterprise and provides our citizens, businesses, and the nation with a cheaper, faster, and more transparent means of transacting… FRNT opens another funding avenue for our schools and can help alleviate the tax burden on our residents.

FRNT is fully backed by US dollars and short-duration US Treasuries, which generate interest income for the state. Notably, the state’s authorities have also disclosed that FRNT positions itself as a buyer of Treasuries during a time when foreign holders have begun to sell off their reserves.

Governor Gordon further expressed gratitude to the commissioners, Executive Director Anthony Apollo, and the commission staff for their dedicated efforts leading up to the launch of FRNT. 

“We are excited to make FRNT available to the public and look forward to scaling the program throughout 2026,” said Director Apollo. He emphasized the stable token’s potential to enhance government efficiency while they work on increasing its circulation.

The Mechanics Of FRNT

Through the commission’s pilot program, FRNT reportedly demonstrated its utility in facilitating vendor engagement and payment processes while ensuring compliance with necessary approvals. 

Converse County Treasurer Joel Schell previously described how such stable tokens can benefit constituents by putting dollars back into their pockets.

The assets backing the Frontier Stable Token are managed by asset manager and crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuer Franklin Templeton. The firm’s affiliate, Fiduciary Trust Company International, serves as the custodian.

Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton, remarked, “The collaboration with the State of Wyoming illustrates the potential outcomes when the public and private sectors work together to create a compliant, trusted framework for digital assets.”

To support cross-chain functionality, FRNT utilizes LayerZero for interoperability and Fireblocks for secure blockchain infrastructure. Interestingly, FRNT is not just available to residents of Wyoming; it aims to facilitate instant settlements and low transaction costs for retail investors, institutions, and other governments. 

Featured image from Wyoming Magazine, chart from TradingView.com 

Председатель правления компании BitMine и сооснователь Fundstrat Том Ли (Tom Lee) заявил, что первая криптовалюта может обновить исторический максимум до конца текущего месяца.

Вайоминг запустил стейблкоин Frontier Stable Token (FRNT). По словам губернатора штата Марка Гордона (Mark Gordon), FRNT стал первым стейблкоином, полностью обеспеченным фиатной валютой и выпущенным госорганом в США.

RippleX, the developer-focused arm of Ripple,used a Jan. 6 X thread to refresh a set of “FAST FACTS” about XRP, framing the asset less as a speculative ticker and more as market infrastructure, arriving as spot ETF momentum and early institutional treasury narratives begin to form around the token.

“XRP is a digital asset of choice for real-world utility – from stablecoin settlement to real-world assets, to institutional payments,” RippleX wrote. “With new momentum around XRP ETFs and institutional treasuries forming, here are some updated FAST FACTS about XRP.”

What Is XRP?

The thread’s opening points stick to the positioning Ripple has leaned on for years: XRP as a liquidity and settlement rail between financial systems rather than an app-layer bet.

RippleX described it as “a functional digital asset designed for settlement and liquidity, focusing on moving value between financial systems,” adding that, “acting as a neutral bridge, it helps move value between payments, stablecoins, tokenized financial assets, and collateral across the global economy.”

RippleX also reiterated supply constraints and control narratives that frequently resurface in institutional due diligence. “XRP was created at the launch of XRPL in 2012 and its supply is permanently capped at 100B – no additional XRP can ever be minted and no single entity (including Ripple) controls or can change the total supply,” the post said.

Other “fast facts” were more about market posture than mechanics, including the claim that XRP is “one of the few digital assets with clear regulatory standing in the US” and that it remains a top-three asset by market capitalization.

RippleX devoted several entries to XRPL’s decentralization metrics and operational history, emphasizing that the ledger runs independently of Ripple the company.

“XRPL is a public, decentralized blockchain with 116+ independent validators and 910+ public nodes – it operates independent of Ripple as an entity,” RippleX wrote. “XRP plays a core role on the network as its native settlement and liquidity asset.”

On consensus and execution, RippleX said XRPL uses “Proof-of-Association (PoA),” describing a model with “no mining, no staking, no block rewards,” and “transaction finality in 3–5 seconds.” It also pointed to network-scale usage stats since inception: “4B+ transactions,” “100M+ ledgers,” “6.4M+ wallets,” and “$1T+ in value” settled.

Real-World Assets And Stablecoins

A notable portion of the thread focused on RWAs and stablecoins,two categories where issuers and liquidity relationships matter more than raw TPS.

RippleX said XRPL is “now one of the top 10 blockchains for RWA activity,” listing issuers and initiatives “such as Ondo Finance, OpenEden, Archax/abrdn, Guggenheim Treasury Services, Mercado Bitcoin, VERT, and the Dubai Land Department” as building or launching assets on XRPL.

On stablecoins, RippleX cited a “growing stablecoin ecosystem” including “RLUSD, USDC, XSGD, AUDD, BBRL/USBD, and EURCV,” adding that “XRP often serves as a liquidity pair,” facilitating exchange between stablecoins and other assets on the network.

RippleX’s final “fast facts” aimed directly at regulated access and institutional balance sheets. It claimed XRP “now has its first institutional treasury” via Evernorth, which “has secured more than $1B in commitments,” describing this as a shift “from a traded asset to a regulated, balance-sheet asset for institutions.”

It also said XRP is “now supported by multiple spot ETFs,” naming Bitwise (XRP), Canary Capital (XRPC), Franklin Templeton (XRPZ), and Grayscale (GXRP) as issuers—positioning ETFs as a bridge into “regulated, mainstream investment products.”

Finally, RippleX pointed to wrapped XRP as an interoperability lever, saying it extends XRP’s utility to the “XRPL EVM Sidechain” and to ecosystems including “Ethereum, Solana, Optimism, and HyperEVM.”

At press time, XRP traded at $2.20.

Один из аккаунтов, который выиграл на рынке предсказаний Polymarket $410 000, мог принадлежать Стиву Уиткоффу (Steven Charles Witkoff), спецпосланнику президента США Дональда Трампа. К такому выводу пришли криптоисследователи Coen+ и Andrew 10 GWE.