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Despite shifting market dynamics and evolving macro signals, Bitcoin keeps its long-term trend, while its deeper narrative is beyond headline price movements. This divergence between surface-level price action and underlying structure suggests that the BTC long-term thesis remains intact even as the forces shaping its next phase become more complex and more mature.

Why Bitcoin Trend Strength Persists Despite Cooling Momentum

Bitcoin remains firmly aligned with its long-term uptrend, but the more important signal is not showing up in price. CryptoELITES revealed on X that liquidity has been quietly tightening, and one of the clearest signals is TOTAL/BTC, which continues to bleed while BTC holds its structural levels. 

This kind of setup does not leave the market in panic; it just needs patience. If liquidity conditions begin to ease while the BTC trend continues to hold, the response won’t be instant. However, it will emerge gradually through rotations first, but not headlines. “How are you reading this phase right now?” CryptoELITES ask.

The recent dip in Bitcoin doesn’t change the broader setup unfolding across the market. While BTC has chopped lower over the past few days, meme coins across the board have been quietly forming some of the cleanest corrective structures seen in this cycle. Crypto analyst 0xBossman highlighted that these meme coins have been reacting strongly to even modest BTC bounces and holding their structure during flash dips.

In combination with the tight corrective structures, overwhelming bearish sentiment across major assets has swung bearish again. At the same time, meme coins continue to act as the leading edge of this broader rally, which will lead to an explosion soon. From 0xBossman’s perspective, this setup suggests that 2026 is where many of these meme coins will fully express their upside. The signals are already visible for anyone paying attention.

From Downtrend Pressure To Structural Relief

According to Ardi, one of the more constructive developments for Bitcoin over the past week has been the reclaim and hold of the 200 Simple Moving Average (200-SMA) on the 4-hour chart, a level that has acted as a reliable trend filter throughout this cycle. When this move slopes downward, price action will struggle to maintain local higher highs, and downside flushes will continue to appear.

However, when the price regains the level and begins to turn up, the market will transition into a phase of sustained momentum. What stands out is that this is the first reclaim and hold of the BTC 4-hour 200-SMA since the October crash. This doesn’t automatically signal that the bull run is back, but it would give BTC a better chance to continue pushing through the $94,500 level.

The price of Bitcoin ended the past year in the red despite reaching multiple all-time highs above the six-figure valuation mark. While the market leader has made a solid start to 2026, concerns are still swirling around about BTC’s prospects over the coming months, especially in relation to the four-year cycle theory.

Why $65,000 Could Be Crucial In This Cycle

In a recent post on the X platform, Jurrien Timmer, Director of Global Macro at Fidelity, weighed in on the current structure of the Bitcoin price. The market expert said that the premier cryptocurrency has taken a breather in the past few months and lagged compared to other assets, like gold, in 2025.

Timmer revealed that Bitcoin is drifting away from the historically steep power law trajectory and instead following the internet S-curve. This structure shift also opened the door to the ongoing conversation about Bitcoin’s typical cyclical behavior.

According to several pundits, the traditional Bitcoin four-year halving-driven cycle is now dead, and a new structural upward wave seems to be taking root in the market. Proponents of “Bitcoin four-year cycle is dead” often state institutional adoption and spot exchange-traded funds as evidence of the new bullish market structure.

While Timmer agrees that the relevance of the BTC halving event is decreasing, the Fidelity Director of Global Macro rejected the idea that the premier cryptocurrency would no longer see bear markets. “I’m skeptical, not about the waning power of the halving cycle (with which I agree), but the idea that bear markets are no longer going to happen,” Timmer said.

Speaking from a technical point of view, Timmer identified $65,000 — around the previous cycle high — as a crucial level for the price of Bitcoin. Meanwhile, the next most important level lies around $45,000, the power law trendline.

For context, the power law is a mathematical model that suggests that Bitcoin’s growth follows a predictable and consistent trajectory. This metric, often used to identify key levels in price analysis, shows the correlation between the value of BTC and time.

Timmer noted that while the power law trendline is far from the current price of BTC, it could move to $65,000 if the flagship cryptocurrency enters a prolonged consolidation phase for the next year. This could make the $65,000 level an even more important zone for the Bitcoin price.

Bitcoin Price At A Glance

As of this writing, the price of BTC stands at around $90,520, reflecting no significant movement in the past 24 hours.

The Bitcoin price looks to be off to a great start, having spent most of the new year above the psychological $90,000 mark. While the premier cryptocurrency has slowed down in recent days, there has been a display of significant bullish intent in the market so far in 2026.

Now, this latest show of optimism somewhat contradicts recent predictions that the Bitcoin price might be at the start of a bear market. This begs the question — could the bull run be nearing a restart, or is the price of BTC only witnessing a relief rally?

BTC’s Recent Bounce A Mere Bear Market Relief Rally — Analyst

In a January 9 post on the X platform, crypto analyst Maartunn shared interesting data points to answer the question of whether Bitcoin’s latest price bounce is meaningful or just a relief rally. The market pundit anchored their answer on both on-chain and technical price data.

Firstly, Maartunn acknowledged that the recent jump was only bound to happen, as the Bitcoin price found support around the ETF Realized Price at $85,000. This price level represents the average cost basis of BTC ETF investors, and as expected, the buyers defended their positions — leading to the price bounce.

This phenomenon is spotlighted by another on-chain metric, the Coinbase Premium Gap, which measures the difference between the Bitcoin price on Coinbase and global exchanges. According to Maartunn, the metric started to rise right after New Year’s Eve, signaling renewed buying activity from US-based investors.

Furthermore, the spot exchange-traded funds started seeing strong capital inflows days after this uptick in the Coinbase Premium Gap. “This looks more like strategic buying/portfolio rebalancing (new quarter, new year) than emotional FOMO,” Maartunn added.

However, the crypto analyst noted that the rally only saw the Bitcoin Price climb to the range high at $94,000 before getting rejected. In essence, this suggests that the flagship cryptocurrency does not possess the bullish strength to breach that resistance.

Additionally, Maartunn mentioned that Bitcoin is still trading beneath crucial on-chain levels like the Short-Term Holder Realized Price and Whale Realized Price, both of which are acting as significant overhead resistance.

The on-chain analyst noted that the on-chain observations suggest that this recent bounce is merely a bear market relief rally, not a trend continuation — even though the price is up by about 10%. Only a clean break and sustained close above the $94,000 would indicate the Bitcoin price’s strong intent to rebuild a bullish structure, Martunn concluded.

Bitcoin Price At A Glance

As of this writing, the price of BTC stands at $90,360, reflecting an almost 1% decline in the past 24 hours.

In an exciting development, the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has set a markup date for the CLARITY Act, representing a significant advancement in the creation of a federal regulatory framework for cryptocurrency use and operations in the United States.

Time To Move Crypto Legislation Forward – Sen. Banking Committee Chair 

The CLARITY Act was introduced in May 2025 and passed by the House of Representatives in July. It is a landmark US crypto market-structure bill designed to define regulatory responsibilities between the SEC and CFTC, clarify asset classifications, and establish compliance pathways for digital asset markets. The bill has since been moved to the US Senate for consideration, commencing with a revision by the relevant Senate Committee. In an X post on January 10, Fox Reporter Eleanor Terrett stated the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, led by Republican Chairman Tim Scott, has set the markup session for the CLARITY Act at 10 am EST on Thursday, 15 January, 2026.  For context, the markup represents a key legislative process whereby the lawmakers in relevant committees review, debate, amend, and rewrite a proposed bill before it is presented to the full chamber. Commenting on this development, Chairman Tim Scott explained the potential importance of the CLARITY Act, emphasizing its role in transforming the US into the crypto capital of the world. The Republican said:

This legislation is about making America the crypto capital of the world – so the next generation of jobs and innovation is built here, not overseas. When we set clear rules, we give entrepreneurs the confidence to start companies, hire workers, and grow right here in the United States. We also make it harder for criminals and foreign adversaries to use new technology to rip off Americans or undermine our financial system. After months of serious, bipartisan work, it’s time to move this forward and deliver real results for the American people.

Notably, the Banking Committee’s announcement has received many positive reactions from crypto enthusiasts. This is because the CLARITY Act is expected to bring regulatory clarity and also introduce the needed guardrails that would encourage more mainstream digital asset adoption among individuals and institutions alike.

Related Reading: Senate Update On Crypto Market Structure Bill—Here’s What’s Happening Now CLARITY Act To Pass Into Law By March

In other developments, Eleanor Terrett predicts the CLARITY Act could be ratified in the next two months on a conservative basis. The Fox reporter explains the bill will likely be advanced next week, following the slated markup to be merged with the portion of the Agricultural Committee before being read to the Senate floor for voting. Upon approval, it is sent back to the House of Representatives and finally to President Donald Trump’s desk for ascent. Considering these processes and their respective length, Terrett expects the CLARITY Act to gain full approval by March at the earliest.

Dogecoin has taken another step in its objective to become a widely accepted and decentralized global currency as its corporate arm, House of Doge, announced a strategic partnership aimed at expanding the Dogecoin ecosystem into Japan. 

The initiative, which was disclosed in a press release on January 8, proposed a collaborative framework with Japanese firms abc Co., Ltd. and ReYuu Japan Inc. to pursue real-world asset initiatives and compliant digital infrastructure in Japan.

House Of DOGE Sets Framework For Expansion In Japan

According to the press release, House of Doge has entered a tripartite partnership with abc Co., Ltd. and ReYuu Japan Inc. 

Each party brings a defined role to the table, with abc contributing expertise in token-economy design, smart-contract development, and regulatory alignment, while ReYuu Japan is tasked with local business development and market execution. House of Doge, meanwhile, will act as the coordinating body that guides ecosystem strategy and alignment with Dogecoin’s broader objectives.

A main focus of the partnership is the exploration of real-world asset initiatives, including support for regulated token structures and the promotion of asset-backed digital instruments like gold asset-backed stablecoins. Furthermore, the partnership is looking to establish a joint fund within the Dogecoin ecosystem.

According to the announcement, the partnership is also looking to promote democratization of next-generation Web3 through real-world use cases. Although it does not attach an extensive list of specific products or launch timelines, it highlights interest in frameworks that could support stablecoin-related activity and other regulated financial use cases.

The partnership framework spotlights cooperation within Japan’s established regulatory structure, particularly around compliant tokenization models. Japan’s increasing positivity towards cryptocurrencies and strong technology adoption make it a suitable environment for exploring blockchain-based financial products tied to real-world assets. 

“This partnership reflects our continued focus on supporting thoughtful, real-world expansion of the Dogecoin ecosystem,” said Marco Margiotta, CEO of House of Doge. 

Japan’s Rising Crypto Adoption

The timing of the partnership also aligns with expanding crypto adoption trends within Japan itself. Overall, the number of registered crypto accounts in the country has continued to rise, with a report showing 12 million users in February 2025, representing a 3.5-fold increase over the past five years. More recent estimates place the figure above 13 million registered accounts.

Regulatory developments may further support this trajectory. The Government of Japan has been weighing changes to its crypto tax framework, including a proposal to introduce a flat 20 percent tax rate on crypto-related gains. The revision is reportedly targeted for fiscal 2026 and is aimed at encouraging investor participation in the crypto industry.

Therefore, the partnership comes in an environment that could benefit the Dogecoin ecosystem and its usage in japan, which in turn could benefit its price action in the coming years.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Over the past week, Bitcoin (BTC) finally broke out of a longstanding consolidation phase, moving decisively above the $90,000 mark. During this time, the leading cryptocurrency traded as high as $94,700 before a sudden rejection that has since forced prices to move within the $90,000-$92,000 range. Amid this mini-consolidation, a market analyst with the username OnChain has identified clear signs of a structural market weakness supporting the possibility of a bear market.

Bitcoin On-Chain, Technical Indicators Combine To Paint Bear Picture

In a QuickTake post on CryptoQuant, OnChain explains that Bitcoin is showing early signs of structural weakness on the weekly chart, similar to what happened in 2021–2022. The analyst confirms this theory by consulting a combination of price-based technical indicators and on-chain demand metrics to determine the right market situation. These include: 4 Anchored VWAPs (2021 ATH, 2025 ATH, 3rd halving, and 4th halving), the SMA50, Realized Price – UTXO Age Bands (6-12 months), and Bitcoin Apparent Demand.

The application of these indicators to the Bitcoin weekly chart highlights areas of similar price structure in the present market and in 2021/2022. Notably, in Areas 1, as seen in the chart below, it is observed that Bitcoin for the first time simultaneously trades below the average price since the last all-time high (anchored VWAP), the SMA50, and also the realized price of coins held for 6–12 months. In the previous cycle, when BTC first fell below all these levels together, it marked the start of a broader weakening phase, rather than a brief correction. In Areas 2, OnChain reports that in both cycles, Bitcoin finds support at the anchored VWAP to its last halving for the second time in each cycle. Following the price correction halt, BTC attempted a mini-rebound in 2022 but faced strong resistance at all indicators from Areas 1, before slipping into a multi-month downtrend.

According to the market analyst, the indicators highlighted in Areas 1 are presently positioned around the $98,000 – $101,000, presenting the next point of major resistance. Meanwhile, all this reported price action is occurring as Bitcoin Apparent Demand continues to crash suggest a visible lack of buying pressure. OnChain notes another concerning similarity as Apparent Demand is also nearing the negative territory, similarly to 2021-2022.

BTC Market Overview

At the time of writing, Bitcoin trades at $90,500 following a minor price decline of 0.58% in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, its monthly loss stands at 1.9%, indicating the bulls continue to struggle for market control. While there are alarming signs of growing market weakness, there are also potential positive developments. One of which is the Clarity Act, as highlighted by OnChain, the potential impact of which, following enactment, largely remains unknown. 

Crypto and tech just got a major boost. Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has closed on just over $15 billion in fresh capital, a fundraising round that will be split across multiple new vehicles aimed at a range of tech areas. According to reports, the move marks the firm’s biggest raise yet and gives it a much bigger hand in where venture dollars flow next.

Fund Sizes And Targets

The new money is divided into several named pots. The largest is a growth fund of $6.75 billion. Two funds of about $1.7 billion each will back apps and infrastructure. An American Dynamism fund, aimed at defense, supply chains and similar projects, totals about $1.176 billion.

https://t.co/1Hdgrkd7WL

— a16z (@a16z) January 9, 2026

A Bio + Health vehicle holds roughly $700 million, and roughly $3 billion is earmarked for other venture strategies. These figures were published by the firm in a post explaining why it raised the cash and how it plans to invest. Reports have disclosed that the haul represents over 18% of all venture capital invested in the US in 2025.

Why The Money Matters

Based on reports, company leaders framed this raise as more than just an investment play. They say the goal is to keep the US competitive on key technologies such as artificial intelligence and crypto, which they called central to the country’s technological standing for decades ahead. The firm has long backed major web and crypto names, and this raise signals continued bets on those sectors.

A Bigger Crypto, Tech Player In A Shrinking Market

The timing stands out. US venture fundraising weakened in 2025, with totals well below prior years, yet a16z pulled in a very large share of available capital. Market watchers say that a firm with this much firepower can shape which startups get funded and which priorities rise to the top. The raise also pushes the firm’s assets under management to figures reported around $90 billion, giving it extraordinary reach across early and late stage deals.

Investors and rivals noted how big funds can move markets. Some see positives: more capital for AI labs, for chip design, for crypto infrastructure. Some warn of concentration, where a handful of large firms steer too much of the startup ecosystem. News outlets pointed to comparisons with past large funds and noted the unusual scale of this single announcement relative to a weaker overall fundraising year.

Featured image from Disruption Banking, chart from TradingView

Crypto pundit X Finance Bull has explained what Ripple’s FCA approval means for XRP and cross-border payments in the U.K. This comes as the altcoin continues to gain adoption through Ripple’s efforts, with XRP notably at the centre of the crypto firm’s cross-border payment services.

XRP To Gain Greater Adoption Through Ripple’s FCA Approval

In an X post, X Finance Bull stated that U.K. institutions are now cleared to send cross-border payments using XRP and the XRP Ledger. He noted that this is now possible as Ripple has secured FCA approval to scale its payment platform in the U.K. In line with this, the pundit declared that adoption is accelerating and urged the XRP army to stay on alert, as they are still early. 

Meanwhile, X Finance Bull also admitted that the company’s regulatory headway in the U.K. makes partnerships easier. That way, the crypto firm can easily partner with institutions to advance XRP’s adoption and the use of its stablecoin, RLUSD, in cross-border transactions.  

In its press release, Ripple announced that it had secured approval of its Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence and Cryptoasset Registration from the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The firm further noted that these permissions will allow it to expand its licensed payments platform, thereby enabling U.K. institutions to send cross-border payments using XRP and other digital assets. 

The payment firm also highlighted its ties to XRP in the release, noting that it contributes to and builds its products on the XRP Ledger, which uses XRP as its native token for fast, low-cost settlement of value across borders. It is worth noting that this development comes amid other bullish developments for XRP, including Ripple-backed Evernorth’s strategic collaboration with Doppler to explore ways to deploy XRP at scale. 

XRP Remains The Heartbeat Of Ripple’s Vision

In an X post, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse assured that XRP has been and will continue to be the heartbeat of Ripple’s vision to enable the Internet of Value. This came as he highlighted the firm’s success last year, including two major acquisitions, Ripple Prime and GTreasury, which he noted greatly accelerated and expanded their ability to deliver on this vision.  

Garlinghouse further remarked that they are poised to make 2026 even more consequential with the most comprehensive licensing portfolio, having added the U.K.’s EMI license. He noted that building and using crypto infrastructure, updating their global financing plumbing, and rethinking legacy systems don’t happen overnight. As such, they plan to continue taking the long view of what crypto-based assets such as XRP and RLUSD can do rather than chasing cycles and hype.

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $2.09, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) has taken a significant step forward in the cryptocurrency and digital asset space by introducing tokenized deposit capabilities specifically for institutional clients. 

Tokenized Deposits Launch At BNY Mellon

According to reports on the matter, the new system operates on a private, permissioned blockchain. Traditional deposit balances will still be recorded in the bank’s conventional systems, offering clients both security and flexibility.

BNY Mellon expressed that the introduction of tokenized deposits could facilitate significant improvements in efficiency. According to Carolyn Weinberg, the bank’s Chief Product and Innovation Officer: 

Tokenized deposits provide us with the opportunity to extend our trusted bank deposits onto digital rails—enabling clients to operate with greater speed across collateral, margin, and payments, within a framework built for scale, resilience, and regulatory alignment.

The launch is part of a broader initiative to bridge traditional banking with emerging digital infrastructures, including stablecoins and tokenized money market funds. 

In the long run, BNY Mellon envisions that tokenized deposits will support rules-based, near real-time cash movements, further easing settlement processes and enhancing liquidity for institutional clients.

Yuval Rooz, co-founder and CEO of Digital Asset, welcomed the opportunity to partner with BNY Mellon, highlighting how this initiative represents a practical, institution-ready approach to tokenization. 

He noted that bringing deposit balances on-chain could significantly enhance asset mobilization and unlock liquidity across critical workflows.

Major Financial Players Join

Market expert MartyParty provided insights into the implications of this launch, stating that tokenized deposits create an on-chain digital representation—a “wrapper”—of actual client cash balances held in traditional BNY accounts. 

He emphasized that the real money remains secure within the regulated banking ecosystem, accruing interest and remaining a direct liability of BNY Mellon, designated as a globally systemically important bank (G-SIB).

Unlike stablecoins or other crypto assets, tokenized deposits represent programmable bank money on a private blockchain, synchronized with core banking records. 

The benefits are substantial, enabling 24/7 operations, instant or near-instant transfers, and programmable payments that execute under specific conditions. 

This advancement is also expected to reduce the friction associated with legacy systems and significantly improve liquidity efficiency, even outside of traditional banking hours.

The list of initial participants in this initiative  includes the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Citadel Securities, DRW Holdings, Ripple Prime, Circle (the issuer of USDC), Anchorage Digital, Galaxy, Invesco, and Baillie Gifford. 

These institutions will be testing real workflows such as collateral management and high-value settlements, further validating the effectiveness of BNY Mellon’s new offering.

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

In a significant development, Ripple has expanded its footprint in regulated markets after gaining regulatory approval from the UK’s financial authorities to provide payment services.

Ripple Obtains FCA Approval

On Friday, Ripple secured a major regulatory victory in the UK by officially obtaining its registration approval with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) through its subsidiary Ripple Markets UK Ltd.

According to the FCA’s official records, the company obtained an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license under the country’s Money Laundering Regulations (MLR). Therefore, it will be able to conduct certain crypto-related activities in the UK.

The EMI registration will allow Ripple to provide payment services and issue electronic money, according to the FCA website. However, it will remain subject to key restrictions without the financial authority’s approval.

First, “Ripple Markets UK Ltd will not, without the prior written consent of the Authority, provide the following services: 1. The firm will not operate a machine which utilises any automated processes to exchange cryptoassets for money or money for cryptoassets 2. Offer or commence any services to retail clients,” the records read.

In addition, the company cannot appoint any agents or distributors, and “will not issue electronic money, or provide payment services, to a consumer, micro-enterprise or charity.”

Ripple’s regulatory approval comes amid the authorities’ efforts to develop a comprehensive financial services regulation that integrates crypto assets into the existing framework, positioning the UK as a global crypto hub.

As reported by Bitcoinist, the UK Treasury is set to extend existing laws to cover crypto firms, moving exchanges, wallet providers, and other crypto service companies from the current anti-money-laundering registration to the regulatory regime of banks and brokers.

FCA To Start New Registration Regime In September

Ahead of the new rules’ implementation, set to take effect in October 2027, the FCA recently unveiled a timeline for crypto firms to comply with the new registration regime, which could affect Ripple’s recent victory.

On January 8, the financial regulator published a notice informing that it expects to open the application period for crypto firms requesting authorization in September 2026.

Notably, firms seeking to undertake any of the new crypto asset regulated activities will need new approvals to undertake those activities authorized by the FCA under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA).

Therefore, crypto companies operating in the UK must secure approval or a variation of the existing permission. The FCA emphasized that “firms that are registered with us under the MLRs should note that there will be no automatic conversion and that they will need to secure authorisation by us under FSMA prior to the commencement of the new regime.”

Based on this, Ripple’s UK subsidiary will need to reapply in September to continue conducting regulated crypto activities under the new regime. Firms that apply during the established window are expected to receive a decision before the rules take effect. Nonetheless, companies that have not received approval by October 2027 will be allowed to continue operating until a decision is made.

Meanwhile, companies that miss the application period or are not authorized before the new rules are enacted will enter a “transitional provision.” This will allow them to continue fulfilling existing contracts, but they won’t be able to conduct new regulated crypto activities in the UK until they are authorized.

Bitcoin is struggling to hold above the $90,000 level as uncertainty continues to dominate market sentiment. After weeks of consolidation and failed recovery attempts, price action reflects a fragile balance between cautious buyers and persistent selling pressure. While traders focus on technical levels and macro signals, an often-overlooked component of the Bitcoin ecosystem is quietly sending important warnings: miner behavior.

Top analyst Darkfost explains that mining activity comes with variable and rising costs, including energy, hardware, and operational expenses. When miners begin operating at a loss, they are typically left with two main options, which are often used in combination. The first is to sell BTC to cover expenses and remain operational. The second is to reduce or shut down activity by turning off machines, effectively lowering their exposure to unprofitable conditions.

At its core, Bitcoin mining consists of solving cryptographic problems using computational power. The network is engineered so that one block is mined roughly every 10 minutes. When block times drift higher or lower, the protocol automatically adjusts mining difficulty every 2,016 blocks to restore equilibrium. These adjustments, combined with miner profitability, are directly reflected in the network’s hashrate.

Currently, the hashrate is declining, signaling mounting stress across the mining sector. This suggests miners are scaling back operations, a dynamic that often coincides with heightened market fragility and elevated sell-side risk for Bitcoin.

Miner Pressure Eases as Difficulty Adjusts Lower

Today, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty is beginning to adjust, offering early signs of relief for a sector that has been under sustained pressure. The latest adjustment shows a decline of approximately 2.6%, and current projections suggest the next difficulty change could also move lower by around 1.88%. While these figures may appear modest, they carry meaningful implications for miner behavior and broader market dynamics.

A downward difficulty adjustment reduces the computational effort required to mine new blocks, effectively lowering operational stress for miners. As a result, profitability conditions improve at the margin, even if Bitcoin’s price remains range-bound.

This easing of pressure helps stabilize mining activity and, critically, reduces the urgency for miners to sell BTC simply to cover operating costs. Historically, periods when miner stress begins to unwind have often coincided with declining sell-side pressure from this cohort.

These dynamics are implicitly captured by the Hash Ribbons indicator, which tracks short- and long-term moving averages of the network hashrate to identify miner capitulation and recovery phases. Darkfost notes that Hash Ribbons is still flashing a buy signal, indicating that the market remains in a post-capitulation environment where miner selling pressure has largely been absorbed.

However, this signal is now starting to fade. As difficulty adjusts downward and conditions normalize, miners are likely to gradually return to full operational capacity. As machines come back online, the hashrate should trend higher, marking the transition out of the stress phase and signaling that the window of miner-driven relief may be narrowing.

Price Action Remains Range-Bound Below Key Averages

Bitcoin continues to trade in a broad consolidation range after the sharp sell-off from the October highs, with price currently hovering around the $90,000–$92,000 zone. The chart shows BTC attempting to stabilize after reclaiming the red long-term moving average, but upside momentum remains limited as price is still capped below the blue and green mid-term moving averages, which are now acting as dynamic resistance.

The recent bounce from the $85,000–$87,000 area suggests that buyers are defending this demand zone, which has repeatedly attracted bids since late November. However, the structure remains corrective rather than impulsive. Each recovery attempt has produced lower highs, signaling that sellers continue to distribute into strength. Volume also remains relatively muted compared to the sell-off phase, reinforcing the idea that this move is a consolidation rather than a trend reversal.

From a structural perspective, Bitcoin remains trapped between strong resistance near $95,000–$98,000 and key support around $85,000. A decisive reclaim of the 100-day and 200-day moving averages would be required to confirm a bullish regime shift. Until that happens, price action favors continued sideways movement or another test of lower support.

Overall, the chart reflects a market in balance: sellers are no longer in full control, but buyers lack the conviction needed to push Bitcoin back into a sustained uptrend.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

As the US Congress gears up to mark up the long-awaited crypto market structure bill on January 15, industry representatives are actively engaging in discussions regarding the critical elements of this legislation. 

Summer Mersinger, CEO of the Blockchain Association, highlighted important points concerning the state of the bill and the ongoing negotiations among lawmakers in a recent social media post on X (formerly Twitter).

Key Points For Crypto Market Structure Bill

Mersinger described the upcoming markup as a pivotal moment for digital asset legislation, emphasizing the significance of the moment for US leadership in the crypto space. 

While she expressed gratitude to Senate leadership for their efforts, she underscored the necessity of addressing several “non-negotiable issues” to ensure that the bill remains durable, workable, and supportive of innovation.

One of the primary concerns Mersinger raised was the need for developer protections. She argued that the builders of peer-to-peer (P2P), open-source technologies should not be classified as financial intermediaries, making it essential for the inclusion of the BRCA (Blockchain Regulatory Compliance Act) in the market structure bill. 

Additionally, Mersinger highlighted the need to amend “outdated laws,” which she alleges poses risks of meritless criminal prosecutions for developers simply writing code for non-custodial technologies.

Another critical point made by Mersinger is the preservation of decentralized finance (DeFi). She emphasized that DeFi must not be legislated out of existence, stating that open and decentralized innovation is vital for US competitiveness in the global market. 

She stressed that more than 110 organizations and companies have voiced similar sentiments, as illustrated by an August 2025 letter sent to the Senate advocating for developer protections.

Bipartisan Compromise On Stablecoins At Risk

Stablecoin policy also emerged as a significant topic in Mersinger’s remarks. She urged Congress to safeguard a bipartisan compromise established in the GENIUS Act, warning against measures that would impose yield bans, which could constrain lawful rewards and favor large banking institutions over new entrants to the market. 

Mersinger stressed that market structure reforms should facilitate competition between emerging players and legacy institutions, rather than entrench existing advantages.

Mersinger’s statement comes on the heels of insights shared by crypto journalist Eleanor Terret who recently disclosed that the Senate Banking Committee plans to pass the bill next week, after which it will be merged with the Senate Agriculture Committee’s portion before heading to the Senate floor for a full vote. 

Should this process proceed smoothly, the bill could reach President Trump’s desk for signing, with Terret estimating that this could happen as early as March. However, she cautioned that if the House decides to make amendments to the Senate’s version, the timeline could extend into the summer.

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

Ethereum is once again attempting to reclaim the $3,100 level after several days of speculation, hesitation, and mixed signals across the broader crypto market. While price action has shown signs of stabilization, conviction remains limited, keeping traders cautious as Ethereum hovers near a key inflection zone. Bulls are trying to regain control, but the market is still searching for confirmation that the recent pullback has fully played out.

According to an analysis published on CryptoQuant, derivatives data offers important context for this phase of consolidation. Open Interest across Ethereum markets currently sits around $7.8 billion, while price trades near $3,100. This positioning is notable because it reflects a balanced environment: Open Interest is neither at extreme lows, which would signal mass position unwinding, nor at overheated highs typically associated with excessive leverage and fragility.

Instead, the data suggests that market participants are largely maintaining existing positions rather than aggressively exiting or entering new trades. This behavior points to a compression phase, where traders are waiting for a clearer directional catalyst before committing further capital. Such conditions often precede sharp moves, as volatility tends to expand once the price breaks out of consolidation.

As Ethereum tests this critical level, the interaction between price stability and sustained Open Interest will be key. Whether this balance resolves into a bullish continuation or a renewed downside move will likely define Ethereum’s short-term trajectory.

Rising Open Interest Signals Breakout Risk for Ethereum

The report explains that Ethereum’s recent price behavior is increasingly constructive when viewed alongside derivatives data. Over the past sessions, price has been trending modestly higher while Open Interest has continued to rise. This combination is important: it suggests that new positions are being opened without a meaningful reduction in existing exposure. In practical terms, market participants are engaged rather than sidelined, and positioning is building rather than unwinding.

At the same time, volatility is beginning to expand after a prolonged period of compression. This type of environment often precedes a decisive move, as price and positioning tighten into a narrower range. Notably, Open Interest has now recovered above its SMA(30), SMA(50), and SMA(100) moving averages. This shift signals a renewed willingness to take risks in the leveraged market and confirms that traders are gradually increasing exposure instead of reacting impulsively.

If Ethereum can continue to hold above the $3,000 level and Open Interest rises steadily—rather than through abrupt spikes that typically precede liquidations—the setup favors a controlled, spot-driven advance. Under these conditions, price could extend toward the $3,700 area, which represents a natural upside objective for this structure.

Ethereum appears to be preparing for an imminent breakout. With Open Interest climbing and demand improving, a sharp move is increasingly likely. The market will either resolve through a clean upside break above the $3,324 resistance or be flushed via liquidations. The bias remains for a positive breakout toward $3,700, followed by a reassessment within the broader downtrend.

ETH Consolidates at a Critical Long-Term Pivot Zone

Ethereum’s price action on the weekly chart shows a market caught between structural support and unresolved bearish pressure. After failing to sustain momentum above the $4,000–$4,200 zone in 2025, ETH entered a broad corrective phase that pushed price back toward the $3,000 area, where it is currently consolidating. This region has become a pivotal battleground, acting as a medium-term equilibrium between buyers and sellers.

From a trend perspective, ETH is trading near its long-term moving averages, with the 200-week moving average providing dynamic support around the mid-$2,000s. The ability to remain above this level suggests that the broader uptrend from the 2022 lows is not yet invalidated. However, price remains capped below declining shorter-term averages, highlighting that bullish momentum is still weak and rallies continue to face supply.

Structurally, the market is forming a wide consolidation range between roughly $2,700 and $3,400. A sustained hold above $3,100 keeps ETH in range-bound conditions, but does not confirm trend reversal.

For bulls, reclaiming and holding above the $3,300–$3,400 resistance zone would be the first signal of renewed strength and a potential path toward higher levels. Until then, Ethereum remains vulnerable to further downside volatility if support near $2,800–$2,700 is revisited.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

South Korea has announced plans to introduce Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2026 as part of broader digital asset reforms.

South Korea Using US & Hong Kong Crypto Spot ETFs As A Reference

South Korea revealed in its 2026 Economic Growth Strategy plans to allow spot digital asset ETFs this year, according to Wu Blockchain, citing local media outlet News1.

Spot ETFs are investment vehicles that allow traders to gain exposure to an underlying asset without having to directly own it. Such vehicles trade in the traditional markets, so investors of a spot ETF tied to a cryptocurrency never have to interact with blockchain components like wallets and exchanges.

Instead, the funds buy and custody the assets on behalf of investors. In recent years, spot ETFs tied to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have gained adoption in different regions of the world as DeFi and TradFi intersect.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved spot ETFs for Bitcoin in January 2024 and Ethereum in July 2024, while the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) allowed both in April 2024. Approvals related to altcoins like Solana followed in 2025.

Now, it would appear that South Korea is also looking to join the fray. Per the report, the country’s government has explicitly cited the digital asset spot ETF markets active in the US and Hong Kong as key reference points. Plans related to spot ETFs aren’t all that South Korea has announced. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) of the country is also accelerating the next phase of its digital asset legislation, which will establish a framework for stablecoins.

In the East Asian bloc, other governments have already made progress on stablecoins. Hong Kong enacted its stablecoin legislation in August, while Japan saw the launch of its first yen-backed token in October. While South Korea has set a timeframe of 2026, it’s unknown when exactly spot ETFs could be introduced. As such, it only remains to be seen what plans the government will reveal next and which assets besides Bitcoin will be covered.

Speaking of spot Bitcoin ETFs, these funds have been facing outflows in the US recently, as data from SoSoValue shows.

From the chart, it’s visible that the Bitcoin spot ETF weekly netflow has mostly been negative since the cryptocurrency’s decline started in October. There were a few weeks that saw a positive value, but the scale of net inflows remained limited.

The netflow for the latest week has stood at a negative $431 million, meaning that the US funds are continuing to bleed.

BTC Price

Bitcoin has erased some of its recent gains as its price has retraced back to $90,500.

A day after the Electric Coin Company’s breakup, the team behind Zashi said it is spinning out into a new Zcash-focused company and launching a new wallet built from the existing Zashi codebase. The move is framed as an effort to “scale Zcash to billions,” while keeping the group’s work narrowly centered on the Zcash stack.

In a message signed by Josh Swihart, the developers said the new wallet is code-named “cashZ” and will reuse the codebase originally built for Zashi. The team also opened a waitlist for early access, telling existing Zashi users that “all you need to do is join the waitlist” and that a migration will be designed to feel as seamless as the current Zashi experience once cashZ is live “in a few weeks.”

The announcement attempted to answer what it expects will be the community’s first question after an organizational breakup: whether the engineers are still committed to Zcash. “The entire team that worked at Electric Coin Company and built Zashi is still 100% focused on full-stack Zcash development,” the post said. “We aren’t launching any new coins, we’re just scaling Zcash. To do that, it required that we leave and start a new Zcash-focused company.”

Why Zcash’s Core Builders Are Starting A New Company

The team said the decision to form a new company came down to three ideas: Zcash’s cypherpunk roots, governance and incentive alignment, and a need to scale.

In the longest section, the developers cast the past decade of crypto regulation as a kind of prolonged stress test for privacy, describing it as “a decade of compliance theater.” The post argued that privacy-preserving tools are not merely a technical preference but a civil-liberties issue that requires a more assertive posture from the organizations building them.

“This effort was not simply about complying with unjust laws. Of course, we must abide by the law, or else be thrown in a cage,” the message said. “But when the law is unjust, we have a moral imperative to work to change the unjust law. One tool for that is code.”

From that premise, the team connected Zcash’s mission to mainstreaming privacy online, positioning the protocol as “a peaceful global reform movement” and saying that a structure bogged down by internal friction would be poorly suited to that fight. “To do this, we need an organization that has courage,” it added, arguing for “cypherpunk leadership” and a governance model that “can’t cut through red tape.”

A second argument centered on what the post described as chronic misalignment when nonprofits and venture-style startups are intertwined. The team cited recent commentary from Andreessen Horowitz to bolster the idea that crypto’s “foundation era” is ending, while distinguishing the Zcash Foundation as an example of a standalone nonprofit that can do effective work.

The critique was not subtle: “Nonprofits are about rule-lawyering, while tech startups are about rewriting the rules,” the statement said, adding that nonprofit boards often lack the accountability mechanisms of corporate boards. The team also pointed to heightened scrutiny of US nonprofits and the risk of tax exemptions being challenged, arguing there is “no benefit in keeping a fast-growing technology company under a nonprofit when the substance of the organization is a for-profit.”

The final section placed the wallet launch inside a bigger ambition: to make Zcash large enough that privacy becomes difficult to marginalize. It framed the strategic choice as binary: “to be so small they can’t see you, or so big they can’t stop you.”

The post claimed that Zcash has undergone “a complete rebirth” over the past two years, crediting an ecosystem-wide effort and naming contributors including Sean Bowe, genzcash, and Shielded Labs, alongside “many more who prefer to remain unnamed.” That resurgence, it argued, changes the operating environment: “We are no longer so small they can’t see us. Everyone can see us. We now need to get so big they can’t stop us.”

For now, the tangible deliverable is cashZ, with the team promising more details later and signaling that execution will be the message. “Actions will speak louder than words,” Swihart wrote, urging users to join the waitlist as the developers “boot up” the new wallet and push toward what they describe as “onboarding billions to Zcash.”

At press time, the ZEC price recovered some losses from yesterday’s crash and traded at $436.

As the US Senate delves into the highly anticipated crypto market structure bill, known as the CLARITY Act, optimism is building ahead of the January 15 markup that could see the legislation advance to President Donald Trump’s desk.

Senate Reviews Crucial Crypto Bill

On Friday, Senator Cynthia Lummis, a prominent advocate for pro-crypto policies, shared insights on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), indicating that the Senate is engaging in a “light reading” of the bill. 

This step follows extensive negotiations involving not only bipartisan discussions between Democrats and Republicans but also interactions among lobbyists from both the cryptocurrency and traditional banking sectors. 

Key provisions, including stablecoin incentives outlined in the GENIUS Act, are proving pivotal for the bill’s potential success, as reported by Bitcoinist over the past few weeks.

Market expert MartyParty also chimed in, providing updates on social media regarding the Senate’s ongoing review of the long-awaited legislation that builds on the House-passed Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. 

Path To Passage

MartyParty noted that the review is especially timely, as it aligns with the upcoming markup sessions scheduled for the Senate Banking Committee, chaired by Senator Tim Scott, as well as discussions in the Agriculture Committee. 

He clarified that these sessions aim to take place around January 15, 2026, although some reports suggest that they might occur as late as January 16. The markups will provide an opportunity for amendments, debates, and committee-level votes on the bill’s language.

If the bill successfully advances out of both committees, the expert stressed that the drafts will be reconciled before moving to a full Senate floor vote. Achieving this step will require securing at least 60 votes to overcome any potential filibuster, emphasizing the need for bipartisan support.

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

The idea of an altcoin season rolling in is still active, and early signals are starting to surface. These signs are not through price moves but through changes in on-chain behavior and trader activity. 

At the center of these observations is Ethereum, the leading altcoin, which has always led previous altcoin seasons. However, other interesting behavior is showing up in other large-market-cap cryptocurrencies, which implies any altcoin season from here might be different from previous ones.

Ethereum Usage Holds Even With Price Consolidation

On-chain signals linked to an altcoin season are beginning to appear across several large-market-cap cryptocurrencies, which implies that any rotation into altcoins may not be driven by Ethereum alone this time. That said, Ethereum is still exhibiting a set of familiar traits that have always placed it at the center of past altcoin cycles.

Related Reading: Ethereum Enters Overbought Levels With Weekend Pump, Why A Crash Could Be Coming

For example, on-chain data shows Ethereum maintaining activity levels close to cycle highs even as its price continues to move sideways, fluctuating above and below $3,000. In previous market periods, consolidations of this nature were typically paired with a noticeable decline in network usage as traders lost interest and speculative activity cooled. 

This time, that pullback in engagement has not materialized. Active addresses and transaction activity are still high, with the recent numbers coming in around 472,000 active addresses. In previous altcoin cycles, similar conditions appeared just before Ethereum began to outperform Bitcoin and led the rotation into altcoins. Now, history might be repeating itself.

XRP, Solana, And BNB Reflect Early Altcoin Season Positioning

In addition to Ethereum, behavior across other large-cap altcoins adds context to the setup of an incoming altcoin season. Notably, on-chain data tied to XRP shows that whales are not sending tokens to exchanges after recent price moves. The current lack of sustained inflows from XRP whales into crypto exchanges means that larger holders are holding their positions, which is a behavior more consistent with anticipation than profit-taking.

Related Reading: Altcoin Season In Q1? Bitcoin, Ethereum Breakdown Maps Out Performance

At the same time, Solana is also beginning to see a return of retail participation. Trading activity is picking up, but the data is still far below the levels typically associated with euphoric phases. Historically, this stage has appeared before momentum expands, when interest starts to grow, not at the end of it.

Another piece of the on-chain activity comes from BNB, where average spot order sizes have been large and consistent despite relatively uneventful price action. BNB’s price action looks boring on the outside, but average spot order sizes are at levels similar to those seen before the altcoin season in 2021, and this can be taken as a sign of something interesting brewing beneath the surface.

Taken together, these on-chain signals reinforce the idea that if Ethereum does drive the next altcoin season, the course of events might be much more collective and differ from the previous altcoin seasons.

Dogecoin didn’t ease into 2026 quietly. Following several weeks of drifting and bearish price action at the end of last year, the memecoin suddenly picked up speed, jumping in the first few days of January and briefly reclaiming levels above $0.15.  However, on-chain data shows that Dogecoin’s mega whales did not have a hand in the rally. These large Dogecoin holders have mostly stayed on the sidelines, avoiding both heavy buying and selling.

Dogecoin’s Whales Quiet During Recent Price Action

Dogecoin began the week with a quick burst of upside that carried the price from below $0.12 into mid-$0.15. Trading activity picked up during the move, and there was genuine buying interest. During this period, Dogecoin’s trading volume nearly tripled those seen during the last days of December, with notable examples of $3.56 billion trading volume on January 2 and $2.34 billion on January 4. 

This intense trading activity briefly placed the Dogecoin price above $0.15 on January 5, a price level that has served as a resistance level that stopped the meme coin’s price action throughout December 2025. However, an interesting detail from recent on-chain analysis is how little large holders reacted to the price rally. 

According to data from on-chain analytics platform Santiment, Dogecoin addresses holding 100 million to 1 billion DOGE saw their collective holdings increase into January 4, peaking around 35.8 billion DOGE, before a decline beginning on January 5. 

Starting on January 5, this group began trimming exposure, and even as Dogecoin’s price action continued climbing to the $0.15 level, their combined holdings fell to roughly 34.59 billion DOGE by January 6. Since then, balances in this cohort have largely remained flat.

Dogecoin Large Holder Distribution. Source: Santiment

Sharks Doing Most Of The Bullish Work

On the other hand, Dogecoin sharks, i.e., wallets holding between 10 million and 100 million DOGE showed a much stronger appetite. After a brief pullback between January 2 and January 4, this group returned to accumulation during Dogecoin’s push higher. That buying trend has continued through the rest of the week, lifting their collective holdings to about 17.63 billion DOGE at the time of writing.

Smaller large holders in the 1 million to 10 million DOGE range followed a similar pattern, though with more hesitation early on. Activity in this group increased at the start of the week, followed by a dip around January 7. That decline was short-lived, however, as balances rebounded on January 8 and 9, rising to roughly 10.9 billion DOGE at the time of writing.

As it stands, Dogecoin’s price action seems to be taking a pause from the rally and is back to facing resistance at $0.15. The meme coin is now trading at $0.1424, and the lack of clear commitment from large whales is also keeping the outlook uncertain. 

Despite the price of XRP holding above the $2 mark following a brief rebound earlier this week, sentiment across the market has not fully recovered. On-chain data shows that short-term holders are closing their positions and exiting the market, which reflects growing caution.

A Dip In XRP Short-Term Holder Exposure

XRP may have gained brief upward traction, but short-term holders’ sentiment appears to be moving into a cautious state. From an on- chain standpoint, these key investors are currently stepping back, trimming their positions after several weeks of choppy price action and weakening momentum.

As observed in the XRP HODL Waves chart shared by Steph is Crypto, a market expert and investor, short-term holders have begun to reduce their exposure in the leading altcoin. This shift in sentiment is present among wallet addresses that purchased the token over the past week and month.

Such a development points to a cooling of speculative zeal, with supply held by these addresses known for their high turnover rate showing a discernible decline. Given the altcoin continues to face sideways price action, this shift strongly resembles profit-taking from the cohort in order to manage risk and cut their losses.

Steph is Crypto highlighted that the share of the total XRP supply held by these investors has fallen from 5.75 to 4.9% in just 7 days. While the pullback may seem small, the shift has the potential to reshape sentiment around the altcoin and its price dynamics in the upcoming weeks.

This is due to the fact that these investors are often one of the most reactive groups in the market. Once positions start to move into profit territory, the cohort tends to sell off their coins at a swift rate. With short-term holders going on a selling spree, the focus now is on whether institutional players and longer-term holdings will withstand the sell-side pressure.

However, while short-term players are exiting, large holders, also regarded as whales, are stepping back in at a significant rate. This implies that deep-pocket investors are exhibiting renewed conviction in the altcoin’s long-term prospects.

According to the report from Steph is Crypto, whales, particularly wallet addresses holding between 1,000,000 XRP and 100,000,000 XRP, recently acquired an additional 60 million XRP in a single day. After a period of relative quiet, the cohort seems to have moved back into accumulation mode. 

Leading The Charge In Asia

Demand for XRP is growing in the Asian region, as a report from X Finance Bull shows that the altcoin dominated Bitcoin in South Korea. Data from Upbit reveals that the token was the most traded asset of 2025 across the most active retail market on Earth. 

This is beyond price speculation. It is a testament to the altcoin’s increasing volume, liquidity, and usage. The XRP/KRW was ranked in the top spot most of the year, with Upbit executing over $1 trillion in trades.  According to the expert, this is an important landmark because real markets reveal truth, and South Korea interacts with trades that work. 

Ripple’s XRP is seeing a clear shift in investor behavior, with large on-chain transactions surging to levels not seen in months. With market dynamics turning positive after months of volatility and capitulation, XRP investors are returning to the market with conviction. Transactions valued at $100,000 and above have been recorded with increasing frequency on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), signaling renewed interest and confidence in the cryptocurrency. 

Ripple’s XRP Investors Return As Transactions Surge

New data shows XRP whales returning just as the broader market attempts to stabilize after recent pullbacks. According to crypto analytics platform Santiment, XRP Ledger activity spiked sharply at the start of the week. Apparently, transfers valued at $100,000 or more have climbed to their highest level since early October 2025.

The accompanying chart highlights that on January 5, 2026, the XRP network recorded 2,170 whale transactions. Activity spiked even more on January 6, when the count jumped to 2,802 large transactions in a single day. Notably, this surge signals a clear shift in high-value XRP activity, highlighting strong participation from major holders across the network. 

Alongside the increase in large-scale investor activity, XRP price candles on the chart reflect a sharp rebound from recent lows. After a steady decline through late December 2025, XRP’s price action turned upward as transaction counts surged. The timing of this move stands out because XRP had spent weeks trending below $2 before this sudden increase in on-chain movement. 

Notably, XRP investors may be returning after earlier declines as market sentiment slowly improves. Lower prices appear to have attracted long-term holders who see current levels as a favorable accumulation zone. Another factor possibly behind the renewed interest could be the perception that downside pressure has weakened. The stabilization seen before the transaction spike likely encouraged large players to reposition capital in the cryptocurrency. 

Although the market appears to be moving away from previous downtrends, Santiment analysts have highlighted rising volatility on the chart. Rapid swings in transaction volume appear alongside sharper price movements, signaling that volatility is likely to remain elevated. 

XRP Reserves On Binance Drop To Yearly Low

In other news, data from the blockchain and analytics platform CryptoQuant indicates a major shift in how XRP is held on crypto exchanges like Binance. CryptoOnChain, an analyst at CryptoQuant, published a report announcing that XRP’s reserves on Binance have fallen to 2.6 billion tokens, the lowest level seen since January 2024. 

The analyst highlighted that declining supply often signals reduced selling pressure. He stated that XRP holdings have steadily dropped from nearly 3.25 billion tokens in late 2025, suggesting investors are moving assets into self-custody and potentially adopting a HODL mindset. 

CryptoQuant also noted that this trend reflects a strong accumulation phase that removes liquidity from active trading. With fewer tokens available on the sell side, the platform stated that a demand spike could lead to sharper price moves, creating a favorable setup for XRP in the short- to medium-term.