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Bitcoin is moving into mainstream banking in small, steady steps. What once seemed unlikely is becoming routine as traditional banks test ways to hold, trade, or lend against Bitcoin. Reports say a sizable slice of the biggest US banks are now planning real customer offerings.

60% Of Top Banks Preparing Bitcoin Products: River Study

A study conducted by Bitcoin financial services firm River shows about 60% of the top 25 US banks are at some stage of building Bitcoin services, from custody to trading and client-facing products. This shift is not just talk; it shows up in boardroom plans and pilot projects across several large lenders.

Banks Moving From Caution To Practical Steps

For years, many banks kept their distance. But change came fast after clearer rules and big exchange-traded funds put Bitcoin on more mainstream radars. Spot ETF approvals and rising demand from big investors nudged banks to revisit their stance and to test practical, compliant ways to serve customers interested in digital assets.

60% of the top US banks are into bitcoin. pic.twitter.com/AqceDDfjDP

— River (@River) January 26, 2026

Some major names are already on the record with pilot projects or new services. Reports mention that JPMorgan Chase is looking at crypto trading, Wells Fargo has rolled out credit and custody-linked offerings to institutional clients, and Citigroup is exploring custody and payments tied to tokenized assets. Those moves signal a shift from theory to products customers can use.

How This Changes The Picture For Clients

Customers could get simpler access to Bitcoin without needing separate crypto accounts. That means an investor might see Bitcoin as another line on a bank statement, with custody and reporting wrapped into services they already use. Some banks plan to partner with specialists to avoid taking on all the technical work themselves, keeping risk and compliance squarely in focus.

Regulation, Risk, And The Role Of Policy

Regulatory moves earlier in the year reopened options that were closed when tight capital rules made custody costly. Reports note that a change in guidance helped some banks resume or rethink custody services, and that the current political climate under US President Donald Trump has been described as more favorable to broader crypto adoption. These shifts are nudging banks to act where they had hesitated.

Expect more pilot announcements and a slow roll of services into client offerings. Not every bank will move at the same speed. Some will stay cautious, others will move sooner. The practical test will be whether banks can offer secure custody, clear accounting, and easy reporting without taking on outsized risk.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

XRP’s price action has been quiet in the past few days, with the majority of recent trading sessions spent trading just below and above $1.9. 

Interestingly, one analyst noted that the altcoin’s price action has already done most of the heavy lifting needed for a trend reversal after weeks of controlled downside and repeated reactions around descending resistance. The remaining question, according to the analysis, is whether price confirms what the structure is already suggesting.

Reset By Liquidations And Whale Activity

Technical view of XRP’s price action shared by a crypto analyst known as CW on the social media platform X begins with a reset in market positioning. Most of the long positions that were accumulated during its earlier rally to $2.40 in the first week of January have been cleared, and this has removed excess leverage.

Interestingly, that liquidation phase has coincided with the XRP price tagging the lower boundary of a descending channel structure on the 4-hour candlestick timeframe chart. Over the past 24 hours, the token’s price bounced from the lower trendline in the mid-$1.80 region and has since rotated higher to now retesting the upper boundary of the converging structure, which is around $1.90.

This move was accompanied by an increase in net buying, and according to the analyst, all that remains is a breakout of the upper line. From a structural standpoint, this outlook is important, as it reduces forced selling and allows spot demand to play a larger role in determining direction. 

A decisive break above the upper trendline would invalidate the current downtrend and begin an uptrend. In practical terms, this scenario will only come to pass if the altcoin is able to confirm that buyers have regained control by securing multiple candlestick closes above $1.90.

Breakout, Retest, And The Case For Continuation

A separate technical perspective, illustrated in the chart below, frames XRP’s current structure within a much longer price history stretching back to 2024. This analysis also shows how XRP is well advanced in a broader bullish setup and has already completed the majority of the conditions needed for an upward rally continuation. 

XRP first achieved a major structural shift when it broke above the long-term resistance line drawn from its late 2024 peak, a move that ultimately carried the price to a new peak of $3.65 in 2025. Following that breakout, XRP transitioned into an extended accumulation phase that has now lasted for more than a year. The only thing missing now is the upside continuation. 

According to crypto analyst ChartNerd, the only missing element is a sustained upside follow-through. Based on that structure, XRP is estimated to be about 90% of the way through the work needed for a rally continuation.

The XRP Ledger, a decentralized public blockchain developed by Ripple, has surpassed $1 billion in total on-chain assets, according to recent reports. This growth is apparently being fueled by Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD, and other asset classes which continue to attract significant interest on the blockchain network. 

XRP Ledger Achieves Monumental Milestone

The XRP Ledger crossed a significant financial milestone this week, with reports confirming that more than $1 billion in tokenized assets are now held directly on its blockchain. This surge highlights the growing confidence in Ripple’s infrastructure as a platform for tokenized finance and Real-World Asset (RWA) integration. It also cements XRPL’s role as a core bridge between traditional finance and blockchain technology. 

Data from analytics firm RWA.xyz shows that stablecoins and tokenized instruments are driving much of this ledger growth. In particular, the RLUSD stablecoin has emerged as the most active asset on the blockchain, attracting increasing investment flows and a growing base of holders. 

At the time of writing, the XRP Ledger hosts approximately $338,005,246 in RLUSD, held across 33,105 addresses. Notably, both investment volume and holder count are at their highest levels ever recorded among other tokenized assets on the network. Beyond RLUSD, other stablecoins, including Circle’s USDC, Braza USDB, BBRL, and EURØP, have also contributed significantly to the overall rise in the value of tokenized assets on the ledger. 

Institutional participation is further accelerating this growth as banks and financial firms explore tokenizing funds, treasury products, and credit instruments on the XRP Ledger. On-chain data shows that the second-largest contributor the $1 billion tokenized asset milestone came from the private credit sector. 

The largest single private credit allocation on the network totaled approximately $108,740,785, issued through the Vert Capital platform and held by a single address. After private credit, other asset classes that have also fueled XRPL’s growth include US treasury debt, commodities, private equity, real estate, etc. 

Reasons Why Ripple’s Ledger Is Standing Out

Behind the scenes, several factors are driving the XRP Ledger’s growth and helping it stand out among the competing blockchain networks. Paul Barron, the founder of the Paul Barron Network, has suggested that XRPL’s fast settlement times, high scalability, and low transaction costs make it an incredibly attractive option for institutional users. 

The ledger’s compliance-focused architecture is another major catalyst for adoption. This design enables financial firms to tokenize funds, treasuries, and stablecoins while remaining aligned with regulatory standards. In addition, security enhancements on the blockchain network, including the integration of quantum-resistant Dilithium cryptography, are strengthening institutional trust and reinforcing XRPL’s long-term resilience. 

Barron has described the Ledger as “the world’s financial infrastructure,” suggesting that its evolving role in tokenized assets and institutional finance positions the network as a foundational layer for the future of global payments. 

Senator Roger Marshall moved to add a swipe fee rule to a crypto market structure bill last week, a step that briefly put card fees back in the spotlight as lawmakers weigh how to rein in rising costs for small sellers.

The change would push banks and payment networks to allow more than one route for processing card payments, giving merchants a choice that could drive down swipe fees. Some analysts also say it could have implications for crypto payment solutions in the US.

Marshall Files Swipe Fee Amendment

According to reports, the amendment filed by the Republican lawmaker would require large banks to let at least two unaffiliated networks handle debit and credit transactions.

That is meant to let merchants pick the cheapest route. Swipe fees, also called interchange fees, are usually in the 1.5%-3.5% range on most purchases.

Small stores say those charges add up fast. Reports say some retailers supported the idea because it could lower their costs and help them keep prices steady for shoppers. The amendment could even affect crypto debit card networks that process payments for digital currencies.

What The Measure Would Change

The plan echoes a long-running effort known as the Credit Card Competition Act. Under that law, the aim is to break the near-exclusive hold that a couple of big networks have on transaction routing.

Supporters argue that adding competition would force fees down. Banks and card firms warn that changing the rules might raise fraud risks and could make new rules costly to implement.

The tradeoffs are plain. Competition could mean savings for stores. It could also mean changes to how banks protect customers. Some lawmakers worry that forcing changes might unintentionally affect crypto platforms integrated with traditional payment networks.

On Crypto, Politics And Pushback

Reports have disclosed that the swipe fee idea did not make it onto the final agenda at a recent committee markup. Marshall reportedly agreed not to press the amendment at that stage, after talks with other senators and concerns from various groups.

Some lawmakers were wary of adding a high-stakes fight to a bill they want to keep moving. The White House and some senators were said to be uneasy that the swipe fee fight might derail broader market rules being debated. Support and opposition cross party lines, which makes any final outcome uncertain.

Who Stakes Claim

Merchants and retail groups are vocal. They want lower costs now. Consumer advocates back measures that aim to lower everyday prices.

On the other hand, banks, many credit unions, and card networks say their systems are finely tuned to stop fraud and that any forced changes risk weakening those safeguards. Reports note that smaller financial firms worry about compliance costs that could hit their customers.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

Cardano’s price and the sentiment of investors are demonstrating a divergence that is crucial in the altcoin’s short-term and long-term performance. Despite the waning price action over the past few days, seasoned investors are showing robust interest in ADA as they continue accumulate the altcoin.

Big Brains Are Buying Back Cardano

Even with heightened volatility in the market, major Cardano investors are jumping into the market at a steady pace. Santiment, a leading market intelligence and on-chain data platform, reported that smart money seems to be quietly positioning itself in Cardano, with seasoned investors building up ADA at a steady and encouraging rate.

In the research shared on the X platform, the platform highlighted that the smart money wallet addresses have been accumulating ADA while the token’s price is being suppressed due to the current market state. Interestingly, these individuals are gradually increasing their exposure during times of muted emotion and low volatility rather than chasing short-term price movements.

Typically, such buying activity among smart traders signals conviction in the token’s long-term prospects since smart capital often moves ahead of the general market’s enthusiasm. With the ongoing bullish sentiment from key investors, there is a possibility that the underlying market structure of Cardano is getting stronger.

The cohort appears to have been quietly buying more ADA for several weeks. However, smaller holders, who are also regarded as retail investors, have been offloading their stash during this period. In the last 2 months, wallet addresses holding between 100,000 ADA and 100 million ADA have acquired an additional 454.7 million ADA, which is valued at more than $161.42 million. 

Meanwhile, retail investors, those holding 100 ADA or less, have dumped over 22,000 ADA, worth $7,810 over the past 3 weeks. When cryptocurrency markets start to stabilize, Santiment stated that whales adding and retail dumping have traditionally created the ideal conditions for an eventual resurgence.

A New Landmark In Terms Of Total Transactions

Despite ADA facing steady volatility that has capped its upward attempts, the Cardano network continues to wax strong. The leading network is experiencing significant adoption and interest as transactions carried out on the blockchain have increased exponentially. 

Cexplorer, the most featured OG blockchain, announced that the network recently hit a new record level in total transactions. Data shared by Cexplorer shows that the total transactions conducted on the network since its foray into the cryptocurrency market have surpassed 118,400,000. 

With more value and interactions resting on the network than ever before, the growth indicates a growing appetite for Cardano and its broader ecosystem. Furthermore, rising transaction counts frequently indicate ongoing demand from users, apps, and developers as opposed to transient increases caused by speculation.

At the time of writing, the ADA’s price was trading at $0.35, indicating a 0.77% increase in the last 24 hours. Its price may be slowly turning bullish, but trading volume has sharply declined by more than 28% over the past day.

On-chain sleuth ZachXBT has revealed the identity of a threat actor who stole over $40 million from the U.S. government’s crypto stash. The White House has confirmed that it is looking into the situation but has not yet said whether its Bitcoin holdings were affected by the theft. 

How This Threat Actor Stole Over $40 Million From the U.S. Government Crypto Wallets

In an X post, ZachXBT revealed that threat actor John Daghita, also known as Lick, stole over $40 million from the U.S. government’s seizure addresses, as his dad owns Command Services & Support (CMDSS), which has an active IT government contract. CMDSS was awarded a contract to assist the U.S. Marshals in managing and disposing of seized and forfeited crypto assets. However, the ZachXBT noted that it remains unclear how John obtained access from his dad. 

The CMDSS company X account, website, and LinkedIn were all deactivated following ZachXBT’s revelation. Meanwhile, the crypto investigator had first drawn attention to John in an earlier X post, stating that the threat actor had been caught flexing $23 million in a wallet address. 

He noted that this wallet was directly tied to over $90 million in suspected thefts from the U.S. Government in 2024 and multiple other unidentified victims from November 2025 to December 2025. John revealed this crypto wallet during a heated argument with another threat actor, Dritan Kapplani Jr., in a group chat about who had more funds in their crypto wallets.  

The Source Of The Funds

Following John’s messages, ZachXBT traced the source of the threat actor’s funds to a wallet (0xc7a2) that received $24.9 million from a U.S. Government address in March 2024 related to the Bitfinex hack seizure, which was a theft from the government. John’s wallet (0xd8bc), which he showed off during the heated argument, is also said to be tied to $63 million in inflows from suspected victims and government-seizure addresses in the fourth quarter of last year. 

John quickly removed all of the NFT usernames from his Telegram account and changed his screen name after ZachXBT’s post. Meanwhile, it is worth noting that the crypto investigator identified John as John Daghitia after rumors began circulating that the threat actor was the same person previously arrested in September 2025. However, it remains unclear for what John was arrested last year. 

Is The U.S. Government’s BTC At Risk?

White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt confirmed in an X post that they are investigating the theft and will provide an update soon. This development is also significant, as U.S. President Donald Trump has already signed an executive order that allocates all U.S. government Bitcoin holdings to the Strategic BTC Reserve. 

Based on the timeline of these thefts from the government’s seizure addresses, John looks to have stolen some of these crypto assets after Trump signed the executive order. Meanwhile, part of the theft occurred under the Biden Administration. There has yet to be confirmation from the government on how much BTC it holds. However, BiTBo data shows that the U.S. government currently holds 198,012 BTC.

SharpLink CEO Joseph Chalom, who previously led BlackRock’s digital assets strategy, framed the Ethereum-versus-Solana debate as a mismatch between narrative and actual institutional behavior: TradFi firms may praise speed and low fees, but the highest-value financial use cases are gravitating to networks optimized for trust, security, and liquidity.

Why Ethereum Beats Solana

Speaking with CoinDesk’s Jennifer Sanasie on Jan. 26, Chalom said he would avoid positioning his view as opinion and instead point to what he called observable market signals. “Maybe I’ll just share facts,” he said. “The fact is that Ethereum has been around for 10 years. It’s the secure, trusted, and liquid ecosystem. And I talk about both the layer 1 mainnet as well as the long set of layer 2s who help do that rollup strategy.”

That longevity, in his telling, matters because institutions aren’t selecting chains the way consumers pick apps. They’re selecting settlement rails for moving money, tokenizing assets, and representing ownership, workflows where operational failure and security assumptions are existential. Solana, Chalom acknowledged, has carved out a reputation for performance. But he drew a hard line on reliability. “Solana has been fast and cheap but it has not been secure. It has had downtime,” he said, arguing that downtime risk is disqualifying for “high value projects.”

Chalom’s thesis is that when the use case is “tokenizing assets” and “moving money,” the decision criteria compress into three buckets. “The real institutions who care only about three things,” he said, are “trust, security, and liquidity.” On that basis, he argued, “they’re building on Ethereum for high value projects,” adding: “It’s happening on Ethereum.”

He also anchored the comparison in stablecoin and tokenized-asset activity, citing a sharp share gap as evidence of where the market is allocating serious volume. “More than 65% of stablecoins and tokenized assets are happening there,” Chalom said, describing that as “10x what you see on Salana.” He reinforced the directional claim immediately after: “Ethereum leads in high quality assets in DeFi, tokenization, and stable coins by a factor of 10 to one over Salana. And that gap is only getting larger.”

Still, Chalom did not argue for a single-chain world. Instead, he mapped Ethereum and Solana to different product surfaces based on security tolerance. “I do think there’s a role for cheap, fast, less secure chains,” he said, and suggested Solana’s comparative advantage shows up where finality speed and cost trump institutional-grade assurances. “I think Solana will win in the memecoin, maybe the gaming space where actually security matters a lot less and speed matters more.”

The subtext is a segmentation story: Ethereum as the default rail for high-value, regulated, reputation-sensitive flows; Solana as the venue for high-throughput consumer and speculative activity where users accept different risk tradeoffs. Chalom insisted this is not about persuasion so much as migration patterns. “It’s not my perspective,” he said. “People are voting with their feet.”

Notably, SharpLink Gaming (Nasdaq: SBET) has emerged as one of the largest corporate ETH holders, with public trackers putting its holdings at roughly 864,840 ETH (about $2.5B at recent marks).

At press time, ETH traded at $2,921.