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Bitcoin has slipped below the $90,000 psychological level, and bulls are now trying to defend the $88,000 mark to prevent a deeper correction. After days of heavy volatility across crypto markets, BTC is trading in a fragile zone where short-term sentiment can shift quickly, especially as traders react to macro uncertainty and weakening momentum. With price hovering near key on-chain levels, the next move could define whether this drop becomes a brief shakeout or the start of another leg lower.

Analyst Axel Adler highlighted that Bitcoin is currently testing one of its most important short-term “defense lines.” His Bitcoin Support and Resistance chart compares spot price with the realized cost basis of different short-term holder (STH) cohorts, turning these levels into dynamic support and resistance zones.

According to the data, BTC is trading right around the cost basis of the two freshest buyer groups: STH 0D-1D at roughly $89,800 and STH 1W-1M near $90,000. In other words, investors who entered the market over the past few weeks are sitting at breakeven, making this area highly sensitive.

Above current levels, resistance appears stacked. The 1M-3M cohort sits near $92,500 and is already underwater, meaning it may sell into rebounds, while the aggregated STH realized price around $99,300 remains a major ceiling.

STH MVRV Near a Statistical Extreme

Adler adds that another key metric reinforcing this fragile setup is Short-Term Holder MVRV (STH MVRV), which measures the ratio between Bitcoin’s market price and the cost basis of short-term holders. In simple terms, when STH MVRV drops below 1.0, it signals that this cohort is, on average, holding unrealized losses and is increasingly vulnerable to panic-driven selling.

According to Adler, current STH MVRV stands at 0.897, meaning short-term holders are clearly underwater. More importantly, the metric is approaching the lower boundary of its 155-day statistical range, where the Mean minus one standard deviation sits near 0.875. With only around 2.5% remaining before reaching that statistical minimum, Bitcoin is entering a zone that historically aligns with market exhaustion and local bottom formation.

Adler notes that in many past observations, price stabilization occurred when the metric touched or approached this lower band, as buyers stepped in and selling pressure weakened. However, the market remains at a critical decision point. A clean break below 0.875 would signal extreme oversold conditions and raise the risk of short-term holder capitulation.

Together, both charts frame the same battlefield. The $89.8K–$90K region is the key defense zone for fresh buyers, while $92.5K now acts as resistance. With MVRV pressing toward a statistical extreme, Bitcoin is approaching a make-or-break moment between stabilization and deeper downside.

Bitcoin Bears Pressure Key Support Zones

Bitcoin (BTC) is facing renewed downside pressure after failing to reclaim the $90,000 region, with the latest pullback pushing price toward the $88,600 area. The 3-day chart shows BTC slipping back into the lower part of its recent range, reflecting a fragile market structure where rallies are being sold and buyers remain hesitant to step in aggressively.

From a trend perspective, BTC is trading below its key moving averages, with the faster lines curling downward and acting as dynamic resistance. The most notable barrier sits around the $100,000–$105,000 zone, where the broader trend indicators remain overhead and signal that the market is still in recovery mode rather than a confirmed uptrend. Even the recent bounce attempts have struggled to sustain momentum, highlighting that demand has not returned with enough force to absorb selling pressure.

At the same time, BTC continues to hold above the red long-term moving average, which is still rising and represents the broader bull market foundation. This keeps the larger structure intact, but the price action suggests that bulls must defend the $88,000–$90,000 area to prevent further weakness.

If BTC stabilizes and reclaims $90K, it could open the door for a push back into the mid-$90K range. However, if selling accelerates below $88K, the market risks revisiting deeper support levels from the late-2025 consolidation.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan Mo-po, announced the region’s plan to issue licenses for stablecoin providers in the first quarter of this year as the city seeks to strengthen its position as a leading hub for financial technology.

Hong Kong’s Regulatory Framework

Chan highlighted Hong Kong’s regulatory framework for digital assets, describing it as “responsible and sustainable.” He emphasized the importance of a balanced approach to support the growth of both finance and technology, noting that these two sectors are “mutually reinforcing.” 

Chan articulated the benefits of digital assets, pointing out that they can enhance transparency, improve risk management, and facilitate more efficient capital movement. “We view digital assets as a financial innovation that we should embrace proactively,” he stated.

The Finance chief elaborated on the necessity of ensuring that digital assets serve the real economy while simultaneously implementing strong guardrails to mitigate risks related to financial stability, market integrity, and investor protection. 

He reiterated the principle of “same activity, same risk, same regulation,” which is designed to promote a healthy, responsible, and sustainable environment for digital asset development. The government and regulators, he asserted, will act as “market enablers,” setting a precedent for innovation.

First Stablecoin Licenses Soon

Over the past couple of yeaers, Hong Kong has prioritized strengthening its position as a fintech hub, particularly in light of the US’s efforts to fulfill President Donald Trump’s vision of establishing the country as the global centre for crypto. 

Chan pointed out that since 2023, the city has issued three batches of tokenized green bonds totaling $2.1 billion. Additionally, Hong Kong has already established a licensing framework for virtual asset trading platforms. 

Notably, last November, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) launched a controlled pilot program to facilitate real-value transactions using tokenized deposits and digital assets.

During his remarks, Chan specifically mentioned the upcoming licensing regime for stablecoins, indicating that the first batch of licenses is expected to be issued soon. 

According to reports from the HKMA, the authority received formal stablecoin license applications from 36 institutions by September 30, nearly half of the 77 expressions of interest recorded in August. 

Applicants for these licenses include a diverse range of entities, such as banks, technology firms, securities and asset management companies, e-commerce platforms, payment service providers, and Web3 startups.

A spokesperson for the HKMA stated that the authority will review all submission materials meticulously and conduct approvals in line with the new Stablecoin Ordinance and relevant regulatory requirements. 

While the HKMA aims to announce the first batch of licensed stablecoin issuers between the first and second quarter, it has advised that the licensing process will be stringent, with only a limited number of licenses granted during this initial phase.

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

Vietnam has launched a pilot program to license cryptocurrency exchanges, aiming to bring the rapidly growing market into a formal legal framework after years of regulatory uncertainty.

Vietnam’s Crypto Licensing Pilot Begins

On Tuesday, Vietnam began its pilot licensing regime to officially regulate crypto trading platforms in the country for the first time, in an effort to gradually move the sector from the shadows into a properly supervised framework under the local financial authorities.

According to local reports, the Ministry of Finance issued Decision No. 96/QD-BTC on January 20, introducing procedures necessary for the implementation of Government Resolution No. 05/2025/NQ-CP.

The three new administrative procedures cover the issuance, modification, and revocation of licenses for entities operating crypto asset trading platforms. The Ministry announced that it began accepting applications from businesses seeking to offer crypto asset trading services.

For context, the country’s cryptocurrency market lacked a clear legal framework, existing in an unsupervised, “gray area.” Last year, the National Assembly passed the “Law on Digital Technology Industry,” which took effect on January 1, 2026, to create a foundation for authorities to develop suitable management policies.

In September, Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc signed Government Resolution No. 05/2025/NQ-CP, allowing a five-year pilot program for the issuance and trading of crypto assets.

As reported by Bitcoinist, under Resolution No. 05, organizations seeking to provide services for crypto trading markets must be registered with the financial authorities and fully comply with a strict set of rules, including a minimum contributed charter capital of VND10 trillion, worth around $380.66 million.

Notably, at least 65% of the charter capital must be held by institutional investors, with more than 35% contributed by at least two institutions such as commercial banks, securities companies, fund management companies, insurance companies, or technology enterprises.

The general director must have at least two years of experience in finance, while the CTO must have at least five years of experience in information technology. Moreover, firms must hire at least 10 technology staff with cybersecurity certificates and at least 10 staff with securities practice certificates working in other departments.

Financial Institutions Dive Into Digital Assets

Following the issuance of Resolution No. 05, major financial players, including securities companies and banking institutions, have announced their intention to participate in the pilot and enter the sector, noted the report.

In June, two SSI’s subsidiaries, SSI Digital Technology JSC and SSI Asset Management Company Limited, signed Memorandums of Understanding with Tether, U2U Network, and Amazon Web Services to develop a digital financial ecosystem in Vietnam based on blockchain and cloud computing platforms.

In addition, VIX Securities contributed capital to establish the VIX Crypto Asset Exchange and partnered with tech giant FPT Corp. to prepare its technology infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the banking sector saw MBBank enter a technical cooperation agreement with Dunamu, the operator of the Korean exchange Upbit, to establish a crypto exchange in Vietnam while jointly developing the legal framework and investor protection mechanisms.

Techcombank also established the Techcom Crypto Asset Exchange with a charter capital of several hundred billion VND. Similarly, VPBank stated it is fully prepared to begin operations as soon as it receives regulatory approval.

As discussions surrounding the CLARITY Act—often referred to as the crypto market structure bill—continue in Washington, Kristin Smith, President of the Solana Policy Institute, has provided insights on the current status of the legislation and the organization’s top priorities. 

Solana Policy Institute’s Optimism For CLARITY Act 

One of the main priorities disclosed by Smith in a recent post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), is the importance of protecting open-source developers in the legislative landscape.

Smith pointed out that the recent delay in the markup of the market structure bill last week after Coinbase’s withdrawal should be seen as a temporary setback. “Despite the delay, industry engagement remains robust, and there is clear bipartisan support to achieve durable regulatory clarity for market structure,” she noted.

The Senate Agriculture Committee is making advancements with its own draft of the legislation expected to be released on Wednesday, as earlier reported by Bitcoinist.

Smith also highlighted a shared objective: to create a framework that protects consumers, fosters innovation, and provides certainty for developers operating in the United States. A central tenet of this goal is the safeguarding of developers, which Smith argued is crucial for the success of the industry.

Smith Advocates For Developer Protections

The Solana Institute was founded to ensure that policymakers gain a comprehensive understanding of public blockchains and the protocols that underpin them. 

Smith articulated the critical role that open-source software plays within the crypto ecosystem, noting that developers around the world collaborate to produce software that anyone can inspect, use, or improve. “Openness is a strength—not a liability,” she asserted.

However, she raised concerns regarding the case against Roman Storm of Tornado Cash, indicating that it treats open-source innovation as something questionable. Smith warned that penalizing developers merely for writing and publishing open-source code endangers all those involved in such collaborative efforts. 

She emphasized the “chilling effect” that the prosecution could have on open-source developers, asserting that writing code is an expressive act protected by the First Amendment.

Smith called for clear policy that differentiates between bad actors and developers working on lawful, general-purpose tools. To bolster this cause, she encouraged supporters to draft letters expressing their stance in favor of open-source protections.

Roman Storm responded to Smith’s support, thanking her and the broader community for advocating for open-source principles. He remarked, “Criminalizing the act of writing and publishing code threatens not just one developer, but the foundations of digital security, privacy, and innovation.” 

At the time of writing, Solana’s native token, SOL, was trading at $130.33, mirroring the performance of the broader crypto market, dropping 11% in the weekly time frame.   

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

American fast food chain Steak ‘n Shake has announced that all hourly employees will receive a Bitcoin bonus starting on March 1st.

Steak ‘n Shake Integrates Bitcoin Bonus Payments

Steak ‘n Shake will pay all hourly employees at its company-operated restaurants a bonus in Bitcoin for every hour of work, as revealed by the company’s official X handle. Steak ‘n Shake, primarily based in the United States, is a fast food chain that mainly serves burgers and milkshakes, with its flagship item being the Steakburger. Back in May 2025, the firm opened itself to Bitcoin, allowing customers to pay at all its locations using the cryptocurrency.

Last Friday, Steak ‘n Shake provided an update on the scheme, noting that same-store sales have dramatically increased for the company since it started accepting BTC. The firm added that all of its BTC sales go into its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) and announced that it expanded this reserve by an additional $10 million in notional value in that same update.

“We have created a self-sustaining system — growing same-store sales that grow the SBR,” wrote the company. “Improving food quality expands Steak n Shake’s reach and leverages Bitcoin into a new and delicious dimension.” Now, it seems Steak ‘n Shake has taken its BTC acceptance a step further with the employee bonus integration.

According to the announcement, all hourly employees will receive $0.21 BTC for every hour worked. However, only workers who have passed a two-year vesting period will be able to collect their digital asset pay.

Steak ‘n Shake credited Fold for providing assistance on the initiative. Fold is a financial services platform that offers, among other features, a debit card allowing users to earn BTC rewards on payments.

The Bitcoin bonus program is set to go live on March 1st. “We take care of our employees; they, in turn, take care of customers; and the results take care of themselves,” said Steak ‘n Shake.

In some other news, institutional demand for Bitcoin has remained strong recently, according to CryptoQuant founder and CEO Ki Young Ju. To track the behavior of these large entities, Young Ju has referred to the supply of addresses carrying between 100 and 1,000 BTC.

“US custody wallets typically hold 100-1,000 BTC each,” explained the CryptoQuant founder. “Excluding exchanges and miners, this gives a rough read on institutional demand.” As the chart below shows, the supply of this investor segment has shown significant growth in recent months.

In total, Bitcoin wallets in the 100 to 1,000 tokens range have collectively added 577,000 BTC (roughly worth $51.5 billion) to their holdings over the past year. So far, this accumulation hasn’t shown signs of slowing down.

BTC Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is floating around $89,200, down 6% in the last seven days.

Bitcoin slipped below the $90,000 level as global markets reacted to rising macroeconomic tension between the United States and the European Union. Investors are closely watching the latest trade headlines, as renewed tariff threats increase uncertainty around global growth, corporate earnings, and inflation dynamics. When friction between major economies escalates, risk appetite typically fades, and crypto tends to feel the impact fast as traders reduce exposure and cut leverage.

According to an analysis by XWIN Research Japan, Bitcoin’s recent weakness fits a broader pattern that has been developing since 2025. The report argues that the Trump administration’s renewed tariff push has acted as a consistent downside pressure for BTC, mainly because tariffs influence multiple pillars of the macro environment at once. Higher tariffs can squeeze company margins, disrupt supply chains, and push inflation expectations higher, which complicates the outlook for interest rates and monetary policy.

In this environment, Bitcoin has continued to behave more like a macro-sensitive risk asset than a defensive hedge. Instead of attracting safe-haven flows, BTC has often moved in sync with equities during trade-driven risk-off waves. As a result, even brief bursts of bullish momentum have struggled to hold when economic uncertainty rises and capital rotates into safer positioning.

Tariff Risk Keeps Bitcoin Tied to Macro Conditions

The XWIN Research Japan report explains that several Bitcoin pullbacks between 2025 and 2026 aligned with periods of rising economic uncertainty driven by tariff hikes and trade frictions. During these episodes, BTC declined alongside equities, reinforcing that the market still treats Bitcoin as a macro-sensitive risk asset rather than a defensive hedge. Instead of decoupling during stress, Bitcoin often reacts like a high-beta instrument when traders rush to reduce volatility in their portfolios.

Economic risk tends to hit Bitcoin quickly because investor behavior adjusts fast. As uncertainty around growth and interest rates increases, capital typically shifts toward short-term protection. In that process, Bitcoin is frequently viewed as a liquid asset that can be sold temporarily to lower portfolio risk, rather than a long-term store of value that benefits from risk-off flows. This dynamic can amplify downside moves even when long-term fundamentals remain intact.

Exchange Netflow provides a supplementary layer of evidence. During correction phases, brief spikes in exchange inflows often appear, consistent with tactical repositioning and short-term profit protection. However, these inflows have not persisted, suggesting the absence of sustained structural selling pressure.

For now, the base scenario remains that tariff-driven economic risk is weighing on Bitcoin. If exchange inflows become sustained and supply-demand conditions weaken further, that assessment would need to be reassessed.

BTC Holds Its Ground After Breaking Below $90K

Bitcoin is trading around $88,800 on the weekly chart after a sharp selloff that briefly pushed price below the $90,000 psychological level. This drop marks a clear shift in momentum, as BTC failed to hold the mid-range structure that supported price action throughout the late-2025 consolidation phase. The weekly candle shows heavy downside pressure, with sellers rejecting attempts to stabilize above $92,000 and forcing a retest of lower demand.

Technically, Bitcoin remains trapped between key moving averages. Price is still below the blue long-term trend line, which has acted as dynamic resistance since the breakdown from the $100,000+ region. At the same time, BTC is holding above the green moving average, suggesting that while the market is weak, longer-term buyers are still defending the broader uptrend structure.

This creates a fragile equilibrium: as long as Bitcoin holds above the current support zone, bulls can attempt to rebuild a base and reclaim $90,000-$92,000. However, if volatility expands and the market loses the green trend line, it would expose BTC to a deeper correction toward the mid-$80,000s, where previous demand briefly stepped in during the prior drawdown.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Трендовых индикаторов достаточно много. Одни показывают силу движения актива, другие фокусируются на направлении. А есть такие, что заточены определять наличие тренда. К таким относится индекс переменчивости.

The Bitcoin price showed a sharp pullback this week caught many traders off guard. After hovering near record highs, the world’s largest crypto slid below the $90,000 mark as a wave of leveraged positions was forced out of the market.

Related Reading: Ripple President Long Unveils Her 2026 Crypto Predictions

The drop came amid rising global uncertainty, with investors reacting to geopolitical tensions, bond market stress, and renewed risk aversion across traditional assets.

By Tuesday, the Bitcoin price had fallen to around $87,800 before staging a modest rebound to around $89,000. While the move erased recent gains, market participants say the decline reflects more than just short-term volatility. It highlights how fragile sentiment can become when macro pressures and heavy leverage collide.

Leverage Unwinds Trigger Sharp Sell-Off

Data from CoinGlass showed that roughly $1.08 billion in crypto positions were liquidated over 24 hours, affecting more than 183,000 traders. Long positions made up about 92% of those liquidations, indicating that many traders had been positioned for further upside.

The largest single forced closure was a $13.52 million BTCUSDT position on Bitget, underscoring how crowded bullish bets had become. As prices slipped, automated liquidations accelerated the decline, pushing Bitcoin through key psychological levels.

This unwinding followed weeks of relative calm in crypto markets, during which the Bitcoin price had consolidated near its highs. Once selling pressure began, it quickly exposed how dependent recent price stability had been on leveraged positioning rather than fresh spot demand.

Macro Risks Weigh on Risk Assets

The crypto sell-off unfolded alongside broader market stress. U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats against European nations, tied to disputes over Greenland, revived fears of a trade war. Similarly, a sell-off in Japanese government bonds pushed global yields higher, tightening financial conditions.

U.S. equities also suffered their worst session since October, with major indices dropping more than 2%. Crypto-related stocks such as Coinbase, Strategy, and Circle posted steep losses, reflecting a wider shift away from risk-sensitive assets.

While the Bitcoin price and altcoins fell, gold and silver moved in the opposite direction. Gold traded near record highs above $4,800 per ounce, and silver also reached new peaks. The contrast suggested that investors were rotating into traditional safe havens as uncertainty grew.

Key Bitcoin Price Support Levels in Focus

Despite the volatility, Bitcoin has shown early signs of stabilization. Prices rebounded toward the $89,000–$90,000 area as pressure in bond markets eased and U.S. equity futures ticked higher. Still, analysts caution that the move looks more like a pause after forced selling than a clear return of risk appetite.

Technical indicators highlight the $87,000–$88,000 range as a critical support zone. A break below this level could open the door to further declines toward $85,000 or lower. On the upside, Bitcoin price faces resistance near $92,000 and $95,000.

Related Reading: XRP Holders Quietly Build Positions In A Pattern That Echoes Earlier Cycles

For now, traders are closely watching macro developments, including Trump’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos and ongoing signals from global bond markets. Whether dip buyers step in with conviction may determine if Bitcoin can reclaim lost ground, or if the recent slide has further to run.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart on Tradingview

The Cardano Foundation said it has hit the first milestone in its updated governance roadmap, expanding delegation to a new set of community representatives as the ecosystem leans further into on-chain decision-making. The move matters because it shifts meaningful voting weight toward delegated representatives (DReps) whose mandates emphasize adoption and day-to-day network operations rather than purely technical development.

Cardano Foundation Expands DRep Delegation

In a post on X and an accompanying blog update, the Foundation said it has delegated an additional 220 million ADA to 11 selected DReps, roughly 20 million ADA each, focused on the pillars of Adoption and Operations. The Foundation framed the step as a continuation of earlier delegations to “Developer & Builder DReps,” and said the new allocation brings total delegation to community DReps to 360 million ADA.

Alongside the additional community delegation, the Foundation said it is revising how it handles its remaining stake in governance. “Rather than leaving a portion of our funds on auto-abstain as initially planned, we will self-delegate the remaining balance (approximately 171 million ADA),” the Foundation wrote. “While this exceeds our initial estimate, it ensures no ADA remains passive and still results in a net reduction of our overall voting power by approximately 43 million ADA, with the clear majority of our holdings now empowering community DReps.”

The Foundation emphasized that the delegations are intended to distribute voting power without imposing direction. “This delegation is not a blind bet, rather it’s a show of trust in a proven history of sound decision-making,” it said. “As always, it’s also a show of good faith: These new delegations come without any expectation regarding voting outcomes. We will not direct these DReps on how to vote, nor will we provide a voting manual.”

That posture, explicitly accepting dissent from its own views, was positioned as a feature rather than a risk. The Foundation said it expects “differing opinions” between the newly selected DReps and the Foundation itself, describing that divergence as evidence of “a healthy, decentralized governance system.”

The Foundation’s rationale for targeting adoption and operations reads as a governance design choice: broaden the expertise mix beyond protocol engineering. “To build a resilient governance system, we need more than just technical expertise—We need business acumen and operational stability,” it wrote, arguing that Adoption DReps can represent real-world utility, onboarding, and enterprise needs, while Operations DReps reflect the practical constraints faced by stake pool operators, toolmakers, and infrastructure providers.

In the published list, the Adoption cohort includes figures tied to community growth and product-building across the ecosystem, from regional community leadership to DeFi and stablecoin infrastructure, while the Operations cohort highlights long-running infrastructure roles such as block explorer analytics, stake pool operations, and SPO tooling.

The Foundation said all eleven delegations were completed in a single on-chain transaction, linking to the Cardano Explorer entry, and noted the delegations are effective immediately. It also encouraged the broader community to “follow and interact with these DReps,” including engaging with their voting rationales and participating in governance actions.

At press time, Cardano traded at $0.3549.

The White House is urging U.S. lawmakers to move quickly on legislation to reform the crypto market structure as political timelines tighten and digital asset markets face renewed volatility.

With the Senate struggling to secure bipartisan support and more than $1 billion in recent crypto liquidations, officials say the window for passing a workable regulatory framework may be closing.

Patrick Witt, executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, has warned that expecting the crypto industry to operate without clear rules is unrealistic. He argues that some form of legislation is “inevitable” and that delays could leave the sector exposed to harsher policies in the future.

White House Presses for Action on Crypto Rules

The proposed Senate bill would define how the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversee crypto markets, including stablecoins and decentralized finance protocols. However, disagreements over key provisions have slowed progress.

Both the Senate Banking and Agriculture Committees recently postponed markups as lawmakers worked to resolve disputes and gather enough support to advance the bill. Witt has been blunt in his message to the industry: accept compromise now or risk facing a less favorable outcome later.

He criticized Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong for withdrawing support for the current version of the bill, after Armstrong said the company would “rather have no bill than a bad bill.”

Midterm Elections Add Pressure

The push for speed is also tied to the November U.S. midterm elections, which could reshape Congress. All House seats and 35 Senate seats are up for grabs, and polling and prediction markets suggest Democrats have a strong chance of flipping the House.

A divided Congress would likely slow or stall crypto legislation altogether. Witt has cautioned that the political alignment needed to pass a market structure bill may not be in place after the elections, making the coming months critical for any deal.

$1B Liquidations Highlight Market Stress

The policy debate comes as markets reel from a sharp deleveraging event. Today, more than 182,000 traders were liquidated in a single day, with total losses of over $1.08 billion. Most of the damage came from long positions in Bitcoin and Ethereum, as falling prices triggered cascading margin calls across major exchanges.

Bitcoin alone saw over $427 million in long liquidations, while Ethereum accounted for roughly $374 million. Technical indicators show many altcoins trading with RSI levels below 50, suggesting continued selling pressure.

Rising Japanese bond yields and renewed global risk-off sentiment have also tightened liquidity, prompting investors to shift away from volatile assets like crypto. Although Bitcoin later stabilized near $90,000, analysts say the recent rebound looks more like a pause after forced selling than a clear return to bullish momentum.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart on Tradingview

A disagreement over US crypto regulation has spilled into public view, drawing the Cardano and XRP communities into an unexpected clash. The reason is the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a proposed bill intended to define how digital assets are regulated in the United States. 

The disagreement started after Charles Hoskinson openly criticized Brad Garlinghouse over his stance on the legislation, which led to pushback from prominent XRP community members. This comes just after reports have suggested growing frustration among lawmakers toward Coinbase over disagreements tied to the Clarity Act.

Hoskinson’s Criticism And Garlinghouse’s Position In Full Context

The tension came to the surface during a livestream in January 2026, where Hoskinson criticized Garlinghouse’s apparent support for advancing the Clarity Act despite its shortcomings. In the video, Hoskinson expressed skepticism about the bill’s direction and origins, remarking sarcastically, “And what we got is Elizabeth Warren wrote the bill, that’s leadership we can believe in.”

He went on to challenge the idea that passing an imperfect bill is preferable to continued uncertainty, pointing directly to the position of Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. Hoskinson questioned whether handing regulatory power to the same institutions that previously sued, subpoenaed, or shut down crypto businesses could truly be considered progress.

Hoskinson’s remarks did not go unanswered. Vet, a notable XRP community member and XRP Ledger dUNL validator, reposted the video on X and criticized Hoskinson’s approach. Vet questioned why Hoskinson chose to publicly attack Garlinghouse instead of contributing constructively to the legislative process, writing, “How about focusing on helping shape the Clarity Bill instead of crashing out on Brad for no reason, Charles?”

Why The Clarity Act Matters To Both Communities

The Clarity Act is one of a few bills introduced during the current crypto-positive Trump administration that aims to bring structure to a regulatory environment that has been uncertain for years. The Clarity Act, in particular, was introduced to bring clarity around whether digital assets should be treated as securities or commodities and which agencies should oversee them. 

The bill represents a necessary step toward legal certainty and institutional participation. Supporters of XRP tend to see engagement with lawmakers as a practical route forward after years of legal battles. However, others like Charles Hoskinson are of a different notion. 

The Clarity Act is not without its issues. Sources close to the White House say the administration is considering pulling its support for the Clarity Act if Coinbase does not return to negotiations over stablecoin yield provisions. However, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong noted that Coinbase is actively working to find common ground with banks on yield-related issues.

A similar Act, called the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act, or the “GENIUS Act,” was signed into law in 2025 by President Donald Trump as part of efforts to create better regulatory clarity towards stablecoins in the United States. 

Interestingly, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse was part of the crypto industry leaders that expressed support for the Genius Act after it was signed into law.

In a sudden move, the cryptocurrency market flipped extremely bearish, causing major digital assets such as XRP to drop sharply. After days of trading above the $2 price mark, the altcoin has fallen below this level, bringing it to the key $1.80 support. While the leading altcoin continues to face heightened volatility, its derivatives market is telling a different story.

Traders Crowd Back Into The XRP Market

XRP’s price action and its derivatives market are moving in different directions as traders continue move back into the altcoin. On-chain data shows that derivatives activity is heating up, with Open Interest (OI) undergoing a sharp rise after weeks of downward performance or sluggish growth.

A crypto pundit and investor, Xaif Crypto, reported that XRP open interest has moved above its 30-day average as volatility reaches its highest level since November 2025. This rise in open interest is centered on Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world.

As both speculative positioning and hedging activity pick up pace in reaction to broader price swings, the rise suggests a resurgence of trader activity. Furthermore, heightened volatility and rising open interest frequently indicate a turning point, when leverage is increasing, and the market is preparing for a big move.

The chart indicates that the total open interest is around $566 million against a 30-day average near $529 million. These figures suggest that new positions are steadily entering the market, not aggressively.  However, this is not the major signal of the trend. 

Currently, rising open interest volatility, with the standard deviation at its highest level in months, is the primary indicator. Meanwhile, the Z score is still moderate, sitting around the 0.57 level. Xaif Crypto stated that this development suggests cautious accumulation and growing risk without extreme leverage in the market. 

It is worth noting that these conditions typically unfold prior to a strong directional move. With the current setup, XRP has entered a more dynamic and reactive trading environment than it has seen in months, regardless of whether this surge of activity resolves into continuation or reversal.

A Steady Wave Of Capital Inflows

A recent CoinShares report from Xaif Crypto shows that XRP is still attracting fresh capital at a significant rate. Despite a volatile market condition, weekly inflows have extended, pointing to a growing confidence among investors in the leading altcoin.

In the past week, the token pulled in over $69.5 million in inflows. This figure shows that demand is persistently building beneath the surface, indicating rising accumulation rather than speculative interest. While markets have shifted toward a volatile state, fresh capital is still being rotated into XRP.

The capacity of XRP to attract investment even in slower times is becoming a more significant indicator for its medium-term prospects. As both institutional and large-scale participants flock in, this raises the discussion that a bigger move might be imminent, and these investors are positioning themselves ahead of it.

A decade-old report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) is resurfacing in the crypto space, highlighting early recognition of Ripple and XRP’s potential in the banking sector. Analysts say the document illustrates how decentralized networks like Ripple may allow institutions to settle payments faster and more directly in the future. 

WEF Spotlights Ripple For Settlement Case Study

A crypto market analyst identified as ‘SMQKE’ on X recently revived a 2015 WEF report, sparking fresh discussions in the crypto community. The document explores how traditional banks could interact with emerging payment technologies, and it specifically mentions the company as a system capable of transforming interbank settlement.

The WEF report revealed that, as alternative payment methods, such as decentralized networks, grow in popularity worldwide, banks have the opportunity to integrate them into their services. By adopting these technologies, institutions can make it easier for customers to move value in and out of non-traditional networks while also exploring new financial products. Ripple is cited as an example of a protocol that could serve as one of these alternative rails. 

Beyond customer use, these networks can also improve how banks operate internally. By leveraging non-traditional networks, banks could streamline processes and offer smoother, faster products and services. Ripple’s protocol, for instance, enhances this process by enabling real-time settlement between banks, eliminating the need for traditional clearinghouses or correspondent banks. 

A case study in the WEF report focuses on German-based Fidor Bank, an online full-service bank that implemented the payment firm for its internal settlement operations in 2014. According to the World Economic Forum, broader adoption of Ripple could enable other banks to settle payments instantly with one another. This early example demonstrates how the crypto payments company was already seen as a practical tool for improving banking efficiency. 

Though the WEF report is over a decade old, its insights remain relevant as financial institutions continue exploring blockchain-based payment solutions. Notably, this is not the first time the World Economic Forum has mentioned Ripple in its reports. In its May 2025 report, the international organization highlighted Ripple and the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as key technologies in the future of asset tokenization. 

How XRP Fits In The Bank Settlement Scheme

As the native token of the XRP Ledger (XRPL), XRP is designed to serve as a digital bridge for fast, low-cost cross-border payments between financial institutions. By leveraging XRPL, Ripple enables banks and payment providers to settle transactions in seconds rather than days. 

Due to its high throughput and ability to handle large transaction volumes with minimal effort, the XRP Ledger appears well-suited for the demands of modern banking. Its efficiency and speed have led many to compare Ripple to SWIFT, the long-standing messaging network used by banks worldwide for international transfers.

The Senate Banking Committee delayed the anticipated markup of its crypto market structure bill draft, prompting the Agriculture Committee to take action. The Agriculture Committee is set to release its own version of the bill’s draft today, just ahead of a crucial vote scheduled for next week.

Coinbase Faces Pressure To Negotiate Yield Deal

Eleanor Terret, a reporter with Crypto In America who has been closely monitoring congressional developments regarding cryptocurrency, reported that staffers from the Banking Committee hope a successful bipartisan agreement spearheaded by their counterparts in the Ag Committee could facilitate a smoother markup process.

The responsibility now largely falls on Coinbase—whose sudden withdrawal of support for the bill contributed to the halt in the markup process—to negotiate a deal with banking leaders on yield. At the same time, Binance and Ripple’s leadership have expressed support for the bill’s latest version during their appearance in Davos. 

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong expressed his apprehensions regarding the implications of the bill last week. He raised concerns that the legislation could prohibit tokenized equities, impose restrictions on decentralized finance (DeFi), and expand government access to financial data, potentially sacrificing individual privacy. 

The executive also cautioned that the bill could shift regulatory power from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which may eliminate stablecoin rewards and hinder competition within the crypto sector.

President Trump Optimistic About Crypto Market Bill

Adding to the tension, Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the White House Crypto Council, took to social media late Tuesday to criticize Coinbase, warning that the delay in the market structure bill could invite stricter regulations under an administration less favorable to digital assets. 

Witt’s remarks seemed to corroborate reports from Crypto In America indicating that the White House is frustrated with Coinbase’s withdrawal, which has contributed to the legislative stall.

In a related note, President Donald Trump acknowledged the ongoing efforts surrounding the market structure legislation during his speech in Davos on Wednesday. 

He expressed hope that Congress would finalize the bill soon, stating, “Congress is working very hard on crypto market structure legislation, which I hope to sign very soon, unlocking new pathways for Americans to reach financial freedom.”

Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

On Tuesday, Bitcoin took a hit with its price losing the $90,000 level once again due to a general market drawdown. Even with the price of BTC experiencing a pullback below the pivotal level, investors’ sentiment remained strong, as evidenced by a sharp drop in selling pressure across the market.

Selling BT Long-Term Bitcoin Investors Falls Drastically

The Bitcoin price movement has turned bearish as the crypto market becomes increasingly volatile, but investors are demonstrating an encouraging trend. A clear indication of the encouraging trend from BTC investors is their renewed willingness to hold onto their coins rather than sell them off.

According to the report from Frank, a crypto expert and BTC market quant, this declining selling pressure is observed among long-term holders. Currently, selling pressure from the cohort has fallen to remarkably low levels, which reflects a notable shift in market behavior and sentiment.

Typically considered as the network’s most conviction-driven players, these investors continue to refrain from selling their BTC, causing the Long-Term Holder Sell-side Risk Ratio to fall to its lowest level in the past year. When selling pressure from the group decreases, it often implies confidence in future price increases or the conviction that current levels do not yet warrant selling.

Frank highlighted that the last time the Long-Term Holder Sell-side Risk Ratio reached this low, it was the $49,000 bottom following the Yen carry trade unwind. A few months later, the price of BTC witnessed a rally to a new all-time high. Should BTC follow the same trend as last time, a major price surge might be on the horizon. As a result, the expert is highly confident in BTC’s short-term and medium-term prospects.

Investors On Crypto Exchanges Are Losing Interest In Selling

Selling pressure has also reduced on major centralized exchanges, especially on Binance. On the platform, large investors or whale transactions involving BTC movement into the exchange are steadily declining. In other words, significantly less Bitcoin is being sent to trading platforms by large holders compared to earlier.

Unlike retail investors, whales are typically seen as a more cautious kind of BTC holders and are less susceptible to changes in the market. Data shows that whale inflows have been divided by and are currently valued at around $2.74 billion. At the end of November 2025, these inflows to Binance surged, reaching an average monthly total of nearly $8 billion when BTC’s price drops back below the $90,000 mark.

Currently, daily movements are far less frequent compared to the cluster seen at the end of November. This shift in dynamics indicates that whales have changed their behavior and are no longer selling aggressively, leaning more toward a waiting strategy. In the meantime, the holding action appears to be encouraged by the current consolidation period, which greatly lessens the selling pressure from whales, whose impact on the market can be substantial.

Crypto is no longer just something traders hold and hope will appreciate, it is becoming working capital that can be deployed wherever opportunity appears.

• Crypto is shifting from holding to working capital across global markets.
• PrimeXBT lets traders use crypto as collateral for multi-asset access.
• One balance reduces friction, enabling faster capital deployment across strategies.

Instead of sitting idle in a wallet, crypto increasingly functions as a universal, always‑on collateral layer that powers access to FX, indices, commodities and global equities without leaving digital assets behind. 

How traders are putting crypto to work across every market This reflects a deeper behavioural shift: advanced traders think in terms of capital, not coins, and focus on how quickly that capital can move across markets, strategies and timeframes. 

The question is no longer “What is my crypto worth today?” but “Where can this crypto work hardest for me right now?”

PrimeXBT’s “crypto as collateral” model, and what it enables PrimeXBT was early to this transition. Since 2018, the global multi-asset broker has treated crypto as a funding rail rather than a destination, allowing traders to use crypto as collateral, maintain crypto‑denominated accounts, and access hundreds of TradFi instruments, from gold and oil to the S&P 500, Nasdaq, major FX pairs, and global stocks such as Tesla and Netflix, in a unified trading environment. 

Crypto is becoming a collateral engine for multi-asset trading Crypto remains the base, but capital flows freely across asset classes through a single balance, professional tools, leverage and low‑fee trading conditions, reducing the operational drag of fragmented accounts and repeated fiat conversions. 

That integrated approach turns what used to be a messy, multi‑platform workflow into a single, coherent trading system that supports both high‑frequency activity and longer‑term positioning.

As PrimeXBT puts it, “We were founded as a crypto‑native broker, but our mission has always been bigger: to let traders use their crypto as true global trading capital, not a closed ecosystem. Crypto should unlock more markets, more strategies and more optionality, not narrow your field of view.” 

From “HODL” to “deploy”: The new role of crypto capital For modern traders, this changes the core decision from “Should I choose crypto or TradFi?” to “How can I deploy my crypto capital across the widest opportunity set, with the least friction?” In that context, PrimeXBT is built for the next phase of market structure: multi‑asset by design, crypto‑native by origin, and now crypto‑enabled for truly global market access – where coins are not the end state, but the starting point for a more flexible, capital‑first way of trading.

Start trading with PrimeXBT.

About PrimeXBT

PrimeXBT is a global multi-asset broker and crypto asset service provider trusted by traders in more than 150 countries. The platform bridges traditional and digital markets within one integrated environment, redefining versatility and innovation in online trading. Clients can access Forex, CFDs on indices, commodities, shares, crypto, and Crypto Futures, as well as buy, store and exchange cryptocurrencies directly. This unified experience extends across both the native PXTrader platform and MetaTrader 5, supported by advanced risk-management tools and a wide range of funding options in crypto, fiat and local payment methods. Since 2018, PrimeXBT has focused on empowering traders through broad multi-asset access, fair and transparent conditions, professional-grade technology and dedicated human support. By combining expertise, trust and a client-first approach, PrimeXBT sets a benchmark of excellence in the financial industry and provides traders with the tools they need to trade, grow and succeed with confidence.

Disclaimer: The content provided here is for informational purposes only and is not intended as personal investment advice and does not constitute a solicitation or invitation to engage in any financial transactions, investments, or related activities. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. The financial products offered by the Company are complex and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. These products may not be suitable for all investors. Before engaging, you should consider whether you understand how these leveraged products work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money. The Company does not accept clients from the Restricted Jurisdictions as indicated on its website / T&Cs. Some products and services, including MT5, may not be available in your jurisdiction. The applicable legal entity and its respective products and services depend on the client’s country of residence and the entity with which the client has established a contractual relationship during registration.

Сооснователь специализирующейся на кибербезопасности компании CDSecurity, известный под псевдонимом Chris Dior, заявил, что мошенники меняют схему отмывания криптовалют, переключившись в последнее время с миксеров на смену сетей.

XRP has once again traded directly into a price zone that a few traders have come to recognize as a liquidity pocket. This area has acted as a magnet for price since December 2024, causing repeated tests and reactions that stand out clearly on the price chart. In a recent technical breakdown shared on X, crypto analyst ChartNerd highlighted how XRP has repeatedly made contact with this liquidity pocket over the past year and the cryptocurrency might be approaching a relief bounce.

Liquidity Pocket: Support Or Springboard?

Technical analysis of XRP’s price action shows that the cryptocurrency is now trading within a liquidity zone that has acted as a support range since December 2024. This liquidity zone, which spans the range from $1.90 to $1.75, has acted as a price magnet for many months. Even after reaching its all-time high of $3.65 in July 2025, XRP entered into a multi-month correction that eventually found support at this liquidity zone.

According to the analysis, nearly every prior visit to this zone was followed by some form of relief, especially when momentum indicators aligned. The last time XRP returned to this level, it slowed down its decline and eventually bounced back above $2.4 in early January.

However, the most recent push downwards played out as a 20% decline after a rejection at the $2.40 zone in early January, which has essentially pushed the XRP price action back to trading within this liquidity range and has started to show tentative stabilization. 

To bring further confirmation to the setup, the analyst included the daily Stochastic RSI below the price chart. This momentum indicator, which measures relative strength and conditions of overbought or oversold pressure, is currently sitting in deeply oversold territory according to the chart. These oversold conditions in the Stoch RSI aligned with rebounds off this same liquidity pocket.

XRP Price Chart. Source: @ChartNerdTA On X

What Happens Next?

If history repeats itself, the repeated tests of this liquidity pocket and accompanying oversold signals might be clearing the road for a bounce. If XRP was underneath this pocket and rejecting at this level, that would be bearish. Holding it as support for a long duration points to a strong support strength in this area.

That said, there is another possibility that the reverse could happen. Should XRP break decisively below this zone with strong selling pressure, the technical setup would shift from supportive to bearish and leave the price action trending downwards.

Trading activity hints that recent buyers may be in a tough spot, because the mix of holders now resembles the early 2022 structure when price pressure was high. That means many participants may be below their breakeven cost basis, and this can build selling pressure over time if prices fail to move higher.

Ежедневное число операций с криптовалютными платежными картами достигло почти 60 000 к середине января. Это в 22 раза больше показателей декабря 2024 года, показали данные сервиса Paymentscan.

Американская криптокомпания Galaxy миллиардера Майка Новограца (Mike Novogratz) планирует до конца марта запустить хедж‑фонд объемом $100 млн.