CryptoNews

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has pushed back against what he described as a lack of originality in the current layer-2 and blockchain scaling landscape.

Summary

Vitalik Buterin criticized the growing trend of launching similar EVM-based layer-2 chains, arguing that copy-paste designs have slowed meaningful innovation in Ethereum’s scaling ecosystem.

He said Ethereum’s base layer is already scaling and will provide significant blockspace, reducing the need for additional generic layer-1 networks or loosely connected EVM chains.

Buterin urged developers to build systems that offer genuinely new capabilities and to align their branding with how closely their projects are actually connected to Ethereum.

In a blog post published earlier today, Buterin said the ecosystem has grown too comfortable with launching similar EVM-based chains that add little technical innovation.

“We don’t need more copypasta EVM chains,” Says Vitalik Buterin

Buterin argued that creating yet another EVM chain with an optimistic bridge to Ethereum (ETH) and a week-long withdrawal delay has become a default approach.

He compared the trend to the early days of DeFi governance, when repeated forks of protocols like Compound stifled innovation.

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According to Buterin, this pattern has “sapped imagination” and pushed infrastructure development into a dead end. He was even more critical of EVM chains that lack a meaningful connection to Ethereum, saying the ecosystem does not need more standalone layer-1 networks.

Buterin also noted that Ethereum’s base layer is already scaling and will continue to provide significantly more EVM-compatible blockspace. While not infinite, he said Ethereum will be able to support a wide range of applications.

Moreover, Buterin has recently raised broader concerns about how decisions are made within the Ethereum ecosystem. In a previous blog post, he argued that governance should move away from informal, sentiment-driven decision-making and toward more structured, accountable mechanisms.

Call for meaningful innovation

Instead, Buterin urged developers to focus on building systems that introduce genuinely new capabilities. He pointed to privacy-focused designs, application-specific efficiency, and ultra-low latency execution as examples.

Buterin also criticized projects that present themselves as tightly connected to Ethereum while maintaining only minimal or superficial links.

He said teams should be honest about how dependent they actually are on Ethereum.

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A 15-foot-tall statue of former President Donald Trump, cast in bronze and gilded in gold leaf, has a home: a 7,000-pound pedestal at one of Trump’s golf resorts.

But this monument, dubbed “Don Colossus,” is not just a tribute to the 34-felony-count president. According to the New York Times, it’s at the heart of a bizarre cryptocurrency venture that’s seen a rollercoaster of financial hopes, legal disputes, and strange alliances — and it may just be the wildest moneymaking scheme of the Trump era.

Summary

A 15-foot statue of Trump was used to promote the struggling PATRIOT memecoin, which lost over 90% of its value shortly after its launch.

The project faced delays, infighting, and a legal dispute with sculptor Alan Cottrill, who claimed he was owed $75,000 for intellectual property rights, stalling the statue’s public debut.

Despite the coin’s failure, the project continues with plans for an official unveiling at Trump’s Doral golf resort.

The statue was funded by cryptocurrency investors who paid $300,000 to commission a sculptor to create it as a homage to Trump. It was then used to promote PATRIOT, a memecoin with little function beyond speculation, designed to capitalize on MAGA hype.

The coin went on sale in late 2024, briefly spiking in value as Trump made bold promises about turning the U.S. into the “crypto capital of the planet.” But as with many memecoin ventures, the excitement didn’t last.

PATRIOT’s price plummeted, losing over 90% of its value within months, marred by delays and infighting among the investors. The statue, initially planned for a grand unveiling, became a symbol of the volatile and often dubious nature of memecoins, which are known for their reliance on viral trends and celebrity endorsements.

However, its sheer size and golden sheen have continued to draw attention, and it has remained the centerpiece of a marketing campaign designed to revive the struggling cryptocurrency.

The project’s backers, including crypto developers and right-wing activists, used social media to promote the statue, hoping to gain enough internet buzz to revive the coin’s value.

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Official Trump ‘trumps’ Patriot

While the statue was being built, it encountered multiple setbacks, including a clash with Ohio-based sculptor Alan Cottrill, who claimed he was owed $75,000 for intellectual property rights. The dispute over the use of his design for marketing purposes led to a bitter standoff, with Cottrill threatening to withhold the statue until he was fully compensated. Despite these tensions, the statue’s construction proceeded, and a concrete-and-stainless-steel pedestal was installed at Trump’s golf complex in January 2026.

Though the Trump family publicly distanced itself from the coin, Trump promoted the project, including a link shared to Breitbart News, and kept the spotlight on PATRIOT.

His own coin, Official Trump (TRUMP), launched shortly before the PATRIOT unveiling, further complicating the situation and leading to a drop in interest in the competing crypto token. The timing couldn’t have been worse, as the price of PATRIOT tanked just as Trump’s official token took off.

The PATRIOT saga, though financially rocky, continues to capture the public’s imagination. The statue, intended as a marketing stunt for the coin, is now poised for an official unveiling in Doral, Florida.

Trump has reportedly expressed interest in attending the event, though no official date has been set.

In the meantime, Cottrill is still waiting for full payment for his work, while the investors continue to promote the project online, hoping the statue’s golden finish will spark renewed interest.

Despite the setbacks, the statue stands as a symbol of one of the stranger intersections between politics, crypto, and celebrity culture. The backers of PATRIOT have insisted that the project wasn’t about getting rich — it was about building a “people’s crypto token” that would celebrate Trump and his supporters.

As of now, it seems more like a monument to memecoins.

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Galaxy Digital stock price remains in a technical bear market after plunging by nearly 50% from its highest level in 2025, and a risky chart pattern points to more downside as its losses rise amid the crypto market crash.

Summary

Galaxy Digital stock has formed a head-and-shoulders pattern on the daily chart.

Technical analysis suggests that the stock is at risk of a deep dive.

The company made a $482 million loss in the fourth quarter as crypto prices dived.

Michael Novogratz’s Galaxy dropped to $24 on Tuesday, its lowest level since January 2 and well below last year’s high of $45. Its valuation has dropped from $16 billion to $9.3 billion today.

The company released weak financial results as the crypto market crash affected its business. Its net loss jumped to $482 million, mostly due to depreciation on its holdings. As a result, its annual loss jumped to $240 million due to a drop in asset value and one-off costs associated with going public.

The company said that it ended the quarter with $12 billion in assets under management, with its net inflows rising by over $2 billion. At the same time, the company has continued to expand its AI data center business, with the capacity of its Helios data center doubling to 830 megawatts.

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Galaxy’s data center business has benefited from its partnership with CoreWeave, a company backed by NVIDIA, the world’s largest firm.

On the positive side, Michael Novogratz believes that Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies will bounce back this year, which will benefit its business. He said:

“I do think we are at the lower end of the range. What I would say is we have been here before, anyone who has been in crypto for more than five years realizes that part of the ethos of this whole industry is pain.”

Galaxy Digital stock price technical analysis

GLXY stock chart |Source: TradingView 

The daily timeframe chart shows that the GLXY stock price has come under pressure in the past few months as the crypto market crash has accelerated.

A closer look shows that the stock may continue to fall in the coming weeks, as it has formed a head-and-shoulders pattern. Its current price is along the neckline of this pattern.

Galaxy Digital share price has moved below the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages and the Supertrend indicator, while the Relative Strength Index has moved below the neutral point.

Therefore, the most likely scenario is that it continues to fall as sellers target the key support level at $17.7. A drop below that level will signal further downside to $15.

Read more: Bitcoin price prediction: How low can BTC go in the first week of February?

PEPE trades at $0.0000043, down 29% monthly. Whales fade rallies but price holds 21-day EMA. Upside targets $0.000007–$0.000012 if liquidity returns.

Summary

Pepe trades at $0.0000043, down 29% over the past month and 64% year-over-year, with $600M daily volume showing bruised but active speculation

Whales continue fading short-term rallies while price reclaims the 21-day EMA, creating potential for mean-reversion spikes if memecoin liquidity rotates back

Hyperliquid trader James Wynn’s $69B market cap forecast by end-2026 anchors community expectations despite current drawdown from late-2024 highs

Pepe (PEPE) is trading in a fatigued downtrend but still primed for sharp mean‑reversion spikes if liquidity rotates back into memecoins over the next quarter.

PEPE price trends in fatigued downtrend with potential for mean-reversion spike, 03 February 2026 | Source: crypto.news Pepe price prediction: market context

Pepe changes hands around 0.00000430.00000430.0000043 dollars, down roughly 29% over the past month and more than 64% over the past year, with 24‑hour volume near 600 million dollars signaling that speculation is bruised, not dead. The selloff followed a brutal slide from the late‑2024 high near 0.0000280.0000280.000028, erasing most of the prior cycle’s blow‑off and resetting positioning. On higher timeframes, recent analysis highlighted a weakening structure with a head‑and‑shoulders pattern and persistent distribution by whales into strength. At the same time, price has started to reclaim the 21‑day EMA on pullbacks, a first sign that aggressive shorts are no longer in total control.

LATEST: Pepe Price Prediction – Best Meme Coin to Buy During Crypto Market Crash? https://t.co/DIFGabDsD4 pic.twitter.com/K4dDaE9udZ

— DreamGirl (@CoinInsightPro) February 2, 2026

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Flows and intent

On‑chain and derivatives data show large holders and “smart money” have been fading short‑term rallies, cutting long exposure even as retail chased double‑digit intraday pops. That behavior is pure memecoin microstructure: whales sell volatility to late buyers, then reload lower once sentiment cracks. Earlier this year, a Hyperliquid top trader openly targeted a 69‑billion‑dollar market cap for Pepe by end‑2026, injecting a new narrative that still anchors community expectations despite the subsequent drawdown. For disciplined traders, that mismatch between retail hopium and cautious pro flow defines the current edge: fade overcrowded spikes, accumulate only when panic volumes flush and derivatives positioning resets.

Price scenarios

Technically, holding above the reclaimed 21‑day EMA keeps a squeeze toward the mid‑range at roughly 0.0000070.0000070.000007–0.0000080.0000080.000008 in play, aligning with prior consolidation and short‑covering zones mapped in recent coverage. A more aggressive upside path, contingent on broad risk‑on conditions and renewed whale accumulation, could extend toward 0.0000100.0000100.000010–0.0000120.0000120.000012, still far below the all‑time high but enough for a two‑to‑three‑times move from current levels. Breaks back below the recent spot lows and value area would invalidate that bull case and reopen a slide toward the low 0.0000030.0000030.000003 region flagged in prior capitulation phases. In other words: Pepe remains a high‑beta sentiment gauge where intent is clear, but execution must be ruthless.

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Pi Network has announced a series of technical updates aimed at expanding participation in its Mainnet ecosystem. With over 16 million users now migrated to Mainnet, the network is pushing forward with key improvements that will unblock millions more for migration and KYC (Know Your Customer) submissions.

Summary

Nearly 2.5 million Pi Network users were previously blocked due to additional security and compliance checks; they’re now able to complete their Mainnet migration.

Pi is also exploring a new palm print authentication feature during the KYC process.

Pi aims to make it easier to join the ecosystem while bolstering security and scalability.

In a significant development, nearly 2.5 million so-called “Pioneers,” who had previously been blocked due to additional security and compliance checks, are now able to complete their Mainnet migration. For those eligible, the system will automatically transfer their balances if they are active miners and have completed the necessary Mainnet Checklist.

The migration process has been unblocked in batches due to unique technical challenges related to account verification, security measures, and KYC status. Each batch requires customized solutions to ensure that only legitimate users move forward while preventing bad actors from entering the network.

Within the next few weeks, Pi will also enable more than 700,000 previously ineligible Pi users to submit KYC applications. They will then be evaluated to determine their KYC status as the network scales its Mainnet migration efforts. Pi urges users to submit their KYC applications as soon as possible to ensure their participation in future network developments.

Pi is also exploring a new palm print authentication feature during the KYC process. In beta testing, this method will provide an additional layer of security for account verification without requiring a face scan. Palm prints could also serve as a part of broader security protocols, including identity verification for account recovery, password resets, and two-factor authentication.

Pi’s long-awaited validator rewards distribution is progressing as planned, with deployment expected by the end of March 2026. The system, which will reward validators for their work in the KYC process, is currently undergoing testing. Given the complexity of the task data—spanning millions of validation tasks—Pi is ensuring the rewards distribution system is accurate and secure before going live.

With these updates, Pi continues to reinforce its dual strengths: a massive, identity-verified community and a fully operational Mainnet blockchain. As the network evolves, Pi aims to make it easier to join the ecosystem while bolstering security and scalability.

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The weekend brought a mood change to the crypto market, as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP all slipped into negative territory.

Table of Contents

Why is XRP under pressure?

XRP price prediction: Can XRP crash below $1.50?

Final thoughts

XRP looked promising at the start of the year, but the upside was short-lived. Continued selling pressure through January and early February has kept prices under pressure.

Summary

XRP has slipped to around $1.64, down roughly 14% over the past week, hitting a nine-month low.

The token’s recent weakness largely follows Bitcoin’s decline, with BTC dropping toward $74,500.

Macro uncertainty, including geopolitical tensions, U.S. government shutdown risks, and high interest rate expectations, is weighing on investor sentiment.

Regulatory delays in the U.S., such as the Clarity Act, are limiting upside potential, keeping the XRP outlook cautious.

Short-term XRP price prediction remains volatile, with support around $1.55 and resistance near $1.65; a drop below $1.50 is possible, while a rebound could target $1.70–$1.83.

Why is XRP under pressure?

As of February 2, Ripple (XRP) is hovering around $1.63 after slipping by over 0.6% in a single session. Over the past week, the token has lost roughly 14%, putting it among the most pressured large-cap cryptocurrencies. Prices are now at a nine-month low, sparking worries about further declines.

XRP 1-day chart, February 2026 | Source: crypto.news

XRP’s weakness has largely mirrored Bitcoin’s. As BTC slid toward $74,500, selling pressure rippled through the altcoin market, pulling XRP down along with it. That close link has made losses feel even bigger.

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On top of that, macro uncertainty is keeping investors on edge. Geopolitical tensions and worries about a U.S. government shutdown have encouraged a pullback from risky assets, while high interest rate expectations are dampening speculative bets.

U.S. regulatory delays, including the slow-moving Clarity Act, are also capping potential gains. As a result, the XRP outlook stays cautious, with the market at large shaping price action more than anything specific to the token.

XRP price prediction: Can XRP crash below $1.50?

XRP is caught in a tricky spot right now, trading sideways with little momentum. Bulls need to break through $1.65 to kickstart a proper recovery.

Buyers are holding $1.55 for now, but if it fails, prices could slide to $1.48–$1.46, with longer-term support between $1.30–$1.24 if the market stays weak.

The short-term XRP forecast is uncertain. A drop below $1.50 can’t be ruled out, but if XRP holds $1.55 and pushes past $1.65, a rebound toward $1.70 and maybe even $1.83 is possible.

Final thoughts

Right now, the short-term XRP price prediction is anything but stable. Price moves are largely dictated by Bitcoin and overall market sentiment. A fall below $1.50 is possible if selling pressure persists, but a positive shift or a Bitcoin recovery could restore momentum. For the time being, XRP price is likely to bounce between $1.55 and $1.83, moving sideways as traders assess the market.

Read more: XRP price prediction ahead of US PCE inflation data and government shutdown risks

Alleged Justin Sun insider claims TRX was manipulated on Binance as SEC wash‑trade charges and WLFI’s TRON‑linked footprint raise fresh regulatory questions.

Summary

Journalist Zeng Ying, claiming close ties to Justin Sun, alleges coordinated TRX buying and selling via multiple Binance employee accounts to pump price, then dump on retail.​

Her claims surface against an SEC case accusing Sun of 600k+ TRX wash trades and unregistered offerings, deepening scrutiny of TRON’s early market structure.

TRX and WLFI prices remain relatively stable so far, but any U.S. follow‑up on Zeng’s promised evidence could pressure TRON‑linked DEFI ecosystems.

Allegations around TRON’s (TRX) early trading are resurfacing—this time from inside Justin Sun’s personal orbit.

Core allegations and who is speaking

In a series of posts on Jan. 31, 2026, Chinese financial journalist and entrepreneur Zeng Ying claimed she “was close to Justin Sun during TRON’s early days” and now “has evidence of market manipulation on Binance.”

I was Justin’s girlfriend during the early stages of his entrepreneurship with TRX.I am in possession of evidence showing that he used the identities and mobile phones of multiple employees to register numerous Binance accounts, through which he conducted coordinated buying and… https://t.co/aQi0PWvk6L

— 曾颖 (@tenten19901107) February 1, 2026

Zeng, a Forbes “30 Under 30” alum who studied finance at Waseda University and previously hosted TV in Japan, has a long track record as a crypto blogger; her Weibo account was later banned, and she has spoken openly about “serious mental health problems” and depression dating back to 2018.

What she claims Justin Sun did

Zeng alleges that Sun “used multiple employee identities and phones to open many Binance accounts” and that these accounts “coordinated buying and selling of TRX,” pushing prices up before “TRX was then dumped on retail investors,” generating “massive illegal profits.” She says she holds “WeChat chat records, employee testimony, [and] internal evidence,” and has publicly invited U.S. regulators to contact her, stating she is “willing to cooperate with the SEC.”

I am not making empty accusations. I have a substantial amount of evidence, and what has been disclosed so far is only a very small portion of it.Justin Sun used the identities of multiple employees based in Beijing to operate accounts on the Binance exchange, through which he… https://t.co/cq5fEzb9H9

— 曾颖 (@tenten19901107) February 1, 2026

Zeng also claims she was Sun’s girlfriend during TRON’s early period, but admits no documentary proof has yet surfaced; as the original thread notes, “no evidence places her inside TRON operations in 2017–2018 for now” and current coverage relies on “gossip articles” labeling her an “ex-girlfriend” without substantiation.

For his part, Sun recently posted on X: “keeping building,” though has not issued a formal denunciation of the newest allegations.

Ignore the FUD and keep building & holding

— H.E. Justin Sun 👨‍🚀 🌞 (@justinsuntron) February 1, 2026

In response, Zeng is being courted by the investigative vlogger Coffeezilla, presumably for an on camera tell all.

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Regulatory backdrop: SEC vs. Sun

Her narrative intersects awkwardly with an existing U.S. enforcement record. In March 2023, the SEC charged Sun and several entities with “fraudulently manipulating the secondary market for TRX through extensive wash trading,” alleging “more than 600,000 wash trades of TRX between two crypto asset trading platform accounts he controlled.” The agency said this campaign created “the misleading appearance of active trading in TRX” while Sun “generated millions in illegal proceeds at the expense of investors.” That case, initiated in 2023 and paused in 2025, did not include the employee-identity scheme Zeng now describes, but it laid a factual foundation: U.S. regulators already believe TRX’s early market had been structurally manipulated.

Market impact: TRX and WLFI

So far, markets are taking the latest claims in stride. TRON is trading around $0.28, down less than 1% over the last 24 hours, with Binance quoting 1 TRX at roughly $0.2839. Broader benchmarks are also under pressure: Bitcoin changes hands near $75,000–$76,000, down roughly 4–5% on the day, while Ethereum trades around $2,230–$2,290 after a roughly 5–9% 24‑hour slide.

The World Liberty Financial token (WLFI), closely associated with a stablecoin-centric DeFi ecosystem whose backers include Tron-linked capital, is trading near $0.12–$0.15, with Binance listing WLFI at about $0.1259 on a 24‑hour volume of roughly $271 million and a stated market cap of $3.37 billion. That scale—combined with earlier fundraising rounds totaling an estimated $715 million across public and private sales—underlines how deeply TRON-affiliated projects are now embedded in DeFi capital flows.

For now, there is “no evidence [that] proves manipulation” beyond Zeng’s testimony, “no proof [that] confirms the relationship,” and no public response from Justin Sun, TRON DAO, or Binance. The real test for TRX and WLFI will come if U.S. regulators decide Zeng’s promised evidence merits formal discovery—turning a volatile Twitter thread into the next chapter of an already sprawling enforcement saga.

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Pi Network price crashed to a record low of $0.1450, January 31, as the crypto market dived and as demand waned. 

Summary

Pi Network price crashed to a record low on Monday.

The drop happened as Bitcoin and other altcoins dropped.

Technical analysis suggests that the coin has more downside.

Pi Coin (PI) token plunged to a low of $0.140, a few points below its previous all-time low of $0.1545. It has now plunged by over 93% from its record high of $2.98, which it reached in February last year shortly after its mainnet launch.

The main reason why Pi Coin price plunged is that sentiment in the crypto market waned. Bitcoin (BTC) and other altcoins were all in the red, with the market capitalization of all tokens falling by over 6% in the last 24 hours.

The decline happened amid rising geopolitical fears because of Donald Trump’s warning on Iran’s officials to agree to talks or risk an attack. Odds of an attack have continued rising on Polymarket and other prediction marketplaces. Such an attack would lead to higher volatility, crude oil prices, and inflation.

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Pi Network price also crashed as the selling pressure continued. Data compiled by CoinMarketCap shows that the coin’s volume rose to $28 million on Monday, up from $7 million a day earlier. This surge in volume is a sign that many holders have started to capitulate and dump the token.

The rising selling has coincided with the ongoing token unlocks. Data shows that Pi will unlock over 133 million tokens f in February and 1.3 billion in the next 12 months. Token unlocks lead to higher supply over time. 

Meanwhile, investors have reacted mildly to the latest news, including the new approach to KYC verification that will make it possible for most pioneers to migrate to the mainnet.

Pi Network price technical analysis 

Pi Coin price chart | Source: crypto.news

The daily timeframe chart shows that the value of Pi plunged to a record low on Monday. This retreat happened after it formed a rising wedge, which is made up of two ascending and converging trendlines. A rising wedge is one of the most common bearish reversal signs.

The token also formed a double-top pattern at $0.2816, its highest point in October and November last year. It was also much lower than the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages. 

Therefore, the coin will likely continue falling as it lacks a clear bullish catalyst. A move below the all-time low of $0.1523 will point to more downside, potentially to $0.10.

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London-based subscription platform OnlyFans is reportedly negotiating the sale of a 60% stake to California private equity firm Architect Capital.

Summary

OnlyFans is reportedly selling a 60% stake.

Fenix International, OnlyFans’ parent company, invested about $19.9 million in Ethereum during 2021–2022.

By November 2022, falling crypto prices caused an $8.45 million impairment; whether the company still holds the assets remains to be seen.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the deal could value the company, known for its X-rated content, at $3.5 billion, or $5.5 billion including debt.

Architect Capital, which specializes in restructuring complex businesses, aims to improve payment systems for under-banked creators, many of whom face barriers due to adult-themed content.

Current majority owner Leo Radvinsky, who acquired OnlyFans from founders Tim and Guy Stokley in 2018, has attempted to pivot the platform toward a social-media-style experience while still generating revenue.

Financial filings show Radvinsky has received nearly $1 billion in dividends over two years.

Radvinsky began exploring offers to sell the platform last year for around $8 billion.

OnlyFans continues to be highly profitable, with annual net revenue near $1.6 billion, and Architect Capital envisions a public listing by 2028. The sale remains speculative, with negotiations ongoing and no contract finalized.

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Ethereum holdings

OnlyFans’ parent company, Fenix International, invested roughly $19.9 million in Ethereum during 2021–2022.

By November 30, 2022, declining crypto prices had caused an $8.45 million impairment, reducing the holdings’ reported value to $11.4 million, though the company still retained the assets with no stated restrictions on selling.

Fenix has previously explored Ethereum-based NFTs for profile pictures, signaling ongoing interest in crypto despite its volatility.

No updates confirm whether the company sold or continued holding its Ethereum through to 2025, when the market turned bearish.

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Pi Network price continued its recent downtrend this week, reaching its lowest level in two weeks.

Summary

Pi Network price continued its strong downward trend this week.

Over 139 million tokens will be unlocked in February.

Pi Coin’s demand has continued to wane this year.

Pi Coin (PI) token dropped to a low of $0.16, continuing its downtrend on Friday as Bitcoin and most altcoins retreated. It has now slipped by over 94% from its all-time high, with its valuation moving from nearly $20 billion to $1.4 billion. 

The main reason why Pi has crashed is that it demand has dropped, while its supply is rising by the day. Data compiled by CoinMarketCap shows that the 24-hour volume dropped to $9 million on Friday.

Pi Network’s token unlocks is still continuing. It unlocked over 139 million tokens in January, and 137 million more will come online in February. Also, over 1.3 billion tokens will be unlocked in the next 12 months, with a monthly average of over 17.3 million.

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Meanwhile, data shows that nearly to 2 million tokens entered exchanges on Friday. Most of these tokens moved to OKX followed by Gate and Bitget. In most cases, exchange inflows occur when holders want to sell. 

More data shows that the biggest Pi Network whale has stopped buying. His last purchase happened 17 days ago when he moved 1.2 million tokens from OKX to self-custody. He now holds over 384 million tokens worth over $64 million. Pausing the purchases is notable as he used to buy tokens worth millions of dollars each month. 

Pi Network faces some major challenges, including the lack of an ecosystem and new exchange listings. It is also a highly centralized cryptocurrency with the foundation holding over 90 billion tokens worth over $18 billion. 

Pi Network price technical analysis 

Pi Coin price chart | Source: crypto.news

The daily chart shows that the Pi Coin price has been in a strong downward trendline in the past few days. It crashed below the key support level at $0.1928, its lowest swing on December 15. 

The coin has remained below the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages. It also moved below the Ichimoku cloud indicator, while the Relative Strength Index has moved to the oversold level.

The Average Directional Index has moved to 47, a sign that the downward momentum is accelerating. Therefore, the most likely scenario is that it continues to fall, potentially to an all-time low of $0.1500. A drop below that level will point to more downside.

Read more: Goldbug Peter Schiff says the U.S. dollar is facing massive deleveraging as metals surge and crypto stalls

A violent silver liquidation erased over $1.1t across metals, ETFs, and crypto in under 24 hours, triggering $770m in crypto long liquidations and raising the question of whether this was a structural break or a brutal but familiar leverage reset.

Summary

Silver’s collapse was driven by margin calls and forced selling, including the full liquidation of an $11m long, in a thin, leveraged market.​

Gold lost about $4t in market value and crypto saw $770m in longs wiped, with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana sliding in tandem as macro “risk valves.”​

Analysts frame the move as a system‑wide leverage flush rather than a lasting breakdown, asking how quickly risk appetite returns once volatility cools.

A brutal liquidation in silver has just delivered the kind of cross‑asset rupture traders usually associate with crypto, erasing more than $1.1 trillion in market value in under 24 hours and transmitting stress into gold, ETFs, and digital assets. The question now dominating desks is whether this was a structural break or simply a violent, if familiar, deleveraging shock.​

Inside the silver wipeout

Market participants quoted in the report describe the move as “one of the most violent market events of the year,” driven primarily by “forced selling and leverage unwind, not a fundamental breakdown in silver demand.” As prices slipped, margin calls ricocheted through futures and options books, turning a sharp correction into a near‑vertical collapse. One emblematic datapoint was the full liquidation of an $11 million silver long position; once that trade tripped its thresholds, “selling became mechanical — not discretionary.”​

Structurally, silver’s role as a higher‑beta proxy for gold magnified the pain. Speculative longs had crowded into a thinner market, meaning that once volatility spiked, depth evaporated and price discovery became synonymous with forced exits.​

Gold and crypto in the crossfire

Gold was pulled into the downdraft as well, with roughly $4 trillion in market value erased during the same window. That does not necessarily mark a failure of the safe‑haven story; as one strategist noted, “gold often sells alongside risk assets during leverage cascades,” because investors are raising cash to meet margins, not abandoning hedges. A similar pattern has shown up repeatedly in macro‑driven moves covered by crypto.news, including analyses of broad crypto market crashes, macro‑linked BTC (BTC) drawdowns, and derivatives‑led liquidation waves.

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As metals cracked, crypto once again acted as the “high‑beta liquidity release valve” of the system. Over $770 million in crypto long positions were liquidated in under 30 minutes, and majors slid in tandem with silver rather than on any token‑specific catalyst.​

Where majors trade now

Bitcoin (BTC) is hovering around $82,000–$83,000, having dipped into the high‑$70,000s intraday, with tens of billions of dollars in 24‑hour volume as traders cut leverage and reposition into the weekend. Ethereum (ETH) changes hands near $2,700–$2,800, down from levels closer to $2,900–$3,000 a day earlier, on double‑digit billions in turnover across majors. Solana (SOL) trades around $115, after swinging roughly between $113 and $123 over the last 24 hours as perp funding resets and spot liquidity thins.

This parabolic metals move comes as digital assets continue to trade as the purest expression of macro risk appetite. Bitcoin (BTC) around the low‑$80,000s, Ethereum (ETH) just below $3,000, and Solana (SOL) in the low‑hundreds all underscore how quickly positioning adjusts when cross‑asset volatility spikes.

Read more: Dogecoin traders face make-or-break test at $0.12–$0.14

Silver’s parabolic run toward $119 pits bubble warnings against structural deficits, with crypto traders watching for a classic blow-off or a lasting squeeze.

Summary

Silver has ripped over 60% this month and about 275% in a year, echoing past blow-offs as Kolanovic and Brandt flag speculative, meme-like excess.​

Citigroup still sees scope for a push toward $150, citing seven years of supply deficits, record industrial demand, Chinese export curbs and surging ETF volumes.​

Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana trade near cycle highs as macro-driven crypto desks study silver’s spike for clues about risk appetite and bubble dynamics.

Silver’s vertical climb to a record $119 an ounce has lit up terminals—and set off alarm bells from some of the market’s most battle‑scarred veterans. The metal has surged more than 60% in January and roughly 275% over the past year, its strongest monthly run since the Hunt brothers’ ill‑fated corner in 1979.​

A Blow‑Off Top, Or “Gold On Steroids”?

Former JPMorgan chief strategist Marko Kolanovic is openly calling time on the party. He warns that silver is “almost guaranteed to drop ~50% from these levels within a year or so,” describing the move as a speculative blow‑off driven by “momentum buying and meme‑style trading behavior rather than durable fundamentals.” Veteran trader Peter Brandt points out that “nearly two years of world production traded on world exchanges—over 1.5 billion ounces,” the highest intensity of turnover since the day of the 2011 top.

Not everyone is running for the exits. Citigroup has hiked its near‑term target to $150 an ounce and characterizes silver as “gold squared” or “gold on steroids,” arguing that a mix of strong physical demand, speculative flows and thin liquidity can still drive prices higher. The iShares Silver Trust has already seen single‑session trading volumes approach $40 billion, nearly matching the SPDR S&P 500 ETF—a sign of how aggressively retail and macro money have piled in.

Structural Tightness Meets Bubble Risk

Bulls insist this is not a rerun of 1980. The market has logged seven consecutive years of supply deficits, while industrial demand hit record highs in 2025. Solar manufacturing alone is expected to consume 120–125 million ounces of silver in 2026, with electric vehicles adding 70–75 million ounces. China’s move to reclassify silver as a strategic material—and tighten export licenses from January 1—has further squeezed available supply.

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Yet HSBC cautions that it is “unlikely that silver has become a new safe‑haven asset,” arguing that as prices “began to catch up with gold, momentum took over and retail investors joined in.” As Kolanovic notes, commodity bubbles “collide with physical reality” as high prices crush industrial demand, accelerate recycling and incentivize hedged supply.

Crypto Markets Watching Closely

This parabolic move comes as digital assets continue to trade as the purest expression of macro risk appetite. Bitcoin (BTC) is hovering around $88,235, with a 24‑hour high near $90,476 and a low near $87,549, on roughly $32.8B in dollar volumes. Ethereum (ETH) changes hands close to $2,953, with about $23.4B in 24‑hour turnover and spot quotes clustered in the $4,500–$4,600 band on major exchanges earlier this week. Solana trades around $192, up about 2.7% over the last 24 hours, with nearly $9.8B in volume.

For macro‑driven crypto traders, silver’s behavior looks uncomfortably familiar: a scarce asset, real policy risk, and a retail‑fueled chase into ever‑thinner liquidity. The question now is whether silver’s “gold on steroids” phase ends like a classic meme‑era blow‑off—or whether this time, the industrial squeeze and strategic stockpiling prove strong enough to keep the bubble from bursting on schedule.

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Crypto hacking collective ShinyHunters has leaked over 10 million user records from popular dating apps owned by Match Group, including Match, Hinge, and OKCupid.

Summary

Lithuanian outlet Cybernews revealed a range of private data such as Hinge match profiles, subscription IDs, and even employee emails and contracts.

ShinyHunters, known for extorting companies with crypto ransoms, previously extorted AT&T for six Bitcoin (worth around $373,000) in exchange for not leaking data.

As this stolen data circulates on the dark web, it could be sold to criminals who use it for phishing schemes.

The reported data, which was published on the group’s dark web blog, includes sensitive user information such as IDs, IP addresses, and other personal details. It is believed to have been extracted through the mobile analytics platform AppsFlyer.

Lithuanian outlet Cybernews investigated the stolen records, revealing a range of private data such as Hinge match profiles, subscription IDs, and even employee emails and contracts. Additionally, some data from the Indian dating app Vivald was also found in the breach. Although the leaked records contain limited personal identifiers, researchers warned that the nature of dating app data makes it especially valuable for crafting targeted scams and phishing attacks.

Match, Hinge and OKCupid usage data leaked by ShinyHunters10 million records released pic.twitter.com/9CQO9IpTSy

— Dominic Alvieri (@AlvieriD) January 28, 2026

ShinyHunters, known for extorting companies with crypto ransoms, previously extorted AT&T for six bitcoin (worth around $373,000) in exchange for not leaking data. In the case of French crypto tax firm Waltio, the group attempted to extort the company over a leak of 50,000 user records, but Waltio chose to take legal action against the hackers.

In another recent leak, ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for breaching US bakery chain Panera Bread, with 14 million records reportedly exposed. As this stolen data circulates on the dark web, it could be sold to criminals who use it for phishing schemes or even physical attacks, posing serious security risks for the affected users.

Read more: DeLorean DMC rallies over 200% after Binance perpetuals removal as community reasserts control

Pi Network price continued its strong downward trend this year, moving from the all-time high of $2.99 in February last year to $0.1720, erasing over $18 billion in value.

Summary

Pi Network price has crashed by ~94% from its all-time high.

Its market capitalization has dropped from nearly $20 billion to $1.4 billion today.

The coin has crashed because of the fading demand and rising supply.

Pi Coin (PI) token was trading at $0.1717 on Wednesday, with its market capitalization falling to $1.43 billion from the all-time high of $20 billion.

Why Pi Network price has imploded after its mainnet launch 

Pi Network, a crypto project with over 60 million users across its ecosystem, has come under pressure since its mainnet launch in February last year. 

The decline has coincided with the ongoing falling demand and rising supply. Data compiled by CoinGecko shows that the token had just $10 million in volume over the last 24 hours, a tiny amount given that the crypto industry had over $116 billion in volume during this period.

The falling volume coincided with rising supply due to ongoing token unlocks. Over 134 million tokens were released in January, and 1.2 billion will be unlocked in the next 12 months. 

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Pi Coin price has also crashed because of the delay in the migration from Protocol 19 to 23 of the Stellar network, which will introduce more features to the network. The upgrade process has been going on for months and is stuck in its testnet. In contrast, Stellar has already upgraded to Protocol 25.

Pi is down over 90% since it was first listed in February last year.Am I surprised?No.After 7 years, if the Pi Core Team is still dragging its feet, the price will not magically pump. Markets don’t reward hope – they reward progress. And since launch, there has been no… pic.twitter.com/1y8kT72qPu

— Dr Altcoin ✝️ (@Dr_Picoin) January 27, 2026

Additionally, Pi Network remains one of the most centralized cryptocurrencies, with the team making all decisions and the obscure Pi Foundation holding over 90 billion tokens across hundreds of wallets. Pi’s community of millions of users has no opportunity to vote on updates or features.

Pi Network is still listed on a handful of exchanges but has not been listed on the most mainstream platforms like Coinbase, Upbit, and Binance.

The token has also crashed because it has struggled to gain an ecosystem. Unlike Ethereum and Solana, it has no decentralized finance, Real-World Asset tokenization, and gaming ecosystems, making it a ghost chain.

Pi Coin price has also dived due to the recent crypto market crash that has affected Bitcoin and most altcoins. Bitcoin has already dropped by over 20% from its all-time high, while popular coins like Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche have sunk by over 30% from their 2025 highs.

Pi Coin price technical analysis 

Pi Network price chart | Source: crypto.news

The daily timeframe chart shows that the Pi Coin price continued its strong downward trend this month. It has remained below the Supertrend indicator and all moving averages.

The coin formed a double-top pattern at $0.2828 and a neckline at $0.2015, its lowest level on November 4. 

Therefore, the most likely Pi Coin price prediction is highly bearish, with the immediate target being its all-time low at $0.1500.

Read more: Cardano price shows bullish shift as three-drive fractal forms

Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.

Gurhan Kiziloz’s $1.7 billion net worth offers a rare case study in how retaining founder control can shape scale, risk, and long-term execution.

Summary

Kiziloz built and still directly governs Nexus International and BlockDAG, choosing centralized authority over institutional capital and board-led oversight.

Missed revenue targets and leadership resets were handled internally and decisively, highlighting how founder control enables speed and long-term positioning over short-term optics.

His concentrated wealth and exposure suggest that in volatile sectors like gaming and crypto, control itself can function as a strategic asset, not just a governance choice.

In today’s technology industry, founders rarely keep control for long. Founders are celebrated early, diluted quickly, and ultimately replaced by boards, committees, and market expectations. Scale, in this model, is purchased with autonomy. Gurhan Kiziloz has taken a different view. At an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion, built across crypto and online gambling, he offers a counterargument that is increasingly difficult to ignore: control, not capital, may be the most valuable asset a founder can hold.

Kiziloz’s fortune is concentrated in businesses he built and still governs directly. Nexus International, the gaming group behind Spartans.com, Megaposta, and Lanistar, closed 2025 at $1.2 billion in revenue. That figure fell short of an original $1.45 billion target, and profit dipped roughly 7 percent by year-end. In a public company, such a miss would likely have prompted a round of messaging, guidance adjustments, and defensive restructuring. In Kiziloz’s case, it prompted continued investment.

The distinction matters. Without institutional investors, Nexus did not need to protect quarterly optics or optimize for short-term margins. Capital allocation remained centralized. Decisions were made quickly. The company accepted near-term pressure in exchange for longer-term positioning. That trade-off is only possible when authority is not fragmented.

This pattern extends beyond Nexus. Kiziloz is also the founder of BlockDAG, a Layer-1 blockchain project that has attracted attention less for its technology than for its governance shock. When senior leadership, including the chief executive, failed to meet internal expectations, they were removed abruptly. No prolonged transition followed. No external process intervened. Authority reverted to the founder.

To critics, the move appeared destabilizing. To students of corporate history, it looked familiar. Steve Jobs centralized control at Apple during its recovery years. Elon Musk compressed decision-making at Tesla and later at Twitter, now X, accepting disruption as the price of speed. In each case, governance was subordinated to execution at moments when delay was judged to be existential.

Kiziloz’s actions fit that lineage. He does not operate through consensus, nor does he appear interested in the protections that come with shared authority. Titles do not insulate performance. Tenure does not guarantee security. Leadership is conditional on output. When results drift, structure tightens.

What differentiates Kiziloz from many aggressive founders is not temperament, but exposure. He operates without the buffer of outside capital. There is no board to absorb blame, no investor base to socialize losses, and no exit timetable imposed by venture funds. When bets fail, the consequences accrue directly to him. When they succeed, so does the credit.

This concentration of risk is often cited as a flaw. Single-point dependency introduces fragility. Internal dissent can be muted. Strategic blind spots can persist longer than they should. These concerns are not theoretical. Founder-led systems have collapsed before under the weight of their own certainty.

Yet the alternative carries its own dangers. In gaming and blockchain, failure more often arrives quietly. Projects retain their committees and their process while losing relevance through hesitation. Decision latency increases. Accountability diffuses. Execution slows until the market moves on. Control, in this context, becomes a defensive asset.

Kiziloz appears to have internalized that lesson. His businesses are built to act, not to explain. Spartans.com operates with a lean structure and centralized capital allocation. Nexus expanded without acquisition-led rollups or leverage-driven growth. BlockDAG’s leadership reset reflects the same intolerance for drift.

The numbers suggest the model has worked, at least to this point. A $1.2 billion revenue base in gaming, built without institutional capital, places Nexus among a small cohort of founder-controlled operators at scale. A personal net worth of $1.7 billion, concentrated rather than diversified, underscores the degree to which Kiziloz has chosen exposure over insulation.

Whether this approach remains durable is an open question. Founder control amplifies outcomes in both directions. The same authority that enables speed also eliminates buffers. The margin for error narrows as scale increases. Succession becomes unavoidable. Markets eventually test even the most disciplined systems.

But for now, Kiziloz’s record supports a broader reconsideration of how value is built. In sectors defined by volatility, regulation, and rapid shifts in sentiment, capital alone does not guarantee survival. Control can.

In an era where founders are often encouraged to trade authority for comfort, Gurhan Kiziloz has made the opposite bet. At $1.7 billion, it is a wager that has paid off. Whether it continues to do so will determine not just the trajectory of his companies, but the credibility of founder control as a long-term strategy rather than a transitional phase.

Read more: Backed by a $1.7b founder Gurhan Kiziloz takes BlockDAG into a $120b Layer-1 market

This article was prepared in collaboration with BlockDAG. It does not constitute investment advice.

Silver is leaving cryptocurrencies in the dust, delivering a brutal reversal for the “digital gold” trade as investors pile into physical assets amid trade war fears and geopolitical uncertainty.

Summary

Silver surged more than 8% on Monday to a record above $110 an ounce.

XRP has fallen from roughly 0.10 ounces of silver per token in July 2025 to just over 0.02 today, an 80% drop in seven months.

The rally in precious metals has been fueled by intensifying global uncertainty.

Silver surged more than 8% on Monday to a record above $110 an ounce, extending a rally that has pushed the metal up roughly 270% since early 2025. Over the same period, major cryptocurrencies have slumped when measured against silver, with XRP collapsing nearly 80% relative to the metal since July 2025—highlighting a dramatic shift in investor preference away from digital assets and toward tangible safe havens.

The divergence has been stark. XRP has fallen from roughly 0.10 ounces of silver per token in July 2025 to just over 0.02 today, an 80% drop in seven months. Bitcoin has declined about 11% over the past year while silver exploded higher, leaving silver’s market capitalization roughly 3.5 times larger than Bitcoin’s—a striking blow to crypto’s long-held “store of value” narrative.

Other digital assets have fared little better. Ethereum is down about 70% against silver over the past year, while Solana has lost more than 60%.

“Altcoins continue to plunge to new lows when valued in silver,” analyst Benjamin Cowen wrote this week.

Altcoins continue to plunge to new lows when valued in Silver. pic.twitter.com/EdxPC64ure

— Benjamin Cowen (@intocryptoverse) January 26, 2026

The rally in precious metals has been fueled by intensifying global uncertainty. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 100% tariffs on Canada if it strikes a trade deal with China has reignited trade-war fears, driving investors toward physical assets. Demand has been particularly strong in China and India, where buying of one-kilogram silver bars has tightened supply, prompting some Chinese manufacturers to pivot from jewelry to investment products.

Expectations that Trump could replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell with a more dovish successor have also boosted metals. Lower interest rates typically favor non-yielding assets like gold and silver, drawing capital away from riskier markets such as crypto.

The scale of the shift is now visible at the global level. With gold rallying to roughly $5,100 an ounce and silver topping $110, the combined market value of the two metals has climbed to about $41 trillion, according to CompaniesMarketCap.com. That puts precious metals at nearly double the combined market capitalization of the “Magnificent Seven” U.S. tech giants—and far ahead of the entire cryptocurrency market.

As The Kobeissi Letter noted, silver is now outperforming Bitcoin by one of its widest margins on record, underscoring how decisively investors are favoring hard assets as volatility reshapes global markets.

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A documentary focused on First Lady Melania Trump sparked a meme coin rally, while Official Trump, remains in free fall.

Summary

The Melania coin is up 17% over the past week.

The White House hosted a black-tie event to screen a Brett Ratner-directed documentary focused on the First Lady.

That day, VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti was killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis—an event the Trump administration is attempting to justify.

A new documentary on First Lady Melania Trump is driving a modest surge in the Melania-themed meme coin (MELANIA), even as the Official Trump coin continues its steep decline.

The Melania coin is up 17% over the past week, trading around $0.176, following a private White House screening of the Brett Ratner-directed documentary on Jan. 24. The high-profile attendees, included Mike Tyson, Queen Rania, and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Amazon bought the rights to the documentary.

The film, which offers behind-the-scenes access to Melania’s role leading up to President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, is set for global release on Jan. 30.

Source: CoinGecko

Meanwhile, the Official Trump coin remains mired in a bear market, down 93% since its launch before the 2025 inauguration and trading near $4.80. Critics, including Anthony Scaramucci, have labeled both coins “gambling tokens,” arguing they risk turning political influence into a purchasable commodity and could undermine credibility for the presidency and the broader crypto industry.

Despite these concerns, the Melania coin’s short-term rally underscores growing interest in celebrity-themed crypto assets, even as the Trump coin struggles to regain investor confidence.

Source: CoinGecko A pseudo-Hollywood event shrouded in tragedy

On Jan. 26, former President Trump posted a 450-word social media statement decrying a lawsuit over a massive White House ballroom addition, labeling the National Trust for Historic Preservation a “Radical Left” organization and defending the construction as approved by top military and Secret Service officials.

The Trump administration also doubled down on the justification of federal actions following an ICE agent’s killing of VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis—events coinciding with the Melania screening.

Despite controversy and broader timing of the event, the Melania coin’s rally demonstrates a growing appetite for celebrity-themed crypto assets, while the Trump coin’s collapse perhaps mirrors his approval rating.

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Tether led crypto protocol revenue in 2025 with approximately $5.2 billion, accounting for 41.9% of total revenue across 168 revenue-generating protocols, according to CoinGecko Research.

Summary

Tether led all crypto protocols in 2025 with $5.2B, or 41.9% of total revenue.

Four stablecoin issuers generated nearly $8.3B, dominating protocol earnings.

Trading platform revenue proved volatile, while stablecoins stayed resilient.

Stablecoin issuers dominated the rankings, with just four entities generating 65.7% or roughly $8.3 billion of total protocol revenue.

Tron ranked second among blockchains with approximately $3.5 billion in revenue, driven by its role as the preferred network for USDT transactions.

The remaining six protocols in the top 10 were trading platforms, whose revenue proved highly dependent on market conditions.

The data comes from CoinGecko’s 2025 Annual Crypto Industry Report tracking the crypto market’s first annual downturn since 2022.

INSIGHT: Stablecoins generated $5.2B in revenue in 2025, accounting for 41.9% of total protocol revenue. pic.twitter.com/fjJrAn9k7B

— CoinGecko (@coingecko) January 25, 2026

Trading protocol revenue fluctuates with market cycles

Trading protocols experienced extreme volatility tied to market sentiment and meme coin speculation.

Phantom generated $35.2 million in revenue during January at the peak of the Solana meme coin frenzy. Revenue collapsed to $8.5 million by December as interest in meme coins dried up.

The pattern repeated across trading platforms. Revenue performed well in Q1 but fell sharply when markets turned bearish following October’s historic $19 billion liquidation event.

Monthly protocol revenue fluctuated between approximately $3 billion and $3.5 billion throughout most of 2025.

Stablecoin market capitalization surged 48.9% annually, adding $102.1 billion to reach a record $311.0 billion. The growth provided steady revenue streams for issuers regardless of volatile crypto asset prices.

PayPal’s PYUSD emerged as the fifth-largest stablecoin, surging 48.4% to reach $3.6 billion market cap through YouTube creator payouts and 4.25% yield via Spark Savings Vault.

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Tron captures USDT transaction network effects

Tron’s $3.5 billion in blockchain revenue stems from high network usage as the preferred chain for USDT transactions.

Circle, Ethena, and MoonTrade joined Tether among the top four stablecoin issuers generating combined revenue of $8.3 billion.

Total crypto market capitalization ended 2025 at $3.0 trillion, down 10.4% year-over-year in the first annual decline since 2022.

Despite price contraction, average daily trading volumes hit a yearly high of $161.8 billion in Q4, driven by October’s liquidation event and subsequent volatility.

Digital Asset Treasury Companies deployed at least $49.7 billion in 2025 to acquire over 5% of total BTC and ETH supply.

However, Q4 deployment slowed to $5.8 billion as falling crypto prices dragged down DATCo share prices, forcing buybacks rather than continued accumulation.

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Washington’s long-promised crypto market structure deal is headed for a partisan test, with Senate Republicans poised to advance their bill next week after talks with Democrats broke down—assuming lawmakers can even make it back to town through a looming snowstorm.

Summary

Republicans released a revised crypto market structure bill after talks with Democrats collapsed.

Legislators now look to a party-line vote in next Tuesday’s Senate Agriculture Committee markup—weather permitting amid a looming snowstorm.

Stakeholders say the bill closely tracks the House’s bipartisan Clarity Act, protects noncustodial developers, classifies meme coins as digital commodities, and funds the CFTC through industry fees.

The Senate Agriculture Committee released updated legislative text late Wednesday, with Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.) conceding that negotiations failed to produce a bipartisan compromise despite a two-week extension.

That’s according to former Fox Business reporter Eleanor Terrett, who posted about the development on X.

The result is a Republican-backed bill with no Democrats on the committee publicly supporting it, including Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), the lead Democratic negotiator. A markup scheduled for Tuesday could therefore pass on party lines—marking a sharp contrast with the House Agriculture Committee’s Clarity Act, which advanced 47–6 with broad bipartisan support.

Industry reaction has been cautiously upbeat. Stakeholders say the Senate bill largely mirrors the House version, particularly in its narrow focus on intermediaries rather than protocols or users, and its protections for noncustodial software developers and infrastructure providers. The text also classifies meme coins as digital commodities—defined as tokens primarily marketed online for speculative trading—while giving regulators flexibility to carve out exceptions. Like the SEC, the CFTC would receive ongoing funding through fees paid by regulated platforms.

🚨NEW: Where do we stand on crypto market structure legislation right now? The @SenateAg Committee released its latest legislative text last night, with Chairman @JohnBoozman (R-AR) acknowledging that Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a deal despite an extra two weeks of…

— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) January 22, 2026

Still, the legislative runway is narrowing.

While Booker’s team says he will continue working with Boozman to try to get the bill passed and signed into law—leaving open the possibility of some Democratic support—the Senate Banking Committee appears likely to delay its own market structure markup for weeks as it turns to housing legislation tied to President Trump’s affordability agenda.

Talks between banks, Coinbase and lawmakers over the contentious “yield” issue have not restarted, and both the White House and Banking Committee leaders have signaled progress there is a prerequisite for moving forward.

For now, the crypto industry’s attention is fixed on Senate Ag’s Tuesday 3 p.m. ET markup—weather permitting—as up to two feet of snow threatens to become an unlikely but very real spoiler in crypto’s march through Congress.

Read more: XRP price prediction: Ripple CEO optimism amid market fear

Pi Network, XRP, and Ethereum all sold off over the past week as Trump’s Greenland ambitions unnerved risk markets, with on-chain and technical signals suggesting more volatility before any sustainable rebound.

Summary

Pi Network launched Pi App Studio payment tools and ad-based deployment plus a 5‑PI promo, but the token’s brief bounce reversed as persistent structural doubts weighed on price.

XRP’s on-chain supply on Binance keeps shrinking as traders move to self-custody, while chartists debate whether a cup‑and‑handle setup can overcome the current bearish trend.

Ethereum lost prior uptrend support after a strong start to the year, with traders warning of another leg lower toward nearby demand zones before any new rally attempt.

Pi Network (PI) is trading around $0.18 after a shallow bounce from this week’s lows, leaving it over 90% below its 2025 peak and still under all major moving averages, with low volume and a rising wedge/pennant structure arguing for another leg down toward the $0.15 area unless demand improves. A realistic near-term range is roughly $0.15–$0.24, with upside capped unless the new App Studio payments and ad-based deployment features translate into visible usage and on-chain activity, while repeated failures near the $0.19–$0.22 band would keep the door open to fresh lows.

Pi Network, Ripple, and Ethereum posted substantial price declines over the past week, driven by global geopolitical tensions surrounding Trump’s intentions to annex Greenland, according to cryptocurrency market reports.

Pi Network’s Core Team introduced Pi payment integration directly within the Pi App Studio earlier this week, according to an announcement from the project. The development allows non-technical users to build on the ecosystem without technical expertise or coding, though access remains limited to the test version only, the team stated.

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The team also launched an option enabling Pioneers to deploy app iterations without paying Pi by watching advertisements. The project urged users to share feedback and mention their favorite applications via a short survey, with the first 1,000 qualified participants set to receive 5 Pi token credits usable within the Pi App Studio, according to the announcement.

The announcement triggered a brief price uptick for Pi Network, which was followed by a renewed downtrend. The consistent price decline and the project’s perceived flaws have caused some community members to lose trust in Pi Network and express pessimism about the future, according to community discussions. A user recently advised the team to incorporate features such as peer-to-peer lending, staking rewards, and decentralized exchanges into the application to accelerate real-world adoption.

Ripple’s cross-border token has also declined recently, strengthening the current bearish trend. An analyst outlined key resistance and support levels to watch, suggesting the probability of further downside has increased, according to market commentary.

The amount of XRP tokens stored on Binance continues to decline, with reports indicating the supply has fallen as more investors abandon the platform and shift to self-custody. This trend is interpreted as a bullish factor since it reduces immediate selling pressure, according to market analysts.

Some members of the crypto community remain optimistic about XRP’s prospects. DrBullZeus, a market analyst, stated that XRP will be “the biggest altcoin play in the market at some stage.” The analyst noted the formation of a classic “cup and handle pattern,” which points to a potential price explosion, according to the commentary.

Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, had a strong start to the year, with its valuation rising by mid-January. Since then, the cryptocurrency has entered a major correction, according to market data.

A social media user stated that Ethereum “played off the OTE selling area,” claiming that an additional decline could be forthcoming. Another commentator expressed pessimism after arguing that the uptrend support has been lost and expects a sweep of nearby support levels before the next rally, according to social media posts.

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