Cryptographic World

A fugitive wanted by US authorities has been given 28 days by Guernsey's government to object to her assets being confiscated.
Ruja Ignatova, 45, known as the Missing Cryptoqueen, has until 16 December to object to a forfeiture order being brought at Guernsey's Royal Court.
Ms Ignatova has not been seen in eight years, disappearing days after an arrest warrant was issued for her in the United States.
In 2014, she founded the fraudulent OneCoin cryptocurrency, which saw investors lose more than $4bn (£3.2bn), according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The order is being sought on behalf of German authorities in the city of Bielefeld.
A Bulgaria-born German citizen, Ms Ignatova is also wanted by prosecutors there.
With the co-operation of Guernsey authorities, Bielefeld's prosecutors are seeking to recover funds from the sale of two London properties once owned by Ms Ignatova through Guernsey shell companies.
The companies were used to buy a penthouse apartment and a smaller apartment in London.
The apartments have been subject to a Guernsey Royal Court restraint order since 4 November 2021, the day after a BBC report revealed how shell companies obscured their purchases. A restraint order aims to preserve assets so that they may later be confiscated.
Bielefeld chief prosecutor Carsten Nowak confirmed Ms Ignatova's penthouse apartment in Kensington had since been sold for £10m, and the smaller apartment for £1.4m.
However, as of May 2024 only £8.8m remained due to costs, fees and taxes. The amount may have been further reduced since, he added.
"According to German law, the money is intended to compensate OneCoin victims," Mr Nowak said.
The Guernsey legal notice seeks to "realise assets held in an account with the Royal Bank of Scotland".
The application will be heard by Guernsey's Royal Court on 13 January 2026.
Ms Ignatova is also subject to a worldwide asset freeze, brought on behalf of investors seeking compensation at London's High Court.
The search for Ms Ignatova, who is on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, has achieved global notoriety and is the subject of a popular BBC podcast and multiple TV documentaries.
A reward for information leading to her arrest was increased twenty-fold in 2024, up to $5m (£3.8m), under the US Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.
The FBI believes Ms Ignatova travels with armed guards and may have had plastic surgery to alter her appearance.
Reports of sightings have come as recently as 2024, in South Africa.
However, that same year the BBC uncovered Ms Ignatova's ties to a suspected Bulgarian mafia boss who was in charge of her security when she disappeared and allegedly responsible for her murder.

Crypto prices extended their recent decline Saturday, with top assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP plunging to prices not seen in several months or more, with liquidations continuing to climb throughout the day.
Bitcoin is down 8% over the last day at a recent price of $77,195, according to CoinGecko, marking the lowest price seen in nine months and extending its weekly slide to over 13%. The price of the top cryptocurrency has fallen nearly 39% since peaking above $126,000 in October.
Meanwhile, Ethereum is showing a much harder hit, falling 13% on the day to a recent price of $2,362 and now down 20% over the last week. The second-largest coin by market cap has lost 52% of its value since peaking shy of $5,000 back in August.
Most major altcoins are similarly showing double-digit percentage losses over the last day, with XRP down 10% to $1.58, Solana falling 14% to $101, and Dogecoin diving 13% to $0.101. Broadly, the market is down 7.5% in the last 24 hours.
Futures traders betting on future gains have been hard hit over the last day, as CoinGlass shows $2.53 billion worth of liquidations during that span—$2.41 billion of which were long positions, or bets that an asset's price would go up.
Ethereum makes up nearly half of the total carnage with $1.14 billion worth of positions liquidated, with Bitcoin up next at $765 million.
Bitcoin traders on prediction market Myriad—which is owned by Decrypt's parent company, Dastan—have flipped bearish on the top asset, currently penciling in a nearly 65% chance that BTC will fall to $69,000 sooner than it can rebound to $100,000. Those odds have grown by 22% over the last day.
Saturday's crypto market dive follows a week of volatility for markets, driven by factors including fears over a potential U.S. government shutdown—which came to pass via a partial shutdown that began early Saturday—along with fears that a potential bubble for AI investments is ready to pop.
Nearly $1.5 billion worth of assets left U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs over the last week, according to data from Farside Investors, demonstrating investors' moves away from risk-on assets. Ethereum ETFs shed $327 million worth of assets during the same span.
Precious metals gold and silver surged to new all-time high prices this week as the risk-off attitude grew, though both metals fell sharply on Friday, with silver diving more than 31% during Friday's U.S. trading day.

A UAE-backed investment vehicle quietly agreed to buy nearly half of World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency startup linked to President Donald Trump, just days before he returned to the White House, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Aryam Investment 1, an Abu Dhabi entity backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, signed a deal in January 2025 to purchase a 49% stake in World Liberty Financial for $500 million, the Journal said, citing documents and people familiar with the matter.
Half of that amount was paid upfront, sending $187 million to Trump family-controlled entities, with additional tens of millions flowing to entities tied to co-founders, including relatives of US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, per the report.
The agreement was reportedly signed by Eric Trump. The Journal reported that the deal had not been publicly disclosed, despite World Liberty later revealing that the Trump family’s stake had fallen sharply.
Tahnoon’s ambitions grow after Trump election
Tahnoon, the brother of the United Arab Emirates president and the country’s national security adviser, has been central to Abu Dhabi’s push to become a global leader in artificial intelligence. Under the Biden administration, his efforts to secure advanced US-made AI chips were limited amid concerns that sensitive technology could reach China, particularly through companies such as G42.
Following Trump’s election, those efforts gained momentum. Tahnoon met multiple times with Trump and senior US officials, and within months the administration committed to granting the UAE access to hundreds of thousands of advanced AI chips annually.

The Journal reported that executives from G42 helped manage Aryam Investment 1 and took board seats at World Liberty as part of the deal, making Aryam the startup’s largest outside shareholder. Weeks before the US-UAE chip framework was announced, another Tahnoon-led firm, MGX, used World Liberty’s stablecoin to complete a $2 billion investment into Binance.
World Liberty and the White House have reportedly denied any wrongdoing. Spokespeople told the Journal that President Trump was not involved in the deal and that it did not provide any influence over US policy.
Last year, Democratic senators called on US authorities to investigate alleged links between World Liberty Financial’s token sales and sanctioned foreign actors. In a Nov. letter to the Justice Department and Treasury, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed cited claims that WLFI governance tokens were bought by blockchain addresses tied to North Korea’s Lazarus Group, as well as Russian- and Iranian-linked entities.
The controversy is heightened by WLFI’s ownership structure, which gives Trump family-linked entities control over the majority of token revenue. Lawmakers argue this creates a direct conflict of interest, as most proceeds from token sales flow to the president’s family.

The XRP Army is buzzing again as Ripple battles regulation, eyes real-world payments, and rides the next big crypto macro wave. Is this just another hype cycle, or the moment XRP finally breaks out for good? Let’s dissect the risk, the opportunity, and the on-chain reality.
Vibe Check: XRP is back in the spotlight: after a period of choppy, nervous trading, the chart is flashing a classic make-or-break setup. Price has been grinding in a tight range, with sudden spikes followed by sharp pullbacks – the textbook sign of a market where bulls and bears are both loaded and ready to go to war. Volatility is heating up, but not yet in full breakout mode. This is the zone where smart money quietly builds positions while retail traders argue in the comments section.
XRP is not giving the market a clean, easy trend right now. Instead, we are seeing high-energy swings, aggressive wicks, and a tug-of-war around key psychological zones. In crypto terms: this is prime accumulation or distribution territory. Either the XRP Army is front-running the next major leg higher, or whales are preparing one last liquidity trap before a bigger flush. The risk is real, but so is the upside potential.
The Story: To understand whether XRP is a legit opportunity or a ticking time bomb, you have to zoom out from the 15-minute chart and look at the full narrative:
1. SEC vs. Ripple: The lawsuit that refuses to die
Ripple’s ongoing regulatory saga with the SEC has been the ultimate rollercoaster. Key rulings in recent years have partially clarified that secondary market sales of XRP are not automatically securities, which was a big psychological win for the XRP Army. But the case never fully vanished – penalties, institutional sales, and the broader question of how US regulators will treat similar tokens still cast a shadow.
Every new filing, every court note, every regulatory speech can trigger a wave of FUD or FOMO. That uncertainty is both a risk premium and a hidden catalyst: if the overhang gets resolved more positively than feared, a lot of sidelined capital can rotate back into XRP very fast.
2. Macro backdrop: Halving cycle, liquidity tides, and Altseason rotation
The broader crypto market is deep in a macro narrative driven by the latest Bitcoin halving and the ongoing institutionalization of digital assets. Historically, Bitcoin tends to move first, then Ethereum, and only later the true Altseason kicks off where large-cap alts like XRP can outperform violently – both to the upside and downside.
On top of that, traditional markets are juggling inflation, interest-rate expectations, and political risk. When liquidity loosens and risk assets get bid, high-beta coins like XRP tend to move harder than Bitcoin. That cuts both ways: when fear hits, XRP can see brutal drawdowns; when greed dominates, it can see explosive rallies. If we are indeed entering the later phase of a crypto cycle, XRP has the kind of profile that can go from ignored to trending overnight.
3. Utility: RLUSD, payments, and real-world rails
Beyond the courtroom drama, Ripple has been quietly pushing its core vision: real-time cross-border settlements, institutional adoption, and the roll-out of products that make blockchain boringly useful. The talk around Ripple’s fiat-backed stablecoin concept (like RLUSD) and its integration into payment flows is not just marketing buzz – stablecoins and on-chain settlement are now a serious part of global finance conversations.
If Ripple can lock in more banks, fintechs, and payment providers, XRP’s role as a bridge asset and liquidity layer gets more credible. That is the fundamental story the hardcore XRP Army has been HODLing for: not just speculative pumps, but real transactional volume flowing over Ripple tech and, by extension, the XRP Ledger.
4. ETF rumors and institutional money
Another recurring narrative: potential XRP-related financial products like ETFs or ETPs in friendly jurisdictions. While nothing is guaranteed and regulatory resistance in the US remains strong, global financial centers have shown they are willing to list structured crypto products if there is demand and at least some clarity. Even whispers of new institutional vehicles can light a spark under sentiment. But remember: rumors pump, reality often corrects.
Scroll through those and you will see the full emotional spectrum: ultra-bull thumbnails promising "life-changing gains" next to cynical takes calling XRP a "boomer alt". That split sentiment is actually bullish from a contrarian standpoint – euphoria is not maxed out yet, and disbelief rallies are often the strongest.
Key Levels: Instead of fixating on a single magic number, think in zones. XRP is trading inside an important long-term battle area where past pumps have topped out and prior dumps have bottomed. Above, you have a heavy resistance band that has rejected multiple breakout attempts in previous cycles. Below, there is a thick demand zone where whales and long-term HODLers have historically stepped in to buy the dip. A decisive breakout above the resistance zone with strong volume could signal the start of a new macro leg higher, while a clean breakdown below support would confirm that bears still own the chart.
Sentiment: Are the Whales or the Bears in control? Right now, sentiment feels split but slightly leaning toward cautious optimism. Whales appear to be active on both sides: some distributing into every mini-pump, others quietly absorbing panic dips. Retail is not in full FOMO mode yet, which means there is room for a sentiment shock in either direction. If macro news, regulatory headlines, or Bitcoin strength align in XRP’s favor, the crowd can flip from apathy to manic greed very quickly.
Risk Radar: What can go wrong?
Let’s be brutally honest:
Regulation can blindside the market. A harsh statement or move from US regulators or other major jurisdictions can trigger a rapid risk-off move in XRP, regardless of fundamentals.
Bitcoin dominance can stay high. If capital keeps flowing mostly into BTC and a few mega-cap narratives, many alts, including XRP, could underperform and leave bagholders stuck in long, painful sideways ranges.
Over-leveraged traders. Perpetual futures and leverage are a double-edged sword. If too many traders pile into the same direction, one sharp move can trigger liquidations and cascade both pumps and crashes.
Opportunity Radar: Why the XRP Army still cares
On the flip side, XRP’s core bull case is still alive:
It has one of the strongest brand names in crypto outside of Bitcoin and Ethereum. That matters in each new cycle as fresh capital looks for "top alt" exposure.
The payments and banking narrative is real, not just meme-level storytelling. If even a fraction of global remittances and institutional flows start using Ripple’s rails at scale, that can support a long-term valuation story.
Technically, XRP has a history of moving in violent, compressed bursts. The coin can trade sideways for months and then rip in a short, brutal window where latecomers are forced to chase.
risk-aware trader might approach XRP now
Given the mix of uncertainty and potential, XRP is the definition of a high-beta, high-risk play. A risk-aware approach could include:
Position sizing: Treat XRP as a speculative satellite position, not the core of your entire portfolio.
Level-based strategy: Plan entries near strong demand zones and trim into strength near supply zones, instead of aping in on green candles.
Time horizon clarity: Decide if you are playing a short-term breakout, a mid-term Altseason rotation, or a long-term utility bet – and set your risk accordingly.
News awareness: Track SEC updates, macro data, and Bitcoin trend as key context drivers. Ignoring the news flow in XRP is like trading with one eye closed.
Conclusion: XRP right now is a pure test of conviction versus discipline. The narrative is loaded: regulatory drama, potential institutional interest, real-world payment utility, and the never-ending energy of the XRP Army on social media. At the same time, nothing is guaranteed, and the market loves to punish late FOMO and sloppy risk management.
If the macro crypto cycle continues to mature and Altseason fully ignites, XRP has the profile to be one of the loudest movers on the board. A breakout above key resistance zones with strong volume could trigger a full-blown narrative shift from "forgotten relic" to "institutional payments play." But if regulatory headlines turn sour or Bitcoin sucks up most liquidity, XRP could spend a long time chopping sideways, shaking out impatient HODLers and trapping leveraged traders.
The real edge is not in guessing the exact next candle, but in recognizing that XRP is currently in a high-stakes zone where risk and opportunity are both elevated. For disciplined traders and informed investors who respect volatility, XRP can be a powerful weapon in the portfolio toolkit. For those chasing quick riches without a plan, it can be a brutal teacher.

MAGA Inc. ended 2025 with more than $300 million on hand, as groups tied to the cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence industries aim to flex their political muscle.
Political groups tied to the cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence industries have raked in tens of millions of dollars, according to new campaign finance reports, as they look to become major players in this year’s midterm elections.
The most prominent pro-crypto groups ended 2025 with nearly $194 million to spend, almost all of that with Fairshake, a group backed by Coinbase and other venture capitalists, new reports filed with the Federal Election Commission show. A pro-AI group, Leading the Future, ended the year with $39 million in its campaign account.
The sizable war chests signal that these groups could wield significant influence in primaries and general elections in the 2026 elections to boost their preferred candidates from both parties, with eyes on influencing policy in Washington.
Pro-crypto groups established themselves as forces in the last election. Fairshake and two aligned groups, Defend American Jobs and Protect Progress, spent a whopping $290 million combined in 2024, according to campaign finance records.
Most notably, these groups spent heavily to help Ohio Republican Bernie Moreno take down Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, to oppose Democratic Rep. Katie Porter’s California Senate bid, and to boost Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego and Michigan Democrat Elissa Slotkin in their successful Senate bids.
Leading the Future is a new group looking to make an impact on this year’s elections. It pulled in more than $50 million from Aug. 15 through Dec. 31, receiving $12.5 million each from OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and his wife Anna, and venture capitalists Marc Andreesen and Benjamin Horowitz.
The new super PAC has frustrated some White House officials, since its donors includes some allies of President Donald Trump and the group is open to supporting candidates from both parties.
So far, Leading the Future and its allied groups have announced plans to spend in two primaries in open House seats. The group is opposing state Assemblyman Alex Bores, who sponsored AI safety legislation, in a New York City district to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler. And it is boosting attorney Chris Gober in a deep-red Texas House seat to replace retiring Republican Rep. Michael McCaul.
Meanwhile, a super PAC tied to President Donald Trump remains one the biggest players in the political arena heading into a midterm election year where control of the GOP-led House and Senate are at stake.
MAGA Inc., Trump’s main allied super PAC, closed the year with $304 million banked away. Most of its fundraising from the second half of 2025 was already disclosed in a filing earlier this month, and the organization raked in more than $112 million over the six-month period, with big checks from those with business in front of the administration or with family facing legal jeopardy.
While Trump won’t be on the ballot in 2026, and, despite his repeated musings, isn’t constitutionally eligible to run for president again, the super PAC's cash will help the president continue to exert his influence in the GOP.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has continued to donate millions to conventional Republican groups as he's appeared to patch his relationship up with Trump in recent months. Once a close Trump ally and White House adviser, Musk had a public break with Trump and even threatened to start a third party last year.

Musk gave $5 million checks to both the Senate Leadership Fund and Congressional Leadership Fund — the top super PACs aligned with the Senate and House GOP leadership — in December. And Musk also gave $2.9 million, including in-kind contributions, to America PAC, his own political group that spent more than a quarter-billion dollars last election cycle primarily to help Trump. While America PAC closed the year with little in its bank account, the staggering wealth of its main patron makes that number mean very little.
In the second half of 2025, Senate Leadership Fund raised almost $77 million, closing the year with $100 million banked away. Congressional Leadership Fund raised more than $38 million over that period and finished 2025 with $54.5 million in cash on hand.
Democratic dollars
On the Democratic side, House Majority PAC, the major outside group tasked with helping Democrats win control of the House, raised more than $48 million and closed the year with $46 million in cash on hand.
Senate Majority PAC, the group aligned with Senate Democratic leadership, had not yet filed its fundraising report by late Saturday evening.
United Democracy Project, a pro-Israel group that’s aligned with the American Israel Political Action Committee (AIPAC) raised more than $61 million from July through December and ended 2025 with almost $96 million banked away, the latest campaign finance reports show. The group wades into primaries on both sides of the aisle, but largely plays in Democratic contests.
The group is already involved in the upcoming special election in New Jersey's solidly blue 11th Congressional District, where it’s attacking former Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski.
While United Democracy Project received a massive $30 million check from AIPAC, its second-biggest contributor was GOP mega-donor Paul Singer. Donations from Singer and other prominent Republicans have been a point of contention for Democrats because of the group’s heavy involvement in their party’s primaries.
Democratic lawmakers are also facing new primary threats this election cycle amid the party's generational and ideological divisions.
Leaders We Deserve, a group led by activist David Hogg, announced last year it would target Democrats in deep-blue districts who were “asleep-at-the-wheel” as part of a $20 million effort to back young candidates. The group raised more than $7.8 million in 2025, ending the year with nearly $2.3 million in its campaign account.
#CZAMAonBinanceSquare

The crypto market crash accelerated during the weekend, with Bitcoin moving below the key support level at $80,000 for the first time in months. It was trading at $78,678 on Sunday, down sharply from its all-time high of $126,300.
Ethereum price crashed to $2,400, while Binance Coin (BNB) fell to $770. The market capitalization of all tokens dropped by over 5.80% in the last 24 hours to $2.67 trillion. This article explores some of the top reasons behind the ongoing crypto crash.
Crypto market crash happened after Trump nominated Kevin Warsh
One of the main reasons behind the ongoing crypto market crash is that Donald Trump nominated Kevin Warsh to become the next Federal Reserve Chair when Jerome Powell’s term ends in May.
Warsh has recently supported the crypto industry. However, his support was likely because he really wanted the Federal Reserve Chairman job as he has previously blasted the industry.
The same is true with his views on interest rates. In his recent interviews, he has come out in support of lower interest rates. In reality, however, Warsh has always been an interest rate and inflation hawk.
He voted against interest rate cuts and quantitative easing policies in 2011. Most importantly, he has always maintained his opposition to quantitative easing.
Therefore, analysts believe that Warsh will maintain a hawkish view when he moves to the Federal Reserve just as Jerome Powell did.
Soaring liquidations fuelled the crypto crash
The other main reason for the crypto market crash is the soaring liquidations and falling futures open interest.
Data compiled by CoinGlass shows that the futures open interest dropped by 10% in the last 24 hours to $113 billion.
At the same time, liquidations jumped by 348% in the last 24 hours to over $2.5 billion, the biggest increase in months.
Ethereum liquidations jumped to over $1.1 billion, while Bitcoin rose to over $785 million. Solana positions worth over $197 million, while XRP positions worth $61 million were liquidated.
These liquidations brought memories of October 10 when the crypto market experienced the biggest liquidation on record. Positions worth over $20 billion were wiped out on October 10 when Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on China.
Rising geopolitical tensions
The crypto market crash is happening because of the rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran. Trump has threatened to attack Iran soon because of the recent protests in the country.
An attack on Iran would be bearish for the crypto market because of the impact on the energy market. Data shows that Brent, the global benchmark, has jumped to $70 for the first time in months.
The crypto market crash is also happening because Bitcoin’s role as a safe-haven asset has been debunked. Instead, investors have moved to other safe-haven assets like the Swiss franc and gold, which have soared in the past few months.
Bitcoin price technicals have contributed to the crash

Technicals have also contributed to the ongoing crypto crash. The weekly timeframe chart above shows that the coin formed a rising wedge pattern. 
It also formed a bearish flag pattern, and moved below the 50-week Exponential Moving Average (EMA) and the Supertrend indicator. This pattern often leads to more downside, which will lead to more downside for Bitcoin and the crypto market.
#XRPGuru

As the United States enters a partial government shutdown with the House now scheduled to take action on Monday, crypto traders are bracing for a potentially volatile start to the week.
The uncertainty after the gold & silver price crash has already influenced crpyto market wipping out nearly $200 billion from the market.
U.S. Government Partially Shut Down
Crypto prices stayed under strong pressure after late Friday updates showed the U.S. government entering a partial shutdown. Lawmakers approved a temporary funding plan, but the House failed to vote before going into recess.
Because of this delay, the shutdown began, and the House is now expected to take action on Monday. This uncertainty has kept financial markets tense.
At the same time, the market is under pressure from a sharp drop in gold and silver prices. Gold has fallen nearly 15%, while silver is down about 32%, adding fear to an already weak market.
Bitcoin has also felt the impact, sliding from around $88,000 to below $82,000 in hours. Although Bitcoin has made a slight recovery, now trading around $83,559, but still down by nearly 5%.
What Could Happen to Bitcoin and Altcoins on Monday
Historically, crypto markets tend to open cautiously after major such political events. If the House shows progress and moves closer to approving the spending bill, Bitcoin could see a small relief bounce of around 2% to 4%. Major altcoins may follow with slightly higher volatility.
However, if lawm#akers remain divided or delay action further, selling pressure could return. In past shutdowns, key data like jobs and inflation reports were delayed, making it harder for traders to price risk.
And therefore, Bitcoin felt 9%, dropping from around $103,000 to $92,000, while altcoins declined between 12% and 25% due to low liquidity.
Top Crypto Analysts Expect BTC To Hit $74K
In this situation, crypto analyst Ted expects Bitcoin to test key support near $80,000. If this level fails, Bitcoin could fall further toward the April 2025 low near $74,000.
Altcoins, meanwhile, may see sharper and faster moves as trading opens for the week with thin liquidity.
Therefore, Monday’s crypto performance will largely depend on House signals, liquidity conditions, and early trading volume.

“Bitcoin is likely to keep consolidating in the $76,000–$80,000 range, with attempts to break out toward the $85,000 psychological level,” Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget.
The crypto market is down today. After a single day of increases, it fell 1.7% over the past 24 hours to the current $3.06 trillion. Also, 90 of the top 100 coins fell in this period. The total crypto trading volume stands at $124 billion.
TLDR: Crypto market cap is down 1.7% on Thursday morning (UTC); 90 of the top 100 coins and 9 of the top 10 coins have gone down; BTC decreased by 1.7% to $80,820, and ETH fell 2.5% to $2,942; The drop follows economic stress, lack of fresh capital, and geopolitical pressure; ‘This period of consolidation allows for a necessary reset’; Rate cuts are unlikely until later in the year;
This environment could reinforce BTC’s and ETH’s ‘roles as hedges against medium-term monetary pressures and dollar debasement narratives’; Markets are set up for a holding pattern, not a policy pivot; This period of consolidation allows for a necessary reset; Sygnum raised 750 BTC for the Starboard Sygnum BTC Alpha Fund; US spot BTC ETFs posted outflows of $19.64 million, and spot ETH ETFs saw $28.1 million in inflows; Crypto market sentiment saw a minor increase within the fear zone.

The XRP chart is heating up again while macro pressure, ETF hype and political drama collide. Is this the early stage of a major XRP comeback or just another bull trap for the XRP Army? Let’s unpack the risk, the opportunity and the real on-chain and narrative drivers right now.
Vibe Check: XRP is in one of those classic "calm before the storm" moments. The market is neither in full euphoria nor in total fear – more like tense anticipation. Price action has been choppy, swinging between strong rebounds and sharp shakeouts, with traders constantly getting baited into thinking the next massive leg is finally here. That alone tells you one thing: positioning is unstable, and any decisive break could be violent.
Bitcoin’s post-halving environment and the broader altcoin cycle are slowly aligning for a rotation trade, and XRP is firmly on the watchlist of both boomers in suits and the degen XRP Army. But this setup cuts both ways: if liquidity rotates hard into XRP on real catalysts, we get a serious upside squeeze. If not, late FOMO buyers risk becoming fresh bagholders in yet another long consolidation.
The Story: To understand the XRP opportunity and the risk right now, you have to zoom out from the 15-minute chart and look at three big forces: regulation, macro, and narrative.
1. Regulation and the SEC overhang
Ripple’s long war with the SEC has been one of the central crypto storylines of this cycle. The partial legal wins that recognized XRP as not being a security in secondary market trading were a game-changer for sentiment. They cracked open the door for U.S. liquidity to come back. But the overhang is not completely gone: ongoing proceedings, potential appeals, and shifts in U.S. regulatory policy can still swing sentiment fast.
At the same time, there is rising chatter in crypto media about how the next U.S. administration and evolving policy stances could impact Ripple. Every new speech, every hint of a softer or harder stance on crypto, instantly gets reframed as bullish or bearish for XRP. That means volatility spikes around political headlines are not a bug – they are the feature.
2. ETF Hype, Bitcoin Dominance, and Altseason Timing
We are in the post-Bitcoin-halving phase, historically the playground where altcoins fight for dominance. Bitcoin tends to run first, hoarding attention and institutional inflows. Then, once BTC cools and starts ranging, capital rotates into high-beta altcoins. XRP is perfectly positioned as a legacy top asset with a huge community and a still-underexploited regulatory narrative.
There is also growing speculative noise around the potential for an XRP-related ETF in the distant future, inspired by the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF wave. Is an XRP ETF guaranteed? No. Is the narrative powerful enough to fuel hype and FOMO rallies every time a new rumor drops? Absolutely. Even just the perception that institutional rails could one day open wider for XRP is enough to make traders front-run the story.
3. Real Utility: RLUSD, Payments, and Ledger Adoption
Beyond pure speculation, Ripple is still pushing its core vision: using XRP and Ripple technology to move value across borders in a fast and cost-efficient way. The narrative is evolving around three core pillars:
RLUSD and stablecoin rails: Ripple’s move into stablecoins and tokenized payment infrastructure is aimed at making the XRP Ledger more attractive for institutions and fintechs that want speed and compliance-ready rails.
Institutional payment corridors: Even while the retail crowd watches price candles, banks and payment companies are testing or actively using Ripple’s stack to settle cross-border value faster than legacy SWIFT rails.
XRP Ledger ecosystem: Builders are slowly stacking new use cases on top of the ledger: DeFi primitives, tokenization, NFTs, and application-specific tokens. None of this has reached peak hype yet – which ironically is where long-term asymmetric opportunities often begin.
simply: the more real-world, fee-generating activity migrates to the XRP Ledger, the stronger the long-term fundamental backing of XRP as a settlement and liquidity asset. But this is a slow grind, not an overnight meme pump, and traders need to respect that timeline...
#Xrp🔥🔥
#XRPGuru

Over $780M in leveraged longs liquidated in 30 minutes during Bitcoin’s sharp downturn.
Crypto Fear & Greed Index hits 16, signaling extreme fear among traders.
Bitcoin erased $60B in market cap as macroeconomic pressures drove sell-offs.
Bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies experienced a sharp downturn as market volatility intensified, forcing massive liquidations and triggering extreme fear among traders worldwide. Institutional outflows, geopolitical tensions, and risk-off sentiment contributed to the sell-off, creating heightened trading activity.
Massive Liquidations Shake the Market
The market experienced a rapid liquidation event as over $780 million in leveraged long positions were closed in just 30 minutes. Bitcoin’s price fell sharply, erasing roughly $60 billion in market capitalization in under an hour.
Exchanges like Binance and Bybit saw automated margin calls trigger these liquidations, showing the risks of highly leveraged positions. Traders focusing on BTC/USDT pairs reported significant spikes in trading volumes during this period.
Altcoins followed Bitcoin’s downturn, with Ethereum dropping to $2,718.94 and BNB to $838.56. XRP and Solana also posted double-digit losses, reflecting broader market contagion.
On-chain data revealed heightened wallet transfers to exchanges, signaling panic selling and intensified downward pressure. The sell-off demonstrated how quickly leveraged positions can magnify losses in volatile markets.
Macroeconomic Drivers Influence Crypto Prices
Global market conditions contributed to the crypto sell-off, with heightened geopolitical tensions impacting risk sentiment. New U.S. tariffs and policy uncertainties drove investors toward traditional safe-haven assets like gold.
This broader “risk-off” sentiment led to fund outflows from crypto, increasing selling pressure. Institutional flows, including Bitcoin ETFs, recorded net outflows of approximately $485 million on January 29, 2026.
The downturn coincided with negative sentiment across stock markets, further influencing crypto volatility. Traders monitoring BTC/USD witnessed sharp declines, potentially breaching critical support levels around $45,000.
Market indicators like the Relative Strength Index (RSI) entered oversold territory below 30. These conditions could attract short-term buying interest, though bearish momentum remained strong.
Heightened fear in the market was evident as the Crypto Fear & Greed Index plunged to 16. Extreme fear levels indicate traders were hesitant to enter positions despite lower prices.
Trading Insights Amid Market Volatility
Traders employed diverse strategies to navigate extreme volatility in Bitcoin and major altcoins. Scalpers focused on rapid rebounds after liquidations, targeting volatile pairs like BTC/USDT with tight stop-losses.
Swing traders monitored trend reversals using MACD and other momentum indicators to confirm entry points. Algorithmic and AI-driven trading may have intensified liquidations by executing automated sell orders.
Resistance and support levels gained attention as BTC approached $48,000 and tested $42,000. Ethereum, BNB, XRP, and Solana saw similar volatility patterns with rapid price swings.
On-chain metrics showed large wallet movements, suggesting potential accumulation by whales during dips. Traders analyzing multiple timeframes found hourly charts captured immediate declines, while daily charts reflected broader bearish trends.

Blockchain investigators had previously linked the wallet behind the LICK token on Pump.fun to alleged U.S. government crypto theft, with the wallet holding 40% of the supply.
A Solana-based meme coin launched by a wallet linked by blockchain investigators to an alleged theft of U.S. government-controlled crypto assets has collapsed almost entirely within hours of trading.
The token, named John Daghita and trading under the ticker LICK, was created on the Pump.fun launchpad and briefly surged to a market capitalization of roughly $915,000 before falling more than 97% overnight.
Onchain data shows the token later dropped below $25,000 in market value, with current figures placing it near $27,700 after a steep 24-hour decline.
Trading activity indicates that the deployer wallet accumulated tokens early while the market capitalization was still below $21,000, making four purchases before the sharp rally and subsequent collapse.
Bubblemaps Finds Concentrated Supply in LICK Token Debut
Further scrutiny came from blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps, which reported that the deployer of LICK held approximately 40% of the total token supply at launch.
Such concentration is widely viewed by analysts as a warning sign, as it allows insiders to exert outsized control over price action and liquidity.
Bubblemaps claimed that the same individual tied to the alleged theft controlled the deployer wallet and a significant share of the supply during the token’s launch phase.
The launch attracted attention after blockchain investigator ZachXBT said the wallet associated with the token deployer was connected to tens of millions of dollars in crypto allegedly tied to U.S. government-seized assets.
In an X post on Jan. 23, ZachXBT claimed the individual behind the online alias “John Daghita,” also known as “Lick,” had displayed control over wallets holding approximately $23 million during a recorded dispute with another actor in a Telegram group.
Public records show that Command Services & Support, a Virginia-based firm whose president is Dean Daghita, received a U.S. Marshals Service contract in October 2024 to assist with the custody and disposal of certain digital assets seized by the government.
ZachXBT alleged that John Daghita, the president’s son, gained unauthorized access to wallets connected to those holdings.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and no criminal charges have been announced.
Meme Coin Chaos Deepens Across Solana’s Pump.fun Ecosystem
The incident has also drawn attention from policymakers, as Patrick Witt, director of the White House Crypto Council, said in a post on X that he was reviewing the claims following ZachXBT’s disclosures.
According to BitcoinTreasuries.NET, U.S. authorities may control more than 328,000 Bitcoin through various seizures, including assets from the Bitfinex case, potentially worth around $30 billion at current prices.
Beyond the specific allegations, the LICK collapse fits into a broader pattern within Solana’s meme coin ecosystem.
Data from early 2025 suggests that more than 98% of tokens launched on Pump.fun exhibit characteristics associated with rug pulls or rapid pump-and-dump schemes.
Analysts estimate that only a tiny fraction of the millions of tokens created on the platform ever reach even modest liquidity levels, while the average lifespan of many tokens has dropped to less than 25 minutes before abandonment or sharp declines.
Recent cases have reinforced these concerns, as in December, Solana-based AI token AVA fell more than 96% after onchain analysis showed roughly 40% of its supply had been accumulated by wallets linked to the deployer at launch.
In January, the WhiteWhale memecoin briefly lost around 60% of its market value within minutes after a large holder sold a significant portion of the supply, an event widely described by traders as a rug pull despite later partial recovery.

Dont Miss The Opportunity Like You Did In The Past Years

Aster perp volume jumps to $6.6B in 24 hours, beating Hyperliquid and Lighter as competition heats up in crypto perpetual futures.
Quick Take:
•Aster leads 24-hour perpetual trading with $6.60B in volume
•Hyperliquid and Lighter follow with strong multi-billion-dollar activity
•High perp volume shows rising trader interest and risk appetite
•Competition among derivatives platforms is increasing rapidly.
Aster has moved to the very top of the crypto derivatives market. Over the past 24 hours, the platform has recorded $6.60 billion in perpetual futures trading volume. Thus putting Aster ahead of a lot of strong competitors.
According to market data, Hyperliquid followed up with $3.48 billion in volume, while Lighter came closely behind at $3.39 billion. These numbers show how active the perpetual futures market has now become.
What Perpetual Trading Means
Perpetual futures, also called perps, lets the traders to bet on price changes without an expiry date. Traders can go long or short and usually even use leverage, so this makes the market fast and risky.
High trading volume usually means that there is a strong interest from active traders. It also shows that many people trust the platform’s speed and liquidity. When volume goes up, markets usually see sharper price moves. So, Aster’s lead suggests that it attracted more traders during this period.
Why Aster Is Standing Out
Aster’s volume is almost the double of Hyperliquid and Lighter. This gap is pretty huge and is hard to ignore. It shows that Aster offered better trading conditions in the last 24 hours.
A lot of traders look for low fees, fast execution and deep liquidity. Therefore, platforms that have these kinds of features are the ones that see sudden jumps in activity. So, Aster may have benefited from these kinds of factors.
Short-term incentives, such as trading rewards or fee discounts, can also increase the volume. Since, traders are most likely to move quickly when they see better opportunities somewhere else.
Strong Competition From Other Platforms
Even though Aster’s perp volume is in the lead, Hyperliquid and Lighter are still standing strong. Both the platforms posted multi-billion-dollar volumes in just one day, and shows that demand for perpetual trading is still high.
The close gap between Hyperliquid and Lighter highlights the tough competition. How traders now have quite a lot of options, and loyalty can change pretty fast. Basically, no platform can take their lead for granted in this market.
Why This Matters for the Crypto Market
High perpetual volume usually signals a growing risk appetite. Traders usually increase their derivatives activity when they think a big price move is about to come.
This trend also shows how the market is spreading to newer platforms and how a lot more major exchanges now have trading power.
However, one strong day isn’t what guarantees long-term dominance, so volumes can change quickly based on the mood of the market.
What Comes Next for Aster
Aster’s perp volume move to the top is a clear sign of the changing market dynamics, and the days to come will show us if it can actually hold this lead.
As for traders, more competition means better tools and better prices. While for the crypto market, it shows a fast-moving and evolving derivatives landscape.
Disclaimer: Cryptographic World information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, financial advice. We do not make any warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of this information. All investments involve risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We recommend consulting a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

These ideas reflect where a16z sees the market heading and what builders should focus on next year.
Andreessen Horowitz, better known as a16z, has shared its annual list of 17 priorities for the crypto space in 2026. The partners covered topics ranging from stablecoins, tokenization, and finance to AI, privacy, security, prediction markets, and building new products.
These ideas reflect where a16z sees the market heading and what builders should focus on next year.
Stablecoins and Tokenized Assets
a16z says stablecoins will keep growing. They handled about $46 trillion in transactions in 2025. That is more than 20 times PayPal and almost three times Visa. The challenge, a16z notes, is connecting stablecoins to everyday money systems.

Startups are building ways to swap local money for stablecoins and let people spend them in stores. This could help workers get paid instantly across countries and let merchants accept money without banks.
The company also predicts more crypto-native tokenization of real-world assets. They suggest things like perpetual futures could give deeper liquidity instead of copying old financial products.
a16z thinks tokenized assets can help banks and fintechs make payments faster and reach more people while avoiding old system upgrades.
a16z also says AI and tokenized assets could make wealth management easier for everyone, not just the rich. Retail investors may get access to private equity, pre-IPO companies, and private credit through crypto platforms.

AI, Privacy, and New Tools
The firm predicts AI agents will automate tasks and payments. They say a new system called “Know Your Agent” or KYA will be needed to identify these AI agents. a16z also says AI could help with research, patents, and smart contracts.
Privacy is another key point. a16z notes private blockchains could be stronger because moving from one private chain to another is harder than moving between public chains. Messaging and data may also become decentralized with “secrets-as-a-service,” giving users more control over their information.
Other predictions include bigger prediction markets, staked media with verifiable content, and crypto networks working better with U.S. laws. a16z sees 2026 as a year of more mainstream adoption, AI tools, privacy, and new ways to use crypto safely.
Disclaimer: Cryptographic World information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, financial advice. We do not make any warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of this information. All investments involve risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We recommend consulting a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Japan's Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama made waves last week by declaring 2026 as Japan's first year of digital.
Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama made waves last week by declaring 2026 as Japan’s first year of digital. This sets the stage for a major push to have Japan’s financial system incorporate cryptocurrencies and blockchain assets. At the Tokyo Stock Exchange opening ceremony, Katayama said that Japan’s stock and commodity markets will be at the heart of ensuring that Japanese citizens benefit from digital financial products.
To make her point, Katayama referenced international developments, particularly noting that in the US, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are increasingly seen as inflation-hedging tools. Speaking at the ceremony, she added, “Commodity and stock exchanges play a pretty big role in making sure the public can enjoy the benefits of digital assets – it’s a key part of our plan to push the boundaries of what tech can do in the finance sector.”
Regulatory Frameworks for Cryptocurrencies
The Japan Financial Services Agency began drafting a new regulatory framework for crypto back in October 2025. The goal is to treat digital assets the same as conventional securities. This means that the rules they come up with will include:
Making it illegal to trade on insider information of digital assets
Supervising over 100 registered digital assets, which includes Ethereum
Setting guidelines for banks to offer management and sales of digital assets
Japan is going all in on crypto
The country plans to cut crypto capital gains from 55% to 20% in 2026
Japan's finance minister is promoting crypto integrations into the national finance system.
The aim is for these rules to come into effect in 2026 – and once they’re in place, we expect to see more clarity for investors and financial institutions, making it more likely that we’ll see digital assets listed on ETFS. This move shows that Japan is taking a cautious yet progressive approach, aiming to align with global developments.
Crypto Tax Reforms Become Law
For investors, one of the key changes is a major overhaul of crypto taxation. From 2026, Japan will bring the capital gains tax on digital assets down from as high as 55% all the way down to a flat rate of 20% – and only applies to assets traded on regulated markets – while also exempting any assets that aren’t on the register.
Other notable developments to watch include:
The approval of the first Yen-pegged stablecoin (JYPc)
An assessment of how good banks are at managing both traditional and digital assets
Ongoing monitoring of how crypto transactions are being classified and tracked
These moves are a strong signal from Japan that it wants to make its mark on the global crypto scene by creating a safe and welcoming environment for investors while also encouraging the growth of blockchain-based financial solutions.
Disclaimer: Cryptographic World information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, financial advice. We do not make any warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of this information. All investments involve risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We recommend consulting a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

BlackRock clients acquired 3,948 Bitcoin valued at approximately $372 million today, according to data tracked by Farside Investors.
The purchase reflects continued institutional accumulation of Bitcoin through BlackRock's spot ETF product, the IBIT fund. The firm has positioned itself as a key facilitator of structured crypto exposure, settling transfers through platforms like Coinbase Prime.
US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded approximately $697 million in net inflows on Monday, representing their largest daily intake since October 7.
In addition to BlackRock's IBIT, Fidelity's FBTC fund posted major gains with $191 million in fresh investments. No funds reported outflows during the session.
Disclaimer: Cryptographic World information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, financial advice. We do not make any warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of this information. All investments involve risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We recommend consulting a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

Crypto is back in the green, and it’s definitely not a random bounce. A mix of improving sentiment and changing stories around major global players is lifting confidence across risky assets.
While nothing has fundamentally changed overnight, the mood is definitely better.
Prices push higher
As of writing, major cryptos have moved higher.
Bitcoin has held above recent support levels and pushed upward, so buyers are willing to step in. Ethereum has also posted steady gains. However, Ripple [XRP] has been the standout, climbing up and outperforming both BTC and ETH in the short term.

What’s interesting here is the lack of panic volume or instability, with the numbers looking more like a cautious buying attempt. Traders are clearly more comfortable taking risks than they were just days ago.
Increased macro support
Recent reports of increased U.S. control over Venezuela’s oil reserves have helped improve the idea of stability.
While this development has no direct link to crypto markets, it feeds into a familiar pattern. When macro risks appear more contained, investors tend to move back into risk assets.
Energy stability reduces inflation concerns and uncertainty around global supply, which can support equities, commodities, and digital assets.
Crypto’s recent strength comes with investors pricing in the possibility of a calmer monetary backdrop.
A new POV

Charts tracking major holders show Venezuela’s Bitcoin stash estimated to be nearly double that of the U.S. government. Traders will be actively watching how this portion of the supply affects the greater space.

Meanwhile, liquidation data looked a tad different: Bitcoin [BTC] and Ethereum [ETH] have seen heavy leverage wiped out over the past 12-24 hours, mostly on the long side.
The liquidations have cleared out excess leverage and reset positions. Buyers are still active, but they are being more cautious.
Final Thoughts
Crypto prices are rising as risk appetite returns.
The market looks cautiously constructive.
Disclaimer: Cryptographic World information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, financial advice. We do not make any warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of this information. All investments involve risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We recommend consulting a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.