NEAR Protocol: Lighting a Fire in the Sharding Lane
In the fast lane of crypto, where blockchains jockey for position, NEAR Protocol is kicking up dust. This innovative project boasts blazing-fast transaction speeds, subpenny fees, and a user-friendly approach that aims to leave clunky, congested networks in the rearview mirror. Buckle up, because NEAR is on a mission to redefine what a blockchain can be.
On-Ramp for the Masses:
Forget the PhD in cryptography required to navigate most blockchains. NEAR throws open the doors with user-friendly tools and intuitive interfaces. Account names like "crypto.dad" replace cryptic wallet addresses, making the world of DeFi (decentralized finance) accessible to everyone, not just tech wizards.
Sharding the Speed Limit:
NEAR isn't messing around when it comes to speed. Imagine a world where transactions settle in a flash, not an eternity. Sharding, a fancy term for splitting the workload, keeps NEAR agile and responsive, allowing it to handle a massive influx of users without breaking a sweat.
Bridging the Divided Lanes:
Unlike blockchains that operate in isolation, NEAR plays well with others. It seamlessly connects to existing networks, fostering collaboration and innovation. Think of it as a crypto Esperanto, breaking down language barriers and uniting the blockchain world.
A Fertile Ecosystem:
NEAR is more than just a speedy network; it's a thriving ecosystem teeming with possibilities. From building next-gen dApps (decentralized applications) to secure storage solutions, NEAR empowers developers to craft the future of the web.
P.S. While your investment might fuel the NEAR rocket, the real boost comes from spreading the word. Share, like, and follow for more deep dives into the wild world of crypto. Remember, together we chart the course!
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released its latest Weekly Petroleum Status Report on January 22, 2026, revealing a significant build in commercial crude oil inventories. For the week ending January 16, 2026, U.S. crude oil stocks increased by 3.602 million barrels, far exceeding market expectations of a modest 1.1 million-barrel rise (and following a 3.391 million-barrel build the prior week). This pushed total inventories to approximately 426 million barrels, still about 2% below the five-year average for this period.
The EIA's Crude Oil Stocks Change indicator tracks weekly fluctuations in commercial crude held by U.S. companies, excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. A build like this signals weaker-than-anticipated demand relative to supply, often pressuring oil prices downward as markets interpret it as oversupply or subdued consumption. Factors contributing to the surprise build may include steady production, imports, and reduced refinery runs amid seasonal patterns or broader economic softness.
Oil prices reflected this bearish sentiment, with WTI crude hovering around $59-60 per barrel and Brent near $64-65 on January 23, 2026, amid ongoing forecasts from the EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook projecting further declines (Brent averaging $56/b in 2026) due to global production outpacing demand and inventory builds.Key takeaway: This larger-than-expected stock build reinforces a supply-glut narrative in the short term, potentially capping any near-term oil rallies and contributing to volatility in energy-sensitive assets.
For the crypto market, the linkage is indirect but notable. Lower oil prices reduce input costs for mining operations, potentially improving miner profitability and supporting hash rate stability or growth. However, persistent weak demand signals in commodities often correlate with broader risk-off sentiment, weighing on risk assets like cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin and altcoins may face headwinds from reduced investor appetite for high-beta plays.
Sentient (SENT): How This Modest Token Orchestrates the Symphony of Open AGI – And Multiplies Your Portfolio's Wit.
In the grand drawing-room of finance, where closed AI barons hoard their glittering monopolies like misers clutching candlesticks, Sentient Labs arrives as the charming rogue who flings open the doors. Behold the GRID: a vast, open intelligence network where over 100 AI models, agents, tools, and research projects hum together as one unified, community-owned brain—daring to rival the closed citadels of OpenAI and its ilk.
Why add $SENT to your portfolio? Because it's the future of finance distilled into decentralized genius. This token powers governance, incentives, and staking in an ecosystem that rewards builders for advancing open-source AGI, not corporate overlords. Early adopters whisper of fortunes forged: developers monetizing models via OML (Open, Monetizable, Loyal) frameworks, communities staking to fund breakthroughs, and traders riding listings on Binance to swift gains amid soaring volumes.
Now is the exquisite moment—fresh listings, community-heavy tokenomics (44% for incentives), and a mission to democratize intelligence before it's too late. As one visionary put it, "Why let a few decide what AGI knows when everyone can own the symphony?"Don't let your balance languish in yesterday's shadows. Embrace Sentient: where wit meets wealth, and open intelligence outshines closed control.
Today's Jobless Claims Hold Steady at 200K: Labor Market Resilience Signals Bullish Tailwinds for Crypto
In the latest U.S. Department of Labor release on January 22, 2026, initial jobless claims for the week ending January 17 rose marginally by 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 200,000. This figure came in notably below economists' expectations of around 210,000–212,000, continuing a trend of labor market stability after post-holiday volatility. The prior week's reading was revised slightly upward to 199,000, while the four-week moving average dipped to 201,500—the lowest since early 2024—indicating underlying strength despite minor weekly fluctuations.
Initial jobless claims serve as a key weekly gauge of labor market health, tracking first-time filings for unemployment insurance. Sharp increases often signal rising layoffs and economic weakness, while low or stable levels point to robust hiring and employer confidence. Given the data's volatility from seasonal factors, analysts prioritize the four-week average for clearer insights. Here, the average's downward drift reinforces that the U.S. job market remains resilient, with limited widespread dismissals.
What should investors take away? A steady-to-improving labor picture reduces recession fears, supporting risk-on sentiment across asset classes. Strong employment typically bolsters consumer spending and economic growth, allowing the Federal Reserve to maintain or ease monetary policy without urgency—especially if inflation remains contained. Lower claims diminish the odds of aggressive rate cuts but also avert hawkish surprises that could spike yields.
For the crypto market, this data is predominantly positive. Bitcoin and altcoins thrive in environments of economic optimism and liquidity. A resilient labor market underpins broader equities, often spilling over to crypto via correlated risk appetite. It weakens the USD modestly (as higher claims typically pressure the dollar), creating a favorable backdrop for dollar-denominated assets like cryptocurrencies.
Mind Network: Unlocking the Encrypted Vault of Tomorrow's Fortune?
In the grand salon of crypto, where fortunes are made and lost with the flick of a quantum bit, Mind Network arrives like a droll butler bearing the Holy Grail: Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) powering HTTPZ, the zero-trust protocol that keeps data encrypted even while AI computes upon it. No more undressing secrets for prying servers—privacy preserved with wit and lattice-based quantum resistance.
This modest token ($FHE) can shield your digital life while multiplying your net worth. How to level up in crypto? Stake in privacy's future: FHE enables confidential AI agents, secure DeFi, encrypted RWAs, and autonomous economies without leaks. Why the future of finance? As quantum threats loom and AI hungers for data, Mind Network's end-to-end encryption turns vulnerability into unbreakable virtue—NIST-approved post-quantum security meets Web3's wild ambitions.
Real-world triumphs? Backed by Binance Labs, Chainlink, and HashKey; integrations with DeepSeek for private AI, IO.Net, AIOZ; 2.2M+ wallets, 50K+ AI agents activated, rapid mainnet-TGE record. Early holders watched surges amid 51%+ daily pumps and booming volumes.Is your portfolio still whispering secrets to eavesdroppers? Add this gem before HTTPZ becomes the new HTTPS. The encrypted internet beckons—don't arrive fashionably late.
River: Flowing Past Bridges to the Future of Finance?
In the wild Mississippi of crypto, where chains are like feuding river towns—isolated, toll-heavy, and prone to bridge collapses—River sails in as the steamboat captain who says, "Why cross on shaky planks when you can flow freely?" This modest protocol builds the first chain-abstraction stablecoin system, letting you deposit BTC on Ethereum, mint satUSD on BNB Chain (or anywhere else), without bridging, wrapping, or selling your precious collateral. No more liquidity stranded like a flatboat in dry dock. River connects assets, liquidity, and yield across ecosystems, turning fragmented DeFi into one mighty, navigable stream.
Why's it the future? Stablecoins rule finance ($270B+ market), but they're chained like old paddlewheelers. River's omni-CDP hides boundaries, unleashes capital efficiency, and lets you earn yield natively—stake satUSD for protocol revenue shares. It's democratizing multi-chain mastery: provision once, deploy everywhere.Real-world wins? River's TVL exploded past $400M pre-launch, satUSD circulation hit $100M+ fast, with integrations across 30+ chains. Early adopters saw seamless leverage without bridge hacks or fees eating profits—think traders multiplying positions effortlessly, institutions flowing capital frictionlessly.
How to level up in crypto? Add this little-known gem to your portfolio before the masses paddle downstream. Is your balance stuck on one shore? Flow with River instead.The next $10B on-chain riverbank starts here. Don't miss the current.
Fogo: Blazing Past the Blockchain Bottleneck—Your Ticket to Real-Time Riches?
In the grand old Mississippi of crypto, where chains dawdle like steamboats in fog, along comes Fogo—a high-octane L1 roaring with Solana Virtual Machine guts, sub-40ms block times, and sub-second confirmations. It's not just fast; it's the future of finance, where trades execute quicker than a gambler's bluff, powering institutional-grade DeFi without the usual blockchain hiccups.
Why stash FOGOin your portfolio? This modest token unlocks ultra-low latency for on-chain order books, perpetuals, and real-time auctions—stuff that chokes slower chains. Imagine high-frequency trading on-chain, no more slippage stealing your supper. Backed by sharp minds from Jump Crypto and tradfi pros, plus $13.5M from Distributed Global, CMS, and Cobie’s crew, Fogo's Firedancer-powered engine and zoned consensus make it Solana on rocket fuel.
Early birds are already stacking Flames points, positioning for ecosystem rewards as mainnet hums. Traders who've migrated dApps whisper of seamless wins—no congestion, pure speed.How to level up your net worth with this little-known rocket? Grab FOGOnow, before the herd piles in and latency becomes yesterday's news. The finance revolution ain't waiting—neither should you.
METIS (MetisDAO, Ethereum L2 with AI-native features via Hyperion and MetisSDK) benefits from sequencer decentralization progress and AI agent integrations for governance. Ecosystem grants and partnerships signal growth. Critically: L2 space is crowded—adoption of AI tools is key, but broader market fear could cap upside short-term.
$ZBT /USDT – Rebound Rocket: +35.54% Surge! Current Price: 0.1064
ZBT (ZEROBASE, a privacy-focused ZK network) is bouncing hard after earlier phishing hacks eroded trust, but recent security fixes by Binance and the team have restored some confidence. Backed by Binance Labs and multiple listings, it's showing oversold rebound potential. Critically, it's still down massively from peaks—privacy coins face regulatory risks, and post-hack recovery could be fragile without proven utility growth.
BANANA (Banana Gun, a Telegram trading bot for sniping tokens) is rallying amid ongoing DeFi tool demand and community campaigns. Recent dApp launches and NFT rewards keep engagement high. Be critical: Bot tools are volatile, prone to rugs or competition—past controversies around launches highlight risks. Pure momentum play in a thin holiday market.
$CLO/USDT – Underdog Uprising: +22.23% Charge! Current Price: 0.2607
CLO (Yei Finance) tied to DeFi yields is pumping on volume support, possibly from niche listings or bot activity. Limited mainstream news suggests pure speculative flow. Informative warning: Micro-caps like this often lack fundamentals—high risk of dumps; treat as high-vol gamble in low-liquidity season.
Litentry (LIT): A Privacy-Preserving Identity Aggregator in the Polkadot Ecosystem
Litentry (LIT) stands as a pioneering decentralized identity aggregation oracle, enabling users to seamlessly manage and link digital identities across multiple blockchains while prioritizing privacy. Built on the Substrate framework, it operates as a parachain within the Polkadot network, leveraging Trusted Execution Environments (TEE), verifiable credentials, and customizable credit computation to aggregate fragmented identity data into comprehensive, secure profiles.
This infrastructure addresses key pain points in Web3: fragmented identities hinder interoperability, and centralized systems pose privacy risks. Litentry's Decentralized Identity (DID) indexing and cross-chain verification empower dApps with real-time, pseudonymous user data for applications like airdrop whitelisting, DeFi credit scoring, soulbound tokens, and reputation systems. By complying with W3C DID standards, it bridges Web2 and Web3, fostering user sovereignty.
As of December 2025, LIT trades around $3.11–$3.60, reflecting market volatility but recent surges—up over 57% in some weekly periods—signal renewed interest amid Polkadot's ecosystem growth. Circulating supply hovers near 55–56 million tokens, with a max of 100 million. Despite earlier rebranding discussions to Heima, Litentry remains focused on identity infrastructure.
Strengths include Polkadot integration for scalability and strong tech foundations. Challenges persist in adoption, as broader DID utility depends on ecosystem maturation. With privacy regulations tightening globally, Litentry's role in secure, interoperable identities positions it for long-term relevance. Investors should monitor partnerships and on-chain activity for upside potential in a maturing multi-chain landscape.
RAVE (RaveDAO, EDM events/NFT ticketing) rebounds +15.4% after post-launch correction, fueled by chapter expansions and partnerships (Vintage Culture events, Warner Music). 2025 impact proceeds fund philanthropy.
Volume returning, but critically: classic listing pump-dump pattern—ATH $0.64 faded fast; sentiment-driven with thin real revenue yet. Community strong; sustained hold could revive to highs, else further volatility.
US is Steady Climbing – Obscure Utility or Spec Hype?
US token shows modest +8.26% gains amid broader market recovery, possibly tied to niche utility or sentiment. Sparse recent developments—no major news spikes.
Critically: many "US" variants lack traction; demand appears speculative with low volume. In bull conditions, it could grind higher, but thin liquidity risks sharp reversals—low-conviction play.
XPIN is Pinning Higher – DePIN Telecom Play Awakening
XPIN (DePIN/PayFi for global eSIM connectivity) climbs +32% on FreeData Plan adoption ($800M+ deposits) and perpetual listings. $1/GB plans disrupt roaming, with AI agents integrated.
Volume rising, but critically: extreme centralization (91% in 8 wallets, unrenounced ownership) flags rug/manipulation risks—audits highlight vulnerability. Real-world utility strong, yet whale dumps could crush gains. Watch for partnerships.
ACT is Acting Up – DeFansFi Pump or Centralization Trap?
ACT (Acet, DeFansFi token with zero-initial-supply model) gains +33.6% amid community-driven hype and staking rewards. "ACT Warriors" lockups guarantee buy pressure via daily swaps.
Critically: heavy centralization (whale holds, contract risks) and limited milestones make it vulnerable to manipulation—past pumps faded quickly. Fan engagement utility is niche; momentum good now, but high volatility expected.
LAB is Experimenting Gains – AI Terminal Momentum Building
LAB (multi-chain trading terminal with AI integration) rises +35.4% on perpetual listings and ecosystem expansions (Solana, Base added). Governance shift to community voting in Q4 boosts sentiment.
Volume supports upside, but critically: unrenounced mint authority and centralization concerns persist—post-listing surges often correct hard. Real utility in Telegram tools draws users, yet tokenomics risks dilution. Sustained above entry could see steady climbs.
The 4 token (likely the BNB Chain meme/playful asset) pumps +38% on low-cap frenzy and exchange volume spikes. Recent trading on XT.COM and others fuels speculation, but no major utility updates—pure sentiment drive.
Critically: meme tokens like this are highly volatile, with past peaks followed by sharp drops; thin liquidity risks quick fades. In a risk-on market, it could extend, but fundamentals weak—high-risk speculative play only.
UNI is Unifying Bullish – Fee Switch Vote Ignites Rally
Uniswap's UNI jumps +10% as "UNIfication" governance vote (Dec 20-25) proposes 100M token burn and v2/v3 fee activation for perpetual burns. v4 hooks and smart wallet integrations enhance utility.
Strong volume confirms buyer control, but critically: past fee debates stalled amid regs—passage uncertain, delays could trigger sells. Leading DEX position solid; if vote passes, major upside potential.
Well the price has come back to accumulation levels, we wouldn't rule out it hitting $11 again.
EliteDailySignals
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Bullish
Folks Finance is Lending Fire – Cross-Chain DeFi Revival?
FOLKS, the token for Folks Finance (cross-chain lending protocol), is surging +78% amid renewed DeFi interest and recent TVL growth on chains like Monad ($10M+) and Algorand. The 2026 roadmap includes xChain V2 for broader interoperability and a mobile app with debit-card borrowing (30K+ waitlist).
Volume backs the move, but critically: post-ATH correction from $48+ highs shows volatility, with 74% supply locked risking future dilution. High APYs attract liquidity, yet competition from Aave giants looms. If it holds entry, further upside likely—watch unlocks closely.