Crypto Coin Minute for January 11th, 2026 at 05:15 AM Pacific Time.
Coinbase outlined a bullish market outlook, citing accelerating global liquidity and scaling initiatives that could lift crypto valuations. Meanwhile, Sei Network announced infrastructure upgrades and new partnerships aimed at driving mass adoption in 2026. Stellar Network reported that tokenized real‑world assets on its platform have surpassed the $1 billion mark, underscoring growing institutional interest. Prices today show Bitcoin near $90,800, Ethereum above $3,100, and other major coins posting modest gains.
Bitcoiners Celebrate 17th Anniversary of Hal Finney's Bitcoin Post
On January 10, 2009, Bitcoin pioneer Hal Finney posted “Running Bitcoin,” confirming he was operating the first node and had just received the inaugural 10 BTC transaction from Satoshi Nakamoto. The crypto community marked the 17th anniversary of this milestone, celebrating Finney’s role in...
Tennessee Orders Kalshi, Polymarket and Crypto.com to Cease Sports Betting Contracts
Tennessee regulators have issued cease‑and‑desist orders to Kalshi, Polymarket and Crypto.com, demanding they stop offering sports event contracts to state residents. The firms, which operate as CFTC‑registered contract markets, lack the state gambling license required by Tennessee’s Sports Gaming Act....
Institutions Know a “Good” Exchange Is Built for Failure
Chris Soriano argues that an exchange’s true quality is measured by its performance during market stress, not by superficial polish or compliance scores. CoinDesk’s November 2025 Exchange Benchmark shows improved governance, yet many crypto venues still run retail‑centric matching engines, lack...
Hundreds of Wealthy Investors Are Using Crypto to Buy Real Estate in Europe
Brighty, a Lithuania‑licensed crypto payments platform, has brokered more than 100 apartment purchases for high‑net‑worth individuals across Europe. Transactions range from $500,000 to $2.5 million, with customers spending roughly $50,000 per month on crypto‑funded real estate. The firm relies on blockchain‑analytics...
Betterment Urges Users to Ignore ‘Unauthorized’ Crypto Promotion Message
Betterment warned users on X to disregard a crypto promotion that promised to triple Bitcoin or Ether deposits, labeling the message as unauthorized. The fraudulent notification was distributed through a third‑party marketing system rather than Betterment’s own channels. Betterment clarified...
Anti-DeFi Group Runs Ads Urging Public to Pressure Senators on Crypto Bill: Report
An anti‑DeFi coalition, Investors For Transparency, has placed ads on Fox News urging the public to pressure senators to pass crypto market‑structure legislation that omits decentralized‑finance provisions. The campaign references the CLARITY Act, which could allow stable‑coin issuers to offer...
A16z Crypto Shares Three Crypto Predictions for 2026
Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto division unveiled its 2026 outlook, highlighting three transformative themes: AI‑augmented prediction markets, zero‑knowledge SNARK‑based virtual machines, and a novel concept called “staked media.” The firm argues these primitives will shift from niche experiments to core infrastructure for...
Memecoin Market Cratered More Than 60% in 2025: Report
The memecoin market slumped over 60% in 2025, falling from $93.1 billion to $36.5 billion by early 2026, even as the broader crypto market topped $4 trillion. Trading volume collapsed from a $20 billion peak to roughly $3 billion, indicating the sector’s reliance on short‑term...
Nasdaq, CME Group Join Forces to Launch Nasdaq-CME Crypto Index
Nasdaq and CME Group have merged their crypto indexes, rebranding the Nasdaq Crypto Index as the Nasdaq‑CME Crypto Index. The new benchmark tracks seven leading digital assets—Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana, Chainlink, Cardano, and Avalanche—offering a broader market representation. Executives highlighted...
Colombia Advances Crypto Tax Rules as Global Reporting Standards Take Shape
Colombia’s tax authority DIAN issued Resolution 000240, creating a mandatory crypto‑reporting regime that mirrors the OECD’s Crypto‑Asset Reporting Framework. Exchanges, custodians and other service providers must collect and transmit user identification and transaction data to foreign tax authorities, with due‑diligence,...
US Lawmakers Demand Ethics Safeguards for Market Structure Bill: Report
Democratic Senate leaders, including Adam Schiff and Ruben Gallego, are pressing the Responsible Financial Innovation Act (RFIA) to include strict conflict‑of‑interest safeguards that would bar public officials, even the president, from profiting from crypto holdings. The RFIA, which expands CFTC...
Bitcoin Pulls Back to $90,000 as Early Friday Rally Attempt Fails
Bitcoin slipped back to roughly $90,000 after a brief surge to $92,000, posting a 1% decline over the past 24 hours. The pullback occurred as U.S. equities rallied, with the Nasdaq up 1% and the S&P 500 gaining 0.8%. Mixed labor...
Trading Bots Gain Traction as Crypto Markets Move Sideways: HTX 2025 Recap
In 2025 HTX reported a surge in grid‑based trading bots, with overall grid volume up 97% year‑over‑year and capital allocated to such strategies doubling. The growth was most pronounced in stablecoin pairs, where grid volume jumped 352% compared with 122%...
World's Largest Custodial Bank BNY to Offer Tokenized Deposits for Institutional Investors
BNY Mellon, the world’s largest custodial bank, has rolled out a tokenized deposit service for institutional investors, mirroring client balances on a permissioned blockchain. The new Digital Assets platform allows on‑chain representation of deposits, delivering near‑instant, 24/7 settlement and streamlined...
Polygon Leads Altcoin Surge With 15% Rally
Polygon’s native token POL surged 15% in the past 24 hours, reaching $0.15 after CEO Marc Boiron outlined the Polygon Foundation’s 2026 Open Money Stack vision. The rally extends a 49% gain over the last two weeks, though the token...
Bitcoin’s Next Super Rally Could Depend on This Key Data Point
Long‑term Bitcoin holders (LTHs) dumped roughly $300 billion in 2025, marking the sharpest on‑chain supply reset in five years. The 30‑day peak distribution reached 1.14 million BTC in November, followed by a rapid decline of LTH supply to 13.5 million BTC by year‑end....
BNY Launches Tokenized Deposits Amid TradFi Rush Into Blockchain and Crypto
BNY Mellon has introduced tokenized bank deposits on its own permissioned blockchain, offering institutional clients on‑chain cash balances that can be used for collateral and margin. The on‑chain tokens promise faster settlement, greater transparency and reduced friction compared with legacy...
Crypto Exchange OKX Cuts Institutional Staff Amid Global Restructuring
OKX announced a global restructuring of its institutional business, resulting in roughly one‑third of its institutional salesforce exiting the firm. The cuts, which include both layoffs and voluntary departures, are part of a shift toward a more traditional coverage model...
Ethereum Co-Founder Reiterates Support for Roman Storm, Citing Privacy
Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin reaffirmed his support for Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, emphasizing the importance of privacy in crypto transactions. Buterin disclosed that he personally uses Storm’s software to conceal his identity when purchasing tools and donating to human‑rights charities. Storm, convicted...
Tether Said to Have Invested up to $50 Million in Crypto Lender Ledn at $500 Million Valuation
Tether has invested between $40 million and $50 million in crypto lender Ledn, valuing the company at $500 million. The deal, disclosed by a source, marks Tether’s latest strategic move beyond its core stablecoin business. Ledn, which recently shifted to a bitcoin‑only lending...
U.S. Added 50,000 Jobs in December as Unemployment Rate Fell to 4.4%
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that non‑farm payrolls grew by 50,000 jobs in December, falling short of the 60,000 forecast. The unemployment rate dipped to 4.4%, better than the projected 4.5% and down from November’s 4.6%. Revised data...
Xapo Bank’s Bitcoin Wealth Ecosystem, Explained
Xapo Bank, a Gibraltar‑licensed Bitcoin‑first bank, now offers a suite of wealth products that let holders earn Bitcoin‑denominated yield on both USD and BTC balances. The USD and BTC savings accounts pay variable APY, credited daily in satoshis, and the...
Bitcoin May Be Gearing up for a Rally that Sent Price to $126,000 Last Year
Bitcoin has been confined to an $80,000‑$95,000 range for about 50 days, echoing a similar 52‑day consolidation earlier this year that ended with a surge to $126,000 in October. Analysts label these prolonged, flat periods as time‑based capitulations, where impatient...
Toncoin Drops, Falls Through Key Support Levels in Technical Breakdown
TON fell over 4% in 24 hours, sliding to $1.76 and breaching key support levels at $1.79 and $1.78. A volume spike of 2.14 million TON, well above the seven‑day average, suggests large‑holder or institutional selling pressure. The move contrasts with...
Visa-Linked Stablecoin Platform Rain Raises $250M at $1.95B Valuation
Rain, a Visa‑linked stablecoin infrastructure provider, closed a $250 million Series C round that values the company at $1.95 billion, bringing total funding to $338 million. The company reported a 30‑fold increase in its active card base and a 38‑times rise in annualized payment...
Ripple Wins UK Regulatory Approval From Financial Conduct Authority
Ripple’s UK subsidiary, Ripple Markets UK Ltd., secured registration with the Financial Conduct Authority under the country’s anti‑money‑laundering regime, enabling it to conduct certain crypto‑related activities in Britain. The approval stops short of a full financial‑services licence but signals Ripple’s...
The Hidden Risk of Public WiFi: How a Single Approval Wiped a Crypto Wallet
Crypto user "The Smart Ape" lost $5,000 from a hot wallet after connecting to an open hotel Wi‑Fi and approving a malicious transaction. Attackers used ARP spoofing and injected JavaScript into a DeFi front‑end, turning a routine approval into a...
Grayscale Forms Trusts Tied to Potential BNB and HYPE ETFs
Asset manager Grayscale has registered two Delaware statutory trusts linked to prospective exchange‑traded funds focused on Binance Coin (BNB) and Hyperliquid’s HYPE token. The filings, recorded Thursday, are preparatory steps that allow the firm to streamline future SEC applications but...
FCA Sets September 2026 Start for UK Crypto Licensing Applications
The UK Financial Conduct Authority announced that applications for its new crypto‑licensing regime will open in September 2026, with the framework expected to take effect on 25 October 2027. All crypto‑asset service providers must obtain authorisation under the Financial Services and Markets Act,...
South Korea’s Top Court Says Exchange‑held Bitcoin Can Be Seized
South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled that Bitcoin stored in centralized exchange wallets can be seized as property under the Criminal Procedure Act. The decision upheld the confiscation of 55.6 BTC linked to a money‑laundering case, establishing a legal precedent for...
A Ruble Stablecoin Outpaced Market Leaders Last Year Despite International Sanctions
A7A5, a ruble‑linked stablecoin launched in January 2025, added roughly $90 billion to its circulating supply over the past year, outpacing market leaders USDT and USDC. Backed by A7 LLC, a firm tied to state‑owned Promsvyazbank and convicted Moldovan businessman Ilan Shor, the token...
Ethereum Treasury Firm SharpLink Stakes $170M ETH on Linea Network
SharpLink Gaming, the Ethereum treasury firm behind SBET, has allocated $170 million worth of ether to a yield‑generating strategy on ConsenSys’ Linea network. The approach layers native ETH staking, EigenCloud restaking rewards, and incentives from Linea and ether.fi, all under Anchorage...
Iran Is Cut Off From the Internet: Here’s How Crypto Could Still Work
Iran’s government cut internet access amid nationwide protests, leaving a population grappling with severe economic strain and a record‑low rial. Despite the blackout, an estimated seven million Iranians—about 8% of the population—remain active crypto users, with $3.7 billion in crypto flows...
XRP Slips to $2.12 After Liquidations Clear Both Sides of the Futures Book
XRP slipped to $2.12 on Jan 9 after a two‑step liquidation reset cleared roughly $10 million of both short and long positions on Binance Futures. The price is now trapped between a $2.07‑$2.08 demand pocket and $2.17 resistance, with volume spikes confirming...
Global Sanctions Linked to Record Flows Into Illicit Crypto Addresses
Chainalysis’ 2026 crypto crime report shows illicit cryptocurrency addresses received a record $154 billion in 2025, a 162 % jump from the prior year. The surge is driven largely by sanctioned nation‑state actors, with Russia’s ruble‑backed A7A5 token alone accounting for $93.3 billion...
Bitcoin to Hit $2.9M by 2050 as It Muscles Into Global Trade: VanEck
VanEck predicts Bitcoin could reach $2.9 million by 2050, based on a 15% compound annual growth rate and the cryptocurrency capturing 5‑10% of global international trade and 5% of domestic trade. The firm’s base case assumes central banks will hold 2.5%...
Bitcoin Holds Near $91,000 as Market Awaits Trump Tariff Ruling: Asia Morning Briefing
Bitcoin hovered around $91,000 during Asian trading as markets await the U.S. Supreme Court decision on President Trump’s emergency‑powers tariffs slated for Jan 10. Prediction‑market odds on Polymarket show only a 24% chance the Court will fully uphold the tariffs. The...
Revived NY Bill Targets Sports, Politics and Death Prediction Markets
New York Assemblyman Clyde Vanel has re‑introduced the ORACLE Act, targeting event‑contract prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket. The bill bans contracts tied to specific sports matches, political elections, deaths, and other catastrophic events while still permitting broader league‑outcome...
Trump Says He Won't Rescue Sam Bankman-Fried with Pardon
President Donald Trump told the New York Times he will not grant a pardon to former FTX CEO Sam Bankman‑Fried, who is serving a 25‑year fraud sentence. In the same interview he ruled out clemency for rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs and Venezuelan...
Nexo to Offer Zero-Interest Crypto Lending for BTC and ETH Holders
Nexo has launched Zero‑interest Credit, a fixed‑term crypto loan product for Bitcoin and Ether holders that charges no interest. Borrowers select loan size and duration upfront, with repayment at maturity via stablecoins or collateral, eliminating liquidation risk. The offering builds...
Bitnomial Wins U.S. Regulator's Nod on Prediction Markets Push, Joins Growing Crowd
Bitnomial received a CFTC no‑action letter, allowing it to launch a U.S.‑focused prediction‑market service that trades contracts tied to cryptocurrency prices and macroeconomic indicators. The approval follows a recent wave of similar permissions granted to DraftKings, Gemini, Polymarket, PredictIt and...
Trump Rules Out Sam Bankman-Fried Pardon in NYT Interview
President Donald Trump told The New York Times he will not pardon Sam Bankman‑Fried, the former FTX CEO serving a 25‑year sentence for fraud. In the same interview Trump referenced his own crypto‑related business ties and dismissed pardons for other...
White Whale Memecoin Surges Past $100 Million Valuation
White Whale memecoin surpassed a $100 million market‑capitalization, the first to do so in almost a year. The token rocketed 660% in the past two weeks and 40× over the last month after a community‑led takeover. Originally a joke about a...
Truebit Token Price Falls 99% After Reports of $26M Exploit
Truebit protocol disclosed a $26 million exploit that siphoned 8,535 ETH from a smart‑contract, prompting immediate engagement with law enforcement. The incident sent the native TRU token crashing more than 99%, sinking to a record low of $0.0000000029. The hack follows a...
Trump Could Use Greenland for 10,000 EH/S Bitcoin Mining Hub From Stranded Energy if It Becomes a Part of the...
The United States is actively discussing a purchase of Greenland, prompting Bitcoin miners to monitor the island’s upcoming industrial hydropower tender slated for late 2026. Greenland plans to offer two major hydro sites capable of generating over 9,500 GWh annually, which...
Ethereum Scaling Network Polygon Close to Buying Bitcoin Kiosk Firm Coinme, Sources Say
Polygon, the Ethereum Layer‑2 scaling solution, is nearing a deal to acquire Bitcoin ATM operator Coinme for between $100 million and $125 million. The acquisition would give Polygon control of a nationwide network of kiosks operating in 49 U.S. states, many of...
Bitcoin Extends Selloff as Investors Turn Cautious
Bitcoin traded near $91,000 on Jan. 8, slipping 1% in 24 hours but up 2.8% weekly, while Ether fell 1.9% daily yet rose 3.7% over the week. The total crypto market cap dipped to $3.18 trillion, down 1.1% in a day. Approximately...
Why South Korea Is Struggling to Decide Who Can Issue Stablecoins
South Korea’s Digital Asset Basic Act is stalled as regulators argue over who may issue a won‑backed stablecoin. The Bank of Korea advocates a “banks‑first” model, requiring at least 51% bank ownership in any issuing consortium, citing financial‑stability risks. The...
XRP ETFs See $40M of Outflows After Eight-Week Run of Inflows
U.S. spot XRP ETFs recorded their first net outflow day since debut, with $40.8 million withdrawn on Jan 7. The outflow was driven primarily by 21Shares’ TOXR, which saw a $47.25 million redemption, while other issuers posted modest inflows or flat activity. Despite...