Core Insights - Bitcoin prices were expected to perform well in 2025 but faced a significant downturn in the Fall, leading to a bear market [1] - Matt Hougan from Bitwise anticipates that 2026 will see a resurgence in Bitcoin prices and an increase in cryptocurrency ETF issuances [1] - The Federal Reserve is currently under a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice regarding its renovation project, raising concerns about the Fed's independence and the integrity of capital markets [1] Bitcoin Market Analysis - The cryptocurrency market experienced a wave of selling that impacted Bitcoin's performance, transitioning it into a bear market [1] - Predictions for 2026 suggest a potential recovery and record-breaking performance for Bitcoin, alongside more cryptocurrency ETFs being issued [1] Federal Reserve Investigation - The Department of Justice has initiated a criminal investigation into the Federal Reserve's renovation project [1] - Chair Powell has responded to the investigation, emphasizing the importance of the Fed's independence and the sanctity of capital markets [1]

Core Viewpoint - Bitcoin Cash has experienced a significant decline of 5.2% after a strong performance in 2025, raising concerns among investors about its future trajectory [2][9]. Group 1: Performance Analysis - Bitcoin Cash started the year as one of the best-performing cryptocurrencies, with a return exceeding 30% [2]. - The recent decline contrasts sharply with its solid performance in 2025, indicating potential profit-taking and market volatility [9]. Group 2: Factors Influencing Price Movement - The decline is attributed to the cryptocurrency's previous strong performance, leading to expected price volatility amid macroeconomic concerns [5]. - Bitcoin Cash has recently undergone its second halving, reducing block rewards to 3.125 BCH, which is a significant event impacting its market dynamics [6]. - A "buy the rumor, sell the news" trading environment is noted as a key factor contributing to the underperformance of Bitcoin Cash [7]. Group 3: Future Outlook - The narrative surrounding Bitcoin Cash is expected to remain positive, with a lower circulating supply and bullish trends for transaction-oriented networks anticipated to persist into the end of 2026 [8]. - The recent dip may present an attractive opportunity for long-term investors, depending on their investment horizon [8].

Core Insights - Bitdeer Technologies Group reported significant operational updates for December 2025, highlighting a substantial increase in Bitcoin production and self-mining capacity [1][15]. Operational Update - Bitdeer sold approximately 1.4 EH/s of SEALMINER A2s to external parties in December 2025 [3]. - The total proprietary hash rate deployed increased to 58.0 EH/s, up from 47.3 EH/s in November 2025 [4]. - Self-mining production reached 636 Bitcoins, marking a 339% year-over-year increase and a 21% increase from November 2025 [7][11]. SEALMINER R&D - The company is advancing two chip designs, SEAL04-1 and SEAL04-2, with SEAL04-1 achieving 6-7 J/TH power efficiency under low-voltage mode, targeting mass production in Q1 2026 [8]. - Eight units of GB200 systems were deployed and tested in Malaysia, with a cloud service launch expected in January 2026 [6]. Infrastructure Summary - Total electrical capacity across various sites reached 1,658 MW, with several sites online and others in progress [10]. - The company is actively evaluating U.S. data center leasing opportunities to deploy GPUs and enhance AI cloud services [12]. Production and Operations Summary - Total hash rate under management increased to 71.0 EH/s in December 2025, up from 60.3 EH/s in November 2025 [11]. - The number of mining rigs under management rose to 293,000, with self-owned rigs increasing to 211,000 [13]. Management Commentary - The Chief Business Officer emphasized the acceleration of self-mining operations and the planned growth through 2026, driven by the deployment of additional proprietary rigs [15].

Group 1 - Standard Chartered is planning to launch a prime brokerage for cryptocurrency trading as part of its SC Ventures unit [1] - The bank previously launched spot trading for Bitcoin and Ethereum in July 2025, claiming to be the first global systemically important bank to do so for institutional clients [2] - Standard Chartered offers various digital asset services, including transactions, custody, and tokenization solutions for institutional clients [3] Group 2 - The decision to explore crypto trading services comes amid a trend of major banks, such as JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, entering the cryptocurrency space [5] - Prime brokerage services will include financing, securities lending, and custody to help investors manage risks and trade efficiently [8] - Discussions regarding the launch of the crypto brokerage are still in the early stages, with no confirmed timeline for its introduction [8]

Do you like to walk on the wild side? Are you bullish on Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC)? ...

Scores of Russian pensioners want their pensions paid in crypto and spend their free time mining Bitcoin. The issue of cryptocurrency pensions was one of the Pension and Social Insurance Fund of Russia’s most popular requests last year, the Russian publication RG reported. The fund said its agents fielded 37 million calls from pensioners in 2025. “Current trends are being reflected in citizens’ questions,” the fund wrote on its Telegram channel. “Many people inquired about whether it was possible to r ...

Core Viewpoint - Standard Chartered is planning to establish a crypto prime brokerage through its venture arm, SC Ventures, to navigate Basel III capital requirements and enhance its presence in institutional crypto markets [2][3][4]. Group 1: Strategic Initiatives - The proposed crypto prime brokerage will offer financing, custody, and trading services specifically for institutional clients, operating outside the bank's core corporate and investment banking division [3]. - By structuring the crypto initiative within SC Ventures, Standard Chartered aims to mitigate the capital burden associated with crypto exposure, which is significantly higher under Basel III regulations [4]. Group 2: Regulatory Context - Basel III rules impose a 1,250% risk weighting on "permissionless" crypto assets like Bitcoin and Ether, making it costly for banks to hold such assets on their balance sheets [4]. - The bank's strategy to route crypto activities through a venture-style unit may allow it to operate under a more capital-efficient framework while adhering to regulatory standards [4]. Group 3: Broader Crypto Strategy - Standard Chartered has been actively supporting institutional platforms, including Zodia Custody and Zodia Markets, and was the first global systemically important bank to offer spot crypto trading to institutional clients [5]. - The bank is also working on Project37C, a digital-asset joint venture that focuses on custody, tokenization, and market access, further solidifying its commitment to the crypto space [5]. Group 4: Market Outlook - The bank's research indicates a positive outlook for Ethereum, suggesting it may outperform Bitcoin, which could influence its investment strategies in the digital asset market [6].

There’ll be no short-term Bitcoin recovery ahead unless US President Donald Trump decides to diffuse global tensions, a market analyst has warned. Investors’ appetite for risky investments plummeted at the start of 2026, Vladislav Antonov, a financial analyst at the Bitcoin mining firm BitRiver, told the Russian publication RBC. “For Bitcoin to make a comprehensive return to positive price growth, one of two things needs to happen,” Antonov said. “We need to either see a return to institutions buying [c ...

Core Viewpoint - Bitmine Immersion Technologies has experienced a significant stock price increase of 248% in 2025, driven by a new management team and a focus on acquiring Ethereum, despite being down 77% from its all-time highs earlier in the same year [1]. Group 1: Business Model and Strategy - Bitmine Immersion Technologies operates as a cryptocurrency treasury company, raising funds to invest specifically in Ethereum rather than Bitcoin [2]. - The company has successfully raised funds through common stock offerings, accumulating over 1 million Ethereum tokens and other cryptocurrencies valued at $14 billion as of January 12, 2026 [3]. Group 2: Market Position and Valuation - The current market capitalization of Bitmine Immersion Technologies is $12.9 billion, which is below the value of its cryptocurrency holdings, indicating that the stock is trading at a discount [3]. - To sustain its investment strategy, the company plans to increase its total shares outstanding from 500 million to 50 billion, a 100x increase, which may lead to shareholder dilution or reliance on debt markets [4]. Group 3: Investment Considerations - The company faces a dilemma as it trades at a discount to its net asset value (NAV), which limits its ability to efficiently raise funds through stock sales for further cryptocurrency acquisitions [6][7]. - The volatility of cryptocurrencies poses a risk, as they have historically experienced significant price fluctuations [7].

Core Insights - Cryptocurrency ETFs experienced significant outflows of $454 million last week, reversing earlier inflows of $1.5 billion, as investor sentiment turned negative amid reduced expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in March [1][2] Group 1: Market Trends - A four-day selling streak resulted in total withdrawals of $1.3 billion, influenced by macroeconomic data that dampened hopes for monetary easing in the first quarter [2] - Total assets under management across all crypto funds reached $181.9 billion [2] Group 2: Geographic Analysis - The United States was the primary source of outflows, with investors withdrawing $569 million from cryptocurrency ETFs, contrasting with positive inflows in other markets such as Germany ($58.9 million), Canada ($24.5 million), and Switzerland ($21 million) [3] Group 3: Asset-Specific Performance - Bitcoin ETFs faced the most significant selling pressure, with $405 million in outflows, while short-Bitcoin products saw $9.2 million in withdrawals, indicating mixed market sentiment [4] - Ethereum ETFs also experienced notable withdrawals of $116 million, alongside multi-asset investment products that recorded $21 million in outflows [5] Group 4: Provider Performance - ETF providers showed varied results, with Fidelity experiencing the largest withdrawals of $454 million, while Grayscale saw $360 million in outflows [5] - Conversely, BlackRock's iShares products attracted $181 million in inflows, and ProFunds Group registered positive flows of $180 million, indicating some resilience in certain issuers [6]