Stablecoin giant Tether on Friday posted a $10 billion profit for 2025, down from the previous year as the company quickly stocked up on assets. The private firm, based out of the Salvadoran capital of San Salvador, posted a $13 billion profit for 2024. Tether did not explain why its profits for last year were down but did say it had made a “shift toward highly liquid, low-risk assets” and that total reserves hit a high of $193 billion. “USDT expanded because global demand for dollars is increasingly mo ...

MOT Achieves New All-Time High and Expands Market Visibility VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / ACCESS Newswire / January 29, 2026 / Dynamite Blockchain Corp. (the "Company" or "Dynamite") (CSE:KAS)(OTC PINK:CRYBF) pleased to provide an update on several recent milestones related to its holding of the Masters of Trivia utility token ("MOT"), as continued ecosystem development and increased market visibility contribute to growing awareness of the project. MOT Reaches New All-Time High The MOT token recently reach ...

Group 1 - The market's reaction to President Trump's tariffs on foreign goods has been chaotic, affecting various assets, including cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, despite their indirect exposure to U.S. consumer health and export dynamics [1] - Tariffs can increase input costs and consumer prices, which may dampen overall market sentiment, impacting risk assets like Ethereum [3][4] - Despite the volatility caused by tariffs, Ethereum's price has increased by 63% since the implementation of tariffs in April 2025, indicating that the tariffs have not significantly hindered its growth [5] Group 2 - Ethereum's continued growth is attributed to its developers consistently delivering on the chain's roadmap, including significant updates in 2025 that improved scalability without raising gas fees [6] - Upcoming updates, such as the Glamsterdam update scheduled for 2026, are expected to enhance Ethereum's transaction processing capabilities, improving speed and potentially reducing costs [7]

Core Viewpoint - VersaBank is positioned as a leader in business-to-business digital banking and is set to present its innovative digital asset solutions at an upcoming investor conference [1][2]. Group 1: Company Overview - VersaBank operates as a federally chartered bank in both Canada and the United States, utilizing a branchless, digital model to serve underserved segments of the banking industry [4]. - The bank has developed a unique Receivable Purchase Program funding solution, which has been successful in Canada and is now being introduced to the U.S. market [4]. - VersaBank owns DRT Cyber Inc., a leader in cybersecurity services, which enhances its capabilities in addressing the growing cyber threats faced by financial institutions and corporations [4]. Group 2: Digital Asset Innovations - The bank's Real Bank Deposit Tokens (RBDTs) are digital representations of actual cash deposits, combining traditional banking safety with blockchain technology's efficiency and programmability [3]. - RBDTs are expected to be eligible for federal deposit insurance and can legally pay interest, unlike non-bank issued stablecoins [3]. - VersaBank's proprietary SOC2 (Type I) certified VersaVault® technology underpins its digital asset security solutions, including Stablecoin Custody Services [2][3].

Market Sentiment - XRP faced significant selling pressure due to broader crypto market turbulence linked to US President Donald Trump's tariff threats on the EU, leading to increased bearish commentary from retail traders [1] - XRP experienced a price drop of 19%, falling from a local high of $2.4 on January 5 to $1.88 on January 21, which triggered negative sentiment similar to earlier in January [2] Trading Activity - Despite the negative sentiment, XRP is currently trading at $1.95, showing a 2% increase in the past 24 hours, with a daily trading volume rising by 22% to $4.3 billion, indicating increased interest from traders [3] Institutional Inflows - XRP saw a net inflow of $7.16 million in US-based spot XRP exchange-traded funds on January 21, bringing total net inflows to $1.39 billion, with only two days of outflows recorded [4] - In contrast, Bitcoin spot ETFs experienced a $708.71 million outflow, and Ethereum-related products saw a $286.95 million net outflow on the same day [5] Strategic Alliances - Ripple formed a strategic alliance with DXC Technology, allowing the integration of blockchain technology into existing banking systems, specifically embedding Ripple's technology into DXC's Hogan core banking platform, which supports over $5 trillion in deposits and 300 million accounts globally [6]

Core Viewpoint - AVAX One Technology Ltd. has launched its first public validator node on the Avalanche blockchain, marking a strategic move to enhance blockchain capabilities and shareholder value [1][3]. Group 1: Company Strategy and Operations - The launch of the validator node is a significant step for AVAX One, transitioning from a passive holder of AVAX to an active participant in the Avalanche ecosystem [3]. - The validator will support Avalanche consensus, allowing delegators to stake at minimal cost and generate revenue from delegation fees [2][3]. - The company aims to build a scalable, regulated gateway for public market investors to engage in the onchain financial economy [4]. Group 2: Infrastructure and Revenue Generation - The validator will utilize institutional-grade cloud architecture to ensure high uptime and performance, contributing to the overall Avalanche ecosystem [3]. - Developing in-house validator capabilities is part of the company's commitment to the onchain economy, with plans to support third-party validation in the future [3]. - The validator launch is a foundational element of AVAX One's broader operational and marketing strategy, expected to enhance ecosystem participation and revenue generation [3].

Core Insights - The combined market capitalization of stablecoins and tokenized funds on the Avalanche blockchain has increased by approximately 70% from January 2024 to January 2026, rising from around $1.2 billion to over $2 billion [1][2]. Group 1: Stablecoins - Stablecoins are designed to maintain a stable value by being pegged to assets like the U.S. dollar, distinguishing them from volatile cryptocurrencies [3]. - The use of stablecoins for cross-border payments and settlements is increasing, as they trade 24/7, unlike the traditional banking system which is inactive on weekends and holidays [4]. - The total stablecoin market cap has grown significantly, from under $135 billion in mid-January 2024 to over $310 billion in mid-January 2026 [5]. Group 2: Tokenized Funds - Tokenized funds represent digital ownership of various funds, such as money market funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), on a blockchain network [6]. - The rise in tokenized funds on Avalanche is part of the broader trend of digital asset adoption in the financial sector [1].

Group 1 - Blockchain technology is gaining traction on Wall Street, driven by demand for stablecoins and real-world asset tokenization, leading banks to explore digital asset custody [1] - Coinbase Global is positioned to benefit from this trend, with a significant increase in customer crypto assets from $75 billion in Q4 2022 to over $500 billion by Q3 2025 [4] - The company has experienced a 37% compound annual growth rate in trailing-12-month revenue since 2022, with institutional transaction revenue growing 144% year over year in Q3 [3] Group 2 - Coinbase is expanding its service offerings, including stock trading, aiming to become a leading financial services company [5] - The current market cap of Coinbase at $65 billion appears low compared to more established financial services firms, suggesting potential for growth [5] - The interest from banks in digital asset custody indicates a broader acceptance and integration of cryptocurrency into traditional finance [7]

Industry Overview - The Staffing Firms industry is expected to gradually recover to pre-pandemic levels, enabling companies to pay regular dividends [1] - The industry encompasses a wide range of human resources and workforce solutions, including recruitment, payroll administration, and organizational planning [2] Market Trends - There is stable demand in the mature business services industry, with revenues and cash flows anticipated to recover to pre-pandemic levels [3] - The adoption of remote work and hybrid models has significantly increased, prompting staffing agencies to focus on flexible staffing solutions [4] - Technological advancements are being implemented to enhance operational efficiency, with AI-driven tools and platforms becoming more prevalent [5] Industry Performance - The Zacks Staffing Firms industry currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 227, placing it in the bottom 7% of 244 Zacks industries, indicating sluggish near-term prospects [6] - Over the past year, the industry has underperformed the S&P 500, declining 39.2% compared to the S&P 500's growth of 18.9% [8] Valuation Metrics - The industry is currently trading at an EV-to-EBITDA ratio of 5.76X, significantly lower than the S&P 500's 18.98X and the sector's 10.7X [9] Company Highlights Resources Connection (RGP) - RGP has seen favorable international growth, particularly in Europe, India, Japan, and the Philippines, with steady revenues and improved gross margins [14] - The company holds $90 million in cash with zero current debt, indicating a strong balance sheet [16] - RGP's current ratio is 2.64, suggesting strong short-term debt coverage capability [16] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RGP's 2025 earnings per share has been revised up by 14.3% [17] Kforce (KFRC) - Kforce reported a top line of $332.6 million and 63 cents in EPS, exceeding expectations [18] - The company maintains a strong balance sheet with zero current debt and a current ratio of 1.88 [20] - KFRC's shares have gained 21.1% over the past three months [21] HireQuest (HQI) - HQI's system-wide sales grew 6.1% year-over-year, with a net income of $2.3 million in the third quarter of 2025 [21][22] - The company's current ratio is 2.4, indicating a strong liquidity position [23] - HQI's shares have gained 29.6% over the past three months [23]

Group 1: Legislative Developments - The Senate Banking Committee canceled a meeting intended to draft a bill for cryptocurrency and digital asset regulations, marking a setback for long-awaited legislation [1][2] - Senator Cynthia Lummis expressed disappointment over the cancellation, indicating it was a significant blow to cryptocurrency advocacy [2] - Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong criticized the current draft of the legislation, stating it would be detrimental to the 52 million Americans who use cryptocurrency [4][5] Group 2: Industry Concerns - There is a conflict between cryptocurrency advocates and traditional banking institutions, particularly regarding stablecoins, which banks fear could undermine their business [6] - The GENIUS Act, signed into law last year, established regulations for stablecoins, allowing holders to earn rewards, which some in the banking industry want to repeal [6][8] - Senator Bernie Moreno highlighted the need for consensus between traditional banking and the innovation community to avoid stagnation [9] Group 3: Political Implications - The crypto lobby played a significant role in the election of Senator Moreno, who defeated a long-standing opponent, indicating the growing influence of cryptocurrency in politics [10] - The delay in legislation could result in the U.S. falling behind in the global cryptocurrency market, which could have negative implications for the economy and national security [15] - Representative William Timmons emphasized that establishing a solid regulatory framework for cryptocurrency could bring tens of billions of dollars back to the U.S. [17] Group 4: Future Outlook - The cancellation of the committee meeting resets the timeline for cryptocurrency legislation, with Senator Lummis noting she has additional time to improve the bill [12] - Concerns were raised that without timely action, the U.S. could lose its position as a leader in the cryptocurrency market [15][23] - The New York Stock Exchange announced plans to launch a platform for trading tokenized securities, indicating a shift towards integrating cryptocurrency into traditional finance [22]