Ripple reportedly reached a $40 billion valuation after a fresh funding round, pushing headlines that XRP is “undervalued.” XRP traded near $2.06 on Jan. 12 as the news circulated, holding its range rather than breaking higher. That gap highlights a bigger theme in crypto right now: strong companies do not always lift the tokens linked to them. This matters because many retail investors treat Ripple like a public company and XRP like its stock. Crypto does not work that way. Understanding the difference ...

Core Insights - Mike Selig has recently assumed the role of chairman at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and is restructuring the agency with a new innovation committee focused on cryptocurrency insiders [1][2] Group 1: Innovation Committee Formation - The new Innovation Advisory Committee will include executives from prominent crypto firms such as Gemini, Kraken, Bitnomial, Crypto.com, and Bullish, which is the parent company of CoinDesk [2] - The committee's formation builds on a previous initiative by former Acting Chairman Caroline Pham, who had assembled a group of CEOs focused on innovative financial technology [2][3] Group 2: Committee Objectives and Leadership Vision - Selig emphasized the importance of modernizing financial systems through technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud computing, aiming to create regulations that are suitable for the evolving financial landscape [4] - The Innovation Advisory Committee will assist the CFTC in drafting new market structure regulations, becoming one of five external committees designed to guide the agency based on members' expertise [4] Group 3: Public Engagement and Future Steps - The CFTC is inviting the public to submit additional nominees for committee membership and suggest topics for consideration, with a deadline set for the end of January [5]

Core Insights - World Liberty Finance has launched WLFI Markets, a crypto borrowing and lending service utilizing the decentralized Dolomite protocol [1] - The service allows users to lend and borrow using USD1, World Liberty's dollar-backed stablecoin, along with other collateral assets such as WLFI, ETH, USDC, USDT, and cbBTC [1] Group 1: Service Launch and Features - WLFI Markets lending services became active via a web application on January 12, with plans for a mobile app and additional features to be introduced over the next 18 months [2] - The launch marks World Liberty's first venture into consumer-facing applications, shifting focus from stablecoin development to user-oriented services [3] Group 2: Market Position and Growth - The introduction of WLFI Markets positions World Liberty to leverage its successful entry into the stablecoin market, with USD1's market capitalization increasing from $128 million to over $3.37 billion in the past year [4] - WLFI Markets aims to provide a unified interface for a variety of products and services, with future integrations planned for third-party applications and networks [4] Group 3: Regulatory Developments and Market Reaction - The firm has applied for a national banking charter to establish the World Liberty Trust Company (WLTC), submitting its application to the Office of the Comptroller (OCC) [5] - Following the announcement of WLFI Markets, the price of the WLFI token increased from $0.1659 to $0.1704 before settling at $0.1680, reflecting a 0.43% decrease over the past 24 hours [5]

Core Viewpoint - BitGo Holdings is targeting a valuation of up to $1.96 billion in what could be the first cryptocurrency initial public offering (IPO) of 2026, with share pricing set between $15 and $17 [1] Company Overview - BitGo is offering approximately 11.8 million shares, potentially raising up to $201 million at the upper end of the pricing range, with Goldman Sachs as the lead underwriter and Citigroup managing the offering [2] - The company estimates its revenue for the end of 2025 to be around $16.05 billion, a significant increase from $3.08 billion in 2024, primarily driven by digital asset trading [3] Financial Performance - BitGo's operations generated $2.6 million in income for the first nine months of 2025, with net income reaching $35.3 million after accounting for unrealized gains on digital asset holdings [3] Regulatory Developments - The IPO follows BitGo's receipt of conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on December 12, 2025, allowing it to convert to a nationally chartered trust bank [4] - BitGo was one of five crypto firms to receive federal charter approvals on that day, with the CEO describing the approval as a landmark step for financial infrastructure [5] Market Position and Governance - Assets on BitGo's platform dropped 22% in Q4 2025 to $81.6 billion from $104 billion in Q3 2025, with approximately 80% of assets concentrated in five tokens, including Bitcoin at 42.8% [6] - BitGo will operate as a "controlled company" under NYSE rules, with CEO Michael Belshe holding about 55.5% of voting power through a dual-class share structure despite owning roughly 7.7% economic interest [6] Industry Context - Kraken filed confidentially for a US IPO in November 2025 after raising $800 million at a $20 billion valuation, targeting Q1 2026 for its offering [7] - BitGo intends to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "BTGO" [7]

Core Insights - The cryptocurrency market is evolving, with Bitcoin still being prominent but investors are exploring other niches for potential opportunities in 2026 [1] Group 1: Decentralized Finance (DeFi) - DeFi allows users to lend, borrow, and earn interest on cryptocurrencies without the need for banks, making it more accessible for new users [2] - High-yield stablecoin products on DeFi platforms are seen as realistic investment opportunities for 2026 [2] Group 2: Real-World Utility NFTs - NFTs are transitioning from collectibles to practical applications, including property shares and peer-to-peer finance [3] - Investors are advised to focus on NFTs that provide real utility and solve actual problems, as these are more likely to retain value [4] Group 3: Tokenized Assets - Tokenization involves converting real-world assets into digital units, allowing fractional ownership and making investments more accessible [4] - MetaDAO projects exemplify a new decision-making approach in crypto, where financial backing determines the viability of ideas rather than traditional voting [5] Group 4: Long-Term Growth Potential - Some crypto projects are structured like real businesses, incentivizing long-term growth rather than short-term speculation [6] - Tokens with strong communities but low prices are highlighted as potential investment opportunities [6]

Core Insights - Gold and silver prices surged to record highs as investors sought safe-haven assets amid a political crisis at the Federal Reserve and anticipated U.S. inflation data [1][2][3] Group 1: Market Performance - Silver outperformed gold, rising nearly 7% to trade near $85, while gold increased by 2.2% to reach a new record high of $4,600 [1] - Bitcoin remained relatively flat, decreasing by 0.2% over the past 24 hours [1] Group 2: Political and Economic Context - The rally in precious metals was driven by an unprecedented political crisis at the Federal Reserve, following a lawsuit against Chair Jerome Powell by the Department of Justice [2] - Rising geopolitical risks and uncertainty regarding U.S. monetary policy credibility have led to a shift towards safe-haven assets like gold and silver [3] Group 3: Market Sentiment and Predictions - Market sentiment is shifting, with a 79% chance assigned by users on prediction market Myriad that gold will reach $5,000 before Ethereum, up from 70% earlier in the week [4] - Additional factors influencing the market include renewed geopolitical tensions and soft labor data, which support the case for potential rate cuts, creating a bullish environment for non-yielding assets [5] Group 4: Upcoming Economic Data - Attention is focused on the upcoming U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) inflation readings, which are expected to test the sustainability of the recent rally [6] - Softer inflation and labor market data could reinforce expectations for future rate cuts, providing further support for gold and silver [6]

Spot ETFs are pulling XRP out of circulation at a pace rarely seen outside Bitcoin. In 50 days, these products absorbed $1.3 billion with zero net outflow days. Each $1 billion in ETF inflows locks roughly 500 million XRP tokens—0.76% of the 65.5 billion circulating supply. At current pace, ETFs could remove 2.6 billion XRP by year-end.The August 2025 SEC resolution removed a long-standing drag on XRP’s valuation. Both parties filed a joint dismissal, leaving Ripple to pay $125 million while affirming that ...

Tether froze more than $182 million worth of USDT across five wallet addresses on the Tron blockchain on Jan. 11, according to on-chain data and alerts tracked by Whale Alert. The freezes were actually done on the same day and involved single wallet balances with amounts of about $12 to about 50 million, which made the move one of the biggest synchronized wallet blacklistings on Tron in recent months. A Tether spokesperson said in a report that the funds were frozen following a formal request from law e ...

Core Insights - The cryptocurrency market is experiencing a unique phase characterized by both downturns, such as Bitcoin falling below $90,000 and a global settlement amount exceeding $477 million, and regulatory changes with 48 countries implementing the Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) [1][5] - BUYCOIN's core token BCT has successfully surpassed the $11 mark, signaling a significant milestone in the industry and providing a new value reference amidst market uncertainty [1][3] Group 1: BCT's Value Proposition - BCT serves as the "value hub" of the BUYCOIN exchange ecosystem, offering governance, profit-sharing, and application functionalities, distinguishing it from purely speculative tokens [3][5] - The total supply of BCT is fixed at 333 million tokens, utilizing a unique Proof of Burn (POB) mechanism that reduces circulation through token destruction, creating a deflationary ecosystem [3][6] - BCT holders benefit from multiple rights, including platform fee dividends and trading fee discounts, which are closely tied to the ecosystem's growth [3][6] Group 2: Industry Trends Reflected by BCT's Breakthrough - BCT's price increase represents a "value recognition" for compliant projects amid tightening global regulations, as the CARF framework enhances transparency and accountability in crypto transactions [5][6] - The breakthrough also reflects community consensus during a market downturn, as the DAO governance mechanism allows users to participate in ecosystem development, fostering a strong community foundation [6][8] - BCT exemplifies a paradigm shift in the crypto industry, moving from speculative trading to value creation through real-world applications, thus providing a replicable model for sustainable development [6][8] Group 3: Implications for Investors - BCT's rise serves as a microcosm of broader industry changes, where resources are concentrating on compliant projects with real ecosystems, while the era of anonymity is fading [8][10] - Investors are encouraged to shift their focus from speculative trading to fundamental analysis, seeking projects with clear compliance, real applications, and strong community support [8][10] - The breakthrough of BCT is not merely a price milestone but a declaration of value during a period of industry restructuring, highlighting the importance of compliance, community, and ecological value [10][11]

这项名为《2025年数字资产市场清晰度法案》(Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025)的法案，将"数字 商品"定义为其价值"内在地与区块链的使用相联系"的数字资产。该定义将排除证券、衍生品以及稳定 币。该法案明确了商品期货交易委员会(CFTC)与证券交易委员会(SEC)在加密货币监管中的职责分工， 并概述了加密领域相关实体所需遵循的注册与合规标准。 参议院银行委员会主席蒂姆・斯科特表示："这项法案的核心目标，是推动美国成为全球加密货币产业 中心——让下一代就业岗位与创新成果落地本土，而非流向海外。当我们建立起清晰明确的监管规则， 就能为企业家注入信心，推动他们在美国本土创办企业、雇佣员工、发展壮大。" Galaxy Research研究主管Alex Thorn表示，有关是否将去中心化金融(DeFi)纳入反洗钱规则的讨论，可 能是最具深远影响的议题。他指出："其他仍在谈判中的内容还包括稳定币储备所产生收益的处理方 式、对非托管型开发者的保护，以及SEC授权或限制代币发行的权限。" 智通财经APP获悉，美国参议院的两个委员会计划于本周四就一项加密货币市场结构法案举行修订听 ...