Chainlink (LINK), the leading oracle network that supplies data to smart contracts, is showing a striking divergence. The token has dropped more than 70% from last year’s peak. However, Grayscale Investments' holdings have climbed to a new high. Additional data points highlight growing institutional confidence in the project’s long-term potential, despite persistent short-term selling pressure. Grayscale Holds More Than 5 Million LINK in 2026 According to data from blockchain analytics platform Arkham I ...

Core Insights - Crypto investment funds have experienced four consecutive weeks of outflows, indicating ongoing investor caution in the crypto market [1][7] - Despite high volatility, certain altcoins are demonstrating resilience, suggesting selective confidence among investors [1] Outflows and Inflows - Digital asset funds recorded a net outflow of $173 million for the week, with total withdrawals over the past month reaching $3.74 billion [2] - Bitcoin saw the largest outflows at $133 million, while Ethereum followed with $85 million in outflows, reflecting ongoing adoption challenges [2][3] - Short-Bitcoin products also experienced outflows of $15.4 million over two weeks, indicating a potential unwinding of bearish positions [2][3] - Conversely, altcoins like XRP, Solana, and Chainlink saw inflows, with XRP leading at $33.4 million, supported by Ripple's cross-border payment use cases [4][5] Regional Sentiment - Outflows were predominantly from the United States, totaling $403 million, while Europe and Canada saw inflows of $230 million [5][7] - Germany led the inflows with $115 million, followed by Canada at $46.3 million and Switzerland at $36.8 million, suggesting non-U.S. investors view current prices as attractive [5] Market Influences - Macro and market data are influencing investor behavior, with outflows coinciding with broader economic concerns despite temporary boosts from softer-than-expected U.S. CPI data [8] - ETP trading volumes fell sharply to $27 billion from $63 billion the previous week, indicating a pullback in trading activity amid market uncertainty [8]

Core Viewpoint - The cryptocurrency market is positioned for potential recovery, with traditional financial institutions beginning to adopt blockchain solutions, which may drive prices higher. Solana and Chainlink are highlighted as two cryptocurrencies that could benefit from this trend [1]. Group 1: Solana - Solana experienced a decline of 35.7% in 2025, ending the year at $124.52, but previously reached an all-time high of $293.31 in January [3]. - The current price of Solana is $86.82, with a market cap of $49 billion [4]. - Analysts predict that the stablecoin market could grow to $4 trillion by 2030 from over $300 billion currently, indicating a potential increase of over 1,000% [5]. - Solana's speed and low transaction costs position it favorably for on-chain transactions, and it ranks second to Ethereum in developer activity and total value locked, suggesting strong future growth potential [6]. Group 2: Chainlink - Chainlink finished 2025 down nearly 40%, closing at $12.19, with a current price of $8.80 and a market cap of $6.2 billion [7][8]. - The price range for Chainlink over the past five years has been between $5.30 and $52.70, indicating it is currently near the lower end of this range, which presents a strong rebound potential [8]. - As an oracle coin, Chainlink provides essential data for smart contracts, which are crucial for the functioning of decentralized applications. Increased demand for stablecoins may drive the need for reliable data sources, enhancing Chainlink's relevance [9]. Group 3: Market Context - The cryptocurrency market faced a significant shock in October 2025, with over $19 billion in leveraged positions liquidated, impacting market momentum [11]. - Recent legislative changes in 2025 have removed some barriers to adoption, suggesting a potential shift in market dynamics as traditional finance embraces blockchain technology [12].

Core Insights - "Extreme fear" sentiment has returned to the market, leading to a dominance of short positions, with altcoins like Ethereum (ETH), Chainlink (LINK), and River (RIVER) potentially triggering nearly $5 billion in liquidations this week [1] Group 1: Ethereum (ETH) - Ethereum's liquidation map indicates a severe imbalance, with potential cumulative liquidation losses for short sellers exceeding $4.8 billion if ETH rebounds to $3,200 [2] - Whale activity has shifted positively, regaining control over ETH, which could lead to a significant rebound and heavy losses for short positions [3][4] - Retail investors are facing liquidation while whales increase their long positions, suggesting a potential for a market rebound [4] Group 2: Chainlink (LINK) - Chainlink is experiencing a similar imbalance in its liquidation map, with potential cumulative liquidation losses for short positions exceeding $40 million if LINK rebounds to $13 [5] - Despite falling prices, LINK reserves have reached a new monthly low, indicating that investors are accumulating LINK and withdrawing it from exchanges, reflecting long-term confidence [6] - LINK is identified as an undervalued altcoin, and if accumulation pressure increases while prices decline, a rebound could pose liquidation risks for short sellers [7]

Core Insights - Bitwise Asset Management launched the Bitwise Chainlink ETF on NYSE Arca on January 14, marking the second ETF in the U.S. to offer direct ownership of Chainlink tokens, thus creating competition with Grayscale's existing GLNK product [1] - The fund trades under the ticker CLNK with a management fee of 0.34%, which will be waived for the first three months on the first $500 million in assets [1] Company Overview - Bitwise manages over $15 billion in client assets across more than 40 crypto investment products [2] - The Chief Investment Officer of Bitwise, Matt Hougan, emphasized the importance of Chainlink as essential infrastructure for connecting blockchains to external information [2] Fee Competition - The standard fee for CLNK is 0.34%, slightly lower than Grayscale's 0.35%, with both funds currently offering fee waivers to attract early investors [3] - Grayscale's Chainlink ETF, launched on December 2, 2025, has accumulated $87.5 million in assets and its fee waiver lasts until March 2, 2026, or until assets reach $1 billion [3] Regulatory Context - Neither the Bitwise nor Grayscale fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, resulting in fewer regulatory protections compared to traditional mutual funds [4] Market Context - As of January 14, LINK traded at $14.12 with a 24-hour gain of 5.39%, and Chainlink holds approximately 49% of the oracle market by assets protected on its network [5] - Chainlink has facilitated over $27 trillion in transaction value across more than 70 blockchains since 2017 [5] Expansion Plans - Bitwise is expanding its altcoin ETF lineup, having filed for 11 new crypto ETFs on December 31, including funds for Tron and Zcash [6]

Core Insights - Chainlink (LINK) is experiencing increased interest from crypto whales and institutional investors, indicating a resurgence of confidence in the oracle token amidst market uncertainty [1] Accumulation Activity - Recent on-chain data reveals a significant uptick in accumulation, with a notable whale withdrawing 171,000 LINK (approximately $2.36 million) from Binance, adding to an existing holding of nearly 790,000 LINK acquired at an average price of $12.72 over the past month [2] - This accumulation trend suggests a long-term bullish sentiment, with investors anticipating LINK's potential outperformance in the coming months [2] Derivatives Market Activity - The derivatives market is showing increased speculative interest, as evidenced by a newly created wallet depositing $5 million in USDC on Hyperliquid DEX and opening leveraged long positions in LINK (5x) and DOGE (10x) [3] - The combined position is currently valued at $28.2 million, despite showing a floating loss of approximately $600,000, indicating a strong appetite among sophisticated traders for leveraged exposure to LINK despite short-term volatility [3]

Core Insights - Grayscale's Chainlink ETF has achieved $54.69 million in net inflows since its launch, with no outflows recorded, indicating strong institutional interest [1][2] - Despite the positive inflow trends, Chainlink's price has declined by 11.1% over the past month, with a recent drop of 6% [6][7] - Analysts highlight potential catalysts for Chainlink's price recovery, including a recent SEC approval for a pilot program to tokenize assets, which could position Chainlink favorably [7][8] ETF Performance - The Chainlink ETF debuted on December 2, recording $37.05 million in inflows on its first day and has since maintained a neutral to positive trajectory [2][4] - On December 15, the ETF saw an additional $2.02 million in net inflows, surpassing cumulative inflows of other altcoin ETFs like Dogecoin and Litecoin [3][4] On-Chain Data - Accumulation among Chainlink's largest holders is notable, with the top 100 wallets acquiring 20.46 million LINK since November 1, valued at approximately $263 million [5] - This accumulation suggests strong investor conviction despite the current price decline [5] Market Context - In contrast to the Chainlink ETF, Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs have experienced significant outflows, with Bitcoin ETFs seeing $357.69 million and Ethereum ETFs $224.78 million in net outflows [4] - The broader market sell-off has contributed to the downward pressure on LINK's price [6]

Core Insights - Coinbase has expanded its derivatives offerings by introducing eleven altcoins to its perpetual-style futures, following the earlier launch of Bitcoin and Ether products [1][3][4] Group 1: Expansion of Derivatives - The introduction of perpetual-style futures for altcoins marks a significant step in the normalization of regulated crypto derivatives in the U.S. market [2][7] - The new contracts are designed to replicate perpetual exposure while complying with U.S. derivatives regulations, differentiating them from traditional perpetual contracts [3][7] Group 2: Supported Altcoins - The eleven new altcoins added to Coinbase's perpetual-style derivatives include Avalanche (AVAX), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK), Dogecoin (DOGE), Hedera (HBAR), Litecoin (LTC), Polkadot (DOT), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Sui (SUI), and Stellar (XLM) [4][5][6] - The selection focuses on large-cap, liquid tokens with established trading histories, alongside newer projects and popular memecoins [6] Group 3: Market Implications - Coinbase's perpetual-style futures are accessible to both retail and institutional traders in the U.S., highlighting a shift towards regulated trading environments [2][7] - These futures are listed on Coinbase Derivatives and require access through registered Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs) [7]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights three cryptocurrencies—Chainlink (LINK), Toncoin (TON), and Kaspa (KAS)—that are showing potential for growth based on recent market trends and developments in their respective ecosystems [1]. Group 1: Chainlink (LINK) - Chainlink is positioned as a key player in the tokenization space, benefiting from institutional interest and recent positive headlines regarding "real-world assets" [2]. - The infrastructure provided by Chainlink is being tested by banks for cross-chain settlement, which is expected to drive demand as institutions pilot these solutions [3]. - Current trading price for Chainlink is $14.43, reflecting a 20% increase over the last 24 hours, with a trading range between $12.03 and $14.43 [3]. Group 2: Toncoin (TON) - Toncoin has gained traction due to its integration with Telegram, which enhances its distribution capabilities among a large user base [4]. - The embedded TON Wallet and mini-apps within Telegram create a seamless on-chain experience for users, facilitating payments and transfers [4]. - Toncoin is currently trading at $1.59, up 6% in the last 24 hours, with a price range between $1.5 and $1.6 [5]. Group 3: Kaspa (KAS) - Kaspa has shown significant momentum, particularly in a market environment that favors high-beta assets, with notable gains observed recently [6]. - The unique blockDAG design of Kaspa allows for fast transaction confirmations while maintaining a pure proof-of-work model, appealing to miners and traders [7]. - The current price for Kaspa is $0.057, reflecting a 10.3% increase in the last 24 hours, with a trading range between $0.05211 and $0.05894 [7].

Product Expansion - 21Shares listed six new crypto ETPs on Nasdaq Stockholm, including Aave (AAVE), Cardano (AADA), Chainlink (LINK), Polkadot (ADOT), and two crypto index baskets (HODL, HODLX) [1] - The listing increases 21Shares' total offerings on the exchange to 16 [1] Market Demand - The move responds to sustained demand for regulated crypto exposure in the Nordic market [1]