Despite its long-standing reputation as “digital gold,” bitcoin has sharply diverged from traditional safe havens like gold and silver, but that might not be a bad thing for the digital asset's future, according to JPMorgan analysts. Gold surged more than 60% in 2025 on sustained central bank buying and flight-to-safety demand, while bitcoin has struggled into 2026, posting repeated monthly declines and underperforming major risk assets. JPMorgan’s report suggests this widening gap reflects bitcoin’s fadi ...

In this articleBTC.CM=ETH.CM=XRP.CM=Cheng Xin | Getty ImagesBitcoin briefly dropped below $70,000 on Thursday amid a broader sell-off of risk assets.The move, which happened around 6:27 a.m. ET, was the first time bitcoin fell below $70,000 since November 2024. Bitcoin bounced off that low and was trading at around 70,453.68 at 6:40 a.m. ET, according to CoinMetrics data. Some market watchers have suggested $70,000 is a key level to watch and a break below that could trigger more falls for bitcoin. Stock Ch ...

Regulatory Developments - South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service is enhancing its VISTA system with AI to detect price manipulation automatically [1] - Hong Kong plans to issue its first stablecoin licenses in March, with the Monetary Authority expecting to approve only a limited number initially [1] - The Bank of England is exploring the use of stablecoins and tokenized deposits to reduce merchant costs, potentially bypassing traditional card payments [1] Market Sentiment - The current market sentiment is risk-off, driven by macroeconomic concerns and the nomination of a hawkish Federal Reserve chair, leading capital towards safe havens like gold [2] - Bitcoin has notably decoupled from the tech rally, causing investor anxiety as leverage is removed from the system [2] Federal Reserve Nomination - The nomination of Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve is perceived as a mixed signal, with economists suggesting it may stabilize rather than expand market liquidity [3] Analyst Insights - Bernstein analysts view the current market drawdown as a temporary phase in an "institutional cycle," predicting a reversal by early 2026, which could set the stage for long-term growth [4] - CFTC Chairman Michael Selig's leadership and initiatives, including "Project Crypto," are seen as positive developments that may resolve regulatory uncertainties, benefiting companies like Coinbase Global and Circle [4] - H.C. Wainwright has initiated coverage on Hut 8 with a Buy rating and an $80 price target, highlighting its significant partnership with Anthropic and Fluidstack, which lowers debt costs and strengthens its position in high-performance computing [4] Price Action - As of the latest data, Bitcoin is trading at $79,005.08 and Ether at $2,376.72 [5]

Pilgrim Partners Asia disclosed in a February 2 SEC filing that it sold 620,000 shares of the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (NASDAQ:ETHA), an estimated $16.21 million trade based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to its SEC filing dated February 2, Pilgrim Partners Asia Pte Ltd reduced its position in the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (NASDAQ:ETHA), selling 620,000 shares during the fourth quarter. The estimated value of shares sold was $16.21 million, calculated using the average closing p ...

Bitcoin slipped below the closely watched $80,000 level over the weekend after markets digested confirmation that Kevin Warsh will become the next chair of the Federal Reserve, triggering a wave of deleveraging across crypto markets, according to analysts at QCP Asia. Key Takeaways: Bitcoin broke below $80,000 after Warsh’s Fed appointment triggered broad deleveraging and $2.5 billion in liquidations. Risk-off sentiment spread beyond crypto, pressuring equities and precious metals as markets priced a t ...

Core Viewpoint - Speculation arises that GameStop may be exiting its bitcoin position after transferring 4,710 BTC, valued at approximately $420 million, to Coinbase Prime [1][2][3] Group 1: GameStop's Bitcoin Holdings - GameStop purchased its bitcoin holdings in May, estimated to have spent around $504 million at an average price of $107,900 per coin [2] - If GameStop sold its bitcoin at the current price of approximately $89,000, it would incur a loss of about $84 million [2] Group 2: Market Context and Speculation - The transfer of bitcoin to Coinbase Prime has led to speculation that GameStop may be exiting its bitcoin position, particularly as digital asset treasury firms face pressure from declining crypto markets [3] - Other firms, such as ETHZilla, have already sold significant portions of their holdings to manage debt, indicating a trend in the industry [3] Group 3: Transfer Implications - Moving funds to Coinbase Prime, which serves institutional clients, often suggests an intent to sell, although not all large transfers indicate imminent liquidation [4] - Coinbase Prime also provides custodial services, which could imply internal transfers rather than a sale [4] - GameStop has not yet commented on the recent transfer [4]

Core Insights - Binance Wallet has introduced a feature allowing users to trade leveraged crypto futures directly while maintaining control of their assets, addressing user concerns about holding coins on centralized exchanges like Binance [1][2] - The integration with Aster, a decentralized perpetuals platform, enables seamless trading without third-party connections, enhancing user experience and security [5][6] User Demand and Market Context - There is a growing demand among users for a blend of centralized finance (CeFi) speed and decentralized finance (DeFi) control, particularly in light of risks highlighted by the collapse of FTX in 2022 [2] - The new feature aims to empower users with sophisticated trading tools while ensuring full asset control, reinforcing Binance's commitment to a secure decentralized experience [3] Product Features and Competitive Landscape - Binance Wallet is designed for self-custody, allowing users to explore Web3 and manage digital assets confidently, although it currently has fewer users compared to competitors like MetaMask and Trust Wallet [4] - The wallet's new on-chain perpetuals trading capability could attract users from Binance's extensive user base of over 200 million, potentially evolving into a comprehensive app [4] Integration and Market Opportunities - The integration with Aster is unique within the Binance ecosystem, as it does not exist on the centralized Binance exchange, which has its own futures platform [5] - Aster supports a variety of contracts, including those tied to equities like Apple and Nvidia, providing Binance Wallet users with opportunities to diversify their portfolios within the decentralized ecosystem [6]

2026 is starting with some inklings that the cryptocurrency universe could deliver better returns this year than it did in 2025. If true, scores of advisors and retail investors will likely access digital currencies via ETFs. On that note, some new kids on the block worth considering include the NEOS Ethereum High Income ETF (NEHI). NEHI, which launched on December 3, brings high income to ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency behind only bitcoin. NEHI is an options-based, income-generating play on et ...

Core Insights - XRP has risen above $2 for the first time since mid-December, driven by strong ETF inflows and improving regulatory sentiment in the U.S. [1] - U.S. spot XRP ETFs recorded inflows of $13.59 million on January 2, bringing total inflows since launch to $1.18 billion, indicating strong demand [1] - The departure of SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw is perceived as a potential shift towards a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment, impacting market sentiment positively [2] - Speculation regarding upcoming legislation, particularly a possible Market Structure Bill markup on January 15, has contributed to elevated policy expectations and XRP's outperformance [3] - XRP's rally appears to be driven by token-specific factors rather than a general risk-on sentiment, as demand for bitcoin funds has weakened during the same period [4] Group 1 - XRP's price increase to over $2 is attributed to steady ETF inflows and favorable regulatory sentiment [1] - The total inflows for U.S. spot XRP ETFs have reached $1.18 billion since launch, indicating robust market interest [1] - The exit of SEC Commissioner Crenshaw is seen as a potential catalyst for a more favorable regulatory approach towards cryptocurrencies [2] Group 2 - Anticipation of the Market Structure Bill markup on January 15 has kept policy expectations high, contributing to XRP's strong performance [3] - The rally in XRP is more influenced by specific token dynamics rather than broader market trends, as evidenced by weaker demand for bitcoin funds [4] - XRP's price increase of approximately 8% contrasts with only modest gains in bitcoin and ether, highlighting its unique market position [4]

Bitcoin (BTC) reversed gains made earlier in Asia, puncturing nascent recovery rallies in major alternative cryptocurrencies. The leading cryptocurrency by market value dropped below $88,000, having peeped above $90,000, CoinDesk data show. Major altcoins including XRP (XRP), ether (ETH), solana (SOL) and dogecoin (DOGE) also retraced their adances. The CoinDesk 20 Index (CD20) pulled back to 2,726, roughly where it was in early Asia before it popped to 2,789. The decline is consistent with weakness in ...