Crypto News

- Vietnam has begun moving cryptocurrency exchanges out of a long-standing legal gray area by piloting a formal licensing regime for crypto asset trading platforms. Key Takeaways Under Decision No. 96/QD-BTC, issued this week by the Ministry of Finance, authorities introduced three new administrative procedures covering the issuance, adjustment, and revocation of licenses for organizations that operate crypto asset trading platforms, according to reports by local news outlets. The framework places the sector under the supervision of the State Securities Commission, which published detailed guidance on application dossiers and procedures. Vietnam’s Crypto Licensing Pilot Draws Interest From Banks The move signals a shift away from...

- Austria’s Bitpanda announced Wednesday it is set to launch a unified investing platform that brings stocks, ETFs, crypto, and precious metals together in a single regulated app. The expanded platform will go live on 29 January, giving users access to more than 10,000 stocks and ETFs alongside Bitpanda’s existing crypto and metals products. A Unified Investment Platform Goes Live With the launch, Bitpanda said it will allow customers to invest across all major asset classes from one interface for the first time. The platform combines Europe’s largest crypto offering with equities, ETFs, and precious metals, creating what the company describes as the continent’s broadest investment universe within a single app. Users will also be...

- Why is crypto crashing right now? That question is echoing across trading desks as Bitcoin price slides, altcoins bleed harder, and global markets react to a rapidly escalating geopolitical standoff. Hitcoin crypto has entered a clear risk-off phase as fears of a renewed trade war between the United States and the European Union dominate headlines. With US President Donald Trump heading to Davos and French President Emmanuel Macron openly threatening economic retaliation via a so-called “Trade Bazooka," uncertainty has replaced optimism. In moments like this, FUD spreads fast, leverage unwinds faster, and crypto takes the hit first. A New Economic War Is Taking Shape The world appears to be entering a new phase of conflict – not...

Gold at Record High, Crypto Down $150B – What’s Going On? The crypto market shed $150 billion in capitalization as Bitcoin plunged below $88,000 amid a brutal leverage unwind, while gold surged past $4,800 per ounce for the first time in history. The sharp divergence came as President Donald Trump’s escalating tariff threats against European allies over Greenland triggered a broad flight from US risk assets, with geopolitical tensions reaching their highest point since the Liberation Day tariff announcements of April 2025. Bitcoin tumbled 9% in 48 hours to $87,000, wiping out $360 million in leveraged long positions in a single hour late Monday. The selloff intensified pressure on an already fragile market structure, with short-term...

- Bitcoin has just filled that pesky CME gap around $88,000, dipping down to tag the level before bouncing a bit. Right now, Bitcoin USD is hovering near $90,000 after taking some heat from broader market jitters. It’s been a rollercoaster start to the year, but filling the gap is a classic technical move many traders watch closely. Bitcoin USD has pulled back from early-January highs near $95,000, now sitting around $89,000 after wiping out a chunk of those gains. We saw over $1 billion in liquidations during the drop, which cleaned out some overheated leverage and left the market feeling a little less frothy. On-chain stuff looks decent: leverage is down, holders are staying put, and we’re testing support right around where that...

- Why Crypto Adoption Isn’t Translating Into Everyday Payments A recent survey of more than 5,700 Bitcoin (BTC) holders reveals a clear disconnect between belief and behavior in the crypto space. While nearly 80% of respondents support broader crypto adoption, 55% say they rarely or never use digital assets for everyday payments. This growing gap between conviction and real-world usage suggests that the industry’s biggest challenge is no longer awareness or ideological support, but something else. Most Crypto Users Support Adoption, Yet Rarely Spend: Here’s Why The GoMining survey drew responses from users across multiple regions, with the largest share from Europe (45.7%) and North America (40.1%). Participants represented a mix...

- Key Takeaways Oil, gold, silver, and even U.S. equities have pushed to fresh highs, drawing capital and attention while much of the crypto market remains stuck in a low-volatility grind. Against that backdrop, Chainlink is making a calculated move. It is expanding decentralized finance (DeFi) beyond crypto-native assets and into the markets that are still moving. Rather than waiting for volatility to return, the oracle network is widening DeFi’s scope. By rolling out continuous data feeds for U.S. stocks and commodities, Chainlink is positioning blockchain infrastructure to operate around the clock, even when traditional markets are closed. Chainlink Brings the $80 Trillion Equity Market Closer to DeFi Chainlink has expanded...

- Galaxy Digital Plans Crypto Hedge Fund Rollout Galaxy Digital is reportedly planning to launch a new hedge fund aimed at trading digital assets and related stocks. The fund is set to start in the first quarter of this year with an initial size of $100 million. The strategy allows bets on both rising and falling market conditions. Galaxy explained that the new fund strategy allows bets on both rising and falling prices. The firm will place around 30% of the fund into crypto tokens, including Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana. The remaining capital will go into financial services stocks related to digital asset tech and policy shifts. The fund has secured $100 million from family offices, wealthy individuals, and a small group of larger...

- Vitalik Buterin Calls for Return to Decentralized Social, Warns Against ‘Corposlop’ Crypto Platforms Ethereum’s co-founder Vitalik Buterin has renewed his push for decentralized social media, arguing that competition — rather than engagement-maximizing algorithms or speculative tokens — is essential to building healthier mass communication systems. In a post on X, Buterin said he plans to be “fully back to decentralized social” in 2026, framing the shift as a response to deep structural problems in today’s dominant platforms. “If we want a better society, we need better mass communication tools,” he wrote, calling for systems that surface high-quality information, help people find points of agreement, and serve users’ long-term...

- Steak ‘n Shake to Pay Hourly Workers in Bitcoin Starting March Steak ‘n Shake will begin paying all hourly employees at company-operated restaurants a Bitcoin bonus of $0.21 for every hour worked starting March 1, with funds accessible after a two-year vesting period. The 91-year-old burger chain announced the program through a partnership with Bitcoin rewards app Fold, marking another step in its year-long transformation into what CEO Will Reeves called “a real bitcoin company, putting sound money into the hands of working Americans.“ A full-time minimum wage employee working 40 hours weekly for 30 years could retire with over $3 million if Bitcoin maintains just a 20% annual growth rate, according to Adam Simecka, founder of...

- Key Takeaways Steak ’n Shake, the U.S.-based fast-food chain, has announced plans to pay hourly employees a small Bitcoin (BTC) bonus for every hour worked at company-operated locations. The company has partnered with Bitcoin wallet app Fold to manage the payouts, marking the latest step in Steak ’n Shake’s expanding crypto push. Steak ’n Shake’s Bitcoin Bonus Sparks Backlash The 91-year-old restaurant chain has been steadily integrating Bitcoin into its operations since mid-2025. This includes accepting Bitcoin payments, holding customer BTC instead of converting it to fiat, and building a corporate Bitcoin treasury under what it calls a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.” Against that backdrop, the employee bonus announcement...

- Solana Sees Relatively Strong Investor Interest Solana spot ETFs printed a surprise $3.08 million in net inflows during a period of heavy market stress. Those flows came in as global equities were getting hit, and the broader crypto market saw more than $120 billion wiped off total capitalization. That divergence highlights SOL’s ability to pull capital even in risk-off conditions. The contrast with other crypto products was clear. Bitcoin ETFs saw $483 million in net outflows on Monday as investors de-risked. Most major assets followed the same exit trend. Solana, however, bucked the flow, reinforcing a bullish narrative that could support a rebound. On-chain data tells a similar story. New address growth on Solana stayed...

- SharpLink (SBET) Tumbles 9.6% as Cryptos Fall on US-EU Trade Spat We recently published 10 Stocks Investors Are Dumping. SharpLink Gaming Inc. (NASDAQ:SBET) was one of the worst performers on Tuesday. SharpLink fell by 9.59 percent on Tuesday to finish at $9.94 apiece, mimicking the sentiment of the broader market, as investors parked funds to mitigate risks from the ongoing trade tensions between the US and the European Union (EU). Over the weekend, President Donald Trump threatened to impose 10 percent tariffs on goods from eight countries opposing his planned takeover of Greenland. The tariffs will take effect on February 1 and could rise to 25 percent if a deal is not made on June 1. Meanwhile, the EU said that it would...

- Hong Kong Plans First Stablecoin Issuer Licences in Q1 Amid Crypto Push Hong Kong is preparing to issue its first batch of stablecoin issuer licenses in the first quarter of the year, stepping up efforts to position itself as a regional hub for digital assets amid growing global competition. Key Takeaways: Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan said the city’s approach to crypto regulation remains “responsible and sustainable.” Chan reportedly confirmed that the initial round of stablecoin licenses is expected to be granted in the coming months. Hong Kong Positions Stablecoins at the Core of Its Digital Finance Strategy Chan framed stablecoins as part of a broader push to build a...

- MARA Holdings (MARA) Falls 8.7% as Bitcoin Drops on Trade Concerns MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA) was one of the worst performers on Tuesday. MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA) fell by 8.71 percent on Tuesday to finish at $10.37 apiece as investors disposed of shares to mitigate risks from the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the US and Europe, having announced a tit-for-tat tariff in relation to their opposing views on the acquisition of Greenland. MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA) mirrored the broader market pessimism, which similarly spilled over to Bitcoin prices after President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 10 percent tariff on eight European countries opposing his plans to take over Greenland. The tariffs...

- White House Digital Asset Advisor Calls for Immediate Crypto Market Structure Bill Patrick Witt, White House Executive Director of the President’s Crypto Council, has advocated for the urgent passage of crypto market structure legislation. Pushing back Coinbase CEO’s “no bill is better than a bad bill” line, Witt argues that it is a “privilege” to say that only because Donald Trump won in 2024 and installed a pro‑crypto administration. He wrote that it is unrealistic to expect a multi-trillion-dollar industry to operate without a comprehensive regulatory framework. Witt bluntly warned that if the bill fails to move ahead, a future Democratic Congress may write punitive legislation in the wake of a crisis, “à la Dodd‑Frank.” “You...

- Extreme Fear Replaces Greed in Crypto Market The Crypto Fear and Greed Index fell to 24 on January 21, 2026, signaling a sharp return to extreme fear after briefly entering greed territory last week. Market sentiment has deteriorated sharply as cryptocurrencies face another major drawdown amid escalating geopolitical tensions. Crypto Market Sentiment Collapses Into Extreme Fear Reports earlier this week indicated that President Trump’s tariff threats against the European Union sparked a wider market sell-off, affecting risk assets significantly. The pressure intensified on Tuesday. Speaking at Davos, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reaffirmed the administration’s readiness to deploy tariffs as a primary geopolitical tool...

- White House Crypto Council Director Says Operating Without Market Rules Is ‘Fantasy’ On Tuesday, the executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Digital Assets criticized Coinbase’s recent decision to withdraw support for the Senate’s crypto market structure bill. This marks a growing frustration among lawmakers with industry players concerning potential commercial implications. “‘No bill is better than a bad bill,’” Patrick Witt commented, referencing Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong’s stance when his exchange withdrew support for the CLARITY Act. Witt emphasized the unique moment afforded by the current administration's crypto-friendly stance. In mid-January, Armstrong publicly withdrew the exchange’s endorsement of...

- The Bitcoin price has extended its pullback. BTC is down roughly 3% over the past 24 hours and about 6.6% over seven days, slipping below $90,000 and pushing the $100,000 target further away. Still, this drop is not breaking new ground. Similar pullbacks have appeared before, and in those cases, Bitcoin rebounded once key technical conditions aligned. This time, the setup again hinges on momentum exhaustion and a reclaim of critical moving averages. Hidden Divergence and EMA Reclaim Define the Rebound Setup The rebound thesis starts with momentum. On the 12-hour chart, Bitcoin is showing a hidden bullish divergence. Between mid-December and late January, the BTC price formed a higher low while the Relative Strength Index, or RSI...

- On January 20, 2026, the cryptocurrency market experienced a sharp deleveraging event. More than 182,000 traders had their positions forced closed, totaling over $1.08 billion in liquidations. Long positions accounted for nearly all the losses as Bitcoin and Ethereum futures traders were hit by cascading margin calls. Traders are now confronting higher leverage amid intensifying global macroeconomic pressures and technical weakness across digital assets. Record Liquidations Hammer Leveraged Traders According to CoinGlass data, 182,729 traders were liquidated over the 24-hour period ending January 20, with combined losses totaling $1.08 billion. Most were long positions, totaling $1.08 billion, while short liquidations were far...