Democrat Maxine Waters demands an SEC oversight hearing after the agency dropped major cases against Coinbase, Binance, and other crypto firms. US Representative Maxine Waters has called for a hearing with Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Paul Atkins, highlighting concerns over the agency’s dismissal of crypto cases, and nine other points of contention. In a letter on Sunday to French Hill, chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Waters argued that a hearing was well overdue highlighting what she sees as “questionable policy changes” at the SEC. “Chair Gensler testified before the Committee twice during his first year. Despite having a clear obligation to oversee the SEC, the Committee has not held a single hearing with Chairman Atkins, despite the agency’s rapid, significant, and questionable policy shifts during the Trump Administration,” she wrote. Read more
Bitcoin selling pressure from long time hodlers is finally abating and Ether whales are adding to their holdings. Markets remain bearish, however. Long-term Bitcoin holders have pumped the brakes on selling their fat stacks for the first time in six months, while Ether whales have ramped up accumulation of the digital asset. Wallets holding Bitcoin (BTC) for at least 155 days trimmed their positions from 14.8 million coins in mid-July to 14.3 million in December. However, crypto investor and entrepreneur Ted Pillows noted in an X post on Monday the selloff has tapered off. “Long-term holders have stopped selling Bitcoin for the first time since July 2025. Things are looking good for a relief rally here,” he said. Read more
Widespread protests took place in Iran’s capital after the rial slid to record lows, prompting Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley to argue Bitcoin could help Iranians protect their savings. Protests erupted across Iran’s capital of Tehran on Monday as the rial hit record lows against the US dollar, a currency collapse that locals blame on the central bank’s poor fiscal policies as they watch the value of their life savings evaporate. While there’s no single solution to the economic hardship that Iranians are facing, Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley suggested that Bitcoin (BTC) is a way for people around the world to protect themselves from plunging currency values. “Economic mismanagement — The story of the past, present, and future,” Bitcoin is a new way for the people to protect themselves,” Horsley said in a post to X Monday. Read more
Analysts are split on whether Bitcoin’s typical four-year cycle has ended in 2025, with institutional ETFs and regulatory shifts cited as key factors. A wave of institutional crypto participation spurred by exchange-traded funds, an easing of regulations in the US, an increase in global liquidity, and a Federal Reserve leadership change are just some of the reasons why analysts think the typical four-year crypto cycle is broken. The four-year cycle is tied to Bitcoin (BTC) halving events, which cut miner rewards in half, reducing the supply of new Bitcoin entering circulation. Historically, this was seen as the catalyst for a predictable pattern: accumulation, a post-halving bull run that peaked around 18 months later, followed by a sharp correction and multi-year bear market. Read more