Crypto

Economists urge EU lawmakers to back a public digital euro, warning that private stablecoins and foreign payment companies threaten Europe’s monetary sovereignty. Seventy economists and policy experts called on members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to back a digital euro that serves the public interest, arguing that it is crucial for Europe’s monetary sovereignty and for guaranteeing access to central bank money in an increasingly cash‑light economy.  The open letter, published on Sunday and titled, “The Digital Euro: Let the public interest prevail!,” warned that without a strong public option, private stablecoins and foreign payment giants may gain even greater influence over Europe’s digital payments. The signatories, including former European Bank for Reconstruction and Development vice president José Leandro and French economist Thomas Piketty, describe the proposed central bank digital currency (CBDC) as a public good. Read more

Your day-ahead look for Jan. 12, 2026

DFSA’s new company-led suitability model and AML expectations may make it difficult for licensed entities to justify supporting privacy-focused assets. The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) made a major update to its Crypto Token Regulatory Framework, shifting responsibility for crypto token suitability assessments from the regulator to licensed companies operating in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai’s financial free economic zone. Under the revised rules, which took effect on Monday, companies providing financial services involving crypto tokens must determine whether tokens they engage with meet the DFSA’s suitability criteria. As part of the change, the DFSA will no longer maintain or publish a list of recognized crypto tokens.  The update follows a consultation process launched in October 2025, and reflects a shift in the regulator’s approach since introducing its crypto token regime in 2022. Since then, the DFSA said it has closely monitored developments and engaged with sta...

Bitcoin briefly topped $92,000 on interest-rate uncertainty, while privacy coins hit fresh highs and memecoin activity lifted select altcoins.

Bitcoin opened the year trading like it usually does when macro uncertainty rises: it moved with the tide of rates, the dollar, and risk appetite, even as investors tried to pin a more specific narrative on top. However, this week the narrative shifted from “what will the central bank do?” to “can the central bank […] The post Bitcoin traders are bracing for a Fed “credibility shock” that hinges on one critical date this month appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The big question: will BlackRock launch a spot XRP ETF in 2026? Let's see what the biggest AIs have to say.

Bitcoin led with $405 million of outflows last week, with the US shedding $569 million, as several altcoins and European funds posted modest inflows. Crypto investment products posted significant outflows last week, with a four-day run of withdrawals erasing part of the $1.5 billion in inflows seen during the first two trading days of 2026. Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) saw $454 million in outflows last week, European crypto asset manager CoinShares reported on Monday. “This turnaround in sentiment appears to stem mainly from investor worries over the diminishing prospects of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in March following recent macro data releases,” CoinShares’ head of research, James Butterfill, said in the update. Read more

They argue that cryptocurrency's opacity and traceability issues make it a threat to democratic integrity, citing an intelligence report election interference.

Star Xu defended freezing $40,000 in stablecoins after a user admitted buying verified accounts, with the exchange citing strict KYC and AML obligations. Update Jan. 12, 11:34 am UTC: This article has been updated to include a response from OKX. OKX founder and CEO Star Xu defended the exchange’s asset-freezing policies after a user accused the platform of locking up $40,000 in stablecoins held in accounts that were purchased rather than registered under the user’s own identity. The user, who goes by the name Captain Bunny on social media, said in a Sunday X post that OKX froze about $40,000 worth of Global Dollar (USDG) stablecoins after triggering risk controls tied to four accounts. The user said the funds were needed to cover medical expenses for his elderly father. Read more

XMR is the top gainer daily, followed by MYX and CC.

Bitcoin’s non-sovereign narrative is gaining attention as reports of a probe into US Fed Chair Jerome Powell raise concerns over political pressure and markets. Bitcoin’s role as a non-sovereign risk asset may benefit from renewed investor focus amid a criminal investigation into US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Federal prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into Powell over testimony he gave to a Senate committee about renovations to the Fed’s buildings. In a Sunday statement, Powell said the investigation is “a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President.” President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked Powell and the Fed for refusing to grant his demands to cut interest rates. Read more

BTC may still spike to $97,000-$107,000, but experts say technicals overwhelmingly favor a deeper breakdown toward $70,000 level next.

Adam Back-backed Bitcoin treasury Future Holdings has agreed to a takeover proposal from Sweden-listed H100 Group as it eyes expansion into Switzerland. Future Holdings AG, a Switzerland-based Bitcoin treasury company backed by industry veteran Adam Back, has agreed to preliminary terms that may see it acquired by Sweden-listed H100 Group. The Swiss Bitcoin (BTC) treasury company on Monday announced it had entered a non-binding letter of intent with H100 covering the potential acquisition of 100% of its shares. “Combining Future with H100 creates a public-market platform and governance framework that we believe is essential for building long-term institutional credibility in the Swiss market,” Future Holdings’ chairman Richard Byworth said in a joint statement. Read more

Bitcoin’s four-year cycle used to be a comfort blanket. Even people who claimed they didn’t believe in it still traded as they did. The halving would cut new supply, the market would spend months pretending nothing happened, then liquidity would show up, leverage would follow, retail would rediscover its password, and the chart would start […] The post Bitcoin is being hijacked by three “boring” institutional dials that are overpowering the halving’s supply shock appeared first on CryptoSlate.

From record onchain volumes to geopolitics-driven crypto crime, 2025 structurally shifted how regulators and institutions engaged with digital assets, with stablecoins at the center. As crypto markets entered 2026, one theme became increasingly clear: Last year was less about speculation and more about infrastructure, regulation and real-world use. Across jurisdictions, regulators and institutions moved from theory to implementation, reshaping how digital assets are supervised and used. A defining feature of this shift was the rise of stablecoins. While Bitcoin (BTC) continues to dominate crypto market capitalization, stablecoins now account for more than half of all onchain transaction volumes globally. Their increasing role in payments, remittances, and trading has placed them firmly in the center of regulatory attention, particularly as governments grapple with financial stability and compliance risks. In this week’s episode of Byte-Sized Insight, Cointelegraph explores how these changes played out in prac...

Bitcoin injected volatility as legal action against the Federal Reserve combined with market nerves over geopolitics at the start of a key week for inflation data. Bitcoin (BTC) bounces into a new week as volatility catalysts multiply worldwide. Bitcoin sees a trip above $92,000 after the weekly open, but traders are preparing for short opportunities.  Liquidity hunts are the name of the game when it comes to short-term BTC price action. Read more

The SEC delayed decisions on two crypto ETFs and opened public comments on options tied to a Grayscale multi-asset crypto fund. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) extended its decision deadline on two crypto-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs), while opening a comment window on options tied to a third in three separate filing decisions released Monday. In separate Federal Register notices, the SEC designated a longer period to consider proposed rule changes that would allow the listing of the Canary Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) ETF on Cboe BZX and the T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF on NYSE Arca. Both filings fall under the SEC’s standard 19b‑4 process, which lets it extend the initial decision window by up to 45 days while it evaluates market structure, investor protection and manipulation concerns. Read more

Gold and silver already charted fresh all-time highs, will BTC follow suit?

Ethereum continues to hold its bullish tone above $3K, backed by both technical breakouts and renewed on-chain strength. This resilience comes at a time when Bitcoin remains the center of attention due to macro and geopolitical events, ranging from rising tensions in the Middle East to financial instability across emerging markets. Ethereum Price Analysis: The […]

A volatile week could be ahead with all eyes on key inflation data in the United States as crypto markets remained sideways.