Crypto

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has stated that the blockchain network must decide between chasing speculative trends or fulfilling its original promise as a neutral “world computer.” In two separate detailed posts on the social media platform X, Buterin reflected on 2025 as a year of significant technical progress. However, he cautioned against the network’s growing […] The post Vitalik Buterin declares Ethereum solved crypto Trilemma, yet his 2030 roadmap exposes a massive ideological risk appeared first on CryptoSlate.

The move is deemed a "deliberate pause" and not a full exit, with Coinbase planning to reassess and return with a stronger product.

Your look at what's coming in the week starting Jan. 5.

Your day-ahead look for Jan. 5, 2026

Japan’s finance minister signaled that crypto’s future lies inside regulated exchanges as Japan advances tax, disclosure and market reforms. Japan appears to be moving to bring cryptocurrencies deeper into its traditional market rulebook, signaling that regulators want digital assets handled through established exchanges and securities-style oversight rather than a parallel system. The direction was underscored on Monday by Finance Minister and Financial Services Minister Satsuki Katayama, who publicly backed traditional securities exchanges and market infrastructure as the primary gateway for blockchain-based assets.  Speaking at the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s New Year opening ceremony, Katayama framed 2026 as Japan’s first year of full-scale digitalization. Her remarks echoed a broader regulatory shift that has been steadily aligning crypto with traditional capital markets.  Read more

According to SlowMist, attackers are impersonating MetaMask, aiming to steal users’ secret recovery phrases. Crypto investors are being targeted by a new phishing campaign that impersonates MetaMask and tricks users into handing over their wallet recovery phrases, according to the blockchain security firm SlowMist. The attackers are impersonating a two-factor authentication (2FA) security verification flow, which redirects users to fraudulent domains through fake security warnings that request users’ seed phrases. When a user shares a wallet recovery phrase, the funds from the wallet are stolen, warned SlowMist's chief security officer, 23pds, in a Monday X post. Read more

Ethereum, XRP, and Solana funds posted massive growth in 2025 while Bitcoin flows dropped, signaling a major rotation in investor appetite.

RENDER is today's top performer, following an 18% surge.

Bank of America will enable advisers across Merrill and its private bank to recommend four spot Bitcoin ETFs, expanding beyond client-led access. Bank of America is making crypto a more routine part of its US wealth business, allowing advisers across Merrill, the Bank of America Private Bank and Merrill Edge to proactively recommend spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds. Bank of America’s chief investment office (CIO) has approved four US-listed spot Bitcoin funds for coverage: Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC), Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust (BTC) and BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). These four ETFs are among the largest and most liquid spot Bitcoin (BTC) products on the market, which makes them easier for the bank to underwrite from an operational and regulatory risk perspective than smaller, more complex or leveraged vehicles. Read more

Bitcoin trades near $92.5K after five-day rally, as analysts say Gold’s slowdown could open a 1.5–2 year breakout window for crypto.

Altcoins, led by Ether, XRP and Solana, drove crypto ETP growth in 2025, while Bitcoin fund inflows fell 35%. Cryptocurrency investment products pulled in about $47 billion of inflows in 2025, just shy of 2024’s total amid new crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF) launches in the US. Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) logged $47.2 billion in inflows last year, 3% below 2024’s record of $48.7 billion, according to European crypto asset manager CoinShares. Bitcoin (BTC) inflows fell sharply in 2025, with a 35% drop from $41.7 billion in 2024 to around $27 billion, while Ether (ETH), XRP (XRP) and Solana (SOL) ETPs saw substantial gains. Read more

When the futures market opened Monday, the screens told a story that felt backward. The U.S. had just captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, in a weekend operation that jolted geopolitics and dominated headlines. And yet oil did not spike. It slipped. At the same time, Bitcoin held its ground, then pushed higher. It traded around […] The post Oil prices just did the unthinkable after the Venezuela raid, and it hands Bitcoin a rare advantage appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bitcoin hit $93,000 for the first time in almost a month on Venezuela volatility, but BTC price forecasts include a sweep of $80,000 lows. Bitcoin (BTC) launches its first launches its first meaningful rebound in weeks as geopolitics excites world assets. Bitcoin price gains see a return to $93,000 after a nearly month-long absence, but traders are skeptical. A key golden cross is almost here on the four-hour chart, paving the way for further market strength. Read more

Bitcoin has hit a three-week high as geopolitical tensions escalate once again and analysts predict more gains to come if history rhymes. 

January’s unlock calendar is heavily concentrated, with four major projects accounting for more than one-third of all tokens set to enter circulation. More than $5.5 billion in cryptocurrencies are scheduled to unlock in January, with ONDO, BGB, HYPE and TRUMP tokens accounting for some of the biggest releases.  According to Tokenomist’s token unlocks data tracker, January will see over $5.5 billion in token unlocks. About $2.5 billion will be released through a cliff unlock, which means the tokens are unlocked all at once. Another $3 billion will enter circulation through linear releases, distributing tokens gradually over time, creating less abrupt supply increases.  Crypto vesting is the process of locking token allocations and releasing them over time to prevent early or sudden increases in circulating supplies. These schedules often include an initial lockup followed by periodic unlocks, aligning long-term incentives while managing market impact.  Read more

Analysts frame XRP’s pullback as a controlled correction, not distribution, keeping the broader bullish case intact.

The wheels of motion begin to turn again as the first week of a new year commences, and the United States economic calendar starts to fill.

ESG researcher Daniel Batten says peer-reviewed studies challenge claims that Bitcoin mining destabilizes power grids or raises electricity costs. Bitcoin’s environmental impact remains contested as critics question its energy use, while ESG researcher Daniel Batten disputes several of those claims. In a Saturday X thread, ESG researcher Daniel Batten said nine common criticisms of Bitcoin mining’s energy use are contradicted by peer-reviewed studies and grid-level data. “Every nascent disruptive technology is accompanied by claims that are based on lack of understanding, lack of data, and a fear of something unknown,” said Batten. Read more

PwC’s CEO says clearer US crypto rules and stablecoin legislation pushed the firm to expand its digital asset services. PricewaterhouseCoopers decided to expand its crypto business after a shift toward clearer US regulation, citing new leadership at regulators and progress on stablecoin legislation, CEO Paul Griggs said. New leadership within US regulators such as the US Securities and Exchange Commission and new laws like the GENIUS Act were among the major developments that spurred PwC’s reversal, Griggs told the Financial Times in a report on Sunday. “The GENIUS Act and the regulatory rulemaking around stablecoin, I expect, will create more conviction around leaning into that product and that asset class,” he said, adding that “the tokenization of things will certainly continue to evolve as well. PwC has to be in that ecosystem.” Read more

Dune Analytics data reveals a surge from $14.6 million to $91.3 million in net spend across Visa's key crypto cards, led by EtherFi, in 2025.  Visa-issued crypto cards saw a massive spike in usage in 2025, with the total net spend increasing by 525% last year. According to Dune Analytics data, the total net spend for six crypto cards issued by blockchain projects in partnership with Visa went from $14.6 million in January to $91.3 million at the end of December. The six cards tracked come from crypto payments platforms GnosisPay and Cypher, along with decentralized finance projects EtherFi, Avici Money, Exa App, and Moonwell.  Read more