Author: Oguz Ozdemir

Stablecoins used to be a crypto convenience, a way to park dollars between trades without touching fiat. However, the industry has matured enough that BlackRock now treats them as foundational rails for the market.In its 2026 Global Outlook, the BlackRock Investment Institute argued that stablecoins are widening beyond exchanges and becoming integrated into mainstream payment systems. It also said they could expand in cross-border transfers and day-to-day use in emerging markets.That framing matters because it shifts the question investors ask, especially when it comes from a name as big as BlackRock.The point here isn’t whether stablecoins are good for crypto.…

The Senate Committee is proceeding with the CLARITY Act markup next week, issuing an official notice way before the scheduled date, according to its own rules. Chairman of the committee, Tim Scott, also released an announcement, while suggesting that they have bipartisan support for the crypto bill after several amendments. Banking Committee Issues Official Notice For CLARITY Act Markup The Senate Committee issued a notice stating that it will meet in executive session to consider the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025. The markup will hold on January 15 at 10 AM ET. The staff notice that Punchbowl’s Brendan…

Bitcoin witnessed a surprise bounce to almost $95K and pared the gains to fall back below $90K this week. Bitcoin ETFs flows and MSCI’s decision on MSTR also failed to provide constructive cues on market direction amid geopolitical tensions and mixed jobs data. Traders to closely watch these 3 events that could signal whether Bitcoin to crash or rally ahead. Bitcoin to Crash or Rally to Depend on US CPI Inflation Data The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will release December’s CPI inflation data on January 13, the most crucial data anticipated by global investors following the end of…

In brief Analysts frame the altcoin surge as a sentiment-driven “classic rotation pattern,” where capital seeks higher-risk assets like XRP and Solana amid Bitcoin’s consolidation. The rally is fueled by specific narratives, including sustained Solana ETF inflows and speculation about a potential XRP ETF approval in 2026. The sustainability of the move hinges on upcoming U.S. jobs and CPI data, which could catalyze a broader Bitcoin breakout or test key support near $88,000. Bitcoin and Ethereum consolidate after a strong start to 2026, while a select group of altcoins is posting significant weekly gains. Experts highlight this performance as a…

Meanwhile, the PI token continues to move sideways with little-to-no volatility. With just over a week into the new year, the Core Team behind Pi Network has published its first new update, which will allow developers to integrate Pi payments into their apps in under ten minutes. Despite this, the project’s native token has failed to make any major move over the past month, even though the broader crypto market has shown revival signs after January 2. Pi Network’s New Update The blog post from the team, published on Friday, indicated that they have released a new developer library…

Chainalysis recorded $154 billion in illicit inflows, driven largely by sanctioned entities. Russia’s ruble-backed A7A5 token processed over $93.3 billion in transactions within a year. Illicit transactions remain under 1% of total on-chain activity despite rapid growth. Illicit cryptocurrency activity expanded rapidly in 2025, not because of a sudden spike in everyday crypto crime, but due to a structural shift in how sanctioned states and entities are moving money. As global financial restrictions widened, blockchain networks increasingly became an alternative channel for cross-border transfers that are harder to block or monitor through traditional systems. A new report from Chainalysis shows…

Here’s also what happened to XRP’s price since the start of 2026. After marking the longest positive streak of any crypto-based ETF on Wall Street, the spot XRP funds finally saw their first red day on Wednesday with more than $40 million in net outflows. Nevertheless, the week was still in the green, while the underlying asset’s price experienced substantial fluctuations. One Streak Broken, Another Continues CryptoPotato reported earlier this week that the spot XRP ETFs had seen $40.80 million in net outflows on Wednesday. This meant that net withdrawals dominated net inflows for the first time since the…

ZEC has dumped hard over the past 24 hours again. The expectations for a highly volatile Friday due to the numerous significant developments in the US didn’t really materialize, and BTC has calmed at $90,500. Most larger-cap alts have remained sluggish over the past 24 hours, with ETH struggling below $3,100, and XRP close to breaking beneath $2.10. BTC Calms The primary cryptocurrency began the business week on the right foot, surging to almost $95,000 on Tuesday morning. This impressive price jump came after the volatile weekend, in which bitcoin defended the $90,000 support even after the US carried…

Key points:Bitcoin bulls will have to successfully defend the moving averages to increase the possibility of a break above $95,000.Most major altcoins have turned down from their overhead resistance levels, indicating that the bears are active at higher levels.Buyers are attempting to maintain Bitcoin (BTC) above the $90,000 level, but the bears continue to exert pressure. Material Indicators cofounder Keith Alan said in a post on X that BTC could slump to the $87,500 to $89,000 support zone. An even lower target was projected by trader Roman, who expects a drop to the $76,000 level.However, CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju…

In brief Ripple received approval through its UK subsidiary to scale its payments operations in the UK. The firm notes the UK is a “core” piece of its global strategy moving forward. The approval comes ahead of new crypto regulations expected to commence in 2027 in the UK. Crypto payments firm Ripple was granted permission from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to scale its payments platform in the country, the firm announced on Friday. The FCA approved the firm’s Cryptoasset Registration and Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license, enabling companies in the UK to use its services for cross-border payments with…