Ripples recent announcement of new UK approvals from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was widely seen as just another regulatory milestone. XRPs price reaction was muted, and the broader crypto market quickly moved on. However, buried within the wording of Ripples press release is a development that could prove far more significant for XRPs long-term utility and institutional adoption. While the headline focused on regulatory clearance, the real importance lies in what Ripple is now legally allowed to do in the UK. The company has secured the ability to operate a fully regulated...

Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reportedly moved more than $2 billion through cryptocurrency transactions to evade international sanctions and support cybercriminal operations, according to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. The actual figure may be significantly higher, as the estimate only includes sanctions designations issued by the United States. Irans case highlights a broader global trend: the rapid growth of illicit cryptocurrency activity fueled by heavily sanctioned states such as Iran, Russia, and North Korea. Data compiled by Chainalysis shows that crypto...

XRP price entered January 2026 showing signs of recovery after a prolonged downtrend in 2025, but the upside remained capped below the critical $3 resistance level. The previous years decline reshaped market behavior, as traders increasingly treated rebounds as opportunities to take profit rather than initiate fresh long positions. As a result, XRP price action continues to reflect hesitation and limited follow-through despite periodic bullish attempts. After losing the $3 mark in 2025, XRP established a pattern where selling pressure consistently emerged near familiar resistance zones. One...

Pump.fun has announced upcoming changes to its creator fee model, a move that has immediately captured market attention and driven a notable rally in its native token, PUMP. Following the announcement, TradingView data shows that PUMP surged by nearly 11%, reflecting growing trader confidence in the platforms evolving incentive structure. The decision comes after Pump.fun introduced Dynamic Fees V1 several months ago, aiming to reward higher-quality token launches by sharing a portion of fees with creators. While this model initially succeeded in boosting creator activity and on-chain volumes...

Kevin Warsh has emerged as the leading market favorite to become the next Federal Reserve Chair, according to prediction markets, after President Donald Trump confirmed he has already chosen Jerome Powells successor but is not ready to reveal the name. This development has fueled speculation across financial and crypto markets, with investors closely watching shifts in betting odds as a signal of future monetary policy direction. Data from Polymarket shows Kevin Warsh clearly ahead of other potential candidates. Kevin Hassett is currently positioned as the closest competitor, while...

Senate Democrats have not walked away from negotiations over landmark legislation to regulate the U.S. crypto industry, but mounting frustration is clear as lawmakers rush to finalize a new draft ahead of a crucial week. As the weekend approaches, congressional staff are working quickly to produce updated legislative text for what could be the most significant crypto market structure bill in U.S. history. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott formally announced that the long-anticipated markup hearing will take place on January 15, marking a major step forward for the Responsible...

The decentralized finance (DeFi) industry may be forced to oppose a major U.S. crypto regulatory bill it has long supported if the next Senate draft fails to adequately protect software developers, according to industry leaders. As Senate committees prepare to vote on a long-awaited crypto market structure bill next week, tensions are rising between DeFi advocates and traditional financial institutions over key provisions that could shape the future of blockchain innovation in the United States. At the center of the debate are protections for DeFi software developers. Industry groups argue...

BNY Mellon, the worlds largest custodial bank, has taken a major step into blockchain finance by launching a platform that enables institutional clients to settle bank deposits on a blockchain. With nearly $58 trillion in assets under management, the Wall Street giant is positioning itself at the forefront of tokenization and digital asset infrastructure within traditional banking. The new initiative allows BNY Mellon clients to mirror their existing deposit balances as tokenized representations on a private, permissioned blockchain. This system is designed to improve settlement speed,...

The South Korean government is accelerating its push into digital assets, with plans to promote exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to cryptocurrencies, including a potential spot Bitcoin ETF by 2026. This initiative is part of the countrys newly unveiled 2026 Economic Growth Strategy, which outlines a broader roadmap for digital asset regulation, stablecoins, and blockchain-based financial infrastructure. According to the plan, regulators will begin drafting a second wave of digital asset legislation within this year. A major focus of the proposed bills is stablecoin regulation, including...

Bitcoin began 2026 with strong momentum as U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs attracted more than $1 billion in inflows during the first two trading days of the year. That early optimism, however, has faded quickly. A three-day streak of heavy ETF outflows has erased nearly all of those gains, signaling renewed uncertainty around Bitcoins short-term price outlook and weakening institutional conviction. According to data from Farside Investors, the 11 U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a combined net outflow of approximately $1.128 billion over the past three trading sessions. This nearly offsets the...