Gold breaks $5,000, silver surpasses $80... dollar value declines
As geopolitical tensions escalate, the U.S. dollar—long considered a safe-haven asset in markets—no longer responds as it did in the past.
Meanwhile, gold (XAU) and silver (XAG) are showing signals beyond the typical commodity rally.
Gold hits all-time high, silver surges... in response to inflation
Current funds are decisively shifting toward physical assets. As a result, gold prices are approaching $5,000, and silver prices have surpassed $80. These levels are prompting investors to reassess traditional macroeconomic assumptions.
US Department of Justice issues grand jury subpoena to Fed Chair Jerome Powell...controversy over pressure to cut interest rates
Jerome Powell, Chair of the Federal Reserve (Fed), suggested that the criminal investigation initiated by federal prosecutors is politically motivated. He argued that the investigation arose because the central bank did not align its monetary policy with the president's preferences.
This move comes amid escalating tensions between Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and President Donald Trump, as Powell's term is set to expire in May 2026.
Fed Chair faces criminal investigation...linked to policy disagreements on interest rates
[This Week's Macro Events] CPI & PPI Releases, U.S. Supreme Court Tariff Ruling
This week, several U.S. economic indicators are scheduled to be released. Each indicator can significantly impact investor sentiment and may have a notable effect on Bitcoin prices.
Investors can strategically manage their portfolios according to the following key schedule from January 12 to 17.
Waiting for 4 macro events from Tuesday
The four macroeconomic events are concentrated from Tuesday to Thursday. The volatility of Bitcoin prices is likely to increase during this period. Be mindful of Bitcoin price volatility.
Peter Brandt mentions possibility of Monero being a 'god candle'
Monero (XMR) reached $598, officially setting a new all-time high. Its market cap also surpassed $10 billion for the first time. Many analysts believe the bullish trend will continue, stating this surge has only just begun.
Veteran trader Peter Brandt added optimism by comparing the XMR price movement to that of silver.
Will Monero become the 'silver' of the cryptocurrency market?
On January 12, according to price data from BeInCrypto, Monero (XMR) rose more than 30% since the previous Saturday, trading above $585 and pushing its market cap past $10.7 billion.
According to on-chain data, Ethereum's early investors appear to have fully cashed out by moving all their held Ethereum (ETH) to centralized exchanges. This sell-off is estimated to have generated approximately $274 million in profits.
This process occurred amid continued selling pressure from U.S. institutional investors. Nevertheless, some market analysts still maintain a positive outlook on the second-largest cryptocurrency.
USA, Chinese fraud king's $1.5 billion in bitcoins stolen... how?
On January 7, 2026, China's state broadcaster aired a dramatic scene: a man wearing a hood and handcuffs being escorted at Beijing airport. This man was Chen Zhi, 38, founder of Cambodia Prince Holding Group, accused of running Asia's largest fraud empire.
Cambodia handed over Zhens, who was arrested the previous day, to China. There was great interest in whether he would face legal judgment after a long period, but finally the conclusion came. While Zhens' downfall dominated the headlines, another question remained: what happened to his $1.5 billion worth of bitcoins?
South Korea Ends 9-Year Corporate Cryptocurrency Ban
The Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Korea has finalized guidelines allowing listed companies and professional investors to trade cryptocurrencies.
This measure marks the end of a 9-year ban on corporate cryptocurrency investments. It also complements the government's "2026 Economic Growth Strategy," including the recently announced stablecoin legislation and the allowance of spot cryptocurrency ETFs.
Corporate Investment Framework
According to local media reports, under the FSC's new guidelines, eligible companies may invest up to 5% of their annual equity in cryptocurrencies. The investment is limited to the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization listed on the five major domestic exchanges.
White House Briefing, Insider Trading Controversy... Pelosi Joins the Irony
The video of White House Press Secretary Caroline Rice abruptly ending the briefing spread just before a critical betting time, fueling concerns about insider trading in prediction markets. This incident occurred amid calls from 30 Democratic lawmakers to introduce legislation banning political betting by politicians.
At first, it seemed like a joke, but no one laughed.
30 seconds exit
The controversy began when Rebekah Rice, the White House press secretary, concluded her daily briefing in approximately 64 minutes and 30 seconds, just before the 65-minute betting window set by the prediction market Kalshi. At that time, the market showed a 98% probability that the briefing would exceed 65 minutes. Traders who bet against this expectation earned up to 50 times their investment within seconds.
French crypto kidnappings... NFT Paris cancellation under scrutiny
NFT Paris and RWA Paris 2026 have been officially canceled on January 5, 2026, citing global cryptocurrency market collapse and unsustainable costs. However, the recent surge in cryptocurrency-related violent incidents has added to the unease surrounding this announcement.
In France, over 20 cases of kidnappings and violent incidents targeting cryptocurrency industry professionals and their families have been reported since January 2025. This has led to widespread anxiety across the French Web3 community.
Stella RWA value nears $1 billion... Is XLM price poised for a reversal?
Stella's price has been weak for several months, declining by about 34% over the past three months. Despite the overall downtrend, recent price movements have shown stability, with XLM mostly consolidating over the past 24 hours. Signals are emerging that the downward pressure is losing momentum rather than accelerating.
Meanwhile, Stella's actual usage is increasing. Capital continues to flow into the network, and low-price buying activity remains strong. A bullish chart structure is forming. As Stella's real-world assets (RWA) value approaches $1 billion, the price is nearing a critical turning point.
Elon promises algorithm disclosure…Vitalik says 'proof of trust needed'
X (formerly Twitter) is at the center of the high-risk technology debate. Elon Musk recently announced that the recommendation algorithm of the X platform—the code determining the distribution of organic and advertising content—will be made open source in seven days. Subsequent updates will be conducted every four weeks, accompanied by detailed developer notes explaining the changes.
This move has been introduced as the first step toward transparency and is attracting attention from users, developers, and critics alike.
According to on-chain analyst Willie Woo, changes in U.S. macroeconomic policies could accelerate cryptocurrency adoption, bringing Bitcoin's price closer to a short-term rebound.
Yu's data-driven model shows that investor inflows into Bitcoin reached their bottom on December 24, 2025, and have been gradually strengthening since then. Yu's overall outlook for 2026 is cautious due to weakening liquidity, but it suggests that a short-term, cautious bullish phase may emerge within the next few weeks.
Satoshi-era miner moves millions of dollars in Bitcoin after 15 years
The early Bitcoin network miner, who had been inactive for a long time, moved 2,000 BTC. This amounts to approximately $181 million and is assessed as a strategic profit-taking.
Julio Moreno from the cryptocurrency on-chain platform CryptoQuant stated this is the largest movement by a 'Satoshi-era' whale since the end of 2024.
Bitcoin absorbs $181 million sell signal from Satoshi era
Moreno emphasized the timing of the transaction, stating, 'Satoshi-era miners tend to move Bitcoin at critical turning points.'
X Smart Cashtags…Musk's Platform Pushes for Integration of Coin and Stock Trading
Nikita Bier, the product lead at X, has unveiled a new feature called 'Smart Cashtags,' suggesting that the platform aims to evolve beyond mere market commentary into a gateway for real-time tracking and even trading of stocks and cryptocurrency assets.
Initial reactions on X (formerly Twitter) indicate that this social media platform, led by Elon Musk, is preparing to transform financial conversations into a much more actionable domain.
Tether freezes $180 million... Dominating illegal fund flows in stablecoins
Tether, the world's largest stablecoin issuer, has frozen USDT worth $180 million in the past 24 hours.
On January 11, on-chain tracking service Whale Alert detected five separate freezing actions carried out by Tether.
Tether freezes millions of dollars in USDT without warning... Why?
This action targeted wallets based on the Tron network, including amounts ranging from $12 million to $50 million, resulting in a total of $182 million disappearing from circulation within a single day.
Zcash entering 30% decline zone... What happened with ZEC?
Zcash price is currently under pressure. Governance shock has shattered investor sentiment, and the chart has turned downward in shorter timeframes, clearly revealing downside risks.
The peculiarity of this downturn is that large holders have actively bought despite the price decline. Zcash price has dropped 25% on a weekly basis. Price, investor sentiment, and whale behavior are moving in opposite directions.
Binance founder CZ, U.S. policy changes... cryptocurrency super cycle outlook
Binance founder Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao has stated that the cryptocurrency market could enter a 'super cycle.' He attributes this shift to a 180-degree change in the regulatory attitude toward digital assets in Washington, D.C.
Julia13: The bullish market outlook for the super cycle by Zhao comes at a time when the U.S. government is actively dismantling the hardline enforcement framework it has maintained over the past few years.
Binance founder, reasons for the cryptocurrency super cycle outlook
XRP ETF, record low net inflows... how is the price reacting?
XRP price is holding above $2.08, but the breakout has not yet been confirmed. The reason is not only due to simple price weakness, but also timing factors. During the past week, XRP spot ETF inflows have dropped to their lowest level since trading began, clearly showing a slowdown in upward momentum.
During the same period, long-term holders began aggressively buying. This led to a rare conflict between institutional demand and long-term conviction, placing XRP at a critical juncture.
Bitcoin Bull Run Begins with 4.5% Rise...Historical and Chart Patterns Align
Bitcoin's price is at a critical juncture following a quiet decline. Since reaching its peak on January 5th, Bitcoin has declined but avoided a major collapse. Compared to the beginning of the year, Bitcoin is down approximately 4.5%, maintaining a somewhat negative annual performance.
This slight decline carries more significance than it appears. The current narrow price range is distinguishing Bitcoin from a rare historical signal last seen in 2020. Whether Bitcoin reverses or fails will determine the next trend.
Solana blockchain has faced a major infrastructure test this weekend, following the deployment of an 'urgent' security patch across the entire validator network.
On January 10, Solana's core team announced the immediate release of validator client v3.0.14.
Half of the network validators still using outdated software
The official statement described the update as a proactive measure to enhance 'stability.' However, the deployment pattern indicates it was, in fact, a serious security fix.