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Crypto.com is beginning 2026 with the “SOL Airdrop Arena event”, where users can potentially earn Solana (SOL) rewards by staking CRO, the platform’s native token. This is a large campaign, with the exchange offering a $250,000 Solana prize pool, making it attractive to both CRO holders and Solana fans, it says.

The SOL Airdrop Arena takes place from January 1 to January 31, 2026, giving users a limited time to earn points and compete for a share of the $250,000 Solana prize.

What Is the Crypto.com SOL Airdrop Arena?

Per the exchange, the Crypto.com Airdrop Arena is a rewards program within the app where users lock up CRO to earn points that turn into crypto rewards. In the SOL Airdrop Arena, participants stake CRO and collect points to earn Solana tokens.

This feature complements Crypto.com’s other yield offerings (like the Crypto.com Earn interest program), providing another avenue for users to earn SOL with CRO, the team says. By requiring CRO for entry, Crypto.com adds utility to its token while enabling users to potentially gain SOL tokens in return.

Key Details of the SOL Airdrop Arena Event

The Crypto.com airdrop event offers a large reward pool and extra incentives for early and active users, with a total prize of $250,000 in SOL. The event began on January 1, 2026, and ends on January 31, 2026 (at 09:59 UTC).

Participants can receive a daily points boost of up to 120% if they buy at least 1,500 CRO and transfer it to the Airdrop Arena before joining the event.

How to Participate in the Solana Airdrop Arena

Getting started with the SOL Airdrop Arena is straightforward. Here are the steps for users to participate and start earning points:

Access Airdrop Arena: Open the Crypto.com App and navigate to Airdrop Arena. You can find it via the Account section, the Earn tab, or through the app’s main menu.

Allocate CRO tokens: Select the SOL Airdrop Arena event and stake the amount of CRO you want. For every 100 CRO, you get 1 point, and your participation starts right away.

Earn and boost points: After joining, you earn points every day while your CRO stays locked in the event. Use available boosters to increase your points. For example, being one of the first 10,000 participants or completing the CRO purchase task can raise your daily points.

Receive rewards and lockup: When the event ends, Crypto.com will total your points and determine your SOL reward. Solana rewards are airdropped within seven days after January 31, 2026. Your CRO stays locked for six months, after which you can withdraw it or let it roll over into future events.

CRO’s Role and Reward Mechanics

CRO is at the center of this Solana rewards event, serving as the staking currency. By making CRO required, Crypto.com boosts its token’s usefulness. The rewards are point-based: the more points you earn compared to others, the bigger your share of the $250,000 SOL prize, the team says.

You mainly earn points by allocating CRO, both at the start and daily. Special Point Boosters can greatly increase your points. For example, the Loot Locker lets you lock your earned SOL for another six months in exchange for a 200% daily points boost during the event.

Reward Distribution and Lockup Rules

The SOL Airdrop Arena has clear rules for rewards and lockup. After the event, Solana rewards are sent directly to participants’ Crypto.com Wallets within seven days. If you use the optional Loot Locker, you get your SOL after an extra six-month lockup, and you earn more points during the event.

CRO staked in the Airdrop Arena is locked for six months and can’t be withdrawn or used elsewhere during that time. After the lockup, you can withdraw your CRO or keep it allocated for automatic entry into future events. This setup encourages long-term participation while also providing options after the lockup period ends, Crypto.com says.

Why the Airdrop Arena Appeals to Users

According to the exchange, Airdrop Arena is made for users who want a passive way to earn crypto rewards. After you allocate CRO, points accumulate each day automatically with minimal effort. This is attractive for CRO holders who want Solana exposure without having to trade.

The program allows users to earn SOL without purchasing it directly, converting CRO holdings into rewards. Features like point boosters, leaderboards, and optional lockups make the experience more competitive and engaging than regular staking.

Crypto.com SOL Airdrop Arena in Crypto.com’s Broader Earn Strategy

Airdrop Arena is part of Crypto.com’s larger rewards system, along with Earn, staking, and liquidity programs. By focusing on CRO, the platform strengthens its native token as the core of its ecosystem.

With a $250,000 prize pool, daily point accumulation, and multiple booster options, the event offers users the opportunity to earn rewards by committing CRO for the lockup period, the team says.

The exchange concludes that participation requires comfort with a six-month CRO lockup and variable rewards based on ranking and market conditions.

Visit Crypto.com

The post Crypto.com Unveils SOL Airdrop Arena With $250,000 Solana Prize Pool appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin surged back into focus after US inflation data eased fears of persistent price pressures, reigniting demand for risk assets and pushing BTC firmly above the $95,000 mark. With CPI confirming cooling inflation and technical structures flipping bullish, Bitcoin appears less like a speculative rebound and more like a continuation of a broader institutional-led trend.

Core CPI at 2.6% Lifts Bitcoin Toward $95,000

Bitcoin is trading near the $95,000 level after gaining more than 3% over the past 24 hours, supported by softer inflation data and a modest pullback in the US dollar. The latest US Consumer Price Index report showed headline inflation holding steady at 2.7% year over year in December, in line with market expectations, while core inflation remained unchanged at 2.6%, its lowest level since 2021.

United States Consumer Price Index (CPI) – Source: Tradingeconomics

On a monthly basis, CPI rose 0.3%, matching forecasts, with shelter costs accounting for much of the increase. Energy prices climbed 2.3%, while food prices rose 3.1%, underscoring that price pressures remain uneven rather than accelerating broadly. Crucially for markets, the absence of an upside surprise in core inflation eased concerns that the Federal Reserve may need to keep monetary policy restrictive for longer.

For Bitcoin, this environment matters. Stable inflation and a contained core reading reduce pressure on Treasury yields and the US dollar, allowing capital to rotate toward alternative stores of value. With real yields stabilizing, Bitcoin benefited alongside broader risk assets.

Japan’s finance minister and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent shared concerns about the weakening yen during a bilateral meeting as the currency edged toward a key threshold where authorities have intervened in the past https://t.co/el2QVQwBT1

— Bloomberg (@business) January 13, 2026

Currency markets echoed this shift. The Japanese yen slid to multi-month lows, while the euro and British pound traded with limited follow-through, highlighting continued unease around global monetary and fiscal conditions.

Against this landscape of fiat uncertainty and moderating US inflation, Bitcoin’s role as a policy-insensitive asset gained renewed attention from both institutional and macro-focused investors.

Fitch Warns on BTC-Backed Securities Risk

Fitch Ratings recently cautioned that Bitcoin-backed debt instruments carry elevated risk due to BTC’s price volatility, particularly where leverage and collateralized lending are involved. Crucially, the agency excluded spot BTC ETFs from this warning, noting that broader ETF adoption could help dampen long-term volatility rather than increase it.

Fitch Ratings warns of the risks of Bitcoin-backed securities

Fitch Ratings, one of the leading rating agencies, has warned that Bitcoin-backed securities carry high risks and speculative credit profiles.

The inherent volatility of BTC prices can quickly erode the value of… pic.twitter.com/B4kDhYp2kC

— Atlas21 (@Atlas21_eng) January 13, 2026

That distinction is significant for institutional investors. Exposure to Bitcoin is increasingly shifting toward regulated, transparent structures instead of speculative credit products. A clear example is the launch of 21Shares’ Bitcoin Gold ETP (BOLD) on the London Stock Exchange, which allocates roughly two-thirds to gold and one-third to Bitcoin, positioning BTC alongside a traditional safe-haven asset

Together, expanding spot ETF access and hybrid products are reinforcing Bitcoin’s institutional appeal while reducing dependence on leverage-driven crypto credit models.

BTC and Gold Converge as 21Shares Launches BOLD ETP in the UK

21Shares has launched its Bitcoin Gold ETP (BOLD) on the London Stock Exchange, giving UK investors access to a regulated product that combines gold and Bitcoin in a single structure. The fund allocates roughly two-thirds to gold and one-third to Bitcoin and trades in both US dollars (BOLU) and British pounds (BOLD).

Disclaimer: Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more: https://t.co/d9gFbwImMu

Introducing the 21shares Bitcoin Gold ETP… pic.twitter.com/neRbphESOr

— 21shares (@21shares) January 13, 2026

BOLD is fully physically backed, holding real gold and Bitcoin, and was developed in partnership with ByteTree Asset Management. By pairing gold’s long-standing role as a safe haven with Bitcoin’s growing reputation as “digital gold,” the product targets inflation protection and macro volatility.

The listing strengthens Bitcoin’s institutional credibility and supports long-term demand through regulated investment channels.

Bitcoin (BTC/USD) Technical Outlook: BTC Breaks Symmetrical Triangle as $95,000 Turns Into Support

From a technical standpoint, Bitcoin price prediction seems bullish as BTC’s structure has turned decisively constructive. On the 2-hour chart, BTC has broken cleanly above a long-developing symmetrical triangle that constrained price action through early January. The breakout followed a clear sequence of higher lows pressing against descending resistance, a classic setup for directional expansion.

Bitcoin Price Chart – Source: Tradingview

Former resistance between $94,500 and $95,000 has now flipped into support, creating a firm demand zone reinforced by shallow pullbacks and tight-bodied candles. The leading indicator, RSI, remains elevated near the upper-60s without showing bearish divergence, indicating momentum is strong but not overstretched.

If Bitcoin holds above $95,000, the technical roadmap points toward:

Initial resistance near $97,600

A higher extension toward $98,800–$99,000

A pullback toward $95,000–$94,500 would likely be viewed as constructive, with downside risk contained below $93,000. As long as BTC remains above broken triangle resistance, the broader trend favors continuation, keeping optimism alive for the next leg higher.

Bitcoin Hyper: The Next Evolution of BTC on Solana?

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is bringing a new phase to the Bitcoin ecosystem. While BTC remains the gold standard for security, Bitcoin Hyper adds what it always lacked: Solana-level speed. The result: lightning-fast, low-cost smart contracts, decentralized apps, and even meme coin creation, all secured by Bitcoin.

Audited by Consult, the project emphasizes trust and scalability as adoption builds. And momentum is already strong. The presale has surpassed $30.4 million, with tokens priced at just $0.013575 before the next increase.

As Bitcoin activity climbs and demand for efficient BTC-based apps rises, Bitcoin Hyper stands out as the bridge uniting two of crypto’s biggest ecosystems. If Bitcoin built the foundation, Bitcoin Hyper could make it fast, flexible, and fun again.

Click Here to Participate in the Presale

The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: CPI Surprise Sends BTC Flying – Is Wall Street About to Go All-In Again? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Animoca Brands has moved to strengthen its position in digital collectibles after acquiring gaming and collectibles studio Somo, expanding its footprint in Web3-native entertainment.

Key Takeaways:

Animoca Brands acquired Somo to expand its Web3 collectibles strategy.

The deal aligns with a sharp early-2026 NFT market rebound.

Despite the recent surge, NFT valuations remain far below prior cycle highs.

The company said Wednesday that Somo will be integrated into Animoca’s broader Web3 ecosystem, adding a lineup of playable, streamable and tradable digital collectibles to its portfolio of blockchain-based platforms.

Animoca to Plug Somo Into Global Web3 Partner Network

Animoca plans to support the expansion through cross-promotion, shared infrastructure and access to its global network of partners across gaming, media and digital assets.

“SOMO is building the cultural operating system for collectibles, which complements our existing portfolio,” Animoca Brands co-founder and executive chairman Yat Siu said.

“By bringing SOMO into the Animoca Brands ecosystem, we aim to connect it to our global network of games, communities, and partners.”

The acquisition comes as the non-fungible token market recorded a sharp rebound at the start of 2026.

Data from CoinGecko shows the total NFT market capitalization climbed about 20% in the first two weeks of the year, rising from roughly $2.5 billion on Jan. 1 to more than $3 billion by mid-January.

The move marked one of the strongest short-term recoveries for NFTs in over a year, following a prolonged downturn that weighed on prices and trading activity throughout much of 2025.

Do you remember @playsomo and $SOMO?

They just got acquired by @animocabrands. We’ll see how this plays out.

I’ve yapped about it a lot, and I’ve been waiting almost two years for the presale. But I also have to be honest: around 90% of Animoca Brands portfolio hasn’t really… https://t.co/szroaFPJhW pic.twitter.com/6eaFLMjfbl

— Djani (@DjaniWhaleSkul) January 14, 2026

CoinGecko data indicates that a large share of the gains occurred in a single 24-hour window, when the market added around $300 million in value alongside an 18.7% jump in daily trading volume.

Market participants pointed to renewed interest in established NFT collections, a pickup in high-value sales and the release of new token-linked NFT drops as drivers behind the surge.

However, some community members questioned whether the rally signals the start of a new cycle or a short-lived bounce after months of compressed valuations.

Despite the recent uptick, the sector remains well below its previous highs.

As of now, the NFT market cap stands at approximately $7.3 billion, a decline of about 59% year over year.

Meta Plans Reality Labs Layoffs as Focus Shifts From Metaverse to AI

As reported, Meta is preparing to cut roughly 10% of staff from its Reality Labs division, a move that highlights the company’s growing pivot away from the metaverse and toward artificial intelligence.

The layoffs could affect around 1,500 employees and may be announced as soon as Tuesday, with the cuts expected to fall heavily on teams working on virtual reality hardware and metaverse platforms.

Reality Labs, which employs about 15,000 people, has been a major source of losses for Meta since its launch in 2020.

The unit has accumulated more than $70 billion in losses, including $4.4 billion in operating losses in the third quarter of 2025 alone.

Recent reports suggest Meta is also redirecting some funding from Reality Labs to its wearables business, as well as trimming overall metaverse spending while increasing investment in AI development.

The broader metaverse sector has struggled to meet early expectations, with engagement concentrated in gaming-focused platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite.

The post Animoca Brands Acquires Somo to Expand Web3 Collectibles Push appeared first on Cryptonews.

US Senator Elizabeth Warren has called on federal banking regulators to pause their review of World Liberty Financial’s application for a national bank charter, arguing that the process should not move forward while President Donald Trump maintains direct financial ties to the crypto platform.

The request raises fresh questions about conflicts of interest at a moment when stablecoins are moving deeper into the US financial system and Washington is debating how far to go in regulating the sector.

Stablecoin Charter Puts OCC in Political Crosshairs, Warren Says

In a letter sent Tuesday to Jonathan Gould, the Comptroller of the Currency, Warren urged the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to delay consideration of World Liberty Financial’s bid until Trump divests from the company and removes what she described as “real and serious” financial conflicts involving himself and his family.

Source: Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Warren, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, said the situation was no longer hypothetical after a World Liberty subsidiary formally applied on January 7, 2026, to operate a national trust bank designed to support stablecoin services.

World Liberty Financial was launched in 2024 and lists Trump and his sons Barron, Eric, and Donald Trump Jr. as co-founders.

Trump-backed World Liberty Financial has launched World Liberty Markets, a new crypto lending platform tied to its #USD1 stablecoin.#Stablecoins #DeFi #USD1 #CryptoNewshttps://t.co/vginSli5es

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 12, 2026

The platform has grown quickly, raising more than $550 million through token sales and launching a dollar-backed stablecoin, USD1, in March 2025.

USD1 has since expanded to an estimated $3.4 billion in market value and has been used in high-profile transactions, including a $2 billion Binance investment by a third-party firm using the token.

A World Liberty subsidiary, WLTC Holdings, filed for the charter that would allow it to issue, custody, and convert USD1 directly under federal supervision.

World Liberty Financial filed for a US national banking charter, seeking OCC oversight to bring its dollar-backed stablecoin USD1 fully inside the regulatory perimeter. @worldlibertyfi#WLFI #OCC https://t.co/kDgbVB1c25

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 8, 2026

Warren argued that the application places the OCC in an unprecedented position.

Under the National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act, or GENIUS Act, signed into law by Trump in July 2025, the OCC became the primary regulator for federally licensed stablecoin issuers.

That role includes approving charters, writing rules, supervising issuers, and enforcing violations.

Warren said that approving World Liberty’s application would effectively make the president responsible for overseeing a financial company from which he and his family benefit, while the regulator itself serves at the president’s pleasure.

Crypto Policy Debate Intensifies as Trump Family Ventures Expand

In a public report cited in Warren’s letter, Trump and his family have earned more than $1 billion from World Liberty Financial and other crypto ventures.

Beyond World Liberty, the Trump family controls entities tied to an official Trump-branded meme coin launched on Solana in early 2025, several NFT collections that have generated millions in licensing revenue, and a Bitcoin mining company established by Trump’s sons last year.

These ventures mark a sharp shift from Trump’s earlier skepticism of digital assets and have been accompanied by a policy agenda that has rolled back enforcement actions and positioned the US as a global crypto hub.

The charter filing comes as regulators have shown greater willingness to bring crypto firms under bank-style oversight.

In December, the OCC approved national trust bank charters for several digital asset companies, including BitGo, Circle, Paxos, Ripple, and others.

The OCC has conditionally approved five crypto firms, including @Circle and @Ripple, to launch national trust banks.#Ripple #Circlehttps://t.co/wCeTNrhOQZ

— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) December 13, 2025

Trust banks cannot take deposits or make loans, but they can provide custody and settlement services, making them an attractive structure for stablecoin issuers seeking tighter integration with the traditional financial system.

Warren’s push also lands amid broader legislative friction. There are many efforts going on in Congress, including the Stop TRUMP in Crypto Act and the End Crypto Corruption Act, that aim to restrict elected officials and their families from owning or profiting from digital assets, but none have advanced into law.

The post Elizabeth Warren Urges Regulator to Freeze World Liberty Bank Bid Until Trump Cuts Crypto Ties appeared first on Cryptonews.

Piața cripto este în creștere astăzi, cu capitalizarea pieței criptomonedelor crescând cu 3,6% la 3,33 trilioane de dolari. La momentul redactării, 95 dintre primele 100 de monede au înregistrat creșteri în ultimele 24 de ore. De asemenea, volumul total de tranzacționare cripto este de 174 miliarde de dolari, revenind la nivelurile la care suntem obișnuiți să le vedem în ultima vreme.

TLDR:

Capitalizarea pieței cripto crește cu 3,6% în dimineața de miercuri (UTC);

95 dintre primele 100 de monede și toate primele 10 monede au scăzut astăzi;

BTC a crescut cu 3,4% la 91.271 USD, iar ETH a urcat cu 6,6% la 3.328 USD;

Ethereum și-a avut momentul în această ciclă. În vara anului 2025, ETH a reușit să depășească vârfurile anterioare și a atins un nou maxim istoric aproape de 4.900 USD, susținut de fluxuri puternice de ETF, cerere de staking și interes crescut din partea investitorilor retail.

De atunci, mișcarea prețurilor s-a încetinit. Ethereum a urmat tendința pieței generale în jos și a retrogradat aproximativ 40%, aducând ETH într-o zonă pe care mulți investitori pe termen lung o consideră acum consolidare, nu slăbiciune.

În același timp, deoarece piața scăzătoare este în desfășurare, proiectele de etapă inițială încep să atragă atenția. Unul dintre acestea este BMIC (BMIC).

Un nou raport al schimbului de criptomonede CEX.IO arată că aurul tokenizat a devenit unul dintre segmentele cu cea mai rapidă creștere din piața activelor din lumea reală (RWA) în 2025.

Activitatea de tranzacționare și expansiunea pieței au depășit multe produse tradiționale de investiții în aur.

Aurul tokenizat reprezintă un sfert din creșterea activelor din lumea reală

Conform raportului, aurul tokenizat a înregistrat o creștere de 177% în capitalizarea bursieră în 2025, trecând de la aproximativ 1,6 miliarde de dolari la 4,4 miliarde de dolari. Aceasta a adăugat aproape 2,8 miliarde de dolari în valoare netă, reprezentând aproximativ 25% din creșterea totală a activelor din lumea reală (RWA) în anul respectiv.

Ripple a obținut aprobarea preliminară pentru o licență de Instituție de Monedă Electronică (EMI) de la autoritatea financiară din Luxemburg, marcând un alt punct important din punct de vedere reglementar în timp ce compania extinde activitatea sa de plăți în Europa.

Puncte cheie:

Ripple a obținut aprobarea preliminară a unei licențe de Instituție de Monedă Electronică (EMI) în Luxemburg pentru a extinde plățile reglementate în UE.

Aprobările consecutive în Luxemburg și Marea Britanie întăresc prezența Ripple în Europa.

Licențele susțin eforturile Ripple de a oferi infrastructură de plată pentru bănci și instituții.

Guvernul Ugandei a impus o închidere națională a internetului marți, înainte de alegerile prezidențiale de joi, ceea ce a declanșat o creștere a descărcărilor pentru Bitchat, o aplicație de mesagerie descentralizată care funcționează offline.

Comisia de Comunicări din Uganda a ordonat operatorilor de mobil să suspende accesul public la internet de la ora 18:00, ora locală, motivându-se cu îngrijorări legate de dezinformare și fraude electorală, în timp ce președintele de 81 de ani Yoweri Museveni își dorește al șaptelea mandat, în fața candidatului de opoziție Bobi Wine.

Developerul Bitchat Calle a raportat că aplicația a devenit cea mai descărcată din Uganda, în timp ce cetățenii se pregăteau pentru închiderea rețelei.

Visa a ales BVNK pentru a alimenta plățile cu stablecoin în cadrul rețelei Visa Direct, adăugând la efortul său mai larg de a integra activele digitale în infrastructura globală de plăți.

Noutate interesantă: susținem plățile cu stablecoin pentru @Visa Direct

Începând cu acest an, cu programe pilote, BVNK va oferi infrastructură pentru stablecoin pentru rețeaua de plăți în timp real de 1,7 trilioane de dolari a lui @VISADIRECT, permițând o mișcare mai rapidă și mai flexibilă a banilor în întreaga lume. pic.twitter.com/0SxgIRrhof

— BVNK (@BVNKFinance) 14 ianuarie 2026

Președintele Comitetului Agriculturii din Senat, John Boozman, a anunțat că textul legislativ pentru legislația privind structura pieței criptomonedelor va fi eliberat până la încheierea activității comerciale de miercuri, 21 ianuarie, cu o ședință de marș programată pentru marți, 27 ianuarie, la ora 15:00.

Cadrul temporal urmează acțiuni paralele ale Comitetului Bancar al Senatului, unde senatotii au depus 137 de amendamente la Legea CLARITY înainte de marșul de joi, potrivit surselor care au vizionat lista de depunere.

„Această programare asigură transparența și permite o revizuire amănunțită pe măsură ce comitetul avansează cu legislația pentru a oferi claritate și certitudine piețelor criptomonedelor,” a declarat Boozman într-un comunicat.

Pakistan reportedly has partnered with the Trump family-linked World Liberty Financial affiliate to explore stablecoin payment rails, Reuters reported Wednesday.

A source involved with the deal told the publication that both parties have signed an agreement, marking the first publicly announced deal between a sovereign state and a crypto project.

Sources did not provide further details regarding Pakistan’s deal with SC Financial Technologies, a World Liberty-linked company. Further details are expected to be released by Pakistan on Wednesday following World Liberty CEO ‍Zach Witkoff’s visit to Islamabad.

Today, World Liberty Financial signed an MoU with the Ministry of Finance to explore innovation in digital finance, particularly the use of stablecoins for cross-border transactions, signalling growing global interest in Pakistan as a key market for digital assets. pic.twitter.com/rYzbfHYysd

— Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (@PakistanVARA) January 14, 2026

Pakistan Eyes USD1 Stablecoin Integration

Per the agreement, WLF and Pakistan’s central bank will work to integrate the USD1 stablecoin into a digital payments structure. The stablecoin will operate alongside Pakistan’s crypto infrastructure.

WLFI and the Pakistan Crypto Council signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) in April last year to promote blockchain adoption and boost DeFi growth. The partnership targeted expanding stablecoin use for remittances and trade.

The current agreement comes at a time when USD1 stablecoin has surged past $3.5 billion in circulating supply. The stablecoin maintains a $1 peg and is deployed across multiple blockchains, with the largest share on BNB Smart Chain.

Source: defillama

Besides, the World Liberty project saw a sharp increase in revenue for the Trump Organization in the first half of 2025. It has now filed for a US national banking charter in a move to bring its dollar-linked stablecoin deeper inside the regulatory perimeter.

Additionally, Pakistan has also accelerated efforts to formalize its digital asset ecosystem over the past year. The nation established Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, allowing major exchanges like Binance and HTX to operate locally. Besides, it signalled plans to build a Bitcoin reserve.

The post Pakistan, Trump-Linked WLFI Firm Sign Agreement to Explore Cross-Border Payments – Reuters appeared first on Cryptonews.

Utilizarea stablecoinurilor pe platforma fintech Revolut s-a accelerat puternic în 2025, volumul plăților estimat crescând cu 156% în anul anterior la aproximativ 10,5 miliarde de dolari, pe măsură ce dolarii digitali câștigă teren în plățile zilnice.

Puncte cheie:

Plățile cu stablecoin pe Revolut au crescut semnificativ în 2025, volumul creșterii fiind de 156% la aproximativ 10,5 miliarde de dolari.

Datele de pe blockchain arată o creștere constantă pe tot parcursul anului, stimulată de plăți zilnice.

Conversiile gratuite în USDC și USDT oferite de Revolut ajută la introducerea stablecoinurilor în utilizarea obișnuită de către consumatori.

Russia is taking another step toward opening its cryptocurrency market to retail participants, as lawmakers prepare legislation that would allow non-qualified investors limited access to digital assets.

Key Takeaways:

Russia is preparing legislation to let non-qualified investors access crypto, while capping retail purchases at 300,000 rubles.

The draft bill would remove crypto from special regulation, signaling a push to make digital assets part of everyday finance.

Authorities aim to expand crypto use in cross-border settlements while keeping strict limits to manage financial risks.

According to a Tuesday report from state news agency TASS, Anatoly Aksakov, chairman of the State Duma’s Financial Markets Committee, said a draft bill has already been finalized and is expected to be considered during the spring parliamentary session.

The proposal would remove cryptocurrencies from a special regulatory regime, effectively treating them as a more conventional financial instrument.

Russia Lawmaker Says Crypto Set to Enter Everyday Use Under New Bill

“A bill has already been prepared that removes cryptocurrencies from special financial regulation, meaning they will become commonplace in our lives,” Aksakov said in an interview with the Russia-24 television channel, as cited by TASS.

Under the proposed framework, access for non-qualified investors would remain capped.

Individuals who do not meet Russia’s qualified-investor requirements would be allowed to buy cryptocurrencies worth up to 300,000 rubles, or roughly $3,800.

Aksakov said professional market participants would not be subject to similar restrictions.

Beyond domestic trading, the law is also expected to support the use of crypto in cross-border activity.

Aksakov said the changes could facilitate international settlements and enable the overseas placement of tokens issued by Russian entities, an area of growing interest as the country seeks alternatives to traditional financial rails.

According to TASS, Russian State Duma Financial Market Committee chair Anatoly Aksakov said a bill is ready that would remove cryptocurrencies from “special financial regulation,” aiming to make their use more common in daily life. Speaking to Rossiya-24, Aksakov said upcoming…

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) January 14, 2026

The comments follow earlier signals from Russian authorities pointing to a more permissive, but closely monitored, approach to retail crypto use.

In December, the Bank of Russia proposed allowing non-qualified investors to trade digital assets after passing a risk-awareness test, while maintaining a ban on anonymous and privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.

Around the same time, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said the finance ministry and the central bank were working toward a coordinated framework that would permit retail participation within defined limits.

Officials have repeatedly emphasized that transaction caps and investment thresholds would be critical to containing financial and systemic risks as crypto adoption expands.

Crypto Questions Flood Russia’s Social Fund

As reported, Russia’s Social Fund received about 37 million calls in 2025, with crypto-related questions emerging as one of the most common topics alongside standard social benefit inquiries.

Citizens frequently asked whether pensions could be paid in digital assets and whether income from crypto mining would count toward benefit calculations, prompting officials to reiterate that all state payments are made exclusively in rubles and that crypto taxation falls under the Federal Tax Service.

The attention comes as crypto mining gains political and economic relevance. Senior officials have argued that mining should be recognized as an export activity, noting its impact on foreign exchange flows despite the lack of physical cross-border movement.

Late last month, Moscow Exchange and St. Petersburg Exchange confirmed readiness to launch crypto trading once Russia’s legislative framework takes effect by July 1, 2026, following the Bank of Russia’s December 23 regulatory concept release.

The post Russia Prepares Bill to Allow Non-Qualified Investors Into Crypto appeared first on Cryptonews.

Crypto is showing up less as a curiosity and more as a line item in client portfolios.

A recent Bitwise and VettaFi survey found 32% of financial advisors allocated to crypto in client accounts in 2025, up from 22% in 2024, setting an all-time high for the series.

The jump lands after a headline year for digital assets, with the report pointing to Bitcoin’s run to a $126k all-time high in 2025 and faster progress on US rules, including the GENIUS Act that pushed stablecoins further into the mainstream.

Bitwise and VettaFi collected 299 eligible responses, with outreach running from Oct. 31 to Dec. 8, 2025 across advisor types ranging from registered investment advisors to wirehouse representatives and broker-dealer reps.

#10: CRYPTO EQUITY ETFS CONTINUE TO BE ADVISORS’ TOP CHOICE

When asked what crypto exposure they were most interested in allocating to in 2026, crypto equity ETFs were the favorite among advisors.

— Bitwise (@BitwiseInvest) January 13, 2026

RIAs Lead Crypto Adoption As Access Widens

Client demand stayed steady, and advisors felt it. The survey said 94% of advisors received a question about crypto from clients in 2025, and 56% reported owning crypto in their personal portfolios, another record for the dataset.

Allocation rates varied sharply by channel. Registered investment advisors (RIAs) led with 42% saying they allocate to crypto in client accounts, followed by wirehouse representatives at 35%, and the report also tracked 33% for other financial professionals, 25% for independent broker-dealer representatives and 18% for financial planners.

Access keeps improving, and the numbers show it. The share of advisors who said they can buy crypto in client accounts rose to 42% from 35% in 2024, and 58% said they were unable to buy crypto in client accounts or unsure whether they could.

Image Source: Bitwise/VettaFi 2026 survey

Familiar Products Lead Advisor Crypto Strategy For 2026

Clients also keep taking matters into their own hands. Advisors said 74% of clients invested in crypto outside the advisory relationship in 2025, up from 71% in 2024, a pool of held away assets that firms can try to pull back into a broader wealth plan.

Sizing remains cautious, and it is rising. The survey said 83% of client portfolios with crypto exposure held less than 5% in crypto, and 64% of crypto-exposed client portfolios held more than 2%, up from 51% in 2024.

When advisors fund an allocation, they usually sell what they already know. Equities were the top source at 43%, followed by cash at 35%, with smaller shares citing commodities, bonds, and gold.

Image Source: Bitwise/VettaFi 2026 survey

Looking ahead, the next wave may come from advisers who stayed on the sidelines. Among those who did not allocate to crypto in client accounts, 18% said they definitely or probably plan to add exposure in 2026, and another 38% said they are considering it. Among advisors already allocating, 99% plan to maintain or increase exposure.

Product preference is tilting toward familiar wrappers. Advisors again picked crypto equity ETFs as their top exposure for 2026, and the next choices included spot crypto ETFs at 16%, diversified crypto index funds at 14%, multistrategy solutions at 13%, and income-generating strategies at 9%.

The same report laid out the frictions holding adoption back, with volatility and regulatory concerns topping the list, and home office restrictions also showing up as a major constraint.

The post Crypto Advisor Allocations Hit 32% in 2025 as Access Widens and ETF Demand Grows: Survey appeared first on Cryptonews.

The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) granted MiCAR authorization to the country’s second-largest lender, DZ Bank, last month. With the approval, DZ will launch its crypto trading platform “meinKrypto.”

The platform, which was approved at the end of December, allows primary institutions to offer retail customers access to crypto trading.

Cooperative banks Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken must now submit their own MiCAR notification for “meinKrypto” to BaFin, an official statement read.

Once approved and integrated with the VR banking app, meinKrypto functions as a wallet for self-directed investors. At the launch, initial tradable assets will include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), and Cardano (ADA).

Further, each of the cooperative banks will decide individually whether to implement the crypto service.

German Co-Op Banks Look at Crypto Trading

In September 2025, the German Cooperative Banking Association released a poll, which suggested that co-op banks in Germany are considering offering cryptocurrency services such as Bitcoin and Ether trading.

The study found that 71% of the country’s 670 Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken banks are looking at crypto, up from 54% last year.

Besides, a third of banks eyeing crypto say they aim to launch services within the next five months.

The meinKrypto platform was developed by Atruvia, the IT service provider for the cooperative financial group, and DZ Bank. Further, Stuttgart Stock Exchange Digital will handle the custody of the crypto assets.

DZ Bank Joins Euro Stablecoin Consortium

DZ Bank, the central institution for the country’s co-op banking sector, said in a separate statement on Tuesday that it has joined the European banking consortium Qivalis, for the launch of a regulated stablecoin.

The group of 11 banks plans to introduce its euro stablecoin next year under a new Dutch entity named Qivalis.

“We are delighted to welcome DZ BANK as the eleventh member of the consortium,” said Jan-Oliver Sell, CEO of Qivalis. Their participation strengthens our joint commitment to building a robust, MiCAR-compliant euro stablecoin infrastructure for European businesses and consumers.”

Qivalis is currently seeking approval from the German National Bank (DNB) to establish as an e-money institution. It is aiming for market entry in the second half of 2026.

The post German DZ Bank Secures MiCAR License for Crypto Trading, Joins Qivalis Stablecoin Initiative appeared first on Cryptonews.

Stablecoinurile au ocupat poziția centrală în chemarea rezultatelor din al patrulea trimestru a JPMorgan Chase această săptămână, în timp ce executivii au exprimat sprijin pentru inovația pe blockchain, trasând o linie clară împotriva designurilor de stablecoin care imită depozitele tradiționale ale băncilor.

Puncte cheie:

JPMorgan susține inovația pe blockchain, dar avertizează că stablecoinurile cu dobândă simulează depozite bancare fără supraveghere.

Banca spune că stablecoinurile cu dobândă ar putea crea un sistem bancar paralel, slab reglementat.

Adăugarea unui venit poate accelera adoptarea stablecoinurilor, în timp ce crește riscurile pentru finanțarea și stabilitatea băncilor.

Un regulator francez a declarat marți că aproximativ 30% dintre companiile de criptomonedă fără licență în UE nu au anunțat planurile lor, fie pentru a depune cererea de licență MiCA, fie pentru a înceta activitatea până în iulie.

Adresându-se jurnaliștilor din Paris, Stéphane Pontoizeau, Director Executiv al Direcției Supravegherii Intermediarilor de Piețe și Infrastructurilor de Piețe din AMF, a menționat că autoritatea reglementatoare a scris deja companiilor în noiembrie, amintindu-le să răspundă înainte de termenul limită pentru licență, 30 iunie 2026.

Perioada de tranziție pentru licența MiCA variază în funcție de țările din UE. Companiile de criptomonedă cu sediul în Franța care nu reușesc să obțină o licență vor fi obligate să înceteze activitatea în iulie.

Bitpanda se pregătește pentru debutul pe bursa din Frankfurt în prima jumătate a anului 2026, punând una dintre cele mai mari platforme europene de criptomonede retail pe o cale de la beneficiar al pieței albe la testul pieței publice.

Bloomberg a raportat marți că compania cu sediul în Viena ar putea căuta o evaluare între 4 miliarde de euro și 5 miliarde de euro (4,6 miliarde de dolari – 5,8 miliarde de dolari), iar aceasta s-a adresat Goldman Sachs, Citigroup și Deutsche Bank pentru a ajuta la organizarea ofertei. Unii consideră că o listare în primul trimestru este o opțiune viabilă.

Bitpanda nu a răspuns cererii Cryptonews pentru comentarii până la momentul publicării.

Piațele cripto au înregistrat o reluare amplă în ultimele 24 de ore, cu majoritatea sectoarelor înregistrând creșteri între 3% și 8%, pe fondul îmbunătățirii apetitului pentru risc. Bitcoin a crescut cu 4,34% pentru a-și recâștiga nivelul de 95.000 de dolari, în timp ce Ethereum a sărit cu 7,4% pentru a tranzactiona peste 3.300 de dolari. Puterea s-a observat în toate sectoarele: meme, RWA, Layer 2, DeFi și CeFi, cu mai multe tokenuri înregistrând creșteri de peste 10%. Sentimentul pieței s-a îmbunătățit, indicele de frică și poftă cripto urcând la 47 de la 25 în ziua precedentă, plasând sentimentul într-o zonă neutră. Creșterea bruscă de la niveluri profund temătoare sugerează o îmbunătățire a presiunii descendente, pe măsură ce traderii se pregătesc pentru o continuare posibilă pe termen scurt a reîntoarcerii.