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White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett defended the DOJ scrutiny linked to Fed Chair Jerome Powell and framed it as a basic review of spending. He said extreme building costs justify federal investigation, even as critics warn it could pressure the central bank.
Hassett Dismisses Fed Independence Fears Over DOJ Review
CBC News reported that Hassett claimed that the problem was to be considered in the context of tension surrounding the U.S. interest rates. He admitted that the administration has been putting pressure on the rate policy. Nevertheless, he referred to the case as supervision, rather than intervention.
Reporter questioned on whether the investigation would weaken Fed independence and destabilize markets. He dismissed that worry and indicated the magnitude of the cost issue. He remarked that when a project related to the government amounts to $10-billion or even $20-billion, it would be right to the federal authorities to take a look at what occurred.
He claimed that the Justice Department is seemingly attempting to get to the bottom of why the Federal Reserve building project has become so costly. Hassett has referred to it as vastly more expensive than other constructions in Washington. He also said that in the case that he is in the position of Powell, he would have the investigators go over the spending and explain how the money was used.
Lummis Presses Powell as Warren Calls Probe a Power Grab
Sen. Cynthia Lummis took the accountability framing. Punchbowl News reported that the Wyoming Republican stated that Powell was not worthy of any sympathy as the investigation continues. She claimed that taxpayer has a right to know how the Fed spent money.
Lummis stated that the dispute is leaving two outcomes. She claimed that Powell had not been ready in a testimony or that he had knowingly lied to the legislators regarding lavish spending. Lummis made an addition that she will not say any more until the DOJ issues its findings.
Democrats pushed back hard. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat of the Senate Banking Committee, stated that the situation is political misuse of federal power. She alleged that President Donald Trump had misused DOJ power to make the Fed act in his favor.
Warren cautioned that the strategy would put a strain on the central bank independence. She claimed that it would render Fed policy to respond to political influence instead of economic data. Warren also hinted that this kind of pressure might undermine market confidence.

@Solana Official price continued its recovery today, January 12, continuing a trend that started in December when it bottomed at $115. It rose to $142, its highest level since Dec. 4, and its technicals and fundamentals point to a rebound to the psychological level at $200 after receiving praise from WisdomTree, a fund manager with over $147 billion in assets.
WisdomTree Believes that Solana’s Dominance is Structural
#Solana⁩ has been one of the most dominant chains in the crypto industry in some notable ways. For example, data compiled by Nansen shows that its transactions have soared in the past few months and are much higher than other cryptocurrency projects like Ethereum and BSC Chain.
The data shows that Solana’s network handled over 1.7 billion transactions in the last 30 days, much higher than the next 15 chains combined. For example, Ethereum handled over 53 million transactions, while BSC processed 483 million in the same period.
Blockchain networks ranked by transactions
Solana has also become a major dominant player in the decentralized exchange (DEX) industry, where it handled $118 billion in transactions, higher than BSC’s and Ethereum’s $46 billion and $40 billion, respectively.
Most recently, Solana has become a dominant player in the tokenized stocks industry, where it has continued to gain market share in the past few months. This means that it will likely play an important role in an industry that analysts expect will continue thriving in the future.
WisdomTree, an asset management company with over $247 believes that the network has room to grow in the future. When reflecting on its dominance in 2025, the company called it structural as it led on user base size, developer activity, and on-chain revenue. Additionally, the report noted that Solana had now entered a new phase, where it is providing core digital market infrastructure.
This growth will likely accelerate later this year when the developers will launch the Alpenglow upgrade, which will boost its throughput and change its architecture for the better.
Solana Price Technical Analysis Suggests a Surge to $200 is Possible 
The 12-hour chart shows that the $SOL price has bottomed in the past few weeks and is now in a strong uptrend. It has already flipped the Supertrend indicator from green to red, which is a highly bullish sign.
Solana price has also jumped above the 50-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA), while most altcoins, like the Relative Strength Index and the MACD, have continued rising.
The coin is attempting to move above the 23.6%Fibonacci Retracement level at $148. It has also formed what looks like a cup-and-handle pattern, a common bullish reversal sign.
Solana Price Chart
Therefore, the longer-term SOL price prediction is bullish, with the next key level to watch being at the psychological level at $150. A move above that level will point to more upside to the psychological level at $200, which coincides with the 61.8% Fibonacci Retracement level.
On the other hand, a drop below the key support level at $120 will invalidate the bullish Solana price forecast.

#Gold surged to a new record above $4,600 an ounce on January 12 as investors shifted into defensive assets during deadly unrest in Iran and rising political tension tied to the U.S. Federal Reserve. Spot prices later eased slightly after the spike.
Gold Hits Record High as Iran Unrest Lifts Safe-Haven Demand
Spot gold briefly rose to around $4,600 before reversing, and futures also reached new highs. The metal rose as much as 2% in intraday trading and ended on top of a week that had the price surging more than 4%, taking it to a record high.
The Gold rally was part of that backlash, tied to a worsening situation in Iran, where protests and strikes have spread into a third week. Activist groups and rights monitors had documented hundreds of deaths and more than 10,000 arrests since demonstrations began in late December over inflation and currency collapse.
According to AP news, at least 544 people have died. It has raised fears that the crackdown could drive a security crisis across the Middle East.
Tensions escalated after President Trump of the United States said he was weighing military options if Iranian forces persisted in cracking down. He also signaled that action could come if Tehran endangers regional allies or U.S. bases.
Iranian officials said in response that the country was ready for war, but also signaled a conditional willingness to talk. The combination of risks and the thin volume market fostered demand for defense positioning.
Trump Asserts Venezuela Intervention As BTC Trades in a Close Band
#Donald Trump shared a Truth Social photo saying that he was the acting president of Venezuela alongside another edict photo in Wiki style. It also called him the 45th and the 47th president of the US, and had a date of January 20, 2025, as the date of his inauguration.
Source: Truth Social
The post was published during a time of increased tension. As CoinGape reported previously, President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured by the U.S. military operations in Venezuela. A U.S. federal court brought charges against Maduro on the charge of drug trafficking and other crimes.
In an X post, analyst Leviathan pointed out that the Bitcoin price has historically trailed gold in every market cycle until it rapidly caught up. He contended that the cycle sees capital entering traditional safe havens first before flowing into BTC as risk returns. The analyst also highlighted that Bitcoin is “next in line” for a volatile move.
BTC is trading below the high it reached in October of over $126,000. The momentum has not been strong after a short-term recovery to $94,000 earlier this month.
The current market interest is directed to $90,000 as the key support area. Further fall may reveal the lower part of the range around $85,000, which forms the bottom of the current consolidation. On the upside, a clean break above $94,500 would be required of bulls to change the mood and pave the way to the $100,000 mark. 

BitMine, led by Tom Lee, has added 24,266 $ETH to the company’s #Ethereum treasury as it is approaching one of its key shareholder votes. This acquisition is happening days before shareholders will vote on a plan associated with the long term ETH strategy by BitMine.
Why is BitMine Scooping Ethereum Fast?
BitMine revealed in a press statement that it purchased 24,266 ETH in the previous week and its cash balance increased. The company reported a total of approximately 4.17 million ETH holdings.
This acquisition comes right after the 32,977 ETH #BitMine bought last week. This is the latest acquisition and points to the aggressive ETH treasury policy by BitMine.
The company seeks to raise its ETH per share and not depend on gains from ETH price increases. According to the company information, BitMine currently owns approximately 3.45% of the total supply of Ethereum, and it is the largest holder of the treasury in the world.
The acquisition also supports the expanding staking program of BitMine. More than 1.25 million #ETH is staked currently by many providers.
BitMine Vote May Influence ETH Strategy
The ETH purchases precede the annual shareholder meeting of BitMine on Jan. 15 in Las Vegas. The electoral deadline is 14 Jan. at 11:59 pm EST. Meanwhile, a recent update about BitMine’s ETH staking contributed to a BMNR stock surge, indicating that investors are responding to the BitMine treasury activities.
Chairman Tom Lee encouraged shareholders to vote in support of the proposal which would increase the number of authorized shares in the company. Most public companies have a 51% threshold or even less and Lee indicated that majority shares of 50.1% is needed to pass the proposal.
Lee cautioned that BitMine now has a close of 500 million of approved shares. Unless sanctioned, the purchasing power of the company to continue to purchase ETH would drop significantly.
He also stated that BitMine only issues shares at a premium price of modified net asset value. According to him, this structure is necessary as it safeguards the shareholders and offer more ETH exposure.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is at the centre of a #Department of Justice (DOJ) probe over his congressional testimony regarding the renovation costs. Despite this development, crypto traders are currently betting against the #Fed chair facing a criminal indictment, even as U.S. President Donald #Trump continues to pressure the Fed to lower rates.
Jerome Powell Unlikely To Be Federally Charged: Polymarket
Polymarket data shows only a 12% chance that the DOJ will charge the Fed chair by June 30, around the time his term ends. #Crypto traders are making these bets despite the criminal investigation into the Fed chair.
Source: Polymarket
As CoinGape reported earlier, the DOJ is conducting a criminal investigation intoJerome Powell’s testimony before the Senate Committee and whether he committed perjury. This development comes months after Rep. Anna Paulina Luna criminally referred the Fed chair to the Justice Department for allegedly lying under oath.
Notably, the criminal probe into the Fed chair comes as Trump continues to pressure the Fed to lower interest rates drastically. The president has also at different times stated that he was considering suing the Fed chair over the renovation costs and has constantly criticized him for his refusal to make larger cuts.
However, Trump said during an interview with NBC News that he did not know about the DOJ’s investigation into Jerome Powell. He again criticized the Fed chair as not being very good at the U.S. central bank.
The Fed chair becomes the second Fed official facing a DOJ probe, after the Justice Department launched an investigation last year into whether Fed Governor Lisa Cook committed mortgage fraud. Meanwhile, this development comes ahead of the January FOMC meeting, where the committee is likely to hold rates steady despite the president’s calls for more cuts.
Statement On The DOJ Criminal Investigation
In a statement confirming that the DOJ served the Fed with grand jury subpoenas, Jerome Powell suggested that the criminal investigation was politically motivated. The Fed chair noted that the subpoenas had threatened a criminal indictment related to his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee.
He claimed that the threat was not about his testimony or the renovation project, but about the Fed setting interest rates based on its assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the president’s preferences. This is notably the first time Jerome Powell has directly addressed Trump’s push for lower interest rates.
The Fed chair further remarked that the investigation was about whether the U.S. central bank can continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions, or whether, instead, it will allow political pressure or intimidation to determine monetary policy. “I will continue to do the job the Senate confirmed me to do, with integrity and a commitment to serving the American people,” Jerome Powell concluded.

Michael Saylor’s Strategy, previously known as MicroStrategy, has made another weekly Bitcoin purchase as the company eyes the 700,000 $BTC milestone. This latest purchase comes ahead of the CLARITY Act markup this week, which could prove pivotal for the crypto market.
Strategy Acquires 13,627 BTC for $1.25 billion
An SEC filing shows that the company acquired 13,627 BTC for $1.25 billion at an average price of $91,519 per #Bitcoin . It now holds 687,410 BTC, which it acquired for $51.80 billion at an average price of $75,353 per #Bitcoin .
The filing shows that Strategy used proceeds from STRC and MSTR stock sales to fund this latest purchase. The company sold 1.2 million STRC shares and 6.8 million MSTR shares, making net proceeds of $119.1 million and $1.13 billion, respectively.
Source: Strategy SEC Filing
The announcement follows Saylor’s hint of another Strategy Bitcoin purchase yesterday. He posted the company’s Bitcoin portfolio tracker in an X post, with the caption, “₿ig Orange,” indicating that it was a huge purchase.
This marks Strategy’s largest purchase this year and also the largest since July 2025, topping two $1 billion BTC purchases it made in December 2025. It is also the second purchase this year, as Saylor’s company bought 1,286 BTC for $116 million between December 29 and January 4.
The purchase comes as the BTC price continues to struggle around the $90,000 range. Bitcoin had climbed to as high as $92,000 earlier today following reports of the criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. However, the flagship crypto has since retraced most of its gains.
Meanwhile, the Strategy stock is trading flat amid the announcement of this purchase. TradingView data shows MSTR is trading around $157, about the same price level it closed last week’s session at. The stock is up almost 2% year-to-date (YTD), having 2025 with a yearly loss.
The Bitcoin purchase also comes ahead of the CLARITY Act markup this week. This marks a huge development for the crypto market as the crypto bill could head to the Senate floor if it gets enough support at the committee stage.

Strategy executive chairman #MichaelSaylor brought renewed focus to the firm’s #Bitcoin position on January 11 after an X post highlighted its exposure. The post showed Strategy holding a Bitcoin portfolio valued at $61.25 billion. 
Saylor Hint Fuels Bitcoin Speculation
Saylor posted the phrase “Big Orange” on X post, a term he tends to use with regard to recent Bitcoin tracking activity. The announcement was short, but it ignited rumors in the market. Similar messages have been seen before Strategy’s disclosures of having bought $BTC .
Per previous precedent, Strategy has usually updated his BTC holdings figures the day after posting the same kind of post. That trend has made Saylor’s pithy posts a critical signal for traders monitoring Strategy’s buying. 
As reported by CoinGape, Strategy purchased 1,286 BTC on January 5. The company put $116 million into that purchase, and its average entry price was $88,568 per Bitcoin. According to the report, Strategy also purchased 3 BTC from December 29 to 31 at an average price of $88,210 per Bitcoin.
Strategy then bought 1,283 BTC between January 1 and 4 for $116 million. The average price for that batch was $90,391 per Bitcoin. These purchases extended Strategy’s accumulation streak into early January.
Strategy’s BTC Holdings and Key Price Levels
The strategy now holds 673,783 BTC acquired for a total of $50.55 billion. The firm said that its average cost base for BTC is $75,026. The company was 83 percent invested in its Bitcoin strategy as of July 21, after it funded that portion by selling almost two million shares of MSTR for net proceeds of $312.2 million.
As CoinGape reported earlier, MSCI abandoned plans which would have overhauled rules for index eligibility. That move removed a big overhang associated with Strategy’s shares, an uncertainty regarding possible index-related consequences.
However, In an X post, anlayst Ted highlighted that BTC is consolidating around the $90,500 to $91,000 area and it appears to be putting the brakes on its recent moves.
Ted noted that there is also the risk of a downside compared to the level of $88,000-$88,500. He pointed to this region as a structural level, as it confluences with a CME gap that traders closely watch. As BTC remains between its levels of resistance and support, he argued the direction would likely be determined by the next break.
Source: X
He also pointed to rising geopolitical tension, noting that the escalating US-Iran situation could influence risk sentiment. Traders are paying attention to whether volatility picks up, or if Bitcoin maintains its range despite outside pressure.

Bitcoin and $XRP prices held firm ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court’s pending decision on trade tariffs set for January 14. The market participants have been keen on the outcome as it may influence the macro sentiment and flows into crypto assets by institutions.
Bitcoin and XRP Price Consolidate Ahead of Supreme Court Tariffs Ruling
The crypto market is showing cautious behavior as it braces for the U.S. Supreme Court’s upcoming tariff decision. Bitcoin and XRP prices have remained in tight ranges. Bitcoin price hovered around $90,550 while XRP traded slightly above $2.08.
The wider crypto market has been slightly consolidated, with the total market capitalisation increasing by 0.12 to stand at 3.09 trillion. 
The majority of altcoins, such as Ethereum ($ETH ), Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), and Dogecoin (DOGE), showed no direction. Ethereum continues to hold above $3,000, offering some resilience.
The Supreme Court issued only one opinion on Friday, which was not connected with the tariffs case. The investors were expecting the ruling on sweeping global tariffs by former President Donald Trump but they were awaited. The subsequent opinions of the court will be on Wednesday, January 14.
The most important legal issue is the boundaries of presidential authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Trump applied this law of 1977, which was intended to serve national emergencies, to impose tariffs on imported products of various countries. 
A decision would spell out the scope of corporate power, and might involve reimbursement of tariffs raised up to the time of the decision.
Markets are still apprehensive as institutional investors wait to understand whether trade policies may change substantially based on the scope of the ruling.
Nevertheless, the crypto market has been responding insignificantly despite the high expectations. The Supreme Court tariffs ruling has taken a back seat, which has been an additional uncertainty, but it has not caused any significant volatility.
ETF Flows Reflect Mixed Sentiment Ahead of Court Decision
Recently. Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw total net outflows of $250 million, reflecting a cautious stance among institutional players. However, inflows in individual products suggest selective accumulation. 
The FBTC of Fidelity was one of the companies that recorded a greater confidence in the strength of Bitcoin by registering a net inflow of 7.87 million.
Conversely, XRP spot ETFs recorded net inflows of $4.93 million, which indicated an increase in interest in XRP amid regulatory and legal trends.
Bitcoin and XRP Price Prediction: Key Levels To Watch
Technical indicators show that the $BTC long-term prediction is holding strong support at $90,000 and $89,000. The break above $92,000 may lead to further increases of about $93,500 and even $95,000. Nonetheless, a lack of a breakout would lead to a pullback to range lows around the $88,500.
In the case of XRP, the price is still in a price consolidation above $2.08. Any obvious break above the level of $2.10 would trigger an up-swing towards $2.20 and $2.50. 
On the other hand, falling below the support level of $2.00 could open the gateway to falling to $1.90.
Source by Tradingview
To sum up, the next ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court may affect the mood of the investors and provoke volatility. Bitcoin and XRP price forecasts are still on the optimistic side. These important levels will determine short-term direction as markets wait to get clarity on the trade policy and institutional response. ETF flows and macro headlines can influence momentum throughout the larger crypto market into the January 14 decision.