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19 Jan 2026, 18:14

Lenient ruling angers victims in $5.4M crypto scam

Victims of a South Korean crypto scam complain that the fraudsters received only a light punishment. The scammers stole more than ₩8 billion, or $5.4 million, from more than 150 people. Court hands down undersized sentences A South Korean court convicted the scam leaders of fraud and organized crime. The main ringleader, or “team leader,” was sentenced to 4 years in prison, while the other leader will serve 18 months. The ruling was issued by the Incheon District Court’s Criminal Division 9, presided over by Judge Jung Jae-min. The same court handed down jail terms of 6 months to 2.5 years to 28 other members of the crypto scam network. The remaining 11 defendants, including another leader, received prison time and probation. The victims fumed over the lenient sentences and spoke through a lawyer, according to the South Korean newspaper Joongboo Ilbo. Kim Kyung-nam, lawyer for most of the scam’s 150 victims and head of For You Law Firm, said it is difficult to grasp why the gang members got such sentences. He added that the victims still cannot live normal financial lives due to these crimes. Kim criticized the court for giving some defendants suspended sentences. Judges defend leniency as victims face lasting losses The court ruled that the two ringleaders stole more than $5.4 million from the victims. However, according to the court’s order, neither will go to jail if they avoid reoffending soon. Kim explained the court gave a four-year sentence to the “team leader” due to their past convictions. The court clarified its sentencing by stating that most gang members were unaware of the full scope of the crimes when they joined. The judge said the court believes the ringleaders forced them into crime once they understood it was illegal. The court also added that many defendants confessed and were held responsible mainly as accomplices. The defendants’ names and the cryptocurrency tickers were kept secret due to legal reasons. Between August 2022 and May 2023, the group focused on residents of Incheon’s Namdong District. Prosecutors stated the group repeatedly committed crimes with what’s known in South Korea as “scam coin.” These are either counterfeit crypto or unknown, unlisted altcoins. The prosecution said the group tricked victims into buying worthless coins by promising to sell them later at a higher price. After getting the money, the group stopped contacting the victims and then laundered the funds. Kim stated that the offenders deserve a prison term of four to seven years because the crimes were well planned. Crypto crime and crypto-related fraud are increasing in South Korea. According to the country’s financial regulators, crypto service providers submitted 36,684 suspicious transaction reports. The reports were submitted in a short span from January to August of 2025. The number of submitted suspicious crypto transactions set a new record. It’s higher compared to the past two years combined. Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .

19 Jan 2026, 18:10

NYSE Tokenized Settlement: The Inevitable Revolution Expanding to Public Blockchains

BitcoinWorld NYSE Tokenized Settlement: The Inevitable Revolution Expanding to Public Blockchains In a landmark prediction for the future of finance, CryptoQuant CEO Ju Ki-young has declared that the New York Stock Exchange’s pioneering tokenized settlement system will inevitably expand to public blockchains. This forecast, made in late 2024, signals a potential paradigm shift in how global capital markets operate, merging traditional finance with decentralized technology. The NYSE’s move toward 24/7 trading via an on-chain tokenized exchange represents the most significant institutional blockchain adoption to date. Consequently, this development could fundamentally reshape market infrastructure, liquidity, and accessibility for investors worldwide. NYSE Tokenized Settlement: From Permissioned Beginnings to Public Future The New York Stock Exchange plans to launch its tokenized settlement system initially on a permissioned blockchain. This controlled environment allows regulators and the exchange to maintain oversight during the crucial early phase. However, Ju Ki-young emphasizes that this is merely the first step in a longer evolutionary process. He draws a compelling historical parallel with Bitcoin’s market integration. Initially, investors gained exposure through indirect vehicles like the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust and corporate holdings from companies like MicroStrategy. Only later, as regulatory frameworks matured, did direct investment products like spot Bitcoin ETFs receive approval. The NYSE’s tokenization journey may follow a similar path from private, permissioned systems to broader public chain integration. Tokenization converts traditional financial assets like stocks into digital tokens on a blockchain. These tokens represent ownership and can be traded, settled, and custodied with unprecedented efficiency. The NYSE’s initiative aims to create a system for near-instantaneous settlement, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This contrasts sharply with the traditional T+2 settlement cycle currently used in U.S. equity markets. The potential benefits are substantial, including reduced counterparty risk, lower operational costs, and increased market accessibility. The Technical and Regulatory Bridge Expanding from a permissioned to a public blockchain environment presents significant technical and regulatory challenges. Permissioned blockchains, often used by enterprises, restrict who can participate in validating transactions. This offers greater control and privacy. Public blockchains like Ethereum, Solana, or Avalanche are open and decentralized. Ju argues that for tokenization to reach its full potential, systems must eventually develop compatibility with these public networks. This compatibility would enable greater interoperability, liquidity fragmentation reduction, and innovation from the broader developer ecosystem. Establishing clear rules for asset tokenization, investor protection, and cross-chain communication will be essential prerequisites for this expansion. The Impact of Public Blockchain Integration on Global Finance The integration of a major traditional exchange like the NYSE with public blockchains would have profound implications. Firstly, it could democratize access to capital markets. Public blockchains are globally accessible, potentially allowing investors from any jurisdiction with an internet connection to participate in U.S. equity markets through tokenized representations. Secondly, it would unlock programmability. Smart contracts on public chains could automate complex financial processes like dividend distributions, corporate actions, and compliance checks, reducing administrative burdens and errors. Furthermore, this move could catalyze the creation of entirely new financial products. Imagine composable financial instruments where a tokenized stock is seamlessly bundled with a decentralized finance (DeFi) yield strategy within the same wallet. The liquidity from traditional markets could flow into the decentralized finance space, and vice versa, creating a more unified and efficient global financial system. However, this integration also raises critical questions about market stability, security, and the role of existing financial intermediaries. Enhanced Liquidity: 24/7 trading on a global scale. Reduced Costs: Lower fees from automated settlement and custody. Increased Transparency: Immutable audit trails for all transactions. Regulatory Evolution: Necessitates new frameworks for cross-chain finance. Expert Perspectives and Market Readiness Ju Ki-young’s perspective is grounded in data-driven analysis from CryptoQuant, a leading blockchain analytics firm. His view is echoed by other industry leaders who see institutional adoption as a multi-phase process. Initially, institutions favor the control of private ledgers. As technology matures and regulatory comfort increases, the advantages of public network effects become too significant to ignore. The infrastructure for this transition is already being built. Several projects are developing “institutional DeFi” protocols and cross-chain communication standards designed to meet the security and compliance demands of large financial entities. The success of recent blockchain-based U.S. Treasury bond issuance programs further demonstrates the market’s readiness for tokenized real-world assets. Conclusion: A Converging Financial Future The prediction that NYSE tokenized settlement will expand to public blockchains outlines a clear trajectory for the fusion of traditional and digital finance. This evolution, as highlighted by CryptoQuant’s CEO, will not be immediate but is likely inevitable as technology and regulation advance. The move promises to enhance market efficiency, foster innovation, and broaden participation. Ultimately, the expansion of the NYSE’s system to public chains would mark a definitive moment, signaling that blockchain technology has matured from a niche experiment into the foundational infrastructure for the next generation of global markets. The journey from permissioned pilots to public integration will define the architecture of finance for decades to come. FAQs Q1: What is a tokenized settlement system? A tokenized settlement system uses blockchain technology to digitally represent ownership of an asset (like a stock) as a token. This allows for the immediate and automated transfer and settlement of that asset, replacing slower, paper-based traditional processes. Q2: Why would the NYSE start with a permissioned blockchain? Permissioned blockchains offer greater control, privacy, and regulatory compliance for initial testing. They allow the exchange and regulators to manage risks, establish governance, and ensure stability before considering a more open, public system. Q3: What are the main benefits of moving to a public blockchain? Key benefits include global accessibility, interoperability with other applications and chains, enhanced security through greater decentralization, and tapping into a vast ecosystem of developers and innovations that thrive on public networks. Q4: How does this relate to Bitcoin ETFs? The analogy suggests a similar adoption path: indirect, controlled access first (like Bitcoin trusts), followed by direct, regulated products (like spot ETFs) as the market and rules mature. NYSE tokenization may follow from closed, permissioned systems to open, public ones. Q5: What are the biggest hurdles for public chain expansion? The primary hurdles are regulatory clarity, achieving the necessary transaction speed and scalability for high-volume markets, ensuring robust security against threats, and designing systems for seamless compliance and identity verification on public networks. This post NYSE Tokenized Settlement: The Inevitable Revolution Expanding to Public Blockchains first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

19 Jan 2026, 18:05

Analyst On Recent XRP Crash: The Lower We Go, the Higher the Breakout Will Be

Cryptocurrency markets often test traders’ patience and discipline, especially when price movements contradict prevailing optimism. Short-term corrections can rattle confidence, but experienced analysts emphasize structural setups over temporary sentiment swings. XRP’s recent pullback illustrates how deeper technical dynamics can shape potential opportunities, setting the stage for significant upside once conditions align. JD recently shared his analysis on X, drawing attention to a bearish divergence on XRP’s 3‑day chart and highlighting a key support area he referred to as the “grey box.” According to JD, this corrective phase was predictable, occurring amid what he described as “DUMB MONEY” hype. By anticipating the 23% decline, JD suggested that the pullback could actually strengthen the conditions for a more substantial breakout in the near future. Understanding the Recent Correction XRP’s correction followed a period of heightened market enthusiasm, driven by broader crypto rallies and institutional flows. The token fell from recent highs near $2.15 to lows around $1.84, reflecting profit-taking and short-term repositioning by traders. $XRP (3-Day scale) – Posted H. Bearish Divergence & GREY BOX for Patreon/Subs last week during the DUMB MONEY hype! Glad we knew the 23% correction was coming!The lower we go, the higher the breakout will be! Dumb Money who got REKT in a FULL-BLOWN BULL MARKET will DENY lol!… pic.twitter.com/A312cAFwlS — JD (@jaydee_757) January 19, 2026 While some interpreted this decline as a bearish signal, JD framed it as a necessary consolidation, allowing market participants to reprice risk and prepare for the next leg upward. Technical indicators support this interpretation. The bearish divergence JD identified occurs when price forms lower highs while momentum indicators weaken, signaling that buying pressure is temporarily exhausted. Historically, such divergences often coincide with corrective phases that precede stronger upward moves, as markets absorb excess supply and build liquidity at critical support zones. The “Lower Before Higher” Thesis JD emphasized that the depth of a correction can determine the strength of a subsequent breakout . Deeper consolidation allows for accumulation by long-term holders and institutional participants, creating a foundation for renewed bullish momentum. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 If XRP maintains support near the $1.80–$2.00 range while building volume, the market may position itself for a decisive rally once resistance levels break, potentially exceeding previous highs. Market Context and Strategic Implications Beyond technical signals, broader market conditions—such as ETF inflows , on-chain demand, and macroeconomic sentiment—will influence XRP’s trajectory. Traders who understand the interplay of correction, accumulation, and breakout dynamics can navigate volatility more effectively. JD’s perspective highlights the value of patience and structural awareness: while short-term losses may sting, they often precede periods of substantial gains in well-positioned assets. By analyzing corrections within a wider market and technical context, XRP holders can view pullbacks not as setbacks but as strategic opportunities. As JD suggests, the lower the token dips within its support framework, the higher the potential breakout may be, reinforcing the importance of disciplined trading and a long-term perspective. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are urged to do in-depth research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Analyst On Recent XRP Crash: The Lower We Go, the Higher the Breakout Will Be appeared first on Times Tabloid .

19 Jan 2026, 18:05

Bitcoin under pressure as traders weigh $90K risk versus $100K recovery

Major cryptocurrencies remained under pressure on Monday as escalating tariff threats from US President Donald Trump weighed on global risk sentiment, extending a multi-day downturn across digital assets. Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple all struggled to regain momentum, with the broader crypto market shedding about 2% of its total capitalisation over the past 24 hours. Total market value stood at roughly $3.23 trillion at the time of writing, reflecting continued caution among traders as geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties mount. Bitcoin slipped below the $95,000 level late last week and has since failed to mount a sustained recovery. On Monday, it fell to an intraday low of $91,910 before stabilising. The price action has remained largely range-bound, with traders closely watching two key exponential moving averages on the daily chart: $95,889 and $92,412. The $93,000 area has emerged as an important near-term resistance level. Bitcoin has traded almost flat over the past 24 hours, signalling indecision as buyers and sellers await a clearer direction. Traders brace for volatility Market participants warned that volatility could increase as the week progresses. Trader CrypNuevo said broader market uncertainty is likely to drive further choppy price action. “Get ready for a volatile week ahead!” CrypNuevo wrote in an analysis thread on X. CrypNuevo 🔨 @CrypNuevo · Follow $BTC Sunday update:Get ready for a volatile week ahead!• US-EU tariff war over Greenland• Supreme Court rule decision over Trump’s tariffsA lot of uncertainty that will be met with volatility, likely with downside pressure. Bank Holiday in the US on Monday.🧵↓(1/7) 12:10 am · 19 Jan 2026 550 Reply Copy link Read 31 replies He said the US Martin Luther King Jr. holiday meant that the full reaction from traditional markets would only be felt once Wall Street reopens on Tuesday, potentially amplifying moves in crypto. “Markets don’t like uncertainty, but markets like when the uncertainty disappears,” CrypNuevo said. “So I’m leaning to some downside pressure pushing price back inside the range and potentially trading into the range lows, before any real reversal.” Key downside levels highlighted by traders include the 2026 yearly open near $87,000 and the lower end of the broader trading range around $80,500. Trader Daan Crypto Trades also flagged technical damage, warning that Bitcoin has lost a critical breakout level. “It is essential for the bulls to hold this breakout after 2 months of sideways price action,” he wrote on X, referring to the 2025 yearly open around $93,500. “If price falls back down below $93K–$94K, then this was just a liquidity grab in a larger down trend.” For now, traders say the near-term outlook hinges on whether Bitcoin can hold above key support levels. While sentiment has deteriorated since early November, technical analysts note that as long as the November lows remain intact, a broader bullish structure could still be preserved. Tariffs and macro data loom large The latest crypto selloff follows renewed tariff threats from President Trump, who said he would impose additional duties on European countries opposing his efforts to acquire Greenland. The prospect of a broader trade dispute between the US and the European Union has pushed investors toward a risk-off stance, weighing on assets such as cryptocurrencies. Beyond tariffs, traders are also focused on a heavy macroeconomic calendar. Delayed US data releases are due later this week, including the Personal Consumption Expenditures index for November, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, scheduled for Thursday. Initial jobless claims and the first revision of third-quarter GDP data are also on the agenda. Even without the tariff shock, the macro backdrop remains conflicted. A strong start to 2026 for US equities has coincided with unprecedented tension between the Federal Reserve and the White House over monetary policy, as well as ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. Bitcoin’s attempt to reclaim $100,000 stalled last week, and while the $90,000 level has not yet been decisively broken, the recovery appears to have paused. Ether has shown a similar pattern, with both assets still holding above their November lows but lacking fresh upside catalysts. Regulatory developments in the US are also in focus. Progress on the CLARITY Act, a proposed framework for digital asset market structure, has slowed as lawmakers seek compromises on key provisions. Coinbase has said it continues to work with the administration, but the environment in Washington is becoming increasingly strained. Crypto firms that once positioned themselves as alternatives to traditional financial systems are now navigating closer engagement with government institutions, as they seek oversight rules that preserve the sector’s distinctiveness while allowing broader adoption. The post Bitcoin under pressure as traders weigh $90K risk versus $100K recovery appeared first on Invezz

19 Jan 2026, 18:04

Sui deploys emergency upgrades after six-hour network outage

After last week’s major six-hour outage, the Sui network has implemented upgrades to its mainnet, deploying version V1.63.3, and upgrading the protocol to version 107. The Sui Network rolled out protocol upgrades that reportedly address the underlying issues that may have triggered the outage Cryptopolitan reported last week, which lasted about 6 hours and stalled about $1 billion in transactions. Upgrades to Sui’s protocol and mainnet improvements The upgrades primarily include fixes to validator consensus issues that prevented nodes from reaching agreement on rejected transactions, optimized transaction confirmation paths for better efficiency and reliability, ensuring the ability to achieve finality directly and disabling RPC interfaces used by validators for transaction signing and submitting aggregated validator signature transactions. The project’s team has also made plans for faster detection/recovery mechanisms, better tooling for its operators, and expanded testing of the consensus engine. The team’s focus will remain on enhancing resilience while preserving Sui’s strengths. What happened to the Sui Network? The Sui Network suffered a major outage on January 14, which halted transactions and froze over $1 billion in value on the network. The Sui Foundation acknowledged the problem at 3:24 pm UTC on X amid reassurances to the users that core developers were working on a fix. “The Sui network is now back and fully operational. Transactions are flowing normally. If you continue to experience issues, please refresh your app or browser window. Thanks for your patience,” the Foundation wrote on X, promising a full incident report in the days that followed. The team started looking into the problem about 30 minutes before they made the announcement, according to the Foundation. However, the network was not restored for nearly 6 hours afterward. The incident was reportedly caused by what the team called a consensus outage, which is a technical issue that prevented the blockchain from confirming transactions. It is the network’s second major outage since its origin The outage from last week was the second major one the Sui network has faced since it started operating in May 2023. The first real one happened in November 2024 and was linked to challenges that had accrued over time. The post-mortem the team later shared identified the root cause as an internal divergence in validator consensus processing, which they say was triggered by an edge-case bug in the consensus commit logic. Notably, it was not caused by an exploit, network congestion, or timing synchronization issues, and there was no rollback, nor were user funds lost in the process of fixing the issue, thanks to the network’s safety mechanism, which worked as it was designed. It is not the first high-speed blockchain to face these struggles. Networks like Solana have faced similar issues in the past, though Solana has since left those behind and has not had any outages in more than one year. This is thanks in part to emergency updates that have allowed validators to communicate more effectively and address critical issues rapidly. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .

19 Jan 2026, 18:00

Cardano Head To Wall Street As CME Plans New Futures Products – What This Means For ADA

Bullish sentiment is gradually returning to the broader cryptocurrency space, and Cardano (ADA) is seeing growing institutional interest and adoption. Even though its price remains in a consolidation phase, several moves are being made to showcase Cardano’s relevance in the global finance sector. CME To Broaden Crypto Offering With Cardano Futures One of the most recent announcements making the headlines in the cryptocurrency sector is the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group’s move to expand its crypto portfolio, choosing Cardano as one of the major coins. The CME is preparing to increase the scope of its crypto derivatives offering and take a further step toward the institutionalization of digital asset markets, with the introduction of futures contracts for Cardano (ADA) and Chainlink (LINK) . By adding ADA and LINK futures to its platform, CME is strengthening the function of regulated derivatives as an entry point for institutional involvement in the developing cryptocurrency ecosystem. This action demonstrates the rising significance of other blockchain networks in global finance. It also reflects the growing demand from professional traders seeking regulated exposure outside of Bitcoin and Ethereum, the two largest crypto assets. According to Lucas Macchiavelli, a Cardano ambassador and blockchain strategist, this could be the strongest institutional validation in ADA’s history, and it might be the largest sign of approval the leading altcoin has ever gotten. Macchiavelli added that this is not just another listing since the move expands the network’s role in digital finance operations. The strategist’s claims major hinges on the fact that the CME Group is the largest derivatives exchange in the world, which is increasingly used by banks, hedge funds, asset managers, and institutional investors across the globe. Currently, this goes beyond Cardano. Macchiavelli stated that this kind of action sends a signal to the entire cryptocurrency market, improving price discovery, deepening capital access , increasing institutional visibility, and making it easier for traditional finance to participate. “This is how crypto keeps moving into the financial mainstream,” the expert added. Data On The ADA Stays Written Crypto expert Dave stated that Cardano is exceptionally well-suited to real-world use cases like traceability because once data is written on the network, it stays written. There is no rewriting history, no ambiguity, just facts that are retained exactly as they were recorded. Such performance underscores its immutability, which is backed by over 8 years of continuous reliability. Cardano network has been continuously operating, developing, and securing genuine worth while being enhanced between. This is key when trust, verification, and accountability are required in real-world governance by compliance and regulation. According to the expert, the network quietly stands apart in a world of transparency and reliability. With this, ADA goes beyond the status of a store of value. It is also considered a store of truth, continuity, and real utility.