News
23 Jan 2026, 09:05
Binance applies for MiCA license in Greece as EU deadlines loom

Binance applied for a MiCA license in Greece shortly after France flagged the exchange as still unlicensed under MiCA ahead of June compliance deadlines.
23 Jan 2026, 09:01
Ripple (XRP) Isn’t ‘Breaking Down’ Yet – But Sellers Still Haven’t Let Go

Ripple (XRP) slipped to $1.91 after a fresh decline of 2% on Friday. The market lacks strong conviction. New data suggests that while XRP is not decoupling from volume flows, selling pressure has not yet fully transitioned into net buying dominance. Missing Buying Power According to CryptoQuant’s analysis, Binance’s XRP market shows that the current 30-day price-Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD) correlation stands at around 0.61. This is a moderate to strong positive relationship between price movements and net volume flows. It means that recent price action has remained closely in line with trading activity rather than becoming detached from underlying volume behavior. CryptoQuant stated that such a correlation is generally interpreted as confirmation of a structural trend, as it reflects internal consistency between price and volume rather than a short-term technical reversal. At the same time, the latest CVD reading remains in negative territory, which indicates that accumulated selling pressure has not yet pivoted into a phase of steady net buying dominance. This dual condition is what defines the indicator as a “confirmation score” instead of a direct trading signal, as it assesses the strength and coherence of the ongoing trend without offering explicit entry or exit points. The indicator is particularly useful for identifying divergence, as a scenario where prices rise while the correlation weakens or negative CVD persists would point to emerging internal weakness. In the current setup, however, the continued presence of a positive correlation despite ongoing price softness means that the crypto asset may be undergoing a base-building process rather than experiencing aggressive or active distribution. FUD Spikes, But ETFs Keep Buying Despite XRP’s failure to push higher this week, Santiment found that XRP has entered “Extreme Fear” based on social data, as retail traders turned pessimistic after a double-digit drop from its January 5 high. The analytics firm said that heavy bearish commentary has often been followed by rallies, and prices have frequently moved opposite to retail expectations, while adding that “major FUD” is “usually a rally starter.” Meanwhile, analyst Ali Martinez identified key levels to watch. He said that $1.78 is a crucial support zone for XRP. If the asset holds above this level, the next major resistance areas are around $1.97 and $2.00. Additionally, institutional demand remained visible, though modest, as spot XRP ETFs kept attracting fresh capital. Data compiled by SoSoValue showed that these funds saw $2.09 million in net inflows on January 22. The post Ripple (XRP) Isn’t ‘Breaking Down’ Yet – But Sellers Still Haven’t Let Go appeared first on CryptoPotato .
23 Jan 2026, 09:00
Is Ethereum the ‘one common blockchain’? BlackRock CEO weighs in

Fink points to Ethereum as the backbone of institutional tokenization.
23 Jan 2026, 09:00
Expert Analyzes XRP, Ethereum, And Solana: Predictions For The Next Altcoin Season

As the crypto market faces uncertainty and continues in a consolidation phase, market expert Sam Daodu has issued a report examining the potential for XRP, Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL) to emerge as frontrunners if a new altcoin season arises in 2026. XRP, ETH, And SOL Price Forecasts Daodu began his analysis by pointing out that Bitcoin’s (BTC) dominance is currently hovering around 59%, alongside an Altcoin Season Index reading of 55. These indicators suggest that 2026 could herald a substantial rotation towards altcoins, mirroring significant shifts experienced during cycles in 2016-2017 and 2020-2021. The expert outlines several bullish scenarios for each. For XRP, he envisions a potential surge past the $6-$8 range if exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows maintain a monthly average exceeding $400 million and RippleNet continues to expand its influence in global banking. Related Reading: ‘I’m Very Bullish’: Ripple CEO Forecasts Record Performance For Crypto In 2026 ETH, on the other hand, could see itself climbing toward $12,000-$18,000 if Layer 2 (L2) adoption unlocks broader usage and ETF inflows rebound. Daodu highlights that active addresses are at cycle highs, indicating organic demand that may translate to higher prices once institutional sentiment shifts positively. For SOL, the outlook is similarly optimistic. Solana might rocket to the range of $500-$800 if its transaction finality of 150 milliseconds and low fees attract a new wave of applications. Additionally, the rise in ETF filings could lead to significant capital inflows. Potential Risks Ahead In more stable scenarios, Daodu suggests that XRP might consolidate between $2.50-$3.50 if institutional adoption progresses steadily without dramatic catalysts. He also speculates that Ethereum could trade within the range of $5,000-$9,000, benefiting from consistent demand driven by staking yields and decentralized finance (DeFi) growth. Meanwhile, Solana might trend between $200-$350, assuming that developer growth and retail adoption continue at their current pace without major breakthroughs. However, Daodu cautions that XRP could fall below $1.50 if demand for ETFs wanes or if regulatory uncertainties arise. Similarly, ETH could fall below $2,500 if scalability issues arise or if regulatory challenges become more pronounced. SOL could drop below $100 if outages persist or if it faces increased competition from other Layer 1 platforms. What AI Models Anticipate AI predictions provide additional insight into the expected performance of these altcoins. For XRP, forecasts vary significantly, with ChatGPT estimating a range of $0.80-$3.00, while Grok presents a more bullish outlook with a target of $1.50-$6.00. Related Reading: Crypto Boom Ahead? Pantera Capital Pinpoints Major Catalysts For 2026 Success Ethereum’s AI predictions show a range of $3,000-$9,000 from ChatGPT, while Gemini anticipates a high of $7,000-$18,000 through increased tokenization. Lastly, Solana’s predictions range from $120-$350 from ChatGPT to a more optimistic $300-$800 from Gemini, depending on the growth of consumer applications. XRP was trading at $1.93 at the time of writing, down 2% in the previous 24 hours. ETH traded at roughly $2,952, while SOL traded at $128, both experiencing comparable declines during the same time period. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
23 Jan 2026, 09:00
Russia’s A7A5 Stablecoin Moved $100 Billion Before Global Crackdown: Elliptic

A little token that few people had heard of a year ago has become a big mover of money. Reports say the A7A5 stablecoin, launched as a rouble-linked coin, has processed the equivalent of $100 billion in transfers since it began moving at scale. Elliptic Finds Rapid Growth And Large Volumes According to analysis by Elliptic , A7A5 grew quickly after its launch and was used heavily for settlement between firms that could not rely on regular banks. The firm traced huge daily flows, with transaction totals rising into the billions and aggregate transfers passing major milestones. Origins And Backing A7A5 was set up in a way that tied it to rouble deposits and to a handful of private entities connected to Russia’s financial network. Reports say the project was linked to a payments group and to banking partners that have been under western scrutiny. Some of the people and firms behind the token were later sanctioned by authorities in the US and the UK. How The Money Moved Transactions were concentrated on a small number of exchanges and on on-chain routes that made cross-border transfers possible without the usual banking rails. In practice, the coin served as a bridge into other stablecoins and crypto markets. That routing let trade keep moving even when formal channels were closed to certain actors. A7A5 Stablecoin Role In Sanctions Evasion Claims Reports note that regulators and analysts view those flows as a tool that could help avoid sanctions. Regulators in several countries have taken action against linked platforms and individuals after patterns of transfers were uncovered. Some of the design choices around the token made monitoring harder for a time, and in a few cases tokens were reissued in new wallets to muddy traces. Market Reaction And The Wider Impact Markets noticed. The token’s market cap surged, and exchanges that handled it saw sharply higher volumes. Ordinary traders were not the main users; activity was often timed with business hours and weekdays, which suggested corporate or institutional flows rather than retail swaps. This type of pattern changed how people outside the region looked at crypto as a payments tool. Authorities responded by blacklisting some addresses and platforms and by stepping up enforcement against those named in the network. The moves show that a token can move a lot of value, but it can also draw regulatory heat and prompt countermeasures that affect every participant in the chain. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from TradingView
23 Jan 2026, 08:56
XRP Price Prediction: Institutional Fatigue Sparks Market Tension

XRP Market Update: Institutional Fatigue Raises Red Flags XRP is struggling after failing to surpass the $2.00 mark, slipping to $1.91 per CoinCodex data. On-chain analyst Kaan Kaya warns this isn’t just a routine pullback but a market in digestion with bearish pressure, meaning XRP should be given a keen eye whether it can reclaim momentum or risk further declines. Notably, caution surged as institutional capital abruptly exited the market. Spot XRP ETFs saw a record $53 million outflow in a single day, largely from Grayscale redemptions. According to Kaya, when smart money retreats, it signals short-term uncertainty, often prompting retail traders to follow suit and driving heightened volatility, explaining the current focus on cautious accumulation. Furthermore, caution has taken center stage in the derivatives market as open interest falls to $3.35B, a monthly low. Reduced leverage limits short-squeeze potential, leaving XRP vulnerable to organic selling amid weak trader and institutional activity. Therefore, XRP’s support appears fragile as signals from spot and derivatives markets point to rising downside risk. Lower trading volumes, waning ETF backing, and cautious derivatives positioning suggest pressure may dominate. While XRP has bounced from similar phases before, the current retreat of institutional capital and reduced leverage marks a temporarily risk-averse market. Until fresh capital flows in or bullish catalysts emerge, XRP’s path of least resistance is downward. What next? Well, XRP is at a pivotal point. With institutional demand fading and derivatives exposure shrinking, near-term price stability is uncertain. The market favors consolidation, or further decline, unless fresh buying momentum emerges. Conclusion XRP faces a critical crossroads. Institutional withdrawals, fading ETF support, and declining derivatives activity highlight waning market conviction. Without new capital or renewed trader interest, support levels are fragile, and downside risk dominates. Therefore, institutional flows and market volume should be watched closely, as these will likely dictate whether XRP stabilizes or slips further in the near term.








































