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18 Jan 2026, 07:26
Steak ’n Shake Makes First Bitcoin Treasury Bet With $10M BTC Purchase
Steak ’n Shake, the 91-year-old American burger chain, has taken its first public step into corporate Bitcoin ownership, announcing a $10 million purchase of the cryptocurrency for its treasury. Key Takeaways: Steak ’n Shake made its first $10M Bitcoin treasury purchase after adopting crypto payments. All customer-paid Bitcoin now flows into a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve tied to sales growth. The move reflects a consumer-driven Bitcoin strategy, not a balance-sheet accumulation play. The acquisition, equal to roughly 105 BTC at current market prices, marks the company’s first disclosed direct allocation since it began accepting crypto payments in May 2025. Steak ’n Shake Formalizes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Tied to Sales Growth The move formalizes what the restaurant chain calls a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,” a system that channels all Bitcoin received from customers directly into its treasury rather than converting it into cash. In a post on X , Steak ‘n Shake said the approach ties rising same-store sales to long-term reserve growth, creating what it described as a self-sustaining model. Steak ’n Shake enabled Lightning Network payments across all US locations in mid-May, a rollout publicly backed by Jack Dorsey. The company reported transaction fee savings of nearly 50% compared with credit cards, alongside a roughly 15% increase in same-store sales in the months following the launch. The treasury strategy was formalized on Oct. 31 through a partnership with Fold Holdings, which offered customers $5 worth of Bitcoin when purchasing branded menu items such as the “Bitcoin Burger.” As part of the rollout, Steak ‘n Shake will donate 210 satoshis for every “Bitcoin Meal” sold, with funds directed to OpenSats to support Bitcoin Core and open-source development. The promotion tied consumer incentives directly to crypto adoption rather than speculative investment. Eight months ago today, Steak n Shake launched its burger-to-Bitcoin transformation when we started accepting bitcoin payments. Our same-store sales have risen dramatically ever since. All Bitcoin sales go into our Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Today we increased our Bitcoin… — Steak 'n Shake (@SteaknShake) January 17, 2026 Steak ’n Shake is owned by Biglari Holdings, led by Sardar Biglari. The parent company has not said whether Bitcoin will play a role in its broader balance-sheet strategy. The restaurant’s approach stands apart from capital-market-driven plays popularized by firms such as Strategy, which raise funds to accumulate Bitcoin. While more than 200 companies now hold Bitcoin, Steak ’n Shake’s $10 million position remains small, signaling a cautious but notable entry from a legacy consumer brand. Steak ’n Shake Expands to El Salvador In November last year, Steak ‘n Shake revealed that it is expanding into El Salvador , marking a symbolic move into the world’s first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. The announcement followed the chain’s participation in the Bitcoin Histórico event in San Salvador, where the company signaled deeper engagement with the country’s crypto-centered economy. The company briefly faced backlash in October after floating the idea of accepting Ether payments , prompting sharp criticism from Bitcoin-focused customers. Steak ’n Shake quickly reversed course and reaffirmed its commitment to Bitcoin, a stance that appeared to resonate with its core audience as sales momentum continued into the second half of the year. The post Steak ’n Shake Makes First Bitcoin Treasury Bet With $10M BTC Purchase appeared first on Cryptonews .
18 Jan 2026, 07:07
EU Calls Emergency Meeting, Democrats Move to Block Trump’s Tariffs, But BTC Stays Calm
After several countries from the European Union deployed troops to the most recent hot zone, Greenland, the POTUS announced a new set of tariffs against all of them, effective from February 1 until a deal for the complete acquisition of the island is reached. The EU’s response was immediate, while US Democrats have pushed to introduce legislation to block Trump’s proposed tariffs. Despite all this drama, BTC’s price has remained stable, even though it’s the only financial asset available for trading during the eventful weekend. Latest Developments As reported yesterday, the newly announced tariffs against Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will be effective from February 1. The taxation will be 10% on all goods sent to the US, but if there’s no deal reached by June 1, the percentage will increase to 25%, said Trump. Shortly after, reports emerged that the EU plans to halt approval of the trade deal with the US after the latest threats. The lawmakers also scheduled an emergency meeting for today. According to analysts from the Kobeissi Letter, who said they spent 12 months researching Trump’s tariff playbook, this is the fourth step in the trade war. They believe financial markets will open lower on Sunday evening and Monday, but Trump will continue to play “hardball.” Unlike the recent US-China bout, they noted that the Greenland situation will require more time because such a potential acquisition “can’t happen overnight and the EU remains highly opposed to even the idea of such a transaction.” The Democrats were quick to move on US soil, reportedly planning to introduce legislation to block the POTUS’s proposed tariffs on EU countries. BTC Stands Still The trade wars have impacted the primary cryptocurrency in previous instances, especially the first one that unraveled in April 2025. At the time, BTC tumbled from $110,000 to $75,000. However, it has been more resilient during the subsequent tariff battles, and the situation seems similar now, at least so far. Although the cryptocurrency markets are the only ones trading 24/7 and are open during this volatile weekend, BTC’s price has remained stable at just over $95,000. Nevertheless, more fluctuations are expected later today as new developments unravel, the EU holds the meeting, and the futures markets open. BTCUSD Jan 18. Source: TradingView The post EU Calls Emergency Meeting, Democrats Move to Block Trump’s Tariffs, But BTC Stays Calm appeared first on CryptoPotato .
18 Jan 2026, 07:02
A 589.5 Billion Unit Payment Was Just Validated On XRP Ledger
A recently highlighted on-chain transaction shared by crypto trader and investor Xaif Crypto presents a clear example of how the XRP Ledger handles large token transfers with efficiency and cost control. The transaction, validated successfully on the XRPL, involved the movement of approximately 589.5 billion units of an issued token while requiring only a small amount of XRP to process. The focus of the information shared was strictly on the transaction data itself, offering a factual look at the network’s performance during a high-volume transfer. BREAKING: A 589.5 billion unit payment was just successfully validated on XRPL with a fee of only 0.000012 XRP. • Lightning fast settlement • Near zero transaction cost Someone transferred a non-XRP token on XRPL XRP was only used to pay the network fee pic.twitter.com/QnKRZvoe37 — Xaif Crypto | (@Xaif_Crypto) January 16, 2026 Confirmation of the Transaction on the XRP Ledger The images attached to Xaif Crypto’s post show the transaction summary as recorded on the XRP Ledger . The payment status is marked as successful, with the ledger index and transaction sequence confirming final settlement. The delivered amount shown in the ledger matches the full 589.5 billion-unit figure, indicating that the transfer was completed without partial delivery or failure. Despite the size of the transaction, the network fee recorded was only 0.000012 XRP. This fee represents the amount of XRP required to submit and validate the transaction on the ledger and was not part of the asset being transferred. The timestamp and ledger details shown in the transaction summary further confirm that the settlement occurred quickly and was finalized within a single ledger close. Non-XRP Token Transfer Using XRPL Infrastructure A central point emphasized by Xaif Crypto is that the asset moved in this transaction was not XRP . Instead, the XRP Ledger was used as the underlying infrastructure to transfer a different token issued on the network. XRP’s involvement was limited to paying the network fee, which is a standard requirement for processing transactions on the XRPL. This distinction highlights how the XRP Ledger supports the issuance of assets at scale. Participants can move vast quantities of tokens while relying on the ledger’s speed and low transaction costs, without needing XRP to function as the asset being exchanged. The transaction serves as a practical example of this capability, supported by visible and verifiable ledger data. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 What the Transaction Demonstrates The information shared by Xaif Crypto does not speculate on the parties involved or the reason for the transfer. Instead, it centers on what can be directly observed from the ledger. A transfer involving hundreds of billions of token units was processed successfully, finalized quickly, and completed with a fee that remains extremely low by industry standards. By pointing to a confirmed transaction rather than projections or commentary, the post presents a straightforward case of how the XRP Ledger continues to operate under high-volume conditions. The ledger data shows that large issued-token transfers can be executed efficiently, with XRP serving its role as a fee mechanism rather than the asset being moved. 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 advised to conduct thorough 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 X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post A 589.5 Billion Unit Payment Was Just Validated On XRP Ledger appeared first on Times Tabloid .
18 Jan 2026, 06:59
HYPE crypto price forms risky pattern as key Hyperliquid metrics dive
HYPE crypto price has pulled back in the past few months, moving from a record high of $60 in September to the current $25.8, a 56% retreat. Hyperliquid’s token has also formed numerous risky patterns, pointing to more downside in the near term. HYPE crypto price technicals points to more downside The daily timeframe chart shows that the HYPE crypto price has dropped in the past few months. This retreat happened after it peaked at $60 in September. It retreated after forming a head-and-shoulders pattern, a common bearish reversal sign. The token has dropped below the 61.8% Fibonacci Retracement level at $28.5, confirming the bearish outlook. It has also dropped below all moving averages, a sign that bears remain in control for now. Hyperliquid price has also formed a bearish flag pattern, which is made up of a vertical line and an ascending channel. This pattern often leads to more downside. It also remains below the Supertrend indicator. Therefore, the most likely HYPE price forecast is bearish, with the next target being at $20. This target is about 22% below the current level. On the other hand, a move above the key resistance level at $28 will invalidate the bearish outlook. HYPE price chart | Source: TradingView Hyperliquid’s perpetual DEX is facing stiff competition The main reason why the HYPE crypto price has crashed in the past few months is that Bitcoin and other altcoins have been in a strong downtrend. Bitcoin has dropped from the year-to-date high of $126,200 in October to the current $95,000. Other top altcoins like Ethereum and Cardano have all slumped. Meanwhile, key Hyperliquid metrics have deteriorated in the past few months, partly because of the ongoing crypto market crash and the rising competition in the perpetual futures market. Data compiled by DeFi Llama shows that the volume in the perpetual futures market has dropped from last year’s high of $1.32 trillion in October to this month’s $521 billion. Hyperliquid’s volume has dropped from a high of $396 billion in August to this month’s $94 billion. As a result, its monthly fees have tumbled to $36 million, down from last year’s high of $144 million. More data shows that competition in the network has continued rising, with most of it coming from Aster, Lighter, and Grvt. Aster network handled over $123 billion in the last 30 days, while Lighter’s volume was $118 billion. Grvt handled $40 billion, and Hyperliquid processed transactions worth over $145 billion. In the past, Hyperliquid was the most dominant player in the industry. Hyperliquid’s metrics have deteriorated in the past few months. For example, the total value locked (TVL) in its layer-1 network has plunged to $2.65 billion from the all-time high of $8.35 billion. Also, the stablecoin supply in the network has dropped to $4.9 billion from the all-time high of $6.2 billion. All these metrics have affected the number of HYPE token buybacks and token burns. That is because the network uses its fees to burn HYPE tokens and repurchase them, which helps to reduce the supply. The post HYPE crypto price forms risky pattern as key Hyperliquid metrics dive appeared first on Invezz
18 Jan 2026, 06:33
Bitcoin’s Weekend Journey Sparks New Market Trends
Bitcoin's weekend started at $95,000, showing sideways movement due to low volume. BTC ETFs saw significant inflows, with investors optimistic about future growth. Continue Reading: Bitcoin’s Weekend Journey Sparks New Market Trends The post Bitcoin’s Weekend Journey Sparks New Market Trends appeared first on COINTURK NEWS .
18 Jan 2026, 06:02
Pundit to XRP Holders: Very Few Understand What’s Coming
Crypto influencer John Squire recently challenged the common evaluation of XRP. His message was clear in its intent: the main issue surrounding XRP is not its current price level, but the limited awareness of what is being built around it. The statement suggests that much of the public conversation remains focused on short-term valuation, while significant technical and institutional developments continue with little mainstream attention. In Squire’s view, this disconnect has led to widespread misunderstanding about XRP’s long-term direction. The problem with $XRP isn’t the price. It’s that very few understand what’s coming. — John Squire (@TheCryptoSquire) January 15, 2026 XRP Ledger Development Moves Beyond Payments Squire’s position reflects the ongoing evolution of the XRP Ledger as a financial network with expanding capabilities. Development efforts are increasingly centered on extending the ledger’s functionality rather than maintaining its original role as a fast settlement system alone. Engineers and contributors are advancing features that support more complex financial activity, including programmability, interoperability, and on-ledger financial tools. One of the key areas of progress is the introduction of smart contract compatibility through sidechain solutions . This enables developers to deploy applications while benefiting from the XRP Ledger’s transaction efficiency and reliability. At the same time, native lending features and automated liquidity tools are being introduced directly on the ledger. These changes indicate a shift toward enabling financial activity within the network itself, rather than relying on external systems. Institutional Use Cases Take Priority The tweet also aligns with the increasing involvement of institutional participants using the XRP Ledger for real-world financial products. Tokenized assets, including regulated debt instruments and stablecoins, are being issued and settled on the network. This activity focuses on practical financial use rather than speculative trading. Institutions typically prioritize infrastructure that supports compliance, transparency, and operational efficiency, all of which are areas receiving sustained attention in XRP Ledger development. Alongside asset issuance, efforts are underway to ensure the network meets regulatory and operational requirements. Privacy-focused transaction options designed for regulated entities, combined with permission-based access controls, signal that institutional adoption is a central objective. These types of developments tend to progress quietly, often without immediate visibility to retail market participants. Utility Over Short-Term Valuation Squire’s message emphasizes XRP’s function within the ecosystem rather than its market price. As activity on the XRP Ledger grows, XRP plays a direct role in transaction processing, liquidity movement, and settlement operations. This ties the asset’s relevance to usage and network activity rather than short-term sentiment or speculative cycles. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 From this perspective, focusing solely on price movements risks overlooking the structural changes underway. Network upgrades, institutional integration, and financial product deployment often take time to influence market behavior, even as they reshape the underlying system. A Shift in How XRP Is Viewed John Squire’s statement encourages a reassessment of how XRP is understood. Rather than treating it as a purely speculative asset, his viewpoint points to its emerging role within a developing financial network. The changes taking place suggest that the most significant developments may still be ahead, and that understanding XRP requires attention to infrastructure, adoption, and real-world use rather than price alone. 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 advised to conduct thorough 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 X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Pundit to XRP Holders: Very Few Understand What’s Coming appeared first on Times Tabloid .
