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19 Jan 2026, 13:40
Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Show Remarkable Restraint as Slowing Sell-Off Signals Potential $110K Breakthrough
BitcoinWorld Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Show Remarkable Restraint as Slowing Sell-Off Signals Potential $110K Breakthrough In a significant development for cryptocurrency markets, Bitcoin’s recent surge above $97,000 has revealed a crucial shift in investor behavior that could determine the digital asset’s trajectory toward new all-time highs. According to Bitfinex’s latest Alpha report, long-term Bitcoin holders are demonstrating unprecedented restraint, with their selling pressure decreasing at a critical technical juncture. This evolving dynamic between persistent resistance levels and changing holder psychology forms the core of current market analysis as Bitcoin approaches the psychologically important $100,000 threshold. Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Shift Selling Patterns Amid Price Rally Bitfinex’s comprehensive market analysis reveals a nuanced picture of Bitcoin’s current position. The cryptocurrency exchange documented Bitcoin’s breakthrough of the $94,000-$95,000 resistance level last week, culminating in a two-month high of $97,850. This price movement triggered the largest short squeeze in 100 days, according to exchange data. Consequently, market structure improved as leveraged positions cleared and open interest decreased. However, the $93,000-$110,000 range represents a historically significant resistance zone where long-term holders have concentrated their selling activity. Market analysts define long-term holders as addresses holding Bitcoin for at least 155 days, representing investors with deeper conviction and different psychological thresholds than short-term traders. Historically, these holders accelerate selling when prices approach previous cycle peaks or psychologically significant levels. The current resistance zone between $93,000 and $110,000 represents precisely such a threshold, where previous bull market cycles have encountered substantial selling pressure from this cohort. Analyzing the Decreasing Sell-Off Volume from Bitcoin Veterans The Bitfinex report identifies a potentially bullish divergence in current market behavior. While long-term holders remain net sellers, their weekly selling volume based on realized profits has declined to approximately 12,800 BTC. This represents a significant reduction from previous weeks and suggests changing sentiment among Bitcoin’s most experienced investors. Several factors potentially contribute to this slowing sell-off: Improved Market Fundamentals: Institutional adoption continues expanding with new ETF products and corporate treasury allocations Macroeconomic Conditions: Potential Federal Reserve policy shifts and global currency dynamics Technical Breakthroughs: Successful navigation of previous resistance levels builds confidence Reduced Leverage: Recent short squeeze decreased systemic risk from over-leveraged positions Historical data provides context for this development. During previous cycles, sustained reductions in long-term holder selling typically preceded significant upward movements. The current weekly selling volume of 12,800 BTC compares favorably to periods preceding previous breakthroughs, suggesting potential accumulation phases rather than distribution. Market Structure Implications and Technical Analysis The relationship between long-term holder behavior and price action creates a feedback loop influencing overall market structure. As selling pressure decreases, the market requires less buying volume to maintain upward momentum. This dynamic becomes particularly important in the $93,000-$110,000 range, where previous cycles encountered substantial resistance. Technical analysts monitor several key indicators alongside holder behavior: Indicator Current Status Historical Significance Long-Term Holder Selling Volume 12,800 BTC/week (decreasing) Below levels preceding previous breakthroughs Short Squeeze Magnitude Largest in 100 days Indicates excessive bearish positioning correction Resistance Zone $93,000-$110,000 Historical distribution area across cycles Realized Profit Volume Moderating despite price increases Suggests holder confidence in higher valuations Market participants should note that while slowing sell-offs provide a positive signal, they represent just one component of complex market dynamics. Exchange inflows, derivatives positioning, and macroeconomic developments continue influencing Bitcoin’s price trajectory alongside holder behavior. Historical Precedents and Cycle Comparisons Previous Bitcoin market cycles offer valuable context for interpreting current long-term holder behavior. During the 2017 bull market, similar reductions in selling pressure preceded the final parabolic move from approximately $10,000 to nearly $20,000. Likewise, in 2021, decreased long-term holder distribution around the $50,000-$60,000 range allowed Bitcoin to eventually reach its previous all-time high near $69,000. Several key differences distinguish the current market environment: Institutional Participation: Significantly greater than previous cycles through regulated products Market Maturity: Improved infrastructure and reduced volatility compared to earlier periods Global Adoption: Broader recognition as an institutional asset class rather than retail speculation Regulatory Clarity: Evolving but more defined frameworks in major jurisdictions These structural differences may influence long-term holder psychology, potentially explaining the current restraint despite prices approaching psychologically significant levels. Veteran Bitcoin investors appear to be weighing multiple factors beyond simple price appreciation, including long-term adoption trends and portfolio allocation strategies. The Path Toward New All-Time Highs Bitfinex’s analysis suggests a clear conditional pathway for Bitcoin’s continued appreciation. If the current trend of decreasing long-term holder selling persists, the market could successfully navigate the $93,000-$110,000 resistance zone. This breakthrough would likely trigger several market responses: First, technical traders would interpret such a move as confirmation of renewed bullish momentum, potentially increasing buying pressure. Second, media coverage of Bitcoin surpassing the $100,000 threshold could attract new retail and institutional interest. Third, decreased selling from long-term holders would reduce natural resistance to upward price movements, creating more favorable supply dynamics. Market observers should monitor several key metrics in coming weeks to assess whether this scenario unfolds. Exchange net flows, particularly from long-term holder addresses to exchanges, will indicate whether selling pressure continues decreasing. Additionally, derivatives market positioning and funding rates will reveal whether excessive leverage re-enters the market following the recent short squeeze. Conclusion The slowing sell-off from Bitcoin long-term holders represents a potentially significant development for cryptocurrency markets approaching critical resistance levels. Bitfinex’s analysis identifies this behavioral shift as a positive signal that could enable Bitcoin to break through the $93,000-$110,000 range and resume its rally toward new all-time highs. While market conditions remain complex with multiple influencing factors, the restraint demonstrated by Bitcoin’s most experienced investors suggests growing confidence in the digital asset’s long-term valuation. As always, market participants should consider this information alongside broader economic conditions and individual risk tolerance when making investment decisions. FAQs Q1: What defines a Bitcoin long-term holder in market analysis? Market analysts typically define Bitcoin long-term holders as addresses holding coins for at least 155 days. These investors demonstrate different behavioral patterns than short-term traders, often selling at psychologically significant price levels or cycle peaks. Q2: Why is the $93,000-$110,000 range significant for Bitcoin? This price range represents a historical resistance zone where long-term holders have concentrated selling activity during previous market cycles. Successfully navigating this area requires either decreased selling pressure or increased buying volume to overcome natural resistance. Q3: How does a short squeeze improve market structure? Short squeezes occur when leveraged short positions are forced to cover as prices rise, creating additional buying pressure. This process clears excessive leverage from the market, reducing systemic risk and creating healthier conditions for sustainable price movements. Q4: What other factors should investors monitor alongside holder behavior? Beyond long-term holder activity, market participants should track exchange inflows and outflows, derivatives market positioning, macroeconomic developments, regulatory announcements, and institutional adoption metrics for comprehensive market analysis. Q5: How does current long-term holder behavior compare to previous cycles? Current weekly selling volume of approximately 12,800 BTC represents a significant reduction from previous weeks and compares favorably to periods preceding previous market breakthroughs. However, structural differences in today’s more institutional market create unique conditions. This post Bitcoin Long-Term Holders Show Remarkable Restraint as Slowing Sell-Off Signals Potential $110K Breakthrough first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
19 Jan 2026, 13:30
CertiK Traces Tornado Cash Activity to $282M Crypto Compromise
CertiK reported that at least 686 BTC was bridged to Ethereum, converted into about 19,600 ETH, split across multiple wallets, and then sent into the mixer. The theft was traced to a social engineering attack in which the attacker obtained a seed phrase, which allowed them to take control of a wallet holding approximately 1,459 BTC and more than 2 million Litecoin. Meanwhile, South Korean authorities said they dismantled a money laundering network that allegedly moved 148.9 billion won, or about $101.7 million, using cryptocurrency and domestic bank accounts. The Korea Customs Service stated that the operation ran from 2021 to 2025 and concealed illicit transfers as legitimate personal expenses. Tornado Cash Used in $282M Wallet Hack Roughly $63 million in cryptocurrency deposits routed through Tornado Cash have been linked to a massive $282 million wallet compromise that happened on Jan. 10. According to blockchain security firm CertiK, its monitoring systems identified interactions with the privacy mixer that were directly connected to the exploit. CertiK’s analysis shows that a big portion of the stolen Bitcoin was first bridged to Ethereum using cross-chain swaps. At least 686 BTC was converted in this way, ultimately resulting in approximately 19,600 ETH arriving in a single Ethereum address. From there, the ETH was split across multiple wallets, with several hundred ETH sent onward from each address before finally entering Tornado Cash. While the $63 million figure is only a fraction of the total amount stolen, the pattern proves that there was a deliberate attempt to break the transaction trail after the exploit. The laundering behavior seen in this case follows what industry experts describe as a well-established playbook. Marwan Hachem , CEO of blockchain security firm FearsOff, said the flow closely mirrors classic large-scale laundering strategies seen in cross-chain thefts involving Bitcoin and Litecoin. He pointed to the use of THORswap for Bitcoin-to-Ether conversions and the subsequent division of funds into roughly 400 ETH chunks as “textbook” tactics that are designed to reduce attention and complicate recovery efforts. Once funds enter a mixer like Tornado Cash, chances of recovery typically drop to near zero. The Jan. 10 theft itself was traced to a social engineering attack rather than a protocol-level exploit. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT previously reported that the attacker impersonated wallet support staff, and tricked the victim into revealing a seed phrase. This allowed the crooks to gain full control of the wallet. The compromised address reportedly held around 1,459 BTC and more than 2 million Litecoin at the time of the attack. While a small portion of the stolen funds—around $700,000—was flagged and frozen early in the laundering process, the vast majority of the assets were quickly moved beyond practical reach. South Korea Busts $102M Crypto Laundering Ring In South Korea, authorities are fighting hard against crypt-related crime. South Korean customs authorities recently dismantled an international money laundering operation that allegedly moved close to 149 billion won, or about $101.7 million, through cryptocurrency transactions and the domestic banking system. The Korea Customs Service said that three individuals have been referred to prosecutors for suspected violations of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act, according to a report by Yonhap News Agency. Investigators allege the network operated for almost four years, from September of 2021 through June of 2025, and disguised illicit cross-border fund movements as legitimate personal expenses like cosmetic surgery fees and overseas tuition payments. To avoid detection, the suspects are accused of purchasing crypto assets across multiple jurisdictions, transferring them into South Korean wallets, converting them into local currency, and then distributing the proceeds through numerous domestic bank accounts. Authorities say this structure allowed the group to obscure the origin and destination of funds while exploiting both crypto rails and traditional banking channels. The case reared its head during a broader crackdown on illegal foreign exchange activity in South Korea. Earlier this month, the Korea Customs Service announced year-round intensive inspections targeting underground money exchange operations, and warned that such activity could threaten exchange rate stability. Officials have pointed out growing discrepancies between trade proceeds processed by banks and the value of goods reported to customs, with the gap reaching roughly $290 billion in 2025, the largest in five years. Separate inspections conducted last year found that 97% of companies in a targeted industry were involved in illicit foreign exchange transactions, totaling about 2.2 trillion won. The enforcement action also sheds some light on the increasing prominence of South Korea’s crypto market. Data from the Financial Services Commission shows that the country’s crypto asset market capitalization reached 95 trillion won, or about $64.6 billion, in June of 2025, with average daily trading volumes exceeding $4.3 billion.
19 Jan 2026, 13:12
Bybit Enables XAUT (Tether Gold) on Mantle, Expanding Access to Tokenized Gold in the Onchain Finance Ecosystem
BitcoinWorld Bybit Enables XAUT (Tether Gold) on Mantle, Expanding Access to Tokenized Gold in the Onchain Finance Ecosystem DUBAI, UAE , Jan. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, today announced the upcoming support for XAUT (Tether Gold) deposits and withdrawals on Mantle, expanding user access to tokenized gold while strengthening cross-chain asset functionality across the Mantle ecosystem. XAUT is a tokenized representation of physical gold issued by Tether, the world’s leading stablecoin issuer, with each token backed 1:1 by one troy ounce of gold held in secure vaults. With this deployment, Mantle integrates XAUT as part of its growing real-world asset (RWA) ecosystem, while Bybit enables seamless on- and off-ramps for users to manage gold-backed digital assets more efficiently. Bringing Tokenized Gold to a Scalable RWA-Focused Network The integration of XAUT on Mantle reflects a broader industry trend toward bringing high-quality real-world assets on-chain in a way that is scalable, cost-efficient, and composable with DeFi applications. Mantle’s modular Layer-2 architecture offers significantly lower transaction costs and faster settlement compared to Ethereum mainnet, making it well-suited for RWAs that require reliability and capital efficiency. For users, this means the ability to hold and transfer gold-backed assets on-chain with improved user experience without sacrificing the stability associated with physical gold. Supporting Real-World Asset Distribution at Scale Mantle’s integration of XAUT aligns with its long-term strategy to become a leading execution and distribution layer for real-world assets. As investor interest increasingly shifts toward yield-bearing and asset-backed instruments, Mantle aims to provide the infrastructure that allows RWAs to move seamlessly across DeFi protocols, vaults, and structured products. In recent years, gold has demonstrated notable price resilience and outperformance during periods of macroeconomic uncertainty. This trend has driven renewed interest in gold-backed instruments, including tokenized formats that enable greater accessibility and liquidity. Mantle expects this dynamic to translate into organic demand for XAUT across its DeFi ecosystem, particularly within vault-based strategies and capital-efficient yield markets. “Real-world assets are a core focus for Mantle, particularly assets with proven global demand and long-term value,” said Joshua Cheong, Head of Product of Mantle . “Gold’s strong performance in recent years reinforces the case for tokenized exposure, and integrating XAUT allows us to support that demand across DeFi, vaults, and structured on-chain products with lower costs and greater efficiency.” Bybit Expands Access to Gold-Backed Onchain Assets Bybit’s support for XAUT deposits and withdrawals on Mantle enhances user flexibility by enabling more efficient movement of gold-backed assets between centralized and decentralized environments. Users can now access Mantle-based applications while benefiting from Bybit’s established trading and custody infrastructure. This integration also contributes to deeper liquidity across the Mantle ecosystem, supporting a broader range of trading, lending, and yield-generating use cases involving real-world assets. Key Benefits of XAUT on Mantle Gold-Backed Stability: Each XAUT token is secured on a one-to-one basis by physical gold held in reserve. Reduced Transaction Costs: Mantle’s Layer-2 infrastructure significantly lowers fees compared to Ethereum mainnet. Faster Transfers and Settlement: Improved transaction finality enables more efficient deposits and withdrawals. Expanded DeFi Accessibility: XAUT can be utilized across Mantle-based protocols, enabling new use cases that combine real-world stability with on-chain liquidity. Advancing the Next Phase of Onchain Real-World Assets The launch of XAUT deposits and withdrawals on Mantle highlights the accelerating convergence of traditional assets and decentralized finance. By combining Tether’s tokenized gold, Mantle’s RWA-focused infrastructure, and Bybit’s global distribution, this integration represents a meaningful step toward more accessible, efficient, and liquid on-chain markets for real-world value. About Mantle Mantle is the premier distribution layer and gateway for institutions and TradFi to connect with on-chain liquidity and access real-world assets, powering how real-world finance flows. With over $4B+ in community-owned assets, Mantle combines credibility, liquidity and scalability with institutional-grade infrastructure to support large-scale adoption. The ecosystem is anchored by $MNT within Bybit, and built out through core ecosystem projects like mETH, fBTC, MI4 and more. This is complemented by Mantle Network’s partnerships with leading issuers and protocols such as Ethena USDe, Ondo USDY, OP-Succinct and EigenLayer. For more information about Mantle, please visit: mantle.xyz For more social updates, please follow: Mantle Official X & Mantle Community Channel For media enquiries, please contact: [email protected] About Bybit Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving a global community of over 80 million users. Founded in 2018, Bybit is redefining openness in the decentralized world by creating a simpler, open, and equal ecosystem for everyone. With a strong focus on Web3, Bybit partners strategically with leading blockchain protocols to provide robust infrastructure and drive on-chain innovation. Renowned for its secure custody, diverse marketplaces, intuitive user experience, and advanced blockchain tools, Bybit bridges the gap between TradFi and DeFi, empowering builders, creators, and enthusiasts to unlock the full potential of Web3. Discover the future of decentralized finance at Bybit.com . For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected] For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube About Tether Gold (XAUT) Tether Gold (XAUT) gives tokenized exposure to physical gold, with each token equal to one fine troy ounce on an LBMA Good Delivery bar. The bars are held by a Swiss custodian and are traceable to specific onchain addresses. XAUT token operates on public blockchains for digital transfer and settlement. This post Bybit Enables XAUT (Tether Gold) on Mantle, Expanding Access to Tokenized Gold in the Onchain Finance Ecosystem first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
19 Jan 2026, 12:56
Bitfinex Alpha | Market Structure Improves but Sell Overhang Persists
Review full report Subscribe to Bitfinex Alpha Subscribe to Bitfinex Alpha! Want to receive Alpha from Bitfinex every week? Subscribe if (document.cookie.indexOf('sticky-note-subscribe=1') === -1) { document.querySelector('#sticky-note-subscribe').style.display = 'block'}document.querySelector('#sticky-note-subscribe-cta').addEventListener('click', (e) => { e.preventDefault(); document.querySelector('#sticky-note-subscribe').style.display = 'none' document.cookie = 'sticky-note-subscribe=1; max-age=7776000';}); .wp-block-buttons > .wp-block-button { flex: 1;}.wp-block-buttons .wp-block-button .wp-block-button__link { display: block; text-align: center;}.wp-block-buttons .wp-block-button:last-child .wp-block-button__link { background-color: #1ABC91; border-color: #1abc9c; color: #fff;} Bitcoin momentarily broke above the $94,000–$95,000 resistance zone last week, on strong spot demand, rallying to an intraday high of $97,850 on 14 January, its highest level in over two months. The move triggered a meaningful short squeeze, with the largest single-day short liquidations in almost 100 days , as open interest normalised with leveraged longs taking profit and shorts being forced out. Since the reclaim of the 2025 yearly open and trading more than 21 percent above recent lows, there has been a clear improvement in market structure, even with the price retracing around 6 percent from the highs. The breakout, even if temporary, remains constructive, reflecting reduced leverage overhang and improving conditions, provided spot demand persists. However, BTC is advancing into a dense long-term holder (LTH) supply zone between roughly $93,000 and $110,000, where previous recovery attempts stalled. While LTHs remain net sellers, the pace of distribution has slowed sharply , with realised profits down to around 12,800 BTC per week from cycle peaks above 100,000 BTC. This moderation, combined with supportive Q1 seasonality and stronger order-flow dynamics than prior rallies, improves the probability that BTC can absorb overhead supply. A sustained move through this zone would require further easing in LTH sell pressure, paving the way for a more durable recovery and a potential re-test of all-time highs . Recent economic data points to an increasingly complex global macro and financial backdrop, marked by persistent inflation pressures, uneven consumer resilience, and tightening regulatory oversight. In the US, December inflation appeared stable on the surface, but rising food and housing costs continue to strain household budgets , limiting the Federal Reserve’s room to cut interest rates quickly. At the same time, consumer spending held up in November, driven largely by higher-income households, with lower-income groups facing mounting pressure from higher essential prices, tariffs, and uneven tax benefits as refund season approaches, highlighting growing imbalances beneath headline strength. Beyond the US economy, regulators continued to assert greater control over digital asset markets, with Dubai banning privacy-focused tokens , tightening stablecoin rules, and shifting responsibility for token approval to firms. In South Korea, access to unregistered overseas crypto exchange apps via Google Play is being blocked , to comply with domestic regulatory requirements. Alongside these regulatory shifts, China’s cross-border digital currency initiative gained momentum , with transaction volumes on the mBridge platform surpassing $55 billion and domestic use of the digital yuan expanding rapidly, signalling a gradual move toward a parallel payment infrastructure that reduces reliance on dollar-based systems. These developments underscore a global environment where economic resilience is increasingly uneven, policy flexibility is constrained, and both traditional finance and crypto markets are being reshaped by tighter regulation and evolving payment architectures rather than short-term growth dynamics. The post Bitfinex Alpha | Market Structure Improves but Sell Overhang Persists appeared first on Bitfinex blog .
19 Jan 2026, 12:45
Ripple's SEC lawsuit cannot be reopened without new laws or presidential consent
The long-running legal dispute between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Ripple Labs cannot be reopened on the same core issues, according to an Australian-based lawyer closely following the case. Lawyer Bill Morgan explained that the doctrine of res judicata now bars any additional litigation on whether XRP itself is a security, as well as any further discussion of the historical sales of XRP by Ripple between 2013 and 2020. His statement follows the criticism of the SEC by U.S. legislators over the agency’s decision to forego various crypto-related enforcement actions , such as the one against Ripple. Morgan stated that res judicata includes claim preclusion and issue preclusion, i.e. once a court has delivered a final verdict on a matter, then the same parties cannot re-litigate the matter in the future. He stated that the very litigation strategy of the SEC in the Ripple case caused such wide judicial review that in the future, it would limit the choices of the agency. How the SEC’s strategy shaped the court’s ruling According to Morgan, the SEC framed its lawsuit by dividing Ripple’s XRP activity into multiple broad categories. These included institutional sales, programmatic sales on secondary markets, and other forms of XRP distribution. At the same time, the regulator advanced the theory that XRP itself constituted a security. Because of this framing, the court was required to analyze the legal status of XRP itself before examining the different categories of sales. Morgan described this approach as a high-risk strategy, noting that if the court had determined that XRP itself was an investment contract, it would not have needed to assess the facts and circumstances of each category separately. In that scenario, any offer or sale of XRP by Ripple would have been treated as a securities transaction. The SEC lost big time on this issue and it allowed the court to distinguish between institutional sales and programmatic sales and other types of distributions of XRP by Ripple and make seperate findings for each category. The SEC cannot in any future claim relitigate the issue… — bill morgan (@Belisarius2020) January 18, 2026 Instead, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres ruled in July 2023 that XRP, in and of itself, is not an investment contract. This finding enabled the court to distinguish between institutional sales and programmatic or secondary-market sales, leading to separate legal conclusions for each category. As a result, the SEC lost key claims tied to XRP transactions outside of direct institutional sales. Morgan noted that the SEC did not challenge the specific finding that XRP itself is not an investment contract when it appealed parts of Judge Torres’ decision. He said that omission further solidified the issue for purposes of future litigation. Res judicata limits any revival of past claims In his argument, Morgan held that, since the court has already decided the merits of these issues, the SEC cannot relitigate them. This would encompass any assertions by Ripple regarding XRP sales made between 2013 and 2020. By the principle of res judicata, such cases are deemed closed. This came after House Democrats criticized SEC Chair Paul Atkins over abandoning over a dozen crypto enforcement cases, including those concerning Ripple and Binance. Legislators had asked the agency to keep up litigation against other actors, including Justin Sun. Morgan responded to such criticism by saying that closed cases cannot be reactivated after a final judgment has been passed. He further stated that the SEC undercut itself by contending in general that XRP itself and several groups of XRP sales by Ripple were securities. This method enabled the court to issue detailed decisions, resulting in binding determinations that limit the regulator’s legal discretion. What the SEC can still do Although Morgan asserts that the Ripple case is legally complete, he added that the SEC can do nothing in the future. The agency had the option to continue claiming sales of XRP made after 2020, as well as any subsequent distribution by Ripple. Any new litigation would be limited by issue preclusion arising from Judge Torres’s 2023 ruling, especially the conclusion that XRP itself is not a security. Morgan added that this limits the arguments the SEC has. Other critics have suggested that the SEC could reopen the case if the law changes. Morgan replied that this would involve, at least, action by a direct congressional decision, such as the enactment of new laws, and presidential consent. Sharpen your strategy with mentorship + daily ideas - 30 days free access to our trading program
19 Jan 2026, 12:44
Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson slams Ripple’s CEO over U.S. crypto bill
Despite being a big part of the cryptocurrency bull case for 2026, the U.S. CLARITY Act is shaping up to be a major point of contention within the industry, and Cardano’s ( ADA ) Charles Hoskinson and Ripple’s Brad Garlinghouse appear to be on opposite sides of the debate. Specifically, in a live broadcast on Elon Musk’s X, dated January 18, Hoskinson voiced his displeasure with Garlinghouse’s continued backing of the bill. Indeed, Ripple CEO praised the Senate Banking Committee’s so-called CLARITY Act in a January 14 X post, calling it ‘long-overdue’ but also ‘a massive step forward in providing workable frameworks for crypto, while continuing to protect consumers.’ While long-overdue, this move by @SenatorTimScott and @BankingGOP on market structure is a massive step forward in providing workable frameworks for crypto, while continuing to protect consumers. Ripple (and I) know firsthand that clarity beats chaos, and this bill’s success is… https://t.co/EWcml1NpBE — Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) January 14, 2026 Garlinghouse, within the same statement, emphasized that the main benefit of the legislative move is clarity for the industry, while noting that he and his company ‘know firsthand that clarity beats chaos.’ Ripple has been involved in a destructive legal battle against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for years and only settled the issue in the summer of 2025. Hoskinson, along with several other prominent cryptocurrency executives, has been growing increasingly critical of the CLARITY Act and its continued supporters. The Cardano founder was particularly shocked that Garlinghouse’s approach appears to be that having no legislation is better than having no legislation. “And you still got people like Brad saying, well, it’s not perfect, but we just got to get something, you know, it’s better than no clarity. Handed to the same people who sued us,” Hoskinson declared. Why Cardano’s Hoskinson opposes the CLARITY Act Indeed, Charles Hoskinson appears concerned with the time CLARITY Act took to take shape, and not just with its contents, having previously blamed President Donald Trump – whom he described as a ‘mercurial boy-king’ in the latest broadcast – for his involvement with various presidential family-branded digital assets. He also blamed the commander-in-chief for eroding trust in cryptocurrencies at a critical time, explaining he was particularly disappointed as he initially viewed the Republican’s electoral victory as a positive development for the sector. Elsewhere, Hoskinson is far from the only prominent figure in the industry to not back the CLARITY Act. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced he is withdrawing his support for the legislation on January 14. According to Armstrong, the biggest issues with the document are a de facto ban on tokenized assets, giving the government too much oversight over individuals’ financial records, a depowering of the CFTC in favor of the SEC, and amendments that could kill rewards on stablecoins . After reviewing the Senate Banking draft text over the last 48hrs, Coinbase unfortunately can’t support the bill as written. There are too many issues, including: – A defacto ban on tokenized equities – DeFi prohibitions, giving the government unlimited access to your financial… — Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) January 14, 2026 Hoskinson took particular issue with empowering the SEC, saying: “137 amendments later, it hands the entire keys to the cryptocurrency kingdom to the SEC. And you have to go and beg for them to make it not a security. All new projects are securities by default. How is that any better than what Scary Gary (Former SEC Chair Gary Gensler) gave us under Biden.” Why Ripple prioritizes legal clarity Garlinghouse’s perspective, for what it is worth, appears sensible and unsensible at the same time. On the one hand, backing an imperfect piece of legislation for the sake of some clarity appears at odds with Ripple’s own legal history. Indeed, the SEC has, for years, insisted that the rules for the cryptocurrency market are clear, and the fact that various digital assets companies disagree with the framework does not make it invalid. The posterchild for this approach has been the application of the famous Howey Test on coins and tokens, and especially those involved in initial coin offerings (ICOs). Considering such a history, it appears odd that Garlinghouse would praise deficient legislation simply for the sake of it providing clarity. On the other hand, however, Ripple has been embroiled in a legal battle against a Federal agency for years and has, along with multiple other companies, argued that new bills are needed as the existing framework – with the Howey Test once more being a posterchild – simply being inadequate. Between the fact that the CLARITY Act is, at the very least, a tailor-made piece of legislation, XRP’s strong market success in the wake of the SEC settlement, and Ripple’s expansion and continuation of operations as exemplified by the RLUSD stablecoin’s growth and the latest 1 billion XRP unlock , a desire for clarity moving forward does appear sensible. Featured image via Messari YouTube The post Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson slams Ripple’s CEO over U.S. crypto bill appeared first on Finbold .
