hodler

25 Jan 2026, 10:06

Bill Miller: Bitcoin Would Hit $1.7 Million if Recognized as 'Digital Gold'

If Bitcoin were to capture gold’s entire monetary premium, the price per coin would need to rise approximately 19x from current levels.

25 Jan 2026, 04:42

The Fed and other central banks plan to keep interest rates steady.

The Federal Reserve, along with three central banks that recently voiced support for its embattled chair, is united in a key objective of keeping interest rates steady during this delicate period for global leaders. Amid rising pressure from US President Donald Trump for lower borrowing costs, the Fed has urged Washington officials to stay focused on this goal. The officials are expected to reaffirm this stance when they wrap up their two-day meeting on Wednesday, January 28. At the same time, analysts predict that central banks in countries such as Brazil, Canada , and Sweden are also likely to maintain their current interest rates given the prevailing economic conditions. The Fed encountered a tense moment amid Trump’s demands Regarding the Fed’s recent decision , sources close to the situation, who wished to remain anonymous, as the discussions were private, unveiled that the three central banks teamed up with more than a dozen others, including the Bank of England (BoE) and the European Central Bank (ECB), who proved to be Fed chair Jerome Powell’s strong supporters. Under this collaboration, these banks stressed the importance of independence at a time when the administration in Washington exerted heightened pressure on Powell and the team. To demonstrate the intensity of the situation, reports highlighted that, in addition to the US president repeatedly complaining about the Fed chair’s cautious approach to lowering interest rates, the Fed is currently facing grand jury subpoenas, suggesting the possibility of criminal charges. On the other hand, the Supreme Court reviewed arguments presented regarding whether Trump can proceed with his motive to dismiss Lisa Cook, a Member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors of the United States. Following this drama, central banks worldwide have adopted a strategic approach to their operations to counter mounting international pressures. However, they still raise concerns due to several challenging global situations, including a recent market crash in Japan, rising investor tensions over Trump’s interest in Greenland, and his escalating threats to international trade flows . Regarding this matter, Kristalina Georgieva, the head of the International Monetary Fund, commented that the world is currently more vulnerable to sudden changes. Georgieva made this statement during the closing session of the World Economic Forum in Davos, further arguing that things have taken a different turn nowadays. Several analysts also weighed in on the topic. They noted that, “We believe that most members of the FOMC can find data that supports keeping rates unchanged at the upcoming meeting. This level of agreement would show support for Powell, who has faced strong criticism from the White House. The key figures to watch are Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman: If they join the majority in voting to keep rates steady, they will signal their backing for Powell — especially regarding Fed independence. We think Waller will vote with the majority, but Bowman may disagree.” In the meantime, policymakers noted that while they are concerned about the negative impact of tariffs on economic expansion, they remain focused on monitoring potential inflationary pressures in today’s climate. Uncertainties surround the fate of the Fed’s decision on interest rates A group of 18 central banks worldwide is set to attend meetings scheduled for decision-making sessions next week. Following this announcement, several analysts anticipated that central banks in Africa would take a different approach from the Fed, thereby supporting new easing measures as they adapt to shifting economic conditions. On the other hand, sources noted that inflation reports from Australia to Brazil and Japan, along with Chinese industrial profits and European GDP figures, will be major highlights. In the meantime, officials from the Fed are expected to maintain interest rates steady after implementing three consecutive rate reductions by late 2025. At this moment, analysts predict that Powell will propose that the current policy is fit for purpose for the time being, but the Fed chair will not outline upcoming changes to interest rates. With this approach in place, officials can take their time to observe how previous rate reductions have affected the country’s economic progress. Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.

25 Jan 2026, 00:30

$7 Trillion Player Is Moving Into Bitcoin, Can This Trigger A Surge To $200,000?

Swiss banking giant UBS, with assets under management (AuM) of up to $7 trillion, is set to launch Bitcoin trading for some of its clients. This comes amid predictions that regulatory clarity and broader adoption could send the BTC price to as high as $200,000. UBS To Offer Bitcoin Trading To Some Wealth Clients Bloomberg reported that UBS is planning to launch crypto trading for some of its wealth clients, starting with its private bank clients in Switzerland. The bank will reportedly begin by offering these clients the opportunity to invest in Bitcoin and Ethereum . At the same time, the crypto offering could further expand to clients in the Pacific-Asia region and the U.S. The banking giant is currently in discussions with potential partners, and there is no clear timeline for when it could launch Bitcoin and Ethereum trading for clients. This move is said to be partly due to increased demand from wealth clients for crypto exposure. UBS also faces increased competition as other Wall Street giants are working to offer crypto trading. Morgan Stanley , in partnership with Zerohash, announced plans to launch crypto trading in the first half of this year, starting with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana. The banking giant may soon also be able to offer its crypto products, as it has filed with the SEC to launch spot BTC, ETH, and SOL ETFs. Furthermore, JPMorgan, another of UBS’ competitors, is considering offering crypto trading to institutional clients , although this plan is still in the early stages. The bank already accepts Bitcoin and Ethereum as collateral from its clients. Last year, it also filed to offer BTC structured notes that will track the performance of the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF. Can Bank’s Entry Trigger A BTC Rally To $200,000 Kevin O’Leary predicted that Bitcoin could rally to between $150,000 and $200,000 this year, driven by the passage of the CLARITY Act. His prediction came just as White House Crypto Czar David Sacks said banks would fully enter crypto once the bill passes. As such, there is a possibility that BTC could reach this $200,000 psychological level in anticipation of the amount of new capital that could flow into BTC from these banks once the bill passes. BitMine’s Chairman, Tom Lee, also predicted during a CNBC interview that Bitcoin could reach between $200,000 and $250,000 this year, partly due to growing institutional adoption by Wall Street giants. Meanwhile, Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao said that a BTC rally to $200,000 is the “most obvious thing in the world” to him. At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price is trading at around $89,600, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

24 Jan 2026, 23:54

Brazil sets clearer rules for banks entering crypto

The Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) set new regulations for banks and brokers handling crypto assets in South American country. The new crypto rulebook specifies what banks and securities firms must submit and what an external certifier must confirm before offering crypto intermediation and custody services in Brazil. Instrução Normativa (IN) BCB No. 701 was published in Brazil’s official gazette on January 23, 2026, and will become effective on February 2, 2026. Brazil’s central bank formalizes crypto entry rules IN 701 does not build Brazil’s crypto framework from the ground up. It applies sections of BCB Resolution No. 520 (Nov. 10, 2025) by defining the communication steps and the essential content needed. Under IN 701, banks must maintain current registration in Unicad. Also, they must submit independent certification via the BCB’s APS-Siscom system. If the bank does not complete all required steps, the communication is ineffective at the BCB. The bank stays barred from providing crypto services under the new rules. Banks must hire an independent, qualified certifier to verify their compliance with the BCB rules for VASPs before starting operations. The certifier must sign a declaration with the applicant bank, confirming no corporate or commercial ties that might cause a conflict of interest. User funds must be separated Certifiers must verify that institutions keep user funds separate from company assets and show evidence of reserves for all digital assets held by both customers and the company. IN 701 requires the certification to clearly evaluate each item to determine if the institution meets baseline requirements. The certification must include operational controls common in prudential frameworks. These controls involve outsourced services, especially data processing and cloud computing. It must also assess the technical and legal compliance of key suppliers, including those abroad. Recovery plans for client assets and funds are required. Governance policies, internal controls, and cybersecurity with incident response measures must also be addressed. The certifier must examine controls related to anti-financial-crime compliance, including anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, and proliferation-financing risks. They must also review market integrity procedures aimed at detecting and stopping abusive actions in the virtual-asset market. The certification should cover each required item individually. The BCB may ask the certifier for more detailed explanations if needed. IN 701 requires certifiers to verify that banks clearly inform customers about the services, support channels, key third-party providers, guarantee funds or insurance, custody processes, risks of the virtual asset and its blockchain, and the terms and risks of staking operations. The rule now mandates certifiers to retain working papers and memos for five years, enhancing the BCB’s review capability. Brazilian banks gain a faster path into crypto Isac Costa, professor and director of the Brazilian Institute of Technology and Innovation (IBIT), says banks may function without fully completing the usual authorization process for common VASPs if they secure certification. He told Valor Econômico that institutions may begin services 90 days after notifying the Central Bank, provided they have independent technical certification confirming full regulatory compliance. The rules do not name the companies that will certify institutions, but Costa thinks auditors familiar with crypto will take on this role. The central bank is likely to clarify this issue because these auditors play a key role in bringing banks into the crypto industry. This is important for Brazil’s effort to promote crypto through banks. Banks and brokerages in Brazil are interested in providing crypto trading and custody to retail investors. The BCB’s method shifts some initial verification tasks to an external certifier but retains the supervisor’s authority to review, block, or stop actions. Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .

24 Jan 2026, 23:00

Stablecoins Gain Ground In Africa As Remittances Outpace Aid, Ex-UN Official Says

Africa is seeing a quiet shift in how people send and hold value. Mobile phones are central. According to Vera Songwe, a former UN under-secretary-general, millions who lack bank accounts can use stablecoins to protect savings and move money faster. That access matters in places where inflation has been high and bank fees are steep. Use By Businesses And Everyday People Reports have disclosed that stablecoins now make up around 43% of all crypto transaction volume in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria alone processed nearly $22 billion in dollar-linked stablecoin activity over a recent 12-month span. That money is used for remittances, payroll and business settlements. Firms and market traders are among the biggest users, but many everyday people are joining in too. In countries such as Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa, demand is driven by volatile local currencies and rules that limit access to dollars. Mobile money networks help push adoption along. Stablecoins Speed Up Cross-Border Payments Traditional remittances can be costly. At a World Economic Forum panel in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, Songwe noted that sending $100 through traditional money transfer services in Africa often costs around $6, making cross-border payments both slow and costly. Stablecoins cut those costs and shorten wait times from days to minutes for many transfers. Small payments and wages can be settled quickly, and that speed changes how businesses plan cash flow. Local Rules Are Changing Fast Governments are reacting in different ways. Ghana passed a Virtual Asset Service Providers law to bring trading into a formal framework. On January 13, Nigeria required crypto platforms to link transactions to tax ID numbers, a move meant to bring activity into official records. South Africa’s central bank has warned that stablecoins and other tokens could pose risks to financial stability as use grows. Policy is being written while users and tech firms keep pushing ahead. Risks And The Road Ahead High inflation remains a core reason people are turning to stablecoins . Reports say inflation has exceeded 20% in 12 to 15 countries since the pandemic, and that reality pushes people to look for alternatives to local notes. Everyday Use, Measured Change What started as a tech niche has grown into a practical tool for many across the continent. For small and medium businesses, the benefit is clear: faster settlements and lower costs. For people without bank accounts, a smartphone can now open a route to store value in currencies less tied to local inflation. Adoption will likely keep rising, but how quickly it becomes part of mainstream finance will depend on stronger rules, better safeguards, and the continued spread of simple mobile services that people trust. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

24 Jan 2026, 22:46

GoMining Survey Shows 55% of Bitcoiners Never Use it for Real-World Payments

Bitcoin’s narrative as a unit of exchange is not growing as quickly as many proponents would like. In a recent survey conducted by the crypto mining platform GoMining, over 5,700 Bitcoin holders shared their experiences with crypto use for everyday payments. The result showed that 55% of respondents rarely or never use crypto for daily real-world transactions. Admittedly, they claim to believe in crypto adoption and the privacy it provides. Still, they gave five reasons behind their choice. A Drawback in Infrastructure The foremost reason why many respondents do not use their crypto holdings to cover everyday payments is the lack of adequate infrastructure to enable them to do so. Over 49% of respondents (2,663) stressed that most merchants do not accept crypto as a payment method. GoMining’s CEO, Mark Zalan, emphasized this point, telling CryptoPotato that “people don’t build a new habit if they have to hunt for places that accept it.” Another 44.7% (2,400) of the survey respondents cited high fees as a barrier, while 26.8% (1,440) highlighted long transaction processing times as a challenge. Blockchain networks, such as Bitcoin, that use a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus algorithm often struggle with network speed and transaction fees. As a result, users may find themselves paying more in fees than they would with traditional payment methods. Stablecoins: A Better Option? Over 43% of respondents (2,330) cited price volatility as the reason they did not use crypto for daily payments. Granted, most cryptocurrencies, like BTC, are known for their nonstop volatility. As a result, many have flocked to stablecoins for payments. GoMining’s CEO recognized and emphasized this in his comment: “The [transaction] confirmations need to be fast, and the customer needs to know what to expect from receipts or dispute handling. That’s why stablecoin settlement and card-style systems are drawing so much attention; they lower friction for merchants while keeping the flow familiar. [. . .] Rewards can help people try it at first, but they only stick if fees are low and you can actually use it everywhere.” Finally, 36.2% (1,942) of respondents pointed to potential scams as the reason they did not embrace crypto for everyday payments. On the question of whether Zalan believes crypto should be used more for payments, he said that he doesn’t. Instead, he noted that trying to force that is part of the market confusion. “Bitcoin can play a payment role, often as a settlement and reserve layer that allows faster rails above it. However, there are numerous other tokens that are better viewed as utility for networks, tools for governance, or even as risks, not as money,” he added. The post GoMining Survey Shows 55% of Bitcoiners Never Use it for Real-World Payments appeared first on CryptoPotato .