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20 Jan 2026, 02:30

Peter Schiff Sees Bitcoin Setting up for Major Crash as Dollar Collapse Looms

Mounting global bond stress and soaring precious metals signal a weakening dollar and looming stagflation, while bitcoin faces a sharp reckoning as its digital gold narrative falters, economist Peter Schiff warned. Peter Schiff: A Dollar Collapse Is Unfolding — and Bitcoin Is Setting up for a Violent Crash Economist and gold advocate Peter Schiff shared

20 Jan 2026, 01:35

People’s Bank of China Holds Steady: A Strategic Pause in Benchmark Lending Rates Signals Cautious Stability

BitcoinWorld People’s Bank of China Holds Steady: A Strategic Pause in Benchmark Lending Rates Signals Cautious Stability In a decisive move watched by global markets, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) announced on [Current Date] from Beijing that it will maintain its key benchmark lending rates, signaling a period of strategic monetary stability. Consequently, the central bank holds the one-year loan prime rate (LPR) steady at 3.0% and the crucial five-year LPR at 3.5%. This decision, therefore, underscores a deliberate pause in policy adjustments as authorities carefully assess complex economic crosscurrents. Understanding the People’s Bank of China’s Steady Hand The People’s Bank of China’s latest announcement directly concerns the Loan Prime Rate (LPR), which functions as the nation’s de facto benchmark for lending. Moreover, commercial banks now use the LPR to price new loans, making it a vital transmission tool for monetary policy. The one-year rate primarily influences corporate and short-term household loans. Conversely, the five-year LPR serves as the main reference for mortgage rates, directly impacting the massive real estate sector and consumer sentiment. This decision follows the PBOC’s recent move to keep its medium-term lending facility (MLF) rate unchanged. Since the LPR derives partly from the MLF rate, market analysts widely anticipated this stability. The central bank’s consistent approach, therefore, aims to balance several competing priorities: Supporting Economic Recovery: Maintaining low borrowing costs aids business investment and consumption. Stabilizing the Yuan: Avoiding aggressive rate cuts helps prevent excessive capital outflows and currency pressure. Managing Debt Levels: Cautious policy prevents further fueling of corporate and local government leverage. Controlling Inflation: With global commodity prices fluctuating, the PBOC monitors domestic price pressures closely. The Global and Domestic Context for Monetary Policy Globally, central banks like the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank have pursued aggressive tightening cycles to combat inflation. In contrast, the People’s Bank of China has charted a more independent, moderately supportive path. This divergence creates significant implications for cross-border capital flows and exchange rates. Domestically, China’s economy shows a mixed recovery pattern. Strong manufacturing and export data often contrast with persistent weakness in the property market and subdued consumer confidence. Recent economic indicators provide critical context for the PBOC’s steady stance. Industrial production and retail sales figures have shown moderate growth. However, the developer debt crisis and falling home prices continue to pose substantial risks. The central bank’s decision, therefore, reflects a nuanced reading of these fragmented signals. It avoids adding stimulus that might overheat certain sectors while also refraining from tightening that could stifle fragile demand. Expert Analysis on Policy Transmission and Market Impact Financial analysts note that the effectiveness of the LPR hinges on its transmission to actual lending rates. “The steady LPR is a necessary but not sufficient condition for credit expansion,” observes a senior economist at a major Chinese securities firm. “Bank willingness to lend and corporate demand for borrowing remain the crucial links in the chain. The PBOC is likely providing targeted support through other structural tools.” Historical data illustrates the LPR’s trajectory and its economic correlation. Recent LPR Trends and Economic Indicators Period 1-Year LPR 5-Year LPR Key Economic Context Q4 2023 3.45% 4.20% Post-pandemic recovery focus Q1 2024 3.35% 3.95% Targeted property sector support Q2 2024 3.20% 3.70% Broad stimulus to boost demand Current 3.00% 3.50% Stability phase amid mixed data Market reaction to the announcement has been muted, indicating the decision matched investor expectations. Chinese government bond yields showed little movement, and the yuan exchange rate remained stable against the US dollar. This calm response suggests markets have priced in the PBOC’s cautious stance. Furthermore, it reflects confidence in the central bank’s commitment to avoiding policy surprises that could trigger volatility. Sectoral Implications of Unchanged Benchmark Lending Rates The steady five-year LPR provides immediate clarity for the real estate sector. Homebuyers will not see changes to their mortgage rate benchmarks, offering short-term predictability. However, developers hoping for a stronger stimulus to revive housing demand may view the status quo as insufficient. For the corporate sector, the stable one-year LPR keeps financing costs low for working capital and equipment purchases. This environment particularly benefits small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which rely heavily on bank loans. Commercial banks now operate with a clear pricing signal for the coming month. Their net interest margins (NIMs)—the difference between lending and deposit rates—face continued pressure. With lending rates anchored and deposit rates relatively rigid, profitability challenges persist for the banking industry. Consequently, banks may focus more on fee-based services and efficient capital allocation to maintain earnings. The PBOC’s stability, therefore, shifts the onus onto financial institutions to optimize their operations within a predictable rate environment. The Road Ahead: Future Monetary Policy Trajectory Most analysts project the People’s Bank of China will maintain its steady approach in the near term. Future decisions will depend heavily on incoming data, particularly on inflation, employment, and the property market. The central bank retains a toolkit of other measures, including reserve requirement ratio (RRR) cuts and targeted relending facilities, to provide liquidity without adjusting benchmark rates. International factors, especially the monetary policy path of the US Federal Reserve, will also influence the PBOC’s calculus regarding the yuan’s stability. Potential triggers for a future LPR cut include a sharper-than-expected slowdown in growth or a deepening of the property downturn. Conversely, signs of robust recovery and rising inflationary pressures could delay any easing moves indefinitely. The PBOC’s primary mandate involves maintaining price stability and supporting economic growth. Its current steady stance on benchmark lending rates demonstrates a balanced, data-dependent approach to fulfilling this dual mandate in a complex global environment. Conclusion The People’s Bank of China’s decision to hold its benchmark lending rates steady represents a calculated pause in monetary policy. By maintaining the one-year and five-year LPRs, the central bank signals cautious optimism and a focus on stability. This approach supports economic recovery without exacerbating financial risks or currency pressures. Ultimately, the PBOC’s steady hand provides a predictable foundation for businesses and households, guiding China’s economy through a period of global uncertainty and domestic transition. FAQs Q1: What are the Loan Prime Rates (LPRs) set by the People’s Bank of China? The LPRs are China’s benchmark lending rates. The one-year LPR influences corporate and short-term loans, while the five-year LPR is the main reference for mortgage pricing. Commercial banks use these rates as a base for setting their own lending interest rates. Q2: Why did the PBOC decide to keep the LPRs unchanged? The central bank likely aims to balance supporting economic growth with maintaining financial stability. Holding rates steady avoids adding stimulus that could fuel debt or inflation, while also refraining from tightening that might hinder a fragile recovery, especially in the property sector. Q3: How does this decision affect Chinese homebuyers and the property market? The unchanged five-year LPR means the benchmark for new mortgages remains stable. This provides certainty for homebuyers but may disappoint developers and potential buyers hoping for a rate cut to significantly lower borrowing costs and stimulate housing demand. Q4: What tools does the PBOC have besides the LPR to manage the economy? Beyond benchmark rates, the People’s Bank of China uses the Medium-term Lending Facility (MLF) rate, the Reserve Requirement Ratio (RRR) for banks, and various targeted lending programs. These tools allow for precise adjustments to liquidity in specific sectors of the economy. Q5: How does China’s monetary policy differ from that of the US Federal Reserve currently? As of this announcement, the PBOC is maintaining a steady or moderately supportive stance to aid domestic growth, while the US Federal Reserve has been in a tightening cycle to combat high inflation. This policy divergence impacts the exchange rate between the yuan and the US dollar. This post People’s Bank of China Holds Steady: A Strategic Pause in Benchmark Lending Rates Signals Cautious Stability first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

19 Jan 2026, 22:17

Tokenized Assets Cross $21B as RWAs Flex Early Muscle in 2026

According to the latest data, total value locked in the real-world asset ( RWA) sector added more than a billion dollars in the opening weeks of January 2026, pushing the tally past the $21 billion threshold. RWAs Rack up Billions as Treasurys and Gold Dominate Tokenization Tokenization and the RWA space are widely expected to

19 Jan 2026, 22:10

India imported $5.9 billion of silver in four months, up 400% from Q4 2024

India just hauled in $5.9 billion worth of silver in four months. That’s a 400% jump from the end of 2024 and a 64% leap over its 2022 record. From 2013 to 2019, silver imports were about $1.5 billion per year. The country’s silver demand is being pushed by jewelry buyers, physical bar investors, and heavy industrial usage in things like electronics and solar panels. India has always been one of the biggest silver buyers globally, but this year, it’s going full throttle. Nifty Metal Index rallies as silver leads the charge in Indian stocks The buying fever is hitting India’s stock market too. The Nifty Metal Index, which tracks mining and metals companies, just had its best opening quarter since 2018. It’s crushing the Nifty 50, sending the metals-to-main-index ratio to the highest point in 11 years. Metal stocks are flying, and silver’s right at the center of it. On the global side, spot silver jumped 5% to $94.41 an ounce, hitting an all-time high of $94.61. Prices have now climbed more than 32% since January. But despite the record-setting price, India’s demand cooled off. Physical silver started trading at a ₹10,000 per kilo discount. “There is a ₹10,000 per kilo (kg) discount for bars prevailing in the physical market here,” said Surendra Mehta, the IBJA national secretary. His association’s pricing is used by the Reserve Bank of India for its sovereign gold bond program. Surendra said dealers in Mumbai were offering silver at ₹292,628 per kg, though the landed cost was ₹302,628. Meanwhile, MCX silver futures surged by 5.5% to ₹3.03 lakh per kg on Monday, per data from Reuters. The Nippon India Silver ETF surged by 5.66% to ₹284.70 per gram, pushing its YTD returns to 32.45%. In the past year, it’s delivered 225%. By comparison, the Nifty index dropped 2.15% so far this year and only managed 10.3% over the past 12 months. ETF assets have ballooned from ₹15,339.21 crore in March 2025 to ₹72,907.44 crore by the end of December 2025, Kotak Mutual Fund reported. Silver profits are also showing up in earnings. Hindustan Zinc (the company that controls about three-fourths of India’s zinc market) posted a 46.2% profit jump in Q3. Its profit hit ₹39.16 billion ($430.6 million), up from ₹26.78 billion last year. Revenue was up 27.5%, and mined and refined production grew 4% each, both record highs for the October to December quarter. Gold rose 1.7% to $4,672.49 an ounce, while U.S. gold futures added 1.8% to $4,677.70. The yen and Swiss franc also gained. Platinum added 1.5% to $2,362.65, and palladium increased 1.1% to $1,819.99. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .

19 Jan 2026, 21:55

South Korea sentences crypto operators in USDT scam

South Korean authorities imprisoned two fraudsters for laundering $1 million in USDT from a voice phishing operation. The leader was sentenced to five years in prison, while his employee was sentenced to two years and eight months. The 41-year-old leader, along with his employee, operated an illegal crypto exchange. They laundered $1 million using Tether’s USDT to support a voice phishing group. Funds vanished within an hour South Korean prosecutors stated the criminals used Telegram to contact the exchange chief for three months. The criminals pretended to be police officers or relatives to trick victims into sending money to accounts managed by the illegal exchange. The exchange received the money from local banks after the victims sent funds to these accounts. Then the employees converted the deposited fiat currency for USDT . The funds moved fast from cheques, to cash deposited to the sketchy exchange, and finally to Tether coins. A prosecutor said that regulators and banks could not freeze victims’ accounts. There was not enough time to recover the funds after the victims reported the scams to the police. Other prosecutors informed the court that the voice phishing operation was located abroad, but they did not reveal the exact location. They told the court the process was so fast that the money disappeared within one hour. Presiding Judge Lee Young-cheol said the court considered that the defendants did not try to repair the victims’ severe harm, reported Yeongnam Ilbo. The judge described the crimes as heinous and said the defendants made it nearly impossible to recover the lost money. The leader and his employee are facing charges under the Special Act on the Prevention of Damage and Refund of Damage from Telecommunications Financial Fraud. South Korean officials said they could not determine the number of victims who lost money to the voice phishing fraud. South Korean officials warn of rising stablecoin fraud The adoption of cryptocurrencies is accelerating in South Korea , but criminals are increasingly using them to scam people, too. Regulators reported a 54% increase in suspicious crypto transactions last year compared to the previous year. South Korean ministers are urging quick government action to prevent criminals from exploiting stablecoins like USDT and USDC. In September, lawmaker Jin Sung-joon said stablecoins are increasingly likely to be misused in foreign exchange crimes like illegal currency exchange. “We need a coordinated, proactive strategy encompassing law enforcement authorities such as KoFIU and the Korea Customs Service, in tracking, identifying and prosecuting criminal funds,” said the lawmaker. He added, “More policy measures should be outlined to prevent illegal, unauthorized remittances and tackle financial crimes involving crypto assets.” Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .

19 Jan 2026, 21:40

Coinbase CEO leverages Davos 2026 to speak to world leaders on crypto adoption

Coinbase Chief Executive Officer Brian Armstrong has outlined three priorities for his visit to the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) being held at Davos, Switzerland. Armstrong stated that he will be engaging world leaders on economic freedom and cryptocurrency adoption, advancing market structure legislation, and promoting tokenization to democratize capital market access. “I’m talking to different world leaders about economic freedom and how crypto can update their financial system,” Armstrong said in a video posted on X , outlining that it is the first goal for them this week. This year’s edition of the WEF is themed “ A Spirit of Dialogue ,” and from Armstrong’s write-up and video, it seems he will be doing a lot of dialogue to advocate for what he calls the future of finance, which he says is here, and this time it’s built for the people. Armstrong’s takeaways from Davos 2025 Last year, the Coinbase chief reported that cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence were the most discussed topics at Davos apart from President Donald Trump himself. Armstrong said nearly every conversation with major market leaders centered on the Trump administration’s cryptocurrency plans, particularly the proposed Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which Trump later established in March 2025 via an executive order . “President Trump is forcing everyone to up their game,” Armstrong wrote on X following the forum. “Basically every conversation I had with major market leaders was focused on what the Trump Admin planned to do on crypto – eg, on a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve – and how they can avoid being left behind.” During a panel discussion at the forum, Armstrong stated that it was the “dawn of a new day” for cryptocurrency, contrasting with what he characterized as hostility from the previous administration. “You have to remember: the last four years, we really felt like we were being attacked by this administration,” he told CNBC in Davos. Bitcoin did rise to its all-time high of over $126,198 in October 2025; however, it also crashed briefly that same month and hasn’t risen above $100,000 since November 2025. Coinbase CEO to speak with bank CEOs The second thing on Armstrong’s to-do list at Davos 2026 is to work with bank CEOs to find working legislation that works for all of them. “We’re going to continue to work on market structure legislation and meet with some of the bank CEOs to figure out how we can make this a win-win,” he stated. Given the current boom in the usage of stablecoins, jurisdictions like the United States and Hong Kong have made legislation like the GENIUS Act and Stablecoin Ordinance, respectively, and they are not alone, as more have made and are making regulations that govern stablecoins. The United States is currently working on more robust crypto legislation known as the CLARITY Act , and some of its provisions, alongside those in the GENIUS Act, are of concern for stakeholders like Armstrong and CEOs of some major banks. So, it’s no surprise that Armstrong wants to speak with them to forge a way to work together. “Stablecoins should be an opportunity for both banks and crypto companies as long as we’re all treated on a level playing field,” he said, adding that final decisions would be deferred to the Senate and the current administration. Democratizing capital markets Armstrong’s third priority focused on tokenization and its potential to expand access to investment opportunities. He cited approximately 4 billion adults globally who lack access to brokerage services and quality investments. “There’s about 4 billion adults globally that are unbrokered. They don’t have access to any kind of high quality investments,” Armstrong said. “This is the engine of wealth creation that everybody should have access to, and crypto’s gonna help make that happen.” The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .