hodler

30 Jan 2026, 05:11

Bitcoin falls to $81K, triggering $1.7B in liquidations

Bitcoin plunged to a nine-month low as geopolitical tensions, tariff threats, and tech earnings concerned traders, triggering billions of dollars worth of long liquidations.

30 Jan 2026, 04:56

Helix had managed over 350000 BTC for customers

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has finalized the seizure of more than $400 million in cryptocurrencies and related assets tied to the now-defunct darknet cryptocurrency mixer Helix. Before the DOJ’s involvement, Helix worked to combine cryptocurrency from various users and pass it through numerous transactions to obscure its origin , destination, and ownership. Earlier, federal authorities had already seized control of assets belonging to Larry Dean Harmon, who managed Helix as it moved more than $300 million in crypto from 2014 to 2017. In August 2021, Harmon admitted to conspiring to launder money. He was sentenced in November 2024 to 36 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and the forfeiture of funds and property. Helix had managed over 350000 BTC for customers Court records show Helix was among the most widely used darknet mixers, especially popular with online drug sellers looking to clean their illegal earnings. The mixer handled close to 354,468 BTC on behalf of users, which at that time was about $300 million. Much of the digital currency was linked to illegal drug platforms on the darknet, and Harmon made money by taking a share of each transaction. Helix and Grams were built to connect with most darknet marketplaces, including the infamous AlphaBay, with Helix’s API making it easy for platforms to route withdrawals through the mixer. Investigators later traced large sums totaling tens of millions of dollars to the service. The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) played a central role in cracking the case. Regarding the Helix asset forfeiture, a federal prosecutor specializing in cybercrime cases said the focus wasn’t solely on punishment but on dismantling the economic networks behind crime. He added, “The inclusion of real estate and traditional financial assets shows investigators are following the money wherever it goes.” The U.S. Treasury had earlier sanctioned Tornado Cash, but later removed the sanctions Earlier, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Tornado Cash , a platform that has facilitated the movement of billions in virtual currency for illicit purposes. Over $455 million of the laundered total was stolen funds from the Lazarus Group, a North Korean state-backed hacking organization sanctioned by the U.S. The mixer also helped launder more than $96 million from the Harmony Bridge hack on June 24, 2022, and at least $7.8 million from the Nomad hack on August 2, 2022, according to the DOJ records. In 2025, however, the Treasury Department said it had lifted sanctions on Tornado Cash, after the Trump administration examined the unique legal and policy challenges involved. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted, “Digital assets present enormous opportunities for innovation and value creation for the American people. Securing the digital asset industry from abuse by North Korea and other illicit actors is essential to establishing U.S. leadership and ensuring that the American people can benefit from financial innovation and inclusion.” At the time, some crypto executives welcomed the decision, including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong. He argued, “No one wants to see bad folks use crypto. But privacy is an important feature for many law-abiding citizens, and you can’t sanction open source code.” Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.

30 Jan 2026, 04:45

World War III Risks in 2026 and Bitcoin’s Likely Response: 4 AIs Speculate

The USA launched a military operation in Venezuela, following which the leader of the South American country, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife were captured and taken to the States. The POTUS keeps insisting on the annexation of Greenland, which caused huge controversy between America and other NATO members. The USA warned Iran of possible military action over its nuclear program, while the Asian nation said it’s ready to retaliate and refuses talks under pressure. And it’s only January… The looming conflicts across the globe since the start of the year, plus the war between Ukraine and Russia, which has been ongoing since 2022, have sparked fears that World War III might be knocking on the door. We asked four of the most widely used AI-powered chatbots whether such a devastating event could happen this year and how Bitcoin (BTC) might respond. The Global Landscape Feels Like a ‘Tinderbox’ According to ChatGPT, World War III is unlikely in 2026. At the same time, though, it noted that numerous nations across the globe have confronted each other, meaning additional conflicts (apart from the Russia/Ukraine one) will not come as a surprise. The chatbot claimed that the chances of a war between NATO and Russia this year, an outcome which can be devastating for the planet and humanity, are below 4%. If the worst-case scenario becomes reality, Bitcoin (BTC) is likely to crash by more than 50% immediately after the news. In the coming weeks, though, ChatGPT expects the asset to recover, especially if banking institutions and fiat currencies are deeply affected. “Bitcoin could perform well in a world war if banks fail and fiat currencies are restricted, because it allows people to store and move value without relying on the traditional financial system. After an initial panic and sell-off, demand could rise as people seek a censorship-resistant alternative to failing money,” it added. Google’s Gemini also doubts that a world war can erupt before the end of 2026, albeit noting that the global landscape feels more like a “tinderbox” than at any point in the 21st century. It estimated that the next big war will most likely include nuclear weapons and major weapon power, which would be shocking and deadly, and most financial assets will be left behind as people will mainly think about their physical survival. Under these conditions, BTC will likely lose its short-term investment appeal, with its usefulness depending entirely on whether the Internet and power infrastructure remain intact. BTC to Rise Like a Phoenix From the Ashes Grok, the chatbot integrated within X, is skeptical that World War III can occur this year. The likely scenario for BTC if such a thing happens is a 20-30% dip, followed by accelerated adoption and price revival. Perplexity argued that the risk of a global war is very low, reminding how the cryptocurrency usually reacts to military conflicts. At first, it is likely to experience a double-digit collapse, while later the interest in it can skyrocket, which might lead to a substantial price rally. “In a WW3 scenario, BTC may initially crash sharply from risk-off panic selling, but later rise like a phoenix from the ashes as it gains traction as a decentralization hedge against fiat devaluation and global sanctions,” it predicted. The post World War III Risks in 2026 and Bitcoin’s Likely Response: 4 AIs Speculate appeared first on CryptoPotato .

30 Jan 2026, 04:30

Strive Builds 13,132 Bitcoin Treasury After $225M Preferred Financing

Strive completed a major bitcoin treasury financing, retiring legacy debt, expanding preferred equity funding and rapidly growing its bitcoin holdings as institutional demand fueled a balance sheet built for long-duration digital asset exposure. Strive Expands Bitcoin Treasury Past 13K Using Preferred Equity Strategy A corporate financing milestone was completed as a digital asset-focused firm advanced

30 Jan 2026, 04:28

Kevin’s path from Wall Street to the Fed’s inner circle

Donald Trump told reporters he would name the new Federal Reserve chair on Friday morning, but the thing is, he already has. “It’s going to be somebody that lot of people think could have been there a few years ago,” he said. That somebody is Kevin Warsh. None of the other nominees (Rick Rieder, Chris Waller, and Kevin Hassett) fit that description, because Trump considered Kevin eight years ago before picking Jerome Powell. For those of us obsessed with Wall Street, Kevin is a name that has been very well-known for at least 2.5 decades, especially after the 2008-09 financial crash when he worked behind closed doors trying to keep markets stable. Kevin’s path from Wall Street to the Fed’s inner circle Before the Fed, Kevin worked at Morgan Stanley from 1995 to 2002, rising to executive director in the firm’s mergers and acquisitions unit.Then he made the jump to the White House. From 2002 to 2006, he was Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Executive Secretary of the National Economic Council. Kevin focused on domestic finance, banking rules, and consumer protection. He was also the main bridge between the White House and independent financial regulators. By January 2006, President George W. Bush nominated Kevin and Randall Kroszner to fill two open seats on the Federal Reserve Board. At just 35, Kevin became the youngest person ever nominated to the Fed, which somehow triggered criticism. Preston Martin, a former Fed vice chair, said it was “not a good idea” and that he’d vote no if he could. Bernanke later wrote, “His youth generated some criticism… but Kevin’s political and markets savvy and many contacts on Wall Street would prove to be invaluable.” During his confirmation hearing in February 2006, Kevin leaned on his market background. “I hope that my prior experience on Wall Street, particularly my nearly 7 years at Morgan Stanley, would prove beneficial to the deliberations and communications of the Federal Reserve,” he said. By March 2006, he attended his first Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. Warsh warned of liquidity risks and was early critic of long-term stimulus Less than a year before Bear Stearns collapsed, Kevin spoke about market liquidity. In March 2007, he told the FOMC:- “The benefits of greater liquidity are substantial… But markets can become far less liquid due to increases in investor risk aversion and uncertainty. While policymakers and market participants know with certainty that these episodes will occur, they must be humble in their ability to predict the timing, scope, and duration.” As 2009 came, unemployment hit 9.5%. The Fed was still trying to help the economy recover. But Kevin said it might be time to stop. “If policymakers insist on waiting until the level of real activity has plainly and substantially returned to normal… they will almost certainly have waited too long,” he warned. Kevin pointed to high bank reserves and excess liquidity. “There is a risk… that the unusually high level of reserves… could fuel an unanticipated, excessive surge in lending.” That surge never came. Tim Duy, an economics professor, fired back. He said the Fed seemed “more willing to use unconventional monetary policy to support Wall Street than Main Street.” Still, Kevin kept raising doubts about the Fed’s approach. In November 2010, the Fed planned to push down long-term interest rates in a second round of quantitative easing (QE2). Unemployment was near 10%, but Kevin was not on board. He only agreed to vote yes “out of respect” for Bernanke. “If I were in your chair, I would not be leading the Committee in this direction,” he said. “And frankly, if I were in the chair of most people around this room, I would dissent.” He continued, “I think we are removing much of the burden from those that could actually help reach these objectives… and we are putting that onus strangely on ourselves rather than letting it rest where it should lie.” Kevin didn’t want monetary policy to cover for weak action from Congress. It was rare for a Fed governor to suggest holding back support to push other parts of government to do their job. Exit from the Fed and what comes next for monetary policy Ben Bernanke, in his memoir, wrote about the QE2 debate. He said, “Kevin Warsh had substantial reservations… Now that financial markets were functioning more normally, he believed that monetary policy was reaching its limits… and that it was time for others in Washington to take on some of the policy burden.” Bernanke said Kevin voted in favor “as he had promised,” but soon after, he gave a speech in New York and published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal. In it, Kevin said the Fed couldn’t fix everything alone and called for tax and regulatory reforms to grow the economy. Bernanke agreed that infrastructure spending and other government actions would help more. But none of those things happened. The Fed, Bernanke wrote, “was the only game in town.” Three months later, Kevin left. He had said from the start he’d stay about five years. Bernanke added, “We remain close to this day.” Kevin sent his resignation letter to President Obama on February 10, 2011. His exit became official around March 31 that year. CNBC’s Larry Kudlow reacted by calling him a “hard money hawk,” a label often used for people who don’t like easy money policies. Trump passed over Kevin once. He didn’t a second time. And now in 2026, Kevin finally runs the Fed. This is a full-circle moment for a man who’s spent years criticizing the institution he now leads. His record is packed with dissent, sharp comments, and refusal to go along with popular policies just to fit in.

30 Jan 2026, 04:04

Bitcoin price sinks as Kevin Warsh Fed Chair odds surge on Kalshi, Polymarket

Bitcoin price and the crypto market sank on Friday morning after Donald Trump announced that he will deliver his Federal Reserve pick later today, with traders on Polymarket betting on Kevin Warsh. Kevin Warsh odds are soaring Traders on Polymarket and Kalshi are betting that Donald Trump will nominate Kevin Warsh to be the next Federal Reserve Chair. Data on Polymarket shows that the odds of Warsh have jumped to 92%, while Rick Rieder’s probability has dropped to 6%. Kalshi Fed Chair odds | Source: Kalshi Similarly, the same is happening on Polymarket, where the odds have jumped to 91%, the highest level on record. The odds jumped after Reuters reported that Trump had met with Warsh on Thursday and was left impressed with him. Therefore, the most likely situation is where Trump will appoint Warsh, a former Federal Reserve official, to become the next chair. Warsh has historically voiced his opposition to cryptocurrencies, citing its volatility. Still, historically, the Federal Reserve has had no major role in the crypto industry. Its impact on the crypto industry has been mostly on monetary policy. In most cases, Bitcoin and the broader crypto market does well when the Fed is cutting interest rates and embracing other policies like quantitative easing policies, as happened in the pandemic. Any Fed official that Trump will nominate will likely be supportive of interest rate cuts. The challenge, however, is that the Fed Chair does not make the decision by himself. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is made up of 12 voting members. Therefore, Governor Warsh will need to convince the other Fed officials to cut rates as Trump has proposed. Rising geopolitical risks Bitcoin price is also struggling as geopolitical risks in the Middle East rise. In a statement on Wednesday. Trump threatened that he would attack Iran using the armada he has amassed in the region. The rising geopolitical risks explain why crude oil prices and gold have jumped in the past few months. Brent has jumped to over $70 a barrel, while gold has been in a strong uptrend . Iran has threatened to retaliate if attacked. Its options will be to shut the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would lead to higher crude oil prices. It would also attack Israel and US bases in the Middle East. Meanwhile, data shows that spot Bitcoin ETF outflows have remained this week. These funds shed over $19 million in inflows on Wednesday, bringing the year-to-date outflows to over $278 million. These funds shed over $1.09 billion in December and $3.4 billion in November. Bitcoin price technical analysis BTC price chart | Source: TradingView The weekly timeframe chart shows that the Bitcoin price has crashed in the past few weeks. It has plunged from the all-time high of $126,200 to the current $82,000. Bitcoin has moved below the 38.2% Fibonacci Retracement level at $83,150. Additionally, the coin has moved below the 50-week Exponential Moving Average (EMA). It has moved below the Ichimoku cloud and the Supertrend indicator. The coin has also formed a bearish flag pattern and has moved below the lower side. This flag pattern formed after the coin formed a bearish flag pattern, a common risky pattern. Therefore, the coin will likely continue falling as sellers target the key support level at $74,000. This target is along the 50% Fibonacci Retracement level. The post Bitcoin price sinks as Kevin Warsh Fed Chair odds surge on Kalshi, Polymarket appeared first on Invezz