Invest ideasNews
19 Jan 2026, 17:27
Gold, Silver Smash Records as Trump Sets Feb. 1 Tariffs Over Greenland Standoff
Gold (XAU/USD) printed $4,689.39/oz and silver (XAG/USD) tagged $94.08/oz today, after President Donald Trump tied a new tariff schedule to a Greenland standoff in a Truth Social post on Saturday that set explicit start dates and step-ups. Trump Sets Feb. 1 Tariff Start Date in Greenland Dispute Trump wrote that the U.S. will impose a 10% tariff from Feb. 1, 2026, on “any and all goods” from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Finland , then lift the rate to 25% from June 1, 2026 , until “the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland” occurs. Eight #European countries targeted by #US President Donald #Trump for a 10% #tariff for opposing American control of Greenland on Sunday warned that his threats “undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.” FRANCE 24 takes a closer look. pic.twitter.com/4GnDxkWwA2 — FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) January 19, 2026 “This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” Trump stated in the post. Price action favored the higher-beta metal: spot silver rose ~4.4% intraday to $93.85/oz after the $94.08/oz print, while spot gold rose ~1.6% to $4,670.01/oz after the $4,689.39/oz high. Cross-asset tape confirmed “risk-off” positioning: European equities traded lower on Jan. 19, 2026, as the tariff timeline hit, with Germany’s DAX falling 1.1% and the CAC 40 in Paris falling 1.3% in early moves cited by AP News . The next macro catalyst sits on the rates channel: the Bank of Japan has scheduled its Monetary Policy Meeting for Jan. 22-23, 2026 , with the Statement on Monetary Policy slated for Jan. 23 and the Summary of Opinions due Feb. 2 . Liquidity note for desks running metal exposure: U.S. markets are closed on Jan. 19, 2026, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day , which historically concentrates price discovery into futures/FX venues and can widen intraday slippage on leveraged metal products. What Markets Are Pricing In Gold’s record print at $4,689/oz matters less than the tariff calendar at Feb. 1 and June 1 because systematic macro books map those dates into USD rate volatility and cross-asset correlation spikes. If the BoJ on Jan. 23 indicates tighter policy while Washington simultaneously escalates trade restrictions, desks should expect convex moves in JPY crosses and mechanically higher demand for collateral-friendly havens, with silver’s $94/oz spike acting as a tell for funds that express the same hedge through higher beta and industrial tightness rather than pure store-of-value exposure. The post Gold, Silver Smash Records as Trump Sets Feb. 1 Tariffs Over Greenland Standoff appeared first on Cryptonews .
19 Jan 2026, 17:00
Trump’s tariff shock sends Bitcoin reeling – Can BTC’s support hold?
A geopolitical tariff shock tied to Greenland sent gold soaring and crypto tumbling.
19 Jan 2026, 16:52
Russia’s ruble surges, but the rally masks deeper economic stress
Last year, Cryptopolitan reported that Russia’s currency won a race no one expected it to enter. The ruble has beaten every other major currency against the dollar so far this year, jumping 45% since early last year. It’s now trading close to 78 per dollar, a level not seen since before Russia launched its full invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago. That’s the fastest annual rise for the ruble since at least 1994. But the rally isn’t built on strength. It’s a side effect of an economy struggling to plug financial holes. Behind the scenes, the country’s wartime economy is running out of room. After a year of weak oil revenues, missed growth targets, and tighter sanctions, the government is scrambling to hold the line. Officials slashed budget spending by 19% in December compared to the same month a year before, based on Bloomberg’s read of Finance Ministry data. Yearly spending was still up by 7%, but that’s a sharp slowdown from the 24% increase seen the year before. Oil crash and sanctions hammer Russia’s revenue Russia did meet its revised budget deficit target of 2.6% of GDP, with the final shortfall reaching 5.6 trillion rubles (about $71.6 billion). But that wasn’t the original plan. The budget had aimed for a gap of just 0.5% of GDP, before everything got wrecked by the lowest oil and gas revenue in five years. A mix of falling global crude prices, steep discounts on Russian oil, and that pesky strong ruble caused energy revenue to crash 24% year-over-year. In December, after the U.S. slapped new sanctions on Rosneft PJSC and Lukoil PJSC, oil and gas income dropped 43% in just one month. “We fully understand that we cannot rely on high levels of oil and gas revenues over the long term,” Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said in an interview with state television channel Rossiya 24 late last year. Russia’s economic growth for the year likely landed below 1%, according to internal estimates, missing literally every single official forecast and falling drastically short of the 4.3% growth rate in 2024. So even though this deficit isn’t the worst in recent memory, 2020 still holds the record at 3.8% of GDP; the situation now feels more fragile. Borrowing is also a nightmare. The central bank’s key interest rate is now at 16%, way up from the 4.25% seen back then. With foreign investors mostly gone, raising money is harder and pricier. Russia’s finance ministry boosts daily currency sales To avoid a ruble collapse, Russia’s Finance Ministry is throwing more foreign currency into the market. Starting Friday, it’s bumping daily forex sales from 5.6 billion rubles to 12.8 billion rubles (about $164 million). Add in the central bank’s sales, and a total of 17.42 billion rubles will be dumped every day between January 16 and February 5, up from 14.54 billion rubles daily before. All told, the ministry plans to offload 192.1 billion rubles worth of foreign currency during that period. Last month, it only sold 123.4 billion. These sales are pulled from the National Wealth Fund, which is denominated in foreign currency, mostly Chinese yuan. The central bank buys and sells on behalf of the ministry to help keep the market stable. The strategy worked in 2025, when a mix of high interest rates, forex sales, and weaker imports propped up the ruble. But analysts in the latest Reuters poll say the ruble could fall back to 96.7 per dollar over the next year. The central bank had earlier said that: “Elevated inflation expectations may impede a sustainable slowdown in inflation. We will focus on how prices, as well as consumer and business expectations, react to the increase in VAT and tariffs.” Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .
19 Jan 2026, 16:46
Bitcoin Price Slides for Fifth Day as Risk-Off Sentiment Weighs on Prices: Analyst
Bitcoin has fallen for a fifth straight session, pulling back from its highest levels since November as it struggles to hold above the $92,000 mark . Key Takeaways: Bitcoin has slid for a fifth straight day on profit-taking and rising political and macro uncertainty. The pullback remains orderly, with low liquidations, falling leverage, and renewed spot ETF and whale demand. Ongoing concerns over Federal Reserve independence are reinforcing risk-off sentiment. According to Samer Hasn, senior market analyst at XS.com, the decline reflects a mix of profit-taking and a broader shift toward risk aversion driven by political and macro uncertainty. In a note shared with Cryptonews.com, Hasn said traders are responding to a sudden spike in US political risk alongside rising geopolitical and trade tensions. Bitcoin Sell-Off Shows Limited Stress as Spot Demand Strengthens Despite the pullback, Hasn noted that market damage remains limited. Futures liquidations have stayed relatively low, suggesting the sell-off lacks the hallmarks of panic and may point instead to a period of consolidation. Signs of underlying demand have also emerged. Data from SoSoValue shows US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds posted their strongest week of net inflows since October, following a $20 billion futures liquidation event earlier in the month. On-chain metrics echo that trend, with addresses holding between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC increasing by 28 over the past week, according to BGeometrics. Meanwhile, CoinGlass data shows crypto futures open interest has dropped by about $9 billion from January highs, indicating reduced leverage and a greater reliance on spot buying. GM fam! BTC holding at $92,704 this sunny Monday in January. ETH at $3,213, SOL at $134, amid Bitcoin whales woke up in 2026 and moved billions in BTC. Spot BTC ETFs see net outflow of (395) US$m on Jan 16. Hyperliquid dominating: $4.60B TVL, $9.64B open interest,… pic.twitter.com/0B2MVhZQtz — Drawknife (@drawknifee) January 19, 2026 Even so, Hasn said renewed “risk-off” forces are capping Bitcoin’s rebound. A key concern is political turmoil surrounding the US Federal Reserve. Reports of a criminal investigation involving Fed Chair Jerome Powell have complicated leadership succession and raised questions about the central bank’s independence. “This institutional friction has immediate consequences for market sentiment, as uncertainty regarding the Fed’s autonomy typically triggers a flight from dollar-denominated assets,” he said. The situation has reignited debate over the future of the dollar’s role as a global safe haven. Analysts warn that perceived erosion of Fed autonomy could weaken confidence in US assets, potentially accelerating diversification toward alternatives. “If investors lose faith in US government debt and the Fed’s autonomy, decentralized assets like Bitcoin and ‘hard’ assets like gold, which has already seen skyrocketing prices, become the logical hedge against institutional decay,” he said. Arthur Hayes Says Bitcoin’s Next Rally Hinges on Dollar Liquidity in 2026 Arthur Hayes says Bitcoin could reach new all-time highs in 2026 , arguing that its underperformance relative to gold and tech stocks in 2025 was driven by tight dollar liquidity rather than weakening fundamentals. According to Hayes, Bitcoin needs an expanding supply of dollars to outperform, and without that monetary fuel, even strong adoption trends are not enough to push prices higher. Optimism among long-term bulls also remains strong. Venture capitalist Tim Draper reiterated this week that 2026 would be a breakout year , repeating his long-standing $250,000 Bitcoin price target. Meanwhile, Abra CEO Bill Barhydt believes Bitcoin could benefit in 2026 as easing monetary policy injects fresh liquidity into global markets, reviving risk appetite after a prolonged period of tight financial conditions. The post Bitcoin Price Slides for Fifth Day as Risk-Off Sentiment Weighs on Prices: Analyst appeared first on Cryptonews .
19 Jan 2026, 16:42
Venezuelans rush to stablecoins as bolivar instability deepens
Venezuela once again turned to stablecoins to offset the instability of its currency. The country has been known for crypto usage, but in 2026, stablecoin access is even easier. Venezuelans are rushing to stablecoins as a tool to offset inflation. Once again, the US military intervention in Venezuela pushed locals into cryptocurrency. Venezuela’s crypto adoption index is close to that of Germany, and the country has had multiple rounds of crypto usage, including through P2P platforms. USDT usage is also happening through unofficial exchange rates with the Bolivar, circumventing the government’s own less favorable official exchange rate. Stablecoins are also the technology that is used in an already dollarized economy. In the past years, merchants adopted stablecoins as a regular payment tool in the country. Venezuela’s retail usage diverges from the government’s USDT transfers Now, stablecoins are even more accessible through multiple platforms and wallets. Stablecoins are dollarizing the crypto space and whole economies, and are often selected for their predictable price. In the past years, stablecoins displaced BTC and ETH for everyday usage. ‘ Stablecoins are better dollars, but the reason people get them is out of necessity and out of self-preservation, ’ Mauricio Di Bartolomeo, co-founder of digital asset lender Ledn, told CNBC. ‘ Wherever they have limitations around dollars flowing freely, stablecoins are going to bust through the door, ’ he said. The adoption of USDT in Venezuela started over a decade ago. Retail usage is diverging from the state’s own adoption of USDT. Based on recent reports, Venezuela uses TRON-based USDT for its oil revenues. Recently, $182M of those USDT reserves were frozen just days after the country’s President Maduro was arrested by US forces. There are no direct links of the wallets to the petro trade, and Tether is yet to mention which wallets were frozen. However, large-scale USDT usage, especially on TRON, is widely tracked for potential illegal activities or payments linked to sanctioned regimes. Venezuela citizens drive retail stablecoin adoption The Venezuelan bolivar wiped out its entire value, from 0.15 per USD a decade ago. The hyperinflation and currency crashes drove retail adoption of USDT for remittances. The retail usage is independent of the state’s crypto activities. Retail transfers are also smaller and may not trigger sanctions and freezes. Tether has restricted some of its activities in Venezuela, but the tokens are available through multiple regional or global exchanges. Venezuela users have turned to P2P markets, such as Binance’s platform. Often, retail users will try to bypass local restrictions through a VPN. Stablecoins will also fluctuate beyond their value on some markets, with USDT rising as high as $1.40, based on CNBC reports . Despite the instability, stablecoins are still more reliable compared to Venezuela’s own currency, which has virtually wiped out all value. Stablecoin payments may also be a matter of convenience during periods of hyperinflation. Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.
19 Jan 2026, 16:33
Are We Entering Wave V? Further Bitcoin Downside Still Likely, Analysts Say
As the crypto market continues trading sideways, analysts argue that we may soon enter the last phase of this bull run, but also that we’ll likely see further downside. However, there are significant risk-off factors preventing a Bitcoin (BTC) recovery. The crypto market posted a notable increase last week, but dipped over the weekend and started this week lower. Looking at BTC, over the past 24 hours, it dropped from the intraday high of $95,467 to the low of $92,263. At the time of writing (Monday afternoon, UTC), BTC is trading at $92,973. Notably, it has appreciated 2.6% in a week and 5.4% in a month. Bitcoin Price Chart. Source: TradingView Wave V Incoming? In a recent email, John Glover, Chief Investment Officer at digital asset financial services company Ledn , argued that we are currently in Wave IV of the major bull run. We may potentially soon enter the fifth and final section of the bull’s track. Therefore, the current wave’s competition target for BTC is between $71,000 and $84,000, he says. The breakdown of any corrective wave is an A-B-C structure, as seen in the chart below. Source: John Glover, Ledn Now, the question is whether the yellow path is the full Wave IV or we will follow the purple path and see another move lower to $71,000, Glover writes. “From the breakerdown of wave C within this corrective pattern, it seems like another leg lower is likely,” he adds. The confirmation of the path we’re following will come from either: a break and close above $104,000 (bottom of A), which would confirm that we followed the yellow path and are now starting Wave V, or a break below $80,000, which means a move to the low $70,000 before we head higher. As a reminder, Wave IV is the fourth phase of a five-wave bullish impulse sequence. This is according to the popular price prediction model called Elliott Wave Theory . Per this model, during the five phases of the positive trend, wave four goes down and corrects against the trend set by wave three. Then wave five takes over, goes up and reaches a new peak. After this, the three waves of the negative trend begin. You may also like: Crypto Rally Fades as Geopolitical Risks Re-Enter Focus: Laser Digital Bitcoin has fallen for a fifth straight session, pulling back from its highest levels since November as it struggles to hold above the $92,000 mark.According to Samer Hasn, senior market analyst at XS.com, the decline reflects a mix of profit-taking and a broader shift toward risk aversion driven by political and macro uncertainty.In a note shared with Cryptonews.com, Hasn said traders are responding to a sudden spike in US political risk alongside rising geopolitical and trade... Another Drop Likely Nic Puckrin, digital asset analyst and co-founder of the Coin Bureau , highlighted that BTC has broken below a key support level of $94,000. This marked the January breakout trend line. He added that the sell-off rides on the back of tariff news and geopolitics. These are coming out of the US in particular. “From here, it’s likely we’ll see further downside unless buyers step in, with strong support around $88,000. So far, a small rebound has taken BTC back above $93,000, but it’s nothing to write home about.“ No better way to start the week than a tariff induced crypto crash. US markets closed today so investors are expressing their macro positions through BTC. If we fall below $90k before market open tomorrow, ETF holders may also start dumping. pic.twitter.com/6I1758isOC — Nic (@nicrypto) January 19, 2026 In the US, the markets closed today for a federal holiday, and volatility persists. The possibility of a deeper sell-off depends on whether BTC closes the day below $90,000, Puckrin writes. This could see exchange-traded fund (ETF) holders exiting positions when the US market opens on Tuesday. Finally, as altcoins bleed, the analyst says, precious metals are surging. “Unfortunately, investors holding out for a rotation from metals to altcoins will be sorely disappointed, as the uncertainty and fears around Greenland are likely to get worse before they get better,” Puckrin concludes. You may also like: Crypto Investment Products See $2.17B Inflows Despite Late-Week Reversal: CoinShares Digital asset investment products recorded $2.17bn in inflows last week marking their strongest weekly inflows since October 2025, according to the latest data from CoinShares. The surge came despite a sharp deterioration in sentiment toward the end of the week driven by geopolitical tensions, renewed tariff threats and uncertainty surrounding US monetary policy leadership.Inflows were front-loaded earlier in the week before reversing on Friday when digital asset products saw $378M in... Bitcoin: Logical Hedge Against Institutional Decay Samer Hasn, senior market analyst at global multi-asset broker XS.com , said that Bitcoin’s latest downtrend is the result of a mix of profit-taking and a “risk-off” pivot, Hasn writes. This follows a renewed spike in US political risk, as well as geopolitical and trade tensions. These risk-off factors are preventing a notable BTC recovery. These factors include a criminal investigation into the US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, as well as the stalled confirmation process of the bank’s new head. These have “effectively paralyzed the central bank’s leadership transition.” The loss of Fed autonomy “could very well sow the seeds for the demise of dollar dominance, a scenario that would permanently redefine the global financial hierarchy,” he says, citing Ray Attrill of National Australia Bank . This affects the crypto market sentiment, as “uncertainty regarding the Fed’s autonomy typically triggers a flight from dollar-denominated assets,” Hasn argues. “For the crypto markets, this ‘politicized dollar’ narrative serves as a long-term bull case, even if current prices are dipping. If investors lose faith in U.S. government debt and the Fed’s autonomy, decentralized assets like Bitcoin and ‘hard’ assets like gold, which has already seen skyrocketing prices, become the logical hedge against institutional decay.” Meanwhile, there are also global geopolitical tensions to take into account. These are primarily between the US and China, as well as the US and Europe. The latter is currently focused on Donald Trump’s threats to annex Greenland. Trump's Europe tariff threats erase $875 million in crypto positions as Bitcoin falls 3% to $92,000 amid geopolitical market shock. #Trump #Europe #Tariffs #Bitcoin https://t.co/heRs8hxlkV — Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 19, 2026 Moreover, the upcoming days are bringing fresh US PCE inflation data and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Solid inflation figures could definitively “put the lid” on hopes for a near-term rate cut, forcing a repricing of bonds and equities alike. Finally, the Bank of Japan’s “surprise hawkishness” or an intervention to save the yen could “trigger a massive liquidity squeeze, sending tremors through Western markets already on edge.” Hasn concludes that, “ultimately, we see a shift from ‘market fundamentals’ to ‘geopolitical theater’ as the primary driver of price action.” You may also like: (LIVE) Crypto News Today: Latest Updates for January 19, 2026 Crypto markets extended losses over the past 24 hours, sliding nearly 3% as selling pressure intensified across major sectors. Bitcoin (BTC) fell 2.89% to below $93,000, while Ethereum (ETH) dropped 3.18%, slipping under $3,200. GameFi led the downturn with an 8.58% decline, as ImmutableX (IMX), The Sandbox (SAND), and GALA posted double-digit losses. Layer 1 and Layer 2 sectors also weakened sharply, down 4.8% and 6.7%, respectively. Despite the broad risk-off move, pockets of strength... The post Are We Entering Wave V? Further Bitcoin Downside Still Likely, Analysts Say appeared first on Cryptonews .
