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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 .
19 Jan 2026, 16:32
Privacy coins lose momentum as broader crypto market slides
Privacy tokens were initially moving against headwinds in the digital asset market over the past 24 hours, but are now struggling to sustain the positive momentum. Bitcoin is still counting a 2.3% loss in the last 24 hours, dragging down most altcoins in the top ten market cap with it by over 3%. The bloodbath was visible in several privacy tokens, many of which have posted deeper day-to-day losses. The sector’s bellwether Monero was trading near $621, down about 1% on the hour. However, the coin was the first of two top-ranking privacy coins to peak its intraday value, climbing 6% during the period. The overall market cap for these tokens has dropped by 1.84% to $69 billion, while their market volume has spiked by 90% since Monday’s Asian trading session began. Zcash, Litecoin, Dash, and Starknet shed 4% of profits Several large-cap privacy coins are deep in the red zone as of the time of this reporting, with popular coins like Zcash slipping 5.9% in the last day. The token has now lost close to 8% on a weekly basis, and is now 93% shy of its $5,941 all-time high level. Litecoin, which is grouped with privacy assets due to its optional anonymity features, traded near $69.80, down around 0.8% on the hour and 6.28% from Sunday. Mid-cap privacy token Dash changed hands near $77.60 after dropping about 2.7% in the last hour, even as analysts deem its longer-term performance as positive. Midnight traded near $0.058, slightly lower on the hour and shedding over 5% on the day. Tezos slipped modestly to around $0.58, showing a small hourly gain but a 3% downtick in the same period. Other tokens like Canton fell by a modest 0.66%, while Starknet slumped by 4% to $0.08. Humanity Protocol was the second coin in the top 10 to post gains, adding 6% to its 24-hour lows, and is now trading at $0.19. Privacy coin top gainers reap 60% profit While the leading privacy coins moved lower, some smaller tokens posted outsized gains over the same period. ARPA traded near $0.022, jumping more than 14% on the hour and posting an uptick of close to 70%. Real-world asset permissionless layer-1 network Dusk was the second top profit generator, trading around $0.228 after surging 48% in the day and 230% over the past month. Mind Network also attracted the market, climbing more than 14% in the hour to about $0.215, taking its market cap to $68 million. The uneven performance in privacy tokens is against the backdrop of a market downturn marred by geopolitical issues between the West and Europe. US President Trump has threatened to impose trade tariffs on several EU countries, likely causing investor jitters on crypto assets and pushing gold prices closer to record highs. Moreover, some jurisdictions are against the privacy features that these tokens carry and have moved to ban them from their crypto-friendly frameworks entirely. In Europe, the EU’s DAC8 directive requires crypto service providers to collect user tax data on January 1, 2026, which would render privacy coins unusable. As reported by Cryptopolitan, the Dubai Financial Services Authority implemented an updated crypto framework in the Dubai International Financial Centre that prohibits privacy token trading, promotion, fund activity, and derivatives. To the eyes of the traders, the bans were a silent confirmation that privacy is significant enough to regulate, a signal that had fueled speculative demand before market headwinds took hold. Just five days ago, Monero had pushed into new all-time-high territory to the $798 price level. The positives did not trickle down to Zcash, which, after a strong run into year-end, entered 2026 under dark clouds after the entire development team at the Electric Coin Company resigned on January 7. The team resonated its departure to a “constructive discharge” and accused board members of “clearly going against the mission of Zcash.” ZEC is heavily bearish on charts and is down 50% from its 12-month peak reached two months ago. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .
19 Jan 2026, 16:27
Bitcoin price slips below $93K amidst trade war fears, XMR leads altcoin gains
Bitcoin price movements dominated the market narrative on Monday, crashing through the early Asian trading hours as traders took a defensive stance in response to several bearish catalysts emerging from the US. Although selling pressure eased later in the day, the initial volatility left a significant mark on the charts. Over the past 24 hours, over $100 billion worth of total market capitalisation was wiped off the global cryptocurrency market as market sentiment shifted toward a more cautious tone, specifically one marked by fear. The crypto fear and greed index dropped 5 points to 44, entering Fear territory once again after trading in the neutral zone for a little over a week. The drop reflects the growing anxiety among retail and institutional investors who are grappling with the potential for a transatlantic trade war. Altcoins mostly traded with losses across the board by late Asian trading hours, with the top-performing asset managing to hold on to modest gains between 2% and 6%. While larger assets like Ethereum and Solana felt the weight of the sell-off, a handful of resilient tokens managed to buck the trend, though the broader market remained firmly under the control of the bears. Why did Bitcoin price crash today? Bitcoin price fell from an intraday high of $95,420 to as low as $92,284 in just a few hours during early Asian trading, as a string of negative headlines piled onto a market already showing signs of exhaustion. Traders were caught off guard by a mix of geopolitical flare-ups, regulatory gridlock in the US, and waning hopes for monetary easing, creating an environment of uncertainty that left little room for optimism. The most prominent trigger was the sudden escalation of trade hostilities following President Trump’s announcement of a 10% tariff on eight European nations. With the threat of duties starting at 10% and rising to 25% by June if no deal is struck, fears of a full-blown trade war quickly rippled through investor sentiment. Gold, often seen as a safe-haven during geopolitical turbulence, shot to record highs. But instead of following suit, Bitcoin, long touted as “digital gold”, headed the other way. The correlation broke down, at least for now, as traders opted for safety in the physical rather than the digital. Adding to the heavy selling pressure was a significant setback in the US regulatory landscape. The Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act, which many hoped would provide a definitive framework for the industry, hit a major roadblock after the Senate Banking Committee postponed its markup hearing. This delay followed a high-profile withdrawal of support from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, who raised concerns over late-stage amendments that could potentially restrict stablecoin rewards and the tokenization of equities. For a market already sensitive to any sign of regulatory uncertainty, the delay was enough to turn cautious sentiment into active selling. Beyond geopolitics and regulation, the macroeconomic environment has turned increasingly unfriendly for crypto bulls. Sticky inflation readings and a surprisingly resilient job market have all but erased expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut this month. With the Fed entering its blackout period ahead of the January 28 policy decision, there’s no fresh guidance coming from policymakers. JP Morgan and other major financial institutions now anticipate the Fed will hold rates steady through much of the year. Without the prospect of cheaper borrowing costs to fuel liquidity, Bitcoin lost the momentum needed to sustain its push toward $100,000, eventually triggering a cascade of nearly $800 million in long liquidations that accelerated the price drop. Selling turned mechanical, with algos adding to the momentum once the $93,000 level failed to hold. By the time the dust settled, Bitcoin was scraping the $92,000 mark, flirting with deeper support levels. Will Bitcoin price go up? Although Bitcoin price had recovered from some of the day’s losses, it is yet to reclaim the $95,000 psychological area, which will be key before any meaningful recovery can be expected. However, the broader consensus about Bitcoin’s short-term price trajectory among crypto trading circles had mostly turned bearish as some prominent market indicators were flashing bearish signs. For instance, Bitcoin’s 30-day average Coinbase Premium Gap fell to about −63.85, its lowest level since January 2025, according to analyst Mignolet. The CPG tracks the price difference between Bitcoin’s USD pair on Coinbase and its USDT pair on Binance. When the gap turns deeply negative, it means Bitcoin is trading at a lower price on Coinbase, suggesting US traders are selling more aggressively than their offshore counterparts. When the gap is positive, it typically signals stronger US buying demand. “Since the ETF market was not open at the time, this selling pressure is coming from US whales operating outside of ETFs,” the analyst wrote. At the same time, Bitcoin open interest has fallen sharply in the past 24 hours, which means that the market is undergoing a significant deleveraging phase. This sharp reduction in outstanding derivative contracts indicates that a large number of overleveraged long positions have been forcibly closed or liquidated following the price drop. While such a flush can lead to a healthier market structure in the long term by removing excess speculative froth, the immediate impact suggests a lack of conviction among traders to maintain their bullish bets in the face of current geopolitical and regulatory headwinds. Bitcoin price action was also mirroring a historical fractal that preceded a market crash, according to well-followed pseudonymous analyst Linton Worm. According to the analyst, the current setup is repeating the 2022 fractal almost exactly, characterised by a specific sequence of technical events starting with a relief rally followed by a bull trap under major resistance. BTC/USDT 1-Day price chart. Source: Linton Worm on X. However, on the weekly time frame, fellow crypto analyst Crypto King noted that Bitcoin was still trading in an uptrend while sharing the below chart. BTC/USD 1-Week price chart. Source: Crypto King on X. “As long as BTC stays above this trendline, the trend stays bullish. Next level to watch is $100K, then higher if momentum continues, the analyst wrote. When writing, Bitcoin was price changing hands at $92,775, with losses of roughly 2.3% on the day. Altcoin market recap The altcoin market, which has largely been following Bitcoin’s lead over the past months, remained pressured as the volatility spread across all sectors. Notably, the altcoin market capitalization dropped from $1.42 trillion to $1.31 trillion within 2 hours earlier in the day, before seeing some recovery to $1.37 trillion at the time of writing. Ethereum (ETH), the largest altcoin by market cap, fell by 3.7% to $3,200, while other large-cap cryptocurrencies such as BNB (BNB), XRP (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Dogecoin (DOGE) saw losses ranging between 2-7%. The majority of the top 100 altcoins that led the market were also seen in the red, with the top losers being Aster (ASTER), Celestia (TIA), and Sui (SUI) with losses ranging between 12-14%. Monero, leading with gains of 6.3%, benefited from the resurging strength of the privacy coin narrative as investors reacted to tightening global financial regulations. Meanwhile, Humanity Protocol (H) and Sky (SKY) followed with gains of 4.7% and 2.7% respectively, standing out as some of the few assets seen afloat at the time of writing. Source: CoinMarketCap The post Bitcoin price slips below $93K amidst trade war fears, XMR leads altcoin gains appeared first on Invezz
19 Jan 2026, 16:22
IMF lifts global growth forecast but warns tariffs could derail momentum
According to a diplomatic Monetary Fund assessment released on Monday, the global economy is expected to grow faster this year than previously anticipated, but rising trade barriers and escalating diplomatic tensions may impede that growth. According to the organization’s most recent quarterly assessment, the global economy is expected to expand by 3.3% this year, up from its previous projection of 3.1%. The IMF raised its growth projection for the United States in particular from 2.1% to 2.4% for 2026. It did, however, lower its 2027 U.S. projection from 2.1% to 2%. Trade tensions and AI investment risks The projections assume that import tariffs and trade restrictions stay at their December levels. That assumption faces immediate challenges, as President Trump announce d Sa turday plans to impose 10% tariffs on goods from multiple European nations starting Feb. 1, with those rates jumping to 25% by June. The move aims to force Denmark into selling Greenland to the United States. “There are, of course, risks still on the trade side and broadly geopolitical risks,” Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF’s chief economist, told reporters. “The effects of these would build over time.” The report highlighted how recent economic strength has depended heavily on one particular factor: massive spending on artificial intelligence technology and related infrastructure. While this investment wave has helped offset damage from higher import taxes, the IMF cautioned that putting so many eggs in one basket creates serious vulnerabilities. A shift in investor sentiment about AI’s actual capabilities could trigger sharp declines in stock values, starting with technology companies but potentially spreading throughout financial markets and damaging household savings, the organization warned. The IMF’s analysis suggests U.S. stocks may be roughly half as inflated as they were during the internet bubble that burst in 2001. But there’s a crucial difference: equity values now represent 226% of economic output, far exceeding the 132% ratio from 2001. That means a similar percentage drop in prices today would inflict greater harm on consumer spending and overall growth. According to the IMF’s calculations , even a “moderate” stock market decline could pull global growth down to 2.9% this year. Central banks should stand ready to quickly lower borrowing costs if that happens, the report advised. The technology story cuts both ways, though. Successful deployment of new AI tools could push global growth to 3.6% this year and add between 0.1 and 0.8 percentage points to annual expansion ove r the co ming years, depending on how quickly countries adopt the technology and prepare their economies to use it effectively. The huge wave of business investment happening in America has likely pushed up what economists call the neutral interest rate, the level where monetary policy neither accelerates nor slows growth, the IMF noted. If the technology spending continues, “it may push real neutral interest rates higher-as occurred during the dot-com era-calling for a monetary policy tightening,” the report stated. Central Bank independence under pressure The IMF also weighed in on how the Federal Reserve and other central banks should respond to supply disruptions like higher import tariffs. They should lower rates “only with robust evidence of inflation expectations remaining anchored and inflation returning toward target,” it said. That guidance could intensify existing friction between the Fed and President Trump, who has repeatedly demanded much lower borrowing costs. The Justice Department recently opened a criminal probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, an action he has described as attempted intimidation to force rate cuts. The organization emphasized that Fed independence, “both legal and operational”, remains essential for economic health. “It’s really important that they remain independent,” Gourinchas said. “The expectation that they will do what is needed is absolutely critical in bringing inflation down.” Economists at the IMF warned that political pressure to cut rates in order to reduce government debt payments could prove counterproductive. Weakened confidence in the central bank’s commitment to controlling inflation might actually force the government to pay higher rates on its borrowing, Gourinchas explained. “If you have less credibility in keeping inflation low, there will be potentially a repricing of government securities, and therefore you would have higher financing costs for the government,” he said. The report also upgraded growth forecasts for major developing economies. China’s expected expansion for 2026 rose to 4.5% from 4.2%, while India’s projection increased to 6.4% from 6.2%. Both countries are pulling away from other developing nations in a pattern similar to how the U.S. has outpaced fellow advanced economies. Gourinchas noted that this growing gap between economic performances across different regions presents its own danger to sustained worldwide prosperity. Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .
19 Jan 2026, 15:00
Kazakhstan Restricts Crypto Trading to Central Bank-Approved Coins Only
Kazakhstan’s Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has enacted legislation concerning Banks and Banking Activities in the Republic of Kazakhstan, establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets. The law grants the nation’s central bank authority to determine which cryptocurrencies may be traded on regulated exchanges. The legislation, detailed in a recent official document , encompasses over five distinct amendments and additions to various legislative acts addressing financial market regulation, communications, and bankruptcy procedures. NEWS: Kazakhstan establishes a digital asset regulatory framework, licensing crypto exchanges and giving the central bank authority to approve tradable coins. pic.twitter.com/gxL7U61H0K — CoinGecko (@coingecko) January 19, 2026 The law also introduces comprehensive regulatory frameworks for digital financial assets, while tightening controls on “unsecured” cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum . Kazakhstan Introduces a Three-Tier Digital Asset Framework A significant development is the authorization and regulatory introduction of digital financial assets as a new asset class in Kazakhstan. The new regulatory structure categorizes digital financial assets into three distinct types, each subject to different oversight mechanisms. Translated from Russian. | Source Gov.kz Stablecoins backed by fiat currency will fall under the National Bank’s requirements governing their issuance, circulation, and redemption. Digital financial assets backed by financial instruments, property rights, goods, or other tangible assets represent the second category, while financial instruments issued electronically on digital platforms comprise the third tier. Digital platform operators will function as newly licensed financial market entities authorized to issue these assets, subject to traditional financial instrument requirements, including risk management protocols and investor protection standards. Additionally, the law addresses another digital asset category, “unsecured digital assets,” referring to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH). The legislation provides for the establishment of cryptocurrency exchange organizations, which will be licensed and supervised by the National Bank. To safeguard investors, the National Bank will establish a list of approved cryptocurrencies for circulation , along with operational limits and restrictions on crypto exchanges. For anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing purposes, crypto exchanges and digital asset market infrastructure participants are classified among entities subject to financial monitoring. Aggressive Enforcement Against Illegal Operations Kazakhstan’s regulatory push follows months of intensive enforcement action against unauthorized crypto activity. Authorities shut down 130 illegal crypto exchanges in October 2024, seizing virtual assets worth $16.7 million suspected of laundering criminal proceeds. Only platforms licensed by the Astana Financial Services Authority and integrated with local banks can legally operate under the Law on Digital Assets. The crackdown extended beyond exchanges to 81 shadow cash-out groups discovered with a combined turnover reaching 24 billion KZT ($43 million) in 2024. Kazakhstan Seizes $16.7M from Unlicensed Crypto Exchanges, Shuts Down 130 Platforms Kazakhstan has shut down 130 illegal crypto exchanges suspected of laundering criminal proceeds and seized virtual assets worth $16.7 million. https://t.co/WVKmsTRmf9 pic.twitter.com/aY75nl0eSJ — Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) October 8, 2025 Deputy Chairman of the Financial Monitoring Agency, Kairat Bizhanov, identified ATMs as a critical vulnerability, noting that cash withdrawals totaled 13.2 trillion KZT ($24.1 billion), 1 trillion more than the previous year. Anonymous transactions using nominee-owned bank cards enable criminals, including cyber fraudsters and drug traffickers, to operate without sender or recipient identification. Throughout 2023 and 2024, the Financial Monitoring Agency blocked over 3,500 illegal online crypto exchanges in coordination with the National Security Committee and the Ministry of Culture and Information. In 2024 alone, regulators closed 36 illegal exchangers handling a total of 60 billion tenge ($112 million) in turnover, while Kazakhstan officially blocked Coinbase’s website for violating digital asset regulations. Kazakhstan Greenlights Crypto Banks and National Reserve Fund Despite strict enforcement measures, Kazakhstan is simultaneously exploring progressive digital asset initiatives. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced plans to launch crypto banks as part of a broader strategy to build a sustainable, regulated ecosystem. Kazakhstan is exploring the launch of crypto banks as part of its broader push to build a sustainable and regulated digital asset ecosystem. #Kazakhstan #Bitcoin https://t.co/egghK92tqY — Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) April 30, 2025 These institutions would offer digital asset exchange services, secure storage solutions, and transaction processing through infrastructure providers,s including digital asset platforms, custodians, brokers, and dealers. Kazakhstan also intends to establish a national cryptocurrency reserve fund valued between $500 million and $1 billion by early 2026, according to Bloomberg reporting. The initiative represents one of Central Asia’s most ambitious moves to integrate digital assets into state-managed investment portfolios, though authorities have indicated the fund will avoid direct exposure to volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and adopt a cautious investment approach. The post Kazakhstan Restricts Crypto Trading to Central Bank-Approved Coins Only appeared first on Cryptonews .
19 Jan 2026, 14:34
Privacy Coins Defy Crash, Surge 13% Amid Market-Wide Liquidations
Privacy-focused cryptocurrencies surged over the past week, even as Bitcoin and most altcoins tumbled, with the sector climbing 13% while nearly $1 billion in positions were liquidated across broader markets following Trump’s tariff threat on Europe over Greenland. The rally has pushed privacy tokens, including Monero , Dash , and DUSK , into the spotlight amid widespread crypto weakness, indicating what analysts describe as selective capital rotation rather than traditional risk-off behavior. Over the past 24 hours, Bitcoin dropped nearly 3% , while most altcoins fell between 3% and 10%; privacy coins, however, moved in the opposite direction, according to CoinGecko data . Dash traded at $81.61, up 1.9% on the day and 119% over the week, while Monero, which hit a new all-time high last Thursday, traded around $644, gaining 8.9% in 24 hours. Source: CoinGecko DUSK posted the steepest gains, surging 110.5% daily and over 354% weekly, bringing the privacy coin category’s market capitalization to $21.7 billion with $2.4 billion in trading volume. Structural Demand Replaces Stablecoins as Safe Haven Speaking with Cryptonews, Ray Youssef, CEO of crypto app NoOnes, explained that the strength in assets like Monero, Dash, and DUSK reflects investors seeking to preserve capital without fully exiting crypto positions. “ Privacy coins’ outperformance during a broad market pullback is an indicator of selective risk-taking by investors who prefer not to fully de-risk or exit their positions in the crypto markets, ” Youssef said, adding that while stablecoins traditionally served as the preferred safe haven during volatility, “ privacy coins now offer a compelling alternative by aligning with the trend toward censorship resistance. “ The renewed interest comes amid ongoing debates over stablecoin rewards in the U.S. market structure bill and escalating trade tensions , creating conditions where some market participants anticipate continued volatility. 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 Investors are increasingly seeking assets that can decouple from broader market weakness and show resilience during periods of macro stress. Youssef pointed to tightening KYC and AML requirements worldwide as key catalysts pushing users toward protocol-embedded financial privacy. The mass freezing of stablecoins has accelerated this shift, most notably Tether’s freezing of over $182 million in USDT across five addresses on January 11. From 2023 to early 2026, Tether froze over 7,000 wallets totaling approximately $3.3 billion USDT, primarily citing illegal activity. “ This raises the question of complete centralized control over assets previously considered immutable and decentralized, ” Youssef noted, arguing that “ privacy coins are taking on a new role, becoming a form of financial independence from corporate and regulatory structures. “ Dubai’s International Financial Centre’s prohibition on privacy tokens trading due to AML and sanctions risks announced last week has failed to interrupt the bullish trend. Despite these regulatory headwinds, the sector has continued to post gains. “ Remarkably, even the ban on privacy coin trading announced last week by Dubai authorities hasn’t interrupted their bullish trend, ” Youssef observed. Dubai has banned privacy tokens and anonymity tools in the DIFC to align with global AML and sanctions standards. #Dubai #Crypto https://t.co/CChT7Nd4mH — Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 12, 2026 Technical Momentum Points to Further Upside Privacy coins have outperformed large-cap assets across several recent market downturns, establishing divergence patterns that could cement their role in strategic portfolios. “ Privacy is once again recognized as fundamental to decentralization, ” Youssef said, noting that “ the core use case and technology of privacy coins remain relevant, especially amid ongoing concerns about peer risk, sovereign surveillance, and the future of digital finance. “ With DUSK posting over 540% growth in 30 days, market participants are watching whether it can sustain momentum and join established privacy leaders. DUSK Price Chart. | Source: CoinGecko “ If privacy coins’ strength endures, we could see XMR at $650, Dash at $90, and DUSK at $0.28 in the coming days, ” Youssef projected. Pavel Nikienkov, founder of Zano, also emphasized last week that privacy represents more than a passing trend. “ Privacy isn’t a passing trend, ” Nikienkov stated, pointing to a16z’s 2025 State of Crypto report, which highlights sharp rises in Google search interest for privacy-related terms. He argued that mainstream blockchains like Ethereum and Solana , by integrating optional privacy layers, indicate the sector’s maturation, though “ only systems designed for confidentiality ” can meaningfully protect users in an increasingly surveilled digital landscape. The post Privacy Coins Defy Crash, Surge 13% Amid Market-Wide Liquidations appeared first on Cryptonews .
