hodler

28 Jan 2026, 10:00

ADGM to introduce crypto mining framework in the UAE

The UAE based ADGM Registration Authority (“RA”) has published Discussion Paper No. 1 of 2026, inviting stakeholder feedback on proposed guidance for crypto mining activities conducted within or from ADGM. As per the announcement, the proposal aims to provide clarity on regulations alongside responsible innovation and governance standards for crypto mining. In the discussion paper , ADGM defines crypto mining as the verification of transactions on a decentralized ledger or infrastructure network, in return for rewards in the form of digital assets generated by a consensus mechanism. The financial freezone has take a technology neutral approach to the framework, and accept all kinds of blockchains including proof of work, proof of stake and others. License for crypto mining entities will be offered under a commercial one by the registration authority, as a financial service and not under the FSRA regulatory authority. However all crypto entities will also have to adhere to the UAE Federal laws already in place. The framework will also include clear governance expectations, with beneficial ownership disclosure, operational integrity, as well as risk based supervision with oversight calibrated on the scale and complexity of the mining operations. A new concept introduce by ADGM will be global oversight, where crypto mining entities registered in ADGM can also oversee and manage overseas crypto mining operations. ADGM is looking for responses from entities engaged in crypto mining activities, or planning to, as well as technology vendors, auditors, and other relevant industry stakeholders. Feedback is needed by March 20th, 2026. ADGM wants to set a framework for crypto mining because it can pose risks in areas such as operational resilience, cybersecurity, transparency of ownership and control, health and safety at facilities, and cross border oversight. Dmitry Fedotov, Head of Emerging Technology at ADGM, on LinkedIn, wrote, “This is an important step towards regulatory certainty for entities engaged in crypto mining, whether operating locally, establishing regional headquarters, or managing global mining portfolios from ADGM.” He added that the areas where feedback is specifically sought are in the clarity of licensing requirements, assessment, proportionality of proposed license conditions, appropriateness of onchain address disclosure expectations, adequacy of supervisory tools, including potential SupTech integrations, and expectations for ADGM headquartered entities overseeing global mining operations. The last one addresses a genuine gap, says Fedetov, as mining operations increasingly span multiple jurisdictions. He explains, “There’s value in establishing clear expectations for how headquarters entities should exercise oversight, conduct due diligence on host jurisdictions, and apply consistent governance standards across their global footprint.” The UAE has a handful of operating crypto mining firms Already, the UAE has a handful of crypto mining entities operating out of the country. The major two well known are Phoenix, the first crypto mining entity in UAE to have an IPO and list on Abu Dhabi Exchange, and Marathon Digital which in 2023 entered into a shareholder’s agreement with FSI (FS Innovation), the BTC mining subsidiary of UAE ADQ a sovereign fund, to form an Abu Dhabi. Additionally, in 2024, Hut 8 an energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure, and compute at scale to fuel next generation, energy intensive use cases such as Bitcoin mining and high performance computing, registered to open an office in Dubai, UAE. Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.

28 Jan 2026, 10:00

Bitcoin Whales Flip From Distribution To Early Re-Accumulation – Details

Bitcoin remains under pressure, struggling to reclaim the $88,000 level as uncertainty and persistent selling continue to dominate market sentiment. Price action reflects hesitation rather than panic, but the inability to attract sustained demand highlights a fragile short-term structure. According to a recent CryptoQuant analysis, on-chain data tracking large holders offers critical context for this weakness. Data focusing on wallets holding between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC, excluding exchanges and mining pools, points to a clear behavioral shift among whales after an extended distribution phase in late 2025. Following a local peak around mid-2025, aggregate whale balances declined steadily while Bitcoin traded at elevated levels. This pattern is consistent with distribution into strength, not forced liquidation, suggesting that large holders were reducing exposure opportunistically as price momentum matured. The 30-day balance change metric reinforces this view. Throughout the third quarter and into early Q4, whale balances repeatedly printed negative monthly changes, even as prices attempted to push higher. This divergence coincided with rising volatility and fading upside momentum, signaling that rallies were increasingly sustained by marginal buyers rather than committed institutional-scale accumulation. Whale Behavior Signals Early Stabilization After Prolonged Distribution However, the same report highlights an important shift beneath the surface. Recent on-chain data shows a clear inflection in whale behavior, with both short-term (7-day) and medium-term (30-day) balance changes turning positive. After months of persistent outflows, total whale holdings are no longer declining and have begun to stabilize, gradually recovering from their local lows. This change suggests that large holders are no longer actively distributing into rallies. Historically, transitions from net distribution to early accumulation tend to emerge during periods of price compression or after corrective phases, rather than near market peaks. The current environment fits that pattern. Bitcoin is trading in a tight range after a sharp drawdown, and volatility has compressed, creating conditions where strategic repositioning becomes more attractive for larger players. From a broader macro on-chain perspective, the 1-year change in whale holdings remains relatively flat. This indicates that the market has not yet entered a full-scale accumulation regime typically associated with strong bull market expansions. Instead, the behavior observed so far is more consistent with tactical positioning and selective re-entry, rather than high-conviction, long-term buying. Importantly, whale activity is no longer adding sustained sell-side pressure to Bitcoin’s supply. While this shift does not guarantee an immediate upside breakout, it materially reduces downside risk. The market appears to be transitioning into a stabilization phase, where the next directional move will depend on whether accumulation meaningfully accelerates or fades at current levels. Bitcoin Consolidates Around Weekly Demand Level Bitcoin’s weekly chart shows price consolidating just below the $90,000 zone, highlighting a market caught between stabilization and unresolved downside risk. After the sharp correction from the $120K–$125K peak, BTC has entered a broad consolidation range, with recent candles clustering around the mid-to-high $80K area. This zone is increasingly acting as a critical demand region rather than a launchpad for immediate upside. From a trend perspective, the structure has clearly weakened. Price remains below the 50-period moving average (blue), which has rolled over and now acts as dynamic resistance near the low $90Ks. The 100-period moving average (green) continues to slope upward and currently provides medium-term support just below the current price, reinforcing the idea of compression rather than free fall. Meanwhile, the 200-period moving average (red) remains well below the price and rising steadily, confirming that the broader long-term uptrend is still intact despite the correction. Volume dynamics also support a stabilization narrative. Selling pressure has eased compared to the distribution phase seen near the highs, and recent weekly candles show reduced downside momentum. However, the lack of strong bullish follow-through suggests buyers are selective rather than aggressive. Bitcoin is transitioning into a decision zone. Holding above the 100-week moving average keeps the market in a corrective but constructive phase. Failure to do so would open the door to deeper mean reversion, while a reclaim of the 50-week average would be an early signal of trend repair. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

28 Jan 2026, 05:29

Senior Thai Electricity Officials Caught in Illegal Crypto Mining Scandal

Thailand’s special investigation force (DSI) has exposed four senior officials from the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) for allegedly abusing their authority to operate an illegal Bitcoin mining syndicate. Thousands of illegal mining rigs were confiscated from an assistant PEA governor, with cash deposits worth 19 million baht ($612.9K). The Bangkok Post reported Tuesday that DSI raided three houses, seizing mining equipment, cash, laptops, phones and bank passbooks. “Operation Copperhead” – Wider Crackdown on Illegal Bitcoin Mining Operations The raids conducted by the DSI were a part of “operation copperhead,” launched in December 2025, said Police Maj General Rutthapon Naowarat. The operation targets criminal networks operating in Thailand, focusing on money laundering and seizing illegal assets. On January 19, the DSI officials seized 3,642 crypto mining rigs, discovering evidence linking them to financiers and state officials. The accused PEA officials include an assistant governor, a regional-level deputy manager, a technician and a service division employee who retired in 2025. Thorough searches were carried out in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Sakhon provinces, the report noted. Additionally, the investigators found that the accused PEA officials used their authority to arrange warehousing, facilitating electricity supply and transformer access for the mining hub. They reportedly accepted monthly kickbacks of up to 400,000 baht. “Legal action would be taken against all offenders without exception, regardless of rank or position,” said Pol Capt Khemachart Prakaihongmanee, director of the DSI’s Technology and Cyber Crime Bureau. “The case would be expedited and forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for further action.” Thailand Tightens Crypto Oversight, Keeps Illegal Operations at Check The nation has already been tightening oversight on digital assets , ordering a broad crackdown on ‘grey money’ – funds that move through legal-looking channels but often trace back to criminal syndicates and illicit activities. Besides, in January 2025, the PEA uncovered a Bitcoin mining farm in Chonburi for tampering with power meters to steal electricity. About 996 mining rigs were seized in the crackdown. However, the issue of illegal Bitcoin mining is not confined to Thailand. It is part of a broader global issue. For instance, Russia saw “millions of dollars per year” in electricity and lost taxes tied to crypto mining last year. As a result, the nation’s Justice Ministry proposed prison sentences up to 5 years and fines reaching 2.5 million rubles for unregistered crypto mining operations. The post Senior Thai Electricity Officials Caught in Illegal Crypto Mining Scandal appeared first on Cryptonews .

28 Jan 2026, 04:34

Trump-backed American Bitcoin adds 416 BTC; reserves rise to 5,843

American Bitcoin ( ABTC ) has increased its total Bitcoin reserve to ~5,843 BTC and achieved a BTC yield of ~116% from its Nasdaq debut on September 3, 2025, through January 25, 2026, the company said. The latest figures place American Bitcoin as the 18th-largest corporate holder of bitcoin, ahead of firms such as Nakamoto Inc ( NAKA ) and GameStop Corp ( GME ), CoinDesk reported. American Bitcoin ( ABTC ) is down 6.5% year to date as investors contend with shifting macroeconomic conditions, geopolitical uncertainty, and a recent slide in bitcoin prices. American Bitcoin is about 20% owned by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump and became an independent public company after merging with Gryphon Digital Mining and separating from Hut 8’s ( HUT ) mining business.

28 Jan 2026, 02:00

Bitcoin Hashrate Slides: US Cold Wave Knocks Mining Rigs Offline

Bitcoin is struggling to regain momentum below the $88,000 level as fear and uncertainty continue to weigh on market sentiment. After a volatile selloff, price action remains compressed near key support, with buyers hesitant to step in aggressively and sellers pressing rallies at lower levels. While attention has largely focused on derivatives pressure and macro risk, on-chain signals are now adding another layer of concern to the current setup. Top analyst Darkfost points to a critical indicator of Bitcoin’s underlying network health: the hashrate, which measures the total computing power securing the network and reflects overall mining activity. Under normal conditions, a sharp decline in hashrate suggests that miners are voluntarily shutting down machines, often due to unprofitability or stress—typically associated with miner capitulation phases near market lows. That is exactly the type of move unfolding now. Over just two days, Bitcoin’s hashrate has dropped dramatically, falling from 1.133 ZH/s to 690 EH/s. Such a rapid contraction is highly unusual and immediately raises questions about its cause. Importantly, Darkfost notes that this episode does not fit the classic miner capitulation narrative driven by collapsing prices or shrinking margins. Instead, the decline appears to be linked to external disruptions rather than economic pressure within the mining sector itself. This distinction matters. While price remains under pressure below $88K, the hashrate shock introduces a new variable—one that could influence short-term dynamics, miner behavior, and market psychology as conditions evolve. Hashrate Shock Linked To US Ice Storm, Not Miner Capitulation According to Darkfost, the sharp drop in Bitcoin’s hashrate appears to be driven by external disruptions, not by economic stress within the mining sector. A large number of ASIC machines have been shut down during the past few days, coinciding with a severe ice storm hitting the United States, a country that accounts for roughly one-third of global Bitcoin hashrate. The timing strongly suggests a weather-related shock rather than voluntary miner capitulation. The cold wave has been especially disruptive in Texas, a key hub for industrial-scale mining operations. Major players such as MARA and Foundry Digital are heavily exposed to the region’s power grid. Darkfost highlights that MARA’s hashrate has fallen by roughly a factor of four over the last three days compared to its monthly average, underscoring how abrupt and severe the disruption has been. Extreme cold places stress on power infrastructure, forcing grid operators to curtail non-essential loads, while electricity prices spike as demand surges. For miners, this combination makes continued operation temporarily unviable, leading to widespread shutdowns. As a consequence, block times are likely to lengthen, and mining difficulty is expected to adjust lower, with the next adjustment already estimated near -4.54%. If the storm persists, Darkfost warns that some miners could be forced to sell BTC to cover fixed operating costs, adding another short-term pressure point for the market. Bitcoin Medium-Term Structure Remains Under Pressure Bitcoin is trading around $87,850 on the 3-day chart, sitting at a critical inflection zone after a prolonged corrective phase. The broader structure shows that BTC peaked near the $125K area in late 2025 before entering a sustained downtrend, marked by sharp selloffs and increasingly weaker rebound attempts. While price has managed to stabilize above the mid-$80K region, momentum remains fragile and conviction on the buy side is limited. From a trend perspective, the moving averages outline the current market regime clearly. Bitcoin is trading below the 50-period moving average (blue), which has rolled over and is now acting as dynamic resistance near the low-$90K area. The 100-period moving average (green) is flattening and beginning to turn lower, signaling a loss of medium-term trend strength and confirming that prior upside momentum has broken. Meanwhile, the 200-period moving average (red) continues to slope upward well below price, near the low-$90K to high-$80K region, acting as the last major long-term support reference. Price action over recent candles suggests compression rather than capitulation. Volatility has contracted, and volume has declined compared to the November selloff, indicating reduced urgency from sellers. For bulls, holding the $86K–$88K zone is essential to avoid a deeper breakdown. A decisive move back above $90K–$92K would be required to shift structure and signal early recovery, while failure here keeps downside risk open toward the low-$80K range. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

27 Jan 2026, 23:00

Why SHIB Whales are Betting Big on Mutuum Finance (MUTM) as the Next Crypto To Explode

Large cryptocurrency depositors, also known as whales, are leaving Shiba Inu (SHIB) to invest in a different coin called Mutuum Finance (MUTM) . The whale investors involved in the Shiba Inu project have been implementing major portfolio changes. The investors are looking for more than the mere exchange of meme coins; they are looking for the next crypto to explode that has real products and real earning potential. Mutuum Finance, a new cryptocurrency, has major growth opportunities in 2026. Obtaining a Spot in the 7th Round of Presale These institutional investors are focusing on the Mutuum Finance presale, which is the last chance to buy tokens before they are listed on the public market. The presale is in Phase 7, with a token price of $0.04. The price will then rise to $0.06 at launch. However, those who evaluate the architecture of the project believe that prices may skyrocket, which could result in a return of 7x the amount within a short period of listing. For example, if a SHIB investor decides to invest $5,000 of their profits into MUTM at this point, they could potentially see that amount increase to $35,000. Earning Ongoing Dividends from Platform Fees One of the most important factors that attract whales to the project is the unique profit-sharing system of the Mutuum project. The project will set aside a fraction of its fees to automatically buy back the MUTM tokens, which will then be distributed as dividends to users who stake their assets on the platform. For instance, staking $10,000 in tokens, with the protocol paying out $500,000 in fees quarterly, would result in earning approximately $1,000 in MUTM dividends. This is a constructive cycle where the use of the platform will reward loyal holders with more tokens, thus increasing their stake in the project. Maximizing Returns through Liquidity Mining Mutuum Finance also offers special rewards for liquidity providers via liquidity mining. Users can stake their cryptocurrency in a pool to help fund the operations of the platform in return for generous rewards in the form of MUTM tokens. For instance, depositing liquidity worth $10,000 could result in an annual reward of about 25%, or $2,500 in additional MUTM tokens. These tokens can be reinvested or held for their potential value as the asset is expected to increase in value, making a simple investment a potent tool for building wealth. This is a sound strategy for building a new crypto portfolio. A Strategic Path for Future Growth Shiba Inu whales are not only computing the change in the meme coin. They seek a stable project that is really functioning and allows people to make money. Mutuum Finance satisfies all those requirements. Analysts believe that the quality aspects of Mutuum Finance and its consistent development make it the most suitable crypto to purchase in 2026. The goal is to set up early investors for success as the platform is launched and gains popularity. For individuals looking to invest in a cryptocurrency with a strong foundation and great potential, joining this whale trend in the presale stage of MUTM may be beneficial. The chance to buy at $0.04 is rapidly slipping away. For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below: Website: https://mutuum.com/ Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance