Invest ideasNews
22 Jan 2026, 11:31
Is XRP a Buy, Hold, or Sell in 2026?
Following two powerful rallies – 543% in late 2024, and 60% in the summer of 2025 – XRP has mostly been on a decline in recent months, raising the question of whether the cryptocurrency is a buy, hold, or sell in 2026. Indeed, the popular token has been trading with significant volatility since New Year’s Day as it is, at press time on January 22, changing hands at $1.95 – up 4.09% in the year-to-date (YTD) chart but 16.81% below the January 6 high of $2.35. XRP YTD price chart. Source: Finbold In the short-term, XRP looks rather close to a bullish breakout, considering its two critical resistance zones are but cents away at $1.97 and $2. Simultaneously, a bearish turn appears unlikely as the token would have to plunge below the $1.78 support to truly crash – a move that would require an 8.72% price drop to even become a genuine possibility. The bull case in the extremely short and arguably the very long term was boosted with a January 21 joint press release from Evernorth and t54. According to the text, Evernorth is seeking to raise $1 billion in order to create the world’s largest XRP treasury while also seeking to deploy artificial intelligence ( AI ) on the XRP Ledger. Why XRP remains a ‘Strong Buy’ in the long-term Additionally, having previously recorded highs near $3.60 in 2025, and examining the historic performance of other major cryptocurrencies, XRP looks both cheap and promising to buy in January of 2026 as a long-term rally of at least 84% appears all but inevitable. The drive toward a legal framework for digital assets in the U.S. appears to, despite recent setbacks, back the XRP bull case. The token has, possibly, more than any other prominent cryptocurrency, been held back by regulatory woes. Specifically, the long legal battle between Ripple Labs – the company behind the token – and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ensured XRP failed to take part in the overall late 2023 and early 2024 market rally. Likewise, the settlement reached in 2025 enabled the year’s 60% upsurge, generally painting the token as a ‘Buy’ in the long run. For investors seeking more immediate profits, the situation could be substantially different. Why XRP is a ‘Hold’ in 2026 To begin with, while the U.S. is moving in the direction of tailor-made cryptocurrency regulation, the vote on the legal framework has been postponed, while the draft of bills such as the CLARITY Act triggered something of an online spat between industry heavyweights . Indeed, while Ripple’s Brad Garlinghouse remained supportive of the document through its ‘imperfections’, Coinbase’s (NASDAQ: COIN) Brian Armstrong withdrew his endorsement. Cardano’s ( ADA ) Charles Hoskinson was even more vocal as he explained his dissatisfaction with the act and figures like Garlinghouse in a recent broadcast on X . Considering XRP’s historical dependence on regulatory developments and the fact that much of the early 2026 optimism was driven by hopes for the framework, the token could struggle to impress in the short-to-mid term. In fact, the overall picture for the year appears mixed. While the bulls are yet to capitulate, an increasing number of experts and traders are anticipating that the wider cryptocurrency market will be on a retreat. Furthermore, it has been proposed that Bitcoin ( BTC ) will reach the cycle low in October 2026, due to the historical patterns in the time BTC takes to move from lows to highs and back. The world’s premier cryptocurrency still has an outsized impact on other digital assets, and XRP is, arguably, no exception. BTC and the overall cryptocurrency market capitalization 5-year charts, showcasing Bitcoin’s influence. Source: TradingView Ultimately, the various factors impacting the cryptocurrency market paint XRP as a relatively decisive ‘Hold.’ Indeed, the token is all but guaranteed to rise in the long term on the one hand, but, on the other, it is not particularly cheap given its historic prices. Is XRP a ‘Buy’ in January for risk-tolerant investors? For the most risk-tolerant traders, however, XRP might still be a ‘Buy’ at press time on January 22. The cryptocurrency market bloodbath , which started on Sunday, January 18, sent the token’s price crashing. Similarly, spot XRP exchange-traded funds ( ETFs ) saw nearly $53 million in outflows on January 20, reflecting the widespread risk-off sentiment. Spot XRP ETF flows between January 16 and 21. Source: Coinglass Still, given that the bearish turn was driven by geopolitical tensions and that President Donald Trump’s latest remarks at the World Economic Forum (WEF) were generally interpreted as deescalatory, a price recovery appears like the most likely next move. In fact, such a direction appears to have already been chosen by investors, given XRP’s limited rally in the 24-hour chart and the $7 million worth of inflows into the spot ETFs recorded on January 21. Featured image via Shutterstock The post Is XRP a Buy, Hold, or Sell in 2026? appeared first on Finbold .
22 Jan 2026, 11:00
Danes develop apps to boycott American products over Greenland tension
Mobile apps allowing users to avoid American products have been enjoying growing popularity in Denmark amid cross-Atlantic tensions over the future of Greenland. While it’s yet to be seen if the software will significantly affect consumption of the already rare “Made in USA” goods, it’s certainly giving Danes a chance to vent out a little over President Trump’s appetite toward the Danish territory. ‘WithoutUSA’ app overtakes ChatGPT by downloads in Denmark Applications that help identify American-made items in the supermarket are becoming a hit in Denmark, its national radio broadcaster revealed. Two locally developed apps, “Made O’Meter” and “UdenUSA,” are seeing the most downloads, according to a report by Danmarks Radio (DR) on Wednesday. UdenUSA, or “WithoutUSA” was created by 21-year-old Jonas Pipper and his 22-year-old friend Malthe Hensberg, both from the island of Mors in western North Jutland. It all started last spring when they discovered a Facebook group called “Boykot USA,” which had nearly 100,000 users at the time, Pipper told the radio’s online edition, adding: “Then we thought – that’s funny, there’s no tool to scan a product and find out where it comes from.” Their UdenUSA app is now used for precisely that purpose – allowing Danes to identify the origin of goods, before they put them in the shopping cart, and find alternatives from countries other than the U.S., if they so wish. The application is now trending and has become the fourth most downloaded on Apple’s App Store in Denmark, overtaking OpenAI’s ChatGPT , which is currently fifth, DR Nyheder noted in the post. Its developers claim their software is merely a consumer tool and their intention is not to tell compatriots whether they should actually boycott certain goods. “We’re just providing the opportunity to have a little more clarity, and then it’s up to the consumers what they want to do,” explained Jonas Pipper. Will the boycott actually work beyond venting anger? Gauging the impact of apps of this kind is a difficult task, as these days, it’s not that easy to find truly American-made products on supermarket shelves in Denmark anyway, comment the authors of the report. “When we look at imports, very little comes directly from the U.S.,” remarked Louise Aggerstrøm Hansen, private economist at Danske Bank. While there are examples of popular items, including some wines and almonds, directly imported American foods account for less than 1.2% of the Danish diet. Besides, many of the products offered by American brands are not produced in the United States and may even be manufactured in Denmark itself. However, even if it doesn’t bring down big U.S. corporations, participation in the boycott movement would make Danes feel they are reacting somehow to the current conflict, according to Pelle Guldborg Hansen from the Roskilde University. “A lot of people watch the news and see something they don’t like and get angry about. In this case, it’s about ourselves and Greenland, and then you just want to do something with your anger, no matter how small it is,” the behavioral researcher explained, adding: “More people see changing their consumption patterns as a move they can make. It may not seem like much, but it’s still something. And it’s a way of expressing their anger.” Choices made at the store can redirect consumption, and even if Coca-Cola doesn’t notice it’s selling less in Denmark, a Danish company like the Harboe brewery may feel it, Hansen elaborated. The Trump administration’s renewed push to, one way or another, acquire Greenland for the United States, citing national security reasons, caused heightened tensions between Europe and America in the past weeks. Earlier in January, the U.S. President warned he’s going to impose trade penalties on countries opposing the acquisition and then even threatened NATO member states that don’t agree with his plan with tariffs that may eventually reach 25%. The European Union responded by halting the parliamentary approval of a transatlantic trade agreement with Washington reached last summer. During his participation in the global economic forum in Davos this week, Donald Trump backtracked on his intention to slap tariffs on European nations and ruled out using military force to take over Denmark’s island, an option he had previously left open. Join a premium crypto trading community free for 30 days - normally $100/mo.
22 Jan 2026, 10:50
China doubles down on gold as U.S. Treasury holdings fall to lowest since 2008
China is dumping U.S. Treasuries like it’s 2008 again, but at the same time, it’s stockpiling gold like there’s a global reset coming. New data from the U.S. Treasury Department shows China’s holdings of American government debt dropped to $682.6 billion in November, down from $688.7 billion in October. That’s the lowest since the global financial crisis, nearly two decades ago. It’s not a glitch. This is part of a clear shift in China’s strategy to pull away from U.S. exposure and load up on more gold and foreign stocks instead. The shift comes while the U.S. government just wrapped up the longest shutdown in its history. It started on October 1 and lasted 43 days. President Donald Trump signed a funding bill on November 12 to reopen operations. By the time the dust settled, total foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries hit a record $9.355 trillion, up from $9.243 trillion the month before. So while others were piling in, China was quietly pulling out. Japan, UK, and Canada increase Treasury bets as China pulls back Japan stayed in its usual spot as the top foreign holder of Treasuries, holding $1.202 trillion in November, its highest since July 2022. That’s 11 straight months of adding. The United Kingdom, which hedge funds often use as a front for their U.S. debt exposure, also increased its stake to $888.5 billion, up 1.2% from October. Canada went even harder, boosting its holdings 13% to $472.2 billion. That’s a big bounce from the April low of $368.4 billion, back when Trump slapped Canada with new tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars. Meanwhile, China has been hunting for shiny rocks. In central China, geologists struck what they’re calling a “superlarge” gold deposit , over 1,000 tons of gold, worth around $85.9 billion. The site is buried roughly 9,842 feet below the Wangu gold field in Hunan’s Pingjiang County. According to the Hunan Geological Bureau, about 40 gold veins were identified in that area alone. Within a shallower 6,562-foot depth, 300 tons of that total gold reserve have already been confirmed. Laizhou discovery boosts China’s total gold reserves even further That wasn’t the only jackpot. In the eastern province of Shandong, off the coast of Laizhou in Yantai, China also confirmed new gold reserves that pushed the area’s total to more than 3,900 tons. That’s roughly 26% of China’s entire known gold stash, based on figures reported by the South China Morning Post. Officials haven’t given exact tonnage for the new find yet, but the implication is clear: China wants more control over real assets, and it’s going hard on domestic mining to get there. While China was selling, foreigners were on a buying spree. Treasury purchases hit $85.6 billion in November, a total reversal from the $60.1 billion outflow recorded in October. Back in May, there was an even bigger rush, $147.4 billion in net Treasury inflows, the highest since August 2022. Foreigners also snapped up $92.2 billion in U.S. stocks during the same month, compared to $60.3 billion in October. Altogether, the U.S. saw a $212 billion capital inflow in November. That came after October’s revised outflow of $22.5 billion. But don’t expect China to follow the crowd. Get seen where it counts. Advertise in Cryptopolitan Research and reach crypto’s sharpest investors and builders.
22 Jan 2026, 10:33
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix lead rally as Kopsi crosses 5,000 for the first time
Kospi crossed 5,000 for the first time ever this week, hitting that number on Thursday before closing a bit lower at 4,952.53. The index is now up nearly 20% in January, powered by massive gains in chip stocks and new rules meant to weaken the grip of family-controlled conglomerates. President Lee Jae Myung has been pushing both ideas hard, and for once, the chart seems to agree with him. This guy told voters he’d get Kospi to 5,000 during his term. Well, congrats to him! The run was [naturally] led by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the two giants at the heart of the AI chip frenzy. Their rise hasn’t been slow folks. Samsung is up nearly three times from last year, now trading at ₩154,700. SK Hynix has been even hotter, climbing almost four times to ₩766,000. Put together, these two now make up more than a third of the whole Kospi. Lee targets family control and low dividends When Lee won the election last June, he made it clear he wasn’t playing the old game. He promised to fight what’s been called the “Korea discount,” the problem where investors avoid Korean stocks because they’re tired of family dynasties calling the shots. One of the first steps to that actually came in July last year, when Lee’s team changed the Commercial Act. The new rule makes it a legal duty for company directors to care about all shareholders, not just the company or its insiders. Critics say the old rule just gave more power to chaebol families, who already own most of the market behind closed doors. Now the government wants to take it further. Lee’s team is working on a plan to cancel treasury shares. These are shares companies usually keep in their own hands to protect insiders. Killing those shares would boost earnings per share and give more control to outside investors. They’re also using tax cuts to get companies to pay more in dividends, which have always lagged behind what’s paid in other countries. Lee posted in April, when the index was still below 2,500, “If we establish a fair and reasonable corporate governance mechanism and market order, our stock market will take a stunning leap forward.” Korean retail traders miss the rally as economy slows While global funds and institutional traders piled into the rally, regular Koreans (the so-called “ants”) weren’t around to enjoy it. Korea Exchange data shows retail investors were net sellers last year. They pulled out as the rally was building. Still, some stocks outside of chips caught fire. Samsung SDI, which makes batteries, jumped 18.67%. Doosan, a major industrial group, climbed 9.09%. Even Samsung Electronics, already flying high, gained another 1.87% during the week. But the real economy isn’t celebrating. GDP shrank 0.3% in the final three months of 2025. That’s the worst quarterly reading since 2022. Full-year growth came in at just 1%, the weakest since 2020, when the country was deep in the pandemic and output fell 0.7%. Around the region, the vibe was a little better. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.73%, closing at 53,688.89 and breaking a five-day losing streak. Topix added 0.74% to end at 3,616.38. In Australia, the ASX 200 went up 0.75%, finishing at 8,848.70. In China, the Shanghai Composite ticked up 0.14%, Hang Seng added 0.17%, and the CSI 300 barely moved, up 0.01%. Get seen where it counts. Advertise in Cryptopolitan Research and reach crypto’s sharpest investors and builders.
22 Jan 2026, 10:30
Circle Foundation Funds United Nations Digital Hub to Scale Regulated Stablecoins for Aid
Circle Foundation grants support UN Digital Hub to use regulated stablecoins for faster, transparent humanitarian payments. Circle Foundation announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21, 2026 a first international grant to UNHCR’s Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions (DHoTS) to help integrate regulated stablecoins and next‑generation digital financial infrastructure across 15 UN
22 Jan 2026, 10:11
Circle Teams Up With UN to Modernize $38 Billion in Global Aid Transfers
The Circle Foundation will support the United Nations Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions (DHoTS) to accelerate the flow of aid funds across the UN ecosystem.
