hodler

20 Jan 2026, 16:00

XRP Price At $10 Too Low? Pundit Says That’s For Retail, Reveals Institutional Targets

Crypto pundit XRP Queen has described an XRP price target of $10 as being too low, claiming that this target was from a retail investor’s perspective. She also suggested how high the altcoin could go from an institutional standpoint. Pundit Claims XRP Price Target Of $10 Is Too Low In an X post, XRP Queen stated that people predicting XRP price targets of between $10 and $25 are still thinking of retail price targets. This came as she claimed that Ripple has been thinking about global infrastructures. The pundit highlighted the firm’s moves, including its acquisition of payment and custody infrastructure. Related Reading: XRP Price Could Surge Another 30% If This Trend Is Confirmed Furthermore, XRP Queen noted that Ripple has integrated with banks, funds, and institutions, which she claimed is positioning the altcoin for real-time global settlement. The pundit also believes that the crypto firm has secured regulatory clarity where it actually matters, which is bullish for the XRP price. Lastly, she mentioned that Ripple is actively pursuing a full banking license, having secured conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). XRP Queen declared that Ripple’s moves are how one builds financial plumbing. “Systems don’t move in pennies. They move in orders of magnitude. Lock in,” she added. Regarding how high the XRP price could rise based on institutional targets, XRP Queen suggested the altcoin could reach $100. In an X post, she stated that people laugh at an XRP price target of $100 because they price it like a meme, but that institutions price the altcoin like infrastructure. As such, she believes the altcoin could reach these price targets based on its utility, especially as it gains traction as a token for real-time global settlement. Canary Capital CEO Makes Bullish Case For XRP In a YouTube video, crypto pundit Cheeky Crypto highlighted a statement from Canary Capital’s CEO, Steven McClurg, in which he said that an XRP price target of between $5 and $10 may sound like a lot to a retail trader. However, he believes that these price targets are a rounding error when one considers the trillions of dollars in liquidity required to settle global real-world assets (RWAs) at scale. Related Reading: XRP Wave C Push On The Way: What Could Send Price Below $2? Cheeky Crypto also highlighted McClurg’s statement, in which he said the XRP Ledger is already processing real financial transactions and boasts real-world financial use cases, which he claims are drawing institutions’ attention. Notably, the Canary Capital CEO had recently predicted that XRP would dominate the RWA industry, which is projected to become a trillion-dollar industry at some point. This could boost the altcoin’s utility as the XRP Ledger processes more RWA transactions, sending the XRP price higher in the process. At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.95, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

20 Jan 2026, 16:00

Are Crypto Exchanges Manipulating The Bitcoin Price Crash?

Crypto pundit Wimar has claimed that crypto exchanges are manipulating the Bitcoin price , causing it to crash from its 2026 high. This comes amid recent developments with the Trump tariffs, which have caused the flagship crypto to also decline. Crypto Pundit Accuses Crypto Exchanges Of Manipulating Bitcoin Price In an X post , Wimar asserted that crypto exchanges are manipulating the Bitcoin price. He noted how BTC just dumped from $95,500 to $91,900 with no news. The pundit claimed it is the same script, over and over again, as the flagship crypto rose from $89,000 to $95,000 and has now fallen to $91,000, just as it did when it rose from $85,000 to $88,000 and then fell to $84,000. Wimar claimed that this is a liquidity hunt, alluding to the flows to prove that the Bitcoin price is manipulated. He noted that within minutes, Wintermute, Binance, Coinbase , and ETF-linked wallets were all active simultaneously. Large blocks were said to have moved from exchange to exchange, with huge market buys hitting thin books, and then, just as fast, these tokens were dumped. The crypto pundit also highlighted Arkham data, noting that the flows tell the real story. Wimar claimed that coins move into exchanges right after the pump, which he stated is not a coincidence. The pundit further remarked that these crypto exchanges wait for a setup where liquidity is low, leverage is high, and funding is stretched. Wimar asserted that these crypto exchanges run the same play every time, where they first pump the Bitcoin price fast on thin books to trigger FOMO and then liquidate shorts. Retail investors then see green candles and open long positions because the price action appears to be a breakout, but they fall into the trap, according to the pundit. Wimar stated that once enough people are stuck in leverage, the coins hit crypto exchanges and selling starts, leading to a Bitcoin price crash . The pundit accused these exchanges of dumping into the demand they just created, forcing fresh longs to get liquidated and farming both long and short traders with no news. BTC’s Current Price Action Isn’t Based On Headlines Wimar doubled down on his accusation of crypto exchanges being responsible for the Bitcoin price crash, stating that BTC doesn’t move like this because of headlines. He claimed that it moves like because leverage piles up, and someone decides it is “payday.” As such, the pundit suggested that the Trump tariffs fears aren’t what is sparking this recent market crash. Trump had announced fresh tariffs on France, the U.K., the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Finland, and Norway over the weekend. The Bitcoin price had remained unchanged following the announcement, but began to crash following reports that the European Union (EU) was considering retaliatory tariffs. At the time of writing, the Bitcoin price is trading at around $90,900, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

20 Jan 2026, 16:00

$14.5 Billion: Ether Heavyweight Bitmine Just Beat Its Own Record

Bitmine just added 35,268 ETH worth $108.7 million, lifting its Ethereum holdings to 4.2 million ETH and total assets to $14.5 billion, even as the ETH price slides below $3,000 in a brutal correction.

20 Jan 2026, 16:00

Chainlink expands data streams to cover multitrillion-dollar U.S. stock market

The upgrade uses a "pull" model for sub-second updates, allowing more advanced trading logic and avoiding high gas costs.

20 Jan 2026, 16:00

Top 3 Cheap Altcoins Before Bitcoin (BTC) Reaches $100K

With Bitcoin propelling to the psychological $100K mark, traders are seeking alternatives to BTC that have greater percentages gains. It is shifting to less expensive altcoins that can appreciate in value in case capital flows during the following round of the cycle. Ripple, Cardano, and a new crypto that is well-positioned in its curve are some of them that analysts are following. Ripple (XRP) Without any intrinsic value, Ripple is traded at $2 with a market cap of $124B. Cross-border settlement and international payment rail have always been associated with the popularity of XRP. The token had an institutional interest and regulatory transparency, which enabled it to enter the large-cap category. It is a defensive selection in volatile times because of its size, and it facilitates high transactions with minimal slippage because of its liquidity. Nonetheless, XRP has not managed to penetrate key technical resistance areas. The primary resistance area is at the range of $2.20-$2.40 where the sellers have been pushing the price down. Efforts to regain that area have since died because of diminished momentum and speculative volume. Key analysts do not believe that XRP will come out of its current range without the introduction of new catalysts into the payment story. Cardano (ADA) Cardano has a market cap of $14B and is traded at $0.39 per ADA. ADA has been generating good returns in previous cycles because of its proof-of-stake business model and scientific development strategy. Research-first structure and staking economy have been listed by long-term holders as core strengths of the company. ADA is also among the more developed smart-contract networks in the market. However, the chart by ADA reveals that the token has not been able to get out of its multi-month resistance range of between $0.44 and $0.50. Analysts explain declining speculative buying and less optimistic story on ecosystem development. ADA has acted more of a mid-cap value than a breakout candidate without adopting new catalysts, or even new products. Such a profile is attractive to certain investors, but restrictive to the kind of explosive upside traders would desire when Bitcoin-based expansions happen. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) The third project on the list is Mutuum Finance (MUTM) which is a new crypto building lending protocol where users will be able to provide assets to earn yield and provide collateral to have access to liquidity. The bull cycles increase the lending activity as traders will borrow instead of selling core holdings. This makes MUTM one of the most enduring utility niches of the crypto industry. As of now, MUTM is already in phase 7 presale at a price of $0.04 with a confirmed launch price of $0.06. It has raised more than $19.7M, and more than 18,800 holders were onboarded through the sale. The presale bracket will take into consideration 45.5% of the total supply of 4B, which will enable prior exposure prior to the lending system starting to work. There is also a 24 hour leader board which rewards the best daily buyer with $500 in MUTM which has facilitated sustained participation instead of a one time participation. The Reasons Why Analysts Think MUTM Can Outperform XRP and ADA are large caps. Their potential is squeezed as market limits are already factored in implementation. Despite the optimistic state of the market, analysts believe that XRP and ADA will show slower percentage returns. MUTM is located at the beginning of its curve where the utility is unpriced which provides it with a broader range of upside in case lending metrics become popular after the release. ADA and XRP need to be moved in large volumes. Their richness causes them to be stable but slow. MUTM is capable of operating on a minimal amount of capital since the valuation is in its initial phase. The same stage is when most of the past altcoins had their most significant multiples. When a trader invests $800 in XRP at a price of $2, there would be 400 XRP in the position. Any move to $2.5 would yield a paltry 25% gain of $200. ADA at $0.39 is the same $800 invested in ADA which will give 2,051 ADA. A move to $0.50 would return $1,100, a 25% gain. In the case of MUTM, 20,000 tokens are guaranteed at a price of $800 at a price of $0.04 prior to the launch price of $0.06. Should analysts who are projecting MUTM at $0.30-$0.34 in 2027 be right, that would reflect 650%-750% upside at $6,000. Protocol and Security Framework Mutuum Finance (MUTM) confirmed that V1 is planning to deploy testnet before mainnet. This is where lending, borrowing, liquidation and yield data can be measured. The stage in which lending tokens reprice is due to the ability of markets to give real measurements to valuation. The V1 experienced a security review with Halborn Security and MUTM received a score of 90/100 on CertiK token scan, which supports the assertion of its implementation. As Bitcoin nears the $100K territory and big caps enter less active stages, analysts believe the focus will keep shifting to less expensive altcoins that offer utility, but at relatively cheap prices. That is why XRP, ADA, and MUTM are some of the leading top crypto assets to consider prior to the next BTC expansion phase. For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below: Website: https://www.mutuum.com Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

20 Jan 2026, 15:58

Bonkbot Shifts Meme Coin Incentives to Traders With 200K Reward as Pump.fun Keeps Creator Fees

BonkFun has rolled out a new incentive structure aimed squarely at traders, marking another step in how Solana’s meme coin launchpads are quietly reshaping who gets rewarded. The rollout of new features on Bonkfun shows a deeper infrastructure shift, highlighting growing competition among meme launchpads as rival Pumpfun also pushes through its own structural changes. The update, announced on X, introduces “Winners Arc,” a weekly trading competition that will distribute $200,000 to the most profitable traders on supported USD1 pairs via Axiom Exchange. Introducing Winners Arc. Rewarding the best Solana traders with the biggest weekly trading rewards This is how we’re helping the best trenchers win more pic.twitter.com/6eviqoQ1hN — BONK.fun (@bonkfun) January 19, 2026 Rather than focusing on creators or deployers, the program ranks participants by realized profit and pays the top 50 traders each week directly on Axiom. BonkFun Reworks Incentives to Reward Profitable Trading The structure involves traders operating on supported USD1 pairs during the active reward window and finishing the week with positive realized PnL. The size of the prize pool, combined with the explicit focus on trading skill rather than token creation, signals a clear shift in priorities. BonkFun described the launch as its first concrete step toward “putting trenchers first,” a phrase that has increasingly defined its recent messaging. BonkFun COO Solport Tom framed the move as part of a broader reset. He said the team had spent months reworking its systems to address what it saw as structural problems, particularly around creator fees. Ok, it’s time to officially step back into the trenches. We’ve been working fucking hard these past few months on how to be competitive and how to achieve results again. Last week, we changed our system to fix core issues with creator fees. This week, we’ve officially teamed up… https://t.co/bpnQ7kAG5S — Tom (@SolportTom) January 19, 2026 Tom noted that the partnership with Axiom and the weekly rewards are meant to make BonkFun competitive again after a period where incentives drifted away from active traders. User reactions show that framing, with some welcoming the return of a leaderboard that makes performance visible and others joking about returning to near-round-the-clock trading. Just last week, BonkFun announced “BONK Classic” launches with zero creator fees and a reduced 0.30% swap fee, most of which is routed back into liquidity. @bonkfun is rolling out 2 options on meme coin launch incentives: BONK Classic with zero creator fees and BONKERS with USD-1 only creator rewards, as competition with @Pumpfun intensifies #Solana #BONK #memecoin https://t.co/3dB688Usxa — Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 14, 2026 BonkFun kept an alternative option through its “BONKERS” launches, where creator fees can be higher but swap fees are reduced, giving communities a choice between trader-first and creator-first economics. Divergence in Strategy: BonkFun Courts Traders as Pump.fun Doubles Down on Creators This trader-centric turn stands in contrast to Pump.fun, which continues to emphasize creator economics even as it introduces new features. Earlier in January, Pump.fun overhauled its creator fee syste m, allowing fees to be split across multiple wallets and adjusting how they scale with market capitalization. @Pump .fun introduces creator fee sharing to fix incentive issues for teams and curb risky, low-effort coin launches. https://t.co/Jrd1XOUZWu — Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 9, 2026 While the team acknowledged that past incentives skewed too heavily toward low-risk coin creation, it has stopped short of removing creator fees altogether. The divergence is visible in the data, as over the past 24 hours, Pump.fun saw more than 24,500 tokens created, compared with about 3,290 on BonkFun. Source: Dune/adamhec Pump.fun also led in volume, active addresses, and fee generation by a wide margin. Yet BonkFun’s changes suggest it is less focused on raw issuance numbers and more on re-attracting experienced traders through lower friction and direct rewards. Taken together, the developments point to a subtle but deliberate shift in the meme coin launchpad landscape. BonkFun is betting that rewarding traders and reducing creator extraction will rebuild engagement from the trading side. Pump.fun is maintaining its creator-driven model while layering in funding, social features, and structural tweaks. The competition has not turned overt, but the incentives on each platform are moving in different directions, reshaping the playfield without openly declaring a fight. The post Bonkbot Shifts Meme Coin Incentives to Traders With 200K Reward as Pump.fun Keeps Creator Fees appeared first on Cryptonews .