Invest ideasNews
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, 16:45
Ember Protocol and Bluefin Launch Revolutionary Vault Using Polymarket’s Powerful Prediction Data
BitcoinWorld Ember Protocol and Bluefin Launch Revolutionary Vault Using Polymarket’s Powerful Prediction Data In a groundbreaking development for decentralized finance, Ember Protocol and Bluefin have unveiled a transformative new vault product that harnesses real-time prediction market data from Polymarket. This innovative launch, announced by the Sui Foundation on November 15, 2024, represents a significant convergence of information markets and automated investment strategies within the rapidly evolving blockchain ecosystem. The product fundamentally changes how DeFi protocols can utilize external data streams for sophisticated financial applications. Ember Protocol and Bluefin Vault Integrates Polymarket Data The newly launched vault establishes a direct pipeline between Polymarket’s prediction market data and automated investment strategies deployed through Ember Protocol’s infrastructure. This integration enables the vault to dynamically adjust its positions based on real-world event probabilities and market sentiment indicators. Consequently, the product creates a novel financial instrument that responds not just to traditional market signals but also to collective intelligence about future events. Polymarket operates as a decentralized information market platform where users trade on the outcomes of real-world events. The platform has gained substantial traction for political predictions, economic indicators, and cultural events. Now, Ember Protocol and Bluefin’s vault translates this predictive data into actionable investment parameters. This approach represents a significant advancement beyond traditional algorithmic trading that primarily relies on historical price data and technical indicators. Sui Blockchain Ecosystem Enables Advanced DeFi Innovation The Sui blockchain provides the foundational infrastructure that makes this sophisticated vault possible. Sui’s object-centric model and parallel transaction processing enable the high-throughput data ingestion and complex smart contract execution required for real-time prediction market integration. Both Ember Protocol and Bluefin have developed their platforms specifically for Sui’s architecture, leveraging its unique capabilities for DeFi applications. Several technical innovations distinguish this collaboration: Real-time Oracle Integration: The vault utilizes specialized oracles that securely bridge Polymarket data to the Sui blockchain Dynamic Strategy Adjustment: Investment parameters automatically recalibrate based on shifting probability distributions Risk-Managed Exposure: The system implements sophisticated position sizing based on prediction confidence levels Cross-Protocol Composability: The vault interacts seamlessly with other DeFi protocols within the Sui ecosystem Expert Analysis: The Convergence of Prediction Markets and Automated Investing Financial technology analysts recognize this development as part of a broader trend toward information-aware DeFi products. “The integration of prediction market data with automated investment strategies represents a logical evolution for decentralized finance,” explains Dr. Elena Rodriguez, a blockchain research director at Digital Finance Institute. “Traditional quantitative models have always incorporated various data streams, but blockchain technology enables this integration to occur transparently and permissionlessly.” The vault’s architecture follows established financial engineering principles while leveraging blockchain’s unique capabilities. Historical analysis shows that prediction markets often demonstrate remarkable accuracy in forecasting event outcomes, sometimes surpassing expert opinion polls. By systematically incorporating this predictive power, the vault aims to generate risk-adjusted returns that traditional strategies might miss. However, the product also introduces novel risk factors related to prediction market liquidity and oracle reliability. Practical Applications and Real-World Impact This innovative vault product enables several practical applications for DeFi participants. Investors can gain exposure to event-driven strategies without needing to actively trade prediction markets themselves. The automated nature of the vault reduces the time commitment and expertise required to implement such strategies manually. Additionally, the product creates new yield generation opportunities that correlate differently with traditional crypto market movements. The launch follows months of development and testing within Sui’s devnet environment. The teams conducted extensive security audits and backtesting using historical Polymarket data. Initial performance simulations, while not guaranteeing future results, demonstrated how prediction market signals could have enhanced various investment approaches during previous market cycles. The vault’s parameters include multiple safety mechanisms, including maximum position limits and circuit breakers during periods of extreme prediction market volatility. Comparison: Traditional DeFi Vaults vs. Prediction-Integrated Vault Feature Traditional DeFi Vault Ember/Bluefin Polymarket Vault Primary Data Source Price feeds, volume, technical indicators Prediction market probabilities, event outcomes Strategy Adjustment Frequency Periodic (hours/days) Continuous based on probability shifts Market Correlation High correlation with crypto markets Potentially lower correlation through event diversification Required Infrastructure Standard price oracles Specialized prediction market oracles Risk Profile Market risk, smart contract risk Market risk, prediction accuracy risk, oracle risk Technical Implementation and Security Considerations The vault’s technical implementation involves multiple layers of security and verification. Polymarket data reaches the Sui blockchain through a decentralized oracle network specifically designed for prediction market information. This network employs cryptographic proofs and multiple data sources to ensure accuracy and prevent manipulation. The vault’s smart contracts then process this verified data through predefined investment algorithms developed jointly by Ember Protocol and Bluefin’s quantitative research teams. Security remains paramount throughout this architecture. The development teams engaged three independent auditing firms to review the smart contract code and oracle implementation. Additionally, the vault incorporates a time-delay mechanism for significant strategy changes, allowing users to withdraw funds if they disagree with upcoming adjustments. These precautions reflect the increased complexity of integrating external data streams with automated investment strategies in a decentralized environment. Regulatory and Compliance Perspectives The innovative nature of this product raises important regulatory considerations. Prediction markets operate in a complex legal landscape that varies significantly across jurisdictions. The vault’s designers have implemented geographic restrictions to comply with applicable regulations. Furthermore, the product includes enhanced transparency features, providing users with clear explanations of how prediction data influences investment decisions. This transparency represents a proactive approach to regulatory compliance in the evolving DeFi landscape. Industry observers note that products blending prediction markets with investment strategies may attract regulatory scrutiny. However, the decentralized and transparent nature of blockchain-based implementations could facilitate compliance through verifiable audit trails and clear disclosure mechanisms. The teams behind the vault have engaged legal counsel specializing in digital assets to navigate this complex environment responsibly. Future Developments and Ecosystem Implications The launch establishes a precedent for further integration between information markets and DeFi protocols. Other prediction platforms may develop similar integrations, creating a broader ecosystem of data-aware financial products. Additionally, the vault’s architecture could potentially incorporate data from multiple prediction sources, creating aggregated sentiment indicators for investment decisions. Within the Sui ecosystem, this development demonstrates the platform’s capability to support sophisticated financial applications. The successful implementation may attract additional DeFi projects seeking to leverage Sui’s technical advantages for complex smart contract applications. Moreover, the vault creates new utility for Polymarket’s prediction data, potentially increasing participation and liquidity in those markets as their real-world applications expand. The teams have outlined a roadmap for future enhancements, including: Integration of additional prediction data sources beyond Polymarket Development of specialized vault strategies for different event categories Implementation of more sophisticated risk management protocols Creation of educational resources explaining prediction market-based investing Conclusion The Ember Protocol and Bluefin vault using Polymarket data represents a significant innovation in decentralized finance. This product successfully bridges prediction markets with automated investment strategies, creating new possibilities for data-aware DeFi applications. The implementation on the Sui blockchain leverages that platform’s technical capabilities while introducing novel approaches to investment management. As the DeFi ecosystem continues evolving, such integrations of external data sources with automated strategies will likely become increasingly important. The vault’s launch marks an important milestone in making sophisticated, information-driven investment approaches accessible through decentralized protocols. FAQs Q1: How does the Ember Protocol and Bluefin vault actually use Polymarket data? The vault continuously monitors probability distributions for various events on Polymarket. When these probabilities reach certain thresholds or demonstrate specific patterns, the vault’s algorithms automatically adjust investment positions accordingly. This creates a dynamic strategy that responds to changing expectations about future events. Q2: What types of events from Polymarket influence the vault’s investment decisions? The vault primarily focuses on high-liquidity prediction markets with clear economic implications, such as election outcomes, economic indicator releases, and significant corporate events. The algorithms weight different events based on their potential market impact and the confidence level of prediction market participants. Q3: How does this vault differ from traditional prediction market trading? Unlike direct prediction market trading where users speculate on specific event outcomes, this vault uses prediction data as input for broader investment strategies. Users gain exposure to how event probabilities might affect various assets rather than betting directly on the events themselves. Q4: What are the main risks associated with this innovative vault product? Key risks include prediction market inaccuracy, oracle failure or manipulation, smart contract vulnerabilities, and regulatory changes affecting either prediction markets or DeFi protocols. The vault also carries standard cryptocurrency market risks and the specific risks of its underlying investment strategies. Q5: Can users customize how the vault uses Polymarket data? The initial implementation offers predefined strategy parameters, though the development roadmap includes plans for more customizable approaches. Future versions may allow users to select which prediction markets influence their allocations or adjust how strongly the vault responds to probability changes. This post Ember Protocol and Bluefin Launch Revolutionary Vault Using Polymarket’s Powerful Prediction Data first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
19 Jan 2026, 16:40
Ethereum Whale Stuns Market with $41.75 Million Transfer to Major Exchanges
BitcoinWorld Ethereum Whale Stuns Market with $41.75 Million Transfer to Major Exchanges In a significant on-chain transaction that captured immediate market attention, a cryptocurrency whale initiated the transfer of 13,000 Ethereum (ETH), valued at approximately $41.75 million, to several major digital asset exchanges. This substantial Ethereum whale movement, first identified by the on-chain analytics platform Lookonchain, originated from a wallet associated with Galaxy Digital’s institutional over-the-counter (OTC) trading desk. Consequently, market analysts and traders are now scrutinizing the potential implications for Ethereum’s price and overall market liquidity. The transaction underscores the critical role of transparent blockchain data in understanding high-level capital flows within the digital economy. Analyzing the Major Ethereum Whale Transfer The core transaction involved a single wallet address moving a total of 13,000 ETH. According to Lookonchain’s real-time monitoring, the entity distributed the funds across three prominent global cryptocurrency exchanges. Specifically, the whale deposited 6,500 ETH into Binance, Bybit, and OKX. The remaining 6,500 ETH currently resides in an intermediary wallet, prompting speculation about its eventual destination. This methodical distribution to multiple venues is a common tactic for large sellers aiming to minimize slippage and market impact. On-chain analytics provide a transparent ledger for such activities, allowing for precise tracking of whale behavior. Galaxy Digital’s involvement adds a notable institutional layer to this event. The firm, founded by billionaire investor Mike Novogratz, operates a significant OTC desk that facilitates large, private trades between institutional players. A transfer from such a source to public exchanges often signals a shift from private settlement to the open market. This move can indicate several strategic intentions, including portfolio rebalancing, risk management, or preparation for a liquidity event. The table below summarizes the key transaction details. Metric Detail Asset Ethereum (ETH) Total Amount 13,000 ETH Total USD Value ~$41.75 Million Source Wallet linked to Galaxy Digital OTC Desk Confirmed Destinations Binance, Bybit, OKX (6,500 ETH total) Data Provider Lookonchain Context and Impact of Large Cryptocurrency Movements Large-scale transfers, commonly called ‘whale movements,’ serve as critical indicators of sentiment among major holders. Historically, substantial deposits to exchanges often precede selling pressure, as holders move assets to platforms where they can be easily liquidated. Conversely, withdrawals from exchanges to private wallets typically signal a long-term holding strategy. The market closely watches these flows because they can influence price volatility and trader psychology. For instance, a sudden influx of sell-side liquidity can temporarily suppress prices, while a coordinated accumulation can drive rallies. The current Ethereum market context is essential for understanding this event’s potential impact. Several factors contribute to the environment: Network Upgrades: Ethereum’s continued development post-Merge, including upcoming proto-danksharding (EIP-4844). Institutional Adoption: Growing interest from traditional finance through spot ETH ETFs and other regulated products. Macroeconomic Conditions: Broader financial market trends, including interest rate policies and inflation data. On-Chain Metrics: Data on staking, gas fees, and decentralized finance (DeFi) total value locked (TVL). Therefore, a single transaction, while significant, interacts with these broader dynamics. Analysts must differentiate between idiosyncratic portfolio actions and trends reflecting wider institutional sentiment. Expert Analysis of OTC Desk Behavior Galaxy Digital’s OTC desk operates as a principal node in the institutional cryptocurrency ecosystem. OTC trades occur off public order books, allowing for large transactions without immediate price disruption. When assets move from an OTC-linked wallet to an exchange, it represents a change in the asset’s liquidity status. Experts in institutional crypto finance highlight several plausible reasons for this specific Ethereum transfer. First, the move could represent a client instruction. Galaxy Digital may custody assets for a client who has directed a sale. Second, it might be part of Galaxy’s own treasury management, rebalancing its asset holdings. Third, the firm could be sourcing liquidity for a separate OTC trade, using exchange order books to fill a portion of a larger counterparty order. Without explicit confirmation from the firm, which is standard practice to maintain client confidentiality, these remain informed interpretations based on common industry practices. Evidence from past blockchain data shows similar patterns. For example, previous transfers from known institutional wallets have sometimes preceded short-term price corrections, while other times they have been absorbed by market demand with minimal effect. The critical factor is often the prevailing market depth and buyer appetite at the time of the sale. Current exchange order book data will determine whether this $41.75 million in potential sell-side pressure is material relative to daily trading volume, which often exceeds billions of dollars for Ethereum. Understanding On-Chain Analytics and Market Transparency Platforms like Lookonchain, Nansen, and Glassnode provide the tools to detect and analyze these transactions. They cluster wallet addresses, track fund flows, and label entities based on historical behavior. This transparency is a foundational element of public blockchains like Ethereum. It enables a level of market surveillance that is impossible in traditional finance, where large OTC equity or bond trades are rarely visible in real-time. This visibility democratizes information but also requires careful interpretation to avoid misreading individual actions as market-wide signals. The process involves several technical steps: Address Clustering: Linking multiple addresses to a single entity through common-input and change-output analysis. Exchange Identification: Tagging deposit addresses known to belong to specific exchanges. Flow Analysis: Mapping the path of funds from origin to destination across transactions. Contextual Labeling: Applying known labels (e.g., ‘Galaxy Digital OTC Desk’) based on verified information or high-probability inference. This incident demonstrates the practical application of these tools. Lookonchain’s report provided the market with timely, factual data, allowing participants to make informed decisions. It highlights the growing importance of on-chain data analysis as a discipline within crypto finance and investment research. Conclusion The transfer of 13,000 ETH worth $41.75 million from a Galaxy Digital-associated wallet to major exchanges is a definitive example of a major Ethereum whale movement. This event underscores the transparency of blockchain networks and the sophistication of modern on-chain analytics. While the immediate market impact remains to be seen, the transaction provides valuable insight into the behavior of large institutional players. It reinforces the need for investors to consider both on-chain data flows and broader market context. Ultimately, such transparency contributes to a more informed and mature digital asset ecosystem, where significant capital movements are visible and analyzable by all market participants. FAQs Q1: What does it mean when a ‘whale’ moves crypto to an exchange? Typically, it signals a potential sale. Exchanges provide the liquidity to convert crypto to fiat or other assets. Moving funds there is often the first step in executing a large trade, though it can also be for other purposes like staking or providing liquidity. Q2: Who is Galaxy Digital in the cryptocurrency space? Galaxy Digital is a leading financial services and investment management firm dedicated to the digital asset and blockchain technology sector. Founded by Mike Novogratz, it offers trading, asset management, and investment banking services to institutions. Q3: What is an OTC desk, and why is it important? An Over-The-Counter (OTC) desk facilitates large, private trades directly between two parties, away from public exchanges. This method prevents large orders from causing significant price slippage on the open market and is preferred by institutional investors. Q4: How reliable is data from on-chain analytics firms like Lookonchain? It is highly reliable for recording transactions that have occurred on-chain. The interpretation of *why* a transaction happened (e.g., labeling an entity) involves analysis and inference, but the fundamental movement of funds is immutable and publicly verifiable on the blockchain. Q5: Could this single transaction significantly affect Ethereum’s price? While $41.75 million is a large sum, Ethereum’s daily trading volume often ranges in the tens of billions. The actual price impact depends on how the sale is executed (e.g., OTC vs. market sell) and the existing buy-side demand on the exchanges at that moment. It is a notable event but one factor among many. This post Ethereum Whale Stuns Market with $41.75 Million Transfer to Major Exchanges first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
19 Jan 2026, 16:36
Bitcoin Hits $0 on Paradex After Starknet Glitch — Mass Liquidations Force Rollback
Bitcoin briefly appeared to trade at zero on Paradex early Sunday after a technical failure during scheduled maintenance triggered mass liquidations across the decentralized perpetual futures exchange, forcing the team to announce a rare chain rollback to reverse the damage. The incident unfolded shortly after Paradex carried out database maintenance at around 4:30 a.m. London time. Within minutes, traders began reporting that prices on several perpetual markets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, had collapsed to near-zero levels. Okay, when I posted the screenshot, I thought it was a UI bug. Then I saw on the computer that the price came back after going to $0. Now there are thousands of liquidations. This doesn't look good for @paradex https://t.co/m4YbnfHkgN pic.twitter.com/QbKd3U432s — Sniper ₿ (@sniiperrB) January 19, 2026 Screenshots and videos shared on social media showed a flood of liquidation alerts hitting the platform almost simultaneously, suggesting that the exchange’s pricing mechanism or oracle feed had malfunctioned during the update. Timestamped alerts indicate the most intense activity occurred around 05:02 UTC on January 19, 2026. Inside Paradex’s Chain Rollback After Mass Liquidations During that brief window, long positions across multiple markets were liquidated at prices displayed as $0.00. Bitcoin perpetual contracts saw numerous long liquidations at zero, while some short positions were closed at normal market prices near $92,600, pointing to an issue that disproportionately affected one side of the order book. The sudden repricing automatically forced leveraged positions to close to prevent negative balances, amplifying the damage in a matter of seconds. Roughly three hours after the event, Paradex director of engineering Clement Ho addressed users on Telegram, confirming that the team had identified the issue and would roll back the chain state to block 1,604,710, timestamped at 04:27:54 UTC. Source: Clement Ho noted that this block represented the last known correct state before the maintenance began. Paradex later echoed the message on its website, stating that recovery efforts were underway and that all user funds remained safe. A rollback in this context means reverting the blockchain and associated system state to a point before the faulty transactions occurred, effectively canceling all trades, deposits, and liquidations that took place after that block. While improperly liquidated users may see their positions restored, any profits earned after the rollback point would also be erased. Such actions are widely considered a last resort in decentralized systems because they undermine the principle of immutability that blockchains are designed to uphold. Paradex Restores Services After Outage, Warns Users of Impersonation Scams Paradex operates on Starknet as a decentralized perpetual futures exchange and has grown into a sizable venue for on-chain derivatives trading. Data from DefiLlama shows the platform processed nearly $1.6 billion in trading volume the day before the incident and holds around $225 million in user deposits. Source: DefiLlama CoinGecko reported approximately $652 million in open interest over the past 24 hours, and over a 30-day period, Paradex ranks among the top ten decentralized perps exchanges, with more than $37 billion in reported trading volume. Following the liquidations, Paradex reported a platform-wide service outage affecting its trading interface, APIs, blockchain components, bridge, and block explorer. As part of its recovery process, the exchange said it would force-cancel all open orders except take-profit and stop-loss orders. Later updates confirmed that the platform and vault withdrawals had been re-enabled, though deposits and withdrawals for Gigavault would remain paused for up to 24 hours. We’ve received reports of fake support accounts posing as our team. Please remember: + Official updates only come from this account + We will never ask for your private keys + If another account messages you first, it is a scam — Paradex (@paradex) January 19, 2026 The team also issued warnings about fake support accounts impersonating Paradex staff during the outage, urging users to rely only on official channels. The incident has renewed scrutiny around technical risk in on-chain derivatives markets, which have faced a series of disruptions in recent months. Aster, a top perps exchange by volume, has suffered repeated losses after being targeted by sophisticated trading strategies, including a high-profile incident in September when following an abnormal price spike in its XPL perpetual contract . The post Bitcoin Hits $0 on Paradex After Starknet Glitch — Mass Liquidations Force Rollback appeared first on Cryptonews .
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 .
