hodler

21 Jan 2026, 04:00

Where Does Hyperliquid (HYPE) Stand Now? A Deep Dive Into Key Metrics Post-2025

After a tumultuous conclusion to 2025, characterized by heightened volatility and the impactful October 10 crypto crash, Hyperliquid (HYPE), one of the market’s largest decentralized exchanges (DEXs), faced significant challenges as it entered 2026. With less than two weeks remaining in January, market research firm GLC released an interesting report assessing Hyperliquid’s current standing and evaluating its recovery metrics. Post-October 10 Downturn The report highlights that Hyperliquid’s trading volume and open interest suffered a considerable decline following the liquidation event on October 10, marking the onset of a downtrend for the platform. Since that date, trading volume has decreased by 44.3%, dropping from $10.17 billion to $5.66 billion. Open interest has also experienced a decline of 35.7%, falling from $14.75 billion to $9.48 billion. However, there are signs of recovery. Notably, since December 1, 2025, trading volume on the platform has seen a slight decrease of 3.2%, while open interest has surged by 45.6%. Related Reading: Is A New XRP Price Record Imminent? Analyst Forecast Colossal Short Squeeze Ahead Year-to-date metrics reveal a more optimistic picture: trading volume has increased by 59.2%, rising from $3.56 billion to $5.66 billion, and open interest has grown by 24.7%, going from $7.60 billion to $9.48 billion. While open interest has started to recover since the October event, trading volume has not rebounded at the same rate. This disparity has caused the volume-to-open interest (OI) ratio to decline from 0.90 on December 1 to 0.60 as of mid-January, likely due to decreased market volatility, which has dampened trading activity. Despite these challenges, there is a positive trend indicating that traders are beginning to open larger positions on Hyperliquid, and the recovery in volume on a year-to-date basis is promising. The report suggests that open interest is a more reliable indicator of trader confidence and long-term positioning, while trading volume tends to be influenced by broader market conditions. Although current metrics remain below pre-October 10 levels, the trend indicates that recovery is underway. Will 2026 Mark A Surprising Resurgence For Hyperliquid? The recent volume and open interest data are said to be bullish, with the 7-day average volume increasing by over 130% year-to-date, primarily driven by one active deployer, XYZ, which accounts for roughly 80% of that volume. The 7-day average open interest has also risen by more than 60%. Moreover, Hyperliquid is regaining market share from centralized exchanges (CEXs) as seen in the chart below, with its open interest currently representing about 14.6% of Binance’s, gaining momentum against platforms like Bybit and OKX. Related Reading: Ethereum Poised For $4,000 Breakout? Expert Pinpoints On-Chain Triggers For Potential Rally Another key factor that could further contribute to the platform’s recovery this year is the rollout of portfolio margin. Currently live on testnet, this feature will enable traders to borrow and lend against their collateral, unlocking numerous new use cases. Historical evidence from other exchanges, such as Bybit, suggests that introducing portfolio margin can be a significant growth catalyst, potentially translating to a substantial increase in trading volume for Hyperliquid. Overall, core metrics are gradually improving, and several catalysts lie ahead, such as the growing adoption of equity perpetuals and the introduction of portfolio margin. GLC’s report asserts: …If improving market conditions are combined with the catalysts outlined above, and potentially another S3 season bringing in new traders, Hyperliquid will surprise the market once again. At the time of writing, the platform’s HYPE token is trading at around $21.84. This represents a significant 9% retracement within the last 24 hours alone, placing the altcoin 63% below its all-time high of $59.30. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com

21 Jan 2026, 04:00

WLFI Under Fire As Governance Vote Moves Ahead Without Locked Voters

A governance vote that moved this week has left many WLFI holders upset. Some feel they were shut out while a small group pushed the plan through. The divide is loud online and on chain. Locked Tokens Leave Many Without A Voice Reports say about 80% of WLFI tokens sold to investors remain locked, which meant most holders could not take part in the vote over the treasury move. That gap in voting access has become the focus of criticism. People who bought early and still cannot trade their tokens say it is unfair for the project to spend community assets without broad participation. Social posts and forum threads show growing calls for a clear unlock plan and more transparent rules on governance. Concentrated Votes From Few Wallets Data pulled from the vote and coverage indicate that a small number of addresses carried much of the weight in the decision. Reports note the top nine wallets controlled nearly 60% of the voting power, and one large address alone held a significant share. The governance proposal to use a portion of the unlocked treasury to incentivize USD1 adoption has passed with 77.75% of the vote in favor. This happened because the community showed up, evaluated the proposal, and made a clear decision about the direction of the WLFI ecosystem.… — WLFI (@worldlibertyfi) January 4, 2026 At the same time, the official vote tally posted by the project showed the proposal passed with strong support among those who could vote. According to a public update, around 77.75% of cast votes were in favor. That result has done little to calm critics who point to the locked-token issue as the root cause of the dispute. What The Proposal Would Use The Funds For The plan approved allows use of a slice of the unlocked WLFI treasury to support USD1, the project’s stablecoin. The proposal language and the project’s governance page say the allocation would not exceed 5% of unlocked treasury holdings. Supporters argue these incentives and partnerships could help USD1 gain more use and push activity across the network. Opponents worry about spending before solving token access and governance fairness. Some also point to past price swings after partial unlocks as a reason to slow down spending from the treasury. Haven’t seen anyone else talk about this yet, so I wanted to bring up an alarming governance vote by World Liberty Fi this month that appears to be the start of a slow extraction of value from WLFI holders by the team: What you see above appears to be a rigged vote, where the… pic.twitter.com/CGsj7vVUUk — DeFi^2 (@DefiSquared) January 20, 2026 Pressure On Leadership And Next Steps The controversy has put pressure on the team to respond. Calls for a clear timetable for unlocking the remaining tokens are widespread. There are also requests for a review of voting rules so that major economic decisions have broader buy-in from holders who are affected by the outcomes. Trump Family Connection To WLFI US President Donald Trump and members of his family have previously been linked to WLFI through investment and advisory roles. Reports note that their involvement has drawn additional media attention to the project, with some observers questioning whether high-profile ties influence governance decisions and treasury allocations. Their connection adds another layer of scrutiny as the controversy over locked tokens and concentrated voting continues. Featured image from Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times, chart from TradingView

21 Jan 2026, 03:58

Chainlink brings ‘24/5 US equities’ data on-chain for stocks, ETFs

Crypto companies and traditional exchanges have been rushing to offer round-the-clock stock and ETF trading using blockchain-based technology.

21 Jan 2026, 03:55

Binance Temporarily Suspends RUNE Deposits and Withdrawals: Essential Upgrade Underway

BitcoinWorld Binance Temporarily Suspends RUNE Deposits and Withdrawals: Essential Upgrade Underway Major cryptocurrency exchange Binance announced a temporary suspension of THORChain (RUNE) deposits and withdrawals starting January 22, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. UTC, marking a significant operational pause to facilitate crucial network infrastructure improvements. This strategic decision directly supports THORChain’s upcoming protocol upgrade, demonstrating how leading exchanges coordinate with blockchain projects during critical development phases. Consequently, users must understand the implications of this temporary service interruption. Binance RUNE Suspension Details and Timeline Binance officially confirmed the temporary suspension through its standard announcement channels. The exchange will halt all RUNE deposit and withdrawal functions precisely at the designated time. However, trading of RUNE spot pairs will continue unaffected throughout the maintenance period. This approach allows market activity to proceed while ensuring network security during the upgrade process. Typically, such suspensions last between 2-8 hours, though Binance noted completion times may vary based on network stability checks. Exchange representatives emphasized that user funds remain secure during the suspension. All RUNE balances in Binance wallets receive full protection through the platform’s security protocols. Furthermore, the exchange will reopen services immediately after confirming network stability post-upgrade. Users should monitor official Binance announcements for the resumption notification. Historically, Binance has maintained excellent track records with similar maintenance operations. Technical Requirements for Network Upgrades Blockchain networks frequently require coordinated exchange support during protocol upgrades. These upgrades often involve consensus mechanism changes or feature implementations. Exchanges must pause transactions to prevent fund loss during chain transitions. Additionally, they need time to update their node software and validate new network rules. This coordination ensures seamless user experiences despite temporary service interruptions. THORChain Network Upgrade Significance The THORChain network upgrade represents a substantial development for the cross-chain liquidity protocol. THORChain enables decentralized swapping of assets across different blockchains without wrapping or centralized intermediaries. Network upgrades typically enhance security, efficiency, or functionality. For instance, previous THORChain upgrades improved slippage protection and added support for new blockchain integrations. Protocol developers usually announce upgrade details weeks in advance. They provide technical specifications and implementation timelines. Consequently, exchanges like Binance schedule maintenance windows accordingly. This particular upgrade follows THORChain’s regular development roadmap. The protocol has demonstrated consistent improvement cycles since its mainnet launch. Each upgrade strengthens the network’s position in decentralized finance infrastructure. Recent Major Exchange Suspensions for Network Upgrades Exchange Asset Duration Purpose Coinbase Polygon (MATIC) 4 hours Hard Fork Implementation Kraken Avalanche (AVAX) 6 hours Consensus Upgrade Binance Cosmos (ATOM) 3 hours Governance Implementation Cross-Chain Protocol Evolution Cross-chain protocols like THORChain face unique technical challenges. They must maintain security across multiple blockchain environments. Network upgrades often address interoperability improvements or vulnerability patches. The decentralized nature of these protocols requires careful coordination with all ecosystem participants. Exchanges play crucial roles as major liquidity providers and user gateways. User Impact and Recommended Actions Binance users holding RUNE should complete several important steps before the suspension. First, they must finish any pending deposits or withdrawals before the 8:00 p.m. UTC deadline. Second, users should verify their transaction history to ensure no pending RUNE movements exist. Third, they might consider temporary alternative trading strategies if needed. However, RUNE trading continues normally during the suspension period. Complete pending transactions before the suspension deadline Verify account balances and transaction history Monitor official channels for service resumption notices Understand that trading continues despite deposit/withdrawal pauses Avoid panic selling as upgrades typically benefit network value Experienced cryptocurrency traders recognize network upgrades as positive developments. They often indicate active development and security improvements. Market data shows assets frequently experience volatility around upgrade events. However, long-term trajectories usually reflect fundamental improvements. Users should maintain perspective about temporary service interruptions. Exchange Protocol Coordination Standards Leading cryptocurrency exchanges follow established protocols for network upgrade support. They typically require several weeks’ notice from blockchain projects. Exchange security teams then review upgrade specifications thoroughly. Technical teams schedule maintenance during lower-traffic periods when possible. Communication standards ensure users receive adequate advance warning about service changes. Binance particularly emphasizes transparent communication during such events. The exchange provides multiple notification channels including email, app notifications, and website banners. Their systematic approach minimizes user disruption during necessary maintenance. This professionalism contributes to Binance’s industry leadership position. Other exchanges frequently emulate Binance’s operational standards. Security Considerations During Upgrades Network upgrades present potential security considerations that exchanges must address. Temporary transaction suspensions prevent funds from becoming stuck in transit during chain transitions. Exchange security teams monitor network stability throughout upgrade processes. They only resume services after comprehensive testing confirms proper functionality. This cautious approach protects user assets despite temporary inconvenience. Historical Context of Similar Suspensions Cryptocurrency exchanges regularly suspend services for network upgrades. For example, major exchanges paused Ethereum transactions during the Merge upgrade in 2022. Similarly, Bitcoin network upgrades frequently trigger exchange maintenance windows. These suspensions demonstrate healthy ecosystem coordination between exchanges and blockchain projects. They represent necessary infrastructure maintenance rather than operational failures. THORChain has undergone several previous network upgrades with exchange support. Each suspension followed similar patterns and durations. The protocol’s development team maintains strong relationships with major exchanges. This collaboration ensures smooth upgrade implementations despite temporary service pauses. Historical data shows most upgrades complete within estimated timeframes. Conclusion Binance’s temporary suspension of RUNE deposits and withdrawals represents standard industry practice for supporting blockchain network upgrades. The January 22, 2025 maintenance window facilitates THORChain’s protocol improvements while ensuring user fund security. Consequently, users should complete necessary transactions before the deadline and monitor official communications. This coordinated approach between exchanges and blockchain projects ultimately strengthens cryptocurrency infrastructure and enhances network capabilities for all participants. FAQs Q1: How long will Binance suspend RUNE deposits and withdrawals? The suspension begins at 8:00 p.m. UTC on January 22, 2025, and typically lasts 2-8 hours, though exact duration depends on network stability confirmation post-upgrade. Q2: Can I still trade RUNE on Binance during the suspension? Yes, RUNE trading continues normally throughout the maintenance period. Only deposit and withdrawal functions experience temporary suspension. Q3: Are my RUNE funds safe during this suspension? Absolutely. User funds remain secure in Binance wallets with full protection through the exchange’s security protocols during the entire maintenance period. Q4: Why do exchanges suspend services for network upgrades? Exchanges pause transactions to prevent fund loss during blockchain consensus changes, update their node software, and validate new network rules before resuming services. Q5: Where can I check when RUNE services resume? Monitor official Binance announcement channels including the website, mobile app notifications, and official social media accounts for the service resumption notice. This post Binance Temporarily Suspends RUNE Deposits and Withdrawals: Essential Upgrade Underway first appeared on BitcoinWorld .

21 Jan 2026, 03:40

$1.8B liquidated in 48 hours as Bitcoin wipes out 2026 gains

Bitcoin erased its gains for the month and fell below $88,000 as crypto markets shed $225 billion, with analysts linking the crash to a “sell America” trade and Japanese bond market woes.

21 Jan 2026, 03:35

Cryptocurrencies Lead Risk Assets Lower As Greenland Concerns Trigger Sell-Off

Cryptocurrencies led risk assets lower on Tuesday, January 20 as concerns about escalating tariffs soured sentiment and provoked market turmoil.