Invest ideasNews
20 Jan 2026, 12:51
Gold +70% Since Last Year Near ~$4,736 — Can Bitcoin’s 2026 Rally Catch Up?
Gold prices climbed to a fresh record on Jan. 20, 2026, extending a months-long rally and setting a new all-time high near $4,736 per ounce , according to market data shown on the chart. The move capped a steady advance that accelerated in the final quarter of 2025 and continued into the new year. The latest surge pushed gold decisively above prior resistance levels seen in November and December, when prices briefly pulled back after sharp gains. By mid-January, buying pressure resumed, lifting the metal through successive highs and into record territory. At the peak, prices traded just under $4,736 before easing slightly. Over the past year, gold has risen from the $2,700 range, marking a gain of more than 70% from the 52-week low near $2,703. The chart shows a long period of consolidation during mid-2025, followed by a strong breakout starting in early autumn. That breakout defined the current cycle and carried prices to repeated highs. The new record also stands far above gold’s all-time low of about $866, recorded in April 2009. Since then, the metal has logged a cumulative increase of more than 440%, reflecting a prolonged upward trend across multiple market cycles. Market data on the chart indicates relatively low volatility near 2.3% at the time of the peak, alongside a bullish sentiment reading. Gold’s total market capitalization was shown near $17.85 trillion as prices hovered close to the record level. While prices edged slightly below the intraday high after setting the record, gold remained near its cycle high, signaling that the broader uptrend stayed intact at the time of the reading. Exness Flags Safe Haven Bid as Gold Ranges Near Record High Gold rose as investors weighed trade conflict concerns, which lifted demand for safe haven assets, according to broker Exness. In an X post, Exness said XAUUSD held in a narrow 4,655 to 4,680 range near record levels while price action stayed consolidated. Gold XAUUSD Four Hour Chart. Source: Exness On the 4 hour chart shared by Exness, candles repeatedly tested the 4,680 area without a clean break, while support held closer to 4,655. That back and forth kept gold pinned near the top of its recent advance instead of triggering a sharp reversal. Exness said a move above 4,680 could open the way toward 4,720, which it marked as the 161.8% Fibonacci extension level.
20 Jan 2026, 12:50
Kazakhstan implements new AI law to protect citizens’ rights and freedoms
Kazakhstan has taken a major step in human-centered artificial intelligence with its new law on AI, which came into force on January 18. The legislation sets a legal framework that prioritizes individuals, their rights, freedoms, and well-being while regulating the development and use of AI. Core principles of law and fairness, transparency, accountability, and data protection. Citizens will be entitled to know what automated processing is used for and what might happen as a result, and how to protect themselves. AI systems are categorized and ranked by their level of risk and the level of autonomous decision-making capability; this means that AI systems deemed “high risk” will have the highest level of information systems security, similar to those of government-owned organizations. Law to protect citizens and guide AI development In addition to defining the individual responsibilities of AI system owners, operators, and users during the lifecycle of an AI solution, this legislation specifically prohibits the use of AI systems that manipulate an individual’s behavior, discriminate against individuals, exploit an individual’s vulnerability, detect emotions without the individual’s consent, violate data protection laws, or generate prohibited content. Kazakhstan is not the only one, as many other countries are pushing for laws that protect users from deepfakes and other harmful content. For instance, China recently announced new rules that restrict AI chatbots that push users into suicidal emotions, self-harm, and gambling, in a move meant to protect users especially minors. For Kazakhstan, this legislation requires transparency for AI systems and mandates that all synthetic content be clearly identified as such through labels. This law provides that works created with human creativity are copyrightable, while the training of AI with copyrighted material is permissible as long as it is not expressly prohibited by the copyright owner. The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development recommends that AI be developed in compliance with the personal data protection regulations, information security regulations, energy efficiency standards and reduced environmental impact. The Ministry’s overarching goal is to provide individuals with safe, responsible and human-focused AI technology while continuing to foster the innovation of new technologies. Kazakhstan launches AI Governance 500 to train executives According to The Asana Times, the launch of the inaugural group of AI Governance 500, a strategic program aimed at teaching executives how to implement and expand upon AI within governmental organizations, took place on January 19. The program was introduced by Zhaslan Madiyev, who serves as Deputy Prime Minister as well as the Minister for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. “The program seeks to create a pool of digital officers capable of systematically implementing AI based on data, a unified architecture, and end-to-end processes.” Madiyev. Around 100 executives from government and quasi-public sectors are participating, covering strategic AI understanding through to applied project development for regional and departmental implementation. Currently, the country is in the early stages of conducting a UNESCO-led assessment to determine the country’s overall preparedness in the area of artificial intelligence. Using the UNESCO Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM), the assessment will look at all facets of the country’s AI ecosystem , including the legal, social, economic, scientific, educational, and technological aspects. In addition, there will be a National Stakeholder Team, consisting of members from various ministries, universities, private companies, civil society, and international partners. “Practical recommendations will be developed to support a human-centred AI ecosystem,” the Foreign Ministry noted. This project underlines Kazakhstan’s commitment to international cooperation, human rights, and universal values in its AI strategy. The smartest crypto minds already read our newsletter. Want in? Join them .
20 Jan 2026, 12:46
Everclear Launches Cross-Chain Asset Settlement to Streamline Onboarding, Liquidity Efficiency, and Asset Flow into the Mantle Ecosystem
BitcoinWorld Everclear Launches Cross-Chain Asset Settlement to Streamline Onboarding, Liquidity Efficiency, and Asset Flow into the Mantle Ecosystem DUBAI, UAE , Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mantle, the high-performance distribution and liquidity layer bridging traditional finance (TradFi), real-world assets (RWAs) and on-chain liquidity, today announced a new collaboration with Everclear, introducing Cross-Chain Asset Settlement to the Mantle ecosystem that allows users to seamlessly swap wETH from Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, or Polygon directly into mETH on Mantle — without traditional bridging friction. This integration addresses one of the most pressing challenges in multi-chain DeFi: liquidity fragmentation across multiple representations of the same asset. Solving Fragmentation with Cross-Chain Netting & Settlement As ecosystems scale, assets like ETH and USD now exist in many forms, from wETH, mETH, stETH to an expanding set of stablecoins. Everclear’s clearing and settlement infrastructure solves this fragmentation by netting cross-chain flows and automatically rebalancing inventory, reducing redundant liquidity and lowering costs. With this launch, users can access Mantle directly using assets they already hold, while Everclear handles settlement and rebalancing behind the scenes. “Real-world usability of on-chain assets depends on efficient settlement across chains,” said Emily Bao, Key Advisor of Mantle. “This integration reinforces Mantle’s RWA and ETH-native strategy by removing onboarding friction and enabling capital to flow into the ecosystem in a more scalable, institutional-grade way.” How It Works: wETH → mETH in Under One Minute Users holding wETH on supported chains can select Mantle as the destination and receive mETH on Mantle in a single transaction, typically in under one minute. Everclear’s solver infrastructure fills user intents immediately, while netting and rebalancing cross-chain flows in the background to restore inventory at the lowest possible cost — delivering better pricing, no slippage, and fast execution. “Everclear was built to be the settlement layer for a fragmented, multi-asset future,” said Nikita Bulgakov from Everclear Foundation. “By connecting different representations of the same asset, we enable partners like Mantle and mETH Protocol to offer a truly chain-abstracted experience to users.” Unlocking Capital-Efficient Access to Mantle’s Ecosystem Starting with mETH, this collaboration allows users to enter Mantle’s ecosystem without manually bridging or swapping assets, a key barrier for both retail and advanced users. Key benefits include: Seamless onboarding into Mantle from major Ethereum ecosystems Improved liquidity efficiency through netting and clearing Faster settlement with capital-efficient execution A foundation for expanding to more ETH-based and stable assets A Foundation for Chain-Abstracted Finance Mantle is the first launch partner for Everclear’s expanded cross-asset settlement initiative, with future plans to support additional ETH-based assets, stablecoins, and new chains. This collaboration reflects a broader industry shift toward chain-abstracted finance, where users interact with assets and applications without needing to manage the complexity of bridges, liquidity pools, or fragmented representations. About Mantle Mantle positions itself as the premier distribution layer and gateway for institutions and TradFi to connect with on-chain liquidity and access real-world assets, powering how real-world finance flows. With over $4B+ in community-owned assets, Mantle combines credibility, liquidity and scalability with institutional-grade infrastructure to support large-scale adoption. The ecosystem is anchored by $MNT within Bybit, and built out through core ecosystem projects like mETH, fBTC, MI4 and more. This is complemented by Mantle Network’s partnerships with leading issuers and protocols such as Ethena USDe, Ondo USDY, and OP-Succinct. For more information about Mantle, please visit: mantle.xyz For more social updates, please follow: Mantle Official X & Mantle Community Channel For media enquiries, please contact: [email protected] About Everclear Everclear (formerly Connext) is an interoperability protocol focused on crosschain settlement and liquidity rebalancing for professional users, including market makers, solvers, bridges, and exchanges. Operating as a highly efficient B2B clearing and settlement layer, Everclear powers leading partners such as Across, Relay, LI.FI, Eco, and others, processing approximately $400M in monthly volume across blue-chip assets and stablecoins. Everclear recently launched Crosschain Asset Settlement and offers custom interoperability solutions, including white-label crosschain deposits, staking, and tailored flows—enabling partners to efficiently attract users and liquidity from long-tail chains. About mETH Protocol mETH Protocol is a vertically integrated liquid staking and restaking protocol incubated by Mantle, operating at the intersection of DeFi composability and institutional-grade ETH yield access. With a peak total value locked (TVL) of $2.19 billion achieved within its first year, mETH Protocol is supported by leading validator and custody partners, including P2P, Kraken Staked, OSL, and Copper. The protocol is embedded across over 40+ leading DeFi and exchange platforms such as Bybit, Ethena, and more, whilst incorporated in treasury frameworks for DAOs and corporates as a core liquidity and yield layer. This post Everclear Launches Cross-Chain Asset Settlement to Streamline Onboarding, Liquidity Efficiency, and Asset Flow into the Mantle Ecosystem first appeared on BitcoinWorld .
20 Jan 2026, 12:45
SEC Chairman confirms U.S. crypto bill nears finish line: Details
If properly refined, this legislation could shape crypto’s next decade, not just its next market cycle.
20 Jan 2026, 12:45
Institutions Still Eager to Buy Bitcoin: CryptoQuant CEO
Founder of major analytics company makes a bullish Bitcoin market statement.
20 Jan 2026, 12:40
Large custody wallets and corporate treasuries steadily build BTC holdings to $53B
Recent blockchain data shows steady Bitcoin deposits moving into wallets associated with major US custody providers, even as smaller investors pull back. Despite reduced retail activity, new BTC supply continues to accumulate in these holdings. CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju said on X that wallets holding between 100 and 1,000 BTC, excluding exchanges and miners, have added about 577,000 BTC over the past year, worth roughly $53 billion, with inflows still ongoing. Institutions continue to buy BTC through large custody wallets slowly Institutional demand for Bitcoin remains robust and accelerating, according to new on-chain data analyzed by CryptoQuant, a leading blockchain analytics platform. Over the past 12 months, entities such as institutional custody wallets and Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have added significant holdings, signaling confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term value. Large custody wallets now hold roughly 1.3 times as much BTC as they did 2 years ago, a growth mirrored by the steady rollout of US spot Bitcoin ETFs . The real story here is not panic purchases during frenzy periods. Instead, steady movement began when rules became clearer. Big players seem focused less on price swings. Their attention leans toward systems they can actually plug into. Expansion happened as tools arrived, not because headlines heated up. Bitcoin’s price rose, but uncertainty lingers across trading arenas. This year shows a 6% advance; meanwhile, large investors add more, showing they care less about quick losses. Over weeks, things come into focus slowly: consistent buying points to real faith, untouched by hourly shifts. One thing becomes clear: long-run dedication comes not from panic but from foresight. ETFs and digital treasuries help big investors keep buying Bitcoin for the long term Even now, spot Bitcoin ETFs hold steady as big players lean on them to stay involved without wrestling with custody issues. These funds offer a clear path through rules everyone knows, sidestepping storage hassles. Since January, US spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $1.2 billion more than they lost. That flow hints at quiet confidence where cash keeps moving in while markets wobble and feelings swing one way then another. Even with consistent ETF inflows, fresh pressure emerges as corporate treasuries embrace digital assets, deepening existing accumulation patterns. Since July, firms focused on Bitcoin, notably guided by Michael Saylor’s approach , have gathered close to 260,000 coins, valued at nearly $24 billion today, revealing intent shaped by durability rather than timing. Recorded ownership of BTC pulls substantial volume out of circulation while quietly affirming its endurance as a store of value over the years. Market dynamics shift subtly when such holdings take root, altering supply availability without announcement or fanfare. When set against Bitcoin’s limited issuance, rising interest gains significance. Notably, corporate vaults now hold over 1.1 million coins – an increase of 30% within half a year – according to Glassnode figures. This buildup outpaces the flow of newly mined units entering the market. With fewer coins accessible on exchanges, large participants seem active during downturns. Despite rising nervousness among individual traders, reflected in increasingly fearful sentiment, institutions continue to buy. This pattern aligns with CryptoQuant’s findings, showing that demand is driven by long-term positioning rather than short-term reactions to price swings. Claim your free seat in an exclusive crypto trading community - limited to 1,000 members.
