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Bitcoin whales holding between 1,000 and 10,000 BTC are significantly increasing their accumulation, marking the strongest buildup from this group since 2024. The shift suggests a meaningful change in long-term positioning even as Bitcoin’s price remains under pressure.

According to CryptoQuant analysts, the pace at which these large holders are adding BTC has accelerated sharply. Total Bitcoin held by this cohort has risen to about 3.204 million BTC, signaling renewed long-term confidence. At the same time, data from Binance shows a notable increase in whale-driven trading activity, with the metric climbing to nearly 0.65 in January, its highest level since November.

This rise in exchange activity is often linked to active position management. Large holders tend to use a portion of their liquidity to hedge volatility, rotate capital, or manage derivatives, while continuing to hold their core BTC positions. Flow data supports this interpretation, showing that whale balances increased by roughly 152,000 BTC over the past 30 days, pointing to sustained accumulation rather than a short-term move.

Short-term data also remains positive. Over the past week, whale balances grew by nearly 30,000 BTC, indicating that accumulation momentum is consistent across multiple time frames. Together, on-chain and exchange data suggest Bitcoin is entering a phase of consolidation driven by large holders instead of speculative trading.

This accumulation is happening as market sentiment deteriorates. On January 30, Bitcoin dropped more than 6 percent, reigniting volatility and pushing prices below $82,000, the lowest level since late November. Negative sentiment on social media spiked to its highest point this year, according to Santiment, as fear and uncertainty spread among traders.

Historically, such periods of extreme fear have often preceded market capitulation, when retail investors sell and long-term investors step in to accumulate. Santiment noted that while near-term volatility may persist, broader weakness in equities and precious metals is also weighing on crypto markets, potentially setting the stage for a longer-term recovery.

The cryptocurrency market has experienced a sharp sell-off over the last 24 hours, with several well-known altcoins suffering significant losses. The downturn was not limited to crypto alone, as traditional markets also struggled, with gold and major stock indices posting steep declines.

Total crypto market capitalization dropped from roughly $3.05 trillion to $2.88 trillion, erasing close to $200 billion in value. Bitcoin fell to a six-week low, while liquidations in the derivatives market neared $2 billion. Against this backdrop, a handful of altcoins underperformed the rest of the market.

Uniswap was the worst performer among major tokens. UNI is trading around $4.22, down nearly 10% in the past day and about 13% over the last week. Analysts had previously warned that UNI was approaching a key support zone near $4.7. A breakdown below this level confirmed a bearish head-and-shoulders pattern on the weekly chart, opening the door to much lower prices. Market data also showed unusually high levels of negative sentiment surrounding Uniswap, which may have contributed to the sharp decline.

Zcash also posted notable losses. ZEC is trading near $333, down 9.5% over the past 24 hours and 6.6% on the week. The token has struggled throughout 2026 after a strong run in late 2025, when it dominated the privacy coin sector. Attention has since shifted toward Monero, which has outperformed Zcash over the past few months. However, shrinking liquidity and worsening sentiment appear to be weighing on privacy-focused assets overall.

Aave continued its downward trend as well. AAVE fell nearly 9% in the past day and about 10% over the week, now trading around $140. The token has lost more than half of its value over the past year. Weak momentum across DeFi lending protocols and broader market weakness have pressured AAVE, with analysts warning that recent chart patterns could lead to further volatility.

Pump.fun, a popular Solana-based protocol tied closely to meme coin activity, also moved lower. Its token PUMP is down about 8% on the day, trading near $0.0027. Despite the pullback, PUMP remains up strongly over the past month, suggesting ongoing interest. The latest drop is likely tied to overall market conditions, though the next few days may clarify whether the move is purely market-driven or something more concerning.

Hyperliquid saw its token HYPE retreat after a strong recent rally. The token declined around 8% following the broader market sell-off, after previously surging more than 50% in just a few days. Despite the pullback, HYPE remains one of the strongest performers across multiple time frames, supported by high revenues, growing usage, and consistent token buybacks.

Overall, the past 24 hours highlighted how quickly market sentiment can shift, with even strong-performing altcoins feeling the impact of a broad risk-off move.

Ripple’s CTO Emeritus, David Schwartz, has pushed back against viral claims suggesting XRP could soon surge to $50 or $100, using basic expected-value reasoning to explain why such forecasts do not align with current market behavior.

On January 30, Schwartz addressed widespread speculation within the XRP community about the token’s future price potential. Rather than offering a definitive prediction, he explained that XRP’s present valuation does not support the highly optimistic targets frequently shared online. His remarks highlighted the contrast between aspirational narratives and the more cautious probabilities reflected in actual trading activity.

The discussion began when a community member asked Schwartz to directly state that XRP would never reach $50 or $100. Schwartz declined to make absolute claims, noting that he had once believed XRP reaching $0.25 was unlikely. Instead, he introduced a framework based on expected value. According to Schwartz, if rational investors truly believed there was even a 10 percent chance XRP could reach $100 within a few years, selling at current prices would make little sense. In such a scenario, investors would be buying aggressively, quickly pushing the price far higher. The fact that XRP continues to trade well below those levels suggests that very few market participants actually hold that belief strongly enough to commit significant capital.

Schwartz added that people claiming widespread conviction in those price targets are not being honest, pointing to a disconnect between online statements and real financial behavior. He encouraged investors to apply the same mathematical reasoning themselves using different probabilities and time horizons.

Other community figures echoed this perspective. XrpArthur, a known XRP supporter, argued that those convinced XRP will reach $100 either lack sufficient funds or genuine conviction to accumulate large positions. He also warned that exaggerated price targets have harmed overall community sentiment.

At present, XRP is trading around $1.75, down more than 8 percent over the past week and roughly 44 percent compared to a year ago. This price action places XRP in what analysts describe as one of its longest consolidation periods, lasting about 434 days. Technically, the token remains under pressure, trading roughly 25 percent below its 200-day moving average, with momentum indicators pointing to continued consolidation.

Despite these challenges, some underlying metrics remain positive. U.S. spot XRP exchange-traded funds recorded nearly $92 million in net inflows in January, according to SoSoValue. In addition, data from Santiment shows that 42 new wallets holding at least one million XRP have appeared since the start of 2026, suggesting gradual accumulation by large holders.

More conservative outlooks also contrast sharply with extreme price forecasts. Asset manager 21Shares has outlined a base-case target of around $2.45 for 2026, dependent on sustained ETF inflows and broader adoption of Ripple’s stablecoin. Together with Schwartz’s expected-value argument, these projections offer a more grounded perspective on XRP’s potential compared to the highly speculative price targets often circulating within the community.

The final week of the month has arrived, bringing with it a large batch of Bitcoin and Ether options contracts set to expire. Around 91,000 Bitcoin options will expire on Friday, January 30, with a notional value of approximately $8.3 billion, making it the largest expiry event of the month.

Crypto markets have already lost about $215 billion since the start of the week as the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady between 3.5 and 3.75 percent, well above its long term target. Renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have added to market uncertainty.

The expiring Bitcoin options carry a put to call ratio of 0.54, indicating more bullish positions than bearish ones. Maximum pain is near $90,000, which sits above current prices, meaning many contracts may expire worthless. Open interest remains heaviest at the $100,000 strike, with roughly $1.9 billion in positions, while over $1 billion in open interest is clustered at $75,000, $80,000, and $85,000 as bearish bets increase. Total Bitcoin options open interest across exchanges has risen to $58 billion.

Alongside Bitcoin, about 440,000 Ethereum options are also expiring, representing $1.3 billion in notional value. Their maximum pain level is $3,100, with a put to call ratio of 0.74. Total Ethereum options open interest stands near $35 billion, bringing the combined crypto options expiry value to roughly $9.6 billion.

Spot markets reacted sharply during Asian trading hours, with total crypto market capitalization falling below $3 trillion for the first time since mid December and reaching its lowest level since April. Bitcoin dropped 8 percent to around $81,300, while Ether slid 9 percent to near $2,700, and altcoins suffered even steeper losses.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission has issued new guidance explaining how federal securities laws apply to tokenized securities. Released on January 28 by the Divisions of Corporation Finance, Investment Management, and Trading and Markets, the statement outlines two core categories: issuer sponsored and third party sponsored models.

Issuer sponsored tokenized securities are digital representations of securities that meet the legal definition of a security, with ownership records maintained on one or more crypto networks. In this model, issuers or their agents integrate distributed ledger technology into their systems so that on-chain transfers align with the official securityholder records. The SEC noted that issuers may offer securities in multiple formats, and tokenized versions can belong to the same class as traditional securities if their rights and privileges are substantially similar. Some crypto assets may also facilitate ownership transfers that are recorded off-chain.

Third party sponsored tokenized securities involve entities unaffiliated with the issuer. These fall into custodial or synthetic models. Custodial tokens represent ownership interests in another company’s securities, with records kept either on-chain or off-chain. Synthetic tokenized securities provide price exposure without issuer rights and include linked securities and security-based swaps, which are typically limited to eligible participants unless properly registered.

The SEC emphasized that tokenization does not change a security’s legal status and reaffirmed its willingness to engage with market participants seeking regulatory clarity.

Bitcoin slipped below key support levels this week as gold and US equities climbed to new all time highs, while on chain data pointed to tightening liquidity across the crypto market. The divergence has reignited debate over whether capital is exiting digital assets or temporarily staying on the sidelines as investor risk appetite shifts.

Bitcoin was trading just under $88,000 at the time of writing after several days of choppy movement that followed a broader risk off turn in global markets. Analysts have highlighted signs of institutional selling, with the Coinbase Premium Index falling to around negative 0.17 percent, a level that typically reflects stronger selling pressure during US trading hours. The index turned positive only twice in January, suggesting large investors have been reducing exposure rather than adding to positions.

Liquidity indicators have reinforced those concerns. The combined market capitalization of the largest stablecoins has declined by roughly $2.2 billion in recent days, extending a total drawdown of about $5.6 billion. Separate data showed Ethereum based stablecoin supply dropped by nearly $7 billion in a single week, marking the first contraction of that size in the current cycle. Falling stablecoin supply is often interpreted as investors converting digital dollars back into fiat, reducing near term buying power in crypto markets.

Against this backdrop, analysts warned that if selling pressure continues, Bitcoin could revisit structural support levels near $81,000, the 2024 peak around $70,000, or even the 200 week moving average close to $58,000. These levels reflect market structure rather than firm forecasts, but the current flow of capital leaves downside risks open.

Recent price action reflects this strain. Bitcoin is down about 2.5 percent over the past week, while gold surged roughly 3 percent in 24 hours to above $5,500 per ounce, adding nearly $1.65 trillion to its market capitalization in a single day. Silver also rallied sharply, climbing above $120 per ounce and gaining around 68 percent this month, reinforcing the view that capital is favoring traditional safe havens.

Not all analysts believe crypto is directly funding the metals rally. Some point to the Stablecoin Supply Ratio, now near 12.6, a level historically associated with consolidation rather than mass exits. Others note that Bitcoin remains up more than 400 percent since 2022, outperforming gold, silver, and the Nasdaq over that period. They argue the current slowdown reflects prices running ahead of adoption rather than a breakdown of the long term thesis.

Still, macro conditions remain a key factor. Analysts note that periods of dollar weakness and heightened risk aversion tend to favor established stores of value like gold, while Bitcoin continues to trade more like a risk asset. Until that environment changes, reduced stablecoin supply and cautious positioning may continue to pressure crypto prices.

Bitcoin’s price fell sharply over the past hour, sliding to a new six week low slightly above $85,000. Altcoins followed the decline as liquidations accelerated across the market.

Data from CoinGlass shows that more than $650 million in leveraged positions have been liquidated over the past day, with nearly half of that amount erased within the last hour alone. The total number of liquidated trades has climbed above 190,000, while the largest single liquidation occurred on Hyperliquid and exceeded $31 million.

Rising geopolitical tensions appear to be driving the selloff. Fears of a potential US strike on Iran intensified after reports said President Trump deployed the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the Middle East, warning that Iran’s window to reach a deal is narrowing.

Oil prices reacted strongly, with US crude rising over 2.5 percent and Brent nearing $70. Meanwhile, precious metals declined sharply, as gold dropped from a recent record above $5,500 per ounce to $5,300 within minutes.

Bitcoin is down 3 percent on the hour, while altcoins have seen steeper losses. Ethereum fell to $2,800 after failing to hold $3,000, XRP declined 3.5 percent, and Solana dropped 3.7 percent.

Bitcoin (BTC) initially held steady after the first FOMC meeting of the year but began losing value later, slipping below $88,000. Many major altcoins are also deep in the red on a daily basis. Ethereum has fallen below the $3,000 support level, while XRP dropped under $1.90. PUMP and ZEC have recorded the largest losses over the past 24 hours.

BTC’s decline began last Monday after stock and futures markets reopened following former President Trump’s new tariff threats against several EU countries. After reaching over $95,000 that weekend, BTC fell to $92,000 on Monday and below $88,000 by Wednesday. Bulls managed a brief recovery above $91,000 on Friday, but the downward trend resumed, hitting $86,000 on Monday, the lowest level in over a month. It later rebounded to around $88,000-$89,000 and briefly reached $90,500 ahead of the FOMC meeting. Despite the Fed keeping rates steady, bearish pressure pushed BTC back below $88,000. Its market capitalization is now $1.75 trillion, with a dominance of 57.4 percent over altcoins.

Altcoins also suffered losses. Ethereum dropped nearly $100 below $3,000, XRP fell under $1.90, and BNB fell below $900. SOL, DOGE, ADA, BCH, and SUI also experienced significant declines. HYPE and ZEC each lost 6-8 percent, MNT dropped 6.5 percent, and Pi Network’s PI token reached a new all-time low. TRX was one of the few larger-cap altcoins with a small daily gain. The total crypto market capitalization fell by over $60 billion, dropping below $3.05 trillion.

Fidelity Investments has officially entered the stablecoin market with the launch of the Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD), a token pegged one-to-one to the US dollar and backed by reserves. The stablecoin will be available to both retail and institutional clients in the coming weeks, according to Bloomberg.

FIDD will operate on the Ethereum network, allowing transfers to any ETH address and integration with compatible DeFi protocols.

The stablecoin will be issued by Fidelity Digital Assets, National Association, a national trust bank that received conditional approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in December. Mike O’Reilly, president of Fidelity Digital Assets, said that stablecoins could serve as foundational payment and settlement tools, offering benefits such as real-time settlement, 24/7 availability, and low-cost treasury management.

FIDD’s reserves will consist of cash, cash equivalents, and short-term US Treasuries, in line with the GENIUS Act. The company is entering a competitive market dominated by Tether and Circle, which together control 82 percent of the stablecoin market. Other competitors include PayPal and Ripple, which have launched stablecoins but hold minimal market share. Tether recently introduced a US-compliant version called USA₮.

Ethereum continues to lead in stablecoin deployment with a 56 percent market share. Tron follows with 28 percent, while Solana accounts for just under five percent. The total stablecoin market is valued at $312 billion, or about 10 percent of the crypto market, with Tether’s USDT holding a 60 percent share at $186 billion in circulation.

Although Fidelity is unlikely to challenge the largest stablecoins, its FIDD offering will primarily serve institutional clients. The firm manages over $15 trillion in assets and serves more than 50 million customers.

BTC showed increased volatility ahead of the announcement.

Following a series of interest rate reductions that started in September, the United States Federal Reserve has shifted its approach and decided to maintain rates between 3.5% and 3.75%.

Although this outcome was largely anticipated despite declining inflation in the US, it has not affected Bitcoin’s price, at least for now.

The central bank’s statement noted that the “unemployment rate has shown some signs of stabilization,” while also cautioning that “inflation remains somewhat elevated.”

This observation has sparked debate, especially given that the Consumer Price Index data for November and December came in lower than expected. During that period, the President frequently encouraged Fed Chair Jerome Powell to continue cutting rates.

Despite this, the Fed emphasized its long-term commitment to achieving a healthier 2 percent inflation rate, a level not seen in years.

The statement added that “uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated” and that the Committee is closely monitoring risks related to both aspects of its dual mandate.

Earlier today, Bitcoin’s price saw pronounced swings before the Fed’s announcement. It briefly exceeded $90,000 multiple times before falling to $88,750. Since the decision, however, it has remained stable above $89,000.