Cryptocurrency expert Armando Pantoja (@_TallGuyTycoon) has reignited discussions about lofty price predictions for top cryptocurrencies, particularly XRP, following a resurfaced forecast from the Wall Street Journal. According to the projection, XRP’s price could reach $1,046, a valuation that has drawn both optimism and skepticism within the crypto community.

Revisiting XRP’s Price Surge History

During the crypto boom of 2017, XRP, like many other digital assets, saw a meteoric rise in value. It peaked at $3.84 in January 2018, driven by speculative investment, increased adoption, and optimism surrounding Ripple’s cross-border payment solutions. At that time, discussions about market capitalization were scarce, with attention primarily focused on technology and partnerships.

Today, XRP is trading at $2.32, with a market cap of $134.02 billion. A price of $1,046 would necessitate a staggering market cap of $60.08 trillion, far surpassing global GDP and sparking debates about the feasibility of such valuations.

The Evolution of Market Cap Conversations

Pantoja highlighted how market dynamics have shifted, stating:

“Back then we didn’t talk much about ‘market cap’ as a limiting factor.”

Indeed, in 2017, the focus on adoption potential and technological innovation often overshadowed discussions about the practical implications of market cap. However, as the market matured, analysts began scrutinizing valuation models, with critics arguing that astronomical predictions fail to account for economic realities.

For comparison, the entire cryptocurrency market is currently valued at $3.29 trillion, making XRP’s projected $60 trillion market cap appear outsized. Even optimistic forecasts, such as one predicting a $3 trillion market cap for XRP, are far below these speculative targets.

XRP’s Resilience Amid Challenges

Despite facing significant obstacles, including the SEC lawsuit against Ripple, XRP has remained a dominant force in the crypto market. It experienced a dramatic resurgence in December 2024, crossing $2 for the first time since 2018 after a 300% rally in November.

This renewed momentum has rekindled interest in XRP’s potential. A seasoned market analyst recently projected that XRP could achieve a $502 billion market cap, suggesting that as the cryptocurrency market continues its rapid expansion, XRP could surpass expectations.

A Vision Beyond Market Cap: Utility and Adoption

While critics focus on market cap limitations, XRP’s proponents emphasize its utility in facilitating cross-border payments and its adoption by financial institutions through RippleNet. These factors continue to position XRP as a cornerstone of blockchain-based financial solutions.

As XRP solidifies its place in the evolving cryptocurrency landscape, the debate about its price potential highlights the broader conversation about valuation metrics, market adoption, and the future of digital assets.

XRP has been showing resilience, holding up well despite the ongoing market correction. Although the short-term price action appears messy, it’s important to understand that XRP is currently experiencing a local pullback within a broader corrective phase. While the market is consolidating, this creates an interesting scenario for possible future moves.

Triangle Pattern Nearing Completion

The key chart development for XRP is the triangle pattern that has been in play since December 3. After more than a month of price action, the pattern could soon complete, triggering a price move. Whether this breakout is to the upside or downside remains to be seen, but the next move could happen at any moment.

Short-Term Price Action and Key Levels

In a bullish scenario, XRP could see an upside breakout. However, it may still dip lower before completing the triangle pattern. On the other hand, the bearish scenario suggests a deeper pullback before confirming a breakdown. While a move down looks more like a corrective pullback, it could still present an opportunity for consolidation before an upside breakout.

Key Support and Invalidation Levels

The critical support area to watch lies between $2.29 and $2.23. If XRP breaks below $2.29, it could test the key invalidation level at $1.96, which corresponds to the swing low from December 20. At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $2.33 level and is up by more than two percent in the last 24 hours.

Fibonacci Levels to Watch

Before testing the $1.96 level, XRP must navigate several key Fibonacci levels. These levels, between $2.23 and $2.24, are important to watch for signs of a potential bounce or further decline. A strong reaction at these levels would provide more clarity on whether XRP is setting up for a breakout or breakdown.

Breakout Confirmation Levels

For an upside breakout, XRP needs to break above the green line at $2.50. This would be the first confirmation level of a breakout. However, to fully confirm the breakout, XRP must surpass the high of the D-wave.

As the Dogecoin price continues to draw attention, a leading analyst has made an audacious claim, that both DOGE and the rising star RCO Finance (RCOF) could reach the $1 milestone within the next two weeks. While this prediction may seem ambitious, the fundamentals and market trends provide compelling reasons to believe in the rapid ascent of these two tokens.

Let’s break down the key factors driving this bullish outlook for Dogecoin and RCOF, and explore why both are positioned to dominate the crypto market in the near term.

Dogecoin Price Momentum: Why $1 Is Back on the Radar

The Dogecoin price has seen a resurgence in interest following a wave of positive market sentiment. After consolidating in recent weeks, DOGE is poised for a breakout, fueled by several key factors:

1. Increased Adoption and Real-World Use Cases

Dogecoin, originally launched as a meme cryptocurrency, has become a legitimate payment method. Major brands like Tesla and AMC Entertainment have embraced DOGE for transactions, boosting its utility and market confidence.

2. Positive Market Trends

The broader crypto market has entered a bullish phase, with Bitcoin and Ethereum paving the way for altcoins like Dogecoin to follow suit. Historical patterns suggest that DOGE tends to perform exceptionally well during such rallies, often outperforming other top coins.

3. Community-Driven Growth

Dogecoin’s loyal community remains a driving force behind its success. Social media campaigns, celebrity endorsements, and grassroots support create a momentum that few cryptocurrencies can match.

Analysts believe that a push past the critical resistance level at $0.75 could trigger a rapid increase of Dogecoin price to $1, aligning with growing market optimism.

RCO Finance: The Hidden Gem Preparing for Its $1 Milestone

While Dogecoin garners mainstream attention, RCO Finance (RCOF) has quietly positioned itself as a formidable contender in the crypto market. Combining advanced technology with a focus on accessibility, RCOF offers unique features that make it a top pick for investors seeking exponential returns.

1. Revolutionary Features of RCO Finance

• AI-Powered Investment Tools:
  RCOF’s platform uses artificial intelligence to provide personalized investment strategies, making high-level financial tools accessible to all users, regardless of their expertise.
• Tokenized Real-World Assets:
  RCO Finance enables users to invest in traditionally illiquid markets like real estate and commodities through tokenization. This opens up new opportunities for portfolio diversification.
• KYC-Free Ecosystem:
  Unlike traditional platforms, RCO Finance prioritizes user privacy, allowing seamless access to decentralized finance without intrusive verification processes.

2. Unmatched Growth Potential

Currently priced at $0.07 in its presale stage, RCOF is expected to skyrocket to $1 as early as the next two weeks, driven by increasing demand and limited token supply. Investors who enter during the presale phase could see life-changing returns once the token lists on major exchanges.

What Makes $1 Attainable for Both DOGE and RCOF?

The $1 milestone is not just a psychological barrier; it’s a level that both Dogecoin and RCOF are fundamentally and technically equipped to reach. Here’s why:

1. Strong Market Momentum:
   Both tokens are benefiting from the broader bullish trend in the crypto market, with institutional and retail interest growing rapidly.
2. Unique Value Propositions:
   While Dogecoin thrives on community and adoption, RCO Finance is revolutionizing DeFi with its innovative features and AI-driven tools.
3. FOMO-Driven Demand:
   As both DOGE and RCOF approach key milestones, the fear of missing out (FOMO) is likely to attract significant buying pressure, propelling prices even higher.

The Role of Community and Investors in the $1 Surge

Both Dogecoin and RCO Finance owe much of their success to their communities. For Dogecoin, this includes millions of devoted fans who have remained loyal since its inception. Meanwhile, RCOF is building a fast-growing community of forward-thinking investors drawn to its cutting-edge technology and massive ROI potential.

Why Early Adoption Matters

• For Dogecoin, crossing $1 will further cement its status as a mainstream cryptocurrency, attracting even more institutional partnerships and retail interest.
• For RCOF, early adopters stand to gain the most, as its low presale price makes it one of the most lucrative opportunities in the market today.

Expert Predictions for DOGE and RCOF

Industry analysts are optimistic about the trajectories of both tokens:

• Dogecoin: With its strong fundamentals and community support, Dogecoin price is likely to break past resistance and achieve the $1 milestone.
• RCOF: Backed by groundbreaking technology and strategic presale momentum, RCOF is expected to outperform even the most bullish projections, with some forecasting a $2 valuation shortly after hitting $1.

Conclusion

The next two weeks could prove pivotal for both Dogecoin price and RCO Finance, with both tokens poised to reach the coveted $1 mark. While Dogecoin benefits from its established market presence, RCOF’s innovative features and explosive growth potential make it a standout investment opportunity.

With Dogecoin price nearing resistance and RCOF ready to take off, these tokens offer a rare chance to secure substantial returns in a thriving market.

For more information about the RCO Finance Presale:

Visit RCO Finance Presale

Join The RCO Finance Community

Bank of America (BoA) recently announced it will use XRP as its only cryptocurrency for all internal transactions. This news has reflected in XRP’s growth and positive outlook for the future.

This development significantly supports Ripple’s blockchain solution, showing its great potential for creating a revolutionary blockchain solution in the traditional banking system.

The BoA’s full embrace of XRP signals to the financial sector that cryptocurrencies can be considered legitimate and pave the way for even wider adoption.

But the move is particularly noteworthy as the banks are usually considered very conservative. This is a massive step for the company behind XRP, Ripple.

That validates their technology and makes the point that XRP can be used to address the inefficiencies in global banking.

This comes as speculations of more Ripple adoption make rounds amid Ripple’s official’s recent meetings with Donald Trump, who promises to bring more crypto adoption to the U.S..

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XRP Adoption and Market Outlook for 2025

Bank of America’s decision has opened the debate of XRP’s future and its adoption in the financial sector.

The move by BoA, one of the world’s largest banks, might be a leading indicator for other banks to start paying heed.

It’s expected that this will fuel the adoption of XRP, especially in its role in internal banking processes and cross-border payments.

Creating a Ripple stablecoin would further open up these prospects, as it could also see increased adoption.

XRP has recently been quoting at $2.30, showing minor fluctuations there. On the hourly price chart, we can see that XRP is in a descending triangle pattern, which is usually followed by a large breakout.

The chart’s red resistance line and horizontal support levels indicate that the market is waiting for a catalyst to dictate the next important price movement.

Awesome Oscillator (AO) shows the green bars finally catching up with red, indicating rising bullish momentum.

Bank of America’s announcement suggests those who follow could be the next to adopt green building strategies.

Incorporating XRP at a deep level could inspire greater faith in the cryptocurrency’s future while persuading retail and institutional investors to grow their holdings.

The price remains in consolidation mode, but experts say the announcement could lead to a rally.

If it breaks above its descending triangle to the upside, the next price target could be above $2.50, marking the start of a possible bull run.

XRP Price Prediction for 2025

Last week, prominent media personality and cryptocurrency advocate Layah Heilpern shared some thoughts on the future of XRP.

Heilpern said in a tweet that XRP could hit $4 by 2025. This level is a 67.36% increase from its current price.

While optimistic, Heilpern’s prediction accords with the cryptocurrency’s record of rapid gains after significant developments.

Investor interest in XRP, resilient through market turbulence, is still there. The token recovered nicely from the dips and remained stable after a massive giveaway.

This is because the underlying market confidence is still there to keep it within striking distance of all-time highs, even when it consolidates.

If adoption around XRP keeps growing and Ripple continues to work on increasing its ecosystem, XRP can reach $4.

Sustaining momentum will require institutional partnerships, of which the partnership with Bank of America is a key example.

But if financial institutions continue down the path that Heilpern predicted, it will be conservative.

• Solana price stabilized above the $180 mark on Friday, capping weekly losses at 15.7%.
• Solana’s recent proposal to implement a lattice-based hashing system has sparked mixed community reactions.
• Tristan Frizza, founder of Zeta Markets, told FXStreet the move presents “long-term feasibility risks”

Solana price established a firm support above $180 on Friday as the crypto market sell-off subsided. Recent market reports suggest Solana’s recently proposed network update could trigger further downside risks ahead. 

Solana price holds $180 support as the crypto sell-off cools

Solana’s lackluster weekly performance continued on Friday, as broader crypto markets faced heightened selling pressure.

SOL slid as altcoin markets plunged further after a United States (US) court cleared the Department of Justice to sell off $6.5 billion worth of Bitcoin seized from the Silk Road. 

Amid cascading liquidations, Solana’s price plummeted 15.7% between January 5 and Thursday.

However, after establishing a critical support level above $180 on Thursday, buyers appear to have stepped in to avert further losses. 

Solana Price Action, January 9 2025 | SOLUSDT (Binance)

This stabilization above $180 signals that Solana may have reached its local bottom.

While markets await the next major bullish breakout catalyst, SOL prices look poised for consolidation within the $180 – $200 narrow channel. 

Zeta Markets founder says Solana’s latest network update proposal poses major downside risks

Solana’s latest proposal to implement a lattice-based hashing system has become the focal point of discussion within its community.

This update aims to boost network performance, a key objective as Solana continues to scale its ecosystem for broader adoption. 

However, concerns are mounting over the potential adverse impact on critical components such as light clients and rollups.

These elements are essential for scaling DeFi on Solana, as they enable lower-cost transactions and off-chain computations while maintaining high levels of security and decentralization.

In an exclusive interview with FXStreet, Tristan Frizza, Founder of Zeta Markets, highlighted this update’s promise and challenges. 
 
“We’re excited about the performance improvements the lattice-based hashing system brings to Solana, as it represents an important step forward in scaling the network to support billions of users. However, this change also raises important questions around the long-term feasibility of light client designs on Solana, as the prior accounts hash enabled transaction inclusion to be proven within blocks,” he said.

Frizza’s concerns underscore the delicate balancing act Solana faces. While the performance upgrades could improve the network’s competitiveness against rivals like Ethereum, any compromise on scalability solutions such as rollups could hamper DeFi development. 

Solana Price Forecast: Prolonged consolidation below $200? 

Solana (SOL) continues to consolidate within the $180–$200 range, reflecting market indecision amid broader bearish catalysts.

The daily chart reveals a sharp 15.7% decline from its January 5 high of $223, now stabilizing near the 0.382 Fibonacci retracement level at $180. 

This critical support has held firm, suggesting buyers are attempting to counter the ongoing sell-off.

However, resistance at $200 aligns with the 0.5 Fibonacci level, forming a tight channel that could nullify weak breakout attempts. 

Solana Price Forecast | SOLUSDT (Binance)

Analyzing the Gann Box on the daily chart, SOL’s recent rejection from the 0.5 level ($200) suggests resistance aligned with broader market weakness.

The ongoing sell-off found relief near $180, which coincides with the 0.382 level on the Gann Box, underlining its importance as a critical support zone.

The Gann Box structure highlights that SOL oscillates between key equilibrium levels.

A bullish breakout above $200 could pave the way for a retest of the 0.618 level around $220, signaling renewed upward momentum.

However, for this scenario to materialize, SOL must sustain higher trading volumes, which have recently tapered off, reflecting waning market enthusiasm.

Conversely, a breakdown below $180 could expose SOL to deeper losses, with the 0.25 Gann level around $160 acting as the next potential support.

This bearish outlook is reinforced by the MACD indicator, which remains in negative territory, showing a declining trend in momentum. 

In summary, until SOL decisively exits this consolidation phase, the price is likely to remain trapped within the Gann Box’s mid-levels.

The price of XRP has crept up by 0.5% in the past 24 hours, with its move to $2.30 coming as the crypto market falls by 0.5% today.

XRP is now down by 4.5% in a week but up by the same percentage in a fortnight, with the token – the fourth-biggest in the market – boasting a 305% return in a year.

Despite the losses of the past week, XRP’s trading volume remains fairly elevated at $5 billion, which is still up by 280% from where it was three months ago.

And with Donald Trump’s inauguration less than two weeks away, it’s likely only a matter of time before XRP experiences another big surge.

XRP Price Prediction as $5 Billion Floods the Market – Are Whales Buying?

The slight lift in XRP’s trading volume has come as its indicators begin to stabilize and hint at a recovery.

For example, the coin’s relative strength index (purple) has begun rising towards 50 after dropping to almost 30 a couple of days ago.

At the same time, it looks as though XRP’s price is on the brink of climbing over its 30-period average (orange), something which would signal a bullish reversal.

And when combined with the increase in trading volume, this points towards a recovery for the alt.

Recent days have seen several positive news stories for XRP, boosting its fundamentals.

Most recently, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse (and the firm’s Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty) had dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at the latter’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

It seems highly likely that they discussed cryptocurrency regulation and legislation, with a particular focus on Ripple’s ongoing tussle with the SEC, which appealed against it in October.

Garlinghouse had also met with Trump in November, and with the incoming President nominating the pro-crypto Paul Atkins as the new chair of SEC, it seems that next four years could be very kind to Ripple.

We’ve also seen Ripple launch its own RLUSD stablecoin, and this week has also seen the firm partner with Chainlink on ensuring secure real-time pricing data for the new token.

Such developments make the future look very bright for Ripple and XRP, with prediction market Polymarket putting the odds of an XRP ETF this year at 70%.

In such a bullish context, the XRP price could reach $2.50 by the end of January, and $3 by H2.

New Altcoins Could Bring Market-Beating Gains

It would, however, be unwise to put all your eggs in XRP’s basket, since the token arguably posted its biggest gains (for this cycle) in November and early December.

If so, traders looking for market-beating returns may want to diversify into newer tokens, including presale coins.

Of course, not all presale tokens are equal, but one of the biggest and most successful right now is Solaxy (SOLX), the native token of a new layer-two network for Solana.

It has raised an impressive $9.5 million in its ongoing presale, making it one of the biggest projects of the past 12 months.

Solaxy is winning over investors because its platform promises to provide faster and more reliable Solana-based transactions, reducing failed transactions to a minimum.

While Solana’s stability has improved considerably in the past year or so, it still witnesses the odd outage, while dropped transactions actually comprise anything from 35% to 50% of all transactions on any given day.

As such, there’s a clear place for Solaxy within the Solana and wider crypto ecosystems, with its native token – SOLX – likely to experience considerable demand.

It will serve as the exclusive means of payment for Solaxy transactions, while traders will also be able to stake it for a passive income.

This could mean that its price could rise steadily over time, particularly if Solaxy really takes off as a Solana L2.

Investors can join its presale by going to the official Solaxy website, where SOLX costs $0.001596.

This price will rise tomorrow and will continue to rise until the sale ends, so buyers should really act quickly.

Visit Solaxy Presale

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Crypto analyst ProjectSyndicate has revealed his Dogecoin price prediction, suggesting that DOGE can reach the much-anticipated $1 price level in this cycle. The analyst also recommended when market participants should consider buying and selling the foremost meme coin. 

Dogecoin Price Prediction Shows DOGE Can Hit $1 This Cycle

In a TradingView post, Project Syndicate made his Dogecoin price prediction, which showed that DOGE could reach the psychological $1 price level this year. Specifically, the analyst’s accompanying chart revealed that the foremost meme coin could reach this price target by mid-2025. 

This aligns with Galaxy Research’s Dogecoin price prediction that DOGE could hit the $1 price level, reaching the $100 billion market cap milestone in the process. Crypto analyst CROW also recently set the $1 target for Dogecoin once it breaks out from a multi-year trendline. A rally to this price level would mark a new all-time high (ATH) for the meme coin. 

Meanwhile, ProjectSyndicate also took time to discuss the current Dogecoin price action. Analyzing the daily price chart for DOGE, he noted that a current pullback is in progress. However, the crypto analyst added that the price chart still looks strong with a sequence of higher lows. 

The crypto analyst also noted how the Dogecoin price had a nice run from $0.08 to $0.40, marking a 500% gain. ProjectSyndicate further revealed that DOGE is currently reloading and getting ready for a new bull run to trigger the support and resistance zone at $1. He added that the consolidation for this move is not complete yet, and more time is required.  

ProjectSyndicate also recommended a buy and sell strategy for DOGE bulls. He said they should buy and hold when the Dogecoin price is near $0.20 in the re-accumulation range during this pullback and consolidation phase. On the other hand, he advised the bulls to take profits at $1, representing a 500% gain. 

Analyst Confirms $1 Target Is Imminent

Crypto analyst Trader Tardigrade has also given his Dogecoin price prediction, stating that DOGE is on its way to the $1 benchmark. The crypto analyst noted that a retracement often occurs before a massive spike. Interestingly, the analyst’s accompanying chart showed that Dogecoin could reach this $1 price level as early as March. 

Trader Tardigrade also raised the possibility of the Dogecoin price rallying to as high as $2 in this cycle. He revealed that DOGE is replicating its previous cycle, with a similar parallel line from the last cycle unfolding again. The crypto analyst remarked that this is no coincidence and asserted that $2 is a reasonable target for the 2025 cycle. 

At the time of writing, the Dogecoin price is trading at around $0.33, down over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. 

Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

• Cardano price rebounded 4% on Friday, reclaiming the $0.95 territory as BTC reclaimed the $95,000 mark.  
• On-chain data shows ADA daily trading volumes remain elevated despite the market-wide correction phase. 
• Technical indicators suggest ADA faces stiff resistance at the $1.10 level. 

Cardano price rebounded 4% on Friday, reclaiming the $0.95 territory as BTC reached the $95,000 mark. On-chain data shows ADA market demand remains elevated despite the recent price volatility. 

Cardano retakes $0.95 as market recovery signals emerge 

Cardano price has endured a turbulent week, driven by two significant bearish macro catalysts that triggered widespread sell-offs.

The strong United States (US) employment data amplified fears of a hawkish Federal Reserve (Fed), leading to heightened risk aversion among investors. 

Compounding the pressure, a US court approved the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) request to sell $6.5 billion worth of Bitcoin seized from the Silk Road.

Together, these developments cast a shadow over the altcoin market this week. 

Cardano price action | ADAUSDT

Amid this broader market turmoil, Cardano (ADA) suffered a 20% drop, falling from $1.10 on January 5 to a low of $0.87 on Thursday.

However, Thursday marked a potential turning point, as ADA found stable support at $0.87 and rebounded by 6% within 24 hours. 

Now trading at $0.95, the bounce suggests the $0.87 level may have established a local bottom.

If buying momentum persists, Cardano could extend its recovery and retest the $1 resistance zone in the coming sessions, signaling a potential bullish reversal.

Cardano trading volumes remain elevated despite recent market pullback

Despite the sharp 20% price correction this week, Cardano continues to exhibit elevated trading volume, signaling sustained market activity.

Trading volume is a crucial metric for assessing market momentum and liquidity.

High volumes during price corrections can indicate the presence of buyers accumulating at lower levels, reinforcing confidence in a potential recovery.

Cardano Trading Volume | Source: Santiment

Santiment data shows that Cardano’s trading volume has increased considerably in the last 3 months and maintained significant levels despite recent price turbulence. 

For context, the 1.4 billion ADA trading volume recorded on Thursday was amid this week’s crash.

This is more than 300% higher than the October 2024 peak of 438 million. 

This suggests active market interest, potentially driven by long-term accumulation strategies and the token’s appeal among retail and institutional investors.

The current trading dynamics emphasize Cardano’s resilience amid the volatile crypto market phase.

As market sentiment improves, Cardano’s consistent trading activity positions it as a key asset to watch in the next recovery phase.

Cardano Price Forecast: Downside risk ahead as $1.10 sell-wall looms large

 Cardano’s (ADA) recent performance shows signs of market indecision as the token consolidates near $0.94.

Bollinger Bands indicate contracting volatility, with price action hovering around the middle band ($0.94). 

This signals a neutral bias in the short term, but ADA faces immediate resistance near $1.10, a psychological and technical sell-wall, as highlighted in recent trading sessions.

Cardano price forecast (ADAUSDT)

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently near 50, showing a bearish lean while remaining above oversold levels.

A bullish scenario could materialize if ADA breaks the $0.94 resistance, targeting $1.10. Such a breakout may see intensified buying pressure, supported by the Bollinger Band upper boundary at $1.10.

An RSI breakout above 50 would strengthen the case for bullish momentum.

Conversely, failure to sustain above the $0.90 level could lead to a bearish extension toward the $0.78 support level, coinciding with the lower Bollinger Band. 
 

Check out U.Today’s selection of the top three news stories over the past day.

69,000 BTC could be sold by U.S. government

The U.S. government has been allowed to liquidate 69,370 Bitcoins seized from the Silk Road marketplace. The claimants (Battle Born Investments Company, First 100 and 1st One Hundred Holdings) sought to pause this enforcement while pursuing a separate lawsuit aimed at revealing the identity of “Individual X,” a hacker who helped to forfeit the Bitcoins stolen from Silk Road to the U.S. government. This hacker was allegedly threatened by Silk Road’s jailed founder, Ross Ulbricht. The claimants wanted to rely on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to disclose the hacker’s identity, but the United States District Court for the Northern District of California ruled in favor of the government. This means that the government can proceed with the liquidation of the confiscated Bitcoin fortune. The liquidation, however, may negatively impact Bitcoin prices, already struggling to gain momentum.

XRP price defends major Bollinger Bands level: Bullish?

The price of XRP faced a significant test yesterday, Jan. 9. After a recent decline of 6.2% at the beginning of the week, the asset found a bottom at the 20-day moving average, which serves as the median in the Bollinger Bands indicator. After briefly closing above this median, XRP experienced a rebound of 4.51%, but this was interrupted by news of the U.S. Department of Justice’s approval to sell seized Bitcoin from the Silk Road; the announcement led to a marketwide sell-off, dragging XRP’s price down again. Despite this, XRP has managed to hold above the median Bollinger Band, maintaining a bullish outlook; however, another retest of this level is possible, which would mean a further decline of 1.48%. If this retest proves successful, it would make reaching the upper Bollinger Band at $2.51 more likely, offering potential for significant gains.

Gensler slams crypto ahead of his exit

Being in the final days of his tenure as chair of the U.S. SEC, Gary Gensler reiterated his concerns about the crypto industry, arguing that it is “rife” with bad actors. During his recent appearance on Bloomberg Television, Gensler noted that the public is well-informed about Bitcoin, which constitutes 80% of the market value. However, he also pointed out that there are about 10,000 to 15,000 ventures lacking fundamental support, stating that they are largely driven by sentiment rather than fundamentals. The chair expressed skepticism about the survival of many of these projects, comparing them to venture capital investments and adding that there is also a fair amount of “pump-and-dump schemes.” Speaking of his upcoming departure, Gensler said that it was “a great privilege” to lead the SEC. Despite the attention he garnered for legal actions in the crypto space, Gensler emphasized that such efforts comprised only about 5% of the SEC’s overall enforcement activities.

Here is a 2-minute breakdown of everything important that happened in crypto today.

For the longest time, everyone thought Bitcoin hitting $100K would break the internet. The problem: it didn’t. Instead, Bitcoin is sitting at around $92K.

The Fear and Greed Index? Sitting at “neutral”.

It’s almost weird how unbothered everyone is. Usually, a drop like this turns Twitter into a support group. But this time? Pure zen.

Maybe we’re finally maturing as a market. Or maybe – and this is where it gets interesting – we’re all missing something obvious.

Because let’s be honest: since when does crypto do “neutral” for this long? Since when do we collectively look at a $92K Bitcoin and just… shrug?

Speaking of things that make you think twice – let’s break down what’s actually happening in crypto today! Here’s your rundown of the latest headlines:

• Trump’s presence isn’t helping Bitcoin stay above $100K – turns out Treasury yields had other plans. But what’s going on? 🤔
• Tim Peterson (the guy who called Bitcoin’s $10K bottom) just shared a massive 2035 prediction while calling Q4 “nothing special.” What’s his exact prediction by the way? 🎯
• 2024 saw fewer crypto attacks but bigger losses than 2023, according to PeckShield. So what’s making these attacks more successful despite fewer attempts? 🔐
• US entities now hold 65% more Bitcoin than offshore players – a complete flip from September 2024. What happened to cause this dramatic shift? 🌐
• Multiple firms including Grayscale and VanEck await U.S. approval decisions for Solana ETFs in 2025, with analysts targeting $400 post-approval. Their reasoning? 📉

Let’s dive in!

Bitcoin’s $100,000 mark isn’t going quite as planned.

Something interesting is happening in the traditional markets that is putting pressure on crypto’s biggest player.

We all know about the excitement around Trump’s presidency boosting Bitcoin… The narrative seemed perfect – until Treasury yields decided to crash everything.

What exactly happened? Read the full story!

Bitcoin price predictions are a dime a dozen, but this one deserves attention. Timothy Peterson, the analyst who nailed Bitcoin’s $10,000 floor, just made a bold call.

His track record is interesting – Peterson authored a paper explaining Bitcoin’s value through network growth back in 2018.

Unlike typical crypto analysts who rely on chart patterns, he uses something called Metcalfe’s Law to understand Bitcoin’s true value.

And now he’s putting his reputation on the line with a specific price target for 2035. The number he’s calling for isn’t just ambitious – it’s transformative.

What makes this prediction particularly intriguing is Peterson’s recent comment about Bitcoin’s current performance. Despite the recent rallies that got everyone excited, he called Q4’s performance “nothing special” – in fact, he ranked it as the second-worst ‘Up’ quarter in the past 10 quarters.

Yet he’s still maintaining his long-term bullish stance. The question is: what does he see in Bitcoin’s network metrics? Read the full story!

Last year’s crypto security report is out, and it’s not good.

PeckShield’s latest data shows hackers and scammers made off with more crypto in 2024 than in 2023 – and the increase isn’t small.

While the total number of attacks actually decreased, the amounts stolen got bigger.

So what’s making these attacks more successful despite fewer attempts? Read the full story!

A fascinating power shift is happening in Bitcoin.

US entities are now dominating Bitcoin holdings – they’re holding 65% more Bitcoin than all offshore players combined.

Back in September 2024, when Bitcoin was trading around $60,000, offshore entities were in control.

By the time Bitcoin crossed $100,000, US players had completely flipped the script.

But here’s what makes this particularly intriguing – this shift happened right before Bitcoin’s recent price correction.

As Bitcoin retreated from its $100K heights, something unexpected started happening with traders’ profit margins. What happened? Read the full story!

The battle for the first U.S. Solana ETF is heating up, and the timeline just got interesting.

Grayscale’s application hits its deadline on January 23, 2025, while others like VanEck, 21Shares, and Canary Capital are right behind with their January 25 deadlines.

Solana just dipped below $200, making it more attractive for new investors who prefer owning whole coins rather than fractions of Bitcoin or Ethereum.

But here’s what makes this story fascinating – Brazil already approved its first Solana ETF back in August. This precedent might just tip the scales for U.S. regulators.

Some analysts are eyeing a $400 price target for Solana. The reasoning behind this ambitious prediction? Read the full story!

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