Month: January 2026

2026 US Midterms May Throw a Wrench in Trump’s Policy Agenda: Ray Dalio

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The balance of power in the United States Congress may shift in favor of Democrats in the 2026 midterm elections, fueled by inflation concerns, threatening to undo regulatory policies under the Republican Party and US President Donald Trump, according to billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio. “The affordability issue will probably be the number one political issue next year, contributing to the Republicans losing the House and a very messy 2027 on the way to a very interesting 2028 election,” Dalio said, adding: “Because of how our democracy works, President…

CNBC Crowns XRP Hottest Crypto Trade of 2026 Over BTC and ETH: Here’s Why

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CNBC’s call reflects an appetite for outsized returns, as investors rotate from BTC’s maturity toward higher-beta opportunities like XRP. Ripple’s XRP token took center stage on U.S. financial television this week after CNBC labeled it the “hottest crypto trade of the year,” overtaking both Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) in early 2026 attention. The call signals a clear shift in market focus, as investors hunt for larger percentage moves beyond the two largest cryptocurrencies. Why XRP Is Beating Bitcoin and Ethereum Right Now During CNBC’s Power Lunch segment, which…

Anthropic seeks $10B raise at $350B valuation as AI funding race accelerates

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Key Takeaways Anthropic is seeking a $10B funding round at a $350B valuation. The raise would nearly double its valuation and follows heavy capital commitments from Microsoft and Nvidia. Share this article Anthropic, the AI research company behind the Claude chatbot, is seeking to raise $10 billion at a $350 billion pre-investment valuation, according to the Wall Street Journal. The proposed funding would nearly double the company’s valuation from four months ago and mark one of the largest private capital raises in the AI sector this year. Singapore sovereign wealth…

Bitcoin, Altcoins Open 2026 With A Bang: Are New Highs Next?

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Key points: Bitcoin turned down from its overhead resistance but is expected to find support at the moving averages. Select major altcoins are facing selling near their overhead resistance levels, but the shallow pullback suggests the recovery may continue. Bitcoin (BTC) is under pressure as bears attempt to sustain the price below $91,500. BTC exchange-traded funds recorded outflows of $243.2 million on Tuesday after attracting $1.16 billion in inflows in the first two trading days of the new year, according to Farside Investors’ data. That shows caution at higher levels.…

A New Wealth Debate in China

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China’s shifting definition of a store of value For many years, luxury real estate occupied a central role in wealth preservation in China. Premium apartments in cities such as Shenzhen and Shanghai served not only as residences but also as symbols of family wealth, social standing and financial security. Property ownership carried cultural significance, regulatory predictability and an assumption of long-term stability. That presumption is now being publicly challenged. Conversations among wealthy Chinese investors point to a quiet but significant shift in how a “store of value” is defined. On…

Flare Launches Spot XRP Market on Hyperliquid, Allowing FXRP to Move Across Chains

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XRP can be traded on Hyperliquid as FXRP and bridged back to Flare to access DeFi use cases like lending and staking. The decentralized finance (DeFi) applications blockchain network Flare has launched a spot market for XRP on the on-chain trading platform Hyperliquid. This development aims to widen access to XRP liquidity while enabling the movement of FXRP, which is one of Flare’s FAssets, across chains. According to a press release sent to CryptoPotato, both the FAssets system and LayerZero’s Omnichain Fungible token standard enabled the launch of the…

A16z backs Babylon with $15M to build trustless Bitcoin collateral vaults

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Key Takeaways A16z crypto invested $15M in Babylon to develop BTCVaults for native Bitcoin collateral use. BTCVaults aim to enable trustless collateralization without wrapping or custodians, targeting institutional and DeFi adoption. Share this article A16z Crypto, the blockchain-focused venture capital firm, has invested $15 million in Babylon to support the development of BTCVaults, a new infrastructure designed to enable native Bitcoin to serve as collateral in on-chain financial systems. The funding includes both capital and strategic guidance, according to Babylon. BTCVaults aim to address a longstanding gap in crypto infrastructure…

Flare launches first XRP spot market on Hyperliquid

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Key Takeaways Flare unveiled the first XRP spot market on Hyperliquid’s onchain orderbook with the FXRP/USDC trading pair. The listing provides a pathway to expand XRP liquidity across different blockchain ecosystems while ensuring onchain custody. Share this article Layer 1 blockchain Flare announced today the launch of the first XRP spot market on Hyperliquid through the listing of FXRP for spot trading, beginning with an FXRP/USDC pair. The move brings XRP spot exposure to Hyperliquid’s onchain orderbook, expanding liquidity access across chains while maintaining custody onchain. Discussing the FXRP listing,…

Trust Wallet Hack Highlights Security Gaps Facing Crypto-Friendly SMEs

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Key takeaways The December 2025 Trust Wallet hack shows that vulnerabilities in crypto tools can affect crypto-friendly SMEs, even when attacks target individual users rather than businesses. Supply-chain risks, such as compromised browser extensions or stolen API keys, can bypass traditional security defenses and lead to rapid financial losses in a very short time. The incident also revealed how weak or unprepared verification processes can overwhelm compensation efforts, increasing operational strain and delaying legitimate reimbursements. Heavy reliance on hot wallets remains a significant risk factor for SMEs, as convenience often…

Riot Platforms Sells $161M in Bitcoin in December as it Shifts Strategy

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Riot Platforms sold 1,818 Bitcoin in December for $161.6 million at an average net price of $88,870, as part of a strategy shift from Bitcoin mining to monetizing its power and data center infrastructure, including support for artificial intelligence workloads, the company said Tuesday. As of Dec. 31, the company held 18,005 Bitcoin (BTC), including 3,977 restricted BTC, down from 19,368 Bitcoin at the end of November, while producing 460 Bitcoin during the month. Restricted Bitcoin refers to BTC that the company owns but has pledged as collateral under its…