Month: January 2026

Presidential Pardons, Privacy Coin Surges

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Another eventful year for crypto is now behind us. Bitcoin notched a new all-time high but ended the year in the red, the regulatory climate in the US warmed, privacy coins stormed the market, institutional adoption surged and the US president even launched a memecoin. With 2026 now underway, Cointelegraph takes a look at some of the biggest comebacks in crypto last year and what it could mean for the next 12 months.  Ross Ulbricht and CZ get presidential pardons  The year kicked off with a presidential pardon of one…

Crypto’s Building Blocks Are Falling Into Place for 2026

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Momentum from crypto exchange-traded funds, stablecoins, tokenization, along with clearer regulations, is set to compound in 2026, accelerating crypto adoption, according to Coinbase’s head of investment research, David Duong. In a year-end wrap-up posted to X on Wednesday, Duong said 2025 saw spot exchange-traded funds create regulated access to crypto, digital asset treasuries emerge as new corporate balance-sheet vehicles, and tokenization and stablecoins moving deeper into core financial workflows. “We expect these forces to compound in 2026 as ETF approval timelines compress, stablecoins take a larger role in delivery-vs-payment (DvP)…

Robinhood distributes $1.5M in Bitcoin for New Year celebration after XRP, ETH and SOL rewards

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Key Takeaways Robinhood wrapped up HOOD Holidays with big prizes, including $1.5 million in Bitcoin. The event launched on December 26 and featured several high-value items and crypto assets, including Dogecoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. Share this article Robinhood on Wednesday rolled out a special New Year’s giveaway as part of its HOOD Holidays event, and Bitcoin was among the standout prizes. The commission-free trading platform distributed $1.5 million worth of BTC to users, alongside a lineup of luxury items, including a Porsche 911, a Rolex Daytona, and a Hermès…

Tether adds 8,888 Bitcoin to reserves; total holdings top 96,000 BTC

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Key Takeaways Tether expanded its Bitcoin holdings by acquiring 8,888 Bitcoin in Q4 2025. The purchase is part of Tether’s strategy to diversify its reserves with valuable digital assets. Share this article Tether, the company behind the USDT stablecoin, added 8,888 Bitcoin to its holdings in the fourth quarter of 2025, CEO Paolo Ardoino said. The acquisition reaffirms Tether’s confidence in Bitcoin as a long-term store of value. Tether acquired 8,888.8888888 BTC in Q4 2025.https://t.co/vMh1uzv1wO — Paolo Ardoino 🤖 (@paoloardoino) December 31, 2025 The latest purchase boosts Tether’s total Bitcoin…

AI Could Undermine Private Messaging Apps Encryption

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Artificial intelligence, a lack of awareness of data privacy, and regulatory pressures are among the biggest threats to the future of private messaging, says Alex Linton and Chris McCabe, executives from the decentralized messaging app Session. The EU’s efforts to mandate the scanning of private messages through its Chat Control legislation have been heavily criticized by privacy advocates, but Linton, president of the Session Technology Foundation, told Cointelegraph that AI is another front that needs to be pushed back.   AI’s capacity to analyze information on a device and store that…

Bitcoin Futures Policy Architect Amir Zaidi Returns To CFTC

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The key policy maker who oversaw the launch of regulated Bitcoin futures in the US has returned as the Commodities Futures Trading Commission’s chief of staff after a six-year hiatus.  In a Wednesday announcement, the CFTC welcomed back Amir Zaidi with chairman Michael Selig emphasizing the wealth of experience Zaidi will bring.  “I’m grateful for his willingness to return as chief of staff and for his continued dedication and service to both the CFTC and our stakeholders. Amir was instrumental in the historic launch of CFTC-regulated bitcoin futures contracts during…

India’s Central Bank Pushes For CBDCs Over Stablecoins

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The Reserve Bank of India has urged countries to focus on central bank digital currencies over privately-issued stablecoins, citing concerns about financial stability. In its December financial stability report, released on Wednesday, the RBI argued that CBDCs preserve the “singleness of money and the integrity of the financial system,” and should remain as the “ultimate settlement asset” and the “anchor for trust in money.” “The RBI, therefore, strongly advocates that countries should prioritise central bank digital currencies over privately issued stablecoins to maintain trust in money, preserve financial stability and…

US Crypto Laws Risk It Becoming a Globalist Surveillance State

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US Representative Warren Davidson warns the US is drifting toward a permissioned and heavily surveilled financial system, arguing that recent crypto legislation undermines the industry’s original promise of permissionless, private money. In a post on X on Wednesday, Davidson criticized the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act, arguing that, by design, it enables a wholesale version of a US dollar central bank digital currency (CBDC) which could be used for “surveillance, coercion, and control.” He also fears a digital ID system will be rolled out that forces Americans to get government permission to…