Month: January 2026

US Marshals Investigate Claims around Stealing $40M in Seized Crypto

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The US Marshals Service confirmed “the matter is under investigation” following claims that millions in government-seized crypto was stolen. US authorities have confirmed that an investigation is underway into claims that the son of a federal contractor tasked with safeguarding seized digital assets stole more than $40 million in cryptocurrency. A spokesperson for the US Marshals Service confirmed to Cointelegraph that “the matter is under investigation” but declined to comment on details of the case. The investigation centers on social media claims that John Daghita, son of Command Services &…

AI Data Centers Face Local Pushback Seen in Bitcoin Mining

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For years, Bitcoin miners expanding across the United States learned that access to cheap power and industrial land did not guarantee community acceptance. Now, as AI hyperscalers and developers race to build power-dense data centers, they are encountering similar local resistance over electricity demand, infrastructure costs and long-term environmental impact, according to the latest Miner Mag newsletter. The parallels are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Bitcoin mining projects often promised job creation and a stronger local tax base, but those benefits did not always materialize, fueling opposition in several regions. …

Laser Digital seeks US bank charter amid regulatory thaw under Trump-era OCC

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Laser Digital, Nomura’s crypto arm, has applied for a national trust bank charter with the US OCC to launch federally regulated crypto custody and spot trading services, according to a Financial Times report. The move would allow the firm to bypass state-level licenses and operate under a unified federal framework. The application joins a wave of OCC charter filings as crypto and fintech firms pursue access to traditional banking infrastructure. Fourteen such applications were filed in 2025, nearly matching the total from the previous four years. The surge reflects a…

American Bitcoin and Other Public Companies Add to Bitcoin Treasuries

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Public companies are quietly expanding their Bitcoin treasuries in early 2026, with new disclosures this week showing continued accumulation despite largely flat prices. Nasdaq-listed American Bitcoin Corporation said on Tuesday that its Bitcoin (BTC) holdings rose to 5,843 BTC, an increase of 416 Bitcoin from prior levels. The company, co-founded by Eric Trump, said it has climbed to No. 18 among public Bitcoin treasury holders since its Nasdaq debut in September 2025, citing a BTC yield of 116% through Jan. 25, 2026, according to an X post. The performance metric…

February is BTC’s Most Reliable Bullish Month: Analyst

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Bitcoin’s (BTC) monthly gains have been limited to just 2.2%, but February could mark a bullish shift. Since 2016, the week ending Feb. 21 has recorded the highest median return at 8.4%, with Bitcoin closing higher 60% of the time. Key takeaways: February has delivered a median 7% weekly BTC return historically, outperforming October’s seasonal strength. Early-February performance has reliably flagged bearish periods, with 2018, 2022, and 2025 all setting the tone within the first three weeks. Bitcoin Weekly Returns since 2016. Source: X/Timothy Peterson February’s seasonal edge and its…

South Dakota Lawmaker Makes Another Run at Bitcoin Reserve Bill

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The state representative introduced similar legislation shortly after taking office in 2025, but the bill was deferred and not signed into law. A member of South Dakota’s House of Representative has introduced another bill that would allow the US state to invest in Bitcoin about a year after similar legislation was deferred. Representative Logan Manhart introduced the Bitcoin (BTC) reserve bill, HB 1155, on Tuesday in South Dakota’s legislature. The legislation had only minor changes from a bill the lawmaker sponsored in 2025, by amending the state’s code to allow…

Nomura-Backed Laser Digital Reportedly Applies for US Bank Charter

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Laser Digital, a full-service digital asset company backed by Japanese financial group Nomura, has reportedly filed for a US national bank trust charter, signaling that crypto-focused companies are seeking deeper integration into the US financial system amid a more permissive regulatory environment. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the Financial Times reported Tuesday that Laser Digital had submitted its application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The charter would allow the company to operate at the federal level without applying for state-by-state custody licenses. The company…

Improving ETH Fundamentals May Signal An Ether Price Recovery

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Key takeaways: Ethereum reached 16.4 million weekly transactions, proving fees can stay below $0.20 during high demand. Decentralized exchange volume across the Ethereum ecosystem hit $26.8 billion, signaling a return of investor interest. Ether (ETH) experienced a 15.9% price correction during the seven days ending Sunday. This volatility triggered $910 million in liquidations for bullish leveraged ETH positions, fueling fears that the $2,800 support level—which has held firm for two months—might finally break. Despite this dip in trader confidence, several onchain and derivatives metrics suggest a potential short-term rally back…

Here’s How Much XRP Ripple Execs Have Dumped So Far

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For over a decade, Ripple and its executives have been steadily dumping XRP into the open market. Because XRP was fully created at launch, every token sold came from a known and finite supply. By comparing the original allocations from 2012 with current on-chain holdings, it is now possible to calculate how much XRP Ripple and its executives have offloaded so far.  How XRP Was Allocated And Where The Tokens Went XRP was launched in 2012 with a fixed supply of 100 billion XRP, all created at once on the…

Anthropic targets $20B raise at $350B valuation as investor demand surges

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Anthropic is set to raise about $20 billion from venture capital firms and other investors, double its initial target, as demand to back the artificial intelligence startup surged, according to a Financial Times report. The fundraising round, which is close to being finalized, would value Anthropic at roughly $350 billion, positioning it among the most valuable private technology companies globally. The increase from the original $10 billion target reflects investor demand estimated at five to six times the initial raise. Anthropic is expected to secure an initial $10 billion to…