Day: February 4, 2026

XRP Risks Another 23% Drop as Price Slides Below $1.60

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XRP (XRP) price dropped below $1.50 over the weekend, its lowest level in over 14 months. Now, a bearish technical setup on the charts suggests that the downtrend may extend throughout February. Key takeaways: XRP’s bear pennant on the four-hour chart targets $1.22. XRP futures open interest dropped to $2.61 billion, which gives some hope for the bulls. XRP/USD daily chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView XRP price chart shows a textbook bear pennant On Saturday, XRP price fell about 14% from a high of $1.75 to a low of $1.50, losing the…

Fidelity stablecoin FIDD goes live as Wall Street moves deeper onchain

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Fidelity Investments has launched its first stablecoin, Fidelity Digital Dollar, marking a major step by a traditional asset manager into onchain payments and settlement. The token, branded FIDD, is issued by Fidelity Digital Assets and is now available to both retail and institutional investors. The stablecoin is designed to combine blockchain-based utility with the stability of the US dollar, positioning FIDD as a regulated alternative in the stablecoin market, which has grown to a total value of over $316 billion. Mike O’Reilly, president of Fidelity Digital Assets, said the firm…

Ripple integrates Hyperliquid to expand institutional DeFi access

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Ripple announced Wednesday that its institutional platform, Ripple Prime, now supports Hyperliquid, providing clients with access to the leading decentralized derivatives protocol. The move marks Ripple Prime’s first DeFi expansion since the platform’s creation following Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road. With this integration, institutional clients can now access onchain derivatives liquidity through Hyperliquid while cross-margining DeFi exposures with other asset classes supported by Ripple Prime, including digital assets, FX, fixed income, OTC swaps, and cleared derivatives. “At Ripple Prime, we are excited to continue leading the way in…

Bitcoin-native USDT protocol joins CTDG Dev Hub

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Bitcoin has long served a simple purpose: storing and transferring value. The blockchain’s inherent limitations in scalability and programmability prevented use cases like high-frequency payments and smart contracts. Launched in 2018, the layer-2 solution Lightning Network introduced noticeable improvements in scalability. It takes some of the burden offchain by creating side channels between the sender and receiver. The model settles transactions faster, with lower fees. Rendering Bitcoin feasible for daily use, the solution spurred the development of many payment apps on the blockchain. Programmability also arrived in Bitcoin through secondary…

Fold launches unified app to integrate Bitcoin rewards with daily spending

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Fold Holdings, which provides Bitcoin financial services, has rolled out an updated app experience that combines Bitcoin rewards, spending, and account activity into a single financial hub. The Phoenix-based company said the update reflects customer feedback and aims to simplify tracking and using Bitcoin, while laying the foundation for upcoming products, including the Fold Bitcoin Credit Card. “Bitcoin only works at scale if it fits naturally into how people already manage their money,” said Will Reeves, Chairman and CEO of Fold. “Fold’s new app experience is designed to turn bitcoin…

Crypto VC Funding Doubled in 2025 as RWA Tokenization Took the Lead

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Cointelegraph Research provides a data-driven report on crypto VCs, highlighting capital flows, sector rotation and changes in investor behavior. Cointelegraph Research’s latest report provides an outlook on the state of fundraising in the crypto market and the key VC trends of 2025. VC investments in Web3 startups doubled in 2025 from the year before, driven by institutional interest, particularly in the RWA sector, which raised more than $2.5 billion. There has also been a distinct increase in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and other large-scale corporate financing arrangements. Download the free…

Binance Shows Stable Reserves Amid ‘FTX 2.0’ Claims: Analysts

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Onchain analysts say the data show no signs of crisis at Binance, even as a wave of online criticism warns the exchange could become the new “FTX.” Despite ongoing market volatility and Bitcoin (BTC) briefly dipping below $74,000 on Tuesday, Binance shows “no signs of stress,” according to the blockchain analytics company CryptoQuant. Source: CryptoQuant “Binance holds around 659,000 BTC, virtually unchanged from 657,000 BTC at end-2025,” CryptoQuant said in a statement shared with Cointelegraph on Wednesday, highlighting “no material reserve erosion during the current Bitcoin sell-off.” Related: Bitcoin ETF…

Mohamed Afifi: Stablecoins are transforming payment systems, enhancing cross-border transactions, and driving innovation in finance

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Stablecoins are set to revolutionize global payments by enhancing speed and reducing costs. Key takeaways The stablecoin market is still in its infancy, with significant growth potential ahead. Building on stablecoins is currently costly and fragmented, but innovative platforms are emerging to address these challenges. Stablecoins have reduced friction in payment systems, enhancing their utility beyond just crypto and DeFi. The parabolic growth of stablecoins highlights their increasing utility in various financial contexts. Stablecoins have transitioned from experimental technologies to operational tools moving immense value globally. Regulatory clarity has bolstered…

Whale’s $9B Bitcoin Sale Not Quantum Concern: Galaxy Digital

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Galaxy Digital denied that a $9 billion Bitcoin sale by one of its clients was linked to quantum computing risks, countering speculation after its earnings call. Following the company’s earnings call, crypto community members pointed to a $9 billion Bitcoin (BTC) sale by one of Galaxy’s wealthy customers who was ”fairly concerned about BTC quantum resistance.” Alex Thorn, Galaxy’s head of research, said in a Tuesday X post that the $9 billion trade executed on behalf of its client was not due to Bitcoin-related quantum computing concerns. Source: Alex Thorn…

Goldman-backed TRM Labs closes $70 million series C at $1 billion valuation

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TRM Labs announced a $70 million Series C round, led by Blockchain Capital and joined by returning and new investors, bringing its valuation to $1 billion. The funding comes amid strong revenue growth and will accelerate TRM’s mission to equip law enforcement, national security agencies, and financial institutions with AI tools to combat crime. Investments will focus on expanding its team, advancing AI compliance solutions, and enhancing investigative capabilities. This is a developing story. Source link