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  • Bithumb flags $200M in dormant crypto assets across 2.6M inactive accounts
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:25 Jan 01, 2026
    Millions of long-inactive users still hold crypto at Bithumb, highlighting how early retail capital can remain untouched for years. South Korean crypto exchange Bithumb flagged over $200 million in customer assets dormant across 2.6 million accounts, offering a glimpse into how much retail capital remains untouched on centralized platforms.  The disclosure came as part of the exchange's dormant asset recovery campaign, which targets users who have not logged in or traded for over a year. According to Bithumb, dormant assets total about 291.6 billion Korean won (about $201.8 million), with some balances left inactive for over a decade. Bithumb said the largest dormant holding it had identified was worth about $2.84 million. Meanwhile, the longest period of inactivity stretched to 4,380 days, or almost a dozen years.  Read more
    Tags: Bithumb
  • Can Solana shed its memecoin image in 2026?
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:00 Jan 01, 2026
    Solana’s bid to move beyond memecoins will depend on whether its upgrades can deliver predictable execution for serious onchain finance. Solana heads into 2026 facing the question of whether infrastructure upgrades and tokenized financial activity can push the network beyond its memecoin reputation. Solana kicked off 2025 at the height of the memecoin frenzy, with Solana (SOL) reaching a new all-time high of $293 on Jan. 19. As memecoin volumes cooled over the year, SOL had fallen to around $130 by mid-December. “Solana needs to shake off the stamp of ‘memecoin [or] NFT’ chain and position itself as a serious place for Web2 and Web3 financial businesses to come and build the future of finance,” Tomas Fanta, principal at the crypto investment firm Heartcore, told Cointelegraph. Read more
  • Tether snaps up another 8,888 BTC, now fifth-largest Bitcoin wallet
    Cointelegraph.com - 09:40 Jan 01, 2026
    Tether closed out 2025 with an 8,888 BTC purchase, increasing its disclosed Bitcoin holdings to more than 96,000 BTC. Tether picked up 8,888 Bitcoin (BTC) on New Year’s Eve, increasing its disclosed Bitcoin stash to more than 96,000 to close out 2025, its CEO Paolo Ardoino said. The USDt (USDT) stablecoin issuer has become one of the biggest active Bitcoin holders, placing the company’s Bitcoin address as the fifth-largest behind Binance, Robinhood, and Bitfinex and ranking second among privately held corporate BTC treasuries. The move is part of a pattern of Tether’s quarterly Bitcoin accumulations. The company has been funneling up to 15% of its earnings into Bitcoin every three months. The latest batch was worth about $780 million at the time of acquisition. Read more
  • Trader bags $1M from ‘abnormal’ BROCCOLI714 memecoin activity on Binance
    Cointelegraph.com - 08:37 Jan 01, 2026
    A trader claimed to have made $1 million by timing a long-short trade after spotting abnormal activity by a market maker account on Binance, while the exchange denied any security breach. A trader claimed to have profited about $1 million on New Year’s Day by capitalizing on “abnormal” trading behavior of a suspected market maker account on Binance. Investor Vida said on X that the abnormal trading activity was tied to BROCCOLI714, a low-liquidity token on the BNB Chain. The memecoin had an abrupt price surge followed by a sharp reversal early Thursday morning in Asia, which Vida said was driven by unusually large spot buy orders on Binance’s order book. Read more
  • Final nail in 4-year cycle? BTC ends year after halving in red
    Cointelegraph.com - 06:30 Jan 01, 2026
    Following the 2012 halving, Bitcoin surged to end the following year at a new high; and a similar pattern played out in 2016 and again in 2020. Bitcon ended 2025 lower than it began, marking the first time it’s fallen in a post-halving year. Bitcoin (BTC) halvings occur every four years, when mining rewards are cut in half and fewer new coins enter the market. Historically, this has resulted in a cycle of accumulation: a post-halving bull run that peaks, followed by a sharp correction and a multi-year bear market. After the 2012 halving, Bitcoin spiked to end the following year at a new high; a similar pattern played out in 2016 and again in 2020.  Read more
  • Investors funnel $32B into US crypto ETFs despite year-end pullback
    Cointelegraph.com - 06:25 Jan 01, 2026
    BlackRock further separated itself from competitors in the crypto ETF market in 2025, with its Bitcoin and Ether funds, IBIT and ETHA, accounting for the majority of net inflows. US investors poured over $31.77 billion into US crypto exchange-traded funds in 2025 despite the crypto markets stumbling towards the final months of the year.  US spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs took the lion’s share of investor interest, accumulating $21.4 billion in net inflows in 2025, according to Farside Investors data. However, it marks a fall from the $35.2 billion net inflows seen in 2024. Read more
    Tags: ETFs
  • Four crypto comebacks from 2025 that could help shape year ahead
    Cointelegraph.com - 05:57 Jan 01, 2026
    From Ross Ulbricht’s pardon to Ripple’s SEC victory, here’s a list of crypto’s most celebrated turnarounds this year and what they mean for the year ahead.  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.  Read more
  • Crypto forces to compound in 2026, accelerating adoption: Coinbase
    Cointelegraph.com - 04:58 Jan 01, 2026
    Coinbase’s head of research said the forces that drove crypto in 2025, such as regulation, ETFs, stablecoins and tokenization, will only get stronger in the coming year. 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) structures, and tokenized collateral is recognized more broadly across traditional transactions,” he said. Read more
    Tags: Coinbase
  • Private messaging faces threats from AI, limited user awareness: Session execs
    Cointelegraph.com - 02:16 Jan 01, 2026
    Session’s Chris McCabe and Alex Linton tell Cointelegraph that AI-integrated devices could bypass messaging encryption, creating privacy and security issues. 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 data creates “huge privacy issues, huge security issues,” and the ability to communicate privately could basically be rendered “impossible to do on an average mobile phone or an average computer,” Linton said. Read more
    Tags: Session
  • CFTC director who made Bitcoin futures possible returns as chief of staff
    Cointelegraph.com - 01:49 Jan 01, 2026
    Amir Zaidi’s return signals a strengthening of crypto oversight as the agency prepares for new digital asset laws. 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 President Trump’s first term,” Selig said. Read more
  • India’s central bank urges countries to prioritize CBDCs over stablecoins
    Cointelegraph.com - 01:26 Jan 01, 2026
    Only three CBDCs have been successfully launched around the world so far, in Nigeria, the Bahamas and Jamaica, although many jurisdictions are considering it. 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 design next generation payments infrastructure that is faster, cheaper and secure.” Read more
  • Digital ID, CBDCs risk turning US into ‘surveillance state’: US rep
    Cointelegraph.com - 00:36 Jan 01, 2026
    US Representative Warren Davidson said the stablecoin-focused GENIUS Act may backfire on Americans by stripping them of their financial freedom and privacy. 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 it enables a wholesale version of a US dollar central bank digital currency (CBDC) that 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 use their own money. Read more
  • 'Massive' liquidity injections to boost BTC price in 2026, crypto exec says
    Cointelegraph.com - 22:01 Dec 31, 2025
    Money printing is a catalyst for higher risk-on asset prices, but the looming 2026 US midterm elections could throw a wrench in markets. Bitcoin’s price could rise in 2026 as easing monetary policy injects “massive” liquidity into markets, according to Bill Barhydt, CEO of crypto exchange and wallet company Abra, though other analysts sound more cautious notes. Speaking to the Schwab Network, Barhydt said he expects a “ton” of liquidity injections from the US Federal Reserve next year as policymakers continue cutting interest rates, potentially reviving quantitative easing and boosting risk assets such as Bitcoin, adding: Regulatory clarity in the US and growing institutional investment, combined with lower interest rates, likely mean BTC and the broader crypto market are in for “a great few years,” he added.  Read more
  • US lawmakers expected to address market structure markup in January
    Cointelegraph.com - 21:15 Dec 31, 2025
    With Congress in recess until the new year, sources familiar with the progress of a digital asset market structure bill are expecting consideration in early 2026. Members of the US Senate Banking Committee are expected to move forward with consideration of a digital asset market structure bill in the second week of January after months of delays. According to reports and people familiar with the matter, the Banking Committee could hold a markup for the Responsible Financial Innovation Act during the second week of January. The event would mark progress on advancing legislation that has been slowed by Democratic lawmakers’ concerns over decentralized finance, and the longest US government shutdown in history. Cody Carbone, CEO of digital asset advocacy organization The Digital Chamber, told Cointelegraph that “the second week of January will have at least one markup on pending market structure legislation in the Senate.” The US Senate Agriculture Committee is also considering its version of the market structur...
    Tags: January
  • US bank upgrades TeraWulf price target, offers bullish mining prediction
    Cointelegraph.com - 20:34 Dec 31, 2025
    A major investment bank said it was upgrading shares of TeraWulf to “outperform,” based in part on its "build-out" strategy. Investment banking company Keefe, Bruyette & Woods has turned more bullish on Bitcoin miner TeraWulf, citing what it sees as a looming shift in the company’s business mix that investors have yet to fully price in. In a Wednesday report, KBW said it upgraded TeraWulf (WULF) to “outperform” from “market perform” and raised the company’s share price target to $24 from $9.50.  According to the bank, the reassessment was based on investors “underappreciat[ing] the magnitude of the BTC mining to HPC [high-performance computing] leasing mix shift in 2026-2027 and robust growth catalysts on 646MW net of visible HPC leasing pipeline through 2027."  Read more
    Tags: TeraWulf
  • Trump Media plans 1:1 blockchain token rewards for shareholders
    Cointelegraph.com - 19:24 Dec 31, 2025
    The company plans to distribute a crypto token per share to shareholders, but the tokens do not represent shares or rights in Trump Media. Trump Media and Technology Group, operator of US President Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform, said Wednesday it plans to roll out a blockchain token for shareholders that entitles them to perks and rewards. The DJT token will be launched in collaboration with crypto exchange Crypto.com, and the distribution to existing shareholders set at a 1:1 ratio, or one token per share owned, according to the announcement from the company. The token “may” include rewards and perks for DJT shareholders, including discounts on the Truth Social media platform, the Truth+ media streaming platform, and prediction market Truth Predict. Read more
  • Why JPMorgan’s onchain fund is a big signal for Ethereum
    Cointelegraph.com - 18:55 Dec 31, 2025
    JPMorgan has launched a tokenized money market fund on Ethereum, highlighting how regulated cash products may integrate into onchain settlement and collateral workflows. JPMorgan tokenized a money market fund and launched it on the Ethereum mainnet. The fund holds US Treasurys and Treasury-backed repos, with daily dividend reinvestment. Public Ethereum places MONY alongside stablecoins, tokenized treasuries and existing onchain liquidity. Read more
    Tags: Ethereum
  • How an AI-fueled romance scam drained a Bitcoin retirement fund
    Cointelegraph.com - 18:16 Dec 31, 2025
    A divorced investor’s tragic loss reveals how emotional manipulation, combined with AI technology, has weaponized crypto scams into a billion-dollar crime. A recently divorced Bitcoin investor lost his entire retirement fund, one full Bitcoin, to an AI-powered romance scam orchestrated by a sophisticated criminal using deepfakes. Pig butchering scams are relationship-based frauds that rely on emotional manipulation and AI-generated deepfakes to build trust before extracting maximum financial value from victims. The scammer used AI to create synthetic portraits and conduct real-time deepfake video calls, making the fabricated relationship virtually indistinguishable from reality. Read more
    Tags: Bitcoin
  • If history repeats itself, will the US Congress become more pro-crypto in 2026?
    Cointelegraph.com - 18:00 Dec 31, 2025
    The 2024 US election saw more money and support from the crypto and blockchain industry than ever before, with some experts predicting a repeat in the midterms. Following the 2024 elections, in which an estimated 270 lawmakers with favorable views on digital assets won seats in the US Congress, many cryptocurrency-affiliated organizations and political action committees show no signs of slowing their progress in the next significant election, the 2026 midterms. Likely boosted by advocacy work from organizations — such as the Coinbase-affiliated Stand With Crypto group and whose campaigns were supported by media buys from political action committees (PACs) — a majority of lawmakers in the 119th session of the US Congress took office in January having already expressed views signaling that they would support pro-crypto legislation and policies.  In the last year, some of Congress’s work supported that theory. The US House of Representatives passed three significant bills in July as part of the Republicans’ “Cry...
    Tags: Congress
  • Crypto billionaires are among biggest losers of 2025: Report
    Cointelegraph.com - 17:01 Dec 31, 2025
    While Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire increased his net worth by a reported 149%, others like Changpeng Zhao and the Winklevosses saw declines. Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor and other prominent cryptocurrency executives lost billions of dollars in 2025, partially as a result of losses in an October flash crash.  According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index released on Wednesday, Saylor lost $2.6 billion over the previous 12 months, reducing his net worth to $3.8 billion. Gemini co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and former Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao also saw significant losses due to a “massive slide” in the crypto market in October.  “[Strategy’s Bitcoin treasury strategy] generated huge returns through early October, when Bitcoin hit fresh highs,” Bloomberg. “However, things began to turn south soon after as a slump in Bitcoin’s value sent Strategy’s stock price plunging by more than half, dragging Saylor’s net worth down nearly $6 billion from its high-water mark in the process.” Read mo...

6844 items