Category: crypto

Rick Rieder, a BlackRock executive, is the front-runner for the next Federal Reserve Chair. He supports having Bitcoin in portfolios and has advocated for more interest rate cuts. Rieder’s odds are higher than other potential nominees like Kevin Warsh and Kevin Hassett. The Fed Chair’s role does not directly impact the crypto industry.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin believes that institutions preferring control over their own operations will actually strengthen decentralization rather than undermine it. He argues that institutional self-custody and independent staking will benefit Ethereum’s decentralization. Buterin also predicts the growth of privacy technology and zero-knowledge proofs alongside regulation.

The week of January 18-24, 2026 saw $381.79 million in crypto VC funding across 13 projects. BitGo’s $212.8 million IPO was the highlight of the week, accounting for over half of the funding. Other notable projects included Superstate and ZBD raising $82.5 million and $40 million respectively.

Bitcoin ETFs experienced $103.57 million in net outflows on January 23, marking the fifth consecutive day of redemptions. This trend has resulted in a total of $1.72 billion being pulled out of Bitcoin ETFs since January 16. Ethereum ETFs also saw outflows, with a total of $41.74 million on January 23.

NFT market sales surged 101.6% to $122.5 million over the past week, despite a broader crypto market decline. Ethereum led with $77.6 million in sales, followed by Bitcoin at $21.7 million. The top NFT sale was a $13.7 million Bitcoin BRC-20 NFT. Ethereum dominated with $77.5 million in sales.

PayPal has acquired Cymbio, a company specializing in AI-powered chatbot technology, to enhance its capabilities in e-commerce. This acquisition will allow PayPal to offer improved customer service and personalized shopping experiences through the use of advanced artificial intelligence technology.

French crypto tax platform Waltio is being targeted by ransomware group ShinyHunters, who claim to have personal data of 50,000 users. No sensitive data has been compromised, but the group is threatening to leak users’ tax reports unless a ransom is paid. Waltio has filed a complaint with France’s cybercrime unit.

Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest has filed to launch two crypto index exchange-traded funds tied to the CoinDesk 20 index, moving beyond Bitcoin. The proposed ETFs would track the daily performance of the CoinDesk 20 index using regulated futures contracts. Competitors like WisdomTree and ProShares have also filed for similar ETFs.

21Shares has launched the first Dogecoin-backed spot exchange-traded fund in the U.S., marking the initial regulatory approval for a meme coin-based ETF. The ETF was developed in collaboration with House of Doge and provides direct Dogecoin exposure to institutional and retail investors through traditional brokerage accounts. Regulatory acceptance of crypto ETFs in the U.S. is…

Major European banks have established a consortium called Qivalis to launch a euro-pegged stablecoin as an alternative to U.S. dollar-dominated digital payment systems. The stablecoin is expected to launch in the second half of 2026 pending regulatory approval, with former Coinbase Germany CEO Jan-Oliver Sell as CEO and ex-NatWest chair Howard Davies as chair.