Kategorie: Crypto Markets

• Litecoin traded to lows of $75 as top altcoins slipped in early US trading.
• Bitcoin and Ethereum also slid before picking up slight gains.
• US Department of Justice has opened a criminal probe against Jerome Powell.

Litecoin price slipped more than 5% as the cryptocurrency markets experienced a synchronised downturn on Monday, with stocks also down amid concerns over the independence of the US Federal Reserve.

The price of Litecoin reached $75 but with BTC eyeing gains, could LTC jump towards $100?

Litecoin to mirror top coins?

Downside action across the crypto market followed a fresh dump for Bitcoin.

Bitcoin hovered near the $90,000 level in the early US trading session on Monday, having pared gains from above $92,000.

However, the token traded at around $92,135 at the time of writing, while Ethereum lingered close to $3,134.

Both Bitcoin and Ethereum were showing resilience as markets weathered bearish pressure.

While the two remain near respective psychological thresholds, reclaiming upside momentum may be key to Litecoin gains.

LTC traded at around $77 at the time of writing.

But as the chart below shows, the path lower appears stronger for the altcoin.

Crypto slid amid Fed subpoenas

Notably, buyers saw prices dip as markets reacted to news that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had launched a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Top altcoins like XRP and BNB saw declines, and Litecoin traded to lows of $75, last seen in late December.

The slide in the leading cryptocurrencies stemmed from risk-off sentiment triggered by the news of a DOJ probe against Fed chair Jerome Powell.

Powell released a statement on Sunday,  revealing subpoenas from the Justice Department.

Although the news saw Bitcoin flip to above $92k, declines followed as Wall Street futures dipped.

 

The DOJ’s subpoenas and criminal probe against Powell have intensified fears of political interference in US monetary policy.

Powell emphasised that the investigation appeared motivated by the Fed’s resistance to demands for aggressive interest rate cuts, rather than solely the renovation-related testimony.

“While the Fed needs reform, including maintaining the crucial issue of central bank independence while strengthening accountability, a mishandled process risks derailing appointments and undermining further policy effectiveness,” Mohamed El-Erian said on X.

This uncertainty has US stocks pulling back from recent record highs.

On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 0.8%, while the S&P 500 shed 0.3%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was down around 0.2%.

The pullback reflects broader risk aversion, with investors rotating toward perceived safe havens like gold. Gold prices indeed extended gains on Jan 12. amid the turmoil.

The post Litecoin price outlook: is $80 next as BTC reclaims $92k? appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Arbitrum price is hovering near $0.20 amid a 3% dip in the past 24 hours.
• The altcoin could dip further as investors await an upcoming $19 million ARB unlock.
• Overall market sentiment and network milestones will help bulls.

Arbitrum’s ARB token has returned to the $0.20 level, as the Ethereum-based layer-2 network prepares for another sizeable token unlock that will add to the circulating supply.

ARB was trading about 3% lower over the past 24 hours, while sentiment across the broader cryptocurrency market remained mixed amid continued volatility.

Supply-related concerns, alongside wider market conditions, are expected to influence Arbitrum’s near-term price performance.

Arbitrum faces $19 million token unlock this week

Arbitrum is set to undergo a major cliff unlock on January 16, 2026.

Details show the L2 is poised for the release of 96 million ARB tokens worth about $19.6 million.

This unlock, representing about 1.68% of the adjusted circulating supply, is directed primarily to the Arbitrum DAO Treasury.

It’s part of Arbitrum’s structured vesting schedule, which allocates tokens across categories including the DAO Treasury, team, investors, and ecosystem participants.

According to data from Tokenomist, the ARB unlock occurs amid a busy week for token releases across the crypto space.

Some of the large cliff unlocks scheduled for January 12 to January 19 include ONDO with over $770 million and TRUMP with over $299 million.

UPCOMING TOKEN UNLOCKS 🚨

One-time large unlocks (>$5M):$ONDO, $CONX, $ARB, $DBR, $CHEEL, $STRK, $SEI, $ZK

Linear daily unlocks (>$1M/day):$RAIN, $SOL, $TRUMP, $WLD, $RIVER, $DOGE, $AVAX, $ASTER, $TAO

Total unlock value: >$1.69B

Unlocks don’t guarantee dumps but they do… pic.twitter.com/t4Ojf9TEZl

— Wise Advice (@wiseadvicesumit) January 12, 2026

Notably, these supply injections can introduce selling pressure if recipients liquidate holdings, particularly in a cautious market environment.

While the impact may not be so devastating, historical patterns show that such events often trigger short-term volatility.

ARB price outlook

ARB has declined nearly 5% in the past week.

Bulls pushed to highs near $0.23 earlier in the week, but have since pared gains as prices fall below $0.21.

Currently, buyers are regrouping near $0.20 as the impending unlock appears to shape immediate market action.

Risk-off behaviour that has pushed Bitcoin and Ethereum off recent highs, and tokens like XRP to key support, could impact the ARB price too.

“US-hours BTC selling, while less concentrated than in prior weeks, remains a persistent feature, and uncertainty around the remaining overhang of supply continues to cap upside. Combined with rising macro volatility, the relative appeal of crypto looks increasingly challenged, particularly when set against the resilience of precious metals and equities,” QCP analysts said in a note.

As per the analysts, investor focus will be on key events such as the US CPI data release and the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling.

Short-term, Arbitrum price could fall to support in the $0.19-$0.17 region.

On the upside, ARB could rally to $0.25 and then $0.30 with long-term targets of $0.60 and $0.80.

Arbitrum’s key milestones, including Orbit for Layer-3 chains, gaming initiatives and institutional integrations like the Robinhood partnership, are crucial to this outlook.

The post Arbitrum price forecast as investors ponder $19M ARB unlock appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Whale wallets and new accounts are accumulating large amounts of Chainlink (LINK).
• Chainlink’s reserve surpasses 1.5M LINK to support network growth.
• White House mention and high social activity boost adoption signals.

Chainlink (LINK) has been attracting attention due to recent whale activity and growing institutional support.

According to Onchain Lens, newly created wallets have accumulated significant amounts of LINK.

Wallet 0x10D withdrew 202,607 LINK worth $2.7 million, while wallet 0xb59 withdrew 207,328 LINK worth $2.78 million.

This coordinated accumulation suggests that a single entity or institutional player may be building a substantial position in LINK.

These large purchases occurred after a period of relative selling, signalling renewed confidence among major holders.

To confirm this, LINK’s trading volume has increased by roughly 63%, indicating that market participants are taking note.

Chainlink reserve growth and institutional adoption

In addition to the whale accumulation, the official Chainlink reserve update shows that the network has accumulated 87,829.55 LINK in a single day.

This brings the total LINK held in the Chainlink reserve to over 1.5 million tokens.

The Reserve is designed to support long-term growth by acquiring LINK using revenue from enterprise adoption and on-chain service usage.

Such accumulation demonstrates that the network itself is actively investing in its sustainability.

Institutional recognition of Chainlink is also on the rise.

A recent tweet highlighted that Chainlink was mentioned in the White House Digital Asset Report.

RESERVE UPDATE

Today, the Chainlink Reserve has accumulated 87,829.55 LINK.

The Chainlink Reserve now holds a total of 1,504,209.16 LINK.https://t.co/oxMv5N3rFC

The Chainlink Reserve is designed to support the long-term growth and sustainability of the Chainlink Network by… pic.twitter.com/s0jMtlMrtr

— Chainlink (@chainlink) January 8, 2026

This acknowledgement indicates that regulators and government bodies are monitoring LINK adoption and partnerships.

At the same time, social engagement metrics point to a strong community interest.

A recent report by Phoenix Group stated that Chainlink leads gaming projects in social activity, with over 6.2K engaged posts and 1.3 million interactions.

This combination of on-chain accumulation, reserve growth, and social attention reinforces the idea that Chainlink is gaining real-world traction.

Current market context

At press time, Chainlink was trading at $13.15, down roughly 5.5% over the past month.

Its 24-hour trading range is between $13.09 and $13.49, with a market capitalisation of $9.31 billion.

Circulating supply stands at 708 million LINK, while the Chainlink reserve and treasury holdings continue to concentrate significant amounts of the token.

Despite being down over 33% year-to-date, whale accumulation and reserve growth may act as a stabilising force.

Chainlink price forecast

With whale purchases and Chainlink reserve growth, LINK could see support around $13 and attempt to reclaim the $13.7–$14 range.

Sustained accumulation from both new wallets and institutional players may provide upward momentum.

If social engagement and real-world adoption continue, the network could experience renewed interest from investors.

However, price movements will still depend on overall market sentiment and broader cryptocurrency trends.

Chainlink’s combination of on-chain growth, institutional recognition from the White House Digital Asset Report, and robust social activity suggests that a potential bounce in LINK price could be on the horizon.

The post Whale purchases and reserve growth hint at a possible Chainlink (LINK) price bounce appeared first on CoinJournal.

• XRP price fell 2% to $2.04 as Bitcoin pulled back towards $90,000.
• The XRP token jumped to $2.40 last week, helped by record ETF volumes.
• Bulls need to defend $2 or risk falling to $1.80 or lower.

XRP saw a modest pullback, easing about 2% as it moved toward the key support level of $2.00.

The retreat comes as recent bullish momentum in the token shows signs of cooling. Bitcoin also slipped during the session, alongside a pullback in stock futures.

Despite the near-term price pressure, development activity at Ripple and signs of institutional demand remain intact.

XRP price revisits support near $2: why the downturn?

XRP fell about 2% over the past 24 hours, touching an intraday low of $2.04.

The move extends the pullback from recent highs near $2.40, with market participants flagging a potential new supply zone around the $2.10 level.

Trading activity remained elevated, with 24-hour volume at 2.94 billion, reflecting heightened participation amid broader market volatility.

The weakness in XRP came alongside a pullback in Bitcoin, which retreated from above $92,000 after investors reassessed risk following comments from Jerome Powell.

In a statement released on Sunday, Powell said the Federal Reserve had received grand jury subpoenas from the Department of Justice.

Stock futures declined after Powell characterised the subpoenas, linked to his Senate testimony, as an attack on the Fed’s independence.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all moved lower, as markets reacted to the prospect of political pressure on monetary policy.

Risk-averse sentiment spread across asset classes, including cryptocurrencies, while gold climbed to fresh record highs.

XRP has remained under pressure in this broader risk-off environment.

Ripple price forecast

XRP gained to above $2.40 last week amid bullish regulatory news from the UK.

Gains nevertheless faded, even as XRP exchange-traded funds continued to record inflows and saw record trading volumes.

Technical indicators point to rising selling pressure.

Signals from the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) suggest momentum is weakening, and a daily close below the $2.00 level could accelerate the downside.

Against this backdrop, XRP’s price action reflects a balance of optimism and caution, contrasting with the broader outlook for risk assets amid lingering macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty.

Chart patterns also indicate further downside risks. The daily RSI is hovering around 50, a neutral level, but has turned lower, signalling fading momentum.

The MACD, meanwhile, is pointing toward a potential bearish crossover.

If confirmed, it could trigger additional selling before any reversal takes hold. Immediate support is seen near the $1.80 level.

On the upside, sustained ETF demand, falling exchange reserves, and continued institutional interest could help stabilise prices.

In a recovery scenario, traders are likely to watch $2.40 and $2.50 as key resistance levels, with a short-term upside target around $3.00.

The post XRP price retreats to key support as momentum stalls appeared first on CoinJournal.

• Companies would be limited to investing up to 5% of their equity capital.
• Only top market cap tokens on major regulated exchanges would be eligible.
• Stablecoin inclusion remains under regulatory discussion.

South Korea is preparing to reopen its digital asset market to corporate money, marking a major shift after nearly a decade of tight restrictions.

Financial regulators are updating long-standing guidelines that have barred companies from holding crypto assets since 2017, a period defined by concerns over money laundering and market instability.

The proposed changes would allow listed companies and professional investors to allocate a limited portion of their balance sheets to cryptocurrencies.

The move signals a recalibration of policy as Seoul seeks to strengthen its digital finance ecosystem while keeping risks contained through strict guardrails.

Corporate access returns

According to a report by the Financial Services Commission, legal entities will be permitted to invest up to 5% of their equity capital in crypto assets.

The information was reported by the Seoul Economic Daily.

Regulators are expected to release the final version of the guidelines in January or February.

Once in place, companies will be able to engage in virtual currency transactions for investment and financial purposes, ending a nine-year prohibition.

The FSC first outlined a phased easing of corporate crypto rules in February 2025 and shared the latest draft with its crypto working group on Jan. 6.

The approach reflects a gradual opening rather than a wholesale liberalisation.

Tight limits on assets

The planned framework places clear limits on where and how companies can invest.

Corporate purchases will be restricted to the top 20 crypto assets by market capitalisation, narrowing exposure to the most liquid and widely traded tokens.

Transactions will also be confined to South Korea’s five largest regulated exchanges, reinforcing oversight and compliance standards.

The inclusion of dollar-pegged stablecoins remains unresolved.

The report said regulators are still debating whether assets such as Tether’s USDT should be permitted under the new rules.

These conditions are designed to address the same financial crime risks that prompted the original ban, while recognising that the domestic market has matured since 2017.

Market impact expectations

The reopening of corporate access could unlock significant capital flows into crypto markets.

Seoul Economic Daily noted that the scale of potential investment runs into tens of trillions of won.

By way of illustration, the report pointed to internet giant Naver, which holds around 27 trillion won in equity capital.

Under the proposed cap, the company could theoretically deploy funds equivalent to roughly 10,000 Bitcoin.

Beyond direct market inflows, the change could alter corporate strategy.

Large South Korean firms have previously invested in digital assets overseas to avoid domestic restrictions.

Easing local rules may redirect that activity back home, supporting blockchain startups, digital asset treasuries, and related infrastructure.

Broader digital currency strategy

The corporate crypto shift sits alongside a wider push into digital currencies.

The government has outlined plans to execute 25% of national treasury transactions through a central bank digital currency by 2030 as part of its 2026 Economic Growth Strategy.

The government also plans to introduce a licensing regime for stablecoin issuers.

Under the proposal, issuers would need to maintain 100% reserve backing and provide legally guaranteed redemption rights for users.

Together, these measures suggest South Korea is seeking to integrate crypto assets, stablecoins, and a CBDC into a single regulatory framework rather than treating them as isolated experiments.

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