Monero price forecast: Is XMR heading towards $700?

Key takeaways

  • Monero has hit a new all-time high of $596 after outperforming the other major cryptocurrencies.
  • XMR is currently the 12th-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.

XMR hits a new all-time high of $596

XMR, the native coin of the Monero blockchain, is the best performer among the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market cap. It is up 15% in the last 24 hours and is currently trading at $573 per coin.

The privacy coin hit an all-time high of $596 during the early hours of Monday, but has slightly retraced due to the poor performance by Bitcoin and other leading cryptocurrencies. 

XMR is up by nearly 35% since the start of the month as the Zcash developers’ crisis boosts capital rotation to Monero. If the coin crosses the $600 mark, it could rally towards a new all-time high of $640 in the near term.

The rally comes as privacy coins record excellent gains thanks to growing retail demand.  Zcash and other privacy-related assets, such as Canton, also advanced, extending gains that began in late December.

XMR could rally towards $700

The XMR/USD 4-hour chart is bullish but inefficient thanks to Monero’s violent upward movement since the start of the year. The technical indicators suggest that the coin could rally higher in the near term. 

XMR/USD 4H Chart

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 80, signaling intense overbought conditions with an underlying risk of unsustainable buying pressure. 

Furthermore, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) extends the upward trend, suggesting heightened trend momentum.

If the rally continues, XMR could surge towards a new all-time high of $640, with the $700 psychological mark also a possibility in the near term.

However, if the bears regain control of the market, XMR could retest the $569 support level over the next few hours. An extended bearish performance could see XMR gain efficiency on the 4-hour timeframe at $489.

The post Monero price forecast: Is XMR heading towards $700? appeared first on CoinJournal.

Ether eyes breakout to $3,500: Check forecast

Key takeaways

  • ETH is trading above $3,100, up by less than 1% in the last 24 hours.
  • The coin could rally towards the $3,500 psychological level if the bullish trend resumes.

ETH continues to range above $3k

The cryptocurrency market has had a positive start to the year, with Bitcoin reclaiming the $90k level. Ether is also trading above $3k once again, while XRP has reclaimed its position as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.

However, the three leading cryptocurrencies have been ranging over the past few hours, with altcoins recording mixed performances. Bitcoin and Ethereum extend gains for the second consecutive day, crossing above $92,000 and $3,100, respectively, while XRP stabilizes near $2.00.

The technical indicators suggest that the bulls could regain control of the market and push Ether higher. However, with the weekly candle opening today, it would take a few hours before Ether’s direction could become clear to traders.

Ether eyes $3,500 amid a bullish triangle pattern

The ETH/USD 4-hour chart is bearish and efficient as Ether has lost 1.7% of its value in the last seven days. At press time, ETH is trading at $3,113, above the local support trendline connecting the December 18 and 29 lows.

The momentum indicators suggest that the bulls are currently in control of the market. The RSI of 49 shows a fading bearish momentum. If the RSI crosses above the neutral 50, Ether’s price could rally higher in the near term.

ETH/USD 4H Chart

The MACD lines are also close to crossing into the positive zone, reinforcing a bullish bias in the market. 

If the bullish trend resumes, Ether could surpass the December 10 high of $3,260, with the next major resistance around the $3,500 psychological level. 

However, if the bearish trend persists, Ether could slip below the $3k level and test the support level around the December 18 low of $2,920.

The post Ether eyes breakout to $3,500: Check forecast appeared first on CoinJournal.

Arbitrum price forecast as investors ponder $19M ARB unlock

  • 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.

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 purchases and reserve growth hint at a possible Chainlink (LINK) price bounce

  • 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.

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.

Dubai crypto rules tighten as DFSA bans privacy tokens and rewrites approval process

  • Dubai’s financial regulator has banned privacy tokens across the DIFC from Jan. 12.
  • Stablecoins must now be fiat-pegged and backed by high-quality, liquid assets.
  • Algorithmic stablecoins like Ethena are excluded from the stablecoin category.

Dubai’s financial regulator has rolled out a major update to its crypto rulebook, drawing a clear red line around privacy tokens while changing how digital assets are approved inside the Dubai International Financial Centre.

The revised Crypto Token Regulatory Framework, effective Jan. 12, reflects a broader shift in regulatory philosophy.

Privacy tokens banned

Under the updated framework, privacy tokens are prohibited across the DIFC.

The ban covers assets designed to conceal transaction histories or wallet holders, as well as any related financial activity.

This includes trading, marketing, fund exposure, and derivatives referencing such tokens.

The decision arrives at a time when privacy coins have attracted fresh attention from traders.

Monero XMR recently crossed an all-time high, and tokens such as ZEC have also seen increased activity.

Despite this, the DFSA views the risks as incompatible with global compliance obligations.

The regulator’s position is rooted in Financial Action Task Force standards, which require firms to identify both the originator and beneficiary of crypto transactions.

Privacy tokens, by design, make this level of transparency difficult to achieve.

As a result, the DFSA considers their use inconsistent with anti-money laundering and financial crime controls expected of regulated firms.

Mixers and obfuscation tools

The prohibition extends beyond tokens themselves.

Regulated firms in the DIFC are also barred from using or offering privacy-enhancing devices such as mixers, tumblers, or other obfuscation tools that hide transaction details.

This places Dubai closer to the most restrictive global approaches.

While Hong Kong technically permits privacy tokens under a risk-based licensing model that limits their practical use.

Through MiCA rules and an upcoming AML ban on anonymous crypto activity, privacy coins and mixers are effectively being pushed out of regulated European markets.

Stablecoin definition tightened

Stablecoins are another central focus of the revised rules.

The DFSA has narrowed the definition of what it calls Fiat Crypto Tokens, limiting the category to tokens pegged to fiat currencies and backed by high-quality, liquid assets.

These reserves must be capable of meeting redemption demands even during periods of market stress.

Algorithmic stablecoins fall outside this definition due to concerns around transparency and redemption mechanics.

Tokens such as Ethena, despite their rapid growth, would not qualify as stablecoins under the DIFC framework.

They are not banned but would be regulated as standard crypto tokens rather than fiat-backed instruments.

Firms take responsibility

A significant structural change in the framework shifts token approval responsibility to industry participants.

Instead of maintaining a regulator-approved list of crypto assets, the DFSA will require licensed firms to determine whether the tokens they offer are suitable and compliant.

Firms must document these assessments and keep them under continuous review. The change reflects feedback from the industry and the regulator’s view that the market has matured.

It also aligns with international regulatory thinking that asset selection decisions should rest with firms, with supervisors focusing on oversight and enforcement rather than approvals.

The post Dubai crypto rules tighten as DFSA bans privacy tokens and rewrites approval process appeared first on CoinJournal.