Bitwise’s Chainlink ETF approved for listing on NYSE Arca

  • Bitwise’s spot Chainlink ETF offers direct LINK exposure via NYSE Arca.
  • The ETF trades as CLNK with a 0.34% fee and an early fee waiver.
  • The ETF approval signals rising acceptance of altcoin ETFs in the US.

Bitwise Asset Management has received approval to list its Chainlink ETF on the NYSE Arca.

This launch opens a new avenue for US investors to gain exposure to Chainlink (LINK) without directly holding the cryptocurrency.

Trading for the ETF, which will carry the ticker CLNK, is expected to begin as soon as tomorrow.

The Bitwise Chainlink ETF

The Bitwise Chainlink ETF is a spot ETF, meaning it directly holds LINK tokens.

Therefore, investors can now participate in LINK’s potential upside through traditional brokerage accounts.

This approach eliminates the complexities of self-custody, private keys, and wallets that come with holding crypto directly.

Initially, the ETF will not offer staking services, but Bitwise plans to explore staking as a future feature.

In addition, the fund comes with a management fee of 0.34% annually, which is in line with many similar investment products.

To attract early investors, Bitwise will waive sponsor fees for the first three months on up to $500 million of assets under management.

This incentive is designed to encourage adoption and build liquidity in the ETF at launch.

A new chapter for crypto ETFs

The approval of the Chainlink ETF reflects growing regulatory acceptance of cryptocurrency-based financial products.

It follows a broader trend of institutional investors seeking regulated exposure to alternative cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.

By listing on the NYSE Arca, Bitwise ensures the ETF meets strict regulatory standards and offers a familiar investment framework.

The market response has been positive, with LINK prices experiencing a boost as investor sentiment rises.

This development may also set the stage for other altcoin ETFs to enter the US market in the near future.

Investors now have a streamlined way to add Chainlink to their portfolios through a regulated vehicle.

Moreover, the ETF’s fee incentives and potential staking features make it an attractive option for both retail and institutional participants.

The approval of CLNK is particularly significant because it highlights the growing acceptance of altcoins in mainstream finance.

It demonstrates that regulators are willing to permit direct investment in specific cryptocurrencies via structured products.

This move also bridges the gap between the crypto market and traditional finance, providing a more secure and accessible entry point.

As investors monitor the ETF’s performance, the broader crypto ecosystem may experience a ripple effect.

For Chainlink, this listing could increase adoption and market interest, potentially impacting token liquidity and price discovery.

At press time, Chainlink’s native token LINK was already up 5.15%, trading at $13.91, showing the ETF approval has had a positive impact on the altcoin.

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Monero price prediction: XMR hits an all-time high of $716

Key takeaways

  • XMR has hit an all-time high price of $716 after adding 4% to its value in the last 24 hours.
  • The rally comes as privacy tokens have been recording gains since the start of the year.

XMR continues its rally, hits an ATH of $716

Monero (XMR) continued its excellent start to the year after hitting a new all-time high. The coin has added more than 4% to its value in the last 24 hours to hit an all-time high of $716 a few hours ago.

At press time, XMR has slightly retraced to now trade at $708 per coin. The rally means that XMR has added more than 50% to its value in the last seven days, outperforming other cryptocurrencies in the top 20.

Thanks to the ongoing rally, Monero is now the 12th-largest cryptocurrency, with a market cap close to $13 billion.  

However, crypto analytics platform Santiment has warned investors that the rising FOMO surrounding Monero could be risky. According to Santiment, XMR’s social dominance peaked on Sunday, while development activity has declined.

“If you are looking for an entry point, consider doing so after social hype and FOMO wears off slightly,” Santiment added. 

The coin is currently facing a retracement after hitting the all-time high price. 

XMR could rally higher amid growing FOMO

The XMR/USD 4-hour chart is bullish and efficient thanks to Monero adding 50% to its value in the last seven days. The coin is trading at $708 per coin and could rally higher in the near term. 

The momentum indicators are in the overbought region, which could result in Monero undergoing a correction. 

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 84 shows that XMR is overbought, signaling heightened bullish momentum. Overbought conditions in the RSI often lead to a short-term correction, as evidenced by XMR’s recent moves.

XMR/USD 4H Chart

The MACD lines are also in the bullish zone, adding more confluence to the market conditions. 

If the rally continues, XMR could hit an all-time high of $750 or more in the near term. However, if the market undergoes a correction, the leading privacy coin could retrace towards the support level at $601.

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XRP price jumps as Ripple secures Luxembourg EMI license

  • XRP price jumps 3.5% after Ripple gains Luxembourg EMI license approval.
  • XRP’s trading volume has surged 74%, signalling strong market and institutional interest.
  • The immediate XRP price support lies at $2.08, while the immediate resistance is at $2.29.

Ripple has secured preliminary approval for an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from Luxembourg’s financial regulator, the CSSF.

The milestone positions Ripple to expand Ripple Payments across the European Union, bringing institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure to the region.

The market reacted positively to the news, with XRP price climbing 3.5% over the last 24 hours, slightly outperforming the broader crypto market’s 3.37% gain.

Trading volume also surged 74% to $4.65 billion, reflecting strong investor and institutional interest.

Ripple’s European expansion

This EMI license is a critical step for Ripple in scaling regulated payment services across Europe.

Luxembourg’s regulatory framework allows Ripple to passport its services across the EU and EEA under the upcoming MiCA regulations.

Ripple now has over 75 licenses and registrations worldwide and has processed more than $95 billion in transactions.

The company emphasises its role in bridging legacy finance with digital assets to unlock trillions in dormant capital.

With the EU leading in digital asset regulation, Ripple aims to help institutions move from pilot programs to commercial-scale operations.

The Luxembourg EMI license reinforces Ripple’s commitment to regulatory compliance, which could accelerate institutional adoption of XRP.

XRP price movement

Following the announcement, XRP price surged to $2.14, with a 24-hour range of $2.06 to $2.18.

The cryptocurrency crossed key technical thresholds, including the 7-day and 30-day SMAs, signalling bullish momentum.

The MACD histogram turned positive, while RSI remains at 61.63, indicating the market is not overbought.

XRP price analysis
XRP technical analysis | Source: TradingView

High volume confirms the breakout, reducing volatility risks and suggesting strong market conviction.

XRP’s gains were supported by a broader crypto market rally, with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) posting 3.1% and 3.0% gains, respectively.

The Fear & Greed Index at 52 reflected neutral sentiment, allowing XRP to slightly outperform its peers.

XRP price forecast

Traders should watch $2.08 as immediate support, which is critical for sustaining the recent rally.

The first major resistance sits at $2.19, followed by $2.29 and $2.36.

Holding above $2.08 could see XRP test these resistance levels, while a drop below may open the path to $2.00.

The Luxembourg EMI license approval adds a fundamental catalyst that could support XRP’s price in the medium term.

With regulatory clarity and institutional adoption on the rise, XRP is poised to capture further upside in the European market.

Investors and traders should, however, closely monitor whether XRP can maintain strong volume above $3.5 billion, which would validate its breakout and signal continued bullish momentum.

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UK drops mandatory digital ID for workers after backlash and liberty concerns

  • Almost three million people signed a parliamentary petition opposing mandatory digital ID cards.
  • Digital right-to-work checks will remain mandatory under the updated policy approach.
  • The UK digital ID scheme, expected around 2029, will be offered as optional alongside electronic alternatives.

The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has dropped plans to make a centralised digital ID mandatory for workers, stepping back from a proposal that would have changed how employees prove their right to work.

Under the original plan, workers would have been required to use a government-issued digital credential, rather than relying on traditional documents such as passports.

The reversal follows months of criticism from politicians and civil liberties campaigners, as well as a large-scale public response that questioned whether employment access should depend on one centralised system.

Critics warn of surveillance and data security risks

The mandatory digital ID proposal drew backlash from opponents across the political spectrum, including UK Member of Parliament Rupert Lowe and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Civil liberties groups and campaigners also raised concerns about how a centralised identifier could be used over time.

Opponents warned it could lead to an “Orwellian nightmare” by giving the state a stronger ability to monitor citizens.

Another major fear was that centralising sensitive personal data could create a single “honeypot” vulnerable to hacking and misuse.

Critics also pointed to the risk of mission creep, where a scheme launched for employment checks could gradually expand into other areas, including housing, banking, and voting.

Petition pressure forces a policy climbdown

Public resistance to mandatory digital ID became visible through formal political channels.

Almost three million people signed a parliamentary petition opposing digital ID cards, making the issue difficult for ministers to ignore.

Lowe celebrated the policy shift in a video posted on X, saying he was off for “a very large drink to celebrate the demise of mandatory Digital ID”.

Farage also backed the rollback, calling it “a victory for individual liberty against a ghastly, authoritarian government”.

Digital right-to-work checks stay mandatory from government

Despite dropping plans for a mandatory digital ID credential, officials say digital right-to-work checks will remain mandatory.

That means the government is still committed to keeping employment verification in a digital process, even if it is no longer built around a single government ID system.

When the UK’s digital ID scheme launches around 2029, it is now expected to be optional rather than compulsory.

Instead of becoming the only approved route for proving work eligibility, it will be offered alongside alternative electronic documentation.

Digital euro, EU identity, and crypto privacy debates return

The UK’s partial rollback is also feeding into wider debates about digital control systems, including central bank digital currencies and the European Central Bank’s digital euro project.

In those discussions, civil society groups and some lawmakers have argued for strict privacy guarantees rather than systems that could allow broad traceability.

At the same time, the European Union is moving ahead with its own digital identity framework and digital euro work, while exploring privacy-preserving designs.

One approach includes using zero-knowledge proofs, allowing citizens to prove attributes such as age or residency without revealing their full personal information.

These designs connect to decentralised identity tools and privacy-preserving blockchain technologies, including zero-knowledge credential systems and privacy-enhancing smart contract structures.

The aim is to support compliance while minimising how much personal data is exposed or stored in one place.

Privacy-focused crypto tools have also remained in focus, including privacy coins such as Zcash (ZEC) and Monero (XMR), alongside decentralised identity protocols.

Interest in these tools has continued as regulators step up scrutiny of DeFi and explore identity checks for self-hosted wallets.

The US Treasury’s proposed DeFi ID framework, alongside renewed attention on privacy tokens, shows how policymakers are testing stronger Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer controls on-chain, even as builders push alternative designs.

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Aptos (APT) jumps 8% as Bitcoin nears $93.5K and crypto market rebounds

  • Aptos price rose to $1.99 on Tuesday, gaining by 8% as bulls looked to strengthen.
  • Grayscale has announced Aptos as one of the assets under consideration.
  • Potential ETF demand could help APT’s price.

Aptos (APT) price is up more than 8% in the past 24 hours as the broader cryptocurrency market catches a bid, with Bitcoin rising to near $93,500.

The Aptos token, native to the blockchain platform powered by the move programming language, is experiencing renewed interest as most other altcoins record a slight rebound.

Many of these tokens, including BNB, TRON, Ethena and Hyperliquid, are part of the assets under consideration for Grayscale Investments.

The firm plans to add several of these, potentially Aptos too, to its suite of crypto investment products.

Aptos price bounces to near $2

Aptos’ native token traded near $1.95 at the time of writing, up more than 8% in the past 24 hours.

The altcoin was looking to ride the new upside momentum that hit cryptocurrencies on Tuesday following the release of the US consumer price index report.

As BTC gained to $93,659 across major exchanges, the APT token surged to highs of $1.99.

Bulls came close to the psychological mark of $2, where bulls last decisively hovered in late November 2025.

Gains for Aptos in recent trading sessions see buyers target a return to winning ways, and institutional interest could bolster this outlook.

Grayscale adds Aptos to list of assets under consideration

Grayscale released its updated list of assets under consideration on Monday, and Aptos sits among the top altcoins the asset manager could add investment products for in the first quarter of 2026.

In Grayscale’s future investment products list are also prominent altcoins across smart contracts, DeFi and artificial intelligence.

Aptos’ inclusion highlights the platform’s growing appeal as a scalablelLayer 1 blockchain, and potential listing of new exchange-traded products (ETPs) could attract substantial capital inflows.

What’s next for Aptos price?

Crypto markets have witnessed a topsy-turvy start to the year, with top coins failing to strengthen as bears tease pressure near key levels.

The Aptos token has, however, largely sported a negative outlook since dropping from highs of $5.46 in October.

However, network milestones like the quantum-resistant upgrade and sharding, aimed for greater scalability, has bulls keen on taking advantage of any would be price gains.

Cross-chain bridges to ecosystems like Ethereum and Solana are also in development, which means further interoperability and DeFi expansion.

If price gains amid all the bullish catalysts, the next target above $2 will be $4 and higher. On the downside, bear will target $1.5 and $1.3.

Macroeconomic challenges aside, regulatory clarity, ETFs and real-world assets put Aptos in a good position for a spike to new highs.

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