📈 Ethereum Sets New Transaction Records as 2025 Ends

🚀 Ethereum made headlines as it concluded 2025 by achieving its highest single-day transaction count on December 29, with over 2.23 million transfers processed. This surge in activity continued into the new year, with December 30 and 31 also recording impressive numbers, alongside January 2, 2026, which saw nearly 2 million transactions.

📊 Despite a slight dip of about 1.5% from the previous month, Ethereum (ETH) started 2026 on a strong note, showing a year-to-date gain of 5.5%. The network's on-chain metrics reached new heights, consistently breaking daily transaction records.

On December 29, 2025, Blockchair recorded 2,230,801 confirmed transactions.

📈 Following this record-breaking day, December 31 logged over 2.13 million transfers, and December 30 had around 2.12 million. These figures surpassed the previous record set on January 14, 2024, which stood at 1.961 million transactions. Notably, January 1, 2026, also made it to the top ten with nearly 1.94 million transfers.

🔥 The data indicates a robust network performance as Ethereum transitioned into 2026. The clustering of high-transaction days suggests a sustained intensity in on-chain activity rather than isolated spikes, setting a challenging benchmark for future activity.

Sustained on-chain usage across decentralized finance, stablecoin transfers, and smart contract activity pushed Ethereum to multiple all-time-high transaction counts.

📈 As Ethereum moves further into 2026, the rising transaction volumes signal a strong ongoing network usage, indicating that the recent surge is not just a temporary anomaly but part of a growing trend in Ethereum's operational capacity.

📉 Market Expectations for the Upcoming FOMC Meeting

📊 With only 22 days left before the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on January 28, 2026, futures traders and prediction markets indicate a low likelihood of a rate cut. According to CME Fedwatch data, there is an 83.9% probability that the benchmark rate will remain unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75%. Only 16.1% of the pricing suggests a 25-basis-point reduction, with virtually no chance of a rate hike.

📉 This cautious outlook is reflected in prediction markets as well. On Polymarket, bettors assign a 90% chance to no change in January, while Kalshi shows a similar distribution with an 88% probability for the Fed holding steady. This convergence across futures and prediction markets is significant, especially considering the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate cuts in 2025.

🚫 The Fed reduced rates three times in 2025, culminating in a December cut that brought the target range down to its lowest level since 2022. However, markets seem unconvinced that this momentum will continue into January. CME futures pricing suggests that traders expect the Fed to pause and assess the effects of last year’s reductions rather than extending the easing cycle immediately.

❗️ Political pressure for further rate cuts remains, with Donald Trump advocating for lower borrowing costs to stimulate economic activity. However, the market appears to believe that these appeals will not influence the Fed's decision for January. Fed leadership, including Jerome Powell, has emphasized the need for data confirmation before committing to additional easing.

✔️ Analysis from the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank suggests that Trump’s tariffs could unexpectedly exert downward pressure on inflation. Additionally, Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran has expressed a desire for a full percentage point in rate cuts this year. Despite this, markets have not faced significant restraint from Powell regarding rate cuts.

📈 Record Surge in Stablecoin Transactions Amid Pro-Crypto U.S. Policies

📊 Stablecoin transaction volumes reached an unprecedented $33 trillion in 2025, marking a 72% increase from the previous year. This surge was largely driven by a favorable regulatory environment in the United States under President Donald Trump’s pro-crypto administration.

💱 USDC led the way with $18.3 trillion in transactions, followed by Tether’s USDT with $13.3 trillion. Together, these two tokens dominated global stablecoin flows as their adoption spread beyond traditional crypto users.

📌 Key policy changes played a significant role in this growth. The Genius Act passed in July, established a clear legal framework for stablecoins which encouraged greater institutional interest. Major companies like Walmart and Amazon began exploring stablecoin initiatives, and World Liberty Financial, linked to the Trump family, launched its own token USD1 in March.

🔄 Data from Artemis also indicates a shift in stablecoin usage. While overall transaction volumes increased, the proportion of transactions on decentralized crypto platforms decreased. This suggests a move towards more mainstream and real-world applications.

📉 Despite USDT being the largest stablecoin by market capitalization at $187 billion, USDC dominates transaction flows due to its extensive use in DeFi. In contrast, USDT is more frequently used for payments, business transfers, and as a store of value.

📈 The growth of stablecoin transactions shows no signs of slowing down. In the fourth quarter alone, transactions reached $11 trillion, up from $8.8 trillion in the previous quarter. Bloomberg Intelligence predicts that total stablecoin payment flows could reach $56 trillion by 2030.

⚠️ Binance Founder Warns Against Meme Coin Speculation

🚨 Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the founder of Binance, recently cautioned traders about the risks of meme coin speculation. He emphasized that his casual posts on social media should not be interpreted as buy signals for meme coins.

But if you are going to ape into every meme coin people create based on my random tweets, you are almost guaranteed to lose money

he stated.

💬 Zhao's comments highlight a recurring issue in the crypto market where his offhand remarks often lead to rapid token launches and speculative trading. His tweets, which may include jokes or emojis, have been known to trigger immediate buying frenzies and significant price fluctuations. This behavior is fueled by market psychology, automated trading bots, and fear of missing out (FOMO) among traders who view his posts as catalysts for action.

⚡️ The BNB Chain's low fees and quick deployment tools further exacerbate this situation. They allow creators to respond to hype—such as a viral tweet from Zhao—within minutes, attracting speculative liquidity almost instantly. However, this often leads to short-lived price pumps before the tokens fade away.

📉 Last year, the meme coin market experienced a phase of "hyper-saturation," with over 13 million new tokens launched across major blockchains like Solana and BNB Chain. This surge, driven by low fees and easy deployment options, resulted in a staggering 99% failure rate. Approximately 12.87 million of these projects became "zombie tokens" or rug pulls within weeks due to insufficient liquidity. By early 2026, only a small fraction of the 2025 class managed to maintain significant market relevance.

💸 Broader market reports indicate that meme-related scams and rug pulls have caused losses of hundreds of millions of dollars each year. On-chain analyses consistently reveal manipulation across many top-performing tokens. These figures illustrate why Zhao's influence can lead to explosive short-term activity but rarely results in lasting value. Most late participants end up facing steep losses despite occasional headline-making wins.

🪙 NIP Group's Rapid Expansion in Bitcoin Mining

🚀 NIP Group (NASDAQ: NIPG), the parent company of esports brand Ninjas in Pyjamas, has made significant strides in bitcoin mining, producing 151.4 BTC worth approximately $14.2 million in revenue from September to November 2025. Their installed mining capacity has reached 9.66 EH/s, with an additional 1.64 EH/s expected soon, aiming for a total of about 11.3 EH/s. This positions NIPG among the top 20 publicly traded bitcoin miners and the largest in the Middle East and North Africa.

🔄 NIPG's foray into bitcoin mining began in July with the acquisition of 3.11 EH/s from Fortune Peak and Apex Cyber Capital. This was followed by a significant expansion in November, acquiring an additional 8.19 EH/s from various entities, raising their long-term target to 11.3 EH/s. This shift indicates that bitcoin mining has become a substantial business line for NIPG alongside gaming.

🔗 A key aspect of NIPG's mining strategy is its connections to Antalpha, the financing arm of Bitmain. After the November expansion, Apex Cyber Capital and Prosperity Oak Holdings held significant stakes in NIPG. Notably, Chiu Chang-Wei, a director at Antalpha, has ties to both Fortune Peak and Prosperity Oak. This suggests a pattern of Bitmain-aligned entities transferring hashrate to publicly listed companies through equity financing.

📈 The growing influence of Bitmain-aligned proprietary miners is evident, with Cango disclosing about 50 EH/s and NIPG nearing 11 EH/s. Together, these operations represent over 60 EH/s, positioning the "Bitmain camp" as a major player in the global bitcoin mining landscape. As public miners face challenges like compressed hashprice and rising costs, vertically integrated entities with access to proprietary hardware are consolidating their influence over the network's hashrate.

📈 Crypto ETFs Show Resilience Amid Volatility

📊 This week, crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) experienced a generally positive trend, with significant mid-week inflows overshadowing late selling pressures. Bitcoin and ether ETFs led the way, while XRP and solana quietly maintained their upward momentum.

💰 Bitcoin ETFs saw a net inflow of $1.42 billion on a trading volume of $21.77 billion, driven by strong mid-week demand. Blackrock’s IBIT was the standout performer, ending the week with $1.03 billion in net inflows.

massive entries on Jan. 14 and 15 that easily absorbed late-week selling

Fidelity’s FBTC also closed positively with $194.40 million in net inflows, despite heavy redemptions on Friday.

📈 Ether ETFs recorded their strongest week of the year with a $479.04 million net inflow and $7.74 billion traded. Blackrock’s ETHA led the category with $219.05 million in inflows. Grayscale’s Ether Mini Trust and ETHE added steady demand throughout the week, while Fidelity’s FETH finished slightly positive with $20.27 million.

📊 XRP ETFs continued to gain momentum, posting $56.83 million in net inflows. Grayscale’s GXRP was the main contributor with $23.75 million, supported by Bitwise’s XRP and Franklin’s XRPZ. Solana ETFs also extended their advance with $46.88 million in net inflows, led by Bitwise’s BSOL.

🔍 The week highlighted a key theme for January: short-term volatility has not deterred institutional confidence.

Dip-buying behavior remains intact, especially in bitcoin and ether

This suggests a constructive outlook for the broader ETF structure as we move further into January.

🚨 Breaking: Nasdaq Files with US SEC to Remove Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs Restrictions

👉 Read more

🌍 Circle Foundation Supports UN Digital Hub with Grant for Regulated Stablecoins

📈 Circle Foundation has announced its first international grant to the UNHCR’s Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions (DHoTS) during the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 21, 2026. This grant aims to integrate regulated stablecoins and advanced digital financial infrastructure across 15 UN agencies to enhance the speed, traceability, and cost-effectiveness of humanitarian aid delivery.

💰 The grant builds on UNHCR’s USDC pilots and focuses on achieving near-instant cross-border transfers, local currency conversion, programmable disbursements, and system-wide transparency. Initial pilots have demonstrated potential cost savings of up to 20%, although implementation will be subject to agency governance, regulatory considerations, and jurisdictional rules.

Circle Foundation announced a grant to UNHCR’s DHoTS to integrate regulated stablecoins across UN systems,

the announcement stated.

🌐 The DHoTS now includes 15 agencies such as UNDP, IOM, and WMO, all of which will benefit from this initiative. The conversion of stablecoins for local use will be facilitated through integrations with banks, mobile-money operators, and fintech partners in local jurisdictions.

💰 ZBD Secures $40 Million Series C for Bitcoin and Blockchain Payment Expansion in Gaming

🚀 ZBD, a bitcoin payments startup based in New Jersey, has successfully secured $40 million in a Series C funding round led by Blockstream Capital, which committed $36 million. This funding will support the company's efforts to expand its video game payment software that facilitates bitcoin and other blockchain transactions.

🎮 In 2025, ZBD served 55 games with a team of 70 people. The newly acquired capital will help accelerate the rollout of a broader payment suite that aims to enable direct financial relationships between players and in-game payouts. However, participation and product availability will depend on platform integrations and applicable jurisdictional payment rules.

Who led ZBD’s $40 million round? Blockstream Capital led the round.

What does ZBD’s product do for game developers? It provides onchain payment rails enabling bitcoin payouts, peer transfers and loyalty rewards in games.

🪙 Peter Schiff Warns: Historic Gold Surge Signals Imminent U.S. Dollar Crisis

⚠️ Economist Peter Schiff recently highlighted a historic surge in gold and silver prices as a warning sign for the U.S. dollar and sovereign debt. On January 27, 2026, he stated on social media that this spike indicates a potential breakdown in confidence in the U.S. monetary system.

Gold closed just under $5,180, up over $170 today—the biggest one-day price increase ever. Gold is sending a clear warning that a U.S. dollar and sovereign debt crisis is imminent. Ignore this warning at your own financial peril,

Schiff emphasized.

📈 Earlier that day, he noted the initial rise in gold and silver prices, saying,

Gold just soared to a new record high. It’s trading above $5,130, up over $125 on the day. Silver is back above $111.

This rapid increase in precious metals prices led him to conclude,

This is a huge deal and what it portends for the U.S. is not good. Buy gold and silver now.

💰 Schiff has consistently advocated for gold and silver as safe investments, viewing their recent price increases as indicative of a broader loss of confidence in the U.S. dollar. He has also shifted his focus towards silver, arguing that its price rise reflects tightening physical supply and demand that the market has not fully recognized.

Silver’s rally signals tightening physical supply and rising demand that markets have not fully priced in, creating asymmetric upside risk,

he explained.