Daily Briefing: Nvidia’s massive OpenAI deal, BlackRock’s ETH staking ETF, and Trump’s State of the Union

Team Luno

February 23, 2026 · 47 minute read

BlackRock, the asset manager behind the IBIT Bitcoin spot exchange-traded fund (ETF) and the world’s largest fund manager, announced late last week that it plans to launch an Ethereum staking ETF. It marks the latest institutional push into crypto despite subdued market conditions.

Investor fear remains elevated, with the Fear and Greed Index still reflecting high levels of uncertainty. Bitcoin continues to trade in the $65K-$68K range, dipping from $67K and bouncing off a low of around $64K before gaining some ground during Asian trading hours this morning. Other crypto assets are following a similar pattern.

In US equities, Nvidia and OpenAI have sealed an equity deal that will give the AI chipmaker a $30 billion stake in OpenAI, which changes the dynamics of how the company is valued. EBC Financial Group explains: “Nvidia is transitioning from a deployment-linked infrastructure framework with OpenAI to a more straightforward approach involving a direct equity investment of approximately $30 billion. This strategic shift alters the market’s evaluation criteria from the capacity Nvidia can finance to the extent of OpenAI’s platform economics that Nvidia can capture, while maintaining Nvidia’s central role in advanced computing.” The broader US stock market has inched upward since its last trading session, but it could be interesting to watch how markets react when they open later today. Nvidia will share its latest earnings report on Wednesday.

In economic news, President Donald Trump is set to deliver his State of the Union address tomorrow, days after his administration’s loss in a court challenge over its tariff policies. How markets digest the latest from the Trump administration will be one to watch.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.32 trillion, down 3.2% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$65,658, down 3.2% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$1,880, down 4.7% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↗️

~$5,152, up 0.8% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.69%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.87%

🔴 Fear & Greed Index

14/100 in Extreme Fear

Data is correct as at 23 February 06:52 GMT.

Newsmaker

BlackRock announces ETH staking ETF

Asset manager BlackRock is preparing to launch a new Ethereum staking exchange-traded fund that could mark a shift in how institutional investors gain exposure to digital assets, according to research published by Arkham Intelligence. The proposed product, the iShares Staked Ethereum Trust, expected to trade under the ticker ETHB, would allow investors to earn yield by staking Ether held within the fund, rather than relying solely on price appreciation, and is widely anticipated to debut in the first half of 2026.
Under the planned structure, between 70% and 95% of the fund’s Ether would be staked on the Ethereum network to generate rewards, while 5% to 30% would be held in an unstaked liquidity sleeve to facilitate investor redemptions. About 82% of staking income would be distributed to shareholders, with the remaining 18% shared between BlackRock and execution partner Coinbase, according to filings and reports. The fund is also expected to levy a sponsor fee of roughly 0.25% on assets.
The ETF would build on the firm’s existing spot Ethereum fund, the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), which has already attracted billions of Dollars in assets and helped establish institutional demand for regulated crypto exposure. By embedding staking into an ETF wrapper, ETHB aims to reposition Ether as a yield-bearing asset within traditional portfolios, potentially lowering operational barriers for institutions that would otherwise need to manage validators and staking infrastructure directly.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital.This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

19 February

Crypto markets continue to trade in a tight range as investors wait for clearer signals, whether from the Fed’s next meeting or progress on the US Crypto Market Structure Bill. “There are trillions of dollars in institutional capital on the sidelines waiting to get into this space,” Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, said on X last week, referring to institutional investors seeking regulatory clarity in the US crypto market before making the jump.

For now, Bitcoin remains between $67K–$68K, with Ethereum just below $2K. Glassnode notes in its weekly analysis that investors are holding back to see how things unfold, though options positioning indicates “panic hedging fading.” It means that investors who had bought protective bets like options out of fear that prices would drop sharply are starting to back off. In other words, the extreme fear that was driving people to hedge aggressively is easing.

Elsewhere, gold has edged back above $5K, while broader US equities are slightly in the green since yesterday’s session. A key event to watch is Walmart’s earnings call, scheduled for 12:00 GMT / 13:00, with more details below.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.38 trillion, down 1.6% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$67,043, down 1.09% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$1,980, down 0.98% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↗️

~$5,018, up 0.62% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.56%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.78%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

11/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 19 February 07:13 GMT.

Newsmaker

Walmart set to release earnings later today under new CEO leadership

Walmart is due to release its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report later today, marking the first earnings call since CEO John Furner took the reins at the beginning of the month, reports Yahoo Finance.
Wall Street analysts surveyed by LSEG expect earnings of 73 cents per share and revenue of $190.43 billion. In November, the company said it expects full-year net sales to climb between 4.8% and 5.1%, and adjusted earnings per share to range from $2.58 to $2.63, notes CNBC. Under Furner’s leadership, the retail giant recently hit a $1 trillion market cap for the first time, mainly due to deep investments in technology as it competed with Amazon (AMZN).
In a note to investors, Schwab Network notes that the retail behemoth saw total US growth of 4.8%, including fuel sales, while operating margins climbed slightly to 4.4%. Sam’s Club reported comparable sales of 4.7%, and international revenue grew 6.3% year over year.
As of Wednesday’s close, the company’s share price increased by 22% over the past year and about 14% year to date, significantly outperforming the S&P 500’s, 12%, and less than 1% over the same periods.
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18 February

President Donald Trump said yesterday that the Crypto Market Structure Bill will pass soon. The bill has been held up by disagreements across parts of the private sector and within government, but that could change in the coming weeks.

One of the bill’s core mandates is to clarify which US regulator oversees specific digital assets. As Yahoo reports, under the proposal, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) would take primary oversight of crypto assets considered commodities, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. It would also streamline the registration process for brokers and exchanges. More on this below.

Alongside other potential tailwinds, including the Fed trimming rates, analysts have identified progress on key crypto legislation in the US, including the CLARITY Act and the Crypto Market Structure Bill, as important developments to watch.

That said, crypto markets continue to drift sideways, with Bitcoin virtually unchanged over the past 24 hours at the time of writing. Ethereum is showing some momentum, up more than 1% overnight. Stocks and gold have also edged higher, though moves have been modest.

Minutes from the Fed’s January meeting are due later today, and investors will be watching for clues about policymakers’ thinking, particularly with the March meeting approaching.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.41 trillion, down 0.6% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$67,669, down 0.87% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$1,996 up 1.07% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↗️

~$4,934, up 0.96% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.10%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.14%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

12/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 18 February 07:28 GMT.

Newsmaker

Trump gives the green light for the Crypto Market Structure Bill

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that the Crypto Market Structure Bill will pass soon, reports Yahoo Finance.
Over the last few weeks, meetings were held at the White House between crypto negotiators and Wall Street bankers regarding the legislation. However, due to the parties’ inability to reach compromise or consensus, there was significant delay in the advancement of the bill.
“With the passing of the Crypto Market Structure Bill, the CFTC would take primary control over digital commodities like Bitcoin and Ethereum. This would resolve years of regulatory uncertainty, ending the tough compliance environment that has left crypto firms prone to freezes and counterparty risk,” noted Yahoo Finance

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

17 February

Crypto markets are idling this morning as the Fear and Greed Index continues to creep out of historically low levels. Bitcoin hovers around $68K, while Ethereum investors weigh whether it’s time to reclaim $2K or wait for clearer signals.

Things have evened out since crypto prices reclaimed another leg up after Bitcoin bounced off $60K two weeks ago, remaining range-bound between $65K–$70K since then. The Block reports that while caution lingers, on-chain analytics show whales accumulating at these levels, and a crowded shorts market could lead to volatility if prices move significantly. For now, it’s mostly sideways.

CoinDesk notes that Bitcoin and Ethereum’s 30-day implied volatility has fallen sharply after spiking earlier this month during the price crash, dropping from around 50% annualised to nearly 100% and now moving back down. This could suggest traders are pricing in less near-term turbulence.

What could give markets some optimism? The Fed meets in March, and last week’s cooler-than-expected CPI numbers have some analysts speculating a less hawkish stance for the year. Phil Orlando, Chief Market Strategist at Federated Hermes in New York, told Reuters: “The inflation report is better than expected particularly at the nominal level … This is good news for the Fed and it supports our longer-term thesis that as we get into the leadership transition from Powell to Warsh the Fed will be able to cut interest rates three times over the course of a year or so.”

With the CLARITY Act in focus, and the Fed meeting in March, could it be the month that swings sentiment?

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

Approx. $2.42 trillion, up 0.1% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$68,296, down 0.30% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$1,975, up 0.16% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

~$4,907, down 1.77% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.050%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 0.22%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

13/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 17 February 07:25 GMT.

Newsmaker

The rise of stablecoins as an everyday financial tool

According to a new global study from BVNK, many people are increasingly allocating a share of their savings and income to stablecoins, reports The Block.
A study titled the 2026 Stablecoin Utility Report, with participants ranging across 15 countries, found that over $300 billion in stablecoin is used across payments, payroll, and savings, alongside trading activity.
People in regions with more volatile currencies and less reliable cross-border payment services are more likely to adopt stablecoins, according to the study. Ownership rates were higher in low- and middle-income economies than in high-income ones, with Africa leading the way.
“Users want stablecoin payments to mirror mainstream payment systems, with universal acceptance, clear fees, and stronger consumer protections. If that connective layer materializes, stablecoins may increasingly function less like crypto assets and more like digital cash — programmable, borderless, and, for a growing cohort of users, simply money,” the study highlights.
South Africa also recently got a new rand-pegged stablecoin. ZAR Universal (ZARU) is an institutional-grade stablecoin and is the product of a collaboration between leading financial institutions, including Luno, Sanlam, Standard Bank, EasyEquities, and Lesaka.

ZARU is designed to modernise payment and financial infrastructure, serving both retail and institutional users, but with a focus on institutional use in the first phase of the project. Learn more at zaru.network, where institutional participants can register their interest.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

16 February

Crypto markets have picked up at the beginning of this week right where they left off on Friday, but there’s a story between these two bookends. The seemingly deep drawdown this morning doesn’t tell the whole story. While Bitcoin is down more than 3% at the time of writing, that move follows a sharp price spike over the weekend, with the market testing a breakout above $70K from a low of $64K late last week, before running out of momentum and settling around $68K this morning.

The seven-day price moves give a better indication, particularly in altcoin markets. Helium (HNT) has surged more than 60%, while Berachain (BERA) and Pyth Network (PYTH) have each gained more than 20% on the week.

Last week, we posed the question of when the impact of institutional capital repositioning, which many analysts pointed to as a driver of the February 5 correction, would fade and markets begin to look forward again. Was that the start of a broader move, or is there more downside still to come?

On the economic calendar front, the latest US Consumer Price Index (CPI) came in lower than expected on Friday. Says Kevin Green (KG), MSDA at Schwab: “The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report offered some encouraging signs across several segments, easing near-term inflation concerns during what is typically one of the more volatile months for the dataset. Economic data this week has contributed to increased market volatility, as investors weighed concerns about potential labor market weakness alongside the risk of hotter inflation. However, both datasets suggest that those fears may be subsiding, at least for now. Several components within the CPI report also point to potential downside pressure on inflation in the months ahead.” More on this below.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.42 trillion, down 3.6% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$68,467, down 2.6% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$1,968, down 5.6% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

~$4,995, down 0.9% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.05%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Up 0.18%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

12/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 16 February 07:25 GMT.

Newsmaker

Lower inflation numbers from the US

The US consumer price index (CPI) for January increased 2.4% from the same time a year ago, down 0.3 percentage point from the prior month and the lowest since May 2025. The latest inflation numbers came in lower than the expected 2.5% by economists surveyed by Dow Jones.

“This is great news on inflation,” Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, commented to CNB. “Inflation fell to the lowest level since May and key items such as food, gas and rent are cooling off. This will provide much needed relief for middle class and moderate-income families.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that he sees an “investment boom” this year while inflation returns to the Fed’s target “in the middle of this year.”
“We’ve got to get away from this idea that growth automatically has to be tampered down, because growth, per se, is not inflationary.” Bessent added. “It’s growth that leaks into areas where there’s not sufficient supply, and everything this administration is doing is creating more supply,” Bessent noted.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

13 February

Hi there, it’s Friday. Earlier this week, we mentioned analyst Jeff Park’s view on the February 5 sell-off across crypto and stock markets, which he said was largely driven by institutional repositioning. Crypto research firm 10X added to that argument yesterday, noting that during Bitcoin corrections, trading activity in BlackRock’s IBIT Bitcoin ETF tends to surge as institutional positioning adjusts.

“During the most recent sell-off, daily trading volume exceeded $10 billion, underscoring the scale of institutional capital’s active repositioning,” 10X said in a note to investors. “The sharp increase in ETF trading volume during this period suggests the move was not driven by retail panic, but rather by large-scale institutional flows, hedging activity and the unwinding of structured positions.”

The obvious next question is when the unwinding of positions will stop putting downward pressure on prices. The past few weeks and months have made it clear there is no crystal ball, but there are optimistic outlooks from the likes of JPMorgan and others. The Wall Street bank said in a recent note that institutional inflows and greater regulatory clarity could underpin the next leg higher for digital assets.

“We are positive on crypto markets for 2026 as we expect a further rise in digital asset flows, increasingly led by institutional investors,” JP Morgan analysts led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou said in a Monday report, according to The Street.

Will clarity and progress on the CLARITY Act, currently inching its way through the US regulatory system, provide the catalyst markets are looking for? Or could a dovish outcome from the Fed at its March meeting shift sentiment? For now, those are questions investors will have to wait to see answered, but they are worth watching closely.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.35 trillion, down 1.0% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$66,433, down 1.14% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$1,942, down 1.53% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↗️

~$4,971, up 0.89% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

Down 1.57%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 2.03%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

08/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 13 February 07:15 GMT.

Newsmaker

New crypto advisory committee formed by US financial regulator

A new crypto advisory committee, consisting of several crypto executives, has been formed by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, reports The Block.
The committee will oversee the impact of “breakthrough” technologies like AI and blockchain. Thirty five advisors were appointed, all of which are representatives from blockchain, centralised crypto exchanges, crypto VCs and TradFi giants including Nasdaq and other firms.
“Today marks an important and energising moment at the CFTC, as the Innovation Advisory Committee takes shape. The IAC’s work will help ensure the CFTC’s decisions reflect market realities so the agency can future-proof its markets and develop clear rules of the road for the Golden Age of American Financial Markets,” said Michael S. Selig, CFTC Chair.
The CFTC has also launched Project Crypto alongside the SEC, in an effort to create a more permissive regulatory regime for the digital asset industry.

12 February

It’s Thursday, and with that come a few welcome green candles in parts of the crypto market, albeit modest ones, offering some respite from the red that has become a familiar sight since the 5 February liquidation. Some whales, like Michael Saylor, have seen this as a buying opportunity, while others have not, particularly in crypto ETFs, which have seen persistent outflows since 21 January. Despite the volatility, however, crypto’s utility continues to prove relevant in traditional finance.

BlackRock is continuing its foray into digital assets through an integration with Uniswap Labs and Securitize. The move will make its $2.2 billion tokenised US Treasury fund, BUIDL (BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund), tradable on the Uniswap decentralised exchange, making it accessible to crypto-native investors. More on this in the news below.

The US economy showed stronger-than-expected job numbers in January’s nonfarm payrolls report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job growth was stronger than expected to start 2026, providing some relief around concerns about the US labour market, but it could also influence the Fed’s interest rate decision in March. “After a long period of prognosticators offering a tepid outlook for the economy based on a weakening labor market, this print provides a solid datapoint on the side of robust economic growth, an improving labor market and wage growth that can support consumer spending,” Brad Smith, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, told CNBC.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

Approx. $2.37 trillion, up 0.3% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↗️

~$66,947, up 0.39% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$1,968, up 1.06% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

~$5,062, down 0.21% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

Down 0.0049%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 0.16%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

08/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 12 February 07:50 GMT.

Newsmaker

BlackRock pushes further into DeFi with BUIDL on Uniswap

BlackRock has cemented its presence in DeFi through a large-scale integration with Uniswap Labs and Securitize. The company will make its tokenised US Treasury fund, BUIDL (BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund), tradable on the Uniswap decentralised exchange, reports The Block.
This collaboration marks a significant step that further legitimises crypto’s utility. BUIDL is the largest tokenised US Treasury fund on the market, valued at over $2.2 billion. Its integration into Uniswap allows investors to trade the tokenised funds in a decentralised setting without traditional intermediaries.
“This is the unlock we’ve been working toward: bringing the trust and regulatory standards of traditional finance to the speed and openness for which DeFi is known,” said Carlos Domingo, Securitize CEO.
BlackRock has also invested in the Uniswap ecosystem by purchasing an undisclosed amount of Uniswap’s governance token, UNI. The token climbed nearly 20% shortly after the announcement, and is up in price by 3.32% in the last 24 hours, at the time of writing.

11 February

Progress on the CLARITY Act in the US continues to drag on as the stalemate between the banking and crypto industries persists, particularly around regulation tied to stablecoin yield. Representatives from major US banks met yesterday with negotiators from the crypto industry, under guidance from White House crypto advisers, to find common ground on the Senate’s market structure legislation. Despite the impasse, advisers on the crypto side remain cautiously optimistic. “We’re encouraged by the progress being made as stakeholders remain constructively engaged in resolving outstanding issues,” said Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger, who participated in the meeting. The continued negotiations, along with the President’s push to reach agreement, suggest both sides are intent on defining crypto’s role within the broader US, and global, financial system. Read more on this in the news section below.

Against this backdrop, crypto markets dipped again this morning, extending the range-bound trading pattern that has persisted since the February 5 sell-off, despite several attempts to break higher. Bitcoin is trading around $66.7K, while Ethereum sits at $1,951 at the time of writing. The renewed weakness has brought increased scrutiny on the largest public holder of Bitcoin, MicroStrategy.

Founder Michael Saylor reiterated to CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin that the company has no plans to sell. CEO Phong Le told investors the price would need to fall to around $8,000 and remain there for years before the company’s balance sheet came under strain. Saylor added more than 3% of Bitcoin’s total supply to MicroStrategy’s balance sheet on Monday.

On the economic calendar, key US inflation data is due, alongside the latest jobs figures. These releases could influence how markets assess the Federal Reserve’s balancing act between supporting employment and keeping inflation under control.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.35 trillion, down 2.8% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$66,759 down 3.08% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$1,951 down 2.82% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

~$5,059, up 1.04% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

Down 0.33%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 0.59%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

09/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 11 February 09:50 GMT.

Newsmaker

Wall Street bankers and crypto industry remain divided on crypto bill

Talks between representatives from crypto and banking about the way forward with the CLARITY Act again stalled yesterday in a meeting at the White House, CoinDesk reports.
Wall Street bankers and crypto leaders have been locked in a lobbying battle over stablecoin rewards, delaying the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act.
Despite limited progress, crypto negotiators remain hopeful. “We’re encouraged by the progress being made as stakeholders remain constructively engaged on resolving outstanding issues,” said Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger.
After two White House meetings with no significant agreements, the matter could return to lawmakers working on the bill.

10 February

Jeff Park, a popular market analyst publishing on Substack and Chief Investment Officer at ProCap Financial, hypothesises that the historic February 5 sell-off, which ripped through both stock and crypto markets, could have been due to a few interconnected factors. Park suggests that hedge funds that borrowed money to invest were hit when all their positions dropped simultaneously, forcing them to urgently sell across the board, including Bitcoin.

So, what looked like a Bitcoin crash was largely forced technical selling by leveraged traders. Park offers a much more nuanced explanation here, noting that the sell-off may have been more about repositioning than a loss of conviction, particularly given the 10% recovery in Bitcoin’s price the following day.

Whichever the reasons, uncertainty lingers, yet crypto markets remain relatively stable today. Bitcoin is trading around the upper $69K range, close to yesterday’s levels, with the total crypto market cap virtually unchanged.

Looking ahead to economic events, the US Labour Department is scheduled to release its January employment report tomorrow. A Reuters survey shows economists expect nonfarm payrolls to have increased by 70,000 jobs last month, following a 50,000 gain in December, while the unemployment rate is expected to remain unchanged.

Strong jobs reports could signal a resilient economy, which can feed into the Fed’s interest rated decision in March, as seen with recent data prompting a pause at 3.5%-3.75%. But weaker figures could heighten recession fears, feeding into the narrative of a possible March rate cut. The Fed weighs this information against inflation.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.42 trillion, down 0.3% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$69,174 down 0.7% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$2,020 down 0.9% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

~$5,025, down 0.59% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.47%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.90%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

10/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 10 February 09:50 GMT.

Newsmaker

Increase in risk appetite weighs on gold price, says analyst

“The start of the week has been marked by a resurgence in risk appetite across financial markets, reflected in gains in equity indices, which has weighed on gold prices,” ActivTrades analyst Ricardo Evangelista, commented to Reuters.
After a record high of $5,594.82 late in January, the precious metal gained 2% on Monday, but falling 0.7% to $5,030.80 per ounce this morning.

Investors could be factoring in key US economic data in the coming week, the big one being the latest jobs numbers from the US, expected tomorrow.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

09 February

The price of Bitcoin is hovering just below $70K at the time of writing, after bouncing off a low of around $60K last week, as the Fear and Greed Index fell to historic lows. Markets aren’t out of the woods just yet, though. Ethereum is down around 3% overnight, with the rest of the crypto market trading more or less along similar lines.

In global politics, there was a landslide snap election victory in Japan by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which analysts believe could bolster markets given her aggressive pro-growth policies, massive fiscal spending, a dovish Bank of Japan keeping rates low, and a deliberately weaker yen to supercharge exports from giants like Toyota and Sony. CoinDesk reports: “The ‘Takaichi Trade’ sparked a global ripple effect, driving gold prices past the $5,000 per ounce milestone and pushing bitcoin to a brief peak of $72,000, before settling back above $70,000 during Asia morning trading hours. U.S. stock market futures opened higher.”

In other corners of the stock market, Nvidia’s share price has surged almost 8% since its last trading session. Goldman Sachs has refreshed its outlook on Nvidia ahead of the company’s February 25 earnings report, at a moment when expectations are especially sensitive. The bank lifted its earnings forecast for 2026, now anticipating a roughly $2 billion revenue beat. Goldman also reiterated a $250 price target on the stock, implying around 35% upside from Nvidia’s most recent close near $185.

Will Bitcoin and others continue the recovery that started on Friday this week? Events to note include the latest US jobs numbers, which will feed into how investors perceive the outcome of the next Federal Reserve interest rate decision in March.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.46 trillion, down 0.5% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$69,795 down 1.05% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$2,067 down 2.7% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↗️

~$5,002, Up 0.74% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 1.97%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 2.18%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

9/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 09 February 07:50 GMT.

Newsmaker

Tether now among top 30 largest gold investors in the world

CoinDesk reports that Tether has ramped up its gold reserves by buying an estimated 32 tonnes of physical gold in the past month. This ranks the company among the top 30 global gold owners, surpassing sovereign nations including Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Korea, and Greece.
Jefferies analysts note Tether’s gold reserves grew to an estimated 148 tonnes, valued at over $23 billion, by the end of January, after adding 26 tonnes in Q4 2025 and 6 tonnes in January.
This accumulation coincides with gold’s record rally, which topped $5,000 per ounce last month and has surged nearly 50% since September. Key drivers include central bank demand, rising long-term government bond yields, and investors’ efforts to reduce reliance on the US dollar.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

5 February

Yesterday’s market recovery proved to be brief. There’s more downside this morning, with Bitcoin and other crypto assets giving back yesterday’s gains. The market-cap leader is trading around $76.3K at the time of writing, posting deeper losses than Ethereum, which is down 1.6%. Some corners of the market are calling this a bear market, arguing it has been in place for some time, while others, like ARK Invest, have used the weakness to scoop up crypto-related equities at suppressed prices.

On the institutional side, crypto ETFs continue to see outflows as investors weigh current market conditions.

Stocks are also feeling the effects of the broader market malaise, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 down 1.5% overnight. Microsoft, Meta, Apple and Nvidia are leading tech losses.

Gold, by contrast, appears to have shaken off yesterday’s stumble, posting solid overnight gains of 3.4% as demand for safe-haven assets rose amid renewed geopolitical tensions. Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, which has been buying while others sell, noted earlier this week that Bitcoin has, at times, followed gold’s price rallies. For now, and in the past few months, that correlation remains uncertain.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.66 trillion, down 2.4% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$76,310 down 2.90% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$2,277 down 1.63% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↗️

~$5,085 up 3.4% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

Down 0.84%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 1.5%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

14/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 04 February 08:20 GMT.

Newsmaker

ARK Invest buys the dip

While crypto and stocks continue to tread water in turbulent markets, ARK Invest, the investment company led by Cathie Wood, has bought additional shares in Bitmine, Bullish, Circle, and other crypto-related stocks.

The Block reports that the fund bought $3.25 million worth of shares in Ethereum treasury firm Bitmine through its exchange-traded fund on Tuesday, along with $3.46 million in Bullish crypto exchange, and $2.4 million in Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin.

While the past is no way an indication of future performance, Wood recently noted correlation between a push in gold prices preceding Bitcoin price rallies on X. … “the gold price led the last two significant bull moves in the bitcoin price in the last two major cycles,” she wrote.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

3 February

There’s some relief in crypto markets this morning, with Bitcoin and other major assets clawing back from last week’s steep losses. Bitcoin has regained more than 2%, while Ethereum has added over 4% to its price.

The rebound brings a welcome pause after a week of declines that pushed many crypto assets to multi-month lows. Analysts have pointed out various headwinds, including uncertainty over how the US CLARITY Act will advance through Congress, a hawkish Federal Reserve, a pending new Fed Chair, and a sell-off in traditional safe-haven assets like gold and silver, making for a volatile week.

On the regulatory front, the White House met yesterday with leaders from the banking and crypto sectors to find common ground on the CLARITY Act. “Over the course of the past few months, we have achieved breakthroughs on several seemingly intractable policy issues. I am confident we will be able to resolve this one too,” Patrick Witt, executive director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, wrote on X. “The discussion was constructive, fact-based, and, most importantly, solutions-oriented,” he said.

In other news, a new Rand-backed stablecoin, called ZARU, was introduced through collaboration and support from some of South Africa’s most reputable and forward-thinking financial institutions, including Luno, Sanlam, EasyEquities, and Lesaka. The project combines trusted financial infrastructure with blockchain innovation to enable real-world utility and drive meaningful adoption of a Rand-backed digital asset. “ZARU is a crucial milestone for South Africa’s digital economy,” says Luno CEO James Lanigan. “It’s designed to make everyday payments and money transfers faster and cheaper, while fully supported by secure reserves that help strengthen the local financial system.” More on this below.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

Approx. $2.724 trillion, up 2.5% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↗️

~$78,475 up 2.80% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$2,313 up 4.16% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↗️

~$4,887 up 5.49% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.54%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.56%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

17/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 03 February 07:06 GMT.

Newsmaker

New digital currency ZARU to bring the South African Rand to the global internet economy

Today marks the launch of ZAR Universal (ZARU), a new institutional-grade stablecoin pegged to the value of the South African Rand (ZAR). ZARU is designed to modernise payment and financial infrastructure, enabling both retail and institutional users to transact at the speed of the internet while bolstering the local financial system.
ZARU was introduced through collaboration and support from some of South Africa’s most reputable and forward-thinking financial institutions, including Luno, Sanlam, EasyEquities, and Lesaka., combining trusted financial infrastructure with blockchain innovation to enable real-world utility and drive meaningful adoption of a Rand-backed digital asset.
Historically, payments, cross-border trade and remittances involving the Rand have been slowed by traditional banking hours and fees. ZARU solves this by operating on a blockchain, providing a trusted, fully Rand-backed digital currency that enables instant, 24/7 settlement and connects South African markets directly to the global digital economy.
Says Jacques Le Roux, CEO of Sanlam Financial Markets: “We are excited to provide asset liability management services through Sanlam Specialised Asset Management (Pty) Ltd to enable this initiative given its potential to significantly contribute to financial inclusion. We’re connecting traditional financial markets to the world of blockchain to enable cheaper, faster payments.”
More information about ZARU is available at zaru.network, where institutional participants can register their interest.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

02 February

Crypto markets continue to reel under pressure, with Bitcoin falling below $80,000 for the first time since April last year. Analysts are still searching for explanations, but there’s no single pinpoint reason behind the sell-off, which has driven deep losses across the week and month. Crypto isn’t the only asset class feeling the strain. Gold lost more than 6% and silver more than 11% during Asian trading hours this morning, according to Bloomberg.

“The trigger for Friday’s dramatic sell-off was news that US President Donald Trump would nominate Kevin Warsh to lead the Fed, which sent the dollar higher and undercut sentiment among investors who had bet on Trump’s willingness to let the currency weaken,” the publication noted. “Traders regard Warsh as the toughest inflation fighter among the final candidates, raising expectations of tighter monetary policy that would underpin the dollar and weaken greenback-priced bullion.”

CoinDesk reports that Warsh is known for favoring tighter monetary policy, higher real interest rates, and a smaller Fed balance sheet, conditions that could prove challenging for risk assets like crypto and stocks.

Some investors remain convinced, despite the volatility. Speaking to CoinDesk, Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan argued that, were it not for massive corporate buy-in into crypto last year, it would be more evident that the broader markets were and continue to be in a bear phase, adding that recent capitulation in crypto ETFs suggests the cycle may be bottoming out. “I know it’s looking rough out there, but I still think the stars are aligned for 2026,” he said. Markets, however, remain shaken. The Fear and Greed Index has slid into Extreme Fear, dropping to 15.

Looking ahead, there are several key events to watch this week. The White House is scheduled to meet with executives from the banking and crypto industries to discuss a potential path forward for crypto legislation in the Senate Banking Committee.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.656 trillion, down 2.8% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$76,716 down 2.17% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$2,245 down 7.58% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

~$5,185 down 3.5% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

Down 0.43%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 0.94%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

15/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 02 February 08:04 GMT.

Gold and silver pull back sharply

“This isn’t over,” Robert Gottlieb, a former precious metals trader at JPMorgan Chase & Co and now an independent market commentator, told Bloomberg. “We’ve got to see if it’s going to find support. The bottom line is that the trade was way too crowded.”
Crypto and gold have seen heavy sell-offs in the last week, with gold prices seeing further pressure at the beginning of the week.
Coronation, a fund manager in South Africa, explained their reasoning for holding off on gold in their quarterly publication: “Forecasting commodity prices is tricky for industrial commodities, and even more difficult for speculative commodities which have little industrial use (i.e., gold). After many decades of investing in commodity-driven markets, we are however very certain of the cyclicality of all commodity industries and are very wary of investing heavily at the top of the cycle.” The authors added: “Calling when exactly the cycle will peak is an inexact science, but given the extreme price rises we have seen in commodity prices we are undoubtedly in the top part of the cycle.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

30 January

A few notable things happened in crypto this week. One was Ethereum’s latest network update, which enables AI agents to interact more directly with on-chain applications, a small but meaningful step toward more autonomous activity in the ecosystem. That said, it’s the broad overnight sell-off that’s dominating markets this morning.

Bitcoin and most major crypto assets are down more than 5% overnight, with the total crypto market capitalisation lower by roughly 5.4% at the time of writing. The move hasn’t been isolated to crypto. Gold, often treated as the market’s original safe-haven and one of the strongest-performing assets over the past year, also fell sharply, with spot prices sliding more than 3%.

Markets appear to be reacting to a mix of pressures rather than a single catalyst. Weaker-than-expected earnings from large US tech companies, a more hawkish tone from the Federal Reserve, and renewed concerns around another potential US government shutdown are all weighing on risk sentiment. Still, there’s no clear headline event that fully explains the speed or scale of the move.

As we head into the weekend, investors will be watching to see whether this is a short-term risk reset or the start of a broader shift in sentiment across global markets.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $2.9 trillion, down 5.4% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$82,676 down 5.9% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$2,739, down 6.9% in 24 hours.

🟡Gold (per ounce)

~$5,185 down 3.5% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

Down 0.13%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 0.53%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

28/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 30 January 08:31 GMT.

Newsmaker

Ethereum’s ERC-8004 standard is set to launch on mainnet

Ethereum launched ERC-8004 on its mainnet, yesterday. The Ethereum Foundation’s AI lead, Davide Crapis, announced the deployment, marking the start of the “8004 Genesis Month” event. The upgrade enables AI agents to engage with various organisations and platforms in a decentralised, permissionless economy.
AI agents can perform tasks ranging from low-stake activities like ordering pizza to high-stake cases such as medical diagnosis. ERC-8004 introduces identity, reputation and validation registries that allow AI agents to be verified and maintain trust across apps on Ethereum.
“By enabling discovery and portable reputation, ERC-8004 allows AI agents to interact across organisations ensuring credibility travels everywhere,” Ethereum wrote on X. “The network is in a ‘unique position’ to become the platform that settles AI-to-AI interactions,” said Crapis.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

27 January

The Senate Agriculture Committee was set to meet today for a markup of the CLARITY Act, one of the most important pieces of crypto legislation in recent years in the US, but inclement weather in Washington has postponed the markup to this Thursday, a day after the Federal Reserve Bank announces its decision on interest rates. Heavy snowfall, icy roads, and sub-zero wind chills led to flight cancellations, federal office closures, and a snow emergency, preventing lawmakers from convening today. More on this below.

As for the Fed, the US central bank is broadly expected to keep rates steady on Wednesday, and given the almost unanimous agreement among investors and analysts that rates will remain unchanged, investors will be looking to the tone of the post-decision press conference, whether it’s a hawkish hold or a dovish one, and for any other information that could offer insight into Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s views on the current tension between his office and the White House.

Crypto markets remain mostly unchanged since yesterday. Bitcoin is up 0.6% at the time of writing, with the broader crypto market also in the green by the same amount. Ethereum, which has shown sharper dips and peaks than Bitcoin, is following a similar pattern, giving investors gains of 1.2% overnight. It’s a broadly similar story across the rest of crypto markets on Luno.

Stocks are also idling, but the big news, again, is gold breaking $5K per ounce for the first time yesterday, continuing its remarkable sustained rally amid what Reuters calls a “safe-haven rush.”

“The latest catalyst ‘is effectively this crisis of confidence in the U.S. administration and U.S. assets, that was set off by some of the erratic decision-making from the Trump administration last week’,” Reuters quotes Kyle Rodda, a senior market analyst at Capital.com. Will Bitcoin continue to lag behind gold and stocks, or will it make a comeback as some of the current market uncertainty subsides?

One thing to keep an eye on is President Trump traveling to Clive, Iowa, today for a scheduled speech at 1:30 p.m. ET, focusing on energy policy and the economy amid his second term.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

Approx. $3.074 trillion, up 0.6% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↗️

~$88,361 up 0.62% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$2,929, up 1.27% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.50%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.42%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

29/100 in Fear

Data is correct as at 27 January 07:28 GMT.

Newsmaker

Crypto bill markup postponed to Thursday

The market structure bill hearing by the Senate Agricultural Committee has been pushed back by a few days. This time, due to a major snow storm in Washington. The meeting originally scheduled for today has been postponed to Thursday, according to a notice released yesterday.
The CLARITY Act has already passed the US House of Representatives and is now moving through the Senate. Different Senate committees are reviewing the parts of the bill that cover securities, commodities, and crypto market oversight, and both are set to debate and amend the bill this Thursday.
The Senate Banking Committee is handling the parts of the bill related to securities regulation, investor protection, and the SEC’s role in crypto markets, while the Senate Agriculture Committee is overseeing the commodities side, including crypto spot markets and derivatives under the CFTC.
Once those markups are done, the Senate will combine the changes before sending the bill to a full Senate vote, a key step toward turning it into law under President Trump’s pro-crypto agenda.

21 January

It seems the dip in crypto markets following renewed trade tariff threats from the US, this time aimed at the EU, may have been the canary in the coalmine. Stock markets were quiet over the weekend and on Monday due to a public holiday in the US, but showed meaningful declines as Wall Street posted its worst day since October last year, when the US announced 100% tariffs on imports from China. More on this development below.

Crypto markets have continued to feel the brunt, with Bitcoin dipping below $90K and Ethereum falling 5% to below $3K. The Fear and Greed Index reflects this uncertainty, slipping back into fear after hovering in neutral for the past few weeks. Similarly, the Cboe VIX index, a widely used fear gauge for US stock markets, has spiked to an eight-week high this week. Investors will be watching closely for comments and discussions coming out of the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue,” where world leaders, key policymakers, and entrepreneurs are gathered until 23 January to discuss geopolitics, energy, climate, and economic developments.

Looking at key economic events this week, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, one of the Fed’s preferred inflation measures, is set for release this Thursday and tracks consumer spending trends. Softer-than-expected data could fuel rate-cut hopes, while a hotter print might spark more hawkish fears.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $3.096 trillion, down 2.03% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$89,117 down 2.17% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$2,967, down 5% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

Down 2%

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 2.1%

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

32/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 21 January 07:46 GMT.

Newsmaker

Wall Street has its worst day since October

The tech-heavy Nasdaq index is down 2.4% overnight, with Amazon down 2.9%, and Tesla and Nvidia both in the red by more than 3%.
Speaking to The Guardian, Kathleen Brooks, a research director at the broker XTB, said, “Overall, this is a man-made crisis, and the continued sell-off on Tuesday suggests that US threats to Greenland and their effects on financial markets could have further to go if the situation does not de-escalate soon,” she said.
Gold and silver hit record highs as the precious metal rose past $4,700 (£3,500) an ounce for the first time on Tuesday, and silver hit a fresh high of $95.52 an ounce, the news publication reports.
Wall Street’s most-watched gauge of investor anxiety, ‌the Cboe Volatility Index, jumped to an eight-week high of 20.69, Reuters reports. “We’ve certainly seen a meaningful reaction in the risk metrics, since Friday … it’s a very significant ‍shift,” Jim Carroll, senior wealth adviser and portfolio manager at Ballast Rock Private Wealth, commented to the newswire.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

20 January

There are a few headwinds for crypto and stock markets this week. The biggest one ruffling global markets is the latest tension between the US and countries in the European Union (EU) after President Trump threatened the bloc with sweeping tariffs.

Closer to crypto, The CLARITY Act, a key piece of crypto legislation aimed at creating a regulatory framework for the US crypto industry, has also faced hurdles following disagreements between political parties, as well as opposition from key players in the crypto industry over several provisions in the bill. The bill is set to be marked up later this month.

Bitcoin has dipped 2% overnight, with Ethereum down more than 3% and sharper declines across other parts of the crypto market. US stock markets were closed for a federal holiday yesterday, meaning the impact of the macro headwinds could only become clear when markets reopen later today.

In a crossover between crypto and pop culture, BitMine, the largest Ethereum treasury company, has invested $200 million into Beast Industries, founded by Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast on YouTube, the platform’s largest individual channel, with more than 450 million subscribers. Read more below.

As we head into the latter part of January, the Fed’s first interest rate meeting of the year will come increasingly into focus. The majority of the futures market is betting on the Fed keeping rates unchanged, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $3.168 trillion, down 2.2% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$91,063 down 2.24% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$3,110, down 3.2% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500

📈 Nasdaq 100

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

42/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 20 January 08:29 GMT.

Newsmaker

What does Ethereum and Mr Beast have in common?

BitMine Immersion Technologies, the largest ETH treasury company, is investing $200 million in Beast Industries, the company founded by Jimmy Donaldson, known as YouTuber MrBeast.
“I think it’s part of the sort of evolution of digital platforms and money, and I think it’s really uniting the No. 1 creator in the world with the biggest ethereum platform in the world,” BitMine chairman Tom Lee told CNBC.
The MrBeast YouTube channel has around 460 million subscribers, making it the most popular individual channel on the platform. The deal gives BitMine a stake in a brand with global reach across younger audiences.
Jeff Housenbold, CEO of Beast Industries, said the BitMine investment validates the company’s strategy as it pursues becoming “the most impactful entertainment brand in the world,” reports DL News.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

19 January

President Trump threatened the European Union with sweeping tariffs starting at 10% for not supporting US claims to Greenland, reigniting trade war fears. Trump said he would impose an additional 10% import tariff starting in February on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Britain, which would rise to 25% if a deal is not reached, Reuters reports. “Hopes that the tariff situation has calmed down for this year have been dashed for now — and we find ourselves in the same situation as last spring,” Berenberg chief economist Holger Schmieding commented to the publication.

Crypto markets saw notable pullbacks this morning, with Bitcoin dropping from above $95K to around $92.6K, where it appears to have found a temporary floor. Ethereum’s price fell by more than 3%, with some sharper reactions in other markets. The US stock market is yet to show a reaction, but it will be interesting to see how investors respond once markets open tomorrow, after today’s federal holiday.

On the regulatory front, the CLARITY Act remains top of mind, with the bill set to be marked up sometime towards the end of the month, around the same time as the Fed’s first meeting of the year.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $3.21 trillion, down 2.8% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$93,290 down 1.99% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$3,214, down 3% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

Down 0.06%.

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 0.07%.

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

45/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 19 January 09:33 GMT.

Newsmaker

Trump threatens EU with tariffs over Greenland

“Global markets are facing volatility after President Donald Trump vowed to slap tariffs on eight European nations until the U.S. is allowed to buy Greenland, injecting fresh trade uncertainty as stocks slid and the dollar broadly weakened,” Reuters reports.
US markets are closed today for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which means a delayed reaction on Wall Street.
“While you would argue that the tariffs threaten Europe, in fact, it’s actually the dollar that is bearing the brunt of it, because I think markets are pricing in increased political risk premia on ⁠the U.S. dollar,” Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at ANZ, told Reuters.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

16 January

Markets have taken a breather after a promising rally this week that saw the highest daily Bitcoin ETF inflows since October last year, with the market leader pushing toward $98K before fizzling and settling around the high $95Ks to end the week up 5%. Not to be outdone, Ethereum has rallied more than 6% over seven days. CoinDesk has an interesting story out reporting that the Ethereum network has seen a spike in user engagement over the past month, with most of it coming from new users.

The big news of the week has been a key piece of crypto regulation in the US, known as the CLARITY Act, which aims to create a framework for crypto in the US and designate which regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), oversees the asset class. The bill was set to be marked up this week, allowing policymakers from both Democrats and Republicans to provide input, but it has been postponed to later in January after key roleplayers from the crypto industry voiced strong opposition to many of the contents.

This places debate over the bill around the same time as the Federal Reserve’s interest rate meeting at the end of the month, with both circled in big red on the calendar for their importance. The CME FedWatch Tool shows that the majority of the futures market expects the Fed to keep interest rates unchanged for now. However, there’s an increasingly political twist to the decision, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell under criminal investigation for allegedly misstating figures related to upgrades to the Fed building. Powell says the probe is nothing more than pressure from the White House for not giving in to calls to cut interest rates.

With momentum building in crypto markets, a key Fed decision looming, and major crypto legislation back on the agenda, the latter half of January is shaping up to be an eventful one.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $3.22 trillion, down 0.9% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$95,503 down 1.1% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$3,304, down 0.7% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.26%.

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.32%.

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

50/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 15 January 07:50 GMT.

Newsmaker

Ethereum use on the rise

Ethereum activity has picked up over the past month, driven by new users interacting with the network for the first time.
“Data on Ethereum’s month-over-month activity retention shows a pronounced spike in the ‘new’ cohort — a metric that tracks wallets making their first recorded interaction on the blockchain within a given period,” CoinDesk reports.
The difference between new and existing user engagement is important. Spikes in on-chain activity can often be driven by existing users moving funds around more frequently, particularly during volatile periods. Growth driven by new wallets, though, points to wider interest in Ethereum itself, whether through decentralised finance, stablecoin usage, NFTs, or newer applications built on the network.

14 January

Crypto markets have come alive this morning, with the price of Bitcoin up more than 3% and Ethereum seeing a surge of 6%. The rally has lifted investor sentiment, with the Fear and Greed Index jumping 10 points overnight — still in neutral territory, but moving ever closer to Greed, last seen in October last year.

Crypto prices moved north while stocks broadly moved south overnight after a cooler December inflation print from the US yesterday, which could reinforce the Fed’s hands-off stance for now, say analysts. More on this in the news section. “This CPI report does not signal an inflation reacceleration, but it also does not provide the Federal Reserve with a strong justification for rapid easing,” Sung Won Sohn, chief economist at SS Economics and finance and economics professor at Loyola Marymount University, wrote in a note yesterday. “The most likely path is a gradual shift toward rate cuts over time, but with policymakers maintaining caution until shelter inflation and services inflation show clearer improvement,” Sohn added, according to CNN.

One analyst noted the current tension between the Fed and the White House, along with the recent CPI print, as tailwinds for Bitcoin and others. “Medium term, I think we could see investors allocate more to Bitcoin on a gold catch-up narrative — and other risk-on assets are having a great time,” Justin d’Anethan, head of research at Arctic Digital, told Bloomberg. The Fed episode highlights “the value of safe-haven and hard assets” over the US dollar, d’Anethan said.

Is this the breakout investors have been looking for, or another fade-out rally?

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

Approx. $3.337 trillion, up 3.6% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↗️

~$95,191 up 3.52% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$3,336, up 6.7% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

Down 0.19%.

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 0.18%.

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

52/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 14 January 08:25 GMT.

Newsmaker

Crypto markets come alive after December inflation print

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) numbers from the US released yesterday showed some lingering inflation pressures from December. Some economists say it could stem from sweeping import tariffs.
What does this mean for monetary policy throughout the year? Commenting to Reuters, Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Santander US Capital Markets, says, “It is worth noting that the core CPI has jumped by 0.4% and more in each ‍of the past four Januarys,” adding, “I would imagine that Fed officials are well aware of this history and are reserving judgment on inflation until they have a few more months of inflation data in hand.”
The Fed is broadly expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its meeting at the end of January, with 97% of the futures market betting on the Fed maintaining the current target range of 3.5%–3.75%.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

13 January

Federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, probing whether Powell lied to Congress about the size of the renovation of the Fed’s headquarters. “The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president,” Powell said in response. “This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions — or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.”

It marks an escalation in the situation between President Trump and Chair Powell, who has resisted calls from Trump to aggressively cut interest rates. Crypto and stock markets have been fairly muted following the news.

As CNN reports: “Stock market investors, for now, are shrugging off the Justice Department’s investigation into Powell. Investors might think efforts to undermine the Fed’s independence will fail, according to Paul Ashworth, chief North America economist at Capital Economics.”

Bitcoin is trading above $92K this morning, with the total crypto market cap unchanged over the past 24 hours. The broader US stock market has also remained sideways.

In regulatory news, the scheduled markup of the CLARITY Act, which was set to take place this Thursday, has been postponed to the last week of January. The move is aimed at preserving support from both Democrats and Republicans. Many crypto market watchers believe the outcome could meaningfully sway markets one way or the other.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

Approx. $3.217 trillion, up 0% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↗️

~$92,021 up 0.29% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$3,130, down 0.63% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.16%.

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.08%.

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

41/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 13 January 06:43 GMT.

Newsmaker

Markup of CLARITY Act postponed to late Jan

There’s an important crypto bill doing the round through the US congressional system at the moment. The US CLARITY Act was scheduled to be debated on Thursday but has been postponed to the last week of January. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman said the delay aims to preserve bipartisan support. It signals that a piece of legislation isn’t being pushed by just one side of the political aisle, but has enough cross-party agreement to advance through Congress.
The move signals that Senate leaders do not yet have the votes needed to advance the bill. Without enough backing across party lines, leadership risks seeing the legislation stall or collapse during committee votes.
The CLARITY Act would formally define which digital assets are treated as commodities versus securities, and set out the regulatory authority of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over different segments of the crypto market, addressing a long-standing source of legal ambiguity that has hampered the industry.
The bill could have significant impacts on crypto trading and investment if it becomes law. Supporters argue that clear regulatory boundaries and enhanced surveillance mechanisms to curb practices like wash trading and spoofing would boost investor confidence and attract institutional capital. As Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan says in a post on X, “If it sticks its head out but fails in Congress, the winter could continue. If instead it passes and is signed into law, we’re heading to new all-time highs.”

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

12 January

It’s a good day to start the week. There’s some price action in crypto and stock markets this morning, with Bitcoin up 1.2% and Ethereum seeing gains of around 2% overnight, after some sideways action last week following a promising rally that faded.

Sentiment remains Neutral, which is not all bad, considering the historic levels of Fear in markets late last year.

Looking at the macro, US jobs numbers came in cooler than expected on Friday. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ December report showed that employment rose 4.4% against an expected 4.5%. The bigger picture, though, is that 2025 was the worst year for hiring since 2020, when the pandemic stalled employment, but there are a few things to consider that may have skewed the numbers somewhat. More on this in the news breakdown below.

In crypto regulation, the Crypto Market Structure Bill is set to be formally reviewed and debated by a congressional committee on 15 January before it can move forward. It’s a major piece of legislation designed to create a clear federal regulatory framework for cryptocurrency markets. The aim is to define who regulates what, and how crypto trading, custody, and markets should work under US law. The bill stalled last year as the US government went into shutdown. There are a few ways this could play out, and it could be some time before a conclusion is reached by the parties involved. Regardless, traders will be keeping a close eye on this one.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

Approx. $3.21 trillion, up 1.2% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↗️

~$91,711, up 1.26% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$3,152, up 2% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.65%.

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 1%.

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

41/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 12 January 07:24 GMT.

Newsmaker

US jobs market slows, according to latest jobs report

Friday’s December report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the US employment market slowed in December and throughout the year, making 2025 the worst year for hiring since 2020, according to NBC News. The unemployment rate fell to 4.4%, compared with the forecast for 4.5%.
There are a few things to consider, though. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under Elon Musk’s supervision, laid off tens of thousands of government employees around October last year, and the numbers in the report have also been adjusted downward by the labour department.
“This isn’t a December to remember type of jobs report,” Eric Merlis, co-head of global markets at Citizens, commented to NBC. “The unemployment rate and broader labor force measures showed little movement in December,” he said.
“The jobs report is a mixed bag, with both positive and negative aspects,” Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth, told CNBC. “We continue to see an environment where companies are slow to hire and slow to fire. The overarching takeaway in today’s report is that there is more good news than bad in the first on-time jobs report in three months.”
Also commenting to CNBC, Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, said: “It’s fair to say that 2025 was a hiring recession in the United States,” Long wrote. “The United States is experiencing a jobless boom where growth is strong, but hiring is not. It’s a great scenario for Wall Street, but an uneasy feeling on Main Street.”

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

09 January

Happy Friday! Crypto and Wall Street are idling this morning, remaining virtually unchanged since yesterday. Bitcoin is hovering around $90K, with a few notable price spikes here and there. Solana added more than 3% to its price overnight, while Ethereum dipped negligibly by less than a percent.

Even so, earlier this week Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin claimed that the age-old blockchain trilemma has been solved with the latest upgrades to the network. “With Ethereum with PeerDAS (2025) and ZK-EVMs (expect small portions of the network using it in 2026), we get: decentralization, consensus, and high bandwidth,” he wrote in a post on X. More on this in the post below.

Looking to the US stock market, there’s equally lacklustre movement this morning, with investors possibly sitting on the sidelines until the latest US jobs numbers are released later today. It’s the first clear picture of the labour market since the resolution of the government shutdown, and could give policymakers and investors a better idea of how monetary policy unfolds this year.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

Approx. $3.19 trillion, up 0.4% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↗️

~$90,986, up 0.85% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

~$3,1113, down 0.1% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.007%.

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

Down 0.57%.

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

41/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 9 January 07:30 GMT.

Newsmaker

Has Ethereum solved the blockchain trilemma?

A long-standing hurdle for blockchain networks has been balancing security with decentralisation and scalability. If you lean into one, it’s generally at the expense of the others.
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, says that recent upgrades to Ethereum have solved this problem. “The trilemma has been solved – not on paper, but with live running code, of which one half (data availability sampling) is on mainnet today, and the other half (ZK-EVMs) is production-quality on performance today – safety is what remains,” noted Buterin.
“Now that ZKEVMs are at alpha stage (production-quality performance, remaining work is safety) and PeerDAS is live on mainnet, it’s time to talk more about what this combination means for Ethereum,” he wrote on X. “These are not minor improvements; they are shifting Ethereum into being a fundamentally new and more powerful kind of decentralized network.”

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

08 January

Happy Thursday. There’s some profit-taking after the rally earlier this week, with the price of Bitcoin down roughly 2% overnight but still in the green by 3% over seven days. Ethereum is seeing a deeper drawdown. Despite a few red candles this morning, Dogecoin and XRP are still up 21% and 14% over seven days, respectively.

With Bitcoin having now moved a leg up from $87K to between $90K and $92K, investors are wondering where it goes next from here. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan argues that Bitcoin needs to check three boxes to move higher. The first is clearing any doubts about another blowup similar to what happened in October, which crypto markets are still recovering from. Investors have put this in the rearview, he says. Secondly, there’s a key piece of legislation tabled in the US called the CLARITY Bill, which is scheduled for review around the middle of January. Policymakers say it could happen as early as May and almost certainly by the end of the year. The third key factor is that the equity market doesn’t fall apart due to an AI bubble or some other event. With Bitcoin investors rejecting a dip below $90K yesterday, where will it go next?

On the institutional front, investment banks continue their foray into crypto. JP Morgan has launched its JP Morgan coin, a more centralised version of a stablecoin, on the Canton network after launching on Base.

Broadly, the Fear and Greed Index continues to reflect neutral sentiment among investors, after spending much of the latter part of the year in Fear and dipping into historic fear levels.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $3.18 trillion, down 2.7% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$90,551, down 2.3% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$3,123, down 4.06% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Down 0.34%.

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.05%.

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

43/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 8 January 08:47 GMT.

Newsmaker

Investors await tomorrow’s jobs data from US

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the latest employment data tomorrow.
Expectations are for a modest pickup in US non-farm payrolls for December, with estimates ranging between 55,000 and 75,000 jobs added, suggesting the labour market is cooling but still holding up.
The US non-farm payrolls numbers are a key indicator of the health of the labour market, which is tied to inflation. If payrolls come in stronger than expected, it could signal that the economy is still heating up, which may increase the chances the Fed holds rates higher for longer to keep inflation in check. On the other hand, if payrolls are weaker than expected, it suggests the labour market is cooling, giving the Fed more room to cut interest rates or slow future hikes without risking runaway inflation.
The Fed was divided in its last meeting on whether to pause or cut rates throughout the rest of the year, which gives these numbers extra relevance. It will also be the first clear picture of the state of the labour market since the US government shutdown was resolved.

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

07 January

Morgan Stanley has entered the conversation. After sitting on the sidelines while many of its peers launched crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the asset manager has filed for Bitcoin and Solana ETFs. “It’s interesting to see Morgan Stanley move into a commoditised market, and I suspect that means they want to move clients who invest in bitcoin into their ETFs, which could give them a fast start despite their late entrance,” Reuters quoted Bryan Armour, an ETF analyst at Morningstar. “A bank entering the crypto ETF market adds legitimacy to it, and others could follow.”

Jeff Park, analyst and CIO at ProCap, commented in an X post: “It means the market is MUCH bigger than even crypto professionals anticipated, especially to reach NEW customers. It is unheard of for a vanilla ETF product to launch TWO YEARS after the first to market has already secured the liquidity throne…,” adding, “bullish Morgan Stanley and Bitwise as a proud alum of both.” Read more below.

Bitcoin and Solana prices saw an initial jolt following the news but have since eased off this morning, with US markets still after hours.

Bitcoin is trading between $92,500 and $93,000 at the time of writing, while the total crypto market cap remains virtually unchanged. Ethereum has added a small blip of green overnight.

The big news in the stock market is Jensen Huang, President and CEO of Nvidia, announcing the company’s foray into self-driving cars.

In macro news, geopolitical tensions between the US and others continue to dominate the narrative, but stocks and crypto markets appear to have taken the uncertainty in their stride.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

Approx. $3.27 trillion, down 0.1% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

~$92,750, down 0.55% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$3,253, up 0.98% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.62%.

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.94%.

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

49/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 7 January 08:07 GMT.

Newsmaker

Morgan Stanley has entered the conversation

The bank announced it has filed for Solana and Bitcoin ETFs, after patiently sitting on the sidelines since the launch of the first US crypto ETF in January 2024.
Morgan Stanley hasn’t disclosed much other than details around the initial filing, but analysts say it’s a sign of market demand for this type of investment product.
In a post on X, analyst Jeff Park notes: “This signals that despite IBIT being the fastest ETF in history to reach $80Bn in AUM (roughly 1/5th the time it took for second place VOO), there is enough untapped interest as viably researched and ascertained through MS’ proprietary wealth channels that they are willing to bet that a branded product has commercial viability. It means we are still so early.”

06 January

Welcome to the first daily crypto briefing of 2026. Crypto markets have broadly had a good start to 2026, with many showing price jumps of more than 10% over seven days. XRP is among the leaders, adding ~27% to its price over this timeframe. Bitcoin peeked above $94K yesterday for the first time since November, when it tagged that price on the way down from $104K during a historic sell-off. This time, it’s on the way up from the low $80Ks as investors reassess positions and factor in global events.

The main one of these is US military action in Venezuela. The Block reports that Jeff Ko, chief analyst at CoinEx Research, said that with traditional markets closed over the weekend, crypto markets became the primary liquid venue for absorbing the news, with the rally indicating that investors broadly interpreted the developments as generally bullish for risk assets. BlackRock said in a note that the current
developments between the US and the South American nation are unlikely to have major implications for global markets. “We expect limited near-term impact and a slightly negative longer-term impact on oil prices, so oil isn’t a transmission channel to global markets,” it added, noting that “we find that markets do not sustainably reposition for binary geopolitical risks even when risks rise.” The company’s position remains risk-on despite the geopolitical tension.

The US Federal Reserve again lowered interest rates by another 0.25% at its meeting last week, but policymakers were divided on whether to cut or remain neutral in 2026. “With respect to the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, some participants suggested that, under their economic outlooks, it would likely be appropriate to keep the target range unchanged for some time after a lowering of the range at this meeting,” the minutes said. The 19 officials at the December meeting indicated the likelihood of another cut in 2026, followed by one more in 2027, CNBC reported.

The Fear and Greed Index is showing neutral sentiment among crypto investors, a positive change after spending most of November and December last year in Fear.

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

Approx. $3.21 trillion, up 2.3% overnight.

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↗️

~$93,846, up 1.68% in 24 hours.

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

~$3,234, up 2.68% in 24 hours.

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

Up 0.64%.

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

Up 0.77%.

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

49/100 in Neutral

Data is correct as at 6 January 06:53 GMT.

Newsmaker

XRP marks strongest price jump since November

The price of XRP jumped by more than 10% yesterday, its strongest performance since November. In what’s been a solid week for crypto markets, XRP has surged by more than 25% over seven days.
“We recently saw a breakout from a falling wedge pattern, with the price sustaining above its 50 day moving average, classic markers for positive momentum,” Rachael Lucas, crypto analyst at BTC Markets said, according to The Block. “At the same time, short positions in XRP were aggressively liquidated, over $250 million in an hour, clear evidence that aggressive buying and short covering are fuelling rapid upside.”

*Investing in cryptocurrency may result in the loss of capital. This information should not be construed as a solicitation to trade. All opinions, news, research, analysis, prices or other information is provided as general market commentary for information purposes only and is not investment advice or recommendation. Luno always advises you to obtain your own independent financial advice before investing or trading in cryptocurrency.

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Daily Briefing: Nvidia’s massive OpenAI deal, BlackRock’s ETH staking ETF, and Trump’s State of the Union

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↗️

📈 S&P 500 ↗️

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↗️

🔴 Fear & Greed Index

Newsmaker

BlackRock announces ETH staking ETF

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

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🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

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🟠 Fear & Greed Index

Newsmaker

Walmart set to release earnings later today under new CEO leadership

Luno’s all-new Blue Chip+ Bundle: Diversify across big tech and crypto in one investment

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

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🟠 Fear & Greed Index

Newsmaker

Trump gives the green light for the Crypto Market Structure Bill

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

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🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

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🟠 Fear & Greed Index

Newsmaker

The rise of stablecoins as an everyday financial tool

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

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🟠 Fear & Greed Index

Newsmaker

Lower inflation numbers from the US

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↗️

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

Newsmaker

New crypto advisory committee formed by US financial regulator

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↗️

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↗️

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↗️

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

Newsmaker

BlackRock pushes further into DeFi with BUIDL on Uniswap

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️

🟠 Bitcoin (BTC) ↘️

🟣 Ethereum (ETH) ↘️

🟡Gold (per ounce) ↘️

📈 S&P 500 ↘️

📈 Nasdaq 100 ↘️

🟠 Fear & Greed Index

Newsmaker

Wall Street bankers and crypto industry remain divided on crypto bill

🌍 Total crypto market cap ↘️