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Germany’s DZ Bank Secures MiCAR License for Retail Crypto Platform

Zabi
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Germany’s DZ Bank Secures MiCAR License for Retail Crypto Platform

Germany’s cooperative banking sector is taking a decisive step toward regulated crypto adoption after DZ Bank secured authorization under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR). 

The approval clears the way for the rollout of meinKrypto, a trading platform enabling retail customers to access digital assets through their local cooperative banks under a regulated framework.

Key Data Points

  • Germany’s financial regulator, BaFin, approved DZ Bank’s crypto platform, meinKrypto, in late December 2025.
  • The service can be offered by up to 670 Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken, subject to individual regulatory notification.
  • Trading will initially cover Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Litecoin.

MiCAR Approval Lays the Regulatory Groundwork

The German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) granted MiCAR authorization to DZ Bank at the end of December 2025. As the central institution of Germany’s cooperative banking network, DZ Bank plays a coordinating role for hundreds of local banks across the country.

This approval establishes the legal foundation for operating a compliant crypto trading infrastructure. Consequently, DZ Bank can offer meinKrypto as a centralized service to participating cooperative banks. While the platform is now authorized, its availability to customers will depend on decisions made by individual institutions.

How Cooperative Banks Can Join

Following DZ Bank’s authorization, Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken must take their own regulatory steps before offering crypto trading. Specifically, each bank must submit a MiCAR notification to BaFin before activating the service.

Therefore, participation is expected to vary across the network. Once approved, meinKrypto will be integrated into the existing VR banking app, where it will function as a self-managed wallet for customers. DZ Bank emphasized that each cooperative bank will independently decide whether and when to introduce the offering.

Asset Coverage and Technical Setup

At launch, meinKrypto will support four cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Litecoin. DZ Bank has not yet disclosed plans to expand the asset list beyond this initial group.

Furthermore, the platform was developed jointly by DZ Bank and Atruvia, the cooperative banking group’s IT service provider. Meanwhile, crypto custody will be handled by Stuttgart Stock Exchange Digital, which will safeguard customer assets.

Growing Interest Across the Sector

This move aligns with the rising demand for crypto services within the cooperative banking sector. For instance, in September 2025, the German Cooperative Banking Association surveyed 670 Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken on their digital asset strategies.

The survey revealed that 71% of respondents were exploring crypto offerings such as Bitcoin and Ethereum trading, up from 54% a year ago.

Moreover, around one-third of banks considering crypto said they planned to launch services within five months, highlighting growing momentum ahead of MiCAR implementation.

Parallel Push Into Euro Stablecoins

Alongside its crypto trading initiative, DZ Bank is also expanding into digital currencies through stablecoins. In a separate announcement, the bank confirmed it had joined Qivalis, a European banking consortium focused on issuing a regulated euro stablecoin.

The consortium includes 11 banks and plans to launch the stablecoin via a newly established Dutch entity, also named Qivalis. According to Qivalis CEO Jan-Oliver Sell, DZ Bank’s participation strengthens the consortium’s commitment to a fully MiCAR-compliant structure.

Currently, Qivalis is seeking authorization from the German National Bank to operate as an e-money institution, with a market launch targeted for the second half of 2026.

Taken together, the meinKrypto platform and the stablecoin initiative position DZ Bank at the center of Germany’s regulated crypto expansion. Overall, both initiatives reflect a cautious but structured approach to digital assets within the cooperative banking system.

Solana Price Prediction for Jan 14: SOL Must Break This Bollinger Band Resistance

Albert Brown
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Solana Price Prediction for Jan 14: SOL Must Break This Bollinger Band Resistance

The Solana price faces critical resistance at the upper Bollinger Band, with a breakout needed for continued bullish momentum or risk consolidation.

Solana (SOL) has shown a notable price increase over the past 24 hours, trading at $144 amid a 2.9% rise within this period. The asset spiked to $147.08, testing key resistance levels. However, SOL has yet to break past the $147 resistance, which will be crucial for further bullish movement.

Compared to Bitcoin, Solana has performed well in the last 24 hours, with BTC showing a 0.3% decline. Over the past 7 days, Solana has recorded a 4.1% increase, while the 14-day performance shows a 15% increase. Solana’s ability to sustain this momentum will depend on breaking key resistance levels and broader market conditions.

Solana Price Prediction

The 4-hour TradingView chart indicates that Solana recently faced rejection at the upper Bollinger Band near $146.5, which suggests that the current bullish momentum may be losing steam unless a breakout occurs. Moreover, the Bollinger Bands indicate that the market is experiencing increased volatility, and the rejection at the upper band signals potential resistance.

Solana 4-Hour Price Chart
Solana 4-Hour Price Chart

Additionally, the True Strength Index is currently at 24.54, showing positive momentum, while the signal line rests at 16.94, indicating that the momentum is still strong but not yet fully overbought. For Solana to maintain its bullish trend and continue its upward movement, it will need to break above the $146.5 resistance level. 

If the price manages to clear this barrier, it could set up a potential rally towards levels like $148.2, whereas failure to break this resistance may lead to consolidation or even a pullback to lower levels like $140 or $134.

Solana Case Scenarios

Elsewhere, an analyst UB from X highlights a significant resistance level for Solana, which has been tested multiple times over the past two months. This level, seen near $141.17, has proven to be crucial, with the price only breaking it once. UB suggests that this price point can serve as a foundation for both long and short setups, depending on how the market reacts. 

Solana Prediction
Solana Prediction

A break above this level could trigger a bullish breakout, offering a long setup for traders. However, if the price fails to hold above and instead reclaims the level after a brief deviation, it could signal a short setup.

SEC Approves Bitwise Chainlink Spot ETF to Trade on NYSE

Zabi
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SEC Approves Bitwise Chainlink Spot ETF to Trade on NYSE

Bitwise has secured regulatory approval to launch a Chainlink exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the United States.

The move marks another milestone in the expansion of regulated crypto investment products. The ETF will trade on NYSE Arca under the ticker CLNK, offering investors direct price exposure to Chainlink’s native token, LINK, through a traditional market structure—without the need to hold or manage the underlying asset.

Key Data Points

  • The Bitwise spot Chainlink ETF will trade on NYSE Arca under the ticker CLNK.
  • Approval followed the firm’s Form 8-A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, with trading expected to begin this week.
  • The fund carries a 0% management fee for its first three months on assets up to $500 million.
  • It launched with $2.5 million in seed capital, representing 100,000 shares priced at $25 each.
  • LINK rose more than 6% over the past 24 hours, trading near $14, according to CoinMarketCap data.

Regulatory Approval Broadens Investor Access

With regulatory clearance secured, the ETF allows investors to track Chainlink’s price performance without directly owning LINK. The approval follows Bitwise’s completion of its required Form 8-A registration with the SEC. The firm currently manages approximately $15 billion in crypto-related assets.

This approval builds on the broader acceptance of spot crypto ETFs in the U.S. market. Consequently, investor access is expanding beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum into select altcoins.

Fee Structure and Fund Setup

To encourage early adoption, Bitwise is waiving management fees for the fund’s first three months, or until assets reach $500 million. After the introductory period, the ETF will be subject to a 0.34% per-annum management fee, in line with comparable crypto investment products.

At launch, the fund was seeded with $2.5 million. Coinbase Custody will safeguard the LINK holdings, while BNY will provide cash custody services, offering institutional-grade infrastructure and risk controls.

Bitwise has also identified staking as a potential future enhancement. While no timeline has been confirmed, the firm has named Attestant Ltd. as its preferred staking provider should the feature be introduced.

Market Reaction to the Announcement

LINK saw increased market activity immediately following news of the ETF approval. Specifically, the token gained more than 6% within 24 hours, accompanied by a nearly 80% surge in trading volume, signaling renewed trader engagement.

Derivatives metrics supported the move. Futures open interest climbed to approximately $665 million, indicating fresh capital inflows rather than transient speculative activity.

LINK chart | CoinMarketCap
LINK chart | CoinMarketCap

Commenting on the price action, analyst Ali Martinez noted on X that LINK could advance toward $14.63, which he identified as the upper boundary of the current trading channel. He added that no significant resistance appears to stand in the way before that level.

Positioning Within the LINK ETF Landscape

The Bitwise fund becomes the second U.S.-listed spot ETF tied to Chainlink. It follows the recent conversion of Grayscale’s Chainlink Trust into a spot ETF, now trading under the ticker GLNK. Since its approval last month, GLNK has accumulated $87.5 million in assets, according to available data.

Taken together, these developments highlight the growing range of regulated, institutional-grade avenues for LINK exposure in U.S. markets.

Clarity Act Now Puts XRP on Equal Legal Footing With Bitcoin and Ethereum

Lele Jima
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Clarity Act Now Puts XRP on Equal Legal Footing With Bitcoin and Ethereum

Crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett has pointed out a key provision in the draft of the U.S. Digital Asset Market Clarity Act that could place XRP in the same category as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

She explained in a post on X that lawmakers plan to treat certain digital assets as non-securities if they are already backed by an exchange-traded product (ETP) as of January 1, 2026.

Notably, the bill introduces a new label called “network tokens”. If a token is the main asset behind an ETP listed on a U.S. exchange by that date, it would not be considered a security and would therefore avoid additional disclosure requirements.

Under this proposal, Terrett said XRP would be legally treated the same as Bitcoin and Ethereum once the Clarity Act becomes law.

Key Points

  • The bill introduces “network tokens” as a distinct, non-security category.
  • Crypto assets backing nationally listed ETPs as of January 1, 2026, will automatically qualify for inclusion in this category.
  • XRP meets this requirement due to its existing ETF products, which gained approval last year.
  • The provision would allow U.S. regulators to treat XRP the same way as Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Potential Implications for XRP

Notably, the provision reflects a market-driven regulatory approach. Rather than forcing regulators to assess decentralization levels or issuer control on a case-by-case basis, the bill relies on established financial infrastructure, specifically nationally listed ETPs, to determine which tokens qualify as non-securities.

This approach is especially significant for XRP. The token already underpins multiple ETPs that are listed and actively trading in the U.S., all of which secured approval well ahead of the January 1, 2026, deadline. Given XRP’s lengthy history of regulatory scrutiny, this development represents a meaningful shift in how U.S. law could ultimately treat the asset.

A Long Road to Regulatory Recognition

XRP’s inclusion in the network-token category would mark a major milestone in its regulatory evolution. The token launched in 2012, during a period of minimal regulatory guidance, and operated alongside Bitcoin and other early cryptocurrencies.

However, in 2020, XRP became a central figure in U.S. crypto regulation after the SEC alleged it was an unregistered security in its lawsuit against Ripple. That pressure eased in July 2023, when a federal court ruled that XRP is not inherently a security.

Now, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act would cement XRP’s non-security status in law, grounding it in market-structure legislation beyond courtroom rulings. Ultimately, the bill would place XRP on equal legal footing with Bitcoin and Ethereum, which regulators consider to be commodities.

Present Status of the Clarity Act

Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee has postponed its planned markup of crypto market structure legislation, thereby avoiding what was shaping up to be a rare case of dueling markups in Congress.

According to a statement shared by Terrett, Committee Chairman John Boozman confirmed that the panel will now consider the legislation in the last week of January, rather than moving forward this Thursday alongside the Senate Banking Committee. He added that the delay is necessary to allow additional time to preserve bipartisan support for the bill.

A Sustained Shiba Inu Breakout Hinges on a Positive Crypto Market

Elendu Benedict
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A Sustained Shiba Inu Breakout Hinges on a Positive Crypto Market

SHIB KNIGHT, a long-standing crypto investor, highlighted a breakout for Shiba Inu but suggested it would need a positive crypto market to sustain.

The analyst raised this sentiment in a recent tweet. According to him, SHIB could resume its price recovery, but he identified the need for cryptocurrencies to align with a broader bullish global market trend.

Key Points

  • Shiba Inu is trading within a descending triangle, which began forming after its short-lived rally to a high of $0.00001009 on January 5.
  • SHIB KNIGHT highlighted a breakout possibility for Shiba Inu but suggested it would need a positive crypto market to happen.
  • He noted that SHIB could resume its price recovery, but he also identified the need for cryptocurrencies to align with broader global market trends.
  • SHIB’s 7% rally yesterday to $0.00000912 broke it above the triangle’s upper resistance, but it needs to hold above the triangle’s resistance trendline around $0.00000862 to confirm this.
  • For Shiba Inu to thrive, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP with higher market dominance must remain stable.
  • Meanwhile, the total crypto market cap rose by over 4% in the past 24 hours to reclaim $3.24 trillion, suggesting momentum.
  • This suggests that momentum is slowly creeping back into the crypto space, a condition that could drive Shiba Inu’s sustained breakout.

Analyst Suggests Shiba Inu Breakout from Descending Triangle

SHIB KNIGHT noted that he is closely monitoring a Shiba Inu breakout. An accompanying chart shows the token traded within a descending triangle, which began forming after its short-lived rally to a high of $0.00001009 on January 5.

Shiba Inu Breakout/SHIB KNIGHT
Shiba Inu Breakout/SHIB KNIGHT

After consolidating within the triangle, SHIB has broken out. The token’s 7% rally yesterday to $0.00000912 pushed it above the triangle’s upper resistance. Meanwhile, SHIB has retraced to $0.00000882 at the time of writing.

To confirm this breakout, SHIB must hold above the triangle’s resistance trendline, which the chart shows was around $0.00000862.

Why Shiba Inu Needs a Positive Crypto Market

Notably, the global markets, especially the metal category, are buzzing. Silver has climbed to another new all-time high of $91.5, extending its recent positive run of form. Gold also followed suit, hitting a new all-time high of $4,639 early Wednesday.

However, according to SHIB KNIGHT, crypto was not replicating this broader bullish move. While he keeps an eye on the breakout for Shiba Inu, he also seems to be paying attention to how the broader market performs.

But why does this matter for Shiba Inu? As a speculative asset backed majorly by community support, Shiba Inu has minimal to no use cases. As a result, it tends to move in step with the broader crypto market. For Shiba Inu to thrive, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP with higher market dominance must remain stable.

Crypto Market Shows Signs of Life

Meanwhile, the total crypto market cap rose by over 4% in the past 24 hours to reclaim $3.24 trillion, suggesting momentum. Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market cap, led this rally, rising by over 5% on Tuesday. It increased from around $90,950 to an intraday high above $96,000 before correcting slightly to $94,700 at the time of writing.

Ethereum also grew by 6% to reach $3,322, and XRP rallied nearly 4% to change hands at $2.14. This suggests that momentum is slowly creeping back into the crypto space, a condition that could drive Shiba Inu’s sustained breakout and actualize SHIB KNIGHT’s $0.00001200 target.

Important Caveat

Notably, while the cryptocurrency has shown signs of recovery, there is no guarantee that this momentum will continue. A similar rally occurred earlier in January, but what followed was a period of retracement, during which major assets relinquished their gains.

Moreover, a bullish crypto market still does not guarantee that Shiba Inu will thrive. Conclusively, SHIB KNIGHT’s analysis is not financial advice.

Bitcoin Breakout Above $96,000 Drives $678M in Market Liquidations

Zabi
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0
Bitcoin Breakout Above $96,000 Drives $678M in Market Liquidations

Bitcoin surged on Tuesday, briefly reaching a two-month high as traders unwound bearish positions and rotated capital into other cryptocurrencies.

The rally gained momentum after Bitcoin pushed through the $95,000 resistance, a price that had capped multiple rallies in recent months. Consequently, the breakout forced heavily leveraged traders to exit short positions, accelerating the advance and reinforcing bullish conviction.

Key Data Points

  • Bitcoin reached $96,450 on Tuesday, its highest level in two months
  • More than $678 million in futures positions were liquidated over the past 24 hours
  • Bitcoin crossed $96,000 for the first time since November
  • Futures open interest fell from $31.5 billion to $30.6 billion in one day
  • DASH climbed to its highest level since 2021

Break Above $95,000 Reshapes Market Structure

The move above $95,000 marked a clear inflection point for Bitcoin’s short-term market structure. Traders had been closely monitoring this level after several failed breakout attempts earlier in the cycle.

Bitcoin was rejected near the same price on December 3, December 10, and January 5. However, this time, sustained buying pressure proved sufficient to overwhelm sellers and push prices decisively higher.

As the level gave way, approximately $591.16 million in short positions were liquidated. Futures open interest dropped sharply, indicating a reduction in leverage and a shift toward spot-driven demand.

Crypto Liquidations Stats
Crypto Liquidations Stats

Altcoins Rally as Confidence Spreads

The renewed momentum quickly spilled into the broader market. Following Bitcoin’s breakout, capital rotated into altcoins, driving widespread gains after a prolonged corrective phase.

Ethereum rose 6.52% over 24 hours to $3,327. Optimism (OP) advanced 13%, while Celestia (TIA) and Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) gained roughly 10% each.

DASH stood out earlier in the session, climbing to a multi-year high on strong volume. As of press time, the token is trading at $59.74, representing a 33% increase over the past 24 hours.

As altcoins outperformed, Bitcoin’s dominance slipped from 59.3% on December 24 to 58%, according to CoinMarketCap. The decline suggests traders are increasingly diversifying exposure beyond Bitcoin as confidence improves.

Sentiment Recovers After Extended Weakness

The rally follows months of cautious positioning across the crypto market. Bitcoin had been widely perceived as lacking strong bullish catalysts when it entered 2026.

A major $19 billion liquidation event in October 2025 left markets deeply oversold. In response, many investors reduced crypto exposure and redirected capital toward assets such as gold, silver, and AI-related equities.

During that period, the crypto fear and greed index repeatedly fell into “extreme fear” territory, a condition that has historically coincided with market stabilization and eventual recoveries.

Traders Focus on Key Levels Ahead

With momentum rebuilding, attention has shifted to whether Bitcoin can maintain $94,500 as a new support level. A sustained hold could open the door to a move toward $99,000, an area that acted as support between June and November and may now serve as resistance.

Conversely, a failure to defend $94,500 could see Bitcoin fall back into its previous range between $85,000 and $94,500. As a result, short-term price action around this level is likely to play a decisive role in determining near-term market direction.

XRP ETFs Have Now Recovered the $40M Outflow Recorded Earlier This Year

Sam Wisdom Raphael
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XRP ETFs Have Now Recovered the $40M Outflow Recorded Earlier This Year

The XRP ETFs have now officially recovered the $40 million worth of capital outflow they recorded earlier this year.

This comes on the back of the latest inflow data, as the products attracted $12.98 million worth of capital influx on Jan. 13, according to data provided by market analytics resource Sosovalue. From here, the XRP ETFs are now on track to augment their cumulative inflow after rebounding from the setback.

For context, following an impressive start, which saw the XRP ETFs record 35 trading days of consecutive inflows, the highest for any crypto-related ETF, the products witnessed their first outflow on Jan. 7, 2026, with $40.8 million worth of capital exit. However, after four trading days, the ETFs have now recovered this lost capital.

Key Data Points

  • The first XRP ETF, a product from Canary Capital, launched on Nov. 13, 2025, and brought in $245 million on its debut.
  • This product continued to see inflows until ETFs from Bitwise, Grayscale, Franklin Templeton, and 21Shares emerged, also in late 2024.
  • All five ETFs crossed the $1 billion cumulative inflow milestone on Dec. 15, after 21 days of consistent inflows.
  • The funds ended 2025 with a $5.58 million inflow on Dec. 31, boasting $1.17 billion in cumulative netflows at the time and maintaining its positive flow streak.
  • This positive momentum spilled into the new year, as the ETFs recorded inflows worth $13.59 million, $46.1 million, and $19.12 million in the first three trading days.

XRP ETFs Recoup Lost Capital

However, following the impressive run of form during their first trading days this year, the XRP ETFs recorded their first outflow on Jan. 7, worth $40.8 million. 

Interestingly, while some suggested that the Jan. 7 figure would mark the first of multiple outflows to come in the following days, the ETFs quickly flipped the trend, resuming their positive momentum from Jan. 8. With the latest inflow, they have now recorded four consecutive days of capital influx since the Jan. 7 outflow. 

Notably, the XRP ETFs saw $12.98 million worth of inflow on Jan. 13. This brought the cumulative inflows since Jan. 8 to $41.67 million, allowing the products to recover the $40.8 million outflow. As a result, their total inflow since launch now stands at $1.25 billion.

XRP ETFs Netflow Sosovalue
XRP ETFs Netflow | Sosovalue

How Do XRP ETFs Compare to Other Crypto ETFs?

With $1.25 billion in total cumulative netflows, XRP ETFs rank third among the largest ETFs by inflows, only behind Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). For context, Bitcoin ETFs, which launched in January 2024, boast cumulative inflows worth $57.27 billion. Meanwhile, ETH ETFs, launched in July 2024, have recorded $12.57 billion in inflows.

Despite Solana ETFs launching more than two weeks before their XRP counterparts, they have not yet crossed the $1 billion inflow milestone, with netflows now sitting at $833.51 million. Notably, Solana ETFs have only witnessed three days of capital outflows.

Meanwhile, ETFs linked to other crypto assets besides BTC, ETH, XRP, and SOL have all seen negligible figures. Specifically, DOGE ETFs have recorded $6.58 million worth of inflows since November 2025. Chainlink ETFs hold a record of $63.78 million in netflows, while the Litecoin product from Canary Capital has only witnessed $8.07 million.

Data Shows the Latest Bitcoin Rebound May Not Be Sustainable

Sam Wisdom Raphael
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Data Shows the Latest Bitcoin Rebound May Not Be Sustainable

The latest Bitcoin rebound push, which began earlier in the year, may be unsustainable due to the absence of retail demand.

IT Tech, a pseudonymous CryptoQuant author, revealed this in one of his latest market commentaries. According to him, during periods of sustained upward push from Bitcoin (BTC), demand from retail investors typically spikes considerably. 

However, while BTC has recently moved to recover from the 23% decline it recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025, increasing 5% this year to first reclaim $90,000, retail demand seems to be nonexistent this time. As a result, IT Tech has advised investors to remain cautious. 

To highlight this trend, the market analyst shared the Bitcoin Retail Investor (Volume $0 to $10K) Demand 30D Change chart from CryptoQuant. Notably, this chart tracks changes in Bitcoin demand from small investors, bordering on transfers worth $10,000 or less.

Bitcoin Retail Demand Chart CryptoQuant
Bitcoin Retail Demand Chart | CryptoQuant

Key Points

  • While Bitcoin’s price appears to be recovering from the Q4 2025 downtrend, the indicator has dropped to -10%, showing selloffs among retail.
  • According to IT Tech, as Bitcoin’s price has increased toward the top of its range, the drop in retail demand is a bearish sign.
  • The analyst stressed that this suggests large investors are solely behind the ongoing rebound effort.
  • He believes the upside potential remains fragile as long as this trend holds, and any correction that emerges could significantly damage price action.
  • As a result, IT Tech urged investors to regard the latest Bitcoin rebound as a “cautious, late-cycle” phase until the retail demand indicator pushes back above 0.

Why Retail Demand is Important for a Sustained Uptrend

Retail investors have an important role in every strong Bitcoin rally because they bring in fresh capital once the early gains attract attention. Specifically, institutional buyers often move first, but retail activity usually determines how long and how far the trend runs. 

Notably, when everyday traders enter the market, trading volume grows, sentiment turns optimistic, and price spikes become easier to sustain. Without this, the market depends too heavily on a smaller group of participants, which would limit its upside potential.

Right now, retail demand remains negative, which suggests that many smaller investors are selling instead of buying. This creates weak support beneath Bitcoin’s current rebound. If retail traders stay on the sidelines or continue to take profit, the market loses one of its most reliable sources of sustained buying pressure. 

How Retail Demand Has Historically Held Bitcoin’s Rallies

Historical data from the CryptoQuant chart confirms how retail participation has been crucial for past BTC rallies. For instance, the trend played out during the 2021 bull cycle. Specifically, Bitcoin’s rise from $35,000 to $69,000 by November of that year coincided with an increase in retail demand to 15%.

The same pattern appeared again in September 2023. Bitcoin advanced from $25,927 to $73,794, with retail investors supporting this uptrend, as the indicator approached 20%. Interestingly, one of the largest spikes in retail demand occurred in late 2024 and coincided with Bitcoin’s rise above $100,000.

What Analysts Are Saying About Bitcoin’s Current Position 

Meanwhile, analysts remain cautious on Bitcoin’s price action amid the current uncertainty. For context, after rising to a yearly high of $94,792, BTC faced resistance and corrected. Now, the crypto asset changes hands at $92,383, up 5.57% this month.

Despite the caution, Michaël van de Poppe believes the market trend has begun flipping to Bitcoin’s favor, as the crypto asset has continued to “attack” the $92,000 mark while holding above the 21-day EMA at $90,466.

Bitcoin 1D Chart Michael van de Poppe
Bitcoin 1D Chart | Michael van de Poppe

Standard Chartered: Ethereum Could Hit $7,500 This Year and Outpace Bitcoin

Albert Brown
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Standard Chartered: Ethereum Could Hit $7,500 This Year and Outpace Bitcoin

Ethereum is increasingly being viewed as the stronger long-term performer compared to Bitcoin, according to a new outlook from Standard Chartered.

The bank believes Ethereum’s fundamentals have improved enough to support the sustained outperformance of Bitcoin.

This outlook comes as Bitcoin and the broader crypto market attempt another recovery. Bitcoin is up 1.68% over the past day, trading at $92,500, while Ethereum is up 1.45%, trading at $3,150.

While both assets often see similar percentage price moves, Standard Chartered believes Ethereum may soon break out significantly, leaving Bitcoin behind.

Key Data Points

  • Ethereum is gaining institutional favor as stronger fundamentals support long-term outperformance vs Bitcoin.

  • Standard Chartered highlights Ethereum’s dominance in DeFi, stablecoins, and real-world assets.

  • Major Ethereum upgrades in 2026 could boost speed, efficiency, and network scalability.

  • Regulatory clarity and rising adoption could push ETH toward $7,500 this year, the bank says.

  • Standard Chartered projects Ethereum to deliver 10x–12x returns long term, compared to just 4x–5x from Bitcoin.

Institutional Demand, Dominance in Stablecoins, DeFi, and Real-World Assets

Standard Chartered points to rising institutional interest in Ethereum as a key driver behind its improved outlook.

While Bitcoin remains the dominant store-of-value asset, Ethereum is benefiting from deeper utility across multiple segments of the crypto economy. This shift is gradually changing how large investors allocate capital within digital assets.

Moreover, Ethereum’s leadership in stablecoins, decentralized finance (DeFi), and real-world asset tokenization is highlighted as a major advantage. Most stablecoin liquidity and DeFi activity continues to settle on Ethereum, reinforcing its position as the primary settlement layer for on-chain financial activity.

In other words, as tokenized assets gain adoption, Ethereum could capture a large share of this growth.

Ethereum Network Upgrades and Regulatory Clarity Add Upside

Another factor is Ethereum’s improved network throughput, which strengthens ETH’s investment case. Ongoing scalability upgrades are making the network more efficient and attractive for both users and developers.

In particular, in 2026, Ethereum will deploy two major upgrades, Glamsterdam (mid-year) and Heze-Bogota (late-year). Both updates aim to significantly improve speed, efficiency, and censorship resistance.

These changes could put Ethereum on track for approximately 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) on Layer 1, with gas limits potentially reaching 200 million per block. Around 10% of validators may begin verifying zero-knowledge proofs instead of re-executing transactions, marking a key scaling milestone.

Beyond technical improvements, regulatory clarity in the United States could unlock further institutional participation. The U.S. Senate is making concerted efforts to pass the Clarity Act in 2026. Many commentators believe will encourage more regulated investment products.

Long-Term Price Outlook for Bitcoin and Ethereum

Based on these factors, Standard Chartered projects Ethereum could reach $7,500 this year, while it sees Bitcoin hitting $150,000. Relative to current prices, Ethereum would deliver a 141% gain, compared to a 63% gain for Bitcoin.

Longer-term forecasts put Ethereum at $30,000 by 2029 and $40,000 by 2030. The bank expects the ETH/BTC ratio to rise toward 0.08, last seen in 2021. By the 2029–2030 timeframe, Standard Chartered expects Bitcoin’s price to reach $400,000 and $500,000, respectively.

These projections imply a 10x to 12x upside for Ethereum, compared to just a 4x to 5x upside for Bitcoin over the same timeframe.

Continued Crypto Fund Outflows Slows Bitcoin Recovery

Mark Brennan
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Continued Crypto Fund Outflows Slows Bitcoin Recovery

IG analyst Chris Beauchamp has analyzed the current state of Bitcoin and the crypto market, providing the catalysts for the next price trajectory.

In a note today, Beauchamp highlighted that the current market is struggling to recover following a disastrous end to the previous year. He explained why this bearish trend has impacted Bitcoin and the broader altcoin market, and further identified upcoming events that could shape their subsequent path.

Key Points

  • Beauchamp noted that the crypto market recovery has been slow.
  • The IG analyst pegged the slow recovery to outflows from crypto investment funds, with Bitcoin ETFs seeing over $1.38 billion in outflows from Jan. 6 to 9.
  • According to Beauchamp, a new wave of inflows would aid the crypto market’s recovery.
  • The analyst highlighted the $95,000 level as key for Bitcoin, as it would confirm a break to the upside.
  • Beauchamp also mentioned a few macro factors that could determine Bitcoin’s price trajectory in the short term, including the US inflation data and bank earnings.

The Crypto Is Struggling to Recover

Market data confirms this narrative. Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency by market cap, has held steadily above $91,000, up over 3.5% from its yearly opening of $88,620.

However, this is a considerable correction from its high of $94,766 earlier in the year. The pioneering cryptocurrency reached a high in the first week of the year, with the momentum spreading optimism that it would retest much higher prices. 

That did not materialize, and BTC has been consolidating below the yearly high since then. Notably, this trend also impacted altcoins, including XRP and Cardano, which rose to respective highs earlier but have since declined considerably.

But Why Is Bitcoin Struggling?

Outflows from crypto investment funds have contributed to the market lull. Notably, CoinShares data shows that digital asset vehicles recorded a net outflow of $454 million in the previous week, suggesting a conservative stance by market participants.

Crypto-based ETPs attracted strong interest in the first two trading days of the year, bringing in over $1 billion in total. The inflows coincided with the period that the market trended higher, covering some ground after its brutal Q4 2025 performance.

However, the traction subsided slightly, with the ETPs retaining $580 million at the end of the week of January 3. However, the Bitcoin and Ethereum ETPs led the exodus last week, with investors pulling out $405 million and $116 million, respectively.

Fresh Inflow and Critical Support Decisive

According to Beauchamp, a new wave of inflows would aid the crypto market’s recovery. While prices remain positive in the short term, a new capital injection could spark a rebound, potentially pushing Bitcoin to a crucial support area.

The analyst highlighted the $95,000 level as key for BTC, as it would set it on its path to higher prices when momentum returns. He noted that a reclaim and hold above this demand zone confirms that Bitcoin has broken to the upside.

Bitcoin attempted to recover this area on January 7 but couldn’t. Meanwhile, at the current market price of $91,800, BTC would need to rise by 3.4% to reach the support level.

Macroeconomic Catalysts

Notably, Beauchamp also mentioned a few macro factors that could determine Bitcoin’s price trajectory in the short term. He expected the forthcoming US inflation data to move the crypto market. Notably, the data remained at 2.7%, further dampening the chances of a US Federal Reserve interest rate cut. 

Subsequently, the US bank Q4 earnings reports will start coming in later in the week, and he believes they will affect the market tone. Additionally, he mentioned the earlier-scheduled crypto market bill hearing on Thursday as another price catalyst; however, the markup has been moved to later in January.

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