Crypto’s interoperability layer reveals a gap between the industry’s decentralization narrative and how value actually moves across blockchains.
China exported 6,745 tons of rare-earth products in December, a drop from 6,958 tons in November, based on customs data released Sunday. The biggest chunk of the exports are rare-earth magnets, which have played a key role in past trade fights. China’s Ministry of Commerce had recently said it’s adding controls on shipments that could be used in military applications, with Japan clearly in mind. These two frenemies have been in a beef ever since Japan’s new prime minister Takaichi Sanae made comments about Xi Jinping’s very publicized plans for Taiwan, saying that she will come to the aid of the island nation should Beijing move forward with those plans. China Daily said Beijing is also thinking about tightening up license rules for shipping these critical rare earth materials to Japan. U.S. and allies hold meeting to reduce dependence The export numbers don’t show where the materials went or what types were shipped. That kind of breakdown is supposed to come out Tuesday. But even without details, governments are already reacting. China said back in October that these export restrictions will apply worldwide now, not just to specific countries. This is why the U.S. invited the G7 finance ministers, plus reps from Australia, India, South Korea, and the EU, to meet in Washington on Monday. The meeting was led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and the focus was on how to stop depending so much on China for rare earths. They talked about setting price floors to help other countries start their own rare-earth projects and build new partnerships to get supplies from different places. An official at the meeting said, “Urgency is the theme of the day. It’s a very big undertaking. There’s a lot of different angles, a lot of different countries involved, and we need to move faster.” Tensions grow over military use and economic pressure Right now, foreign companies need to get a license from China if they want to ship out rare earths or related tech. That system is now being used to slow things down or block exports to certain places, especially in defense and advanced tech sectors in countries like Japan, Europe, and the U.S. Jon Lang, who runs economic security policy at APCO in Washington, said the U.S. push to cut down on rare-earth reliance was “an easy sell” because of what he called China’s broad economic coercion. He also said the G7 is more united now than before. Lang added, “The meeting could also be seen as a show of support for Japan, as it had been an early victim of China using rare earths as a tool of trade coercion since 2010.” Not surprisingly, The Global Times, which is a Chinese state-owned tabloid, called the G7 talks a sign of America’s strategic anxiety. They said the West’s goal of beating China on rare-earth supply just won’t happen because of the way global demand and production look right now. Still, it’s obvious China is watching other countries invest more in new mining and processing centers. Nobody wants to rely on one country forever. Since the October announcement, there’s been a serious push around the world to build new supply chains for these critical materials. Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.
Wall Street Whale Calls XRP to $12.50 as ETFs and Institutional Demand Accelerate Standard Chartered analyst Geoffrey Kendrick has sparked renewed debate on Wall Street and across the crypto market with a bold forecast that XRP could reach $12.50 by 2028. Far from mere speculation, his projection is anchored in accelerating regulatory clarity, growing institutional adoption, and the expanding momentum behind XRP-linked exchange-traded funds (ETFs). At the core of this thesis is the accelerating push toward spot XRP ETFs. Kendrick argues that approvals in major markets could finally open the floodgates to institutional capital XRP has long been denied. With as many as six XRP ETF products potentially launching, projections point to $4–$8 billion in inflows within the first year. For an asset historically held back by legal uncertainty, this marks a decisive structural inflection point. Why XRP? Unlike many digital assets still chasing real-world relevance, XRP is already embedded in the global payments ecosystem. Its unmatched speed, ultra-low fees, and scalability make it purpose-built for cross-border settlements and tokenized financial flows, exactly where institutional demand is accelerating. As regulatory clarity improves, the barriers that once kept traditional finance on the sidelines are rapidly dissolving, positioning XRP as a core infrastructure asset rather than a speculative bet. Kendrick underscores XRP’s asymmetric upside at current valuations. While Bitcoin and Ethereum command the spotlight, XRP’s market structure offers greater multiple expansion if institutional demand accelerates with present price being $2.06 per CoinCodex data. In a bullish setup, ETF-driven inflows combined with broader market momentum could rapidly reprice the asset. More notably, Kendrick suggests XRP could challenge, and potentially overtake, Ethereum’s market capitalization in the 2026 bull cycle. This isn’t a critique of Ethereum’s ecosystem, but a reflection of late-cycle capital dynamics. Should XRP emerge as the preferred institutional bridge asset and ETF proxy, its market cap could scale faster than established Layer 1 incumbents. Well, the $12.50 target for 2028 looks less like an outlier and more like a valuation grounded in adoption and expanding capital access. As Wall Street shifts from viewing crypto as a speculative fringe to a legitimate asset class, XRP’s combination of real-world utility, deep liquidity, and advancing regulatory clarity positions it as a credible contender in the next phase of digital finance. Conclusion XRP’s $12.50 projection isn’t just an ambitious price target, it signals a potential shift in how institutional capital engages with crypto. With spot XRP ETFs positioned to unlock billions in inflows, regulatory headwinds easing, and real-world payment utility already proven, XRP sits at the crossroads of finance and functionality. If the 2026 bull market unfolds as expected, XRP could evolve from a long-overlooked asset into a core pillar of institutional crypto portfolios, challenging market leadership beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Therefore, XRP’s next phase may be driven less by hype and more by sustained adoption and Wall Street–scale capital.
US President Donald Trump announced escalating tariffs on eight European nations, starting on February 1, threatening 10% levies that will rise to 25% by June, until Denmark agrees to sell Greenland. Bitcoin faces renewed volatility as geopolitical tensions mirror the October 2025 tariff shock that triggered $19 billion in liquidations. Trump declared via Truth Social that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland will face immediate tariffs “ until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland .” The move sparked emergency EU meetings and unified condemnation from European leaders, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling tariffs on allies “ completely wrong ” while France’s Emmanuel Macron warned “ no intimidation nor threat will influence us. “ France is committed to the sovereignty and independence of nations, in Europe and elsewhere. This guides our choices. It underpins our commitment to the United Nations and to its Charter. It is on this basis that we support, and will continue to support Ukraine… — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 17, 2026 European Leaders Unite Against Unprecedented Threat The tariff announcement triggered an extraordinary diplomatic crisis as EU ambassadors convened emergency meetings on Sunday afternoon. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that “ tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral, ” while declaring full EU solidarity with Denmark and Greenland. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated bluntly, “ We will not let ourselves be blackmailed, ” characterizing Trump’s demands as an EU-wide issue requiring a collective response. Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, previously considered a Trump ally through shared golf interests, urged that “ among allies, issues are best resolved through discussion, not through pressure. “ Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre agreed, stressing “ threats have no place among allies. “ Even Trump supporter Nigel Farage criticized the tariffs, admitting “ we don’t always agree with the US government and in this case we certainly don’t. These tariffs will hurt us. “ We don’t always agree with the US government and in this case we certainly don’t. These tariffs will hurt us. If Greenland is vulnerable to malign influences, then have another look at Diego Garcia. https://t.co/z0r0IUlD6I — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) January 17, 2026 Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez delivered perhaps the sharpest rebuke, warning that a US invasion of Greenland “ would make Putin the happiest man on earth ” by legitimizing Russia’s Ukraine invasion and spelling “ the death knell for Nato. “ EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also echoed this sentiment, noting “ China and Russia must be having a field day” as they “benefit from divisions among Allies. “ Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen also expressed surprise at Trump’s announcement following what he described as “ constructive meetings ” with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier in the week. Given Trump’s threats over Greenland, German MEP Manfred Weber suggested halting the recently negotiated EU-US trade deal, stating, “ The 0% tariffs on US products must be put on hold. “ Meanwhile, thousands protested across Greenland and Denmark, carrying banners reading “ Greenland is for Greenlanders ” and “ Hands Off Greenland. “ Tariff Uncertainty Clouds Bitcoin Recovery Bitcoin currently trades around $95,000 after weeks of range-bound movement between $94,000 and $97,000. Market participants remain cautious following Trump’s latest geopolitical escalation, which adds fresh uncertainty to an already fragile recovery. The crypto has avoided revisiting lower support levels in 2026, though gains remain thin amid persistent geopolitical risks. CryptoQuant founder Ki Young Ju expects Bitcoin to enter “ just boring sideways for the next few months ” rather than experiencing sharp rallies or deep crashes. Capital inflows into Bitcoin have dried up. Liquidity channels are more diverse now, so timing inflows is pointless. Institutions holding long-term killed the old whale-retail sell cycle. MSTR won't dump any significant chunk of their 673k BTC. Money just rotated to stocks and… pic.twitter.com/Ha866TP857 — Ki Young Ju (@ki_young_ju) January 8, 2026 “ Capital inflows into Bitcoin have dried up. Liquidity channels are more diverse now, so timing inflows is pointless, ” he stated, noting money has “ rotated to stocks and shiny rocks. “ Despite a lack of buying pressure , large holders, including US banks, continue to accumulate Bitcoin, with no clear signs of capitulation yet. Speaking with Cryptonews, John Glover, Chief Investment Officer at Ledn, suggests Bitcoin remains in Wave IV of its bull cycle, with completion targets between $71,000 and $84,000. “ Confirmation as to which path we’re following will come from either a break and close above $104,000 which would confirm we are now starting Wave V, or a break below $80,000, which means a move to the low $70s before we head higher, ” Glover explained. Source: TradingView October Tariff Precedent Raises Concerns Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy previously devastated crypto markets in October 2025 when 100% tariffs on Chinese imports triggered one of history’s largest single-day liquidation events. Bitcoin plunged below $105,000 as $19 billion in leveraged positions unwound within 24 hours, forcing 1.6 million traders into liquidations, with nearly 87% being long positions. Open interest in Bitcoin futures collapsed by more than 30% during that selloff before recovering above $114,000 days later. The current tariff threat targets America’s closest European allies rather than adversaries, creating unprecedented uncertainty about transatlantic relations. Markets now face potential Supreme Court rulings on the legality of tariffs alongside escalating geopolitical tensions over Greenland, Venezuela, and broader global trade policy. These combined factors threaten to replicate October’s volatility despite Bitcoin’s recent price stability. The post Bitcoin Braces as Trump Slaps 25% Tariffs on Europe Over Greenland appeared first on Cryptonews .
Anchorage Digital is reportedly raising $200 million–$400 million as it explores a possible initial public offering next year. Anchorage Digital, the New York‑based custodian whose affiliate is the first federally chartered U.S. digital‑asset bank, is seeking to raise between $200 million and $400 million ahead of a potential IPO, according to Bloomberg; the discussions were
Samsung Electronics is set to hand out record bonuses to its team as the artificial intelligence boom translates into profits. The company will pay out some of its biggest performance bonuses in years, as the global memory chip supercycle continues to bring in historic profits as a result of an increase in AI adoption. Device Solutions, the semiconductor division of Samsung, has announced that eligible staff will receive bonuses up to 47% of their base annual salary this month. The payout is expected to be applied across the division’s three businesses: memory, system, large-scale integration, and foundry. It also marks a sharp rebound from 2023, when the division’s bonus rate was 0% after the downturn experienced in the chip market. Samsung announces record bonuses for semiconductor division staff According to reports, this year’s bonus is slightly lower than Samsung’s internal maximum cap of 50%, reflecting the extraordinary recovery that the division has undergone since 2023. Samsung uses its performance-based incentive system called Overachieved Performance Incentive to reward its staff. The reward is carried out once every year and is calculated from 20% of the previous year’s economic value added. Samsung’s mobile MX division, which is in charge of the company ‘s Galaxy smartphone line, will see its OPI payout set at the full 50%. Meanwhile, divisions like consumer electronics and networks will see much lower rates, with reports noting that it could be around the 12% range, based on their 2025 performance. The bonuses come after Samsung announced a record-breaking fourth quarter operating profit of 20 trillion won ($13.6 billion), according to the company’s preliminary announcement. According to analysts’ estimates, the DS division contributed around 16 to 17 trillion won to the numbers, with the contribution driven by an increase in prices of both advanced and general-purpose memory chips. Aside from Samsung, another company preparing a payout for its staff is SK hynix. After scrapping its previous internal cap that had limited bonuses to the equivalent of 10 months’ base salary, the company is now expected to allocate 10% of its total operating profits to this year’s profit-sharing program. SK Hynix teases new profit-sharing program SK Hynix saw its full-year operating profit hit 45 trillion won, and with a workforce of 33,000, the average bonus that is expected to reach each employee is projected to reach more than 140 million, marking a new record high. The company is expected to pay 80% of the bonus up front and will defer the remaining 20% over two years. The company said it will also reintroduce the Employee Share Participation Program, which it debuted last year. Under the program, employees are allowed to choose to take half of their bonus in company shares and receive a 15% cash premium if they hold the stock for a year. The program is designed to encourage long-term alignment between staff and shareholders. Since 2024, Samsung and SK Hynix have redirected much of their chip capacity toward high-bandwidth memory. This is because producing them consumes about three times the wafer capacity of standard DRAM. In addition, the move has created a drop in supply for general-purpose memory such as DDR5, driving up its prices across the board. For SK Hynix, which holds a large share of the HBM market, these margins have been profitable. On the other hand, Samsung has been able to benefit from rising demand for HBM and higher prices in the general memory market due to its larger manufacturing scale. Samsung still retains its position as the global volume leader in the general memory market. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .
Crypto enthusiast Austin (@Austin_XRPL) recently argued that common short-term price targets for XRP, often cited in the range of $5–$10, fail to reflect the scale of what is being built around the digital asset. His post focused on the idea that these valuations overlook years of structural preparation by Ripple, suggesting that the company’s actions indicate ambitions far beyond modest price outcomes. Austin’s position was presented as a critique of narrow market expectations rather than a direct price forecast, emphasizing long-term alignment over near-term trading narratives. People throwing around “$5–$10 XRP" miss the bigger picture. @Ripple has spent the last few years: • acquiring infrastructure • partnering with institutions • positioning for global settlement • preparing for regulatory clarity • pursuing a full banking license You don’t… — Austin (@Austin_XRPL) January 16, 2026 Ripple’s Strategic Positioning as Presented by Austin In his commentary, Austin pointed to Ripple’s sustained efforts in acquiring infrastructure, forming institutional partnerships, and positioning itself for use in global settlement flows. He also highlighted preparations for regulatory clarity and the company’s pursuit of a full banking license as central components of its strategy. According to Austin, initiatives of this scale are not undertaken without expectations of substantial, system-level relevance. His post suggested that the scope and cost of these developments imply a vision that extends well beyond incremental market gains. Community Pushback on the Ripple–XRP Relationship The post prompted responses questioning the connection between Ripple’s corporate strategy and XRP itself. One commenter, What the Pho, stated that despite holding a significant long-term XRP position, it is important to distinguish between Ripple as a company and XRP as a digital asset. The commenter argued that Ripple’s priorities may center on corporate and XRPL interests rather than directly maximizing XRP’s value, echoing long-standing discussions within the community about structural separation. Another response, from Fishy CatFish, took a more critical stance. This user contended that Ripple’s announcements primarily serve its own corporate objectives and products such as RLUSD , rather than XRP. The commenter cited reports of Ripple attempting to repurchase its own shares instead of XRP as evidence that holding XRP does not equate to direct exposure to Ripple’s corporate value. This argument reinforced a view held by some market participants that Ripple’s incentives and XRP’s market performance are not inherently aligned. We are on X, follow us to connect with us :- @TimesTabloid1 — TimesTabloid (@TimesTabloid1) June 15, 2025 Austin’s Rebuttal and a Call for Perspective Austin directly rejected these criticisms, asserting that XRP remains central to everything Ripple does. His reply reinforced his original claim that the company’s long-term strategy cannot be separated from XRP’s role within its ecosystem. Another commenter, Cryptomantus, introduced a more neutral perspective, noting that short-term price predictions and profit-taking strategies do not necessarily negate long-term beliefs. The commenter emphasized that investors have different goals and timelines, and that exiting positions should not be framed as a misunderstanding of the broader vision. Taken together, the exchange illustrates an ongoing debate within the XRP community : whether Ripple’s expansive strategy should be interpreted as a direct signal of XRP’s long-term value, or whether corporate developments and asset performance should be assessed independently. Disclaimer : This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are advised to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses. Follow us on X , Facebook , Telegram , and Google News The post Expert: People Throwing Around “$5–$10 XRP” Miss the Bigger Picture appeared first on Times Tabloid .
XRP's institutional flows hint at a major repricing ahead, with 803.78 million XRP now locked across various ETFs.
Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko has declared that the network’s survival depends on perpetual evolution, directly challenging Ethereum’s recent push toward protocol ossification. In a statement posted yesterday, Yakovenko argued that Solana must “ never stop iterating ” to remain materially useful to developers and users, warning that stagnation would prove fatal regardless of which teams drive future upgrades. The remarks came in response to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s January 12 manifesto, which called for the network to achieve a state where it “ can ossify if we want to ,” establishing quantum resistance, a scalable architecture, and account abstraction as prerequisites before freezing core protocol development. I actually think fairly differently on this. Solana needs to never stop iterating. It shouldn’t depend on any single group or individual to do so, but if it ever stops changing to fit the needs of its devs and users, it will die. It needs to be so materially useful to humans… https://t.co/itqr1b5az4 — toly (@toly) January 17, 2026 Protocol Evolution as Existential Requirement Yakovenko rejected the premise that blockchain protocols should aim for completion, instead framing continuous adaptation as the only path to long-term viability. “ It shouldn’t depend on any single group or individual to do so, but if it ever stops changing to fit the needs of its devs and users, it will die, ” he stated. The co-founder outlined a vision where protocol improvements are funded directly by developers whose livelihoods depend on network transactions. “ It needs to be so materially useful to humans and used by so many devs that are gainfully employed from the value of the transactions on solana, that the devs have spare LLM token credits to upstream improvements to this common open source protocol,” Yakovenko explained. He emphasized that maintaining utility requires disciplined governance alongside relentless innovation. “ To not die requires to always be useful. So the primary goal of protocol changes should be to solve a dev or user problem. That doesn’t mean solve every problem, in fact, saying no to most problems is necessary, ” he added. Decentralized Development Beyond Core Teams Yakovenko’s comments suggest that future Solana upgrades will increasingly originate outside established development organizations such as Anza, Solana Labs, and Firedancer. “ You should always count on there being a next version of solana, just not necessarily from anza or labs or fd ,” he wrote. The co-founder suggested emerging governance models could fundamentally reshape how protocol changes are proposed and funded. “ The way things are going we are likely to end up in a world where a simd vote pays for the GPUs that write the code, ” Yakovenko stated, referencing Solana’s improvement proposal process. This decentralized development philosophy comes as Solana demonstrates resilience under extreme stress. The network withstood a sustained distributed denial-of-service attack peaking near 6 terabits per second last month (the fourth-largest DDoS attack in internet history) without visible performance degradation or delayed block production. Solana has weathered one of the most powerful DDoS attacks ever recorded without any visible impact on network performance. #Solana #Sui https://t.co/JC9BdGbU5e — Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) December 16, 2025 Network Metrics Show Steady Growth Amid Market Volatility Solana’s technical positioning contrasts with recent liquidity challenges. Last month, on-chain data from Glassnode shows the network’s 30-day realized profit-to-loss ratio has remained below 1 since mid-November, typically indicating bearish conditions where traders realize losses more frequently than gains. Analysts at Altcoin Vector described the current environment as a “ full liquidity reset ,” a pattern that has historically marked the beginning of new liquidity cycles and preceded market bottoms. If the structure mirrors April’s setup, liquidity could begin to recover in roughly 4 weeks, potentially setting the stage for renewed momentum by now. Source: X/@altcoinvector Despite near-term headwinds, fundamental network activity continues expanding. Average daily active addresses reached 2.4 million, up 5.64% over 30 days, while total value locked in decentralized finance protocols stands at $11.80 billion according to Messari , representing a 6.98% monthly increase. Source: Messari Transaction fees generated $21.65 million over the past 30 days, up 19.61% from the previous period, while the network processed 2.3 billion total transactions. DeFi protocols on Solana recorded $9.086 billion in total value locked according to DefiLlama , with decentralized exchanges handling $2.956 billion in 24-hour trading volume. The Solana Policy Institute has also intensified efforts to reduce regulatory friction for developers, submitting a letter to the SEC on January 10 requesting explicit exemptions for non-custodial DeFi software. The nonprofit argued that applying broker-dealer or exchange rules to open-source smart contracts would force protocols to either shut down or reintroduce centralized control, undermining the investor protections regulators seek to preserve. The post Solana’s Future Hinges on Constant Innovation, Says Co-Founder appeared first on Cryptonews .
Bitcoin prices continue to consolidate within the $95,000 zone following the pullback in the latter part of the past week. The premier cryptocurrency is experiencing a bullish January performance marked by a net gain of 11.42% since the new year commenced. However, the effects of the extended price correction from Q4 2025 linger. Using recent on-chain data, a market analyst with the username MorenoDV_ has identified certain holder cohorts who are still experiencing extreme psychological stress that could impact future price trajectory. Bitcoin Market Risk Redistribution Ongoing – Here’s Why In a QuickTake post on January 17, MorenoDV_ postulates that the Bitcoin bull cycle remains on despite the negative events of Q4 2025. Notably, the crypto market leader experienced a heavy 33% price correction after hitting its current all-time high ($126,198) in early October. Although Bitcoin has recorded some modest price recovery in the past month, significant expectations of a bear market remain, driven by a diminished market demand and failure to reclaim key technical levels such as the 365-day MA. Using the data from the Realized Price by UTXO Age Bands, MorenoDV explains that the Bitcoin market is actively redistributing risk. This positive development counters the bearish narrative of a market cycle ending. With the present spot price around $95,583, the CryptoQuant metric shows that psychological stress is unevenly distributed among Bitcoin holders. Notably, short-term holders, i.e., 1w-1m and 1m-3m cohorts, have realized prices, i.e., $89,255 and $93,504, respectively, below the spot price. This data suggests that these classes of investors are in profit and are experiencing low market pressure, which helps keep fear at bay. However, mid-term holders of 3m-6m and long-term holders of 6m-12m have realized prices of $114,808, and $100,748 both of which are significantly above the present spot price. However, both holder cohorts have chosen to bear the discomfort by absorbing losses rather than initiating an aggressive redistribution. Therefore, as the spot price rises towards the realized price levels of these stressed cohorts, losses are expected to significantly reduce, eventually easing these pressures on these classes of holders and balancing the market risk. This market development only occurs if the 3m-6m and 6m-12m continue to interpret the present market drawdown as a mere cyclical discomfort rather than a change in market structure. Therefore, there is a need for a sustained bullish narrative and constructive price behavior to keep these investors from seeking a market exit. Bitcoin Price Overview At press time, Bitcoin trades at $95,265, reflecting a modest 5.3% gain in the last week.