Summary
gm, Bitcoin reached a new all-time high above $111,000 and surpassing Amazon in market capitalization at $2.2 trillion. Hong Kong established a regulatory framework for fiat-backed stablecoin issuers, positioning itself in the global race for stablecoin regulation alongside recent U.S. efforts with the GENIUS Act. Meanwhile, Coinbase disclosed a major data breach affecting nearly 70,000 users that occurred in December but was only discovered this month, potentially leading to financial implications of up to $400 million. On the institutional front, major U.S. banks are reportedly exploring a joint stablecoin project to challenge the $245 billion stablecoin market currently dominated by crypto-native companies like Tether and Circle.

News Headlines
šŸ’” AIOZ Network Launches Decentralized AI Marketplace

  • AIOZ Network has introduced AIOZ AI, the first decentralized marketplace for AI models and datasets built on DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) technology.
  • The platform enables developers and enterprises to upload, purchase, and monetize AI models in a transparent environment, with contributors earning rewards when their computing assets are utilized.

šŸŸļø FIFA Partners with Avalanche to Build Dedicated Blockchain

  • FIFA is developing its own layer-1 blockchain powered by Avalanche's technology, transitioning from its previous NFT collection on Algorand to a more robust, EVM-compatible platform.
  • This move reflects FIFA's ongoing commitment to Web3 technologies while leveraging Avalanche's speed and security for potential global-scale applications in the football ecosystem.

šŸ”„ Kraken to Offer Tokenized U.S. Stocks on Solana

  • Kraken will offer tokenized shares of over 50 U.S. stocks and ETFs including Nvidia, Apple, and Tesla built on the Solana blockchain and tradable 24/7 globally.
  • These "xStocks" tokens represent actual shares held by Kraken's partner Backed Finance and are redeemable on a one-to-one basis for cash, targeting customers in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

šŸ’° World Network Raises $135 Million to Expand Orbs

  • Sam Altman's World Network secured $135 million from venture capital firms a16z and Bain Capital Crypto to expand its network of iris-scanning Orbs and infrastructure.
  • The funding was announced alongside the introduction of the WLD token to U.S. users, with the project aiming to provide over 180 million Americans access to Orbs by year-end.

āš ļø Sui Network's Cetus Protocol Exploited for $200M

  • The Sui ecosystem's largest DEX, Cetus Protocol, suffered a $200 million exploit through an "oracle manipulation attack" using spoof tokens to manipulate price calculations.
  • Validators have since frozen $162 million of the stolen funds, raising questions about the network's decentralization even as the native SUI token surprisingly remained resilient during the incident.

Market Metrics

Fundraising & VC
1. Roxom (Undisclosed, $17.9M) - Bitcoin-denominated market platform
2. Acurast (Public Token Sale, $5.4M) - Decentralized verifiable compute network powered by smartphones

Regulatory
šŸ›ļø Pakistan Establishes Digital Asset Regulatory Authority

  • Pakistan has created the Pakistan Digital Asset Authority (PDAA) to regulate blockchain-based financial infrastructure, including licensing of custodians, wallets, and DeFi applications.
  • The initiative aims to help Pakistan remain competitive in the crypto sector and potentially monetize surplus electricity through Bitcoin mining in a market projected to reach $1.6 billion in revenue.

āš–ļø Michigan Lawmakers Propose Four Crypto-Related Bills

  • Michigan legislators introduced bills that would allow public retirement funds to invest in Bitcoin, ban state agencies from advocating for CBDCs, and promote Bitcoin mining at abandoned oil wells.
  • The proposals include tax incentives for environmental restoration tied to mining operations, positioning Michigan as a proactive state in cryptocurrency policy development.

šŸ¦ Bank Lobby "Panicking" About Yield-Bearing Stablecoins

  • NYU professor Austin Campbell claims America's banking lobby is alarmed about yield-bearing stablecoins that offer interest to holders, threatening traditional banking profit models.
  • Campbell criticized banks for seeking government protection while providing minimal interest to depositors, noting the emergence of stablecoins like Figure Markets' YLDS token (3.85% yield) following recent regulatory approvals.

šŸ”„ CFTC Signals Crypto Perpetual Futures Coming to US Markets

  • Outgoing CFTC Commissioner Summer Mersinger indicated that cryptocurrency perpetual futures will soon receive regulatory approval in the US markets.
  • The announcement comes as multiple commissioners prepare to exit the agency, potentially impacting its enforcement capabilities during this critical regulatory transition period.

šŸ’° Senators Plan to Amend GENIUS Act to Address Trump's Stablecoin Ties

  • Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senators Warren and Merkley intend to propose an amendment to the GENIUS Act preventing a US president from profiting from stablecoin legislation.
  • The amendment addresses concerns about President Trump's connections to World Liberty Financial, which recently launched a stablecoin, raising potential conflict of interest issues.

Technical Analysis
Bitcoin - Investors have paid higher prices over time to buy Bitcoin and the currency is in a rising trend channel in the short term. This signals increasing optimism among investors and indicates continued rise. There is no resistance in the price chart and further rise is indicated. In case of a negative reaction, the currency has support at approximately 103400 points. Positive volume balance indicates that buyers are aggressive while sellers are passive, and strengthens the currency. RSI above 70 shows that the currency has strong positive momentum in the short term. Investors have steadily paid more to buy the currency, which indicates increasing optimism and that the price will continue to rise. However, particularly for big stocks, high RSI may be a sign that the stock is overbought and that there is a chance of a reaction downwards. The currency is overall assessed as technically positive for the short term.

Ethereum - Ethereum shows strong development within a rising trend channel in the short term. Rising trends indicate that the currency experiences positive development and that buy interest among investors is increasing. There is no resistance in the price chart and further rise is indicated. In case of a negative reaction, the currency has support at approximately 2050 points. RSI is above 70 after a good price increase the past weeks. The currency has strong positive momentum and further increase is indicated. However, particularly for big stocks, high RSI may be a sign that the stock is overbought and that there is a chance of a reaction downwards. RSI diverges negatively against the price, which indicates danger of a reaction downwards. The currency is overall assessed as technically positive for the short term.