💸 DOJ Sells Bitcoin, Altcoins Rally

Good afternoon,

Bitcoin is hovering just below $95K as traders await stronger conviction signals in thin early-year markets. Meanwhile, altcoins like Sui, XRP, and Dogecoin are gaining momentum, LIT is surging on buyback speculation, and the DOJ faces scrutiny over its handling of forfeited Bitcoin sales.

Let’s dive into today’s top stories! 👇

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News Roundup

Artificial Intelligence

• Render Leads AI Token Surge as Decentralized Compute Draws Investor Attention (The Defiant)

• xAI Defends Grok’s Free-Speech Stance as Deepfake Abuse Triggers Backlash (Decrypt)

• Amazon Brings Alexa Into the Browser With New Chatbot Interface (Decrypt)

Decentralized, Centralized, & Traditional Finance

• Kontigo Reimburses Users After Hack as CEO Vows Accountability (The Block)

• Walmart-Backed OnePay Moves Into Crypto Trading With Bitcoin and Ether (CoinDesk)

• Russia’s Digital Ruble Poised to Undermine MIR Card System (DL News)

• Tether Introduces ‘Scudo’ Units to Make Tokenized Gold Easier to Use (The Block)

• Community Banks Warn GENIUS Stablecoin Law Could Drain Local Deposits (The Block)

Exchanges

• Kraken Lists VeChain’s VET Token (Kraken)

• South Korea Weighs Hefty Fines for Hacked Crypto Exchanges (DL News)

• Lighter Expands Into Equity Markets With 24/5 Onchain Perpetuals (The Block)

Exchange-Traded Funds

• U.S. Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded $697.25 million in net inflows on Jan. 5.

• On Jan. 5, U.S. Ethereum spot ETFs saw $168.13 million in net inflows.

• U.S. Solana spot ETFs posted $16.24 million in net inflows on Jan. 5.

• On Jan. 5, U.S. XRP spot ETFs recorded $46.10 million in net inflows.

• Morgan Stanley Seeks Approval for Bitcoin and Solana Spot ETFs (The Block)

Infrastructure

• Ethereum Staking Pressure Eases as Exit Queue Clears Out (Cointelegraph)

• Ethereum Network Usage Breaks Records, but Traders Favor Gold (Decrypt)

• Solana Caps 2025 With Record App Revenue, Rising Users, and ETF Inflows (Solana)

Markets

• Crypto Stocks Rally as Bitcoin Leads Broad Market Breakout (Decrypt)

• Bitcoin Options Signal Renewed Push Toward $100K After Q4 Selloff (Bloomberg)

• Bitcoin Nears $95K, but Traders Await Stronger Conviction Signals (Decrypt)

• Lighter’s LIT Jumps on Signs of Protocol Buybacks (The Block)

• Sui and XRP Drive Altcoin Rally as Crypto Market Regains Momentum (Decrypt)

• Polymarket Keeps Most Trading Free While Adding Fees to 15-Minute Crypto Markets (Polymarket)

Meme Coins

• Dogecoin Rallies as Meme Coins Reawaken Alongside Bitcoin Surge (Decrypt)

Mining

• Canaan Turns Bitcoin Mining Heat Into Greenhouse Fuel in Canada (The Block)

Non-Fungible Tokens

• NFT Paris Cancels 2026 Conference Amid NFT Market Slump (The Block)

Politics & Regulation

• Republicans Take Full Control of U.S. Crypto Regulation as Democrats Exit (CoinDesk)

• DOJ Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Sale of Forfeited Bitcoin (Bitcoin Magazine)

• U.S. Crypto Market Structure Bill Faces Delays as Politics Cloud Timeline (The Block)

• Crypto Exchanges Funnel $21M to Trump-Aligned PAC Ahead of Midterms (Cointelegraph)

• Vietnam Greenlights USDT-to-Dong Pilot as New Crypto Rules Take Effect (Cointelelgraph)

• Indonesia Moves First in Asia on Crypto Tax Transparency (Cointelegraph)

• India Tightens Crypto Oversight as 49 Exchanges Complete AML Registration (FFEEDS)

• Maine Secures $1.9M From Bitcoin Depot as Crackdown on Crypto ATMs Intensifies (Decrypt)

• Supreme Court Sets Friday as First Possible Ruling Day on Trump Tariffs (Bloomberg)

Token Generation Events

• Binance Wallet Unveils Zen Chain Token Sale in Latest Exclusive TGE (Binance Wallet)

Treasuries

• Strategy Stockpiles Cash While Keeping Bitcoin Buys on the Table (Decrypt)

• Metaplanet Leads Bitcoin Treasury Stocks Higher as Crypto Rebounds (The Block)

Other News

• Crypto Hack Losses Ease at Year-End, but Attack Volume Refuses to Let Up (The Defiant)

• Rapper Drake Named in RICO Lawsuit Over Alleged Crypto Casino Scheme (Decrypt)

• Hacker Launders Stolen Funds After $27M Multisig Wallet Breach (PeckShieldAlert)

• Brian Quintenz Joins SUI Group Board After CFTC Chair Nomination Collapse (The Block)

• Lego Unveils ‘Smart Brick,’ Bringing Subtle Tech to Classic Playsets (Decrypt)

Check This Out!

Memecoins have bounced with the broader market, with ~80% in the green and sector market cap up 35% in a week. But prices remain near mid-2024 lows as investors favor revenue-generating protocols.

Meme of the Day

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