Norwegian Wealth Fund’s MicroStrategy Investment Increases Bitcoin Exposure
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund’s indirect Bitcoin exposure has increased to 3,821 BTC through investments in MicroStrategy and other crypto-focused companies. That’s a 153% increase from last year. Norges Bank Investment Management’s (NBIM) stake in MicroStrategy exceeds $500 million, while it also has investments in companies like Riot, MARA, Canaan and Metaplanet. This exposure is less a conscious choice and more a result of sector-based portfolio weighting, analyst Vetle Lunde said.
SEC Gives NYSE Approval for Bitcoin-Ethereum Hybrid ETF
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has given expedited approval to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)’s Bitwise Bitcoin-Ethereum ETF listing. The hybrid investment vehicle provides exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum weighted by market cap. The SEC’s expedited process reflects its growing familiarity with crypto-backed investment products, with analysts weighing whether it signals a more efficient process for future ETF filings. This approval provides a new crypto investment option for institutional investors.
Grayscale Launches Bitcoin Mining ETF
Grayscale has launched the Bitcoin Miners ETF (MNRS), aimed at investors looking to invest in the Bitcoin mining sector but not directly owning Bitcoin. The ETF provides indirect exposure to the sector by investing in global mining companies included in the Indxx Bitcoin Miners Index. While the fund does not invest directly in digital assets or derivatives, its performance is expected to be correlated with the price of Bitcoin. Grayscale emphasizes that Bitcoin miners are the cornerstone of the network, and the ETF offers an attractive option for those looking to invest in the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Grayscale Files to Convert XRP Trust into ETF
Grayscale has filed a 19b-4 filing with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to convert its XRP Trust into an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The trust, which currently manages $16 million in assets, accounts for 1.2% of XRP-related investment products. While JPMorgan predicts that XRP ETPs could attract investments between $4 billion and $8 billion, Bloomberg analysts say that many crypto ETFs could be approved this year. However, the SEC’s claim to classify XRP as an unregistered security could delay the process. On the other hand, the Trump administration is allegedly considering adding XRP to the national digital asset stock. In addition to Grayscale’s application, Bitwise, Canary Capital, 21Shares, WisdomTree and Rex & Osprey are also among those waiting for XRP ETF approval.
ECB President Lagarde: Bitcoin Will Not Be a Reserve Asset
ECB President Christine Lagarde stated that Bitcoin will not enter the reserves of Eurozone central banks due to its volatility and ties to illicit finance. Despite ongoing skepticism in Europe, institutional interest in Bitcoin and state government efforts to treat it as a reserve asset are growing in the US. President Trump’s establishment of a working group on digital assets is seen as a step in this direction. In Europe, while some officials have begun to approach Bitcoin more favorably, the ECB’s official stance remains negative.
Ethereum Community Supports Danny Ryan as New Leader
In an unofficial vote within the Ethereum community, there was overwhelming support for Danny Ryan to become the new leader of the Ethereum Foundation (EF). In the vote, which involved 300 wallets, 99% of accounts with more than 50,000 ETH in total supported Ryan. However, this vote does not have an official result. The campaign, started by Ethereum developer Fabrice Cheng, aims to reflect the views of the community. While criticism of the current EF management is growing, prominent figures such as Joseph Lubin also support Ryan. However, the final decision is still in the hands of Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.
Tether Moves $140 Billion Worth of USDT to Bitcoin and the Lightning Network
Tether announced that it has integrated USDT, the world’s largest stablecoin, onto Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. Thanks to Lightning Labs’ Taproot Assets protocol; USDT can now be issued on Bitcoin’s base layer and fast and low-cost transactions can be made over the Lightning Network. This move aims to expand the use of stablecoins, which is concentrated on smart contract platforms such as Ethereum, Tron, and Solana, to the Bitcoin ecosystem. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that the integration will provide reliable and fast solutions, especially for payments, remittances, and financial transactions.
El Salvador Updates Bitcoin Law to Comply with IMF Agreement
El Salvador has amended its Bitcoin law in order to comply with its $1.4 billion loan agreement with the IMF. The new regulation removes the requirement for businesses to accept Bitcoin, making the use of BTC completely optional. Government officials stated that this step will facilitate the practical use of Bitcoin while preserving its legal tender status. The country continues to accumulate Bitcoin, and according to official data, it currently holds 6,049 BTC and has made a 127% profit on its investments.
Tesla Made $600 Million in Profit from Bitcoin
Tesla earned $600 million from its Bitcoin holdings in the fourth quarter of 2024. Thanks to the new accounting rules, the company was able to update its digital assets according to market value, and the value of its Bitcoin holdings increased to $1.076 billion. Tesla remains one of the largest institutional Bitcoin holders with 11,509 BTC, while the company’s total revenue reached $25.71 billion, but fell short of analyst estimates.
Avalanche Update Cuts Transaction Fees by 75%
The Avalanche9000 update, implemented on Dec. 16, reduced transaction costs on the blockchain by an average of 75% and increased the number of transactions by 38%. The update included seven improvements, including ACP-125, which reduced the smart contract base fee on C-Chain from 25 nAVAX to 1 nAVAX. The updated system increases Avalanche’s effectiveness in the DeFi ecosystem by enabling more transactions at a lower cost. These developments could positively impact AVAX demand and price by increasing network adoption.
Official Merchandise Available for Purchase with Trump Memecoin
Some online stores selling Donald Trump-themed watches, perfumes, and sneakers have begun accepting the TRUMP memecoin as a payment method. Payments processed through Solana Pay are now available with TRUMP tokens, in addition to credit cards and Bitcoin. Launched on January 17, TRUMP quickly reached a market value of $5.5 billion, making it one of the top 30 tokens. This step is seen as a move to increase the use of cryptocurrencies in daily trading.
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BITCOIN (BTC)
BTC is priced at $ 104,350 as of the morning hours with a 0.35% loss in value. The upper resistance level is 110,000 and is highlighted by the red area. This region can be considered a critical threshold that must be overcome in order for upward movements to gain momentum. If the price manages to overcome this region, a new uptrend may be triggered. On the support side, the level of 102,451.99 plays an important role. The price holding above this level may support the continuation of the upward trend. However, a drop below this level may pull the price to lower levels, especially towards the level of 96,060. It is also noteworthy that the price has previously broken out of the consolidation zone, which was the orange horizontal area. This zone can be considered an area where buyers are concentrated and is likely to work as support if it is tested again.
ETHEREUM (ETH)
ETH is priced at $ 3,240 as of the morning hours with a 0.20% loss in value. The blue area represents a consolidation zone, and it is observed that the price fluctuates in this region. In upward movements, the closest resistance is the 3,240.63 level. If this level is exceeded, the price can be expected to move towards the 3,350 and 3,500 levels. On the lower side, an important area where the price can find support is the blue colored area around the 3,100 level. As long as the price can maintain this level, it can continue its upward trend. However, it should be noted that if it falls below this level, the price may decline to lower levels, especially to the 2,950 – 3,000 range.
RIPPLE (XRP)
XRP is priced at $ 3.0850 with a 1.36% loss as of the morning hours. The orange area indicates an important area where the price can find support. This area is located between the levels of 2.8716 and 2.7220, and buyers are likely to become active when the price approaches this area. The closest resistance level in upward movements is at 3.200. If this level is exceeded, the price can be expected to move higher. However, the current price movements are showing a sideways trend and the price is having difficulty exceeding the 3,200 level.
AVALANCHE (AVAX)
AVAX is traded at $ 34.14 with a 0.44% loss as of the morning hours. The current price level is observed as 34.15. In upward movements, the 35.63 level stands out as an important resistance. If this level is exceeded, it is thought that the price may rise towards the 37.67 and then 39.05 levels. In downward movements, the 32.95 level may work as support. If this support level is broken, the price can be expected to drop lower and selling pressure can be expected to increase.
SOLANA (SOL)
SOL is priced at 237.08 dollars with a 0.52% loss in value as of the morning hours. The current price level is observed as 237.23. In upward movements, the 245.52 level stands out as a strong resistance. If this level is exceeded, the price can be expected to reach higher levels. In downward movements, the 229.30 level is the first support point. Below this level, the 201.83 level appears as the next support. The orange colored area indicates a region where the price is in demand; the blue area represents an important area that previously served as a strong support.
