South Korea Tightens Crypto Licensing, Expands Shareholder Checks

South Korea’s National Assembly has approved an overhaul of the country’s crypto licensing regime, tightening entry requirements for virtual asset service providers (VASPs) and expanding scrutiny to include controlling shareholders. On Thursday, lawmakers passed an amendment to the Act on Reporting and Using Specified Financial Transaction Information, a cornerstone of Korea’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) framework…

Bitcoin Could Catch Up to Gold’s Rally Due to These Key Differences

Bitcoin has been called “digital gold,” and some of its key properties may help BTC rally more than the precious metal in percentage terms. Bitcoin (BTC) has vastly underperformed gold (XAU) in the past year, dropping by 13.25% compared with the precious metal’s almost 100% rally. Can BTC catch up to gold’s gains? Key takeaways:…

How Low Can ETH Price Go in February?

ETH price charts confirmed a triangle breakdown, shifting the near-term bias lower and putting $2,250 in focus if sellers stay in control. Ether (ETH) is now more than 14% below its local peak near $3,400, underscoring the sellers’ tenacity above $3,000. A bearish technical setup suggests the pressure may extend into February. Key takeaways: ETH…

Sygnum Posts 8.9% Returns In Market-Neutral Bitcoin Fund, Raises 750 BTC

Cryptocurrency banking group Sygnum said its market-neutral Bitcoin fund posted an annualized return of 8.9% in the fourth quarter of 2025, highlighting growing institutional demand for yield-focused crypto strategies amid volatile prices. Sygnum on Wednesday also announced seed-phase completion of its Starboard Sygnum BTC Alpha Fund, which attracted more than 750 Bitcoin (BTC) from professional…

Hang Seng Taps Ethereum for Planned Tokenized Gold Fund Units

Hang Seng Investment Management has rolled out a new physically backed gold exchange-traded fund (ETF) in Hong Kong, with an option for future tokenized access to the asset. The Hang Seng Gold ETF, which began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Thursday under stock code 3170, is designed to track the LBMA Gold…

Ethereum Exchange Balances Fall as Staking Activity Accelerates

Ether held on crypto exchanges has declined over the last six months as the price of Ether has held steady, while holders are continuing to participate in staking, according to Santiment. In an X post on Tuesday, Santiment shared data from Sanbase showing that after July saw the highest amount of Ether (ETH) on exchanges…

SEC Releases New Guidance On Tokenized Securities Framework

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission has released new guidance on tokenized securities, categorizing assets into two categories to provide more clarity for companies entering the space. The SEC’s statement on tokenized securities, released on Wednesday, defines the assets as issuer- or third-party-sponsored tokenized securities.  “Tokenized securities generally fall into two categories: (1) securities…

Liquidity Will Decide BTC’s Next Rally: Glassnode

Bitcoin price breakouts fail to hold due to insufficient bid-side liquidity. Glassnode analysis identifies the key metrics that are likely to mark the next phase of BTC price expansion. Bitcoin (BTC) bulls managed to prevent a price drop into the $80,700 to $83,400 support zone, and futures market data points to a potential short-term liquidity…

UAE’s central bank has approved a USD-backed stablecoin

UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 29TH JANUARY, 10 AM GST The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) has approved the country’s first USD-backed stablecoin under the bank’s Payment Token Services Regulation (PTSR), according to a press release on Thursday. The issuance and management of the USDU token are handled by Universal Digital, which is regulated…

HYPE Gains 60% But Hyperliquid Growth Metrics Warn It May Not Hold

Key takeaways: HYPE surged 60% to $34.90, fueled by institutional investor accumulation from Hyperliquid Strategies and reduced selling after staking unlocks. Bearish liquidations exceeding $20 million and ARK Invest’s bullish report fueled speculation despite flat perpetual volumes. Hyperliquid (HYPE) surged to $34.90 on Wednesday, climbing from $21.80 just two days prior. The 60% rally triggered…