Farcaster Refunds $180M to Investors After Protocol Sale to Neynar

In a rare move for the venture capital world, Merkle Manufactory is returning $180 million to its investors following the sale of its decentralized social protocol, Farcaster, to infrastructure firm Neynar. This full capital refund, involving backers like a16z Crypto and Paradigm, coincides with a strategic handover that aims to pivot Farcaster toward a developer-focused future. The transition is not an endpoint but a significant evolution, reflecting a broader maturation within the decentralized social media sector where operational reliability and scalability are becoming paramount over pure ideological decentralization.

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Bitcoin Drops 6.5% Amid US-EU Greenland Tensions, Trump Tariff Threats

Geopolitical tensions between the United States and the European Union over Greenland triggered a week of significant volatility across cryptocurrency markets. Bitcoin, the leading digital asset, lost its crucial $90,000 support level, registering a 6.5% weekly decline despite President Donald Trump later softening his stance on annexation threats. The sell-off was broad-based, with major altcoins like Ethereum and Solana falling sharply as investors sought safety in traditional assets like gold, which soared to record highs.

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XRP, ETH, SOL: 2026 Altcoin Season Forecasts & Risks

As the cryptocurrency market consolidates, analyst Sam Daodu projects that 2026 could herald a significant altcoin season, with XRP, Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL) positioned as potential frontrunners. His analysis, which combines traditional market metrics with AI predictions, outlines specific bullish scenarios, moderate pathways, and critical downside risks for each major digital asset, providing a comprehensive roadmap for the next major market cycle.

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Kansas Bill Creates State Bitcoin Reserve Fund

Kansas lawmakers have introduced groundbreaking legislation to establish a state-run Bitcoin and digital assets reserve fund, embedding cryptocurrency directly into the state’s unclaimed property framework. The bill, filed for the 2026 legislative session, would empower the state treasurer to hold and potentially stake abandoned digital assets, creating a novel public-sector crypto reserve while raising critical questions about custody, governance, and transparency for government-held volatile assets.

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Ledger Eyes $4B IPO as Crypto Custody Demand Grows

Ledger, the crypto hardware wallet manufacturer, is reportedly preparing for a U.S. initial public offering that could value the company at over $4 billion, with investment banks Goldman Sachs, Jefferies, and Barclays leading the potential New York Stock Exchange listing. This move underscores the escalating institutional demand for secure crypto custody solutions and adds to a renewed wave of public listings for digital asset companies, following BitGo’s recent debut as 2026’s first crypto IPO. However, the path forward is nuanced, shaped by a mixed performance in crypto stocks, a shifting regulatory landscape, and the volatile trajectory of the broader crypto market.

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XRP Elliott Wave Analyst Predicts $5+ Target After Consolidation

A certified Elliott Wave analyst, XForceGlobal, argues that XRP’s prolonged, range-bound trading is not a sign of weakness but a classic ‘flat’ correction setting the stage for a significant breakout. Interpreting the past year’s price action as the late stage of this pattern, the analyst maintains a bullish outlook, predicting a final shakeout before a continuation higher with price targets ranging from $6 to as high as $14 in the current cycle.

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Fentanyl Trafficker Gets 12 Years for Bitcoin-Fueled Drug Ring

The 12-year prison sentence for New Jersey drug trafficker William Panzera marks a significant conviction in a case that exposes the critical role of cryptocurrency in modern narcotics supply chains. Panzera’s operation, which imported over a metric ton of fentanyl-related substances from China between 2014 and 2020, relied on Bitcoin and wire transfers to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars to suppliers, illustrating how digital assets bypass traditional financial oversight to fuel a deadly trade.

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Bitcoin Death Cross Sparks Fears of 70% Price Crash

Bitcoin’s recent formation of a 2-day death cross has triggered alarm among technical analysts, with historical parallels suggesting potential declines of 50-70%. As BTC trades around $89,000 with a 7% weekly drop and $39 billion in volume, the market faces a convergence of bearish chart patterns while divided sentiment pits dire warnings against long-term optimism.

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AXS, Bitcoin, Meta: Navigating January’s Market Volatility

January’s financial markets are witnessing a dramatic rotation into GameFi, a breakdown in Bitcoin’s correlation with gold, and a high-stakes earnings play for Meta. This analysis breaks down the key moves in crypto and equities to help traders navigate the volatility. Understanding these shifts is crucial for positioning in the current turbulent environment.

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First Dogecoin ETF Launches With Foundation Backing

Financial services firm 21Shares has launched the first spot Dogecoin ETF officially endorsed by the Dogecoin Foundation, bringing the iconic memecoin to Wall Street through a regulated, physically-backed investment vehicle. The 21Shares Dogecoin ETF (TDOG), trading on Nasdaq, offers traditional investors a new pathway to gain direct exposure to DOGE, marking a significant step in the cryptocurrency’s journey from internet phenomenon to institutional asset. This development arrives as analysts scrutinize Dogecoin’s price charts, suggesting the asset may be consolidating for a potential major rally.

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