President Donald Trump's digital asset policy, which will be launched on the 20th, is expected to have a significant impact on the global digital asset regulatory system. The Capital Market Research Institute analyzed that the domestic digital asset-related system needs to be reorganized accordingly. Senior researchers Kim Gap-rae and Hwang Se-un of the Capital Market Research Institute emphasized in the report, "The Trump administration's major digital asset legislation, such as the FIT21 bill,

Fold Raises $30 Million Series B Funding The Bitcoin-only financial services app, Fold, has recently secured $30 million in its Series B funding round. The firm plans to allocate the funds towards product development and expansion. Fold's services include receiving payments in Bitcoin, purchasing gift cards, and paying bills. These capabilities make it an accessible platform for individuals seeking to integrate Bitcoin into their daily financial activities.

The 'Fear and Greed Index' by crypto data provider Alternative has increased by 4 points from the previous day to hit 74, indicating ongoing greed in the market. The index measures market sentiment by evaluating factors like volatility, trading volume, social media buzz, surveys, Bitcoin's market capitalization ratio, and Google search volume. When the index is near 0, it signifies extreme fear, while a reading close to 100 indicates extreme optimism. As the index stays above 50, it shows that t

As of 9 AM on January 3, Bitcoin is trading at $96,984, up by 2.53%. The leading cryptocurrency has seen a positive start to the year, and its dominance in the market remains above 40%. The altcoin market is also showing signs of strength, with many coins posting impressive gains in the last 24 hours. Among the top 100 coins by market capitalization, the top three gainers are FARTCOIN (+38.12%), DEXE (+32.24%), and SPX6900 (+25.55%). The overall crypto market sentiment is positive, and investors

External News Agency: 'X' Expected to Release Its Own Payment Service 'XMoney' This Year According to Cointelegraph, after Aaron Perris, a researcher at American IT magazine MacRumors, shared a photo that captured the legitimacy of X's source code, he stated that "X is likely to launch its own payment service, XMoney, in 39 US states that have obtained money transfer licenses within this year". Currently, X has not obtained licenses for XMoney's money transfer service in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii

Bitcoin (BTC) has caught the attention of investment bank HC Wainwright, who has revised its price target for the digital asset upward. According to a recent investor note, HC Wainwright now believes BTC could hit $225,000 by the end of the year, a significant increase from its previous target of $145,000. Several factors contribute to HC Wainwright's bullish outlook for Bitcoin. They anticipate a more favorable regulatory climate for cryptocurrencies in a potential second term of the Trump admi

The US Justice Department has stated that Kwon Do-hyung, the alleged mastermind behind the Terra-Luna incident, could face a maximum sentence of 130 years in prison if convicted on all charges. Kwon pleaded not guilty to the charges at a hearing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan. The trial is scheduled to resume on January 8. Kwon has been charged with eight counts, including conspiracy to commit fraud and price manipulation, wire fraud, securities fraud

The Altcoin Season Index, a measure of the relative performance of altcoins compared to Bitcoin, remained unchanged at 48 as of 9:30 AM KST on Wednesday, according to data from CoinMarketCap. This indicates a neutral market, with neither altcoins nor Bitcoin showing significant dominance. The index, which ranges from 0 to 100, is calculated by comparing the price fluctuations of the top 100 altcoins (excluding stablecoins and wrapped coins) to that of Bitcoin over the past 90 days. If 75% or mor

Tether (USDT) and Bitfinex General Counsel Stuart Hoegner has announced that he is retiring from active duty, while Michael Hilliard has accepted the position to take over the legal division of the stablecoin issuer and cryptocurrency exchange. Hoegner, who has been with Tether for over four years, was responsible for all legal matters concerning both Tether and Bitfinex during a period of record growth and adoption for both companies. Prior to his role within Tether, Hilliard served as a Senior

## USDC's Market Cap Shows Impressive Growth The market capitalization of USDC, a popular stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, has seen a remarkable surge of approximately 80% since the beginning of 2023. As of January 2, USDC's circulating supply stood at $44 billion, indicating a significant increase compared to its lowest point of $24 billion in 2023. This notable growth highlights the increasing adoption and usage of USDC within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. The stablecoin's reliability, back

300 Million USDC Newly Issued Whale Alert recently reported that 300 million USDC has been newly issued from the USDC treasury address. This significant issuance could impact the cryptocurrency market and stablecoin ecosystem. USD Coin (USDC) is a popular stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. It is widely used in decentralized finance (DeFi) and is considered one of the most trusted stablecoins. The issuance of a large amount of USDC could increase its liquidity and stability, potentially boosting

300,000,000 USDC was transferred from the USDC Treasury address to a Coinbase address, according to Whale Alert. This is a transfer worth 300 million dollars. The reason for this large transfer is not yet known, but it could be related to a large trade or investment. It's worth noting that USDC is a stablecoin, which means that its value is pegged to the US dollar. This makes it a popular choice for investors who want to store their funds in a stable and predictable asset.

Solayer, a Solana liquid staking protocol, has introduced its governance token, LAYER, and established a foundation. LAYER, an SPL-2020 token, empowers the Solayer community in shaping the project's roadmap and accelerating its development. Its specific utility details will be revealed later this year. Concurrently, Solayer launched the Solayer Foundation, an independent non-profit dedicated to supporting the protocol's evolution. The foundation will focus on expanding Solayer's Serum integratio

FRAXUSD (frxUSD), the stablecoin issued by Frax Finance (FXS), will now include BlackRock BVAL tokens as reserve assets. The decision was made following the passage of a governance proposal initiated by Securitize, a platform specializing in real-world asset tokenization and the broker-dealer for BlackRock BVAL tokens. The proposal was initiated on December 23, 2023, and received broad support from the Frax Finance community. The addition of BlackRock BVAL tokens to the FRAXUSD reserve assets is

Kwon Do-hyung, the former CEO of Terraform Labs, has pleaded not guilty to fraud charges in a Manhattan court in the United States. Kwon is accused of leading the collapse of the cryptocurrency Terra-Luna, which resulted in billions of dollars in losses for investors. The charges against Kwon include conspiracy to commit fraud and price manipulation, wire fraud, securities fraud, and interstate communications fraud. He was extradited to the US from Montenegro in December 2022. If convicted, Kwon

CryptoQuant CEO Ki-Young Ju tweeted that "Old whales are selling their Bitcoin. This trend is unlikely to crash the market despite high OTC volumes and exchange deposits. Buying pressure typically comes from Coinbase, but Coinbase's daily premium is currently at its lowest level in two years. A recovery is needed for the next rally."

2025 Crypto Forecast: Insights from Industry Analysts Analysts at The Block have shared their predictions for the cryptocurrency market in 2025. Here's a summary of the first part of their report: Key Trends: Decentralized physical infrastructure (DePIN) is poised for significant growth. Bitcoin's dominance will remain strong, with few altcoins breaking free. GameFi is on the rise, with beta releases expected in 2025. Regulatory clarity for DeFi and stablecoins will boost adoption. Traditional f

## Key Insights from The Block Research Team The Block's research team conducted a survey of 18 analysts to gather their outlook for the cryptocurrency industry and market in 2025. Here are some key insights: ### Cryptocurrency Regulation and Adoption - Strategic BTC Reserve Asset System: Argentina, Wyoming, or Texas are likely to implement a strategic BTC reserve asset system. - SOL Spot ETF: A SOL spot ETF is expected to launch in October. ### Market Growth and Trends - Real-World Asset Tradin

According to cryptocurrency media outlet The Block, USDT's market cap has plunged by $1.8 billion since the EU's MiCA regulation was enforced on December 30th. This marks the most significant weekly fluctuation since FTX's collapse. Before MiCA's implementation, USDT's market cap stood at $138.8 billion, but it has since dropped by 1.2% to $137 billion. Over the past two weeks, the decline has reached 2.7%. However, it's important to note that MiCA's enforcement may not be the sole reason for US

Meme coins, once dismissed as a passing fad, are now poised for explosive growth in 2023, according to a report by crypto market maker DWF Labs. The report highlights the transformative nature of meme coins, evolving from satire to a sophisticated investment sector attracting institutional interest and substantial capital inflows. The meme coin market has witnessed a meteoric rise, with its market cap skyrocketing from a mere $20 billion in 2020 to an impressive $120 billion in 2024. This upward