Author: Bitxjournal Team

Unproven claims suggest gold-to-Bitcoin conversions worth $60 billion, but blockchain data offers no confirmation Speculation has resurfaced over whether Venezuela secretly holds a massive Bitcoin reserve estimated at 600,000 BTC, potentially worth around $60 billion. The theory has gained traction amid renewed scrutiny of the Maduro government, yet blockchain analysts say there is no onchain evidence supporting such claims. The figure is not derived from blockchain tracking. Instead, it is based on Venezuela’s historical gold sales, including a major 73-ton gold transaction in 2018, representing roughly 40% of national reserves. Analysts argue that assuming all proceeds were converted into Bitcoin…

Authorities may extend stock market enforcement tools to crypto, aiming to curb price manipulation and protect investors. South Korea is exploring measures to freeze unrealized crypto gains in accounts suspected of market manipulation. The move reflects the country’s effort to align cryptocurrency oversight with traditional securities regulations and strengthen investor protection. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) is reviewing a system that would suspend crypto transactions before illicit profits are realized, similar to mechanisms used in the stock market. Current rules require court warrants, giving suspects time to move or hide assets. Regulators are concerned about tactics such as front-running, wash…

Crypto-Friendly Regulators Gain Full Control as Democrats Exit Key Agencies U.S. cryptocurrency regulation has entered a pivotal phase after recent leadership changes left the nation’s two top market regulators fully controlled by Republican commissioners. With Congress still debating a comprehensive crypto framework, decisions shaping the industry’s future now rest with a small group of pro-crypto policymakers. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is now led exclusively by Republican officials following the departure of Caroline Crenshaw, its last Democratic commissioner. The agency is currently chaired by Paul Atkins, alongside commissioners Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda, both known for advancing crypto-friendly…

Traditional finance giant expands into digital assets as U.S. spot crypto ETF trading surpasses $2 trillion Morgan Stanley has filed S-1 registration statements with the SEC to launch spot Bitcoin and Solana ETFs, signaling a major move by a legacy financial institution into the mainstream crypto investment space. The filings include a Bitcoin Trust and a Solana Trust with staking features, reflecting the firm’s commitment to offering regulated, exchange-traded exposure to digital assets. The filings arrive as cumulative U.S. spot crypto ETF trading volume exceeds $2 trillion, with the market accelerating rapidly over recent months. Spot Bitcoin ETFs alone hold…

Circle’s USDC expands faster than Tether’s USDT as institutional adoption and regulatory support increase Circle Internet’s USDC stablecoin has outpaced rival Tether’s USDT for the second consecutive year, reflecting strong demand for regulated, blockchain-based dollars. The growth follows supportive regulatory developments in the U.S., including the GENUIS Act, which provides a framework for payment stablecoins and enhances institutional trust. In 2025, USDC’s market capitalization rose 73% to $75.12 billion, while USDT grew 36% to $186.6 billion. In 2024, USDC increased by 77% compared with USDT’s 50%, highlighting Circle’s continued momentum. The growth is primarily attributed to institutional adoption and integration…

Crypto-backed perpetual contracts offer round-the-clock exposure to major US equities and indices BitMEX is expanding into tokenized equities with the launch of Equity Perps, perpetual swap contracts that allow investors to gain 24/7, crypto-collateralized exposure to US stocks such as Apple, Tesla, Nvidia, and indices including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. The product mirrors the leveraged and non-expiring structure that revolutionized crypto trading, now applied to equities traditionally limited by market hours. Interest in tokenized stocks is growing rapidly. Platforms like Bitget report over $1 billion in cumulative spot trading volume, largely concentrated in December, driven by tech and AI-related…

Spot XRP ETF Demand Drives Breakout and Improves Market Sentiment XRP recorded a sharp rally at the start of 2026, reaching its highest price level since mid-November as renewed investor demand flowed into spot exchange-traded funds. Strong trading volumes and improving broader crypto sentiment helped fuel the move, positioning XRP among the strongest large-cap performers this week. XRP surged 12% in a single session, climbing to around $2.35, supported by strong spot market volume and a decisive break above key resistance levels. Market participants pointed to renewed risk appetite as XRP moved higher alongside a broader crypto recovery. Data shows…

Users of Bitcoin Core 30.0 and 30.1 are advised to pause legacy wallet migrations after a bug threatens deletion of wallet files. Bitcoin Core developers have warned users about a critical wallet migration bug in versions 30.0 and 30.1 that can result in loss of funds. The issue specifically affects users upgrading legacy wallets that have never been renamed or updated. The bug occurs when the software attempts to migrate an unnamed “wallet.dat” file in a custom wallet directory while pruning is enabled. Migration may appear successful, but the cleanup logic can delete the entire wallet directory, making recovery impossible…

Token Buyback Speculation Fuels Rally in Lighter’s Perpetuals Ecosystem Lighter’s native token posted strong gains at the start of the week as onchain activity sparked speculation around a potential protocol-led buyback. The move highlights growing investor focus on revenue-backed token models within decentralized finance. The LIT token surged nearly 14% over a 24-hour period, trading around $3.04, as blockchain data suggested that Lighter may be actively repurchasing its native asset. Market participants began tracking movements from the protocol’s treasury wallet, where LIT balances increased notably, indicating possible buyback execution. Lighter addressed the speculation publicly, noting that protocol fees and buyback…

Leveraged Dogecoin ETF Rises as Meme Coin Interest Rebounds Dogecoin has emerged as one of the early standouts of 2026, supported by a sharp price rebound and renewed investor appetite for leveraged crypto products. The rally has pushed a 2x Dogecoin exchange-traded fund to the top of year-to-date performance rankings, underscoring growing interest in meme coin exposure. A 2x Dogecoin ETF is among the best-performing ETFs at the start of 2026, reflecting heightened demand for leveraged bets tied to meme coins. The move follows a strong rebound in Dogecoin (DOGE), which climbed sharply after finding support near $0.146. The recovery…