Publicly traded financial services company Strive boosted its Bitcoin holdings to more than $1.1 billion worth, making it one of the 10 largest publicly traded holders of crypto's leading asset, the firm announced on Wednesday. The firm acquired 333.89 Bitcoin for an average price of $89,851, bringing its total holdings to 13,131.82 BTC. Strive also said that it paid off 92% of the debt accrued from its recently completed acquisition of Semler Scientific, a medical technology firm that had adopted a BTC treasury strategy. “Strive continues to demonstrate leading execution in managing a world-class, Bitcoin-powered treasury, retiring over 90% of the Semler legacy debt just 11 days after closing the Semler acquisition, with intentions to retire the remaining debt by April,” said Strive Chairman and CEO Matt Cole, in a statement. “By quickly returning to a preferred equity-only amplification structure, we are putting our money where our mouth is in our belief that the optimal way to finance the amplification of Bitcoin is by appropriately matching the long-duration nature of Bitcoin with long-duration financing,” he added. In addition to its Bitcoin acquisition, the firm announced the closing of a 1.3 million share follow-on offering of its preferred stock SATA, which it sold at $90 per share. Strive said its follow-on offering had more than $600 million in demand. Bitcoin and Ethereum Traders Should Watch 'Narrative Whipsaw' Heading into Fed Decision “The successful completion of this oversubscribed SATA follow-on offering reflects robust and growing investor demand for digital credit, and highlights the Strive team's disciplined, fast-paced execution of our corporate strategy,” said Chief Investment Officer Ben Werkman, in a statement. Founded by former Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Strive raised $750 million to buy Bitcoin last May.

Data from the campaign indicates a daily sales average of approximately $705, with weekly inflows averaging $4,939 and a monthly average of roughly $21,170. This steady accumulation phase precedes the project's highly anticipated debut on centralized exchanges, scheduled for the third quarter of this year. In a sector often defined by overnight spikes and precipitous drops, Solfart has taken a different approach. By averaging over $700 in daily sales for nearly nine months, the project has demonstrated resilience against broader market volatility. This sustained interest is largely attributed to the project's unique economic model, which was outlined in the August 2025 whitepaper. Unlike traditional meme coins that rely solely on speculative trading volume to maintain value, Solfart has integrated a revenue-generating engine directly into its tokenomics. Advertising revenue generated by high traffic on GoMemeCoin.com is to be funneled into a buy-back protocol. These funds are used to purchase $SOLF tokens from the open market, which are subsequently sent to a burn address—permanently removing them from circulation. “The math is simple but effective,” states a recent community update. “Every time an ad is viewed on our media partner site, it contributes to the scarcity of the Solfart token. We are effectively converting web traffic into deflationary pressure.” This mechanism provides a “floor” for the token ecosystem. Even during periods of lower trading volume, the external revenue stream ensures that there is constant buy pressure, stabilizing the asset's value proposition for long-term holders. These digital assets are now available for minting on the official website, Solfart.io. Far from being just digital collectibles, the collection is positioned as a strategic entry point for DeFi (Decentralized Finance) enthusiasts. The “Butt Head” NFTs serve as a “freemium” opportunity, allowing users to engage with the brand with minimal upfront cost while securing potential future value. As the project moves toward its Q3 exchange debut, ownership of a “Butt Head” NFT is being marketed as a badge of honor for early adopters—a verifiable proof of participation in the project's foundational phase. Per the official website, four centralized crypto exchanges (CEXs) have already confirmed that they will list the token. These include BankCex, Cetoex, Coinstore, and BitStorage. Securing four confirmed listings during the presale phase is a rarity in the meme coin space, where many projects struggle to get listed on even a single reputable platform. These exchanges provide critical infrastructure, offering fiat on-ramps and deep liquidity that will be essential when the token goes public. “If Solfart can execute on even half of that number, they will instantly have more liquidity channels than 99% of other meme tokens. With transaction fees costing fractions of a cent, investors have been able to participate in the presale and mint NFTs without the prohibitive “gas wars” associated with other chains. Micro-transactions from ad revenue can be processed in real-time, allowing for a continuous, automated buy-back loop that would be economically unfeasible on slower networks. For now, the data tells the story: 265 days of consistent growth, a six-figure raise, and a clear path to one of the widest launches in meme coin history. This content is provided by a sponsor. FinanceFeeds does not independently verify the legitimacy, credibility, claims, or financial viability of the information or description of services mentioned. As such, we bear no responsibility for any potential risks, inaccuracies, or misleading representations related to the content. This post does not constitute financial advice or a recommendation and should not be treated as such. We strongly advise seeking independent financial guidance from a qualified and regulated professional before engaging in any investment or financial activities. Please review our full disclaimer for more details.

The European Central Bank's Piero Cipollone has intensified warnings that Europe cannot afford to delay its digital euro project while waiting for private-sector alternatives, citing cash use collapsing to just 24% of daily transactions by value in 2024, down from 40% five years earlier. The push comes as geopolitical tensions expose vulnerabilities in Europe's payments architecture, with recent events exposing how foreign control over financial infrastructure can be weaponized. The ECB official emphasized this represents accelerating change rather than stable conditions. A decade ago, cash dominated and met nearly all consumer needs, but technological advances have fundamentally altered payment habits. “The ability to use central bank money for retail transactions is declining rapidly,” Cipollone stated, describing the digital euro as simply adapting to this new environment by complementing banknotes and coins with a digital equivalent. Technical preparations are complete after the ECB concluded its two-year preparation phase in October 2025, with President Christine Lagarde confirming last month that “we have done our work, we have carried the water.“ “How can an offline solution be used to pay in the e-commerce space? Recent events have shown the risks of foreign control in Europe's payment systems. Seventy European economists amplified these concerns in a January 12 open letter warning that thirteen euro area countries now rely entirely on international card schemes for basic retail transactions. 🇪🇺 Seventy European economists warn that weak digital euro design could leave Europe reliant on US payment systems and dollar-backed stablecoins.#DigitalEuro #EU #Stablecoinhttps://t.co/FqcWLtAyEG The weaponization of payment systems gained fresh relevance when President Trump's January 19 tariff threats against eight European nations over Greenland triggered $875 million in crypto liquidations within 24 hours, showing how geopolitical tensions rapidly cascade through financial markets. While Cipollone avoided commenting directly on U.S. political developments when asked about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's independence, he emphasized that the ECB focuses exclusively on euro area inflation targeting. Get dialed in every Tuesday & Friday with quick updates on the world of crypto Get dialed in every Tuesday & Friday with quick updates on the world of crypto The information on this website is for educational purposes only, and investing carries risks. Always do your research before investing, and be prepared for potential losses. This website provides entertainment content, and using it means you accept out terms. We may include partnership links, but they don't affect our ratings or recommendations.

PANAMA CITY, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, HTX Ventures, the global investment arm of HTX, released its latest research report, 2025 Annual Review: Crypto Assets Move Toward Mainstream Adoption. As long-term participants deeply embedded in the industry, HTX and HTX Ventures remain focused on building foundational capabilities that endure across market cycles. On one hand, HTX Ventures tracks structural trends through rigorous research to identify the market's long-term direction. Regulation Becomes Predictable: Clear Rules Drawing Institutional Capital In HTX Ventures notes that in 2025, regulatory ambiguity across major global jurisdictions narrowed significantly. Moving from a phase of grey-zone tolerance to one of formal rule-setting, regulators focus on stablecoin frameworks, market structure compliance, and stricter requirements for trading, custody, and disclosure. Hong Kong, meanwhile, has advanced its stablecoin regulatory regime through issuer licensing frameworks and the rollout of new rules. Everything On-Chain: Stablecoin Payments and RWA Tokenization Entering an Expansion Phase Stablecoins accelerated their evolution from crypto-native tools into global financial infrastructure. Total stablecoin market capitalization reached a record high of $308 billion in Oct. 2025 and stabilized around $309.4 billion by mid-Dec. representing a 50.3% increase over the year. The RWA tokenization market entered a phase of accelerated growth. This exemplifies deeper integration between traditional asset management and on-chain tokenization. HTX Ventures characterizes 2025 as the year when institutional adoption pathways became quantifiable. The core shift was not institutions broadly betting on high-volatility assets, but rather entering the crypto space through more auditable, standardized structures aligned with traditional balance sheet frameworks, decomposing on-chain capabilities into deployable financial modules. Crucially, institutional participation is changing how the market functions. HTX Ventures summarizes these structural effects in three areas: CUSIP Database provided by FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. SEC fillings and other documents provided by Quartr.© 2026 TradingView, Inc.

Remergify's TrustNFT.io Subsidiary Introduces Blockchain Solution to Combat $600 Billion Global Counterfeit Crisis MIAMI, January 28, 2026 (Newswire.com) - Remergify, through its subsidiary TrustNFT.io, today announced the official launch of Cerfinity.com, a groundbreaking blockchain-powered product authentication platform that leverages non-fungible token (NFT) technology to create unforgeable digital certificates for physical products. Cerfinity creates a unique digital certificate for each product, stored as an NFT on the blockchain. When brands register their products with Cerfinity, the platform generates an unforgeable NFT certificate linked to a scannable QR code or NFC tag that accompanies the physical product. Consumers can instantly verify authenticity by scanning the QR code or tag with their smartphone, accessing the complete product history including origin, ownership, and transfer records. According to industry research, 84% of consumers express concerns about purchasing counterfeit products, particularly in online marketplaces. Traditional authentication methods such as holograms, certificates of authenticity, and serial numbers have proven inadequate, as they can be easily forged or replicated by sophisticated counterfeiters. The product authentication market is projected to reach $12.5 billion by 2027, with blockchain-based solutions experiencing particularly rapid growth. Cerfinity is powered by TrustNFT.io, Remergify's blockchain infrastructure subsidiary specializing in NFT-based authentication and verification solutions. The technology provides complete transparency while protecting sensitive business information through selective disclosure mechanisms. Cerfinity is a blockchain-powered product authentication platform that uses NFT technology to create unforgeable digital certificates for physical products. The platform provides instant verification, complete product history tracking, and comprehensive anti-counterfeiting protection for brands across multiple industries. TrustNFT.io is a blockchain infrastructure company specializing in NFT-based authentication and verification solutions. As a subsidiary of Remergify, TrustNFT.io provides the underlying technology platform that powers Cerfinity and other enterprise blockchain applications. The company's mission is to make blockchain security accessible and practical for mainstream business applications. Remergify is a technology holding company focused on developing innovative blockchain and Web3 solutions for enterprise applications. Through its subsidiaries including TrustNFT.io and Cerfinity, Remergify is transforming how businesses leverage blockchain technology to solve real-world problems. Patent-Pending Technology Addresses Corporate Shareholder Engagement, Housing Affordability, and Tax Relief Through Innovative Tokenization Patent-Pending Technology Addresses Corporate Shareholder Engagement, Housing Affordability, and Tax Relief Through Innovative Tokenization TrustNFT.io Platform Demonstrates Potential 10-15% Reduction in Counterfeit Losses Across Luxury Watches, Handbags, Auto Parts, and Pharmaceutical Industries TrustNFT.io Platform Demonstrates Potential 10-15% Reduction in Counterfeit Losses Across Luxury Watches, Handbags, Auto Parts, and Pharmaceutical Industries

South Dakota Lawmaker Takes Second Stab at Launching State Bitcoin Reserve South Dakota lawmaker Logan Manhart made a renewed attempt on Tuesday to introduce Bitcoin holdings into the state's investment funds, following a previous proposal that was shot down in February last year. I am proud to say I have released my bill that would allow the State of South Dakota to invest in Bitcoin. House Bill 1155 would permit the state to invest up to 10% of its investment funds in Bitcoin, either held directly or through an exchange-traded product. With $20.56 billion in assets under management, the South Dakota Investment Council reported a return of 5.5% last year, well below its 12.5% benchmark, according to its 2025 annual report. More than half of the portfolio is currently allocated to public equities, with smaller portions invested in areas such as real estate and debt. Spurred on by President Donal Trump's embrace of crypto, multiple states have moved to introduce their own crypto reserve bills, often backed by pro-Trump lawmakers such as Manhart. Bills have been submitted in 28 states, according to Bitcoin Laws' strategic reserve tracker. A total of 33 have been killed, most at the first committee reading stage. Manhart himself first introduced a Bitcoin reserve bill in January last year, tagging Donald Trump and Elon Musk in a social media post announcing the proposal. To date, only three states—Arizona, New Hampshire, and Texas—have enacted Bitcoin reserve legislation. In Arizona, proposals for a full strategic reserve have been repeatedly blocked by the governor's office, with only a reserve for seized provisions enacted in May last year. New Hampshire allows up to 5% of funds to be invested in digital assets with a market cap of over $500 billion, meaning only Bitcoin qualifies. It is not clear if the state has actually purchased any Bitcoin yet, although it does plan to release a Bitcoin-backed bond later this year. And in Texas, while the state can invest up to 5% of state funds into Bitcoin, it has so far only bought $5 million worth. Kansas has also introduced a bill for its own strategic reserve. The latest news, articles, and resources, sent to your inbox weekly.

Fidelity Investments is launching its first stablecoin, the Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD), in early February, marking a major move by one of the largest traditional financial institutions into onchain finance. “This is really just the next step in the evolution of our digital asset platform,” said Mike O'Reilly, president of Fidelity Digital Assets, in an interview. “The ability to offer a fiat-backed stablecoin fits naturally into what our clients are asking for—especially around low-cost payments and settlement.” It can also be transferred to any Ethereum mainnet address, enabling broader use across decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and blockchain-based platforms. FIDD will initially launch on Ethereum, but Fidelity said it may explore expanding to additional blockchains or layer-2 networks in the future. Fidelity's entrance into the stablecoin market puts it in direct competition with crypto-native issuers such as Circle (USDC) and Tether USDT$0.9988, which together dominate a market now worth over $308 billion. “Having a stablecoin within our ecosystem opens the door for other financial services to be built onchain, by us and others. It becomes a building block for more efficient infrastructure,” he said. Read more: Wall Street integration will power crypto's next phase, says Fidelity Digital Assets Pudgy Penguins is building a multi-vertical consumer IP platform — combining phygital products, games, NFTs and PENGU to monetize culture at scale. Pudgy Penguins is emerging as one of the strongest NFT-native brands of this cycle, shifting from speculative “digital luxury goods” into a multi-vertical consumer IP platform. Its strategy is to acquire users through mainstream channels first; toys, retail partnerships and viral media, then onboard them into Web3 through games, NFTs and the PENGU token. While the market is currently pricing Pudgy at a premium relative to traditional IP peers, sustained success depends on execution across retail expansion, gaming adoption and deeper token utility. Paxos' gold token rakes in record inflows as crypto investors turn to the yellow metal Tokenized gold has improved the traditional store of value metal's utility, while bitcoin trades like a risk asset amid uncertain times, one expert noted.

GRAND FORKS — A Grand Forks detective advises residents to be cautious when communicating with anyone online who instructs them to transfer gift cards or Bitcoin, no matter what reason they're given. "Anytime somebody's asking for payment in Bitcoin or gift cards, you're being scammed," Det. He believes when dealing with people through social media, text, email or phone call, complete vigilance is necessary. He feels people assume they aren't being scammed until after an incident has already occurred. "People, in general, just need to be aware that scams are happening," Riedinger said. , Riedinger shared his concerns as a financial crimes investigator, saying that since October 2022, Grand Forks residents have lost $466,803 to bitcoin cryptocurrency scams. Within less than a week of the council meeting, the number climbed to $474,803, though law enforcement later got a $2,000 transaction canceled. It's rare that money taken through these scams is returned, Riedinger said, because it's difficult to trace the path of the money once converted to bitcoin. Scammers instruct people to deposit cash into bitcoin ATMs located in Grand Forks businesses, giving them the information for existing accounts. Accounts are anonymous, to a degree, and once funds are inside, they can be transferred to a number of other accounts before being withdrawn — often by another victim, who is unknowingly participating in covering the suspect's trail, according to Riedinger. Law enforcement usually only learns about these crimes after the fact, when tens of thousands of dollars may have been lost. In the most recent case, he noted it could have been worse. An employee at a local business that houses a bitcoin ATM contacted law enforcement after observing the man at the ATM, and police were able to explain to him that he was lied to. North Dakota passed legislation in 2025 that put a $2,000 daily limit on bitcoin ATMs, which Riedinger hoped would mitigate the scam issue. Still, he said, scammers have since found ways to circumvent the limit. Riedinger is advocating for a required ID scan that will alert someone the account they're trying to deposit money into belongs to someone else. Ideally, it would ensure they can't deposit more than $2,000 in one day. Another common scam occurs when someone receives a call that says they failed to show up for jury duty and a warrant exists for their arrest. "They really brainwash the victims into believing this, even though it doesn't make any sense that a sheriff's office would want bitcoin," Riedinger said. Almost every victim he's spoken to after an incident says the signs were there and alarm bells were ringing in their head. Gift card scams operate similarly, and are also used because they're difficult to trace, since scammers sell gift card information to an innocent third party rather than using it themselves, Riedinger said. Targets for these scams are often the elderly, because they're more likely to have thousands of dollars in their bank accounts and have faith that people are not trying to take advantage of them. "(Scammers) prey on the people who still have hope and faith in humanity that somebody wouldn't willingly try to bleed you dry of everything you've worked for," Riedinger said.

The First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) has allowed an appeal by Ashley Smith, acting for Windrush Against Sewage Pollution, requiring the Environment Agency to disclose declarations of interest forms submitted by Deputy Directors and Area Directors. The request, made in January 2024, sought copies of declarations of interest forms for Area Directors and Regional Directors from 1 January 2019 to the date of the request. The evidence revealed that Deputy Directors hold relatively senior positions with significant responsibilities, including accountability for delivering targets and outcomes in their areas, managing multi-million-pound budgets, leading teams of hundreds of employees, handling major incidents, and maintaining relationships with influential stakeholders including politicians and local government bodies. The Agency had argued that its internal procedures for managing conflicts of interest were sufficient to satisfy the legitimate interests being pursued, and that disclosure was therefore not necessary. The Tribunal rejected this argument, finding that internal procedures alone could not satisfy the public interest in transparency and accountability. Knowing that procedures exist is fundamentally different from knowing whether any given Deputy Director has an actual or potential conflict and what that conflict might be. The Tribunal agreed with the Commissioner that the appellant was pursuing legitimate interests in seeking to ascertain whether relevant Agency staff have conflicts of interest and whether such conflicts are managed appropriately. This was particularly pertinent given the Agency's role in investigating water and sewerage companies. The Agency's argument that internal oversight by more senior staff constituted a 'lesser measure' was insufficient to meet the legitimate interests in public transparency and accountability. The Decision Notice had concluded that Deputy Directors, being less senior than Directors, would have lesser responsibilities and decision-making powers, and would therefore expect their declarations to remain private. However, the Tribunal found this analysis flawed. The actual role of Deputy Directors involved substantial responsibility, decision-making authority on potentially nationally significant matters, and explicit accountability to the public. The Agency had not provided evidence demonstrating that Deputy Directors would have an expectation of privacy. The Tribunal found no evidence that disclosure would cause unwarranted damage or distress to Deputy Directors. The Agency had not adduced any witness statements from affected individuals expressing concern about disclosure. The Agency argued that disclosure would be neither fair nor transparent because its privacy notice did not address how declarations of interest would be processed. Critically, the Agency accepted that disclosure of Directors' declarations would be fair and transparent despite the same privacy notice applying. The Tribunal observed that if inadequacies in a privacy notice could be relied upon to prevent disclosure under FOIA, this would effectively circumvent the legislation. Public authorities should have privacy notices that cater for potential disclosure of employees' personal data under FOIA. Importantly, the Tribunal recognised that declarations of interest might contain personal data of third parties other than Deputy Directors (such as relatives or friends mentioned in declarations). The Tribunal issued a substituted decision notice requiring the Agency to disclose declarations of interest for Deputy Directors and Area Directors (in addition to Directors as already ordered by the Commissioner), subject to the ability to redact personal data of third parties other than Deputy Directors and Directors. The disclosure must be made within 35 days, with failure to comply potentially being dealt with as contempt of court.

That is the warning from Balaji Srinivasan, former Chief Technology Officer of Coinbase. Srinivasan outlined a scenario in which Silicon Valley's core economic engine, venture capital, breaks down under the weight of: Central to his thesis is California's proposed 2026 Billionaire Tax Act, a ballot initiative that would impose a one-time 5% excise tax on individuals with net worth exceeding $1 billion. “The successors would be China and the Internet: namely Chinese tech companies and Internet-based crypto protocols, because those have embedded political protection in a way Silicon Valley simply doesn't.” Venture capital depends on the possibility of extreme upside—rare, outsized exits that compensate for widespread failure. Legal firms, including Baker Botts, have flagged extensive constitutional vulnerabilities in the proposal. These range from Dormant Commerce Clause violations to concerns about retroactivity and takings. Still, PwC estimates the initiative could raise roughly $100 billion if approved in November 2026. This signals a rising political appetite for taxing concentrated tech wealth, despite legal uncertainty. Beyond taxation, Srinivasan frames the threat as a broader erosion of the political “platform” tech companies rely on, comparable to a failing operating system. For parts of the left, tech represents concentrated capital and inequality; for parts of the right, it symbolizes globalization and cultural displacement. This dual pressure, Srinivasan says, leaves the industry politically isolated. While some founders have relocated to Texas, Miami, Dubai, or Singapore, he warns most companies remain deeply embedded across California, Delaware, and New York—jurisdictions he describes as increasingly hostile to concentrated tech power. Open-source AI models are reducing reliance on centralized talent hubs. Crypto, he argues, is uniquely positioned to thrive in this environment. Unlike traditional tech firms, crypto protocols operate globally, are not anchored to a single jurisdiction, and derive resilience from decentralization. Silicon Valley, he suggests, resembles the dinosaurs, dominant but fragile. Crypto and internet-native networks, by contrast, are the mammals: smaller, undervalued, but structurally adapted to survive political shock. As California's wealth tax proposal advances toward a 2026 vote, the question is more about where and in what form its next chapter will be written, rather than whether tech will continue. Insights, news and analysis of the crypto market straight to your inbox However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.