The past week was packed with significant developments in the crypto market. From major corporate moves to political actions, here’s everything that unfolded:
Bitcoin Hits 109,000
Bitcoin reached a new all-time high, breaking 109,000. This marks a significant milestone, driven by rising institutional and retail interest.
Source | Tradingview
Trump-Related Crypto Activity
The newly re-elected U.S. President, Donald Trump, made waves in the crypto space. His project, “World Liberty Financial,” holds over 320 million USDT in digital assets, including LINK, AAVE, TRON, ENA, BTC, and Ethereum. Meanwhile, Rex Osprey applied for ETFs for TRUMP and DOGE.
Source | X @worldlibertyfi
Trump also announced a $100 billion AI infrastructure project, “Stargate,” with plans of reaching up to $500 billion, in partnership with OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle, highlighting his administration’s focus on technology and digital assets. His stance aligns with his goal to make the U.S. a global leader in AI and crypto.
Additionally, DAMAC, a major real estate developer headquartered in Dubai, announced a $20 billion initiative to build U.S. data centers in collaboration with Trump. The company also partnered with MANTRA Chain to tokenize $1 billion in real estate assets. These moves underline the growing focus on real-world asset (RWA) adoption under Trump’s administration.
Rising Adoption of Digital Assets in the U.S.
Several key moves reflect growing adoption:
- Utah proposed a bill allowing the state to invest in digital assets like Bitcoin.
- Kansas Senator Bowser introduced legislation to invest government pension funds in Bitcoin ETFs.
- The SEC launched a dedicated crypto task force to create clear regulatory frameworks for the industry.
Franklin Templeton CEO Jenny Johnson also expressed optimism that Trump’s administration would bring clearer regulations, integrating traditional finance and crypto.
Institutional Investments Surge
Big players showed increasing interest in Bitcoin:
- MicroStrategy added 11,000 BTC to its holdings, bringing its total to 461,000 BTC.
- Critical Metals Corp, listed on Nasdaq, announced plans to acquire $500 million worth of Bitcoin.
Meanwhile, Circle, the issuer of USDC, acquired Hashnote for $1.3 billion to expand into tokenized real-world assets (RWA). This highlights a growing trend in bridging traditional finance and crypto.
Ethereum and Solana Lead Blockchain Activity
Ethereum (ETH) topped blockchain networks in revenue for 2024, earning 2.48 billion from fees despite its efforts to reduce costs. Solana (SOL) also had a record-breaking January, with decentralized exchange volumes surpassing 163 billion. Both milestones underline the increasing utility and adoption of these networks.
Source | Cointelegraph
Stablecoin Inflows on the Rise
Stablecoin inflows outpaced outflows this week, indicating a strong influx of capital into the crypto market. Although the dilution effect means less value per dollar, the overall trend points toward potential price growth as more funds enter the ecosystem.
Source | Artemis
Exciting Innovations
- Injective (INJ) launched its iAgent 2.0 SDK, enabling developers to create advanced AI agents integrated with blockchain.
Source | Phoenix Group
- Justin Sun, founder of TRON (TRX), announced plans for feeless stablecoin transactions, a move that could revolutionize the stablecoin market.
ETF Developments Expand
Grayscale applied to convert its Solana and Litecoin funds into ETFs, while Bitwise filed for a Dogecoin ETF. These developments signal growing acceptance of digital assets in traditional finance.
Cynthia Lummis and Digital Asset Regulations
Senator Cynthia Lummis was appointed chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets. She also reaffirmed her belief that 2025 is the year for Bitcoin and digital assets to shine.
Source | X @SenLummis
Global Economic Shifts
- The Bank of Japan raised interest rates by 25 basis points, the highest since 2008, sparking debate about its effects on markets.
- At Davos, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink stated the Federal Reserve still has room to lower interest rates, which could further impact markets.
Market Predictions
According to Glassnode, Bitcoin’s current price movement resembles the 2016-2017 cycle, predicting a potential peak of 150,000. Short-term investors could see a 66% gain, while long-term holders might enjoy over 500%.
Final Notes
This week’s developments highlight an accelerating pace of adoption, innovation, and institutional interest in crypto. From groundbreaking ETF applications to government actions, the crypto landscape is evolving rapidly, setting the stage for significant shifts in the financial world.
This article is not financial advice. Always do your own research (DYOR). You can explore more insights on blog.millionero.com. When you’re ready, you can also trade spot and perpetuals on Millionero.