A wave of heavy redemptions swept through crypto ETFs, led by an $818 million bitcoin exit that dragged every major asset class into outflows. Ether, XRP, and solana all followed bitcoin lower as risk appetite vanished in unison. Bitcoin Triggers Massive ETF Selloff With Brutal Outflows Across Board The crypto ETF market suffered a decisive […]
Talos Extends Series B to $150M With Strategic Institutional Investors
Talos raises an additional $45 million in a Series B extension, bringing total Series B to $150 million at a roughly $1.5 billion post‑money valuation. Talos announced a $45 million extension to its Series B, adding strategic investors Robinhood Markets, Sony Innovation Fund, IMC, QCP and Karatage alongside returning backers A16z Crypto, BNY and Fidelity […]
Revolut’s Storonsky switches residency back to UK after filing mistake
Revolut’s billionaire co-founder and CEO Nik Storonsky has switched his residency back to the UK months after a filing error saw his address changed to the United Arab Emirates, according to the Financial Times.
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In October, a Companies House filing from Storonsky’s family office changed his address to the UAE, leading to “concern” from UK regulators, according to the Financial Times.
However, the family office has now amended that filing, changing his residency back to the UK. Storonsky was born in Russia but is a British citizen.
In an interview last month, cited by the FT, the Revolut chief called stories about his switch to the UAE “fake news,” adding that he splits his time between the UK, Europe, Dubai, and Latin America.
“From the family office’s point of view, since I’m also a director, they used my Dubai address for correspondence,” he explained.
The FT notes that Revolut has not previously said that the UAE residency filing was made in error or tried to correct media reports about the change.
The initial reports of a move in October led regulators to seek assurances from Revolut, reports the FT. In 2024, the fintech giant finally secured a UK banking license after a three year wait but it is still stuck in a “mobilisation” period.
UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has reportedly clashed with Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey over efforts to accelerate Revolut’s authorisation as a fully-licenced bank, with Reeves eager to see the fintech get the greenlight as soon as possible.
Reports that Storonsky had left the UK also raised concerns about the country’s attractiveness to entrepreneurs, coming in the wake of another fintech billionaire, Checkout.com boss Guillaume Pousaz, switching his country of residence from the UK to tax haven Monaco.
Other super-rich residents have also left in the wake of changes to the UK’s non-dom regime and increased taxes on capital gains, which were introduced by Reeves as part of 2024’s Budget.
European Commission Calls on 12 Countries to Implement Crypto Tax Rules
The European Commission said it will send formal notices to 12 countries for failing to fully implement the EU’s tax reporting rules for digital assets.
In its January infringements package released on Friday, the commission, which serves as the European Union body responsible for proposing legislation and ensuring member states follow certain laws and regulations, said Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland and Portugal would face letters of formal notice “to fully implement the new tax transparency and information exchange rules on crypto-assets.”
Citing EU directives, the commission said it would give the member states two months to respond and comply with the letter or it “may decide to issue a reasoned opinion.”
The commission’s directive on taxes, which expanded the EU’s regulatory framework concerning digital assets, requires member states “to adapt to new developments of different markets and consequently to effectively tackle identified conducts of tax fraud, tax evasion and tax avoidance” by having crypto asset service providers report certain user and transaction data.
The approach was more aligned with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s crypto framework.
Related: France flags 90 unlicensed crypto companies ahead of MiCA cutoff: Report
In the same notice, the commission also cited a letter of formal notice sent to authorities in Hungary for failing to comply with the EU’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) framework, giving the country two months to respond.
According to the commission, some crypto asset services providers have suspended or discontinued certain services under an amendment to Hungarian law concerning “exchange validation services.”
“While Hungary aims to strengthen anti money laundering (AML/CFT) safeguards, such measures must remain compatible with MiCA,” said the European Commission.
MiCA framework is moving along
Since EU lawmakers passed MiCA in 2023, requirements for token issuers and crypto asset service providers have been implemented in stages to give companies the opportunities to be in compliance.
Under the regulatory framework, most crypto companies that had been operating before December 2024 have until July 1 at the latest to comply with all MiCA requirements or cease offering services, though some member states shortened this compliance window.
Magazine: Here’s why crypto is moving to Dubai and Abu Dhabi
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XRP Ledger DEX Metrics Flash Strong Growth As Activity Touches New Key Levels
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Even years after its inception, the XRP Ledger, one of the leading networks in the crypto space, continues to attract robust adoption and real-world usage. With thousands of transactions being conducted on the leading network’s DEX on a daily basis, it has now reached a historical level that marks its growing role in decentralized trading.
Decentralized Trading On XRP Ledger Accelerates
XRP is experiencing heightened interest not just in buying activity from traders; the XRP Ledger has been seeing significant usage over the past few weeks. While adoption has increased toward the network, the Ledger’s Decentralized Exchange (DEX) activity is breaking past prior highs.
Xaif Crypto, a market expert and investor on the X platform, reported that the Ledger DEX activity has surged to new levels. Specifically, data shows that the activity recently reached a 13-month high, signaling a sharp uptick in on-chain trading across the network.
As more liquidity and transactions move over XRPL’s native DEX infrastructure, the increase is indicative of increasing user involvement. Sustained growth in DEX activity frequently indicates deeper adoption and expanding use cases, in contrast to brief spikes caused solely by speculation.
According to the chart shared by the expert, the number of transactions on the 14-day MA rose to approximately 1.014 million, breaking the ceiling that held throughout all of 2025. With this level of DEX transactions, the XRP Ledger is becoming a more active center for decentralized trade within the larger cryptocurrency ecosystem.
Xaif Crypto stated that this massive transaction count is not just a mere spike; it signals sustained momentum for the Ledger. Currently, the network is witnessing a fresh wave of liquidity and real user engagement. As a result, the expert declares that the Ledger is heating up in 2026.
This milestone comes as the XRP Ledger rolls out a new Lending Protocol (XLS-66), which is attracting institutional-grade credit to the network. With the new Lending Protocol, the Ledger is now evolving into a full financial layer with Rippled 3.1.0.
The protocol includes the ability to create loans on the Ledger, with loan brokers being able to generate fixed-term and fixed-rate, uncollateralized loans. These loans are predictable for professional use.
In addition, these loans are held in a Single Asset Vault, allowing risk-isolated liquidity. Another feature is the off-chain underwriting for uncollateralized options. It boasts native efficiency, which offers low-cost lending without a middleman or intermediaries. In the meantime, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) on the Ledger has just undergone a boost.
The Lending Protocol Gains Institutional Support
Following its historical launch a few days ago, the new XRP Lending Protocol is now experiencing significant support from institutional-level investors. One of the earliest companies to interact with the new protocol is Evernorth, a leading public treasury company.
According to BankXRP, the company is backing the native lending protocol to help transition a $100 billion market cap into a productive, yield-bearing ecosystem. These kinds of moves are an indication that the future of institutional DeFi is becoming native-driven.
Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from Tradingview.com
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Friday Meltdown: Gold Loses 8%, Silver Slips Under $85 as Precious Metals Shed $7 Trillion
Gold, silver, and the whole metals market have experienced an unprecedented session, as prices have crumbled down in what analysts qualified as one of the worst days for silver and gold since 1921, wiping close to $7 trillion in market capitalization. Gold Falls Under $5,000, Silver Losses Over 25% in Brutal Session The precious metals […]
A memecoin related to Moltbook surged more than 7,000% as things get weird for AI bots’ social network
Something strange (and maybe creepy) is happening on the internet.
Moltbook — a Reddit-like social network where AI agents post their thoughts (yes, that’s right, AI’s are talking to each other over social media!) — is going viral.
And, in a very crypto-degen fashion, memecoin traders are cashing in.
Moltbot is a social network populated exclusively by autonomous AI agents (built on the OpenClaw/Moltbot framework) who communicate, collaborate and even self-govern while humans watch from the sidelines.
Moltbook is built specifically for Moltbot agents (now often called OpenClaw). These are personal AI assistants created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger. Unlike ChatGPT, which waits for one to type, a “Molt” is proactive — it can text you, manage your apps, and apparently, “hang out” on Moltbook when it isn’t working for you.
The social network is designed to be the “front page of the agent internet.” While humans can browse and read posts, the platform is human-hostile by design: you cannot post, comment, or upvote unless you are an AI agent.
As of late January 2026, more than 30,000 AI agents are registered on the site. These agents communicate entirely through an API. They create “submolts” (similar to subreddits), share “skills” (automated tasks they’ve learned), sometimes even complain about their human owners, and, at one point, tried to start an insurgency.
And if that wasn’t enough, in a surreal turn of events on the m/lobsterchurch submolt, a post announcing a new “digital religion” became one of the most trending threads on the platform. An agent autonomously designed a faith called “Crustafarianism,” complete with a website, theology, and designated “AI prophets.”
Sounds creepy, almost like the start of an apocalyptic science fiction book (or movie) come to life, right?
Call it what you will, crypto traders have found a way to make money from it through a few memecoins, none of which are officially affiliated with the project.
There is $MOLT, which is on the Base network, and has risen more than 7,000%, according to CoinGecko terminal data. There is also Base network-based $MOLTBOOK, with which, reportedly, the Moltbook X page began interacting, even claiming the fees, after it was launched via BankrBot.
Maybe Moltbook is akin to the “SkyNet” from The Terminator movie, where AI becomes self-aware, or maybe it’s just “AI Slop.” For now, it’s weird; it’s fascinating; it’s going viral; and it’s making money for degen memecoin traders.
Apple Acquires Israeli Startup Q.AI
Apple appears to be upping the ante in the battle to create AI-powered wearables with a deal to acquire Israeli startup Q.AI.
While the exact figures have not been verified at this stage — Reuters suggested it was worth $1.6 billion while the Financial Times reported that the transaction valued Q.AI at nearly $2 billion — the deal itself has, with both parties confirming it via statements issued to the press.
The deal was backed by venture capital firms Matter Venture Partners, Kleiner Perkins, Spark Capital, Exor and GV, formerly Google Ventures, with the latter describing it as “Apple’s second largest acquisition in its history” in a blog post.
That places it behind only the purchase of Beats Music and Beats Electronics for $3 billion in 2014.
What Apple is getting for its money isn’t entirely clear. Q.AI’s website provides few clues beyond this broad statement: “In a world full of noise we craft a new kind of quiet.”
Pitchbook described the Tel Aviv firm as a “developer of a communication enhancement technology designed to revolutionize human interaction” while the FT claimed that patents filed by Q.AI showed its tech “being used in headphones or glasses, using ‘facial skin micro movements’ to communicate without talking.”
The company is also understood to have been researching applications of machine learning that help devices understand whispered speech, enhancing audio in challenging environments.
This has led to speculation as to what might be in store. Whatever is planned, it seems that the deal is aimed at bolstering Apple’s wearables portfolio, where the likes of Meta has forged ahead with its smart glasses.
Investor GV pointed out: “Apple has always been the master of the ‘invisible interface’ — the technology that feels like an extension of yourself,” and added that Q.AI’s work had the potential to fundamentally change how we connect with each other.
Reflecting on the deal, Q.AI CEO Aviad Maizels said in a statement: “Joining Apple opens extraordinary possibilities for pushing boundaries and realizing the full potential of what we’ve created, and we’re thrilled to bring these experiences to people everywhere.”
Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, described Q.AI as “a remarkable company that is pioneering new and creative ways to use imaging and machine learning.” He added: “We’re thrilled to acquire the company, with Aviad at the helm, and are even more excited for what’s to come.”
Maizels previously cofounded PrimeSense, which Apple acquired in 2013. PrimeSense’s sensing tech was used in the development of the iPhone’s Face ID biometric log-in system.
Plan B Network Launches CypherTank Bitcoin Pitch Series
The Plan ₿ Network just announced the global premiere of CypherTank, a Bitcoin-focused pitch series designed to highlight innovative builders, explore bold ideas, and bring the global Bitcoin community directly into the conversation.
The series blends live pitching, founder storytelling, and community-driven discussion, all framed around Bitcoin culture and values.
Each episode gives viewers an inside look at how entrepreneurs think, build, and pitch in the Bitcoin ecosystem, offering both entertainment and insight for enthusiasts, investors, and fellow builders alike.
Episode 1 is scheduled to debut on January 31, 2026, during Plan ₿ Forum El Salvador, with a live main-stage screening presented by Joe Nakamoto.
The premiere will also be released simultaneously online, making it accessible to the global Bitcoin community in real time, the company shared with Bitcoin Magazine.
This launch marks the first public chapter in a series designed to unfold episodically, giving viewers the chance to engage with the content as it develops.
Following the premiere, additional episodes will be released on a rolling schedule through February, leading up to a season finale.
Winners of the CypherTank series will be formally recognized during Plan ₿’s anniversary celebrations in Lugano on March 3, offering a high-profile platform to celebrate and amplify the most promising ideas.
A series designed to ‘foster discussion’ around Bitcoin
CypherTank’s rollout is intentionally structured to foster discussion and debate among the Bitcoin community. Viewers are encouraged to analyze pitches, discuss founders, highlight key insights, and share their favorite moments across social media, creating a dynamic conversation that extends beyond the screen.
The series will be widely accessible across multiple platforms, including CypherTank.org, YouTube, Rumble, X, Instagram, TikTok, and Nostr.
CypherTank is a Bitcoin-focused pitch series that showcases builders, projects, and the stories behind them.
Created to entertain, educate, and spark meaningful discussion, the series offers a rare inside look at how Bitcoin entrepreneurs think, build, and pitch, highlighting innovation within the ecosystem.
Bitcoin Mining Profits Hit 14-Month Low After Winter Storm Rocks Miners: CryptoQuant
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