President Donald Trump’s recent flirtation with acquiring Greenland has drawn pushback from several European countries, prompting him to fire back with tariff threats slated for early February. The move has lit up prediction markets, where wagers now run into the millions over whether the U.S. actually pulls off a Greenland grab. Once a Joke, Now […]
Bitcoin falls below $89,000 amid new tariff war concerns, bond selloff: Markets Liveblog
Analysts, CoinDesk reporters and longtime industry participants weigh in on today’s bitcoin, crypto and market price action.
Cheap ChatGPT Tier on Offer for $8 a Month; Ads Coming Soon
OpenAI is introducing key changes as it continues to evolve ChatGPT.
Last week, the startup announced that it’s making its most affordable subscription tier, ChatGPT Go, available globally. At the same time, it is rolling out advertising to the platform, with testing set to start soon in the U.S. for adults using its free tier or those on its Go plan. The moves come amid continuing scrutiny of OpenAI’s massive losses, which stretch to billions of dollars.
ChatGPT Go was initially launched in India in August to widen access to AI and has since been rolled out in 170 other countries.
Its affordability has helped it become the fastest growing ChatGPT plan, with users leveraging it for everyday tasks such as writing, learning, image creation and problem-solving, according to according to OpenAI.
Now, the company has made the decision to offer the plan in every market where ChatGPT is currently available. ChatGPT Go will be priced at $8 a month in the U.S., with equivalent localized pricing in other markets, joining ChatGPT Plus ($20 a month) and ChatGPT Pro ($200 a month).
The cheapest plan provides added access to the Chat GPT 5.2 instant model, with ten times more messages, file uploads and image creation than in the free tier, plus a longer memory and context window, so it remembers more details about you over time.
The next tier up, Plus, is aimed at those who require deeper reasoning, while Pro targets power users who need maximum memory and context.
The decision to include advertising, meanwhile, brings with it a degree of risk, with OpenAI acknowledging in a blog post: “It’s crucial we preserve what makes ChatGPT valuable in the first place.”
As such, the company has pledged that its responses will never be driven by advertising; that data and conversations will not be sold to advertisers; and that there will always be an option to disable personalization.
In addition, OpenAI says those who do not wish to see ads in ChatGPT will always be catered for via a paid tier that is ad-free.
Testing will start “in the coming weeks” for logged in adults in the free and Go tiers in the U.S., with clearly labeled ads sited at the bottom of answers featuring a relevant product based on a user’s conversation. Sensitive topics — such as health or politics — will remain ad-free.
OpenAI is seeking feedback from users to help it refine how it serves ads in future. For the time being, Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise subscriptions will not include ads.
Given the company’s need to increase revenues, the decision to introduce advertising does not constitute a surprise, but it does mark a major U-turn by CEO Sam Altman, who in 2024 described the prospect of a combination of AI and ads as “uniquely unsettling” and a “last resort” for the company as a business model.
Trump Media sets date for airdrop of digital tokens to DJT shareholders
Crypto.com will mint nontradable tokens for DJT shareholders on Feb. 2, as Trump Media expands its blockchain rewards strategy.
XRP Slides Sharply as Global Tensions Trigger Broad Risk-off Selling
XRP slid deeper into a defensive posture as selling pressure persisted, technical indicators stayed bearish and global risk-off sentiment intensified, leaving the token pinned near range lows with traders wary of further downside amid heightened geopolitical and trade tensions. XRP Extends Losses as Capital Rushes out of Speculative Assets At 5:13 p.m. on Jan. 20, […]
Mastercard said to weigh Zerohash investment after ending takeover talks worth billions
The credit card giant is considering a strategic investment in Zerohash as opposed to buying the company outright, according to people familiar with the transaction.
Citrea Launches Treasury-Backed Stablecoin to Unlock $1T in Idle Bitcoin Capital
Citrea, the Bitcoin application layer backed by Founders Fund and Galaxy Ventures, has launched Citrea USD (ctUSD), a native USD stablecoin designed to provide a unified settlement layer for Bitcoin-denominated markets.
Issued by MoonPay and powered by M0, ctUSD is fully backed by short-term US Treasury bills and cash. The token is designed to align with forthcoming regulatory guidelines, specifically the GENIUS Act, as the industry moves toward more formal stablecoin frameworks.
Mobilising a trillion-dollar asset
The launch aims to address a long-standing inefficiency in the crypto market: while Bitcoin holds a market cap exceeding $1trillion, the majority of this capital remains a “passive store of value” due to a lack of infrastructure for generating yield or settling trades natively.
Currently, Bitcoin-based financial activity often relies on bridged or externally issued stablecoins. Citrea argues these solutions fragment liquidity, trap capital, and introduce additional risk.
Orkun Mahir Kılıç, co-founder and CEO of Chainway Labs, the company building Citrea, commented: “Over $1trillion in Bitcoin is held primarily as a passive store of value today. ctUSD is designed to change that by giving Bitcoin markets a unified and regulated USD settlement layer, so capital can move, trade, and settle without fragmenting liquidity or introducing risky bridged tokens.”
A regulated settlement layer
The new stablecoin will be available to users in the US (excluding New York) and more than 160 countries worldwide. By providing a consistent USD layer, Citrea aims to facilitate BTC-secured lending, trading, and settlement directly on Bitcoin rails.
This development reflects a broader shift in the digital asset landscape, as infrastructure providers seek to make Bitcoin-based finance look less like experimental tech and more like familiar, regulated market infrastructure.
Chainway Labs, the developer behind Citrea, was co-founded by four computer scientists with backgrounds in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and zero-knowledge technologies. The team includes engineers and mathematicians with accolades from international olympiads in mathematics and informatics.
Bitcoin Sell-off Risk Rises As New Whales Control The Price Action
Bitcoin (BTC) has struggled to regain momentum after the price dipped below $90,000 on Tuesday, with multiple analysts pointing to continued selling pressure in the short term.
Key takeaways:
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New BTC whales with a holding period of less than 155 days now control more realized capital than the “OG” long-term holders.
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Whale-dominated exchange inflows signal elevated sell-side pressure for Bitcoin near $95,000 to $90,000.
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Market analysts suggest a pullback toward the $85,000 level based on bearish order book data.
New Bitcoin whales take the wheel, for now
CryptoQuant analyst Moreno DV said that new whales, i.e., holders of over 1,000 BTC with UTXOs younger than 155 days, now account for a larger share of Bitcoin’s realized cap than long-term holders.
Realized cap reflects the aggregate cost basis of coins based on their last onchain movement, indicating that a significant portion of the supply has changed hands at higher prices.
The realized price of this cohort sits near $98,000. With BTC trading below that level, new whales currently hold $6 billion in unrealized losses.
Long-term holders, with a realized price near $40,000, remain largely inactive, meaning near-term price action is being driven by capital under pressure rather than conviction.
Related: Bitcoin trader keeps $100K BTC target as gold price hits record $4,750
Exchange flows and market structure keep $85,000 in focus
Crypto exchange data reinforces the increasing chance of price downside. The Exchange Whale Ratio has surged to the 0.52–0.55 range, signaling that a large share of BTC inflows is dominated by big transactions, usually linked with selling or reallocation.
If this ratio remains elevated and price fails to reclaim the $95,000 to $98,000 zone, distribution pressure could extend the pullback toward $85,000 to $80,000.
Trader XO noted Bitcoin is trading below both the 21-period daily and 12-period weekly exponential moving averages (EMAs) and has broken multiple prior higher lows. The trader noted that BTC could “gravitate” towards the mid-$80,000s unless a sharp relief rally occurs.
Order flow analysis from analyst ‘exitpumpBTC’ shows large negative delta clusters below $91,000, with more than $300 million in total selling pressure realized, signaling an aggressive short positioning. Although this could create a short squeeze if $91,000 is reclaimed, it currently reinforces the downside momentum for BTC.
Futures analyst Dom described the setup as a “failed auction.” Bitcoin briefly broke above the Value Area High (VAH), the upper boundary where most trading previously occurred since November 2024, only to re-enter the value area.
Such moves carry a high possibility of rotating toward the Value Area Low (VAL), which currently sits near $86,000.
Related: Bitcoin holders see first 30-day stretch of realized losses since late 2023
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
Massachusetts Judge Bars Kalshi from Offering Sports Bets: Report
The preliminary injunction against the prediction markets platform reportedly came at the request of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell.
Prediction markets platform Kalshi could face legal complications operating in the US state of Massachusetts after a judge reportedly ruled that residents could not use the website for sports betting.
According to a Tuesday Reuters report, Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Christopher Barry-Smith said he would issue a preliminary injunction against Kalshi prohibiting the platform from offering sports betting for residents without the required gaming license.
The ruling followed Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell filing a lawsuit against Kalshi in September, alleging that the platform offered “illegal and unsafe sports wagering.” According to Reuters, Tuesday’s injunction came at Campbell’s request.
Related: Polymarket, Dow Jones deal puts prediction markets data in Wall Street Journal
Cointelegraph reached out to a Kalshi spokesperson for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Along with Polymarket, Kalshi is one of the biggest prediction markets platforms globally. Both websites offer event contracts on a variety of subjects, from US politics to the outcome of European sporting events.
Other US states and federal lawmakers target prediction markets
The Massachusetts lawsuit against Kalshi is just one of several legal actions individual US states and lawmakers have taken in response to the largely unregulated prediction markets platforms.
Although Kalshi scored a legal win against the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission in 2024 over bets on elections, prediction markets continue to attract scrutiny from many lawmakers.
In January, a Polymarket user netted more than $400,000 on a contract related to the removal of then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces. The bet prompted allegations of insider trading and conflicts of interest, as well as calls from lawmakers to address who should be allowed to place political prediction markets bets.
Magazine: How crypto laws changed in 2025 — and how they’ll change in 2026
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy
Trump Media sets February 2 record date for digital token airdrop to DJT holders
Trump Media and Technology Group announced February 2, 2026, as the record date for its digital token airdrop to shareholders, advancing its blockchain rewards program.
Shareholders who own at least one whole share of DJT stock as of that date will be eligible to receive digital tokens and associated incentives. Eligibility depends on being recognized as the ultimate beneficial owner of shares rather than borrowers.
Trump Media plans to partner with Crypto.com to mint the tokens on the blockchain and custody them pending distribution. The company said the arrangement will leverage Crypto.com’s infrastructure.
The tokens are expected to be non-transferable and will not represent equity or cash value. Holders should not expect profits derived from the company’s managerial efforts.
CEO and Chairman Devin Nunes said the company aims to implement the token initiative consistent with SEC guidance and improve transparency around beneficial ownership.
The initiative builds on Trump Media’s broader strategy to reward shareholders with perks tied to its products, including Truth Social, Truth+, and Truth Predict.
DJT shares jumped about 7% on the news before retracing most of the gains by Tuesday afternoon.