Bitcoin Hits Record High Near $109,000 Amid Trump Frenzy

Ross Ulbricht, founder of Silk Road, remains in prison as President Trump has not yet commuted his sentence, despite promises made at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention. Ulbricht received two life sentences plus 40 years without parole in 2015 for various charges.

Vivek Ramaswamy has stepped down from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to pursue a gubernatorial campaign in Ohio, leaving Elon Musk as the sole leader of the initiative. DOGE, co-founded by Ramaswamy and Musk in 2024, aims to cut government waste and reduce regulations.

Rivalry, a betting platform, has integrated TRUMP Solana meme coin for payments, following its launch and listing on major exchanges. Users can now deposit, wager, and use TRUMP tokens on the site, with exclusive rewards available until February 1.

Solana-based applications like Jupiter and Phantom experienced degraded performance due to an "unprecedented surge in activity" following the launch of Melania Trump's meme coin. TRUMP's price plummeted 44% in about an hour, causing strain on Solana's ecosystem and network stability.

The SEC filed a lawsuit against Nova Labs, accusing them of selling unregistered securities through the sale of hotspots mining crypto tokens and sharing internet connectivity. Nova Labs allegedly made false claims about partnerships with companies like Lime, Nestlé, and Salesforce.

Rumble, a video platform, recently made its first Bitcoin purchase following a strategy to invest up to $20 million in the cryptocurrency. CEO Chris Pavlovski confirmed the buy on social media, hinting at more to come. The Canadian company, known for supporting free speech, is gaining support from the crypto world.

World Liberty Financial, a DeFi platform linked to President Donald Trump and his family, acquired $47 million worth of Wrapped Bitcoin in 10 transactions, bringing its total to $47.4 million. The platform also holds significant amounts of Ethereum, USDC, Aave, LINK, and ENA.

Mark Uyeda has been appointed as the acting chair of the cryptocurrency industry's main regulator following Gary Gensler's resignation. Former SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins has been nominated by Trump to lead the SEC long-term, but approval timing is uncertain. Uyeda, a pro-crypto Republican, criticized the SEC's handling of the digital asset industry.

Mark Cuban criticized the launch of President Trump's meme coin, stating it could hinder the legitimacy of the digital assets industry. Proposed bills like FIT21 aim to provide clearer regulations for digital assets, potentially clarifying the legal grey area in the crypto market.

Analysts at Bernstein believe that President Trump's Solana meme token launch presents an opportunity for investors, despite mixed reactions within the crypto industry. The new era of the digital asset industry is expected to be chaotic, but this shouldn't deter investment in what is considered more valuable within the space.