CFA Report Pegs US Crypto Fraud Losses at $80.7B

Bitcoin's price surge has led to the liquidation of nearly $700 million in short positions over the past 24 hours. Ethereum, XRP, and Solana have also seen gains, with Bitcoin leading in liquidated positions at $382 million.

The Algorand Foundation announced its relocation to the United States from Singapore, with a new board of directors appointed to focus on areas like payments infrastructure and asset tokenization. The move aligns with a shift in U.S. crypto policy towards fostering blockchain innovation and market growth, emphasizing regulatory clarity and legislative engagement.

Survey data reveals financial advisors are increasingly recommending and personally investing in crypto, with allocations in client portfolios reaching all-time highs. This shift signifies a significant change in how advisors perceive digital assets and their role in traditional portfolios.

Bitcoin's surge to $95,000 led to a significant increase in U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF inflows, with products adding $753.7 million on January 13. This rally, driven by institutional demand, saw Bitcoin reach a two-month high and boosted total net assets to $123 billion.

Bitpanda, a popular European crypto exchange, is reportedly planning an initial public offering in the first half of 2026, aiming for a valuation between €4 billion and €5 billion. The exchange has tapped Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Deutsche Bank for the offering.

Visa has partnered with BVNK to enable stablecoin-funded payouts through Visa Direct, expanding payment options beyond traditional fiat rails. BVNK will support stablecoin services in approved markets, focusing on regions with strong demand for digital asset payments.

Meta Platforms has cut 1,000 jobs from its Reality Labs division to focus on AI wearables and mobile features, representing about 10% of the division's workforce. The move follows a previous layoff of 11,000 employees in November 2022.

Visa is partnering with BVNK to integrate stablecoin infrastructure into its Visa Direct platform, enabling businesses to pre-fund payments in stablecoins for direct payouts to digital wallets. BVNK, processing over $30 billion in stablecoin payments annually, will facilitate moving and settling stablecoins for Visa's network.

Ethereum's potential to surpass Bitcoin in 2026 is supported by a regulatory overhaul and key market metrics. Despite Ethereum's historical underperformance compared to Bitcoin, indicators like declining Bitcoin dominance and rising ETH/BTC ratio suggest a possible altcoin season ahead.

Bitcoin advocacy groups are urging Congress to extend tax exemptions to Bitcoin and major network tokens beyond stablecoins to address compliance challenges. The coalition emphasizes the need for relief for both payment stablecoins and network tokens to simplify tax reporting for crypto transactions.