Ethereum

A speculative comparison of BTC, ETH, and XRP argues that XRP could deliver the highest percentage returns by 2029, while Bitcoin is characterized as the safer reserve allocation and Ethereum as a utility-driven play. The discussion comes alongside Trump's pledge to make the U.S. a crypto hub, as Bitcoin is down 15% since his inauguration and many altcoins fell 70%–90%.

X is introducing Starterpacks, an onboarding tool that helps new users follow curated crypto and technology feeds. Unveiled Thursday and previewed by Head of Product Nikita Bier on January 21, 2026, the crypto category will feature memecoin trading with real-time trends and sentiment from active traders. A short video showed users selecting interests and following vetted accounts.

Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin proposed adding native distributed validator technology to streamline staking. In a Wednesday forum post, he outlined a design that lets a validator create up to 16 independent keys that the chain treats as one, aiming to cut downtime penalties and improve security for self-stakers.

Layer-1 network Saga has paused its SagaEVM chain at block height 6593800 following a January 21 exploit that moved nearly $7 million in tokens to Ethereum. The project is investigating the coordinated attack, working on remediation with partners, and keeping the chain offline while it validates the impact and strengthens security.

In its Big Ideas 2026 report released on Wednesday, Ark Invest projected that the total value of digital assets could jump from about $3.13 trillion to $28 trillion by 2030, implying roughly 9x growth. The firm expects Bitcoin to capture around 70% of this market and forecasts its market cap could climb from nearly $2 trillion to $16 trillion over the next five years, while smart contract networks and tokenized real-world assets also see substantial expansion.

Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan said in a report shared on Wednesday that the fourth quarter of 2025 showed mixed signals and may have marked a crypto bear‑market bottom. He compared the setup to early 2023, when prices climbed from around $16,000 to $98,000 by early 2025, and highlighted record Ethereum and layer‑2 activity, a stablecoin market cap above $300 billion, and rising DeFi usage.

Ethereum retreated from the $3,000 resistance and slid below $2,920 before testing $2,865, where it began consolidating. The price is now trading under $3,050 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average, with key resistance levels seen at $3,065, $3,100 and $3,120. A sustained move above $3,120 could open the way toward $3,175 and potentially $3,220–$3,300, while failure to clear $3,065 risks fresh declines toward $2,900 and lower supports.

US equities and major cryptocurrencies posted modest gains on Wednesday after Donald Trump announced he would not proceed with Greenland-linked tariffs scheduled for Feb. 1. The S&P 500 rose 1.16%, while Bitcoin, Ether and Solana all edged higher, although crypto-related stocks and mining firms showed a mixed performance.

Ether price recently endured a three-day 13.8% pullback that pushed it back to the $2,900 support area and triggered $480 million in leveraged long liquidations. Although ETH later reclaimed $3,000 after U.S. President Donald Trump scrapped planned tariff hikes on several EU countries, derivatives data show a negative funding rate and a sharp rise in downside option premiums. Combined with sizable spot ETF outflows and weaker onchain activity versus rivals, these signals suggest limited conviction for a strong near-term rally.

Leveraged crypto traders saw $655 million in positions wiped out over the past 24 hours, according to CoinGlass. On January 21, 2026, Bitcoin jumped from $88,224 to $90,295 before reversing to $87,304, prompting liquidations across shorts and longs; BTC and ETH were last at $89,479 and $2,988.