Goldman Sachs' December outlook projects a 50% rise in global LNG supply by 2030, framing 2026 as the turn from an oil supply wave to LNG. IEA and Bloom Energy flag surging power-density needs and greater on-site generation at data centers. In this context, Eaton (ETN), Devon (DVN) and BWX Technologies (BWXT) are cited with 25%–27% upside potential.

On January 2, 2026, BTCC reported its Q4 2025 results, citing $775 billion in total trading volume ($670 billion futures, $105 billion spot) and more than 11 million registered users. Tokenized RWA futures reached $53.1 billion for 2025, with $22.7 billion in Q4, alongside a TradingView integration and multiple platform, security, and community updates.

On Friday, the memecoin sector’s market capitalization climbed 8% to $39.45 billion, adding $3 billion in a single day as PEPE gained 23.6%, BONK rose 10% and DOGE advanced 8%. At the same time, open interest and derivatives volume for leading memecoins expanded sharply, with PEPE’s OI up 77% to $441 million and total daily derivatives trading volume across memecoins reaching $4.75 billion.

Polymarket prediction markets currently assign Bitcoin a 21% chance of touching $150,000 before 2027, with expectations clustered around a peak between $100,000 and $120,000. Analysts are divided, with some projecting a major rally in 2026 that could lift BTC as high as $150,000 to $250,000, while others argue that growing Bitcoin options and covered call activity is constraining price upside.

Dexter became the largest daily facilitator for x402 transactions from December 11, according to data published by Hashed Official. The AI protocol has processed over 19.8 million total payments, 14 million fewer than Base. Charts indicate Dexter now handles roughly half of daily volume while Coinbase's share ranges from one-quarter to one-third.

In late 2025 and early 2026, Coinbase came under renewed fire from Base ecosystem traders and developers, who accused the exchange of "corporate double-speak" over how it lists tokens and backs projects. Critics pointed to Coinbase's initial reluctance to list Base-native tokens, its preference for Solana meme coins, and uneven support for ventures like Arcadia and Giza, while CEO Brian Armstrong defended the firm's reliance on DEX integrations and positioned Coinbase as an "everything exchange."

A well-known crypto trader argues that 2026 is not the window for a $1,000 XRP price, even as long-term upside remains on the table. The debate followed a widely circulated forecast highlighted by Uphold that envisions $1,000 by 2030. Commentator Pharaoh also ruled out 2025 and 2026, aligning with Don Kwok’s caution against short-term hype.

Bitcoin approached $90,000 into the first U.S. trading session of 2026, with a fresh CME futures gap and long‑liquidation clusters near $88,000 signaling potential downside. Liquidity and cross‑crypto liquidations exceeded $200 million ahead of the Wall Street open. Gold rebounded after its New Year's Eve dip, edging back toward all‑time highs and highlighting 2025's divergence.