On January 30, Bitcoin dropped to $81,119 as derivatives data showed a cascade of forced long closures. According to on-chain analyst Axel Adler Jr., long-liquidation dominance reached roughly 97% (30-day average 31.4%) while perpetual funding stayed positive at 43.2% annualized, suggesting leverage may not be fully cleared. BTC last traded near $82,968.

Former Ripple CTO David "JoelKatz" Schwartz has challenged viral claims that XRP is on a near-term path to $50–$100, arguing that the current market price already reflects how much capital truly believes in such scenarios. He framed the discussion in probabilistic terms, noting his own past underestimation of crypto rallies, and used a thought experiment to argue that if many rational investors saw even a 10% chance of $100 within a few years, XRP would not be trading far below $10. Schwartz also revisited his earlier remark that XRP "can't be cheap" and discussed XRPL throughput, saying higher transaction capacity is possible but would likely increase costs for node operators.

On Wednesday, CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju reiterated the view that Bitcoin functions as a form of "energy money," arguing that proof-of-work is evolving into a settlement layer for an AI-centric economy constrained by power rather than narratives. He aligned his comments with Hashed CEO Simon Kim's thesis that Bitcoin mining infrastructure and curtailed renewable energy can be monetized as AI demand for high-density, flexible power grows, citing large sovereign wealth allocations and flare-gas projects. Kim further claimed that over half of Bitcoin mining now relies on sustainable energy, that methane-based flare-gas mining materially cuts CO2-equivalent emissions, and that miners in regions like Texas act as controllable loads that support grid stability.

In a Jan. 23 research note, 21Shares' Matt Mena projected three XRP outcomes for 2026 after the August 2025 settlement cleared the SEC overhang. The firm cites US spot ETF assets above $1.3 billion and a 55‑day inflow streak, exchange reserves at 1.7 billion XRP, and RLUSD's expansion as key inputs behind targets of $2.45 (50%), $2.69 (30%), and $1.60 (implied -16%).

On Jan. 27, ProCap CIO and Bitwise adviser Jeff Park warned on X that Bitcoin’s muted options pricing and thin month‑to‑date activity make upside traction unlikely without a material rise in volatility, citing ~38 IV. He pointed to silver’s Jan. 26 surge—14% in the most‑active futures and outsized SLV volumes—as a template for sudden, disorderly moves.

Members of the XRP Ledger community are debating what truly represents XRP's "golden ticket," contrasting US market-structure legislation such as the CLARITY Act with Ripple's own payments and institutional products built on XRPL. Some participants argue that regulated liquidity sourcing from the on-chain XRPL DEX, Ripple Prime's post-trade settlement on-ledger, and upcoming features like Permissioned Domains and enhanced privacy are the real unlocks for institutional adoption. At the time of reporting, XRP was trading at $1.9256.

Arthur Hayes argues that Bitcoin's next significant move higher depends less on crypto-specific news and more on how US authorities react to mounting strains in Japan's currency and government bond markets. In an essay titled "Woomph" published on Wednesday, he outlines a potential Federal Reserve intervention involving dollar sales for yen and purchases of Japanese government bonds, which he believes would expand dollar liquidity and eventually support Bitcoin. Hayes plans to monitor changes in the Fed's "Foreign Currency Denominated Assets" line item and says he will adjust his positions in Bitcoin proxies and altcoins like Zcash based on any balance sheet shifts.

In a January 27 video posted on X, Anthony Pompliano compared Bitcoin’s 16% decline over the past year with sharp gains in gold, silver, copper, and platinum, while BTC has traded in a tight $84,000–$94,000 range since mid-November. He attributed the divergence to changing demand drivers in precious and industrial metals, Wall Street’s growing role in Bitcoin, reduced volatility, fading “chaos hedge” and inflation narratives, and rising competition from AI-related and other speculative assets. At the time of reporting, Bitcoin was priced at $88,131.

BlackRock has submitted an S-1 registration for the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF, a fund designed to follow bitcoin's price while earning option income by selling call options mainly on its spot ETF IBIT. Market participants see the strategy as an additional source of systematic volatility supply rather than a clear bullish or bearish trigger for BTC. Analysts warn that more covered-call style products could further depress implied volatility and reduce option yields for investors seeking premium from bitcoin exposure.