James Godstime is a crypto journalist and market analyst with over three years of experience in crypto, Web3, and finance. He simplifies complex and technical ideas to engage readers. Outside of work, he enjoys football and tennis, which he follows passionately.
A new academic paper warns that influence campaigns powered by autonomous AI agents may soon become far harder to detect and stop. Instead of obvious bot networks, future operations could rely on systems that behave like real users and adjust their actions over time. Researchers say this shift poses serious risks to public debate and platform governance.
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has issued a stark warning about the future of work as artificial intelligence spreads across industries. He argues that rapid AI adoption will erase millions of jobs worldwide. Against that backdrop, Zhao believes cryptocurrencies can serve as financial protection for those who prepare early.
XRP Ledger continues to show strong on-chain activity while Ripple leadership outlines where the crypto market may head next. New network data points to steady usage, low costs, and large transaction volumes. At the same time, Ripple executives are setting expectations for how institutions may engage with crypto in the coming years.
Stablecoin adoption is rising across Africa as individuals and businesses search for faster cross-border payments and protection from rising prices. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, economist Vera Songwe said stablecoins are filling gaps left by costly remittance systems and weak local currencies. Growing usage is also drawing closer attention from regulators across the continent.
UBS Group AG is preparing a move that could bring crypto investing into its private banking business. Plans are taking shape to give selected high-net-worth clients access to digital assets, marking a shift in how the Swiss bank approaches the sector. The effort reflects growing client demand, ongoing regulatory review, and UBS’s wider push into blockchain-based finance.
BlackRock’s 2026 Thematic Outlook positions Ethereum as core financial infrastructure rather than a speculative asset. The report frames the network as a potential “toll road” for tokenized assets—capturing value through issuance, settlement, and transaction fees as real-world assets move onchain. For investors, the central question is whether growth in tokenization activity can translate into durable economic demand for ETH.
Saga, a Layer-1 blockchain protocol, has paused its Ethereum-compatible SagaEVM chainlet after a $7 million exploit triggered unauthorized fund transfers. The attack involved assets being bridged out of the network and swapped into Ether. Although the affected chainlet remains offline, Saga says the broader network continues to operate normally.
Rapid progress in artificial intelligence is forcing governments and institutions to confront a much shorter path toward human-level systems than previously expected. Industry leaders now say the gap between today’s tools and artificial general intelligence is narrowing quickly. As development accelerates, concerns around jobs, governance, and economic stability are moving to the center of the debate.
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is strengthening its leadership as it prepares for a potentially expanded role in overseeing digital asset markets. Chair Michael Selig has appointed two senior advisers, signaling the agency’s focus on crypto regulation as lawmakers consider legislation that could grant the CFTC broader authority over the sector.
Bitcoin steadied after a sharp sell-off earlier this week, finding support near the $92,000 level as traders reassessed risk. Market watchers say exchange-traded fund inflows continue to support a positive long-term outlook, even as global political tensions keep volatility elevated. Recent price action suggests buyers remain active despite broader uncertainty.
Kevin Hassett has withdrawn from consideration to lead the U.S. Fed, narrowing the field in a leadership contest increasingly shaped by political and legal pressure. President Donald Trump has made clear that he prefers Hassett to remain in his current White House role. And this stance has effectively removed him from contention and reshaped expectations around the Fed’s next chair.
Bitcoin options open interest has overtaken futures for the first time, marking a shift in how risk is held across crypto markets. By mid-January, options open interest climbed to about $74.1 billion, edging above roughly $65.22 billion in futures. The change points to a market relying less on short-term directional trades and more on structured positions that manage risk and volatility over time.
Steak ’n Shake is positioning Bitcoin as both a customer payment option and a long-term treasury asset, signaling a deeper integration of cryptocurrency into its business model. The fast-food chain reported that its corporate Bitcoin holdings increased by $10 million in notional value, fueled by customer payments and rising same-store sales.
Elon Musk is seeking between $79 billion and $134 billion in damages from OpenAI Inc. and Microsoft. He alleged that the companies misled him about the future of the artificial intelligence firm he helped establish. Court filings indicate the lawsuit could become one of the most significant legal battles in the rapidly evolving AI industry.
Crypto markets appear to have moved past the leverage-driven stress seen in October, according to asset manager Grayscale. Recent research shared by the firm suggests derivatives activity has stabilized, supply pressure has eased, and market direction is now more closely tied to fundamentals and policy developments. As a result, price action may be better positioned to respond to upcoming regulatory and institutional shifts rather than past disruptions.