Dow Jones Industrial Average futures edged higher on Friday morning, buoyed by defense and energy heavyweights, while Nasdaq futures slipped as investors priced in the inflationary risks of a potential Middle East conflict amid intensifying unrest in Iran.

The divergence comes as the Iranian regime faces its most severe existential threat in decades, with crude oil prices climbing on fears of supply disruptions.

FuturesChange (+/-)Dow Jones0.01%S&P 500-0.01%Nasdaq 100-0.03%Russell 20000.05%

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ), which track the S&P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, closed lower on Thursday. The SPY was down 0.01% at…

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Wagering on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei losing power has surged dramatically on Polymarket as anti-regime protests entered their 12th day.

Bets On Khamenei And Iran Surge

In just four days since launch, the trade volume for the “Khamenei out as Supreme Leader of Iran by January 31?” bet has spiked to $4.7 million.

It currently stands as one of the most popular bets on the Polygon (CRYPTO: POL)-based prediction platform, surpassing those tied to Greenland, tariffs, NBA games, and interest rate cuts.

Punters currently assign just a 17% chance that Khamenei will be removed from power by the end of the month, while betting heavily, at about 82%, on him continuing as…

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President Donald Trump dismissed the idea of pardoning jailed cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried, according to a report published Thursday.

SBF Won’t Get Reprieve From Trump

During an interview with The New York Times, Trump indicated he has no intention of pardoning high-profile individuals, including Bankman-Fried, music sensation Sean Combs and Nicolás Maduro, the recently deposed Venezuelan leader.

Bankman-Fried, also known as SBF, who once promised to “build the future of finance,” is serving a 25-year sentence, projected to end four years early due to ‘good conduct’ credits.

He was convicted of misappropriating funds from his FTX cryptocurrency exchange customers…

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Leading cryptocurrencies came under pressure on Thursday as investors trimmed risk appetite after the market’s recent advances

CryptocurrencyGains +/-Price (Recorded at 8:25 p.m. ET)Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC)-0.31%$91,077.15Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)               -2.16%$3,104.57XRP (CRYPTO: XRP)                         -2.14%$2.12Solana (CRYPTO: SOL)                         +1.29%$138.58Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE)                         -3.04%$0.1422Crypto Market Loses Steam

Bitcoin dipped below $90,000 in early trading but recovered to hover around $91,000. Trading volume barely increased over the last 24…

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Whale transactions worth over $100,000 in FLOKI (CRYPTO: FLOKI), PEPE (CRYPTO: PEPE), and Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB) exploded by 950%, 620%, and 111% respectively this week, as meme coins added $14 billion in market cap in 2026.

Meme Coins Dominate Whale Activity Rankings

Market intelligence firm Santiment tracked a surge in transactions worth $100,000 or more—the type of size that indicates institutional or wealthy individual investors rather than retail traders.

Meme coins dominated this activity, taking four of the top ten spots among all crypto projects with at least $500 million market caps.

FLOKI on Ethereum led with a 950% surge, followed by PEPE at 620% and FLOKI on BNB at 550%.

Benzinga

If you’ve been watching crypto recently, you may have noticed something unusual. The headlines are quieter. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) prices are moving in relatively narrow ranges, and volatility has slowed compared to past cycles. For casual observers, this might feel like stagnation. For investors who have been in the market for years, it is more likely a sign that crypto is entering a new, more sustainable phase.

The market has spent the last decade thriving on excitement. Flashy rallies, overnight stories of huge profits, and viral memes dominated the narrative. Today, most of that energy has faded. It may feel boring, but beneath the surface, important…

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President Donald Trump told The New York Times he has decided on the next Federal Reserve Chair but won’t disclose the name, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said rate cuts are “the only ingredient missing” for stronger economic growth.

Trump Has Decision But Won’t Name His Pick

Trump said during a Wednesday night interview that he has a decision in mind but hasn’t discussed it with anyone. 

When asked about National Economic Council leader Kevin Hassett, Trump declined to comment but called Hassett “certainly one of the people that I like.”

Kalshi prediction markets show Kevin Warsh at 41%, Kevin Hassett at 39%, and Fed Governor Christopher Waller at 12% as top…

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Bitcoin is back above $90,000 on Thursday afternoon as crypto markets look to digest their early-year gains.

Notable Statistics:

Coinglass data shows 132,723 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $455.54 million.       

In the past 24 hours, top gainers include JasmyCoin, Bittensor and Lighter.

Notable Developments:

Trader Notes: Michael van de Poppe said Bitcoin is showing a constructive bounce, holding its 21-day moving average, forming a higher low, and attracting steady buying. If daily closes hold, a retest of $94,000 is likely, with a breakout potentially opening the door to $100,000.

Daan Crypto Trades noted that early-year Bitcoin price action is typically…

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