The crypto market saw a notable liquidity injection today after Circle Internet Financial LLC, the issuer of USD Coin, minted 250 million USDC (CRYPTO: USDC). The move brings fresh capital into digital asset markets at a time when decentralized finance continues to attract steady institutional interest and growing demand for dollar-backed liquidity across multiple blockchains.

Understanding The USDC Minting Process

When Circle issues new USDC, it does so only after receiving an equivalent amount of U.S. dollars from institutional customers or approved partners. Each token is backed one to one by dollar reserves, ensuring price stability. These reserves are held primarily in cash and…

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Bitcoin is consolidating below $94,000 as strong ETF inflows offset broader macro uncertainty and market sentiment remains neutral.

The ISM manufacturing PMI declined for a third straight month to 47.9 in December, recording the lowest reading since October 2024.

Bitcoin ETFs saw $697.3 million in net inflows on Monday, while Ethereum ETFs reported $168.1 million in net inflows.

Short Consolidation Before Breakout?

The Cryptomist said Bitcoin may be forming a falling wedge, with the potential for a final dip into support before a squeeze toward the mid-$95,000 range. After that move, bearish pressure could begin to build.

Michael van de Poppe said the scale of recent inflows makes a deep…

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Speculation around a potential OpenAI acquisition of Pinterest Inc. (NYSE:PINS) is gaining traction, with traders now putting real money behind the idea.

A Kalshi bet on whether the Sam Altman-led company will announce an acquisition of Pinterest by Jan. 1, 2027, is actively trading, offering a real-time look at how investors and forecasters are pricing the probability of a deal.

The renewed interest follows a recent report from The Information, which included the ChatGPT owner acquiring the digital pinboard platform among its 2026 predictions.

Pinterest shares rose roughly 3% following the report, reflecting heightened investor attention despite the lack of any official… Read more on Benzinga

Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) CEO Brian Armstrong said Monday that his longevity startup, NewLimit, is working on extending human lifespan by treating age-related diseases.

Can Aging Diseases Be Erased?

Armstrong said in an X post that the new venture’s goal is to extend healthspan by restoring the function cells had when they were younger.

“The thing that got me excited about that was like all these major diseases are correlated with aging,” Armstrong shared a clip from his recent podcast with Rick Robin.

He argued that returning cells to their youthful function would “automatically” knock out the diseases that occur later in life.

See Also: Donald Trump’s 2025 Crypto…

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Economist and market commentator Peter Schiff urged investors Monday to take profits on Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) during the ongoing rally and use the proceeds to invest in gold.

Is This Bitcoin Surge Just Hype?

In an X post, Schiff said that the “Venezuela-inspired” rally, which has pushed Bitcoin above $94,500, is not a bullish sign, but rather a “pumper” narrative.

“Don’t believe the hype. Just take advantage of the rally to sell and use the proceeds to buy real gold instead,” the Bitcoin critic added.

Who’s The Real Safe Haven?

Both Bitcoin and gold have seen strong gains early in the new year. However, the two assets diverged sharply in 2025, with Bitcoin declining by about 5%,…

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ETFs transformed how capital accesses markets, not how markets are built. They bundled existing assets into efficient, liquid vehicles and standardized distribution at scale. It was a meaningful innovation, but it stopped at the wrapper.

Tokenization operates at the asset level. It changes the asset itself. When ownership rights, transfer restrictions, eligibility rules, and corporate actions are embedded directly into code on a shared ledger, issuance, servicing, and settlement collapse into a single native workflow. The result is not a new product format, but a new market structure.

This distinction matters because the next wave of growth is not in public beta exposure, but in private…

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Bitcoin climbed above $94,000 on Monday as institutional accumulation and improving sentiment lifted the broader crypto market.

Notable Statistics:

Coinglass data shows 109,514 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $423.09 million.       

In the past 24 hours, top gainers include Virtuals Protocol, Lighter and Render.

Notable Developments:

Trader Notes: Bitcoin began the year with renewed momentum, reaching its highest level since November. Trader Michael van de Poppe said the $90,000–$91,000 zone is the key support to watch, noting it aligns with the 21-day moving average. Holding this area and forming a higher low could set up a move toward the $100,000 mark.

Altcoin…

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