What happened in crypto today? Market crash, U.S. Equities Streams, and more

ambcryptoPubblicato 2026-01-21Pubblicato ultima volta 2026-01-21

Introduzione

Crypto markets experienced a significant downturn amid global tensions and new policy concerns. Bitcoin fell below $90K, and Ethereum dropped under $3K, with other major altcoins like Solana and XRP also declining. The sell-off was partly triggered by U.S. tariff threats, which raised fears of trade-driven inflation. In product news, Chainlink launched its 24/5 U.S. Equities Streams, providing real-time stock and ETF pricing on over 40 blockchains. This aims to support DeFi applications like perpetuals and prediction markets by offering continuous, verified data outside traditional trading hours. Several protocols, including BitMEX and ApeX, have already integrated the solution. Additionally, Solana Mobile announced an SRK token airdrop for users of its Seeker device.

Crypto had an eventful day, with prices pulling back during global tensions and many announcements being made. Here’s the full rundown.

Chainlink pushed U.S. stocks on-chain!

Chainlink [LINK] has rolled out 24/5 US Equities Streams, an upgrade to its Data Streams product. It brings real-time pricing for US stocks and ETFs onto blockchains, even outside regular market hours!

This will open up access to the roughly $80 trillion US equities market for DeFi applications.

The new streams are live across more than 40 blockchains and are designed to support on-chain products such as equity perps, prediction markets, and other trading tools that need reliable price data at all times.

Until now, most on-chain equity feeds relied on a single price update during standard trading hours. Outside those hours, pricing blind spots increased risk.

Chainlink says its new equities streams solve this by converting market data into continuous, cryptographically verified feeds.

Several protocols, including BitMEX, ApeX, Orderly, and HelloTrade, have already integrated the product.

Tariff threats rattle the markets

Crypto markets turned defensive after tariff threats from the Trump administration added fuel to a wildfire. Bitcoin [BTC] slid below the $90K mark during Tuesday’s session and was trading near $89,100 at press time.

With a steady sequence of lower highs on the intraday chart, brief bounce attempts have failed to reclaim key levels.

Ethereum [ETH] followed a similar path, slipping under $3K and posting close to a 5% daily decline.

Selling pressure was rampant across the market. Solana [SOL] fell more than 2% on the day, while Ripple’s XRP [XRP] and Binance [BNB] both dropped over 2% and 4%, respectively.

The weakness came as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reaffirmed that tariffs are a core policy tool, with the possibility of a 10% levy as early as February to assist the acquisition attempts of Greenland.

Markets took it as confirmation that trade-driven inflation risks are back in focus.

However, he later went on to downplay the bond market reaction following his statements.

Bessent argued that rising yields were driven by bond market annihilation in Japan and that the reaction cannot be isolated to the United States’ moves.

Solana Mobile rolls out SRK airdrop for Seeker users

Domande pertinenti

QWhat new product did Chainlink roll out and what does it provide?

AChainlink rolled out 24/5 US Equities Streams, an upgrade to its Data Streams product. It provides real-time pricing for US stocks and ETFs on blockchains, even outside regular market hours.

QHow did the tariff threats from the Trump administration affect the crypto market?

AThe tariff threats caused crypto markets to turn defensive, with Bitcoin sliding below $90K and Ethereum falling under $3K. Selling pressure was rampant across the market, leading to declines in major cryptocurrencies like SOL, XRP, and BNB.

QWhich protocols have already integrated Chainlink's new equities streams?

ASeveral protocols, including BitMEX, ApeX, Orderly, and HelloTrade, have already integrated Chainlink's new equities streams product.

QWhat was the reason given by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for the rising bond yields?

AScott Bessent argued that rising yields were driven by bond market annihilation in Japan and that the reaction cannot be isolated to the United States' moves, downplaying the impact of the tariff threats.

QWhat is the significance of Chainlink's new equities streams for the DeFi market?

AChainlink's new equities streams open up access to the roughly $80 trillion US equities market for DeFi applications by providing continuous, cryptographically verified price feeds for on-chain products like equity perps and prediction markets.

Letture associate

KOL's Perspective: Why Is SOL Set to Rise from This Point?

**Summary: Why SOL is Positioned for Growth at This Level** The article argues that SOL is poised for an upward move from its current price point, citing several key factors. Primarily, SOL has just broken out of a 4-month consolidation phase. This breakout signals a return of risk appetite to the broader crypto market, as SOL is seen as a key indicator of overall crypto health. The token's ownership has reportedly shifted from short-term traders and tourists to long-term accumulators, leading to low volume. Any meaningful increase in trading activity could thus trigger significant upward momentum. Fundamental strengths include strong institutional adoption, integration with DeFi and RWAs (Real-World Assets), and the potential benefits from the Clarity Act. Despite its high volatility—having dropped 70% from its all-time high but still up 12x from its bear market low—SOL is highlighted as one of the few tokens from the last cycle to reach new highs. It boasts a robust ecosystem of applications, users, and protocols. Future catalysts include the expected influx of AI developers following the Miami Accelerate conference, which focused on AI on Solana. Furthermore, Solana is positioned as the premier chain for memecoin activity, a trend expected to continue and drive network usage and fees. The article concludes that recent price action reflects a healthy transfer to long-term holders, setting the stage for growth.

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KOL's Perspective: Why Is SOL Set to Rise from This Point?

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Those Pre-Bitcoin PoW Protocols Have Recently Been Reimplemented

This article details a recent surge in replicating pre-Bitcoin Proof-of-Work (PoW) protocols, specifically focusing on Hal Finney's 2004 RPOW (Reusable Proofs of Work). Within five days in May 2026, multiple independent builders in the Bitcoin/cypherpunk community launched projects inspired by this early electronic cash proposal. The initiative began with Fred Krueger's `rpow2.com`, a centralized but auditable system that replaced RPOW's original IBM 4758 hardware with Ed25519 signatures. Initially a faithful replica, it later adopted Bitcoin-like features (21M supply cap, difficulty adjustment) and a controversial 5.24% founder allocation. This sparked rapid forks, including `rpow4.com` which incorporated full Bitcoin parameters, a prediction market (`rpowmarket.com`), and a DEX (`rpow2swap.com`). Concurrently, Mike In Space created a prototype of Wei Dai's 1998 b-money proposal (`b-money.replit.app`), pushing the historical exploration even further back. The article contrasts these centralized, server-dependent experiments with Bitcoin's core innovation of decentralized, trustless consensus. It also highlights a parallel development: the `HASH` project on Ethereum, which uses smart contract hooks to enable a purely fair-launch, browser-mineable PoW token with 0% allocations to team or VCs. The collective activity is framed as a meme-driven, educational exploration of cypherpunk history rather than a serious financial movement, with all projects heavily disclaiming any investment value.

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Those Pre-Bitcoin PoW Protocols Have Recently Been Reimplemented

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South Korean Exchanges 'Battle' Regulators, Challenging the Boundaries of Enforcement and Legislation

South Korea's cryptocurrency industry is engaged in a rare, direct confrontation with regulators. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the primary anti-money laundering (AML) watchdog, has recently imposed heavy penalties on major exchanges like Upbit and Bithumb for alleged violations involving unregistered overseas VASPs and AML procedures. However, exchanges are now actively challenging these actions in court and through industry associations. In a significant shift, the Seoul Administrative Court ruled in favor of Upbit's operator, Dunamu, overturning part of an FIU-ordered business suspension. The court found the FIU's penalty criteria and justification insufficiently clear. Similarly, the court suspended the enforcement of a six-month business suspension against Bithumb pending a final ruling, citing potential irreversible harm to the exchange. Beyond legal battles, the industry is contesting proposed legislative amendments. The Digital Asset eXchange Alliance (DAXA) strongly opposes a draft rule that would mandate Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) for all crypto transfers over 10 million KRW (~$6,800). DAXA argues this "poison pill" clause violates legal principles and would overwhelm the STR system, increasing reports from 63,000 to an estimated 5.45 million annually for major exchanges, thereby crippling effective AML monitoring. This conflict highlights a structural tension in South Korea's crypto governance: comprehensive digital asset laws are still developing, while regulators rely heavily on AML enforcement. The industry's move from passive compliance to active legal and legislative challenges signifies a new phase, pressing for clearer rules and more proportionate enforcement. While short-term disputes may intensify, this clash could ultimately lead to a more mature and sustainable regulatory framework for South Korea's vibrant crypto market.

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South Korean Exchanges 'Battle' Regulators, Challenging the Boundaries of Enforcement and Legislation

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After 50x Storage Surge, Justin Sun Always Looks to the Next Decade

Sun Yuchen, known for his controversial stunts like a $30 million lunch with Warren Buffett (canceled due to a kidney stone) and eating a $6.2 million duct-taped banana, is often overshadowed by a significant fact: his decade-long track record of spotting major investment trends. In 2016, he famously advised young people to invest in Bitcoin, Nvidia, Tesla, and Tencent instead of buying property. A hypothetical $20,000 investment in Nvidia and Tesla from that list would now be worth over 50 million RMB. His latest major call was on November 6, 2025, predicting a "50x storage opportunity" tied to the AI boom, which materialized with Sandisk's stock surging nearly 50-fold by 2026. Looking ahead, Sun now focuses on the next frontier: Physical AI. He identifies four key areas: 1. **Embodied AI/Robotics**: He sees this reaching its "iPhone moment," with companies like UBTech and Galaxy General leading in commercialization. 2. **Drones**: Viewed as the first commercially viable form of Physical AI, revolutionizing sectors from warfare (e.g., AeroVironment's Switchblade) to logistics. 3. **Spatial Computing**: Beyond VR, it's about AI understanding physical space, a foundational technology for robotics and autonomous systems, exemplified by Apple's Vision Pro. 4. **Space Exploration**: After a 2025 suborbital flight with Blue Origin, Sun advocates for space as the ultimate frontier, discussing blockchain's potential role in space asset management and data transactions. His investment philosophy involves betting on entire, inevitable trends rather than single companies. For robotics, he sees Tesla (the body/manufacturer) and Nvidia (the brain/AI platform) as complementary plays. In defense drones, he highlights companies making tanks obsolete (AeroVironment) and those augmenting fighter jets (Kratos). For space, he participated in Blue Origin's flight and anticipates SpaceX's potential IPO to redefine the sector's valuation. Sun Yuchen's vision frames the next two decades not as a revolution in information flow (like the internet), but in the fundamental operation of the physical world through AI-powered robots, autonomous systems, and spatial intelligence, ultimately extending human and AI activity into space. While many still focus on conventional assets, he continues to look toward the next technological horizon.

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