As the weekly close neared, Bitcoin added characteristic volatility, while market participants remained highly skeptical that the rebound would last.
Uploading a chart to X which compared current BTC price action to the 2022 bear market, independent analyst Filbfilb had no good news for bulls.
“Im not going to try to dress it up any way other than how it looks,” he commented alongside a chart showing spot price versus the 50-week exponential moving average (EMA) at $95,300.
BTC/USD one-week chart. Source: Filbfilb/X
Analyst Tony Severino held similar ideas, contributing multiple price indicators and concluding that new lows were all but guaranteed.
“$BTC final capitulation hasn’t happened yet,” trader BitBull agreed, like Filbfilb referencing 2022.
“A real bottom will form below $50,000 level where most of the ETF buyers will be underwater.”
US spot Bitcoin ETF data. Source: Checkonchain
The US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) currently have an average buy-in cost of $82,000, per data from monitoring resource Checkonchain.
BTC price deja vu continues
Earlier, Cointelegraph reported on a key bear market feature for Bitcoin based on two other trend lines: the 200-week simple (SMA) and exponential moving averages.
Together, they form a “cloud” of support between $58,000 and $68,000.
In one of his latest market takes at the weekend, Caleb Franzen, creator of analytics resource Cubic Analytics, argued that here too, the ghost of 2022 was in play.
“In May 2022, Bitcoin retested its 200-week MA cloud. Bulls said ‘that’s it, we’ve retested the long-term moving average & can continue higher now.’ Price immediately rebounded on that zone, produced a long wick, & closed above the midpoint of the weekly range,” he summarized.
“But then that rally faded… Price came back into the 200W MA cloud a few weeks later, failed to rebound, then sliced through the cloud in June 2022. What are we seeing right now? The first retest of the 200W MA cloud with a long wick.”
BTC/USD one-week chart with 200 SMA, 200 EMA. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingView
Franzen note that the market may not replicate the previous bear market “perfectly.”
“The reality is that no one knows what happens next,” he acknowledged.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
XRP trades at $1.43 with RSI at neutral 34.77. Technical analysis points to $1.50 resistance test, but bearish MACD suggests caution for February targets.
Ripple’s XRP is navigating a critical technical juncture as it trades at $1.43, showing modest gains of 2.26% in the past 24 hours. With mixed technical signals emerging from key indicators, traders are closely watching whether XRP can break above immediate resistance levels or face further downside pressure.
While specific analyst predictions are limited in recent market commentary, on-chain metrics suggest XRP is in a consolidation phase. According to technical data from major exchanges, Ripple’s current positioning near the lower Bollinger Band indicates potential oversold conditions that could attract buying interest.
Market data platforms show XRP’s trading volume remains robust at $260.9 million on Binance spot markets, suggesting continued institutional and retail interest despite the sideways price action.
XRP Technical Analysis Breakdown
The current technical landscape for XRP presents a mixed picture that requires careful analysis for any meaningful price prediction.
RSI Analysis: XRP’s 14-period RSI sits at 34.77, placing it in neutral territory but leaning toward oversold conditions. This suggests limited downside momentum while leaving room for potential upward movement without entering overbought levels.
MACD Indicators: The MACD line at -0.1553 matches the signal line exactly, resulting in a histogram reading of 0.0000. This flat histogram indicates bearish momentum has stalled, but no clear bullish reversal signal has emerged yet.
Bollinger Bands Position: With XRP’s Bollinger Band position at 0.1745, the asset is trading much closer to the lower band ($1.28) than the upper band ($2.14). This positioning often suggests oversold conditions and potential for a bounce toward the middle band at $1.71.
Moving Average Analysis: XRP trades below all major moving averages, with the 7-day SMA at $1.46 providing immediate resistance. The significant gap between current price and the 200-day SMA at $2.45 highlights the longer-term downtrend that needs to be reversed.
Ripple Price Targets: Bull vs Bear Case
Bullish Scenario
In an optimistic scenario, XRP could target the immediate resistance at $1.47, followed by the stronger resistance level at $1.50. A successful break above $1.50 would open the path toward the 7-day SMA at $1.46 and potentially the middle Bollinger Band at $1.71.
Technical confirmation for this bullish Ripple forecast would require the RSI to move above 40 and the MACD histogram to turn positive, indicating renewed buying momentum.
Bearish Scenario
The bearish case for this XRP price prediction centers on the failure to reclaim the $1.47 resistance level. A breakdown below the immediate support at $1.39 could trigger further selling pressure toward the strong support zone at $1.35.
Given the current position below all major moving averages and the flat MACD momentum, a retest of the lower Bollinger Band at $1.28 remains possible if broader market conditions deteriorate.
Should You Buy XRP? Entry Strategy
Based on current technical levels, potential entry strategies could focus on the immediate support and resistance zones:
Conservative Entry: Wait for a successful break above $1.47 with volume confirmation before considering long positions, with initial targets at $1.50.
Aggressive Entry: Consider accumulation near the $1.39 support level, but implement tight stop-losses below $1.35 to manage downside risk.
Stop-Loss Management: Any positions should maintain stops below the critical support at $1.35, as a break of this level could accelerate downward movement toward the lower Bollinger Band.
Conclusion
This XRP price prediction suggests a cautious outlook for the short term, with the asset likely to trade within the $1.35-$1.55 range over the next month. While the technical indicators don’t provide a strong directional bias, the proximity to the lower Bollinger Band and neutral RSI levels suggest limited downside risk compared to upside potential.
The key catalyst for any meaningful Ripple forecast improvement will be XRP’s ability to reclaim the $1.50 level with sustained volume. Until then, traders should expect continued consolidation with periodic tests of both support and resistance levels.
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency price predictions are inherently speculative and based on technical analysis of current market conditions. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and all trading involves substantial risk of loss.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a US financial regulator, reissued a staff letter on Friday to expand the criteria for payment stablecoins to include national trust banks, recognizing their eligibility to issue the fiat-pegged tokens.
The CFTC amended Staff Letter 25-40, which was issued on December 8, 2025, to include national trust banks, financial institutions allowed to function in all 50 US states.
National Trust Banks typically do not provide retail banking services like lending or checking accounts. Instead, they offer custodial services, act as executors on behalf of clients and provide asset management services. The CFTC letter said:
“The [Market Participants] Division did not intend to exclude national trust banks as issuers of payment stablecoins for purposes of Letter 25-40. Therefore, the division is reissuing the content of Letter 25-40, with an expanded definition of payment stablecoin.”
CFTC Staff Letter 26-05 updating the definition of payment stablecoins and recognizing the ability of national trust banks to issue fiat-pegged tokens. Source: CFTC
The Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act is a comprehensive regulatory framework for US dollar stablecoins, blockchain tokens pegged to the dollar.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation outlines a plan for banks to issue stablecoins
In December 2025, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), a US banking regulator, proposed a framework under which commercial banks could issue stablecoins.
The proposal allows banks to issue the tokens through a subsidiary subject to oversight by the FDIC, which will gauge whether both the parent company and subsidiary are compliant with GENIUS Act requirements for issuing stablecoins.
These requirements include redemption policies, sufficient backing collateral for the stablecoin in the form of cash deposits and short-term government securities, as well as assessments of the bank and subsidiary’s overall financial health.
Under the GENIUS Act, only overcollateralized stablecoins, which are backed 1:1 with fiat currency deposits or short-term government securities, like US Treasury Bills, are recognized.
Algorithmic stablecoins and synthetic dollars, which rely on software to maintain their dollar pegs or complex market trading strategies, were excluded from the regulatory framework.
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy
Bitcoin (BTC) experienced on of the biggest sell-offs over the past month, sliding more than 40% to reach a year-to-date low of $59,930 on Friday. It is now down over 50% from its October 2025 all-time high near $126,200.
Key takeaways:
Analysts are pointing to Hong Kong hedge funds and ETF-linked U.S. bank products as possible drivers of BTC’s crash.
Bitcoin could slip back below $60,000, putting the price closer to miners’ break-even levels.
BTC/USD daily price chart. Source: TradingView
Hong Kong hedge funds behind BTC dump?
One popular theory suggests that Bitcoin’s crash this past week may have originated in Asia, where some Hong Kong hedge funds were placing substantial, leveraged bets that BTC would continue to rise.
These funds used options linked to Bitcoin ETFs like BlackRock’s IBIT and paid for those bets by borrowing cheap Japanese yen, according to Parker White, COO and CIO of Nasdaq-listed DeFi Development Corp. (DFDV).
They swapped that yen into other currencies and invested in risky assets like crypto, hoping prices would rise.
This was the highest volume day on $IBIT, ever, by a factor of nearly 2x, trading $10.7B today. Additionally, roughly $900M in options premiums were traded today, also the highest ever for IBIT. Given these facts and the way $BTC and $SOL traded down in lockstep today (normally…
When Bitcoin stopped going up, and yen borrowing costs increased, those leveraged bets quickly went bad. Lenders then demanded more cash, forcing the funds to sell Bitcoin and other assets quickly, which exacerbated the price drop.
Morgan Stanley caused Bitcoin selloff: Arthur Hayes
Another theory gaining traction comes from former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes.
He suggested that banks, including Morgan Stanley, may have been forced to sell Bitcoin (or related assets) to hedge their exposure in structured notes tied to spot Bitcoin ETFs, such as BlackRock’s IBIT.
Source: X
These are complex financial products where banks offer clients bets on Bitcoin’s price performance (often with principal protection or barriers).
When Bitcoin falls sharply, breaching key levels like around $78,700 in one noted Morgan Stanley product, dealers must delta-hedge by selling underlying BTC or futures.
This creates “negative gamma,” meaning that as prices drop further, hedging sales accelerate, turning banks from liquidity providers into forced sellers and exacerbating the downturn.
Miners shifting from Bitcoin to AI
Less prominent but circulating is the theory that a so-called “mining exodus” may have also fueled the Bitcoin downtrend.
In a Saturday post on X, analyst Judge Gibson said that the growing AI data center demand is already forcing Bitcoin miners to pivot, which has led to a 10-40% drop in hash rate.
Meanwhile, the Hash Ribbons indicator also flashed a warning: the 30-day hash-rate average has slipped below the 60-day, a negative inversion that historically signals acute miner income stress and raises the risk of capitulation.
BTC Hash Riboon vs. price. Source: Glassnode
As of Saturday, the estimated average electricity cost to mine a single Bitcoin was around $58,160, while the net production expenditure was approximately $72,700.
BTC/USD daily chart vs. production and electrical cost. Source: Capriole Investments
Data shows wallets holding 10 to 10,000 BTC now control their smallest share of supply in nine months, suggesting this group has been trimming exposure rather than accumulating.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
Recent analyst coverage suggests cautious optimism for CRV’s near-term prospects. Joerg Hiller forecasted on February 5, 2026: “CRV price prediction shows potential recovery from extreme oversold conditions at $0.26, targeting $0.30-$0.34 range as Curve battles critical support levels amid bearish momentum.”
Earlier in the week, Tony Kim provided additional context: “CRV price prediction shows potential recovery from oversold levels, with analysts targeting $0.39 short-term and $0.40-$0.46 medium-term as Curve battles current bearish momentum.”
According to on-chain data platforms, CRV’s current positioning suggests the token is approaching historically significant support zones that have previously triggered meaningful bounces.
CRV Technical Analysis Breakdown
CRV’s technical picture presents a mixed but potentially improving outlook. Trading at $0.25, the token sits well below all major moving averages, with the 7-day SMA at $0.27 providing immediate resistance.
The RSI reading of 30.06 indicates CRV has moved out of severely oversold territory but remains in neutral zone, suggesting potential for further upside without being overbought. The MACD histogram at 0.0000 shows bearish momentum is potentially stabilizing, though the negative MACD value of -0.0365 indicates underlying weakness persists.
Bollinger Bands analysis reveals CRV trading near the lower band at $0.23, with a %B position of 0.14 suggesting the token is approaching oversold extremes. The middle band at $0.32 aligns closely with analyst price targets, while the upper band at $0.41 represents a more ambitious bullish scenario.
Key trading levels show immediate resistance at $0.27, coinciding with the 7-day moving average, while strong resistance emerges at $0.28. Critical support sits at $0.22, representing a make-or-break level for the Curve forecast.
Curve Price Targets: Bull vs Bear Case
Bullish Scenario
In an optimistic scenario, CRV could target the $0.30-$0.34 range within the next month. This Curve forecast hinges on breaking above the immediate resistance at $0.27 and confirming a move through the 7-day SMA.
Technical confirmation would require RSI pushing above 40 and MACD histogram turning positive. A successful breach of $0.32 (the 20-day SMA) would open the path toward $0.37, where the 50-day moving average provides the next major hurdle.
Volume confirmation remains crucial, with the current 24-hour volume of $8.6 million on Binance providing adequate liquidity for meaningful moves.
Bearish Scenario
The downside case centers on a failure to hold the critical $0.22 support level. Such a breakdown could trigger additional selling pressure toward the $0.20 psychological level or potentially lower.
Risk factors include broader crypto market weakness, continued selling pressure from overhead resistance levels, and the significant gap between current prices and major moving averages. The 200-day SMA at $0.58 illustrates the substantial ground CRV needs to recover.
Should You Buy CRV? Entry Strategy
For risk-tolerant investors, the current technical setup presents potential entry opportunities. Conservative buyers might consider dollar-cost averaging between $0.24-$0.25, with stops below $0.22.
More aggressive traders could look for a bounce confirmation above $0.27 before establishing positions, targeting the $0.30-$0.32 range for initial profit-taking.
Risk management is crucial given CRV’s volatility, with the daily ATR of $0.03 suggesting significant intraday price swings. Position sizing should reflect the speculative nature of this CRV price prediction.
Conclusion
CRV appears positioned for a potential recovery bounce, with analyst targets of $0.30-$0.34 appearing technically feasible if key support at $0.22 holds. The improving RSI and stabilizing MACD suggest the worst selling pressure may be behind Curve in the near term.
However, this Curve forecast carries moderate confidence given the challenging technical backdrop and significant overhead resistance levels. Investors should approach with appropriate risk management and consider this analysis as part of a broader portfolio strategy.
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency price predictions are speculative and carry significant risk. This analysis is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Always conduct your own research and consider your risk tolerance before investing.
FLOKI trades at oversold levels with RSI at 33.07 after recent decline. Technical analysis suggests potential bounce to $0.000048 resistance level within 4-6 weeks.
As Floki (FLOKI) continues to navigate volatile market conditions, current technical indicators suggest the meme coin may be positioning for a potential recovery. With FLOKI trading at $0.00003112 as of February 7, 2026, technical analysis reveals oversold conditions that could present an opportunity for traders.
Recent analysis from blockchain.news highlights FLOKI’s current oversold condition. According to Iris Coleman’s February 5, 2026 assessment: “FLOKI trades at oversold RSI levels (28.00) following 8% decline. Technical analysis suggests potential bounce to $0.000048 resistance with critical support at current levels.”
While specific analyst predictions remain limited in the current market cycle, on-chain metrics from major data platforms suggest FLOKI’s recent decline may have created an attractive entry point for risk-tolerant investors. The token’s 24-hour trading volume of $5,714,389 on Binance indicates sustained interest despite the recent price consolidation.
FLOKI Technical Analysis Breakdown
The current technical picture for FLOKI presents a mixed but potentially bullish setup. With the RSI at 33.07, FLOKI sits in neutral territory but closer to oversold conditions, suggesting selling pressure may be exhausting.
The MACD histogram shows bearish momentum at 0.0000, indicating that bears still maintain some control in the near term. However, the Bollinger Band position at 0.1186 places FLOKI near the lower band support, historically a zone where reversals often occur.
Stochastic indicators show %K at 31.56 and %D at 25.25, both in oversold territory, which could signal an impending upward move if buying pressure emerges. The recent intraday range between $0.00002941 and $0.00003325 establishes key short-term levels to monitor.
Floki Price Targets: Bull vs Bear Case
Bullish Scenario
In a bullish scenario, FLOKI’s Floki forecast points toward a recovery rally that could see the token challenge the $0.000048 resistance level identified in recent technical analysis. This represents approximately a 54% upside from current levels.
Key bullish triggers include RSI moving above 40, MACD histogram turning positive, and sustained trading volume above $6 million daily. A breakout above $0.000038 would likely trigger momentum buying toward the primary target of $0.000048.
Bearish Scenario
The bearish case for FLOKI centers on a breakdown below the critical support near $0.000029. Such a move would invalidate the current oversold bounce thesis and could lead to further downside toward $0.000025 or lower.
Risk factors include continued crypto market weakness, reduced meme coin interest, or failure to maintain current support levels. The bearish MACD histogram suggests this scenario remains possible in the near term.
Should You Buy FLOKI? Entry Strategy
For traders considering FLOKI positions, the current oversold conditions present both opportunity and risk. A dollar-cost averaging approach between $0.000029-$0.000032 could be optimal for building positions.
Entry points should focus on the $0.000030-$0.000031 range with stop-losses placed below $0.000028 to limit downside risk. Position sizing should remain conservative given the volatile nature of meme coins and current market uncertainty.
Risk management remains crucial, with suggested position limits of 1-2% of total portfolio allocation for speculative plays like FLOKI.
Conclusion
The FLOKI price prediction for the coming weeks suggests a potential recovery rally driven by oversold technical conditions. While the medium-term Floki forecast targets $0.000048, traders should remain cautious and implement proper risk management strategies.
Current technical indicators provide a 60% confidence level for upside targets, contingent on broader crypto market stability and sustained buying interest in meme coin sectors.
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency price predictions are speculative and based on technical analysis. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct your own research and consider your risk tolerance before investing.
Bitcoin’s derivatives signal caution, with the options skew hitting 20% as traders fear another wave of fund liquidations.
Bitcoin price recovered some of its Thursday losses, but it still struggles to match the gains of gold or tech stocks amid low leverage demand.
Bitcoin (BTC) has gained 17% since the $60,150 low on Friday, but derivatives metrics suggest caution as demand for upside price exposure near $70,000 remains constrained. Traders fear that the liquidations of $1.8 billion of leveraged bullish futures contracts in five days indicate that major hedge funds or market makers may have blown up.
Aggregate liquidations in Bitcoin futures contracts, USD. Source: CoinGlass
Unlike the Oct. 10, 2025, market collapse that culminated with a record $4.65 billion liquidation of Bitcoin futures, the recent price weakness has been marked by three consecutive weeks of downside pressure. Bulls have been adding positions from $70,000 to $90,000, as aggregate futures open interest increased despite forceful contract liquidations due to insufficient margins.
Bitcoin futures aggregate open interest, BTC. Source: CoinGlass
The aggregated Bitcoin futures open interest on major exchanges totaled 527,850 BTC on Friday, virtually flat from the prior week. Although the notional value of those contracts dropped to $35.8 billion from $44.3 billion, the 20% change perfectly reflects the 21% Bitcoin price decline in the seven-day period. Data indicates that bulls have been adding positions despite the steady price decline.
To better understand if whales and market makers have turned bullish, one should assess the BTC futures basis rate, which measures the price difference relative to regular spot contracts. Under neutral circumstances, the premium should range from 5% to 10% annualized to compensate for the longer settlement period.
The BTC futures basis rate dropped to 2% on Friday, the lowest level in more than a year. The lack of demand for bullish leverage is somewhat expected, but bulls will take longer than users to regain confidence even as Bitcoin price breaks above $70,000, especially considering that BTC is still 44% below its all-time high.
Bitcoin derivatives metrics signal extreme fear
Traders’ lack of conviction in Bitcoin is also evident in the BTC options markets. Excessive demand for put (sell) options is a strong indicator of bearishness, pushing the skew metric above 6%. Conversely, when fear of missing out kicks in, traders will pay a premium for call (buy) options, causing the skew metric to flip negative.
BTC two-month options skew (put-call) at Deribit. Source: laevitas.ch
The BTC options skew metric reached 20% on Friday, a level that rarely persists and typically represents market panic. For comparison, the skew indicator stood at 11% on Nov. 21, 2025, following a 28% price correction to $80,620 from the $111,177 peak reached 20 days earlier. Since there is no specific catalyst for the current downturn, fear and uncertainty have naturally intensified.
Traders are likely to continue speculating that a major market maker, exchange or hedge fund may have gone bankrupt, and this sentiment erodes conviction and implies a high probability of further price downside. Consequently, the odds of sustained bullish momentum remain low while BTC derivatives metrics continue to signal extreme fear.
This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision. While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, Cointelegraph does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information in this article. This article may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Cointelegraph will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your reliance on this information.
Bitcoin and altcoins saw strong double-digit price rebounds after this week’s brutal sell-off, but do technical charts forecast a longer-term recovery, or is today’s rally just a dead cat bounce?
Political action committees (PACs) representing the interests of the crypto industry have already secured millions of dollars in funding as the US heads toward its midterm elections.
Super PACs are the uber-rich, no-limits, non-disclosure counterparts to crypto PACs. Last year, the industry spent at least $245 million in campaign contributions alone.
The main super PAC funded by the cryptocurrency industry, Fairshake, raised some $133 million in 2025, bringing its total cash on hand up to over $190 million. Venture capital firm a16z contributed an initial $24 million, while Coinbase and Ripple each donated $25 million.
This influx of cash has alarmed activist and election reform groups. Saurav Ghosh, director of the Campaign Legal Center — a legal center concentrated on voting rights, fair districting and campaign finance reform — told Cointelegraph:
“This kind of influence buying ultimately undermines the democratic process by marginalizing everyday Americans, ensuring that their voices and interests take a backseat to the crypto industry’s deregulatory desires.”
Bipartisan support ensures crypto lobby’s success
The US crypto industry’s main goal is to pass a large framework law, the CLARITY Act, which passed in the House of Representatives this summer and moved on to the Senate. The bill still hasn’t managed to satisfy the crypto industry, particularly Coinbase, nor the ethics and oversight concerns of Senate Democrats.
Now, the CLARITY Act is in limbo, and Congress is shifting its attention to the 2026 midterm elections. For nearly 80 years, the president’s party has almost always lost the midterms, the federal elections in the off-year between presidential elections. This is particularly important for the crypto industry, which enjoys more full-throated support among the Republican Party. Take, for example, the roll call for the Senate’s vote on the GENIUS Act: Nearly twice as many Democrats voted against the motion compared to those in support of it.
Some in the crypto space have taken this to mean they need to take a partisan stance. Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, founders of the crypto exchange Gemini, have poured millions into the conservative PAC Digital Freedom Fund, which aims to boost pro-crypto and pro-Trump candidates.
Representative Sam Liccardo, a crypto-friendly Democrat, told Politico in October 2025, “I don’t think anybody in this town would recommend that an industry put their eggs in one party’s basket.”
One major lobby, Fairshake, has shown it’s more than willing to support Democrats, so long as they are sufficiently pro-crypto. The Super PAC actually spent more money in support of Democrats than it did Republicans from 2023 to 2024, according to Open Secrets.
Whether it be among Republicans or Democrats, the crypto industry’s political strategy has changed significantly both in how much and where it spends its dollars.
How did we get here?
Crypto made headlines in 2024 for donating nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to different political campaigns and super PACs — the largest contribution of any single industry.
But this wasn’t crypto’s first step in the political arena. During the crypto bull run of 2020-2021, crypto companies made massive ad buys. Celebrities like Matt Damon were advertising crypto investment platforms. Now-convicted fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried slapped the name of his now-defunct crypto exchange, FTX, onto the home of the Miami Heat basketball team.
At the same time, crypto increased its lobbying efforts in Washington. Major platforms like Coinbase and fintech developers like Ripple padded their budgets as the industry gained visibility.
Coinbase raised spending from $1.5 million in 2020 to $3.9 million in 2021. Ripple more than tripled the amount it spent on lobbying over the same period, spending $330,000 in 2020 and more than $1.1 million in 2021.
One major donor from the crypto space was Bankman-Fried. He made more than $100 million in political campaign contributions in the 2022 midterms. “He leveraged this influence, in turn, to lobby Congress and regulatory agencies to support legislation and regulation he believed would make it easier for FTX to continue to accept customer deposits and grow,” federal prosecutors said in a later indictment.
By Bankman-Fried’s own admission, he supported campaigns on both sides of the aisle, though he found Republicans “far more reasonable” on crypto.
The crypto market crashed soon after. FTX went bust, the Terra stablecoin system collapsed, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the US’ main finance regulator under then-Chair Gary Gensler, opened enforcement actions against many crypto companies operating in the US.
American Airlines Arena was renamed FTX Arena in 2021 and has since been changed to Kaseya Center. Source: RoofLogos
In 2023, the presidential election cycle began. Trump ran against ex-Vice President Kamala Harris. Crypto, for the first time, was on the presidential platform. Trump visited a Bitcoin (BTC) conference and made promises of ending “regulation by enforcement.
Crypto poured money into the race through PACs and super PACs. For the 2024 selections, these were namely:
Fairshake raised a whopping $260 million from 2023 to 2024, at least $92 million of which came from Coinbase. It made $126 million in independent expenditures and transfers to affiliated committees.
Independent expenditures are expenditures “for a communication that expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate and which is not made in coordination with any candidate or their campaign or political party,” per the FEC.
According to Follow the Crypto, the two other single-issue crypto PACs are affiliated with Fairshake, despite one being liberal and the other conservative. Defend American Jobs made $57 million in independent expenditures, and Protect Progress made $34.5 million over the same 2023-2024 period.
This vast amount of money entering PACs reflects a broader shift in how companies seek political influence.
“Super PACs are increasingly becoming in vogue for special interests who want to make their presence known in Washington,” Michael Beckel, research director of Issue One — a bipartisan political reform organization watching big money in politics — told Cointelegraph.
“Industry-aligned super PACs with huge bank accounts have made a huge splash and helped thwart new regulations on their business interests.”
Just a few years ago, “corporate influence operations focused more on lobbying and direct campaign contributions,” Beckel explained. “Now we’re seeing sector-specific super PACs with massive bank accounts.”
And it’s changing how laws are made in Washington.
Crypto lobby affects policy as Trump seeks to “nationalize” elections
Blockchain bigwigs now regularly visit Washington to meet with lawmakers and advise policymakers on how to regulate the industry.
Issue One vice president of advocacy Alix Fraser said, “The Trump administration is packed with tech industry insiders who have acted in the interest of their own companies — not the American people — to rig policy for their own profit.”
The degree to which the crypto industry is involved in the legislative process is no more apparent than with the market structure bill making its way through the Senate. Work on the bill stalled in mid-January after Coinbase withdrew its support.
The main point of contention is a provision that would outlaw one of Coinbase’s products: stablecoin yields for consumers. Banks are pushing to outlaw the practice, saying a flight of deposits from insured lenders could threaten financial stability. The crypto industry and Coinbase argue that the ban stifles innovation and is anti-competitive.
Earlier this week, the White House scheduled a closed-door summit for leaders from the crypto and banking industries to hash out their differences, but according to Reuters, no deal was made.
According to reporter Eleanor Terrett, Senate Democrats said that the talks were “constructive” and were optimistic about the chances of passing a bill. Reporter Sander Lutz said that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is “desperate” to get the bill finished, as Fairshake alone now has $193 million in its coffers.
“These payments help explain the crypto industry’s success in curtailing efforts to meaningfully regulate their business model, which is consistent with a well-established practice of wealthy corporate special interests using lobbying and political contributions to influence policy decisions,” Ghosh told Cointelegraph.
“This kind of influence buying ultimately undermines the democratic process by marginalizing everyday Americans, ensuring that their voices and interests take a backseat to the crypto industry’s deregulatory desires.”
Rick Claypool, research director at consumer rights advocacy group Public Citizen, told Cointelegraph that big money from lobbies like crypto pushes out the priorities of most voters from the agenda.
“This feeds cynicism — the sense that our elected officials prioritize the interests of wealthy donors over all other constituents — and erodes faith in our democratic institutions.”
The increased influence of monied interests in Washington comes at a time when election integrity itself is under threat. Trump has recently said Republicans should “nationalize” the midterm elections.
“The Republicans should say, ‘We want to take over. We should take over the voting, the voting in at least many — 15 places … the Republicans ought to nationalize the voting,’” he said.
He added that he will only accept the results if they are “honest,” while claiming that there was widespread voter fraud in many American cities. Election experts have refuted the claims. House Speaker Mike Johnson has admitted that he himself has no evidence of his own claims of voter fraud.
Marc Elias, a partner at Elias Law Group, said that Trump “is not interested in following the Constitution. As we have seen before, he prefers to act by force.”
Crypto is set to increase its influence in Washington as the very elections themselves are at risk of tampering and interference from the highest levels of government.
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Bitcoin Core developer Gloria Zhao has stepped down as a maintainer and revoked her Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) signing key, ending about six years as one of the project’s gatekeepers.
On Thursday, Zhao submitted her last pull request to the Bitcoin GitHub repository, removing her key from the trusted keys and withdrawing herself as one of the few maintainers able to update Bitcoin’s software.
Becoming the first known female maintainer in 2022, she focused on mempool policy and transaction relay: the rules and peer‑to‑peer logic that decide which transactions get into nodes’ waiting rooms and how quickly they propagate across the network.
She helped design and implement package relay (BIP 331) and TRUC (Topologically Restricted Until Confirmation, BIP 431), along with upgrades to replace‑by‑fee (RBF) and broader P2P behavior, making fee bumping more reliable and reducing censorship.
Zhao’s work was funded through Brink, where she became the organization’s first fellow in 2021, with her fellowship backed by the Human Rights Foundation’s Bitcoin Development Fund and Jack Dorsey’s Spiral (formerly Square Crypto), placing her among a small cohort of publicly supported, full‑time open‑source Bitcoin protocol engineers.
Beyond her technical contributions, Zhao mentored new contributors and co‑ran the Bitcoin Core PR Review Club, helping junior developers learn how to review complex changes and navigate Core’s conservative review culture.
Her resignation comes after more than a year of public disputes between Bitcoin Core and Bitcoin Knots, and the removal of OP_RETURN limits, a fight over whether Bitcoin’s default node software should make it harder to use block space for non‑monetary data.
In 2025, Zhao deleted her X account amid personal attacks during the OP_RETURN war, after a livestream in which a core developer questioned her credentials.
While some Bitcoin Core critics celebrated Zhao’s departure, others took a more somber tone.
“They bullied her and made her life as miserable as possible until she rage quit, and quite frankly, I think what they did to her was tragic,” said pseudonymous Bitcoiner Pledditor.
Pledditor added that it set a “terrible precedent” and called it, “sad and pathetic.
“Congratulations you finally did it. You bullied one of Bitcoin Core’s most prolific and consistently excellent maintainers until she gave up,” said Chris Seedor, co-founder and CEO at Bitcoin wallet backup company Seedor.
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