BlockchainReporter

MANTRA, a popular blockchain ecosystem for real-world assets (RWAs), has introduced a new product in partnership with M0, a universal stablecoin firm. In this respect, MANTRA is launching MANTRA USD, which operates as a purpose-built stablecoin dealing with tokenized RWAs.

As we head into a new year, we're excited to introduce our newest and freshest product, @mantraUSD.Built in cooperation with @m0, here's everything you need to know about the world's first purpose-built ecosystem stablecoin for RWAs.👇 pic.twitter.com/zbvGichEru

— MANTRA | Tokenizing RWAs (@MANTRA_Chain) January 5, 2026

As per MANTRA’s official press release, the development strengthens builders to create secure, interoperable, and programmable financial products to fulfill ecosystem requirements. The project gets support from the provisional U.S. Treasuries backing the MANTRA EVM RWA network.

MANTRA USD Goes Live to Challenge $USDC and $USDT’s Dominance in Stablecoin Market

MANTRA’s MANTRA USD is going live in collaboration with M0. Hence, the product intends to redefine the stablecoin market. At present, $USDT and $USDC are dominating the industry while providing yield gains to the issuers instead of the communities that back them. On the other hand, MANTRA USD challenges the respective model and redistributes rewards to network participants. Thus, it ensures that value generation benefits those who drive the adoption.

As a result, this shift underscores a fundamental reimagining of the wider stablecoin economics, breaking away from the extractive activities toward mutual incentives. Amid the growth of the stablecoin ecosystem beyond $300B, MANTRA USD emerges as a crucial part of the next-gen Stablecoin 2.0 epoch. In such an era, aligned networks thrive via equitable distribution of value.

Stablecoin Shift Redefines Value Sharing and Yields

Stablecoin sector is experiencing a substantial turning point. What started as a noteworthy hedge against the rise in crypto volatility currently stands as a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity. So, it demands innovation in the method of reward sharing. The design of MANTRA USD follows this vision, providing an asset-backed, transparent model to fortify ecosystems instead of diluting them.

According to MANTRA, the new stablecoin product delivers an advanced settlement layer that lets users stake into relatively low-risk vaults for risk-free returns. At the same time, the builders and asset managers can utilize MANTRA USD in the form of an on-chain proxy in the case of off-chain yields. Ultimately, amid the expansion in adoption, MANTRA USD is poised to revolutionize how ecosystems distribute and capture value during 2026 and onwards.

San Francisco, California, January 6th, 2026, Chainwire

Cronos today announced that Upbit has enabled staking support for $CRO on its exchange, giving users a simple way to earn staking rewards directly within the Upbit platform.

With this launch, Upbit users can stake $CRO in just a few clicks while Upbit operates the validator on their behalf. The experience is designed to be simple and familiar, removing the need for users to run infrastructure, navigate wallets or understand validator mechanics.

Upbit currently supports staking for fewer than ten digital assets, with $CRO among those selected. The exchange’s decision to add $CRO follows a cautious and deliberate approach to expanding staking support, signaling confidence in the network while maintaining a tightly curated staking offering for users.

Korea has long been an important market for $CRO, with a strong base of users engaging through leading local platforms. Expanding staking access through Upbit aligns with growing interest among Korean users in participating beyond trading alone and engaging more deeply with the Cronos network.

For users, this means an easier way to put $CRO to work while continuing to use a platform they already trust.

“This partnership with Upbit represents a deliberate step towards expanding participation in the Cronos ecosystem in one of the world’s most active crypto markets”, said Ryan Wyatt, CEO of Cronos Labs. “By enabling staking directly on the exchange, millions of Korean users gain a seamless path into Cronos without the usual onchain complexity.”

The addition of $CRO staking support on Upbit reflects a broader shift toward making onchain participation more approachable for everyday users. As more users look beyond trading toward longer-term engagement, exchange-native staking lowers the barrier to entry and helps bridge everyday usage with deeper network participation.

$CRO staking via Upbit will be available starting January 6, 2026, subject to applicable eligibility and jurisdictional requirements. Additional details are available in Upbit’s official announcement. 

About Cronos Labs

Cronos is a global, vertically integrated network powered by $CRO and deeply integrated with its strategic partner Crypto.com, one of the world’s largest platforms for crypto, stocks, and prediction markets.

Cronos Labs serves as the network’s core architect, building both the underlying high-performance infrastructure and the critical first-party applications that drive the economy. We prioritize a unified network experience to bridge the gap between retail trading and deep onchain liquidity.

By leveraging the distribution of Crypto.com’s 100 million users, Cronos delivers a cohesive, institutional-grade experience for consumers and institutions alike. We are building the compliant, efficient future of onchain markets, where user activity and revenue contribute directly back to $CRO.

For more information, visit https://cronos.org or follow @cronos_chain on X.

Contact

Danielle Hrin [email protected]

This article is not intended as financial advice. Educational purposes only.

Cache Wallet, a self-custody crypto wallet that allows users to have complete control over their cryptocurrency assets, today announced a strategic partnership with ANT-FUN, a DEX (decentralized exchange) platform that enables people to trade directly across numerous decentralized platforms. This partnership facilitated the integration of the Cache Wallet into ANT-FUN’s DEX platform to enable ANT-FUN’s users to trade perpetuals and other various DeFi products seamlessly and securely.

Powered by its native ANB token, ANT-FUN is a decentralized trading platform that allows people to trade diverse DeFi offerings, including perpetual futures, supporting cross-chain asset movements across multiple chains, and built with a mobile wallet. Developed on top of the Solana blockchain, the next-gen DEX trading platform provides users with real-time chain analysis, advanced trading features, and unparalleled social trading capabilities.

Partnership Announcement 🚨@ant_fun_trade 🤝 @CacheWalletWe’re excited to collaborate with https://t.co/bIN43u5u5B, one of the leading perp DEXs on Solana, ranked Top 10 among Solana protocols by revenue.https://t.co/bIN43u5u5B delivers fast, low-fee perpetual trading with… pic.twitter.com/WCEmdlEbGW

— Cache Wallet (@CacheWallet) January 5, 2026

ANT-FUN Advances DeFi Liquidity Access Via Cache Wallet

Through the partnership above, Cache Wallet is now integrated into ANT-FUN’s DEX trading platform. This means that  ANT-FUN’s customers can now connect their decentralized trading assets and applications to Cache Wallet efficiently and safely.

Cache Wallet is an AI-driven, non-custodial wallet designed to simplify and secure digital asset management in the DeFi landscape. It offers a safe, efficient approach for users to manage crypto assets, conduct cross-chain swaps, earn yields, and engage with different variety of on-chain applications. Its user-friendly approach, advanced security, and compatibility across multiple blockchain networks make the Cache Wallet ideal for both experienced traders and beginner investors.

By integrating Cache Wallet’s interface into its social DEX trading platform, ANT-FUN advances its interwork’s interoperability,  security, and practical asset management in the DeFi landscape.

Through the incorporation of Cache Wallet into its decentralized trading network, ANT-FUN unlocks secure and seamless access to advanced DeFi trading on its ecosystem. The integration means ANT-FUN users can now connect to the Cache Wallet to access in-depth DeFi liquidity pools for asset transactions,  trading, and yield generation. This further implies that ANT-FUN clients can now participate in larger DeFi networks of their choice through Cache Wallet‘s multi-chain networks and take advantage of Cache’s AI automation features to navigate DeFi and simplify their trading activities.

Accelerating Web3 Flexibility and Security

Using this partnership, both ANT-FUN and Cache Wallet reinforce their shared mission of bringing cutting-edge trading opportunities to the cryptocurrency community worldwide while maintaining the ethos of decentralization and self-custody.

The alliance is also important for Cache Wallet as the integration introduces its users to speculate on price movements of various crypto assets across multiple blockchains, with leverage of up to 100 times. By merging Cache’s reliable wallet infrastructure with ANT-FUN’s DEX trading platform, Cache customers can interact with multiple DeFi products, including long and short futures positions, while maintaining complete control over the assets.

CheersLand has formally declared a strategic alliance with Snowball money, which is a huge stride of enhancing the infrastructure and user experience of Web3 identity. The partnership is expected to introduce cohesive, smooth digital identity offerings to more people by streamlining the experience of the user interface through various blockchains.

📢 Exciting Partnership Alert! 📢We’re teaming up with @snowball_money to bring seamless Web3 identity to even more users! One name across all chains—making crypto UX frictionless. Snowball’s Modular Naming Services(MNS) is changing the future of Web3 ! 👀❄️ pic.twitter.com/Z9lwmyQGey

— CheersLand | #RWA #DePIN (@cheers_land) January 5, 2026

The announcement points out that both platforms share a common vision: to make Web3 more user friendly, approachable and frictionless to the average customer and at the same time retain the fundamental principles of decentralization.

One Identity Across Multiple Blockchains

The core of the partnership is the Modular Naming Services (MNS) offered by Snowball Money, the system that aims to give users a universal name, which operates in various blockchain networks. This does not require dealing with several wallet addresses or identities in engaging with decentralized applications.

Through the MNS system, CheersLand users not only utilize a single recognizable identity across chains but also enhance their usability in making payments, tracking reputation and interacting on-chain, among others. This solution can solve one of the largest problems of Web3 fragmented identity management.

Enhancing Web3 User Experience

Both Snowball Money and CheersLand underline the fact that in order to appreciate the use of Web3, it is imperative to optimize the user experience. The barriers to newcomers have always existed in complex wallet addresses, unstandardized identity systems and confusing interfaces.

In this collaboration, CheersLand is scheduled to integrate Snowball identity layer with its RWA, DePIN and metaverse based platforms. The outcome is projected to be a streamlined onboarding procedure, simplified peer to peer communication and enhanced trust indicators in the event of decentralized settings.

Bridging Metaverse and Real World Assets

CheersLand has introduced itself as a connector between Metaverse and the real world, especially in RWA marketplaces and decentralized physical infrastructure networks. This mission is reinforced by the incorporation of Snowball Money identity framework as an additional layer of identity that is reliable and cross chain.

The single identity system enables users to take their reputation, credentials and history of transactions with them, without discontinuity, across virtual and real world applications. This would open up new gaming, social, payments and asset ownership applications.

Snowball Money’s Vision for Universal Identity

Snowball Money is a project that aims at developing a universal identity, payments and reputation layer that will be applicable to humans and AI agents. Its network based on LayerZero Core enables it to be interoperable, secure and decentralized at the same time.

Through the collaboration with CheersLand, Snowball Money is expanding the boundaries of its identity solutions to new environments and consumer bases. The partnership supports the mission of Snowball to become an identity layer of the bigger Web3 world.

Driving Broader Web3 Adoption

The alliance represents one of the rising trends in Web3 development: the cooperation as opposed to the seclusion. Instead of developing closed systems, more and more platforms are collaborating to develop interoperable solutions that are beneficial to the entire ecosystem.

To users, it implies a reduction of technical challenges and user friendly experiences. To developers, it has created an opportunity to develop applications based on standard identity across chains. To the industry in general, it is an indicator of a more decentralized and user-friendly future that is highly connected.

Looking Ahead

With CheersLand and Snowball Money continuing to roll out the integration process, both companies have indicated other features and use cases that are yet to be announced in future releases. The partnership forms the basis of a smoother Web3 identity layer that facilitates expansion on DePIN, RWA, metaverse and decentralized finance ecosystems.

As identity is a key component of the next stage in the evolution of blockchain adoption, this collaboration makes two projects leaders in the sphere of Web3 usability innovation.

Binance, the leading crypto exchange, has announced an exclusive development regarding Brevis ($BREV). Hence, Binance is bringing Brevis ($BREV) to its official HODLer Airdrop page. As per Binance’s press release, this will benefit the $BNB holders who took part in the platform’s eligible earning initiatives during the snapshot period. Thus, the respective holders will get $BREV tokens.

#Binance is excited to announce the Brevis HODLer Airdrop – @brevis_zk $BREV.BNB Holders, get ready! The Airdrop page will be available on the Binance Airdrop Portal in 24 hours. Plus, this token will be listed on Binance soon!👉 https://t.co/wBJq7SlWyj pic.twitter.com/lAGgRsx1Cu

— Binance (@binance) January 5, 2026

Binance Benefits $BNB Holders with HODLer Airdrop Rewards in $BREV

Binance’s decision to include Brevis ($BREV) into the HODLer Airdrop page aims to provide benefit to the $BNB holders. In this respect, the $BNB holders who were a part of the eligible earning projects of Binance at the time of the snapshot period are to get $BREV tokens. Specifically, the airdrop page will go live within the next 24 hours on the Binance Airdrop Portal.

Apart from that, the top centralized crypto exchange has also announced that it will shortly list $BREV to expand the trading opportunities. Additionally, as included in the Binance HODLer Airdrops initiative, those having subscribed $BNB tokens to Simple Earn (Locked or Flexible) or even On-Chain Yields projects will be eligible for $BREV rewards. Nonetheless, just those subscribing $BNB from December 17 to December 19, 2025, will be considered $BREV recipients.

Additionally, the $BREV tokens in the airdrop will go to the Spot Accounts of the eligible users nearly 1 hour ahead of trading. Overall, the maximum supply of Brevis is 1B $BREV out of which the airdrop will comprise 15M $BREV (1.5%). Additionally, an extra 5M $BREV share will go to reserves for marketing campaigns in the future after the spot listing. Further details regarding this will reportedly be provided separately.

Crypto Exchange Schedules Spot $BREV Listing for January 6

According to Binance, it will list $BREV on the 6th of January for spot trading. The trading pairs include $BREV/$TRY, $BREV/$BNB, $BREV/$USDTC, and $BREV/$USDT. Additionally, the platform will open deposits on the 5th of January, permitting consumers to get ready before trading. Along with that, $BREV will have availability across diverse networks, such as Base, Ethereum, and BNB Smart Chain. Moreover, there will be zero charges for $BREV, while a devoted research report covering the project will come forth within the announcement’s 48 hours.

The latest list of the most anticipated initial crypto offerings published by Phoenix Group provides info on some of the Web3 projects that will be joining the crypto market in early January 2026. This ecosystem is an indicator of innovation to come across the blockchain as the lineup includes a mix of decentralized finance, zero-knowledge infrastructure, mobile connectivity, loyalty platforms, and AI-powered tools.

UPCOMING INITIAL LISTINGS TO WATCH#Dango $DNG #Depinsim $ESIM #Brevis $BREV #PlusMore $PLUS #HeyElsa pic.twitter.com/yF5FKdhLG3

— PHOENIX – Crypto News & Analytics (@pnxgrp) January 5, 2026

Having several listings planned during the period of January 5 to January 6, the update will offer the investors and other participants of the crypto market picture of the new projects and their funding history.

Dango Introduces Layer 1 DeFi Trading Infrastructure

Under the ticker $DNG, Dango presents itself as a Layer 1 DeFi exchange that is dedicated to sophisticated trading capabilities. The site will provide liquid markets, leverage-based trading, and wallet-less access to stock- and commodity-linked synthetic assets.

The project has attracted funds to the tune of $3.6 million to fund development and ecosystem growth. Although the listing exchange has not been announced in the meantime, the first listing date will be January 5. The strategy of Dango indicates a shift towards making sophisticated financial products user-friendly in decentralized settings.

Depinsim Brings eSIM Utility to Decentralized Infrastructure

The company Depinsim is known by the ticker: $ESIM, which is located at the convergence of decentralized infrastructure and mobile connectivity. The project uses eSIM technology to enable mobile access around the globe with the use of a community-driven information network.

Depinsim has a funding round of $8.0 million, which makes it one of the bigger funding rounds when compared to the listed projects. It will be listed with a crypto on January 5 at 13:00 UTC and various exchanges are already linked with the launch. The initiative brings out the growing use of blockchain solutions beyond the financial sector, into real-life connectivity and telecommunication applications.

Brevis Focuses on Zero-Knowledge Data Computation

Brevis, under the name of $BREV, is a zero-knowledge coprocessor which is built to enable access and computing of historical on-chain data in smart contracts in a secure way. Brevis helps to overcome a severe limitation in existing smart contract architectures by supporting trustless data queries across supported blockchains.

The project has received a funding of $7.5 million and it has a reported pre-valuation of $411.70 million and it has become one of the most richly valued projects in the listing portfolio. Brevis is planned to be listed on January 6 at 10:00 UTC, which highlights a high level of interest in the market on the infrastructure solutions based on ZK.

PlusMore Expands Web3 & Crypto Loyalty and Rewards

PlusMore (symbol: $PLUS) is a Web3 rewards and loyalty application developed by Plutus on Base Layer 2. The system is meant to match daily expenditures with on-chain rewards, in order to bridge the gap between the offline consumer behavior and blockchain incentives.

Although there is no information regarding financing and the timeline is not disclosed, the role of PlusMore signifies that the research on loyalty systems driven by decentralized technology is ongoing. The marking of the listing exchange and the date is at this moment marked as TBA indicating that further announcements might be made.

HeyElsa Explores AI-Powered Crypto Assistance

HeyElsa, which operates under the name $ELSA, is a crypto-trading conversation bot that is aimed at assisting users in managing cryptocurrency wallets with the help of AI-based communication. The project is aimed at making the management and the workflow of the portfolio and transaction simple through conversational interfaces.

HeyElsa has also collected 3.0 million dollars, although the date and exchange have not been completely updated on its listing. 

Crypto Market Outlook for Early 2026 Listings

The following listings reflected by Phoenix Group demonstrate the fact that the market is still diversifying and is not limited to a one-sector plot. With the onset of January 2026, these first listings can potentially provide information on investor sentiment and the new priorities in the Web3 space. 

In some projects, exchange confirmations and valuation information are yet to be received, but the general portfolio is an indication of continuity and experimentation in the crypto world.

The Cryptocurrency sector seems to be flourishing in 2026. Some tokens saw huge price increases due to a resurgent appetite among retail investors following the relative inactivity over the holidays, which has increased many other token speculative activity across the market. The notable percentage increases observed in multiple tokens categorized as memecoins on CoinMarketCap speaks volumes.

Bonk Leads at 41% Surge as Memecoin Mania Returns

Solana-based memecoin Bonk became the biggest winner, rising an astounding 41.84% in the course of 24 hours to reach $0.00001283. The surge comes amid a larger memecoin buzz with trading volume for BONK spiking significantly as traders increased their capital to high beta assets.

According to market intelligence platform CoinGecko, Bonk’s trading volume has been averaging 478% in 24 hours, showing that the level of participation from both retail and institutional players in the trading of this token has been robust. Market analysts have credited the rally to good community support and the overall rebounding memecoin sector. Recent reports show that the market capitalization of memecoins soared 23% in a week from $38 billion on December 29 to $47.7 billion on January 6 with a spike of 300% in transaction volume over the same period.

Pippin & FLOKI Record 23% Gains

The AI-powered memecoin Pippin ranked second amongst the top gainers with 23.58% gains to trade at $0.4999. Created by AI innovator, Yohei Nakajima, the token represents a kind of artificial-intelligence and meme culture fusion which sets itself up as an autonomous artificial intelligence agent on X.

Dog-themed memecoin FLOKI also recovered 23.04% to $0.00005869 after the first European FLOKI exchange-traded product was launched. The Valour Floki SEK ETP launched back in early January, and has offered regulated exposure to the memecoin, which has been a huge step in the integration of meme-based cryptocurrencies into the traditional financial markets.

According to Coin Edition, FLOKI rose 23% in 24 hours of its European ETP launch, with 425% going through trading volume in a day and a 75% increase in derivatives open interest to $59.7 million. The token hasn’t just evolved from its memecoin roots as it has broadened with gaming with its Valhalla metaverse game and banking services with planned digital accounts from 4 countries.

Market Momentum on Multiple Tokens

Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) and Render (RENDER) completed the top 3 with positive gains of 18.57% and 17.88% respectively. SPX6900 also went up by 17.31%, proving that the rally was not limited to only dog-themed memecoins. The coordinated action over several projects implies a change in the mood unique across the sector rather than individual price action.

Market data shows that retail traders are making this move, with the spike coming on the heels when negative sentiment reached high levels during the holiday period at the end of December 2019. Technical considerations are supporting the advance, with daily chart breakouts locking in short-term traders looking for quick returns and liquidity rising following the Christmas break.

Conclusion

The beginning of January crypto price surge is indicative that risk appetite is back on the table with respect to digital assets after a calm holiday. Traders are regaining faith in high beta assets such as Bonk, pippin, FLOKI, etc. The immediate coordinated shift and large increase in trading volume for essentially all the tokens makes this uptick appear to be more than a temporary blip. The current market is extremely volatile with numerous investors waiting to see whether the massive cryptocurrencies will break out of their consolidation patterns. There is also considerable interest in whether the momentum created by memecoins will lead to an upcoming altcoin season.

CME Group, the top derivatives marketplace in the world, has reported a milestone in terms of annual performance. Hence, it has achieved the 28.1M contracts in terms of Average Daily Volume (ADV) throughout 2025. As per CME Group’s official press release, this denotes a 6% rise over year. Overall, this landmark development highlights consistent growth across nearly all key asset classes.

CME Group Records 6% Surge in Annual ADV in 2025 Amid Consistent Growth

With an Average Daily Volume (ADV) of nearly 28.1M contracts during 2025, CME Group has jumped by 6% over year. In this respect, the marketplace has recorded sustained advancement across leading asset classes, like crypto assets, agriculture, metals, energy, equity indexes, and interest rates. Additionally, the 4th quarter, as well as December 2025, also displayed all-time highs when it comes to trading activity.

These results signify solid demand for risk management instruments amid the shifting macroeconomic conditions. Particularly, the interest rate products served as the biggest contributor to the wider activity. Thus, full-year ADV climbed 4% to hit 14.2M contracts. Additionally, U.S. Treasury futures, along with the options market, also touched noteworthy ADV of almost 8.3M contracts.

Moving on, with the new ATH of up to 5.4M contracts, SOFR futures and options highlight growing expansion of standard rate products. At the same time, an 8% year-over-year rise in the trading of equity indexes reached 7.4M contracts, backed by robust growth. Simultaneously, metals, agricultural, and energy markets also showed massive gains during 2025, jumping 34%, 8%, and 8%, respectively.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Lead Record 139% Jump in Crypto Derivatives Market Activity

According to CME Group, the crypto derivatives industry also took a leading position among the rapidly growing segments. Specifically, the yearly ADV of the crypto derivatives surged by 139%, reaching stunning 278,000 contracts, underscoring $12B in total notional value. The leading players in this market were Micro Bitcoin futures and Micro Ether futures, delivering accessible digital asset exposure to a wider group of market members.

Ultimately, CME Group deems that this continuous growth across regions and products pushes it toward further expansion amid broader global market evolution.

Introduction

Bitcoin ($BTC), Ethereum ($ETH), Solana ($SOL) and other cryptocurrencies are digital currencies, and the process of their storage and transactions is similar to that of fiat currencies. When one holder sends Bitcoin to another, they need a public address as well as a private key. Just as sharing your bank account number does not pose any risk but sharing your ATM PIN does, sharing your public address of a digital wallet is harmless, but sharing your private keys or seed phrases is not. To sign a $BTC transaction, most common algorithm is ECDSA, but Schnorr Signatures algorithm is also getting traction lately.

Schnorr Signatures Explained

We can define Schnorr Signatures as a space-saving, time-saving digital signature algorithm that combines multiple signatures into one, and proves ownership and authorization to spend. Anyone can copy paper signatures with consistent effort, but it is nearly impossible to forge digital signatures, whether you use ECDSA or Schnorr signatures. Moreover, it is impossible to derive the private key from public key, but you can always extract the public key from the private key by employing secp256k1 curve. This mechanism applies some mathematical puzzles to make keys secure.

To understand the real efficiency and reliability of Schnorr Signatures, you must study the general and mathematical foundations of the algorithm. Bitcoin uses elliptic curve cryptography, and both ECDSA and Schnorr operate on the same curve known as secp256k1. Schnorr Signatures ensures irreversibility of key generation as mentioned in the previous paragraph. By using and relying on the same mathematical foundations used by ECDSA, Schnorr system can reorganize how signatures are produced and verified.

Signature Creation Process

When you create a $BTC transaction, you must prove that you are authorized to spend the coins. You do it by signing the transaction digitally. Schnorr Signatures algorithm follows a clear and straightforward pattern. To create a unique signature for a particular signature, the algorithm uses an ingenious combination of transaction details, a random number an the private key. If even a single character of the transaction changes, the signature becomes invalid. Tampering or forgery becomes impossible as a result of strict dependence on the transaction data. When the system has created the signature, it is added to the transaction and shared with the network so that the network can verify it.

Verification by the Network

Now, participants on the blockchain network check the validity of your transaction. They do not need access to the private key to perform this verification. Instead, they use the public key and the signature to confirm that the transaction was duly authorized. Schnorr Signatures simplify this verification process by allowing multiple approvals to appear as one. Even though the internal logic confirms that all required parties agreed, the network only processes a single compact signature. Here, we can see how efficient and space-saving Schnorr signature system is.

Role in Multi Signature Wallets

One of the most practical benefits of Schnorr Signatures appears in multi signature wallets. These wallets require approval from more than one private key before funds can be unlocked and authorized for spending. In traditional setups, every signer produces a separate signature, and all of them must be included in the transaction. This increases transaction size and reveals information about how many participants were involved. With Schnorr Signatures, all required approvals can be merged into one combined signature.

Relationship with Taproot Upgrade

Schnorr Signatures became usable on Bitcoin blockchain through the Taproot upgrade, which was activated after years of discussion and testing. Before it, only ECDSA was used. Taproot introduced a new way of handling transaction conditions and scripts. It allows Bitcoin to show only the condition that was actually used while keeping other possibilities hidden. Schnorr Signatures play an important role in making signature aggregation and verification possible.

Security Considerations

Security remains the most important concern in any financial system, all the more so in the crypto market. Schnorr Signatures are neither at experimental stage nor untested in cryptography. They are well studied and mathematically simpler than ECDSA in certain respects. This simplicity makes its analysis easier and reduces the chance of any implementation errors. Since Schnorr operates on the same elliptic curve already trusted by Bitcoin, it does not introduce unfamiliar assumptions. As a result, Bitcoin gains efficiency and privacy without compromising its security model.

Adoption and Compatibility

In spite of their advantages, Schnorr Signatures are not compulsory for all transactions. Bitcoin allows users to choose whether to use newer features or the older ones. Many wallets and services still rely on older formats due to compatibility and gradual upgrade cycles. With the passage of time, as more software adopts Taproot, we can expect growth in the usage of Schnorr signature algorithm. This gradual approach ensures stability and avoids forcing users into abrupt changes. It also indicates Bitcoin’s cautious development philosophy.

Practical Importance for Users

For most users, Schnorr Signatures work silently in the background. This signing system does not change how wallets look or how transactions are sent. Instead of general visibility, the real benefits appear indirectly through lower fees, improved privacy, and better scalability. Users do not need to understand the intricate mathematical foundations to benefit from them. This quiet integration also corresponds with Bitcoin’s goal of providing a reliable financial ecosystem that does not demand technical expertise from the users.

Long-Term Significance

Schnorr Signatures are a highly crucial step in Bitcoin’s evolution. They show that the system can improve while preserving its basic principles. By refining the creation and verification of signatures, Bitcoin has become more efficient and flexible without compromising decentralization. These improvements may apparently seem insignificant, but over millions of transactions, the improvement becomes visible.

Conclusion

In short, better efficiency, privacy, and security of Schnorr signature system makes it an improved system of authorizing $BTC transactions. This system is built on the same cryptographic foundation as used by ECDSA. As adoption is growing, Schnorr Signatures are likely to play an increasingly important role in making Bitcoin more resilient and practical for public use.

Pundi AI has declared a strategic partnership with GAEA Labs, a pioneer of verifiable emotional artificial intelligence, as a major step towards more human aligned AI systems. The collaboration is aimed at uniting the decentralized AI data infrastructure and quantifiable emotional intelligence, which is one of the most complicated problems in the contemporary development of AI.

We are excited to collaborate with @aigaealabs 🤝Exploring how emotional intelligence and verifiable AI data can build more human-aligned AI agents. https://t.co/uX38aPWZrc

— Pundi AI (@PundiAI) January 5, 2026

The capability to comprehend the moods of the human being is no longer an option as AI agents are increasingly becoming part and parcel of everyday life through conversations, automation and decision making. Emotional awareness is quickly becoming a fundamental demand of AI systems that communicate in a significant and responsible way with individuals.

Why Emotional Intelligence Matters in AI

The current AI systems are capable of processing language, identifying pictures and performing tasks on a large scale, but emotional comprehension is still mostly abstract and unstable. Most of the models claim to identify sentiment or tone, but few of them provide credible methods to ensure emotional understanding or gauge empathy.

This distance is dangerous, especially when AI agents act independently or have direct personal interaction with users. In the absence of guidelines or authentication, emotional AI may turn out to be unreliable, unbiased, or against human principles. The partnership between Pundi AI and GAEA will help solve these problems by being transparent and accountable.

GAEA’s Approach to Verifiable Emotional Intelligence

GAEA Labs is developing what it is calling the first Verifiable Emotional AI Network. Its core of work is a decentralized system of training based on capturing real human emotional signals and not the artificial approximations. By doing this, the emotional intelligence can be trained on real data sources that are diverse.

One of the core innovations proposed by GAEA is GAEA Certification, which is a model that is used to assess and score emotional intelligence of AI models. The certification does not assign empathy as an intangible quality but rather, it gives a set of specific standards which can be assessed independently and proven. This converts emotional capability into a criteria developers, users as well as institutions can rely on.

Pundi AI’s Role in Trusted AI Data Infrastructure

Pundi AI is a company that has a high level of experience in decentralized AI data ecosystems. It focuses on its mission of developing open, transparent and verifiable data pipelines in which datasets can be tracked, authenticated and audited over their lifecycle.

Under this collaboration, Pundi AI will investigate the ways of how emotional data can be labelled in a safe and secure way, authenticated on-chain and community centric. This also makes sure that sensitive emotional signals are managed in a responsible manner and preserve data integrity and provenance. The outcome is to have a system in which emotional intelligence training is made ethical and accountable.

Building Standards for Emotion Aware AI Agents

Pundi AI and GAEA are working together to make contributions to future standards of testing emotional intelligence in AI agents and applications. The collaboration prepares the groundwork of the AI systems that are not only powerful but also emotionally aware and auditable since it combines the verifiable data infrastructure with the emotional AI certification.

Looking Ahead to a Human Centric AI Future

The partnership between Pundi AI and GAEA is a visionary attempt to reestablish the process of how emotional intelligence is constructed and justified in artificial intelligence. The two teams share the concept that community participation, transparency and ethical use of data are the values.

Soneium, a Next-Generation Web3 ecosystem focused on Culture, entertainment, and creative expression through interactive digital experiences, has announced its groundbreaking partnership with JukeBlox, a music-powered decentralized application (dApp) that converts music into fully onchain digital assets. The primary purpose of this partnership is to turn all music-driven digital collectibles fully onchain with complete ownership and direct monetization within the Soneium ecosystem.

🎵 Let’s play some music: @JukebloxDapp 🎵The application that brings music-driven digital experiences to Soneium is here.JukeBlox empowers creators and collectors to explore, publish, and enjoy music-powered digital assets entirely on-chain.Ready to dive in? 👉… pic.twitter.com/0FkoeAaG1A

— Soneium 💿 (@soneium) January 5, 2026

At the foundation, both platforms are built for creativity in the domain of music and entertainment. Because music always plays a vital role in the expression of a person’s emotions and enables them to achieve catharsis for their mental satisfaction. So, this collaboration is much more important and has powerful impacts on human mental health. Soneium has revealed this news through its official social media X account.

Powering a New Era of OnChain Music Ownership

In the alliance of Soneium and JukeBlox, JukeBlox is actively empowering the creators and collectors to explore, publish, and enjoy music-powered digital assets fully onchain. On the other hand, Soneium is fully engaged in the expression of culture and cultural belonging of artists and creators. Moreover, this Web3-based music can lead to a big earning opportunity for creators and artists.

With this integration, artists and creators will be able to sell and trade directly with fans without the involvement of third parties. Now, the onward creation of music is not just limited to enjoyment, but also a source of earning and a digital asset.

Soneium and JukeBlox Redefine Digital Asset Creation

The collaboration of Soneium and JukeBlox unlocks lots of opportunities for worldly creators to track and make clear visuals for digital assets. Furthermore, this interaction reduces the effort of creators and developers for earning, even brings an extra edge of entertainment also. In short, this is a unique chance for users to get the earning along with having an experience of Web3-based digital assets.

Crypto markets have entered January 2026 with a noticeably steadier tone than at the end of last year. Volatility has eased, liquidity conditions have improved, and risk appetite is gradually returning after the sharp resets of 2025. While investors remain selective, sentiment has shifted toward cautious optimism rather than outright defensiveness.

Bitcoin and Ethereum continue to anchor market positioning, but both are trading within consolidation ranges that have prompted traders to look beyond large caps for clearer momentum signals. In that environment, early-stage projects with visible traction, such as AlphaPepe, are increasingly part of the “best crypto to buy now” discussion.

Market Context

As of January 2026, Bitcoin is trading above $93,000, holding comfortably after reclaiming that level earlier in the week. Sustained price action above $90K has eased downside concerns and reinforced the view that BTC is stabilising rather than entering another corrective phase.

Ethereum is also showing constructive behaviour. ETH is trading around $3,180–$3,280, maintaining strength above the $3,000 level that traders increasingly treat as a medium-term pivot. While neither asset is in a breakout phase, both are displaying price structures consistent with accumulation rather than distribution.

Bitcoin Analysis

Bitcoin’s current setup reflects consolidation with improving confidence. Buyers have consistently stepped in on shallow pullbacks, while selling pressure has moderated compared with late 2025. This type of price action often signals a market digesting prior gains rather than losing conviction.

ETF flows remain an important sentiment gauge. Although daily flows fluctuate, the absence of persistent outflows has helped BTC maintain its footing above key support levels. For many investors, Bitcoin currently represents stability and directional context rather than aggressive upside.

Ethereum Analysis

Ethereum’s structure appears slightly more constructive. Holding above $3,000 has allowed ETH to regain relative strength versus many large-cap peers. Layer-2 activity remains elevated, staking participation is steady, and ETH’s role as the backbone of on-chain activity continues to support longer-term confidence.

From a sentiment perspective, Ethereum looks less defensive than it did in Q4. Traders are increasingly focused on whether ETH can continue building a higher base as liquidity conditions gradually improve.

Why “Best Crypto to Buy Now” Is a Rotation Question

When Bitcoin and Ethereum consolidate instead of trending sharply, capital often rotates selectively. Some investors remain anchored to majors, while others allocate toward early-stage opportunities where traction can be measured through participation metrics rather than price alone.

This rotation dynamic tends to favour presales that show consistent holder growth, transparent mechanics and ongoing execution. AlphaPepe has increasingly been viewed through that lens as 2026 begins.

AlphaPepe’s Positioning in Early 2026

AlphaPepe is a BNB Chain presale that has continued to gain momentum alongside improving market sentiment. The project has now raised over $450,000, and participation has remained steady rather than episodic.

One notable metric is community expansion. More than 100 new holders are joining AlphaPepe daily, pushing the holder base higher even as broader meme-coin retail activity remains uneven. Alongside this growth, on-chain data shows increasing whale activity, with larger wallet addresses appearing more frequently in presale transactions. This combination of steady retail inflows and growing whale participation has reinforced AlphaPepe’s visibility.

A defining feature of AlphaPepe is that $ALPE tokens are delivered instantly upon presale purchase, with no delayed claiming process. Immediate on-chain delivery has become increasingly important to investors prioritising clarity and execution following the volatility of 2025.

AlphaPepe also operates USDT reward pools, which have already distributed over $14,000 to participants across completed cycles. These rewards run alongside a presale model built around structural price increases, where pricing steps up in stages rather than reacting to short-term promotion.

Visibility Through AI-Driven Discovery

AlphaPepe’s growing profile has also been reflected in AI-assisted discovery tools. Traders increasingly rely on AI screeners and research assistants to surface early-stage projects showing measurable engagement, holder growth and consistent activity.

AlphaPepe has appeared more frequently in these workflows according to user-shared outputs across social platforms, highlighting a broader shift toward data-driven discovery rather than purely narrative-driven speculation.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and AlphaPepe in Context

Bitcoin and Ethereum remain foundational holdings for many investors. BTC continues to provide macro direction and liquidity depth, while ETH underpins smart-contract activity across the ecosystem. Their role in portfolios remains structural rather than tactical.

AlphaPepe represents a different category of opportunity. While BTC and ETH offer stability and established relevance, AlphaPepe offers early-stage participation, visible community expansion and presale mechanics designed to function independently of short-term market swings.

Conclusion

Bitcoin holding above $93,000 and Ethereum consolidating near $3,200 point to a market that is stabilising rather than retreating. Sentiment has improved from late-2025 lows, even as traders remain disciplined in their positioning.

Within this environment, AlphaPepe has emerged as a notable early-stage contender. With over $450,000 raised, more than 100 new holders joining daily, visible whale participation, instant token delivery, and active USDT reward pools with over $14,000 already distributed, AlphaPepe is gaining attention as a project benefiting from both improving sentiment and measurable execution. For investors weighing the best crypto to buy now, the decision increasingly comes down to balancing established market anchors with early-stage momentum.

Website: https://alphapepe.io/

Telegram: https://t.me/alphapepejoin

X: https://x.com/alphapepebsc

FAQs

What is Bitcoin’s price today (January 5, 2026)?Bitcoin is trading above $93,000, holding recent gains and consolidating above key support levels.

What is Ethereum’s current price?Ethereum is trading around $3,180–$3,280, maintaining strength above the $3,000 zone.

Why are traders rotating into presales right now?Because consolidation in large caps often shifts attention toward early-stage projects where participation metrics and growth are easier to track.

How fast is AlphaPepe’s community growing?AlphaPepe is adding over 100 new holders per day, alongside increasing whale participation.

What makes AlphaPepe different from many presales?Instant token delivery, audited contracts, active USDT reward pools and a structured presale pricing model.

This article is not intended as financial advice. Educational purposes only.

Digital asset investment products finished 2025 with global inflows of US$47.2 billion, just shy of last year’s record, as investors quietly rotated out of market leaders and put fresh money into a handful of altcoins. The year closed with a burst of buying; US$671 million flowed in on the final Friday, even after a bumpy midweek that produced some outflows earlier in the week.

The United States remained the dominant source of capital, accounting for the lion’s share of inflows, but several countries staged notable recoveries. Germany swung from small outflows in 2024 to roughly US$2.5 billion of inflows in 2025, while Canada reversed a US$603 million exodus in 2024 to record about US$1.1 billion of inflows last year. Switzerland also chipped in, with inflows rising modestly to about US$775 million. Together, these shifts signalled broader, more selective demand outside the U.S. hub.

Beneath the headline numbers, there was a clear stylistic change in where investors put their money. Bitcoin, which has long dominated product flows, saw a sharp pullback. Inflows into bitcoin products fell about 35% to US$26.9 billion in 2025. Traders also put a small amount of capital, roughly US$105 million for the year, into short-bitcoin investment products, though those remain niche with total assets under management of only about US$139 million.

Altcoins Drive 2025 Flows

The beneficiaries were not a broad swathe of smaller tokens but a few very specific names. Ethereum enjoyed the largest jump, with inflows of US$12.7 billion, up roughly 138% year-on-year. XRP and Solana saw even more dramatic percentage gains: XRP inflows rose by about 500% to roughly US$3.7 billion, while Solana surged some 1,000% to about US$3.6 billion. At the same time, the rest of the altcoin universe cooled: inflows into the remaining altcoins fell about 30% year-on-year to US$318 million.

Market observers point to a mix of factors behind the shift. New product launches and ETF activity around certain tokens have concentrated institutional interest, and that selective appetite has shown up clearly in weekly reports where XRP and Solana repeatedly bucked broader outflow trends. The launch of spot and spot-like products tied to these chains appears to have helped channel capital into them, reinforcing the idea that investors are hunting for specific catalysts rather than broad crypto exposure.

For investors and strategists, the takeaway is straightforward: 2025 was not a year of uniform conviction across crypto, but of targeted reallocations. Money didn’t flee the sector wholesale; overall annual inflows were almost at 2024’s record, but it did find its way into a narrower set of bets, leaving the old guard to make room for select altcoins that offered fresh narratives or product-led access.

As December wraps up, crypto sentiment remains uncertain. The Uniswap price prediction saw improvement following a 5% surge and a governance proposal to burn 100M UNI, while the Solana price prediction remains cautious despite Brazil gaining regulated institutional access. Both reflect growing demand for substance over speculation, though confirmation is still pending.

In contrast, Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) is already delivering. With a $10M partnership with the Dolphins rugby team, ZKP crypto is deploying privacy-first AI and encrypted compute in live environments. Its infrastructure powers performance analysis and fan engagement without compromising sensitive data.

This level of real-world traction is rare. Combined with daily presale auctions releasing 200 million tokens transparently, it’s easy to see why many experts are coining Zero Knowledge Proof as the next crypto to explode.

Uniswap Price Prediction Strengthens After Recent Votes

The Uniswap price prediction has turned bullish following a 5% move toward $5.23, as trading volume surged nearly 80% to reach $359M. This momentum came after a key governance vote advanced, proposing the burn of 100M UNI from the treasury and activation of the protocol fee switch. These factors have reshaped the short-term Uniswap price prediction, bringing reduced supply and new revenue mechanisms into focus.

The vote concludes on December 25. If approved, it could cut the circulating supply from roughly 630M to 530M UNI while directing future fees toward continuous token burns. Analysts are watching $5.00, with sentiment leaning positive. If implemented, these mechanics are likely to further strengthen the Uniswap price prediction.

Solana Price Prediction Bearish Despite Brazil Access

Solana secured regulated institutional access in Brazil through a listed exchange product, expanding exposure alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum. Even so, SOL traded near $128 and stayed locked in a $122 to $145 range. Spot ETF flows averaged about $3.6M daily with assets close to $926M. This backdrop keeps Solana price prediction cautious, as adoption gains did not shift the short-term direction.

Market pressure followed broader weakness, with liquidity clustered around $123 and downside risk extending toward $95 if sentiment deteriorates. Technical signals showed limited demand, leaving bulls dependent on a breakout above $145 to target $170. Until then, Solana price prediction remains restrained by consolidation.

Zero Knowledge Proof’s $10M Dolphins Deal Brings Blockchain to Pro Sports

Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) has captured industry attention with a $10M partnership with Australia’s Dolphins rugby team. As the club’s official blockchain partner, ZKP crypto is embedding privacy-first AI and decentralized infrastructure directly into the team’s daily operations. This move positions ZKP crypto as one of the few crypto projects actively integrating real technology into the professional sports arena.

The collaboration targets player performance analysis, injury prevention, and fan engagement tools, all powered by encrypted compute. Zero-knowledge proofs allow the Dolphins to extract critical insights without exposing personal data, setting a new benchmark for how sensitive information is handled in elite sports environments.

What separates this partnership is its real-time execution. ZKP crypto’s infrastructure is already active, and the rollout with the Dolphins is being implemented both on the field and across digital platforms. Branding will also be featured at home games in Suncorp Stadium, turning the project’s technology into a visible part of the fan experience.

This high-profile partnership is directly tied to ZKP crypto’s daily presale auction model. Every 24 hours, 200 million tokens are distributed through a transparent system where demand dictates pricing. It mirrors the same technology now used by the Dolphins, offering proof of concept in a live environment.

By delivering operational tech at scale, Zero Knowledge Proof proves it is more than just a presale narrative. Its integration with the Dolphins demonstrates the platform’s depth, readiness, and value. This real-world traction is what places ZKP crypto among the most serious contenders in the current cycle.

Quick Recap

The Uniswap price prediction has strengthened as governance pushes forward with token burns and fee activations, while the Solana price remains limited by market consolidation despite institutional progress in Brazil. Both highlight how sentiment is shifting toward real mechanics, but results still depend on follow-through.

In contrast, Zero Knowledge Proof is already operating at scale. Its $10M Dolphins partnership and daily token presale auctions prove that the project is executing, not theorizing. With privacy-first AI and live integrations, Zero Knowledge Proof stands apart from speculative narratives and continues to gain recognition as the next crypto to explode.

Join the Presale Auction Now: 

Website: zkp.com 

FAQs: 

1. What is Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP)?

Zero Knowledge Proof is a privacy‑first blockchain platform that uses encrypted computing and AI to analyze data without exposing sensitive information. It operates live systems, daily auctions, and real‑world integrations.

2. What is the Dolphins’ partnership about?

ZKP crypto signed a $10M deal with Australia’s Dolphins rugby team to power player analytics, injury prevention, and fan engagement using privacy‑preserving technology.

3. How do ZKP crypto’s daily presale auctions work?

Every 24 hours, 200 million tokens are released through a transparent, demand‑based presale auction that determines price in real time.

4. Why is Zero Knowledge Proof considered a top crypto to buy?

With live infrastructure, real partnerships like the $10M Dolphins deal, and daily presale auctions distributing 200 million tokens, ZKP crypto delivers utility beyond speculation. It stands apart from trending tokens like Uniswap and Solana by offering real-time execution and visible adoption.

This article is not intended as financial advice. Educational purposes only.

DeChat, a notable Web3-based decentralized communication entity, has partnered with LexAI Network, a popular decentralized AI infrastructure platform. The partnership aims to merge secure AI infrastructure with decentralized messaging. As per DeChat’s official announcement on social media, the development is poised to improve the way consumers, protocols, and communities interact securely across diverse decentralized ecosystems. Additionally, this development underscores the rising convergence of Web3 and AI to lead toward the next digital epoch.

Dechat is proud to announce our partnership with @LexAINetwork@LexAINetwork is a Web3-native AI infrastructure protocol providing a decentralized AI foundation, offering infrastructure, asset protocols, and toolkits to unlock the next generation of AI🔅Together, stronger. https://t.co/urrZ8o2pee

— Dechat (@dechat_io) January 5, 2026

DeChat and LexAI Network Alliance Redefines Privacy-Focused Decentralized Communication with AI

The partnership between DeChat and LexAI Network focuses on combining the privacy-centered decentralized communication with cutting-edge AI infrastructure. In this respect, LexAI Network delivers robust developer toolkits, AI asset forums, and next-gen infrastructure layers. Hence, the platform decentralizes AI infrastructure to address the concerns dealing with transparency, centralized control, and ownership in the conventional AI models.

Apart from that, DeChat endeavors to enable secure and open communication within the Web3 sector. It delivers privacy-led interaction and messaging tools to let consumers communicate without any compromise on their autonomy or security. With this collaboration, DeChat will incorporate the decentralized AI expertise of LexAI to unlock advanced interactions, intuitive coordination, and AI-led moderation tools. Thus, both entities attempt to set new benchmarks for intelligence, security, and trust when it comes to Web3 communication.

Simultaneously, the joint effort pays significant attention to privacy-first design. By merging the secure communication infrastructure of DeChat with the verifiable AI mechanism of LexAI, users can seamlessly access AI-enhanced experience while retaining full data control. This approach goes in line with the wider market trends that advance sovereignty, transparency, and decentralization in blockchain and AI ecosystems.

Setting Stage for AI-Led, Community-Driven Web3 Communication

According to DeChat, a key focus of the partnership with LexAI Network takes into account community-led focus and global reach of the platform. For this purpose, DeChat brings a strong consumer base with robust communities, especially in the Middle East and Japan. At the same time, LexAI Network provides comprehensive technical expertise and ecosystem integrations. Ultimately, this move plays a crucial role in shaping the future of privacy-preserving and AI-led communication within the Web3 network.

AscendEX, a global cryptocurrency exchange that provides users with a wide range of product suites, including futures, margin, and spot trading offerings, today announced a strategic partnership with KaratDAO, a decentralized data network that gives users complete control over their personal data. Using this collaboration, AscendEX brings advanced Web3 security and identity solutions to its crypto trading platform using KaratDAO’s ZK and MPC technologies.

AscendEX (formerly BitMax) is a global crypto trading platform that serves institutional and retail investors’ needs with a broad selection of crypto pairs and customer-friendly tools for multiple margin, spot, and futures trading products. Launched in 2018 and based in Singapore, AscendEX was established by a group of Wall Street veterans with expert knowledge in finance, banking, and asset management. The platform was created with the key objective of providing seamless solutions for both institutional investors and individual customers to invest in and build their cryptocurrency portfolios.

We're excited to partner with @KaratDAO#KaratDAO is the largest ZK ID infrastructure with multiple DApps built on. Data, Social, powered by MPC/ZK technologiesTogether, we’ll drive innovation in decentralized identity and shape the future of Web3#AscendEX #Crypto #KaratDAO pic.twitter.com/6ZtraWmp7x

— AscendEX (@AscendEX_) January 5, 2026

AscendEX Capitalizes on Karat’s Data Identity Infrastructure to Exchange Efficiency

Based on the alliance above, AscendEX integrated KaratDAO’s ZK (zero-knowledge) and MPC (multi-party computation) technologies into its crypto trading exchange to enable its users to navigate the cryptocurrency and DeFi landscape confidently with secure transactions and verifiable self-sovereign data ownership.

Since its launch in 2022, KaratDAO operates a decentralized data identity network that allows people to manage and control their personal data across Web2 and Web3 environments while enabling them to earn rewards. The platform utilizes zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) and MPC (multi-party computation (MPC) technologies to boost user privacy and secure data transactions, enabling verification without sensitive information disclosure. The above technologies also facilitate user cross-chain management, allowing people to engage in secure cross-chain applications across Web2 networks and Web3 ecosystems.

As such, AscendEX selected Karat to protect users’ digital assets, verify digital identities, and safeguard other sensitive information on the cryptocurrency trading platform. Karat utilizes on-chain ZK and MPC technologies to run an interconnected Web2 and Web3 identity data layer. Its integration into AscendEX’s trading network implies that the real-world identity of all AscendEX customers is now verified, with cutting-edge ZK and MPC technologies ensuring that customers’ personal information remains secure and safe, supported by multi-chain management capabilities.

By leveraging Karat’s ZK/MPC-compiler technologies to strengthen privacy and interoperability for DeFi, AscendEX drives success in its crypto trading exchange, enhancing the network’s functionality. This integration enables AscendEX users to move assets across multiple chains securely, and as a result, further strengthens the trading platform and attracts a bigger customer base globally.

Bridging the Gap: Developing Seamless Cross-Chain Identity and Interpretability

The partnership between AscendEX and KaratDAO showcases that in order to attract the Nextgen users into Web3, it is essentially vital for decentralized platforms to ensure that their data and identity are secure. Based on the alliance above, Karat is the perfect partner for AscendEX to offer advanced levels of privacy and security to DeFi networks where AscendEX individual customers and institutional investors execute crypto trading activities inside the larger Web3 world.

Building an investment portfolio is an important and responsible task for any investor. It’s essential to find effective investment opportunities that can generate significant dividends. It’s equally important to choose a tool that makes investing more secure. By selecting the best crypto staking coins, investors can receive regular payouts thanks to the stability of the entire system. Today, staking is an independent activity that allows for long-term income.

A balanced portfolio involves not only pursuing the maximum reward percentage but also considering network stability, token liquidity, and its potential use. This approach reduces dependence on a single project and ensures a more stable overall result, as CoinDepo experts point out.

Large blockchains as the foundation of an investment portfolio

Cryptocurrencies with high market capitalization are traditionally considered the foundation of a staking portfolio. High decentralization, stable validators, and active ecosystem development characterize their networks. Returns on such assets are typically moderate, but low technical and market risks offset this. For long-term investors, this is an important factor, allowing them to count on predictable income while maintaining high token liquidity.

Promising mid-cap projects

The best crypto staking coins have good growth prospects. Mid-cap cryptocurrencies fall precisely into this category. They often offer higher staking rates compared to large blockchains. This is due to the network’s active growth phase and the need to incentivize token holders to participate in consensus. CoinDepo specialists remind investors that including such assets in their portfolios can increase overall returns while maintaining an acceptable level of risk. The key considerations remain analysis of the project’s roadmap, developer activity, and the actual demand for the token within the ecosystem.

The role of high-yield assets in an investor’s portfolio

Niche blockchain projects offering increased staking rewards constitute a separate category. The best crypto staking coins can also be found in this segment. They are typically focused on specific use cases, such as DeFi, Web3 services, and infrastructure solutions. When building a portfolio, such assets serve as an additional source of income and require more careful capital allocation. Their share is usually limited to prevent potential volatility from significantly impacting the overall stability of investments.

Key criteria for selecting cryptocurrencies for staking

When creating a balanced portfolio, investors rely not only on the reward size but also on a combination of qualitative factors. Analyzing these parameters helps avoid a bias toward short-term gains. The best crypto staking coins can be found by considering important aspects that influence investing:

blockchain network stability and security;

inflation-adjusted real returns;

liquidity and trading volumes;

simplicity and accessibility of the staking mechanism.

Considering these factors helps build a portfolio focused on long-term income, rather than one-time high payouts.

Diversification as the foundation of stable income

Diversification is a key principle when creating an investment portfolio. Distributing funds across multiple cryptocurrencies reduces the impact of changes in one specific network on overall financial results. The best crypto staking coins, added to a portfolio, will perform well in the long term. A diversified portfolio allows for flexible adaptation to market changes by redistributing asset shares based on their performance. As a result, the portfolio remains stable even as individual project returns fluctuate, according to CoinDepo experts.

The impact of token inflation on real staking returns

When comparing cryptocurrencies for staking, investors increasingly consider not only the nominal reward size but also the token inflation rate. High staking interest rates can be partially or fully offset by an increase in the coin supply, which impacts the real purchasing power of the income received. A balanced portfolio prioritizes projects with well-designed issuance models and inflation-control mechanisms. This approach allows staking to be evaluated not as a source of formal income but as a tool for long-term capital growth.After studying the best crypto staking coins, I concluded that the most effective approach for investors is a combination of assets of different scales and purposes. Using large blockchains as a foundation, complementing them with promising projects, and a moderate share of high-yield solutions allows you to create a balanced portfolio in CoinDepo. This format is focused on stable income, risk mitigation, and long-term impact.

This article is not intended as financial advice. Educational purposes only.

The Tapzi presale has been generating significant buzz in the crypto space, especially as it holds strong amidst a rising tide of excitement surrounding Web3 and blockchain gaming. With over 111 million tokens already sold, the project is carving out a unique niche with its skill-to-earn GameFi model, which contrasts traditional play-to-earn systems by rewarding players based on their actual skill level, rather than simply their participation. This innovative approach is one of the key reasons why Tapzi is standing out from other presale tokens and is one of the best altcoins to buy now for 2026.

Key Takeaways: Best Altcoins to Buy

Tapzi presale at over 111M tokens sold, emphasizing early access to skill-to-earn gaming.

Roadmap includes beta expansions and developer tools for sustained ecosystem growth.

Fixed-supply tokenomics reduce dilution, supporting value in competitive play.

Positions as a GameFi option amid Solana’s utility focus and Hyperliquid’s leverage risks.

Skill-Based Gameplay Draws Steady Interest

Tapzi builds its foundation on a skill-to-earn model within Web3 gaming, where players compete in tournaments and challenges that emphasize ability over time spent. This setup contrasts with earlier play-to-earn systems that often led to token inflation and user drop-off once rewards diminished. 

In Tapzi, competitors use the $TAPZI token for entry fees and prizes, fostering a cycle where skilled players reinvest winnings to climb leaderboards. This makes Tapzi stand out as one of the best gaming crypto out there, with real utility. The platform’s beta version already allows free entry for beginners, transitioning them to paid modes as they improve, which supports gradual user adoption. Over 111 million tokens have moved during the Tapzi presale, signaling consistent progress without relying on aggressive marketing pushes.

Comparisons to Solana highlight differences in ecosystem focus. Solana, known for its low fees and high throughput, supports a range of DeFi and NFT applications, but recent data shows mixed signals. Whale accumulation points to long-term confidence, yet a notable transfer of 407,001 SOL to an exchange raises questions about profit-taking amid price resurgence. Solana’s real-world asset sector has grown to $873.3 million, driven largely by stablecoins like USDC, which account for 91% of its tokenized value. 

This utility-driven growth aids Solana’s recovery, positioning it as one of the best altcoins to buy now for those eyeing layer-1 scalability. Tapzi, in turn, leverages similar blockchain efficiencies but narrows in on gaming retention, avoiding the broader volatility Solana faces from legal overhangs like the expanded class-action lawsuit involving Solana Labs.

Fixed Supply Mechanics Support Long-Term Value

Tapzi’s tokenomics center on a fixed supply of $TAPZI tokens, which limits dilution and aligns with scarcity principles often seen in established altcoins. This design encourages holding and spending within the ecosystem, as tokens circulate through gameplay rather than endless minting. Developers and players alike benefit from community-driven tournaments that boost demand, creating a self-sustaining loop. Early-stage pricing during the presale keeps entry accessible, with tokens positioned as the best crypto under 1 cent for gamers exploring blockchain gaming options. The model’s emphasis on upgrades and rewards without inflationary pressure sets it apart from projects that over-rely on staking yields.

Hyperliquid’s recent developments provide a stark contrast here. As a hub for high-leverage trading, Hyperliquid attracts speculative flows, with traders using up to 100x leverage on assets like PEPE. Recent news indicates weakening activity, with open interest on Binance dropping to $150 million and social dominance at 0.298%. This buzz around Hyperliquid stems from its liquidity and execution speed, but it also amplifies risks, as seen in volatile meme coin trades.

While Hyperliquid serves as a platform for quick gains, Tapzi’s fixed-supply approach aims for steadier engagement in GameFi, making it one of the best altcoins to buy and watch in 2026 and beyond. Solana’s own token distribution faces scrutiny in ongoing lawsuits, underscoring how Tapzi’s transparent mechanics might appeal to users wary of such issues.

User Retention Through Competitive Ecosystems

Retention remains a key challenge in Web3 gaming, and Tapzi, the best crypto to buy under a dollar, addresses it by integrating mechanics that reward consistent skill development. Players progress from free trials to high-stakes competitions, with $TAPZI serving as the core currency for entries and payouts. This creates ongoing demand, as winners often recycle tokens into new events, while developers can host custom tournaments to keep the platform lively. Unlike models that burn out users with grind-heavy tasks, Tapzi’s focus on quick, skill-based matches aligns with modern gaming preferences, potentially extending session times and community involvement.

In the wider market, Solana’s recovery ties into its role in real-world assets and DeFi, where network usage has held steady despite price pullbacks. Technical analysis as of January 4, 2026, shows Solana carving a double top around $250–$295 before breaking a multi-year trendline, suggesting a shift to consolidation. Support at $129.55 keeps short-term bulls active, with potential upside to $150 if momentum holds through Q1. 

Hyperliquid, meanwhile, slips into standstill territory, with price below $25 and bearish indicators like negative taker CVD signaling selling pressure. These dynamics position Tapzi as a fresh entrant among the best crypto presales, where its presale has already seen over 111 million tokens distributed, drawing from circles interested in sustainable GameFi over pure speculation.

Market Positioning in a Shifting Landscape

As 2026 unfolds, the best altcoins to buy now, like Tapzi, navigate a landscape where utility trumps hype. The project’s audits by Coinsult and SolidProof, plus ongoing CertiK review, add layers of transparency that resonate in a space plagued by rug pulls. Its ecosystem extends beyond games to include staking with predictable rewards and tools for developers, broadening appeal. 

This positioning comes at a time when Solana whales signal confidence through accumulation, even as on-chain data reveals vulnerabilities like underwater holder cohorts at a $45 cost basis. Hyperliquid’s leverage-driven buzz, while exciting for traders, highlights the asymmetry of risk in meme-heavy environments.

Tapzi’s skill-to-earn framework offers a counterpoint, emphasizing user agency in a way that could drive organic growth. With the Tapzi presale advancing steadily, it joins discussions on the next crypto to explode by focusing on retention and scarcity rather than fleeting trends. For those scanning the best crypto to buy now under a cent, Tapzi’s mechanics provide a structured entry into blockchain gaming, complementing the recovery narratives around Solana and the speculative energy of Hyperliquid.

Join Tapzi’s $500,000 community giveaway and compete across nine prize categories to earn $TAPZI tokens—sign up today and become an early adopter!

Media Links: 

Website: https://www.tapzi.io/

Whitepaper: https://docs.tapzi.io/

X Handle: https://x.com/Official_Tapzi

In January 2026, memecoins experienced surges in their supplies immediately after the holiday season. This has caught traders off guard and revitalized the short-term risk appetite of many investors. PEPE takes the lead with a 32% increase on Friday January 3rd, this is due to both speculative interest and short-term risk taking from traders. The rise of several memecoin assets which simultaneously is causing traders to ask whether we are currently seeing a sustained bull cycle or simply another speculative frenzy.

PEPE Dominates Sector-Wide Momentum

PEPE was the biggest winner in its trading session in early January, boasting growth of over 30% to trigger the general rally in the memecoin space. According to market data, the impressive performance of PEPE was also accompanied by significant spikes of volume with trading volume spiking over 400% as traders rotated capital back into speculative stocks.

Solana-based POPCAT and Ethereum-based MOG both showed gains approaching 20% while other popular memecoins including FLOKI, Dogwifhat, and Fartcoin posted gains in the two-digits. Traditional heavyweights like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu participated with gains of approximately 12% and 13% respectively.

Data from analytics platform Santiment shows the memecoin market capitalization rose by 20.8% in a 7-day span to $45.3 billion. The recovery of 2025 was so intense that it caused most major memecoins to plummet between 60% and 85% of their peak prices.

ETF Speculation Nurtures New Interest

The resurgence of interest in memecoins can be attributed to the growing speculation surrounding potential memecoin exchange-traded funds. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas predicted that the debut of actively managed memecoin ETFs is not only possible, but could be as early as 2026, following an expected boom of broader crypto ETFs.

Neil Staunton, CEO of Superset, told The Defiant that this speculation is creating an “if it might be an ETF, maybe it’s investable” narrative. Multiple companies such as Grayscale, Bitwise and 21Shares have filed applications for spot Dogecoin ETF products which may lead the way to memecoin ETF approval.

Seasonal patterns are also attributed as a cause by the market analysts. Matt Sigel, Head of Research at VanEck, pointed to a phenomenon in the market that assets that are poor late in the year are generally preferred in January and have a bigger rebound. This pattern seems to be playing out throughout the memecoin sector.

Market Analysts Debate Long-Term Viability

While the first few prices action is great, crypto analysts are still not in agreement whether this is true of sustainable recovery or another flash in the pan. The fundamental challenge facing memecoins is that they lack any core utility. Most memecoins have no real-world value and are simply vehicles which are the result of the sentiment of a community, backed by viral marketing.

Jake Kennis, a senior research analyst at Nansen, noted that memecoins faced significant challenges in the aftermath of the market liquidation event in October 2024. “The recent shift towards large-cap memes at the start of the year may signal that traders are positioning themselves for potential gains following an extended consolidation phase,” Kennis observed, while emphasizing that sustained upward trends need validation on longer time frames.

Conclusion

A turning point in 2026 for the memecoin sector, PEPE, POPCAT and their peers are showing a huge uptick in their value, but without sustainability. Maintaining the technical support will mean the difference between the beginning of a new bull or another boom-bust cycle. As memecoins continue to display the potential for spectacular gains and always the potential for a sudden loss, it is important for investors seeking exposure to weigh the risk tolerance.

Singapore, Singapore, January 5th, 2026, Chainwire

Taisu Ventures, a global Web3 venture capital firm, today announced Keio ChainHack 2026, a one-day pitch and hackathon co-hosted with the Keio FinTEK Center. The event forms part of Taisu Ventures’ broader initiative to support early-stage builders working at the intersection of blockchain infrastructure, regulation, and real-world adoption.

Keio ChainHack 2026 will bring together students, founders, academics, and investors to explore practical applications of blockchain technology and on-chain economic systems. Participation and attendance details are available at https://luma.com/e0pbv2og.

Alongside the event announcement, Taisu Ventures highlighted several portfolio companies that reflect a broader industry trend toward rebuilding real industries on-chain by addressing structural gaps that traditional systems have not solved.

Helix: Building Institutional RWA and Stablecoin Infrastructure

Helix was founded to address a core challenge facing financial institutions exploring blockchain adoption: while demand for tokenized assets and on-chain money flows exists, the institutional infrastructure required to support compliant issuance, custody, reporting, and distribution has historically been fragmented.

Through partnerships with banks, fintechs, and regulated originators, Helix has evolved into a unified orchestration layer spanning structuring, issuance, tokenization, and distribution of real-world assets (RWAs). The platform has been validated through initiatives such as a Malaysia tokenization whitepaper with Kenanga and Saison Capital, Shariah-compliant invoice financing with SILQFi, and a LATAM private credit pipeline via AmFi.

“Taisu doesn’t just invest; they show up, think with us, and connect us with partners who matter,” the Helix team said. “Their support has been essential to our momentum, and to making our pivot possible.”

Lofty: Expanding Access to Real Estate Ownership

Lofty was founded on the insight that real estate investors often face barriers to access rather than a lack of information. After initially developing an AI-driven analytics platform, the company pivoted toward building a blockchain-based real estate exchange that enables fractional ownership and continuous trading of properties.

To deliver this model, Lofty has integrated multiple parts of the real estate value chain, including sourcing, underwriting, transaction execution, and property management. The company is now focused on enabling on-platform leverage through fractional property-backed lending, with the goal of replicating mortgage-driven economics in an on-chain environment.

“Taisu proactively reaches out, asks how they can help, and connects us with the right partners,” said Lofty CEO Jerry Chu. “It’s the kind of support most investors promise, but very few actually deliver.”

Pruv: Unlocking a Licensed RWA Pathway in Indonesia

Pruv emerged from founder Chung Ying Lai’s experience building digital asset infrastructure during the early growth of Southeast Asia’s crypto markets. After multiple market cycles, the team identified the lack of yield-bearing, regulated assets as a key source of instability.

Indonesia offered a unique opportunity, with regulators developing a digital-asset-specific framework separate from traditional securities law. After more than two years of regulatory engagement, Pruv has received formal approval to operate as Indonesia’s first licensed platform for permissionless real-world asset (RWA) issuance. The company now utilizes a hybrid blockchain architecture and facilitates cross-chain asset integration in collaboration with regulated asset managers.

“Taisu has been one of the most engaged partners we work with, consistently proactive, accessible, and willing to support us in ways that go far beyond capital,” said Chung Ying Lai.

Strengthening the Builder Ecosystem

According to Taisu Ventures, Keio ChainHack 2026 reflects the firm’s broader strategy of supporting founders beyond capital by fostering early experimentation, talent development, and collaboration between academia and industry through specialized research and innovation centers such as the Keio FinTEK Center.

About Taisu Ventures

Taisu Ventures is a global Web3 venture capital firm with over 120 early-stage investments across Infrastructure, DeFi, AI/DePIN, IP & Entertainment, and User Platforms. The firm partners with founders building technically complex and regulated blockchain systems and actively supports the ecosystem through events, founder forums, and academic-industry collaborations, including Keio ChainHack 2026, co-hosted with the Keio FinTEK Center (https://luma.com/e0pbv2og).

Founders and builders interested in engaging with Taisu Ventures or submitting projects for investment consideration can find additional information and submit details via the firm’s project submission form here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekoWOZJwUq-bmKc9j1Gs6FtdTsrIo4zS7rqrl7NeXsgAZWxQ/viewform)

Contact

Raphael [email protected]

This article is not intended as financial advice. Educational purposes only.