Listen to today’s podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nqwUyvLDEvs7bV985k-gQ
Bitcoin/Crypto Daily Podcast 01/30/2026
Welcome back! With gold ripping to fresh highs and crypto leaning risk-off, we’re unpacking the signals that matter most for traders and long-term holders. Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories:
Bitcoin’s no gold, and it’s falling short for payments, too
On-chain activity has slumped to mid-2025 levels—30-day average daily payments near 748k and a thin mempool—signaling consolidation rather than accumulation. BTC slipped to about $87.5k after the Fed held rates steady, while haven assets and gold-backed tokens firmed, underscoring a broader risk-off tone.
Gold in ‘extreme greed’ sentiment as it adds entire bitcoin market cap in one day
Gold surged past $5,500/oz, adding a notional $1.6 trillion in a single day as sentiment gauges flashed “extreme greed.” Bitcoin lagged despite the digital-gold narrative, a reminder that buyer flows and positioning—not just stories—drive store-of-value behavior in the short run.
Crypto Markets Today: Largest tokens decline, with derivatives signaling caution ahead
Risk-off flows after the Fed’s hold and geopolitical tensions pushed BTC and the CoinDesk 20 lower, even as gold and silver rallied. Derivatives signaled caution: open interest fell, liquidations rose, implied vols stayed subdued with a put skew, and funding cooled; meanwhile, Optimism advanced a revenue-funded OP buyback plan.
Weaker dollar fails to spur bitcoin gains, but there’s a reason for that
Despite a 10% yearly drop in the DXY, BTC hasn’t rallied because USD weakness looks flow-driven and temporary, according to J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Without a lasting macro shift in growth or policy expectations, markets are treating bitcoin as a liquidity-sensitive risk asset while gold and EMs capture the dollar-diversification bid.
More than half of bitcoin’s invested supply has a cost basis above $88,000
URPD data show roughly 63% of invested BTC wealth holds a cost basis above $88k, leaving a large share of capital underwater. A break below $85k could spur selling with thin support between $70k–$80k, though February’s historical seasonality tends to be favorable.
Metaplanet is raising $137 million to pay down debt and buy even more bitcoin
Tokyo-based Metaplanet plans to raise up to ¥21B (~$137M) via new shares and fixed-strike warrants, directing ¥5.2B to debt reduction and the rest to more BTC. Already holding 35,102 BTC, the company’s structure limits variable dilution as it doubles down on its bitcoin-treasury strategy.
Swiss bank Sygnum raises over 750 BTC for market-neutral fund
Sygnum’s market-neutral BTC Alpha Fund raised over 750 BTC in four months and delivered an 8.9% annualized return in Q4 2025. By leaning on arbitrage and carry across spot and derivatives, the fund seeks steady, BTC-denominated returns even when spot prices chop or decline.
Citrea ZK-rollup launch stress tests scarce Bitcoin block space
Citrea launched a Bitcoin-anchored ZK-rollup with BTC-collateralized DeFi and ctUSD, a MoonPay-issued, natively minted stablecoin with banking rails. The debut reignites debate over using scarce block space for rollup proofs versus simple payments, as trust assumptions like a single sequencer face scrutiny.
Russia plans to cap retail crypto buys at $4,000 as it brings digital assets into the legal fold
Russia plans to finalize crypto rules by mid-2026, effective July 1, 2027, capping retail purchases around 300,000 rubles (~$4,000) and banning privacy coins and domestic payments. Qualified investors would undergo testing but face no purchase limits on approved assets, with the central bank curating a permitted list.
UK bans Coinbase ads implying crypto can ease cost of living concerns
The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority banned Coinbase ads it said trivialized crypto risks by implying digital assets could ease cost-of-living pressures. Coinbase disagreed, but the ruling underscores tighter scrutiny of crypto marketing and the need for clear, prominent risk disclosures.
