Cryptocurrency News Weekly Summary: Notable Articles on "BTC, XRP, Meme Coins, Price Predictions" and more

Source: Bittimes Original Title: Cryptocurrency News Weekly Summary “BTC, XRP, Meme Coins, Price Predictions” and Other Featured Articles Original Link: https://bittimes.net/news/215905.html

Overview

A summary of news related to cryptocurrencies and blockchain reported from January 4 to 10, 2026. We have highlighted the most notable topics of the week.

World’s First Bitcoin-Dollar “Buck” Offers 7% Annual Rewards

Digital asset technology company “Buck Labs,” based in Miami, Florida, announced on January 6 the launch of “Buck,” the world’s first Bitcoin-dollar savings coin. This project features predictable rewards, global accessibility, and earnings calculated per minute.

The main feature of Buck is that it “provides holders with a 7% annual reward.” This reward is accumulated on a per-minute basis, emphasizing a “savings-focused” design that sets it apart from traditional financial products and existing stablecoins.

Morgan Stanley Files for BTC, SOL, ETH Spot ETFs

Major US investment bank Morgan Stanley announced on January 6 that it has submitted registration statements (Form S-1) to the SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) for spot ETFs of Bitcoin (BTC), Solana (SOL), and Ethereum (ETH).

According to the filings, the proposed ETFs are named “Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust,” “Morgan Stanley Solana Trust,” and “Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust,” and are designed to automatically track the prices of each asset. This marks the first time a major US bank has applied for physical cryptocurrency ETFs.

“Financial World’s Amazon” Concept Centered on XRP and RLUSD

Jake Cluver, CEO of digital asset custody firm Digital Ascension Group, stated on January 9 that Ripple’s series of acquisitions are not just business expansions but part of a systematic infrastructure build aiming to become the “Amazon of Finance.”

In a video, he mentioned that Ripple has spent approximately $2.45 billion (about ¥384 billion) over the past seven months on acquisitions. He explained that these moves are not individual transactions but components of a comprehensive financial infrastructure targeting institutional finance.

Specifically, Ripple plans to vertically integrate core financial functions such as payments, clearing, custody, and treasury management, with XRP and its issued stablecoin RLUSD positioned at the settlement layer.

Venezuela May Hold Up to 660,000 BTC to Circumvent Sanctions

On January 4, it was revealed that Nicolás Maduro’s government in Venezuela may have accumulated up to 600,000–660,000 BTC (worth $60 billion / ¥10 trillion) as a “shadow reserve” to evade U.S. economic sanctions.

Intelligence reports suggest that the government has secretly accumulated Bitcoin (BTC) over several years through various channels, including gold sales, oil transactions under sanctions, and seizure of cryptocurrency mining facilities.

Experts pointed out that if U.S. authorities secure the private keys and seize the Bitcoin, about 3% of all circulating BTC could be effectively frozen, potentially impacting prices due to reduced market supply.

Minister Katayama Declares “Digital Year One,” Early Realization of Bitcoin ETF?

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama attended the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s New Year Opening Ceremony on January 5 and designated 2026 as the “Digital Year One.”

She noted that in the U.S., cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are expanding through ETFs, and emphasized that “the role of stock exchanges and securities markets will be crucial for citizens to benefit from blockchain-based digital assets.”

She also expressed support for similar initiatives in Japan, stating, “As Finance Minister, I fully support efforts by securities exchanges to develop trading environments utilizing cutting-edge FinTech technologies.”

Meme Coin Boom Resurges, Social Buzz and Market Cap Recovery

On January 8, it was reported that interest in meme coins is rising again, driven by increased mentions on social media and a rebound in market capitalization.

Market participants see this movement as a sign of a recovery in risk appetite across the entire cryptocurrency market.

Altcoin Market Shows Signs of Recovery Toward All-Time Highs

Mikael Van de Popp, a prominent crypto analyst with over 800,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), stated on January 5 that the altcoin market could enter a significant upward phase toward its previous all-time high of approximately $1.2 trillion (about ¥188 trillion).

He pointed out that the total market cap of all altcoins remains at $879 billion (about ¥138 trillion) and has not broken key support levels.

Furthermore, the total market cap excluding Bitcoin and Ethereum (Total 3) is around $784 billion (about ¥123 trillion), and data shows it is approaching the 365-day moving average.