Crypto Exchange License Applications Will Soon Be Accepted By Hong Kong Securities Regulator

Binance has secured its 21st global regulatory license after receiving approval by the Brazilian Central Bank. This approval enables Binance to expand its global services while complying with local financial regulations.

A Crypto Leader

Binance CEO Richard Teng emphasized just how important Brazil is in the global crypto landscape, while Guilherme Nazar, Head of Latin America, highlighted the achievement as a sign of Binance being fully committed to regulatory compliance and excellence.

In any case, Brazil is becoming a leader in crypto regulation, ranking 10th on the Global Crypto Adoption Index by Chainalysis while also developing frameworks for asset segregation and stablecoins.

Room For Improvement

Besides Brazil, Binance has also gained regulatory approvals in Argentina, India, and Kazakhstan. The company also focuses on robust anti-money laundering (AML) measures and expanded its compliance team by 34%, now employing over 1,000 professionals worldwide.

Despite its regulatory progress, Binance still faces various legal challenges, including lawsuits by ASIC in Australia in addition to tax issues in India, along with accusations of internal misconduct. Nevertheless, the crypto exchange is enjoying continued regulatory success across 21 jurisdictions.

While Solana (SOL) is widely known as the home for meme coins, its founders have surprisingly been hesitant to accept AI agents. They have also expressed concerns about the increasing maximum extractable value (MEV) issue which continues to cause problems for the network.

Memecoins And AI Drive Inflows

Out of 42 Solana founders, 76% viewed meme coins positively, while 16% described AI agents as overrated. When asked about alternatives to Solana, most founders indicated they would choose either Base, Coinbase, or Sui.

The total value locked (TVL) for Solana increased to nearly $8.5 billion in 2024, with retail traders speculating on Solana-based meme coins and AI tokens. The meme coin market surged to $120 billion, with Pump.fun playing a key role. Meanwhile, AI agent tokens reached $16 billion in market capitalization, with several Solana-based meme coins like Fartcoin gaining significant traction.

Growing MEV Concerns And The Winternitz Vault

Over 20% of the aforementioned founders identified MEV, particularly sandwiching, as the single biggest issue plaguing Solana right now as it increases transaction costs and can lead to various inefficiencies. Last year, Solana validators earned more through MEV than Ethereum (ETH), coinciding with a rise in transaction fees.

Meanwhile, in order to combat potential quantum computing risks, Solana recently introduced the Winternitz Vault, which creates new keys for each transaction and protects against quantum attacks. The vault is an opt-in feature, not part of network-wide updates.

Google looks to dominate the AI industry with the official launch of Mariner, a tool built on the Gemini 2.0 platform. Mariner helps users with tasks like browsing spreadsheets, shopping online, and utilizing services, all while keeping the user in control.

A Vital Component

Powered by Gemini 2.0, a neural network that processes vast datasets, Mariner can mimic human-like actions, such as pressing buttons to trigger tasks. Google CEO Sundar Pichai described Mariner as a step toward a universal assistant.

Although still experimental, its integration as a Chrome extension highlights its importance to Google and their AI strategy. Gemini 2.0 also supports other Google projects like the Gemini chatbot and AI tools in Google Search.

Still A Ways To Go

However, Mariner faces potential regulatory challenges, especially by the U.S. Justice Department. Additionally, Mariner is not yet flawless, with project manager Jaclyn Konzelmann acknowledging that its accuracy remains a work in progress.

The launch of Mariner, coupled with Google releasing their Willow Quantum Chip, reflects an overall ambition by the company to transform user interactions with technology. Meanwhile, other tech companies and start-ups, including OpenAI and Anthropic, are also developing their own AI agents.

X Money is expected to launch soon, with speculation increasing after the leak of a software code tied to the platform, suggesting a potential debut in the United States, despite lacking full state approvals.

Crypto To Play A Vital Role

Even though it lacks the aforementioned approvals, X Money has nevertheless secured money transmitter licenses in 39 states and plans to expand nationwide. A leaked screenshot revealing the message X Money Is Not Available In Your State has led analysts like Alex Finn to predict that the platform may launch without approval by all 50 states.

X Money will also allow content creators to receive tips directly via users, and Finn believes crypto could play a significant role in facilitating payments for the platform.

Some States Still Hesitant To Grant Approval

The service is expected to support crypto as well, aligning with Elon Musk and his history of accepting Bitcoin (BTC) and Dogecoin (DOGE) in his ventures.  While CEO Linda Yaccarino confirmed that X Money will launch in 2025, some states, such as Alaska, New York, and Wisconsin, might not be included initially due to pending approvals.

The speculation is further fueled by Musk and his endorsement of BTC and DOGE, with Tesla already supporting Dogecoin payments and holding over $1 billion in Bitcoin. Elon has also stated on multiple occasions that he plans to make crypto a vital part of the new Trump administration in 2025 and beyond.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) has already emerged as one of the standout performers in 2025. Earlier this week, the meme crypto gained 9%, trading at $0.0000228, marking its highest price point so far this year. Despite this recent gain, SHIB is still trading at a notable 22% discount compared to the price of over $0.000029 it reached just a month ago, with many buying the dip.

A Positive Trend For SHIB

Notable market analyst Cantonese Cat highlighted an important shift on the two-week chart for Shiba Inu. The meme coin recently broke above the Ichimoku Cloud, a significant technical indicator commonly used to identify bullish trends.

A similar breakout occurred in December 2024, pushing Shiba Inu to a seven-month high above $0.000033. However, following this surge, the token experienced a correction, dropping to a low of $0.000018 by the end of the month.

Cantonese Cat confirmed this retracement, noting that after surpassing the resistance of the Ichimoku Cloud, SHIB retraced to the upper boundary of the cloud, establishing it as a new support level. This movement signals a return of bullish momentum for Shiba Inu.

Key Resistance Levels

The upper boundary is now functioning as a support zone for Shiba Inu, and analysts believe that maintaining this level could pave the way for further price increases. Cantonese Cat has identified the next resistance level for SHIB at approximately $0.000026. Should the token break through this barrier, it could potentially target the $0.000033 level once again.

Building on this optimistic outlook, analyst Javon Marks has set a more ambitious price target for Shiba Inu, forecasting a rise to $0.000081. This would represent nearly a threefold increase compared to its current price. Marks has consistently highlighted this level as significant, noting that it marks the point at which Shiba Inu's bullish momentum stalled during the 2021 cycle. 

AI meme tokens have cumulatively surpassed $10 billion in market value by 2024, with Ai16z leading the charge at a $2.7 billion market cap. The token saw a 200% price surge, driven by whale activity and rising trading volumes. As of January 2025, AI meme tokens have reached over $10 billion in market value, according to Coingecko.

Ai16z Surges

Launched in late 2024 on the Solana blockchain, Ai16z quickly became the top AI meme coin, with a market cap of $2.7 billion. Its price surged 200% in a week, reaching $2.41, and saw a 600% gain over the past month. This increase is accompanied by a 147% rise in open interest, now at $63 million, and a 40% jump in daily trading volume, surpassing $260 million.

There have also been signs of significant whale activity, with one whale spending $10 million to acquire over 13 million Ai16z tokens. Another whale withdrew 1.86 million tokens through Gate.io, raising its holdings to 10.21 million Ai16z tokens.

Other AI Meme Tokens

Ai16z is not the only beneficiary of the AI meme coin trend. The developers are working on a Layer 1 network launch, similar to Pump.fun, which could drive further growth. The token is also the first venture capital DAO powered by AI agents, a trend expected to dominate by 2025.

Other tokens like VIRTUAL and Fartcoin are also gaining traction. Fartcoin, linked to the AI project Truth Terminal, saw a 39% price increase, reaching a $1.5 billion market cap. Virtual Protocol spiked to $5.09, highlighting the growing interest in AI-driven blockchain projects.

Celsius has filed an appeal against a court ruling that dismissed its damage claims against FTX in its bankruptcy case. The crypto lending platform initially sought $2 billion in damages, alleging that disparaging statements by FTX executives led to its downfall.

The claim was later revised to $444 million, focusing on preferential transfers that favored some creditors. In December, Judge Dorsey rejected both claims, ruling that the original proofs of claim were insufficient.

Clarity Is Key

On December 31st, Mohsin Meghji, the litigation administrator for Celsius, filed a notice of appeal regarding Judge Dorsey and their decision. Sunil Kavuri, an FTX creditor activist, explained that Celsius filed a $2 billion disparagement claim before the deadline, then submitted an amended $444 million claim for preferential transfers after the deadline.

The court ruled that the amended claims were improper because they were not filed with permission, lacked a clear connection to the original claims, and would hinder restructuring efforts for FTX. Celsius countered that the original claims were sufficient to notify FTX of potential issues.

Plenty To Go Around

An August filing revealed that Celsius had repaid $2.53 billion to around 250,000 creditors, covering 84% of the debt owed. In November, it also announced plans to distribute another $127 million to creditors through its litigation recovery fund. Meanwhile, CEL surged 350% in September but has since dropped below $0.20, down 97.5% compared to its peak.

The Sonic S token is set to replace the FTM token (introduced by the Fantom blockchain) at a 1:1 ratio and will be available across 13 major exchanges, including top platforms like Binance and Bybit.

A Much-Needed Integration

The aforementioned exchanges will also facilitate automatic token upgrades by integrating with the Sonic network. Sonic operates as a blockchain compatible with both the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) and the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

Its mainnet, developed by Sonic Labs and co-founded by Andre Cronje, officially launched on December 13th, 2024. The platform also offers a high-performance blockchain infrastructure capable of processing up to 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) and providing block finality in under one second.

Fantom Network Still Working
The Sonic S token will be the backbone of the Sonic ecosystem, which shares a token supply of 3.175 billion with Fantom. To boost participation and adoption, Sonic Labs has set aside 190.5 million tokens within the new network.

Although the transition to Sonic is underway, the Fantom network will remain operational and active. As of now, the TVL (Total Value Locked) (TVL) of the network exceeds $168 million, according to DefiLlama.

Various cryptocurrencies linked to Keith Gill, also known as Roaring Kitty, saw a dramatic surge on Wednesday night after he shared a Rick James-themed GIF featuring Dave Chappelle impersonating the iconic musician.

Meme Coins Surge

While the market connection was not immediately clear, it nevertheless triggered significant movement in the crypto space, with the Solana-based meme coin GmeStop (GME) rising over 13% in 24 hours and the BNB Chain-based GameStop Coin (GME) soaring 328%, according to CoinMarketCap.

These coins are associated with GameStop Corp. (GME), the meme stock at the heart of the now infamous Roaring Kitty 2021 short squeeze. Even coins with Kitty in their name, such as Kitty AI, saw a 6% gain. 

Riding The Speculation Wave

It is worth mentioning that although these meme coins have no actual ties to GameStop or Roaring Kitty, they are riding on speculation about a possible repeat of the 2021 short squeeze event. Roaring Kitty made his social media return in 2024 after a three-year hiatus and has been posting sporadically on X, with his posts continuing to influence both the stock and cryptocurrency markets.

The Kekius Maximus (KEKIUS) meme coin saw a sharp decline this week following Elon Musk going back to his original profile avatar on X (Twitter).

Getting Back On Track

The Solana-based meme coin had been enjoying a significant rally leading up to Wednesday afternoon, briefly peaking at $0.0057. However, the coin suddenly plummeted by an astonishing 90% within just 10 minutes after Musk went back to his original profile avatar.

Despite the drastic crash, KEKIUS still managed to show impressive gains, surging by 232% in the past day. This continued momentum helped it maintain some positive ground despite the steep drop. The trading volume of Kekius Maximus also exploded by 1310%, reaching a massive $9.9 million over the last 24 hours.

PEPE Suffers

As KEKIUS was crashing, PEPE also saw a decline, dropping 2.70% over the past 24 hours and wiping out some of its recent gains. The dramatic price swings came after Musk updated his X profile, which had previously been changed to Kekius Maximus.

Unexpectedly, the Tesla CEO swapped his profile picture to feature Pepe the Frog styled as Maximus, a character in the iconic film Gladiator. Regardless, the sharp fluctuations underscored the inherent risk and unpredictable nature of meme coins.

The unexpected crash in the price of Bitcoin (BTC) to $91,000 was driven by decreasing market dominance and rising volatility. Despite this setback, one analyst envisions an even more pessimistic future for the leading cryptocurrency. The emergence of a bearish flag pattern points to possible further declines, with some predicting a deeper plunge toward $90,000.

Further Drops Expected

Pejman Zwin, a crypto analyst on TradingView, shared a chart analysis forecasting a notably negative outlook for Bitcoin. This grim prediction is based on the formation of a bearish flag pattern alongside other crucial technical indicators. According to Zwin, this chart formation often indicates a continuation of a prior downtrend. If this pattern holds, Bitcoin might soon break downward, leading to substantial price drops.

Zwin pointed out that the 50-day Moving Average (MA), currently near $95,970, has acted as a significant resistance or support level for Bitcoin. Recently, however, the flagship cryptocurrency dipped below this MA, marking a bearish development and suggesting further declines.

The analyst also noted that Bitcoin is situated within a robust support zone ranging between $95,000 and $90,870. He stressed that the cryptocurrency is breaking through essential support lines, which could signal an ongoing downward trend.

Need For Caution

Given the current technical indicators and chart patterns, Zwin anticipates a considerable price drop toward $91,000. The analyst emphasized that a move to $91,000 is the minimum expected, occurring if Bitcoin breaks through its current support levels.

Zwin also mentioned that if the heavy support zone is breached, Bitcoin might experience additional bearish pressure, potentially revisiting lower levels around $90,540. His bearish prediction follows a recent decline to $91,000 on Monday, with the market sentiment of BTC weakening and its price action showing no signs of slowing.

While the analyst predicts a bearish trend for Bitcoin, he also outlined a potential bullish scenario. Zwin suggested that if Bitcoin were to break above the resistance at $95,974, it could invalidate the bearish flag pattern and trigger a reversal, paving the way for an upward movement.

Grayscale Research forecasts that smart contract platforms will lead the crypto market in Q1 2025, with names like Solana, Sui, and TON gaining market share. Despite everything that Ethereum accomplished in 2024, including ETF approval and software upgrades, it lags behind its faster, more agile competitors.

Key Growth Areas

The Grayscale report highlighted various key growth areas, namely tokenization, DePin (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks), and scaling solutions. These sectors have shown strong performance and remain central to the investment focus of many companies. Grayscale noted that smart contracts stood out as the most competitive segment.

The report also noted that the value of smart contract platforms depends on their ability to generate network fee revenue, which can benefit users through token burns or staking rewards. The top 20 platforms for this quarter include ETH, SOL, SUI, and OP.

Competition Heats Up

Nowadays, many platforms besides Ethereum offer fast transactions and low fees. Solana, in particular, has experienced rapid growth and adoption. Tokenization is also gaining traction, promising increased transparency and efficiency in finance. DePin is similarly growing, as decentralized networks for infrastructure like Internet connectivity and data storage continue to gain attention.

Scaling solutions, essential for maintaining performance as blockchain adoption increases, are another priority. While Grayscale helped secure Bitcoin ETF approval in 2024, it lost its dominant position in that market but remains influential in advancing Ethereum ETFs and other products.