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Bitcoin Slips Below $80,000 as Bearish Momentum Deepens, Analysts Eye Lower Support

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Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has extended its price decline, trading below the $80,000 level amid weakening market sentiment. On Saturday, the flagship digital asset was down 6.53%, changing hands at approximately $78,719.63.

The downturn follows a disappointing close to 2025 for the broader crypto market. Since reaching a record high in October, Bitcoin has lost nearly one-third of its value, including a 4.2% decline in January alone. Ether has fared worse, sliding more than 40% from its all-time highs recorded last summer.

This sustained slump has persisted despite equity markets hovering near record levels, supported by broad-based gains and optimism that economic growth will continue. A weaker U.S. dollar has also driven investors toward alternative assets as part of the so-called “debasement trade,” yet Bitcoin has struggled to benefit meaningfully from this shift.

Market structure suggests Bitcoin has entered a cautious phase after failing to maintain its recent recovery. While the pullback has been orderly rather than panic-driven, indicators of weakening demand are becoming increasingly apparent. Spot buying remains subdued, leverage is continuing to unwind, and selling pressure persists beneath the surface. Collectively, these factors increase the probability of Bitcoin revisiting lower support levels, with the $75,000 region emerging as a critical zone to monitor as early February approaches.

Since dropping below the $100,000-mark, Bitcoin has slipped into what many analysts describe as extreme bearish conditions. Technically, the price has broken down below a rising wedge pattern, triggering a strong descending trend. A brief upside correction followed, but this has since given way to renewed downside pressure.

In a post on X, analyst Maelius shared a chart indicating that Bitcoin could still fall below $60,000 before establishing a firm bottom. He also drew attention to Bitcoin dominance (BTC.d), noting that historically, BTC.d tends to crash after Bitcoin tops—a pattern observed during the 2017 and 2021 market cycles. According to Maelius, this characteristic sell-off in BTC.d has not yet occurred.

He suggested that the absence of a sharp decline in BTC dominance could imply that Bitcoin may not have fully topped yet. While some fractal analysts argue that Bitcoin has already peaked, Maelius questioned why BTC.d has not experienced a proper sell-off and appears only positioned to do so in the near future.

The analyst further noted that it remains possible for Bitcoin to rally back toward previous highs even as BTC dominance eventually declines. He added that BTC has never been this elevated or appeared this technically bearish during periods when Bitcoin was already firmly in a bear market. In an earlier post, Maelius described Bitcoin’s price action as an attempt to “confuse both sides” of the market.

As analysts debate the underlying drivers of Bitcoin’s recent weakness, Thomas Perfumo, global economist at Kraken, pointed to liquidity conditions as the primary factor shaping current price action. Perfumo noted that cryptocurrencies have continued to underperform relative to precious metals, even as rate cuts in 2025 have reduced nominal borrowing costs.

Outlook

Looking ahead, Bitcoin’s near-term direction is likely to hinge on liquidity conditions, broader risk sentiment, and the market’s reaction to key technical support levels. A sustained break below the $75,000–$74,500 zone could open the door to deeper corrections, potentially validating more bearish projections toward the $60,000 region.

Conversely, a strong defense of this support may provide the foundation for a stabilization phase or a renewed attempt at recovery. Until clearer signals emerge—particularly from Bitcoin dominance and on-chain demand metrics—market conditions are expected to remain volatile and cautiously bearish.

A Look At Morgan Stanley’s Appointment of Head of Digital Asset Strategy

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Morgan Stanley has appointed Amy Oldenburg as Head of Digital Asset Strategy, a newly created role announced in late January 2026. This move signals the investment bank’s accelerating push into cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and tokenized assets, building on recent developments in the space.

Oldenburg is a longtime Morgan Stanley executive with over 20 years at the firm. She previously led emerging-markets equity within Morgan Stanley Investment Management and oversaw digital asset initiatives in that unit.

The position sits within the bank’s firmwide strategy and execution efforts, coordinated via an internal memo from co-presidents Andy Saperstein and Dan Simkowitz. This appointment comes shortly after Morgan Stanley filed in early 2025 to launch spot ETFs for Bitcoin (BTC), Solana (SOL), and potentially staked Ethereum, aiming to provide regulated exposure to these assets for its wealth management clients serving around 19 million through its division.

The bank is also preparing to offer direct cryptocurrency trading on its ETrade platform in the first half of 2026, partnering with Zerohash for infrastructure and starting with BTC, ETH, and SOL. Additionally, Morgan Stanley plans to introduce a proprietary digital wallet later in 2026, supporting cryptocurrencies as well as tokenized real-world assets like stocks, bonds, and real estate.

This aligns with broader efforts to integrate digital assets into traditional finance, including cautious client guidance—such as viewing Bitcoin as “digital gold” and suggesting modest allocations (2-4%) for speculative exposure. The role helps coordinate these initiatives, from product development and partnerships to risk management, as institutional adoption grows amid evolving regulations and mainstream integration.

This reflects a trend among major Wall Street firms embracing digital assets more fully in 2026, moving beyond passive exposure to active infrastructure and client offerings. The news has been widely covered in financial and crypto media, with positive sentiment on platforms like X highlighting it as a sign of “institutional normalization.”

The new role, created firmwide and reporting through strategy and execution leadership (co-presidents Andy Saperstein and Dan Simkowitz), centralizes oversight of disparate digital asset efforts.

Oldenburg, a 20+ year veteran who previously led emerging markets equity and digital initiatives in Morgan Stanley Investment Management, brings deep institutional expertise to align product development, partnerships, risk management, and client offerings.

This helps avoid siloed execution as the bank ramps up multiple fronts simultaneously. As a major player with trillions in assets under management and millions of wealth management clients including ~19 million via its division, Morgan Stanley is transitioning from cautious observation to active participation.

This positions it to capture market share in a space where competitors like BlackRock via massive Bitcoin ETF inflows and JPMorgan (blockchain platforms) have already advanced.

The hire follows closely on major 2025-2026 moves: filings for spot Bitcoin (BTC) and Solana (SOL) ETFs (early 2025/2026), a staked Ethereum (ETH) product, direct crypto trading on ETrade (BTC, ETH, SOL starting H1 2026), and a proprietary digital wallet for cryptocurrencies plus tokenized real-world assets (RWAs like stocks, bonds, real estate, and potentially private equity).

This reflects Wall Street’s shift from viewing crypto as speculative to treating it as a core asset class—often likened to “digital gold” with modest recommended allocations (2-4%).

By integrating regulated products into brokerage platforms, retirement accounts, and advisor portfolios (removing high minimums in some cases), Morgan Stanley broadens crypto exposure beyond high-net-worth or crypto-native investors. This could drive mass adoption, especially among younger, tech-savvy clients, while providing safer, compliant entry points.

Institutional giants entering with ETFs, wallets, and direct trading increases legitimacy, potentially attracting billions in new capital. Recent spot Bitcoin ETF inflows already show momentum; Morgan Stanley’s scale could amplify this, supporting price stability and growth in BTC, ETH, SOL, and tokenized assets.

This intensifies rivalry in custody, tokenized assets, and infrastructure. Banks are racing to modernize with Morgan Stanley’s push contributing to a “battleground” in institutional crypto services. It also highlights trends like self-custody emphasis (Oldenburg has noted “not your keys, not your coins” for emerging markets) alongside regulated wrappers.

Success depends on approvals, evolving U.S. rules like CLARITY Act progress, and balancing innovation with compliance/risk. Broader shifts e.g., potential consumer moves away from traditional deposits toward stablecoins/on-chain finance could impact credit creation and stability.

While positive for long-term integration, short-term crypto volatility remains, with some viewing bank involvement skeptically. However, sentiment on platforms like X largely frames this as bullish “institutional normalization.”

This move underscores 2026 as a pivotal year for crypto’s convergence with traditional finance—shifting from fringe experimentation to structured, scalable mainstream integration. It’s a clear vote of confidence in digital assets’ staying power, likely accelerating adoption across wealth management and beyond.

China Grants Conditional Approval for DeepSeek to Acquire Nvidia H200 AI Chips

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Chinese regulators have granted conditional approval for leading AI startup DeepSeek to purchase Nvidia Corp.’s H200 artificial intelligence chips, according to two sources familiar with the matter reported by Reuters.

The clearance, which follows similar permissions for tech giants ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent to acquire over 400,000 H200 units collectively, comes with stipulations still under finalization by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the nation’s top economic planning authority.

Approvals for all four companies were issued by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Ministry of Commerce, but the exact conditions—potentially including usage restrictions, reporting requirements, or preferences for domestic alternatives—remain in flux.

Neither the ministries nor the NDRC responded to requests for comment, and DeepSeek, headquartered in Hangzhou, did not reply to inquiries.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, addressing reporters in Taipei on January 29, stated that his company had not yet received confirmation of the approvals and believed Chinese authorities were still finalizing licensing details.

Nvidia did not comment specifically on DeepSeek’s clearance, underscoring the opaque and protracted nature of cross-border AI hardware deals amid U.S. export controls.

The H200, Nvidia’s second-most-powerful AI processor, cleared for export to China, has symbolized the escalating U.S.-China tech rivalry. While the U.S. government under the Trump administration formally authorized H200 sales earlier in January 2026, Beijing had delayed imports, reportedly urging firms to prioritize homegrown alternatives to foster self-reliance in semiconductors.

Nvidia has faced significant revenue headwinds from these curbs, estimating $8 billion in lost sales from prior restrictions.

DeepSeek’s involvement adds a layer of complexity, given its rapid ascent and ties to U.S. scrutiny. Founded in 2024 and backed by investors including High-Flyer Capital Management, the startup disrupted the global AI landscape in early 2025 with models like DeepSeek-V3, which achieved frontier-level performance at a fraction of the compute cost of U.S. counterparts such as OpenAI’s offerings.

V3’s efficiency—requiring just 2.788 million GPU hours on Nvidia’s restricted H800 chips—stemmed from what U.S. lawmakers allege was direct technical assistance from Nvidia, including co-design of algorithms, frameworks, and hardware.

On January 28, House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, citing internal Nvidia records to claim the company aided DeepSeek in honing models later linked to Chinese military applications. Moolenaar urged strict enforcement of U.S. conditions for H200 shipments, warning that any DeepSeek purchases could violate export controls prohibiting sales to entities assisting the People’s Liberation Army.

U.S. officials believe DeepSeek has supported China’s military and evaded restrictions, potentially inviting bipartisan congressional backlash.

Huang’s recent diplomatic engagements in China—including a January 2026 visit where he emphasized Nvidia’s commitment to the market—may have influenced the approvals.

Analysts suggest these conditional clearances represent a partial easing, not a full reopening, as Beijing weighs AI competitiveness against self-sufficiency goals. Others speculated on DeepSeek’s V4 model benefiting from the chips, amid broader discussions of U.S.-China tech decoupling.

Nvidia shares dipped modestly in premarket trading, reflecting ongoing uncertainties. However, the approval is expected to test U.S. resolve on enforcement, as NDRC finalizes terms, potentially escalating tensions if military links are substantiated.

Countdown to Launch: How a $500 Entry Into BlockDAG Could Scale to $50,000

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In investing, clear numbers often matter more than long explanations. As of January 30, 2026, the crypto market is crowded with complicated narratives, yet BlockDAG is standing out for one simple reason: leverage. The project has entered the final few hours of its presale, with tokens still available at $0.0005.

With a confirmed exchange listing price of $0.05 and early liquidity targets set even higher, the upside is easy to calculate. Bitcoin and Ethereum may offer stability, but they cannot match the multiplication potential of a fresh launch.

For investors hunting for the top presale crypto capable of turning a modest position into a serious outcome, BlockDAG (BDAG) presents an edge that is hard to overlook.

The Built-In Price Advantage

Most new tokens debut at inflated valuations, leaving minimal upside for early buyers. BlockDAG takes the opposite route. Its $0.0005 presale price is intentionally set as the lowest possible entry point. The exchange listing price is already locked at $0.05, creating a built-in gap of 10,000% before open trading even begins.

This is not hype; it is the launch structure. A $500 allocation today secures 1 million tokens. At $0.05, that holding is worth $50,000. That 100x jump happens before speculation even starts.

In a market where traders chase single-digit gains, a pre-designed five-figure percentage gap explains why many are labeling BlockDAG the top presale crypto while a few hours remain.

From 100x to 1000x: Aiming Beyond the Listing

Momentum does not stop once trading begins. Liquidity providers expect strong early demand, with opening-week targets reportedly ranging between $0.30 and $0.43. Should the price reach $0.50, early buyers would be looking at a 1,000x return from the presale level.

At that point, a $500 entry could scale to $500,000. While this sounds extreme, similar moves have occurred with Solana and Kaspa during their growth phases. When strong communities meet Tier-1 exchange exposure, supply pressure can drive explosive moves.

This scale of upside is exactly why BlockDAG is being discussed as the top presale crypto for investors focused on long-term wealth creation.

Aiming for the Top 50

BlockDAG’s ambitions extend far beyond an initial surge. The project has already raised more than $449 million and built a community larger than many assets currently ranked in the Top 50 on CoinMarketCap. If its valuation approaches Kaspa, or even edges toward Solana’s range, the token price would naturally gravitate toward $1.00 or higher.

Infrastructure remains one of crypto’s most valuable sectors. As a Layer-1 network designed to address speed and security limits, BlockDAG is positioning itself for sustained adoption.

Those entering now are betting the project belongs among the leaders. If that thesis plays out, today’s $0.0005 price will look like a missed opportunity. This blend of near-term leverage and long-term vision is why many see it as the top presale crypto of 2026.

Only a Few Hours Remaining

Time is the single factor working against new buyers. The numbers are compelling, but the window is closing. With only a few hours remaining, the $0.0005 entry point is about to disappear. Once the presale ends, BlockDAG will debut on exchanges—likely at a price already multiples above today’s level.

Experienced investors act when probabilities align. Right now, the risk-to-reward balance favors early participation. This is a chance to secure exposure at the ground level of a large-scale project, but hesitation could mean missing it entirely. Large holders have already positioned themselves ahead of launch.

Final Thoughts

BlockDAG brings together an unusually low entry price and an upside profile rarely seen at this stage of a market cycle. The built-in gap between the $0.0005 presale price and post-launch expectations creates immediate leverage that few opportunities can match.

Whether the token stabilizes at $0.05, pushes toward $0.50, or eventually challenges the $1.00 level, the numbers clearly favor early positioning. With only a few hours remaining before the presale closes, this window is rapidly disappearing.

For investors focused on asymmetric returns rather than slow accumulation, BlockDAG stands out as the top presale crypto right now. The choice is simple: act while the math still works, or watch from the sidelines once the opportunity is gone.

Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network

Website: https://blockdag.network

Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial

Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu

Major League Soccer Partners Polymarket for Covering Regular-season Games 

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Major League Soccer (MLS) has entered a multi-year partnership with Polymarket. Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market platform, becomes the official and exclusive prediction market partner for MLS, covering regular-season games, the MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup presented by Audi, and Leagues Cup.

This deal, facilitated through Soccer United Marketing (SUM, MLS’s commercial arm), marks MLS as one of the first global soccer leagues to integrate prediction market insights into fan experiences. Plans for innovative digital content on MLS and Leagues Cup platforms, showcasing real-time collective fan sentiment via market odds around matches, key moments, and season-long storylines.

This aims to create more interactive, data-driven experiences, including second-screen features during live games starting in the 2026 season. To protect match integrity, the partnership includes independent monitoring of trading activities by firms like IC360 and Sportradar, collaboration on available markets, and prohibitions on trading by individuals with non-public information.

Quotes from the announcement:

Shayne Coplan (Polymarket Founder & CEO): “As soccer’s audience continues to grow and evolve in the U.S., fans are looking for new ways to engage more deeply with the game. Through our partnership with MLS and Leagues Cup, we can surface real-time collective sentiment… giving fans a more interactive, data-driven way to experience the game.”

Gary Stevenson (MLS Deputy Commissioner & President of SUM): “Partnering with Polymarket allows us to integrate prediction markets as a new fan engagement format and position MLS as an early leader among global soccer properties.”

This follows similar deals Polymarket has with leagues like the NHL and UFC, reflecting growing mainstream adoption of prediction markets in sports—despite ongoing regulatory scrutiny in some U.S. states. The partnership emphasizes fan interaction over traditional gambling, leveraging Polymarket’s availability in areas without full sports betting legalization.

It’s a significant step for both: MLS innovates engagement amid soccer’s U.S. growth especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, while Polymarket gains legitimacy and official data access. Fans can expect enhanced MLS-related markets soon!

MLS positions itself as an early adopter among global soccer leagues by integrating real-time prediction market data (e.g., crowd-sourced odds on match winners, season outcomes, or key moments).

This enables interactive features like second-screen experiences during live games, displaying “collective fan sentiment” on apps/websites starting in the 2026 season. With soccer’s U.S. audience booming—especially ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup—this creates more immersive, data-driven interactions beyond traditional stats or betting lines.

Polymarket operates nationwide unlike many sportsbooks, allowing fans in states like California, Texas, Georgia, Minnesota, and Utah home to multiple MLS teams to engage without full sports betting legalization. This broadens reach and taps into untapped demographics.

By partnering directly, MLS gains influence over markets using official data, collaborating on offerings, banning easily manipulated props like yellow cards or insider-info prone ones like firings. Independent monitoring via IC360, Sportradar addresses risks, similar to sports betting safeguards.

This “lean-in” approach as MLS execs described helps regulate rather than ignore prediction markets already existing on MLS events. The exclusive deal via Soccer United Marketing (SUM) creates an “Authorized Prediction Market” framework, potentially opening doors for other platforms if they meet integrity standards.

It signals sponsorship revenue growth amid MLS’s cultural rise. Following NHL, UFC, and New York Rangers deals, this cements Polymarket’s sports push. Official status + league data access improves market accuracy and volume—Polymarket’s trading has surged recently, and sports could drive further growth.

As a crypto-based, no-house-edge platform, it emphasizes “collective wisdom” over gambling, appealing to regulators and fans wary of traditional sportsbooks. Amid challenges like Nevada’s recent actions against Polymarket/Kalshi for sports contracts, partnering with a league provides safeguards and credibility, though state-level scrutiny persists.

This accelerates adoption—MLS joins NHL/UFC in embracing them, while big four (NFL/NBA/MLB) remain cautious. It blurs lines between betting, information markets, and fan tools, potentially pressuring traditional operators.

Highlights crypto platforms entering mainstream U.S. sports despite ongoing regulatory debates, especially with Polymarket’s Trump family ties noted in some coverage though not central here. Some fan skepticism exists, Reddit concerns over Polymarket’s past practices or “gambling creep”.

Integrity breaches could damage trust, and it’s invite-only in the U.S. currently (waitlist required). It’s a forward-thinking move for MLS to modernize engagement during a growth phase, while giving Polymarket a major sports foothold. Expect visible integrations (odds displays, live sentiment trackers) soon—could redefine how fans “follow” MLS matches.