Stay ahead with the latest cryptocurrency news and analysis
Blockchain
Blockchain
Blockchain
Blockchain
Blockchain
Blockchain
The silver market is writing a new chapter in its history, with prices surging toward a landmark $100 per ounce. This dramatic ascent is fueled by a powerful combination of geopolitical anxiety and a deepening physical shortage, drawing investors seeking both safety and exposure to critical industrial demand. The critical question now is whether this vertical climb has a sustainable foundation or if a sharp correction awaits at this key psychological barrier.
Beneath the surface of its role as a traditional haven asset, a more fundamental driver is at play: a severe physical supply crunch. The silver market is experiencing its fifth consecutive year of structural deficit, where industrial consumption consistently outstrips mine supply. This imbalance is exacerbated by the nature of silver production, as it is primarily mined as a by-product of other metals, making its supply relatively inelastic.
The demand profile has transformed. Silver is now indispensable for key future technologies. Beyond its established use in solar panels and electric vehicles, the explosive growth of artificial intelligence is consuming vast quantities of this highly conductive metal for data centers and related infrastructure.
China’s recent policy moves have intensified the squeeze. Controlling an estimated 70% of global refining capacity, the nation has classified silver as a strategic material and imposed export restrictions. This has fragmented global supply chains and pushed lease rates for physical silver to a historic high of 7-8%.
The immediate catalyst for the latest price surge is escalating market uncertainty. Geopolitical friction, notably the Greenland crisis between the U.S. and the EU, has triggered a classic flight to safety. Although U.S. President Donald Trump has since moderated direct military threats, market nervousness remains palpable, sensitive to warnings from EU leadership about potential countermeasures.
This climate of uncertainty has simultaneously weakened the U.S. dollar, providing an additional tailwind for dollar-denominated commodities like silver. A softer greenback makes the metal more affordable for international buyers, amplifying upward pressure. The market reflected this dynamic clearly, with prices advancing 2.41% to reach a new peak of $98.53.
Current trading activity shows hallmarks of a classic short squeeze. Institutional investors who had bet on a price decline were caught off guard by the rally’s ferocity, forcing them to buy back positions to cover losses. This technical buying converges with robust physical demand from retail investors, further depleting exchange inventories.
The result is extreme volatility, significantly higher than that of gold, presenting both opportunity and risk for market participants. The price now trades more than 31% above its 50-day moving average, underscoring the overheated nature of the move.
All eyes now turn to the upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve meeting on January 27-28. While no immediate change to interest rates is anticipated, the prospect of potential rate cuts later in 2026 continues to support non-yielding assets like silver by lowering their opportunity cost. A decisive break above the $100 level would unequivocally mark uncharted territory for the silver market.
While Solana’s price action shows signs of consolidation this week, hovering around the $129 level after stronger performance earlier in the month, a significant underlying trend is emerging. The blockchain is witnessing accelerated institutional adoption, marked by growing investor positions and the integration of traditional financial instruments onto its network.
Despite the subdued price movement, user engagement on the Solana network is surging. The count of weekly active wallets jumped by 69% over a two-week period, rising from 2.9 million to 4.9 million. This growth in usage underscores robust fundamental activity separate from short-term price volatility.
Supporting this activity, the decentralized exchange BisonFi processed a 24-hour trading volume of $1.1 billion. Its seven-day cumulative volume surpassed $4 billion. The network itself continues to demonstrate high throughput, handling up to 65,000 transactions per second with average fees remaining minimal at $0.00025.
A key development fueling institutional interest is a strategic agreement signed between the Solana Foundation and Hanwha Asset Management, a major South Korean asset manager. The partnership focuses on developing Solana-based exchange-traded products, signaling deepening institutional confidence in the blockchain’s infrastructure.
In a parallel move, a collaboration between Jupiter and Ondo Finance has enabled the trading of more than 200 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs directly on Solana since January 23. This offering includes securities listed on NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), bringing traditional equity trading onto the blockchain. Furthermore, with BitGo’s NYSE debut, its tokenized stock is also available on Solana at $18 per share.
These developments have propelled the Real World Assets (RWA) sector on Solana past a significant milestone, exceeding $1 billion in Total Value Locked. Notably, approximately one-fifth of these funds originate from public equity investments made by traditional financial institutions.
Following a sell-off that triggered liquidations of 98,000 SOL, the price has found stability. The support zone between $123 and $129 has proven resilient so far. Analysts note, however, that a break below $124.73 could invite renewed selling pressure.
On the upside, immediate resistance is situated in the $132.65 to $135.37 range. A sustained move above $137.65 is viewed as necessary to alleviate near-term bearish pressure. Trading volume has recently receded to approximately $2 billion, representing a 40% decline from recent peaks.
The recent developments point to a clear trajectory: Solana is increasingly positioning itself as a viable platform for institutional-grade applications. Evidence of this shift is seen in the eight Solana ETFs listed on the NYSE, which collectively now manage over $1 billion in assets. These products have seen inflows of nearly $6 million across the last two trading sessions.
The integration of conventional financial products and partnerships with established asset managers is expected to provide medium-term stability for the ecosystem. In the short term, the technical picture remains tense. As long as Solana trades above its December low of around $119.56, potential for recovery persists. A decisive breakout above the $137 level would serve as the next significant bullish signal for the market.
As 2026 begins, Ethereum finds itself in a paradoxical position. While its price action remains subdued, the underlying network is experiencing unprecedented levels of activity and institutional adoption. This divergence paints a picture of a maturing platform whose fundamental utility is expanding, even as speculative enthusiasm has cooled.
A significant driver of Ethereum’s growth is its entrenched role in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs). In its 2026 outlook, asset management giant BlackRock identified blockchain, and Ethereum in particular, as central infrastructure for this trend. The firm’s report states that approximately 65–66% of all tokenized assets currently reside on the Ethereum blockchain, placing it far ahead of competitors like BNB Chain (10%), Solana (5%), and Arbitrum (4%).
Jay Jacobs, BlackRock’s U.S. Head of Thematic and Active Equity ETFs, positioned Ethereum as a potential primary beneficiary of the next phase of tokenization. This endorsement from a traditional finance heavyweight signals a view of Ethereum not merely as a cryptocurrency, but as foundational technological infrastructure.
BlackRock’s tokenized treasury fund, “BUIDL,” exemplifies this shift. By early 2026, the fund manages nearly $2 billion and has distributed roughly $150 million in dividends since its 2024 launch. Operating across multiple networks including Ethereum and BNB Chain, BUIDL demonstrates the large-scale, practical application of tokenized government bonds.
The on-chain data for Ethereum tells a story of robust health and growing usage. In mid-January 2026, the network processed a record 2.885 million transactions in a single day—more than double the 2025 daily average of about 1.2 million.
Several key metrics underscore this broad-based engagement:
A notable development is the staking exit queue dropping to zero, indicating that validators are predominantly maintaining their positions and expressing long-term confidence in the network.
Capital continues to enter Ethereum through regulated channels. In the week leading to January 16, 2026, spot Ethereum ETFs saw their highest weekly net inflows since October 2025, totaling $479 million. BlackRock’s ETHA product attracted $219 million of that sum, bringing its total assets under management to $10.7 billion. Year-to-date inflows reached approximately $585 million.
However, the following week began with a mixed picture. On January 20, net outflows of $239 million were recorded, with $101 million coming from BlackRock’s ETHA alone. This volatility highlights active tactical positioning by institutional investors, even as the broader trend points toward structural capital allocation.
The derivatives market may see expanded access. On January 21, 2026, Nasdaq submitted a proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to remove position and exercise limits of 25,000 contracts for options on Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.
This change would affect products including:
* BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT)
* BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA)
* ETF offerings from Grayscale, Bitwise, Fidelity, ARK21Shares, and VanEck
If approved, larger institutional players could employ more flexible hedging and investment strategies using ETF-based derivatives, further integrating Ethereum into established market structures.
At the protocol level, development continues apace. On January 21, 2026, co-founder Vitalik Buterin proposed a simplified method for implementing Distributed Validator Technology (DVT). The concept allows validators holding sufficient ETH to register up to 16 separate keys, creating multiple “virtual identities” that operate as a single unit. This aims to bolster security and decentralization by eliminating a single point of failure for validation and reducing risks from outages or attacks.
Two significant protocol upgrades are slated for the year:
Together, these upgrades aim to make the network more robust, scalable, and secure—critical prerequisites for Ethereum’s expanding role in global finance.
On-chain activity reveals sustained institutional interest. Wallets associated with BlackRock reportedly transferred over $430 million worth of Bitcoin and Ethereum to Coinbase Prime. Earlier in January, the firm accumulated 46,851 ETH, valued at approximately $149 million, over a three-day period.
Crypto treasury specialists are also expanding their holdings. On January 21, Bitmine, led by crypto advocate Tom Lee, announced an additional $100 million ETH purchase, adding to an existing $13 billion position. Such moves underscore Ethereum’s growing status as a strategic balance sheet asset for corporations and funds.
In summary, Ethereum enters late January 2026 with notably strong fundamentals set against a muted market valuation. Record transaction volumes, significantly reduced fees, high staking participation, and a dominant position in asset tokenization all point to increasing real-world utility.
Simultaneously, spot ETFs, treasury funds like BUIDL, substantial on-chain transfers by institutional addresses, and potential derivatives market expansions are deepening its integration within traditional finance. With the upcoming “Glamsterdam” and “Hegota” upgrades poised to enhance scalability and security, Ethereum’s underlying infrastructure is being steadily fortified. The current tension lies in a price that has yet to fully reflect this strengthening foundation, even as its structural role becomes more deeply embedded with each passing development.
A surprising shift in tone from the White House has abruptly halted silver’s recent surge. Former President Donald Trump’s signals de-escalating tensions over Greenland and European tariffs have undercut the metal’s short-term momentum. As geopolitical fears subside, silver is shedding its safe-haven appeal, prompting an immediate market reassessment. Investors are now weighing whether this marks the start of a deeper correction or merely a brief pause in the bull run.
Key Market Snapshot:
* Current Price: USD 93.70
* Year-to-Date Performance: +29.67%
* Distance from 52-Week High: -0.83%
* 30-Day Volatility: 66.30%
Despite the pullback to USD 93.70, the broader trend remains positive, though momentum has weakened. The price is trading just below its 52-week peak of USD 94.48, recorded on January 19, 2026. A current RSI reading of 62.0 indicates the previously extreme overbought conditions are slowly easing; the market is not yet in oversold territory. However, the exceptionally high volatility, exceeding 66%, continues to warrant caution for short-term positions.
Today’s price action exemplifies the classic “buy the rumor, sell the fact” pattern. While speculative fervor dissipates, the fundamental support from robust industrial demand remains a long-term driver. The critical question for the path ahead is whether the price can find stability around its key moving average levels.
The catalyst for the reversal was a political détente. The dismissal of military options concerning Greenland and the decision to forego new punitive tariffs on Europe removed the market’s fear premium. Silver traditionally thrives on uncertainty; when calm returns, capital often rotates swiftly into riskier assets. Compounding the pressure is a resurgent U.S. dollar, which makes the dollar-denominated metal more expensive for international buyers and dampens demand.
The market’s skittishness was laid bare during Asian trading hours. Several silver exchange-traded funds, including products from Nippon India, plummeted by as much as 20%. This severe correction wiped out the speculative premiums investors had previously been willing to pay above the net asset value. A forceful cleansing of the excesses built up in recent weeks is now underway.
Solana Navigates Institutional Growth Amid Whale-Driven Sell-Off
The Solana blockchain finds itself caught between two powerful market forces this Friday. On one side, substantial selling pressure from a previously dormant major holder is pushing the price downward. On the other, significant institutional partnerships and technical advancements are strengthening the network’s fundamental value proposition. This clash has left the cryptocurrency battling to maintain a critical price floor.
Institutional Adoption Gains Momentum
Despite recent price weakness, Solana’s ecosystem continues to mature through high-profile collaborations. In a key development this week, South Korea’s Hanwha Asset Management entered a partnership with the Solana Foundation. The alliance aims to develop exchange-traded products (ETPs), signaling growing long-term confidence from the traditional finance sector.
Concurrently, Ondo Global Markets is expanding its use of the blockchain, launching over 200 tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs on the network. This move leverages Solana’s high transaction speed for round-the-clock trading of traditional assets. These strategic expansions are supported by ongoing technical upgrades like “Alpenglow” and the new validator client “Firedancer,” designed to enhance network stability and performance.
Significant Whale Activity Weighs on Price
The current decline to $127.39 is linked directly to on-chain data revealing substantial movements by a so-called “whale.” A large investor, whose wallet had been inactive for nearly two years, unstaked approximately 98,000 SOL—valued at over $12 million—and has begun liquidating this position. This sudden influx of supply is absorbing available market liquidity and currently hindering a price recovery.
From a technical analysis perspective, the situation remains tense. Market experts identify the $120 zone as the bulls’ final defensive line. A breach below this level could open a path toward the psychologically significant $100 mark. Conversely, a sustained breakout above the resistance level at $140 is viewed as a necessary condition for a trend reversal.
Legal Challenges Create Headwinds
The positive institutional developments are partially offset by emerging legal uncertainties. A recent class-action lawsuit targets the Solana Foundation, alleging that “crypto-casino” applications and opaque trading practices like maximal extractable value (MEV) disadvantage retail investors. This legal cloud acts as a counterbalance to the fundamental progress, contributing to a cautious stance among some investors who are keeping capital on the sidelines.
For market participants, the immediate focus rests on defending the $120 support level. The longer-term outlook, however, will likely be determined by how quickly the integrations from partners like Ondo and Hanwha can generate tangible value on the blockchain, potentially offsetting the current oversupply in the market.