Morgan Stanley filed for a spot Bitcoin ETF with the SEC, named the Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust. This is the first major U.S. bank to seek direct Bitcoin ETF approval per a Reuters report.
1. First Major U.S. Bank
Morgan Stanley is the first large U.S. bank to pursue a spot Bitcoin ETF directly. The filing marks a shift from banks distributing third‑party crypto products to issuing their own per a Reuters report.
Prior spot BTC ETFs were launched by asset managers like BlackRock and Fidelity; banks had been more cautious until now, noted in Reuters. Analysts suggest a bank’s entry adds institutional legitimacy and may spur peers to follow, per Reuters.
2. Product Setup
The Morgan Stanley Bitcoin Trust is designed as a physically backed spot ETF holding BTC directly, tracking price net of fees, rather than using futures or leverage per Bitcoin Magazine.
Standard creation/redemption with authorized participants and daily NAV methodology is described in the filing summary in Bitcoin Magazine. This mirrors the approach taken by leading spot BTC ETFs, but with a bank sponsor rather than only asset managers, per Reuters.
3. Wider Bank Trend
Morgan Stanley also filed for a Solana ETF at the same time, signaling a broader digital-assets push per Reuters.
Commentary frames the move as strategic, enhancing Morgan Stanley’s positioning even if inflows are modest, per finance coverage. The bank’s step may catalyze more traditional institutions to expand crypto offerings and consider proprietary ETFs, noted in Reuters.
Whales Rule: What Happens When 1% of Bitcoin Holders Control 99% of the Supply?
BitInfoCharts data shows just 1.86% of Bitcoin wallet addresses holding over 90% of the total BTC supply, concerns are growing over market manipulation, centralization, and liquidity risks. These "whales" wield significant influence, sparking debates about the future of Bitcoin’s decentralization.
Caroline Bowler, CEO of BTC Markets, warns that centralizing control among a few could undermine Bitcoin’s core principles and destabilize trust in the system. While whales can sway market prices, as Phillip Lord from Oobit points out, they can’t change Bitcoin’s network without broader community approval through Bitcoin Improvement Proposals (BIPs).
Despite their power, whales can’t alter fundamental aspects like the 21 million BTC limit, notes Jonathan Hargreaves of Elastos. Yet, as Sasha Ivanov from Waves Tech acknowledges, there’s no current mechanism to prevent wealth concentration.
This ongoing centralization of Bitcoin’s supply emphasizes the critical need for decentralization and community-driven governance to preserve the integrity of the crypto space.
🗄 Reddit user lost access to his BTC for 7 years due to a typo
In 2017, he encrypted his BIP38 paper wallet with a password he thought was secure. However, in 2024, when he tried to recover it, he couldn't get access. It turned out that the mistake was just one character — he pressed the wrong key.
This story reminds us how important it is to be careful when storing cryptocurrency on your own.
There's anonymous user who has been mining bitcoin every day since November 2016, sending all rewards to a wallet that now holds 4,165 bitcoin worth $375,000,000 and NEVER selling a single one.
The wallet has not been touched in over eight years.
Price surge: XRP surged over 18% to above $2.40, currently trading at $2.24, driven by strong institutional interest. Technicals: Bullish momentum with a positive MACD, but the hourly RSI is oversold, suggesting a potential for a short-term pullback. Key resistance is at $2.41. Catalysts: Spot XRP ETFs have attracted over $1.37 billion in net inflows since November 2025, signaling strong institutional conviction. Market Overview XRP is currently trading at $2.24, with a 24-hour trading volume of approximately $6.6 billion. XRP saw a 19.4% price increase over 7 days, despite a 5.5% drop in the last 24 hours. Its market capitalization stands at approximately $135.6 billion, ranking it as the 4th largest cryptocurrency. The recent price surge saw XRP reach its highest level since mid-November 2025, breaking through previous resistance levels. Driving Factors Surging institutional interest is shown by spot XRP ETFs recording $46 million in net inflows on January 5, 2026. Since launching in November 2025, these ETFs have attracted over $1.37 billion in net inflows, tightening market supply. A positive regulatory outlook, following Ripple's legal victory in August 2025, has paved the way for institutional products. Anticipation for the U.S. Senate's Market Structure Bill on January 15, which could further legitimize XRP, is also a key factor. Link Whale Activity Whale activity shows a bullish bias with a 2.76 long/short ratio, comprising 145 long whales versus 65 short whales. Long whales have an average entry price of $2.14, while short whales entered at $2.10, placing most longs in profit at the current price. Top traders also show bullish sentiment, with a clear "buy" signal and a net buy amount over $1.3 million recently. Technical Analysis XRP faces critical resistance at $2.41; a break could target $2.69. Key support levels are at $2.26 and $1.90. The daily MACD shows bullish momentum, but the 4-hour RSI (68) is near overbought, suggesting correction risk. Conversely, the 1-hour RSI is oversold (29.10), indicating a potential for a short-term bounce.
Risk management is the cornerstone of successful crypto trading and investing. It safeguards your capital, minimizes losses, and helps you maximize returns in a volatile market.
Think of it as a protective shield for your investments. It allows you to identify risks, evaluate their impact, and employ strategies like diversification, stop-loss orders, and proper position sizing to mitigate potential losses.
For instance, if a cryptocurrency you hold suddenly drops in value, a well-placed stop-loss order can cap your losses, preventing a larger hit to your portfolio.
Effective risk management requires:
- Recognizing risks such as market volatility and cybersecurity issues - Evaluating the potential effects on your investments - Reducing risk through smart diversification and stop-loss strategies - Consistently monitoring market shifts and updating your tactics
So after acquiring BTC, you hold it as a superior store of value, shielding your wealth from the silent thief, i.e inflation. Take 2025 as an example, Kenya's inflation hit around 4.5%, meaning the Kenyan Shilling lost about that much purchasing power. If you had KSh 1 million saved in the bank earning minimal interest, it effectively shrank in real terms. That's your hard-earned money evaporating without you touching it.
Is that fair? Hell no. You pour energy into earning, only for central banks to dilute it through endless money printing. Bitcoin solves this pain with a fixed supply of 21 million coins, no government or bank can inflate it away. It's neutral money, borderless, censorship-resistant, and fully under your control. No capital controls trapping your funds during crises, no devaluation. What next practically?
Hold (HODL): As a hedge against inflation, watch it preserve (and often grow) value over time against fiat erosion. #WriteToEarnUpgrade
Momentum is beginning to signal a bottoming process.
(1) Momentum acts as a leading indicator for inflection points.
(2) This is followed by the consequent impulse.
Both the rally that started in April (+50%) and the downtrend in October (-36%) were preceded by a shift in momentum readings, creating significant divergences against $BTC price.
We are currently witnessing a similar shift; however, the divergence is still in its formation stage.
Is momentum foreshadowing a new rally? If so, how far can this divergence extend before the move actually triggers?
$BTC and aggregate altcoin spot volumes printed their lowest levels since Nov 2023. This weakening demand contrasts sharply with upside moves across the market, highlighting increasingly thin liquidity conditions behind recent price strength ,according Glassnode data
Ghana officially legalizes Bitcoin by passing a Virtual Asset Service Providers law. Parliament created a framework to regulate virtual assets and businesses. The Bank of Ghana and Securities and Exchange Commission will issue licensing rules and directives, reports Forbes.
-Walmart supports Bitcoin and crypto payments via OnePay amidst growing retail adoption. THE impact it Brings ●Rising mainstream adoption – Walmart’s customer ecosystem reaches over 150 million people weekly
●Retail integration – Walmart’s integration of crypto into the OnePay retail banking app highlights a convergence of retail and finance
●Increased competition – Walmart becomes a competitor to other major apps that already provide crypto support, like PayPal, Venmo, or Cash App #BTC走势分析
Bitcoin trades above 115.2k with 95% of supply in profit after the FOMC rally. Futures show short squeezes and options open interest hit a record 500k BTC ahead of the September 26 expiry. Holding above 115.2k is key while a drop risks a move back toward 105.5k.
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