Cryptopolitan

Market participants are monitoring a mix of established cryptocurrencies and early-stage projects when assessing potential opportunities for 2026. Solana (SOL), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Mutuum Finance (MUTM) have been cited for different reasons. Solana for its cheap blockchain, Dogecoin for its hype, and Mutuum Finance for its fresh twist to DeFi. MUTM is in presale and has amassed over $19.6 million faster than analysts predicted. Unlike SOL and DOGE that are already far along the maturity tree, MUTM is building its foundation in DeFi with a dual-lending mechanism.

SOL Price Prediction

Solana (SOL) has been volatile in the past year, falling from $290 to below $100 at one point. The price of SOL is now around $124, a strong support level that is set to influence its trajectory in the next cycle. If the price manages to rebound, it could pave way for a potential move towards $300.

Dogecoin Price Analysis

Dogecoin (DOGE) has been shifting within an extremely critical area of support at $0.116-$0.120 after witnessing a sharp correction since its peak levels above $0.16 in mid-December. On the 4-hour chart, DOGE is witnessing lower highs. However, it seems that it is facing critical compression levels. A breakout above $0.124 with increased trading volumes would point towards $0.130-$0.135.

MUTM Presale Rise

While Solana and Dogecoin are decent picks, they lack the strength of Mutuum Finance. The project’s presale has achieved yet another milestone with more than 18,660 participants and a total of $19.56 million collected. The current price of MUTM per token is set at $0.04 during Phase 7. The presale rewards those who buy early. For instance, when MUTM hits $2 like analysts predict, an investment today will deliver a 5000% ROI. However, those who delay and get in during later stages or at $0.06 listing price will only see a 3200% ROI, a massive 1800% ROI difference.

Mutuum Finance also runs a $100,000 giveaway where 10 people participating in the presale get to win $10,000 in MUTM. To qualify, each of the participants needed to buy a minimum of $50 in MUTM, register a valid wallet address on the official site of the giveaway, in order to claim the prizes in case of being picked, as well as undertake quests such as a follow the project on social media. Additionally, there is a $500 award every 24 hours for the top investor buying MUTM. Moreover, the top 50 holders will get rewarded based on their performance on the leaderboard. 

MUTM DeFi Ecosystem

Mutuum Finance is working on a decentralized over-collateralized stablecoin. The stablecoin is pegged 1:1 to the USD. In addition, it is non-algorithmic, saving it from the depeg risks seen in algorithmic stablecoins like TerraUST. 

The project also has a reward system wherein rewards are given based on a buyback program that utilizes a portion of the fees accrued from the borrowing/lending activities on the protocol to purchase the MUTM tokens on the open market; these are then allocated to the stakers of mtTokens. The mtToken is an ERC-20 yield-bearing asset issued to users when they deposit assets in the project to earn interest on lending. The mtTokens will accrue yields based on the protocol’s usage, ranging between 7-10% or higher. A user could for instance deposit 10 ETH in the platform to receive 10 mtETH which will then see an up to 10% interest per year. 

Multi-Chain Deployment

Mutuum Finance is meant to be capable on both EVM and non-EVM blockchain chains, working with a variety of liquidity pools and communities of users. Such an approach strengthens long-term value by broadening the addressed market and increasing liquidity levels.

While Solana (SOL) and Dogecoin (DOGE) continue to make headlines, they face the limitations of market maturity and trading influenced by market sentiment. At $0.04 in Presale Phase 7, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) presents a stronger case with early investor advantage, community rewards, juicy lending yields among other strong features. The project has attracted 18,660 presale participants and $19.56M in raised funds. This is a crucial phase of FOMO and is increasingly being recognized as the top crypto to invest in, while cementing its spot among the best crypto picks for investors looking to diversify in 2026.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

The current market price for XRP is below the $2 mark, and the sentiment remains weak, with investors waiting for confirmation of a possible long-term recovery. The market size and maturity of XRP imply a muted rally, which may have to await a positive sentiment drift in the overall market. Conversely, the spotlight has been shifting towards an early-stage DeFi project, Mutuum Finance (MUTM), which is currently in the presale phase. 

MUTM is different from XRP, with its strong DeFi focus, an early-stage advantage and rapidly growing holder-base. In no time, the new crypto has surpassed 18660 token holders and has quickly become among the best cryptos to buy for early adopters.

XRP Price Prediction

XRP’s 2025 was a rollercoaster, with regulatory victories such as the SEC settlement, listing of US-based spot ETFs, and increased engagement with Ripple partners, yet its price declined significantly by 50% from $3.66 to $1.58, failing to reach $5. As XRP embarks on a new year in 2026, technical analysis presents a potential for additional decline if current support levels are broken, although ongoing ETF investments combined with regulatory support might establish a basis for a recovery. While there exists a recovery potential in XRP, its large market and relatively slower pace limits how high it could go compared to Mutuum Finance, which has been termed as the next crypto to explode.

Mutuum Finance (MUTM)

Mutuum Finance has moved into Presale Phase 7, where the tokens are priced at $0.04. However, this phase is filling up quickly, and as such, the price will go to $0.045 in Presale Phase 8. So far, the presale event has raised $19.6 million. 

The current token value is 300% higher than Presale Phase 1, at $0.04, and with a projected 50x rally from the current levels, MUTM could touch $2 by the end of the year. In this scenario, a small bet of $500 today could swell to $25,000. Such a growth projection within the first few months makes MUTM the best crypto to buy now and a must-hold in the next bull run. Early investors looking for the next crypto to explode see this as a no-brainer bet.

Next-Generation DeFi Platform

Mutuum Finance is an open lending and borrowing platform that facilitates the creation of yields, lending of assets, and effortless borrowing. The design and functionality of the platform are focused on the principles of secure returns on investment. The platform uses a two-model approach to lending, which involves Peer-to-Contract (P2C) and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending.

Peer-to-Contract relies on smart contracts for automating loans, which adjust interest rates according to market trends. In this way, there is predictability and stability in borrowing and lending. On the other hand, Peer-to-Peer lending facilitates direct transactions between lenders and those seeking loans, thereby cutting off third parties. 

Say for instance an investor has $7500 ETH lying in their wallet. If ETH doubles in price over the next one year, this investment will only grow into $15,000. On the other hand, if they choose to deposit it in MUTM’s lending pools, it will deliver an 8-12% APY on top of this growth. The initial $7500 will deliver an extra $900 and the investor does not need to sell their ETH. 

Halborn Security Audit & Sepolia Testnet Launch

The lending & borrowing contracts of Mutuum Finance have been audited for security by Halborn Security, and all suggested patches have been successfully implemented. This adds an extra layer of security to the protocol, ensuring that investors have peace of mind, knowing that their assets are safe. The audit process is over, and the V1 protocol is now set to launch on the Sepolia testnet.

Testnet will consist of a number of key functionalities, which will include Liquidity Pools related to lending and borrowing, mtTokens that will indicate the deposits made as well as the accumulated interest accrued from these deposits, and an Automated Liquidator Bot. This will enable users to test functionality of the system. First, it will focus on ETH and USDT, which will be its key digital currencies to work with when it comes to lending and borrowing. This, however, will soon be upgraded to enable compatibility with other tokens. 

Although XRP is currently trading below $2 with limited potential to go higher due to market maturity, a promising opportunity for early investors lies in the Presale Phase 7 token price of $0.04 in Mutuum Finance (MUTM). For investors asking which is the best crypto to buy, MUTM sets itself apart. Its P2P + P2C lending model appeals to all types of DeFi users and their respective risk profiles. The project will soon go live on the Sepolia tesnet where users will get to test its features. This sets it apart from most other projects that launch with no working tools, but empty promises. As 2026 kicks off, analysts see this as the next crypto to explode. 

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

According to multiple reports, one crypto user lost approximately $1.08 million worth of Aave-wrapped Ethereum LBTC (aEthLBTC), which is a tokenized Bitcoin asset on the Aave protocol, in what is likely a phishing exploit. 

According to ScamSniffer, the user in question had signed a malicious “permit” signature, which was what led to the theft. That signature was an off-chain approval mechanism, and it allegedly allows tokens to be spent without triggering an immediate on-chain transaction. 

ScamSniffer shared screenshots of the transactions. As to how the victim was susceptible to the exploit, they believe the scammers would have gotten the victim to sign the permit via a phishing site or cloned dApp, giving them access to drain the wallet. 

How did the scam happen? 

SlowMist’s founder, Cosine, commented on the haul, pointing out that the specific phishing group behind the attack is not one of the “mainstream” drainer groups, which suggests an emergence of smaller, sophisticated independent attackers. 

They also moved fast, rapidly converting the funds to ETH and then laundering the funds immediately via Tornado Cash. 

The incident was highlighted on January 3 by ScamSniffer via its X page, not long after it dropped its 2025 yearly report. In the report, as reviewed by Cryptoplitan, it revealed there was an overall 83% drop in crypto phishing losses, falling from $494 million to $84 million. 

However, it emphasized that sophisticated wallet drainers still abound. They just seem to be targeting high-value holders with permit-oriented attacks, as is often the case during a bull market. 

Permit-based exploits depend on the user’s trust in routine signature requests that actually authorize token transfers off-chain. Unfortunately for scams like these, recovery is very unlikely as the draining happens on-chain and transactions are irreversible. 

Crypto phishing losses went down, but wrench attacks went up 

While ScamSniffer has confirmed crypto phishing losses went down in 2025, crypto security experts claim the frequency of so-called “$5 wrench attacks” went up. 

Ari Redbord, the global head of policy and government affairs at crypto analytics firm TRM Labs, called 2025 a record year for wrench attacks, with roughly 60 reported physical assaults on crypto holders, up from 41 in 2024 and 36 in 2021. However, Redbord believes the actual number of attacks that have happened is significantly higher. 

“Many incidents are logged simply as robberies or burglaries, with the crypto element omitted, while others are never reported due to victim hesitation or uncertainty about how law enforcement will handle crypto-related crimes,” Redbord claimed.

The cybersecurity risk called the “wrench attack” derives its name from the idea that even the most sophisticated forms of encryption and data security are susceptible to physical coercion — like getting threatened by a “$5 wrench.” 

These attacks are inarguably worse than phishing exploits and protocol hacks as they not only put assets at risk but also lives, increasing the stakes for maintaining proper OPSEC beyond wallet management best practices. 

“No matter how many technical precautions you take or how many factors you authenticate with, no individual is immune to human attack vectors,” Tor Bair, CEO of Hybrid Minds Advisory and former president of the Secret Foundation, said.

Although the true number of wrench attacks is difficult to quantify, there appears to be either a higher risk of victimization or, at least, a greater awareness of the threat.

Last year May, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau spoke up about the rise of crypto-related assaults in the country, which at the time was the site of about one-third of wrench attacks in 2025, including the high-profile kidnapping and torture of Ledger co-founder David Balland and his wife in January.

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Ethereum has returned to focus following a bullish technical crossover, prompting analysts to evaluate the possibility of a move toward the $4,800 level if momentum continues. The current surge in ETH has continued to boost overall confidence while also underlining a gap that exists between top-level projects that have long existed, as opposed to emerging ones that have been gaining momentum lately.

Amid the rise of Ethereum, investors are also currently taking a keen interest in Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a DeFi-based project that is currently within its presale with undeniable momentum. Thus far, this new crypto coin project has raised more than $19.6 million with more than 18,660 members signing up for its presale, making it a top crypto to buy now for investors looking for early opportunities.

ETH Price Analysis

Ethereum (ETH) has just made a bullish cross-over around $2,900, a pattern that occurred before a situation where it increased by approximately +217% from $1,550 to above $4,950. Currently, it is expected to reach $4,811.71, even $8,557.68, showing its massive structural potential. ETH’s price action points to a much larger issue with crypto markets. While there is established upside in market giants, newer projects like the new crypto coin Mutuum Finance provide higher, more rapid percentage increases.

Mutuum Finance in Early Stage at $0.04

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is still in the initial valuation stage in the ongoing presale. With the token price now set at $0.04, while the launch price is set at $0.06, investors have a great chance to capture meaningful upside even before market launch. The project has managed to raise a cumulative value of $19.6 million, with the support of more than 18,660 investors in the initial seven presale stages. As an emerging new crypto coin, it has already become one of the most talked-about crypto to buy now in the DeFi space and for a good reason. 

Those joining in phase 7 have the potential of enjoying a near 2x jump at launch. This is before a 40x ROI predicted by analysts when MUTM launches. Market strategists have pointed to factors such as passive income streams, community-driven funding, buy-backs and staking as some of the factors that could trigger a 40x climb for MUTM by mid-year. 

This shows just how much the newcomer differs from an asset like Ethereum. ETH is a strong market player, but its days of sharp rises are far behind it. By mid-2026 ETH could soar as little as 100%, yet MUTM is on track for a 3900% jump. In fact, analysts have stated that buying MUTM now is similar to being an Ethereum investor in 2017. This was the year ETH saw its biggest rally. If indeed, MUTM captures similar upside, and fundamentals show it could, a 40x rally past $1.60 could just be the beginning for the newcomer.

Passive Earnings For Users

One of the features of Mutuum Finance is its mtToken concept. mtTokens enable users to accrue passive income immediately while still enjoying liquidity. For instance, a user with an idle 5000 USDT in their portfolio could choose to deposit it in MUTM to earn an interest. The lender will receive mtUSDT, and ERC-20 receipt minted 1:1 to their deposit. The mtUSDT accrues yield, around 8-12% APY without requiring users to sell their assets.

Buybacks & Staking

Mutuum Finance’s buy and distribute and staking solution works to ensure the value of the MUTM token in the long run by pegging its value to the usage of the protocol. Some of the revenue generated from the lending platform is used to buy back MUTM tokens. The purchased tokens are then used to reward the stakers. This means that on top of a 8-12% APY on mtToken deposits, stakers in the project are eligible for periodical dividends. 

Ethereum (ETH) is eyeing $4,800 as it makes progress. However, Mutuum Finance (MUTM), at $0.04 in Presale Phase 7, shows strong potential for growth. Its projected 40x ROI that could launch it past $1.50, juicy APY and periodical dividends are drawing a huge crowd looking for the next DeFi giant and the best crypto to buy now.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

The year 2025 ended on a disappointing note for Bitcoin. The top cryptocurrency in the world ended the year with a negative performance of around 5% in value. The cryptocurrency is presently stuck in a narrow band around $88,410. Not many people are pleased with this performance in the market. It has been noticed that they are selling Bitcoin at a discount.

Investors who are looking for actual growth have to come up with a different approach. They are leaving the stagnant coins behind and looking for projects which have the potential to make yields. One such cheap crypto project which smart money is showing interest in is called Mutuum Finance (MUTM) for short. It provides a clear way to a massive profit thanks to a strong DeFi proposition. 

The Problem with a Stagnant Giant  

Bitcoin is considered digital gold and is wonderful for overall stability. However, it misses the strong yield structures exhibited by cheaper cryptocurrency projects. At the current moment, Bitcoin is exhibiting low volatility and a negative return on the year. This is putting the endurance of investors to the test. The constant pressure from selling indicates that investors are looking for alternatives.

A Project Constructed With Value In Mind

While the overall market is struggling, the purchase demand for Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is immense. The presale of MUTM has already raked in over $19.5 million. Over 18,650 individuals have already owned the MUTM tokens. The current phase is Phase 7, and the cost of each unit of MUTM is $0.04. The current price is already 300% higher than that of Phase 1, but according to experts, the best days of MUTM are yet to come.

The chance to acquire at a price of $0.04 will expire soon, at which point Phase 8 will commence at a higher price of $0.045. Acquiring the tokens now, prior to market listing at $0.06, will render an immediate profit for the investor. The possibility of appreciating further will kick off at market listing. 

Accumulate Rewards For Holding MUTM

Mutuum Finance also has a system for rewarding its supporters. The fees generated through lending on the platform are used automatically to buy MUTM tokens from the open market. The tokens are then given out for free as dividends to the people who stake in the system. This is a very powerful feedback loop. The more people using Mutuum Finance, the more fees, and vice versa, the more tokens are bought back. The more buybacks, the bigger the rewards for holders. This ensures that long-term holders receive rewards twice.

Mutuum Finance is almost ready to be launched. The V1 platform of Mutuum Finance is to be launched on the testnet very soon. The trustworthiness of the project has been made sure after the completion of a security audit performed by Halborn. There is also a $50,000 bug bounty program launched to find the bugs present in the platform.

Investors who take proactive steps will see that this presale is their final opportunity before a price hike is introduced. Additionally, with a limited supply of tokens in circulation and a soon-to-be-launched platform, there is sufficient evidence that indicates that its price will appreciate.

A Smart Move for Better Returns

Whereas Bitcoin remains stagnant, shrewd investors are allocating their funds to projects with engines of growth. Mutuum Finance presents an opportunity that leans heavily on the concept of scarcity and utilizes the connection to the success of the platform as the driving factor. The presale phase of the platform is near completion. For those interested in turning market uncertainty into major portfolio growth, membership in the MUTM presale will prove to be an intelligent decision. It’s a choice to join a project intended for use in the future of finance.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

Crypto venture capital funding surged 433.2% in 2025 to $49.75 billion from literally just $9.33 billion a year ago, according data from RootData statistics.

December ended with 58 disclosed investment projects, up 3.6% from 56 in November. Monthly funding moved in the opposite direction. Disclosed capital for December totaled $860 million, down 94.1% from $14.54 billion in November.

Crypto deal activity contracts while capital concentrates

The entirety of 2025 saw 898 disclosed investment projects, a 42.1% plunge from 1,551 projects in 2024, meaning few deals are carrying far larger checks across the crypto venture capital market.

According to RootData, DeFi took the largest share at 22.4% of total crypto VC projects, CeFi followed at 13.8%, while AI had 12.7%. RWA and DePIN made up 7.3%, as L1 and L2 projects reached 6%, and NFT/GameFi slipped to 5.3%, matching tools and wallets at 5%.

The year’s largest transaction landed in November when Naver agreed to acquire Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, in an all‑stock deal valued at about $10.3 billion, pushing Naver’s value to 4.9 trillion won and Dunamu’s to 15.1 trillion won.

Crypopolitan had in October reported that Dunamu saw consolidated operating income of 1.19 trillion won for the first nine months of 2025, up 22% year-over-year, with 97.9% of revenue tied to trading platforms, including Upbit.

In May, Coinbase completed a $2.9 billion acquisition of Deribit, paying $700 million in cash and the remainder in stock.

Mega financing deals boost corporate balance sheets holding crypto

Corporate issuance drove many of the year’s largest crypto VC raises, starting in July when Strategy raised $2.52 billion through its fourth preferred stock product, Stretch, with net proceeds of about $2.474 billion after fees.

Crypopolitan then reported that Strategy used the funds to buy 21,021 BTC at an average price of $117,256, making its total holdings now 628,791 BTC, or $74 billion. Earlier in February, Strategy had issued $2 billion in zero‑coupon notes due 2030, carrying a 40% to 50% conversion premium and a three‑year put option.

In October, Intercontinental Exchange, parent of the New York Stock Exchange, invested $2 billion in Polymarket at an $8 billion pre‑investment valuation. The deal gave ICE a stake and global distribution rights for Polymarket’s event‑driven data.

In March, Abu Dhabi MGX (funded by the Abu Dhabi government and controlled by the royal family) invested $2 billion in Binance for a minority stake, paid for using stablecoins exclusively, and became the largest crypto‑asset‑only investment recorded.

In September, Forward Industries completed a $1.65 billion private placement using cash and stablecoins to launch a Solana‑based digital asset vault strategy, led by Galaxy Digital, Jump Crypto, and Multicoin Capital. In March, Kraken acquired NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion, securing a CFTC‑registered FCM license to offer futures and derivatives in the United States while expanding in the U.K., EU, and Australia. In August, Galaxy Digital closed $1.4 billion in debt financing to fund the Helios AI data center in Texas under a long‑term agreement with CoreWeave.

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At this very moment, in early 2026, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is appearing to be one of the best cryptos to buy. Phase 7 is the current presale stage, and it has collected nearly $19.6 million. There are over 18,650 MUTM tokenholders. The current price is $0.04- four times more than the price in the first phase $0.01. Phase 7 is selling out fast and this is the final opportunity of making a purchase at 0.04. The next stage will be at $0.045 and the price at an official launch will be $0.06. It means that the investors buying $200 of MUTM now will have $300 even before the token debuts on exchanges. Most analysts believe that MUTM will complete 2026 with a price of more than $5. If this occurs, the $200 investment will explode to $25,000.

Looking at Ethereum’s (ETH) Big Run

Look at Ethereum in 2020 and 2021. ETH was at the lowest of $89 and by the end of 2021 it was nearly 4,900, nearly 55 times in less than two years. Early buyers made huge money. On the other hand, MUTM begins with superior metrics. The amount supplied in it is fixed at 4 billion tokens. New crypto coins will never be minted, and the cryptocurrency will never be available for purchase at $0.04 again. That is why MUTM is better positioned to grow in the long term.

Fast-Moving Presale

Presale phase 7 moves very fast at $0.04. Over 18,650 holders have already joined and the opportunity to purchase this cheaply is in the offing. Phase 8 will be the next one and more expensive. Individuals that wait will spend more. Ideally, a $200 buy now gets 5,000 tokens. However, to get 5,000 tokens at launch you’ll need $100 more. 

Mutuum Finance rewards its presale participants. Every day, the biggest buyer is rewarded with $500 MUTM. The clock on this reward resets at 00:00 UTC. There is also a larger $100,000 giveaway, where 10 presale participants will walk away with $10,000 each. 

Strong Safety First

The issue of safety is important in crypto. Mutuum is also fully audited by Halborn Security, with all the recommended fixes implemented. This is important for this new crypto and its holders. Most new projects get compromised due to failure to do good checks to their security before launch. The attentive work of Mutuum towards security guarantees funds are safe. That fosters confidence, and the more the confidence, the more people will utilize the platform. That contributes to the increase in the price of the token.

Coming Stablecoin Plan

Mutuum Finance will introduce its stablecoin in the nearest future. This coin will be stable in value and will assist the users in borrowing and lending without much concern of massive fluctuations in price. This safe option will draw more people on board. An increase in usage implies additional fees on the platform. These fees repurchase MUTM tokens in the market, and stakers in the project receive additional rewards. This will form actual value in the long run.

Looking Ahead

Having a fixed supply, solid safety, and a new product such as the upcoming stablecoin, Mutuum Finance has a smooth road to a massive growth. Analysts believe that it will be above $5 at the end of 2026. This may be the new giant in DeFi.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

Anthropic’s top executive has a message for the technology world, which is rushing to pour billions into artificial intelligence. She says bigger isn’t always better.

Daniela Amodei, who leads the company as president and helped start it, talks often about an idea that shapes everything the business does. She calls it “do more with less.”

That thinking puts Anthropic at odds with what most of Silicon Valley believes right now. The largest technology companies and their financial backers act like size determines who wins. They’re gathering unprecedented amounts of money, buying computer chips years before they need them, and constructing enormous buildings full of servers across middle America. Their bet is simple: whoever builds the biggest operation wins.

OpenAI shows this approach most clearly. The firm has made commitments worth about $1.4 trillion for computing power and related infrastructure. Working with various partners, the company is setting up huge data center facilities and getting hold of advanced chips faster than the industry has ever managed before.

Anthropic thinks there’s a different path. The company believes careful spending, better algorithms, and smarter ways of using technology can keep them competitive without trying to outspend everyone else.

The situation carries extra weight because Daniela Amodei and her brother Dario helped create the very philosophy they’re now working against. Dario runs Anthropic as chief executive and previously worked at Baidu and Google. He was part of the research team that made popular the scaling approach now guiding how companies build AI models. The basic principle says that adding more computing power, more data, and making models larger tends to make them better in ways you can predict.

Scaling laws drive industry economics

That pattern now supports the entire financial structure of the AI competition. It explains why companies running cloud services spend so much money, why chip manufacturers command such high stock prices, and why private investors put huge valuations on companies still losing money as they grow.

But Anthropic wants to show that the next stage of competition won’t be won just by whoever can afford the biggest initial training runs. Their plan focuses on using better quality information for training, techniques applied after initial training that improve how models think through problems, and product decisions that make models cost less to operate and easier for customers to use at a large scale. That last part matters because the computing bills never end once models are actually running.

Anthropic isn’t working with pocket change. The company has around $100 billion in computing commitments and expects those needs to grow if it wants to stay at the leading edge. As reported by Cryptopolitan recently, Amazon powered Anthropic’s Claude model with its new Rainier AI infrastructure featuring over one million Trainium2 chips.

“The compute requirements for the future are very large,” Daniela Amodei told CNBC. “So our expectation is, yes, we will need more compute to be able to just stay at the frontier as we get bigger.”

Even so, the company says the big numbers being reported throughout the sector often can’t be compared directly. Industry-wide confidence about the correct amount to spend isn’t as firm as it appears.

“A lot of the numbers that are thrown around are sort of not exactly apples to apples, because of just how the structure of some of these deals are kind of set up,” she said, talking about how companies feel pushed to commit early so they can get hardware years later.

The larger reality, she noted, is that even people who helped develop the scaling theory have been caught off guard by how steadily performance and business results have grown.

“We have continued to be surprised, even as the people who pioneered this belief in scaling laws,” Daniela Amodei said. “Something that I hear from my colleagues a lot is that the exponential continues until it doesn’t. And every year we’ve been like, ‘Well, this can’t possibly be the case that things will continue on the exponential’, and then every year it has.”

What happens when growth stops?

Daniela Amodei separated the technology trend from the economic trend, an important difference that often gets mixed together in public discussion. Looking at technology alone, she said Anthropic doesn’t see progress slowing based on what they’ve observed.

“Regardless of how good the technology is, it takes time for that to be used in a business or sort of personal context,” she said. “The real question to me is: How quickly can businesses in particular, but also individuals, leverage the technology?”

“The exponential continues until it doesn’t,” Daniela Amodei said. The question for 2026 is what happens to the AI race and the companies building it if the industry’s favorite growth pattern finally stops working.

As the industry grapples with AI compute demand growing 2x faster than Moore’s Law, requiring $500 billion annually until 2030, Anthropic’s bet on efficiency over raw scale may prove prescient, or it may find that in the AI race, there’s no substitute for overwhelming computational power.

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The technical analysis for the end of 2025 has left the Ethereum community in a state of confusion. It is currently trading around $2,970 and shows signs of forming a bearish pattern, anticipating an abrupt fall in the currency. The poor flow of investments in funds and the traditionally weak position in January do not promise good times for 2026. Prudent investors can be seen acquiring investments, but the picture is unclear.

The uncertainty found within the DeFi crypto market at this level prompts savvy investors to look towards new initiatives that have a better understanding of future growth. Investors who look to earn high returns through a properly structured framework will find the presale opportunity available to them through Mutuum Finance (MUTM) to be very attractive. It is a belief of analysts that high returns are a result of a properly structured economic model, and are not just a product of rumors found within the markets.

The Fate of Ethereum

Ethereum is expected to face tough technical situations in 2026. In this period, the token may fall by as much as 44%. In order to resist this fall, it is required that the ETH maintains a support level above approximately $2,760. Although long-term investors are making purchases, their passion looks very modest. It is also required that there are stops in Ethereum’s capital outflow. The adoption in the real-world market should also see significant growth, and this has not happened yet. The current situation poses an opportunity for investors to think about investing in assets such as MUTM. The new cryptocurrency derives revenue from fees, has a small initial supply, and development is less dependent on market volatility.

Expanding on Community Support With MUTM

Mutuum Finance, or MUTM, has chosen to seek funding through a public presale, not through venture capital funds. This is significant. This means that most of these tokens are going to regular people, not institutional investors that would sell out later on. More than 18,650 individuals already hold these tokens.

VC-led funding rounds often leave small investors to deal with a massive plummet in the prices immediately following the initial launch. However, through MUTM’s open presale, your overall stake is tied up with many others who hope for the very best for the long-term future and success of the project as well. The presale has proceeded into phase 7, priced at $0.04 and has already managed to raise $19.52 million.

In-Built Safety for Long-Term Growth

Mutuum Finance also emphasizes safety and risk management. The protocol demands more collateral from borrowers than is loaned. It has very good autonomous systems to protect lenders in cases of falling prices. It also has its own emergency funds to protect against protocol losses. This has been a problem in the DeFi market, which has seen many projects crash and burn.

A secure and stable lending platform will attract more participants and larger investment. The continuous usage, in both good and bad markets, forms the revenue stream which will fuel MUTM’s value. The project mitigates risks that have derailed other projects in the past to build an ecosystem that will yield rewards for participants.

The Automatic Growth Engine

MUTM’s projected growth also lies in its automated buy-and-distribute platform. A share of all the fees paid for using the platform goes for the purchase of the MUTM token on the market. The bought tokens are then distributed to the users as a form of incentive for staking assets in the platform. 

This results in more fees being created, and more fees are linked to increased automatic purchases of MUTM. As the purchases go up, the benefits for the stakers will follow, which will attract more members to the platform and to staking. For stakers, this means that through staking, you get more tokens of MUTM without necessarily lifting a finger. The tokens will appreciate as the performance of the project diminishes the supply of tokens available in circulation. Raising the price from the launch level of $0.06 past $1.50 is considered the next natural step due to the engine driving the economy.

Preparing for Big Growth

Although there may be complications with the future of Ethereum, Mutuum Finance provides a definite roadmap for expansion. The presale offers  early access before listing. Furthermore, its robust security mechanisms promote trust for long-term utilization. The automatic buyback mechanism in Mutuum Finance can convert platform usage into actual tokens. The current price under Phase 7 of $0.04 represents the final investment opportunity before a price hike. Seize the moment while it exists. 

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has revealed that Bitcoin ATM fraud reached new highs in 2025. According to the report, scammers stole close to $33 million from victims. The FBI noted that in most cases, scammers impersonated either a company or a bank to carry out their illicit activities.

The FBI claimed that some bad actors went as far as calling their victims and advising them to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM to protect their funds. The criminals would tell them that their accounts have been compromised, riding on the panic to push them into sending the funds via a Bitcoin ATM for safekeeping.

Instead, the money goes to a wallet or account maintained by the hacker or another person in their network.

Bitcoin ATM fraud hits a new record in 2025

Bitcoin ATMs increased in popularity in the United States, with more than 30,000 machines in the state in 2024. The figure represents 81.27% of the total Bitcoin ATMs in the world, according to Finance Magnates.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) mentioned that more than 10,000 people were victims of Bitcoin ATM fraud in 2025 alone. The agency mentioned that there were over 12,000 complaints from January to December in 2025.

In its statement, the FBI also mentioned that the monetary value lost to criminals reached $333.5 million, an increase compared to the same time span last year.

In 2024, the FTC reported that digital assets scams in particular were more financially devastating than other types of fraud, noting that midway through the year, the median loss reported by individuals related to crypto fraud was $5,400. The median individual loss tied to reports of general fraud stood at $447.

The FBI mentioned that the amount lost to the criminals has been on the rise with each passing year. Data from the FTC showed that Bitcoin ATMs were responsible for $114 million in reported losses in 2023 and $78 million in losses in 2022. This means that the reported losses due to Bitcoin ATM fraud more than doubled in the last two years.

Notably, these are figures of reported losses, with the FTC not accounting for losses that were not reported.

FTC urges users to be cautious

The FTC has advised people to pay close attention to all red flags when making transactions with Bitcoin ATMs. They have also advised people to double-check with their financial officer or banks whenever they are contacted by someone they do not know to deposit funds in a Bitcoin ATM.

The agency also advised individuals to slow down and not allow the other person at the end of the line to rush them into making payments, noting that they should discuss things with people around them before making any payment.

Bitcoin has been one of the few instruments used to carry out fraud, with criminals choosing to use the asset because of its privacy-focused transactions.

The FTC has also warned that government agencies and legitimate businesses will not contact users and ask them to pay for services in Bitcoin. Except otherwise stated, users should not pay for any service or goods using Bitcoin ATMs. In a case where someone is hounding them, they should report to the police.

While fraud does not only affect certain demographics, scammers have been targeting the older generations more. This is because they are susceptible to crypto crimes, the data shows.

In the report, victims 60 and above account for 715 of the reported losses using Bitcoin ATMs during the first half of 2024, losing $46 million according to the FTC. In some cases, the criminals used AI deepfakes of a family member, asking the elderly person to pay Bitcoin in exchange for their release from the police station.

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BitMine Immersion Technologies, a public digital asset company, has expanded Ethereum’s staking system with an additional 82,560 Ether, valued at around $259 million.

This move has contributed to congestion in the network’s validator entry queue, driven by rising institutional demand for staking yields. Regarding the situation, Arkham released recent data reporting several significant deposits made by the Ether treasury firm to Ethereum’s BatchDeposit contract. These deposits were made in the past few hours.

Following the new stake, a report from on-chain analyst Lookonchain revealed that the total number of ETH staked now amounts to 544,064 Ether, worth approximately $1.62 billion, according to current prices. 

BitMine kicks off major ETH staking push

BitMine implemented its decision to stake additional ETH on December 26, 2025, and transferred almost $219 million in ETH into contracts related to staking on the Ethereum network. 

Before carrying out this move, BitMine initially made clear its intentions to begin staking Ether in the first quarter of 2026 in a statement published in November.  The statement also noted that this staking process will take place using the company’s internal infrastructure, known as the Made-in-America Validator Network (MAVAN).

It was also confirmed that BitMine selected three institutional staking providers for a pilot initiative. Apart from this, sources disclosed that the firm intended to deploy a limited amount of ETH meant to evaluate performance, security, and reliability before executing their motive to add new stakes.

Meanwhile, reports highlighted that BitMine’s intensified effort into staking led to Ethereum’s validator entry queue reaching around 977,000 ETH. Due to this congestion, the Ethereum Validator Queue, a blockchain explorer, indicates that new validators are expected to wait approximately 17 days to become active.

On the other hand, analysts conducted research and discovered that the amount of exit activity is relatively low, with slightly more than 113,000 ETH awaiting withdrawal. 

At this point, data from Ethereum’s network showed that more than 35.5 million ETH, which approximately accounts for 29% of the total supply, is currently staked. For the annual staking yield, the report noted that it had amounted to about 2.54%.

Abdul Rehman, who holds the title of Head of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) at the Monad Foundation and leads DeFi at the layer one blockchain Monad, commented on the situation. He shared an X post last week, highlighting that “when the entry and exit queue changed back in June, Ether’s price doubled shortly after.”

Rehman also predicted that 2026 would be an inspiring year.

Lee calls on shareholders to increase BitMine’s shares

BitMine’s decision to stake an additional $259 million in ETH coincided with the Chairman of BitMine, Tom Lee’s proposal to shareholders, urging them to significantly increase the firm’s authorized share count to approximately 50 billion. According to Lee, this move is important for future stock splits in the event Ether’s price enhances the valuation of BitMine.

Lee further explained that the stock price of BitMine keeps pace with ETH and establishes scenarios where Ether could reach an all-time high of $250,000, provided that Bitcoin records a new level of around $1 million. If this happens, the chairman stated that he is certain prices for BitMine shares will be too expensive for many retail investors.

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As the year begins with strong capital flows into the crypto market, whales have purchased an estimated $3.6 billion worth of XRP tokens, drawing attention to renewed upside potential. At the same time, rising volatility since December has led many XRP holders to rethink strategies that depend solely on price swings. While maintaining long-term exposure to XRP, some investors are adding cloud mining to their portfolios to strengthen cash flow. Through daily settlement structures, platforms such as NAP Hash are being used by some participants to generate steady daily income—often cited at around $17,500 per day—without fully stepping away from the market.

Why NAP Hash Is Gaining Ground in Cloud Mining

NAP Hash stands out in the cloud mining space for its focus on compliance, transparency, and disciplined operations. Registered in the United Kingdom, the platform operates under established regulatory standards, helping build user trust. It follows a cloud-only model with no hardware purchases or maintenance required, using global green-energy computing power within a MiCA-aligned framework. Mining efficiency is improved through automated hash-rate allocation.

The company runs data centers across multiple regions, powered by geothermal, hydropower, wind, and solar energy—supporting lower energy use and costs. Its short mining cycles, typically one to three days, give users more flexibility and faster capital turnover. New users also receive trial hash power worth $20 to $100, allowing them to test performance before committing funds.

With higher energy efficiency and lower operating costs, NAP Hash is able to offer more competitive net returns, reinforcing its position in the cloud mining market.

What Is Cloud Mining?

Cloud mining allows users to mine cryptocurrencies using computing power from remote mining facilities. There is no need to buy mining machines, pay for electricity, or manage maintenance. Users simply purchase a mining contract, while the platform handles operations and costs, then distributes earnings on a daily or scheduled basis.

How to Get Started with NAP Hash in Three Simple Steps

Step 1: Create Your Account
Setting up a NAP Hash account takes less than 30 seconds, and new users instantly receive a starter reward.

Step 2: Choose a Cloud Mining Contract

The platform offers a range of budget-friendly plans suitable for beginners and experienced investors alike. Each contract provides fixed returns with daily payouts, giving users a clear and predictable earning experience.

Popular Contract Earnings Examples

Mining Machine ModelContract PriceDuration (Days)Daily EarningsPrincipal + Total ReturnsBTC Miner A1366L$1002 Days$3$100 + $6BTC Miner A1346$5006 Days$6$500 + 36$GODE Miner DogeII$250020 Days$36$2500 + 725$BTC Miner M60S++$800030 Days$130$8000 + 3888$LTC Miner ANTRACK V1$1000035 Days$172$10000 + 6020$

Please visit the official NAP Hash website to view more contract options.

Step 3: Collect Your Daily Earnings

Mining rewards are credited to your account automatically every day. You can withdraw your earnings at any time or reinvest them to build stronger long-term returns.

Real User Cases

JM, a freelance video editor based in Madrid, works largely on short-term contracts, with income varying by project volume. To reduce cash-flow gaps between assignments, he allocated $2,100 to a cloud mining contract, earning roughly $28 per day. He said the daily payouts help cover basic living costs during slower work periods, without requiring active trading.

AN, a graduate student in computer engineering at a university in Toronto, first tried cloud mining using a small trial allocation. After tracking daily rewards and network changes over several weeks, he committed $2,700 to short-term contracts. He noted that monitoring payouts alongside network difficulty offered practical insight into how blockchain incentives function beyond classroom theory.

SC, a risk analyst working in Zurich, invested about $4,200 in cloud mining as part of a broader digital asset portfolio. She explained that daily settlement structures provide a lower-volatility component that helps balance exposure to more price-sensitive crypto holdings, while keeping capital deployed in the sector.

Taken together, these cases from different regions and professions suggest that cloud mining is increasingly viewed as a supplemental tool—one aimed at improving income stability rather than chasing short-term gains.

Conclusion: A Steadier Option in a Volatile Market

As major cryptocurrencies such as XRP see sharper price swings driven by capital flows and fragile market sentiment, investors are placing greater emphasis on balancing risk control with income stability. Compared with trading strategies that rely heavily on short-term market timing, cloud mining—with its automated operations and clearer payout structure—is increasingly viewed as a supplemental allocation. In this context, platforms like NAP Hash focus on regulatory compliance and sustainable computing power, offering investors an alternative way to add more consistent cash flow while maintaining market exposure.

For more information about NAP Hash, please visit https://naphash.com/ or contact us by email at info@naphash.com

Coinbase chief executive officer Brian Armstrong has defended the economic model of the content and creator coins on Base and Zora. Armstrong doubled down after the model was criticized by a former company engineer who believes that the tokens represent a zero-sum system that benefits early speculators at the expense of later participants.

Hish Bouabdallah, founder of Tribes Protocol and former staff software engineer at Coinbase, does not see the sustainability of the current creator and content coin model being operated by Zora and Base. 

On X, Bouabdallah wrote, “There’s nothing inherently wrong with content or creator coins. The problem is implementation. On @zora and @baseapp today, they mostly miss the point.” He added, “A content coin only has real value if it generates revenue and shares it with holders. Short text posts do not do that. YouTube videos with ads do. Spotify tracks do. Long-form writing does.”

Bouabdallah stated that “If Base cracks revenue sharing, value accrues. If not, content coins are just memecoins with better branding. Creator coins are different. They should represent a claim on a creator’s entire revenue stack. Sponsorships, media, products, future projects. Harder to build, but doable. In many cases, project coins might make more sense than creator coins. All of this is just one slice of what @baseapp could be.”

The criticism comes amid growing backlash following the collapse of YouTuber Nick Shirley’s creator token, which crashed 67% from a peak valuation of roughly $9 million to about $3 million by January 1. 

Armstrong defends content coins 

Armstrong responded directly to Bouabdallah, pointing to the mechanics linking content and creator coins through liquidity pools. “People buying content coins DOES drive economics or demand to the underlying creator coin,” Armstrong wrote. “They are linked through the liquidity pool.”

The system operates through a nested pairing structure on Zora, a decentralized social platform built on Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer 2 network. Content coins are paired with creator coins in Uniswap V4 liquidity pools, while creator coins are paired with $ZORA, the platform’s native token. 

According to a technical explanation Armstrong shared, purchases of content coins create buy pressure on creator coins through multi-hop swaps.

Yet Bouabdallah remained unconvinced, stating that the model depends entirely on speculation. 

“For holders to realize gains (or losses), they have to sell. Which means value is zero-sum. The last seller is left holding the bag,” he wrote. “YouTube works because revenue comes from external parties. Advertisers pay when real value is created for viewers.”

Warning signs in the wild

The Shirley case has become the poster child for the challenges facing creator coins. At its peak, the creator coin drew praise from Armstrong, who said that the launch was proof of better on-chain monetization; however, the token’s collapse exposed structural weaknesses. 

On-chain data showed that Shirley earned between $41,600 and $65,000 in creator royalties despite the price decline, while most trading volume came from existing on-chain traders rather than new users.

“If there was ever a time that these content coins, these creator coins, were going to work, it was Nick Shirley right here, right now, in this moment,” said trader and content creator notthreadguy in a widely shared critique. “And it just didn’t work.”

A wider test for SocialFi

The exchange highlights the various emerging views within so-called SocialFi, the sector attempting to merge social media and decentralized finance. 

Most of it has been experimental, with platforms such as Farcaster that have been playing in the social space in the blockchain sector dialing down their social media features to focus more on their crypto wallet and trading features due to their struggles with monetization. 

Those who support SocialFi’s tokenization moves believe it can give creators a new avenue to monetize their work and also give their audiences incentives to earn as well or come closer to their brand by owning a piece of that content. 

However, critics like Bouabdallah counter that many experiments rely on hype and trading rather than durable revenue, which he believes Coinbase has to find a way to provide or solve for.

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Senator Cynthia Lummis is advocating for lawmakers to approve the CLARITY Act, which would establish clearer regulations for the industry.

She argued that vague rules have long caused crypto companies to relocate overseas, noting that the proposed crypto legislation would alleviate uncertainty, establish clear rules, strengthen protections, and make the US a global leader.

Insiders said that US lawmakers would review the CLARITY Act on January 15. If the markup goes through favorably, however, it would imply that lawmakers believe the bill will have sufficient support to pass a formal committee vote.

At the same time, the push for clearer crypto rules comes as the United States grapples with a rapidly expanding national debt, which has climbed above $38 trillion, intensifying scrutiny of the country’s long-term fiscal outlook.

Rising interest costs and persistent deficits have renewed interest among policymakers and investors in alternative financial technologies that could improve market efficiency and capital formation.

John D’Agostino believes the bill will be enacted soon

Speaking on the bill, Lummis urged legislators on X: “Our market structure legislation changes that by establishing clear jurisdiction, strong protections, and ensuring America leads the way. Let’s get this done!”

In their review, legislators will be examining where DeFi aligns with federal law. They will also explore how to better distinguish between the SEC and CFTC’s roles in regulating digital assets. 

John D’Agostino, the Institutional Head of Strategy at Coinbase, says the bill is already on the path to progress, and he remains optimistic about its steady improvement, despite frustration from the crypto sector.

He also expects the strategic bill to be passed soon. He addressed the bill’s delay in an interview with CNBC, saying that since the legislation is “fundamental” to crypto and other real asset classes, it is only reasonable that it takes time.

There is a strong chance that the CLARITY Act will be enacted, he added, referring to growing global regulatory momentum and Spain’s forward-leaning initiatives as examples. Spain has already begun passing new cryptocurrency legislation, like the European Union’s Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA) and the Directive on Administrative Cooperation (DAC8).

D’Agostino also said that US lawmakers might feel pressured to act swiftly as other nations ramp up their cryptocurrency efforts. He added he hopes the bill can be approved this January.

He also compared the bill to the GENIUS Act, stating that the former is more complex than the latter. But he sees the GENIUS Act as transformative, adding that the passage of the CLARITY Act would be another crucial milestone in the US’s crypto journey ahead.

The CLARITY Act would need 60 votes to move forward

If the Republicans voted as a bloc, the CLARITY Act would likely pass the committee level even without Democratic support. But its eventual passage would be more contentious. After the Senate Agriculture Committee piece is merged, 60 votes will be necessary in the Senate to end debate, hence the importance of cross-party support. 

Tim Scott, the chair of the Banking Committee, spoke to reporters ahead of the recess, saying the conversations with Democrats were fruitful, and some industry players responded cautiously with optimism. 

If the legislation were enacted, this would create rules that regulate the digital asset market in a way that moves beyond long-term, enforcement-driven regulation. It would also clarify which token types are considered securities or commodities, explain how exchanges and brokers can register, and enable regulators to exert more control over spot crypto.

Supporters also said the changes would provide regulatory clarity and strengthen consumer protections, as well as America’s standing compared to places with clear frameworks for cryptocurrencies.

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Despite the law stating that Trump cannot run for the Presidency a third time, MAGA Inc., continues to rake in funds from AI, crypto and finance stakeholders through its political action committee (PAC).

Chunk donations to MAGA Inc. have come from individuals involved in leading technology companies such as OpenAI president Greg Brockman, as well as from cryptocurrency firms like Foris DAX Inc.

Do Trump donors know he can’t run again? 

President Donald Trump’s super political action committee amassed $102 million during the second half of 2025, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Companies in the technology, cryptocurrency, and finance sectors, donated substantially to the fundraiser. 

MAGA Inc., the primary super PAC supporting Trump’s political operation, received more than half of its recent fundraising from just three contributors.

OpenAI President and co-founder Greg Brockman led donations with a $25 million contribution, while Foris DAX Inc., which operates the Crypto.com cryptocurrency exchange, provided $20 million. Private equity investor Konstantin Sokolov added $11 million to the total.

Brockman stated his political involvement was due to his support for innovation friendly policies. He also praised Trump’s willingness to engage directly with the AI community. 

Other tech donors to MAGA Inc. during the second half of 2025 included e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, which gave $1 million, and NASA administrator Jared Isaacman, who donated $1 million.

Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman, venture capitalist Asha Jadeja, and healthcare investor Benjamin Landa contributed $5 million each. 

Since Election Day 2024, Trump’s political network, including his super PAC, three leadership PACs, and the Republican National Committee, has collectively raised more than $500 million.

The filing shows MAGA Inc. held $294 million in cash reserves as of December 22, 2025. Meanwhile, the Congressional Leadership Fund held $243 million that the primary super PAC supporting House Republicans, raised during the entire 2024 election cycle. 

The Congressional Leadership Fund’s complete receipts for the second half of 2025 is due January 31.

How much have the Democrats raised for the elections?

The filing became public because MAGA Inc. spent $1.7 million to help Republican Matt Van Epps win a special election in Tennessee’s 7th congressional district. Van Epps won by about 9 percentage points against Democrat Aftyn Behn in a district that strongly favors Republicans. 

This victory margin was much smaller than the 21.5 percentage point win that former Representative Mark Green secured in the same district during the 2024 election before he left Congress in July.

On the Democratic side, House Majority PAC has raised $38 million since July 2025. Major contributors included philanthropist Connie Ballmer with $3 million and George Marcus, founder of commercial real estate brokerage firm Marcus & Millichap, who donated $2 million. 

The financial disparity between the two parties will continue to widen considering the fact that Elon Musk resumed funding Republican House and Senate campaigns for the 2026 midterms after his relationship with Trump thawed following their public breakup earlier in 2025. 

Musk made $5 million donations to the main super PACs backing House and Senate Republicans on June 27, making him the largest individual donor to both groups in the first six months of 2025. He spent approximately $290 million in the 2024 election and in a New Year’s Day post, declared that America is doomed if Democrats win, signaling his continued support for Republican candidates.

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The United Kingdom has awarded a British crimefighter for his role in taking down the notorious LockBit ransomware group in 2024. Gavin Webb is an officer of the National Crime Agency (NCA) and was among the names on the King’s most recent New Year Honours list for 2026. He was conferred with an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) award.

OBEs are awarded to individuals who have achieved a distinguished feat regionally or countrywide in any field. The rank is only two tiers down from a knighthood or damehood. The NCA mentioned that the 51-year-old Webb was part of the officers who held a strategic role in Operation Cronos, which is described as the United Kingdom’s lead on the NCA-spearheaded international law enforcement operation responsible for disrupting LockBit.

Webb is the NCA’s regional head of multi-threat and border investigations. His assignment on Operation Cronos was one of a few brushes with cybercrime. Webb is charged with looking after serious cases involving firearms, drugs, and organized immigration crime.

United Kingdom awards officer for role in LockBit takedown

According to reports, Webb worked behind the scenes with others in the operation to disrupt the activities of the LockBit ransomware group, turning Dmitry Khoroshev’s infrastructure against him. According to an NCA official, Webb’s role was so impactful in the operation because he took on a leadership role that was instrumental to the success of what he described as a “tremendously complex operation.”

Webb’s role required working with international law enforcement to ensure success in the case. In addition, the official noted that Webb was also coordinating with local police, ensuring that everyone was brought along on plans, progress, and their responsibilities to make the operation successful.

He was also responsible for ensuring that every law enforcement officer who participated in the operation knew the order in which their duties were needed.

LockBit was a group that operated a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) platform between 2019 and 2024. During the period, the group grew to be ruthless, recruiting several members around the world and making its name in the ransomware world.

At some point, it was the most active and destructive ransomware group. The group operated across 120 countries, targeting victims and stealing important information for cash and digital assets.

NCA Director General hails the awarded officers

As previously reported by Cryptopolitan, the DOJ finalized the extradition of Rostislav Pandev, a developer who worked with the LockBit ransomware group, in March 2025. He confessed to authorities that he carried out several activities for the LockBit group, noting that he worked on coding, development, and sometimes did consulting work for the group.

He claimed that he created malware that disabled antivirus software and infected computers connected to a network. Pandev also confessed to providing technical guidance to the group.

Aside from Webb, five other NCA officers received MBE awards, but their identities were not revealed due to the important nature of their work. Graeme Biggar, the NCA Director General, mentioned that the honors were well deserved, noting that the officers awarded have truly gone above and beyond to support victims and protect the general public by ensuring that the most dangerous criminals are brought to book.

In addition, Samantha De Souza, programme director of economic and cybercrime at the Home Office, received an OBE for outstanding public service. The two co-founders of training provider Capslock, Lorna Armitage and Andrea Cullen, also received MBEs for their exceptional services to cybersecurity.

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US President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes on Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, late Friday night, the POTUS confirmed through his platform Truth Social. The timing of the incident has not fared well for Bitcoin, which slipped below $90,000 after trading above the price mark for the better part of Friday’s trading hours.

As confirmed by CBS News, US troops captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him outside the country in the company of his wife. Local news outlets reported that several explosions were heard around 1:50 AM local time on Saturday (12:50 AM Eastern Time).

STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/nHDqtsqRFh

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 3, 2026

Trump wrote on Truth Social that “further details would follow,” and he would hold a press briefing at his Mar-a-Lago residence at 11 AM ET.  The US also seized two Venezuelan oil tankers in recent weeks, launched strikes on more than 30 vessels allegedly carrying drugs, and hit “the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.”

Maduro denied all accusations of drug trafficking or collaboration with terrorist organizations.

Venezuela’s president captured: What it means for crypto

Just two hours after news about the Venezuelan air strikes broke, Bitcoin slipped downwards to $89,571, from nearly $91,000 the previous day. Several market analysts believe any form of war in the West, the purported “hotbed” for crypto adoption, is extremely bearish for digital assets just three days into the new year.

“Oh, is Bitcoin back over 90K? It would be a real shame if someone… BOMBED VENEZUELA. Notice that all of the bullshit happens on Friday nights because Trump wants stock markets to have 48 hours to absorb the news,” Bitcoin investor Lark Davis surmised.

According to market observer Ether Rawl, during Israel’s attack on Gaza in October 2023, Bitcoin dropped approximately 5% in the days following. He suggested the Venezuela strikes could push the king coin below the weekly 100 EMA, slightly under $86,000, and it is still unknown if a recovery will materialize.

Trading group Money Ape sees the US-Venezuela tussle as a war on Bitcoin and crypto, and is adamant President Trump has chosen to take custody of Maduro now because “he is manipulating the market.” 

BREAKING:

🇺🇸 US is attacking Venezuela.

And it's happening exactly when crypto is trying to recover.

F*cking tired of this shit now.

— Ash Crypto (@AshCrypto) January 3, 2026

The US dollar fell to around 98.2 on the first trading day of 2026, after counting a 9% annual loss in 2025. A fall in the greenback’s value would mean the crypto market is ready for a comeback under normal conditions, but with the war on Venezuela in play, Bitcoin bulls might not have enough in their tank to shake off end-2025’s bearish effects. 

“I am still long until 94k at least. The only problem I see is the war between Trump and Venezuela. If the conflict escalates, we’re going to have choppy price action,” economist Market Hokkage predicts.

Political backlash from Liberals in the United States

Before today’s events, congressional Democrats and some Republicans had attempted to limit Trump’s military options in Venezuela. They had been seeking to take away the POTUS’ powers through a congressional plea and forced votes in both the House and Senate, all of which were unsuccessful.

Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona, a US Marine Corps veteran and part of the brigade against President Trump, wrote on X earlier today that the strikes are “illegal” and “the second unjustified war in his lifetime.”

According to TRM Labs’ Country Crypto Adoption Index, Venezuela rose to 11th place globally in 2025, up from 14th in 2024, with just 27 million and a per capita GDP of $3,100. Venezuelans are using cryptocurrencies to preserve savings and to shield themselves from an unstable, inflation-ridden economy. 

The Trump critics propounded that airstrikes could stifle a growing crypto economy and destroy its oil economy that is already entangled with USDT.

“If the United States succeeds in imposing control over Venezuela, and by extension over the world’s largest proven oil reserves, it will mark a major shift in global power. What happens in Venezuela will not stay in Latin America. It will shape the limits of American power, and the direction of geopolitical confrontation far beyond Caracas,” said Iranian journalist Ibrahim Majed.

Still, trading veteran Ted Pillows is asking the community “not to panic,” advising them to “reduce their leverage positions and protect their capital.”>

Still, trading veteran Ted Pillows is asking the community “not to panic,” advising them to “reduce their leverage positions and protect their capital.”ect their capital.”

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Dogecoin (DOGE) will have to overcome tough challenges to reach $1 as it is currently trading at a price of around $0.13. Reaching the target of $1 means Dogecoin will have to grow eight times in value, whereas the potential of the cryptocurrency is mostly driven by sentiment rather than utility. Dogecoin has repeatedly shown resistance at critical points, and in the absence of a fundamental force behind it, growth seems tough. Despite being widely recognized, DOGE does not appear to be the next crypto to hit $1, and investors seeking a new crypto coin with tangible potential are looking elsewhere.

Mutuum Finance is now in Presale Stage 7, priced at $0.04, and represents a different concept for growth from DOGE. The structuring of the presale allows investors to participate in the process of growing the price, and the actual project is offering a DeFi platform, which allows for lending and borrowing via a dual model, offering actual utility not provided by DOGE and even some DeFi platforms. Given its dwindling token supply, increasing adoption, and growth roadmap, Mutuum Finance represents a situation in which initial positioning can provide gains DOGE holders won’t see this cycle.

Dogecoin Displays Bullish Setup but $1 Unreachable Yet

The current trading price of Dogecoin (DOGE) stands at $0.123, which forms an ascending triangle, indicating the commencement of a short-term bull run soon. Though the technical formation indicates the potential of the DOGE to reach $0.14, crossing $0.125-0.126 will be mandatory for the buyers to initiate the short-term upsurge. Nevertheless, the jump to $1 will necessitate almost eight times the growth, which seems unimaginable without extreme market hype at this stage. 

The support points at $0.1199 and $0.113 are of great importance, and breaches might induce the downward pullback. DOGE’s struggles have exemplified the need for investors to chase nascent coins like Mutuum Finance (MUTM) whose early-stage momentum points to astronomical growth in the upcoming bull run. This makes MUTM the prime candidate for the next crypto to hit $1.

Mutuum Finance: Next Crypto to Hit $1

Mutuum Finance remains one of the most popular projects that continues to attract a lot of investment interest. Currently, over 18,650 participants have joined the presale, with more than $19.5 million raised so far. Phase 7 is ongoing, with the new crypto coin at $0.04, which is a crucial investment point since a price rise is expected to follow soon.

The token’s anticipated launch price at $0.06 provides investors a chance at a return of up to 600%. Past the launch stages, MUTM has the potential to rise by 25x in price and break the $1 barrier, making it one of the best cryptocurrencies to hold in 2026. With an impressive presale momentum that has seen six phases fill up faster than expected to raise over $19 million, it’s no surprise that MUTM is considered the next crypto to hit $1.

Outpacing Legacy DeFi

Unlike traditional DeFi protocols that rely heavily on inflationary reward models such as Aave or Compound, where the reward may end up diluting the tokens in the long run, Mutuum Finance uses dividend-based tokenomics and dual-market isolation. This provides superior risk isolation and revenue capture, ensuring MUTM appreciates through genuine protocol earnings rather than subsidized emissions.

Mutuum also looks into the weaknesses established by its competitors. Most of the existing DeFi protocols lack MUTM’s planned non-algorithmic stablecoin and multichain scaling, thus posing risks of congestion, high gas costs, and the negative effects within their respective blockchain environments. On the other hand, MUTM is designed to expand beyond Ethereum to other blockchains and provides more liquidity and the capacity to connect and interact with multiple users within multiple environments.

The structural advantage provided by Mutuum works even during bear markets. The ability to borrow ensures retention of users who otherwise will not remain within the platforms, and the dividends and staking bonuses ensure continued support for the platform.  This reinforces why MUTM is widely regarded as the next crypto to hit $1.

Utility and Real-World Value

One of the factors making Mutuum Finance one of the best cryptos to invest in is the fact that the platform is based on real utility and not on hype. The platform is currently developing a decentralized lending and borrowing DeFi platform that will enable users to engage with the platform in more ways than one, solidifying it as a strong new crypto coin for the future. The team has confirmed that V1 protocol will go live on the Sepolia testnet in Q4 2025, integrating crucial services like Liquidity Pools, mtTokens, Debt Tokens, and the Automated Liquidator Bot for ETH and USDT.

Mutuum Finance is similarly building confidence within the community. The platform has a leaderboard that ranks the top 50 holders in real-time. Correspondingly, there is the 24-hour leaderboard ranking system where the number one-ranked buyer will win a bonus MUTM reward of $500. This reward program requires at least one transaction to happen within the specified time and resets at 00:00 UTC every day.

Dogecoin trading at $0.13 may be tempting, but reaching $1 without the over-the-top drama will just be impractical. MUTM at $0.04 in Presale Phase 7 may have an actual shot at this milestone. Access to the presale means having the opportunity to turn $2,500 to $62,500 if MUTM attains the price of $1; doing otherwise means watching someone else profit from the next crypto to hit $1 from the sidelines.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://mutuum.com/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

Elon Musk wants robots working in the world. That’s the vision he sold investors: millions of humanoid bots, doing everything from factory shifts to folding your socks, and eventually helping humans colonize Mars.

He said these bots could wipe out poverty and kill off the need to work. And if it all goes according to plan, this so-called Optimus robot would become Tesla’s biggest product ever. As Cryptopolitan reported during Q3 2025 earnings season, Elon has already promised they’ll generate “infinite” revenue and help turn Tesla into an $8.5 trillion monster. He’s even tied his own compensation to that goal, with a $1 trillion payout on the line if he can sell one million bots.

Right now, not a single Optimus can even stay upright without help. They fall over. Engineers pick them up. The company started by training them with human data collectors wearing backpacks and cameras, walking around the clock to teach the bots how to move inside buildings without falling on dogs.

Optimus units now circle Tesla’s Palo Alto offices, watching people and learning how not to crash into chairs. But when they do fall, someone wheels over a hoist and lifts them like crashed vending machines.

Tesla engineers struggle to build working bots as Elon goes all in

The project started in a kitchenette. Elon’s engineers had no formal lab space at first. Later, they got shoved into a basement, then a parking lot. The company couldn’t even find proper components .Tesla had to make its own actuators, which power the bot’s limbs, from scratch.

Meanwhile, inside the lab, the nearly six-foot-tall robot spends most of its time sorting Legos, folding laundry, or learning how to use a drill. That’s the current level. That’s what Tesla has after years of hype and billions in cash.

Some of Elon’s own people have doubts. Former Tesla engineers said they didn’t think the bot was worth putting in factories. One said other bots, built specifically for industrial tasks, still work better.

In May, Tesla released a clip showing Optimus taking orders like “clean up crumbs” or “vacuum this area.” But those actions were learned directly from human video demonstrations, not from actual AI intelligence.

Back in October 2024, Elon staged a Hollywood event at Warner Bros. in Burbank, California. Under a disco ball, five Optimus bots performed a dance routine to Haddaway’s “What Is Love.” Others served drinks in cowboy hats and bow ties.

But behind the scenes, the show was run by engineers in VR headsets and bodysuits, teleoperating every move. Each robot needed a small crew: one to control it, one to monitor it, others standing close in case it tipped over or got stuck.

Tesla had originally planned to roll out Optimus into its own factories by the end of the year. That’s no longer happening. The company is now working on the third version of the robot, and there’s no set delivery date. In the meantime, the only thing the bots do inside Tesla is walk around and learn how not to bump into people.

Robot dreams get bigger while Tesla’s car sales shrink

Elon’s whole pitch depends on turning these bots into the next big thing. That comes as Tesla’s car business is slipping fast. In Q4 of 2025, sales dropped 16%, and for the year, Tesla fell 9% overall.

That put the company behind China’s BYD in total sales. Tesla’s stock had been falling too, until investors started betting on Elon’s pivot to robotaxis and humanoid bots.

Adam Jonas at Morgan Stanley compared Tesla’s journey to Amazon’s.“The car is to Tesla what the book was to Amazon,” he said. In other words, cars were just the beginning. But even the biggest Tesla bulls aren’t all-in.

ARK Invest, which believes Tesla stock could hit $2,600 from around $400, completely left Optimus out of its models for 2029. Tasha Keeney from ARK said, “We believe initial versions of the robot will likely have a limited set of performable tasks.”

Other companies are catching up fast. Silicon Valley startups like Figure and 1X, as well as Boston Dynamics from Hyundai and several Chinese firms, are also chasing the same robot market. Some are already selling bots that can fold clothes or help build cars. And some have given up on legs altogether.

Rivals ditch legs while Elon promises robots in every home

Elon still insists humanoids are better. But Evan Beard, CEO of Standard Bots, said wheels are smarter. “With a humanoid, if you cut the power, it’s inherently unstable so it can fall on someone,” he said. Beard’s bots roll instead of walk. He says they’re easier to control, safer to work around, and don’t tip over when turned off.

That’s not stopping Elon. In Tesla’s marketing clips, Optimus is shown watering plants, unpacking groceries, and doing other household chores while its owners chill with family. He’s already trying to sell the robot as a personal butler.

Back in November, he said, “Who wouldn’t want their own personal C-3PO/R2-D2? This is why I say humanoid robots will be the biggest product ever. Because everyone is gonna want one, or more than one.”

Ken Goldberg from UC Berkeley isn’t convinced. “Getting these robots to do something useful is the problem,” he said. “Even a child could clear a dinner table.” Goldberg said Tesla still hasn’t solved dexterity, sensitivity, or control, and without those, the robots remain a long way from doing anything helpful.

Morgan Stanley’s Jonas thinks humanoids could generate $7.5 trillion annually by 2050. Tesla’s current revenue is $98 billion, so even a slice of that pie would be massive. But so far, Optimus is barely walking, still learning from humans, and still years away from replacing even a part-time cleaner.