XRP has emerged as one of the strongest-performing major cryptocurrencies at the start of 2026, significantly outpacing both Bitcoin and Ether as a mix of ETF inflows, bullish sentiment, tightening supply, and renewed institutional activity drives momentum.The rally has been strong enough to attract mainstream attention. CNBC this week described XRP as the “new cryptocurrency darling,” highlighting its outsized gains relative to the rest of the market.“The hottest crypto trade of the year is not Bitcoin, it is not Ether, it is XRP,” CNBC Power Lunch host Brian Sullivan said on Tuesday.XRP price surges while majors lagSince Jan. 1, XRP has gained roughly 25%, climbing to around $2.24. By comparison:Bitcoin is up about 6% to roughly $91,900Ether has risen about 10% to near $3,210The performance gap suggests XRP’s move is being driven by token-specific catalysts, rather than a broad market rally.ETF inflows set XRP apartOne of the most visible tailwinds has been strong and persistent inflows into spot XRP ETFs, particularly during the weak market conditions of late 2025.CNBC reporter Mackenzie Sigalos noted that XRP ETF flows have behaved differently from Bitcoin and Ether ETFs.“During the doldrums of Q4, a lot of people were piling into XRP ETFs — the exact opposite of what happens with spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs, where people move in tandem with the price of the coin,” she said.The dynamic effectively made XRP a less crowded trade, allowing investors to position for a higher-percentage rebound.According to Coinglass:Spot XRP ETFs have seen nearly $100 million in inflows since the start of the yearAggregate inflows now stand at about $1.15 billionThe products have not recorded a single outflow dayMonday marked the largest daily inflow in more than five weeks, reinforcing the sense of sustained institutional demand.Social sentiment and on-chain signals alignBeyond ETFs, sentiment and on-chain metrics are also reinforcing the bullish narrative.AI-based analytics firm Market Prophit reports that:Crowd sentiment toward XRP is bullish“Smart money sentiment” is also bullishOn-chain data shows tightening supply:XRP exchange reserves on Binance have fallen to their lowest level in two years, according to CryptoQuantLower exchange balances are often interpreted as reduced immediate sell pressureNetwork activity has also accelerated. Data from XRPscan shows transaction counts are up more than 50% over the past two weeks, suggesting renewed engagement beyond pure price speculation.Ripple expands footprint in JapanCorporate developments at Ripple Labs are adding another layer of support.Ripple has reportedly announced partnerships with major Japanese financial institutions, including:Mizuho BankSMBC NikkoSecuritize JapanThe partnerships aim to expand adoption of the XRP Ledger in Japan.In December, Ripple also received conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to charter Ripple National Trust Bank, a move that could strengthen its regulatory positioning in the U.S.Ripple President Monica Long told Bloomberg that the company’s November fundraising round and $40 billion valuation were “very positive and favorable,” though she said there are no immediate plans for an IPO.Caution flags remain despite strong startDespite the strong performance, analysts caution that several of XRP’s current tailwinds can be volatile.ETF inflows driven by narrative momentum have historically cooled when sentiment shiftsSocial-media-driven enthusiasm can reverse quicklyDeclining exchange balances can rise again during periods of sharp volatilityRegulatory developments, macroeconomic shocks, and broader crypto market conditions remain key external risks that could still weigh on XRP’s price action.Why XRP is leading — for nowTaken together, XRP’s early-2026 outperformance reflects a confluence of factors:Sustained ETF inflows when other majors saw outflowsBullish sentiment from both retail and institutional cohortsTightening exchange supplyRising network activityRenewed corporate and regional expansion by RippleWhether that leadership persists will depend on how durable those flows prove to be — and whether broader market risk appetite catches up to XRP’s strong start.

US ADP employment rose by 41,000 in December, below the market median expectation of 47,000, resulting in little short-term fluctuation in spot gold and silver prices. The ADP report stated that employment rebounded in December, with private sector jobs increasing by 41,000. Education and healthcare services, as well as leisure and hospitality, led the gains. (Golden Ten)

Nasdaq-listed Bit Digital released updated Ethereum treasury and staking data, disclosing that after acquiring 642 ETH in December, the company held 155,227.3 ETH as of December 31, 2025, with a market value of approximately $460.5 million. Furthermore, the company has staked 138,263 ETH, representing 89% of its total ETH holdings, and has generated approximately 389.6 ETH in staking rewards. (PRNewswire)

Gold and silver briefly reclaimed their positions as the two largest assets globally by market capitalization, as the new year opened amid heightened macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty.According to data from CompaniesMarketCap, Gold currently holds the top spot with a market capitalization of approximately $31.1 trillion.Silver also moved back into second place, briefly overtaking NVIDIA, before slipping back behind the chipmaker at the time of publication. Silver and Nvidia have been trading places near the top of the rankings since December.Nvidia’s elevated valuation continues to be driven by strong global demand for artificial intelligence computing infrastructure, while precious metals have benefited from a renewed flight to safety.Safe-haven assets gain amid geopolitical and policy uncertaintyInvestor demand for gold and silver has strengthened over the past year as markets grapple with global conflicts, trade disputes, and policy uncertainty, reinforcing the appeal of traditional “store of value” assets.Expectations around U.S. monetary policy have also played a role. Markets are increasingly pricing in the possibility of significant interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve under its new leadership, a shift that typically supports commodities by lowering real yields and weakening the dollar.That demand has pushed both metals to fresh highs, with gold recently trading near $4,500 per ounce and silver approaching $80 per ounce, marking new all-time levels.Crypto yet to follow, but catalysts may be formingWhile the rally in precious metals has not yet fully extended to Bitcoin and the broader crypto market, some analysts believe the lag may be temporary.In a recent interview, Owen Lau, managing director at Clear Street, said U.S. monetary policy in 2026 could emerge as a major catalyst for digital assets.Lau argued that lower interest rates would likely reignite appetite among both retail and institutional investors for risk assets, including what he described as “digital gold,” potentially narrowing the performance gap between precious metals and crypto.Market snapshotGold market cap: ~$31.1 trillionSilver market cap: competing with Nvidia for No. 2 spotBitcoin ranking: eighth-largest asset by market capitalizationKey drivers: geopolitical risk, Fed rate expectations, safe-haven demand

According to the official announcement, OKX will officially launch ZKPUSDT perpetual contracts on its web, app and API platforms at 21:30 (UTC+8) on January 7, 2026.

US ADP employment figures for December showed an increase of 41,000, below the expected 47,000 and the previous month's -32,000. (Jinshi)

As we enter 2026, Ethereum is at a critical turning point, and the market is full of expectations for its structural market trend.

Precious metals market data shows that spot gold fell below $4,430 per ounce, down 1.44% on the day. (Jinshi)

LM Funding America, Inc. (NASDAQ: LMFA) today released its December 2025 operating report, reporting a record monthly Bitcoin production of 7.5 bitcoins. The company recently raised approximately $6.1 million in equity financing to purchase 47 bitcoins (at an average price of approximately $87,400) and expand its immersion mining facility in Oklahoma. As of December 31, 2025, LMFA held 356.3 bitcoins, worth approximately $31.4 million, or $1.46 per share, significantly higher than the day's share price of $0.44. (Globenewswire)

ارتفعت أسهم شركة “Strategy” بأكثر من 6% في تداول ما بعد الإغلاق يوم الثلاثاء، بعدما أعلنت MSCI أنها لن تمضي قدما في مقترحها القاضي بإزالة شركات خزينة الأصول الرقمية (DATCOs) من مؤشراتها القياسية خلال مراجعة فبراير 2026. source: https://arab-btc.net/strategy-stock/

Morph announced the launch of its Payment Accelerator, a $150 million program designed to support payment companies, financial institutions, and payment infrastructure teams in bringing existing production-grade payment activities onto the blockchain and scaling them further. Morph stated that payments have become one of the fastest-growing and most relevant applications of blockchain adoption; however, in scenarios such as cross-border settlement and fund clearing, existing payment infrastructure still faces challenges such as long settlement cycles, system fragmentation, and liquidity constraints. The Payment Accelerator will focus on supporting network verticals such as crypto cards, cross-border remittances, and payment gateways, providing participating teams with settlement infrastructure geared towards real-world transaction volumes, incentives linked to verifiable on-chain activities, and funding and liquidity support for deployment and scaling. Morph stated that within the Morph network, BGB is used as Gas and a governance token, and the growth in payment volume will align with the network's settlement and participation mechanisms. Morph has already partnered with its first batch of payment operators and is officially opening applications for the Payment Accelerator.

Stablecoins, Liu Yiru: The Global Game of Stablecoins, Golden Finance, The Digital Defense Line of Dollar Hegemony and Global Financial Changes.

The biggest reason our economy can maintain a growth rate of over 5% in 2025 is exports. If this is hindered in 2026, what will replace them?

Over the past week, global financial markets have once again been enveloped by a familiar yet unsettling tone.

Amid the combined effects of global macroeconomic uncertainties and the crypto technology cycle, the crypto market in 2025 underwent a profound transformation from being driven by sentiment to undergoing structural reshaping.

In 2026, focus your energy on the right things: chase Beta, not Alpha.

Ripple has decided to stay private despite raising $500 million at a $40 billion valuation, using the funding to expand through acquisitions and product development. The company processed over $95 billion in payments in 2025 and strengthened its stablecoin and institutional crypto services, backed by major investors like Citadel and Fortress.

2026 will be a pivotal year for large-scale institutional adoption of blockchain, with stablecoins being the most fundamental and largest-scale blockchain application.

What is Morgan Stanley's intention behind this move? What are the opinions of industry insiders? What impact will it have? What other moves will Morgan Stanley make in the crypto space?

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