XRP Poised to Bridge Worlds: SWIFT Eyes Crypto Integration Soon

Posted on January 22, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Crypto Sensei” pieced together several developments that, when considered collectively, depict a far more permissive environment for XRP, tokenization, and bank-led crypto services than many investors may be aware.

Gottfried Leibbrandt, a former CEO of Swift, made the headline claim when he recently stated that once regulatory volatility and legal uncertainty subside, Swift could integrate “native currencies like XRP.” Without clear regulations, “the benefits do not outweigh the costs” for institutions that might otherwise use volatile cryptocurrency assets for settlement, according to Sensei, who emphasizes that the problem is not technology but rather bank risk appetite.

He saw this as structural pressure rather than a “crypto roadmap,” since ISO-native payment systems like RippleNet will be in a better position once legacy formats and paper checks are phased out.

He reiterates a point that is frequently overlooked in online discussions: payment systems, not tokens themselves, are subject to ISO compliance.
A recent clip of Fed Chair Jerome Powell declaring that US banks are “perfectly able to serve crypto customers” as long as operations are safe, sound, and compliant is heavily referenced in the video.

According to Sensei, the Fed, FDIC, and OCC replaced their earlier, more stringent joint crypto statements with principles-based guidance in 2025. Sensei contends that instead of developing intricate crypto rails internally, banks are more likely to “white-label” infrastructure from companies like Ripple, Circle, Fireblocks, or Coinbase.

He believed that a sizable portion of institutional traffic could be discreetly routed through XRP-enabled systems without ever being advertised by brands.

XRP Dips Below $2 as Crypto Winter Bites, But ETF Inflows Keep the Heat On

Posted on January 22, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Ripple’s XRP couldn’t stay above the psychologically significant $2 support zone despite these favorable fundamentals.

The Ripple-linked XRP token is consolidating following a robust start to 2026. Monday saw XRP fall below $2 for the sixth consecutive day.

The asset’s value was $1.95, down 0.3 percent from the previous day. With Bitcoin falling below $92,000 and Ether (ETH) testing support at $3,000, the correction affects the entire cryptocurrency market. ‘

The drop followed President Donald Trump rekindling trade tensions by threatening to impose new tariffs on Denmark and other European nations. Bitcoin accounted for $220 million of the over $873 million in long positions that were liquidated. $38 million.

Interestingly, XRP’s withdrawal coincides with both growing institutional demand and better regulatory circumstances.

Ripple recently received preliminary approval for an e-money license in Luxembourg to expand its regulated digital-asset payment services throughout Europe.

The San Francisco-based business is also applying for a CASP license under the EU’s MiCA framework to position the XRP ecosystem to operate within the bloc’s new regulatory framework

Institutional appetite is comparatively stable in the interim. Since their launch in November 2025, Spot XRP ETFs have continued to attract investors, with only one withdrawal day and cumulative net inflows of about $1.28 billion. XRP has also seen a significant increase in on-chain demand as evidenced by the spike in transactions to a six-month high last week.

China’s Silver Rush: ‘Aunties’ Line Up in Shenzhen as Retail Buyers Swamp Refiners and Banks

Posted on January 22, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Banks and refiners are rushing to meet the unprecedented demand from retail investors due to silver’s dizzying rally, as evidenced by Chinese aunts waiting in line in Shenzhen markets, out-of-stock Turkish refineries, and a Korea Mint offer that sold out in an hour.

The white metal has taken it up a notch in 2026 as the Trump administration ushers in a new era of imperialism and attacks on the Federal Reserve, jumping by about a third in a few weeks after surging nearly 150 percent last year. The consumer craze for silver coins and bars began in China, but as prices continue to break records, it is spreading.

Firat Sekerci, a bullion dealer in Dubai, stated, “It’s the highest demand I’ve ever seen.” For the past ten days, the majority of refineries in Turkey have been out of stock for the smaller bars, which are 10 and 100 ounces. “Turkish retail investors are now willing to pay up to $9 more per ounce than the global benchmark price

This is causing international banks to prioritize shipments to the nation and region, with less metal reaching India and leaving demand there unmet.”

Particularly for a less-liquid metal like silver, a short squeeze in October of last year demonstrated how local supply constraints can quickly spread worldwide.

At the time, London’s liquidity was depleted, and benchmark silver prices reached their highest level since the 1970s due to Indian stockpiling ahead of the Diwali celebration and tariff concerns that kept supplies locked up in the US.

According to Samit Guha, CEO of MMTC-PAMP India Pvt, investor demand for silver is greater in India now than it was in October, with smaller bars and coins being popular. is the biggest precious metals refiner in the nation. Although the company’s imports of silver dore more than doubled from October to December of last year, it is still having difficulties.

BlackRock, JPMorgan Among 35 Major Firms Building on Ethereum

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Thirty-five of the top financial and technology companies in the world, such as BlackRock, JPMorgan, and Fidelity, have introduced new services and products based on the Ethereum blockchain in recent months.

These actions, which are described in a social media thread from the official Ethereum account, indicate that mainstream institutions are tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs) at a rapid pace.

The trend also emphasizes Ethereum’s growing function as a fundamental settlement layer for international finance, extending beyond speculative cryptocurrency trading into institutional payments, bonds, and stocks.

The Ethereum X account reported that financial institutions were adopting it more quickly, citing the introduction of tokenized stocks, money market funds, stablecoins, and bank deposits.

For instance, Ondo Finance introduced a platform with over 100 tokenized US stocks, and Kraken introduced xStocks on the network, enabling qualified clients to transfer fully collateralized US equities on-chain.’
Amundi launched a tokenized share class of its Ethereum mainnet-based euro money market fund in Europe. Banks have also increased their presence.

An Ethereum Layer 2, after transferring its JPM Coin deposit token from an internal blockchain to Base, JPMorgan used $100 million of its own funds to launch its first tokenized money market fund on Ethereum.

Additionally, Societe Generale FORGE used Ethereum-based DeFi protocols to implement lending and trading products denominated in euros and dollars.

Silver Fever Hits China: Queues Form in Shenzhen Markets as Retail Investors Overwhelm Banks and Refiners

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

This is causing international banks to prioritize shipments to the nation and region, with less metal reaching India and leaving demand there unmet.”

Particularly for a less-liquid metal like silver, a short squeeze in October of last year demonstrated how local supply constraints can quickly spread worldwide.

Bitcoin Crashes Below $88K: Liquidations Surge and Liquidity Fears Intensify

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Bitcoin started a new downward trend after failing to hold support above $92,500. The price dropped sharply to $91,000 and $90,500 before bears decisively pushed it below $90,000.

The asset is currently consolidating losses after reaching a low of $87,784. Despite a slight rise above $88,500, the price remains below $90,000 and the 100-hour Simple Moving Average.

Key retracement levels have not been hit. On the hourly BTC/USD chart, a bearish trend line is forming, with resistance near $94,200.

Bitcoin may attempt a rebound if it stays above $88,000, with immediate resistance at $89,600 and a stronger barrier around $90,000.

A close above $91,650, which is the 50% Fibonacci retracement of the decline from the swing high of $95,475 to the low of $87,784, would be needed for further upside. Surpassing this level could push the price to $92,000 or even $94,000. On the downside, immediate support is at $88,800, followed by $88,000. The level at $86,200 might be at risk if the price drops below $87,500.

According to Coinglass, over $1.8 billion has been liquidated in cryptocurrency markets over the past 48 hours, with about 93% of those positions being long. The total market value has fallen to $3.08 trillion as the broader crypto market has lost around $225 billion in capitalization, its largest decline since mid-November.

Additionally, Bitcoin has dipped below its 50-day exponential moving average, which had provided support during the recent rally, indicating a shift in short-term momentum.

XRP Dips Below $2 as Winter Chill Hits Crypto Market, But ETF Inflows Stay Hot

Posted on January 21, 2026January 21, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Ripple’s XRP couldn’t stay above the psychologically significant $2 support zone despite these favorable fundamentals.

The Ripple-linked XRP token is consolidating following a robust start to 2026. Monday saw XRP fall below $2 for the sixth consecutive day.

As of the time of publication, the asset’s value was $1.95, down 0.3 percent from the previous day. With Bitcoin falling below $92,000 and Ether (ETH) testing support at $3,000, the correction affects the entire cryptocurrency market. ‘

Interestingly, XRP’s withdrawal coincides with both growing institutional demand and better regulatory circumstances.

Ripple recently received preliminary approval for an e-money license in Luxembourg to expand its regulated digital-asset payment services throughout Europe.

The San Francisco-based business is also applying for a CASP license under the EU’s MiCA framework to position the XRP ecosystem to operate within the bloc’s new regulatory framework

.Institutional appetite is comparatively stable in the interim. Since their launch in November 2025, Spot XRP ETFs have continued to attract investors, with only one withdrawal day and cumulative net inflows of about $1.28 billion. As evidenced by the spike in transactions to a six-month high last week, XRP has also seen a significant increase in on-chain demand.

Gold Blasts Past $4,800 on Escalating Greenland Standoff and Tariff Threats

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Gold continued its record rally as demand for havens was bolstered by the Greenland crisis and a collapse in Japanese government debt. There were no indications that President Donald Trump, who is set to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, would back down from his claim to the Arctic island.

The prime minister of Greenland responded by alerting the populace to the possibility of a military invasion, albeit one that was unlikely.

With increases approaching $13,000 per ton, copper joined the metals rally, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s prediction of ongoing flows into the US, a major factor in the strong price increase of the industrial metal.

The US has now raised the possibility of a destructive trade war by threatening tariffs on eight European countries that opposed Trump’s plan to annex Greenland, including Germany, France, and the UK. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that the rules-based international order was essentially dead. At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Trump’s trade strategies, claiming the continent needed more sovereignty to avoid “vassalization and blood politics.”

The Davos verbal spat highlighted how rapidly the relationship between longstanding US allies has deteriorated, shaking financial markets, depressing the value of the dollar, and increasing demand for safe havens like precious metals.

Concerns about the fiscal circumstances of major economies were also brought to light by a collapse in Japanese sovereign debt, which fueled the “debasement trade,” in which investors steer clear of government bonds and currencies.

China’s Massive $7 Trillion Deposit Pile Fuels Stock and Gold Rally

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Chinese households are searching for higher-yielding investments, with $7 trillion in time deposits due this year. This shift could energize the country’s financial markets further.

Millions of people have sought the safety of bank deposits due to years of poor stock performance and a prolonged real estate crisis, which left behind a mountain of savings. That capital is increasingly seeking a new home as interest rates are now falling toward 1%.

Investors are contemplating switching to stocks, insurance, or wealth management products, aligning with Beijing’s efforts to promote long-term market growth and boost the overall economy.

According to a December report by Huatai Securities Co., approximately 50 trillion yuan in deposits with maturities longer than a year will mature in 2026, up 10 trillion yuan from the previous year. Zhang Jiqiang led the analyst group. The report states that large state-owned banks hold about 30 trillion yuan, with a larger share maturing in the first half of the year.

Sources familiar with the matter say the trend is already underway, with demand for participating insurance policies at some of the biggest insurers exceptionally high as investors seek steady returns in a low-interest-rate environment. Some are also investing in stocks, driven by a strong recovery that has increased their market value by more than $1 trillion in just the past month.

Since April, Chinese stocks have been climbing, demonstrating resilience during periods of international tariff tensions, as the nation’s AI advancements continue to attract investors. Gains in the technology sector have been particularly notable.

China Tightens Grip? Rare-Earth Exports Fall as Investors Eye Japan Controls

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

China’s rare-earth exports declined in December compared to the previous month as investors monitor rising tensions between Beijing and Japan, which could lead to stricter shipment regulations. These materials are used in weapons systems, electric vehicles, and high-tech manufacturing.

According to customs data released on Sunday, outbound shipments totaled 6,745 tons, down from 6,958 tons in November. The category is mainly composed of rare-earth magnets, a product that has given China significant leverage in several trade disputes that have unsettled markets.

The US and other nations are trying to challenge China’s dominance in the mining and processing of rare earths, making it a hot topic in recent trade talks. The focus has shifted to Japan after China’s Ministry of Commerce announced restrictions on shipments to the country with possible military uses, despite a trade truce reached between Beijing and Washington in October that eased tensions.

The announcement followed comments by Japan’s prime minister regarding Taiwan last year. After the ministry’s statement, China Daily reported that Beijing is also considering tighter controls on licenses for exporting these minerals to Japan. The export data released on Sunday does not specify product types or destinations; it simply covers shipments to all locations.