Ethereum Network Daily Transactions Hit All-Time High on January 16, Reaching 2.88 Million Transactions

On January 18, Binance Alpha announced it will list Acurast (ACU) starting January 20. Eligible users will be able to visit the Binance Alpha event page once Alpha trading goes live to claim airdrops using Alpha Points. Additional details will be released separately.

January 18 — Per Coinglass data, Coinbase’s Bitcoin Premium Index has stayed in negative territory for three straight days, currently at -0.0397%. Over the past 30 days, it has been negative for 28 days. BlockBeats Note: The Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index measures the gap between Bitcoin’s price on Coinbase (a top U.S. exchange) and the global market average. It’s a key indicator for tracking U.S. market capital inflows, institutional investor sentiment, and shifts in market mood. A positive premium (Coinbase price > global average) typically signals: strong U.S. market buying pressure, active inflows of institutional or compliant funds, ample dollar liquidity, and generally optimistic investor sentiment. A negative premium (Coinbase price < global average) typically reflects: increased U.S. market selling pressure, reduced investor risk appetite, rising market risk aversion, or capital outflows.

Jan. 18 (Financial Times) — Sequoia Capital plans a major investment in AI startup Anthropic, the outlet reported. Anthropic is targeting a funding round at a $35 billion valuation, aiming to raise $25 billion or more total. Microsoft and Nvidia have pledged a combined up to $15 billion in the firm.

On January 18, Cointelegraph reported that Mitchell Amador—CEO of Web3 security platform Immunefi—stated nearly 80% of crypto projects hit by major hacks have never fully recovered. Most protocols are largely unaware of the magnitude of hacking risk they face and are operationally unprepared for major security incidents. Amador noted the first few hours after a vulnerability is exploited are typically the most destructive. Without a pre-established incident response plan, teams hesitate, bicker over next steps, and underestimate how deeply the vulnerability could impact them. This window often marks a critical moment where additional losses occur. Fearing reputational damage, project teams often hesitate to pause smart contracts and cut off all communication with users. Silence typically fuels panic rather than containing the issue. Nearly 80% of hacked projects never fully recover, primarily due to the collapse of operational and trust systems during their response.

**January 18th Update** MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor announced today that the "BTC Rating" metric has been added to the company’s official website. MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin Product Strategy Lead, Chaitanya Jain, explained the metric’s formula: (Bitcoin Reserves - Debt - Preferred Stock + USD Reserves) divided by Market Cap. This represents the ratio of the firm’s Bitcoin net reserves to its market capitalization.

On January 18, CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost noted that Bitcoin’s next key hurdle is reclaiming the cost basis for early long-term holders (6–12 months), currently around $101,000. Long-term holders with 12–18 months of tenure have a cost basis of ~$81,700, acting as a critical support level. If Bitcoin falls into this range, these holders are likely to hold their positions. Investors who bought near Bitcoin’s January 2025 high are still holding their positions. On the upside, resistance sits around $114,650—tied to the cost basis of short-term holders (3–6 months). This group accumulated heavily near recent highs, so a return to this level could prompt some to sell at their breakeven point.