The popular AI framework Virtuals Protocol will host an in-person meet-up in Hong Kong on Friday, January 17.

December 29 — Per data from HyperInsight (tracked via their Telegram channel at t.me/HyperInsight), the "BTC OG Insider Whale" still holds **$740 million in long positions across BTC, ETH, and SOL**. Key metrics: - Unrealized losses now total **$54.5 million** (they briefly narrowed to $25 million during yesterday’s market uptrend). - The whale has paid **$3.2842 million in funding fees** to date. Breakdown of current positions: - **ETH long**: $594.75M position, entry price $3,147.39, unrealized loss $45.2M - **BTC long**: $87.38M position, entry price $91,506.70, unrealized loss $4.13M - **SOL long**: $62.82M position, entry price $130.19, unrealized loss $3.78M This version uses American English conventions (e.g., comma separators for large numbers, concise bullet points, natural phrasing like "still holds" instead of "continues to hold") and maintains all original data points.

On December 29, spot gold dropped 3% intraday and is currently trading at $4,394.83 per ounce. COMEX gold futures also plummeted 3% intraday, with current trading at $4,416.10 per ounce. (Golden Ten)

On December 29th, Coinglass data indicates that if Bitcoin drops below $86,000, the cumulative long liquidation intensity across major centralized exchanges (CEXs) will hit $565 million. Conversely, if Bitcoin breaks above $89,000, the cumulative short liquidation intensity for these mainstream CEXs will reach $918 million. BlockBeats Note: Liquidation charts do not specify the exact number of contracts at risk of liquidation or their total value. Instead, the bars on these charts represent how significant each liquidation cluster is relative to nearby clusters—i.e., its intensity. Thus, the chart illustrates the magnitude of impact when Bitcoin hits a specific price level. A taller "liquidation bar" means a more pronounced reaction will trigger due to a liquidity cascade once the price reaches that threshold.

December 29: Spot silver plummeted 8% intraday and is currently trading at $72.72 per ounce. Spot gold edged toward $4,400 per ounce, with its intraday decline widening to 2.85%. (FX678)

SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire U.S. private equity firm DigitalBridge Group in a $4 billion deal (including debt), the companies announced Monday. The Japanese conglomerate will purchase the New York-listed DigitalBridge for $16 per share in cash—representing a 15% premium to the firm’s closing price on December 26. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals. The acquisition aligns with SoftBank’s push to invest in digital infrastructure, a critical enabler of artificial intelligence (AI) growth. (Source: Jinse)

December 29 – Pre-market trading of U.S. stock Eightco Holdings (ORBS) surged more than 10% on Wednesday, pushing its market capitalization to $329 million. The publicly traded company (affiliated with WLD Treasury) announced its board of directors has approved a share buyback program of up to $125 million.