Trend Research and [$230M Long Whale] Ethereum Holdings Turned from Loss to Gain

January 6: Crypto data platform The Tie announced it has acquired staking-as-a-service firm Stakin — which oversees more than $1 billion in staked assets — in a cash-and-equity deal, per The Block. This marks The Tie’s first acquisition, officially launching the company into the crypto infrastructure space. Estonia-based Stakin offers non-custodial staking services across more than 40 blockchains. Its team will be fully integrated into The Tie, while the business will continue to operate independently.

On January 6, Bitwise Research Director Ryan Rasmussen pushed back against the claim that Venezuela’s situation was the main driver of Bitcoin’s ~5% price surge, calling the initial logic linking Venezuela’s oil reserve release to lower oil prices, reduced inflation, falling interest rates, and Bitcoin’s rise “flawed.” Key points from his note: - Short-term rate cut odds are little changed from last week, and even 2026 expectations held steady after Maduro’s arrest. - **Institutional Adoption (Bullish):** Since the 2024 Bitcoin spot ETF launch, institutional capital has flowed steadily into crypto—accelerating lately. Big names like JPMorgan, BofA Merrill Lynch, and Wells Fargo are allocating assets, with Bitcoin ETFs seeing ~$500 million in net inflows on January 2 alone. - **Regulatory Shift (Bullish):** Post-2024 election crypto-friendly policies are taking shape, and the industry is starting to feel tangible benefits. Wall Street players (wealth managers, university endowm

On January 6, NFT Paris announced it is canceling its 2026 NFT Paris x RWA Paris event due to market conditions. Despite implementing cost-cutting measures, the event cannot proceed as planned. All ticket fees will be refunded within 15 days.

On Monday, January 6, U.S. stock markets closed higher, per market data: - The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.23% to a new high; - The S&P 500 gained 0.64%; - The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.69%. The cryptocurrency sector broadly advanced, with notable gains including: - American Bitcoin (ABTC): +13.48% - GameSquare (GAME): +8.34% - Bit Digital (BTBT): +8.33% - Coinbase (COIN): +7.77% - Robinhood (HOOD): +6.97% - Bitmine (BMNR): +6.93%

On January 6th, on-chain analyst Yu Jin noted that trader James Wynn launched a carry trade with $10,000 in commission income, taking long positions on PEPE and BTC. His account now holds $910,000—representing a 90x return on the trade.

As of January 6, per alternative data, the cryptocurrency Fear & Greed Index registered at 44—up from 26 the day prior—signaling a notable easing of market fear. Note: The index ranges from 0 to 100, with components including: - Volatility (25%) - Market Volume (25%) - Social Media Hype (15%) - Market Sentiment Surveys (15%) - Bitcoin Dominance (10%) - Google Trends (10%)