Bitcoin spot ETFs attract over $355 million in daily inflows, lifting total ETF assets to $114.44 billion.
Cypherpunks accumulate Zcash to nearly 1.8% of the supply, while regulatory delays in South Korea and Ripple’s upcoming XRP escrow unlock weigh on market sentiment.
Pi Network suspends wallet payment requests after millions of tokens were lost to scams, highlighting ongoing risks tied to user behavior and platform safeguards.
The cryptocurrency market is entering 2026 with a mix of institutional expansion, corporate balance-sheet repositioning, regulatory uncertainty, and heightened security concerns. From new altcoin ETF filings to South Korea delaying crypto legislation, here are today's key developments.
Crypto asset manager Bitwise has filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch 11 single-token “strategy” crypto ETFs.
The proposed products would, contrary to traditional spot ETFs, implement a rules-based strategy. As per the filings, every fund's investment would consist of up to 60% in the token that is directly underlying, while at least 40% would be allocated to exchange-traded products (ETPs) based on the same asset, with limited derivatives usage for slight adjustments in exposure.
The assets targeted cut across several crypto sectors, including DeFi, AI, and Layer-1 ecosystems with tokens like Aave, Uniswap, Zcash, Bittensor, Sui, and Near.
This method sets Bitwise's proposal apart not only from its existing spot Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP ETFs but also from its diversified crypto equity and index products.
Cypherpunk Technologies acquired 56,418 ZEC for roughly $29 million, paying an average price of $514 per token.
Following the purchase, Cypherpunk now holds around 290,063 ZEC, approximately 1.76% of Zcash’s circulating supply.
Management has stated an ambition to acquire 5% of the total ZEC supply, reinforcing its identity as a Zcash-focused digital asset company after rebranding from its biotech roots.
Zcash has surged nearly 800% over the past year, far outperforming Bitcoin, as renewed global debate over privacy, surveillance, and data transparency boosted demand for privacy-focused assets.
Ripple has planned to unlock 1 billion XRP as a part of its long-term escrow schedule, which will be the first release of 2026.
The number seems big but historical data reveals that Ripple usually relocks 60% to 80% of each release which will limit the actual increase in circulating supply.
XRP's current trading price is around $1.87 which remains below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages; this indicates that technical pressure is still on the price movement.
The token's 14-day RSI at almost 42 shows that the momentum is neutral-to-weak; thus, the escrow event might make an impact on the market psychology rather than supply fundamentals.
Also Read: XRP ETFs Hit $1 Billion: What’s Next for XRP Price in 2026?
South Korea has delayed submitting its long-awaited Digital Asset Basic Act, pushing meaningful progress into late 2026.
The holdup stems from a dispute between the Bank of Korea and the Financial Services Commission over who should control the issuance of won-pegged stablecoins.
While regulators broadly agree on strict reserve requirements and consumer protections, disagreement over issuer ownership thresholds has stalled the bill, delaying regulatory clarity for one of Asia’s most active crypto markets.
According to Sosovalue, Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded $355.02 million in net inflows on December 30, with no fund experiencing an outflow.
BlackRock’s IBIT led the pack with $143.75 million in daily inflows, while ARK Invest and 21Shares’ ARKB added $109.56 million.
Total net assets across Bitcoin spot ETFs now stand at $114.44 billion, representing 6.52% of Bitcoin’s market capitalization.
Also Read: Bitcoin Price Holds Near $88,350 as Market Awaits Fresh Triggers
Pi Network has temporarily suspended its wallet payment request feature following a surge in scam activity that drained more than 4.4 million PI tokens from users.
Attackers exploited public wallet visibility and impersonated trusted contacts to trick holders into approving fraudulent transfers.
While the Pi Core Team emphasized that the issue stems from social engineering rather than a protocol flaw, the network has disabled payment requests as a precaution.
PI currently trades near $0.20, weighed down by low liquidity and ongoing token unlocks.
1. What makes Bitwise’s new ETF filings different from spot ETFs?
They use a rules-based strategy combining direct token exposure with ETPs and limited derivatives, rather than holding only spot assets.
2. Why is Cypherpunk accumulating Zcash aggressively?
The firm views Zcash as a long-term privacy asset amid rising concerns over surveillance and data transparency.
3. Will Ripple’s XRP unlock flood the market with supply?
Historically, most unlocked XRP is re-locked, limiting the actual increase in circulating supply.
4. Why did South Korea delay its crypto law?
Regulators disagree on who should control stablecoin issuance, stalling legislative progress.
5. Is Pi Network unsafe to use?
The issue stems from social engineering scams, not a protocol flaw, but users are urged to avoid unsolicited requests.
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