🏦SEC Ruling Paves the Way for Banks to Custody Crypto

GM Defiers!

The SEC, now led by Republicans, has repealed SAB121, a rule that discouraged banks from offering crypto custody services. Meanwhile, Crypto and AI Czar David Sacks called NFTs and memecoins "collectibles."

The AnimeCoin airdrop launched with the goal of building an anime community, quickly hitting a $1.15 billion market cap before falling to $380 million. THORChain also paused its THORFi services due to insolvency concerns involving $200 million in liabilities.

✍️ In today’s newsletter:

SEC decision clears the way for banks to custody crypto
Trump's crypto czar calls NFTs 'collectibles'
Bitcoin wallets holding 100 to 1,000 BTC reach all-time high
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong advocates for 11% bitcoin reserve
Bitcoiners criticize Ripple for advocating multi-asset reserve
Crypto market records continued volatility as bitcoin hovers around $105,000
Vitalik Buterin reaffirms support for layer 2 solutions to scale Ethereum ecosystem
Clout.Me merges social-fi and memecoins
Vine memecoin soars to $500 million valuation in just half a day
RUNE drops as THORChain halts THORFi services during financial restructuring
Dem. lawmakers criticize President Donald Trump's recent cryptocurrency ventures
AnimeCoin airdrop linked to Azuki goes live
OKX becomes the first global exchange to secure pre-authorization for MiCA compliance
Truth Terminal founder sells Fartcoin holdings to secure AI's future

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Catch up on our podcast with Preston Van Loon, an Ethereum core developer, as he discusses his role as a plaintiff in the high-profile Tornado Cash lawsuit against the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)

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🏦SEC Ruling Allows Banks to Custody Crypto

The newly Republican-led SEC has repealed SAB121, which previously discouraged banks from custodying crypto for customers.

⚾️Trump’s Crypto Czar Calls NFTs ‘Collectibles,’ Compares Memecoins to Baseball Cards

Crypto and AI Czar David Sacks referred to NFTs and memecoins as "collectibles" following President Donald Trump signing an executive order that aims to position the U.S. as the global leader in digital finance.

📈Bitcoin Wallets Holding 100 to 1,000 BTC Hit Record High

New data has found that the number of Bitcoin wallets holding between 100 and 1,000 BTC has reached an all-time high of 15,777.

🏆Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong Calls For 11% Bitcoin Reserve

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has weighed in on the debate over national bitcoin reserves, proposing that countries with gold reserves hold at least 11% of their reserves in Bitcoin.

🛑Bitcoiners Slam Ripple For Pushing Multi-Asset Reserve

Ripple, the company behind XRP, has faced criticism from Bitcoiners and experts who accuse it of actively lobbying against the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

📊Crypto Market Volatility Continues as Bitcoin Hovers Around $105,000

Cryptocurrency markets saw modest gains on Friday, with BTC lingering around $105K as concerns over crypto regulation and the recent inauguration of President Donald Trump kept investors cautious.

🗣️Vitalik Buterin Doubles Down on Layer 2s for Scaling Ethereum Ecosystem

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin reaffirmed that Layer 2 solutions are the most effective way to scale Ethereum.

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Web3 is often fragmented, with users struggling to manage multiple blockchains, wallets, and bridges. Okto is addressing this by adopting ERC-7683, a proposed Ethereum standard that simplifies cross-chain interactions. Instead of dealing with complex processes, users can express their goals—like swapping tokens—in a single message. Specialized "fillers" then handle the technical details, executing these tasks across chains. This reduces confusion, lowers costs, and improves efficiency. Okto is integrating ERC-7683 into its platform to create a more unified and decentralized Web3. Although still in draft status, ERC-7683 has gained support from major protocols like Across Protocol, Uniswap Labs, and Polygon Labs, aiming to make cross-chain transactions as seamless as browsing the internet.

👾Clout.Me Blends Social-Fi with Memecoins

Social-Fi is making a comeback with Clout.Me, a memecoin launchpad app that lets influential X users create and launch their own social tokens.

🎥Vine Memecoin Surges to $500 Million Valuation in Half a Day

Defunct social media platform Vine has made a surprising comeback in the memecoin space, with its founder, Rus Yusupov, endorsing the VINE token. Launched on Jan. 22, the memecoin quickly surged to a $500 million market cap.

📉RUNE Plummets as THORChain Pauses THORFi Services Amid Financial Restructuring

Decentralized liquidity protocol THORChain has paused its THORFi operations due to insolvency concerns involving around $200 million in liabilities.

📢Trump’s Crypto Activities Slammed by Democrats

Virginia Democrat Gerard Connolly called on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to investigate President Trump's potential conflicts of interest related to his crypto ventures.

🚨Azuki-Linked AnimeCoin Airdrop Goes Live

The AnimeCoin airdrop launched with aims to build a vibrant community around anime. The coin’s market cap surged to $1.15 billion before dropping to $380 million.

🌍OKX Becomes First Global Exchange to Receive Pre-Authorization for MiCA Compliance

Centralized crypto exchange OKX announced on Jan. 23 that it has secured pre-authorization for compliance with the EU’s MiCA regulation. Once fully licensed, OKX will be able to support over 260 trading pairs and extend its services to the EU’s 400 million users.

💨Truth Terminal Founder Sells its Fartcoin Holdings to Secure AI’s Future

Truth Terminal founder Andy Ayrey has announced plans to sell part of his memecoin holdings to prepare for the decentralized AI’s legal independence.

🌍 ELSEWHERE

MicroStrategy Buys More Bitcoin While Adding Capital Raising Tools (Bloomberg)
Bitcoin briefly falls below $100,000 as China AI threat sparks stock market rout (Quartz)
GainsBitcoin's Bull Run Could be Tested if BTC Falls Below $91K: Van Straten (CoinDesk)