[LIVE] Crypto Markets Update – Jan. 9, 2026
The crypto market stayed under pressure over the past 24 hours, with most sectors drifting lower as risk appetite weakened. Real-world asset (RWA) tokens led the decline, falling nearly 4%.
Bitcoin slipped 0.37%, hovering just below $91,000, while Ethereum dropped more than 2% to trade around $3,100. Adding to the cautious tone, Bitcoin inflows into centralized exchanges picked up again, with more than 1,100 BTC moving onto CEXs over the past day—often seen as a sign that selling pressure could increase.
Stay with us below for all the latest crypto developments as they unfold.
Metalpha Pulls $18.7M Worth of ETH From Kraken
On-chain data shows that Metalpha withdrew another 6,000 ETH—worth roughly $18.7 million—from the Kraken exchange around three hours ago. The move adds to a string of large Ethereum withdrawals from centralized exchanges, a trend often associated with long-term holding or staking strategies.
ETF Flows Turn Risk-Off: Bitcoin and Ethereum See Heavy Outflows
Crypto ETF flows were mixed on January 8, with major assets seeing renewed pressure:
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Ethereum spot ETFs posted $159.2 million in net outflows, led by BlackRock’s ETHA and Grayscale’s ETHE
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Bitcoin spot ETFs recorded $398.8 million in net outflows, driven largely by withdrawals from BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC
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XRP spot ETFs, however, bucked the trend, attracting $8.72 million in net inflows, led by Bitwise and Grayscale, pushing cumulative inflows to $1.21 billion
SharpLink Stakes $170M in ETH on Linea
Publicly listed Ethereum treasury firm SharpLink Gaming announced it has deployed and staked roughly $170 million worth of ETH on Linea, Ethereum’s layer-2 network.
SharpLink now holds around 864,800 ETH, valued at nearly $2.7 billion, making it the second-largest public ETH treasury company. The move comes at a time when Linea’s total value locked has dropped sharply—down about 89% from its peak following last September’s token launch.
Zcash Foundation Reassures Community After ECC Restructuring
The Zcash Foundation addressed concerns following recent restructuring at the Electric Coin Company (ECC), stressing that Zcash remains decentralized and stable.
According to the Foundation, the network continues to be run by independent nodes worldwide, with no single entity in control. Core development, research funding, governance, and infrastructure work will continue as planned. Block production and transactions remain normal, and user assets and privacy are unaffected.
Plume Network Brings $200M in Brazilian Credit Receivables Onchain
Plume Network is expanding its real-world asset footprint by tokenizing Brazilian credit card receivables.
Asset originator BlackOpal has launched GemStone on Plume, enabling merchants to access liquidity by receiving about 95% of funds upfront, with tokens redeemed at full value after Visa or Mastercard settlement. The USD-denominated, FX-hedged product is backed by a $200 million, three-year commitment from Mars Capital Advisors.
