Cardano (ADA) has been a focal point of the crypto market’s volatility, experiencing sharp price swings over the past week, particularly during the weekend. In just a few days, ADA has dropped over 18%, leading to growing fear and uncertainty among investors. This significant decline has shaken confidence in Cardano’s short-term outlook, with many wondering whether the asset can regain its momentum.

Related Reading

Despite the market turbulence, top analyst Ali Martinez has offered a more optimistic perspective. Sharing a detailed technical analysis, Martinez suggested that Cardano is poised for a significant move upward once it overcomes a critical resistance level at $1.10. According to Martinez, breaking through this resistance could open the door for ADA to rally toward $1.50, marking a substantial recovery from its recent lows.

As investors weigh their options amid the current volatility, Martinez’s analysis provides a glimmer of hope for those looking for a bullish turnaround. With the broader market showing signs of recovery, all eyes are on Cardano’s ability to reclaim key levels and shift market sentiment. The coming days will be crucial for ADA as it attempts to shake off fear and uncertainty and position itself for a potential rally.

Cardano Testing Crucial Demand

As the cryptocurrency market continues to grapple with heightened volatility and uncertainty, Cardano has managed to hold its ground above key demand levels. Despite recent turbulence, ADA’s ability to maintain these crucial levels has kept investors cautiously optimistic about its potential for a significant breakout. The price action indicates mounting bullish pressure, with many market participants eagerly awaiting a decisive move.

Top analyst Ali Martinez recently shared a technical analysis on X, highlighting Cardano’s promising setup. According to Martinez, ADA is poised for a rally to $1.50 if it can overcome the critical resistance level at $1.10. This level has proven to be a significant barrier, but a successful breakout would signal renewed momentum and set the stage for a sustained upward trend. Martinez’s analysis provides a beacon of hope for investors seeking confirmation of ADA’s bullish potential.

However, the outlook is not without risks. If ADA fails to hold its current demand levels, the possibility of a deeper decline looms large. Losing these levels could lead to a wave of selling pressure, testing investor confidence and delaying the anticipated breakout.

Related Reading

As the market watches closely, Cardano’s next moves will be critical in determining its trajectory. The coming days will reveal whether ADA can capitalize on its resilience and push through resistance or face further consolidation. For now, the balance of risk and reward keeps investors on edge as they anticipate what could be a defining moment for Cardano in the current market cycle.

ADA Price Action: Key Levels To Watch

Cardano (ADA) is currently trading at $1, following an 18% drop from its $1.16 local high set last Friday. The recent decline has raised concerns among investors as ADA hovers near the critical psychological level of $1. Holding this level is crucial for bulls to regain momentum and prevent further downside in the short term.

To reclaim bullish momentum, ADA must not only maintain support at the current levels but also push decisively above the $1.11 resistance in the coming days. Breaking through this level would signal renewed strength and could pave the way for a recovery toward higher targets, boosting investor confidence in the process.

Related Reading

However, the risk of a deeper correction remains if ADA fails to defend the $1 mark. Losing this key psychological support could trigger a wave of selling pressure, potentially resulting in a drop of up to 15% in the short term. Such a move would likely test lower support zones, challenging Cardano’s recent resilience.

Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.

Among the most vocal critics of TRUMP, the controversial and wildly popular memecoin launched by Donald Trump on the eve of his 2025 inauguration, are the very crypto enthusiasts he may have hoped to court.

The TRUMP coin, launched on Jan. 17, saw a dramatic price surge, climbing from $7 to an all-time high of $75 within 24 hours before settling at $38. Two days after TRUMP’s debut, MELANIA, a coin endorsed by First Lady Melania Trump, entered the market. Unlike its predecessor, MELANIA has struggled, starting around $7 and plummeting below $4 after a briefly peaking at $14.

While both tokens’ volatile trajectories appear to have minted some overnight millionaires, they have also drawn sharp criticism from industry insiders.

The potential for conflicts of interest has been a focal point of the backlash, with critics — including members of the U.S. congress — raising concerns that the token could enable individuals to curry favor with the president.

Anthony Scaramucci, a former White House communications director turned crypto advocate, voiced his apprehensions on X (formerly Twitter): “The most perilous aspect of Trump coin for the nation is what follows. Now, anyone globally can effectively deposit money into the bank account of the President of the United States with just a few clicks. Every favor—be it geopolitical, corporate, or personal—is now openly for sale.”

The decision to launch a memecoin has also sparked broader criticism within the crypto industry. While memecoins have become a prominent use-case for blockchain technology, many developers argue they reinforce a get-rich-quick perception that undermines the sector’s credibility.

Gabor Gurbacs, founder of digital asset firm Pointsville, posted on X: “Trump needs to dismiss his crypto advisors, from top to bottom.”

Nic Carter, a general partner at a crypto investment firm and a vocal Trump supporter, was similarly scathing: “It’s absolutely preposterous that he would do this,” he told Politico. “They’re plumbing new depths of idiocy with the memecoin launch.”

Specific concerns have been raised about the coin’s distribution. 80% of TRUMP tokens are concentrated in a small number of blockchain addresses controlled by CNC Digital, the firm that launched the coin. Such concentration is a hallmark of potential “pump-and-dump” schemes, where insiders inflate a token’s value before selling off their holdings, leaving other investors with losses.

There’s no evidence that Trump’s team plans to “dump” its tokens. Nicolas Vaiman, CEO of blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps, noted to CoinDesk that the distribution of TRUMP tokens at least matched what was outlined on its official website. Additionally, the insider-held tokens align with prior distributions of Trump’s NFT trading cards, which were also managed by CNC Digital, meaning the tokens may be reserved for the president’s NFT holders.

The same transparency does not apply to MELANIA, however. About 89% of MELANIA tokens are controlled by insiders, according to Bubblemaps. The on-chain supply does not match an official distribution breakdown on the token’s website, which earmarked 35% of tokens for “public distribution” and “community.”

Vaiman said the First Lady’s memecoin has cast a shadow over the original TRUMP coin: “TRUMP could have been a statement from President Trump saying, ‘I endorse crypto,’” Vaiman said. “Melania launching her tokens feels like they just want to make as much money as they can on this, and then forget about it. It gives this a different flavor.”

This is not the first time the crypto community has questioned Trump’s forays into the industry. In August, Trump and his sons launched World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a platform that promised to develop a lending product. The project drew backlash for pre-selling tokens before delivering any tangible value, and critics were quick to point out the involvement of a former dating coach and memecoin promoter on the WLFI team, as well as the allocation of a percentage of presale proceeds directly to a Trump-controlled company.

The conflict-of-interest potential was also immediately apparent. Tron blockchain-founder Justin Sun recently became WLFI’s largest investor, making a $30 million purchase of the project’s tokens. In an X post on Tuesday, Donald Trump Jr. announced that World Liberty Financial would acquire some of Tron’s TRX tokens for its treasury.

A Hong Kong-based crypto billionaire, Sun was previously charged with fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission — a department now under the control of Trump’s White House.

What do you need to implement cryptocurrency payouts for your business?

If you wish to implement cryptocurrency payouts for your business, you will need to complete the following steps:

Choose a cryptocurrency: There are many different cryptocurrencies to choose from, each with its own set of pros and cons. It is important to research and compare different options to properly determine which cryptocurrency is best suited for your needs.

Obtain a cryptocurrency wallet – the crypto wallet is a digital tool, that allows you to store, send, and receive cryptocurrency. There are a few different types of wallets available, including software wallets, hardware wallets, and paper wallets.

Set up a payment system – you’ll have to integrate a system for making cryptocurrency payments to your clients or contractors. This may involve accommodating a payment processor or using a separate platform to manage cryptocurrency payments.

Comply with legal requirements – depending on the jurisdiction of the country you are in, there may be specific regulatations that apply to the use of cryptocurrency as a payment method. It is important to be aware of these prerequisistes and to take any necessary steps in ensuring you are in compliance with the law.

Implement security measures – Cryptocurrency is also vulnerable when it comes to hackers, so it is mandatory that you take steps to protect your crypto and provide extra security. This may involve implementing safety measures such as strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and secure way of storage.

Are crypto payouts legal?

In general, it is considered legal to use cryptocurrency as a means of payment, including for paying out employees or partners. However, the legal status of cryptocurrency can vary, depending on the regulations imposed by the government of the country you’re in, and it is important to be aware of any current laws that may apply.

In some cases, there may be specific requirements or restrictions related to the use of cryptocurrency as a form of payment. For example, some countries may demand that you register with a regulatory agency or obtain a license before you can use cryptocurrency for this purpose.

Overall, it is important to be aware of the legal rules that may apply when conducting any cryptocurrency payment, and to seek legal or financial advice, if you have any questions or concerns.

Are crypto payouts subject to taxes?

The tax treatment of cryptocurrency payments, including payments made to employees or contractors, can vary due to the local jurisdiction. In some cases, cryptocurrency payments may be subject to taxes in the same way as payments made in fiat currency.

In the United States, for example, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued guidance stating that cryptocurrency transactions are taxable by law, and that virtual currency payments made to employees are subject to federal income tax withholding, FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) tax, and Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) tax.

In other countries, the tax treatment of cryptocurrency payments may be similar or different. It is important to be aware of any relevant tax laws and regulations, and to seek professional advice if you have any questions about the tax treatment of cryptocurrency payments.

Conclusion

Being able to accept digital payments is now easier than ever, because of the easy integration of virtual tools, which are made to take care of the entire payment process. Even if you’re not very well educated about the purpose and use of crypto, you don’t have to break a sweat cramming in all the missed information about it. All you need is a reliable crypto payment gateway provider and crypto assets of your own to make efficient payouts. However, one should never forget to be mindful about the potential legal reprocussions of such activity, which the key to conducting successful crypto payments to both individals or commercial institutions.

Please note that this article is not a financial advise and has only informational purpose.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of the $500 billion artificial intelligence project Stargate could drive a fresh surge in AI tokens.

That’s according to Dr. Max Li, founder and CEO of OORT, a decentralized cloud computing platform. OORT previously collaborated with BNB Greenfield in March 2024 to enhance the BNB Chain ecosystem.

On Jan. 21, Trump revealed that ChatGPT creator OpenAI, along with Japanese investment firm SoftBank, U.S. tech giant Oracle, and Emirati sovereign wealth fund arm MGX, are partnering to launch the $500 billion AI infrastructure project. The initiative will be based in the United States, with an initial $100 billion in funding already secured.

According to Dr. Li, the Stargate project could significantly influence price trends across the market.

“With AI coins making recent headlines, the Trump administration’s investment in AI infrastructure could directly impact price trends. While we need to exercise caution with AI agents, the immediate beneficiary is AI-based digital asset management such as Ai16z,” Li said in comments shared with crypto.news.

The announcement sparked a rise in the market capitalization of AI tokens and agents. Notable gainers included Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET), Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) and ai16z (AI16Z) were among top gainers.

OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman linked Worldcoin (WLD) also experienced a notable spike.

Over the past year, AI tokens have outperformed other digital assets amid developments and news related to artificial intelligence. Companies such as OpenAI and Nvidia have been central to these trends, while the market has also seen growing activity at the intersection of AI and cryptocurrency. AI agents have emerged as one of the latest hot topics.

Li added;

“DeFi’s convergence with AI will also be accelerated, as developers and investors have had their eyes on this area for some time. We can expect a surge in AI projects launching their tokens, followed by a cycle of filtering and reshuffling. Ultimately, only those with real business value and practical use cases will endure.”

[PRESS RELEASE – Santa Clara, California, January 22nd, 2025]

CARV, an AI chain ecosystem enabling data sovereignty at scale, today unveils its D.A.T.A Framework to transform how AI agents interact with both on-chain and off-chain data. The framework converts static information into actionable insights, enabling AI agents to independently analyze, adapt and act with unprecedented clarity and autonomy.

In today’s decentralized landscape, fragmented and inaccessible data limits the potential of artificial general intelligence (AGI). By solving these critical challenges, the D.A.T.A Framework – Data Authentication, Trust, and Attestation – delivers real-time decision-making capabilities while maintaining rigorous privacy and security standards. This advancement redefines how AGI operates within decentralized ecosystems, creating new possibilities for both developers and users.

“AGI needs more than computational power—it needs intelligent data,” said Yukai Tu, CTO of CARV. “The D.A.T.A Framework bridges the gap between raw data and meaningful action, setting a new standard for AI-powered decision-making in decentralized ecosystems.”

The D.A.T.A Framework

The D.A.T.A Framework serves as the eyes and ears for AI agents, providing them with the ability to perceive, interpret, and act on data across decentralized ecosystems. By transforming static data into actionable insights, the framework enables AI agents to make real-time, intelligent decisions while maintaining unmatched privacy and security. It leverages cutting-edge technologies like zero-knowledge proofs, Trusted Execution Environments (TEE), and CARV ID to ensure enriched, context-aware, and privacy-preserved data access.

Key features include:

• Enhanced Metrics and Tags: Identifying whales, traders, and market manipulators with tailored, actionable insights.
• CARV ID Integration: Linking Web2 identities with Web3 behavior for a holistic understanding of users.
• Real-Time On-Chain Insights: Automating actions based on blockchain activities like token transfers and market trends.
• Cross-Chain and Off-Chain Data Integration: Providing comprehensive insights by unifying multiple data sources.

Benefits for Developers and Users

For developers, the D.A.T.A Framework simplifies the creation of smarter, autonomous AI agents with built-in tools for accessing and processing enriched data. Applications range from trading bots that respond instantly to market shifts to gaming AI agents capable of intelligent, personalized interactions.

For users, D.A.T.A enables secure control and monetization of personal data while providing tailored, data-driven experiences. By bridging trust gaps and fostering collaboration, the framework creates an ecosystem where everyone—from businesses to individual users—stands to benefit equitably.

Both of these applications lead to future-forward use cases including:

• Trading and Alerts: Autonomous bots that analyze blockchain activity in real-time, identifying market opportunities and executing trades.
• Gaming Evolution: Intelligent NPCs and companions that learn and adapt, enhancing engagement and replayability.
• DeSci Innovation: Privacy-preserved research collaborations, accelerating breakthroughs in medicine and science.
• Holistic Personalization: AI companions offering emotionally intelligent support tailored to individual needs.

Driving the Evolution of AGI

CARV’s D.A.T.A Framework is more than just a toolset – it’s the foundation for AGI’s collaborative evolution. By enabling AI agents to share insights, learn dynamically, and operate autonomously within decentralized ecosystems, CARV is paving the way for a future where AGI not only interacts with data but truly understands it.

“The launch of D.A.T.A Framework marks a significant leap forward for decentralized AI,” said Victor Yu, COO of CARV. “It’s not just about building smarter AI – it’s about empowering a new era of trust, privacy, and collaboration across industries.”

The D.A.T.A Framework is set to evolve over the coming months with a series of phased enhancements that will expand its capabilities. In the first phase, D.A.T.A. Framework will introduce real-time on-chain activity alerts, autonomous actions such as airdrops and token transfers, and comprehensive cross-chain insights. Then, rolling out in February, the framework will integrate social media data via CARV ID for enhanced user profiling. and enabling a swarm of AI agents to collaborate seamlessly for modular data access. Further development and phases will be announced gradually over the coming months.

The D.A.T.A Framework is now live, inviting AI developers, blockchain innovators, and businesses to explore its capabilities. To learn more and start building, users can visit CARV’s official documentation.

About CARV

CARV is building an AI chain ecosystem to enable data sovereignty at scale. By empowering AI agents with secure, unified infrastructure, CARV enables intelligent, collaborative operations through its SVM Chain, offering trustless consensus, cryptographic proofs, and verifiable execution. With the D.A.T.A Framework, CARV enriches AI with high-quality, on-chain and off-chain data, allowing agents to learn, evolve, and collaborate dynamically. With over 15M users and 8M CARV IDs, CARV ensures privacy and data control while providing AI agents with powerful, cross-chain insights, creating a secure, innovative ecosystem for both AI and human collaboration.

Supported by $50M in funding from top-tier investors like Tribe Capital, HashKey Capital, and Animoca Brands, and backed by a team of veterans from Coinbase, Google, and Binance, CARV is committed to fostering a decentralized future where data is a valuable, user-owned asset.

Scott’s experience spans a number of industries outside of crypto including banking and investment. He has brought his vast experience from these industries into crypto, which allows him to understand even the most complex topics and break them down in a way that is easy for readers from all works of life to understand. Scott’s pieces have helped to break down cryptocurrency processes and how they work, as well as the underlying groundbreaking technology that makes them so important to everyday life.

With years of experience in the crypto market, Scott began to focus on his true passion: writing. During this time, Scott has been able to author countless influential pieces that have drawn in millions of readers and have shaped public opinion across various important topics. His repertoire spans hundreds of articles on various sectors in the crypto industry, including decentralized finance (DeFi), decentralized exchanges (DEXes), Staking, Liquid Staking, emerging technologies, and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), among others.

Scott’s influence is not just limited to the countless discussions that his publications have sparked but also as a consultant for major projects in the space. He has consulted on issues ranging from crypto regulations to new technology deployment. Scott’s expertise also spans community building and contributes to a number of causes to further the development of the crypto industry.

Scott is an advocate for sustainable practices within the crypto industry and has championed discussions around green blockchain solutions. His ability to keep in line with market trends has made his work a favorite among crypto investors.
In his personal life, Scott is an avid traveler and his exposure to the world and various way of life has helped him to understand how important technologies like the blockchain and cryptocurrencies are. This has been key in his understanding of its global impact, as well as his ability to connect socio-economic developments to technological trends around the globe like no one else.

Scott is known for his work in community education to help people understand crypto technology and how its existence impacts their lives. He is a well-respected figure in his community, known for his work in helping to enlighten and inspire the next generation as they channel their energies into pressing issues. His work is a testament to his dedication and commitment to education and innovation, as well as the promotion of ethical practices in the rapidly developing world of cryptocurrencies.

Scott stands steady in the frontlines of the crypto revolution and is committed to helping to shape a future that promotes the development of technology in an ethical manner that translates to the benefit of all in the society.

Sentiment towards Ethereum’s ether (ETH) has sunk to depressed levels in recent times, but the latest maneuver of President Donald Trump-related crypto platform could spur hope for a reversal.

World Liberty Financial (WLFI), the decentralized finance (DeFi) platform linked to the Trump family, this week deposited a total of 10,000 ether (ETH) worth $33 million to liquid staking platform Lido Finance (LDO) to stake and earn rewards, blockchain data by Arkham Intelligence showed. Lido is the largest ether staking platform with $31 billion of assets posted on the platform.

The transactions came after World Liberty Finance acquired more than $110 million worth of crypto assets including ETH, wrapped bitcoin (wBTC), Tron’s TRX, AAVE, LINK and Ethena’s ENA, as CoinDesk reported.

The maneuver raises hopes that regulators will soon allow staking for spot ETH exchange-traded funds. SEC Commissioner Hester Pierce, who now leads the agency’s crypto task force, said last month in an interview with Coinage that she was open to considering staking for ETFs. Former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, known for his anti-crypto stance in the industry, stepped down on January 20 with Trump entering office.

Staking would boost appeal for the investment products, letting investors earn a steady stream of yield on their holdings and reducing product fees. U.S. spot ETH ETFs combined hold $12 billion of assets, according to SoSoValue data.

The potential regulatory approval also could jolt ETH’s price and adjacent ecosystem tokens like Lido’s LDO. Ethereum’s future has been under the microscope recently, amid sagging prices relative to competitors, leadership disputes and worries over the project’s development roadmap. ETH recently dropped to a 4-year low price against bitcoin (BTC) and ceded market share in trading activity to rapidly growing blockchains like Solana.

“I will never trade ETH again after, but watch how quickly the sentiment changes when the staked ETH ETFs come through in the next few weeks,” well-followed crypto trader Pentoshi said.

“ETH will have a multi-week giga pump at some point in 2025, around staking ETF news… If [you’re] too long ETH, that’s when you dump and switch to better performing assets,” said Alex Krüger, partner at Asgard Markets, in an X post.