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The altcoin market starts the second week of January with uncertain signs. Some tokens have reached all-time highs. Others have recovered despite skepticism. Most altcoins are still suffering losses from the intense sell-offs in last October.

In this situation, three altcoins face a significant liquidation risk, as traders may misjudge actual demand.

1. Solana (SOL)

The meme coin boom at the beginning of 2026 is not particularly strong, but it shows that traders are more willing to take risks. The Solana ecosystem has set several new records. The DEX volume on pump.fun is at an all-time high. The number of newly created meme coins per day has also increased noticeably.

As digital asset ownership matures globally, the conversation shifts from speculation toward structure, compliance, and long-term infrastructure. Few companies represent this transition as clearly as Bitpanda. Originally founded in Europe, the platform has steadily evolved into a well-regulated, diversified investment ecosystem with a growing global footprint.

In a recent discussion with Vishal Sacheendran, Bitpanda's senior supply chain executive responsible for global market strategies and operations, one theme emerged repeatedly: regulation does not hinder the company's growth – it enables expansion.

Monero's coin price has risen over 35% in the past seven days, and another significant increase was seen in the last 24 hours. The surge pushed XMR near a new all-time high of $598 before sellers emerged, and now the price is just below this new level.

Although the direction still appears strong from the surface, several underlying indicators suggest that the price rally may be transitioning into a vulnerable phase. The key question now is whether Monero will consolidate before a new rise, or whether the growing divergences beneath the surface will lead to a more substantial correction.

Cryptomarkets are preparing for a significant week regarding token releases. Over the next seven days, over $1.69 billion worth of new tokens will enter circulation. Particularly, three major ecosystems, Ondo (ONDO), Official Trump (TRUMP), and Arbitrum (ARB), will release new tokens to the market.

These releases bring additional liquidity, but may also cause short-term price fluctuations and increased volatility. Below are the key points to monitor for each project.

India's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) has introduced stricter requirements for cryptocurrency platforms, significantly increasing identity verification for users across the country.

According to the new rules, regulated crypto exchanges must verify user identities using live selfie verification and geolocation data during the registration process.

India's enhanced verification standards target deepfakes and static images

FIU: The latest regulations go beyond mere document verification. Exchanges must use live selfie verification, which requires actions such as blinking or turning the head to ensure the user's physical presence. The purpose is to prevent misuse of static images or deepfake technology in identity verification.

A trader turned $321 into $2.18 million in just 11 days with the Chinese meme coin 114514, highlighting the strong speculation driving the market at the beginning of 2026.

This rise reflects BNB Chain Foundation's targeted investments as well as the cultural significance of the Horse of the Year. Analysts believe these trends could accelerate the development of Chinese meme coins in the first quarter of the year.

Binance listing boosts Binance Lifen's value to $153 million

Crypto funds experienced a sharp reversal last week: investments were withdrawn totaling 454 million dollars, nearly wiping out the 1.5 billion dollars invested at the beginning of the year.

The selling wave appears linked to declining expectations of a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut in March. Recent macroeconomic data suggests the Fed may maintain its current stance.

Crypto funds lose 454 million dollars as Fed's interest rate cut expectations fade

According to the latest CoinShares data, the recent outflow from crypto investments was preceded by a four-day period during which a total of 1.3 billion dollars were withdrawn.

The field of cryptocurrency asset investment has undergone significant changes over the past decade. What began as a niche technological experiment, characterized by "HODLing" and simple spot purchases, has evolved into a complex financial ecosystem that mirrors traditional financial markets.

As the market landscape has expanded, so too have the profiles and preferences of participants. Many users now leverage a broader toolkit and features that support various ways of engaging with cryptocurrency assets. These tools can be utilized in different market conditions. However, it is important to recognize that they also entail specific risks, and they are not suitable for all users.

The first month of the new year brings significant network and protocol upgrades. Altcoins can leverage this momentum, and some projects have already shown examples in recent days.

BeInCrypto has analyzed three altcoins that investors should watch during the second week of January.

Mantle (MNT)

Mantle is preparing for its first major network upgrade of the year. The Mainnet update aims to support all features of Ethereum's Fusaka upgrade. The update is expected to go live this week, potentially improving utility and scalability while attracting new users and increasing chain activity.

Ethereum's long-term development is entering a critical phase, as Vitalik Buterin advances the concept of 'ossification' — the idea that the network could 'freeze' without losing functionality, even if core developers disappeared.

This vision, originally introduced in 2024 as part of the walkaway test, pushes Ethereum's decentralized applications (dApps) platform further — creating a trustless foundation capable of operating independently for decades.

The story of Bitcoin's breakout continues, but the necessary pullback is unclear. Bitcoin's price has risen above key trend support, history supports continuation, and short-term selling has decreased.

However, every upward attempt faces supply. The reason isn't visible just from the price. One owner group continues selling into strength, which could delay the next upward move.

The breakout structure remains intact

Bitcoin is moving within a cup-and-handle pattern on a daily basis. The price quickly approached the handle breakout point, around $92,400, but then retreated. However, the structure remains valid as long as key support holds.

Ethereum's price is rising again, up over 2% in the last 24 hours, and remains positive for the month. The rebound looks promising, but the underlying structure remains fragile.

The consolidation pattern at Laskumarkkinan remains active, and unless key levels are defended, this rise could turn into a deeper correction.

Ethereum price is rising within a fragile bear market structure

Despite the pullback, Ethereum continues moving along the main and shoulder pattern on the daily chart. The peak seen on January 6th formed the right shoulder, and price is now attempting to stabilize without invalidating the structure.

Many members of the crypto community have accused Nikita Bieri, X's Head of Product and Solana advisor, of deliberately suppressing crypto content on X (formerly Twitter).

Accusations arose after several users reported a clear decline in crypto-related posts in their own feeds.

Crypto visibility on X – why users are expressing concern

X has long been a key information source for the crypto community to follow industry news, monitor market developments, discover new opportunities, and identify emerging projects and coins. Recently, however, users have reported increasing concern about changes in their feeds, as non-crypto-related posts have been increasing.

As geopolitical tensions rise, the U.S. dollar (USD), long considered the default safe haven in markets, is no longer reacting as it did in earlier history.

At the same time, gold (XAU) and silver (XAG) are showing signs that go beyond typical commodity price surges.

Gold is hitting records and silver is rising strongly, but markets are protecting something bigger than inflation.

Capital is now flowing strongly into real assets. Gold is on its way toward $5,000 and silver above $80, forcing investors to re-evaluate long-standing macroeconomic assumptions.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has stated that the criminal investigation initiated by federal prosecutors is politically motivated. He claimed the investigation stems from the central bank's refusal to align its policy rate with the president's wishes.

At the end of the term in May 2026, and his relationship with President Donald Trump has intensified.

Federal Reserve chief links criminal investigation to policy deadlock

In a recent video, Federal Reserve Chair Powell said that the U.S. Department of Justice issued subpoenas to the Fed on Friday. According to Powell, this involved a threat of criminal charges related to his testimony before Congress last year about a $2.5 billion renovation of the central bank's headquarters in Washington DC.

Several U.S. economic figures will be released this week, significantly impacting investor sentiment and potentially influencing Bitcoin's price.

Investors can position themselves strategically by leveraging the following headlines during the period from January 12th to 17th.

4 U.S. economic events to watch this week

The timing of four macroeconomic events focuses between Tuesday and Thursday, increasing the likelihood of Bitcoin's price volatility during these days.

Monero (XMR) has officially reached a new all-time high after surpassing $598. Its market capitalization has also exceeded $10 billion for the first time. Many analysts remain positive and believe the rise is just beginning.

Experienced trader Peter Brandt has increased optimism by comparing XMR's price behavior to silver's movements.

Could Monero become the silver of the crypto markets?

December 12th, according to BeInCrypto's price data, Monero (XMR) rose over 30% from the previous Saturday. XMR was traded above $585 and market capitalization surpassed $10.7 billion.

An early Ethereum investor has likely completed a full exit from their ETH position, as blockchain data indicates funds being moved to a centralized exchange. According to estimates, this sell-off wave generated approximately $274 million in profit.

Ethereum continues to face selling pressure even from U.S. institutional investors. However, some market analysts remain optimistic about the outlook for the second-largest cryptocurrency.

Ethereum OG whale exits with 344 percent profit

On January 7, Chinese state television aired a dramatic scene: a disheveled, handcuffed man was dragged off a plane in Beijing. The prisoner was Chen Zhi, the 38-year-old founder of Cambodia's Prince Holding Group, accused of running one of Asia's largest fraud empires.

Cambodia detained Chen the previous day and handed him over to China, ending years of speculation about whether the influential businessman would ever face justice. Chen's downfall, however, dominates headlines, but another mystery remains: What actually happened to his 15 billion dollars in Bitcoins?

The South Korean Financial Services Commission (FSC) is reportedly having confirmed guidelines that allow listed companies and professional investors to trade in cryptocurrencies.

With this decision, a nine-year period of corporate crypto-investment bans comes to an end, supporting the government's broader '2026 Economic Growth Strategy' plan, which includes stablecoin legislation as well as spot cryptocurrency ETF approvals from last week.

Corporate investment framework