Bitcoin surged past $72,000 as institutional demand returns, Kraken secured historic access to the Federal Reserve payment system, and Eric Trump criticized major banks for lobbying against stablecoin yields. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions and regulatory uncertainty continue shaping the crypto market.

Memecoins are roaring into 2026 with massive gains as Dogecoin and PEPE jump up to 25% in hours. XRP breaks above $2, NFT sales surge, and market volatility rises as crypto kicks off the new year with momentum—and risk.