As **cryptocurrency** becomes increasingly prevalent, the necessity for **protective measures** is more crucial than ever. According to the bill's author, this legislation aims to safeguard **vulnerable Oklahomans** from the rising tide of **fraud** associated with digital currencies. With the **growing popularity** of cryptocurrencies, it's essential to establish **guardrails** that can protect individuals from scams and deceptive practices that exploit their lack of knowledge in this complex financial landscape.

As cryptocurrency becomes more commonly used, the need for guardrails becomes more apparent, the bill's author says, especially to protect vulnerable Oklahomans against fraud.

AARP Oklahoma Advocates for Legislation to Combat Cryptocurrency Scams

The **iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT)** saw a decline today, dropping **1.13%** to **$54.82**. This movement was primarily influenced by Bitcoin's price, which remained flat at **$97,011**.

Despite the daily dip, the IBIT has shown positive momentum over broader timeframes. It is now **up 2.70% over the last 5 days** and **7.90% higher year-to-date**.

### Technical Analysis and Investor Sentiment

According to technical analysis, the IBIT has a **Buy consensus** based on ratings from analysts: **7 Bearish, 4 Neutral, and 11 Bullish**.

![IBIT Technical Analysis Chart](https://blog.tipranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/image-1506.png)

Based on the activity of **848,151 investors** in the recent quarter, the IBIT has a **below-sector-average Neutral investor sentiment**. Overall, **1.8% of all portfolios** hold the IBIT.

### Market Context and External Factors

This performance comes amid mixed signals in the broader cryptocurrency market. Bank **JPMorgan (JPM)** estimated that **$130 billion flowed into digital assets in 2025**, a **third more than in 2024**, driven by retail investors and corporate strategies. However, sentiment was negatively impacted by a **delay in the U.S. Senate Banking Committee's crypto market structure bill**.

![IBIT ETF Overview](https://blog.tipranks.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/image-1502.png)

Investors are closely watching these developments as they navigate the evolving landscape of Bitcoin ETFs and regulatory changes.

The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF ($IBIT) was lower today. It is now up 2.70% over the last 5 days and is 7.90% higher in the year-to-date. According to technical analy...

IBIT ETF Dips 1.13% Today: What's Driving the Bitcoin ETF's Performance?

## Investment Bank Adjusts Outlook on Strategy (Formerly MicroStrategy)

Analysts at investment bank **TD Cowen** have revised their one-year price target for bitcoin treasury company **Strategy** (formerly MicroStrategy) downward to **$440** from $500. This adjustment reflects a **weaker outlook for bitcoin yield**, attributed to dilution from continued equity and preferred stock issuance.

### Revised Bitcoin Acquisition Forecast

Led by managing director **Lance Vitanza**, the analysts now project that Strategy will acquire approximately **155,000 bitcoins** in fiscal year 2026, a significant increase from the prior estimate of 90,000. However, this accelerated accumulation is expected to be funded through a greater mix of common and preferred equity, which the analysts warn will dilute bitcoin yield—defined as the percentage change in bitcoin held per fully diluted share.

### Yield Projections and Financial Impact

For FY26E, the analysts now model a **7.1% bitcoin yield**, down from their previous estimate of 8.8% and a substantial drop from 22.8% for FY25A. This translates to a **BTC $ Gain of $6.315 billion** for FY26E, compared to $9.4 billion previously. The $440 price target is based on an unchanged 5x multiple.

### Future Reversal Expected

The analysts anticipate a reversal in fiscal 2027, with bitcoin yield accelerating to **8.1%** (versus 6.6% prior) and BTC $ Gain rising to over **$13.5 billion** (versus $10.150 billion prior). BTC $ Gain is defined as the U.S. dollar value of bitcoins acquired without increasing the company’s fully diluted share count.

### Aggressive Strategy Amid Bitcoin Pullback

Strategy has **aggressively leaned into the recent pullback in bitcoin prices**, rather than slowing its treasury activity. In the week ended Jan. 11, the company issued about 6.8 million shares of common stock and roughly 1.2 million shares of its variable-rate STRC preferred stock, raising approximately **$1.25 billion in total**. Nearly all proceeds were used to purchase an additional **13,627 bitcoins**.

### Rationale Behind the Move

The analysts noted that Strategy could have slowed its pace given the near-zero bitcoin premium, but instead chose to **take advantage of what many believe is a temporary depression in bitcoin prices**. Because the latest purchases were funded largely through equity issued close to parity, the transactions generated scant bitcoin yield. This move only makes sense if bitcoin prices recover meaningfully—a scenario the analysts deem likely due to increasingly favorable macro and regulatory factors.

### Long-Term Outlook and Price Targets

Looking ahead, the analysts expect Strategy to remain aggressive in issuing equity and preferred securities as long as bitcoin prices stay depressed. They continue to model bitcoin reaching around **$177,000 by December 2026** and approximately **$226,000 by December 2027**. A reversal in yield dynamics is expected in fiscal 2027 as higher prices improve the accretion profile of future purchases.

### Constructive View Despite Target Cut

Despite the lower yield outlook and price target reduction, the analysts maintain a **constructive view on Strategy as a vehicle for bitcoin exposure**. They see opportunities across the company’s capital structure, including all five tranches of preferred stock, which they believe can offer a combination of income generation and capital appreciation. For example, the senior STRF preferred shares imply a potential internal rate of return of around **30%** based on yield compression and fixed dividends.

### Index Inclusion Developments

The analysts also addressed recent developments around index inclusion, noting that **MSCI** earlier this month decided not to proceed, for now, with excluding bitcoin treasury companies like Strategy from its indexes. This is viewed as a positive near-term development, though longer-term uncertainty remains. The analysts expressed concern that large customers like BlackRock, which benefit from selling spot bitcoin ETPs, might view public bitcoin treasury companies as competitors, potentially influencing future decisions.

### Disclaimer

*This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.*

Despite the target cut, TD Cowen said Strategy remains an attractive vehicle for investors seeking bitcoin exposure.

TD Cowen Slashes Strategy Price Target to $440 Amid Bitcoin Yield Concerns - What Investors Need to Know

In a shocking turn of events, former New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched a memecoin aimed at combating antisemitism, only for it to fall victim to a **rug pull** within an hour of its debut. The incident resulted in losses of roughly **$1 million**, causing the coin's value to plummet dramatically.

Adams first teased the project just before New Year's, then officially announced the launch of **NYC Token** on Monday. He claimed the token was "built to fight the rapid spread of antisemitism and anti-Americanism across this country and now in New York City." In a promotional video, a cab driver asks Adams, "You got some of that NYC Token?" to which Adams replies, "We'll get you some brother. This thing is about to take off like crazy."

During a baffling interview with Fox Business, Adams elaborated on the initiative, stating that proceeds from the token's sale would be divided equally between fighting antisemitism, funding scholarships for underprivileged communities, and providing crypto education for New York City youths. He repeatedly referred to it as **"block change" technology** and discussed unrelated topics like the California wealth tax issue.

Adams highlighted Walmart's use of blockchain for tracking goods as a "best use case," emphasizing transparency. However, the rug pull has raised serious questions about the **security and legitimacy** of such projects, especially when tied to high-profile figures and social causes.

I have some unsurprising news: Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched a memecoin to combat antisemitism, and someone connected to the coin’s launch appears to have executed a clean rug pull within an hour of its launch, making off with roughly $1 million, cratering the coin’s value. Maybe they felt antisemitism had been…

NYC Mayor's Anti-Hate Memecoin Plunges in $1M Rug Pull Scandal

## Bitcoin and Gold: The Ultimate Portfolio Combo

In a groundbreaking analysis, **Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan** revealed research showing that portfolios combining **bitcoin and gold** deliver superior **risk-adjusted returns** compared to traditional allocations.

### The Numbers Don't Lie

Bitwise's research team found that a **15% combined allocation** to bitcoin and gold produced a **Sharpe ratio nearly three times higher** than a standard 60/40 portfolio over the past decade. According to their calculations:

- **Bitcoin+Gold portfolio**: Sharpe ratio of 0.679
- **Traditional 60/40 portfolio**: Sharpe ratio of 0.237
- **Gold-only portfolio**: Sharpe ratio of 0.436

### Stress-Testing Ray Dalio's Recommendation

This research directly tests the recent recommendation from **Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio**, who suggested a 15% combined allocation to gold or bitcoin as a hedge against **dollar debasement** from federal debt and deficit spending.

### Defense in Drawdowns, Offense in Recoveries

Bitwise analyzed four major market drawdowns using Bloomberg data:

**2018 Drawdown**
- Equities: -19.34%
- Bitcoin: -40.29%
- Gold: +5.76%

**2020 COVID-19 Drawdown**
- Equities: -33.79%
- Bitcoin: -38.10%
- Gold: -3.63%

**2022 Drawdown**
- Equities: -24.18%
- Bitcoin: -59.87%
- Gold: -8.95%

**2025 Drawdown**
- Equities: -16.66%
- Bitcoin: -24.39%
- Gold: +5.97%

### The Recovery Power

Where bitcoin truly shines is in recovery phases:

**Post-2018 Recovery**
- Bitcoin: +78.99%
- Gold: +18.14%

**Post-2020 Recovery**
- Bitcoin: +774.94%
- Gold: +111.92%
- Equities: +77.80%

**Post-2022 Recovery**
- Bitcoin: +40.16%
- Gold: +17.53%
- Equities: +22.82%

### Current Recovery Data

For the ongoing recovery from the 2025 drawdown (as of analysis):
- Equities: +38.65%
- Gold: +44.79%
- Bitcoin: +14.04%

*Note: The full one-year post-drawdown period doesn't conclude until April 2026.*

### The Bottom Line

Bitwise Senior Investment Strategist Juan Leon and Quantitative Research Analyst Mallika Kolar concluded: "Often, the question of gold vs. bitcoin is framed as either/or. As the data shows, historically the best answer is 'both.'"

The research demonstrates that while gold provides **defensive cushioning** during market downturns, bitcoin delivers **explosive offensive power** during recoveries, creating a powerful combination for portfolio construction.

Bitwise found portfolios combining gold and bitcoin delivered superior risk-adjusted returns across major market drawdowns and recoveries.

Bitcoin + Gold Portfolio Crushes Traditional 60/40 Strategy: Ray Dalio's 15% Hedge Thesis Validated

Ethereum may be poised to end years of lagging performance and finally outrun Bitcoin in 2026, driven by a regulatory overhaul and a confluence of key on-chain and market metrics.

Ethereum’s bull run since 2023 has yielded 160%, less than half of Bitcoin’s staggering 457% return, according to CoinGecko data. The difference in gains highlights Ethereum’s muted performance over the years despite improving market conditions.

But several catalysts suggest that the outlook could change.

## Catalysts for Ethereum

The first signal is a clear market rotation highlighted by a decline in Bitcoin’s dominance.

**Bitcoin dominance**, or the coin’s share of the total market, peaked in July at 66% and has since trended lower, suggesting diversification of investor interest into altcoins, including Ethereum.

The second signal can be viewed through the **ETH/BTC ratio**, which measures Ethereum’s performance relative to Bitcoin. It has risen 3.59% year-to-date, according to market data.

“A rising ETH/BTC ratio, coupled with stagnating Bitcoin dominance, has historically been associated with the start of an altcoin season,” Jimmy Xue, co-founder and COO of the quantitative yield protocol Axis, told Decrypt. “Analysts observe that this rotation is being fueled by investors seeking higher ‘beta’ exposure in the Ethereum ecosystem following the stability of the Bitcoin ETF market.”

The setup suggests “capital rotation rather than Bitcoin weakness” and “often precedes selective Ethereum and large-cap altcoin rallies,” Shivam Thakral, CEO of Indian exchange BuyUCoin, told Decrypt.

However, prediction markets reflect skepticism about an imminent, broad-based altcoin rally. Users on Myriad assign only a 19% chance that an alt season will occur before April 2026.

Still, the rotation of capital and investor interest is underpinned by strengthening fundamentals. The **total transaction count on the Ethereum network** has grown 6.8% to 2.05 million in 2026, spiking 31% since mid-December, highlighting increased adoption.

Will these conditions translate into short-term outperformance for Ethereum? Both experts see a path, though they emphasize different catalysts.

Thakral points to increased demand from **exchange-traded funds**, **Layer 2 adoption**, **fee burn dynamics**, **restaking growth**, and renewed **DeFi activity**. Xue looks to successful protocol upgrades such as **Fusaka**, the **Glamsterdam fork**, and **ERC-8004**, which could position Ethereum as the primary settlement layer for the new "Agentic AI" economy.

Although Ethereum’s year-to-date return of 11% already outperforms Bitcoin’s 8.5%, Thakral said that these moves are likely cyclical rather than a regime shift, at least without sustained support from improving macroeconomic and liquidity conditions.

Ethereum could narrow its performance gap with Bitcoin in 2026 as capital rotates and on-chain activity improves, Decrypt was told.

AARP Oklahoma Advocates for Legislation to Combat Cryptocurrency Scams

Summary:

AARP Oklahoma is supporting a new bill to combat cryptocurrency scams.

The bill aims to protect vulnerable individuals from fraud.

The author emphasizes the need for guardrails as cryptocurrency usage grows.

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IBIT ETF Dips 1.13% Today: What's Driving the Bitcoin ETF's Performance?

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Bitcoin + Gold Portfolio Crushes Traditional 60/40 Strategy: Ray Dalio's 15% Hedge Thesis Validated

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Other Latest News

IBIT ETF Dips 1.13% Today: What's Driving the Bitcoin ETF's Performance?

TD Cowen Slashes Strategy Price Target to $440 Amid Bitcoin Yield Concerns - What Investors Need to Know

NYC Mayor's Anti-Hate Memecoin Plunges in $1M Rug Pull Scandal

Bitcoin + Gold Portfolio Crushes Traditional 60/40 Strategy: Ray Dalio's 15% Hedge Thesis Validated

Ethereum's 2026 Breakout: Why ETH Could Finally Outpace Bitcoin