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The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has created a new committee to help oversee blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) technology .

Crypto majors are mostly flat headed into Monday open; btc even at $90,600; eth +1% at $3,110, sol +2% at $140; xrp -2% to $2.04. Ip (+20%) and xmr (+15%) led top movers; xmr hit a new ath at $590. Fed chair Jerome Powell released a video message claiming that the criminal charges he faces are due to his not cutting interest rates in line with Trump’s wishes. X (twitter) announced plans for “smart cashtags” to show crypto and stock prices live next to tickers. Vaneck projected bitcoin could reach $53m by 2050, outlining long-term adoption, trade settlement and store-of-value assumptions driving 29% annual growth. Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) raised $15b to fund American Dynanism, with ai and crypto at the forefront. Ripple received FCA approval to scale crypto payments in the uk. Bny mellon debuted tokenized deposits for institutional and digital-native clients. A new house bill would bar lawmakers and federal officials from using prediction markets. Tether froze $182m in usdt linked to Venezuela oil trades.

A group of big-name investment firms says they’re prepared to start negotiating Venezuela’s defaulted government bonds worth $60 billion, setting the stage for what could be one of the largest sovereign debt workouts in recent decades. The Venezuela Creditor Committee, which includes Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, and Greylock Capital Management, put out a statement Friday saying they’re ready to negotiate once they get authorization. According to the group, a successful debt restructuring would “accelerate financing across all sectors of the Venezuelan economy” as reported by Bloomberg. This comes as relations between Caracas and Washington have started to thaw following a US military operation that ousted President Nicolas Maduro. Acting leader Delcy Rodriguez has indicated she’s willing to work with the Trump administration to ramp up oil production and stabilize the economy. The political shake-up sparked a rally in Venezuelan bonds, which have been in default since 2017. Government notes due in 2027 jumped more than 10 cents this week — the largest weekly gain since 2023. Debt from state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, also moved higher. The recent surge in Venezuelan bonds has attracted attention from ETF managers and distressed debt investors. Bondholders are optimistic that negotiations could happen as soon as this year, but timing depends heavily on politics. Venezuela remains under US economic sanctions that prevent it from accessing capital markets, which is critical for any restructuring. Questions also loom over the oil industry’s future, since revenue from oil will determine the nation’s ability to repay its debts. $170 Billion Debt Mountain When you factor in Venezuela’s past-due interest on bonds, loans and other obligations, total debt is estimated at as much as $170 billion. That would make this one of the biggest restructurings in decades. The creditor committee met Monday to discuss developments in Venezuela, according to people familiar with the matter. Some members agreed that Maduro’s removal speeds up the timeline for a potential restructuring. One proposal the committee is considering would combine Venezuela’s sovereign and PDVSA debt into a single restructuring. That would give the country a single baseline for pricing its debt and make the process easier to understand, one person said. The group formed around eight years ago, after Venezuela started defaulting on its financial debt following a first round of US sanctions. It’s represented by Thomas Laryea of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, and also includes Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co, Fidera, HBK Capital Management, Mangart Capital, T. Rowe Price Associates, and VR Advisory Services Ltd. US Banks Eye Venezuela Opportunities US involvement in Venezuela’s oil sector offers potential opportunities for international banks. JPMorgan Chase appears well-positioned due to its history in the country and past involvement with international trade financing. Several banks including JPMorgan and Citigroup historically operated in Venezuela but reduced operations or pulled out over the last few decades. US banks now may have opportunities in trade financing or financing investment in oil infrastructure, one source familiar with the situation said. There would still be significant challenges to doing business, even with Venezuela under an interim government. JPMorgan could have an edge in the country, where it’s had a presence for 60 years. While JPM curtailed its banking and stock trading operation in 2002, it kept a dormant office in Caracas for many years, according to a second source. It could be reactivated as needed. The Department of Energy said Wednesday that proceeds from oil would settle in US-controlled accounts at global banks. ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance said Friday at a White House meeting that US banks including the Export-Import Bank may need to be involved in financing Venezuela oil investments. For JPMorgan, there could be several avenues for involvement. One idea floated within the bank was creating a trade bank to finance oil exports, a third source said, without specifying if official discussions were taking place. The bank has a strong presence in oil-producing regions such as the Middle East and Africa. It has historical precedence here, it led the consortium of banks that operated Trade Bank of Iraq, set up in 2003 after the US-led invasion. JPMorgan could also use funds from its Security and Resiliency Initiative, a $1.5 trillion 10-year plan unveiled last year to finance areas such as critical minerals, where Venezuela has deep resources, the second source said. Currently, the bank trades Venezuelan sovereign bonds that aren’t under sanctions with offshore counterparties, the source said. Separately, an industry source said there could be opportunities for restructuring, financing deals and within energy that banks would be interested in. White House Remains Cautious A White House official said President Trump’s administration is carefully evaluating all options, prioritizing the best interests of the American people. Any announcement will come directly from the administration; anything else is purely speculation. US banks have done business in Latin America for decades, but the share of revenue from the region is small. In 2024, JPMorgan Chase’s share of the Latin America/Caribbean region accounted for 2.19% of its global revenue. But while Venezuela has only 0.1% share of global GDP, it has broader importance. “Venezuela … is a country with huge geopolitical and economic significance,” Deutsche Bank economists said in a note published Jan. 5, citing oil reserves. Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .

India’s stock market has experienced a massive sell-off amid rising macro uncertainty. The country’s heavyweight Reliance Industries dragged its stock benchmarks into their worst performance in months as investors brace for imminent U.S. tariffs. India’s equity market has pulled back sharply, pulling its benchmark shares along. The heavyweight Reliance Industries has declined sharply following rising concerns of possible renewed U.S. tariff hikes on Indian exports to the U.S. As a result, Indian benchmark indices recorded their worst single-day drop in four months. The last time India’s stock market experienced such a steep decline was on August 26, 2021. India benchmarks fall alongside the country’s stock market Source: Google Finance . Indian benchmark indices fall. Data from Google Finance shows that the Sensex index declined by 0.93% while the Nifty 50 index lost 1.04%. The two benchmark indices have declined by 1.8% and 1.7% respectively, in the last seven days. Equities in all 16 major sectors in the Asian country ended lower on Thursday due to consistent outflows that reigned the markets despite fresh efforts and surprise interventions by the Reserve Bank of India . Indian seafood exporters Apex Frozen and Avanti Feeds also fell by 7.8% and 8.6% respectively. Gokaldas Exports and Pearl Global Industries suffered considerable losses amid the chaos, with near double-digit declines. Gokaldas Exports declined by 8.5% while Pearl Global dropped by 7.9%. Gokaldas Exports and Pearl Global Industries are publicly listed Indian apparel manufacturers and exporters on the Indian stock exchange. The two companies derive more than half of their revenue from the U.S. market and were therefore among the most affected. Metal shares declined by 3.4% logging their most significant single-day decline in nine months. On the other hand, Gas and oil stocks (NIFOILGAS) experienced their worst session in nine months, dipping 2.8%. Reliance Industries lost 2.2% as investors assessed Trump’s plan to import Venezuelan crude oil. The IT index also fell, shedding 2% after recording 2.4% gains in the last two sessions. Larsen & Toubro, as well as BHEL, lost 3.1% and 10.5%, respectively. The Indian rupee also ended lower on Thursday as investors remain cautious. Foreigners who had invested in the country’s stock market have liquidated shares worth $900 million since the beginning of the year, despite achieving record sales of $19 billion in 2022. Anita Gandhi, head of institutional business at Arihant Capital Markets, said that the markets are not “comfortable with the uncertainty over tariffs,” citing an imminent move by the U.S government to hike tariffs on Indian exports. Trump could hike India’s tariffs from 50% to 500% India is the second-largest buyer of Russian crude, and the United States is considering imposing tariffs of up to 500% if the Asian country continues to import Russian crude oil. The U.S. had warned India of higher tariffs over the matter of crude oil trading. A previous report by Cryptopolitan, dated January 7, noted that India was still trading with Russia despite urging the U.S. government to halve tariffs on Indian goods. The U.S. has imposed tariffs of up to 50% on its exports to the U.S. The report mentioned that India reached out to the White House and attempted to negotiate a tariff cut, stating that it had reduced its trade relations with Russia over crude oil. The report referenced data from an energy analysis indicating that India’s importation of Russian crude oil declined in December. However, the decline did not emanate from the state’s purchases. The analysis revealed that the drop was recorded following Reliance Industries’ importation, which occurred after U.S. sanctions were imposed on Lukoil and Rosneft. Mukesh Ambani owns Reliance and has been purchasing large quantities of Russian crude before the sanctions were imposed. If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter .

Saudi Arabian equities rallied on Wednesday after regulators announced reforms that will allow all foreign investors direct access to the kingdom’s stock market. The Tadawul All Share Index climbed as much as 2.5% on Wednesday, its biggest intraday gain since September, after the Saudi Capital Market Authority said it would remove the restrictions that limited who could invest in local equities. According to a Bloomberg report , the stock market legislative changes revealed late Tuesday deleted a requirement for foreign investors to meet specific eligibility criteria before investing in Saudi-listed stocks. The new rules now enable non-resident investors to invest directly in the main market starting February 1. Saudi stock market up 2.5% after foreign investment launch change Opening the market to global investors, the Capital Market Authority said, dismantles the “Qualified Foreign Investor regime,” and that foreign participation has grown significantly in recent years. Reuters reported that foreign investor ownership in the Saudi capital market exceeded 590 billion riyals, or about $157.3 billion, by the end of the third quarter. The numbers are much higher than 498 billion riyals counted the previous year. International investments in the Main Market alone reached approximately 519 billion riyals during the same period. Per data from Google Finance during Wednesday’s morning trading session, banking, energy stocks drove much of Wednesday’s gains. Al Rajhi Bank, one of the kingdom’s largest lenders, trended upwards by 2.1%, while State oil giant Saudi Aramco added 1.1%. Shares of Saudi exchange operator Tadawul Group surged as much as 7%, its sharpest move upwards since late September. The rally also came on the heels of an anticipation from the market that regulators could ease up on rules regarding ownership limits. Market participants are now waiting for a possible decision to raise the current 49% ceiling on foreign ownership in listed companies. According to an analysis by Asharq Business, raising the ownership ceiling could draw in more capital into the country’s economy. JP Morgan has also predicted that lifting the cap to 100% could attract an extra $10.6 billion into Saudi equities. While Saudi stocks surged, equity markets elsewhere in the Arabian Gulf had more muted moves. Dubai’s benchmark stock index edged up by a meager 0.1%, supported by a 2.9% gain in Air Arabia and a 0.5% uptick in toll road operator Salik. In Abu Dhabi, the benchmark index was largely unchanged due to losses in technology, utilities and consumer staples that offset gains from other industries. Alpha Data fell 1.2% and Presight AI dropped 0.9%, while Alpha Dhabi Holding gained 0.6% and Dana Gas rose 3.4%. Saudi energy exports and growth numbers heat economic optimism Saudi Arabia’s economic state has provided some support for equities, with its oil exports climbing to 70,106 million riyals in October, up from 69,333 million riyals last September. Over the long term, oil exports have averaged more than 112,000 million riyals annually since 2006, peaking at nearly 339,000 million riyals in March 2012 before hitting a record low in May 2020. Standard Chartered Global Research expects Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product to expand by 4.5% in 2026, outpacing the projected global growth average of 3.4%. The forecast is in tandem with the International Monetary Fund’s October report, which projects Saudi GDP growth of about 4% in both 2025 and 2026. “While the 2026 growth outlook for Saudi Arabia is strong, it comes with elevated downside risks to oil prices, a sector set to make a comeback in the next year,” Mazen Bunyan, CEO of Standard Chartered Saudi Arabia, said. The leading country by oil reserves is Venezuela, but the South American country exports relatively little crude after years of underinvestment and economic strain. US President Donald Trump said that following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, America will “have very large oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, to spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, and start making money for the country.” Sharpen your strategy with mentorship + daily ideas - 30 days free access to our trading program

Brian Quintenz , once nominated by US President Donald Trump to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has joined the board of SUI SUI Group .

This weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro had been seized and Washington would take control of the country’s oil industry. The episode has stirred debate across crypto circles, with BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes arguing that cheaper energy and aggressive credit growth could set the stage for higher digital asset prices. Trump’s Venezuela Move Rattles Geopolitics, Not Crypto Markets The news broke on January 3, when U.S. officials said Maduro and his wife were taken into custody following attacks in Caracas, a development Trump later discussed in media appearances the same day. He also said the U.S. would be “strongly involved” in Venezuela’s oil sector, a remark that quickly spread across X and trading desks. Despite the shock value, Bitcoin (BTC) barely flinched, slipping from just under $91,000 to about $89,000 before stabilizing. By January 4, as more details emerged, the largest cryptocurrency rebounded to a multi-week high near $92,000, adding roughly $3,000 from its post-attack low. Tokens tied to Trump-themed projects also outperformed, reflecting a bout of speculative interest, while traders waited for oil futures to reopen. On social media, Hayes weighed in with a long post that mixed satire with macro views. Setting aside the theatrics, his core point was simple: U.S. politics, especially ahead of the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race, are tied closely to economic conditions. In his view, keeping gasoline prices low matters more to voters than most policy debates, and control over Venezuelan supply could help Washington restrain energy costs while expanding credit elsewhere. This, he believes, could lead to unchecked dollar creation, since, with oil prices suppressed, there will be no market force to compel politicians to “stop printing money.” Hayes said that in such an environment, the price of Bitcoin will rise directly in response to the expansion of dollar liquidity. The crypto entrepreneur referenced his “USD Liquidity Conditions Index” as evidence of this historical relationship, stating, “Bitcoin’s rise directly results from money printing.” He contrasted this with traditional financial assets like government bonds, which become less attractive if energy costs are high and volatile. Why Oil and Bitcoin Are Now Tightly Linked At the time of writing, Bitcoin was up about 1% on the day, nearly 7% over the last week, and close to 5% in the past month. The asset traded between $92,000 and $94,600 in the last 24 hours, showing controlled volatility despite the geopolitical noise. For now, markets appear to be betting that U.S. control of Venezuelan oil will add supply rather than disrupt it. If that assumption holds, Hayes believes loose fiscal policy could continue, lifting risk assets. However, should crude prices climb, and bond yields follow, the tone could change quickly. Until then, Bitcoin’s calm response suggests traders are focused less on headlines and more on the liquidity picture behind them. The post Arthur Hayes: Low Oil Prices Could Trigger a Bitcoin Bull Run appeared first on CryptoPotato .

China’s oil buyers are walking away from Venezuelan crude. Prices are no longer cheap, and U.S. warships are tightening the squeeze. The discount on Merey crude, Venezuela’s export grade, has narrowed from $15 below Brent to $13 below, according to Bloomberg. It’s not a small change too. With China being Venezuela’s biggest customer, the impact is immediate. Bloomberg data shows crude loadings to China fell hard last month. The naval blockade has choked exports, and shippers are demanding more to move sanctioned barrels. Sellers have passed those costs onto buyers, who now want no part of it. Traders say refiners in China are waiting it out, especially since they already have full tanks and don’t see strong demand for road-building materials right now. Buyers hold off as floating storage builds up Merey is mostly used for making bitumen. But China’s construction slowdown is keeping that demand low. Refiners are stocked up, so they can afford to wait for prices to fall again. There’s no rush to buy when storage is full and outlook is soft. They also have a backup plan. Tankers carrying 82 million barrels of sanctioned oil, including Venezuelan, are sitting off the coasts of China and Malaysia. That’s data from Kpler. It’s enough to act as a cushion if U.S. pressure tightens even more. If shipments dry up, that floating stockpile will be first in line. The current supply crunch goes deeper than prices. It’s also political. President Nicolás Maduro was captured over the weekend in a U.S. operation that threw the whole game board into the air. Brent rose to nearly $62 per barrel, jumping 1.7% the day after his arrest. Markets are betting this shake-up means Venezuela could return to oil production, if the U.S. gets its way. Washington wants someone new in charge. And they’ve already picked their favorite: Delcy Rodríguez. She’s been Maduro’s No. 2 and served as oil minister. Executives, lawyers, and oil lobbyists pushed her name hard to U.S. officials, saying she’s the best option to restart the sector. They claim she’s got the right mix of insider knowledge and business ties to make it work. Rodríguez takes office as oil players seek U.S. sanctions relief A source allegedly said , “Delcy has always been the one we dealt with. If anyone can get production running again, it’s her.” That same source said top oil executives told the Trump administration she’s the only realistic option to restore output quickly and reopen China’s buying. Trump’s advisors came to the same conclusion. They believe Rodríguez can cut deals, stabilize the economy, and connect the private sector to the state faster than opposition leader María Corina Machado ever could. Rodríguez, now sworn in as acting president by the National Assembly, gave a fiery speech on Saturday. She called Maduro’s capture a “kidnapping” and demanded his return. But insiders say the speech was just cover, meant to protect her from backlash while she quietly locks down control. Chevron, the only U.S. oil firm still operating in Venezuela , said it had “no advance notice of the recent operation” and had “no discussions with administration officials.” A spokesperson said the company is still running in full compliance with local rules and American law. Still, companies want things to move fast. The pressure is on the Trump team to lift sanctions now so Rodríguez can actually deliver. “There is no time to waste,” one source said. In December, Venezuela had to shut down some wells because there was nowhere left to store oil blocked from export. If this continues, Rodríguez risks losing whatever grip she’s managed to get. There are fears that more shut-ins could crash production even further, wreck the economy, and weaken Rodríguez before she even starts. But so far, she seems to be gaining ground. She’s using Maduro’s old network to keep things running, at least for now. Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free .

Bitcoin mining electricity costs could fall if Venezuelan oil production increases, though it may take several years before the benefits are fully realized, Bitfinex analysts say.