ASTER is trading near a key resistance zone after a sharp rise in activity, 
with price compressing just below levels that previously capped upside. At 
press time, ASTER was changing hands at around $0.7402, down 1.5% on the day. 
Over…

Aster price eyes $0.76 resistance as Binance Wallet perps go live

The recently released draft of the CLARITY Act, a significant piece of 
legislation aimed at regulating the crypto market, has ignited a wave of 
criticism from supporters within the community. Initially, the bill was meant 
to include protections for developers. However, expert commentary suggests 
that it opens the door to continued prosecution of developers and enhances 
surveillance measures for users of non-custodial software. Crypto Market 
Structure Bill Draft Lacks Essential Protections Market expert Ryan Adams 
highlighted another key issue in the crypto bill, stating that if banks 
succeed in eliminating stablecoin yield provisions within the CLARITY Act, it 
would indicate that the Senate is prioritizing bank interests over those of 
the general public. Adams&#8217;s concerns were echoed by various users, who opined 
that the strategy appears orchestrated to allow banks to benefit by 
controlling how yields are managed and distributed. Related Reading: Zcash 
Foundation Investigation Closed: SEC Decision Sparks 12% Jump In ZEC Price An 
independent report by The Rage reinforces these worries, detailing how the 
proposed draft includes so-called developer protections that may fall short. 
Notably absent are safeguards against the rigorous implications of the Bank 
Secrecy Act (BSA) for self-custodial wallets. Additionally, the draft hints at 
possible applications to decentralized finance (DeFi) that could empower 
agencies to implement Travel Rule-like regulations, along with anti-money 
laundering (AML) measures targeting web-based interfaces and blockchain 
analysis firms. Per the report, the Senate has already received 137 amendments 
to the draft ahead of its markup, scheduled for January 15. A revised version 
of the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA) is also included, which has 
been seen as vital for protecting developers. BRCA Loopholes While the BRCA 
offers exemptions under AML and counter-terrorist financing regulations, it 
continues to leave developers vulnerable to accountability for the actions of 
users utilizing their software. The BRCA states that &#8220;non-controlling&#8221; 
developers—defined as those without unilateral control over digital asset 
transactions—will not be categorized as money transmitters under the relevant 
laws. However, this only alleviates certain charges and doesn&#8217;t prevent 
criminal liability for those whose software is misused. Pro-crypto Senator 
Cynthia Lummis remarked on this aspect of the BRCA, indicating that it retains 
all necessary AML protections, which implies that despite any positives, 
accountability remains a looming threat for developers. Simultaneously, the 
&#8220;Keep Your Coins Act&#8221; within the draft includes provisions claiming that 
federal agencies cannot prohibit self-custody of digital assets. However, 
further stipulations assert that this right does not prevent the application 
of laws concerning illicit finance, leaving loopholes for government 
intervention. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) past attempts to 
impose a broker rule that would classify decentralized finance services as 
intermediaries requiring reporting obligations have been echoed in the current 
draft. This time, the Senate Banking Committee appears to be leaning towards a 
similar regulatory approach, aiming to provide guidance on BSA and AML 
compliance for &#8220;non-decentralized finance protocols,&#8221; thereby raising concerns 
about the implications for crypto developers who maintain and update 
protocols. Privacy Concerns Mount Under the new sections, the Senate Banking 
Committee introduces a concept termed “Distributed Ledger Application Layers,” 
which the report claims invites scrutiny and creates compliance obligations 
for software applications that allow users to interact with decentralized 
finance protocols. The provisions also compel the Treasury to develop 
additional oversight mechanisms to mitigate exposure to illicit financing 
risks identified through distributed ledger analysis tools, effectively 
ensuring that crypto transactions remain under close scrutiny. Related 
Reading: The NYC Token Crash: Allegations Of Rug Pull After $2.5 Million 
Liquidity Withdrawal As it currently stands, the lack of robust protections 
for developers and users involved in privacy-enhancing technologies in this 
current draft suggests that the Senate’s proposal for market structure will do 
little to safeguard non-custodial developers. Instead, it further entrenches 
their vulnerability to government oversight and user surveillance. Ultimately, 
these developments present a significant challenge for privacy software users 
and developers. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

Crypto Market Bill Draft Criticized For Allowing Continued Developer Prosecution

Amazon&#8217;s investment risk highlights the volatility of retail partnerships and 
the potential financial instability impacting tech-retail collaborations.
The post Amazon&#8217;s $475M Saks Global investment at risk after bankruptcy filing 
appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Amazon’s $475M Saks Global investment at risk after bankruptcy filing

Saudi Arabia’s state-backed miner Ma’aden expanded its gold resource base by 
7.8 million ounces through new discoveries and drilling across four regions, 
led by a 3M‑ounce increase at Mansourah Massarah. Multi-Commodity Potential in 
the Arabian Shield The Saudi Arabian Mining Company has reported a significant 
expansion of its gold resource base after adding more than […]

Beyond the Barrel: Saudi Arabia Strikes 7-Million-Ounce Gold Vein in Pivot From Oil

Standard Chartered has pushed its base-case price target for Ethereum to 
$7,500 by the end of the year, a big jump from an earlier $4,000 projection. 
Related Reading: Bitcoin’s New Power Buyers: Companies Bought 3 Times What 
Miners Produced According to the bank’s digital assets team, growing demand 
from corporate treasury buyers and spot ETH products has driven the change in 
outlook. Bank Raises Ethereum Target The bank’s lead analyst expects fee 
growth on the Ethereum network and stronger institutional adoption to be key 
drivers for the move higher. The bank also revised its longer-term numbers, 
lifting its 2028 target to $25,000 and laying out scenarios that push toward 
$40,000 by 2030. These wider targets reflect models where stablecoins and 
tokenized assets expand on Ethereum’s chain. Institutional Buying Drives 
Demand Data cited by market researchers points to heavy accumulation since 
June, with spot ETF flows and treasury firms together taking close to 4% of 
Ether’s circulating supply over that period. ETHEREUM SEEN OUTPERFORMING 
BITCOIN Standard Chartered says Ethereum’s outlook has improved and it is 
likely to outperform bitcoin. While weak bitcoin performance has weighed on 
the broader crypto market, rising institutional demand for ethereum and its 
dominance in stablecoins,… — *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) January 13, 2026 
Treasury firms alone reportedly bought about 2.3 million ETH in just over two 
months, a pace that Standard Chartered says outstrips some previous 
accumulation phases seen in Bitcoin. Ethereum Vs. Bitcoin Standard Chartered’s 
note also argues that Ether could outperform Bitcoin, raising the possibility 
of the ETH/BTC ratio returning toward levels last seen during 2021’s run-up. 
Based on the bank’s scenarios, weaker Bitcoin momentum combined with stronger 
real-world use of Ethereum might lift Ether’s price faster than Bitcoin’s in 
the months ahead. Long-Term Upside Scenarios Some headlines have pointed to 
even bigger long-range targets produced by the same models, including 
forecasts of $30,000 by 2029 and $40,000 by 2030 under more bullish 
assumptions. These outcomes rely on a substantial expansion of stablecoin use, 
tokenized real-world assets, and continued staking demand that would remove 
supply from the market. Independent forecasters remain split, and other banks 
have offered lower year-end projections, offering a reminder that expert views 
differ. Meanwhile, market watchers caution, though, that relative moves depend 
heavily on ETF flows and corporate balance-sheet decisions. Related Reading: 
Bitcoin At $100K Could Spark A Fresh Wave Of Retail FOMO, Analysts Warn 
Network Fundamentals And Risks According to the bank, Ethereum’s large share 
of stablecoin activity and its role in decentralized finance make fee income 
and on-chain demand a meaningful part of valuation models. That said, the bank 
notes that scale improvements and Layer 1 throughput will matter a lot if big, 
traditional finance transactions migrate onchain. The research also warns that 
shifts in macro conditions, outflows from major ETFs, or regulatory setbacks 
could change the math quickly. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from 
TradingView

Cryptocurrency price in LKR