Regulators gain wider discretion to vet shareholders, finances and controls as 
South Korea tightens crypto market access.

South Korea tightens crypto licensing rules for exchanges and shareholders

Silver’s parabolic run toward $119 pits bubble warnings against structural 
deficits, with crypto traders watching for a classic blow-off or a lasting 
squeeze. Silver’s vertical climb to a record $119 an ounce has lit up 
terminals—and set off alarm bells…

Silver traders face make-or-break test at $115–$120 an ounce, where does crypto stand?

Universal announces USDU as the first USD‑backed stablecoin registered by the 
Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates for compliant digital‑asset 
settlement. Universal Digital Intl Limited, regulated by the Financial 
Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), 
announces in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 29, 2026, that USDU is registered by the 
Central […]

Universal Launches UAE Central Bank‑Registered USD Stablecoin

OpenAI’s hint that it may build a social app focused on real humans sent one 
crypto token climbing fast this week. Traders moved quickly after reports 
surfaced that the new service would try to block bots by using biometric 
checks. Prices jumped, chatter rose, and a few questions followed close 
behind. Related Reading: Something Big Is Brewing In XRP DeFi—And 91 Million 
Tokens Tell The Story Markets React To Biometric Rumors According to Forbes 
and several market outlets, OpenAI is quietly exploring a “humans-only” social 
platform. Reports say the project is still small, run by a roughly 10-person 
team inside the company. The idea would be to verify real users with biometric 
tools — either existing phone systems like Face ID or iris scans similar to 
the ones used by Worldcoin’s Orb. Worldcoin’s token, WLD, surged sharply on 
the news, hitting gains as high as 33% during the initial trading spike. That 
move was partly speculative. Prices later pulled back, but trading volume 
stayed elevated and volatility increased. WLD climbed from $0.51 to $0.68 in 
the last 24 hours, data from Coingecko shows. How Proof Of Personhood Could Be 
Used Proof of personhood aims to tell a platform which accounts are run by 
actual people and which ones are automated. Reports note that using biometrics 
would make it harder for bots to create fake accounts, but that approach 
raises new hurdles. For example, devices and systems must be trusted to check 
identity without sharing private data. Worldcoin’s model pairs an iris scan 
with a cryptographic claim. That claim is meant to prove uniqueness while 
hiding the raw biometric image. The technical detail matters. How the checks 
are stored, who holds the keys, and whether users can opt out will shape 
public acceptance. The Identity Project News outlets first published the 
OpenAI report late last week. Markets reacted in real time. Social posts 
amplified the rumor, and media pieces linked the plan back to Worldcoin 
because Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, helped start the identity project. No formal 
announcement has been made by OpenAI or by Worldcoin. Everything on the table 
is based on reporting from unnamed sources. It should be clear that plans can 
change, and that early reports often overstate certainty. Related Reading: 
PayPal Survey: 4 In 10 US Merchants Now Accept Crypto Privacy And Policy 
Questions Loom Policy experts were quick to point out issues. Biometrics are 
sensitive data. Laws in different countries treat them in different ways. 
Reports have disclosed that regulators will likely ask how consent is 
gathered, how long data is kept, and whether people can use alternatives to 
biometric checks. Security is also a concern: if a verification system is 
breached, the consequences could be serious. Some civil rights groups already 
say that any mass biometric system deserves close scrutiny. Featured image 
from Nelson Dai, chart from TradingView

Worldcoin Jumps Over 30% As OpenAI Plans To Develop A Bot-Free Rival To X

BlackRock warns long-term government bonds have lost their safety role, 
pushing investors to consider Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana as alternative risk 
plays. BlackRock is telling clients to stop treating government bonds as the 
automatic safety net in a crisis—a shift…

Cryptocurrency price in PHP