Ethereum

In a Sunday post on X, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin urged adding a "garbage collection" function to cut protocol bloat stemming from perpetual backward compatibility. He warned that excessive code and complex cryptography weaken trustlessness and self-sovereignty. His proposal targets fewer lines of code, reduced reliance on advanced primitives, and more invariants.

Blockchain security firm PeckShield reported that crypto hacks and scams collectively drained more than $4.04 billion in 2025, with $2.67 billion attributed to hacks and $1.37 billion to scams. Fraud-related losses increased about 64% year over year, driven by highly targeted phishing and impersonation campaigns aimed at high-value users, while major incidents such as Bybit's $1.51 billion breach underscored growing pressure on centralized platforms.

On January 17, 2026, Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko argued the chain's survival depends on continuous iteration, countering Vitalik Buterin's January 12 call for optional protocol ossification. He emphasized decentralized, developer-driven upgrades and disciplined governance. Recent metrics show 2.4 million daily active addresses (+5.64%) and $11.80 billion in DeFi TVL (+6.98%) amid a broader liquidity reset.

Between January 12 and January 16, 2026, BlackRock directed substantial capital into Bitcoin and Ethereum via its spot ETFs, with IBIT logging roughly $1.04 billion and ETHA about $219 million. Combined exposure reached about $1.25 billion for the week, while Bitcoin stood at $95,093 and Ethereum at $3,309 at press time.

On January 18, 2026 (9:08 AM UTC update), Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko argued that Solana must continually iterate to remain viable, signaling future versions that may not come from Anza, Solana Labs, or the Foundation. His stance contrasts with Vitalik Buterin's 2026 focus on decentralization, privacy, self-sovereignty and resistance to centralization.

Recent price action shows Ethereum breaking from its usual correlation with the Russell 2000, even as U.S. small-cap stocks continue to climb. At the same time, the ETH/BTC pair has risen about 8% since October, pointing to stronger relative demand for Ethereum and hinting at a potential shift in altcoin market dynamics.

BMNR is pursuing a 5% share of Ethereum’s supply and says it manages large ETH holdings with staking income, alongside a $200 million investment in Beast Industries. Analysts highlight recent multi‑million ETH buys and structural demand from Digital Asset Treasuries as they discuss a potential path toward a $12,000 year‑end price versus a $3,500 high.

On Saturday, Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko said on X that Solana must keep iterating and even envisaged network fees funding AI-assisted code updates. His comments contrasted with Vitalik Buterin's "walkaway test" vision for Ethereum, which emphasizes long-term self-sustainability without ongoing developer guidance.

Ethereum is holding above the 21-period EMA on the three-week chart, which several technical analysts view as a sign of ongoing strength rather than a major top. They interpret the current sideways action as reaccumulation within a broader uptrend, with a higher-probability scenario of further upside as long as this key support does not break.

Ethereum is maintaining a constructive structure, with price holding above the 1D Bull Market Support Band and the key 0.618 Fibonacci level around $3,100 while facing resistance near the $3,400 area. Analysts note that this sustained support, alongside ETH’s position above the Daily 200MA versus Bitcoin, indicates buyers remain in control despite recent rejections at the 0.5 Fibonacci zone. As long as these technical levels hold, the broader bullish outlook for ETH and the potential for a stronger altcoin market response remain in place.