ZKP Leads 2026 Crypto Surge as Market Hits $3.23T
**Crypto in January 2026: Market Hits $3.23 Trillion and ZKP Stands Out**
The crypto market is booming this January 2026, with the total market cap surging past $3.23 trillion. Investors are pouring millions into new projects, especially during presales. Right now, two coins getting a lot of attention are Ozak AI and Bitcoin Hyper. However, experts are warning that these projects solve only small problems — which could limit how far they grow in the long run.
That’s why many analysts are shifting focus to a different kind of crypto project: Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP). Unlike single-use coins, ZKP is built to do much more. It’s being called a “Liquidity Vacuum” because it pulls value away from older, less advanced blockchains. It’s completely independent and creates everything within its own system.
**ZKP: A 4-Layer Blockchain That’s Changing the Game**
ZKP is not just another crypto token. It’s a full-scale 4-layer blockchain that combines:
– A fast Layer 1 base
– Strong privacy features
– Decentralized storage
– A complete operating ecosystem
Together, these layers form what experts are calling a “Gravity Well” — a force that attracts users and value from outdated chains like Ethereum (which has high storage fees) and Solana (which lacks privacy). ZKP fixes all of these problems in one system.
The technology is already live. Unlike many projects that launch with a roadmap and no product, ZKP built its system first. The team invested $100 million of their own money before accepting any outside funds. That means there’s no execution risk — it’s ready to use now.
Daily auctions and a $50,000 buy cap keep demand steady and fair. A viral $5 million giveaway is also drawing major attention. These features are creating a constant shortage of available tokens, driving up demand.
Experts believe this setup could push ZKP to grow by 6000x. They’re calling it the “Amazon of crypto” — a massive opportunity still priced like a small startup.
**Why ZKP Is the Best Crypto Presale in 2026**
While Ozak AI and Bitcoin Hyper are strong projects with real use cases, they each focus on just one thing.
– Ozak AI is about financial prediction models.
– Bitcoin Hyper upgrades Bitcoin using Layer-2 tech to make it programmable.
ZKP goes much further. It’s an all-in-one platform that includes speed, privacy, storage, and scalability — all built into one chain. That’s why analysts believe it will dominate the market over time.
This unique setup makes ZKP the top crypto presale right now for anyone looking for big returns in 2026. If you’re searching for the next breakout crypto that does more than just one thing, ZKP may be your best bet.
**Ozak AI: A Smart Bet on AI-Powered Finance**
Ozak AI is gaining traction fast during its Phase 7 presale. With over $5.63 million raised and the price at just $0.014, early buyers see a big potential gain before it hits its $1.00 listing target.
The project uses Prediction Agents — AI tools that analyze financial data to make smarter investment decisions. On January 15, Ozak AI announced a partnership with Openledger to ensure its data remains secure and tamper-proof.
Analysts are calling Ozak AI one of the most underpriced AI crypto projects of 2026. With over 1.08 billion tokens already sold, time is running out to get in at this low price.
**Bitcoin Hyper: Upgrading Bitcoin with Layer-2 Power**
Bitcoin Hyper is taking off in the Layer-2 world, raising nearly $30 million so far. The token is priced around $0.0135 during its late-stage presale.
The project’s key feature is its Canonical Bridge — a system that connects Bitcoin with the high-speed Solana Virtual Machine. This makes Bitcoin fully programmable for the first time.
With Bitcoin’s price crossing $95,000, investors are looking for high-growth projects linked to it. Bitcoin Hyper is one of them.
There’s also growing excitement due to its mention in the CFTC Innovation Committee — a group known for backing practical, compliant blockchain solutions. The team plans to launch after Bitcoin hits $100k, so the window to buy early is closing quickly.
**Final Thoughts: Why ZKP Leads the Pack**
Yes, Ozak AI brings powerful AI prediction tools to crypto. And Bitcoin Hyper makes Bitcoin programmable through Layer-2 upgrades. Both are exciting and have attracted millions in investment.
But ZKP does what no other project can right now — it combines speed, privacy, storage, and decentralization in one unified blockchain. This makes it a complete ecosystem rather than just a single-use tool.
With daily auctions creating strong demand and features built for mass adoption, ZKP is positioned as the best crypto presale of 2026 for those seeking massive long-term gains.
If you’re looking for a project with real tech, real use cases, and real growth potential — ZKP should be at the top of your list.
12 Crypto Trends to Watch in 2026: Keyrock & Dune Insights
Keyrock and Dune have launched a new dashboard called “12 Charts to Watch in 2026,” offering a detailed look at how the crypto market might evolve next year. The goal is simple: use real data to make bold predictions about where crypto is heading — from liquidity and asset growth to payment rails and institutional adoption.
Each of the 12 charts shows a live dataset along with a specific forecast for 2026. Together, they give us a clear roadmap of how core parts of the crypto ecosystem — like trading, payments, token issuance, and funding — are maturing and becoming more stable and institutional.
**Prediction Markets: Big Growth Ahead**
Prediction markets are expected to see major growth. After a huge spike in 2025, where weekly volume jumped 9.2x to nearly $5 billion, platforms like Kalshi, Polymarket, and Opinion now dominate the space with over 98% market share. Keyrock predicts that this will grow even more in 2026 — expecting $25 billion in weekly volume and a similar rise in open interest as more people place longer-term bets.
**Tokenization of Real-World Assets (RWAs)**
Another area seeing momentum is tokenization. This refers to bringing traditional financial assets like treasury bills and private credit onchain. Keyrock is tracking non-stablecoin tokenized assets and says their total value grew by 3.4x in 2025. For 2026, they forecast more than 4x growth, especially in tokenized cash products and private loans. There’s also early movement in equities and ETFs as regulations catch up.
**x402 Payments Protocol: AI Spending with Stablecoins**
A new payments protocol called x402, introduced by Coinbase in 2025, is also on the radar. It allows software and AI agents to pay for services using stablecoins. Keyrock expects x402 to cross $100 million in weekly volume in 2026, calling it an early sign of “machine-native commerce” starting to become real.
**Onchain Asset Management: Vaults Go Mainstream**
Vaults, a key tool for managing crypto assets, are also growing fast. In 2025, the focus was on improving the products. In 2026, it’s all about getting them to more users. Keyrock expects total vault AUM (assets under management) to triple to $36 billion by year-end. They also predict that at least one major traditional finance firm will offer vault-based yields directly onchain.
**Crypto Derivatives: Depth Is Key**
Derivatives like perpetual futures are a stress test for how mature crypto markets are. The share of futures trading happening on decentralized exchanges (DEXs) versus centralized ones (CEXs) jumped from 6.34% to 21% in 2025. Keyrock sees open interest — how much risk is actively held — as the key metric here. They predict onchain perpetual open interest will exceed $50 billion in 2026.
**Buybacks: Returning Value to Token Holders**
Token buybacks are becoming a popular way for protocols to return value to users. In 2025, platforms like Hyperliquid and Raydium ran multi-million-dollar buyback programs. For 2026, Keyrock expects weekly buyback spending to double and shift toward smarter models that adjust based on market conditions rather than fixed percentages.
**Solana MEV: Fixing Unfair Rewards**
On Solana, miner extractable value (MEV) became a hot issue. Tip-based MEV rewards fell sharply — from 100,000 SOL (about $25 million) down to just 1,000 SOL (about $139K). Keyrock highlights the Block Assembly Marketplace (BAM) as a better way to fairly distribute MEV rewards by using pricing mechanisms set by apps instead of relying on sudden tip spikes.
**Privacy and Ethereum Data Fees**
Keyrock also tracks privacy by monitoring “shielded ZEC” deposits. These are expected to grow from 4.9 million to over 7 million by the end of 2026. On Ethereum, they’re watching blob fees — which are tied to storing data onchain — predicting that the average hourly cost per blob will reach at least $0.05 over the year.
**Crypto Payments: Real-World Usage Rising**
Crypto card usage is gaining ground with real consumers. The report forecasts that at least one month in 2026 will see $500 million spent using crypto debit or credit cards. This signals growing mainstream adoption of crypto for everyday purchases.
**Traditional Finance and Bitcoin ETFs**
Traditional finance continues merging with crypto through products like spot Bitcoin ETFs. Keyrock expects ETF holdings to surpass 2.5 million BTC in 2026, with positive net inflows happening in at least eight different months — showing strong investor interest.
**Stablecoin Borrowing Rates: More Stability Needed**
Finally, stablecoin borrowing rates — specifically USDC on Aave — are being watched closely. Rates varied a lot in 2025, ranging from 2.4% to nearly 10%. Keyrock isn’t focused on the rate level itself but wants to see more stability in rates over time. Their prediction: the average volatility of USDC borrow rates drops below 0.25%, down from around 0.40 last year — making it more viable for long-term institutional strategies.
As of now, the total crypto market cap stands at $3.25 trillion, reflecting how far the space has come — and hinting at even bigger things ahead in 2026.
Morgan Stanley’s Q4 Profit Surges on Deals, Crypto Push
**Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Revenue Soars 47% in Q4, Driven by Deals and Debt Underwriting**
Morgan Stanley wrapped up a strong fourth quarter, beating Wall Street’s expectations with a big jump in investment banking revenue. The bank saw its investment banking income rise by 47% compared to the same period last year, reaching $2.41 billion, up from $1.64 billion. This surge was mainly fueled by a wave of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and a boom in debt underwriting.
Global dealmaking crossed $5.1 trillion in 2025, thanks to optimism around artificial intelligence and the possibility of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. This encouraged companies to make strategic moves, including mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs.
Morgan Stanley CFO Sharon Yeshaya said the bank is seeing growing momentum in M&A and IPO activity, especially in sectors like healthcare and industrials. Private equity firms are also getting more active, choosing between selling companies through M&A deals or launching IPOs.
For Q4, Morgan Stanley reported earnings of $2.68 per share, well above the $2.44 analysts expected. The bank also raised its quarterly dividend, showing confidence in its financial strength.
**Record Annual Revenue and Strong Market Performance**
The bank’s total annual revenue hit an all-time high of $70.65 billion. Morgan Stanley shares jumped over 4% in morning trading and gained 41% in 2025—outperforming the S&P 500 but still trailing competitor Goldman Sachs.
Despite the upbeat performance, new CEO Ted Pick cautioned about ongoing geopolitical tensions and a challenging global economy. He emphasized that while Morgan Stanley remains open to future acquisitions, it would be careful and selective, especially given high valuations across many markets.
**Institutional Securities and IPO Advisory Work Take Off**
Morgan Stanley’s institutional securities division, which includes trading and investment banking, posted $7.93 billion in revenue—slightly higher than analysts’ expectations.
Debt underwriting revenue nearly doubled to $785 million due to more companies issuing bonds. Equity underwriting also rose 8.6%, boosted by high demand for follow-on stock offerings and convertible bonds.
The bank played a key role in some of the biggest IPOs of late 2025, including electric aircraft company BETA Technologies, tax advisory firm Andersen Group, and Medline—the largest IPO of the year.
Morgan Stanley also advised Meta on its joint venture with Blue Owl Capital to build the Hyperion data center in Louisiana. It worked on other major deals too, such as IBM’s $11 billion purchase of data platform Confluent.
**Wealth Management Hits New Highs**
The wealth management division also delivered strong results, with revenue jumping 13% to $8.43 billion for the quarter. For the year, it brought in record revenue and ended Q4 managing $9.3 trillion in client assets—getting closer to its goal of $10 trillion.
A chunk of new assets came from investment banking clients who turned to Morgan Stanley for wealth advice after closing deals. Wealth management is a steady source of income for the bank, helping cushion it against more volatile areas like trading.
The unit had a post-tax profit margin of 21.3%, with pre-tax margins around 30%. Fee-based asset flows reached $45.6 billion during the quarter.
**Investment Management Also Breaks Records**
Morgan Stanley’s investment management arm brought in a record $6.5 billion in net revenue for the year. The strong performance across both wealth and asset management reflects the bank’s strategy to focus on stable, long-term revenue sources.
UBS analyst Erika Najarian highlighted Morgan Stanley’s strong start to the new year, pointing out that the bank exceeded expectations in both wealth management and investment banking.
**Big Move Into Crypto**
In a bold step into digital assets, Morgan Stanley recently applied for approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Solana, and Ethereum.
This comes as crypto markets receive renewed support from political figures and favorable regulations. Analysts believe that factors like fiscal stimulus and tax refunds could further drive interest in crypto investments this year.
**Key Takeaways**
– Investment banking revenue jumped 47% year-over-year.
– Total annual revenue hit a record $70.65 billion.
– Strong M&A and IPO activity boosted fees.
– Wealth management grew to $9.3 trillion in assets.
– The bank is expanding into crypto ETFs.
– Shares rose more than 4%, with 41% gains in 2025.
Morgan Stanley’s strong performance across multiple divisions positions it well for future growth—even as it stays cautious amid global uncertainties.
Arthur Hayes: Bitcoin Could Soar on Looser US Policy
Bitcoin could reach new all-time highs if the U.S. loosens its monetary policy next year, according to BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes. He believes that more money moving through the financial system could give Bitcoin and other risk assets a strong boost in 2026.
Hayes points to several signs that the U.S. might pump more money into the economy. These include the Federal Reserve possibly expanding its balance sheet by printing more money, mortgage rates dropping as lenders relax their standards, and banks increasing loans to industries backed by government programs. All of this would mean more dollar liquidity—essentially, more cash flowing through the markets—which tends to benefit assets like Bitcoin.
In 2025, Bitcoin dropped by 15%, while gold surged 44%. Meanwhile, tech stocks led the way in the S&P 500, delivering a 25% return compared to the overall market’s 18% gain. Hayes says this shows where money was flowing, not that Bitcoin was no longer valuable. It’s all about where investors see opportunity and where liquidity ends up.
He also pointed out that governments are putting a lot of money into tech projects, especially in artificial intelligence (AI). Both China and the U.S. have used executive orders and public funding to support AI development. This kind of support has helped tech companies attract major investments, even if they’re not making big profits right now.
Hayes mentioned former U.S. President Donald Trump when discussing policy moves that favor AI investments. He believes these policies are one reason why tech-heavy indexes like the Nasdaq did well even as Bitcoin struggled.
On another note, Hayes made a bold claim about military spending. He said the U.S. will continue to use its military power, which requires large-scale production and financing through banks. If banks start funding these big government-backed projects, it could add even more liquidity to the system—again boosting risk assets like Bitcoin.
Recently, U.S. inflation data came in lower than expected, which helped push Bitcoin close to $97,000—a gain of over 5% in just 24 hours. Other major cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano also saw gains of around 8%. At the same time, bond yields dropped and the U.S. dollar weakened, pushing investors to look for better returns elsewhere.
This pattern is common: when inflation is low, borrowing costs go down and investors are more willing to take risks. Hayes believes that as fiat currencies weaken—due to central banks printing more money—Bitcoin becomes more valuable as a type of “monetary technology.”
However, his view depends on certain conditions. If central banks decide to keep interest rates high or if inflation spikes again, they may tighten policy instead, which could hurt Bitcoin’s chances of rising. For now, Hayes’ forecast is based on one key idea: if there’s more money in the system in 2026, risk assets like Bitcoin could thrive.
CoinGecko May Be Sold for RM2 Billion: Key Details
**Malaysia’s CoinGecko Could Be Sold for RM2 Billion – Here’s What You Should Know**
CoinGecko, a well-known Malaysian crypto data company, may soon be sold for a massive RM2 billion (around USD500 million). The company has reportedly hired investment bank Moelis to explore a potential sale. Talks are still at an early stage, so the final sale price or buyer hasn’t been confirmed yet.
CoinGecko’s CEO and co-founder, Bobby Ong, hinted at this possible move in a recent LinkedIn post. He said the company is looking at “strategic opportunities” to help it grow faster and better serve its users and business clients.
**What Does CoinGecko Actually Do?**
CoinGecko is not a trading platform like Binance or Coinbase. Instead, it’s a platform that collects and shows real-time data on cryptocurrencies. It helps people track prices, market caps, trading volume, and more for thousands of digital currencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and others.
The company was started in 2014 and has grown into one of the world’s most trusted sources for crypto data. It claims to track over 18,000 cryptocurrencies across more than 1,000 exchanges. It also monitors over 2.4 million tokens using its decentralized exchange (DEX) tracker tool.
With features like historical charts, news updates, token information, and analytics tools, CoinGecko has become a go-to website for crypto investors and industry professionals.
**How Big Is CoinGecko?**
CoinGecko says it gets around 200 million page views every month and has about 10 million active users. However, with more people now using AI tools to search for information, their traffic dropped to around 18.5 million views last month—down from 43.5 million during the same time last year.
The company is based in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. It employs about 70 people from Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines in roles like software development, marketing, business development, and sales.
**How Does CoinGecko Make Money?**
CoinGecko earns revenue through:
– Advertisements on their website
– Sponsored content
– Affiliate links
– Selling premium API services with real-time crypto data to big clients like MetaMask, Coinbase, and crypto.com
In 2025, the company hit record-breaking revenue and rewarded its team with a bonus equal to nine months of salary—a rare move even in the tech world.
**Why Is CoinGecko Considering a Sale Now?**
The crypto industry is seeing a wave of big mergers and acquisitions. Larger companies are buying smaller firms to gain access to better technology, regulated platforms, and valuable data. Last year alone:
– Coinbase bought Deribit for USD2.9 billion (RM11.7 billion)
– Kraken acquired NinjaTrader for USD1.5 billion (RM6 billion)
– Binance previously bought CoinMarketCap for USD400 million (RM1.6 billion)
Selling now could help CoinGecko scale faster or partner with a bigger player to compete globally.
Whether CoinGecko gets sold or not, it’s clear that the company has played a major role in the growth of the cryptocurrency space—especially as one of the few major players based in Southeast Asia.