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Bybit plans to launch IBAN accounts in February, taking a step towards becoming a "crypto neobank."

2 hours ago

On January 29, Bybit CEO Ben Zhou said the crypto exchange plans to launch IBAN-based fiat accounts as early as February, supporting 18 fiat currencies. The move marks Bybit’s accelerated transition from a crypto exchange to a full-service financial provider with neobank capabilities. According to reports, the accounts will launch under the “MyBank” brand and be issued via partner institutions like Pave Bank (a licensed bank in Georgia, U.S.). Users will receive a personal IBAN for cross-border payments, transfers, and free fiat-crypto conversions—with U.S. dollars (USD) as the initial priority before expanding to other currencies. Related services require KYC compliance checks from Bybit and its partner banks, and the launch timeline hinges on regulatory approval progress. Zhou also noted that Bybit is developing real-world asset (RWA) tokenization custody products for banks and large institutions. The firm is evaluating U.S. market expansion and the potential for future U.S. listings, having already contacted several major U.S. banks. Bybit added that its compliance team is in close communication with regulators, expecting relevant approvals to be secured next month. This strategic shift aligns with Bybit’s 2025 overarching strategy, which prioritizes regulatory progress, institutional capital inflows, and rapid expansion of tokenization services.
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ALT5 Sigma Board Approves Major Buyback and WLFI Token Staking Plan

On January 29, ALT5 Sigma Corporation (Nasdaq: ALTS) announced its board of directors has approved a share repurchase program of up to $100 million. The program includes a 50-million-share maximum for purchases made when the stock trades below its Net Asset Value (NAV)—representing roughly 40% of the company’s outstanding shares. The firm noted the initiative is intended to capitalize on valuation discounts and unlock shareholder value. Concurrently, the board has greenlit ongoing accumulation of WLFI tokens in the secondary market. ALT5 currently holds approximately 7.3 billion WLFI tokens, valued at roughly $1.5 billion, and remains bullish on the rapid growth of the World Liberty Financial ecosystem and its USD1 stablecoin. To kickstart these efforts, ALT5 has entered a $15 million loan agreement with World Liberty Financial. The company also signaled potential future financing by leveraging its robust balance sheet, which exceeds $1.6 billion. ALT5 CEO Tony Isaac stated th

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On-chain Evening Recap: Silver Short Positions Increase Again, Whale Activity Becomes More Cautious

As of January 29th, monitoring data from HyperInsight (via its Telegram channel: https://t.me/HyperInsight) reveals key whale movement trends between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM ET today: ### Bullish Activity - Whale "Buddy" closed its HYPE long position, netting a $961,000 profit. - HYPE’s largest bullish whale withdrew $7 million in collateral, pushing its liquidation price up to $25. ### Bearish Activity - Whale "Silver Iron Head Air Force" added another silver short position with an average entry price of $116.76. - Whale "Lightning Reversal" closed its BTC and ETH short positions, locking in a total $351,000 profit. - Whale "20 Million Range Sniper" kept expanding short positions in gold and XMR — remaining the largest XMR short holder on Hyperliquid (link: https://app.hyperliquid.xyz/join/NTOD).

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ByteDance and Alibaba to Launch New Artificial Intelligence Model in Mid-February

On January 29, The Information reported that ByteDance and Alibaba are set to launch a new artificial intelligence model in mid-February.

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Crypto VC Fund Escape Velocity Raises $62 Million, Bets on ‘DePIN’ Crypto Network

On January 29, Fortune magazine reported that cryptocurrency venture capital firm Escape Velocity has raised $62 million in funding, with a focus on the "DePIN" encryption network—covering sectors including telescopes, solar energy, and beyond.

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SEC Chair: 'It's Time to Allow' Crypto Assets in 401(k) Retirement Account Allocations

On January 29, disclosures revealed that U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins told an interviewer “now is the time to allow” cryptocurrency assets to be included in 401(k) retirement account allocations—sparking market focus on the further integration of crypto into the mainstream financial system.

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Garrett Jin: BTC, ETH Underperform Other Risk Assets Due to Deleveraging and Market Structure Issues

**BTC OG Whale Insider Agent Garrett Jin’s Crypto Market Take (Jan 29)** Garrett Jin, the “BTC OG Whale Insider” agent, posted on social media January 29th noting Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) have recently lagged other risk assets notably. The main driver, he said, is the crypto market still being in its deleveraging cycle’s late stage and facing microstructural issues — not worsening fundamentals. He pointed out the wave of deleveraging since last October has wiped out leveraged retail positions, while AI stocks and precious metals have drawn a flood of speculative capital. Institutional involvement in crypto remains thin, leaving the market vulnerable to short-term narratives and controlled by a handful of exchanges, market makers, and speculative funds. Garrett emphasized over a 6-year horizon, BTC and ETH still outperform most assets; the current slump is just mean reversion within their long-term uptrend. With regulatory clarity improving, ample marginal liquidity, an

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