Ripple expands EU regulatory footprint with Luxembourg EMI approval
Ripple has scored its second major regulatory win in just weeks, securing preliminary approval for an EMI license.
- License win. Ripple has secured preliminary approval for an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from Luxembourg’s regulator.
The San Francisco-based enterprise blockchain behemoth has secured preliminary approval for an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license from Luxembourg’s financial regulator, the CSSF (Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier).
It comes just one week after Ripple secured a full EMI license and Cryptoasset Registration from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Ripple has now locked down both the UK, one of the world’s leading economies, and Luxembourg, a premier EU gateway, in rapid succession.
- Key gateways. By locking down both the UK and Luxembourg, Ripple strengthens its position across key European financial gateways.
Luxembourg is just a small nation with a population of roughly 677,717. However, its influence should not be underestimated, given that it is the financial heart of the Eurozone for corporate treasury and banking. An EMI license in Luxembourg is particularly powerful because it typically allows for “passporting.” Ripple now holds over 75 regulatory licenses globally.
Shiba Inu prints a rare short-term bullish crossover
SHIB just printed a mini golden cross, opening a 22% upside window to $0.00001054.
- Bullish setup. Shiba Inu has triggered its first meaningful bullish signal in weeks, with the 23-day SMA crossing above the 50-day SMA.
Shiba Inu just experienced its first real bullish trigger in weeks, and it is not the typical golden cross. This time, the green 23-day simple moving average is slicing above the blue 50-day SMA — a shorter-term signal that often precedes bigger trend reversals when paired with volume expansion.
Based on TradingView data, the biggest meme coin based on Ethereum is now trading at $0.0000870 per SHIB after stabilizing above the key cluster around $0.00000810, where the 50-day SMA and short-term EMAs converge. The crossover is not just cosmetic, it is the first such alignment since the October surge, when a similar setup preceded a 20% increase.
- 22% bull run? The next major technical magnet is the 200-day EMA around $0.00001054, roughly 22% above current levels.
As of now, the magnet sits at the 200-day EMA at $0.00001054 per SHIB, which is about 22% above the current level. From this point of view, the $0.00000900 ceiling is the last line before a breakout for the Shiba Inu coin.
Several red candles over the past three sessions have not erased the structure, and as long as $0.00000810 holds, the setup remains valid.
XRP defies market outflows with sharp institutional inflow surge
XRP just experienced a 428% inflow surge, defying a brutal $454 million crypto market outflow week, led by US exits.
- Institutional netflow. XRP pulled in $45.8 million in institutional inflows last week, a 428% jump from the prior week’s $10.7 million.
XRP is having a great start to 2026, pulling in $45.8 million in new institutional capital last week — that is a whopping 428% increase from $10.7 million the week before. Meanwhile, the rest of the market was dealing with a bunch of redemptions, all because hopes for a Fed rate cut were dwindling.
According to CoinShares, the digital asset space had $454 million in weekly outflows, its worst performance since mid-2023.
- Sentiment shift. Global crypto products initially saw $1.5 billion in net inflows early in the year, but a four-day $1.3 billion sell-off erased most of that optimism.
The reversal was brutal. Global crypto investment products saw $1.5 billion in net inflows just days into the new year. But by the end of the first week, a four-day $1.3 billion dump had washed away most of the optimism, with U.S. funds alone accounting for $569 million of the damage.
Germany, Canada and Switzerland provided some relief, recording $58.9 million, $24.5 million and $21 million in inflows, respectively.
Strategy makes $1.25 billion Bitcoin buy, largest in six months
Strategy has acquired more than $1.2 billion worth of BTC.
- Bullish BTC move. Strategy MicroStrategy announced the purchase of 13,627 Bitcoin for approximately $1.25 billion.
Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) has announced a massive BTC buy, purchasing 13,627 Bitcoin for approximately $1.25 billion.
According to Michael Saylor’s announcement, this marks the company’s single largest Bitcoin purchase in nearly six months, specifically since July 29. Back then, the firm acquired 21,021 BTC for $2.47 billion. The company has spent nearly $52 billion to acquire these coins.
- Still profitable. Bitcoin is currently trading around $90,547, placing the company’s holdings well above cost basis.
The overall average price per Bitcoin is now $75,353. Bitcoin is currently changing hands at $90,547, according to CoinGecko data.
The company made multiple purchases in the 10,000 BTC range (10,645 BTC on Dec 15 and 10,624 BTC on Dec 8), but neither crossed the $1 billion threshold in a single announcement.