The Senate Banking Committee delays debate on the CLARITY Act following Coinbase’s withdrawal, while Bitcoin’s market dominance wanes, benefiting altcoins like XRP and Cardano. XRP aims for $5 in Q2 after ETF approvals, and Cardano shows potential for recovery to $1.20 due to a bullish pattern. Hyperliquid and Bitcoin Hyper are gaining attention, with significant presales and growth potential.
We’re almost at the end of January, and the 2026 bull run we were expecting hasn’t materialised for a number of macroeconomic reasons. Still, market history suggests that quieter phases are the best times for investors to stockpile crypto at a relative discount to prepare for the next bull run.
In the wake of Coinbase stepping back from its backing of the CLARITY Act, the Senate Banking Committee chose to delay further debate on the pivotal crypto legislation by several weeks.
Still, US crypto regulation is inevitable. At the same time, Bitcoin’s dominance across the crypto market has fallen since summer. This means altcoins like XRP, Cardano, and Hyperliquid will lead the next major cycle.
XRP ($XRP), with a market cap above $107 billion, is the biggest crypto for global payments, with a towering reputation for rapid, low-cost transactions.
Developed by Ripple developed the XRP Ledger (XRPL) to help banks and financial institutions modernize cross-border payments, offering a more efficient alternative to legacy systems like SWIFT.
XRPL has attracted attention from prominent organizations, including the UN Capital Development Fund and the White House, reinforcing XRP’s position as a credible player in the future of international payment infrastructure.
After beating a long-running lawsuit filed by the last administration’s U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, XRP climbed to a new all-time high (ATH) of $3.65 in mid-2025. Since then, broader market weakness has erased more than half of those gains, with the token now trading around $1.76.
A major recent development was the approval of spot XRP exchange-traded funds in the U.S., opening up traditional investors who want exposure to crypto through regulated financial instruments.
Looking ahead, further ETF rollouts and improved regulatory clarity could serve as powerful tailwinds, potentially lifting XRP toward $5 during the second quarter.
Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson established Cardano ($ADA) in 2015 and officially launched it two years later.
The blockchain operates on a Proof-of-Stake consensus model rooted in peer-reviewed academic research, an approach that continues to set Cardano apart within the crowded Layer-1 ecosystem.
With a market capitalization of around $12 billion and a TVL of roughly $147 million, ADA may be big, but it still has plenty of headroom for further growth before challenging Solana as the number one Ethereum killer.
From a technical perspective, ADA’s Relative Strength Index is hovering near 35 after the price fell 6% in the last 24 hours, in line with a broader downturn that has shaved 4% off the $2.9 trillion market over the same period.
However, a bullish falling wedge pattern that formed toward the end of 2026 points to the potential for an imminent breakout. In that case, ADA could clear key resistance levels and advance toward $1.20 by the end of the first quarter.
Should progress on the CLARITY Act resume, Cardano may even retest its all-time high of $3.09 before year-end.
Built on a proprietary Layer-1 blockchain, decentralized exchange Hyperliquid ($HYPE) token emphasizes transparency, high transaction capacity, and full self-custody, features that have gained importance following the collapse of centralized platforms such as FTX.
The exchange pairs low trading fees and fast execution with advanced tools like perpetual futures, effectively merging the advantages of decentralized exchanges with the functionality traders typically expect from leading centralized platforms.
Between early April and May 26 last year, HYPE surged from approximately $10 to $40. The move was reinforced by multiple cup-and-handle patterns, suggesting steady accumulation by larger market participants. However, from June through mid-September, an expanding triangle formation explains the subsequent decline.
A decisive breakout could propel the token toward the $100 level by early summer.
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is a Bitcoin Layer-2 project that boosts Bitcoin’s transaction throughput, reduces fees, and brings it high-functionality smart contracts.
The project leverages the Solana Virtual Machine and incorporates decentralized governance along with a Canonical Bridge that allows seamless Bitcoin transfers across multiple blockchains.
Its ongoing token presale has already secured more than $31.1 million, with some analysts projecting potential gains ranging from 10x to 100x once the token is listed publicly. A recent Coinsult audit identified no critical flaws in the project’s smart contracts.
The HYPER token powers the network by covering transaction fees, enabling governance participation, and supporting staking rewards.
Early backers can currently stake presale tokens for yields of up to 38% APY, though these incentives decline as more stakers join.
With exchange listings expected later this year, Bitcoin Hyper’s presale provides early exposure to a project that could mark a significant step forward in Bitcoin’s technical development.
