Morning Crypto Report: Insights on XRP, Shiba Inu's Resurgence, and Bitcoin Cash's Potential Breakout

This week in the cryptocurrency market, we’ve witnessed a resurgence of risk in meme coins, particularly Shiba Inu (SHIB), which spiked 30%. Meanwhile, XRP has gained credibility thanks to revelations from a former Ripple CTO, and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is eyeing a significant breakout led by renowned trader Peter Brandt. Let’s delve into the details.

Key Takeaways

Shiba Inu Surge: SHIB rose by about 30%, adding nearly $12 billion to the meme coin market amid increased trading volume.
XRP's Credibility Boost: Former Ripple CTO David Schwartz revealed that security expert Dan Kaminsky reviewed the XRP Ledger in 2013, addressing long-standing criticisms.
Bitcoin Cash's Breakout Potential: Bitcoin Cash is nearing a crucial resistance level at $650, according to trader Peter Brandt, and could shift into a bullish trend if it breaks out.

Morning Crypto Report: Ex-Ripple CTO Reveals Unknown XRP Story From 2013, Shiba Inu (SHIB) Rockets 30% in $12 Billion Meme Coin Comeback, Legendary Trader Suddenly Becomes Bitcoin Cash Bull

Meme Coins Make a Comeback

The first full week of January has seen a revival in the risk appetite for cryptocurrencies, especially meme coins like Shiba Inu (SHIB). This surge marked one of the strongest performances since early 2023, with nearly $12 billion added to the meme coin market sector, pushing its total cap to around $48 billion and daily trading volumes exceeding $8 billion. SHIB climbed approximately 30% during this rally before settling back around $0.0000086.

Interestingly, this resurgence wasn't sparked by specific news, partnerships, or tweets; rather, it was driven by structural positioning. CryptoQuant monitors a metric that assesses the ratio of meme coins to the overall altcoin market. This metric was as low as 0.032 by late December 2025 after hitting 0.11 in November 2024—a sign that meme coins were experiencing their lowest share of market attention and liquidity in over a year.

Source: CryptoQuant

Historically, such downturns in meme coin dominance often precede a rotation, where traders begin to buy back into these assets as liquidity returns. SHIB’s higher liquidity made it a favorable choice, and it briefly touched $0.000009 before facing resistance, closing the day near $0.00000868.

The pivotal question now is whether this momentum can sustain itself. An increase in volume and dominance could keep SHIB in the spotlight, while a decline may lead to a temporary spike-and-dump scenario. However, the capital influx this week marks a notable shift.

XRP Gains Unexpected Credibility

While XRP hasn't seen a spike in its price recently, it has received a valuable credibility enhancement that may prove more beneficial than a short-term price increase. David Schwartz, who served as Ripple's CTO for over a decade, disclosed that the late security researcher Dan Kaminsky had extensively analyzed the XRP Ledger in 2013.

Schwartz noted that Kaminsky invested numerous hours reviewing the code and providing feedback, concluding that the main concern was validator coordination, particularly concerning the need for nodes to agree on their Unique Node List (UNL).

This isn't simply a minor detail. Critics of XRP often highlight its consensus model and reliance on trusted sources as weaknesses. However, Kaminsky didn't dismiss this model; he recognized it as a known, fixable issue rather than a significant flaw. This revelation challenges the long-held narrative that serious scrutiny of XRP was lacking.

As future discussions unfold—especially regarding regulations or scalability issues—this audit detail is likely to be referenced. It doesn’t fundamentally alter the protocol, but it emphasizes that a respected figure in internet security acknowledged XRP's trust framework.

For long-term XRP holders, this development is a positive sign. For detractors, it prompts a reassessment of their criticisms, as Kaminsky's perspective was influential and remains significant.

Bitcoin Cash Nears Breakout Point

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is back in the spotlight, and this time it’s due to a favorable technical setup rather than typical controversies. Trader Peter Brandt indicated that BCH appears poised for a potential breakout as it approaches a significant weekly resistance level near $650. This level has previously been established in mid-2022 and again in 2023.

Brandt typically refrains from commenting on altcoins unless they exhibit clear technical patterns, and BCH fits that description. The token has been confined to a trading range for months and is now testing the $650 threshold for the second time. A successful breakout followed by sustained trading above this level could shift BCH into a bullish trend. Conversely, a failure to break through would result in a rapid unwinding of this bullish sentiment.

Source: Peter Brandt

While BCH hasn't made substantial fundamental progress or attracted new users, traders are drawn to its clear resistance lines and potential for significant price movements. Brandt’s commentary has increased attention on the asset, leading to a rise in trading volume on platforms like Binance and Bybit, along with increased open interest in BCH perpetuals.

Looking ahead, if meme coin volume remains stable and dominance rises, SHIB could spearhead a sector-wide recovery, potentially drawing in DOGE and FLOKI as well. XRP’s recent credibility from the Kaminsky report offers a layer of protection against future debates. BCH, on the other hand, remains at a binary juncture around $650—succeeding could bring $900 into view, while failure may negate the upward potential entirely.