GM. VanEck launched the first US Avalanche ETF with staking rewards, waiving fees for the first $500 million in assets to attract institutional capital.

Meanwhile, BitMine’s Ethereum treasury hit a record 4.24 million tokens, Kraken debuted a DeFi Earn product with 8% yields, and ZachXBT linked a government wallet theft to a contractor's son.

Here are the details on ETF debuts, treasury growth, and onchain sleuthing. 👇

VanEck Debuts First US Avalanche ETF With Staking

Investment titan VanEck opened the first American exchange-traded fund tracking the Avalanche token to bridge legacy finance with onchain economies. This novel vehicle provides institutional investors with direct exposure to the native asset’s price and yield.

The fund commenced public trading on 26 January 2026 across major United States stock exchanges under the ticker VAVX. This timely launch follows a productive year for the smart contract platform as it scales global blockchain interoperability.

Management deployed this specific product because Avalanche’s unique architecture effectively facilitates verifiable real-world utility for traditional financial institutions. By incorporating staking rewards, the fund captures additional value beyond simple spot price movements for its holders.

VanEck attracts early capital by waiving sponsor fees for the first $500 million in assets through 28 February 2026. Consequently, investors utilize this regulated wrapper to bypass complex private key management while securing professional-grade custody.

BitMine Treasury Reaches Record Ethereum Holdings

BitMine Immersion Technologies acquired over 40,302 ether last week following a successful shareholder vote to expand capital. This specific transaction was valued at approximately $117 million and brought the company's total crypto treasury to 4.24 million tokens. Management now controls 3.52% of the entire circulating supply as they aggressively scale their long-term investment strategy.

The firm has officially staked nearly half of its total holdings to generate a significant annual yield for its global investors. Chairman Tom Lee stated on Monday that these holdings are expected to produce over $400 million in yearly pre-tax income. This accelerated accumulation has contributed to a 54-day wait time for new Ethereum validators seeking to join the network.

Kraken Launches DeFi Earn Product For US, EU & Canada

Crypto exchange Kraken rolled out a new DeFi Earn product this Monday for users in the US, EU, and Canada. The service offers annualized returns of up to 8% by connecting centralized accounts to decentralized liquidity vaults powered by Veda. Risk managers Chaos Labs and Sentora currently oversee the first three USDC vaults to ensure institutional-grade security for participants.

Funds are automatically allocated to established protocols like Aave and Morpho to generate variable returns from genuine market demand. Kraken Director John Zettler stated that this launch helps transform decentralized finance into a mainstream financial utility for the next billion users. Participants can view offered rates and fees before depositing while enjoying the convenience of almost instant asset withdrawals.

ZachXBT Links Government Wallet Theft To Contractor Heir

Blockchain sleuth ZachXBT alleged on Monday that the individual behind a multimillion-dollar government wallet theft is John Daghita. The suspect is reportedly the son of the president of CMDSS, a firm contracted to manage seized digital assets. This investigation traced stolen funds back to a US Marshals Service wallet containing assets from the 2016 Bitfinex hack.

ZachXBT's evidence emerged after the suspect engaged in a recorded dispute on Telegram to prove the scale of his crypto holdings. During the exchange, he reportedly siphoned over $23 million into a single wallet while live-streaming his private screen. Federal authorities have not yet announced official charges while the custody firm continues to face scrutiny over its internal oversight.

Data of the day

Tether Gold controlled approximately 60% of the gold-backed cryptocurrencies market at the close of 2025 according to a Monday report. The sector recently expanded to a $5.25 billion total market cap as spot gold prices surpassed record highs of $5,100 per ounce. XAUT currently maintains a market capitalization of $2.6 billion while backing each token with physical bullion in safe custody.

The recent audit verified that the El Salvador-based issuer holds 520,089 troy ounces of physical gold in its reserves. CEO Paolo Ardoino noted that the firm added roughly 27 metric tons of gold exposure during the final quarter of last year. This rapid growth occurred as both institutional and retail investors sought defensive assets to hedge against global currency volatility.

More breaking news

• Benchmark noted that stalling US crypto market structure bills could cap valuations by prolonging ambiguity for exchanges and decentralized finance platforms.

• A new UKCBC survey revealed that British banks block or delay 40% of crypto-related payments, significantly hindering domestic digital asset growth.

• Japan plans to permit cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds by 2028, with Nomura and SBI reportedly preparing products for the upcoming regulatory shift.

• Changpeng Zhao predicted a 2026 Bitcoin supercycle during a CNBC interview, citing increased institutional adoption and pro-crypto global policies.

• Michael Saylor's Strategy acquired an additional 2,932 Bitcoin for $264 million, increasing its total treasury to 712,647 BTC as of late January 2026.

• US spot Bitcoin ETFs faced a five-day outflow streak totaling $1.72 billion as market sentiment plunged into the extreme fear category.

For the latest updates on digital asset markets, follow us on X @Datawalletcom.

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