XRP Could Reach $4 by the End of February, Analyst Predicts

The parents of former FTX CEO Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried are reportedly considering seeking a presidential pardon from Donald Trump for their son, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence.

**Top Stories**

* An analyst predicts XRP could reach $4 by month-end as cryptocurrency world sees other key developments.

* Parents of former FTX CEO Sam "SBF" Bankman-Fried reportedly mull seeking a presidential pardon from Donald Trump for their son, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence.

* Binance's legal team argues in a U.S. court that there was no special relationship between the exchange and Hamas as they seek to dismiss a lawsuit filed by families of victims of a 2023 attack.

* Kraken has reinstated staking services in the U.S. after a two-year pause following a settlement with the SEC. The service is now available for 17 digital assets in 37 states.

* Elon Musk's father reportedly plans to launch a memecoin called "Musk It" to raise $200 million for a think tank.

**Markets**

* Bitcoin trades at $24,408, Ether at $3,311, and XRP at $3.05.

* Among the top gainers are Onyxcoin, MANTRA, and Jupiter, while Pudgy Penguins, Fartcoin, and the Official Melania Meme face losses.

* Quotes from Pear Protocol founder Huf Haus and Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse highlight the market's dynamics.

* Analysts suggest XRP might surpass $4 due to positive regulatory developments and adoption by financial institutions.

**More News**

* In Europe, exchanges like Crypto.com prepare to delist Tether's USDT in compliance with the EU's MiCA framework.

* A Chinese court convicts BKEX staff for illegal gambling via cryptocurrency contracts.

* Gemini announces it will not hire MIT graduates unless the university cuts ties with former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, citing ongoing tensions with the regulator.

* MicroStrategy prices its perpetual strike preferred stock offering at $80 per share, aiming to generate $563.4 million for Bitcoin acquisition and operational costs.