January 14 is shaping up as the next major catalyst for BNB, with the Fermi hard fork mainnet launch offering potential relief from bearish BNB price predictions . The upgrade is set to make Binance Smart Chain a more attractive platform for mainstream use cases, whilst strengthening demand for BNB as the altcoin powering these use cases. Important: the Fermi Hard Fork upgrade on the BSC mainnet is scheduled for activation. Date & Time: 14 Jan 2026, 02:30 AM (UTC) Supported Releases: v1.6.4 and v1.6.5 It is mandatory for all validators and builders to complete the upgrade prior to the fork activation.… pic.twitter.com/ZkdSCUDR2k — BNB Chain Developers (@BNBChainDevs) December 26, 2025 Speed is the main talking point. According to the Binance GitHub documentation , the Fermi upgrade will slash block times from 750 milliseconds to just 250 milliseconds. It also introduces a new indexing mechanism that lets users access selective ledger data rather than downloading the entire blockchain history. Together, these tweaks reduce computing needs, cut storage requirements, and support time-sensitive applications that require sub-second confirmation speeds. As a closer match to the efficient centralized infrastructure available in traditional finance, Binance becomes a more likely host to bridge TradFi and DeFi. This ultimately gives the Binace chain a deeper foothold in two of this cycle’s strongest narratives: Institutional adoption and RWA tokenisation. Binance Coin Price Prediction: Surge Set For January? Market participants appear ready to bite, with momentum indicators showing fresh underlying strength despite a bearish 2-month pennant pattern. BNB / USD 1-day chart, bearish pennant pattern. Source: TradingView . The RSI continues to form higher lows, now pushing against the neutral line in a setup for a trend flip, something already predicted by a MACD golden cross above the signal line. Wider market sentiment has kept the bearish outcome at the forefront, but momentum building behind the Fermi upgrade could turn the structure into a bullish symmetrical triangle breakout. The key breakout threshold is strong December resistance at $870. If flipped back into support, it could act as a firmer and higher footing for a confirmed 20% breakout push to $1,050. And if the mainnet launch unfolds as more than a sell-the-news event, prices could push to reclaim all-time highs, 60% higher at $1,375. The full price impact of the upgrade will likely be realised with long-term adoption. Still, the bearish pennant remains in the cards. A breakdown could put a cycle-long support under pressure, with a 40% drop to $500 possible if the support does not hold firm. Maxi Doge: A Better Play for 2026? While Fermi could give Binance Coin a path toward deeper TradFi engagement, the narrative may already belong elsewhere. Ethereum and Solana are already carving out their role as the go-tos. In crypto, momentum often follows where culture leads. And culture keeps circling back to one thing: Doge. History makes the pattern clear: Shiba Inu carried the torch from Dogecoin in 2021, then Floki, Bonk, Dogwifhat, and most recently, Neiro in 2024. Every bull run eventually delivers its own Doge-themed runner. For 2026, speculators are increasingly eyeing Maxi Doge ($MAXI) as the next frontrunner. The hype is already showing in the numbers. The $MAXI presale has raised almost $4.35 million, while early backers are earning up to 71% APY through staking rewards. For those who missed the Doge wave before, Maxi Doge could be the next chance to catch a meme coin breakout before it takes off. Visit the Official Maxi Doge Website Here The post Binance Coin Price Prediction: Is BNB About to Explode in 2026 With Fermi Hard Fork Slated for January 14? appeared first on Cryptonews .