Core Viewpoint - Bitcoin surged over 2.5%, reaching $93,500, leading to a rise in Bitcoin-related stocks [1] Group 1: Market Performance - As of the report, Strategy (MSTR.US) increased by 3.4%, Coinbase (COIN.US) rose over 3%, Robinhood (HOOD.US) gained 0.9%, Mara Holdings (MARA.US) climbed over 1%, and Iren Ltd (IREN.US) went up by 0.5% [1] Group 2: Regulatory Developments - A bipartisan amendment was released by the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, preparing for a hearing scheduled for Thursday [1] - The amendment appears to prohibit cryptocurrency exchanges from offering rewards related to stablecoin holdings, while allowing certain exemptions for activities linked to loyalty or incentive program memberships [1] - This wording may be welcomed by companies like Coinbase, which currently offers rewards for stablecoin holdings to its customers [1]

Core Viewpoint - A draft U.S. Senate bill could provide significant regulatory relief for major cryptocurrencies like XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin by categorizing them similarly to Bitcoin and Ethereum [1][2]. Group 1: Regulatory Changes - The "Clarity Act" draft includes a provision to classify certain tokens as "non-ancillary" assets, exempting them from being treated as securities and related SEC disclosure requirements [2]. - A token is considered non-ancillary if, by January 1, 2026, it was the principal asset of an exchange-traded product listed on a national securities exchange [3]. - Existing ETP listings indicate that XRP, Solana, Litecoin, Hedera, Dogecoin, and Chainlink would gain regulatory status similar to Bitcoin and Ethereum upon the bill's effective date [4]. Group 2: Market Impact - The immediate impact of the bill is expected to enhance institutional access rather than short-term speculation, as noted by experts [4]. - Altcoins showed muted gains in response to the draft clarity bill, while Bitcoin traded near $93,000, reflecting a 1.9% increase [5]. - Users on prediction market Myriad increased the likelihood of an alt season in Q1 from 16% to 18% following the news [5]. Group 3: Institutional Engagement - If the language of the bill remains in the final version, it would primarily affect compliance posture rather than prices, potentially widening institutional engagement with cryptocurrencies [6]. - The bill signifies a shift towards regulating crypto assets based on their distribution and usage within regulated financial products [6]. - Finalizing the bill with a 'non-ancillary' label linked to ETFs could align XRP, SOL, and DOGE with the compliance framework that has attracted institutional demand for BTC and ETH [7]. Group 4: Political Considerations - The bill's future is uncertain and may be influenced by U.S. political dynamics, particularly the upcoming mid-term elections [8].

来源：市场资讯 加密市场数据平台 CoinGecko 正探索出售，寻求估值约 5 亿美元，已聘请投资银行 Moelis 负责流程； 过程于去年底启动，估值尚未最终确定；2025 年加密行业并购披露交易额约 86 亿美元，133 笔交易创 纪录。（CoinDesk） （来源：吴说） ...

Core Viewpoint - Senator Elizabeth Warren is raising concerns about the potential risks of allowing cryptocurrency in 401(k) plans, particularly in light of President Trump's financial interests in the crypto market, which reportedly amount to $1.2 billion since he took office [1][2][3]. Group 1: Legislative Concerns - Warren has expressed that the current draft of the crypto market structure legislation could weaken SEC authority and expose 401(k) plans to volatile crypto assets [2][5]. - She warned that the proposed legislation might create a "tokenization loophole," allowing blockchain financial products to evade SEC regulation [3][5]. - Warren has set a deadline of January 27 for the SEC to address critical issues regarding the valuation of crypto assets in financial statements and market manipulation investigations [4]. Group 2: Financial Implications - The expansion of crypto in retirement plans could lead to higher fees, reduced transparency, and increased losses during market downturns, while also diminishing the SEC's regulatory power [5]. - Trump's executive order in August 2025 prompted the Labor Department to reconsider rules limiting alternative assets in 401(k) plans, facilitating the entry of crypto into retirement accounts [6]. Group 3: Industry Response - Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan argued that Bitcoin is less volatile than some traditional stocks, specifically citing Nvidia's stock volatility compared to Bitcoin's performance [8][9]. - The push to include crypto in 401(k)s is seen as a significant goal for the crypto industry, as it aims to integrate crypto into mainstream investing and enhance its legitimacy within the traditional financial system [10].

A collapse in the price of ether (ETH) would damage the Ethereum ecosystem's ability to function as a settlement infrastructure for financial activity, a Bank of Italy economist found. That would hurt the payment, settlement and tokenized finance systems such as stablecoins and onchain lending services that rely on the blockchain for ordering transactions and confirming asset ownership, Claudia Biancotti wrote in a new research paper. Biancotti examined how an extreme fall in ETH could affect Ethereum’s ...

Core Viewpoint - The IPO market in 2025 experienced several successful public offerings, particularly in the AI, cryptocurrency, and fintech sectors, raising questions about the market's trajectory in 2026 [1] Group 1: IPO Market Performance - 2025 saw a notable increase in public offerings from companies in the AI, cryptocurrency, and fintech industries [1] - There is uncertainty regarding whether the IPO market will continue to thrive in 2026 or if investors will adopt a more cautious stance [1] Group 2: Economic Factors - Concerns about inflationary pressures and the potential for a weakening economy may influence investor behavior towards newly public companies [1] - The possibility of an AI bubble is also a significant factor weighing on investor sentiment [1]

Kazakhstan’s Agency for Financial Monitoring shut down 22 unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges and blocked more than 1,100 illegal online crypto services in 2025, AFM Chairman Zhanat Elimanov reported during a Jan. 12 meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Authorities also froze approximately 20,000 bank cards used to launder proceeds from drug trafficking and fraud. Investigators completed 1,135 criminal cases last year and secured compensation of 141.5 billion tenge (approximately $277 million) ...

2025 saw several successful public offerings, especially from companies operating in the AI, cryptocurrency, and fintech spaces. What many on Wall Street are anxious to know is whether the IPO market—and its returns—will accelerate in 2026, or if investors will take a more cautious approach to newly public companies as inflationary pressures, the potential for a weakening economy, and a possible AI bubble weigh heavily on people’s minds. Most Read from Fast Company The first real test of investor IPO ap ...

Group 1 - KRAKacquisition Corp., a SPAC backed by Kraken, has filed for a $250 million IPO, aiming to enhance its presence in public markets targeting digital asset businesses [1][5] - The SPAC plans to list on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "KRAQU" and will offer 25 million units priced at $10 each, with each unit consisting of one Class A ordinary share and a warrant for additional shares [1][2] - The focus of KRAKacquisition Corp. will be on companies within the cryptocurrency ecosystem, including trading, payments, and infrastructure services [2][3] Group 2 - The SPAC structure allows Kraken to bring crypto-focused companies to public markets without a traditional IPO, providing a strategic advantage amid growing competition among exchanges [3][6] - Kraken is also moving towards its own IPO, having submitted confidential paperwork and raised $800 million in a funding round that valued the firm at $20 billion [5] - The naming of KRAKacquisition suggests a connection to Kraken's internal payments product, indicating strong ties between the SPAC and its sponsor [6]

Core Insights - Polygon Labs is transitioning to a regulated payments company by acquiring Coinme and Sequence for a total of $250 million [1] - The acquisitions aim to simplify the management and transfer of digital assets for businesses [1][2] Group 1: Acquisitions and Strategy - The acquisition of Coinme, a payments platform, and Sequence, an infrastructure firm, is part of Polygon's strategy to build regulated middleware for blockchain solutions [3] - Coinme facilitates cash-to-crypto transactions at over 50,000 locations in the U.S., allowing users to purchase crypto using cash [4] - Polygon Labs views Coinme's service as a "Trojan horse" for onboarding new users to cryptocurrency [5] Group 2: Business Model and Revenue Generation - Polygon Labs is shifting focus from solely enhancing the value of its native token POL to generating revenue through these acquisitions [6] - The company previously raised $450 million in a funding round led by Sequoia Capital India, indicating strong investor confidence [6] - The native token POL is used for transaction fees and can be staked for rewards, highlighting its utility within the ecosystem [6]