On January 14, 2026, analysis of crypto markets pointed to a structural shift beneath recent price swings, with derivatives data showing over $700 million in short liquidations within 24 hours and leverage rebuilding more cautiously. At the same time, stablecoin market share briefly moved above 10% and on-chain balances stayed high, suggesting capital is rotating and waiting on the sidelines rather than exiting the crypto ecosystem.

On 14 January 2026, an overview of central bank digital currencies, stablecoins, and tokenized bank deposits outlined how each format targets distinct users and use cases across the financial system. CBDCs aim at domestic monetary stability, stablecoins support global on-chain liquidity, and tokenized deposits help banks move existing balances onto blockchain infrastructure. Rather than one model replacing the others, they are expected to coexist as complementary rails in an increasingly digital monetary environment.

On Wednesday, the Zcash Foundation announced that the US Securities and Exchange Commission had ended its multi-year investigation without recommending any enforcement action. The probe, launched in August 2023 and internally labeled SF-04569, focused on certain crypto asset offerings and concluded as ZEC traded around $439, up about 13% with 24-hour volume near $881 million. The decision comes amid internal governance tensions in the Zcash ecosystem and a broader recalibration of US crypto enforcement since 2025.

During a live virtual event, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said AI has practical uses while characterizing cryptocurrency as speculative for consumers. He projected steady U.S. growth with inflation easing toward the Fed's 2% goal, but said he's unsure whether it will settle near 2.5% by year-end, and rejected claims that balance-sheet expansion amounts to QE.

Ripple secured an Electronic Money Institution license from Luxembourg's CSSF, enabling real-time cross-border payments across Europe. On January 14, 2026, Stuart Alderoty said preliminary approval had been granted. XRP trades around $2.10–$2.15, holding above $2.00 support, as market watchers focus on the $3.05 resistance.

On January 14, 2026, Oracle's stock declined 5% in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange after bondholders filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in New York state court against Larry Ellison, senior executives, and multiple underwriting banks. The investors claim they purchased $18 billion of Oracle bonds issued on September 25, before the company allegedly planned a further $38 billion in borrowing tied to a massive OpenAI data center deal, and argue the extra leverage hurt the value of their securities.

On January 14, 2026, Deribit introduced USDC-settled options for Avalanche (AVAX) and Tron (TRX). According to Deribit, the contracts are available to users in eligible jurisdictions, settle 100% in USDC, and come in call and put variants with sizes of 100 AVAX and 10,000 TRX per contract. AVAX and TRX deposits are not accepted for margin offsets, with USDC required for margin and settlement.

At the start of 2026, XRP is trading above $2 after reclaiming its 50-day simple moving average, with institutional investors adding around $45 million over the past week. While broader crypto products saw about $454 million in outflows, analysts say XRP’s balanced volumes and key resistance near $2.40 will shape whether the price can extend toward the $3 area.