Chinese state television reported on January 14 that former digital yuan architect Yao Qian allegedly received more than $8 million in cryptocurrency bribes while serving in top financial regulatory roles. Investigators traced 2,000 Ethereum and other funds through hardware wallets, shell accounts, and exchange transfers, linking the assets to a Beijing villa purchase and broader corruption involving business favors and recruitment decisions.

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.

Bitcoin climbed above the $95,000 resistance level and briefly traded near $97,000 on Wednesday, with more than $100 million in short positions wiped out in one hour. QCP Capital links the move to a broader risk-on backdrop supported by stable U.S. inflation, Trump's pro-market agenda, and record-breaking gains in gold and other metals, while ongoing political turmoil and dollar weakness still cloud the outlook for sustained upside.

Bitcoin's open interest has fallen more than 31% from its 2025 high to roughly $10 billion, dropping below the 180-day moving average in a deleveraging phase that some analysts view as a market bottom. With spot volume approaching $60 billion and a key positioning index breaking above 3 for the first time since October 6, projections now focus on a potential breakout toward the $100,000–$105,000 zone and a possible retest of the $120,000 highs.

November producer price inflation rose 3.0% year-over-year versus the 2.7% forecast, marking the strongest reading since July 2025 as Bitcoin trades around $95,000. While monthly PPI printed at 0.2% in line with expectations, the firmer annual figure and recent CPI data above the 2% target reinforce concerns that the Federal Reserve may keep rates elevated through at least Q1 2026. Bitcoin traders are watching key support around $88,000-$90,000 and resistance near $92,000 to $95,000 as they reassess the outlook for rate cuts.

U.S. spot XRP ETFs have swung back to inflows, adding $4.9 million after the record $40.8 million outflow on January 8, while XRP trades near the $2 mark. If the $2 psychological support area holds, chart analysts suggest an inverse head-and-shoulders setup could drive a move toward $2.50–$2.70 and potentially $3. Ripple's UK regulatory approvals and rising trading volumes are seen as additional factors supporting the bullish scenario.

Coinbase is warning it may pull its support for the US Senate's digital-asset market structure bill if lawmakers expand restrictions on stablecoin rewards beyond disclosure rules ahead of the January 15 markup. Banking industry groups are pressing for broader yield curbs than those in the GENIUS Act, while Coinbase argues that platform-based incentives, which it shares via USDC interest income and a 3.5% rewards offer on Coinbase One balances, are a critical revenue source and strategic tool for maintaining dollar dominance.

Lithuania-licensed payments app Brighty has arranged over 100 real estate purchases worth $500,000 to $2.5 million across the UK, France and Malta. Serving 100–150 wealthy clients who spend about $50,000 monthly, Brighty reports average euro stablecoin transactions rising from €15,785 in Q3 to €59,894 in Q4 as buyers shift to EURC over USDC.

TRM Labs said in a January 9 report that UK‑registered exchanges Zedcex and Zedxion enabled about $1 billion in flows linked to Iran's IRGC. Illicit share peaked at 87% in 2024, with transfers largely in USDT on TRON, and corporate records tied Zedcex to sanctioned financier Babak Morteza Zanjani.