Broad gains extended the cryptocurrency rally, lifting total market capitalization back above $3.2 trillion. According to market data, the value reached roughly $3.28 trillion with a daily increase of more than four percent as Bitcoin traded near $96,900 and Ethereum advanced toward $3,350. Bitcoin dominance stayed close to 59 percent, while altcoins showed participation without a full rotation.

In early January 2026, stablecoins’ share of the total crypto market reached an all-time high of 10.19%, with their combined market cap holding above $300 billion for three consecutive months. After fluctuating between 7% and 9.8% in prior growth phases, their dominance rose sharply from mid-2025, alongside a near $400 billion drop in overall crypto value. The latest figures highlight a near doubling of stablecoin market share in under a year and underscore their growing role as a core liquidity and risk-management tool in digital assets.

On January 14, 2026, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari stressed the importance of Federal Reserve independence while addressing a Department of Justice criminal investigation into Chair Jerome Powell and alleged Trump administration pressure on the central bank. Kashkari framed the administration's actions as a monetary policy issue, defended Powell, and noted that while political tensions could add to market volatility, there is no direct, specific impact on cryptocurrencies at this stage.

On January 13, 2026, State Duma Financial Market Committee chair Anatoly Aksakov confirmed that Russian lawmakers have drafted a bill to remove cryptocurrencies from the country's system of "special financial regulation." The proposal would classify crypto as a standard financial instrument, allow non-qualified investors to buy up to 300,000 rubles in digital assets, and expand its role in domestic and cross-border payments. The bill is expected to be a central topic of the State Duma's spring session.

US Senator Elizabeth Warren has asked the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to halt its review of World Liberty Financial's application for a national trust bank charter until President Donald Trump divests from the crypto firm. She argues that Trump's direct financial interests in World Liberty Financial and its USD1 stablecoin, which has grown to a multi-billion-dollar market value, create serious conflicts of interest under the GENIUS Act framework.

Perpetual decentralized exchanges are expanding rapidly, with CoinGecko data showing their share of derivatives revenue increasing from 2.1% in January 2023 to 11.7% in November 2025. Delphi Digital's 2026 outlook argues that these onchain venues are structurally more efficient than fragmented and costly TradFi infrastructure, while Cantor Fitzgerald models a long-term price path for Hyperliquid's HYPE token based on a 15% compound annual growth rate and planned buybacks. Perp DEX trading volume also tripled in 2025 to $12.09 trillion, though it remains small beside the $846 trillion notional value of outstanding OTC derivatives reported in June 2025.

In 2025, crypto saw fewer rug pulls but larger losses. Major collapses included Mantra's OM, which plunged over 90% in April as roughly $6 billion evaporated, plus Pi Network's post-mainnet dump and the MetaYield Farm disappearance. Overall theft reached $3.4 billion, with February's $1.5 billion Bybit hack and politically themed memecoins inflicting heavy damage.

On January 14, 2026, Quiver Quantitative flagged a Polymarket account that placed roughly ~$100,000 on a "Yes" outcome that Donald Trump will acquire Greenland before 2027. A screenshot showed about 586,800.7 shares at an entry near $0.16, implying a potential gross payout around $586,800 if the market resolves in favor.