On January 22 2026, Orlando Bravo of Thoma Bravo described how venture capital firms are aggressively funding AI startups at soaring valuations driven by fear of missing out. Anthropic’s valuation climbed from $183 billion in September 2025 to $350 billion in a $10 billion round, while OpenAI reached $500 billion and global venture funding hit $425 billion in 2025 with AI firms capturing nearly half of that capital. Bravo expects AI to disrupt less than half of software companies but still sees it as transformational for business software, even as investors struggle to separate sustainable projects from hype.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has decided to restart development of the company's shelved Dojo3 third-generation AI chip roughly five months after shutting down the original project. The chip, once intended for self-driving training, is now being repositioned for space-based AI computing as part of a broader plan involving compute satellites powered by continuous solar energy.

On January 16, 2026, President Donald Trump said he is reconsidering Kevin Hassett as his choice for Federal Reserve chair because he does not want to lose him from his White House economic post. After Trump's remarks, the two-year Treasury yield rose to 3.61%, while markets reduced expectations for multiple Fed rate cuts in 2026. Hassett also publicly downplayed the criminal probe into Jerome Powell over $2.5 billion in renovation cost overruns at the Fed.

In the week of January 14, 2026, Meta began eliminating more than 1,000 roles, or about 10% of its Reality Labs workforce, and shutting several VR game studios after the division accumulated over $70 billion in losses since 2020. The company is reallocating billions in spending from VR to AI and Ray-Ban-branded smart glasses, even as it keeps pushing Horizon Worlds toward mobile platforms despite modest user numbers and weak VR headset sales.

Coinbase Global Inc. is warning US lawmakers it could withdraw support for a major digital asset bill if new rules severely restrict its ability to pay rewards on stablecoins held on its platform. The exchange wants any changes limited to stronger disclosure requirements, arguing broader bans or exclusive rights for licensed banks could threaten an estimated $1.3 billion in annual stablecoin-related revenue. The dispute over rewards, which follows the GENIUS Act's stablecoin framework passed in July, is now weighing on bipartisan support for the market structure legislation planned for early 2026.

Most of the Magnificent 7 lagged the S&P 500 in 2025 for the first time since 2022, with gains concentrated in Alphabet and Nvidia. Early 2026 points to continued dispersion as investors reassess AI spending and profit prospects, with slower earnings growth expected for the group and a greater emphasis on select stock picking.

Walmart Inc. will join the Nasdaq 100 Index on January 20, 2026, taking the position currently held by AstraZeneca Plc as markets reopen after a holiday. Analysts earlier estimated the move could draw about $19 billion from index-tracking funds, while Walmart's market value nears $1 trillion amid expanding AI-driven and digital operations. The index change coincides with a planned leadership shift in February, when long-time CEO Doug McMillon will hand the role to U.S. chief John Furner.

On January 10, 2026, officials said they had fallback legal routes ready if the Supreme Court rejects President Trump's emergency tariff powers. Kevin Hassett cited planning to keep tariffs in place; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said collections would continue, while Kalshi put the odds at 31% and Treasury figures show $195 billion in FY2025 plus $62 billion so far in 2026.

By January 9 2026, Bitcoin and Ethereum's year-to-date gains had cooled to about 4%, while several altcoins delivered much stronger weekly returns. XRP and Solana climbed nearly 10% and 7%, and coins like Sui, Bittensor, and Shiba Inu gained between 14% and 17%, reflecting a shift into higher-risk assets before key U.S. economic reports. Analysts also highlighted record 2025 stablecoin volumes and Morgan Stanley's new Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana ETF filings as important structural developments.