On January 28, 2026, Nomura-backed Laser Digital submitted an application to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a national trust bank charter. The firm aims to provide regulated digital asset custody, trading, and institutional services under a single federal framework rather than multiple state licenses. If approved, the charter would place Laser Digital among crypto institutions pursuing deeper integration with traditional financial infrastructure and formal federal oversight.

On 28 January 2026, South Korean lawmakers were reported to be preparing the formal submission of the Digital Asset Framework Act before the Lunar New Year, aiming to create the country's first comprehensive cryptocurrency law. The bill would introduce a unified regulatory regime for digital assets and stablecoins, including a minimum capital requirement of 5 billion won for stablecoin issuers, and is being developed alongside ongoing debates over the powers of the Bank of Korea and major shareholder limits.

On Jan 28, 2026, OKX introduced a Europe-focused Mastercard payment card that lets eligible users spend USDC and USDT at merchants accepting Mastercard. According to OKX, the card is issued after standard KYC and operates via partner Monavate within existing regional infrastructure, enabling real-time conversion without manual fiat off-ramps.

On January 28, 2026, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev published a Twitter statement urging tokenized stocks and clearer rules to avoid a repeat of the 2021 GameStop halt. He blamed clearinghouse risk controls tied to the then T+2 cycle, highlighted the shift to T+1, and said Robinhood raised $3 billion during the episode.

US lawmakers are set to return to Capitol Hill on Wednesday after weather delays. On Thursday, the Senate Agriculture Committee will mark up the Digital Commodity Intermediaries Act, while one amendment proposes the law not take effect until at least four CFTC commissioners are Senate-confirmed. The Banking Committee's markup was postponed after Coinbase withdrew support.

On Jan. 28, Bitcoin traded above $90,000 and met resistance near $90,500 as traders positioned around the FOMC. Several leading altcoins are attempting rebounds but may encounter selling near moving averages and overhead levels. February has historically favored BTC, with only three negative months since 2013 and a median 12.21% rise.

US banks argue that yield‑bearing stablecoins could trigger deposit flight, as lawmakers debate whether the CLARITY Act should restrict interest. According to Standard Chartered, US bank deposits might fall by one‑third of stablecoin market cap, which DeFiLlama lists at $308.15 billion, while Brookings and the EBA say evidence of outflows remains limited.

In the past week, HYPE has risen more than 60% to trade around $35 while Hyperliquid’s HIP-3 derivatives markets saw open interest move above $925 million. Over roughly three days, the token advanced about 50% as commodities-focused activity, particularly in silver futures with over $1 billion in daily volume, coincided with stronger demand in HYPE derivatives and options.