South Korea's Financial Services Commission has set guidelines to let listed companies and professional investors trade cryptocurrencies, with corporate exposure capped at up to 5% of equity annually. Final guidance is due between January and February, with implementation tied to the Digital Asset Basic Act in Q1 2025 and market participation targeted by end‑2026.

COIN traded near $247.26, up 2.69% on the day but about 44% below its all‑time high. According to Google Trends, search interest in Coinbase and crypto has fallen to a five‑year low. DeFi Llama and Nansen show Base volumes, transactions, fees, and active users dropping, while earnings are slated for February 25 with consensus forecasting lower revenue and EPS.

On Jan. 12, BitGo Holdings outlined plans for a 2026 IPO targeting up to a $1.96 billion valuation, with 11.8 million shares priced at $15–$17 to raise as much as $201 million. According to its SEC filing, Goldman Sachs will lead underwriting with Citigroup also managing, and the company intends to list on the NYSE as BTGO.

Bernstein’s latest report warns that political and industry tensions over stablecoin yields are compressing the timeframe for passing the U.S. Crypto Market Structure Act, which must advance by Q2 2026 to avoid prolonged delays. The dispute between banks and crypto firms over interest-like returns on stablecoins threatens to slow legislation impacting a stablecoin market already valued at about $275 billion, with future trillion-dollar potential at stake.

Standard Chartered is planning to establish a crypto prime brokerage within its wholly owned venture arm SC Ventures, according to people familiar with the matter. The initiative is still at an early discussion stage with no confirmed launch date, and would build on the bank's existing digital asset projects and institutional spot crypto trading services. The bank is also working with Bank Malaysia and AirAsia parent Capital A to explore a ringgit-pegged stablecoin under Malaysia's Digital Asset Innovation Hub framework.

On January 12, 2026, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell was subpoenaed as the Department of Justice launched an investigation into alleged political pressure tied to rate-setting and his prior testimony on renovations. U.S. equities fell the same day, with the Dow down 290 points (0.6%), the S&P 500 off 0.4%, and the Nasdaq lower by 0.3%.

BitGo Holdings filed a Form S-1 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, launching a US IPO of its Class A common stock. The crypto custody firm plans to offer about 11.8 million shares at $15 to $17 each, seeking to raise up to $201 million and valuing the company at as much as $1.96 billion, with over $90 billion in assets under custody.

On 12 January 2026, crypto traders are watching three key macro and policy catalysts: U.S. CPI, PPI and the Senate's review of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. CPI and PPI readings could shift expectations for 2026 rate cuts and near-term volatility across Bitcoin and altcoins. The Clarity Act's progress may shape longer-term sentiment by signaling whether U.S. regulation is moving toward clearer oversight of digital assets.