Stablecoin

On 13 January 2026, Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott released an updated Digital Asset Market Clarity Act draft clarifying that usage-based stablecoin rewards do not trigger securities or deposit status. The text permits incentives for payments and network activity, but bars interest for simply holding. The Senate Agriculture Committee postponed broader markup until the final week of January.

Stablecoins are moving from a crypto side feature to a daily payment tool inside Revolut. Adoption accelerated in 2025, with monthly flows rising from hundreds of millions to a billion-dollar level and activity tilting to frequent, smaller transfers. Broader network support and one-to-one USD conversions reduced friction for routine use.

On January 13, the U.S. Senate released a 278-page bipartisan crypto market structure bill after extensive negotiations in Washington. The draft sets activity-based limits on stablecoin rewards that could advantage banks and constrain non-bank firms, and allows a 48-hour window for amendments.

World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance venture linked to the Trump family, has launched its World Liberty Markets onchain lending platform centered on the USD1 stablecoin and WLFI governance token. The platform allows users to borrow and lend major crypto assets, while the company also pursues a U.S. national trust bank charter and evaluates adding tokenized real-world assets as collateral amid a broader rebound in DeFi credit activity.

On Monday, Columbia Business School adjunct professor Omid Malekan argued that U.S. banks are promoting unfounded myths about stablecoin yields to shield their profits as crypto market structure legislation moves toward markup. He said the real dispute centers on who captures interest from stablecoin reserves and claimed that allowing issuers to share yields with users would impact bank profitability more than deposits or lending. Malekan urged Congress to focus on innovation and consumer benefit instead of protecting large, highly profitable banks.

On January 13, the US Democratic Party launched BlueVault, a crypto fundraising platform for campaign donations that accepts Bitcoin and USDC. According to Coincu, the initiative is framed by regulatory clarity linked to the GENIUS Act and aims to reengage voters and donors after the 2024 presidential election. Coincu also notes Republican platforms have drawn over $21 million in crypto contributions.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the CLARITY Act on July 17, 2025, moving it to Senate review. The bill assigns the CFTC oversight of digital commodity spot markets and preserves SEC authority over investment contracts, with stablecoins treated as commodities on registered venues. The House vote was 294-134, signaling a potential shift in crypto regulation.

As of January 13, 2026, U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis and Ron Wyden introduced the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act to clarify that crypto software developers who do not custody user funds should not be treated as money transmitters. The bipartisan measure sits within broader congressional work on crypto policy, including debates on stablecoins and decentralized finance.

On January 12, 2026, World Liberty Financial launched World Liberty Markets, a web-based lending and borrowing platform centered on its USD1 stablecoin, according to the company. The rollout comes as USD1's circulating supply climbed past $3.5 billion, with market capitalization around $3.48 billion and deployments spanning BNB Smart Chain, Ethereum, and other networks.

On January 12, 2026, Ukrainian authorities ordered communication providers to block access to prediction market platform Polymarket, citing unlicensed gambling activities. The decision, issued under Resolution No. 695 by the National Commission for State Regulation of Communications and Informatization, has led to uneven access across the country while more than $410 million in Ukraine-related bets and $270 million in completed wagers are tied to the platform. Polymarket’s dependence on USDC and Polygon leaves it navigating recurring geo-blocks in multiple jurisdictions.