On January 23, 2026, the Bank of Russia detailed plans for a "simple licensing" framework targeting crypto exchanges and digital-asset custodians that avoid the securities market. The regulator aims to move existing crypto businesses from the gray sector into a regulated space while imposing prudential limits on banks' and brokers' exposure to risky crypto assets. The strategy also builds on Russia's 2024 legalization of crypto mining and includes wider investor access by recognizing cryptocurrencies and stablecoins as monetary assets.

On 2 January 2026, an unidentified Polymarket user reportedly wagered about $30,000 that Nicolás Maduro would lose power by 31 January 2026, a bet that surged to more than $436,000 after a U.S. special forces raid led to his capture. By 2025, decentralized perpetuals and crypto prediction markets had evolved from niche tools into high-volume, consumer-facing infrastructure, with contracts on geopolitical events attracting over $10.5 million in open interest. The maturation of execution, liquidity design, distribution channels, and regulatory frameworks is now driving broader participation, particularly in emerging markets such as India.

Tether Gold (XAUt), a token backed 1:1 by gold held in Swiss vaults, has climbed toward the $5,000 level alongside a sharp rally in physical gold. Large holders have recently accumulated thousands of XAUt worth tens of millions of dollars, while new liquidity via Mantle and Bybit supports trading around key levels at $4,800 support and $5,000 resistance.

Over the past week, Pi Network (PI), Ripple's XRP, and Ethereum (ETH) have all registered notable price declines amid market pressures. Pi Network's Core Team rolled out new App Studio features and incentives, XRP is trading around $1.91 near identified resistance and support zones, and ETH has retreated from nearly $3,400 to about $2,900. Market commentators remain divided, with some warning of further downside and others projecting substantial upside for XRP.

Total crypto capitalization is struggling to hold the $3 trillion mark after several days of broad selling. Bitcoin remains capped by the $90,000-$95,000 range and shows fading momentum near support, while Ethereum has dropped below $3,000. Positioning has turned defensive as ETF and derivatives flows weaken and sentiment shifts toward fear.

On Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, crypto market cap hovered near $3.1 trillion as Bitcoin traded around $89,200 and Ethereum at $2,930. Dogecoin showed a weekly wedge pattern with a potential target up to $1.10 and a trigger near $0.124, while Solana's Seeker (SKR) jumped about 400% post‑airdrop to above $0.065. U.S. spot XRP ETFs held $1.37 billion as of Jan. 22, raising sell‑side risk if $1.91–$1.90 fails.

The U.S. Department of Justice has closed its insider trading-related case against former OpenSea executive Nathaniel Chastain after his 2023 wire fraud and money laundering conviction was overturned by an appeals court in 2025. Under a one-month deferred prosecution agreement, prosecutors will dismiss the charges after Chastain partially served his sentence and forfeited 15.98 ETH, valued at about $47,000. Bitcoin, which recently traded at $88,993.89, has surrendered nearly all of its 2026 gains and may revisit the $87,000–$87,500 support band before attempting another upward move.

Binance has formally applied for a MiCA license in Greece, with the review reportedly on an expedited track under the Hellenic Capital Market Commission. A spokesperson said the filing was made in Athens and that the exchange is in active discussions with the regulator.