As of January 22, 2026, U.S. lawmakers moved closer to a committee markup on a crypto market structure bill, though partisan divisions remain. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong withdrew support while a16z backed the text, and the Senate's schedule may slide toward late February. The House Agriculture Committee advanced its version 47 to 6, and the Senate draft includes protections for noncustodial developers and a definition for meme coins.

PwC's Global Crypto Regulation Report expects cryptocurrency rules in 2026 to shift from consultation and drafting to enforcement and supervision worldwide, with jurisdictions competing for capital and credibility. The report argues that clearer, harmonized regulation will reshape markets, while in the US banks and crypto‑linked fintechs are increasingly at odds over stablecoin yields and access to financial data.

Binance has incorporated a wholly owned Greek unit named Binary Greece and is pursuing authorization under the Markets in Crypto-Assets regime before the July 1 deadline. Corporate filings state the entity is a single-shareholder public limited company with €25,000 in initial capital, set up as a holding company. According to Fortune, a Binance spokesperson said the exchange has formally applied in Athens and is in discussions with Greece's Hellenic Capital Market Commission.

DXC Technology partnered with Ripple to embed institutional-grade blockchain into the Hogan core banking platform, which supports more than $5 trillion in deposits and 300 million accounts. XRP dipped to $1.8261 but closed back above the monthly midband at $1.8896, gaining 5.67% in January. Bitcoin absorbed heavier selling pressure, while Shiba Inu showed comparatively steadier price action.

Axis co-founder Jimmy Xue says stablecoin issuance has shifted from rapid expansion to consolidation as stricter US and EU rules raise compliance costs and reserve standards. Industry data shows total supply has hovered near $310 billion since October, while higher US Treasury yields curb speculative minting and emphasize payments and short-duration liquidity.

In Q4 2025, Bitwise data show Ethereum's price dropped 29% even as on-chain activity and wider crypto fundamentals hit fresh records. Stablecoin supply passed $300 billion, TRON posted $1.2 billion in quarterly revenue, and DEX volumes outpaced major centralized platforms. ETH now trades near $2,954.29, around 39% below its all-time high, underscoring the gap between adoption metrics and market valuations.

PwC's Global Crypto Regulation Report 2026 argues that institutional use of digital assets has moved beyond trading into payments, settlement, treasury and balance-sheet functions, reaching a stage that is difficult to unwind. The firm highlights growing deployment of stablecoins, tokenized cash and onchain settlement tools across banks, asset managers and payment companies, a trend echoed by Circle and ARK Invest's research on the expanding role of public blockchains.

On January 22, 2026, the Gwangju District Prosecutor's Office in South Korea began investigating the disappearance of roughly 70 billion won ($48 million) in seized Bitcoin during a routine security audit. An official reportedly accessed a phishing website while using a USB drive that held private keys, allowing attackers to obtain the digital asset passwords, and authorities are now reviewing other confiscated funds and broader crypto seizure rules.