Spot cryptocurrency spot trading volume on major exchanges has slid from about $2 trillion in October to roughly $1 trillion by the end of January, reflecting weaker demand and lower investor participation. Analysts link the contraction to a liquidity squeeze, stablecoin outflows and macro uncertainty, while some argue the pullback is a needed reset to reduce leverage and reassess Bitcoin valuations. Market cycle metrics based on short- and long-term holder realized prices suggest Bitcoin may not yet have reached a definitive price bottom.

ING Deutschland has opened retail access to crypto-linked exchange-traded notes via its securities platform, giving exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana. The ETNs, issued by 21Shares, Bitwise and VanEck, trade on regulated venues through the Direct Depot service, while the bank highlighted tax alignment and warned of risks including volatility and issuer insolvency.

Blockchain analytics firm Santiment reported that fear, uncertainty, and doubt have surged across crypto social channels after Bitcoin fell 16% over the past week and briefly touched $74,600. Analysts highlighted that retail selling drove a market drop that erased $440 billion in value and pushed BTC toward key support near $74,000, while opinions remain split on whether a relief rally or deeper bear-phase continuation is ahead.

ARK Invest disclosed on Monday that it increased holdings of crypto‑linked companies across ARKK, ARKF and its Next Generation Internet ETF. A trade notice showed 235,077 Robinhood shares valued around $21.1 million and 274,358 BitMine shares worth about $6.2 million were among the largest allocations. The trades were dated Feb. 2 amid a broader stock pullback.

President Donald Trump said the Justice Department will keep pursuing a criminal inquiry tied to the Federal Reserve's $2.5 billion headquarters renovation. In January, Jerome Powell said he was under criminal investigation, as the multi‑year project's costs and disclosures face scrutiny ahead of key leadership decisions.

On February 2, 2026, several analysts detailed near-term levels for Ripple's XRP after a roughly 4% rebound to just over $1.60. Ali Martinez highlighted supports at $1.42, $1.27 and $1.06, while CryptoWZRD cited a $1.64 reclaim and a path toward $2.00 contingent on Bitcoin dominance. Spot XRP ETFs recorded another small net outflow on February 2.

Binance temporarily halted withdrawals on Tuesday due to what it described as technical difficulties, before bringing the service back online after roughly 20 minutes. The pause came during a volatile period for crypto markets, as Bitcoin fell below $76,000 and more than $2.56B in leveraged positions were liquidated across digital assets.

The White House convened crypto industry groups, exchanges, and Wall Street banks at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on Monday to negotiate the U.S. crypto market structure bill, focusing on whether exchanges can offer yield on stablecoins. Participants were instructed to reach a compromise on stablecoin rewards by the end of this month, with trade groups describing the meeting as a constructive step toward bipartisan legislation. Senior administration officials said recent talks have resolved several difficult policy disputes and expressed confidence that the remaining issues on stablecoin yields can also be settled.