Solana's active validator set has declined by 68% in three years, dropping from a peak of 2,560 nodes in March 2023 to 795, according to Solanacompass. Smaller, independent validators report that rising operating costs and fee competition from large zero-fee operators are pushing them out, while Solana's Nakamoto Coefficient has fallen from 31 to 20 over the same period, signaling increased network concentration.

Macro analyst Michaël van de Poppe says gold’s momentum has driven its RSI above 91, a threshold last seen in December 1979 and higher than August 2020. He notes that after the 2020 spike, gold consolidated while Bitcoin advanced about 5–6x, prompting debate over whether a similar setup could unfold.

On January 29, 2026, the UK House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee opened an inquiry into stablecoin oversight. The review will examine global issuance since 2014, compare the UK with the US and EU, and analyze how GBP-denominated stablecoins could affect monetary policy and traditional institutions. Outcomes could inform future regulatory frameworks and the UK’s competitiveness in the digital economy.

On January 29, 2026, XRP traded near the bottom of its recent range and remained below declining resistance, signaling muted momentum. According to the analysis, total open interest hovered around $3.38 billion with a recent 24‑hour pullback, while Binance held a large share of derivatives exposure. Exchange inflows and outflows showed episodic spikes without a persistent trend, and prior inflow surges aligned with price softness.

Solana's price has cooled after a roughly 20% decline from resistance near $150, with the token now hovering around a key technical area. Analyst Umair Crypto highlighted that rejection at the Value Area High near $141 sent SOL back into its two-month trading range, where it is retesting the Value Area Low flip zone around $128. Further consolidation above this support, described by BitGuru as a compression phase, could precede a sharp move in either direction depending on how price reacts to nearby support and resistance.

Following the year's first FOMC meeting, Bitcoin fell below $88,000 after briefly touching $90,500, while its market capitalization slipped to $1.750 trillion and dominance hovered around 57.4%. Major altcoins also declined, with Ethereum losing the $3,000 level, XRP sliding under $1.90, BNB trading below $900, and Pi Network's PI token recording a new all-time low as the total crypto market cap fell to under $3.050 trillion.

On January 28, 2026, the U.S. SEC clarified that tokenized securities must comply with federal securities laws, outlining expectations for issuer-sponsored and third-party models. The update aims to align blockchain-based mechanisms with existing rules and may encourage traditional institutions to explore tokenization, while broader adoption still depends on pending legislation.

On January 28, 2026, the U.S. SEC issued guidance confirming that tokenized securities must follow existing U.S. securities regulations, regardless of the technology used. The update outlines issuer obligations around registration, disclosure, reporting and anti-fraud rules, and distinguishes issuer-backed from third-party tokenized instruments. One SEC commissioner warned that the staff guidance does not carry legal force, leaving broker-dealers exposed to potential shifts in enforcement.