BNB Chain's Layer 2 opBNB executed the Fourier mainnet hard fork at 03:00 UTC on January 7, reducing block intervals from 500 ms to 250 ms. According to BNB Chain developers, the upgrade targets faster confirmations and lower latency for dApps, with node operators moving to op-node v0.5.5 and op-geth v0.5.9.

Solana registered $6.701 billion in 24-hour DEX volume, surpassing the combined activity of all L1 and L2 networks, while SOL nears the $150 resistance. Over the same period, Solana ETFs saw $801.31 million of inflows and open interest rose, pointing to deeper participation as traders evaluate whether price can clear this level.

Stablecoins on the Solana blockchain added $900 million over a 24-hour period on Tuesday, lifting the segment to a $15.3 billion market cap. The jump coincided with Jupiter launching its JupUSD stablecoin in partnership with Ethena. USDC represented more than 67% of Solana's stablecoin supply.

The Digital Chamber plans to host more than 50 member companies in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to brief Senate offices on the Responsible Financial Innovation Act market structure bill. Senate Agriculture and Banking Committees are expected to move toward markup in mid-January, with Senator Tim Scott scheduling a Jan. 15 vote on market structure. Analysts and lawmakers have warned that the 2026 U.S. midterm elections and potential government shutdowns could influence the bill's timing and prospects.

China instructed some domestic tech companies to stop placing new orders for Nvidia's H200 chips this week, according to The Information. The move aligns with a broader plan that could push buyers toward local AI processors. U.S. approvals for H200 exports are still being processed, and shipments would carry a 25% revenue-sharing tax.

On January 6, Cambodian authorities arrested businessman Chen Zhi and deported him to China, where he is accused of running a large‑scale crypto scam and money laundering network tied to a 127,000 BTC seizure worth around $15 billion. Chen, founder of Cambodia-based Prince Group, now faces potential prosecution under Chinese law, as investigators detail how funds allegedly flowed through shell companies, exchanges, and mining operations. Regulators and crypto firms have been working to trace and freeze assets, with reported U.S. losses from similar “pig-butchering” schemes reaching $3.6 billion in 2024.

Morgan Stanley filed for Solana and Bitcoin ETFs, with the SOL trust set to use custodians and staking rewards accruing to NAV. SHIB briefly hit $0.00001 after crossing its 100‑day EMA but reversed. John Bollinger cautioned on XRP, saying BTC > ETH > XRP, noting structure lags despite a roughly 32% gain since Jan. 1.

On 7 January 2026 at 23:15, Coindoo reported a shift from opposition to alignment as banks and crypto-native firms build tokenized money rails. Stablecoins and deposit tokens are being used for real-time settlement and liquidity, while the competitive focus is moving to interoperability and integration speed across payment networks.