Andreessen Horowitz's a16z crypto unit said in a Thursday outlook that the 2026 phase of digital assets will be driven by prediction markets, verifiable computation and "staked media" rather than launching new blockchains. The firm highlighted growth in platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi, advances in zero-knowledge proofs for cloud workloads and a model where media participants back their claims with onchain, financially exposed commitments.

Crypto markets ended the week in consolidation mode, with Bitcoin capped below $92,000, XRP extending gains on ETF optimism, Zcash turning volatile after a sharp reversal, and gold holding steady in a tight range. Total market cap hovered near $3.09 trillion as traders stayed active but selective, favoring assets with clear catalysts while broader conviction remained muted.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) is holding New Year gains, consolidating around $0.00000948 on Friday after a 30% weekly rise. Short‑term moving averages (10/20/50) have turned higher and MACD remains positive, but price is still below the 100- and 200‑day trend gauges. Analysts note the Fear & Greed Index near 28 and resistance clustered around $0.000010.

On 9 January 2026, Grayscale registered new Delaware trusts tied to BNB and Hyperliquid, signaling early-stage exploration of potential exchange-traded products beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. The legal entities, set up under CSC Delaware Trust Company, do not yet place any instruments on public markets but indicate preparation for possible institutional products linked to the BNB Chain ecosystem and DeFi-focused Hyperliquid.

On January 9 2026, Nasdaq and CME Group introduced the Nasdaq CME Crypto™ Index as the successor to the Nasdaq Crypto™ Index to serve as a single benchmark for institutional digital asset exposure. The index is designed to underlie regulated products such as ETFs, structured products, and managed funds, using CF Benchmarks pricing, vetted exchanges and custodians, and a publicly available methodology with joint governance oversight.

Bitcoin's 3-day MACD has fallen to its lowest level on record, while the BTC price trades around $90,000 after a sharp slide from highs near $126,000 in October 2025. Analysts highlight key levels at $92,000 on the upside and $87,200 on the downside, with a potential decline toward $69,230 if support fails. The market is described as a neutral, range-bound phase with short-term caution but an intact longer-term structure.

Paramount Skydance Corporation's PSKY shares climbed 2.69% in premarket trading on January 9, 2026, after the company restated its $30 per share all-cash proposal for Warner Bros. Discovery. The move intensified the bidding contest with Netflix, as Paramount argued its offer delivers higher value and greater certainty, while WBD's board has so far rejected the approach.

Pippin (PIPPIN) surged more than 46% in 24 hours, lifting its market cap back above $400 million as a supply squeeze, AI-memecoin hype, and leveraged short positioning combined to fuel one of the sharpest rallies in the Solana meme sector. While momentum has returned and a breakout above $0.50 is now in focus, concentrated whale ownership and rising derivatives risk leave the move highly volatile and vulnerable to abrupt reversals.