On 29 January 2026, the United Arab Emirates approved USDU as the first USD-backed stablecoin for regulated digital-asset and derivatives settlement, issued by Universal Digital Intl Limited under the Central Bank's Payment Token Services Regulation. The token is currently the only Foreign Payment Token registered in the country, fully backed 1:1 with reserves held onshore at major banks such as Emirates NBD and Mashreq, and is designed for both domestic and permitted cross-border digital-asset transactions.

On 29 January 2026, Japan-based Metaplanet outlined a plan to raise $137 million to purchase additional Bitcoin, reinforcing its shift toward a Bitcoin-centric treasury model. The firm already holds 35,102 BTC and is positioning the asset as a long-term reserve rather than a vehicle for short-term trading. Around the same time, Bitcoin was trading near $87,700, in what analysts described as a corrective phase within a broader uptrend, with key support seen in the $86,000–$87,000 range.

On January 29, 2026, Bybit outlined plans to introduce "MyBank" accounts that let users hold fiat with IBANs and move funds across eighteen currencies. The rollout, in partnership with regulated banks, is targeted for February pending approvals, complementing existing bank transfers, AED local rails in the UAE, a crypto card with up to ten percent cashback, and a P2P marketplace.

On 28 January 2026, a detailed overview distinguished tokenized bank deposits, tokenized money market funds, stablecoins, and central bank digital currencies as separate forms of digital money. Although these instruments frequently rely on similar blockchain or distributed ledger technology, they differ in issuer, legal framework, and primary use cases across payments, investment, and public monetary infrastructure. Understanding these distinctions is presented as essential for managing risk, designing regulation, and supporting the long-term development of digital finance.

On 28 January 2026, South Dakota lawmakers advanced House Bill 1155 to let the State Investment Council allocate Bitcoin within state reserves. The bill caps exposure at 10% and permits direct custody, regulated custodians, or exchange-traded vehicles. It prioritizes institutional security controls, including key management, multi-party authorization, and audits.

On 28 January 2026, authorities tracking illicit crypto flows confronted a professionalized laundering layer embedded in Chinese-language financial networks. Stablecoins and self-custodied wallets enable rapid cross-border movement, shifting enforcement from tracing single wallets to disrupting the networks that process these funds.

According to analysis by Michaëel van de Poppe, the Relative Strength Index on the Bitcoin-to-gold ratio has fallen below 30, a reading that has previously only appeared at major cycle lows. The move suggests Bitcoin has significantly underperformed gold and may be entering a capitulation phase, with a developing bullish RSI divergence hinting at the potential for a recovery. Past instances of similar setups were followed by double-digit rebounds, and some analysts view the current conditions as a possible transition toward a new expansion phase rather than extended downside.

On 27 January 2026, new market data showed that Tether and Circle jointly control about 87% of global stablecoin supply, with USDT at roughly 62% and USDC at around 25%. At the same time, proposed U.S. regulation would bar payment stablecoins from offering yield to users, even though reserves are typically held in short‑term Treasuries yielding about 3% to 4%. Analysts warn that these limits could push yield‑seeking capital offshore or into less transparent synthetic dollar products, potentially concentrating risk in more opaque parts of the market.

As of 27 January 2026, roughly 60% of the top 25 U.S. banks have some Bitcoin exposure, including trading access, rewards programs, and selective custody for high‑net‑worth and institutional clients. Most institutions are proceeding cautiously, favoring limited access and partnerships while testing infrastructure and compliance.