Stablecoin payment flows could reach $56.6 trillion by 2030, rising from $2.9 trillion in 2025. The path implies roughly an 81% compound annual growth rate over five years, supported by broader institutional use and greater reliance in economies facing inflation and instability.

On Thursday, crypto markets fell as Bitcoin briefly slipped below $90,000 and, according to the article, completed a CME gap between $90,500 and $91,600 while bouncing from $89,200 to $91,200. The piece says altcoins underperformed, with Zcash hit by reports of a core team exit, and flags another gap near $88,200 that could matter if the pullback extends.

According to CoinGlass, more than $462 million in crypto derivatives were liquidated over the past 24 hours as Bitcoin slid under $89,600 and hovered near $89,500, down 2%. Long positions made up $418 million, over 90% of the total, with about $132 million tied to BTC, $116 million to ETH, and $24 million to ZEC.

The crypto market's recent bounce has given way to renewed volatility, with Bitcoin and other major assets giving back part of their earlier gains. In a report released on January 6, Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan set out three conditions he believes are required for a durable rally in 2026: avoiding a repeat of the record October 10, 2025 liquidation that wiped out about $19 billion in futures, securing passage of the CLARITY Act, and maintaining relative stability in U.S. equities.

The crypto market is struggling with limited liquidity as large holders sell Shiba Inu, Bitcoin and Ethereum, putting pressure on any attempt at long-term recovery. Shiba Inu has faced its sharpest rejection since September 2025 at the 100-day EMA, while Bitcoin and Ethereum now rely on their 26-day EMAs as critical support zones. Holding these moving averages could help stabilize prices, but a breakdown may extend the corrective phase.

Bitcoin traded around $91,000 on Friday while major Asian stock indices posted modest gains ahead of key US nonfarm payrolls data and a potential Supreme Court decision on President Donald Trump's tariffs. Crypto markets stayed rangebound, with Bitcoin, Ether and XRP moving narrowly as investors weighed the Federal Reserve's rate path and broader macro headlines.

As of May 2025, the Global Sanctions Inflation Index estimated that just under 80,000 entities and individuals worldwide were subject to sanctions, while Chainalysis reported that illicit cryptocurrency addresses received at least $154 billion that year. The firm said volumes linked to nation-states on-chain activity reached unprecedented levels in 2025, driven in part by sanctioned actors and Russia's ruble-backed A7A5 token, even though illicit activity still accounts for less than 1% of total crypto transaction volume.

In a report updated January 9, 2026, the CFTC issued a no‑action letter to Bitnomial Exchange and its clearing affiliate, enabling regulated prediction markets tied to crypto prices and economic data. Reports say Bitnomial must publish precise market timestamps and sales figures, maintain full collateral with 1:1 backing and no leverage, and furnish information to the commission on request.