On Jan. 15, 2026, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 will face a key Senate Banking Committee vote, with analyst Alex Thorn warning it is unlikely to return for a second vote in 2026 if it fails to advance. He said Republicans will need seven to 10 Democratic senators overall, and at least four Democrats on the committee, to move the CLARITY market structure bill forward and sustain its chances.

By January 9 2026, Bitcoin and Ethereum's year-to-date gains had cooled to about 4%, while several altcoins delivered much stronger weekly returns. XRP and Solana climbed nearly 10% and 7%, and coins like Sui, Bittensor, and Shiba Inu gained between 14% and 17%, reflecting a shift into higher-risk assets before key U.S. economic reports. Analysts also highlighted record 2025 stablecoin volumes and Morgan Stanley's new Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana ETF filings as important structural developments.

On Jan. 9, buyers sought to hold Bitcoin above $90,000 as bears pressed near $94,789. Multiple large-cap altcoins tested moving averages or key patterns, with potential targets including $100,000 for BTC, $3,659–$4,000 for ETH, and $2.70 for XRP, while downside levels span $84,000–$76,000.

In 2025, China maintained its position as the largest electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle market, with nearly 13 million units sold, accounting for 54% of total passenger car sales. Domestic manufacturers such as BYD and Geely gained ground while many foreign automakers scaled back, closed plants, or shifted strategies in both China and the United States. Government incentives supported demand, but some subsidies were reduced by the end of the year, slowing overall passenger car market growth.

On Thursday, Terry Smith said his £16 billion Fundsmith Equity fund returned 0.8% in 2025, lagging the 12.8% global benchmark and 4.2% cash deposits. He cautioned investors not to expect annual outperformance and noted a 1.7% average yearly beat since 2010. Peer funds averaged 10.8%, according to Investment Association figures he cited.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority plans to open a crypto licensing gateway in September 2026. Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the regime for cryptoasset service providers will begin on 25 October 2027, requiring FSMA authorisation. Draft rules propose an application window of at least 28 days, closing at least 28 days before the start.

D-Wave Quantum said Wednesday it will acquire Quantum Circuits in a $550 million deal, split between $250 million cash and $300 million in QBTS stock. The move adds error-corrected, gate-model capabilities to D-Wave’s annealing portfolio and marks its first acquisition since listing in August 2022. Shares have risen sharply over the past year.

On January 8, 2026, Nasdaq and CME Group announced the relaunch and rebranding of the Nasdaq Crypto Index as the Nasdaq CME Crypto Index to strengthen digital asset benchmarks for institutional investors. The index is designed to cover a broad portion of the crypto market, with a particular focus on Bitcoin and Ether, supporting products such as ETPs and derivatives and addressing the growing demand for transparent institutional-grade benchmarks.