On 8 January 2026 at 03:16, a16z crypto said privacy, rather than speed or fees, will be the main competitive axis for blockchains by 2026. Ali Yahya argued that limited privacy keeps onchain systems from replacing traditional finance and that privacy centric networks could capture most real world usage.

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.

On January 7, 2026, Tether and Rumble (NASDAQ: RUM) announced the launch of Rumble Wallet, a self-custodial crypto wallet integrated directly into the Rumble video platform. The wallet initially supports Tether USD (USDT), Tether Gold (XAUT) and Bitcoin, enabling tipping, peer-to-peer payments and instant creator payouts without traditional intermediaries.

On 7 January 2026, Digital Asset and Kinexys by JPMorgan outlined plans to deploy JPM Coin natively on the Canton Network, expanding beyond bank-controlled systems. The rollout will proceed in phases through 2026, beginning with issuance and redemption, and complements ongoing institutional tests on Base. The initiative targets near-instant, compliant settlement on public infrastructure.

On 7 January 2026, Barclays confirmed an investment in Ubyx, a U.S. platform focused on clearing and settling regulated stablecoins. The undisclosed stake reflects a strategy to back core digital money infrastructure over token speculation, aligning with comments from digital assets head Ryan Hayward and following the bank’s 2025 limits on crypto purchases.

EDF has entered a Memorandum of Understanding with droppRWA to assess blockchain and tokenisation applications across Saudi Arabia's energy sector. The framework targets streamlined transactions, on-chain energy assets, and carbon credit mechanisms. EDF says it serves 41.5 million customers and reported €118.7 billion in 2024 consolidated sales.

As of January 7, 2026, Bitcoin has reclaimed $92,000 and Ethereum remains above $3,200, while hiring accelerates across Web3 infrastructure and DeFi. This roundup lists open roles in engineering, marketing, and operations with salaries from $36,000 to $217,000+, many remote. Companies include Tether, ZIGChain, Wormhole Foundation, Exodus, Ares, Pulley, Silo Finance, FalconX, GSR, and Dune.

On 7 January 2026, Deutsche Bank released research projecting tokenized real‑world assets to reach about $1.5–$2 trillion by 2030 and roughly $3–$4 trillion by 2035. The study says adoption will be gradual, with liquidity and regulation as key constraints, and suggests the United States could strengthen dollar dominance by leading tokenized market infrastructure.