South Korea's National Assembly passed amendments to two capital-market laws on Jan. 15, institutionalizing token securities, Yonhap News reports. The changes establish an issuer account management institution system and allow eligible issuers to issue token securities via blockchain.

Polymarket bettors cut the odds of Jerome Powell leaving the Fed by May 30 to 45% from 74%, and by year-end to 62% from 85%, after the DOJ opened a probe on Jan. 15, Polymarket data show. Kevin Warsh, a more hawkish candidate, has overtaken Kevin Hassett in Polymarket odds for next Fed chair.

The People's Bank of China lowered interest rates on structural monetary policy tools by 0.25 percentage points, reducing the one-year relending rate to 1.25% with other maturities adjusted accordingly, Deputy Governor Zou Lan said at a State Council Information Office briefing on January 15. Zou said the central bank aims to refine these structural instruments and increase support to facilitate economic restructuring. He added room remains for further cuts to the reserve requirement ratio and policy rates, noting the average required reserve ratio for financial institutions stands at 6.3%, the renminbi exchange rate remains relatively stable while the U.S. dollar is in a rate-cut cycle, and that recent reductions in structural policy tool rates will help lower banks' interest expenses, stabilize net interest margins and create space for potential rate cuts as sizeable 3-year and 5-year term deposits mature in 2026.

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee canceled a January 15 markup of the 278-page CLARITY Act after Coinbase withdrew support and industry criticism mounted over amendments allegedly favoring banks and traditional finance, crypto reporter EleanorTerrett reports. Critics say the revised text on stablecoin yields and tokenization tilts the bill toward legacy players, while some Democrats seek ethics restrictions barring senior officials from profiting from crypto projects. Committee Chair Tim Scott said "everyone remains at the negotiating table working in good faith" but gave no new markup date; the Senate reconvenes after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when the Agriculture Committee will hold a separate delayed hearing.

Bank of England Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden said on Jan. 15 the UK may need to provide protections for stablecoin deposits similar to bank savings, Bloomberg reports. He said the central bank is assessing how to maintain public trust in money if a systemically important stablecoin fails.

The Senate Banking Committee canceled a Thursday markup session for the CLARITY Act on Jan. 15, with no rescheduled date announced, BlockBeats reports. The bill, released Monday evening, seeks to clarify regulatory jurisdiction between the CFTC and SEC, define when digital assets are securities or commodities, and set new disclosure requirements. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego told reporters he cannot support the legislation after Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the President's Digital Assets Advisory Council, failed to attend an expected meeting. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong subsequently withdrew the company's backing, citing concerns over provisions on stablecoin yield, tokenized equity and decentralized finance, though some crypto firms and advocacy groups said they will continue working toward passage in 2026.

JPMorgan expects cryptocurrency inflows to increase in 2026 after a record $130 billion in 2025, The Block reported. According to the report, the bank’s forecast is based on growing institutional interest in digital asset products, including spot exchange-traded funds and similar offerings.

Coinbase has said it cannot support the Senate Banking Committee’s draft cryptocurrency market structure legislation ahead of a scheduled committee vote on Thursday, according to a report by CoinDesk. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong outlined concerns including what he described as a de facto ban on tokenized equities, provisions affecting decentralized finance that would grant government access to financial records, a reduction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s authority relative to the Securities and Exchange Commission, and amendments limiting stablecoin rewards that he said would favor banks over nonbank competitors. The bill seeks to delineate regulatory oversight of digital assets between the SEC and CFTC and is advancing in the Senate after negotiations among lawmakers, CoinDesk reported.