On January 15, 2026, multiple crypto firms including Ripple, Circle, a16z and the Digital Chamber voiced support for Senate Republicans' crypto market structure bill, while Coinbase and its CEO Brian Armstrong opposed it. The bill centers on regulatory clarity for DeFi and stablecoins such as USDC, which is priced at $1.00 with a $75.78 billion market cap and $19.84 billion in 24-hour volume, and industry participants are calling for amendments to balance innovation with oversight.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has publicly opposed the current draft of a U.S. cryptocurrency bill scheduled for a vote by the Senate Banking Committee, arguing it is worse than the existing regulatory framework. He raised concerns over privacy, DeFi oversight, stablecoin yields and the balance of authority between the CFTC and SEC, while USDC trades at $1.00 with a $75.75 billion market cap and $20.17 billion in 24-hour volume. The broader crypto industry remains split, with some stakeholders favoring further amendments to address divisive provisions.

On January 14, 2026, the Sui mainnet experienced a network stall that interrupted checkpoint validation and froze transactions for dApps such as Slush and SuiScan. The core team reported that funds remained secure and was working on a fix, while SUI traded around $1.84 with a market cap near $6.97 billion and limited price impact despite a sharp rise in 24-hour volume.

On January 13, the US Democratic Party launched BlueVault, a crypto fundraising platform for campaign donations that accepts Bitcoin and USDC. According to Coincu, the initiative is framed by regulatory clarity linked to the GENIUS Act and aims to reengage voters and donors after the 2024 presidential election. Coincu also notes Republican platforms have drawn over $21 million in crypto contributions.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the CLARITY Act on July 17, 2025, moving it to Senate review. The bill assigns the CFTC oversight of digital commodity spot markets and preserves SEC authority over investment contracts, with stablecoins treated as commodities on registered venues. The House vote was 294-134, signaling a potential shift in crypto regulation.

BitGo Holdings Inc., a crypto custody provider, has filed for an IPO on the NYSE under the ticker BTGO, aiming to raise up to $201 million. The company plans to offer roughly 11.8 million Class A shares in a price range of $15 to $17, with Goldman Sachs and Citigroup leading the underwriting. This move marks the first major crypto-related IPO since a major market adjustment in late 2025 and could reinforce BitGo's position in the regulated U.S. digital asset sector.

On January 11, 2026, Tether immobilized more than $182 million in USDT held across five wallets on the Tron network under its December 2023 OFAC-linked freezing policy. The funds stay within USDT’s circulating supply but can no longer move, underscoring a stronger compliance stance while renewing concerns over centralization and issuer control.

In 2025, Russia’s Social Fund processed 37 million hotline calls, with a growing portion focused on cryptocurrency, pensions and social benefits in digital assets. Over the period from July 2024 to June 2025, Russia recorded $376.3 billion in crypto inflows, making it Europe’s largest market while Bitcoin traded around $90,751 with a dominant market share. Current rules still require pensions to be paid in rubles, but regulators are signaling openness to tightly controlled investment channels rather than direct payment use for crypto.

Zama will conduct a Dutch auction token sale on January 12, positioning the event within the fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) privacy narrative. The timing overlaps with token unlocks for projects such as RAIN and APT and U.S. CPI updates, which could shape liquidity and short-term volatility across crypto markets.