CME Group Chairman and CEO Terrence Duffy said on an earnings call that the exchange is building a tokenized cash coin, reportedly with Google Cloud, that could be used as collateral for derivatives trading and is slated to launch in 2026. The initiative follows a CFTC pilot that permits selected cryptocurrencies, including USDC, bitcoin, and ether, to be posted as collateral and may expand CME's use of onchain margin products.

In Q4 2025, Tether increased the circulating supply of USD₮t to around $109 billion while the total crypto market capitalization fell from roughly $3.9 trillion to about $2.6 trillion. The stablecoin's net issuance surpassed $10 billion in the quarter, as investors rotated into dollar-pegged liquidity amid heightened volatility and capital preservation priorities.

Canada has introduced a new tiered crypto custody framework that tightens requirements on how digital assets are held, insured, and audited under CIRO oversight. The policy distinguishes between qualified custodians, in-house arrangements, and third-party providers, raising standards for segregation, legal ownership, and liability. Platforms relying on non-qualified custodians will face stricter capital and reporting obligations, with regulators aiming to strengthen investor protection and reduce counterparty risk exposed by past exchange failures.

Bitcoin slid to a 15‑month low at $72,169, and one analyst warned the price could revisit BTC's realized level near $56,000 in the coming weeks. Other analysts expect a market bottom to form sooner, while multiple major altcoins hover near key supports that could either trigger fresh declines or spark short relief rallies. Traders are watching whether BTC can hold $74,508 and if leading altcoins such as ETH, BNB and SOL can defend their critical levels.

Ripple representatives took part in a White House meeting on stablecoin regulation, joining major crypto and traditional finance firms in a two-hour closed-door summit. Elon Musk reiterated his plan to send Dogecoin to the moon in response to a resurfaced 2021 post, while Volatility Shares updated its U.S. SEC filings to list three Cardano ETFs on NYSE Arca.

On 4 February 2026, Bitcoin fell to about $72,500, marking its lowest level since 2024 as the broader crypto market extended its decline. Major altcoins, led by sharply weaker Solana, also slid, while total crypto liquidations over the past 24 hours climbed to nearly $880 million and overall market capitalization retreated to $2.47 trillion. The drawdown has left large institutional holders facing sizable unrealized losses as volatility and risk-off sentiment persist.

Over the past week, crypto markets extended a sharp decline as analysts highlighted fragmented liquidity and widening dispersion rather than broad capitulation. Bitcoin fell more than 17% week over week, while selective rotation appeared in products and tokens, including a 44% jump in Hyperliquid's HYPE during the selloff.

Eurostat's flash estimate shows eurozone annual inflation at 1.7% in January 2026, down from 2.0% in December and 2.5% a year earlier. Analysts expect the softer price growth and a strong euro to shape European Central Bank rate decisions and potentially lend support to regional stock and cryptocurrency markets, even as Bitcoin trades more than 40% below its peak.