Hong Kong Monetary Authority aims to approve the first batch of fiat-referenced stablecoin licenses by March 2026, following a disclosure by Chief Executive Eddie Yue on 02 February 2026. The regulator has received 36 applications but intends to grant only a very small number initially to prioritize prudence and financial stability.

A UAE-backed investment vehicle acquired a 49% interest in World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's cryptocurrency firm, for $500 million under a deal signed on January 16, 2025, four days before Donald Trump's second inauguration. The investment was structured in two $250 million tranches, altered the Trump family's equity stake, and granted the Emirati side a 49% holding via Aryam Investment 1. The company issues the USD1 stablecoin, which was later used to settle a $2 billion crypto investment, while separate U.S.-UAE agreements covered access to Nvidia AI chips in 2025.

On 30 January 2026, Tether issued 192,657 Tether Gold (XAUT) tokens on the Ethereum blockchain, with the batch valued at roughly $946 million. Each XAUT represents one troy ounce of gold stored in Swiss vaults, and the new issuance equals about six metric tons of physical gold, expanding Tether's position in the tokenised gold market.

On 01 Feb 2026, a Delaware judge allowed a shareholder derivative lawsuit over alleged insider trading by Coinbase directors to move forward. The case challenges more than $2.9 billion in stock sales tied to Coinbase's April 2021 direct listing and claims insiders avoided over $1 billion in losses when the share price later declined.

Bitcoin fell to about $82,300 on 30 January 2026, marking a two-month low as risk assets weakened. Traders reacted to reports that Kevin Warsh could be named the next Federal Reserve chair, while U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs saw roughly $1.1–$1.14 billion in net outflows during 20–26 January. Leveraged long positions faced heavy liquidations around the late-January slide.

The UK Advertising Standards Authority banned a Coinbase ad campaign on 28 January 2026 after receiving 35 complaints. The watchdog said a two-minute video-on-demand spot and three posters downplayed crypto risks by linking digital assets to cost-of-living pressures. Coinbase said it respects the decision but disputed the characterisation.

Japan's Financial Services Agency launched a public consultation on January 27, 2026 to define which bonds can qualify as reserve assets for yen-denominated stablecoins, with submissions accepted until February 27, 2026. The draft framework includes strict credit rating and size thresholds for foreign bonds and is tied to the amended 2025 Payment Services Act governing stablecoin issuance and reserves. Market observers suggest tighter eligibility rules could increase demand for Japanese government bonds from stablecoin issuers over time.

Japan’s Financial Services Agency aims to enable spot cryptocurrency ETFs by 2028 through amendments to the Investment Trust Act, aligning crypto assets with eligible ETF holdings. Parallel tax reforms are expected to lower the current maximum individual crypto tax rate of about 55 percent to a flat 20 percent on specified investments, while major securities groups such as Nomura and SBI prepare related products and estimate potential ETF assets around one trillion yen.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority is developing a new cryptoasset regulatory framework following consultations in December 2025 and new legislation submitted to Parliament. The regime is set to commence on 25 October 2027, with an authorisation gateway expected from around September 2026 to oversee trading platforms, intermediaries, lending, staking, and custody activities. Firms conducting in-scope crypto business in or to the UK will move from AML-focused registration to full authorisation under the Financial Services and Markets Act once the rules take effect.