Crypto markets saw renewed volatility and institutional momentum, including a $440M liquidation event as bitcoin dropped below $66,000. Coinbase said it received conditional OCC approval for a national trust charter, while a long-idle wallet last active in May 2014 moved 500 BTC in five transfers. Corporate buying also continued as Metaplanet reported 5,075 BTC purchased in Q1 2026, lifting holdings to 40,177 BTC.

Japan's National Tax Agency is rolling out the OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) to enable automatic cross-border sharing of certain crypto transaction data involving non-residents. The rules apply from Jan. 1, 2026, require user self-certifications, and set the first provider reporting deadline for Apr. 30, 2027.

A weekly roundup highlighted heightened cross-market volatility and fresh signs of traditional finance embracing digital assets, including Goldman Sachs pointing to a potential cyclical bottom for crypto. Separately, Fannie Mae said it will support crypto-backed mortgages in a product built with Better Home and Finance and Coinbase, allowing borrowers to use assets such as bitcoin or USDC held on Coinbase as part of a home purchase.

On January 2, 2026, Coinbase Institutional’s head of investment research David Duong argued that stock perpetual futures, or equity perps, are evolving into a primary access point for retail traders. He said these derivatives are moving from niche leveraged tools to core DeFi building blocks and could become a preferred way for global investors to gain 24/7, leveraged exposure to major equity markets.

On December 30, 2025, Robinhood's CIO Stephanie Guild told CNBC the firm's base case for the S&P 500 is around 7,500 by this time next year, implying roughly 8.5–8.7%. She cited risks including a possible government shutdown, interest rates, and the labor market, and expects broader sector participation beyond large-cap tech.

SAX LLP, an accounting and advisory firm, says an unauthorized party accessed parts of its network, potentially affecting about 228,876 individuals and exposing names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and certain financial details. Reported on December 27, 2025, regulators warned the incident could heighten risks of identity theft and financial fraud.

On December 19, 2025, credit reporting firm 700Credit disclosed a data breach that may have exposed personal information belonging to 5,836,521 individuals in the United States. The company reported that names, Social Security numbers, financial account details and other sensitive data could be compromised following unauthorized access to its systems. Affected consumers are being urged to monitor their credit activity and consider fraud alerts or credit freezes while regulators continue to investigate the incident.

Owen Gunden, an early Bitcoin investor from the Satoshi era, transferred over 2,587.6 BTC worth approximately $290 million to Kraken in under ten days, data show. Gunden began selling coins in January and still holds around $785 million in BTC. He was previously ranked the third richest crypto holder globally.