Grayscale transferred 8,242.844 ETH and 1,188 SOL, valued around $25 million, to a Coinbase Prime address. The activity was observed in recent days and reflects its use of institutional services. Grayscale and Coinbase have not issued public statements on the specific transfers.

On January 11, 2024, the U.S. SEC approved the first spot Bitcoin ETFs, a landmark step that expands regulated access to Bitcoin for institutional investors. The decision comes 15 years after Hal Finney's "Running bitcoin" tweet and coincides with Bitcoin trading at $90,673.58 on January 11, 2026. These ETFs and the recent market data together highlight Bitcoin's shift from a niche experiment to a major financial asset class.

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on January 15 to examine the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act and broader cryptocurrency market structure legislation. Lawmakers including Rep. French Hill, Sen. Tim Scott, and Sen. Cynthia Lummis aim to clarify SEC and CFTC jurisdictions over digital commodities and investment contracts, while analysts note Bitcoin’s recent volatility ahead of the session.

On July 2, 2025, Tether Ltd. carried out its largest sanctions-related freeze, blocking 42 cryptocurrency addresses tied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and about $1 billion in flows primarily in USDT on Tron through UK-registered exchanges Zedcex and Zedxion. The action, identified and detailed by TRM Labs, is prompting closer scrutiny of sanctions-evasion risks, while USDT continues trading near its $0.999 peg with a market cap of 186,712,276,063 and a sharply lower trading volume.

On January 9, Tether confirmed a strategic investment in Ledn, a Bitcoin-backed lender, with the deal reported at $40–$50M and valuing the company around $500M. The partnership aims to broaden Bitcoin-collateralized credit, support new products and markets, and improve USD₮ flows across Ledn’s fiat and stablecoin lending.

Ripple Markets UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Ripple, has obtained registration as a cryptoasset firm from the UK Financial Conduct Authority under anti-money laundering regulations. The approval allows the company to offer cryptoasset and e-money services in the UK and strengthen its institutional partnerships. Following this regulatory milestone, XRP is trading around $2.09 with multibillion-dollar daily volume and a large market capitalization.

On January 9, the U.S. Supreme Court did not issue a decision on former President Donald Trump's global tariffs case, leaving January 14 as the next potential opinion date. The ruling will address tariffs imposed under emergency powers and could alter trade policy, with possible spillover effects on broader markets, including digital assets. As of January 10, 2026, Bitcoin trades around $90,361.02, while market participants remain cautious until the Court clarifies its stance.

On January 7, 2026, Ethereum-based Truebit reported an exploit that drained 8,535 ETH, worth about $26.6 million. The team advised users to avoid the compromised "Purchase" contract and said law enforcement is involved. The incident coincided with a sharp collapse in the TRU token's value.

Barclays announced an investment in U.S.-based stablecoin platform Ubyx, aiming to strengthen regulated digital money connectivity. The move was reported on January 7 and, according to the report, follows Ubyx's $10 million seed funding in June, with executives emphasizing interoperability and the role of digital wallets.