On 4 February 2026, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin argued that the network’s rapidly scaling base layer is eroding the original idea of layer-2s as mandatory scaling extensions. He now sees many L2s as systems with differing trust and security assumptions, whose future value will lie in specialization and innovation rather than simply providing extra Ethereum block space. Ethereum is also moving toward features like a native rollup precompile to streamline interoperability and reinforce security for L2s that handle ETH and Ethereum-based assets.

In a video shared on X on Monday, Alex from Uma Protocol and Across Protocol unveiled rentahuman.ai, a website where people list hourly rates so AI agents can book them for real-world jobs. The platform, described as a "meatspace layer for AI," reports nearly 26,000 registrations and supports tasks from shopping to attending meetings, while explicitly ruling out the launch of its own token. Alex said the site was developed using "vibe coding" with Claude-based AI agents running in recursive Ralph loops that iteratively generate and fix code.

On Tuesday, the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) released an interim Digital Asset Custody Framework setting tiered limits on how dealer members and custodians hold client crypto. The rules introduce four risk-based tiers with caps from 40% to 100%, restrict internal custody to 20% of client assets, and add stricter governance, insurance, and audit requirements as Canada tightens oversight of hacks and compliance failures.

Michael Burry, known for his "Big Short" bet, has argued that Bitcoin has failed as a safe-haven asset and outlined three price thresholds that could intensify stress across the crypto sector. He warns that drops below $70,000, $60,000 and $50,000 would respectively inflict heavy losses, trigger an existential crisis for Michael Saylor's firm Strategy, and potentially fracture the wider digital asset ecosystem. Bitcoin briefly fell to an intraday low of $73,111 on Tuesday before rebounding.

On February 4, 2026, Waymo and Tesla executives prepared to testify before a U.S. Senate committee, using crash and mileage data to argue that their autonomous systems are safer than human drivers. At the same time, Uber's shares have fallen about 22% since October 2025 as investors weigh the long-term risk from robotaxis backed by heavy funding and expanding fleets. The companies are also pressing for a single federal framework for self-driving vehicles, saying current state-by-state rules slow deployment and innovation.

Crypto.com has launched OG as an independent prediction markets platform for US users, leveraging its CFTC-registered Crypto.com Derivatives North America infrastructure. The spinout follows a reported 40x surge in weekly prediction market activity over the past six months and places OG in direct competition with platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi.

In January 2026 the market weakened, but Avalanche advanced in real‑world asset tokenization. By 3 February, AVAX ranked third in development activity, and in Q4 2025 tokenized assets on AVAX rose 68.6% with $1.3 billion TVL. VanEck's AVAX ETF launched on 27 January and recorded $1.24 million net inflows by 31 January.

On February 4, 2026, Tether scaled back plans for a $15–$20 billion equity raise after investors balked at a $500 billion valuation. Talks that began last year now focus on about $5 billion, with terms unresolved. CEO Paolo Ardoino said the figure was never a target and noted insiders are reluctant to sell.