BlackRock started 2026 with roughly 774,000 BTC under management, about 674,000 of which are effectively locked up, while Fidelity and other asset managers further concentrate supply through regulated ETFs and corporate treasuries. This growing institutional grip is tightening liquid bitcoin availability and shaping market dynamics.
The U.S. is preparing to freeze and seize Venezuela’s Bitcoin holdings after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, who faces narco-terrorism charges in a New York federal court. The move could mark a major test of how state-held crypto is treated under U.S. sanctions and asset-forfeiture law.
Bitcoin surged about 1,671% after Nicolás Maduro's sudden ouster, as traders and Venezuelan buyers rushed into crypto before U.S. markets responded. P2P and OTC volumes spiked, signaling local demand and liquidity dislocations.
A RICO class‑action filed Jan. 5 names Drake as a defendant over his involvement with crypto casino Stake. The suit raises fresh legal scrutiny of celebrity promotions in the crypto gambling space.
Organizers of NFT Paris have scrapped planned conferences amid a steep drop in the NFT market — total market cap fell from about $9 billion in January 2025 to roughly $2.7 billion by 2026. The move reflects waning sponsorship and buyer interest across the sector.
Trust Wallet says it will reimburse a subset of users affected by a security breach tied to its Chrome extension that saw roughly $7 million drained. The company has faced criticism for downplaying the incident and offering limited compensation.
Jupiter has launched JupUSD, a reserve-backed stablecoin pegged to the US dollar and supported by Ethena Labs, marking a new dollar-denominated option in the Jupiter ecosystem. The move aims to provide on-chain stability for trading, payments, and DeFi activity tied to JUP.
Gemini Trust and the parent company of Crypto.com contributed a combined $21 million to a pro-Trump PAC in September and October, ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. The moves mark a notable instance of major crypto firms engaging in high‑stakes political spending.
Bitcoin rose above $94,000 after a week of strong gains, with whale accumulation and retail profit-taking concentrated around a key liquidity zone. The move adds momentum to 2026’s early rally but raises short-term volatility risks.
Ripple confirmed a strategic collaboration with Mizuho Bank, SMBC Nikko, and Securitize Japan to launch an innovation initiative aimed at professionalizing the XRP Ledger ecosystem and accelerating XRPL adoption across Japan’s financial market. The move highlights growing institutional interest in XRPL for payments and tokenization.
China has executed the first consumer retail payment across borders using the digital yuan in Laos, a milestone in the e‑CNY’s international rollout. The move aims to make everyday transactions for travelers and merchants faster and more convenient.
Goldman Sachs says clearer regulation and growing real-world crypto applications will drive greater institutional involvement beyond trading. The bank highlights compliance frameworks and tokenized assets as key enablers for banks, asset managers, and custodians.