On January 29, 2026, in his first public remarks as CFTC chairman, Michael Selig said the agency will create clearer standards for event contracts used by prediction venues such as Polymarket and Kalshi. He directed staff to withdraw a 2024 proposal and a 2025 advisory on political and sports markets, and to begin drafting a formal rulemaking in coordination with the SEC.

As Asian markets opened on Friday, Bitcoin fell 7% to roughly $82,000 amid choppy trading and a wave of forced liquidations. Over the past 24 hours, derivatives data showed $1.75B in positions wiped out, with long traders bearing most of the losses as broader risk sentiment weakened across global stocks and futures.

In a staff statement published Wednesday, the SEC's Divisions of Corporation Finance, Investment Management, and Trading and Markets said tokenized versions of stocks and bonds remain subject to U.S. securities laws. The guidance outlines issuer-led and third‑party structures, flags risks in custodial and synthetic models, and notes that security‑based swaps can trigger registration and exchange‑trading requirements.

Early Thursday, Bitcoin traded around $88,000 while Asian equities were mixed and momentum in regional tech cooled. Shanghai rose 0.21%, DJ Shanghai added 0.22%, SZSE dipped 0.10%, China A50 fell 0.20%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 1.22%. Gold and silver hit fresh highs, and crypto stayed range-bound amid light spot ETF flows and cautious positioning.

In early Asia trade, bitcoin climbed toward $89,000 as ETF inflows stayed light and derivatives positioning eased, keeping ranges tight ahead of U.S. earnings. Mainland Chinese benchmarks were mixed, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.22%. Gold cleared $5,200 per ounce to a record, with traders also watching the upcoming Fed decision.

Morgan Stanley has created a new digital-asset strategy position and appointed longtime executive Amy Oldenburg to lead it as the bank expands its involvement in crypto. Oldenburg, who previously headed emerging-markets equity and digital-asset efforts at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, will join a firm-wide strategy and execution group. The role aligns with the bank’s ETF filings tied to Bitcoin and Solana and its plans to enable crypto trading on the E-Trade platform in the first half of 2026.

Nomura-owned crypto subsidiary Laser Digital has submitted an application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for a US national trust bank charter, according to the Financial Times. The proposed bank would enable federally regulated digital asset spot trading and custody-style services without taking deposits, reflecting a broader wave of fintech, crypto and corporate charter bids under the current US administration. Other applicants reportedly include Trump-linked World Liberty Financial in stablecoins and automakers Ford and General Motors, as well as Revolut, which is pursuing a standalone US banking licence.

On January 26, 2026, the ECB said Executive Board member Piero Cipollone used a Süddeutsche Zeitung interview to promote a cash-like digital euro aimed at simplifying payments and lowering merchant fees. He argued it would run on European infrastructure to reduce reliance on foreign providers, and in September he cited a mid-2029 launch as a realistic timeline.

Bitcoin hovered around $88,000 in early Asian trade on Tuesday as investors weighed U.S. earnings and President Donald Trump's intention to lift tariffs on South Korean imports to 25%. Equities were broadly steady, gold was near $5,066 and silver at $110.60, while analysts said Bitcoin could remain between $85,000 and $94,500 absent a fresh demand catalyst.