On Thursday, the European Central Bank reduced its key rate by 25 basis points to 2.75%, the fifth straight cut since June. On Friday, the German statistics office said January inflation was 2.1%, up from 2.0% in December, contrary to expectations for a flat reading. Eurozone output improved in Q4 2025, with Germany expanding 0.3% while Spain, France, and Italy also posted gains.

On Jan. 30, Bitcoin stayed under pressure after slipping below $84,000, with sellers testing the $80,600 area and eyed support near $74,508. Several large-cap altcoins also breached key levels, raising downside risks across the market. Some analysts foresee further weakness, while others note potential bottoming patterns if buyers defend supports.

Proof-of-reserves shows that a custodian controlled specific onchain assets at a single moment, but it does not by itself confirm solvency, liquidity or the quality of internal controls. An exchange can "pass" PoR while still carrying hidden liabilities, using encumbered assets or facing liquidity gaps, and many PoR exercises resemble limited agreed-upon procedures rather than full audits. A more reliable trust framework combines PoR with comprehensive liability proofs, governance and control assessments, and clearer disclosures around liquidity and encumbrances.

On 30 January 2026, Hong Kong detailed a 2026 financial strategy spanning equity market upgrades, commodity initiatives, and digital-asset oversight. The plan contemplates a move to T+1 settlement, a live stablecoin licensing regime, gold storage capacity beyond 2,000 tonnes within three years, and adoption of the OECD crypto-asset reporting framework from 2028.

Unverified rumors claim Binance will list an INXUSDT perpetual futures contract with up to 50x leverage on January 31, 2026, using Infinex (INX) as the underlying asset. INX is currently only listed for spot trading on KuCoin, with a fully diluted market cap of $172,005.84 and a 172.53% price rise over the last 60 days but zero daily trading volume. Market participants remain cautious and say they are waiting for formal confirmation before acting on the speculative futures claims.

Gold is trading near $4,975 per ounce after dropping more than 7% intraday, following a sharp rebound in the U.S. dollar tied to Donald Trump's Federal Reserve chair announcement. The metal briefly fell to $4,941.79, but January's advance of roughly 16% and a recent record high above $5,590 remain intact despite heavy profit-taking across precious metals, including a steep pullback in silver.

From January 27 to January 30, 2026, U.S. crypto policy saw key moves: President Donald Trump said he will nominate Kevin Warsh to chair the Federal Reserve, the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced the CLARITY Act 12–11, and the SEC clarified tokenization keeps assets under securities law. The White House also scheduled a February 2 meeting focused on stablecoin interest and rewards.

On 9 February, a new Euronext Milan segment dedicated to certificates tied to major cryptocurrencies will begin trading, giving investors indirect exposure to digital assets. The products will replicate the performance of coins such as Bitcoin and Ethereum without enabling spot crypto trading on the Milan Stock Exchange, and will operate within the current European regulatory framework. This move reflects growing investor demand and a cautious attempt by European finance to integrate crypto-assets into traditional markets.