On Tuesday, six Chinese companies began trading in Hong Kong after raising about HK$6.99 billion, or $900 million, through IPOs, with most opening above their offer prices. Hong Kong's equity market raised around $75 billion in 2025, the strongest since 2021. Three additional offerings totaling over HK$9 billion are slated to debut on January 8, 2026.

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brett Knoblauch said in a recent year-end review that Bitcoin, trading around $87,660.94, is likely entering a "crypto winter" and could fall toward $75,000 in 2026. He argued that large institutions now dominate the market, supporting growth in areas such as tokenized real-world assets, which have reached $18.5 billion and may rise further. The firm also highlighted regulatory changes and the surge of decentralized exchanges and sports prediction markets as key shifts in the digital asset landscape.

From January 6 to 9, 2026, major companies including Nvidia, Samsung and Lenovo will present AI‑centric consumer devices at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Exhibits will range from smart glasses and wearables to humanoid robots and next‑generation TVs, as the industry attempts to overcome doubts about consumer appetite for AI hardware. The event will also feature robotics‑focused halls and potential new form‑factor smartphones, highlighting how tech firms aim to bring AI into everyday life.

Between December 26 and December 28, large Ethereum holders accumulated about $350 million in ETH while the Money Flow Index stayed subdued, highlighting weak participation from smaller traders. Price action is trapped below $3,000, with chart signals pointing to possible moves toward $4,400 on a break above $3,390 or down to $2,620 if key support fails, even as network activity, RWA tokenization and institutional strategies keep long‑term targets in the $7,000–$9,000 range.

Michael Burry, known for forecasting the 2008 housing market crash, has taken about $10 million in put option positions against Nvidia and Palantir. His trades, disclosed on November 3, could be worth over $1 billion if Nvidia falls roughly 37% to $110 and Palantir drops to $50 by 2027 from around $200, reflecting his view that AI stocks are in a bubble similar to the dot‑com era.

On Monday, President Donald Trump said he would review a possible pardon for Samourai Wallet founder Keonne Rodriguez, who is scheduled to report to federal prison in four days after receiving a five-year sentence. Rodriguez and co-founder William Lonergan Hill, who was sentenced to four years, were convicted over a bitcoin wallet and mixing service that prosecutors said laundered millions in criminal proceeds. Rodriguez later responded on X, thanking Trump and supporters while comparing his case to what he described as a politically motivated crackdown by the Biden Justice Department.

Tokyo-based SBI Holdings is partnering with Startale Group to issue a yen-denominated stablecoin in Q2 2026. According to the companies, Shinsei Trust & Banking will oversee issuance and redemption, while SBI VC Trade will manage circulation. The firms say the stablecoin market exceeds $300 billion and remains concentrated in U.S. dollar assets.

Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority unveiled plans on Tuesday to bring cryptoasset firms under a dedicated regime. The consultation runs until February 12, with the framework expected to be finalized next year and applied from 2027. The FCA softened earlier positions, allowing platforms to list their own tokens and trade directly with clients, while proposing controls on market abuse and staking programs.

UK tax authority HMRC issued guidance stating that depositing cryptocurrency onto DeFi lending platforms will not trigger immediate capital gains tax. Taxable events will only occur upon actual disposal through selling or exchanging assets, according to Aave founder Stani Kulechov. The clarification provides certainty for users and institutions engaging with decentralized finance protocols.