The US SEC has established a cryptocurrency working group to develop a regulatory framework
According to Jinshi, the acting chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mark Uyeda, has established a special cryptocurrency working group "dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for cryptocurrency assets". Commissioner Hester Peirce will lead the working group. The focus of the working group will be to help the commission define clear regulatory boundaries, provide viable registration paths, develop reasonable disclosure frameworks, and deploy enforcement resources wisely. Senior advisors Richard Gabbert and Taylor Asher have been appointed as the chief of staff and chief policy advisor of the working group respectively.
Trump responds to issuing coins: I don't know much about TRUMP coin, I just know I launched it
According to Jinshi, Trump responded to the issuance of coins: I don't know if it (TRUMP coin) is profitable, I don't know much about it, I just know I launched it. I've heard it's very successful.
Trump: I have signed a pardon for Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Dark Web Silk Road
According to Jinshi, US President Trump stated that he has signed a pardon for Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Dark Web Silk Road.
Trump: OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle will invest $500 billion in the field of artificial intelligence
According to Reuters, US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that three leading companies will make massive investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Trump said at the White House that OpenAI, SoftBank (9984.T) and Oracle (ORCL.N) will form a joint venture called "Stargate" and plan to invest $500 billion. Trump said he will use an emergency executive order to help advance this project.
Trump's son: Now is the best time to invest in the US, bet on areas like cryptocurrencies
Trump's son Eric Trump posted on X saying: "I believe now is the best time to invest in America. Bet on our markets, energy, technology and cryptocurrencies, bet on a country that has broken free of constraints and shackles and now has limitless potential. There's no doubt Biden left a mess, but that mess will be fixed, and the next four years will be glorious. Transformative wealth will be created, and I hope everyone enjoys the ride."
The US Government Efficiency Department (DOGE) has updated its website logo, replacing the Dogecoin DOGE logo with another dog illustration.
Crypto market maker CLS Global pleads guilty after FBI sting operation and investigation
According to Reuters, the UAE-based cryptocurrency financial services company CLS Global agreed on Tuesday to plead guilty to the US charges it faced, which alleged that the company had provided services to manipulate the market, involving a digital token created at the request of the FBI to expose fraud in the cryptocurrency industry. CLS Global was one of three companies and 15 individuals charged by the Boston federal prosecutor after the "Token Mirrors" undercover investigation, which marked the FBI's first time directly guiding the creation of a digital token and setting up a fake cryptocurrency company to trap fraudsters. Prosecutors said CLS was one of three market makers that provided illegal trading services to cryptocurrency companies and agreed to manipulate the market for the FBI-backed NexFundAI token (running on the Ethereum blockchain) during the sting operation. In court documents, CLS admitted to agreeing to provide services, including fake trades, for the NexFundAI token. On Tuesday, prosecutors announced that CLS will plead guilty to two counts of cryptocurrency trading volume fraud and pay a $428,059 fine. In addition, CLS will be barred from participating in cryptocurrency trading on platforms available to US investors or providing services to US cryptocurrency clients. CLS Global has also agreed to an annual certification of its business practices and to resolve related civil charges brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Kenya proposes a law requiring digital asset companies to establish local offices
According to Bloomberg, the Kenyan government is drafting a law that would require virtual asset service providers to establish offices locally to strengthen regulation of the rapidly growing digital asset industry. The proposed policy does not apply to assets that cannot be transferred, traded or used for payment and investment outside of a closed ecosystem, and aims to address gaps in the legal and regulatory framework for virtual assets, as well as issues related to consumer protection, governance, data privacy and cybersecurity. Kenya introduced a 3% digital asset transaction tax in 2023, but has not yet established a comprehensive industry regulatory framework. The government hopes to fill the regulatory gap through this move, while also addressing risks such as money laundering, terrorist financing, tax evasion, fraud and cybercrime in the industry.
EigenLayer has launched the Rewards v2 mainnet, introducing features like operator-directed rewards
According to the official announcement, the Ethereum re-staking protocol EigenLayer has announced the launch of the Rewards v2 mainnet on the X platform. The Rewards v2 protocol upgrade was launched on the mainnet at 4:30 am Beijing time on January 22, 2025. Rewards v2 aims to bring greater flexibility, efficiency and customization to the rewards in the EigenLayer ecosystem. Rewards v2 adopts the EigenLayer governance process (EigenGov) recently announced by the Eigen Foundation, which is also the first mainnet upgrade proposed and executed by the Eigen community. Rewards v2 introduces several new features: 1. Operator-directed rewards: AVS can reward operators based on performance or custom logic; 2. Variable operator fees: Operators can set their own fee rates for each AVS, providing economic flexibility; 3. Batch reward claiming: Validators and operators can claim multiple rewards in a single transaction, reducing gas fees. These upgrades enable Automated Validation Services (AVS) to dynamically incentivize operators, allowing for customized reward mechanisms that better suit their specific needs.
Coinbase CEO: Future stablecoin regulation may require full backing by US Treasuries
According to Cointelegraph, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes that upcoming US stablecoin regulations may require issuers to fully back their US dollar-pegged tokens with US Treasuries - a move that could make it harder for offshore companies to serve the US market. In an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Armstrong said he expects stablecoin regulations to become more clear in the near future. Two potential requirements could be: all US stablecoin operators must be fully backed by US Treasuries, and undergo regular audits. He specifically pointed out that stablecoin issuer Tether could be one of the companies most impacted by any new US laws, and if Tether is unable to comply with any new US laws, Coinbase will delist USDT. At the same time, Coinbase plans to continue offering USDT services to help customers access other crypto assets. Armstrong said: "There are a lot of people holding Tether, and if we want to help them transition to a system we think is more secure, we want to provide an off-ramp for them." As previously done to prepare for the implementation of the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, Coinbase has delisted USDT and other non-compliant stablecoins in Europe. However, a Coinbase spokesperson said the stablecoins could potentially be re-listed if they "become MiCA compliant in the future".
Circle acquires Hashnote, entering the asset tokenization market
According to CoinDesk, Circle announced the acquisition of Hashnote, the issuer of the tokenized money market fund USYC worth $130 million, further expanding its footprint in the stablecoin and asset tokenization space. This acquisition aims to integrate USYC with Circle's core stablecoin USDC, enabling the conversion between on-chain cash and yield-bearing collateral. Circle has also partnered with the crypto market maker Cumberland DRW to provide liquidity and settlement support for USDC and USYC. Additionally, Circle plans to bring USDC to the institutional-grade blockchain platform Canton Network to facilitate seamless interaction between traditional finance and decentralized markets.
Obol Collective to Airdrop 7.5% of OBOL Tokens to Ethereum Node Operators
According to The Block, Obol Collective announced the launch and airdrop of its new OBOL token, to be distributed to network participants including Ethereum independent stakers, Rocketpool node operators, and Obol Techne Credential holders. This airdrop is based on a snapshot taken on January 13th and will be carried out in three phases, with the first phase launching this Tuesday. The OBOL token will serve as Obol's governance mechanism, supporting decentralized validator technology (DVT) that further decentralizes Ethereum network security by allowing multiple parties to jointly operate Ethereum validators.
Bloomberg ETF Analyst: Rex Has Filed for Doge ETF and Trump ETF
Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas tweeted that Rex has filed applications with regulators to launch a Doge ETF and a Trump ETF. The image shows that the REX Foundation has submitted applications for various cryptocurrency ETFs, including Bitcoin ($BTC), Ethereum ($ETH), XRP ($XRP), Solana ($SOL), Trump ($TRUMP), Bonk ($BONK), and Dogecoin ($DOGE).
Vitalik Proposes Using ZKP Technology to Establish Anonymous Voting Mechanism for ETH Holders
In response to community discussions about ETH holders' participation in Ethereum Foundation (EF) governance, Vitalik Buterin expressed support for establishing an "anoncast"-like anonymous voting tool for ETH holders. Using zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP), users can verify their ETH holdings and have their voice weighted accordingly, with holders of N ETH being able to post one opinion every (120 million/N) seconds on decentralized social platforms like Farcaster or Lens Protocol. Vitalik believes this approach can avoid the noise of social media while truly reflecting the collective voice of ETH holders and showcasing the potential of Ethereum technology.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin addressed the controversy on social media regarding changes in the Ethereum Foundation (EF) leadership. He clearly stated that the current EF leadership team's decision-making power is in his hands, and the ongoing reforms aim to introduce a formal board of directors, but until then, the decision-making authority remains with him personally. Vitalik criticized the pressure tactics on social media, stating that they disrupt the work environment of excellent developers and make EF management more difficult. He pointed out that such behavior is not only counterproductive to the goals, but also reduces his interest in catering to these demands. Additionally, he defended Aya Miyaguchi against the accusations, noting translation biases in the relevant quotes and criticizing the "pure malice" of the attacks against her.
Upbit to List VTHO KRW and USDT Trading Pairs
The South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit will support KRW and USDT trading pairs for the VeThor Token (VTHO). The deposit function was opened within an hour of the announcement, with KRW market trading starting at 20:00 and USDT market trading starting at 21:00 on the same day. Users need to confirm the use of the VeChain network for deposits and withdrawals, as other networks are not supported.
Bitstamp Plans to Launch Regulated Crypto Derivatives Trading Service in Europe
According to CoinDesk, the cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp plans to launch a regulated crypto derivatives trading service, including perpetual contract products, in Europe. Bitstamp holds a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II) license, which lays the foundation for its regulated derivatives trading in Europe. This move responds to the increasing clarity of crypto asset regulation in Europe, aiming to capture market share from offshore platforms like Deribit. Bitstamp was recently acquired by Robinhood.
Pump.fun Transfers Around $28 Million Worth of SOL to Kraken
According to Onchain Lens monitoring, Pump.fun just transferred 116,054.56 SOL, worth around $28 million, to Kraken. Since 2025, it has cumulatively transferred 692,877 SOL, worth about $139 million, to Kraken. Its total gains have reached 2,365,753 SOL, currently valued at around $570 million.
KULR Adds $8 Million Bitcoin Investment, Bringing Total Holdings to 510 BTC
According to CoinDesk, energy management system manufacturer KULR announced the purchase of $8 million worth of Bitcoin, increasing its total holdings to 510 BTC, with a total investment of $50 million and an average purchase price of $101,695 per Bitcoin. KULR adopted Bitcoin as part of its corporate reserve asset in December 2024. As of now, the company's Bitcoin gains have reached 127% in 2025. Since the strategy announcement, the company's stock price has increased by 90%, while Bitcoin has risen by 7% during the same period.
Genius Group Adds $5 Million Bitcoin Purchase, Increasing Reserves to 420 BTC
According to the Genius Group announcement, the company has increased its Bitcoin reserves to a total of 420 BTC, worth $40 million, with an average purchase price of $95,912 per Bitcoin. This latest addition includes a $5 million purchase, aligning with the company's "Bitcoin-first" strategy announced in November 2024, which aims to allocate over 90% of its current and future reserves to Bitcoin, with an initial target of $1.2 billion. The purchases have been made through reserve funds, ATM financing tools, and a $19 million crypto loan from Arch Lending.
MicroStrategy Purchases Additional 11,000 Bitcoin, Totaling $1.1 Billion
According to MicroStrategy's Form 8-K filing, the company purchased approximately 11,000 Bitcoin for around $1.1 billion between January 13 and January 20, 2025, at an average price of about $101,191 per Bitcoin (including fees). The funds for these Bitcoin purchases came from the proceeds of the company's stock sales under its Sales Agreement. As of January 20, 2025, MicroStrategy holds a total of approximately 461,000 Bitcoin, with a total purchase price of around $29.3 billion and an average purchase price of $63,610 per Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Spot ETFs See $1.96 Billion Net Inflows Last Week, with Over $1 Billion on Friday Alone
According to SoSoValue data, last week (January 13 to January 17), the Bitcoin spot ETF had a net inflow of $1.96 billion. Among them, the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF IBIT had a net inflow of $746 million, ranking first, with a cumulative net inflow of $38.41 billion; the Fidelity ETF FBTC ranked second with a net inflow of $680 million, with a cumulative net inflow of $12.84 billion; the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust GBTC had a net outflow of $87.68 million, with a cumulative net outflow of $21.65 billion. On January 17, the total net inflow of Bitcoin spot ETFs was $1.076 billion. Among them, IBIT had a net inflow of $376 million, FBTC had a net inflow of $326 million, and GBTC had a net inflow of $20.76 million. As of the time of writing, the total net asset value of Bitcoin spot ETFs is $121.28 billion, accounting for 5.85% of Bitcoin's total market value, with a cumulative net inflow of $38.18 billion.
ZachXBT transferred 16,348.95 SOL to a Wintermute address
According to monitoring by lmk.fun (formerly Scopescan), on-chain detective ZachXBT transferred 16,348.95 SOL (about $3.89 million) to a Wintermute address. These SOL were likely processed through over-the-counter (OTC) trading.
A whale cleared 41 million ZACHXBT, earning about $1.18 million
According to Ai Yi, a large investor cleared 41 million $ZACHXBT at a price of $0.06943, earning about 4,886.88 SOL (about $1.18 million), with a cost price of $0.04043. This sell-off directly caused the $ZACHXBT price to drop to $0.02134. She later said that ZachXBT also withdrew liquidity from his public address investigations.sol, involving 91.19 million ZACHXBT and 16,111 WSOL, with a total value of about $5.64 million. After removing the liquidity, ZachXBT added 96.19 million ZACHXBT (about $4.3 million) back to the one-way liquidity pool and left the SOL.
The Trump family crypto project WLFI exchanged 5,252 ETH for stETH and staked it on Lido
According to Onchain Lens monitoring, in the early hours of today, the Trump family crypto project World Liberty Financial (WLFI) exchanged 5,252 ETH (worth $17.43 million) for stETH and staked it on Lido.
