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A major cryptocurrency bill is making its way through the U.S. Congress, with potential implications for regular crypto users. According to NS3.AI, the bill aims to simplify complex legislative procedures and shed light on possible changes that could occur depending on whether the bill passes or fails. The legislation seeks to clarify regulatory outcomes that may impact how everyday investors engage with the cryptocurrency market. As the bill progresses, it is crucial for stakeholders to stay informed about its developments and potential effects on the crypto landscape.

The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has confirmed that the application for a national trust bank license by World Liberty Financial (WLF) will undergo strict scrutiny under current regulatory standards. According to Odaily, this decision comes in response to Senator Elizabeth Warren's previous request to halt the review process. Warren has raised concerns about the project potentially generating billions in 'paper wealth' for U.S. President Donald Trump and his family. OCC regulatory official Jonathan Gould emphasized that WLF's application will be subject to the same rigorous evaluation as any other application.

A South Korean lawyer has been fined $7,000 for misappropriating over $4,000 in settlement funds from police officer clients and investing the money in cryptocurrencies. According to NS3.AI, the court condemned the lawyer's actions as unethical but opted for a financial penalty instead of imprisonment. This decision has sparked criticism for perceived leniency toward crypto-related offenses. The case underscores ongoing concerns about judicial responses to cryptocurrency-related crimes in South Korea.

Alchemy Pay has obtained a Money Transmitter License (MTL) in Nebraska, marking a significant advancement in its regulatory compliance across the United States. According to NS3.AI, the company now possesses MTLs in 14 states, including Arkansas, Iowa, and Oregon. This achievement represents a crucial milestone for Alchemy Pay's efforts to expand and legitimize its presence in the U.S. crypto payment market.

Crypto community members have reported receiving phishing direct messages today. According to NS3.AI, attackers are impersonating accounts using a fake @ethena_lab project verification badge. This scam is designed to deceive users into trusting malicious sources, posing a significant threat to the security of crypto enthusiasts.

XRP is currently trading slightly above a crucial support level, with indications of a possible 25% drop if this support is breached. According to NS3.AI, a recent hidden bullish divergence did not lead to a rebound, highlighting a lack of strong buyer interest as selling pressure from large holders increases. Additionally, outflows from exchange-traded funds and reduced accumulation by long-term holders suggest a decrease in both institutional and retail demand.

Stablecoin trading volume in South Korea has increased by 62% as the South Korean won reached multi-year lows against the US dollar. According to NS3.AI, this surge is influenced by currency pressures and government actions. Major exchanges have initiated campaigns to enhance stablecoin volumes amidst a general downturn in the crypto market. Concurrently, South Korea's economic slowdown and regulatory changes, such as permitting corporate crypto investments, are contributing to a complex market landscape.

On January 25, a16z Crypto released an article discussing the difficulties faced by prediction markets. According to BlockBeats, the article emphasizes that the most challenging aspect is not pricing the future but determining what has actually occurred. One of the major obstacles in the development of prediction markets is the settlement of contracts.

Earlier this year, Venezuelan President Maduro was captured by the U.S. military, leading to controversy in the prediction market operated by Polymarket. Polymarket denied that Venezuela was invaded, ruling the 'U.S. invasion of Venezuela' market as false, sparking widespread debate. Polymarket later clarified that the market referred to a U.S. military action aimed at establishing control, and the operation to capture and evacuate Maduro could not be considered an invasion.

a16z Crypto noted that prediction markets are facing a complex situation, questioning whether prediction contracts should follow official information (Maduro's victory) or the consensus of credible reports (opposition's victory). In this political drama, Polymarket's dispute resolution mechanism acted as 'judge, jury, and executioner,' with contract settlement decisions being heavily manipulated.

Ethereum recently achieved a record high of processing approximately 2.88 million transactions in a single day, according to Odaily. Despite this surge, the average transaction fees remained low, showcasing an unusual pattern of high throughput with low costs. This reflects the effectiveness of Ethereum's long-term technological strategy, particularly the Layer 2 scaling solutions. As usage increases, the mainnet continues to operate smoothly, transitioning into a neutral settlement and coordination layer. This modular architecture aligns more closely with the layered logic of traditional financial infrastructure, where the base layer focuses on security, certainty, and final settlement, while the upper layers handle innovation and execution complexity.

However, the report cautions that recent transaction volumes may include low-value activities such as address poisoning, which is notably prevalent in stablecoin transactions. Therefore, using transaction volume alone to measure genuine economic activity requires careful consideration.

Makina Finance experienced a significant exploit resulting in a loss of $4.13 million. According to NS3.AI, the incident involved MEV bots intercepting the hacker's transaction and redirecting the funds to addresses under their control, thereby preventing a complete loss. These MEV bots serve as an emergency crypto fund recovery mechanism, but their increasing influence and profit-driven motives pose governance challenges concerning fund custody and returns.

Efforts to address these issues include frameworks like Safe Harbor, which aim to formalize and regulate the process by pre-authorizing white hats and establishing clear terms. However, the adoption of such frameworks is still developing amid concerns over centralization and opaque custody.

AGM Group, a blockchain ASIC chip development company listed on Nasdaq, has announced a securities purchase agreement with an institutional investor to raise $25 million through the issuance and sale of common stock. According to ChainCatcher, the funds are intended for general corporate purposes, including working capital, project development, production financing, and other strategic initiatives.

Whale Alert has reported that the USDC Treasury recently destroyed 50 million USDC on the Ethereum blockchain. According to ChainCatcher, this transaction was detected just five minutes prior. The move is part of ongoing activities within the cryptocurrency market.

The North Korean KONNI APT group has launched a campaign deploying AI-generated PowerShell backdoor malware aimed at blockchain and cryptocurrency developers in Japan, Australia, and India. According to NS3.AI, the group utilizes Discord to host malicious archives, which aids in the infection process. Check Point Research provided an in-depth analysis of these activities in a report released on January 21, 2026.

According to CoinMarketCap data, the global cryptocurrency market cap now stands at $2.99T, down by 1.07% over the last 24 hours.Bitcoin (BTC) traded between $88,136 and $89,676 over the past 24 hours. As of 09:30 AM (UTC) today, BTC is trading at $88,455, down by 1.30%.Most major cryptocurrencies by market cap are trading lower. Market outperformers include NOM, ZKC, and ENSO, up by 115%, 70%, and 69%, respectively.Top stories of the day:Brazil's Central Bank Issues Guidelines for Crypto BusinessesU.S. Senate Democrats Oppose Funding Bill with Immigration EnforcementTrump Threatens 100% Tariff on Canadian Goods Amid China-Canada DealOklahoma Bill Proposes Bitcoin Payments for State Employees and BusinessesU.S. Senate Bill Proposes CFTC Oversight of Spot Crypto MarketsTikTok Forms U.S. Entity with Oracle and Key Investors Eric Trump: Sovereign Wealth Funds Turn to Cryptocurrencies Amid Fiat Concerns Geopolitical Tensions Prompt Shift in Global Financial System Colombian Pension Fund Manager Plans Bitcoin Exposure Fund  Upcoming Senate Hearing to Address Key Cryptocurrency Market LegislationMarket movers:ETH: $2935.5 (-0.87%)BNB: $880.47 (-1.33%)XRP: $1.8919 (-1.29%)SOL: $126.51 (-0.49%)TRX: $0.2969 (-0.10%)DOGE: $0.12286 (-1.32%)WLFI: $0.1741 (-2.68%)ADA: $0.3558 (-1.28%)BCH: $590.7 (-0.82%)WBTC: $88310.53 (-1.25%)

The UK High Court conducted a procedural hearing regarding the civil recovery of Bitcoin linked to Qian Zhimin, emphasizing representation challenges for numerous Chinese victims. According to NS3.AI, Judge Turner highlighted concerns about the involvement of multiple law firms representing fragmented groups of victims, which could lead to a 'proliferation of representation.' Additionally, a concurrent bankruptcy proceeding against Blue Sky Grid Company might influence the recovery case. Further hearings are scheduled for February.

At the Davos Forum, stablecoins were acknowledged for their transformative potential in the global payment system, while also being associated with certain risks. According to NS3.AI, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire highlighted that payment stablecoins are classified under regulatory frameworks as cash instruments that are not suitable for paying interest, reinforcing this design principle. He introduced the concept of the 'New Physics of Money,' suggesting that stablecoins could enhance capital flow efficiency and potentially reduce the monetary base required to sustain economic activity. Allaire also predicted significant involvement of artificial intelligence in economic operations within the next three to five years.

Scoll has issued a warning regarding the security of its co-founder @shenhaichen's social media account. According to PANews, the account on platform X has been compromised, and efforts are underway to regain control. Users are advised to avoid interacting with any links or direct messages associated with the account.

At the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, leaders from both traditional finance and the cryptocurrency sector engaged in discussions about the transformative potential of tokenization. According to NS3.AI, the debate highlighted several key points, including the promise of increased efficiency, wider access to investments, and enhanced financial inclusion. However, these benefits were weighed against concerns regarding financial literacy and the implications for sovereign control.

Experts at the forum acknowledged that while the prospect of full tokenization by 2028 might be overly optimistic, the digital settlement of most assets is viewed as an inevitable trend. The discussions underscored the need for careful consideration of the challenges and opportunities presented by tokenization in the evolving financial landscape.

Scroll announced on X that the account of its co-founder, @shenhaichen, has been compromised. According to Odaily, the company is actively working to restore the account and advises users to avoid interacting with any suspicious links or direct messages.

Key Takeaways- CZ shared candid reflections on his imprisonment and pardon.  - He emphasized his ongoing crypto advisory work, mentorship, and long-term optimism about Bitcoin’s future.  - CZ highlighted early regulatory challenges faced by Binance and stressed the importance of compliance.   CZ Opens Up About Imprisonment and PardonBinance co-founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) shared candid insights during a CNBC interview about his prison sentence following a guilty plea on money laundering charges, and his subsequent pardon by U.S. President Donald Trump. CZ described his incarceration experience as harsh and emotionally taxing, revealing that his first cellmate was a double murderer serving a long sentence. Despite the shock and difficulty of the sentence—which he initially did not expect, believing he might receive home confinement—CZ maintained emotional resilience by telling himself “It won't be fun, but I'll just get through it...It's just another day.”He revealed that he never met President Trump in person and waited patiently until the pardon was unexpectedly granted. CZ expressed deep gratitude towards Trump for the pardon, while dispelling rumors of any connection between Binance and the Trump family that might have influenced the decision. “Based on my knowledge, there's really no connection. I think the only thing is the Trump family is in crypto, right? Binance is a large crypto player, and President Trump's administration is pro-crypto. And that helps all the businesses in crypto. That's just good for the crypto industry and good for America as well,” he said. Post-Pardon Focus: Mentorship, Advisory, and Long-Term Crypto OutlookIn the interview, he described his feelings three months after being released, saying, "psychologically, it’s like a burden that’s just lifted. I was a free man before but with felon status. But now I’m a free man."CZ emphasized that since his release and pardon, he has kept busy with several projects. He is actively involved in mentoring founders within the Binance Smart Chain ecosystem, investing through his involvement with Easy Labs, and running a free educational platform called Giggle Academy. CZ also dedicates significant time advising about a dozen governments globally on cryptocurrency regulation, tokenization, and stablecoin design.Notably, CZ no longer actively trades cryptocurrencies. He holds assets like Bitcoin and Binance Coin (BNB) long-term but avoids day trading, citing past losses and a preference for building systems over timing the market. He remains bullish on Bitcoin’s longer-term trajectory, predicting a potential “Super-Cycle” by 2026 that could disrupt the traditional four-year cycle pattern. He attributes this optimism to ongoing support for crypto in the U.S. and similar trends in other countries. Reflections on Binance’s Early Regulatory ChallengesDuring this interview, CZ acknowledged mistakes made during Binance’s early years, particularly permitting U.S. users access from day one, while the company was still a small tech startup based in Shanghai. This practice later constituted a violation of the Banking Secrecy Act. Reflecting on this regulatory oversight, he stated, “If I could redo anything, it would be to not have allowed U.S. users on the platform from day one.”