In the first week of the year, Bitcoin climbed from $87.5k to $94.8k as BTC Dominance slid from 59.58% to 58.7%, and the altcoin market cap excluding ETH added $82.56 billion (9.97%). CoinGlass's altcoin season index stood at 33, while Alphractal flagged long/short ratios above 1—XRP at 3.06—signaling crowded long positioning and potential volatility.

On January 16, 2026, White House digital-assets advisor Patrick Witt said he received DOJ confirmation that Bitcoin forfeited in the Samourai Wallet case has not been sold and will not be sold under EO 14233. The statement followed analysts noting a 57.5 BTC transfer from a government wallet to a Coinbase Prime address in November.

The rupee has come under pressure amid global uncertainty and tariff headwinds. In 2025, foreign investors pulled nearly $18 billion from equities, and some experts see 92-94 per US dollar in 2026. RBI interventions, a wider trade deficit and inflation concerns add to the strain, even as rate cuts aim to bolster growth.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has stated that 2026 will mark a turning point for the network to regain self-sovereignty, decentralization, and user privacy. He outlined plans to prioritize tools like social recovery wallets, timelocks, ZK-EVM-based verification, and quantum-resistant cryptography to strengthen long-term security and censorship resistance.

French market regulators warn that around 30% of the 90 crypto firms registered in France have not indicated whether they will seek authorization under the MiCA framework ahead of the June 30 deadline. Companies must inform the AMF if they will apply for a MiCA licence or close down, or they risk losing the right to operate in France and across the EU. Industry voices say compliance costs and banking-style requirements, especially for stablecoins, could push smaller actors out of the European market.

On January 16, 2026, President Donald Trump signaled he may keep Kevin Hassett in his current role rather than nominate him as Fed chair, shifting attention to former Governor Kevin Warsh. Markets reacted, with the dollar firming and stocks slipping; Polymarket odds moved to 59% for Warsh and 18% for Hassett.

On Wednesday, Coinbase withdrew support for the digital asset market structure bill, prompting the White House to consider pulling its backing. According to journalist Eleanor Terrett, officials labeled the move a "rug pull" and may drop support unless Coinbase re-enters talks under a yield framework acceptable to banks. Brian Armstrong cited concerns in a January 14, 2026 post.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said on Friday that the network has drifted from decentralization, privacy, and user control, and he wants 2026 to mark a course correction. He outlined priorities like easier full-node operation, privacy-preserving payments, and resilient app design, and introduced the walkaway test earlier, on January 12, 2026.