On January 17, 2026, the European Securities and Markets Authority registered the Pi Network white paper under entry number 549, filed by PiBit Ltd, marking a formal step for the project in the EU. The registration does not yet make Pi an approved crypto asset under MiCA, as the project must still satisfy EU requirements on areas such as anti-money laundering, data protection, and financial reporting. Meanwhile, Pi Coin trades around $0.2051, up 0.28% in 24 hours but remaining over 90% below its all‑time price as daily volume drops 33%.

On January 17, 2026, on-chain analytics indicated the top 10 XRP wallets hold 18.56% of circulating coins, addresses ranked 10–50 account for 24.85%, and 56.59% is dispersed among millions of smaller holders. Ripple’s escrow manages 45% of total supply, while operational wallets hold nearly 1%. Major exchanges like Binance and Bithumb each hold about 1.8 billion XRP, and the price stands at $2.06 after a 0.17% dip.

China is reassessing its stance on digital assets after high-profile investigations into alleged scam operator Chen Zhi and a former senior central bank official linked to crypto bribes. Authorities have highlighted large Bitcoin seizures and reiterated strict bans on digital asset transactions in mainland China, even as Hong Kong maintains a more permissive licensing regime for crypto businesses.

On January 17, 2026, Democratic members of the Financial Services Committee sent a letter to SEC Chair Paul Atkins questioning the agency’s retreat from crypto enforcement. The letter cites dropped actions involving Ripple, Binance, Coinbase and Kraken, notes favorable 2024 court rulings, and flags the May 2025 dismissal of the Binance case.

U.S. fast-food chain Steak 'n Shake has added a $10 million Bitcoin purchase to its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve after eight months of accepting BTC payments in its restaurants. The company links double-digit same-store sales growth and lower payment processing costs to its Bitcoin-focused strategy, which also includes BTC-themed menu items and loyalty rewards.

On January 17 2026, the White House was reported to be weighing the withdrawal of support for the Senate Committee's nearly 300-page Clarity Act after Coinbase abruptly pulled its backing. The administration is said to be urging Coinbase to rejoin talks and accept a stablecoin yield framework that aligns with banking interests, after CEO Brian Armstrong argued the bill would harm consumers. The clash has postponed a key Senate vote and underlined Coinbase's growing influence over US crypto legislation.

Michael Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy, said the US crypto market-structure bill should advance even if it is imperfect, arguing that issues can be adjusted over time. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has withdrawn support from the latest Senate Banking Committee draft, warning it could restrict tokenized equities, DeFi and stablecoin rewards. Senate Banking and Agriculture Committee representatives are expected to hold a call with industry executives as the Crypto Fear & Greed Index slid 11 points to a neutral 50 on Friday.

On January 16, 2026, Grant Cardone promoted a hybrid model that pairs income‑generating apartments with Bitcoin; Cardone Capital first launched the approach in December 2024. He plans 10 funds combining 10,000 BTC and 15,000 units, with crypto targeted at 15%–50% of assets. This push comes as President Donald Trump advances housing proposals, including limits on institutional single‑family purchases.

Upbit reported that in 2025 XRP became the most actively traded cryptocurrency on its South Korean platform, generating more than $1 trillion in volume and outpacing both Bitcoin and Ethereum. The exchange said XRP reached 13.26 million users, about one in four residents, and at times accounted for up to 22% of daily trading with a single-day peak of $1.22 billion in July 2025, even as its price later retreated and ETFs and on-chain metrics showed mixed signals.