On Jan. 12, a draft US crypto market structure bill incorporating Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act provisions sparked opposition from Senate Judiciary leaders Charles Grassley and Richard Durbin. They urged Senate Banking Committee chair Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren to remove protections for crypto developers, warning the language would weaken unlicensed money transmitting laws and create an enforcement gap for decentralized platforms. The bill must clear the Banking and Agriculture Committees and secure 60 votes in the Senate, while major industry lobbyist Coinbase has already withdrawn its support over multiple provisions.

On January 19, 2026, South Korea’s won was reported to have fallen about 2.5% against the US dollar, making it Asia’s worst-performing currency as USD/KRW hovered near 1,472.8. Over the same period, Bitcoin traded at a premium of 2.49% on Korean exchanges versus global platforms, signaling stronger local demand and aligning with key price levels around $25,200 and resistance near $28,754.40.

Gold and silver futures opened the week with sharp gains as geopolitical tensions and fresh U.S. tariff threats fueled safe-haven demand. With gold pressing toward $4,700 and silver consolidating near multi-year highs, traders are watching key technical levels that could define the next leg higher.

On January 18, 2026, data indicated that China's primary aluminum output in January–November 2025 reached about 41.17 million tonnes, up roughly 2.5% year on year, with November alone at 3.79 million tonnes. In contrast, crude steel production for 2025 is estimated at around 968 million tonnes, slipping below 1 billion tonnes and declining about 4% from 2024 amid capacity controls and weaker demand.

After a calm weekend, liquidity stayed thin and volatility subdued across majors. XRP's trading participation fell toward zero while price drifted under the 100/200 EMA. SHIB compressed near short‑term support with few obstacles overhead. Bitcoin's attempts higher lacked volume, facing repeated rejection near key daily moving averages.

According to the report, Bitcoin fell about 3% to around $92,000 during Monday's Asian session after President Donald Trump warned of new import levies on eight European countries. He outlined a 10% tariff from Feb. 1, with a potential increase to 25% on June 1 if no deal is reached, prompting risk-off moves across futures and Asian stocks.

According to an Artemis report, Visa accounts for more than 90% of the cryptocurrency card segment, which now handles $18 billion in annual transactions. Stablecoin-linked payments, including Visa's reported $3.5 billion volume by the end of 2025, are supporting this expansion, while analysts expect traditional card networks to remain dominant in the near term.

At 01:45 market open, Bitcoin dropped nearly $4,000 in one hour to $92,000 amid a $500 million liquidation of leveraged longs. Gold surged to a record $4,660 per ounce and silver reached $94 as traders sought havens. A 10% tariff on eight EU countries begins February 1 and rises to 25% in June.