Australia’s flash PMIs point to a strong start to 2026, with growth accelerating while price pressures ease. Summary: Composite PMI surged to a joint-highest level

The filing with the US SEC eliminates contract caps on crypto ETF options, a change Nasdaq argues addresses unequal treatment in derivatives markets.

Data only on this post. I’ll post more detail separately. … Here go, detail and analysis here: Japan core inflation slows but stays above BOJ

Rising focus on funding flows highlights deeper risks to US fiscal sustainability than headline “sell US” trades suggest. Summary: PBOC adviser flagged risks around US

The EU signalled progress on a Ukraine recovery framework while flagging greater Arctic security investment and readiness for potential trade tensions. Summary: EU close to

UK consumer morale improved slightly in January, but confidence in the broader economy remains deeply negative. Summary: UK consumer confidence rose to a five-month high

Japan’s flash PMI data point to a strong start to 2026, with growth broadening beyond services into manufacturing. Summary: Composite PMI hit a 17-month high

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire says AI agents have no alternative to stablecoins and will conduct everyday activities with the tokens within as little as three

Bitcoin derivatives markets show traders holding steady, but the path back to $95,000 relies on institutional inflows returning, especially after this week’s $1.58 billion outflow.

Some Bitcoiners are “highly skeptical” that quantum computing is to blame for Bitcoin’s sideways price action, while others argue it’s a major issue.

Ethereum mainnet surpassed all layer-2 networks in daily active addresses in January, though security analysts attributed part of the spike to address poisoning attacks.

The SEC’s Paul Atkins and the CFTC’s Michael Selig will discuss the two agencies’ crypto oversight as legislative efforts to define their roles work through

China is expected to lower its 2026 growth target, signalling tolerance for slower expansion amid global and domestic headwinds. Summary: China likely to set 2026

Prosecutors in South Korea reportedly discovered the Bitcoin was missing during a routine inspection of seized financial assets.

China likely to lower 2026 growth target as global slowdown weighs BOJ holds rates at 0.75%, Lifts core inflation outlook. Dissent highlights inflation risk Bank

Capital One’s acquisition of Brex comes just months after the payment company launched support for stablecoins.

The Justice Department will drop its case against Nathaniel Chastain, a former OpenSea manager who successfully appealed a wire fraud and money laundering conviction.

The American Bankers Association’s fight over stablecoin yields has become its top priority as Congress looks to pass crypto market structure legislation before the midterms.

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) left monetary policy unchanged earlier today in a 8-1 vote. The only dissenter was Takata once again as he proposed

Bitcoin miners have powered down to ease the load on the grid in the past, such as in 2022, when Texas miners curtailed their activities

PricewaterhouseCoopers says that crypto is working in a “fragmented global ecosystem,” tackling different challenges in different markets.

Prior -0.1% Retail sales +2.5% vs +1.1% y/y expected Prior +0.6%; revised to +1.8% Retail sales ex autos, fuel +0.3% vs -0.2% m/m expected Prior

Similar XRP funding conditions preceded rebounds of roughly 50% in August and September 2024 and about 100% in April 2025.

EUROPEAN SESSION In the European session, the main highlights will be the release of the Flash PMIs for the UK and the major Eurozone economies.

Prior 50.1 Manufacturing PMI 51.0 vs 50.5 expected Prior 50.7 Composite PMI 48.6 vs 50.0 expected Prior 50.0 With a start to the year like

The Financial Times reports that Ledger is planning a US IPO at a $4 billion valuation as hardware wallet demand increases amid crypto fraud and

Prior 47.0 Services PMI 53.3 vs 52.5 expected Prior 52.7 Composite PMI 52.5 vs 51.6 expected Prior 51.3 Full report here Key Points: Business activity

Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin details his 2026 “self-sovereign” tech stack, swapping Big Tech apps for encrypted, open-source and local privacy tools.

Binance applied for a MiCA license in Greece shortly after France flagged the exchange as still unlicensed under MiCA ahead of June compliance deadlines.

Prior 52.4 Manufacturing PMI 49.4 vs 49.1 expected Prior 48.8 Composite PMI 51.5 vs 51.8 expected Prior 51.5 The end of last year was filled

Prior 51.4 Manufacturing PMI 51.6 vs 50.6 expected Prior 50.6 Composite PMI 53.9 vs 51.5 expected Prior 51.4 Full report here Key Findings: Strongest upturn

The proposal would fund the reserve with unclaimed crypto and staking rewards rather than direct state Bitcoin purchases.

Bitcoin’s profit cycle has turned negative for the first time since 2023, suggesting that BTC is transitioning into a bear market

Decentralized social network Farcaster remains operational after its acquisition by Neynar and confirmed plans to return $180 million in capital to investors.

Headlines: Japanese yen jumps across the board on suspected intervention USD/JPY with a sharp drop lower after crossing the 159.00 mark earlier Japan finance minister

Restaking yields come from token emissions and VC incentives, not productive activity. Complex models concentrate power among large operators, while compounding risk cascades.

Bitcoin Magazine Epoch Ventures Predicts Bitcoin Hits $150K in 2026, Declares End of 4-Year Halving Cycle Epoch, a venture firm specializing in Bitcoin infrastructure, issued

Revolut is planning to apply for a US banking license through the OCC after previously considering a bank acquisition that could have required branch commitments.

Prior was -0.2% Retail sales ex-autos vs +1.2% expected Prior ex-autos -0.6% Sales of $70.4 billion in November Core sales +1.6% vs -0.5% prior December

BTC price faces pressure as markets brace for a sustained rise in long-term yields driven by economic deficits, particularly in Japan.

The plan would give ultra-high net worth clients an in-house crypto on-ramp at one of the world’s biggest private banks.

Crypto is shedding its illicit money image, but central bankers at the World Economic Forum in Davos 2026 warned it threatens monetary sovereignty.

INTC stock has been the best performer on the S&P 500 so far this year. It’s become a market darling after the US government took

Prior was 51.8 Manufacturing 51.9 vs 52.20 expected Prior manufacturing 51.8 Composite 52.8 vs 52.7 prior Confidence in the year ahead outlook meanwhile remained positive

Bitcoin Magazine Nasdaq Moves to Remove Position Limits on Bitcoin ETF Options Nasdaq has filed a rule change with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Bitcoin dropped further below $90,000 while gold and silver kept beating records, leading to a long-term price forecast of $23,000.

US railway CSX isn’t seeing a macro rescue in 2026. Management is planning for flat industrial production, modest GDP growth and sticky inflation within the

The latest Atlanta Fed GDPNow tracker is out and it’s up to 5.4% annualized in the fourth quarter from 5.3% previously. It’s a tough quarter

Bitcoin Magazine Delaware Life Launches First Fixed Index Annuity That Offers Bitcoin Exposure Delaware Life Insurance Company has become the first U.S. insurance carrier to

Bitcoin Magazine Fast-Food Chain Steak ‘n Shake to Pay Hourly Workers a Bitcoin Bonus Fast-food chain Steak ‘n Shake is rolling out a bitcoin bonus

Shares of United Airlines are up 1.8% today after earnings. UAL stock of off the record high set earlier this month by about 8% but

Stock futures are ripping higher and at the session highs after this post from Trump: Based upon a very productive meeting that I have had

Bitcoin Magazine Cathie Wood Says Bitcoin Price Is Nearing End of Down Cycle, Predicts ‘Shallowest Four-Year Decline’ ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood said she believes

Trump cancels the Greenland tariffs: Says they have the framework of a future deal Atlanta Fed GDPNow tracker climbs to 5.4% from 5.3% but there

Bitcoin Magazine FTX-Fraudster Caroline Ellison Set for Release From Federal Custody After Serving Reduced Sentence Caroline Ellison, the former co-CEO of Alameda Research and a

Australia’s December labour force report is expected to show a rebound in employment after a surprisingly weak November, but the broader picture remains one of

Bitcoin Magazine Bitcoin Price Surges to $90,000 After Trump Delays Tariffs The bitcoin price experienced several intraday spikes on Wednesday, swinging by several thousand dollars

Bitcoin Magazine Strive ($ASST) Plans $150 Million Follow-On Offering to Buy More Bitcoin, Retire Convertible Notes Strive announced today that it intends to raise up

New Zealand electronic retail card spending data covers about 68% of core retail sales in the country. It’s the main measure of monthly retail activity.

Japan’s bond market is testing the credibility of fiscal policy as election-driven tax promises collide with rising yields. Reuters have a good piece up I’ve

South Korea’s economy unexpectedly shrank in Q4 as weak investment and exports overwhelmed modest gains in consumption. Summary: South Korea GDP contracts 0.3% q/q in

A theoretical estimate of jet-engine power capacity has revived interest in the US aircraft “Boneyard,” though real-world hurdles remain formidable. Summary: Retired US military aircraft

Both exports and imports solid in the month, although exports did miss expectations. More on the data here: Japan trade data recap – exports rise

Posting this very solid jobs data, I’ll be back with more on this separately. More: Australia jobs surge in December, lifting AUD and RBA rate

Japan’s exports extended their recent run in December, but a sharp fall in US-bound shipments and stronger imports narrowed the trade surplus. The data is

Circle said digital financial infrastructure, including stablecoins, can save 20% of the cost of delivering humanitarian aid.

Crypto traders often view negative funding rates as a strong buy signal, but several data points suggest ETH investors have good reasons to remain risk-averse.

The Senate Banking Committee is backing Donald Trump’s move to bar institutions from buying family homes, which could delay the market structure bill, Bloomberg reports.

The Trump administration is quietly pressing for regime change in Cuba, betting economic fragility and internal pressure can succeed where decades of US coercion failed.

The S&P 500 climbed, crypto stocks were mixed and Bitcoin and Ether posted modest gains on Wednesday after Donald Trump called off his recent tariff

X head of product Nikita Bier said the feature will launch in a few weeks, and already has over 1,000 pre-made “packs” of accounts to

ARK Invest’s latest analysis affirms it still sees Bitcoin reaching close to a $1 million price tag in 2030 on growing adoption.

Bitwise’s Matt Hougan argued crypto markets performed poorly in Q4 despite strong fundamentals, similar to early 2023 when crypto rebounded from 2022 lows.

The US Senate Agriculture Committee released a Republican draft of the market structure bill, which includes protections for crypto developers, setting it up for a

PBOC adviser publicly questions sustainability of US fiscal trajectory Goldman raises gold forecast to $5,400 (up $500) as private and central-bank demand builds Nikkei set

NYSE unveiled a plan on Monday to enable blockchain-based 24/7 trading and instant settlement of stocks and ETFs, in addition to custody features.

While complex to set up, distributed validator technology could improve Ethereum’s staking experience, according to the creator of Ethereum.

FFTT founder Luke Gromen said institutional investors may not do much for Bitcoin’s price this year, but other analysts have previously argued they’ll be key

Saga’s US dollar-pegged stablecoin has dropped to $0.75, while the protocol’s total value locked has fallen by around 55% over the past 24 hours.

Thailand’s SEC is planning new crypto ETF and futures trading regulations as the country looks to position itself as a regional crypto hub for institutions.

EUROPEAN SESSION In the European session, the main highlights include the emergency EU leaders summit and Trump signing the Gaza peace charter in Davos. The

A jarring comment from NATO secretary general, Mark Rutte, is doing the rounds this morning where it is said he did not discuss with Trump

BitGo priced its IPO at $18 a share and expects NYSE trading to begin Thursday, with SEC filings showing major holdings by founders and early

The company also plans private debt-for-equity swaps for some holders of the Semler convertible notes that may shrink its offering size.

Bitcoin’s onchain structure “remains fragile,” said Glassnode, warning of a prolonged consolidation period ahead for BTC price.

The initiative comes as enforcement actions and pending market structure legislation raise questions about how privacy tools and open-source developers are treated.

The licensing move operationalizes Vietnam’s crypto pilot, though regulators have yet to confirm receiving or approving any exchange applications.

With all the headlines centering around Greenland, it’s easy to overlook this bit involving the US Supreme Court yesterday. The court justices were involved in

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies or SPACs, got headline news with dramatic fanfare in the early 2020s as an alternative route to public markets, enabling private

In an industry still battling questions of legitimacy and regulatory clarity, BitGo Holdings has emerged as one of the most consequential early success stories in

The Board of Peace is one that is described as an “international organisation” meant to promote stability, peace, and governance of “areas affected or threatened

The fund targets institutional investors seeking returns beyond traditional long-only, “vanilla” Bitcoin exposure.

F/m Investments seeks SEC relief to record ownership of its $6 billion Treasury ETF on a permissioned blockchain as tokenization spreads on Wall Street.

Despite Ether’s latest recovery to $3,000, data suggests that ETH price may see a deeper correction to $1,850 if key support levels don’t hold.

At the World Economic Forum, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire rejected claims that stablecoin yields could spark bank runs, pointing to money market funds and broader

Bitcoin’s 20-year quantum timeline collapses. 25% of the Bitcoin supply sits in vulnerable addresses requiring urgent migration.

Headlines: Gold’s record rally comes to a halt as Trump folds on tariffs. Signs of weakness emerge. European indices rebound after Trump walks back on

Bitcoin long-term holders of two years or more broke records during 2024 and 2025, says a new analysis of the latest bull market.

Pantera Capital predicts a year of significant consolidation for corporate crypto treasuries, with a few large players dominating digital asset demand while smaller ones get

Elliptic said the ruble-backed A7A5 token functioned as a bridge into USDT markets before sanctions and exchange controls curbed its growth.

Prior was 198K (revised to 199K) Continuing claims 1849K vs 1900K expected Prior 1884K (revised to 1875K) This is another stronger than expected report. The

Second reading was 4.3% The final Q2 reading was 3.8% Consumer spending final 3.5% vs 2.5% prior Q3 corporate profits after tax +4.7% GDP final

Onchain asset manager Maple is taking syrupUSDC to Coinbase’s Base network, adding institutional credit rails while pursuing Aave’s Base instance next.

US President Donald Trump has decided not to invade Greenland, which gives Bitcoin some relief from the geopolitical pressures that have been weighing on its

Bitcoin Magazine Crypto Bill Delayed Several Months as Senate Pivots to Trump’s Housing Initiatives The sweeping U.S. Senate effort to establish a comprehensive legal framework

The funding will support Superstate’s effort to let companies issue and trade regulated shares directly on public blockchains.

Prior was +2.8% y/y Core PCE 2.8% vs 2.8% expected Core m/m +0.2% vs +0.2% exp Unrounded core PCE +0.160% was vs +0.274% m/m prior

Bitcoin Magazine Strategy Stock ($MSTR) Slides 7% as Aggressive Bitcoin Buying Continues  Strategy (MSTR) made headlines this morning for its continued ambitious Bitcoin accumulation strategy,

Bitcoin Magazine Mastercard Eyes Bitcoin and Crypto Infrastructure Firm Zerohash Investment After Acquisition Talks Fall Through Mastercard is reportedly considering a strategic investment in blockchain

Bitcoin Magazine U.S. Treasury Confirms That All Seized Bitcoin Will Join the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve When asked about the U.S. government’s approach to Bitcoin and

Administration officials handed out a packet to the press at the event on “365 Wins in 365 Days”. This has started out with the usual

Bitcoin Magazine Trump-Appointed CFTC Chair Launches ‘Future-Proof’ Initiative, Signaling a Pro-Crypto Shift U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Mike Selig posted an op-ed on

No tariff decision from the US Supreme Court today. It could be a long wait now Trump press conference as it happens: Playing the greatest

Well, this is what you call an empty data calendar, nothing listed from APac at all. That API data listed will not be released until

The US plans modest but symbolic cuts to NATO command staffing, fuelling fresh unease in Europe over Washington’s strategic priorities. Washington Post had the info.

China is lining up a five-year consumption drive, pairing near-term loan subsidies and credit guarantees with a strategic shift toward services-led demand growth. Summary: China

New Zealand has pencilled in 7 November 2026 for the election, extending the campaign runway while the formal legal timetable remains much shorter. Summary: Luxon

A violent JGB sell-off driven by election-linked fiscal fears jolted global rates before a tentative Wednesday rebound eased worst-case worries. Summary: Japan’s long-end yields surged

Japan’s DPP called for decisive steps to calm bond and FX markets, warning ultra-long yield volatility risks destabilising broader financial conditions. Summary: DPP says market

The aggressive buying by this particular cohort of Bitcoin holders signals a potential “long-term bullish divergence,” according to crypto sentiment platform Santiment.

South Korea’s president warned that US chip tariffs would mainly drive up American prices, as Asia’s semiconductor dominance limits Washington’s leverage. Summary: Lee says US

Simply Wall St estimates 41% of Trump Media shares are held by individual insiders, 32% by the general public and 23% by institutions.

Ripple president Monica Long says blockchain is becoming the “operating layer of modern finance” and global balance sheets will hold $1 trillion in digital assets. 

Bitcoin erased its gains for the month and fell below $88,000 as crypto markets shed $225 billion, with analysts linking the crash to a “sell

Crypto companies and traditional exchanges have been rushing to offer round-the-clock stock and ETF trading using blockchain-based technology.

The aircraft (AF1) carrying President Trump to the World Economic Forum in Davos changed course sharply off the East Coast and is tracking back toward

Air Force 1 has had to return to the US soon after leaving due to a fault Risk-off Tuesday hit US assets, raising Trump Davos

Noble is seeking better developer access and a more robust tech stack to build its new EVM-compatible stablecoin-focused blockchain, which will launch in March.

From earlier: Air Force 1 has had to return to the US soon after leaving due to a fault Plane issues and air safety incidents

Bitcoiner Jameson Lopp shared data on Tuesday showing that the number of X posts containing the word “Bitcoin” fell by around a third in 2025

As Republicans look to notch policy wins ahead of the midterms, Trump advisor Patrick Witt says the market structure bill must include compromises to advance

Grayscale continued its pattern of trust-to-ETF conversions with the NEAR Trust despite declining fund performance.

Tomoko Yoshino is the chair of Japan’s largest trade union group, Rengo, and she’s offering up some remarks on the situation ahead of the spring

In case you missed out on this, it’s not just all about Trump and his shenanigans this week: Japan bond yields continue to surge higher

Bhutan is adding to its growing list of blockchain initiatives. It already runs a Bitcoin mining operation and also launched a self-sovereign ID system powered

Prior +3.2% Core CPI +3.2% vs +3.3% y/y expected Prior +3.2% Stubborn, stubborn inflation. Headline annual inflation nudged higher in December, driven partly by higher

Galaxy plans to deploy a new hedge fund strategy that targets both crypto tokens and traditional financial stocks as the “up-only” phase fades.

EUROPEAN SESSION In the European session, the only highlight was the UK CPI report. The data was mixed with headline inflation beating expectations, while core

US is the premier destination for global capital US trade deficit is narrowing with an unprecedented pace Free trade should be fair trade, rebalancing must

The new AI-powered crypto trading platforms are aimed at replacing traditional trading charts and order books with trading execution offered through natural language processing.

Mask Network will lead consumer-facing product execution on Lens, while Aave steps back to an advisory role focused on protocol infrastructure.

Solana Mobile’s airdrop of almost 2 billion SKR tokens for 100,000 Seeker users is claimable for 90 days, with staking rewards starting immediately.

The submissions add to mounting pressure on regulators as Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong calls for compromise to pass market structure legislation.

Bitcoin hit a key BTC price target from the start of January, with other CME futures gaps now above price, but traders remained cautious.

Markets are waiting with bated breath for his special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos later today. He was supposed to have

The monthly order book balance rose to -30 in January, which marks a slight improvement from the -32 estimate in December. That’s the best reading

Bitcoin risks a further decline to $84,000, following increasing whale exchange deposits and accelerated long-term holder selling.

With Boomers controlling more than half of US household wealth, the coming generational transfer may funnel a portion of this capital into crypto markets, a

Attackers have hijacked trusted Snap Store publishers via expired domains, allowing malicious wallet updates to reach long-time Linux users.

Trade finance’s financing gap and paper-based inefficiencies create blockchain’s largest opportunity. Tokenized receivables can unlock global liquidity for SMEs.

More crypto platforms are edging toward universal exchange ambitions, with research firms predicting a crypto “super app” race.

Headlines: Heads up: US president Trump due to speak in Davos later today US stocks extend losses as traders stay on the defensive ahead of

Several chartists warn that Bitcoin could decline toward $30,000 in February as the price action mirrors previous four-year cycles.

Crypto markets dip as global macro pressures mount, with US-EU trade tensions and Japanese bond sell-offs fueling institutional caution.

Prior was +6.1% Prices m/m -0.6% vs +0.3% expected Prior m/m +0.9% Raw materials price index: Prices y/y +6.4% vs +6.4% prior Prices m/m +0.3%

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, the French central bank governor and Coinbase CEO clashed over whether trust in money comes from institutions or

Trump at Davos: Greenland, Growth, and AI Set the Tone for Markets Trump used his Davos speech to send three signals markets care about: Greenland:

The Bank of Italy’s Fabio Panetta said stablecoins can only play a complementary role in the monetary system, arguing that their stability depends on fiat

One of Argentina’s longest‑running exchanges, Ripio, is betting on local currency stablecoins and tokenized bonds to drive a decade‑long boom in tokenized money across Latin

We are ‘very much into’ nuclear energy We will double domestic steel production over the next four months Venezuela will do fantastically well I want

Bitcoin Magazine ‘Bitcoin Has No Issuer’: Coinbase CEO Clashes With French Central Banker at Davos Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong challenged skepticism earlier today toward Bitcoin

Crypto’s move into banks and state-backed systems is accelerating a clash between financial privacy and public ledger design, said Aleo’s Yaya Fanusie.

Pending home sales Pending home sales -9.3% vs +0.4% expected The index 71.8 vs 79.2 prior All regions saw drops with the Midwest as the

Bitcoin joined stocks in a relief bounce as US President Donald Trump hinted at new legislation “very soon” and a doubling of the Dow Jones.

Trump made the trip to Davos and spoke for nearly and hour-and-a-half and it was the usual song and dance. It was more of a

Scheduled for release from a halfway house on Wednesday, former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison will have served 440 days in federal custody.