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Nasdaq requests the SEC to lift the cap of 25,000 positions and the exercise limits on crypto asset ETF options, aiming to create a fairer trading environment.

Nasdaq has submitted a proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on January 21, requesting the agency to remove the current restrictions on the trading of options for Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

SEC Chairman Paul Atkins and CFTC Chairman Michael Selig will host a discussion event on harmonizing the oversight of cryptocurrency assets while the Senate is considering market structure legislation.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced on Thursday that the two agencies will jointly host an event on Tuesday to discuss harmonizing the oversight of cryptocurrency assets.

Prosecutors in South Korea found that approximately 70 billion won worth of Bitcoin had disappeared from the seized asset storage following a phishing attack targeting agency staff.

South Korean authorities have launched an investigation after discovering that Bitcoin worth 47.7 million USD, seized in a criminal case, had been stolen.

According to local media reports published on Thursday, officials from the Gwangju District Prosecutor's Office discovered the disappearance of approximately 70 billion won worth of Bitcoin during a routine inspection of seized financial assets. This incident raises questions about the security capabilities and procedures for storing digital assets of law enforcement agencies as cryptocurrency increasingly becomes an attractive target for cybercriminals.

Capital One Bank has reached an agreement to acquire Brex for $5.15 billion, marking one of the largest fintech deals in recent times and expanding stablecoin payment capabilities for businesses.

Capital One, one of the leading financial corporations in the United States, has announced the acquisition of fintech company Brex for a price of $5.15 billion, to be executed in the form of a combination of stock and cash. The agreement was announced on Thursday and is expected to be completed by mid-2026, marking a significant step for Capital One in expanding its corporate payment capabilities and accessing stablecoin technology.

The Central Bank of Iran has purchased at least 507 million USD USDT since the beginning of 2025, using this stablecoin as a tool to stabilize the exchange rate and evade international sanctions.

In the context of the Iranian rial losing nearly half its value over the course of eight months and hitting a historic low against the USD, the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has turned to leveraging digital assets as an alternative to traditional foreign currency reserves. According to a newly published study by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, the monetary authority of Tehran has accumulated at least 507 million USD worth of USDT – a USD-pegged stablecoin – through a network of cryptocurrency wallets confirmed to be directly linked to the bank.

Ripple and DXC Technology alliance develops a framework for cryptocurrency custody deployment for banks, while RLUSD reaches a market capitalization of $1.4 billion and is listed on Binance.

DXC Technology, a software service provider for global organizations, has just announced a strategic alliance with Ripple, a FinTech company providing payment solutions using cryptocurrencies for enterprises. Both parties aim to develop deployment frameworks for banking organizations to systematically and securely enter the digital asset space.

The Bhutan sovereign investment fund will operate a validator node on the Sei blockchain, a network that has processed over 4 billion transactions and connects 80 million cryptocurrency asset addresses.

The Kingdom of Bhutan is preparing to become a validator on the Sei blockchain through Druk Holding and Investments Ltd, the country's main sovereign investment fund. The Sei Development Foundation, the organization behind the Sei blockchain, has just announced a partnership with DHI, in which the fund will deploy and operate a network node expected to be operational in Q1 2026.

Co-founder of Ethereum Vitalik Buterin is committed to focusing on decentralized social networks, in the context of Farcaster with two million users and Lens with 506 thousand users undergoing leadership transition.

Co-founder of Ethereum Vitalik Buterin stated he will fully recommit to decentralized social networks in 2026, arguing that only platforms built on shared, decentralized data layers can create real competition and support mass communication systems aligned with user interests, rather than optimized for interaction metrics.

Chainlink launches U.S. stock data infrastructure operating five days a week across more than 40 blockchains, serving an $80 trillion market with 19 billion validated messages.

Chainlink, the leading global blockchain oracle provider, has just announced the launch of Chainlink 24/5 U.S. Equities Streams, a market data infrastructure that allows near-continuous access to information on U.S. stock and ETF prices in an on-chain environment. This is the first time decentralized finance protocols and blockchain services can access secure, continuous data for one of the largest asset classes in the world, with a total market capitalization of approximately $80 trillion.

The stablecoin market surpasses 250 billion USD in capitalization, while real-time transactions through FedNow increase 500 times, reaching 245 trillion USD, signaling a new era for the payment industry.

The global payment industry is undergoing the most fundamental transformation in history, as three technological pillars including regulated stablecoins, instant settlement payment infrastructure, and autonomous artificial intelligence enter the commercial deployment phase. Deloitte's latest research shows that this convergence is not only changing the way transactions are conducted but also reshaping the entire financial architecture, with regulatory frameworks acting as catalysts rather than barriers as before.

Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan affirmed that the city applies the principle of 'same activity, same risk, same regulation' while promoting tokenization with $2.1 billion in green bonds issued.

Speaking at a global forum in Switzerland, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan stated that the city is developing smart regulations to protect users while encouraging innovation in the digital asset sector. Mr. Chan emphasized that Hong Kong adheres to the principle of 'same activity, same risk, same regulation', meaning that businesses are regulated based on the risk of their activities rather than the technology they use.

The South Korean regulatory agency is reevaluating the rule that a cryptocurrency exchange can only partner with one bank, concerned about market concentration as it prepares the Digital Asset Act.

The Financial Services Commission of South Korea is reassessing a long-standing practice that each cryptocurrency exchange is effectively tied to a single banking partner. This review is taking place in the context of a comprehensive assessment of competition in the country's cryptocurrency market, while also serving as an important prerequisite for the establishment of the Basic Digital Asset Act expected to be enacted in 2026.

The President of Kazakhstan has signed a new law on banking and digital financial assets, formalizing the digital tenge, regulating stablecoins, and expanding the banking sector's financial technology operations.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has just signed the Law on 'Banks and Banking Activities' along with related legal documents amending the management of the financial market, marking an important turning point in Kazakhstan's economic digitalization strategy. This legal package developed by the Agency for Regulation and Development of the Financial Market (ARDFM) focuses on four main pillars: developing financial technology, managing digital assets, modernizing infrastructure, and maintaining stability in the banking sector.

Bermuda has announced plans to transition its entire economic infrastructure to blockchain with the support of Circle and Coinbase, becoming a pioneering nation in the national-scale adoption of digital assets.

At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, the Government of Bermuda announced one of the most ambitious initiatives in the field of global financial technology: a comprehensive restructuring of the national economy using blockchain infrastructure. This move marks a significant advancement compared to the small-scale blockchain pilots that many countries are undertaking, affirming Bermuda's pioneering position in the global financial digitization race.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has announced a trading platform for tokenized assets with continuous operation, instant payments, and support for fractional ownership.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has just announced the development of a digital platform that allows for trading and clearing of tokenized securities, marking a significant shift for one of the world's largest financial centers into the blockchain era. This move is expected to reshape the way traditional securities are traded, opening up more flexible market access for investors.

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Professionals Association proposes to apply more flexible regulations for the CARF framework for reporting crypto assets, particularly regarding record-keeping and business registration.

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Professionals Association (HKSFPA) has expressed concerns regarding certain aspects of the proposal in a policy advocacy document published on Monday, stating that some regulations could create constraints in operations and increase legal risks for market participants.

The Moldovan government plans to issue a legal framework for cryptocurrency in 2026, allowing citizens to own and trade legal digital assets with a 12% tax applied to tax residents, while also prohibiting payments in cryptocurrency.

Mr. Andrian Gavriliță, the Minister of Finance of Moldova, stated on the TVR Moldova channel that the country is preparing a comprehensive draft law to regulate the cryptocurrency market. This document is being developed by the Ministry of Finance with the active participation of the National Bank of Moldova, the National Commission for Financial Markets, and the Office for Prevention and Anti-Money Laundering.

Digital bank Revolut has applied for a full banking license in Peru, focusing on the remittance market worth $4.93 billion and cross-border payments, amid increasing regional fintech competition.

Revolut, a digital banking and payment company based in London, has submitted an application for a full banking license in Peru as part of its expansion strategy in Latin America, according to Bloomberg reported on Monday. If approved, this license will allow the company to operate as a regulated bank in Peru, thereby adding Peru to the list of markets in the region alongside Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil.