Daily Crypto Briefing – January 13, 2026

The crypto market showed mixed signals today as Bitcoin climbed above $93K following favorable inflation data, while regulatory debates intensified around stablecoin rewards and market structure legislation.

Top Stories

Crypto's 2026 Outlook Depends on Three Key Factors

Wintermute analysis suggests crypto's 2026 performance hinges on institutional adoption, interest rates, and retail investor return. Bitcoin's muted 2025 rally and fading altcoin cycle indicate a structural market shift that could define the year ahead.

Polymarket Hits Mainstream at Golden Globes

The prediction platform achieved what CEO called its "most mainstream integration" by featuring several prediction markets during the 2026 Golden Globes broadcast on CBS. This marks a significant step toward mainstream adoption for crypto-based prediction markets.

Senate Crypto Bill Sparks Stablecoin Rewards Debate

New bill text from the Senate Banking Committee has triggered intense industry debate over stablecoin reward provisions. The legislation could significantly impact how stablecoin issuers and exchanges operate reward programs.

JPMorgan CFO Warns Against Stablecoin Yields

JPMorgan's Jeremy Barnum called stablecoin yield products "obviously dangerous and undesirable," comparing them to unregulated banking systems. The comments highlight growing tension between traditional finance and crypto yield products.

Bitcoin Rallies Past $93K on Inflation Data

Bitcoin surged following December CPI data showing 0.3% monthly inflation, which increased market expectations for potential Fed rate cuts. The move broke Bitcoin out of a narrow trading range it had occupied for weeks.

Regulation

Senate Delays Crypto Market Structure Bill

• Markup postponed to late January due to unresolved stablecoin reward provisions
• Bill would grant XRP, Solana, and Dogecoin same legal status as Bitcoin for certain ETF provisions
• Senators Lummis and Wyden push bill to exempt non-custodial blockchain developers from money transmitter laws

International Regulatory Actions

• Ukraine blocks Polymarket over unlicensed gambling concerns
• Court blocks Tennessee regulators' action against Kalshi prediction platform
• Nigeria plans to track crypto transactions using national ID numbers

Markets

Bitcoin and Major Altcoins

• Bitcoin holds above $92K with options showing call-heavy positioning
• Monero hits new ATH above $610 as privacy coins surge
• Aptos jumps 8% to $1.99 amid broader market rebound

Corporate Treasury Moves

• BlackRock moves $303M in Bitcoin to Coinbase Prime
• Upexi plans expansion of Solana treasury holdings
• Bakkt stock jumps 18% following stablecoin firm acquisition

DeFi & Stablecoins

Major Acquisitions and Partnerships

• Polygon Labs acquires Coinme and Sequence for $250M to advance stablecoin payments
• Franklin Templeton updates money market funds to be blockchain-ready
• ClearBank partners with Taurus for stablecoin custody services

Protocol Updates

• ETHGas launches GWEI token to govern Ethereum blockspace
• Ethena Labs boosts USDe rewards with gas-free transactions

Technology

Ethereum Developments

• Standard Chartered sets $40,000 ETH target for 2030 while cutting 2026 forecast
• Bank of Italy warns of potential risks from ETH price collapse to DeFi ecosystem
• Vitalik Buterin sells tokens worth $29,000 in Ethereum

Layer 2 and Scaling

• [ZKsync focuses](https://www.theblock.co/post