Daily Crypto Briefing – January 15, 2026

The crypto markets showed mixed signals today as institutional adoption accelerated while regulatory uncertainty persisted. Bitcoin consolidated around $96,000 as major financial institutions expanded their digital asset offerings.

Top Stories

SEC Chair Predicts 2-Year Timeline for Full US Tokenization

CryptoSlate reports that SEC Chair Paul Atkins expects US financial markets to move on-chain "in a couple of years." The statement signals significant regulatory support for tokenization, though the real opportunity may lie beyond traditional equities.

Goldman Sachs Doubles Down on Crypto Exploration

CoinDesk confirms CEO David Solomon is "spending a lot of time" on crypto and prediction markets. The firm is actively exploring how these technologies can integrate into their business model and has met with prediction market platforms.

Fogo Blockchain Launches Public Mainnet

The Defiant reports the Solana-compatible Layer 1 blockchain went live Thursday with functioning applications, exchange listings, and a token airdrop. The launch follows a successful Binance token sale.

Bitcoin Whales Resume Accumulation

Cointelegraph notes whale balances increased 21% after the fastest sell-off since 2023 ended. The reaccumulation aligns with renewed spot ETF inflows, suggesting institutional confidence remains strong.

Regulation

Senate Crypto Bill Faces Delays

• The Block reports the Senate Banking Committee postponed markup of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act
• CoinDesk notes DeFi community views the delay as positive, avoiding potentially restrictive provisions
• Decrypt confirms Coinbase withdrew support for the bill in its current form

Fed Chair Powell Remains in Position

• CryptoBriefing reports the US government confirmed no plans to remove Fed Chair Powell despite ongoing investigation
• Decision may impact perceptions of Fed independence and future monetary policy

House Democrats Criticize SEC

• CoinDesk reports lawmakers accused the SEC of enabling "pay-to-play" dynamics after dropping cases against major exchanges

Markets

Bitcoin ETF Inflows Continue

• The Block confirms $1.7 billion in inflows over three days, with Wednesday seeing $843.6 million
• CoinJournal notes Fear & Greed Index returned to "greed" territory for first time since October

Memecoin Sector Struggles

• CoinJournal reports PEPE declined 9% as major memecoins faced selling pressure
• Dogecoin and Shiba Inu also shed recent gains

BNB Chain Token Burn

• CoinJournal confirms completion of 34th quarterly burn, destroying 1.37 million BNB tokens
• Total supply now reduced to 136.36 million BNB

Technology

X Platform Bans InfoFi Projects

• Decrypt reports X revoked API access for "InfoFi" projects to prevent "AI slop" and reply spam
• The Block notes KAITO token fell 17% following the announcement

Sui Network Recovers from Outage

• Decrypt confirms the blockchain recovered from a six-hour "network stall"
• Marks the second major downtime since Sui's 2023 launch

MetaMask Adds TRON Support

• Decrypt reports native TRON support added to both mobile app and browser extension
• Continues MetaMask's expansion beyond Ethereum following recent Bitcoin integration

Institutional Adoption

London Stock Exchange Launches Blockchain Platform

• CoinJournal reports Digital Settlement House enables 24/7 blockchain-based settlement
• Platform supports tokenized commercial bank deposits across multiple currencies

State Street Expands Tokenization

• The Block reports custody giant debuts Digital Asset Platform for tokenized assets
• Part of broader banking rush to bring cash and funds on-chain

CME Group Adds New Crypto Futures

• Cointelegraph confirms Cardano, Chainlink, and Stellar futures launching February 9
• Expands CME's regulated crypto derivatives beyond Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana

Quick Hits

• Bank of America CEO warns stablecoins could drain $6 trillion in bank deposits
• Ripple invests $150 million in [LMAX exchange](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/01/15/ripple