Daily Crypto Briefing – January 28, 2026

Markets are showing mixed signals as Bitcoin hovers near $89K and traders position ahead of the Fed's first rate decision of 2025. Meanwhile, institutional adoption continues with major developments in tokenized funds and stablecoin infrastructure.

Top Stories

Tether Emerges as Major Gold Player

CoinDesk reports that Tether is purchasing up to $1 billion worth of gold monthly, storing approximately 140 tons in a Swiss nuclear bunker. The company's gold reserves support both its balance sheet and the XAUT stablecoin, positioning Tether as what CEO Paolo Ardoino calls a potential "gold central bank" in a post-dollar world.

Fed Decision Creates Market Uncertainty

Decrypt highlights that Bitcoin and Ethereum traders face a "narrative whipsaw" ahead of Wednesday's Federal Reserve meeting. With Bitcoin near $89K and Ethereum above $3K, markets are bracing for Powell's commentary on labor market concerns and potential March rate cuts.

WisdomTree Expands to Solana

CoinDesk reports that WisdomTree is bringing its full suite of tokenized funds to Solana, citing transaction speed advantages. Both institutional and retail investors can now mint, trade, and hold the tokenized funds through WisdomTree Connect and WisdomTree Prime platforms.

Regulation

Crypto Banking Charter Push

• CryptoBriefing reports that Nomura's Laser Digital is seeking a U.S. national trust bank charter under the Trump administration's more favorable regulatory environment
• The move signals increased integration of digital assets into mainstream financial systems
• The Block notes that the American Innovation Project is launching a fellowship program to bring crypto expertise to Capitol Hill

International Developments

• Cointelegraph reports South Korea's Financial Services Commission is backing ownership caps of 15-20% for crypto exchanges
• Cointelegraph notes ECB executive Piero Cipollone argues the digital euro is key to payments sovereignty in an increasingly "weaponized" world

Markets

State-Level Bitcoin Adoption

• The Block reports South Dakota lawmakers have revived legislation allowing up to 10% of eligible public funds to be invested in Bitcoin
• The bill closely mirrors previous proposals from the 2025 legislative session

ETF and Exchange Developments

• Decrypt reports Bitwise has registered a Uniswap ETF Trust as an early step toward potential filing
• Decrypt notes Coinbase shares fell 46% from peak as the exchange expands into metal futures trading
• CryptoBriefing reports Grayscale's Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF is now available on Morgan Stanley's E*TRADE platform

Technology

AI and Blockchain Integration

• CoinDesk reports Ethereum is unveiling ERC-8004, a new standard giving AI agents portable identities and reputations across companies and chains
• The Block notes the standard launches on mainnet this week to enable AI agent participation in decentralized economies

Cross-Chain Developments

• CryptoBriefing reports Mantle has launched MNT token on Solana through a new cross-chain portal, enhancing multichain liquidity
• The Block notes Tether officially launched its "Made in America" USAT stablecoin for institutional adoption

DeFi

Lending Market Concentration

• CryptoSlate reports Aave now controls 51.5% of the DeFi lending market, the first protocol to cross the 50% threshold since 2020
• The milestone raises concerns about systemic risk with only a $460M backstop protecting the ecosystem

Payments Infrastructure

• Decrypt reports crypto payments startup Mesh achieved unicorn status with a $75M Series C round led by Dragonfly Capital
• CoinDesk notes OKX launched its crypto card in Europe, with stablecoins positioned as the default for payments

Quick Hits

• NewsBTC reports Bitcoin investors realized $4.5B in losses, the largest in three years
• Decrypt notes altcoins like Hyperliquid and Pump.fun posted 30-56% weekly gains as Bitcoin nears $90K
• CoinJournal reports Chainlink joined Korea's KRW stablecoin alliance, boosting LINK price outlook
• CryptoBriefing notes whales sold $3.4B worth of Bitcoin as price hit $92K resistance
• Bitcoin.com reports PayPal survey finds 39% of U.S. merchants now accept crypto payments

What to Watch

• Fed Decision Wednesday: Powell's commentary on labor markets and potential March rate cuts could drive significant crypto volatility
• Stablecoin Market Shifts: Monitor competition between Circle's USDC and T