Author: ethan

Tether launched the Scudo unit for its Tether Gold (XAUT) token on January 6, a move designed to make tokenized gold practical for everyday payments. Scudo is defined as one-thousandth (1/1,000) of a troy ounce of gold — or 1/1,000 of an XAUT token — and the company said the unit will simplify pricing and lower the barrier to fractional gold ownership.

Nike has discreetly sold its digital products and non-fungible token (NFT) subsidiary, RTFKT, a year after ceasing its internal operations. This decision marks a definitive strategic shift for the company, moving away from the digital collectibles market to focus on its traditional business. The transaction took place on December 16, representing a new chapter for the brand’s virtual community.

Investment banking giant Morgan Stanley filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for an Ethereum Trust. This new Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust represents a firm step in its expansion strategy toward digital assets. Thus, the institution seeks to expand its offering of regulated products for its most sophisticated clients during this early part of 2026.

Grayscale announced the inaugural staking distribution for its Ethereum Staking ETF (ETHE), declaring a payout of $0.083178 per share tied to a January 5, 2026 record date. Shareholders who held ETHE on that date are eligible for the payment; the fund plans to disburse the staking rewards on January 6, 2026.

BNB has ticked higher after a period of tight price compression, as traders priced in a series of network upgrades on the BNB Chain. The token consolidated in the high-$890s to low-$900s before testing resistance near $910, a setup that technical analysts say often precedes decisive moves.

The Japanese government has started 2026 with strong support for traditional financial market infrastructure as the gateway to digital assets. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama stated this Monday that crypto regulations in Japan are essential to ensuring that citizens benefit from blockchain technology. During the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the official described this period as the first year of full-scale digitalization in the nation.

Bank of America has transformed its wealth strategy by allowing its financial advisors to actively recommend Bitcoin ETF investment to their clients this Monday. Through its Merrill, Bank of America Private Bank, and Merrill Edge divisions, the institution will provide direct access to four specific funds with high liquidity. This measure marks a radical shift, as access was previously limited exclusively to requests initiated by the entity’s own users.

The crypto funds in 2025 reached global inflows of 47.2 billion dollars, primarily driven by the growth of Ethereum, XRP and Solana. According to James Butterfill, official representative of CoinShares, this figure fell just 3% below the historical record set the previous year. This Monday, the spokesperson highlighted that the institutional market showed remarkable resilience in the face of sector volatility.

The Bitcoin mining and stability of electrical grids are a tangible reality according to researcher Daniel Batten, who published a new study this Monday. His analysis demystifies the sector’s negative impact and highlights its crucial role in modernizing global energy infrastructure this January. Furthermore, the official spokesperson presented empirical evidence showing how flexible load allows for efficient balancing of electrical systems during seasonal consumption peaks throughout the territory.

Large holders of digital assets have transferred approximately 2.4 billion dollars in Bitcoin and Ether to Binance over the past week. This massive “whale” movement occurs at a time when crypto buying demand remains unusually moderate at the beginning of 2026. Amin Ayan, a specialized analyst and journalist, warns that these patterns often precede periods of strong selling pressure in global markets.