According to BlockBeats, on January 13, analysts from research and brokerage firm Bernstein increased the target stock price for Figure Technology Solutions (FIGR) from $54 to $72, designating it as a 'top recommended stock' for 2026. The analysts highlighted the company's tokenized credit market growth exceeding expectations and ongoing improvements in operational leverage. The new target price suggests a potential 38% increase from the stock's closing price of $52.23 on Monday. Bernstein has consistently rated the stock as 'outperform' since initiating coverage last October. In a client report released on Tuesday, January 14, led by analyst Gautam Chhugani, the team noted that blockchain-based lending institution Figure stands out amid banking industry transformations and the clearer regulatory framework proposed by the U.S. 'Clear Act,' a draft bill for crypto market structure. The report states that Figure replaces traditional banking ledger systems with blockchain infrastructure, offering long-term growth potential in its tokenized equity business. Bernstein indicated that Figure's performance has surpassed its originally 'quite optimistic' expectations, driven by a partner-led market model and expansion into new loan categories. The total consumer loan market reached approximately $2.7 billion in the fourth quarter, with the tokenized credit platform Figure Connect processing about 46% of the credit volume from the previous quarter. The report emphasized that Figure is actively expanding its core HELOC business by introducing new products such as debt coverage loans, small business loans, and crypto asset-backed loans. The company also plans to tokenize its equity to launch a tokenized equity platform for secondary market development. Analysts view the equity business as a long-term 'strategic option' rather than a short-term revenue driver.

According to BlockBeats On-chain Detection, a whale address withdrew 5,894 ETH from a centralized exchange (CEX) 10 minutes ago. Last week, this address also withdrew 37.09 million SKY tokens and transferred them for staking.

According to Onchain Lens monitoring, a whale (0xCd9...5507) withdrew 5,894 ETH from Kraken, worth $18.33 million. Last week, the same whale withdrew 37.09 million SKY, worth $2.33 million, and staked them.

Fresh clashes between the Trump administration and the Federal Reserve reignited fears over central bank independence, weighing on US markets and boosting precious metals. source: https://www.blockhead.co/2026/01/13/threat-to-fed-takes-center-stage/

US cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is backing a newly formed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that plans to go public through a Kraken-affiliated sponsor. KrakAcquisition, a blank-check company jointly backed by Kraken, Tribe Capital, and Natural Capital, filed documents with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday (January 13) to raise up to $250 million through an initial public offering (IPO). According to the SEC filing, the exempted company, registered in the Cayman Islands in July 2025, plans to issue 25 million shares ($10 each) and apply for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol “KRAQU.” While the SPAC primarily targets companies in the cryptocurrency infrastructure sector, Kraken reportedly filed a separate confidential S-1 form last November seeking potential IPO opportunities for its common stock. (Cointelegraph)

A crypto trader designated Dr6s2o on Solscan lost more than $473,000 in just 20 minutes after former New York City mayor Eric Adams promoted a new meme coin called $NYC that rapidly collapsed in what many investors are now calling a rug pull. Specifically, the trader first swapped a total of 745,725 USDC for $NYC across five trades and then panic-sold the meme coin for only 272,177 of the stablecoin. The six $NYC trades that resulted in the loss of approximatelly $473,000. Source: Solscan What is the NYC token? Late on January 12, Adams – whose administration was previously under scrutiny for alleged corruption – announced the launch of $NYC – the ‘NY token’ – with an unconventional sales pitch source: https://finbold.com/crypto-trader-loses-473k-in-20-mins-on-eric-adams-nyc-meme-coin/

President Trump said that Big Tech must pay for the electricity used in its data centers. source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/big-tech-will-pay-data-center-power-costs/

Early morning on January 13th, Beijing time, Apple and Google jointly issued a statement announcing a multi-year, in-depth cooperation agreement.

null source: https://x.com/CoinMarketCap/status/2011020442975215957

After burning $70 billion on virtual worlds, Meta signals a dramatic retreat from the metaverse as artificial intelligence takes over the company’s future.

Privacy-focused coins are surging early Tuesday, dwarfing returns from the more popular cryptocurrencies. source: https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/26/01/49867359/monero-jumps-19-to-set-new-highs-dash-also-surges-amid-speculation-of-capital-rotation-from-this-fellow-privacy-coin?utm_source=cryptopanic.com&utm_campaign=partner_feed&utm_medium=referral

PayPal will soon be a payment option in Google’s new AI-powered checkout through the Universal Commerce Protocol, which connects AI agents, retailers, and payment providers. The protocol was developed with major retailers and aims to make online shopping easier, more secure, and interoperable across different platforms.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says a nascent crypto sector could mirror the explosive growth of stablecoins, calling the opportunity “huge” as blockchain technology continues to reduce friction in global markets. In a new discussion hosted by Goldman Sachs, Armstrong points to the rise of stablecoins as a case study. source: https://dailyhodl.com/2026/01/13/coinbase-ceo-brian-armstrong-details-huge-prediction-on-nascent-crypto-sector-heres-his-outlook/

The fifth episode of the third season of "Blockchain Masters," a light-hearted variety show about the Web3 industry, jointly launched by Jinse Finance, Twinkle, and Dashu Finance, and produced by HTX DAO and OracleX, was officially launched on January 8, 2026.

Ethereum's goal is to become the home of trustless and trust-minimized applications, whether in finance, governance, or other fields.

Chinese AI company DeepSeek is rapidly expanding in Africa, Russia, Belarus, and other markets using low-cost, open-source models backed by government subsidies. Microsoft warns that U.S. tech firms risk falling behind as their paid, controlled AI systems struggle to compete on price and accessibility.

Just weeks after leaving office, Eric Adams unveiled a New York–themed memecoin pitched as a social good. On-chain data now suggests a chaotic — and controversial — debut.

a16z is transforming into a more ambitious organization—a full-stack coordination engine that encompasses both technological and political realities.

The official acceptance of digital currency payments by the Iranian Ministry of Defense's export center (Mindex) marks a strategic shift for Iran, transforming it from a "small-scale tax haven" to a national-level "military payment layer."

Since the beginning of 2026, the commodity bull market led by gold and silver has intensified, sweeping the market with an even more surging upward trend.