According to ChainCatcher, South Korea's Financial Services Committee (FSC) has shifted its stance to support the Bank of Korea's (BOK) proposal for stablecoin regulation. The proposal mandates that stablecoins be issued by bank-led consortia, with banks holding more than 50% of the shares to maintain control. While technology companies can be the largest single shareholder, their shareholding must remain below the total held by banks. However, this plan faces opposition in the National Assembly from lawmakers, including those from the ruling Democratic Party, highlighting divisions between the ruling party, financial regulators, and the central bank. The proposal also imposes stricter requirements on cryptocurrency exchanges, such as higher IT stability standards, mandatory compensation for hacking losses, and fines of up to 10% of annual revenue.

According to PANews, Jake Ostrovskis, head of over-the-counter trading at Wintermute, has indicated that $13 million has been invested in Bitcoin call options with strike prices ranging from $98,000 to $100,000. This suggests a potential increase in Bitcoin's price during the first quarter.

According to Odaily, Wintermute's OTC trading head Jake Ostrovskis shared options market data on X, noting ongoing bets on upward movement. Overnight, $13 million was invested in call options expiring on February 27 at $100,000 and January 30 at $98,000. As the new year begins, the market is establishing new positions, with price trends suggesting a potential relief rally in the first quarter. Odaily explains that a relief rally typically occurs after sustained negative pressure, panic, or declines, driven by easing negative sentiment.

HabitTrade 在 X 平台发文表示已完成近 1000 万美元 A 轮融资。本轮融资由 Newborn Town Inc.领投，Bright Venture Capital、StableStock 及其他投资者参投。此次融资标志着 HabitTrade 进入从基础建设到规模化扩张的下一阶段。HabitTrade 将利用此项资金在全球范围内扩展受监管的经纪基础设施，并加速传统资本市场与链上金融的融合。

According to BlockBeats, on January 8, several mainstream and emerging blockchain platforms have experienced a substantial decrease in their DeFi Total Value Locked (TVL) compared to their peak values. Notably, Tether's stablecoin blockchain, Stable, saw its DeFi TVL plummet to an astonishing $29,231, sparking widespread discussion within the community. Eclipse and Berachain also witnessed a dramatic reduction in TVL, losing approximately 95% from their peak values.Among established blockchains, Ethereum's DeFi TVL is currently reported at $72.773 billion, marking a decline of over 25% from its peak of $97.3 billion in August 2025. Solana's DeFi TVL stands at $8.86 billion, down about 33% from its September 2025 peak of $13.22 billion. Bitcoin's DeFi TVL is at $7.01 billion, reflecting a drop of over 23% from its October 2025 peak of $9.12 billion. BNB Chain's DeFi TVL is reported at $6.797 billion, a decrease of over 25% from its October 2025 peak of $9.15 billion. Base's DeFi TVL is currently $4.745 billion, showing a decline of over 12% from its October 2025 peak of $97.3 billion.Emerging blockchains have also faced significant declines. Stable's DeFi TVL has reached an unexpected low of $29,231, previously exceeding $100 million. Eclipse's DeFi TVL is reported at $2.72 million, down approximately 95% from its February 2025 peak of $4,900, with Eclipse's official account previously stating, "We have no users." Plasma's DeFi TVL is at $3.205 billion, a reduction of about 50% from its October 2025 peak of $6.36 billion. Monad's DeFi TVL is currently $283.72 million. Berachain's DeFi TVL stands at $174.11 million, down approximately 95% from its May 2025 peak of $3.306 billion.

According to the announcement from Binance, the platform is introducing a special promotion exclusively for users in the European Economic Area (EEA) to celebrate the new year. This promotion allows EEA users to earn up to 20% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on USDC for a period of 10 days. The offer includes a 19% Bonus Tiered APR in addition to Real-Time APR rewards. The promotion period is set from 2026-01-08 00:00 (UTC) to 2026-02-05 23:59 (UTC).Eligibility for this promotion is limited to EEA residents who purchase USDC through Binance's Buy Crypto feature during the specified period. Participants can subscribe to Simple Earn USDC Flexible Products to benefit from the offer. The subscription process involves navigating to the Buy Crypto page on the Binance website or app, completing the purchase, and subscribing to the Simple Earn USDC Flexible Products. It may take up to 48 hours for eligible users to access the special offer, which is available on a first-come, first-served basis.The reward structure includes a Bonus Tiered APR, which is distributed daily to users' Spot Accounts, starting the day after accrual begins. Real-Time APR is accrued and accumulated in users' Earn Accounts every minute. The special offer is valid for up to 10 days, and users can enjoy both Real-Time and Bonus Tiered APR rewards during this period. However, redemption within the 10-day period will terminate the accrual of Bonus Tiered APR rewards. After the promotion ends, only Real-Time APR rewards will be available. Binance reserves the right to amend the terms and conditions of the promotion at its discretion.

According to PANews, the Indian Income Tax Department (ITD) has raised concerns during a parliamentary finance committee meeting about the difficulties in tracking crypto income due to foreign exchanges, private wallets, and DeFi tools. These factors are complicating tax enforcement efforts. Despite India imposing a fixed 30% tax rate on crypto profits and a 1% TDS on transfers, the anonymity of cross-border transactions makes it nearly impossible to reconstruct transaction chains. The official stance remains cautious, even as local adoption continues to rise.

According to PANews, the address 'pension-usdt.eth' has closed its leveraged Ethereum short position, securing a profit of $2.75 million. As of now, the total profit accumulated by this address amounts to $22.3 million.

Polymarket faces backlash after refusing to settle bets on a US invasion of Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/polymarket-refuses-pay-us-would-venezuela/

Bitcoin shrugs off ETF and MSCI updates as market FUD persists. source: https://ambcrypto.com/bitcoin-heres-why-btcs-90k-dip-signals-caution-not-strength/

China’s Ministry of State Security warned that some foreign crypto projects are collecting citizens’ iris data in exchange for digital tokens, raising concerns over privacy and national security. The advisory closely aligns with Worldcoin, which is under increasing global scrutiny for its biometric data practices.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has led a team of six senators to repeal Trump's decision to dissolve the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET).

Singapore is cracking down on illegal trading of Worldcoin accounts and tokens, with seven individuals under investigation and five already arrested. The Monetary Authority of Singapore has clarified that Worldcoin itself isn't regulated under their Payment Services Act, but trading activities may violate the law, leading to severe penalties.

Worldcoin faces global sanctions over privacy concerns, with bans in multiple countries including France, India, Hong Kong, and Brazil. Despite its ambition to offer universal financial access, questions remain about its approach and regulatory compliance.

Nigeria's EFCC froze over 1,100 crypto traders' accounts due to alleged currency manipulation and money laundering, intensifying concerns about crypto regulation. While the CBN denies a crypto ban, the EFCC's actions and regulatory uncertainties cast a shadow over Nigeria's crypto future.

Worldcoin faces an orb shortage as demand for its iris-scanning technology surges. Despite challenges, Worldcoin aims to revolutionise finance through biometric authentication and blockchain innovation.