The Financial Conduct Authority has begun seeking final feedback on a set of proposals aiming to apply traditional finance standards to the UK crypto sector.
The UK’s financial watchdog is entering the final stages of its consultation process for a host of key proposed crypto regulations as the agency continues to work on the government’s crypto roadmap.
The Financial Conduct Authority said on Friday that it is now seeking feedback on 10 crypto regulatory proposals, marking the “final step” of its consultations on potential rules for the sector.
“These proposals continue our progress towards an open, sustainable and competitive crypto market that people can trust,” the FCA said.
“At the same time, risks remain, and we want a market where innovation can thrive, but where people understand the risks. But regulation can’t — and shouldn’t try — to get rid of all risk. We want those interested in investing in crypto to understand that risk.”
The FCA’s crypto proposals cover a range of aspects of the market, including business standards of conduct, credit-based crypto purchases, regulatory reporting, asset safeguarding, and retail collateral treatment for borrowing crypto, among other things. The deadline for feedback has been set for March 12.
This package of proposals was initially outlined in December, with the FCA expressing an intent to regulate the crypto market similarly to traditional finance.
Package of rules up for consultation. Source: FCA
Related: UK mulls under‑16 social media ban amid rising online ID push
The FCA stated it has made “significant progress” in ironing out the regulatory details as part of the government’s roadmap. Earlier this month, the FCA announced a timeline for crypto asset service providers to register as part of its new licensing regime.
“We expect the application period will open in September 2026,” the FCA noted, adding that the timeline will be confirmed in due course.
The licensing regime puts tighter oversight and constraints on crypto firms, and requires them to have FCA authorization to operate in the UK.
Magazine: How crypto laws changed in 2025 — and how they’ll change in 2026
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Crypto investment products reversed course last week from solid inflows to one of the largest outflow weeks on record amid persistent bearish market sentiment.
Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) saw $1.73 billion of outflows during the week, the biggest since mid-November 2025, CoinShares reported on Monday.
“Dwindling expectations for interest rate cuts, negative price momentum and disappointment that digital assets have not participated in the debasement trade yet have likely fuelled these outflows,” said CoinShares’ head of research, James Butterfill.
The latest outflows highlight the market’s sideways trading, following the prior week’s $2.2 billion of inflows.
Bitcoin and Ether lead outflows with $1.72 billion combined
Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) led outflows from crypto funds last week, with withdrawals of about $1.09 billion and $630 million, respectively.
While the outflows reflected broad negative sentiment across the market, some altcoins bucked the trend. XRP (XRP) and Sui (SUI) saw outflows of $18.2 million and $6 million, while Solana (SOL) recorded inflows of $17.1 million.
Weekly crypto ETP flows by asset as of Friday (in millions of US dollars). Source: CoinShares
Chainlink (LINK) funds also saw minor inflows at $3.8 million, according to CoinShares data.
Related: Japan plans framework that could permit crypto ETFs by 2028: Nikkei
Short-Bitcoin ETPs saw $500,000 inflows, contradicting the negative market sentiment. “Regardless, it indicates sentiment has still not improved since Oct. 10, 2025 price crash,” CoinShares’ Butterfill noted.
BlackRock’s iShares, Fidelity top the losses
Outflows were spread across several issuers last week, with BlackRock’s iShares exchange-traded funds (ETFs) leading the way at $951 million.
Fidelity Investments and Grayscale Investments followed with outflows of $469 million and $270 million, respectively. Some issuers, however, managed to post gains, with Volatility Shares and ProFunds Group recording inflows of $83 million and $37 million.
Weekly crypto ETP flows by issuer as of Friday (in millions of US dollars). Source: CoinShares
Regionally, outflows were concentrated in the United States, totaling $1.8 billion.
Total assets under management in crypto funds fell to $178 billion, down from $193 billion at the end of the previous week.
Magazine: How crypto laws changed in 2025 — and how they’ll change in 2026
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USD1, the dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by World Liberty Financial, a company tied to the Trump family, recently became the fifth‑largest stablecoin in the whole cryptocurrency market. USD1 reached an issuance of $4.92 billion on January 26, surpassing Paypal’s PYUSD, which has a market capitalization of $3.7 billion. Trump-Backed USD1 Reaches Top 5 Stablecoin Position USD1, […]
Bitcoin BTC$87,775.71 fell to as low as $86,000 when CME futures opened on Sunday after the weekend pause. It’s since recovered slightly, though the market structure remains firmly in a downtrend.
This initial drop created a pricing gap extending as high as $89,265. A CME gap forms when bitcoin’s spot price moves while CME futures are closed. Historically, bitcoin has shown a tendency to revisit these gaps.
Bitcoin last made an all time high on Oct. 6, 111 days ago, and is now down roughly 30% from that peak, reinforcing the bearish momentum.
A break below $80,000 would probably introduce a revisit of April 2025 levels, when bitcoin traded as low as $76,000 during the selloff linked to President Donald Trump’s tariff drive.
For now, the key level holding the market together is the 100-week moving average, which represents the average closing price over the that period and is often viewed as a long-term structural support. Since the local bottom on Nov. 21 at $80,000, the price has consistently held this level, which is currently near $87,145.
Bitcoin has already dropped below the 50-day moving average of just over $90,000. This indicator is commonly used to gauge short-term trend direction.
Below current levels, several notable support zones emerge. The Difficulty Regression Model, an estimate of bitcoin’s average production cost based on mining difficulty, sits near $89,300. Historically, commodities tend to gravitate toward or trade below their production cost during bear markets.
Further down, the aggregate cost basis of U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund buyers is $84,099, a level that has acted as support for several months. Onchain data shows the 2024 average exchange withdrawal price, effectively the cost basis of 2024 buyers, at $82,713.
Finally, the True Market Mean Price, calculated using Investor Cap divided by Active Supply, sits just above $80,000, aligning closely with the November low and reinforcing its importance as a potential mean-reversion level.
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On-chain investigator ZachXBT says a $40 million-plus theft from US government crypto seizure wallets may trace back to John Daghita, an alleged threat actor who goes by “Lick,” and a contractor relationship tied to Daghita’s family.
The $40 Million+ Govt Crypto Wallet Robbery
In a Jan. 25 post, ZachXBT pointed to Command Services & Support (CMDSS), describing it as a firm with “an active IT government contract in Virginia,” and alleging it was “awarded a contract to assist the USMS in managing/disposing of seized/forfeited crypto assets.” ZachXBT added: “It still remains unclear at this point how John obtained access from his dad.”
In case you are curious how John Daghita (Lick) was able to steal $40M+ from US government seizure addresses.
John’s dad owns CMDSS, which currently has an active IT government contract in Virginia.
CMMDS was awarded a contract to assist the USMS in managing/disposing of… https://t.co/lzR2a1aidA pic.twitter.com/PV0IkSuhVy
The allegation lands against a backdrop of earlier tracing work published Jan. 23, where ZachXBT linked wallet activity and recorded chats to the same persona. “Meet the threat actor John (Lick), who was caught flexing $23M in a wallet address directly tied to $90M+ in suspected thefts from the US Government in 2024 and multiple other unidentified victims from Nov 2025 to Dec 2025,” ZachXBT wrote.
ZachXBT’s thread centers on a dispute in a Telegram group chat between “John” and another threat actor, Dritan Kapplani Jr., in what the community calls “band for band (b4b)”, an on-the-spot contest to prove who controls more funds. ZachXBT said the interaction was “fully recorded,” and claims the footage includes screen-shared wallet balances and contemporaneous transfers that help establish control.
According to the thread, the recording shows John screen-sharing an Exodus wallet displaying a Tron address holding $2.3 million. In a second segment, ZachXBT said “another $6.7M worth of ETH” moved into an Ethereum address while the argument continued.
3/ In part 1 of the recording Dritan mocks John however John screenshares Exodus Wallet which shows the Tron address below with $2.3M: TMrWCLMS3ibDbKLcnNYhLggohRuLUSoHJg pic.twitter.com/jvcjIVEpaE
ZachXBT framed the key evidentiary point as ownership continuity across addresses: “The recording captures that John clearly controls both addresses. Additional addresses can likely be found in the recordings. I then began tracing backwards to verify the source of funds.”
That tracing, ZachXBT said, connects the cluster to a March 2024 transfer of $24.9 million from a US government address tied to the Bitfinex crypto hack seizure. He also claimed $18.5 million “currently sits” at a cited address.
Beyond that 2024 linkage, ZachXBT asserted the primary address he tracked was tied to “$63M+ inflows from suspected victims and government seizure addresses in Q4 2025,” listing multiple transactions and chains, and separately flagged an additional 4.17K ETH ($12.4 million) flow from MEXC into the same cluster.
The Jan. 25 post attempts to explain a potential access path: if CMDSS was involved in US Marshals Service crypto asset management, the question becomes whether contractor-side systems, credentials, or processes provided an opening, intentionally or otherwise. ZachXBT stressed that the exact mechanism remains unknown.
Shortly after the post, ZachXBT said CMDSS’s X account, website, and LinkedIn “were all just deactivated,” and claimed Daghita “began trolling again on Telegram.”
On X, the claims drew sharp reactions from prominent Bitcoin commentators. Nakamoto Inc. CEO David Bailey wrote: “The son of the CEO of the company hired by the US Marshalls to safeguard the nation’s Bitcoin, stole $40m from it and now appears to be running. Treasury must secure the private keys from the Justice Department ASAP before more is stolen.”
Prominent Bitcoin advocate and co-founder of the Satoshi Nakamoto Institute Pierre Rochard framed the situation in national-security terms, posting, “This is a national security crisis,” and urging Congress to pass the BITCOIN Act.
At press time, Bitcoin traded at $87,847.
Bitcoin remains between the 0.618 and 0.786 Fib, 1-week chart | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView.com
Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
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China has fixed the yuan at its strongest level since 2023, betting on continued U.S. policy that keeps the dollar weak. According to Xinhua, the currency has stayed below the 7 yuan‑per‑dollar mark, strengthening to 6.9843 yuan per dollar on Monday. People’s Bank of China Sets Yuan Stronger as Dollar Weakens China has signaled it is ready […]
After weeks in which the bitcoin BTC$87,716.46 price has been constrained mainly between $85,000 and $95,000, the crypto market may be thrown a reason to break out of the doldrums on Wednesday, when the Federal Open Markets Committee sets U.S. interest rates.
May, that is. Not will. The consensus, more than 97%, is for the Fed to keep rates steady at 3.50%-3.75%, according to the CME’s Fedwatch tool. As ever, what’s said at the post-decision press conference may be more influential than the decision itself.
U.S. earning season picks up. While there are no major crypto companies scheduled to report, investors are likely to keep an eye on electric-car maker Tesla (TSLA) and what it says about its stash of bitcoin. The company has more than 11,500 BTC, ranking it the 13th largest corporate holder, according BitcoinTreasuries.net.
Bybit, ranked the second-largest crypto exchange by CoinGecko, is also likely to be in the news. CEO Ben Zhou will unveil the company’s road map for 2026 on Thursday. Almost one year ago, Bybit was targeted by North Korean hackers who got away with about $1.4 billion worth of ether ETH$2,887.46 and staked ether.
What to Watch
Crypto
Jan. 28, 1 p.m.: Hedera Network to undergo a mainnet upgrade expected to take about 40 minutes to complete.
Jan. 29, 3 a.m.: Bybit CEO Ben Zhou to unveil the exchange’s 2026 roadmap in a keynote titled “BUIDLing a New Financial Era.”
Macro
Jan. 26, 8:30 a.m.: U.S. durable goods orders MoM for November (Prev. -2.2%)
Jan. 26, 10:30 a.m.: U.S. Dallas Fed manufacturing index for January (Prev. -10.9)
Jan. 27: U.S. ADP employment change weekly (Prev. 8K)
Jan. 27: U.S. S&P/Case-Shiller home price YoY for Nov. (Prev. 1.3%); MoM (Prev. -0.3%)
Jan. 27, 6:50 p.m.: Bank of Japan monetary policy meeting minutes
Jan. 27: Australia inflation rate YoY for December (Prev. 3.4%); MoM (Prev. 0.0%)
Jan. 28, 9:45 a.m.: Bank of Canada interest rate decision (Prev. 2.25%)
Jan. 28, 2:30 p.m.: Fed press conference on monetary policy
Jan. 29, 12 a.m.: Japan consumer confidence for January (Prev. 37.2)
Jan. 29, 8:30 a.m.: U.S. balance of trade for November (Prev. $331.4B)
Jan. 29, 8:30 a.m.: U.S. initial jobless claims for week ending Jan. 24 (Prev. 200K)
Jan. 29, 6:30 p.m.: Japan unemployment rate for December (Prev. 2.6%)
Jan. 30, 5 a.m.: European Economic Area GDP growth rate YoY flash for Q4 (Prev. 1.4%), QoQ flash (Prev. 0.3%)
Jan. 30, 8:30 a.m.: U.S. PPI YoY for December (Prev. 3%), Core PPI YoY (Prev 3%)
Earnings (Estimates based on FactSet data)
Jan. 28: Tesla (TSLA), post-market, $8.22
Token Events
Governance votes & calls
Jan. 28: Gala DeFi to host an X Spaces ‘Gala Meme Hour’ session
Jan. 29: Helium to host a deployer roundtable community call.
Jan. 29: Alchemy Pay to host a community Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Discord.
Jan. 30: Conflux Network to host its quarterly community call.
Maple Finance is voting on extending the 25% protocol revenue allocation to the Syrup Strategic Fund for H1 2026. Voting ends Jan. 26.
Lido is voting to implement a dynamic DVT incentive model that adjusts reward splits based on operating costs, alongside reforming the Rewards Share Committee to support Lido V3 features like stVaults. Voting ends Jan. 26.
Floki is voting on the final rankings for the FlokiUltras3 Guerrilla Marketing Competition, inviting the community to order the top 20 shortlisted entries based on creativity and impact. Voting ends Jan. 28.
CoW DAO is voting to renew team grants. This includes a 5% base allocation over four years and up to 10% in performance incentives linked to revenue milestones. Voting ends Jan. 28.
Beefy DAO is voting on whether to reallocate protocol revenue to a new “Protocol Coverage Fund” to finance Nexus Mutual coverage that benefits Beefy users. Voting ends Jan. 29.
Sushi is voting to execute the migration of ~$57M in legacy liquidity to V3 protocol-deployed positions. Voting ends Jan. 29.
GMX DAO is voting on a two-year funding framework for GMX Labs, establishing an annual operating budget of $7M–$9M sourced from V2 protocol fees Voting ends Jan. 30.
Unlocks
Jan. 26: BGB$3.5885 to unlock 10.5% of its circulating supply worth $508.2 million.
Jan. 28: SIGN$0.04036 to unlock 17.68% of its circulating supply worth $11.85 million.
Jan. 28: JUP$0.1900 to unlock 1.7% of its circulating supply worth $10.49 million.
Jan. 30: KMNO$0.04630 to unlock 3.68% of its circulating supply worth $11.22 million.
Token Launches
Jan. 27: Theo Network expected to make an announcement that may be linked to the introduction of thGOLD.
Jan. 28: SuperRare to launch the VORGIANS profile picture collection.
Japan’s financial regulator is weighing potential rule changes that could pave the way for cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs), with local media reporting that 2028 is being discussed as an early target.
According to a report by Nikkei, citing people familiar with the matter, Japan’s Financial Services Agency plans to amend its regulatory framework to allow crypto to be included as eligible ETF assets alongside stronger investor-protection mechanisms.
Major financial groups, including Nomura Holdings and SBI Holdings, are among the first companies expected to develop crypto-linked ETF products, Nikkei reported.
If implemented, the changes would lower barriers for Japanese retail investors aiming for regulated exposure to Bitcoin (BTC) and other digital assets through traditional brokerage accounts. The move would also bring Japan closer to markets like the United States and Hong Kong, which approved spot crypto ETFs in 2024.
Japan sends another policy signal, not an approval
The discussions reflect regulatory intent rather than a finalized policy shift. The FSA has not publicly confirmed a timeline, and any change would likely require formal consultations and revisions before crypto ETFs could be approved under Japan’s existing rules.
At the time of writing, crypto ETFs remain unavailable in Japan due to current policies that restrict ETF-eligible assets. While the regulator has refined its approach to crypto, ETFs tied directly to digital assets have so far remained outside the framework.
Nikkei estimated that Japanese crypto ETFs could eventually reach 1 trillion yen, worth about $6.4 billion, in assets. However, the estimates are speculative and depend on market conditions, investor demand and finalized regulations.
Related: Japan’s finance minister backs exchanges as gateway for digital assets
Industry positioning already underway
SBI Holdings has previously outlined plans to launch a crypto ETF in Japan. On Aug. 6, 2025, the company revealed plans to launch a Bitcoin-XRP dual ETF and a gold-crypto ETF structure.
At the time, SBI said discussions with authorities were ongoing and that these plans depended on regulatory approval.
On Jan. 5, Japan sent a clear welcome signal to digital assets through remarks by its Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama. In a speech, Katayama said that Japan must also push advanced fintech initiatives, citing ETFs being used as inflation hedges in the US.
“In the US, crypto assets are increasingly used via ETFs as inflation hedges, and Japan must also pursue advanced fintech initiatives,” she said in an English translation of the speech.
Magazine: A ‘tsunami’ of wealth is headed for crypto: Nansen’s Alex Svanevik
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently. Read our Editorial Policy https://cointelegraph.com/editorial-policy
Trump sues JPMorgan for $5B! Ledger prepares for $4B IPO! “Crypto Adoption is no longer reversible” says PWC!
Crypto majors are red while Gold nears $5,000 and Silver closes in on $100; BTC -1% at $89,100; ETH -2% at $2,925, SOL -2% at $127; XRP -2% to $1.90. ZRO (+15%), AXS (+10%) and DASH (+8%) led top movers. Ledger is preparing for a $4B IPO, enlisting Goldman Sachs, Jefferies and Barclays for support. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse predicted crypto could hit new highs in 2026, pointing to regulatory momentum and institutional participation as key drivers. President Trump sued JPMorgan for $5 billion, alleging politically motivated “debanking”. BitGo briefly surged in its stock market debut before finishing its first day of trading just over its $18 IPO price. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink pushed the idea of a single blockchain for tokenization to avoid corruption and aid in scaling. Kansas introduced its own Bitcoin Strategic Reserve bill. PwC said institutional crypto adoption has crossed a point of no return, as regulatory frameworks move from draft rules toward active supervision. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reaffirmed the Trump administration’s push for U.S. crypto leadership and support for a strategic Bitcoin reserve.
Bermuda is pursuing a bold plan to migrate its entire economy onchain, an initiative aimed at streamlining settlements and democratizing wealth creation through fractional ownership. While the country faces skepticism over technical readiness and social acceptance, advocates argue that onchain models allow individuals to become capital allocators rather than just earners. Bermuda’s Digital Evolution Bermuda […]