Gemini's Stock Surges After Hours Following 30% Cut to its Workforce

Coinbase is scaling back operations in Argentina by suspending the ability to buy or sell the USDC stablecoin using Argentine pesos starting Jan. 31, 2026. Despite this, the company plans to reassess and return with a stronger product offering in the future.

According to a report by CoinShares, digital asset investment products saw $47.2 billion in global inflows in 2025, with Bitcoin's dominance decreasing in favor of select altcoins. Ethereum led altcoin inflows, while other altcoins experienced a decline in sentiment.

Bitcoin traders have shown interest in $100,000 strike January call options on Deribit, with a notable increase in open contracts. The $100,000 call option represents a bet on bitcoin's price rallying above that level by the contract's expiry.

BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) saw its largest single-day inflow of $287.4 million since October 8, 2025, amidst heightened geopolitical tensions and the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The Trump administration's actions have impacted oil futures prices but left crypto markets stable.

Meme coins like Bonk, Pepe, and Shiba Inu are experiencing significant surges, with Pepe leading the weekly rally at 70%. Bitcoin's recent stability has also contributed to the resurgence in riskier crypto assets, with the market showing signs of a more risk-on sentiment for 2026.

The U.S. capture of Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro, did not affect crypto investors' confidence, despite oil futures dropping to a four-year low. Washington's operation was linked to indictments accusing Maduro of drug trafficking and corruption, with Maduro expected in federal court soon.

Binance continued to allow suspicious accounts to operate even after a 2023 U.S. plea agreement, according to a report in the Financial Times. FT reporters tracked 13 suspicious accounts that traded $144 million on the platform after its plea agreement. AML lawyers called the allegations "very troubling," while Binance responded that it "maintains strict compliance controls."

Sen. Cynthia Lummis, known as the "Bitcoin Senator" for her crypto advocacy, announced she will not seek reelection due to exhaustion. Her retirement may impact the passage of the market structure bill, a key legislation for the crypto industry.

Ronald Spektor, a 23-year-old Brooklyn resident, was charged with stealing $16 million in cryptocurrency from around 100 Coinbase users. He allegedly used phishing and social engineering tactics to convince victims to send funds to accounts he controlled, then attempted to launder the assets through various means.

Proposed settlement agreements were filed by the SEC for former FTX executives Caroline Ellison, Gary Wang, and Nishad Singh. The agreements include prohibitions on future securities law violations and restrictions on serving as officers of public companies.