FTX Recovery Trust to Distribute $2.2 Billion to Creditors on March 31

Bitcoin's surge to $95,000 led to a significant increase in U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF inflows, with products adding $753.7 million on January 13. This rally, driven by institutional demand, saw Bitcoin reach a two-month high and boosted total net assets to $123 billion.

Bitpanda, a popular European crypto exchange, is reportedly planning an initial public offering in the first half of 2026, aiming for a valuation between €4 billion and €5 billion. The exchange has tapped Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Deutsche Bank for the offering.

Visa has partnered with BVNK to enable stablecoin-funded payouts through Visa Direct, expanding payment options beyond traditional fiat rails. BVNK will support stablecoin services in approved markets, focusing on regions with strong demand for digital asset payments.

Meta Platforms has cut 1,000 jobs from its Reality Labs division to focus on AI wearables and mobile features, representing about 10% of the division's workforce. The move follows a previous layoff of 11,000 employees in November 2022.

Visa is partnering with BVNK to integrate stablecoin infrastructure into its Visa Direct platform, enabling businesses to pre-fund payments in stablecoins for direct payouts to digital wallets. BVNK, processing over $30 billion in stablecoin payments annually, will facilitate moving and settling stablecoins for Visa's network.

Ethereum's potential to surpass Bitcoin in 2026 is supported by a regulatory overhaul and key market metrics. Despite Ethereum's historical underperformance compared to Bitcoin, indicators like declining Bitcoin dominance and rising ETH/BTC ratio suggest a possible altcoin season ahead.

Bitcoin advocacy groups are urging Congress to extend tax exemptions to Bitcoin and major network tokens beyond stablecoins to address compliance challenges. The coalition emphasizes the need for relief for both payment stablecoins and network tokens to simplify tax reporting for crypto transactions.

Galaxy Research highlighted concerns over a draft crypto market-structure bill in the Senate Banking Committee, warning about potential expansions in U.S. financial surveillance powers, including new Treasury authorities targeting decentralized finance and transaction freezes. The bill could represent the largest such expansion since 2001.

Bitcoin surged to a two-month high, reaching over $95,500, triggering $587 million in liquidations of crypto short positions. U.S. corporate earnings and inflation data influenced the market, with traditional financial stocks weighing down major indexes.

Edward Cullen, CEO of Crescite, accuses former NYC mayor Eric Adams of stealing the NYC Token concept. Adams launched the token to generate revenue for social causes, but faced allegations of misconduct. Cullen claims to have pitched the idea to Adams earlier.