Hi Siai,

Welcome back to the first weekly crypto newsletter of 2026. We hope you had a great break and are ready to dive back into the markets.

DAY1x UPDATES

• We’ve launched a white-glove VIP service. Our goal is to do OTC properly and build an offering that genuinely works for you. Try it out and tell us what you think. Your feedback will shape how this evolves.

• Last week’s Leaderboard winners have been locked in and will receive USDT $100, $75, and $50 respectively. Remember, you have to be in it to win it. You earn XP by trading consistently or referring friends, and every week resets, so today is a clean slate to get ahead.

• Token Tuesday is back tomorrow. Keep an eye out for the announcement.
• In last week’s weekly video, we talked through how to build a crypto portfolio for 2026. Turns out, it’s a lot like making a great coffee. Very on brand for us here in Melbourne.

CRYPTO NEWS

• U.S. Senate’s Clarity Act hearing postponed after Coinbase objection
  The Senate Agriculture Committee delayed its markup of the Clarity Act, a major crypto market structure bill, until late January. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong publicly criticised the proposal as “materially worse than the status quo.” With more than 130 proposed amendments, including potential stablecoin yield restrictions and DeFi developer protections, the delay highlights both the complexity of regulation and Coinbase’s growing influence in Washington.

• Record ETF inflows for Bitcoin and Ethereum amid volatility
  Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net inflows of $844 million on January 15, while Ethereum ETFs added $175 million, marking Ethereum’s fifth straight positive day. This came despite a $395 million Bitcoin ETF outflow on January 17, showing how quickly sentiment is shifting as Bitcoin trades between $92,000 and $97,000 and market greed returns.

• BitGo files for IPO at $2B valuation
  Crypto custody firm BitGo has filed for a U.S. IPO on the NYSE under the ticker BTGO, with a reported valuation of around $2 billion and $104 billion in assets under custody. The move underscores the continued maturation of crypto’s institutional infrastructure, alongside developments such as Franklin Templeton’s on-chain money market funds and Visa processing $4.5 billion annually in stablecoin settlements.

• Global regulatory momentum continues
  South Korea has legalised Security Token Offerings (STOs), while Kazakhstan introduced regulations for “Digital Financial Assets,” including Bitcoin. Meanwhile, Dubai’s DFSA has banned privacy tokens such as Monero (XMR) and Zcash (ZEC) within the DIFC and tightened stablecoin rules, even as privacy-focused assets like DASH surged by over 50%.

• SEC drops multiple crypto cases as U.S. holds seized Bitcoin
  Since January 1, the SEC has withdrawn more than a dozen crypto enforcement actions, prompting claims of political influence from some lawmakers. Separately, the White House confirmed it will not sell Bitcoin seized in the Samourai Wallet case, potentially adding to a broader discussion around strategic government crypto reserves.

As always, if there’s anything you’d like us to cover in future editions, just let me know.

Have a great week,

Michael Chmielewski
Head of Growth