Bitcoin is approaching a critical technical phase as Peter Brandt anticipates a potential decline toward the $58,000–$62,000 range based on his chart structure. Michaël van de Poppe also highlights short-term weakness after a rejected move into the mid-$90,000 area and notes that many altcoins have set new cycle lows. Both analysts say a higher low and recovery of key moving averages are needed before bullish momentum can rebuild.

On 20 January 2026, World Liberty Financial faced backlash after a governance vote tied to USD1 expansion. According to independent researchers, fewer than ten wallets held enough voting power to determine the outcome, while many holders with locked WLFI could not participate. The project has not commented and continues with a US trust charter bid and its World Liberty Markets launch.

Tether and Circle expanded the stablecoin float by $1.5 billion within about two hours on January 20, 2026. The mints were executed through several large transactions, indicating a purposeful increase in supply. Such bursts of issuance often align with rising liquidity needs across exchanges and professional counterparties.

On 20 January 2026, BitMine staked about $270.6 million worth of ETH in a single day, pushing its total Ethereum staking position to roughly $5.52 billion. Executed through several large transfers of tens of thousands of ETH, the move underscores BitMine's role as a major institutional participant in Ethereum's proof-of-stake ecosystem. With more ETH locked for yield, the growing staked supply is tightening liquid circulation and reshaping how large holders engage with the network.

On 19 January 2026 at 19:44, Bitcoin's sharp correction coincided with one of the steepest declines in the Stablecoin Supply Ratio in the current cycle, suggesting a potential undervaluation. A large pool of stablecoin liquidity now stands against a reduced Bitcoin market cap, a setup that has previously aligned with emerging market bottoms. For this signal to be confirmed, the ratio would need to rise again while stablecoin market caps stay steady or expand.

On 19 January 2026, market data from 2025 showed precious metals and major stock indices reaching strong performance levels, while cryptocurrencies underperformed. Gold, silver, copper and other industrial metals reflected firm economic demand, but Bitcoin and most altcoins failed to sustain early-year gains or revisit prior cycle peaks. The divergence suggests crypto behaved more like a growth-sensitive asset than a defensive hedge in an environment of uneven growth and tight financial conditions.

On 19 January 2026, debate over the CLARITY Act’s proposed ban on yield-bearing US dollar stablecoins intensified, as critics argued it could weaken the currency’s position in global markets. The bill would prevent US exchanges and service providers from offering interest or rewards on dollar-backed stablecoins, a measure banks support as protection for deposits and financial stability. Industry figures including Anthony Scaramucci and Brian Armstrong warn that removing yield from US digital dollars while rivals such as China's interest-bearing digital yuan expand could undermine the long-term competitiveness and adoption of US-linked digital assets.

On 19 January 2026, at 09:31, Washington's CLARITY Act stalled, a development some analysts frame as a constructive pause. Crypto analyst Michaël van de Poppe argues the draft risked locking in restrictive rules. Coinbase withdrew support, and CEO Brian Armstrong flagged tokenized equities, yield-bearing stablecoins, and DeFi user data access as unacceptable provisions.

Ethereum is consolidating near $3,300 as traders watch a narrowing structure and improving momentum. A January 18, 2026 post by Merlijn The Trader stressed holding $3,300 and pointed to $3.9k–$4k as a potential upside zone. The 4-hour MACD has turned upward, while patterns such as a falling wedge and double bottom are in focus.