Gold surged from $4,690 to a new all-time high of $4,735, trading above $4,730 with a +8.9% gain year-to-date and +80% over the past year. In contrast, Bitcoin fell below $92,000 and remains weaker, with only a +4.90% increase year-to-date after showing strength in early January. The move highlights a strong performance gap between the precious metal and the leading cryptocurrency.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong is using meetings at the World Economic Forum in Davos to push for progress on stalled U.S. crypto market structure legislation and to narrow differences with major banks. He has withdrawn Coinbase's backing for the current Senate Banking draft, citing issues around tokenized equities, DeFi, privacy and the balance of power between the CFTC and SEC, while arguing stablecoins can benefit both crypto firms and traditional lenders.

Digital asset investment products recorded $2.17 billion of inflows last week, the highest weekly total since October 10, 2025. According to CoinShares, Bitcoin drew $1.55 billion, before sentiment reversed on Friday with $378 million in outflows amid Greenland tensions, tariff threats, and reports regarding the US Fed Chair.

On Tuesday, Bitcoin traded near $92,000 following a Monday sell-off, while global markets reacted to renewed trade tensions tied to President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on eight European countries. Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures fell about 1% in early Asia hours, Asian and European equity gauges weakened, and the dollar and US Treasuries moved as investors shifted into havens like gold and the Swiss franc.

Crypto markets sold off overnight as renewed US–EU trade tensions rattled risk assets. More than $800 million in leveraged positions were liquidated, including about $768 million in longs, with outsized hits on Hyperliquid and Bybit. Bitcoin hovered near $93,100 after a rejection from the $96,000–$97,000 area.

Global crypto exchange-traded products recorded about $2.2 billion in net inflows over the latest week, marking the strongest weekly increase since October last year. Bitcoin funds absorbed most of the new capital, while Ether products and a smaller group of altcoin ETPs also attracted fresh investor interest.

Between early 2024 and late 2025, Germany's Kiel Institute for the World Economy analyzed about $4 trillion in shipments and, on January 20, 2026, reported that 96% of U.S. tariff costs were borne domestically. Foreign suppliers absorbed roughly 4% through minor price cuts, while higher import fees were passed along to businesses and households.

Binance founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao has welcomed the New York Stock Exchange's plan to build a blockchain-based venue for trading tokenized stocks and ETFs around the clock with instant settlement. The NYSE intends to use its existing matching engine together with private blockchains, support stablecoin funding and multi-chain post-trade, while industry figures like Ripple's Reece Merrick and Galaxy Digital's Alex Thorn say the initiative could significantly reshape crypto-linked equity markets.