On January 15, 2026, TSMC reported fourth-quarter results with net income of NT$505.74 billion, up 35% year over year, topping LSEG SmartEstimates' NT$478.37 billion. Revenue reached NT$1.046 trillion (US$33.09 billion), and chips at 7nm or smaller made up 77% of wafer revenue.

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee halted a planned markup of its crypto market structure bill after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced the exchange could not back the current draft. Despite the delay, White House AI and crypto adviser David Sacks argued that passage of market structure legislation remains "as close as it's ever been," while disputes over stablecoin rewards and ethics rules continue to complicate negotiations.

On Wednesday, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott postponed a planned Thursday markup of a broad crypto market structure bill after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong retracted the exchange's backing for the latest draft. The legislation would classify crypto tokens, shift spot market oversight to the CFTC, and limit interest-like rewards on stablecoin holdings, while talks continue over disclosure rules and industry concerns.

On January 14, 2026, US President Donald Trump approved a 25% tariff on a narrow group of advanced semiconductors, including Nvidia's H200 and AMD's MI325X, in connection with a deal that permits Nvidia to ship Taiwan-made H200 AI chips to China. The chips will be taxed when entering the US before being re-exported, while broader semiconductor tariffs remain postponed as negotiations and national security reviews continue.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong stated on Wednesday that the exchange cannot back the latest US Senate crypto bill in its current form, arguing it would be worse than existing rules. He warned the draft could amount to a ban on tokenized equities, restrict DeFi and privacy, weaken the CFTC relative to the SEC, and curb stablecoin rewards, just as lawmakers prepare for a key Senate Banking Committee phase.

Bitpanda is preparing for a Frankfurt listing in 2026, seeking a valuation of €4–5 billion. The Austria-based platform is reportedly working with Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and Deutsche Bank, and could launch as early as the first quarter. Recent European approvals, including a MiCA license in Germany and FCA clearance in the UK, bolster its case.

On January 15, 2026, crude prices pulled back after President Donald Trump signaled no immediate U.S. military action against Iran. Benchmarks surrendered a recent rally, with Brent and WTI down about 2–3% in after-hours trade. The move reflected a swift fade in geopolitical risk premiums amid Middle East unrest.

On Thursday, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index registered a 61 "greed" reading, one day after moving to 48 neutral and the first such signal since October. Bitcoin's seven‑day rally took it from $89,799 to a two‑month high of $97,704 on Wednesday. The index had sunk to low double digits in November and December after Oct. 11's $19 billion liquidation.