Payment & Treasury Infrastructure Provider VelaFi Raises $20M in Series B Round
Led by XVC and Ikuyo, the $20M Series B brings total funding to over $40M. The capital will support licensing expansion, banking connectivity, and operations across the U.S. and Asia.
The platform provides on- and off-ramps, pay-ins/pay-outs, cross-border payments, multi-currency accounts, FX tools, and asset management via a direct interface or APIs.
👉 coindesk.com/business/2026/01/12/velafi-raises-usd20-million-in-series-b-funding-round
Led by XVC and Ikuyo, the $20M Series B brings total funding to over $40M. The capital will support licensing expansion, banking connectivity, and operations across the U.S. and Asia.
The platform provides on- and off-ramps, pay-ins/pay-outs, cross-border payments, multi-currency accounts, FX tools, and asset management via a direct interface or APIs.
👉 coindesk.com/business/2026/01/12/velafi-raises-usd20-million-in-series-b-funding-round
BTCC launches New Year Trading Festival with $10M in reward
BTCC kicks off 2026 with a $10M trading carnival, its largest seasonal rewards program to date. Phase 1 is now live, offering up to $100,000 USDT for top performers, with the top three traders also winning a 100-gram gold bar (~$15,000).
Founded in 2011, BTCC is a leading global cryptocurrency exchange serving over 11 million users across 100+ countries.
👉 x.com/BTCCexchange/status/2008822195724959947?s=20
BTCC kicks off 2026 with a $10M trading carnival, its largest seasonal rewards program to date. Phase 1 is now live, offering up to $100,000 USDT for top performers, with the top three traders also winning a 100-gram gold bar (~$15,000).
Founded in 2011, BTCC is a leading global cryptocurrency exchange serving over 11 million users across 100+ countries.
👉 x.com/BTCCexchange/status/2008822195724959947?s=20
Year-over-Year dynamics in DeFi TVL rankings
TVL data shows a major shift away from passive staking toward active lending, restaking, and stablecoin ecosystems. The 2026 leaderboard reflects where real capital is working today.
TVL data shows a major shift away from passive staking toward active lending, restaking, and stablecoin ecosystems. The 2026 leaderboard reflects where real capital is working today.
Former New York Mayor Eric Adams launched NYC token
NYC surged to a $600M market cap before crashing below $100M. On-chain data shows a wallet linked to the deployer seeded one-sided liquidity on Meteora, removed ~$2.5M USDC at the peak, and re-added ~$1.5M after a 60% drop.
👉 x.com/buynyctoken/status/2010846274912686214?s=20
NYC surged to a $600M market cap before crashing below $100M. On-chain data shows a wallet linked to the deployer seeded one-sided liquidity on Meteora, removed ~$2.5M USDC at the peak, and re-added ~$1.5M after a 60% drop.
👉 x.com/buynyctoken/status/2010846274912686214?s=20
World Liberty and Dolomite roll out joint lending markets
The platform allows users to supply assets or borrow against their portfolios using liquidity from Dolomite. It brings USD1, WLFI, ETH, cbBTC, USDC, and USDT together into a single interface designed for earning, lending, and future tokenized RWA products.
👉 x.com/worldlibertyfi/status/2010746293023379623
The platform allows users to supply assets or borrow against their portfolios using liquidity from Dolomite. It brings USD1, WLFI, ETH, cbBTC, USDC, and USDT together into a single interface designed for earning, lending, and future tokenized RWA products.
👉 x.com/worldlibertyfi/status/2010746293023379623
OpenAI acquires Torch to build ChatGPT Health
OpenAI has acquired a startup building a unified medical memory that brings data from hospitals, labs, wearables, and consumer health apps into one place for AI. The deal accelerates OpenAI’s push to turn ChatGPT into a health and wellness platform.
👉 x.com/OpenAI/status/2010813780671021106?s=20
OpenAI has acquired a startup building a unified medical memory that brings data from hospitals, labs, wearables, and consumer health apps into one place for AI. The deal accelerates OpenAI’s push to turn ChatGPT into a health and wellness platform.
👉 x.com/OpenAI/status/2010813780671021106?s=20
Trojan unveiled a browser-based on-chain trading terminal
The terminal launching with big SOL-denominated rewards for users — including daily jackpots, gold accumulation, quests, and a $5M SOL incentive pool tied to its platform. Trojan on Solana is a Telegram-based on-chain trading bot and terminal.
👉 x.com/TrojanOnSolana/status/2010784845400850620?s=20
The terminal launching with big SOL-denominated rewards for users — including daily jackpots, gold accumulation, quests, and a $5M SOL incentive pool tied to its platform. Trojan on Solana is a Telegram-based on-chain trading bot and terminal.
👉 x.com/TrojanOnSolana/status/2010784845400850620?s=20
Coincheck acquires crypto investment manager 3iQ for $112M
The deal gives Coincheck access to one of the most established crypto asset managers, known for launching regulated BTC and ETH investment products. The acquisition positions Coincheck to serve institutional and high-net-worth investors beyond Japan.
👉 finance.yahoo.com/news/coincheck-112m-3iq-deal-signals-204543660.html
The deal gives Coincheck access to one of the most established crypto asset managers, known for launching regulated BTC and ETH investment products. The acquisition positions Coincheck to serve institutional and high-net-worth investors beyond Japan.
👉 finance.yahoo.com/news/coincheck-112m-3iq-deal-signals-204543660.html
Performance of the latest Binance Seed Tag projects
Fogo (FOGO) is about to hit Binance and other exchanges on January 15th following Pre-TGE Prime Sale. Let's have a look and compare metrics of the latest projects launched on Binance with Seed Tag.
Fogo (FOGO) is about to hit Binance and other exchanges on January 15th following Pre-TGE Prime Sale. Let's have a look and compare metrics of the latest projects launched on Binance with Seed Tag.
Anthropic launches CoWork, a Claude Agent for your files
CoWork is a new research tool designed to help people and AI work together on complex tasks. It focuses on shared workspaces, memory, and collaboration between multiple AI agents and users.
👉 claude.com/blog/cowork-research-preview
CoWork is a new research tool designed to help people and AI work together on complex tasks. It focuses on shared workspaces, memory, and collaboration between multiple AI agents and users.
👉 claude.com/blog/cowork-research-preview
Kraken-Linked SPAC files to raise $250M for Nasdaq IPO
KRAKacquisition Corp, a newly formed special purpose acquisition company, filed to raise $250 million in a Nasdaq IPO, marking a significant step toward a potential public listing for the crypto exchange or its related business operations.
👉 theblock.co/post/385243/kraken-spac-nasdaq-ipo
KRAKacquisition Corp, a newly formed special purpose acquisition company, filed to raise $250 million in a Nasdaq IPO, marking a significant step toward a potential public listing for the crypto exchange or its related business operations.
👉 theblock.co/post/385243/kraken-spac-nasdaq-ipo
2025 Market Snapshot: Real World Assets
Tokenized real-world assets are no longer an experiment — they are a $20B market with accelerating institutional adoption. RWAs are quickly becoming the bridge between global finance and DeFi.
Tokenized real-world assets are no longer an experiment — they are a $20B market with accelerating institutional adoption. RWAs are quickly becoming the bridge between global finance and DeFi.
ZenChain Completes Community Airdrop Distribution on BNB Chain
The first phase of the ZenQuest Community Airdrop has been completed, with tokens distributed directly to eligible wallets on BNB Chain.
Previously, ZenChain held the ZTC TGE via Binance Wallet. ZenChain is a Layer 1 blockchain focused on cross-chain interoperability, aiming to connect the Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems.
👉 x.com/zen_chain/status/2010996125365383573
The first phase of the ZenQuest Community Airdrop has been completed, with tokens distributed directly to eligible wallets on BNB Chain.
Previously, ZenChain held the ZTC TGE via Binance Wallet. ZenChain is a Layer 1 blockchain focused on cross-chain interoperability, aiming to connect the Bitcoin and Ethereum ecosystems.
👉 x.com/zen_chain/status/2010996125365383573
Singapore Gulf Bank x J.P. Morgan's Banking Network Launches Wire 365 USD Clearing
Singapore Gulf Bank has become one of the first digital banks in the MENA region to adopt J.P. Morgan Payments’ Wire 365, enabling USD clearing 365 days a year.
The solution offers near real-time cross-border payments with no cut-off times, allowing USD funds to be credited on weekends and holidays while improving liquidity management and cash-flow flexibility.
👉 x.com/SGB_app/status/2010977621925118265?s=20
Singapore Gulf Bank has become one of the first digital banks in the MENA region to adopt J.P. Morgan Payments’ Wire 365, enabling USD clearing 365 days a year.
The solution offers near real-time cross-border payments with no cut-off times, allowing USD funds to be credited on weekends and holidays while improving liquidity management and cash-flow flexibility.
👉 x.com/SGB_app/status/2010977621925118265?s=20
SVM Layer 1 Fogo Introduced FOGO Tokenomics
FOGO token supply is allocated to Core Contributors (34%), Foundation (21.76%), Community (16.68%), Institutional Investors (12.06%), Advisors (7%), Launch Liquidity (6.5%), and a Burn Reserve (2%).
Previously, Fogo raised funds via Echo and Binance Pre-TGE Prime Sale. Fogo is an SVM-based Layer 1 with 40ms block times and ~1.3s finality, enabling near real-time transactions.
👉 fogo.io/blog/introducing-fogo-tokenomics---performance-without-compromise
FOGO token supply is allocated to Core Contributors (34%), Foundation (21.76%), Community (16.68%), Institutional Investors (12.06%), Advisors (7%), Launch Liquidity (6.5%), and a Burn Reserve (2%).
Previously, Fogo raised funds via Echo and Binance Pre-TGE Prime Sale. Fogo is an SVM-based Layer 1 with 40ms block times and ~1.3s finality, enabling near real-time transactions.
👉 fogo.io/blog/introducing-fogo-tokenomics---performance-without-compromise
Tempo Launches Mainnet Explorer Behind Password Wall
Stripe- and Paradigm-backed Tempo has quietly launched its Mainnet Explorer behind a password wall, as Polymarket odds for a token launch by year-end stand at 69%.
Previously, Tempo rolled out a public testnet and participated in Klarna x Privi Wallet and stablecoin initiatives. Tempo is a payments-focused Layer 1 supported by partners including UBS, Cross River Bank, Kalshi, Deutsche Bank, and OpenAI.
👉 https://explorer.tempo.xyz/
Stripe- and Paradigm-backed Tempo has quietly launched its Mainnet Explorer behind a password wall, as Polymarket odds for a token launch by year-end stand at 69%.
Previously, Tempo rolled out a public testnet and participated in Klarna x Privi Wallet and stablecoin initiatives. Tempo is a payments-focused Layer 1 supported by partners including UBS, Cross River Bank, Kalshi, Deutsche Bank, and OpenAI.
👉 https://explorer.tempo.xyz/
YZi Labs has committed a 'multi-8-figure' investment to Genius
Moreover, CZ is joining the project as an advisor. Genius develops a privacy-focused trading platform offers spot, perpetual futures, and copy trading features through a self-custodial, cross-chain terminal, aiming to become an on-chain alternative to Binance.
👉 x.com/yzilabs/status/2011076096457130108
Moreover, CZ is joining the project as an advisor. Genius develops a privacy-focused trading platform offers spot, perpetual futures, and copy trading features through a self-custodial, cross-chain terminal, aiming to become an on-chain alternative to Binance.
👉 x.com/yzilabs/status/2011076096457130108
Polygon Labs buys Coinme and Sequence for $250M
The purchases are intended to integrate fiat on- and off-ramps, wallet infrastructure, and blockchain tooling into Polygon’s stack to support stablecoin-based transactions and compete with Stripe.
👉 x.com/Coinme/status/2011091238724796846?s=20
The purchases are intended to integrate fiat on- and off-ramps, wallet infrastructure, and blockchain tooling into Polygon’s stack to support stablecoin-based transactions and compete with Stripe.
👉 x.com/Coinme/status/2011091238724796846?s=20
Zama (ZAMA) launches Public Auction on CoinList on January 21
880M ZAMA will be offered on auction starting at $55M FDV. Zama is a cryptography company building Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) technology that allows data to be computed while still encrypted enabling confidential smart contracts.
👉 coinlist.co/zama
880M ZAMA will be offered on auction starting at $55M FDV. Zama is a cryptography company building Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) technology that allows data to be computed while still encrypted enabling confidential smart contracts.
👉 coinlist.co/zama
Lighter has launched Mobile App on iOS and Android
The app brings full access to perps, spot, RWAs, and pre-markets directly to smartphones. To celebrate the launch, the platform is kicking off a mobile-only trading competition with 100K LIT in prizes.
👉 x.com/Lighter_xyz/status/2011165365213282671
The app brings full access to perps, spot, RWAs, and pre-markets directly to smartphones. To celebrate the launch, the platform is kicking off a mobile-only trading competition with 100K LIT in prizes.
👉 x.com/Lighter_xyz/status/2011165365213282671
Crypto data platform CoinGecko explores $500 million sale
CoinGecko is reportedly exploring a potential sale, having hired investment bank Moelis to advise on the process that began in late 2025. The deal would mark one of the most notable exits in crypto, reflecting rising M&A activity as demand for reliable market data.
👉 coindesk.com/business/2026/01/13/crypto-data-platform-coingecko-weighs-sale-for-around-usd500-million-sources-say
CoinGecko is reportedly exploring a potential sale, having hired investment bank Moelis to advise on the process that began in late 2025. The deal would mark one of the most notable exits in crypto, reflecting rising M&A activity as demand for reliable market data.
👉 coindesk.com/business/2026/01/13/crypto-data-platform-coingecko-weighs-sale-for-around-usd500-million-sources-say