Market Performance
| Asset / Index | Value ($) | Daily Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | 83,116.0 | -1.83% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | 2,741.54 | -2.71% |
| Nasdaq (NAS100) | 25,679.7 | -0.69% |
| S&P 500 (SPX) | 6,969.02 | -0.13% |
| Russell 2000 (RUT) | 2,622.3 | -0.90% |
| U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) | 96.280 | +0.44% |
| VIX Volatility Index | 16.88 | +3.24% |
| U.S. 10-Year Yield | 4.23430 | -0.39% |
| Brent Crude Oil (BRENT) | 69.035 | -2.04% |
| LBMA Gold (XAU) | 5,179.00 | -3.68% |
| LBMA Silver (XAG) | 109.115 | -5.44% |
“Prepared at UTC 07.13 am”
Today’s Key Events
- US President Trump to Attend Policy Meeting and Sign Executive Order
- US President Trump Expected to Announce New Fed Chair
- US CPI Data to be Monitored
US Shutdown Threat Eases
US President Trump reached a temporary budget agreement with Senate Democrats. Under the agreement, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding was separated from the general spending package, which will remain valid until the end of the fiscal year. An additional two weeks of negotiation time was granted for restrictions on controversial immigration practices. The Senate is expected to approve the bill this week, and the House of Representatives is expected to approve it next Monday. The economic impact of a possible two-day weekend shutdown is considered to be limited.
Iran Tensions Escalate
- The risk of conflict between the US and Iran continues to increase. It is reported that Trump is considering air strikes against Iran, aiming to trigger internal protests and put pressure on the regime. Iranian President Pezeshkian said that if the US wants talks, it must stop its provocations. Pezeshkian discussed regional tensions with the Emir of Qatar and the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The Iranian administration emphasized that they are under pressure but will not start a war.
Iran announced that it will conduct live-fire military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on February 1-2. It is stated that the exercises may temporarily affect ship traffic passing through the strait. First Vice President Aref said that the government has been in a state of war since it took office. The Iranian government emphasized that it would respond strongly and decisively if war were imposed. The statements pushed up regional risk premiums.
- US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon is fully prepared regarding Iran. Hegseth stated that the military is ready to implement any decision Trump may take. It was emphasized that the US’s priority is to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The statements indicated that the military option remains on the table.
Apple Exceeded Expectations
Apple announced results above expectations, supported by strong iPhone sales. The company’s revenue increased by 16% annually to $143.8 billion, exceeding market forecasts. The gross profit margin was 48.2%, exceeding expectations. Earnings per share were $2.84, exceeding forecasts. After the market closed, the share price rose 0.5%.
- iPhone revenue reached $85.27 billion, a 23.3% annual increase, exceeding expectations. iPad revenue increased by 6.3%, while Mac revenue declined by 6.7% year-over-year. Wearable technology and accessory revenue fell short of expectations. Services revenue increased by 13.9% year-over-year but fell slightly below forecasts. Sales in Greater China were a key factor in the results.
- Apple forecasts a 13–16% annual revenue increase for the next quarter. Gross profit margin is expected to be in the range of 48–49%. The company stated that rising memory prices will put stronger pressure on margins in the second quarter. It was stated that different pricing and supply options will be evaluated to offset rising costs.
Trade Pressure from Trump
Trump continues to increase trade and geopolitical pressure in the Americas. An executive order was signed imposing US customs duties on countries selling oil to Cuba. Trump also threatened a 50% customs duty on Canadian-made aircraft. It was stated that sanctions would be imposed if Canada’s certification policies were not changed.
China–UK Rapprochement
- Chinese President Xi held extensive talks with British Prime Minister Starmer. The parties agreed to develop a long-term and stable strategic partnership. The talks covered trade, security, the war in Ukraine, and cultural issues. Starmer stated that relations with China are on solid ground. However, a comprehensive trade agreement similar to that with Canada has not yet been signed.
- The two countries decided to expand cooperation in education, health, finance, and services. Joint projects are planned in artificial intelligence, biosciences, and low-carbon technologies. China will grant unilateral visa-free entry to British citizens. The customs duty on Scotch whisky will be reduced from 10% to 5%. AstraZeneca’s $15 billion investment in China was also included in the agreements.
Warsh Risk for the Fed
Kevin Warsh’s nomination for Fed chairmanship could create uncertainty in the markets. Although Warsh has historically been hawkish, his recent comments about interest rate cuts are noteworthy. If he enters the Fed calling for strong interest rate cuts, it is noted that he may struggle to convince committee members. This scenario could lead to a Fed with deep divisions and difficulty in making decisions. In the short term, a more hawkish perception could increase market volatility.
SEC Crypto Exemptions May Be Delayed
US SEC Chairman Paul Atkins announced that crypto innovation exemptions may not be published this month or next month. He emphasized that regulations covering tokenized securities and the DeFi space are being carefully considered. The process for the framework, previously expected to be published in January, has been extended. Wall Street giants such as JPMorgan, Citadel, and SIFMA have held discussions with the SEC Crypto Task Force regarding economic impacts. Concerns focus on the potential effects of regulations on market balances.
CFTC Prediction Markets
CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam announced that new rules are being prepared for prediction markets. Trading volumes on platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket increased significantly during the 2024 US elections. Behnam noted that current regulations are insufficient in terms of transparency. The new rules aim to provide a clearer operational and oversight framework to address the growing demand.
ECB Emphasis on Digital Euro
ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said the digital euro is critical to Europe’s strategic autonomy. The goal is to reduce dependence on non-European payment systems such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal. Cipollone warned that current dependence will increase further if no action is taken. The digital euro project is planned to enter the pilot phase in 2027 and enter circulation in 2029. The legal framework is awaiting approval from the European Parliament.
ERC-8004 on the Mainnet
Davide Crapis, Head of Artificial Intelligence at the Ethereum Foundation, announced that the ERC-8004 standard has been moved to the mainnet. This standard offers a specification developed for trustless agents. It was reported that it has been used by over 10,000 agents on the test network. With the transition to the mainnet, the “8004 Genesis Month” event was launched. This development is seen as an important step for Ethereum in terms of artificial intelligence integration.
Circle Arc Roadmap
Circle announced a phased plan to move its Layer 1 blockchain, Arc, into production. The company is focusing on building a more resilient stablecoin infrastructure in 2026. The goal is to expand the use cases for assets such as USDC, EURC, and USYC. Circle aims to simplify ownership, transfer, and programming processes for institutional users. It is stated that Arc integration will increase native support on critical networks.
CZ Binance Statement
Binance founder CZ emphasized that the platform does not make large-scale sales. He said that Binance only converts a small portion of its revenue to cover operational expenses. He stated that the company clearly holds large assets. CZ also stated that Binance now operates under global regulatory oversight. The statements aim to calm the FUD sentiment in the market.
Optimism OP Enterprise
Optimism introduced its hosted blockchain infrastructure, OP Enterprise. The system offers three different service tiers that can be deployed within 8–12 weeks. Users can choose between fully managed, semi-managed, or OP Mainnet-based solutions. Operations, security, and scaling processes will be managed by the Optimism team. The goal is to accelerate enterprise blockchain adoption.
Avalanche RWA Growth
Tokenized real-world assets on Avalanche recorded strong growth. Total value locked increased by 68.6% in the fourth quarter of 2025. Annual growth reached approximately 950%, exceeding $1.3 billion. Messari notes that the growth stems from BlackRock’s BUIDL fund and the FIS–Intain partnership. Despite the weakness in the AVAX price, chain activity remained strong.
AI Copyright Standard
Story Protocol and OpenLedger introduced a new automatic payment standard for artificial intelligence copyrights. The system ensures that AI only uses licensed content and that automatic payments are made to copyright holders. Intellectual property rights are recorded on the chain. This move comes at a time when the number of AI-related lawsuits is rapidly increasing. The global IP market exceeding $80 trillion highlights the scale of the initiative.
21Shares launched Europe’s first Jito Staked SOL ETP under the ticker JSOL. The product is listed in USD and EUR on Euronext Amsterdam and Paris. JSOL reflects staking and MEV yields by directly holding JitoSOL. Investors can access Solana staking yields without sacrificing liquidity. 21Shares notes that the product offers a regulated channel for institutional investors.
