Market Performance
| Asset / Index | Value ($) | Daily Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | 67,129.0 | -2.58% |
| Ethereum (ETH) | 1,951.89 | -3.45% |
| Bitcoin Spot ETF | +166.50M | Net Inflow |
| Ethereum Spot ETF | +13.80M | Net Inflow |
| Nasdaq (NAS100) | 25,182.8 | +0.05% |
| S&P 500 (SPX) | 6,941.82 | -0.33% |
| Russell 2000 (RUT) | 2,686.3 | 0.00% |
| U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) | 96.311 | -0.24% |
| VIX Volatility Index | 17.79 | +2.48% |
| U.S. 10-Year Yield | 4.14196 | -1.44% |
| Brent Crude Oil (BRENT) | 69.817 | +0.48% |
| LBMA Gold (XAU) | 5,057.41 | +0.67% |
| LBMA Silver (XAG) | 83.134 | +3.07% |
“Prepared at UTC 07.36 am”
Today’s Key Events
- President Trump’s Agenda: Closed-Door Policy Meetings
- US Weekly Jobless Claims
- UK GDP Rate to be Announced
- Coinbase Earnings Report
US January Employment Data
- US non-farm payrolls for January came in at +130k (forecast +75k, previous +48k; previous data revised down from +50k).
- December was revised down by 2k to +48k, November was revised down by 15k to +41k, resulting in a total two-month revision of -17k.
- The unemployment rate was 4.3% (4.283%), below the 4.4% expectation (previous 4.4%; 4.375%). The reference revision through March 2025 was announced as a final -862k, with a downward revision magnitude of 85%.
- Labor force participation rose to 62.5%, while average weekly hours worked increased to 34.3.
Divergence Within the Fed
Differing tones among officials highlighted the divergence regarding the monetary policy path. The statements showed that uncertainty about the timing of interest rate cuts persists.
- Kansas City Fed President Schmid stated that he supported keeping interest rates steady, saying that inflation risks could remain around 3%.
- Cleveland Fed President Hammack said that fine-tuning interest rates was not necessary and that current levels were not overly restrictive.
- Fed President Miran said that January data did not completely rule out layoffs.
US-Iran Tensions Escalate
It was reported that the Pentagon is preparing to deploy a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East. US officials said the Defense Department had given the order and that it could come within hours. Trump said his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu went “very well.” While no concrete decisions were reached in the US-Iran talks, both sides wanted the negotiations to continue. It was noted that the US and Israel were working on a joint plan in case of possible failure.
SEC Digital Asset Priority
US SEC Chairman Paul Atkins announced that their three priorities before 2026 were combating fraud, updating disclosure rules, and establishing a clear regulatory framework for digital assets. Atkins stated that a sanctions working group would be established, including targeted sanctions and international cooperation for investor protection. He emphasized that the reporting system would be made more understandable and straightforward. Admitting that crypto regulations were overdue, Atkins said that cooperation with the CFTC would take place under “Project Crypto.”
Crypto License Warning
The American Bankers Association called for a slowdown in crypto banking license approvals in a letter sent to the OCC. It stated that licenses should not be granted until the stablecoin and digital asset framework is clarified. It also proposed prohibiting non-bank trust companies from using the term “bank.” It was reported that Circle, Ripple, Coinbase, and several other crypto companies have applied for conditional OCC licenses.
Ethereum Scalability Emphasis
Ethereum Foundation Co-Executive Director Hsiao-Wei Wang clarified the roles of L1 and L2 in scalability discussions. He said that L2s should develop specialized application chains that offer high scalability. He stated that L1 will continue to be the most secure payment and final confirmation layer. He also mentioned that user experience and AI agents hold significant places in the roadmap.
Aster Mainnet in March
Aster, backed by Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, announced plans to launch its layer 1 mainnet in March. The testnet process was completed in February 2026 with over 50,000 participants. The new network will offer dedicated infrastructure for on-chain products and developer tools. Community-focused governance, staking, and the expansion of synthetic products based on real-world assets are targeted for 2026.
Cardano New Integrations
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson announced that LayerZero will be integrated into the Cardano ecosystem. USDCx is scheduled to launch on Cardano at the end of February. Instant swap support will be provided through the Lace wallet and major exchanges. The Midnight Federation mainnet is expected to go live at the end of March.
YZi Labs $10 Billion Fund
YZi Labs President Ella Zhang announced that she and Zhao Changpeng manage over $10 billion in funds. She stated that investments are focused on AI, biotechnology, and Web3. It was noted that the company provides not only financial support but also mentorship. It was emphasized that stablecoins play a critical role in the mainstream adoption of crypto.
