Trump Addresses the Supreme Court
Trump stated that data released today showed that the U.S. trade deficit had fallen to its lowest level since 2009 and that the decline was continuing. He also said that GDP growth is expected to exceed 5%, despite a loss of at least 1.5% during the “shutdown” caused by the Democrats. Trump emphasized that these figures are a direct result of the tariff policy that saved the economy and national security, saying that the Supreme Court should take this historic achievement into account before making its critical decision.
Fed’s Kashkari: Trump’s Threat is Actually a Monetary Policy Issue
Federal Reserve official Kashkari described the Trump administration’s pressure on the Fed as “fundamentally a monetary policy issue.” Noting that last year’s tensions should be viewed in this context, Kashkari stressed that the Fed’s independence is critical to the health of the U.S. economy. Kashkari also said that an interest rate cut in January is not necessary, but that there may be room for limited rate cuts later in the year, adding that it is still too early to tell.
U.S. PPI and Retail Sales Data Released
U.S. retail sales in November rose 0.6% month-on-month, exceeding expectations of 0.4%. The previous figure was 0.0%. During the same period, the core Producer Price Index (PPI) was announced at 3% year-on-year, exceeding market expectations of 2.7%.
U.S. Senate Banking Committee Clears Up Misunderstandings Regarding the CLARITY Act
The U.S. Senate Banking Committee published an assessment addressing seven major misconceptions about the CLARITY Act. The statement emphasized that the law aims to clarify whether digital assets are securities or commodities, strengthens investor protection, and resolves jurisdictional uncertainties between the SEC and CFTC. It also stated that it would prevent DeFi from becoming an illegal funding vehicle, protect developers and self-custody rights, and encourage innovation under regulation.
CleanSpark Plans to Build a 600 MW Data Center Campus in Texas
CleanSpark, a Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin mining company, announced that it has reached a final agreement to purchase up to 447 acres of land in Brazoria County, Texas, and enter into a long-term power transmission agreement. The project aims to become a large data center campus with a total capacity of 600 megawatts. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026, with plans to create a next-generation center that will support artificial intelligence and high-performance computing workloads.
Bitwise’s Chainlink Spot ETF to Begin Trading on January 15
According to Solid Intel, the Chainlink spot ETF (CLNK) issued by Bitwise will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange Arca platform on January 15, following the completion of the approval process.
Ripple Receives Preliminary Approval for EMI License from Luxembourg
Ripple announced that it has received preliminary approval for an electronic money institution (EMI) license from Luxembourg’s financial regulator, CSSF. The license will come into effect once all necessary conditions are met. This development will enable Ripple to offer regulated payment services across Europe through the EU passporting mechanism. The company is also pursuing a Crypto Asset Service Provider license under the EU’s MiCA framework.
