MicroStrategy has purchased 11.4 million bitcoins and now holds 226500 BTC. (Bitcoin Archive)

[Upbit Begins Distribution of GAS Airdrop Rewards for the 1st Week of January] Upbit has announced that the distribution of GAS airdrop rewards for the 1st week of January has begun and will be completed within 24 hours. The airdrop reference period is from December 27, 2025, to January 2, 2026, with the snapshot time set between 21:00 and 22:00 (UTC+8) on January 2, 2026. Users can select GAS on the deposit/withdrawal page and check the transaction ID to confirm whether they have received the airdrop. Only members who have completed customer verification are eligible to claim the rewards.

Exchange balances are at multi-year lows, signaling potential supply tightness that could amplify future rallies. What to know : XRP surged past $2.12, breaking a key resistance level with above-average trading volume. Institutional demand remains strong, with U.S.-listed spot XRP ETFs seeing $13.59 million in new inflows this week. Exchange balances are at multi-year lows, signaling potential supply tightness that could amplify future rallies.

[Trump May Nominate Federal Reserve Chair Candidate This Month, Hassett and Walsh Tied in Probability] On January 5, the market anticipated that Trump would announce the Federal Reserve Chair nominee at some point this month. According to Polymarket data, Hassett and Walsh both have a 39% probability of being nominated, with Walsh up by 8% and Hassett down by 3%.

[China and Laos Complete First Digital RMB Cross-Border Payment] Under the guidance of the People's Bank of China, MYbank recently completed the first digital RMB QR code payment at a merchant in Laos through the cross-border digital payment platform connected to the Digital RMB International Operations Center. This marks the first realization of 'domestic issuance, overseas usage' for the digital RMB, providing a new payment method for Chinese residents' overseas consumption while reflecting the deepening cooperation between the central banks of China and Laos in digital currencies.

PwC aims to enhance its audit and consulting services by exploring the use of stablecoins to improve payment efficiency. What to know : PwC is increasing its focus on crypto clients due to clearer U.S. regulations, including the GENIUS Act. The firm plans to expand its involvement in stablecoin and tokenization as part of its growth strategy. PwC aims to enhance its audit and consulting services by exploring the use of stablecoins to improve payment efficiency.