[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.

[Musk and Trump Pose for a Photo at Mar-a-Lago Dinner, Saying 2026 Will Be Spectacular] On January 5, Musk posted a photo on the X platform of himself at a dinner with U.S. President Trump and First Lady Melania at Mar-a-Lago, captioning it, '2026 will be spectacular.' Previously, the relationship between Musk and Trump had been tense. Notably, just hours before the U.S. military action against Venezuela, Musk's SpaceX announced that Starlink would provide one month of free broadband service to Venezuela, with a deadline of February 3. According to a Netblocks report, some areas of Caracas experienced internet disruptions during the U.S. military operation, though overall network connectivity remained largely normal.

The rally in crypto was mirrored by a surge in commodities and Asian equities, driven by AI-led momentum and geopolitical developments. What to know : KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025 , equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month , marking its strongest year on record. This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume , as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes , which slowed during periods of lower market volatility. Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split , each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line. Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity , reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover. Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity , indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.