Crypto Morning Report: WLFI Launches Lending Market, BitMine Plans to Slow ETH Accumulation Rate

Author: Deep Tide TechFlow

Yesterday’s Market Dynamics

Multiple institutions predict the earliest Fed rate cut will be delayed

According to Jin10 Data, several institutions forecast that the earliest timing for the Federal Reserve’s rate cut will be postponed:

Citigroup: expects the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points in March, July, and September, previously predicted cuts were in January, March, and September this year.

Goldman Sachs: expects the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points in June and September this year, previously expected cuts were in March and June.

Barclays: expects the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points in June and December this year, previously expected cuts were in March and June.

Morgan Stanley: expects the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points in June and September, whereas previous forecasts were for rate cuts in January and April this year.

JPMorgan: no longer expects the Fed to cut rates in 2026, instead expects a rate hike in 2027. Previously, it forecasted a 25 basis point cut in January and a 25 basis point hike in Q3 2027.

Several former Fed chairs support Powell, calling the criminal investigation into Powell an “unprecedented” attack on the Fed’s independence

According to Jin10 Data, former Fed chairs Yellen, Bernanke, and Greenspan issued statements supporting current Fed Chair Powell. The group stated that the criminal investigation into Powell is an “unprecedented” attack on the Fed’s independence.

CFTC Chair Selig establishes Innovation Committee to strengthen regulation of digital assets and prediction markets

According to The Block, the newly appointed Chair of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Michael Selig announced on January 12 that the technical advisory committee will be renamed the Innovation Advisory Committee, and plans to appoint CEO members of the Innovation Committee as charter members of the committee. The committee will include industry leaders such as Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan, Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour, and Gemini CEO Tyler Winklevoss.

Selig stated: “Innovators are leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud computing to modernize traditional financial systems and build entirely new ones. Under my leadership, the committee will develop market structure regulations suitable for the emerging financial landscape.”

Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams announces launch of “NYC Token”

According to Fortune, former NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced after leaving office that he will launch a cryptocurrency called “NYC Token,” aiming to raise funds to combat anti-Semitism, anti-American sentiments, and promote children’s blockchain education. Adams introduced the token publicly in Times Square but did not disclose partners, issuance timeline, fund usage, or specific mechanisms, only stating that ordinary New Yorkers can participate in investing. During his tenure, Adams strongly supported the crypto industry but was also controversial over moral and conflict of interest issues. The new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, has explicitly stated he will not purchase the token.

Dubai bans privacy tokens and tightens stablecoin regulation, new regulatory framework to take effect on (January 12)

According to CoinDesk, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has fully banned privacy tokens within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), citing that these assets are incompatible with global compliance standards and pose money laundering and sanctions risks.

The updated crypto token regulatory framework takes effect on January 12, transferring token approval responsibilities to businesses and tightening the definition of stablecoins. DFSA limits the category of “legally compliant cryptocurrencies” to tokens pegged to fiat currency and backed by high-quality liquid assets, capable of meeting redemption demands during market stress. Algorithmic stablecoins like Ethena are not considered stablecoins under the DIFC framework but are classified as cryptocurrencies.

Elizabeth Wallace, Deputy Director of Policy and Legal at DFSA, stated that privacy tokens’ ability to hide transaction history and ownership makes it nearly impossible for enterprises to comply with FATF requirements. The new regulations also prohibit regulated entities from using or providing privacy tools such as mixers and tumblers that conceal transaction details.

South Korea ends nine-year corporate crypto ban, allows 5% equity investment in the top 20 cryptocurrencies

According to Be in Crypto, the Korea Financial Services Commission (FSC) has officially approved that listed companies and professional investors can invest up to 5% of their equity annually in the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market cap, ending a ban since 2017. Approximately 3,500 eligible entities will be permitted to enter the market.

WLFI launches lending marketplace supported by Dolomite

According to market sources, WLFI has launched a lending marketplace supported by Dolomite.

Bloomberg: WLFI crypto lending platform named “World Liberty Markets,” supports ETH, USD1, USDT, etc.

According to Bloomberg, the Trump family’s crypto project, World Liberty Financial, has launched a platform called “World Liberty Markets” that allows users to lend and borrow digital assets. The service will officially go live on Monday and will support Ethereum, stablecoins USDC and USDT, as well as the company’s own token WLFI and stablecoin USD1.

Bloomberg: Standard Chartered plans to establish cryptocurrency custody brokerage services

According to Bloomberg, Standard Chartered plans to establish a cryptocurrency custody brokerage service to strengthen its competitiveness in the digital asset space.

Sources reveal that this new business will be set up within its wholly owned venture capital arm, SC Ventures. Locating the new business within SC Ventures may help Standard Chartered avoid the strict capital requirements associated with digital assets in its corporate and investment banking divisions.

BitGo plans IPO in the US, aiming to raise up to $201 million

According to Reuters, crypto asset custody startup BitGo announced in regulatory filings on Monday that it plans to raise up to $201 million in its initial public offering (IPO).

BitMine: Without shareholder approval, ETH accumulation rate will slow

According to CoinDesk, Thomas Lee, Chairman of Ethereum Treasury Company BitMine, stated on Monday that BitMine’s ability to continue accumulating ETH depends on shareholder approval for issuing new shares. Without approval, the company may be forced to slow down purchases in the coming weeks. Lee explained: “BitMine is about to exhaust the current authorization of 500 million shares, at which point our ETH accumulation will slow.” The shareholder vote will be held this Thursday, and the proposal requires support from 50.1% of issued shares to pass.

Market Trends

Recommended Reading

A-shares boom crashes servers, crypto still waiting for Twitter to save

This article explores the current state and trends of the stock and cryptocurrency markets, analyzing the hot A-shares market and the difficulties faced by the crypto sector, and questions the impact of social platform features on the popularization of cryptocurrencies.

1000 Yuan “dead or alive,” achieved a valuation of 10 million

This article introduces an app called “Dead or Alive,” developed by three post-95 developers with a cost of 1000 yuan in one month. The simple app allows users to check daily if they are still alive; if they miss two consecutive check-ins, the system automatically sends an email to emergency contacts. Despite its simple function, the app quickly became popular, topping the Apple paid charts, with a download fee of 8 yuan, and a valuation of 10 million yuan. The article also discusses the valuation standards differences between the internet and crypto industries.

a16z: Three major trends in AI by 2026

This article discusses three major trends and challenges that artificial intelligence (AI) may bring in the coming years, as well as its impact on open networks, economic foundations, and identity verification. It also mentions some technical solutions and potential future directions.

New “Yi Zhongtian” emerges! GEO explodes, read in one article

This article explores the importance of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) in the AI search era and how it redefines brand exposure and marketing strategies. Compared to traditional SEO, GEO emphasizes brand content recognition and credibility by optimizing content for AI citation, thereby gaining higher visibility in AI-generated answers. It marks a shift from “traffic thinking” to “answer thinking,” bringing new business models and market opportunities to the advertising industry.

IOSG｜Cryptocurrency marketing ecosystem research: Focus on the Korean market

This article provides an in-depth analysis of South Korea’s crypto market status, development trends, major media outlets, marketing agencies, research firms, and blockchain conference ecosystems. It discusses South Korea’s importance in the global crypto scene and how international projects can enter and establish themselves in this market.