On January 31, 2026, a partial U.S. government shutdown extending into the weekend raised questions about how prediction platforms Polymarket and Kalshi define such events. Contracts tied to shutdown outcomes showed high implied probabilities, yet their resolution rules hinge on specific U.S. Office of Personnel Management notices. Traders flagged ambiguous wording around what counts as a shutdown and how many days it would last, especially with different time-based conditions.

On January 30, 2026, at CFTC headquarters, SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins and CFTC Chair Michael Selig announced Project Crypto, a joint initiative to harmonize U.S. cryptocurrency regulation. The project seeks to create a unified framework for trading, custody, and clearing, aiming to reduce investor confusion and improve market efficiency. Analysts expect clearer oversight and codified token classifications to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in global digital asset markets.

On 31 January 2026, U.S. crypto leaders highlighted that tokenized equities are nearing broader issuance and trading as regulatory attitudes evolve. Executives pointed to recent SEC actions and a tokenized securities market cap of about $1.74 billion as evidence that on-chain representations of real-world assets are gaining traction. They suggested the United States could strengthen its role as a central venue for compliant tokenized finance if current trends continue.

On January 30, 2026, SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins and CFTC Chair Michael Selig launched Project Crypto at CFTC headquarters to harmonize cryptocurrency regulation. The initiative seeks to align rules on trading, custody, clearing, and risk management while reducing investor confusion and compliance burdens. Analysts also note the move comes as Bitcoin trades at $83,365.96 with a 24.75% price decline over the past 90 days and a market cap of $1.67 trillion.

On January 30, 2026, Tether published its Q4 2025 attestation, reporting more than $10 billion in net profit for 2025. The BDO Italy–signed report showed $6.3 billion in excess reserves against $186.5 billion in liabilities, as USDT supply climbed by roughly $50 billion to over $186 billion.

Tether reported more than $10 billion in net profit for 2025, about $3 billion below the $13 billion it booked in 2024, with figures verified in a BDO-prepared report. The company said direct exposure to U.S. Treasuries surpassed $122 billion, total assets rose by $49.17 billion year over year, and roughly $50 billion in new USDt was issued over the past twelve months.

On 31 January 2026, ARK Invest's tokenization research indicated that RWAs scale fastest where structures are simple and liquid. By end-2025, public-chain RWA value reached roughly $19 billion, with commodities growing over 60% QoQ to about $3.5 billion. The report points to tokenized money as the next unlock for fully on-chain markets.

In a late-Friday vote, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan stopgap funding bill 71–29 to head off a full federal shutdown. Lawmakers cautioned a short lapse could still happen over the weekend before House consideration, while debate intensified over Department of Homeland Security funding and new limits on federal immigration enforcement.