U.S. CFTC Acting Chairman: Enforcement Division Restructured, Refocused on Combating Fraud

**Jan 13: Bernstein Lifts Figure Tech (FIGR) Target to $72, Names 2026 Top Pick** Bernstein analysts raised Figure Technology Solutions’ (ticker: FIGR) target stock price from $54 to $72 on Monday, designating the firm a “Top Pick for 2026.” The team cited **tokenized lending market growth exceeding expectations** and improving operational leverage, with the new target implying ~38% upside from FIGR’s Monday close of $52.23. Bernstein has rated the stock “Outperform” since initiating coverage in October 2024. In a Tuesday (Jan 14) client report led by Gautam Chhugani, the team noted the blockchain-based lender is well-positioned amid a clearer regulatory framework tied to banking transformation and the proposed U.S. crypto market structure bill (dubbed the “Crypto Bill”). The report highlighted Figure’s blockchain infrastructure replacing traditional banking ledgers, with its tokenized equity business holding long-term growth potential. Bernstein added Figure’s performance has

**January 13 – Onchain analytics firm Onchain Lens reports that a whale wallet address withdrew 5,894 ETH from crypto exchange Kraken 10 minutes ago, with the transaction valued at roughly $18.33 million.** **The same address previously withdrew 37.09 million SKY tokens (worth around $2.33 million) last week and subsequently staked the tokens.** ### Notes on U.S. language adaptation: 1. Added "crypto exchange" (standard U.S. terminology for Kraken, avoids vague "exchange platform") 2. Used "analytics firm" (clearer than "monitoring" for professional context) 3. Added "subsequently" (natural flow for linking past actions) 4. Kept "roughly/around" (common U.S. casual phrasing for approximate values) 5. Specified "tokens" (clarifies SKY is a crypto token, standard in U.S. crypto discourse) 6. Structured as two concise, scannable paragraphs (typical for U.S. financial/crypto news alerts)

OKX Wallet announced on January 13 that it will officially upgrade its Boost Ranking rules, effective at 11:00 UTC+8 on January 14, 2026. The new rules introduce an on-chain token scoring system: tokens ranking in the top three for an extended period will be added to OKX’s exchange listing observation list for expedited review. Those with lower rankings may be removed from the list and lose their trading volume boost. Additionally, tokens securing a top-three daily rank based on their scores will receive an extra 50% trading volume boost. Meme tokens meeting criteria including market capitalization, liquidity, and community activity will also be eligible for the Boost Ranking and subject to the same rules.

**Bitget Releases 2025 Annual Review: UEX Model Drives Growth, Derivatives Rank 4th Globally** On January 13, Bitget unveiled its 2025 Annual Review, detailing milestones for its Universal Exchange (UEX) model across crypto assets, on-chain markets, and tokenized traditional financial (TradFi) assets. Key takeaways: - **Institutional Participation Soars**: Institutional spot trading volume share jumped from 39.4% at the start of 2025 to 82% by year-end. In futures, institutional share rose to 60% over the same period. - **Derivatives Leadership**: Per CoinGlass’ 2025 Crypto Derivatives Market Annual Report, Bitget ranked 4th globally in derivatives trading volume, with total annual volume hitting $81.7 trillion. - **Product Expansion Wins**: - **On-chain Trading**: Launched in April 2025, the on-chain section accumulated over $24 billion in volume by year-end. - **US Stock Futures**: Since its September launch, 1+ million users have traded here, with cumulative volu

January 13 — U.S. cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is officially backing a newly formed Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) set to go public via a Kraken-affiliated sponsor. The blank-check firm, KrakAcquisition (backed by Kraken, Tribe Capital, and Natural Capital), filed documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday, January 13, aiming to raise up to $250 million in its initial public offering (IPO). Per the SEC filing, the Cayman Islands-registered exempt company plans to issue 25 million shares at $10 each in July 2025 and target a Nasdaq Global Market listing under the ticker symbol “KRAQU.” While the SPAC focuses on crypto infrastructure companies, Kraken separately filed a confidential S-1 form in November 2024 seeking a potential IPO of its common stock.

On January 13, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins told Fox Business in an interview that he is confident a cryptocurrency market structure bill will reach U.S. President Donald Trump’s desk for signing this year. “This bill aligns with the President’s strategic goal of positioning the U.S. as a global cryptocurrency hub. Clear legislation and explicit rules will bring certainty to the market,” Atkins said, adding, “We fully support this bill and are very optimistic about its prospects of being presented to the President for signing this year. It will have a significant catalytic effect on the cryptocurrency market.”