U.S. CPI: +2.9% YEAR-OVER-YEAR (EST. +2.9%); U.S. CORE CPI: +3.2% YEAR-OVER-YEAR (EST. +3.3%)

Digital asset exchange Bakkt announced on January 21 that it has launched an ATM Equity Financing Program under its existing shelf registration statement on Form S-3 filed in June 2025. The program enables Bakkt to sell common stock via ATM offerings at its discretion (not an obligation), with a total fundraising cap of $300 million. The initiative aims to enhance Bakkt’s financial flexibility and accelerate its long-term growth strategy, including expanding distribution for its Bakkt Agent program, scaling Zaira’s stablecoin payment platform rapidly, boosting investments in the Bakkt Global initiative, and entering other high-potential markets.

On January 21, Garrett Jin—an agent with "BTC OG Whale Insider"—shared a lengthy post on social media. He noted that a Wintermute report pointed out the end of crypto’s "traditional bull market cycle," but some media outlets misinterpreted this as "the end of this crypto bull market"—a very unprofessional take. Jin added that historical data from China’s A-shares and U.S. stocks clearly confirms this dynamic: Retail-dominated markets exhibit extreme volatility and pumping behavior. As institutions ramp up large-scale entry, markets become more structured, stable, and trend-driven. For mainstream crypto assets, the era of "retail-driven, high volatility, meme dominance" has ended. We’re witnessing a shift in market leadership: - From speculation to asset allocation - From retail sentiment to institutional positioning - From extreme volatility to institutional-grade volatility Equating this transition to the end of the bull market is not analysis—it’s a misunderstanding of

RedStone, an oracle service provider, has acquired digital asset data platform Security Token Market (STM.co) and its flagship TokenizeThis conference, per Cryptobriefing on January 21st. The move aims to accelerate real-world asset (RWA) tokenization adoption and expand the firm’s footprint in the U.S. and institutional markets. Founded in 2018, STM runs the world’s largest database of tokenized RWAs, tracking over 800 on-chain assets—including stocks, real estate, debt instruments, and funds—with a combined market cap exceeding $60 billion. Its annual TokenizeThis conference convenes banks, asset managers, regulators, issuers, and blockchain leaders to discuss asset tokenization across traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi).

On January 21, data from GMGN (via https://t.me/gmgnaibot?start=i_m4TE56o8) indicates that the meme coin “I Just Stepped in Sh*t” surged 100% in the short term, fueled by its listing on Binance. Its current market capitalization stands at $29.51 million. BlockBeats Note: Meme coins are extremely volatile, typically driven by market sentiment and hype, and lack practical value or real-world use cases. Investors are advised to be mindful of the associated risks.

On January 21, CryptoQuant analyst XWIN noted that the Trump administration has once again advanced its tariff policy—a development that has been a clear headwind for Bitcoin since 2025. Tariff policies directly impact corporate profits, inflation, and monetary policy expectations, eroding overall risk appetite and leaving risk assets—including Bitcoin—more exposed to pullback shocks. The impact of economic risks on Bitcoin is quickly evident as investor behavior adjusts rapidly. With growing uncertainty around economic growth and interest rate outlooks, investors tend to trim short-term risk exposure. In this scenario, Bitcoin is often viewed as a liquid asset that can be temporarily sold to reduce portfolio risk—rather than a long-term store of value. CEX net flows offer a complementary lens. During the adjustment phase, a brief uptick in CEX inflows has been observed, aligning with temporary position adjustments. However, these inflows haven’t persisted, indicating a lack of s