Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (January 12) as of 9:00 a.m. UTC.
Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ether and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.
Bitcoin and Ether price update
Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$90,643.88, down by 0.2 percent over 24 hours.
Bitcoin price performance, January 12, 2025.
Chart via TradingView
Ether (ETH) was priced at US$3,111.86, up by 0.3 percent over the last 24 hours.
Altcoin price update
- XRP (XRP) was priced at US$2.05, down by 2.5 percent over 24 hours.
- Solana (SOL) was trading at US$139.67, up by 2.1 percent over 24 hours.
Today’s crypto news to know
South Korea lifts 9-year ban on corporate crypto
South Korea has lifted a nine-year ban on corporate crypto investing, allowing public companies and professional investors to allocate up to 5% of their equity capital to digital assets.
The country’s Financial Services Commission (FSC) said eligible assets will be limited to the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization traded on the country’s five licensed exchanges.
The shift reverses years of policy that kept institutional money out of the market and left crypto trading dominated by retail investors.
Regulators estimate that restrictive rules contributed to roughly US$110 billion in crypto capital outflows in 2025. Meanwhile, legislators framed the move as part of the government’s 2026 economic growth strategy aimed at modernizing capital markets and retaining domestic investment.
While stablecoins are not yet included, authorities said discussions on their treatment are ongoing.
Coinbase warns it may pull support from US Senate Crypto Bill
Coinbase is threatening to withdraw its backing for a major US Senate crypto bill if lawmakers impose limits on stablecoin rewards beyond enhanced disclosure requirements.
According to Bloomberg, the dispute centers on proposed language that would restrict platforms from offering yield on stablecoins unless they operate as regulated banking institutions.
The company argues that such provisions would give banks an unfair advantage and undermine competition from crypto-native firms.
The warning comes ahead of a January 15 markup set by Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, after repeated legislative delays throughout 2025.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has previously said banks are likely to lobby for exclusive control over stablecoin yield as adoption grows. While Coinbase has applied for a national trust charter that could eventually allow it to offer rewards under stricter rules, the firm is pushing to preserve non-bank models.
Dubai bans privacy tokens, tightens stablecoin rules
Dubai’s financial regulator has banned privacy-focused crypto tokens and tightened its stablecoin framework as part of a broader overhaul of digital asset rules.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) said privacy coins are incompatible with anti–money laundering and sanctions compliance standards and will no longer be permitted in the Dubai International Financial Centre.
Under the updated regime, only fiat-backed stablecoins supported by high-quality, liquid assets will qualify as stablecoins, while algorithmic models will be treated as ordinary crypto tokens.
The rules take effect January 12 and reflect a shift away from regulator-approved token lists toward firm-led suitability assessments. Licensed companies will now be responsible for determining whether crypto assets meet regulatory standards and must keep those assessments under ongoing review.
Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.