The crypto market is back in positive territory this Tuesday, led by a strong rebound in the GameFi sector, which jumped 4.64% over the past 24 hours.
After weeks of cooling interest, appetite for play-to-earn projects has picked up again — and Axie Infinity (AXS) is stealing the spotlight with a nearly 37% surge.
The broader market is also showing signs of stabilization. Bitcoin has climbed back above $88,000, while Ethereum pushed through the $2,900 level, helping lift sentiment across high-growth sectors.
Momentum is spreading beyond GameFi, with DeFi and Layer 2 tokens following closely behind. Breakout names like Hyperliquid (HYPE) and Linea (LINEA) are posting double-digit gains, reinforcing the return of risk appetite.
So, what else is moving the crypto world today? Follow our live updates below.
Bank of Korea Warns KRW Stablecoin Could Undermine Capital Controls
Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong warned that a won-denominated stablecoin could be used to bypass South Korea’s capital-flow controls, raising concerns for regulators.
Speaking at the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong, Rhee said South Korea currently allows residents to invest in overseas-issued virtual assets under market pressure, while authorities are exploring a new registration framework that would allow domestic institutions to issue crypto assets.
He cautioned that sharp exchange-rate swings could prompt rapid shifts into U.S. dollar stablecoins, triggering large cross-border fund movements. Stablecoin issuance by non-bank entities, he added, would further complicate regulatory oversight.
U.S. Spot Bitcoin ETFs Break Outflow Streak With Fresh Inflows
U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $6.84 million in net inflows on Jan. 26, ending a five-day run of outflows, according to Farside Investors.
Ethereum spot ETFs also flipped positive, posting $117 million in net inflows after four straight days of withdrawals. Meanwhile, Solana spot ETFs attracted $2.46 million, while XRP spot ETFs saw $7.76 million in inflows.
Matrixport: Central Bank Gold Buying Lifts Gold, Pressures Bitcoin
Matrixport says ongoing gold purchases by central banks are helping support gold prices while weighing on Bitcoin’s relative performance.
According to the firm, concerns over the U.S. dollar’s weakening purchasing power, renewed tariff tensions, and speculation about reduced foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries have pushed central banks to increase gold reserves.
Sustained buying — particularly from the People’s Bank of China — has reinforced gold’s role as a reserve asset. Bitcoin, meanwhile, remains largely absent from central bank diversification strategies, helping explain the recent performance gap between the two assets.
Vitalik Buterin Breaks Down the Difference Between State and Data
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin weighed in on a technical debate this week, explaining that the key difference between state and data comes down to how they can be edited.
Buterin described three levels of editability:
Simple data structures that only allow appending
Medium-complexity structures like linear lists that permit in-place edits
Fully flexible systems such as key-value storage, where new values can be created anywhere in the state
Hyperliquid Claims Top Spot in Global Crypto Liquidity
In his first public comments of 2026, Hyperliquid founder Jeff Yan said the platform has “quietly” become the leading global venue for crypto price discovery.
Yan shared data comparing Bitcoin perpetuals liquidity, showing Hyperliquid maintaining an average spread of $1, versus roughly $5.50 on Binance, the industry’s long-time volume leader.
He also pointed to Hyperliquid’s growing presence in traditional finance markets, noting that its HIP-3 Builder-Deployed Perpetuals framework has turned the platform into one of the most liquid venues for TradFi asset perpetuals, including indices and commodities.
