Makina, a DeFi protocol, reported a $4.2 million exploit on 20 January 2026 tied to liquidity providers in its DUSD/USDC Curve pool, adding to rising DeFi attacks in early 2026 with over $34 million in losses already recorded.

Chinese authorities have taken custody of Chen Zhi, a businessman described by U.S. officials as a central figure in a major Bitcoin scam and money laundering operation linked to a record $15B bitcoin seizure. Chen, 38, is the chairman and founder of Cambodia-based Prince Group, a conglomerate that U.S. and U.K. authorities allege was used as cover for transnational criminal activity; Prince Group has denied the allegations.

Washington is preparing a January markup for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) of 2025, a major U.S. crypto regulation proposal designed to reduce the long-running SEC vs CFTC jurisdiction fight and create clearer rules for digital assets trading.