January 2026 kicks off a busy stream of events in the crypto industry: regulatory decisions, major token unlocks, and several technical updates across key networks. On January 1, news broke of Bank of America's approval of the BTC Spot ETF, alongside a series of important unlocks and incentive program launches within the first two days of the month.
First Week of January: ETF Approval and New Program Launches
On January 1, Bank of America announced approval of the BTC Spot ETF, marking a notable event at the start of the month. That same day saw Canton (CC) undergo an Inflation Halving and the unlocking of 64.23 million SUI tokens, representing 1.17% of circulating supply.
January 2 is set for the launch of the USD.AI incentive program offering a 4.5% yield when using PYUSD; simultaneously, $14.5 million worth of EIGEN tokens will be unlocked, accounting for 9.74% of current issuance. These activities lay the groundwork for liquidity and stablecoin usage incentives early in the month.
January 5–9: DAO Votes and Key Unlocks
January 5 will feature a DAO vote for Chiliz (CHZ) and the launch of BNB in the Abu Dhabi Global Market jurisdiction, reflecting efforts to integrate projects into diverse regulatory environments. The same day will see the unfreezing of ENA tokens valued at $36.1 million, or 2.37% of circulating supply.
From January 6 to 9, CES 2026 takes place in Las Vegas, traditionally attracting blockchain and fintech companies; January 6 includes the unlocking of 1.2 million HYPE tokens worth approximately $26 million. These events focus industry attention on product showcases and business networking.
Blockchain Technical Updates and Macroeconomic Data
On January 7, Ethereum will undergo the Blob Parameter Only fork update. That day also marks the start of the ZKsync Era Sunset phase-out and the launch of Stellar (XLM)'s Privacy Testnet. These three protocol-level events impact multiple ecosystems simultaneously.
US unemployment data for December will be released on January 9, with expected announcements regarding the Federal Reserve chair candidate near that date. On January 10, $9.34 million worth of LINEA tokens will be unlocked, further adding liquidity to the ecosystem.
Mid-January: Corporate Events and Network Upgrades
January 12 hosts the JPM Healthcare forum, the ZAMA auction, and the QTUM v29.1 hard fork, combining corporate and technical events on the calendar. January 13 will see the release of US CPI and Core CPI data, contributing to the macroeconomic backdrop for the market.
January 14 marks the conclusion of the Fed Reserve Management Purchases program at $40 billion, along with PPI data release and the BSC Fermi hard fork. On January 15, the Bank of Korea will announce its interest rate decision; investor calls for ETH and BMNR will take place, a decision on including MSTR in the MSCI index will be made, the ASTER Season 3 airdrop claim period will end, and $10.6 million worth of STRK tokens (4.83% of issuance) will be unlocked.
Second Half of January: Major Unlocks and Global Forums
January 18 is set for significant token unfreezes: TRUMP at $247 million, ONDO at $757.2 million, and MELANIA at $3.04 million, representing substantial volumes across several projects. From January 19 to 23, the Davos Forum will be held, including World Computer Day on January 20, focusing on the intersection of technology and economics.
On January 22, the Bank of Japan will announce its rate decision, and XLM will launch the X-Ray Privacy Mainnet, marking an important technical milestone for the network. The month concludes on January 27 with the FOMC rate decision and a series of major unlocks, including BGB valued at $485.8 million.
Why This Matters
Token unlocks and major unfreezes affect supply distribution and liquidity in specific projects, which is crucial for traders and holders of those tokens to monitor. Meanwhile, protocol technical updates require attention from developers and node operators, as some changes may necessitate software upgrades or configuration adjustments.
Macroeconomic releases and central bank decisions serve as guidance for institutional participants and influence overall liquidity sentiment, although their direct impact on mining is not always straightforward. Exhibitions and forums like CES and Davos are valuable for understanding industry trends and establishing business connections.
What To Do?
- Monitor the schedule of token unlocks for assets you hold or operate pools with, considering potential liquidity changes when planning sales or rebalancing.
- Check for node and mining software updates ahead of major forks or network upgrades to avoid downtime or incompatibility.
- Maintain backup strategies for power supply and pool configurations; rapid switching during liquidity volatility is practical despite no new facts.
- Subscribe to official project and regulator channels to receive timely, verified notifications about schedule changes and unlock conditions.
To compare this calendar with lessons from last year, see the 2025 lessons overview. For assessing potential threats, refer to the article on Bitcoin risks. These resources provide broader context for January's events.