As DePIN projects generate revenue and AI agents move onchain, builders are 
shifting focus from speculation to fundamentals, but questions remain about 
Web3’s decentralization ethos.

From memecoins to machines: Why Web3’s ‘real economy’ narrative is relevant in 2026

The market mood in crypto cooled sharply after a quick spike in optimism. 
According to the Crypto Fear &amp; Greed Index, the reading fell by 12 points on 
Friday, dropping from 61 to 49. Related Reading: Altcoin Rallies Are Getting 
Shorter, And Wintermute Has The Data That swing moved the gauge from “greed” 
into a “neutral” zone in a single session. Bitcoin had jumped about 4.5% 
earlier in the week to roughly $97,700, which helped push sentiment higher, 
but the focus shifted toward politics and lawmaking in Washington. Regulatory 
Concerns Shake Markets Based on reports, the main trigger was debate over a 
Senate version of a long-awaited crypto market structure bill. The measure 
would set out how US regulators oversee digital assets and includes language 
that would tighten rules around stablecoin yields. Several lobbyists and 
executives raised alarms about those provisions. Brian Armstrong, the CEO of 
Coinbase, withdrew his backing, saying the proposal would be worse than the 
current setup and that a bad law would be harmful. After the backlash, the 
Senate Banking Committee cancelled its planned markup and the Senate 
Agriculture Committee moved its session to late January while lawmakers seek 
more support. Social Media Sentiment Shifts As Traders React According to 
crypto analytics firm Santiment, the market activity had two different trends 
at once: larger holders were building positions while smaller, retail traders 
were selling. Social chatter began to reflect worry after the regulatory news, 
even as on-chain data showed accumulation by more experienced wallets. The 
index’s peak earlier in the week was the highest since it reached 64 on 
October 10, the same day a market crash triggered over $19 billion in 
liquidations. Those past losses still hang in investors’ memories. Smart Money 
Buys While Retail Sells Reports have disclosed that smart money accumulation 
can support prices, but headlines shape short-term moods. Bitcoin was trading 
at about $95,642 at the time of publication, down around 0.02% over the past 
24 hours, according to CoinGecko. That small move shows market resilience, yet 
the sentiment measure’s drop demonstrates how fragile confidence can be when 
policy doubts emerge. Many traders watch Washington closely, sometimes even 
more closely than charts. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s New Power Buyers: 
Companies Bought 3 Times What Miners Produced Delay Seen As Chance By Some 
Industry Players A segment of the industry read the postponements as 
constructive. David Sacks, who advises on crypto matters at the White House, 
said the pause could help close gaps between stakeholders and bring the bill 
closer to something workable. Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, kept engaging 
with lawmakers and described the delay as an opening to improve the text. 
Those views contrast with more alarmed voices and help explain the mixed 
market reaction. Featured image from The Drive, chart from TradingView

Crypto Chill: Sentiment Drops As US Lawmakers Stir Market Fears

Interactive Brokers adds 24/7 USDC deposits, with Ripple USD and PYUSD next, 
auto‑converting to USD and cutting cross‑border wire delays from days to 
minutes. Interactive Brokers has expanded its cryptocurrency offerings by 
allowing clients to fund brokerage accounts using stablecoins…

Interactive Brokers taps USDC, RLUSD, PYUSD for 24/7 account funding

Renewed spot Ethereum ETF inflows topped $474 million this week while network 
metrics smashed records, positioning ETH for a rally to $4,500 in the coming 
weeks.

Ethereum ETF buying outpaces new supply: Will it push ETH price to $4.5K?

A growing amount of the blockchain industry’s fees are captured by DeFi 
protocols rather than the underlying networks, signaling a potential investor 
shift to front-end facing applications.

Cryptocurrency price in THB