Major News Headlines for Today

1. Bitcoin Rebound On U.S. CPI Expectations...Up 3%
The U.S. Consumer Price Index(CPI) rose 0.4% month-on-month in December, which was announced on Jan. 15, and the Bitcoin(BTC) and cryptocurrency markets rebounded in line with market expectations. In particular, the core CPI, excluding food and energy, rose 0.2% month-on-month, falling below market expectations, and the U.S. stock market and cryptocurrency, which are 'risk assets', rose together. Bitcoin temporarily exceeded $100,000 at 5:15 a.m., but has since begun adjusting, falling to $99,000 and maintaining $99,000 in the morning of Jan. 16.

2. Reuters "Trump Administration to Reform U.S. SEC"
Reuters reported on Jan. 15 that the Trump administration is planning to reorganize the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC), a key U.S. cryptocurrency regulator, within 100 days of its launch, based on anonymous source testimony. The regulatory priority of the next SEC leadership announced by Reuters is ▲Setting standards for classifying securities of cryptocurrency ▲Establishing a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency exchanges ▲Establishing accounting and disclosure regulations for corporate cryptocurrency holdings ▲Establishing procedures for approving spot ETFs of cryptocurrency. Currently, the next administration has appointed Paul Atkins as the new SEC chairman.

3. U.S. Senate Banking Committee Chairman "Committee to Prioritize Crypto Regulation"
Tom Scott, chairman of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, recently elected chairman of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, said in an official statement on Jan. 15 that the committee will make the cryptocurrency regulatory framework a major priority following the launch of the new administration. He explained that the 119th Congress will be a financial inclusion policy that creates opportunities in the U.S. and will include cryptocurrency regulations as the main agenda of the issue.

4. President Ripple Announces U.S. Banks' Move to Accept Cryptocurrency
President Monica Long Ripple predicted on her X account on Jan. 15 that U.S. banks will accept cryptocurrency due to the Trump administration's regulatory changes. He said 15 out of 25 large banks have already started experimenting with asset tokenization(RWA), and the number of banks that will experiment in 2025 will increase further due to regulatory changes.

5. U.S. SEC Sues Elon Musk for Violating Securities Laws
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk in a federal court in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 15. The SEC claimed that Musk did not disclose his acquisition of more than 5% of shares in the process of acquiring Twitter (currently X) in 2022 within the legal deadline. In response, the SEC is demanding fines and the return of unfair profits, saying Musk has earned at least $150 million in unfair gains.

6. U.S. Department of Justice Calls for Return of 'Bitfinex Hacking Assets' Exchange
The U.S. Department of Justice asked the court on Wednesday to return 94,643 Bitcoin recovered from the 2016 Bitfinex hacking incident to the exchange, not to the users. The Justice Department argued that there are no specific victims because Bitfinex has completed its compensation plan. However, controversy continues over the possibility that the recovered assets could lead to the sole beneficiary of Bitfinex.

권승원 기자 ksw@blockstreet.co.kr