Gate Daily (January 19): Belarus signs decree regulating crypto banking; KBC Bank in Belgium allows Bitcoin trading services

Bitcoin (BTC) opened sharply lower this week, currently around $92,810 as of January 19. The President of Belarus signed a decree regulating crypto banks. KBC Bank in Belgium will offer Bitcoin and Ethereum trading services to retail clients. Solana stablecoin daily inflow reached a record of $800 million.

Macro Events & Hot Topics in the Crypto World

1. Starting the week of February 16, Belgium’s second-largest bank, KBC Group, will allow retail clients to trade Bitcoin and Ethereum on its Bolero platform, which fully complies with EU’s MiCAR regulations. Clients will trade within a closed system without external transfers, must pass a risk knowledge test, and assets will be custodized by the bank. KBC leadership, such as Chief Innovation Officer Erik Luts, believes this move will bring cryptocurrencies into a safe, familiar platform, meeting the needs of young users under 40.

2. The newly signed Decree No. 19 permits joint-stock companies to operate as crypto banks within Belarus’ High-Tech Park, under the supervision of the National Bank and the High-Tech Park Board, handling cryptocurrency and traditional payment services. Belarus legalized cryptocurrencies in 2017, exempting mining and trading from taxes, and developed the High-Tech Park into a leading IT hub in Eastern Europe. Officials expect the first crypto bank to be established within six months, possibly offering crypto-backed loans or digital asset-only bank cards. Belarus aims to attract tech investments despite sanctions.

3. Solana stablecoin daily inflow hit a record of $800 million. This surge highlights strong market demand for Solana’s fast, low-cost architecture, with USDC accounting for over 65% of supply. Visa’s USDC settlement feature enables real-time bank transactions, further boosting trading growth. On January 15, Solana spot ETF saw a net inflow of $8.94 million, the first positive in weeks. Currently, Solana’s network price remains stable around $143, with traders closely watching its $170 target. The actual asset lock-up on Solana has reached $1.15 billion, up 25% quarterly. The market has both bullish traders and relaxed discussions about the project’s “sunset.”

News Highlights

1. Arthur Hayes received 132,730 ETHFI from Anchorage Digital.

2. U.S. stock markets closed for a holiday on January 19.

3. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen: There are currently four Fed Chair candidates, and the Senate is satisfied.

4. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen: It’s unlikely the Supreme Court will overturn Trump’s tariffs.

5. CZ responds to high withdrawal fees for Binance fiat: Increased usage will drive rates down, possibly related to banking side.

6. Michael Saylor again posts Bitcoin Tracker updates; this week may reveal increased holdings.

7. Trump Token team deposited 381,000 TRUMP into Binance, worth $2 million.

8. FTX creditor representative: Next batch of payouts underway; some users report significantly higher KYC requirements.

9. Data: Tokens like ZRO, RIVER, PLUME will undergo large unlocks next week, with ZRO unlock worth about $44.5 million.

Market Trends

1. Latest Bitcoin news: $BTC opened sharply lower this week, currently around $92,810, with $226 million liquidated in the past 24 hours, mostly long positions.

2. Due to high global geopolitical uncertainty, investors are cautious after indices hit new highs, with no active buying. U.S. stocks mostly closed lower on January 16. Dow Jones Industrial fell 83.11 points, or 0.17%, to 49,359.33. S&P 500 declined 4.46 points, or 0.06%, to 6,940.01. Nasdaq dropped 14.63 points, or 0.06%, to 23,515.39. Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 90.108 points, or 1.15%, to 7,927.406.

(Source: Gate)

3. According to Gate BTC/USDT liquidation map, with current price at 92,729.70 USDT, if it drops near $91,604, total long liquidation exceeds $80.3 million; if it rises near $96,090, total short liquidation exceeds $668 million. Short positions are significantly more liquidated than longs. It’s advised to control leverage reasonably to avoid large-scale liquidations during market swings.

(Source: Coinglass)

4. In the past 24 hours, BTC spot inflow was $748 million, outflow $856 million, net outflow $108 million.

(Source: Coinglass)

5. In the past 24 hours, net trading outflows led by contracts of $RIVER, $DUSK, $FRAX, $PAXG, $FHE , indicating trading opportunities.

Selected Opinions from KOLs

Phyrex Ni (@Phyrex_Ni): “Sunday’s market performance was okay, calm and steady, but tensions are rising in the US over Greenland tariffs. On Saturday, Trump said he would impose tariffs on countries related to Greenland issues, and on Sunday, those countries threatened retaliatory sanctions. If both sides actually implement these measures, US inflation is likely to rise, and the unlucky ones will be investors who believe a bull market is coming.”

“Trump can’t go a week without doing something; his overall IEEPA tariffs are already on hold, but since the Supreme Court hasn’t ruled yet, he’s still using IEEPA to impose tariffs. Once the court rules illegal, Trump will have a reasonable excuse to back off. For the midterm elections, Trump is all in.”

“Looking at Bitcoin data, despite tariff tensions on Sunday, BTC’s price volatility was limited, indicating that pure users are not sensitive to these events. But once institutions start working on Monday, whether they maintain this attitude remains to be seen. Futures markets may give some clues: the morning futures reflect Asian investors’ and institutions’ views, and by evening, it’s Europe and the US. Weekend turnover was extremely low—something I haven’t seen in years. Let’s see what Monday brings.”

Today’s Preview

1. China Q4 GDP (quarterly), previous 1.1%

2. China Q4 GDP (annual), previous 4.8%

3. China 2025 GDP (annual), previous 5%

4. China December retail sales (annual), previous 1.3%

5. China December industrial added value (annual), previous 4.80%

6. Eurozone December CPI final (month-over-month), previous 0.2%

7. Eurozone December CPI final (annual), previous 2.0%

8. Canada December CPI (annual), previous 2.2%

9. Canada December core CPI (annual), previous 2.8%

10. China State Council holds press conference on economic operation.

11. U.S. President Trump attends the Davos World Economic Forum annual meeting.

12. World Economic Forum 2026 annual meeting from January 19 to 23, themed “The Spirit of Dialogue.”

13. U.S. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, markets closed.