What to Watch This Week in Crypto

The final week of January is shaping up to be one of the most consequential periods of the year for crypto markets. A rare convergence of U.S. regulatory developments, large-scale token unlocks, airdrop deadlines, and high-impact macroeconomic data is likely to drive volatility across both majors and altcoins.

Below is a structured breakdown of the key events to monitor and why they matter.

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Regulatory & Institutional Catalysts

U.S. Crypto Regulation Takes Center Stage

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act) is scheduled for a pivotal Senate committee markup this week. If advanced, the bill would formally define jurisdictional boundaries between the SEC and CFTC, a long-standing issue that has constrained institutional participation.

A favorable outcome would be structurally bullish for the sector, particularly for exchanges, custodians, and banking partners seeking regulatory certainty in the U.S.

In parallel, the SEC and CFTC will host a joint public event focused on regulatory collaboration. While largely symbolic, any alignment in messaging could meaningfully influence institutional sentiment.

VanEck Avalanche ETF Launch

VanEck’s Avalanche spot ETF (ticker: VAVX) is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq this week. Although volumes may initially be modest, the launch reinforces the broader trend of altcoin exposure entering traditional capital markets.

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Major Token Unlocks: Supply Shock Risk

Several large token unlocks are scheduled, introducing short-term supply pressure that traders should factor into positioning:

• Bitget Token (BGB) – January 26
  ~140 million tokens unlocked, representing approximately 10.5% of circulating supply. This is the most significant unlock of the week and a clear volatility risk.
• Optimism (OP) – January 27
  ~24 million tokens unlocked. Historically, OP unlocks have coincided with short-term price weakness.
• Arbitrum (ARB) – January 28
  ~93 million tokens unlocked. Given ARB’s liquidity profile, market absorption will be closely watched.
• Aptos (APT) – January 30
  ~11 million tokens unlocked, smaller in relative terms but still relevant amid broader risk-off conditions.

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Airdrop Deadlines & Ecosystem Events

Airdrop-related activity remains a meaningful driver of on-chain behavior:

• Rainbow Wallet ($RNBW) – January 26
  A key snapshot for Ethereum users ahead of its February token generation event (TGE).
• Jupiter (JUP) “Jupuary” – January 30
  The final distribution of 200 million JUP tokens, following snapshots for active swappers and stakers. This marks the conclusion of one of the largest Solana-based airdrops to date.
• SillyPong – January 28
  USDT-based airdrop campaign officially ends.

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Macro & Technical Events to Watch

FOMC Interest Rate Decision – January 28

The Federal Open Market Committee will announce its rate decision at 14:00 ET, followed by a press conference with Jerome Powell.

While rates are expected to remain unchanged, forward guidance and tone will be critical for risk assets, including crypto. Volatility around the announcement is likely.

U.S. PCE Inflation Data – January 30

The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, will be released at 08:30 ET. Any downside surprise could support risk-on momentum into early February.

Ethereum & Infrastructure Updates

• Ethereum Core Developer Meeting – January 29
  Focused on upcoming network upgrades and execution-layer priorities.
• Tellor (TRB) Mainnet Upgrade – January 29
  Version 6.1.1 deployment aimed at improving oracle data validation and security.

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Market Context

The Alerian Galaxy Global Cryptocurrency Index closed the week modestly higher, reflecting consolidation rather than trend confirmation. With Bitcoin and Ethereum already showing sensitivity to macro headlines, next week’s dense calendar increases the probability of sharp, event-driven moves.

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Bottom Line

The week of January 26 to February 1 combines regulatory inflection points, macro risk, and substantial token supply events—a mix that historically leads to heightened volatility. Traders and investors should remain selective, closely monitor liquidity conditions, and be prepared for rapid sentiment shifts across both majors and altcoins.

This is a week where catalysts, not narratives, are likely to dominate price action.