What Happened in Crypto Over the Last 72 Hours

• Exchanges expanded listings with OKX launching $SPACE, Coinbase adding $DOOD and $BIRB to its roadmap pending market readiness.

• Protocol updates include Ethereum Foundation’s Post-Quantum team and EigenAI mainnet for verifiable AI outputs.

• Regulatory and institutional shifts were major as SEC ended Gemini Earn case, UBS offering crypto trading and Binance seeking MiCA license.

Crypto markets had several developments over the past 72 hours across trading, regulation, infrastructure and digital assets. The events involve exchanges, regulators, developers and institutions. Listings, lawsuits, protocol shifts and capital reallocations reshaped market focus.

Listings, Tokens and Market Activity Accelerate

Market activity intensified as exchanges expanded listings and roadmaps. OKX listed Spacecoin ($SPACE) on spot trading on January 23, with futures on OKX and Binance following. Coinbase added $DOOD and $BIRB to its roadmap, pending market-making conditions.

Meanwhile, meme activity surged as penguin-themed tokens gained traction on social media, with Chinese whale accumulation pushing market capitalization near $90 million. Clawd ($CLAWD), linked to the Clawdbot AI assistant, traded near a $5.7 million valuation.

Separately, an investigation by WazzCrypto revealed one entity controlled nearly half of $RIVER supply through 2,418 addresses, generating over $300 million in profit.

Protocol Shifts and Infrastructure Announcements

Developers and foundations announced notable protocol changes. The Ethereum Foundation formed a Post-Quantum security team led by Thomas Coratger, introducing devnets and cryptographic upgrades. EigenAI launched its mainnet, offering deterministic AI inference with verifiable outputs.

Farcaster developer Merkle Manufactory disclosed plans to return approximately $180 million to investors following a strategic pivot and app acquisition by Neynar. Additionally, ETHZilla sold $114.5 million in ETH to acquire jet engines, advancing its real-world asset tokenization initiative.

Regulation, Institutions, and Platform Closures

Regulatory and institutional updates also emerged. The SEC moved to dismiss its lawsuit against Gemini over the Earn lending program. Gemini confirmed its Nifty Gateway NFT marketplace will shut down on February 26, 2026. UBS announced plans to offer crypto trading for select clients, starting with Bitcoin and Ethereum. Binance applied for a MiCA license in Greece to expand its European footprint. Meanwhile, major exchanges outlined plans to offer tokenized U.S. stock trading globally.