The stablecoin market cap saw a significant increase of $3.82 billion from January 12 to January 18, 2026, with Solana and Base leading the inflows. Decentralized exchange (DEX) activity showed mixed results, as spot trading volumes rose while perpetual contract volumes experienced a slight decline. Institutional investors were active, with five companies collectively increasing their Bitcoin holdings by 5,514 BTC, valued at approximately $512.6 million. Notable whale activity included the entity known as 1011short, which added 20,000 ETH worth $65.9 million to its portfolio. Additionally, Arthur Hayes made a notable return to the market by purchasing 19,227 HYPE tokens for $499,000 after a three-month hiatus.