Bitcoin and global markets surge after Trump's shift on tariffs to Greenland

Source: CritpoTendencia Original Title: Bitcoin and global markets surge after Trump’s shift on Greenland tariffs Original Link: https://criptotendencia.com/2026/01/22/bitcoin-y-mercados-globales-se-disparan-tras-el-giro-de-trump-sobre-aranceles-a-groenlandia-2/ Global financial markets, including the crypto ecosystem, experienced a strong rebound after U.S. President Donald Trump ruled out moving forward with tariffs related to Greenland. The message eased fears of an escalating trade conflict that had pressured risk assets during the day.

Bitcoin approached $90,000 again after briefly falling below $89,000, while Ethereum recovered the $3,000 level after a brief retreat. Meanwhile, U.S. stocks stabilized and the S&P 500 closed higher, while gold moderated the gains it had accumulated as a safe haven amid geopolitical uncertainty.

The market tone shift occurred after Trump announced a framework agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, reducing the likelihood of immediate trade measures against European allies. Hours earlier, investors had reacted cautiously to harsher statements on tariffs made at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Allaire defends stablecoin interests and denies banking risks

Jeremy Allaire, CEO of Circle, stated at the World Economic Forum in Davos that the interest rates offered by stablecoins do not pose a threat to banks or monetary policy.

The executive called exaggerated the warnings about a potential massive deposit run and reminded that financial products with yields, such as money market funds, have coexisted for decades with the traditional banking system.

Allaire emphasized that these incentives help attract and retain users without reaching levels capable of destabilizing traditional credit. Additionally, he noted that economic growth in the United States has long relied more on capital markets than on bank loans, a context in which Circle aims to develop new funding models based on stablecoins.

The CEO also highlighted the key role these digital currencies could play in the future of artificial intelligence, stating that AI agents will need native payment systems and that, for now, stablecoins are the most viable option. This view was shared at Davos by figures from the crypto ecosystem such as Changpeng Zhao and Michael Novogratz.

Academic doubts about NYSE blockchain for asset tokenization

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)’s announcement about creating a blockchain for real-world asset tokenization generated skepticism in academic circles. Omid Malekan, a professor at Columbia Business School, warned that the project lacks key details and could conflict with fundamental principles of the crypto ecosystem.

In a recent post, Malekan called the initiative “vaporware,” noting that it has not clarified which chain it will develop on, whether tokens will be permissioned or open, or how tokenomics and fee schemes will work. In his view, this lack of precision makes it difficult to assess the actual feasibility of the plan.

While NYSE and its parent company, Intercontinental Exchange, claim that the platform would enable continuous trading and near-instant settlement via a post-trade blockchain system, Malekan considers that the model still relies on a “highly centralized and oligopolistic architecture.”

According to the academic, neither technology nor cryptography alone are enough to transform that structure without profound changes in market relationships.

South Korea investigates disappearance of seized BTC under state custody

The Gwangju District Prosecutor’s Office in South Korea is investigating the disappearance of a significant amount of BTC that had been seized in a criminal case. According to local media, an internal audit detected that the digital assets may have been lost while under state custody, possibly due to a phishing attack that occurred in mid-2025.

Authorities have not disclosed the exact volume or value of the missing BTC, arguing that the investigation is ongoing. However, the same prosecutor’s office had attempted to confiscate over 24,600 BTC in 2024 linked to an illegal gambling network, providing context on the potential scale of the incident.

The agency has a track record of large crypto asset seizures. In March 2024, it managed to recover digital assets valued at approximately $170 billion won, related to illegal betting activities.

The case once again highlights the legal framework for confiscating crypto assets in South Korea, in place since 2018, when the Supreme Court recognized cryptocurrencies as intangible assets with patrimonial value.

Since then, the judiciary has expanded its scope, allowing the seizure of BTC stored on centralized platforms, a legal basis that is now key to clarifying this disappearance.