Smart contracts are self-executing programs stored on a blockchain that automatically run when predefined conditions are met. They remove the need for intermediaries by enforcing rules and agreements directly through code. Once deployed, smart contracts operate transparently and cannot be easily altered. They are widely used in DeFi platforms, NFT marketplaces, and decentralized applications. By enabling trustless automation, smart contracts significantly expand what blockchains can do beyond simple transactions.
Telegram has launched Mira, a blockchain-based AI assistant integrated into chats, as the platform expands into AI services alongside crypto payments and commerce infrastructure.
Worldcoin advanced sharply after reports that OpenAI is exploring a biometric-based social network aimed at limiting automated accounts, renewing investor interest in the token’s ecosystem.
Ethereum is set to activate ERC-8004 on mainnet, introducing a standardized framework that allows AI agents to operate as economic actors across decentralized networks.
Animoca Brands Japan has partnered with RootstockLabs to introduce Bitcoin-native DeFi tools to Japanese corporations, focusing on regulated treasury management use cases.
UBS is reportedly considering allowing its wealthiest clients to trade Bitcoin and Ether, signaling a potential expansion of crypto offerings in private banking.
Superstate raised $82.5 million in a Series B round to expand its onchain platform for issuing and trading SEC-registered equities, signaling growing institutional confidence in blockchain-based capital markets.
Ripple’s dollar-backed stablecoin RLUSD will begin trading on Binance with Ethereum support on January 22, while XRP Ledger integration is expected in the near term.
Trump Media named February 2, 2026, as the record date for shareholders eligible to receive digital tokens tied to its latest blockchain initiative, developed with Crypto.com.
Memecoin launchpad Pump.fun is expanding beyond token launches with the creation of Pump Fund, an investment arm that will back up to 12 early-stage projects through a $3 million hackathon.
A database migration error on Paradex’s perps exchange caused Bitcoin to show $0, prompting a liquidation cascade and requiring a chain rollback to restore normal operations.