2026 Cryptocurrency Current Assets and Market Changes Driven by Rapid Liquidity Growth

In early January, the cryptocurrency market experienced a rapid expansion of demand deposit assets driven by large-scale capital inflows from institutional investors. By analyzing blockchain data and market trends, we will explore the changes in liquidity and the new asset flow patterns.

Physical ETF Demand Deposits Surpass 2 Trillion Dollars

The cumulative trading volume of US physical cryptocurrency ETFs recently exceeded 2 trillion dollars. According to The Block’s analysis, this milestone was achieved in about half the time it took to reach 1 trillion dollars, demonstrating how quickly market liquidity is expanding.

Currently, net inflows continue into Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs, with BlackRock’s IBIT holding approximately 70% market share. Notably, a large influx of demand deposit-like liquid assets is altering the market structure. Assets such as XRP, SOL, and others are being included in spot ETFs, leading to diversification.

Monitoring Institutional Asset Inflows and Market Sentiment

Despite a price rebound, market sentiment remains cautious. According to Cointelegraph analysis, Bitcoin recently hit $90,000, but derivative exchange position data shows investors are still maintaining a defensive stance.

Since mid-December, Bitcoin spot ETFs have recorded net outflows exceeding $900 million, and the presence of put option premiums indicates that professional traders are increasing hedging against downside risks. This imbalance in demand deposit flows is seen as a warning sign of potential future market volatility.

2026 IPO Wave Reshaping Cryptocurrency Asset Scale

Major companies such as SpaceX, OpenAI, and Antropic are planning to go public in 2026, which is expected to further boost market liquidity. The anticipated fundraising scale could reach hundreds of billions of dollars.

At the same time, M&A and IPO activities in the cryptocurrency sector are projected to increase significantly compared to 2025. According to The Block’s data, M&A transactions in the crypto field totaled $8.6 billion across 265 deals, and IPOs reached $14.6 billion, substantially surpassing 2024 levels. With regulatory clarity and increased institutional investment, this trend is expected to continue into 2026.

Changes in Staking, Leverage, and Asset Management Strategies

Institutional staking strategies are also expanding. Bitmain has recently added over 49,000 ETH to its staking, bringing the total staked ETH to over 590,000. This exemplifies active management of demand deposit assets worth approximately $1.85 billion.

In the retail sector, some investors are employing low-cost averaging strategies to recover losses. CEO Lee Ri-hwa was reported to have successfully managed demand deposit assets by lowering the average purchase price through additional buys during market dips. She accumulated 626,574 ETH at an average purchase price of around $3,105, offsetting a significant portion of unrealized losses of $110 million.

A whale investor with a 100% success rate in PEPE trading is a different case. Holding a total of 13,100 PEPE tokens, this investor’s current loss has decreased to $14.24 million, but a 281% increase is still needed to break even.

Digital Yuan Demand Deposit Interest Policy and New Asset Flows

The digital yuan in China has topped Baidu’s trending searches. Since January 1, interest payments began on demand deposit(demand deposits) in digital yuan wallets, marking a fundamental difference from third-party payment services like WeChat Pay and Alipay.

Digital yuan, issued by the central bank, is actual currency that can earn interest when held as demand deposits. In contrast, WeChat Pay and Alipay are private wallet services without demand deposit interest benefits. This policy change is redefining how digital currency demand deposits are managed.

Reducing Phishing Losses and Reassessing Market Risks

According to Scam Sniffer, a Web3 security platform, phishing-related losses in 2025 totaled $83.85 million, an 83% decrease from $494 million in 2024. This improvement results from increased security awareness and advances in scam detection technology.

However, complete risk elimination has not been achieved. Attackers are shifting to low-risk, high-frequency strategies, and losses are closely linked to market activity. During Ethereum’s bullish phase in Q3 2025, phishing losses reached $31 million, accounting for 29% of the annual total. As market activity increases, the proportion of victims also tends to rise.

Weekly Macroeconomic Outlook: The Future of Demand Deposit Liquidity

At the start of the new year, global affairs remain uncertain. The release of US economic indicators, especially the December non-farm payroll report, is expected to be a key factor influencing market volatility. This will be the first normal monthly report since the record-breaking government shutdown last year.

Key economic indicators this week include ADP employment change, weekly initial jobless claims, trade balance, New York Fed inflation expectations, and the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index. Speeches by senior Federal Reserve officials are also scheduled, which could provide hints about future interest rate policies.

As macroeconomic uncertainty increases, liquidity flows in cryptocurrency demand deposits are expected to become more volatile. Changes in institutional asset allocation strategies will likely significantly influence market structure, with demand deposit scale fluctuations serving as important indicators of future market direction.

Institutional Asset Managers Increasing Ethereum Demand Deposits

Quantum Solutions, a Japanese listed Ethereum asset manager invested in by Ark Invest’s Cathie Wood, has added 187.53 ETH, bringing its total holdings to 5,418.32 ETH. With an average purchase price of $3,943 and a total investment of $20.58 million, this transaction demonstrates active management of Ethereum in demand deposit form by institutional investors. Quantum Solutions ranks 15th among listed Ethereum asset managers and also holds an additional 11.6 BTC.