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Nasdaq and the CME Group have stepped up a joint effort to give big investors a single, regulated way to measure crypto markets. According to Nasdaq, the firms have reintroduced the Nasdaq Crypto Index as the Nasdaq-CME Crypto Index (NCI), a benchmark built to support products like ETFs and structured funds. The announcement was made early this month and is presented as a move to bring clearer rules and governance to index-based crypto exposure.

Nasdaq And CME Combine Index Expertise

Reports have disclosed the NCI will be calculated by CF Benchmarks and overseen by joint committees that include representatives from both exchanges. That arrangement is intended to mirror traditional index practices used in equities and derivatives, with regular reconstitution and transparent methodology. CF Benchmarks has already handled Nasdaq Crypto Index reconstitutions, including the reconstitution on December 1, 2025, which is part of the index family’s work ahead of the rebrand.

What The Exchanges Say

CME’s public materials describe the move as part of an expanded collaboration that links Nasdaq’s indexing work with CME’s regulated trading platform. The CME website also highlights plans for more product and contract activity tied to crypto, and it points to the ability to support markets that operate around the clock. Based on those reports, the aim is to give institutional managers a benchmark they can use when building regulated products.

Index For Diversified Crypto Exposure

According to news releases and market reporting, the Nasdaq-CME Index is not limited to a single token. The index tracks a basket of major coins so that a product tied to it would offer diversified exposure rather than a single-asset bet. Market outlets picked up the story quickly; several trading and financial news sites published pieces within days of the announcement, noting the index name change and the partners’ shared governance approach.

Operational And Timing Details

Nasdaq has also updated its market data listings to reflect name changes tied to the index family, with some effective dates scheduled later in January 2026. That timing suggests the firms plan a phased rollout: first the naming and governance alignment, then data and product support for issuers and market makers. The reconstitution timetable from CF Benchmarks shows the operational work has already been underway since December 2025.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

The Bitcoin Spot ETFs have experienced a turbulent start to 2026 after early inflows were wiped out by four consecutive days of withdrawals. Amid Bitcoin’s recent failure to sustain its market recovery above $94,000, institutional investors are seeking more stability, especially considering the falling chances of a possible interest rate cut.

Bitcoin Spot ETFs See Market Weakness Extend Into 2026 

According to data from the ETF tracker site, SoSoValue, the Bitcoin ETFs registered $681 million in net outflows in the first full trading week of 2026. Notably, these investment funds had commenced the year on a positive note, notching $697.2 million in net deposits on January 5 after an initial $471.1 million inflow on January 2.

However, a combined net outflow of $1.378 billion between January 6-9 soon cleared out all positive momentum driven by the earlier inflows.  In analyzing individual ETF performance, Fidelity’s FBTC experienced the largest net redemptions valued at $481.32 million. Following closely was Grayscale’s GBTC, which recorded a net outflow of $171.79 million. 

Meanwhile, Ark/21Shares’ ARKB also had a sizable contribution to the overall weekly negative performance as its withdrawals exceeded deposits by $45.34 million. Other Bitcoin Spot ETFs with red performances include Grayscale’s BTC, Bitwise’s BITB, and VanEck’s HODL, with net outflows varying between $3 million and $22 million. 

On the other side of the spectrum, BlackRock’s IBIT recorded the largest net inflow of the week, valued at $25.86 million. The BlackRock flagship crypto ETF continues to dominate with a remarkable cumulative net inflow of $62.41 billion, as its total net assets climb to $69.88 billion. 

Other ETFs with a positive performance include Invesco’s BTCO, Franklin Templeton’s EZBC, Valkyrie’s BRRR, and WisdomTree’s BTCW, which also attracted net investments between $1 million and $15 million. Meanwhile, Hashdex’s DEFI stood alone as the only ETF with a zero netflow. At the time of writing, the Bitcoin Spot ETFs boast a cumulative total net inflow of $56.40 billion. Meanwhile, their total net assets are valued at $116.86 billion and represents 6.48% of the Bitcoin market cap.

Ethereum ETFs Mirror Bitcoin Counterparts

Interestingly, the Ethereum Spot ETFs produced a similar weekly performance. Initial net deposits of $282.87 million between January 5 and January 6 were followed by three consecutive days of heavy withdrawals, resulting in a net outflow of $68.57 million. The Ethereum ETFs now hold $18.70 billion in total net assets, representing 5.04% ofthe  Ethereum market cap. 

At the time of writing, Bitcoin exchanges hands at $90,422 as price movement over the last week resulted in a minor 0.17% decline. Meanwhile, Ethereum is valued at $3,088 while its daily trading volume crashes by 63.46%. 

Featured image from Forbes, chart from Tradingview

A new wave of political ads is pushing a sharp message into living rooms and phone banks: tell your senator to back crypto legislation only if decentralized finance, or DeFi, is left out.

According to broadcast logs and industry reports, the spots have been running on Fox News and include a call line for viewers to contact senators directly. The group behind the campaign identifies itself as “Investors For Transparency.”

Ad Campaign Targets Lawmakers With Hotlines And Numbers

According to reports, the ads warn of broad risks if DeFi is folded into federal law. They cite a figure — $6.6 trillion — that has been used in public discussion about how much in bank deposits might be affected if stablecoins gain wide acceptance with interest-like features.

The ads urge people to call Senate offices and push senators to strip DeFi provisions from the CLARITY Act ahead of a scheduled markup on January 15, 2026. Phone numbers and a web address are shown in the ads, encouraging immediate contact.

A new advocacy group, ‘Investors For Transparency,’ is running prime-time ads on @FoxNews, urging viewers to oppose DeFi provisions in the upcoming crypto market structure bill just a week before senators are due to cast votes on it in relevant committees next week. The treatment… pic.twitter.com/jsZ3GcDuVX

— Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) January 10, 2026

Senate Timetable And Political Pressure

Based on reports, the CLARITY Act is set for consideration by the Senate Banking Committee, and committee members are getting calls from both sides. Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott has said he expects the committee to move on crypto legislation, and senators are weighing how to balance investor protections with innovation.

Outside groups and industry players have ramped up outreach. Some hope the bill moves quickly, while others see the political heat as likely to slow progress.

Crypto: Industry Response And Questions About Funding

Crypto firms and DeFi supporters have pushed back. Hayden Adams, CEO of Uniswap Labs, publicly criticized the group’s name as misleading and questioned who is funding the ads.

Based on public filings and media reporting, no clear single donor has been identified that explains the scale of the TV buy. Industry leaders say that a campaign attacking DeFi while claiming to speak for investors should disclose its backers.

The ads’ emphasis on bank-deposit risk has been called overstated by some market watchers, who argue that the figures are speculative and depend on many assumptions.

What The Campaign Wants And What It Means

Reports say that the ads want senators to approve a version of the CLARITY Act without language covering decentralized finance platforms or new stablecoin rules that could allow interest-like yields.

Supporters of that view say the rules would protect the traditional banking system from a sudden outflow of deposits. Opponents say excluding DeFi would lock in regulatory uncertainty and hurt US competitiveness in an area where developers and users already operate globally.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView