Crypto Morning Report: US December ADP Data Falls Short of Expectations, Solana Mobile Announces Launch of SKR Token

marsbitPublished on 2026-01-08Last updated on 2026-01-08

Abstract

Crypto Morning Brief: US December ADP employment data came in below expectations at 41K jobs, missing the forecast of 47K. Key regulatory developments include the US Senate preparing to review a crypto market structure bill, with increased industry lobbying efforts. The People's Bank of China continued to increase its gold reserves for the 14th consecutive month. In project news, Solana Mobile announced the official launch of its SKR token on January 21. Other notable updates: edgeX is transitioning from a Perp DEX to EDGE Chain, opBNB reduced its block time via a hard fork, and Rumble partnered with Tether to launch a non-custodial crypto wallet. Brazilian former central bank director Tony Volpon introduced a high-yield stablecoin, BRD, pegged to the Brazilian Real. Polymarket entered an exclusive data partnership with Dow Jones Media, and the Babylon protocol secured $15M in funding led by a16z Crypto.

Author: Deep Tide TechFlow

Yesterday's Market Dynamics

US December ADP Employment Change: 41K, Expected 47K

US December ADP employment change was 41,000, expected 47,000, previous value -32,000.

US Senate to Review Crypto Market Structure Bill Soon, Industry Ramps Up Lobbying Efforts

According to Crypto in America, the Senate Banking Committee plans to mark up the crypto market structure bill for discussion on January 15th. Currently, 13 pro-crypto senators are working to reach bipartisan consensus on issues such as ethics rules for public officials holding crypto and stablecoin yields. Simultaneously, the Senate Agriculture Committee is also preparing for a markup discussion next week. The crypto industry is intensifying its lobbying efforts, with representatives from over 40 companies set to hold an event on Capitol Hill this Thursday to discuss unresolved issues with senators.

China's Central Bank Increases Gold Holdings for the 14th Consecutive Month

People's Bank of China: China's gold reserves at the end of December stood at 74.15 million ounces (approx. 2,306.323 tons), an increase of 30,000 ounces (approx. 0.93 tons) month-on-month, marking the 14th consecutive month of increase.

WLFI Subsidiary Applies to OCC for US National Trust Bank Charter

According to the Wall Street Journal, World Liberty Financial stated that its subsidiary, World Liberty Trust, submitted a de novo application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on January 7th, seeking a US national trust bank charter to enable the direct issuance and custody of its dollar stablecoin, USD1. The company claimed that if approved, the trust bank would gradually launch crypto asset custody and stablecoin exchange services, primarily serving institutional clients.

Solana Mobile: SKR Token to Officially Launch on January 21st

Solana Mobile's official X account announced that the SKR token will officially launch on January 21st (UTC time).

Previous news indicated the token has a total supply of 10 billion. The token allocation includes: 30% for airdrops, 25% for growth and partnerships, 10% for liquidity, 10% for community treasury, 15% for Solana Mobile, and 10% for Solana Labs. The inflation mechanism follows a linear model, starting at 10% in the first year, decreasing by 25% annually, and eventually stabilizing at 2%. It is primarily targeted at Seeker device users and active dApp users.

edgeX Announces Transition from Perp DEX to EDGE Chain, Launches Pre TGE Season Event

edgeX officially announced it is transitioning from a Perpetual Contract Decentralized Exchange (Perp DEX) to EDGE Chain and is currently moving from a closed beta to an open beta. To support this transition, edgeX launched the Pre TGE Season event today, which will reward platform users for natural usage behavior through XP incentive units.

According to the official message, XP will be distributed weekly until the TGE (Token Generation Event) is completed, expected by or before March 31, 2026.

CZ: opBNB Has Completed Mainnet Hard Fork, Block Time Reduced from 500ms to 250ms

Binance founder CZ posted on social media, "opBNB just completed the mainnet hard fork about an hour ago. Block time reduced from 500ms to 250ms."

Listed Company Rumble Partners with Tether to Launch Crypto Wallet

Rumble Inc. (Nasdaq: RUM) and crypto giant Tether jointly announced on January 7, 2026, the launch of Rumble Wallet, a non-custodial crypto wallet directly into the Rumble platform.

According to the official press release, the wallet supports Tether (USDT), Tether Gold (XAUt), and Bitcoin (BTC), allowing viewers to tip creators directly with cryptocurrency, eliminating intermediaries like ad networks, banks, or payment processors.

MoonPay will provide on/off-ramp services for Rumble Wallet users, supporting conversions between traditional payment methods like credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, and Venmo and cryptocurrencies.

Former Brazilian Central Bank Official Launches High-Yield Stablecoin BRD, Pegged to the Real

According to CoinDesk, former Brazilian Central Bank director Tony Volpon announced the launch of an innovative stablecoin, BRD, pegged to the Brazilian Real and backed by Brazilian government bonds. BRD will offer holders a high yield share of up to 15%, significantly above the Fed's benchmark rate of 3.5%-3.75%.

Volpon stated on CNN Brazil's "Cripto na Real" program that BRD aims to make it easier for foreign investors to access Brazil's high-yield environment, while potentially supporting demand for Brazilian government bonds by broadening the investor base, thus reducing government borrowing costs.

Polymarket Enters Exclusive Partnership with Dow Jones Media

Prediction market platform Polymarket has entered an exclusive partnership with Dow Jones Media to provide prediction market data to media outlets including Barron's and The Wall Street Journal.

Decentralized Protocol Babylon Raises $15 Million in Round Led by a16z Crypto

According to Fortune magazine, the decentralized protocol Babylon, co-founded by Stanford professor David Tse, has raised $15 million. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz's a16z Crypto, with the project's valuation undisclosed.

Market data shows BABY briefly surged over 15%, currently trading at $0.0209, with an FDV of approximately $200 million.

Market Dynamics

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Related Questions

QWhat was the actual number for the US December ADP employment data and how did it compare to expectations?

AThe actual US December ADP employment number was 41,000, which was below the expected 47,000.

QWhat significant announcement did Solana Mobile make regarding the SKR token?

ASolana Mobile announced that the SKR token will officially launch on January 21st (UTC time).

QWhich company, in partnership with Tether, announced the launch of a non-custodial crypto wallet integrated into its platform?

ARumble Inc. (Nasdaq: RUM), in partnership with Tether, announced the launch of the Rumble Wallet.

QWhat is the unique feature of the new Brazilian Real-pegged stablecoin BRD, as introduced by a former central bank official?

AThe BRD stablecoin is unique because it is backed by Brazilian government bonds and offers holders a high yield share of up to 15%.

QWhich venture capital firm led the $15 million funding round for the decentralized protocol Babylon?

AAndreessen Horowitz's a16z Crypto led the $15 million funding round for Babylon.

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