January 2025 was a month of remarkable events in the crypto world, ranging from regulatory changes to celebrity endorsements and market rallies. The following is an overview of the most significant events of the first month of the year.January 2 - Tether and Bitfinex Leadership ChangeTether and Bitfinex General Counsel Stuart Hoegner resigned, and Michael Hilliard took over the legal helm. Hilliard takes the reins just as the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation came into full effect on Dec 30, which tightens reserve and liquidity demands on stablecoin issuers. The change of guard occurs at a critical moment for the stablecoin market amid rising regulatory pressures.January 5 - Ripple{:target="_blank" rel="dofollow"} U.S. Expansion Fueled by Political OptimismRipple CEO Brad Garlinghouse tweeted that 75% of Ripple's available job openings are now based in the United States, attributing optimism for Donald Trump's new administration as the driver. Trump, a vocal crypto supporter, has promised to create a national stockpile of Bitcoin and turn the United States into the crypto hub of the planet.January 9 - Dormant Wallet Moves 500 BTC{:target="_blank" rel="dofollow"}The wallet, which was inactive for six years, moved 500 BTC valued at $46.87 million to Coinbase Prime. The owner had purchased the Bitcoin at $7,000 per coin, representing an enormous appreciation in value and stoking speculation that long-term holders were profit-selling.January 13 - Solana{:target="_blank" rel="dofollow"} Beats Ethereum{:target="_blank" rel="dofollow"} in Transaction FeesNansen on-chain analytics indicated that Solana had accrued about $32.238 million in transaction fees over the previous week, ahead of Ethereum's $25.543 million. Solana network activity has risen exponentially with 34.086 million active addresses and nearly 719 million transactions. The milestone signals Solana's increasing success in blockchain efficiency.January 16 - XRP Spikes Over $3 for the First Time in 7 YearsXRP, the payments-focused cryptocurrency, saw a phenomenal run-up over $3, a level it had last touched seven years ago. The move came on the back of expectations of a Trump-lead crypto-friendly SEC. 2,365 XRP transactions over $100,000 came in the following eight hours, with a substantial amount of new XRP investors.January 18 - Donald Trump and Melania Trump Release CryptocurrenciesPresident-elect Donald Trump released his own cryptocurrency on January 18, sparking a buying spree that sent its market capitalization into the billions. Two days later, former First Lady Melania Trump released her own cryptocurrency, further increasing demand for political-backed digital currencies.January 21 - Bank of America Suggests Crypto AdoptionBank of America CEO Brian Moynihan stated that the U.S. banking system is ready to accept cryptocurrency payments, subject to regulatory guidance and oversight. The development indicates a step towards mainstream financial institutions adopting digital assets via traditional banking channels.January 24 - TRON{:target="_blank" rel="dofollow"} Moves Towards Zero-Cost Stablecoin TransactionsTRON revealed a proposal to drastically reduce transaction fees, with the long-term goal of making stablecoin transactions free. The initiative is designed to open up the TRON ecosystem further and offer an improved user experience, making it a more feasible platform for users of stablecoins.January 28 - Aethir and Maitrix Partner on AUSD StablecoinAethir and Maitrix partnered to launch AUSD, an algorithmic stablecoin pegged to the value of the U.S. dollar. AUSD is aimed at stabilizing the decentralized GPU economy and will offer users a stable and low-cost payment option.