January: When the U.S. prison system and blockchain market were shaken simultaneously — from Level 5 releases to cryptocurrency events

In mid to late January, significant developments occurred on both sides of the U.S. prison system and the blockchain market. While Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research, was scheduled for release from Level 5 prison, several high-profile projects in the cryptocurrency industry reached important milestones. This overview clarifies the background of these events and their overall market impact.

Release from U.S. Prison: Turning Point for FTX-Related Figures

According to official records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Caroline Ellison, former co-CEO of Alameda Research, is scheduled to be released from a Level 5 (maximum security) federal prison on January 21. Ellison had previously transitioned from a prison in Connecticut to community confinement, indicating her sentence completion.

In December 2024, the U.S. SEC announced a significant litigation notice. It states that while FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is serving time for fraud, Alameda Research executives, including Ellison, reached settlement agreements with authorities. The settlement was signed by former FTX trading CTO Zixiao Wang and former co-engineering head Nishad Singh, pending final court approval.

This series of events marks a crucial turning point in the legal proceedings that have been ongoing since the collapse of FTX in 2022.

Booming Crypto Market: Simultaneous Launches of Major Projects

Chain Listings and Sales of SENT, ETHGas, and ACU

Between January 19 and 20, multiple token events took place within the Binance ecosystem. On January 19, Binance Wallet launched a pre-TGE Prime Sale for Sentient (SENT) from 12:00 to 14:00 UTC. Qualified users could participate using Binance Alpha Points. SENT’s current market price is $0.02, with a 24-hour trading volume of $3.95 million.

On the same day, infrastructure protocol ETHGas announced a new governance token, $GWEI. GWEI aims to usher Ethereum into an era of real-time execution, predictable costs, and large-scale gas-free transactions. Holders can participate in governance votes and protocol proposals. The total supply is 10 billion, with a snapshot taken at 00:00 UTC on January 19. GWEI is currently valued at $0.03, up 5.87% in the past 24 hours.

On January 20, Binance Alpha listed Acurast (ACU) for the first time. Qualified users can receive airdrops using Alpha Points after trading begins. ACU’s current price is $0.12, with a 24-hour trading volume of $628.41K.

MANTRA Token Split: Adjustments in RWA Sector

MANTRA, a layer 1 blockchain focused on real-world assets (RWA), executed a token split from OM tokens to MANTRA tokens at a 1:4 ratio on January 19. This adjustment was implemented at block 11,888,888, and OM holders on the chain received the new tokens automatically without any action. The current price of MANTRA is $0.06, with a 24-hour change of -0.80%.

Solana Mobile Airdrop: Distributing 2 Billion SKR Tokens

On January 21, Solana Mobile officially began distributing SKR tokens via airdrop. Approximately 2 billion SKR were distributed to the community, with about 1.82 billion allocated to 100,908 users and approximately 141 million to 188 developers.

Distribution started at 02:00 UTC on January 21. Participants meeting the criteria could verify their allocation and level beforehand, and should prepare a small amount of SOL for on-chain transaction fees. After claiming, SKR can be staked for rewards. Solana Mobile also confirmed the start of Season 2, with ongoing ecosystem incentive programs. SKR is currently valued at $0.02, down 6.14% in the past 24 hours.

Policy and Market Trends: Progress in U.S. Regulatory Framework

U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee’s Crypto Market Structure Bill

On January 21, the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee released the text of its proposed Crypto Market Structure Bill and held a hearing. Chairman John Bozeman stated that the bill aims to support U.S. innovation while protecting consumers and bringing clarity and certainty to the market.

Notably, during the same period, the Senate Banking Committee held a separate hearing on its version of the Crypto Market Structure Bill. The Agriculture Committee’s version includes key issues such as ethical provisions and the composition of regulatory agencies, indicating ongoing progress toward establishing a regulatory framework for digital assets.

Other Key Events

Zama scheduled a token auction from January 21 to 24, but the dates were changed. The auction runs from January 21 to 24, with token application opening on February 2. Zama is currently trading at $0.02, up 10.25% in 24 hours.

Immunefi, a platform for crypto vulnerability bounties, announced that its native token IMU will be officially listed on January 22. IMU is currently near $0.00, with a 3.71% decline over 24 hours.

Meteora announced that the MET airdrop claim deadline is January 23. Unclaimed tokens will be added to the community treasury for future rewards. MET is now valued at $0.22, down 1.33% in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Binance notified the automatic liquidation and delisting of BID, DMC, ZRC, and TANSSI U-based perpetual contracts at 17:00 on January 21.

Market Impact and Investor Insights

The concentrated events of this period reflect the multi-layered maturation of the crypto market. On the regulatory front, U.S. oversight is rapidly advancing, while technological developments include simultaneous launches across sectors such as layer 1 blockchains, infrastructure protocols, and mobile ecosystems. The upcoming release of Caroline Ellison from prison signals a milestone in the aftermath of the FTX incident and may serve as a signal of renewed market confidence.

Considering token distributions and regulatory discussions in the U.S., late January 2026 is likely to be remembered as a turning point in the crypto market.