The crypto world kicks off 2026 with intriguing developments across regulation, innovation, and market sentiment. A Muslim trader's call for halal perpetual exchanges has ignited debate about faith-based DeFi, highlighting the untapped $3 trillion Islamic finance market. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's capital market chief revealed plans to license Bitcoin—but only as a store of value, not for payments—potentially opening the kingdom's massive sovereign wealth to crypto. On the sentiment front, social chatter turned surprisingly positive despite fear indicators, with analysts warning that sustained gains depend on retail traders staying level-headed. Here's what you need to know.

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