Solana price is down by a lot. The Solana chart has closed with red candles for 3 months straight, leaving many traders in disbelief over how bad the price action has been. When you zoom out, something feels off.

With only 11 days left in 2025, SOL is still set to surpass ETH in annual revenue for the first time. This is mainly due to the strong start of the year. In recent months, however, these metrics have declined significantly.

Total Solana traders are down 87% from the January highs, falling from 4.8 million active wallets to just 624,000.

Solana Price Prediction: What To Do When You Like Solana

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong posted on X saying he likes Solana, a nice gesture for a project going through a hard time. Thanks, Brian.

It is not surprising, though. Coinbase made every Solana-based coin tradable on the platform about a week ago. That move alone shows where Solana stands when it comes to adoption.

Solana is currently bouncing just to survive. It has been trading in the $144 to $120 range for a good while now. A move below $120 would mean breaking an 18 month support level for Solana, which is something bulls do not want to see.

The bounce pushed RSI back to neutral levels around 47, but if momentum does not pick up, a dip toward $100 becomes very likely.

This setup remains valid as long as Solana does not break above $144 and regain the momentum it showed earlier this year.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) Might Be The Layer 2 Of Choice For 2026

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is starting to stand out as one of the few projects still building aggressively while the broader market struggles. Instead of competing with altcoins directly, Hyper is targeting Bitcoin’s biggest weakness: speed and usability.

Built as a Bitcoin Layer 2 powered by Solana-style performance, Bitcoin Hyper unlocks fast transactions, low fees, and full access to DeFi, staking, NFTs, and meme coins, all while staying anchored to Bitcoin’s security. Through the Hyper Bridge, users can move BTC onto the Hyper network and receive a 1:1 representation with near-instant finality.

This effectively turns idle Bitcoin into a productive asset, opening the door to yields, payments, and on-chain applications that were previously impossible on Bitcoin itself.

Early interest has been strong, with Bitcoin Hyper already raising over $29.6M from investors betting that Bitcoin-based DeFi will be one of the dominant narratives going into 2026. The project is also offering a 39% APY staking option for early participants, which has helped drive demand even during market weakness.

As capital rotates away from overextended altcoins and back toward Bitcoin-centric ecosystems, Bitcoin Hyper is positioning itself as a core infrastructure play rather than a short-term hype trade.

The post Solana Price Prediction: Can SOL Reverse The Massive 40% YoY Price Collapse? appeared first on Cryptonews.

The European Central Bank has confirmed that it will begin allowing blockchain-based transactions to settle in central bank money in 2026, as political attention increasingly shifts to the unresolved privacy questions surrounding the proposed digital euro.

In a statement released Friday, ECB executive board member Piero Cipollone said the institution is preparing to make distributed ledger technology settlements possible within its existing monetary infrastructure next year.

At the same time, he said the ECB is continuing technical work on the digital euro, a central bank digital currency that would function as a digital form of cash across the euro area.

The move marks a concrete step toward integrating blockchain-based systems into Europe’s financial plumbing.

ECB Readies Digital Euro System, Puts Decision in Lawmakers’ Hands

Under the plan, transactions executed on DLT platforms would be able to settle directly in central bank money rather than relying on private intermediaries.

The ECB has argued that this is necessary to prevent fragmentation in tokenized markets and to ensure that new digital asset ecosystems continue to rely on a risk-free public settlement asset.

Cipollone said the digital euro infrastructure would also be designed to interact with other central bank digital currencies, allowing institutions to use it for cross-border payments.

He added that safeguards such as holding limits and the absence of interest payments would be built in to prevent large-scale shifts of deposits away from commercial banks, preserving their role in credit creation and monetary transmission.

The ECB’s technical preparations are largely complete, following a two-year preparation phase that ended in October 2025.

The project has now moved into a readiness phase, with the central bank selecting potential system providers and testing settlement mechanisms.

However, officials have stressed that the ECB cannot proceed without a legal framework approved by EU lawmakers.

ECB President Christine Lagarde stated this week that the central bank’s design work is finished and that responsibility now lies with political institutions.

If the legislation is adopted in 2026, pilot transactions using the digital euro could begin in mid-2027, with the ECB aiming to be ready for a first issuance in 2029.

ECB Promises Privacy, but EU Rules Complicate the Digital Euro Vision

As the timeline becomes clearer, the debate over privacy has intensified.

The ECB has consistently said it does not support a programmable digital euro that would restrict how users can spend their money.

It has also proposed an offline payment option that would allow low-value transactions to take place without being recorded on a central ledger, offering privacy protections comparable to cash.

Offline balances would be stored locally on devices or smart cards, enabling device-to-device payments without third-party validation.

These assurances contrast with broader regulatory trends in the European Union.

Recent EU proposals on data retention and anti-money laundering have raised concerns among privacy advocates, particularly as new AML rules are set to ban crypto accounts that allow transaction anonymization from 2027.

Critics argue that these policies risk undermining the privacy guarantees promised for a digital euro, even if the ECB itself does not seek access to user data.

Political negotiations are now underway as the Council of the EU agreed on December 19 on its negotiating position for the digital euro’s legal framework, clearing the way for talks with the European Parliament, which is expected to finalize its stance by May 2026.

ECB officials have described discussions among member states as constructive but have acknowledged that privacy, data access, and democratic oversight remain contentious issues.

Public interest also remains uncertain. An ECB consumer survey published in March found that many Europeans see little need for a digital euro and prefer existing payment methods, including cash and bank accounts.

While the ECB has said adoption levels would not threaten financial stability, it has acknowledged that public trust and education will be critical.

The post ECB Confirms DLT Transactions Coming in 2026 as Digital Euro Privacy Debate Heats Up appeared first on Cryptonews.

U.S. crypto regulation entered a new phase this week marked by a convergence with leadership changes and a visible retreat from the enforcement-heavy posture that defined the previous regulatory cycle.

From President Donald Trump’s openness to reviewing a high-profile crypto conviction to sweeping changes at the SEC, CFTC and Federal Reserve, the direction of travel is becoming increasingly clear: Washington is recalibrating its approach to digital assets.

Trump Shows Openness to Reviewing Samourai Wallet Case

Earlier this week President Donald Trump indicated he is willing to review a potential pardon for Keonne Rodriguez, founder and CEO of privacy-focused Bitcoin wallet Samourai, who was sentenced last month to five years in federal prison on money laundering charges.

During an Oval Office session on Monday, Trump responded to a reporter’s question by acknowledging awareness of the case and instructing Attorney General Pam Bondi to examine it.

While no formal review has been announced the remarks alone are notable given the broader context of crypto-related enforcement pullbacks under the Trump administration.

The Samourai case has become a flashpoint in debates over financial privacy, open-source software liability, and the limits of money transmission laws when applied to non-custodial tools.

Trump’s comments suggest the White House may be open to reassessing cases viewed by parts of the crypto community as regulatory overreach.

Senate Confirms Mike Selig as CFTC Chair, Clearing Leadership Logjam

In a parallel shift, the U.S. Senate confirmed crypto-friendly lawyer Mike Selig as the next chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ending months of leadership uncertainty at the derivatives regulator. The confirmation passed 53–43 as part of a broader slate of federal nominees.

Selig is widely viewed as supportive of clearer market structure rules for digital assets and a more predictable regulatory framework. His arrival is expected to accelerate rulemaking around crypto derivatives and spot market oversight, particularly as jurisdictional debates between the CFTC and SEC remain unresolved.

This confirmation also clears the way for Acting Chair Caroline Pham to exit the agency and move into the private sector.

Caroline Pham to Join MoonPay as Revolving Door Turns

Caroline Pham who has served as Acting CFTC Chair confirmed she will depart the regulator to join crypto payments firm MoonPay once Selig is sworn in. Pham wrote on X she looked forward to a smooth transition calling the future “bright.”

Her move shows the increasingly porous boundary between crypto regulation and industry, a dynamic likely to intensify as enforcement pressure eases and policy clarity improves. While such transitions raise perennial questions about the revolving door, they also reflect growing institutional confidence in the sector’s long-term legitimacy.

SEC Enforcement Retreat Accelerates Under Trump

Perhaps the most striking development came from a report indicating the Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped, paused, or dismissed nearly 60% of its crypto-related enforcement cases since Trump returned to office.

According to The New York Times while enforcement continues across traditional markets, crypto cases have been disproportionately affected. The shift is a sharp departure from the aggressive posture taken between 2021 and 2024, when the SEC pursued dozens of actions against exchanges, DeFi protocols, and token issuers.

The trend was reinforced this week by reports that the SEC has formally dropped its four-year investigation into Aave following what sources described as a “significant” defense effort. Together, the developments point to a reassessment of litigation-heavy regulation in favor of clearer rules.

Fed Reverses Crypto Banking Restrictions, Custodia Back in Focus

The Federal Reserve also moved to unwind prior crypto restrictions, withdrawing its 2023 policy statement that effectively barred banks from engaging in crypto-related activities and blocked Custodia Bank’s master account application.

Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said the reversal aims to support responsible innovation while maintaining safety standards. The move comes as Custodia continues to challenge its exclusion from the Fed system, amid broader scrutiny of “debanking” practices that sidelined crypto firms between 2020 and 2023.

The policy shift reopens the door for regulated crypto banks to access core financial infrastructure — a important step for institutional adoption.

Congress Targets Scams as Enforcement Focus Shifts

Even as agencies pull back from broad enforcement, lawmakers are signaling that fraud remains a red line. Senators Elissa Slotkin and Jerry Moran introduced the bipartisan SAFE Crypto Act naimed at combating crypto-related scams after reported losses hit $9.3 billion.

The bill proposes a dedicated federal task force to improve coordination between regulators, law enforcement, and the private sector, reflecting a more targeted approach: protect consumers from fraud.

A Regulatory Reset Takes Shape

Taken together, this week’s developments suggest a decisive pivot in U.S. crypto policy. Enforcement-first strategies are giving way to pardons, leadership changes, institutional access, and narrower fraud-focused oversight.

For the industry, the message is mixed but unmistakable: the era of blanket hostility is fading, but scrutiny is not disappearing — it is being reshaped.

The post Weekly Regulation Roundup: Pardons, Pullbacks, and a Pro-Crypto Reset in Washington appeared first on Cryptonews.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed proposed final consent judgments today seeking officer-and-director bars against three former FTX executives who testified against Sam Bankman-Fried, with Caroline Ellison facing a decade-long prohibition, while Gary Wang and Nishad Singh would receive eight-year restrictions.

The filings in Manhattan federal court formalize settlement terms for executives who cooperated extensively with prosecutors during Bankman-Fried’s criminal trial but still face permanent securities law injunctions.

Ellison, Wang, and Singh agreed to permanent injunctions barring future violations of federal antifraud provisions, along with five-year conduct-based restrictions, according to SEC Litigation Release 26450.

The proposed judgments require court approval before taking effect.

Notably, the latest SEC enforcement action was conducted by Amy Burkart alongside investigators Devlin Su, Ivan Snyder, David Brown, Brian Huchro, and Pasha Salimi under the supervision of Laura D’Allaird and Amy Flaherty Hartman from the Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit.

FTX Executives Consent to Permanent Securities Fraud Injunctions

The SEC’s original complaints alleged that from May 2019 through November 2022, the executives participated in raising over $1.8 billion from investors through false claims about FTX’s safety measures and risk controls.

Prosecutors charged that Bankman-Fried, Wang, and Singh exempted Alameda Research from automated risk mitigation while granting the trading firm unlimited access to customer deposits.

Wang and Singh wrote software that diverted FTX customer funds to Alameda, while Ellison directed misappropriated assets toward the hedge fund’s trading operations.

Bankman-Fried subsequently transferred hundreds of millions in additional customer funds to Alameda for venture investments and personal loans to executives, including Wang and Singh.

The three defendants consented to final judgments without admitting or denying the SEC’s allegations.

Beyond permanent antifraud injunctions under Securities Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Securities Act Section 17(a), they accepted conduct-based restrictions that would prevent similar violations for five years.

Cooperation Yields Divergent Criminal Sentences Despite Securities Bars

Just days ago, it was discovered that Ellison completed approximately 11 months at Danbury Federal Correctional Institution before transferring to community confinement in October, with her projected release now set for February 2026.

Judge Lewis Kaplan sentenced her to two years despite defense requests for probation, praising her substantial cooperation while maintaining that the fraud’s severity warranted incarceration.

During her September 2024 sentencing hearing, Ellison expressed deep remorse while holding back tears.

“On some level, my brain doesn’t even comprehend all the people I harmed,” she told the court.

Her attorneys had requested no prison time, but Kaplan rejected what he termed a “literal get-out-of-jail-free card” despite acknowledging her unprecedented cooperation.

Federal prosecutors emphasized Ellison’s critical testimony in their September sentencing recommendation, noting the “what” and “how” of the crimes would have been difficult to prove without her three days of trial testimony.

She revealed that Bankman-Fried instructed executives to invest billions in customer assets that had been secretly siphoned from FTX through Alameda Research.

Wang and Singh received time-served sentences with supervised release after testifying that Bankman-Fried directed the creation of an “allow negative” feature that granted Alameda nearly unlimited access to customer funds.

Both avoided additional prison time entirely following their cooperation.

FTX Bankruptcy Delivers Creditor Repayments Exceeding Original Claims

FTX’s Chapter 11 reorganization plan resumed distributions in May 2025, delivering between 119% and 143% to eligible creditors who completed verification requirements through designated service providers BitGo or Kraken.

Around 98% of affected users with claims under $50,000 received 119% of their declared funds under the bankruptcy court’s approved restructuring framework.

Bankman-Fried remains incarcerated at a low‑security Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island in Los Angeles, serving his 25-year sentence following conviction on seven fraud and conspiracy counts.

Most recently, his November appeal hearing challenged the claim that he was “presumed guilty,” asserting that he was denied fair trial procedures.

At the same time, his family continues to seek presidential clemency, arguing that FTX maintained sufficient assets to repay all customers in full throughout the collapse.

The post SEC Seeks 10-Year Ban for Ellison, 8 Years for Wang and Singh appeared first on Cryptonews.

BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund IBIT, has emerged as a notable outlier on the 2025 ETF flow leaderboard, ranking sixth by year-to-date inflows despite posting a negative return for the year, according to data highlighted by Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Eric Balchunas.

IBIT is currently the only ETF among the top flow leaders showing a year-to-date loss, with returns down roughly 9.6%. Yet the fund has still attracted approximately $25.4 billion in net inflows, placing it ahead of a range of established equity and commodity products — including the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), which is up more than 64% over the same period.

Investor Demand Signals Shift Toward Long-Term Allocation

The divergence between price performance and investor demand underscores a structural shift in how capital is engaging with Bitcoin exposure through regulated vehicles. Rather than reacting to short-term price movements, investors appear to be using periods of drawdown to accumulate positions via ETFs.

\Balchunas describes the trend as a “HODL clinic,” suggesting that longer-term allocators are increasingly driving flows into spot Bitcoin ETFs, treating them as strategic holdings rather than momentum trades.

Equity ETFs Still Dominate, but Bitcoin Stands Out

By comparison, the largest inflows in 2025 have gone to broad-based equity ETFs such as Vanguard’s S&P 500 tracker VOO, which has drawn more than $145 billion in net inflows alongside a mid-teens return. Other top-ranking funds include large-cap and total market products such as IVV, VTI, and SPYM, all benefiting from strong equity market performance.

IBIT’s presence among these vehicles is notable given Bitcoin’s higher volatility and its relatively recent introduction as an ETF asset class.

Bitcoin ETFs Outpace Gold Despite Underperformance

The data also highlights a contrast with gold ETFs. While GLD has benefited from strong price appreciation in 2025, its inflows have lagged behind IBIT’s, indicating that performance alone has not been the primary driver of allocation decisions this year.

According to Balchunas, the more significant takeaway may be what IBIT’s inflows imply for future cycles. If a Bitcoin ETF can attract more than $25 billion in a year marked by negative returns, the potential for substantially larger inflows during a strong market environment could be considerable.

As spot Bitcoin ETFs continue to mature within traditional portfolio frameworks, flow data is increasingly being viewed as a leading indicator of long-term adoption. IBIT’s 2025 performance suggests that, even amid price weakness, investor conviction in regulated Bitcoin exposure remains resilient.

The post Bitcoin ETF IBIT Ranks Among Top 2025 Fund Flows Despite Negative Returns appeared first on Cryptonews.

Solana-based AI token Ava, known by its ticker AVA, has plunged more than 96% from its peak after new on-chain analysis raised questions about how the token’s supply was distributed at launch and whether insiders coordinated early purchases.

The latest findings come from blockchain analytics firm Bubblemaps, which published an analysis on X showing that around 40% of AVA’s total supply was accumulated at launch by a cluster of wallets linked to the token’s deployer.

Wallet Clustering Points to AVA Token Sniping at Launch

According to Bubblemaps, the wallets were funded shortly before launch, showed no prior on-chain activity, and bought large amounts of AVA as soon as the token became available.

AVA launched on Nov. 13, 2024, on Pump.fun, a Solana-based memecoin launch platform that promotes fair and decentralized token launches.

The project gained early attention as one of the first 3D AI agent tokens, backed by Holoworld AI, a Polychain Capital portfolio company.

By January 2025, AVA had reached a fully diluted valuation of roughly $300 million, driven by a surge of interest in AI-themed crypto projects.

Bubblemaps said its analysis identified 23 wallets, including the deployer, that were funded within tight time windows through centralized exchanges such as Binance and Bitget.

The wallets received similar amounts of SOL and then used automated trading strategies to buy AVA at launch.

The firm added that additional wallets connected to this initial cluster followed similar funding and timing patterns, which it said strongly suggests coordination rather than independent participation.

In crypto markets, this practice is commonly referred to as sniping, where bots are used to purchase new tokens the moment they become tradable, often securing large allocations before retail participants can react.

While sniping itself is not illegal, a heavy concentration of supply among early wallets can increase the risk of sharp sell-offs if those holders decide to exit.

The firm said the analysis shows that despite AVA’s public positioning as a community-driven launch, a single coordinated entity ended up controlling a large share of the supply.

AVA’s Market Reality Sets In as Token Sheds 96% From All-Time High

More than a year after launch, the impact is visible in the token’s market performance.

AVA is down over 79% from its launch price and more than 96% from its all-time high of about $0.33, reached on Jan. 15, 2025, according to CoinGecko data.

The token now trades near $0.01, erasing most of its early gains.

This decline has occurred despite continued development by the team behind Holoworld AI. The project describes Ava as the first AI agent virtual image token, designed to power audiovisual AI agents capable of interaction and emotional expression.

Holoworld claims to have created more than 10,000 3D virtual characters, partnered with over 25 IP and NFT brands, and attracted more than 1 million users.

Even so, those developments have not prevented a steep drop in AVA’s market value. AVA has a fixed total supply of 1 billion tokens, with 50 million released at launch as part of a 5% public sale.

The broader token distribution includes long-term allocations for community incentives, the team, private investors, liquidity, and ecosystem development, many of which are subject to vesting schedules.

The episode adds to a growing list of cases where Bubblemaps has flagged concentrated token ownership shortly after launch.

In recent months, the firm has published similar analyses involving PEPE, the $WET presale on Solana, MYX Finance’s airdrop, and other high-profile tokens, often pointing to coordinated wallet behavior and heavy early sell pressure.

While not all cases resulted in enforcement action or project failures, they have intensified scrutiny around fair-launch claims and insider transparency.

The post Solana AI Token Ava Plunges 96% After ‘Insiders’ Snipe 40% of Supply appeared first on Cryptonews.

Metaplanet, a Tokyo-listed Bitcoin treasury company, is set to open its stock to U.S. investors through a new American Depositary Receipt program, giving American buyers dollar-denominated access without issuing any new shares.

The company said trading of its sponsored Level I ADRs will begin Friday on the U.S. over-the-counter market under the ticker symbol MPJPY, according to an announcement.

Each ADR will represent one ordinary Metaplanet share and will trade in U.S. dollars.

The program is being launched with Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas acting as depositary, while MUFG Bank will serve as custodian for the underlying shares in Japan.

Metaplanet Shares Jump After Company Upgrades U.S. Trading Structure

Metaplanet said the decision followed growing demand from U.S. retail and institutional investors who have been seeking a more direct and efficient way to gain exposure to the company’s equity.

Chief executive Simon Gerovich said the move reflects feedback the company has received over several quarters and marks another step in expanding global access to Metaplanet’s stock.

The ADR program is not designed to raise capital, and it does not affect the number of issued common or preferred shares and will not dilute existing shareholders.

Instead, the structure is intended to improve settlement efficiency, lower transaction costs, and increase transparency for U.S. investors who face operational and regulatory hurdles when trading foreign-listed stocks directly.

Metaplanet’s shares have previously traded in the U.S. under the symbol MTPLF, but that arrangement was not part of a sponsored ADR program.

The company said the earlier trading format involved no formal agreement with a depositary bank and limited its ability to provide consistent disclosures and investor support.

By contrast, the new sponsored ADR framework places Metaplanet directly within the program’s governance and reporting structure, aligning it more closely with standard practices used by internationally listed companies.

The announcement appeared to be welcomed by the market, as Metaplanet shares rose 6.65% in Tokyo trading following the news, closing at 433 yen.

After Rapid Bitcoin Accumulation, Metaplanet Taps the Brakes

The U.S. listing comes as Metaplanet continues to refine its broader Bitcoin-focused balance sheet strategy.

Since launching its Bitcoin acquisition plan in April 2024, the company has accumulated 30,823 BTC, making it one of the largest corporate holders globally alongside Strategy.

Metaplanet acquired roughly 29,000 BTC during 2025 but paused further purchases in late September, with its most recent acquisition dated Sept. 29, according to Bitcointreastries.net data.

That pause followed a period of volatility for Bitcoin treasury companies, as falling share prices pushed some firms’ enterprise values below the market value of their Bitcoin holdings.

Metaplanet faced similar pressure in mid-October, when concerns emerged over its market-to-Bitcoin net asset value ratio.

The company said that ratio has since recovered above 1 and stood at 1.12 at the time of publication.

Equity Raises, Bitcoin Loans, and a Strategy-Style Structure

Metaplanet has relied on a mix of equity and debt instruments to fund its Bitcoin strategy.

In November, the company approved the issuance of 23.61 million Mercury Class B preferred shares through a third-party allocation, raising about ¥21.25 billion, or roughly $135 million.

The conversion price was set well above the prevailing market price, limiting near-term dilution.

Around the same time, Metaplanet disclosed a new $130 million loan backed entirely by Bitcoin under an existing $500 million credit facility.

As of its latest treasury update, the company’s Bitcoin holdings were valued at roughly $2.7 billion, based on an average acquisition cost of $108,070 per coin.

With Bitcoin trading below that level, Metaplanet reported unrealized losses of about $636 million.

The company is also preparing to introduce a new preferred-share structure modeled on funding vehicles popularized by Strategy.

The post Bitcoin Treasury Metaplanet Opens to US Investors via $MPJPY ADRs — No New Shares appeared first on Cryptonews.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission says some third-party Bitcoin mining hosting deals can amount to securities, according to a federal lawsuit tied to an alleged $48 million fraud involving mining firm VBit Technologies.

In a complaint filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, the SEC accused VBit founder and former CEO Danh C. Vo of misleading thousands of investors.

Regulators claim the company sold unregistered investment contracts linked to hosted Bitcoin mining operations.

At the center of the case are so-called “Hosting Agreements” promoted by VBit between late 2018 and early 2022. The SEC says the contracts were pitched to retail investors as a largely hands-off way to generate passive income through Bitcoin mining.

Why the SEC Says VBit’s Mining Contracts Were Securities

Bitcoin mining typically involves running specialized computers to validate transactions on the Bitcoin network in exchange for newly minted coins.

The SEC alleges Vo used the technical complexity of the process to promote a turnkey model in which investors were told they owned mining rigs that would be pooled and operated entirely by VBit.

Returns were marketed as proportional to each investor’s share of computing power, or hashrate.

According to the complaint, nearly all of VBit’s customers entered into these Hosting Agreements, which were sold in tiered packages ranging from lower-cost plans to premium offerings that purportedly included up to eight mining rigs.

Investors were encouraged to choose hosted mining rather than operating equipment themselves through discounted pricing, longer contract terms, and promises of steady returns without operational involvement.

The SEC alleges those representations were false. Court filings state that VBit sold far more hosting agreements than it had the mining equipment to support.

In 2020, the company allegedly sold agreements covering more than 3,300 rigs while operating fewer than 1,000.

In 2021, agreements reportedly covered more than 8,400 rigs, while only 1,643 were in operation.

As a result, the hashrate promised to investors could not be delivered.

The agency further alleges that investors never owned or controlled specific mining equipment and were entirely dependent on Vo and VBit’s operations to generate profits.

On that basis, the SEC argues the Hosting Agreements meet the definition of investment contracts under the Supreme Court’s Howey test and therefore should have been registered as securities.

Investors Locked Out as SEC Says Mining Firm Moved Funds Offshore

Under U.S. law, an arrangement can be deemed a security if investors contribute money to a common enterprise with a reasonable expectation of profits derived primarily from the efforts of others.

The SEC claims VBit’s hosting model satisfies all four elements, placing it within federal securities rules governing registration, disclosure, and anti-fraud protections.

The complaint also accuses Vo of fabricating investor account balances through an online portal that displayed hypothetical mining returns unrelated to actual Bitcoin production.

The bitcoins that were mined were allegedly controlled exclusively by Vo.

The SEC says that between December 2020 and November 2021, Vo transferred approximately $48.5 million of investor funds to personal accounts, distributed millions to family members, and used investor money for cryptocurrency trading.

After learning of the SEC’s investigation in 2021, Vo allegedly left the United States. VBit later announced it had been sold to an entity called Advanced Mining Group, which the SEC describes as a shell company used to maintain the appearance of ongoing operations.

By mid-2022, investors were locked out of their accounts.

The SEC is seeking permanent injunctions, disgorgement, civil penalties, and a ban preventing Vo from serving as an officer or director of a public company. A jury trial has been requested.

The post SEC Labels Third-Party Bitcoin Mining a ‘Security’ in $48M Fraud Bust appeared first on Cryptonews.

The Senate’s long-awaited crypto market structure bill is hitting another critical juncture as midterm election pressures begin to overshadow bipartisan negotiations.

According to Politico, Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott now faces mounting challenges to pass the landmark legislation after pushing a committee vote into 2026, with lawmakers warning that Congress’s traditional election-year gridlock could derail the effort entirely.

The bill aims to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets and to determine which federal agencies oversee different crypto sectors.

Its passage hinges on Republicans reaching an agreement with Senate Democrats on several sticking points, including ethics concerns surrounding President Donald Trump’s family’s crypto ventures, which could become campaign flashpoints.

Republicans hope to deliver what would be a signature legislative achievement of Trump’s second term.

Campaign Cash Complicates Political Calculus

The crypto and banking industries are preparing massive campaign spending pushes that could scramble the political dynamics as elections approach.

Politico asserts that the crypto sector has already poured over $140 million into the Fairshake super PAC network, backing industry-friendly candidates across both parties.

In a significant development this week, major U.S. banks launched the American Growth Alliance, a nonprofit that will deploy “tens of millions of dollars” to advance their interests in the crypto debate, particularly around restricting yield programs on stablecoins.

These competing financial incentives create complicated pressures for Democrats, especially.

While passing legislation could keep them in crypto firms’ good graces, failing to reach a deal might actually incentivize continued industry support since bipartisan backing would be needed for future legislative efforts.

Senator Cynthia Lummis noted that the industry’s willingness to contribute to both parties creates “a powerful incentive for politicians to pussyfoot around.“

The crypto industry’s political advocacy group, Stand With Crypto, escalated the pressure this week, announcing it will score lawmakers based on how they vote during market structure markups and warning that “failure to pass Market Structure jeopardizes everything that this community has built and fought for.“

Window for Action Rapidly Closing

Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) warned that lawmakers have until roughly March to finalize the bill, after which “we’re in the political silly season.“

The compressed timeline comes as bipartisan negotiations stretch deeper into an election year marked by heightened political tensions.

Scott said this week that lawmakers are “making steady, bipartisan progress” while working through the text “in a thoughtful, deliberate way,” emphasizing his focus on “building a durable framework that provides regulatory clarity, protects investors, and keeps America at the forefront of financial innovation.“

Democrats say they’re focused on substance rather than political considerations.

Senator Ruben Gallego also emphasized the urgency of action following an October meeting with crypto executives, warning that failure to pass legislation could push crypto industries overseas or into illicit markets.

Negotiations Continue Amid Multiple Pressure Points

The Senate effort follows months of stalled progress after the record-breaking government shutdown and disagreements over decentralized finance regulation.

While the House passed its Digital Asset Market Clarity Act in July with bipartisan support, giving the CFTC primary oversight of digital commodities, the Senate has been developing its own framework, using different terminology, such as “ancillary assets,” to define non-security tokens.

Scott must also navigate concerns from some GOP members, with Senator John Kennedy defending the delayed markup as “inevitable” while praising the chairman for creating “a sense of urgency” amid productive negotiations.

Recent developments have intensified the legislative urgency beyond campaign finance considerations.

The pro-crypto advocacy group Stand With Crypto warned that inaction would jeopardize years of industry development.

Meanwhile, opposition emerged this week from the American Federation of Teachers, which warned the legislation could expose public-sector pensions to unsafe assets by allowing companies to tokenize stock and bypass traditional securities oversight.

AFT President Randi Weingarten said the bill “poses profound risks to the pensions of working families,” arguing it would replace existing safeguards with a framework that leaves retirement plans more vulnerable than they are today.

The post Election Year Politics Threaten Bipartisan Crypto Bill Push appeared first on Cryptonews.

The crypto market has tentatively returned to a total cap of $3.055 trillion, as the Bank of Japan pushed its interest rate to a 30-year high amid a weakening yen.

This has provided the backdrop for gains of varying strength today, with Ethereum up by 2% in the past 24 hours, while most other major coins (including Bitcoin and Solana) have struggled to make any real headway.

With the macroeconomic picture remaining mixed, investors continue to trade under uncertainty, yet the oversold status of the market means that a traditional end-of-year rally could be very close.

In view of this possibility, we’re highlighting our best altcoin to buy today, choosing upcoming layer-two network Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), which has the potential to rally hard when it lists early next year.

Best AItcoin To Buy Today That Could 100x in 2026 – 19 December 2025

Bitcoin Hyper has now raised a hugely impressive $29.6 million in its ongoing presale, which makes it one of the biggest sales of 2025.

This would suggest that investors are increasingly gaining confidence in the new project, which is planning to launch a full layer-two network for Bitcoin.

In contrast to the Lightning Network, which is primarily a payment rail, Bitcoin Hyper is planning to grow an entire ecosystem of decentralized dapps and protocols.

It will have a particular focus on DeFi, enabling Bitcoin holders to tap into the enormous value of their holdings, and to make additional profits on top of any price appreciation.

On a technical level, Bitcoin Hyper will make use of Solana’s Virtual Machine, giving it a speed and scalability that will make it one of the most capable L2s in crypto when it launches.

On top of this, it will also employ zero-knowledge rollups, adding privacy and security to its mix of market-leading features.

Its native token, HYPER, will be necessary to pay for its low transaction fees, with users receiving a proportionate quantity of HYPER whenever they deposit Bitcoin with the L2’s smart contract.

Accordingly, HYPER will have a max supply of 21 billion tokens, at 1:10 ratio with Bitcoin itself.

Holders will also be able to stake the token for a regular income, with the coin’s protocol currently paying out a yield of 39% APY.

HYPER Could Be One of the Biggest New Coins of 2026: Here’s How to Buy Early

Such features make Bitcoin Hyper one of the most exciting new tokens of 2025 and 2026, as its presale indicates.

And while there isn’t that much time left until the sale ends, latecomers can still join by going to the official Bitcoin Hyper website.

By connecting a compatible wallet (e.g. Best Wallet, MetaMask), they can buy any specified amount of HYPER, using ETH, USDT or even fiat.

The token is currently available at a price of $0.013445, although this will rise again later today.

It will continue to rise every few days until the sale ends, so interested investors should act sooner rather than later, in order to make the biggest possible gains.

And while the wider crypto market still remains largely uncertain, Bitcoin Hyper’s launch early next year could coincide with an overdue resurgence.

This is why it’s our best altcoin to buy today, and why it may remain one of the best new alts to buy for quite some time to come.

The post Best AItcoin To Buy Today That Could 100x in 2026 – 19 December 2025 appeared first on Cryptonews.

Toobit, an award-winning global cryptocurrency exchange, today announces an upgrade to its futures trading suite: the introduction of 200x leverage for ETHUSDT Perpetual Contracts. This update gives traders greater flexibility and higher market exposure when trading Ethereum.

As Ethereum continues to solidify its position as the foundational layer of the decentralized economy, the demand for Ethereum-linked trading instruments has grown.

By offering up to 200x leverage, Toobit allows traders to access larger market positions with less capital. This makes it easier for traders to manage their portfolios and protect their investments against market swings.

“Adding 200x leverage for ETHUSDT is part of our work to offer a high-performance trading space,” said Mike Williams, Chief Communication Officer at Toobit. “Our goal is to equip our traders with the tools they need to react to even small price changes with maximum flexibility.”

As the derivatives market matures, Ethereum has emerged as a primary pillar, with BTC and ETH combined now driving nearly 70% of global derivatives volume. Institutional adoption is also rising; as of late 2025, corporate treasuries and ETPs control roughly 8% of the total ETH supply.

This momentum is expected to continue into 2026, with expanding stablecoin liquidity projected to push DeFi’s TVL past $300 billion.

About Toobit

Toobit is where the future of crypto trading unfolds – an award-winning cryptocurrency derivatives exchange built for those who thrive exploring new frontiers. With deep liquidity and cutting-edge technology, Toobit empowers traders worldwide to navigate the digital asset markets with confidence. We offer a fair, secure, seamless, and transparent trading experience, ensuring every trade is an opportunity to discover what’s next.

For more information about Toobit, visit: Website | X | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Instagram

Website: www.toobit.com

Email: market@toobit.com

Contact: Davin C.

The post Toobit Expands Futures Suite with 200x Leverage for ETHUSDT Perpetual Contracts appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin Cash stands out as one of the strongest-performing altcoins in the crypto market currently, and if it maintains this momentum, Bitcoin Cash price prediction indicates the token is targeting $650 before Christmas.

BCH Outperforms Despite Bear Market Scare

Even on October 10, when most altcoins crashed by approximately 80%, Bitcoin Cash barely moved and has rallied over 20% since then.

Currently trading around $595.50 with a market capitalization of $11.9 billion, BCH requires only a 12% surge to break the $650 resistance and surpass Cardano as the 10th largest cryptocurrency by market cap.

Data from Coinglass reveals that Binance’s top traders are rapidly expanding their BCH long positions.

And with Grayscale’s September filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to obtain approval for exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that would follow the performance of Bitcoin Cash, the possibility of BCH surpassing $650 when approved is very high.

With the filing, the digital assets platform intends to convert its current closed-end trusts for Bitcoin cash into ETFs that will mainly be listed on NYSE Arca or Nasdaq.

Bitcoin Cash Price Prediction: Daily Chart Shows Bullish Structure Building

Bitcoin Cash’s daily chart displays a constructive bullish formation developing after successfully defending the $450 support during October’s selloff, which marked a clear higher-timeframe demand zone.

Since that low, price has established a series of higher lows and recently printed a strong bullish wick, signaling aggressive dip-buying and rejection of lower prices. BCH now trades above its short-term moving average, which is beginning to slope upward, reinforcing the momentum shift back to the upside.

The $615 area remains the key near-term resistance, having capped price multiple times in recent months, but the latest daily close near $592 suggests growing pressure on this level.

RSI has advanced back above the mid-50s, reflecting strengthening bullish momentum without entering overbought territory, leaving room for continuation.

If BCH secures a decisive daily close above $615, the structure supports continuation toward the $650–$652 region, which aligns with the next major resistance and prior distribution zone.

Failure at resistance would likely trigger a shallow pullback toward rising trend support around the mid-$560s, but provided price maintains above this area, the broader bias remains bullish with higher prices favored over the coming sessions.

Maxi Doge Raises $4.3M To Position for Christmas Rally

If Bitcoin Cash breaks the $650 resistance before Christmas, significant attention would spotlight undervalued presale projects like Maxi Doge (MAXI).

Maxi Doge is an early-stage memecoin following the Dogecoin playbook that helped it achieve over 2x pump during the November-December 2024 Santa rally.

The project has now established an alpha channel to help traders exchange insider tips, share early trade ideas, and discover hidden opportunities to capitalize on a similar memecoin Christmas rally.

The MAXI presale has already raised over $4.3 million and offers 72% annual staking rewards for those entering early at the current $0.000274 price before it increases.

To buy early, visit the official Maxi Doge website and connect a crypto wallet like Best Wallet.

You can pay with existing crypto like USDT and ETH, or use a bank card to complete your purchase immediately.

The post Bitcoin Cash Price Prediction: Is the BCH Price Headed to $650 Before Christmas? appeared first on Cryptonews.

MemeCore price has dropped 9% in the last 24 hours, extending total losses to nearly 50% from September highs.

However, analysts say the MemeCore price prediction indicators point toward a rebound before year-end.

“Meme 2.0” Blockchain Infrastructure

MemeCore operates as a Layer 1 blockchain centered on the “Meme 2.0” concept, aiming to evolve meme coins from short-term speculative vehicles into sustainable, community-powered assets.

Beyond functioning as another digital gambling token, MemeCore provides infrastructure enabling creators, communities, and brands to tokenize and monetize memes directly on-chain.

MemeCore establishes itself as a convergence point where humor, creativity, and decentralized finance meet.

The $M token facilitates transactions, ecosystem incentives, and governance, synchronizing user participation with network expansion.

The blockchain employs a “Proof of Meme” (PoM) consensus mechanism that rewards creators, validators, and users of meme coins.

MemeCore is now approaching a $3 billion market capitalization while maintaining above $1.50 despite recent declines.

This momentum shows no signs of slowing down as chart patterns point to a potential rebound heading into Christmas.

Memecore Price Prediction: $1.70 Support Critical for Recovery

This 4-hour chart shows MemeCore in a recovery phase after a sharp capitulation move, but momentum has clearly slowed as price runs into overhead supply.

The rebound from the $1.22 base was strong and impulsive, indicating aggressive dip-buying and short covering, yet that rally stalled just below the $1.95 area, which now stands out as a well-defined overhead resistance.

Since failing there, price has rolled over and is consolidating below the critical $1.70 support, a level that has flipped from demand to a key make-or-break zone.

RSI has cooled into the mid-30s to low-40s range, reflecting fading buying pressure without yet signaling extreme oversold conditions.

This implies consolidation or further downside is still possible before a sustainable bounce develops.

As long as $1.70 is reclaimed quickly, the broader recovery structure from $1.22 can stay intact, leaving room for another attempt toward $1.95–$2.00 resistance.

However, failure to hold this zone increases the probability of a deeper retracement, with $1.22 acting as the next major downside magnet where stronger demand previously stepped in.

Pepenode Offers Early Access to Memecoin Season 2.0

MemeCore recovery above the $1.90 resistance level could trigger a memecoin season 2.0 rally that would benefit early-stage meme coins like Pepenode (PEPENODE).

Pepenode is a new crypto project still in its presale round that’s already raised over $2.3 million despite the memecoin sector losing over 50% of its value year-to-date.

It’s a game where you can mine coins without needing expensive hardware setups.

You play the game in your web browser, set up virtual mining rigs, and upgrade your facilities to earn PEPENODE tokens.

Now that more people are investing in Pepenode’s mining rigs, the presale price is increasing every day.

To join the presale before the ongoing round sells out, go to the official Pepenode website and connect a crypto wallet like Best Wallet.

You can then buy PEPENODE tokens for $0.0012016 and pay with crypto using ETH or USDT, or use a bank card for fast payment.

The post MemeCore Price Prediction: Can the M Price Rebound Following a Sharp 9% Decline Overnight? appeared first on Cryptonews.

ENA has gone down by over 22% in the past week and has recently retested its all-time low. One trader favors a bearish Ethena price prediction as the token has dropped below a key weekly support.

Since August 2024, data from DeFi Llama shows that the protocol’s earnings have been steadily declining, moving from $4 million back then to just $50,000 in November as mint fees have declined sharply.

Ethena’s USDe circulating supply has suffered a strong setback, declining from a peak of $15 billion in mid-October to just $6.7 billion at the time of writing.

It seems that, during times of market turmoil, investors prefer to rely on well-established names in the stablecoin space like Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC. Hence, this protocol could be suffering the consequences of a flight-to-safety move.

Crypto analyst ChiefraT shared an interesting chart that shows a bearish breakout below Ethena’s long-standing weekly support.

This worsens the token’s situation, as the market could be ready to dump the token to discover how low the price needs to go for buyers to show up.

Ethena Price Prediction: ENA Faces 50% Correction After Losing Key Support

Trading volumes for ENA have increased by 33% in the past 24 hours and currently account for 20% of the token’s circulating market cap as the price struggles to stay above the $0.20 level.

The $0.18 area is the key support to watch for ENA as the token will hit the lower bound of its descending price channel if it touches that threshold.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains heavily depressed at 32, indicating that negative momentum has accelerated.

Meanwhile, if the selling spree continues and ENA is pushed down to break below this trend line support, nothing would prevent a much stronger correction to $0.10. This means a total downside risk of 50% for the token in the near term.

Although ENA’s outlook is quite bearish, top crypto presales like Maxi Doge ($MAXI) continue to capture investors’ attention as this type of project can deliver the highest upside potential once cryptos start to recover.

Maxi Doge ($MAXI) Brings Meme Energy to the Trading World

Maxi Doge ($MAXI) rallies traders together under a well-known flag – the viral Doge meme. This Ethereum meme coin embodies the spirit of bull markets and the energy that retail traders bring to the table with its “up only” motto.

The project fosters community engagement via fun competitions like Maxi Ripped and Maxi Gains, designed to reward top traders with the highest ROI.

In addition, $MAXI holders get exclusive access to a hub where they can share ideas, insights, and trading setups with other like-minded ‘degens’ to tap into the community’s “collective hive mind” to make the most out of this market.

To buy $MAXI and become one with the pump, simply head to the official Maxi Doge website and link up your favorite wallet (e.g. Best Wallet).

You can either swap USDT or ETH for this token or use a bank card instead to buy.

The post Ethena Price Prediction: ENA Price Experiences Huge 22% Drop in 7 Days, What’s Next? appeared first on Cryptonews.

ETH has climbed by nearly 4% in the past 24 hours as the crypto market bounced strongly following a positive inflation report in the United States. Does this favor a bullish Ethereum price prediction that sees the token breaking past $3,200 before Christmas?

Trading volumes increased by 42% during this period, currently accounting for 10% of the token’s circulating market cap, meaning that the buying pressure has increased significantly.

Crypto trader Ted Pillows, whose X account is followed by more than 250,000 users on X, sees the price of ETH rising past $3,200 as long as the $2,700 – $2,800 support holds.

The market’s mood continues to be sour as the Fear and Greed Index currently sits at 21. This indicates that investors are fearful as volatility has spiked in the past few weeks.

Nonetheless, long-term short-term readings seem to show that the sell-off has already gone too far, possibly favoring a bullish Ethereum price prediction for the next few weeks.

Ethereum Price Prediction: ETH Hits Key Trend Line Support – Can It Break It?

The 4-hour price chart for Ethereum shows that the token recently bounced strongly off the $2,800 level and rapidly climbed to retest the upper bound of a descending price channel that has been forming for weeks.

In this lower time frame, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has hit oversold territory already. The last two times this happened, the price rallied strongly and surpassed the $3,000 level shortly afterward.

If this pattern repeats, we could see ETH breaking past the $3,000 level in the next couple of days. The first stop could be around $3,050 for a confirmed trend reversal, followed by a strong push to $3,400. This implies a 15% upside potential based on where ETH is trading today.

As cryptocurrencies seem ready to make a comeback, the most promising crypto presales like Pepenode ($PEPENODE) could outperform well-established tokens. This mine-to-earn (M2E) project makes crypto mining hassle-free, fun, and highly rewarding.

Pepenode ($PEPENODE) Raises Over $2 Million to Launch Its M2E Game

Mining cryptocurrencies has never been easier, now that Pepenode ($PEPENODE) is getting ready to launch its fun M2E.

Players can easily set up a virtual server and fire up as many mining rigs as they want by simply buying $PEPENODE tokens. They can also upgrade their existing setups to ramp up their output and compete for attractive rewards.

Top miners will receive handsome airdrops of the best meme coins in the market, like Bonk ($BONK) and Pepe ($PEPE), while up to 70% of the tokens invested in upgrading rigs will be burned forever.

As the game’s popularity increases, so will the demand for $PEPENODE. This positions early buyers to reap the highest returns once the token jumps to the spotlight.

To buy $PEPENODE before the next price increase, simply head to the official Pepenode website and link up a compatible wallet like Best Wallet.

You can either swap USDT or ETH for this token or use a bank card to buy.

The post Ethereum Price Prediction: Can the ETH Price Reclaim $3,200 Before Christmas? appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin remains under pressure as global markets digest a further shift away from ultra-loose monetary policy in Japan. At its December meeting, the Bank of Japan raised its short-term policy rate to around 0.75% from 0.5%, citing growing confidence that inflation will remain near its 2% target, according to official statements.

The decision reflects stronger wage growth and persistent price pressures. Japan’s headline inflation stays around 2.9% in November, whereas, core inflation held above target for a 44th straight month, based on reported government data. Policymakers emphasised that real rates remain deeply negative, signaling any further tightening will be gradual and data-dependent.

Markets Absorb the Move With Little Shock

In response to the news, Japanese government bond yields surged higher, with long-dated yields hovering near recent highs. Whereas, the Japanese yen weakened modestly, suggesting the interest rate hike was largely priced in. Broader risk assets remained cautious rather than reactive.

Crypto markets, however, stayed under pressure. Bitcoin has slipped around 7% in the last seven days, while Ethereum has fallen by more than 10%, according to market data, reflecting weak risk appetite rather than Japan-specific flows.

Why Japan Still Matters for Bitcoin

For Bitcoin, the relevance lies less in the immediate response and more in the global liquidity backdrop. Japan has long functioned as a key funding market, and higher yields could gradually tighten global financial conditions. Investors are now watching whether continued BoJ normalization feeds into risk assets over time.

Against this backdrop, Bitcoin’s ability to reclaim higher levels will depend on technical confirmation, as traders balance tightening signals against longer-term adoption and structural demand trends.

Bitcoin Technical Analysis: Signs of a Developing Base

Recent candles show selling pressure fading. Long lower wicks followed by small bodies suggest dip buying rather than forced liquidation. Momentum supports that view, with RSI recovering toward 52 after leaving oversold territory, pointing to stabilization rather than continuation lower.

Price action now resembles base formation, not a reversal. On TradingView’s path projection, the preferred scenario is a slow push back toward the channel midline if Bitcoin reclaims the $88,200–$89,200 pivot zone.

Key Levels That Define the Next Move

A sustained move above the pivot would open upside toward $92,000, then $94,200, the prior range high. Failure to hold $84,500 shifts focus to $80,600, where the ascending channel base sits.

From a trading perspective, structure favors patience. Acceptance above $89,200 offers upside setups toward the low-$90,000s, while risk remains defined below recent lows. For now, the correction looks like consolidation, not breakdown.

PEPENODE: A Mine-to-Earn Meme Coin Nearing Presale Close

PEPENODE is gaining momentum as a next-generation meme coin that blends viral culture with interactive gameplay. With over $2.36 mn raised and the presale approaching its cap, interest is building fast as the countdown enters its final stretch.

What makes PEPENODE stand out is its mine-to-earn virtual ecosystem. Instead of passive holding, users can build digital server rooms using Miner Nodes and facilities, earning simulated rewards through a visual dashboard. The concept brings gamification and competition into the meme coin space, giving holders something to do before launch.

The project also offers presale staking, allowing early participants to earn boosted rewards ahead of the token generation event. Leaderboards and bonus incentives are planned post-launch to keep engagement high.

With 1 $PEPENODE priced at $0.0012016 and limited allocation remaining, the presale is entering its final opportunity window for early buyers.

The post Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can the BTC Price Push Above $90,000 With the Latest BoJ Rate Hikes? appeared first on Cryptonews.

The crypto market is up today, with the cryptocurrency market capitalisation increasing by 1.6% to $3.05 trillion. Also, 90 of the top 100 coins have gone up over the past 24 hours. At the same time, the total crypto trading volume is at $164 billion.

Crypto Winners & Losers

At the time of writing, all top 10 coins per market capitalization have seen their prices increase over the past 24 hours.

Bitcoin (BTC) is up by 1.4% since this time yesterday, currently trading at $87,906.

Bitcoin (BTC)

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Ethereum (ETH) is up by 4.1%, now changing hands at $2,953. This is the highest increase in this category.

It’s followed by Dogecoin (DOGE)’s 2.4% to the price of $0.128.

At the same time, Tron (TRX) saw the lowest rise, with a change of 0.8%, now standing at $0.2794.

When it comes to the top 100 coins, 90 coins saw increases. Of these, two are double-digit.

Provenance Blockchain (HASH) is up 10.1% to the price of $0.03094, while Bitcoin Cash (BCH) went up by 10%, currently changing hands at $587.

Among the red coins, MemeCore (M) posted the highest fall in the category. It’s down 8.2%, now trading at $1.54.

Mantle (MNT) is next, having decreased by 3.7% to the price of $1.17.

Meanwhile, in the US, a delayed report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics was cooler than expected. More precisely, consumer prices increased less than expected in November. This encourages hope among investors that inflationary pressures may cool to the degree that would result in the higher-than-expected easing of US monetary policy.

Also, Binance is reportedly considering a return to the US market, with potential structural changes to its American operations. A possible recapitalization of Binance.US could reduce Changpeng Zhao’s controlling stake.

‘US CPI Was Noisy, Not Bullish’

Gabe Selby, Head of Research at Kraken company CF Benchmark, commented that Bitcoin’s erratic price action reflects the seller-dominated crypto market, as well as elevated uncertainty around the broader macro trajectory.

Yesterday’s US CPI release initially appeared supportive for risk assets. However, “the underlying reality is more complex.” Notably, “the data was compiled under highly atypical conditions,” most notably the government shutdown.

Therefore, the report captured November’s latter portion only, which was heavily distorted by Black Friday product discounting.

Per Selby, “this created temporary disinflationary noise that limits the report’s reliability as a true inflation gauge. Markets seem to recognize this, treating the print as an aberration rather than confirmation of any sustained cooling trend.”

“What’s particularly telling is that Bitcoin’s price action mirrored this skepticism in real time. The asset rallied immediately after the release but quickly lost steam as traders reassessed the data quality.”

Bitcoin pushed toward Wednesday’s highs but failed to break through, fully retracing its gains. That rejection is significant, says Selby. It shows that “sellers remain firmly in control and reinforces the view that Bitcoin is still trading within a broader downtrend, despite the brief optimism sparked by the headline CPI number.”

The key takeaway, Selby concludes is that, “until we get several months of clean, uninterrupted inflation data, the [US Federal Reserve’s] path remains murky. And in that environment of uncertainty, Bitcoin—despite its recent institutional adoption narrative—continues to behave like the risk asset it is, struggling to find sustained buying conviction.”

Levels & Events to Watch Next

At the time of writing on Friday morning, BTC stood at $87,906. After a sideways trading period early in the day, BTC jumped to the intraday high of $89,219, before plummeting to $84,581 and then recovering to the current level.

Moreover, BTC is down 5% in a week, 3.4% in a month, 13.2% in a year, and 30% from the October all-time high of $126,080.

Investors are now looking to see if the price will move above $90,000 and then hold that level. This would open doors for another leg up towards $100,000. Conversely, a fall may lead the coin to the $74,000 zone.

Ethereum is currently changing hands at $2,953. The highest point it reached over the past 24 hours (by the time of writing) is $2,989, before plunging to the low of $2,781. It has recovered to the current price since.

Over the past week, ETH fell 9.2%, as well as 2.9% in a month and 19.8% in a year. It has also decreased by 40% from its August ATH of $4,946.

Should the price reclaim the $3,000, it could proceed to $3,130 and $3,250. However, a decrease would pull the price back to the $2,900 zone and possibly into the $2,700 territory.

Moreover, the crypto market sentiment has decreased yet again within the fear territory.

The crypto fear and greed index stands at 21 today, compared to 22 yesterday. It is now back on the verge of the extreme fear zone.

Market participants remain highly cautious of the incoming development, as well as uncertain over the market trajectory. They’re waiting for further signals to decide on their next moves.

ETFs Go Red

After a single day of inflows, the US BTC spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) posted negative flows of $161.32 million on Thursday. The total net inflow rose slightly to $57.57 billion.

Of the twelve BTC ETFs, three saw outflows and one saw inflows. BlackRock posted $32.76 million in inflows.

On the other hand, Fidelity leads the red list with $170.28 million in negative flows. It’s followed by Ark&21Shares’ $12.27 million and Bitwise’s $11.54 million.

Moreover, the US ETH ETFs continues with outflows, posting a sixth day of negative flows, with $96.62 million in outflows on 18 December. The total net inflow pulled back to $12.52 billion.

Two of the nine funds recorded inflows, but one saw higher outflows. Grayscale took in $5.63 in total on this day.

However, BlackRock recorded $102.24 million in outflows.

Meanwhile, Tom Lee’s Ethereum-focused treasury company BitMine has bought at least $229.31 million worth of ETH this week alone, Arkham reported.

According to CoinGecko ETH treasury data, the company has purchased 407,331 ETH in the last 30 days. BitMine says it owns over 3.2% of the ETH token supply.

Quick FAQ

1. Why did crypto move with stocks today?

The crypto market saw an increase over the past 24 hours, while the US stock market closed higher on Thursday. By the closing time on 18 December, the S&P 500 was up by 0.79%, the Nasdaq-100 increased by 1.51%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.14%. The increases follow the release of delayed Consumer Price Index data, which ended up being better than expected.

2. Is this rally sustainable?

The rise may continue in the short term, but the analysts expect another decrease at any given moment currently. That said, many argue that we’re still in for a significant rally as the new year begins, possibly in Q1.

The post Why Is Crypto Up Today? – December 19, 2025 appeared first on Cryptonews.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed crypto-friendly lawyer Mike Selig as the next chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), ending a prolonged period of leadership uncertainty at one of the country’s most important financial regulators.

The confirmation passed Thursday as part of a mass approval of federal nominees, with senators voting 53–43 under the provisions of Senate Resolution 532.

Selig’s confirmation comes as President Donald Trump’s second administration moves to fill some of the most consequential regulatory vacancies affecting the digital asset sector.

Alongside Selig, the Senate also elevated Travis Hill to chair the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), placing permanent leadership at two agencies that play central roles in how crypto markets operate and how crypto companies interact with the banking system.

Power Without a Mandate: The CFTC’s Quiet Struggle Over Crypto Oversight

At the CFTC, the absence of a Senate-confirmed chair had become a growing operational problem. The agency, which is structured as a five-member independent commission, has been operating for months with just a single commissioner.

Acting Chair Caroline Pham remained the only seated member after a wave of resignations earlier in the year, a situation that concentrated authority while also limiting deliberation and long-term planning.

Although an acting chair can legally carry out agency functions, the lack of a permanent leader and full commission constrained the CFTC’s ability to build staff, coordinate with other regulators, and advance major new rulemakings.

That leadership gap mattered most for crypto policy. While Congress continues to debate legislation that would expand the agency’s mandate, the absence of a confirmed chair made it harder for the CFTC to set a clear regulatory direction or prepare for an expanded role.

Previous nominees, including Brian Quintenz, were withdrawn amid political friction, extending the period of uncertainty.

During this interim phase, Pham focused on internal reforms rather than sweeping regulatory changes.

Her tenure emphasized clearing compliance backlogs, streamlining enforcement processes, and launching limited pilot initiatives tied to digital assets.

Pham led a “back-to-basics” approach, resolving internal backlogs and launching early digital asset initiatives, but the lack of a permanent, Senate-confirmed chair made it harder to advance complex rulemakings or coordinate closely with other regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The agency also began what it called a “crypto sprint,” a set of targeted efforts that included updating regulatory language to reflect blockchain-based markets and formally approved spot crypto trading.

Selig’s Term Begins as CFTC Prepares for a Larger Role in Crypto Markets

Selig now takes on the role with a full and permanent mandate. He is a former CFTC official and most recently served as chief counsel to the SEC’s Crypto Task Force. He was nominated in October, replacing the administration’s earlier choice for the position.

His term as chair will run through April 2029. During his confirmation process, Selig said crypto would be a priority and also pointed to ongoing challenges at the agency, including limited staffing, tight resources, and governance concerns.

The CFTC currently employs about 543 full-time staff, far fewer than the SEC’s roughly 4,200 employees, even as lawmakers in both chambers consider bills that would give the CFTC primary oversight of crypto spot markets.

Once sworn in, Selig, the current acting chair, Pham, will depart to join crypto payments firm MoonPay as chief legal and administrative officer.

While operating with a single commissioner may allow faster internal decision-making, it also raises questions about legal durability and bipartisan balance.

Several senators have already stated that confirming additional commissioners will be a key issue in 2026.

The post Senate Confirms Pro-Crypto Mike Selig as CFTC Chair — What To Expect appeared first on Cryptonews.

Bitcoin’s latest market cycle has entered a new phase, with onchain and derivatives data pointing to demand exhaustion and a transition into bear market territory, according to CryptoQuant’s latest Crypto Weekly Report.

After multiple demand-driven rallies since 2023, the firm says the structural pillars that supported higher prices are now weakening.

Demand Growth Falls Below Trend

CryptoQuant’s analysis shows that Bitcoin demand growth has decisively slowed since early October 2025, falling below its long-term trend.

The current cycle featured three major spot demand waves: the launch of U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, optimism surrounding the U.S. presidential election outcome, and a surge of interest from Bitcoin Treasury Companies.

With these catalysts largely priced in, incremental demand has diminished, removing a key source of price support that previously sustained upward momentum.

The firm notes that when demand growth rolls over in this manner, it has historically marked the end of bullish phases, regardless of broader narratives around supply shocks or halving events.

Institutional and Large-Holder Demand Reverses

Institutional behavior is now reinforcing the bearish signal. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have shifted from accumulation to distribution in the fourth quarter of 2025, with net holdings declining by approximately 24,000 BTC. This stands in stark contrast to Q4 2024, when ETFs were strong net buyers and a central driver of market strength.

At the same time, onchain data shows that addresses holding between 100 and 1,000 BTC—often associated with ETFs, funds, and corporate treasuries—are growing below historical trend.

CryptoQuant compares this pattern to late 2021, when similar demand deterioration preceded the 2022 bear market.

Derivatives Markets Signal Weakening Risk Appetite

Derivatives data adds further confirmation. Funding rates in perpetual futures, measured using a 365-day moving average, have declined to their lowest level since December 2023. Falling funding rates typically indicate reduced willingness among traders to maintain leveraged long positions.

Historically, such conditions have been more consistent with bear market regimes than bull phases, reflecting declining risk appetite and lower conviction among market participants.

Price Structure and Downside Scenarios

From a technical perspective, Bitcoin has broken below its 365-day moving average, a key long-term indicator that has historically separated bull and bear market conditions.

CryptoQuant stresses that Bitcoin’s four-year cycle is driven primarily by demand expansions and contractions rather than the halving itself.

Despite the bearish shift, downside projections suggest a relatively shallow cycle. Past bear market bottoms have aligned with Bitcoin’s realized price, currently near $56,000.

This would imply a drawdown of roughly 55% from the recent all-time high—potentially the smallest bear market decline on record. Interim support is expected around the $70,000 level, offering a key zone to watch as the cycle continues to reset.

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The Bank of Japan raised interest rates to 0.75% on December 19, marking the highest borrowing costs in three decades and triggering immediate speculation about implications for global crypto markets.

Bitcoin climbed 2.5% to approach $88,000 following the decision, which came as policymakers balanced inflation concerns against mounting fiscal pressures from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s $117 billion stimulus package.

The central bank voted unanimously to lift short-term rates from 0.5%, stating that “real interest rates are expected to remain significantly negative,” and that “accommodative financial conditions will continue to firmly support economic activity.“

Governor Kazuo Ueda emphasized the bank would “continue to raise the policy interest rate and adjust the degree of monetary accommodation” if the economic outlook materializes as projected.

Historic Move Confronts Deepening Fiscal Challenges

The rate increase represents Japan’s most aggressive monetary tightening since 1995, though borrowing costs remain far below those in other major economies.

The decision arrives as Takaichi’s government pushes through expansive fiscal policies funded largely by issuing more bonds.

More than half of the stimulus spending will come from additional debt issuance, raising concerns about Japan’s already massive public debt, more than twice the size of its economy.

Speaking to The New York Times, George Goncalves, head strategist at MUFG, noted the “volatile mix of growing debt, higher interest rates, aggressive fiscal spending and tariffs make the path forward for Japan’s economy difficult to predict.”

Market reactions were mixed, with the yen initially strengthening before giving up those gains as investors digested the statement’s implications.

Christopher Wong, currency strategist at OCBC, speaking with Reuters, added that “the yen initially strengthened but quickly surrendered those gains, in part reflecting thin market liquidity that amplified short-term price action rather than a reassessment of fundamentals.“

Divergent Policy Paths Signal Volatility Ahead

The rate hike comes amid broader regulatory shifts in Japan’s crypto landscape.

The Financial Services Agency recently proposed requiring exchanges to hold dedicated reserves against customer losses, extending a framework long used in traditional securities markets.

The move follows major breaches, including Bybit’s February 2025 hack, which resulted in roughly $1.46 billion in losses.

Japan is also simultaneously preparing its most sweeping overhaul of crypto oversight in almost a decade, planning to move digital assets under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act.

The transition would impose stricter disclosure requirements and explicit insider-trading rules covering token listings, major system breaches, and large-scale issuer sales.

Arthur Hayes, former BitMEX CEO, reacted bullishly to the decision on social media. “Don’t fight the BOJ: -ve real rates is the explicit policy,” Hayes wrote. “$JPY to 200, and $BTC to a milly.“

Speaking with Cryptonews, Ignacio Aguirre, CMO at Bitget, offered measured optimism despite near-term uncertainty.

“However, the BOJ’s tightening stands in contrast to widely expected Fed rate cuts in early 2026, setting up a period of heightened volatility that often creates attractive accumulation windows for long-term investors,” Aguirre said.

He projected Bitcoin could retest the $95,000–$100,000 range by early 2026.

Market Analysts Split on Bitcoin’s Near-Term Trajectory

Trader Michael van de Poppe downplayed the hike’s lasting impact on crypto markets.

“Markets knew this beforehand, so the actual impact of this rate hike is firstly, going to have less impact the more those will take places as the marginal impact for the Carry Trade is getting less and less,” van de Poppe said.

He argued markets had “overpriced this to the downside prior to the event expecting a big crash to occur,” adding that given the soft inflation outlook, “it’s time to get back to the fair price for Bitcoin.“

Bitcoin initially dipped below $86,000 following the announcement due to yen carry trade unwinds, but quickly rebounded above $87,000 as pre-event downside fears proved overblown.

CryptoMichNL noted the hike’s reduced marginal impact on carry trades from prior adjustments, with markets having priced in a severe crash that didn’t materialize.

Meanwhile, Fundstrat’s Tom Lee also reaffirmed his prediction that Bitcoin will reach $200,000 by late January 2026 in a recent CNBC interview, implying a near-doubling from current levels around $85,500 amid post-election consolidation.

Lee’s forecast draws on surging spot ETF inflows exceeding $30 billion year-to-date and anticipated regulatory easing under the Trump administration, aligning with his accurate 2024 call for Bitcoin surpassing $100,000 during the halving cycle.

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