XRP researcher Ripple Bull Winkle has stressed that new XRP ETFs will require millions of XRP to meet demand. In his commentary, he argued that the public “won’t realize what happened until it’s too late”.
Choosing the right tool for multiple jobs can be tough. There are countless brands to choose from, and each one offers hundreds of tools with various models that often look identical. Earlier this year, I finally bought a Ryobi High-Torque Impact Wrench, and not only is it the tool upgrade I needed, but it's something everyone should own.
The CEO's stance highlights confidence in Bitcoin's long-term value, suggesting resilience against short-term market volatility.
The post Strategy CEO says only a decades-long slump would force them to sell Bitcoin appeared first on Crypto Briefing.
Many in the crypto space have echoed a familiar sentiment over recent months: “The four-year crypto market cycle is dead.” Experts from the Bull Theory assert that while the four-year cycle may have come to an end, the Bitcoin bull run itself is merely delayed and could stretch until 2027.
In a recent post on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the Bull Theory analysts noted that the concept of Bitcoin adhering to a neat four-year cycle is weakening.
They highlighted that significant price movements over the last decade weren’t solely driven by Halving events; rather, they were influenced by shifts in global liquidity.
The analysts pointed to the current landscape of stablecoin liquidity, which remains high despite recent downturns, indicating that larger investors are still engaged in the market, poised to invest when appropriate macroeconomic conditions arise.
In the US, Treasury policies are emerging as pivotal catalysts. The recent buybacks are notable, but the analysts emphasize that the larger narrative lies in the Treasury General Account (TGA) balance, which is currently around $940 billion—almost $90 billion above its normal range.
This surplus cash is likely to flow back into the financial system, enhancing financing conditions and adding liquidity that typically gravitates toward risk assets.
Globally, the trends appear even more promising. China has been injecting liquidity for several months, while Japan recently announced a stimulus package worth approximately $135 billion, alongside efforts to simplify cryptocurrency regulations.
Canada is also moving toward easing its monetary policy, and the US Federal Reserve (Fed) has officially halted its quantitative tightening (QT) measures—a historical precursor to some form of liquidity expansion.
The analysts explained that when major economies adopt expansive monetary policies simultaneously, risk assets like Bitcoin tend to respond more rapidly than traditional stocks or broader markets.
Additionally, potential policy tools, such as the Supplementary Leverage Ratio (SLR) exemption—implemented in 2020 to allow banks more flexibility in expanding their balance sheets—could return, resulting in increased credit creation and overall market liquidity.
There is also a political dimension to consider. President Trump has discussed potential tax reforms, including abolishing income tax and distributing $2,000 tariff dividends.
Furthermore, the likelihood of a new Federal Reserve chair who supports liquidity assistance and is constructive toward cryptocurrency could bolster conditions for economic growth.
Extended Bitcoin UptrendHistorically, whenever the Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (ISM PMI) surpasses 55, it has been followed by periods of altcoin season. The probability of this occurring in 2026 appears high, according to the Bull Theory.
The convergence of rising stablecoin liquidity, the Treasury’s injection of cash back into markets, global quantitative easing, the cessation of QT in the US, potential bank-lending relief, pro-market policy shifts in 2026, and major players entering the crypto sector suggests a very different scenario than the old four-year halving model.
The analysts concluded that if liquidity expands concurrently across the US, Japan, China, Canada, and other significant economies, Bitcoin is unlikely to move counter to that trend.
Therefore, rather than experiencing a sharp rally followed by a prolonged bear market, the current environment indicates a more extended and broader uptrend that could span through 2026 and into 2027.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Do Kwon, the troubled co-founder of Terraform Labs based in Singapore, is facing a possible 12-year prison sentence in the United States due to his role in the collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin, which resulted in significant losses within the cryptocurrency market.
Bloomberg reported that in a court filing late Thursday, US prosecutors described the Terraform Labs co-founder’s fraudulent actions as “colossal in scope.”
They emphasized that his “misleading statements to customers” triggered a domino effect of crises across the crypto landscape, culminating in the downfall of notable entities such as Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX.
This comes amid a regulatory environment that has grown increasingly lenient under the Trump administration. In late October, President Trump pardoned Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), who had been convicted for failing to uphold proper anti-money laundering measures.
In a recent court filing, Terraform Labs co-founder expressed a desire for a reduced sentence of five years. His legal team asserted that he has already “suffered substantially” for his actions, noting that he has spent nearly three years in detention conditions described as “brutal” in Montenegro.
Kwon’s lawyers argued that a five-year prison term would be sufficient and that the prosecutors’ recommendation of 12 years is “far greater than necessary” for justice to be served.
Initially, Kwon pleaded not guilty in January to a nine-count indictment that charged him with securities fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. However, he changed his plea in August to guilty for conspiracy to defraud and wire fraud.
During this change, Terraform Labs’ leader acknowledged that his actions included making “false and misleading statements” regarding the restoration of TerraUSD’s peg in 2021, admitting, “What I did was wrong.”
As part of his plea agreement, Kwon has consented to forfeit $19.3 million and some properties. Prosecutors have chosen not to demand restitution for the millions of investors who collectively lost $40 billion, citing that calculating individual losses would be too complicated.
Kwon faces charges in both the US and his native South Korea, where prosecutors are also pursuing a lengthy prison sentence potentially reaching up to 40 years.
He was arrested in Montenegro in 2023 while using a fake passport, and following a protracted legal battle, he was extradited to the United States in January after spending nearly two years in a Balkan jail.
US prosecutors have indicated they would support Kwon’s opportunity to serve the second half of his sentence in South Korea, provided he adheres to the terms of his plea deal and qualifies for a transfer program. Kwon is scheduled for sentencing by US District Judge Paul Engelmayer on December 11.
When writing, Terraform Labs’ native token Luna Classic (LUNC) saw a 75% increase in response to Do Kwon’s probable sentence, trading at $0.000050 and placing it at the helm of the market’s top performers on Friday.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Reports have disclosed that central banks around the globe have stepped up purchases of gold this year, with one month standing out. In October 2025, officials bought 53 tons of gold, a level that analysts say is the highest monthly demand seen this year. These moves reflect growing concern about inflation, weaker currencies and rising geopolitical risk.
According to data cited by financial outlets, 2025 is on track to be the fourth-highest year this century for institutional gold accumulation when measured net year-to-date through October. Analysts at Deutsche Bank put gold’s share of central-bank reserves at about 24%, a level not seen since the 1990s. Those figures help explain why governments that once moved away from bullion are returning to it now.
Some banks and market researchers are now asking whether Bitcoin could play a similar role for national treasuries. Based on reports from major financial firms, Deutsche Bank projects that Bitcoin could appear on central-bank balance sheets by 2030 as a complementary reserve asset.
Central banks are ramping up gold purchases:
Global central banks purchased +53 tonnes of gold in October, the most since November 2024.
This marks a +194% jump compared to July, and the 3rd-straight monthly acceleration.
In the first 10 months of the year, central banks have… pic.twitter.com/7pZWyEjjvf
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) December 4, 2025
Bitcoin’s market profile has changed: liquidity has risen, and price swings have been less extreme during recent months even though volatility remains higher than older reserve assets. Bitcoin also reached a record above $123,500 in recent trading, a price point that has captured wide attention.
A Few Banks Are Testing The IdeaA small number of central banks are now at least studying the idea more seriously. The Czech National Bank, for example, has discussed the possibility of a “test allocation” to learn how crypto might behave inside a reserve mix. Those conversations tend to focus on custody, accounting rules and how to report gains or losses, rather than immediate buying.
On Gold & Bitcoin: Why Officials Are Cautious
Risk is the main reason most central banks have not moved faster. Bitcoin still shows larger price swings than standard reserve assets, and global rules for how to hold and audit crypto are not uniform. Based on expert commentary, regulators and auditors would need clear guidance before many central banks felt comfortable adding crypto to official reserves.
What This Could Mean For MarketsIf even a handful of national banks were to allocate a small share of reserves to Bitcoin, demand could rise sharply and change how markets view the asset. A modest sovereign allocation would not replace gold or the US dollar, but it could give Bitcoin a stronger role as a hedge for countries facing currency weakness or rising inflation. At the same time, such a move would push more work into custody and compliance services, which would have to scale up quickly.
Gold buying by central banks is already significant — 53 tons in one month and about 24% of reserves in gold for some — and that Bitcoin is being discussed as a possible next step for some policymakers. The path from discussion to adoption is uncertain, and many technical and legal questions remain. Still, the debate has moved from theory to test runs and official reports, making this one of the more closely watched trends in global finance this year.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The physical Bitcoin collectibles were minted when Bitcoin was trading for just $3.88 and $11.69 each, marking a massive potential return.
Madison, United States, December 5th, 2025, CyberNewsWire Sprocket Security is proud to announce that it has once again been recognized by G2 for “High Performer,” “Best Support,” and “Easiest to Do Business With” in the Winter 2025 Relationship Index for Penetration Testing. This marks the second consecutive quarter Sprocket has earned these honors, reinforcing the […]
The post Sprocket Security Earns Repeat Recognition in G2’s Winter 2025 Relationship Index for Penetration Testing appeared first on GBHackers Security | #1 Globally Trusted Cyber Security News Platform.
Torrance, California, USA, December 5th, 2025, CyberNewsWire Criminal IP will host a live webinar on December 16 at 11:00 AM Pacific Time (PT), focusing on the shift in cyberattack strategies. The session will examine how an increasing number of incidents now originate from exposed digital assets, rather than from known software vulnerabilities. As organizations rapidly […]
The post Criminal IP to Host Webinar: Beyond CVEs – From Visibility to Action with ASM appeared first on GBHackers Security | #1 Globally Trusted Cyber Security News Platform.
Jyoti Mann / Business Insider:
Leaked memos: Meta is delaying the release of its MR glasses codenamed “Phoenix” from H2 2026 to H1 2027 for “more breathing room to get the details right” — - Meta delays the release of its “Phoenix” mixed reality glasses to 2027, aiming to “get the details right.”
Like many classic board games, Ludo offers its players numerous opportunities to inflict frustration on other players. Despite this, [Viktor Takacs] apparently enjoys it, which motivated him to build a thoroughly modernized, LED-based, WiFi-enabled game board for it (GitHub repository).
The new game board is built inside a stylish 3D-printed enclosure with a thin white front face, under which the 115 LEDs sit. Seven LEDs in the center represent a die, and the rest mark out the track around the board and each user’s home row. Up to six people can play on the board, and different colors of the LEDs along the track represent their tokens’ positions. To prevent light leaks, a black plastic barrier surrounds each LED. Each player has one button to control their pieces, with a combination of long and short presses serving to select one of the possible actions.
The electronics themselves are mounted on seven circuit boards, which were divided into sections to reduce their size and therefore their manufacturing cost. For component placement reasons, [Viktor] used a barrel connector instead of USB, but for more general compatibility also created an adapter from USB-C to a barrel plug. The board is controlled by an ESP32-S3, which hosts a server that can be used to set game rules, configure player colors, save and load games, and view statistics for the game (who rolled the most sixes, who sent other players home most often, etc.).
If you prefer your games a bit more complex, we’ve also seen electronics added to Settlers of Catan. On a rather larger scale, there is also this LED-based board game which invites humans onto the board itself.
Thanks to [Victoria Bei] for the tip!
Bitcoin (BTC) is retesting a crucial support area after its price slid 5% from the recent highs and fell below the $90,000 barrier. Some analysts have suggested that the cryptocurrency’s structure remains intact, but warned that it must bounce quickly or risk retesting the November lows.
On Friday, Bitcoin lost the recently reclaimed $90,000 level, falling to a key support area before stabilizing. The flagship crypto has been attempting to recover from the November market correction, which sent its price to a seven-month low of $80,600.
Since reaching its local lows two weeks ago, the cryptocurrency has traded within a macro re-accumulation range, between $82,000 and $93,500, attempting to break out of this zone on Wednesday, when it reached a multi-week high of $94,150.
However, as the first week of December approaches its end, BTC has lost the upper area of its local range again, falling below its monthly open and tapping the $88,000 support.
Amid the drop, Analyst Ted Pillows noted that BTC has been struggling to reclaim the $94,000 resistance, adding that price “wants to go lower here before another breakout attempt.” Therefore, he suggested that a bounce back from the $88,000-$89,000 support zone is likely.
Altcoin Sherpa affirmed that the ongoing retest would confirm whether the recent bounce was “just lower highs and price is going lower or if we actually have any juice to bounce to like 100k or something.”
The analyst outlined two potential outcomes. In the first scenario, the flagship crypto would retrace to the $87,000-$89,000 area and bounce above the $93,000-$94,000 resistance levels.
In the second scenario, Bitcoin would continue to move sideways below the local resistance before eventually sliding to the November lows and potentially lower levels. Per the analysis, the leading cryptocurrency must bottom quickly, or it will risk the second outcome.
Analyst Rekt Capital also pointed out that Bitcoin continues to face rejection from the range high resistance. However, he considers that investors should not worry as long as the pullback isn’t as big as the previous ones.
If “the rejection is shallower than the previous two, then this resistance will continue to weaken until eventually breached,” he explained, adding that “as long as this weakening continues, BTC should be able to finally breach this resistance over time & try to challenge the multi-week Downtrend above.”
Earlier this week, the analyst affirmed that BTC’s consolidation structure will remain intact as long as Bitcoin closes the week above the range lows. He also noted that its Macro Downtrend, which “has been dictating resistance throughout this phase of the cycle,” remains the dominant structural barrier and the level to break.
As the price stabilized between the $88,500-$89,350 area, the analyst added that today’s retracement “continues to be a shallower pullback than the previous two,” which keeps the range “‘retrace shallowing’ tendency” intact.
He noted that Bitcoin could technically drop into the ascending two-week support trendline, or tap the $86,000 level and still perform a shallower correction than the recent 10% drop.
As of this writing, Bitcoin is trading at $89,400, a 2.9% decline in the daily timeframe.
The anticipated crypto market structure bill, or namely the CLARITY Act, designed to provide essential regulatory clarity for digital assets in the United States, is approaching critical dates in the Senate. However, it faces significant complexities related to stablecoin yield, conflicts of interest, and decentralized finance (DeFi).
Legal expert and Chief Legal Officer of Variant Jake Chervinsky, reports that the Senate is divided into two committees: Banking, which is handling the securities law aspect, and Agriculture, responsible for the commodities law portion.
Both committees have published drafts of their work this fall, with the next step being markup, a process where hearings will be held to vote on amendments before sending the bill to the Senate floor for a full vote.
However, both committees are cautious and are unlikely to proceed with markup until they resolve ongoing disputes. Among these, three significant issues stand out.
The first major concern involves stablecoin yield. In the GENIUS Act, banks lobbied for a prohibition on interest payments, meaning stablecoin issuers cannot offer holders any form of interest or yield.
While the current prohibition prevents direct yield payments to holders, it does not address non-yield rewards or yield provided by third parties. Banks consider this gap a “loophole” and are advocating for broader restrictions to be included in the market structure bill.
The second issue revolves around conflicts of interest. Some Democratic senators have indicated they would not support the market structure legislation unless it includes provisions that restrict the President’s family from conducting business in the crypto space.
The third and perhaps most crucial issue pertains to DeFi. It is important to note that market structure legislation primarily addresses centralized platforms that exercise custody over user funds and transactions.
Chervinsky believes the bill should primarily focus on protecting DeFi, but traditional finance (TradFi) stakeholders have been pushing Congress to categorize virtually all entities in the crypto sector—developers, validators, and others—as intermediaries.
The expert emphasized that the success of any market structure bill hinges on ensuring robust protections for developers since the viability of the crypto industry relies on their contributions.
Given the intricate nature of these issues and the swiftly approaching holiday break, Chervinsky noted that it is possible that discussions about market structure could extend into January.
Senate Markup Set For December 17-18Market analyst MartyParty provided another update on December 4, indicating that the bipartisan Digital Asset Market Structure Bill is gaining significant momentum in Congress, with a markup session in the Senate Banking Committee tentatively scheduled for December 17-18, just before the holiday recess
If successfully passed, he states that the bill could establish clearer pathways for tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) and mitigate “debanking” risks, paving the way for compliant exchanges and potentially stimulating market volumes following the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) approvals for spot crypto trading.
This “regulatory convergence” is seen as a catalyst that could drive liquidity and energize the next bull market, reinforcing President Trump’s vision for the US to emerge as the “crypto capital of the world.”
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you love animated films.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Typical
Green: To appease
Blue: Famous cartoons
Purple: Reptiles and amphibians
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Norm
Green: Mollify
Blue: Member of a titular group in an animation franchise
Purple: Starting with herpetofauna
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #909 is...
Norm: AVERAGE, MEAN, PAR, STANDARD
Mollify: COOL, MODERATE, SETTLE, TEMPER
Member of a titular group in an animation franchise: CAR, INCREDIBLE, MINION, MONSTER
Starting with herpetofauna: ADDERALL, MONITORSHIP, NEWTON, TOADY
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love fantasy books.
Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
The words are related to fantasy.
These words describe "The Lord of the Rings."
Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
Today's spangram is Middle Earth.
Wizard
Forest
Hobbit
Middle Earth
Quest
Dwarf
Ring
Shire
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 6-4, placed horizontally.
Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.
Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.
Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.
Greater Than (1): Everything in this light blue space must be greater than 1. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 1-4, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.
Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.
Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (1): Everything in this green space must be greater than 1. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed vertically.
Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.
Equal (0): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically.
Equal (4): Everything in this yellow space must be equal to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed vertically.
Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
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