Bitcoin risks a further drop toward the $70,000 area if the Bank of Japan follows through with an expected interest-rate rise on Dec. 19, analysts focused on macro forces warned.

According to multiple macro-focused voices, the move could sap global liquidity and put fresh downward pressure on risk assets, with some traders already bracing for a sharp pullback.

Japan’s policy shift matters because higher rates tend to strengthen the yen and raise the cost of borrowing. When that happens, traders who previously borrowed cheaply in yen to invest elsewhere are often forced to unwind those positions.

That process can pull money out of global markets in a short period of time, and Bitcoin has often felt that impact as investors cut exposure during risk-off stretches.

BOJ Tightening Drains Global Liquidity

According to AndrewBTC, every BOJ hike since 2024 has coincided with Bitcoin drawdowns of more than 20%. Based on reports, the analyst pointed to declines of roughly 23% in March 2024, 26% in July 2024, and 31% in January 2025.

BREAKING: JAPAN WILL CRASH $BTC

Bank of Japan is set to hike rates +25 bps on Dec 19. Japan = largest holder of US government debt

Look at the $BTC chart:

Every BoJ rate hike → Bitcoin dumps over 20%+

• March 2024 → -23% • July 2024 → -26% • January 2025 →… pic.twitter.com/grN3QRNUg4

— AndrewBTC (@cryptoctlt) December 13, 2025

Traders are not only watching central bank calendars. Bitcoin’s daily chart also flashed a classic bear flag formation after a steep fall from the $105,000–$110,000 area in November.

Market Positioning Widens Ahead Of Key Data

Bitcoin slipped below $90,000 in thin trading on Sunday, a move that traders took as a cautionary sign rather than a definitive trigger. Based on reports, Ether held up better than many altcoins, suggesting selective risk taking in the market.

Traders are positioning before a busy slate of US data and central bank events that could sway flows. Analyst EX bluntly warned BTC will collapse “below $70,000” under the stated macro conditions, a stark forecast that highlights how crowded bets can amplify moves when liquidity is pulled.

EVERY TIME JAPAN HIKES RATES, BITCOIN DUMPS 20–25%

NEXT WEEK, THEY WILL HIKE RATES TO 75 BPS AGAIN.

IF THE PATTERN HOLDS, $BTC WILL DUMP BELOW $70,000 ON DECEMBER 19.

POSITION ACCORDINGLY. pic.twitter.com/IWU8JbXjn3

— ΞX (@rektbyEX) December 13, 2025

What This Means For Investors

The story tying BOJ policy to Bitcoin’s swings is simple in outline: when funding costs in Japan rise, global borrowing becomes pricier, and risk assets can be sold as positions are reduced.

That dynamic helps explain why past BOJ moves lined up with 20-30% declines in Bitcoin. Still, markets often try to price events ahead of time; a hike that’s already built into prices may have a smaller effect than one that comes as a surprise.

Featured image from Nikkei Asia, chart from TradingView

A critical flaw in React Server Components is being used by attackers to inject malicious code into live websites, and that code is siphoning crypto from connected wallets.

Reports note that the vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-55182, was published by the React team on December 3 and carries a maximum severity rating.

Cybersecurity firm Security Alliance (SEAL) has confirmed that multiple crypto websites are actively being targeted, and they urge operators to review all React Server Components immediately to prevent wallet-draining attacks.

Security teams say the bug allows an unauthenticated attacker to run code on affected servers, which has been turned into wallet-draining campaigns across several sites.

A Wide Risk To Sites Using Server Components

SEAL said the flaw affects React Server Components packages in versions 19.0 through 19.2.0, and patched releases such as 19.0.1, 19.1.2, and 19.2.1 were issued after disclosure.

Crypto Drainers using React CVE-2025-55182

We are observing a big uptick in drainers uploaded to legitimate (crypto) websites through exploitation of the recent React CVE.

All websites should review front-end code for any suspicious assets NOW.

— Security Alliance (@_SEAL_Org) December 13, 2025

The vulnerability works by exploiting unsafe deserialization in the Flight protocol, letting a single crafted HTTP request execute arbitrary code with the web server’s privileges. Security teams have warned that many sites using default configurations are at risk until they apply the updates.

Attackers Inject Wallet-Draining Scripts Into Compromised Pages

According to industry posts, threat actors are using the exploit to plant scripts that prompt users to connect Web3 wallets and then hijack or redirect transactions.

In some cases the injected code alters the user interface or swaps addresses, so a user believes they are sending funds to one account while the transaction actually pays an attacker. This method can hit users who trust familiar crypto sites and connect wallets without checking every approval.

Scanners And Proof-Of-Concepts Flooded Underground Forums

Security researchers report a rush of scanning tools, fake proof-of-concept code, and exploit kits shared in underground forums shortly after the vulnerability was disclosed.

Cloud and threat-intelligence teams have observed multiple groups scanning for vulnerable servers and testing payloads, which has accelerated active exploitation.

Some defenders say that the speed and volume of scanning have made it hard to stop all attempts before patches are applied.

More Than 50 Organizations Reported Compromise Attempts

Based on reports from incident responders, post-exploitation crypto activity has been observed at more than 50 organizations across finance, media, government, and tech.

In several investigations, attackers established footholds and then used those to deliver further malware or to seed front-end code that targets wallet users.

SEAL has emphasized that organizations failing to patch or monitor their servers could experience further attacks, and ongoing monitoring is essential until all systems are verified safe.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Strategy chair Michael Saylor signaled that his firm may add to its Bitcoin holdings just as the market slid again on Sunday, a move that kept traders on edge and fed fresh debate over what is driving the declines.

Back To More Orange Dots

According to a post on X, Saylor shared a chart with the phrase “Back to More Orange Dots,” a shorthand that investors interpret as fresh buying.

Based on reports tracked by SaylorTracker, Strategy bought 10,624 BTC on Dec. 12 — its biggest single purchase since late July.

The firm now holds about 660,624 BTC, which at current prices is worth roughly $58.5 billion, and its average cost per coin stands at $74,696.

₿ack to More Orange Dots. pic.twitter.com/rBi1aagDVO

— Michael Saylor (@saylor) December 14, 2025

Sunday Wick, Low Liquidity

Bitcoin briefly dipped to a two-week low near $87,750 in late trading on Sunday, before climbing back above $89,000 by the time of writing.

Traders pointed to a familiar pattern: quick wick-downs on weekends when liquidity is thin. Ether showed relative strength while major altcoins lagged, and market participants were seen positioning ahead of a packed calendar of US data and central bank decisions this week.

Analysts Eye Bank Of Japan

According to analyst commentary, some market participants blame the selling on expectations around the Bank Of Japan.

People are seriously underestimating what the bank is about to do to crypto, said one analyst using the handle NoLimit.

Justin d’Anethan, head of research at Arctic Digital, said the slide toward $88,000 “feels like a defeat,” and linked the move to fear of a carry trade unwind tied to Japanese rate expectations.

Markets May Have Priced It In

Sykodelic, another market watcher, argued that Japan’s actions are largely priced in. “Markets are forward-thinking, forward-moving. They move in anticipation of events, not when those events happen,” they wrote.

Based on that view, the recent drop is less about a fresh shock and more about ordinary back-and-forth: macro funds trimming exposure, short-term traders taking profit, and buyers stepping in at lower levels.

That push-and-pull helps explain why Bitcoin keeps snapping lower on thin pockets of liquidity but does not break decisively below key support.

Meanwhile, the tension between long-term holders — represented by companies like Strategy — and short-term macro flows is shaping price action.

There is no sign yet of widespread liquidations or a funding crisis, which suggests the declines are measured rather than chaotic.

Featured image from Australian Farmers, chart from TradingView

Fanatics, a leading global sports platform, has launched Fanatics Markets, a fan-led prediction market platform developed through a strategic partnership with Crypto.com, bringing together sports, finance, and culture.

Fanatics Markets is a simple, user-friendly platform built to let people trade on the moments shaping sports, finance, and culture. Through the partnership, the platform introduces customers to markets and pricing offered by Crypto.com | Derivatives North America (CDNA), a CFTC-registered exchange and clearinghouse and affiliate of Crypto.com. The platform provides users with a way to pick a side and potentially profit on outcomes that matter most, including sporting events, movements in the price of gold, and cultural moments. The Fanatics Markets app is available on iOS and Android.

Users are able to trade contracts across sports, finance, economics, and politics, including event outcomes such as whether a team will score more than 20 points or whether a cultural storyline will unfold. Crypto.com’s CFTC-registered derivatives exchange provides institutional-grade security, while Fanatics Markets maintains control over the user experience and interface design. The platform features a sleek and intuitive design that reflects real-time market sentiment and is live in multiple U.S. states, including California, Texas, Florida, and Washington.

Travis McGhee, Global Head of Predictions at Crypto.com, said that Crypto.com was the first to launch sports prediction markets and continues to grow its reach through partnerships with platforms such as Fanatics. He added that the partnership provides fans with a safe and compliant way to access prediction markets.

Matt King, Chief Executive Officer of Fanatics Betting and Gaming, said Fanatics Markets offers fans a safe, intuitive, and rewarding way to engage with moments that move sports and culture, while allowing them to pick a side and potentially profit if their prediction is correct.

Fanatics Markets is launching in two phases. The first phase is live with event contracts across sports, finance, economics, and politics. The second phase, launching early next year, will expand the platform to include event contracts related to crypto, stocks and IPOs, climate, pop culture, technology and AI, movies, and music.

The Fanatics Markets app is available today in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Utah. Additional launches are planned in states including Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Fanatics Markets will include consumer protections and provide tools that allow customers to manage exposure, trade responsibly, and make informed trading decisions, including deposit limits, session limits, timeouts, and self-exclusion.

Fanatics joins other brands collaborating with Crypto.com to offer access to prediction markets, following recent partnerships announced with Underdog, Truth Social, Hollywood.com, and MyPrize.

Learn more at https://crypto.com.

Referral Feature to Enable Users to Earn and Track CRO Rewards Through App-Based Referrals

Crypto.com App Referral Feature December 2025 – Crypto.com, a global leader in cryptocurrency services, today announced an updated App Referral feature to expand user participation across the Crypto.com platform and enable users to earn CRO rewards through app-based referrals.

The updated App Referral feature, which aims to allow users to earn CRO by inviting friends to join the Crypto.com App, marks a significant step in broadening participation in Crypto.com’s ecosystem. The referral feature is designed to provide users with clearer visibility into referral activity and reward progression, while enabling both existing and newly referred users to track CRO rewards more effectively within the app. Additionally, the updated feature prioritizes ease of use, transparent tracking, and scalable participation, making it accessible for a broad range of users.

“We are pleased to introduce updates to the App Referral feature to help expand user participation across the Crypto.com platform through a more structured and transparent referral experience,” said a Crypto.com representative. “The updated referral feature reinforces our commitment to providing users with clear tools to track rewards and engage more actively with the Crypto.com App.”

“Providing more ways for users to engage with cryptocurrency services remains central to our vision of further mainstreaming crypto,” said Eric Anziani, President and COO of Crypto.com. “The App Referral feature update enables users to participate more directly in the growth of the Crypto.com ecosystem while earning CRO rewards tied to referral activity.”

Under the updated referral feature, users can earn up to US$100 in CRO for every friend successfully referred to the Crypto.com App. The feature includes a dedicated dashboard, which allows users to track referred friends, monitor earnings milestones, and view total CRO rewards earned through referrals, all in one place. The updated dashboard provides a consolidated view of referral activity, enabling users to monitor progress more efficiently.

The referral feature also introduces trading-based earning, under which CRO rewards increase based on the trading activity of referred users. As referred users generate trading volume within the Crypto.com App, referral rewards progress accordingly, allowing for smoother reward accumulation and structured milestone tracking.

In addition, the updated referral feature provides more personalised ways to share referral codes and links, enabling users to distribute referrals more easily across supported channels. These updates are intended to allow users to grow their referral networks while maintaining a consistent and streamlined sharing experience within the app.

The referral feature update applies to both existing Crypto.com users and newly referred users. Referred users are also eligible to earn up to US$100 in CRO, track their reward progress more easily, and begin referring additional users themselves once eligible, expanding participation across the Crypto.com ecosystem.

This referral feature update follows Crypto.com’s continued efforts to enhance user experience and expand access to cryptocurrency services across its platform.

About Crypto.com

Founded in 2016, Crypto.com is trusted by millions of users worldwide and is the industry leader in regulatory compliance, security and privacy. Our vision is simple: Cryptocurrency in Every Wallet. Crypto.com is committed to accelerating the adoption of cryptocurrency through innovation and empowering the next generation of users to participate in a more accessible digital ecosystem.

Learn more at https://crypto.com.

According to Markus Thielen, head of research at 10x Research, Bitcoin’s familiar four-year cycle still exists, but what drives that rhythm has changed. He told listeners on The Wolf Of All Streets Podcast that the calendar timing of halvings is no longer the main force. Instead, election timing, central bank moves and where money flows now matter more.

Shift From Halving To Politics And Liquidity

Thielen highlighted that Bitcoin’s major peaks in 2013, 2017, and 2021 all happened in the fourth quarter, and he believes these highs match up more closely with election cycles and political uncertainty than with the timing of the halvings.

According to him, there is added market worry about whether the sitting president’s party will keep control of Congress. He said that could shape policy and investor choices, and he mentioned US President Donald Trump when discussing current political odds. The message was clear: politics changes expectations, and expectations move prices.

 

The four-year cycle is still intact, but it’s driven by midterm elections, not the halving.@markus10x pic.twitter.com/5td8bLgb20

— The Wolf Of All Streets (@scottmelker) December 13, 2025

Liquidity And Institutional Caution

The recent Fed rate cut did not spark the usual broad rally in risk assets. Institutional investors, who now have a larger role in crypto markets, are acting more guardedly as policy signals remain mixed and liquidity looks tighter.

Capital inflows into Bitcoin have slowed compared with last year, Thielen said, removing some of the buying pressure that helped push prices higher before. Arthur Hayes, the BitMEX co-founder, made a similar point in October, saying that global liquidity, not an automatic four-year clock, has always driven the main moves in cryptocurrency. According to Hayes, halvings may line up with rallies sometimes, but they are often coincidental.

Bitcoin slipped below $90,000 in thin Sunday trading, a sign of fragile demand when volumes are low. Ether showed relative strength while major altcoins lagged. Traders are positioning ahead of a busy week of US data and central bank events, putting premium on signals that affect liquidity and risk appetite. With institutional desks watching macro reads closely, momentum is likely to depend on flows rather than calendar dates.

What This Means For Investors

The clearest takeaway is simple. The four-year pattern can still help frame expectations, but it should not be treated as a rule. Halvings affect supply and miner economics, and they matter to some market actors, but in a market shaped by large funds and ETFs the real fuel is cash and credit conditions.

When liquidity loosens, prices can run. When it tightens, rallies can end. That lesson sits at the center of both Thielen’s and Hayes’s views.

Policy and liquidity are now central to Bitcoin’s cycles. Reports indicate that the pattern has shifted from a purely mechanical schedule to one influenced by broader money conditions and political timelines. Market participants appear to be responding to economic news and central bank signals alongside the block reward schedule.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

According to Itaú Asset Management, Brazil’s largest private bank, investors should consider holding 1%–3% of their portfolios in Bitcoin starting in 2026. The recommendation came in a research outlook released this week and frames Bitcoin as a small, complementary holding rather than a main bet.

Itaú Backs Small Bitcoin Positions

The bank’s note points to Bitcoin’s low correlation with many traditional assets and to currency risks that hit local investors hard this year. Itaú also moved to build the infrastructure behind that view: in September 2025 it created a dedicated crypto division and named former Hashdex executive João Marco Braga da Cunha to lead the team. That new unit sits alongside the bank’s existing products and is meant to help clients access regulated crypto tools.

Access Through Local Products

Brazilian savers can already reach Bitcoin via products tied to Itaú. The bank is part of the team that launched the IT Now Bloomberg Galaxy Bitcoin ETF, known by its ticker BITI11, which began trading on November 10, 2022. The ETF gives investors a spot-like route to Bitcoin inside the local market, and it sits alongside unit trusts and pension products that offer crypto exposure.

Small But Existing Crypto Footprint

Itaú says its regulated crypto suite manages roughly R$850 million across several funds and ETFs, a modest amount compared with its wider business but still a clear signal of product readiness. The bank’s asset arm is large: it manages more than 1 trillion reais for clients, which helps explain why its guidance on allocations draws wide attention.

Market Context And Timing

Itaú’s move arrives after a year in which currency swings amplified losses for some Brazilian holders of foreign assets. That reality appears to be part of the math behind recommending a 1%–3% position — a small buffer for those worried about local-currency shocks, not a bet meant to replace stocks or bonds. The bank frames the position as a disciplined, long-term allocation, not a short-term trade.

What This Means For Investors

For ordinary investors the guidance is simple to read: keep exposure small and controlled. A 1% position will hardly change a diversified portfolio on its own, while 3% is still within what many institutions have called a “satellite” slot. Based on reports, Itaú expects to offer more choices — from low-volatility wrappers to riskier strategies — through the new unit as demand grows.

Featured image from La Nación, chart from TradingView

Veteran market trader Peter Brandt has reignited debate around XRP after issuing sharp remarks about the token’s most loyal supporters. Drawing from a career that spans more than five decades, Brandt grouped XRP alongside silver when describing markets where bullish belief often holds firm despite repeated price swings and long periods of disappointment.

According to people familiar with his comments, Brandt grounded his criticism in personal trading history. He said he has handled thousands of contracts across commodities, equity benchmarks, and digital assets, and argued that the “perma bulls who I find most uneducated and biased are those who trumpet Silver and XRP,” pointing to what he sees as a pattern of investors staying bullish even when price action and broader conditions turn against them.

Brandt Highlights Decades Of Experience

Brandt’s tone was blunt and personal. He has a long record of public commentary, and his criticisms of XRP are part of a pattern that stretches back years. Earlier this month he called XRP supporters “obsessed” and compared their conviction to that of silver bulls.

For 50 years I have traded many thousands of contracts of every commodity, stock indexes and as many cryptos as you can think of The perma bulls who I find most uneducated and biased are those who trumpet Silver and XRP

— Peter Brandt (@PeterLBrandt) December 12, 2025

At times he has made bearish forecasts — including predictions that XRP would slide toward zero against Bitcoin — while at other moments he identified bullish chart patterns and set higher targets that were later hit before the market reversed.

Community Pushback And Surprises

Responses came fast. Zach Rector, a known figure in the XRP space, pushed back on Brandt’s view. Reports disclosed that Bitcoin maximalist YoungHoon Kim said on December 12 that he would start buying XRP — a notable shift for someone who had favored Bitcoin exclusively.

Kim has claimed an IQ of 276, a detail many readers flagged as unverifiable, but it was repeated in social posts and prompted discussion. X Finance Bull accepted Brandt’s trading record but suggested that charts alone may miss broader structural moves in crypto markets. Dr. Don Woods, a self-described silver bull, joked that triple-digit returns had left him unbothered by labels of bias or ignorance.

XRP: Price Context And Market Moves

According to market snapshots tied to the exchanges, XRP traded above $3 at one point before slipping toward the lower end of the $2 region. Volume and broader crypto swings played parts in that move.

Brandt’s critics point to that resilience as proof his calls are sometimes off. His supporters say his track record over five decades still deserves weight. Both views are in circulation, and both are being used to argue different investment cases.

10,000 XRP And The Freedom Argument

Meanwhile, Edoardo Farina, founder of Alpha Lions Academy, has kept a steady bullish stance. Based on his past posts, he argued that holding 10,000 XRP could put an investor in a special position if prices rise enough.

“It’s hard to understand how free you’ll be,” he wrote in one message that was later shared widely. That claim contains no timeline or clear price targets. It is a conviction play, not a forecast built from disclosed assumptions.

The differing views is part of a wider debate about bias, data, and belief in crypto. Some traders treat Brandt’s words as a warning against unchecked optimism. Others treat community pushback as evidence that XRP’s story is not settled and that broader factors — legal, regulatory, and adoption-related — could change the math.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Venezuela’s cash is losing value quickly. People and businesses are shifting to US-dollar stablecoins, especially USDT, to protect savings and make everyday payments.

According to market data, the peso-like bolívar has quoted around 267 per US dollar on December 12, 2025, after roughly 254 on December 5, showing how fast the local currency can move.

Why The Shift Is Accelerating

Based on reports from exchanges and on-chain firms, inflation has been estimated in the 100s–200s% range year-on-year in 2025. Prices rise fast under those conditions.

Wages lose value within days, sometimes hours. To avoid that loss, workers, freelancers and small shops are turning to stablecoins tied to the US dollar, which hold value better than the local currency.

Stablecoins As Daily Money

USDT is now being used for groceries, rent and even salaries in several cities. Peer-to-peer platforms and small crypto desks help users swap between bolívars and stablecoins without relying on traditional banks.

In some neighborhoods, merchants accept stablecoins directly, cutting out currency exchange altogether. Payments that once required cash stacks or quick conversions are now handled through mobile wallets.

Rising On-Chain Flows And Regional Trends

Blockchain analytics firms tracking activity across Latin America have reported a sharp rise in stablecoin volumes during 2024 and 2025.

TRM Labs and similar groups point to higher transaction counts and more active wallets linked to dollar-backed tokens. These increases match what residents describe on the ground. Crypto is not just held. It is being spent, saved and passed along as money.

Many Venezuelans receive remittances from abroad and convert them into USDT before bringing value back home. Others sell goods or services and ask to be paid in stablecoins to avoid sudden losses.

Conversion usually happens through messaging apps, local brokers or P2P platforms. The process is simple, but it depends heavily on trust and access to liquidity.

Government Reaction And Market Risks

Authorities have responded in mixed ways. Some unofficial dollar markets have been targeted, while limited crypto-based currency conversions have been allowed in certain cases.

Reports have also linked state-owned firms to crypto use for accessing foreign funds. At the same time, sudden rule changes remain a risk. Crackdowns, new compliance demands or exchange restrictions can disrupt access overnight.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

A new public company with a big Bitcoin stash is pitching a bold claim. Twenty One Capital, which listed on the New York Stock Exchange on December 9, arrived with close to $4 billion Bitcoin treasury and now holds the third-largest BTC reserve among public firms. According to the firm’s CEO, Jack Mallers, Bitcoin’s role could expand far beyond a speculative holding.

CEO Sees Bitcoin As A Reserve Asset

Mallers told viewers on theCUBE+NYSE Wired that Bitcoin has compounded holders’ portfolios at roughly 50% a year over the past five to 10 years. Based on reports, he expects that the current $2 trillion market for Bitcoin could grow to between $20 trillion and $200 trillion.

He argued Bitcoin might become the next global reserve asset as finance “recollateralizes” itself away from traditional treasuries and government debt. If supply then stood at 20 million tokens when a 100x market rise happened, Bitcoin would trade near $10 million per coin. At a present price of $92,270, that outcome would equal an increase of about 10,730%.

Market Signals Remain Mixed

Short-term market signs are not all in favor of a big rally. According to market watchers, the Federal Reserve’s recent rate cut barely moved Bitcoin, leaving price action largely flat and directionless.

The MACD histogram, however, is showing hints of bullish momentum in some technical reads, which suggests buyers may be warming up.

The dollar index is showing signs of weakness, which often helps assets like Bitcoin. ETF flows keep disappointing. Without steady inflows from funds, big narratives can struggle to turn into lasting price gains.

Product Push Aimed At Liquidity Without Selling

Twenty One Capital says it wants to offer services that let holders tap liquidity without selling their coins. The firm plans to start in credit and lending and has said it will roll out products in partnership with Tether.

Mallers described the company as more than a balance-sheet accumulator; he compared their ambitions to Coinbase while stressing a narrower focus on Bitcoin services. If executed, these offerings could change how holders manage risk and cash needs.

Big Numbers And Big Questions

The projection to $200 trillion is headline-grabbing. It is a vision, not a forecast, and it hinges on major shifts in global finance and adoption. Reports note that other industry figures have offered similar long-term targets, which means the idea is not unique but remains highly debated.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

 

Standard Chartered and Coinbase announced an expanded collaboration on December 12, 2025, to develop a suite of services aimed at institutional investors.

Based on reports from both firms, the work will look at trading, prime services, custody, staking and lending for banks, funds and other large players.

Building On Existing Work

The firms said the push grows out of an existing arrangement in Singapore where Standard Chartered provides banking links that let customers move Singapore dollars in real time to and from Coinbase. That setup helped power Coinbase’s move into the island city’s business market on November 12, 2025.

What They Plan To Explore

Coinbase and Standard Chartered described five areas they will explore together: trading, prime services, custody, staking and lending. These cover order execution, financing and custody options that big clients typically demand.

Both sides framed the effort as trying to give institutional users safer, regulated ways to hold and move digital assets.

Why The Move Matters

Institutional investors have been asking for services that resemble what they get in traditional markets — custody with strong controls, credit and financing options, and execution tools tied to regulated banking rails.

Standard Chartered already rolled out spot trading for Bitcoin and Ether for its institutional clients earlier in the year, an effort that showed the bank is building its own crypto capabilities as demand grows.

Middle Ground For Banks And Crypto Firms

Coinbase brings its institutional trading platform and market access; Standard Chartered brings global payment rails, FX handling and a bank’s compliance framework.

The result, the partners say, should be a way for large investors to trade and custody digital assets while sticking to familiar banking rules and procedures.

Other banks and prime brokers are also striking ties with crypto firms or building in-house services, so this announcement is part of a broader push to give big clients regulated choices.

For institutional traders, having multiple, regulated routes to trade and settle crypto helps reduce single-point dependency and may lower operational risk.

Public Launch Date Or Pricing

Neither company provided a timetable or fee details when they announced the expansion. For now, the plan is to develop and test product ideas for institutional clients across regions where each firm operates.

The announcement underlines how more traditional finance players and crypto firms are working together to meet demand from large customers.

Featured image from Standard Chartered, chart from TradingView

Solana’s network took a notable step this week as Firedancer, a validator client developed by Jump Crypto, began running on the mainnet, and markets reacted quickly.

According to Solana’s announcement, the client moved out of a controlled testing phase and is now active for real-world validation.

Traders pushed SOL up about 5%, with the token trading close to $140 during the initial move.

Firedancer Goes Live On Mainnet

During more than 100 days of controlled tests, a small set of validators produced more than 50,000 blocks without downtime, according to reports. Built in C and C++, Firedancer was made to handle heavy workloads and to lower the chance of network interruptions.

Test environments reportedly showed the client processing over 1 million transactions per second, a figure that far exceeds current mainnet throughput.

BREAKING: After 3 years of development, Firedancer is now live on Solana Mainnet, and has been running on a handful of validators for 100 days, successfully producing 50,000 blocks pic.twitter.com/Y0WxxEj2WL

— Solana (@solana) December 12, 2025

That high number comes from lab-style tests, not live traffic, and should be read as experimental performance rather than everyday capability.

Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko marked the transition as a step out of a long beta cycle for the network.

Early Adoption And Stake

Adoption is still small in terms of stake. The first Firedancer nodes hold under one percent of total staked SOL, and that share is expected to grow as operators add it to their setups.

Reports have disclosed that a December rollout prompted more than 20% of validators to move from earlier experimental clients, showing a rapid shift among some operators.

Running multiple validator clients reduces dependence on a single software implementation. If one client encounters a bug, others can keep block production running. That diversity mirrors how other large proof-of-stake chains operate.

Why This Matters For Validators And Apps

Validators and developers stand to benefit if Firedancer keeps meeting its goals. Faster or more reliable validation could mean more capacity for apps that need many transactions per second.

For node operators, the option to mix clients offers an added safety net. Still, the network’s real-world load will be the true test, and watchers say they will be looking at uptime and performance over the coming weeks.

Market Moves And Technical Signals

The announcement coincided with a clear market flow into SOL. Reports have disclosed $11 million in inflows to Solana ETFs on the day of the news, while Bitcoin saw outflows of $77.30 million and Ethereum $42.35 million.

Featured image from Phantom, chart from TradingView

Pakistan’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority has issued “No Objection Certificates” (NOC) to Binance and HTX, allowing both platforms to begin formal steps to operate inside the country.

The clearances do not amount to full licenses. They instead permit preparatory work such as registering with the country’s anti-money-laundering system and setting up local units before full license applications are filed, reports disclosed.

Tokenization Deal And Local Ties

Based on reports, the finance ministry said the NOCs could cover government bonds, treasury bills and some commodity reserves. The move is aimed at creating new ways to raise liquidity and to open government assets to wider markets through blockchain-based tokens.

Pakistan takes a decisive step toward a regulated digital asset future.

Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) has issued NOCs to Binance and HTX, launching a phased, FATF-aligned pathway toward full licensing. Strong governance, AML and CFT compliance remain… pic.twitter.com/jSk6JTqvFt

— Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (@PakistanVARA) December 12, 2025

A Shift Toward Formal Oversight

Officials from the virtual-assets authority said they examined governance, risk controls and compliance frameworks before granting the early approvals. These NOCs let the exchanges connect to Pakistan’s AML systems and coordinate with the Securities and Exchange Commission to set up regulated subsidiaries. That review was described as part of a phased licensing system meant to align local rules with global standards.

Partnerships And Local Players Move Fast

Local payments firms and government bodies are being brought into talks. One public statement from a Pakistan-based payments group said the aim is to study how regulated virtual-asset access could expand financial services for ordinary users, while keeping track of risks. Commercial ties like these could speed up customer access if full regulatory approval follows.

How Big Is Pakistan’s Crypto Scene?

Based on reports, Pakistan ranks third globally in retail crypto activity. That ranking has helped push the authorities to build a formal regime quickly.

Officials say the new framework will be backed by a Virtual Assets Act and other measures, including plans for a pilot central bank digital currency and closer work on stablecoins. The intent is to bring trading and payments under clearer oversight while attracting compliant investment.

What Comes Next

Binance and HTX must still meet full licensing conditions before they can offer trading to the public.

The NOCs are an opening move. Full permissions will depend on how well each firm satisfies the regulator’s detailed checks and how the proposed Virtual Assets Act is implemented.

Markets may react to progress on tokenization and any future licensing milestones, but for now the country has signaled a clear shift from informal activity to regulated market access.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, has broadened support for USD1, the stablecoin tied to World Liberty Financial and US President Donald Trump’s crypto ventures, reports disclosed. The exchange added new spot pairs including ETH/USD1, SOL/USD1 and BNB/USD1, and enabled fee-free swaps between USD1 and other major stablecoins.

Binance Will Shift Collateral Into USD1

The exchange will convert all collateral backing its Binance-Peg BUSD (B-Token) into USD1 at a 1:1 ratio, a process the company said should be completed within one week. This change means USD1 is being folded into its internal collateral and liquidity systems rather than remaining only a tradable token.

Market Reaction And Liquidity Effects

Traders reacted quickly. Price moves in BNB and other tokens showed more buying interest after the announcement. Market data snapshots suggested a short-term uptick in BNB as liquidity and trading routes were expanded by the new USD1 pairs. Reports put the token’s wider market use and the platform’s zero-fee swaps as the likely drivers.

Binance to Add BNB/USD1, ETH/USD1 Trading Pairs; B-Token Collateral to Be Converted to USD1

According to an official announcement, @binance will list new spot trading pairs BNB/USD1, ETH/USD1, and SOL/USD1 at 16:00 (UTC+8) on December 11, 2025. At the same time, Binance will… pic.twitter.com/mIPrkiR3Lj

— ME (@MetaEraHK) December 10, 2025

Backing, Size, And Recent Deals

According to public filings and market trackers, USD1 is backed by US Treasury bills, cash and equivalents and is redeemable at a one-for-one rate with the dollar.

The stablecoin has grown quickly and is now listed among the larger stablecoins by market cap, with figures around $2.7 billion cited in recent summaries. Reports have also linked USD1 to a major Abu Dhabi investment that used the token for a $2 billion deal.

Political Context And Scrutiny

These commercial moves come after a politically charged episode: Trump granted a pardon earlier this year to Binance’s former CEO, an action that critics say raises questions about ties between Binance and the Trump family’s crypto interests.

That sequence of events has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and commentators, who are asking for more transparency around the deals and any possible conflicts of interest.

Company spokespeople have issued short statements denying that any political favors were sought or exchanged to secure deals. Binance said its public notices focused on product rollouts, trading schedules and incentives like zero fees for certain users, while World Liberty Financial emphasized the reserve backing behind USD1.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

XRP is being positioned as something more than a trading asset as analysts point to signs suggesting it may be shaped for financial infrastructure over time.

A report from Digital Asset Solutions (DAS) highlights three main points behind this shift, tying the altcoin’s technical setup to Ripple’s work on stablecoins and regulated payment rails.

Structural Edge For XRP

Reports have disclosed that XRP offers several qualities that matter to companies moving money across borders. It settles fast, costs little to send, and works as a neutral bridge asset between different currencies.

Ripple’s ledger is described as reliable and globally distributed, which is why some enterprises are testing it for predictable transfers. However, many firms still use RippleNet without using the crypto directly, so broad bank-level usage has not taken hold.

DAS Research just laid out the clearest confirmation yet of where XRP is heading

Their analysis shows XRP and Ripple are no longer competing in crypto. They are evolving into global payment infrastructure, the kind used by banks, fintechs, and cross border networks that… pic.twitter.com/ZwqUD68Qur

— Stern Drew (@SternDrewCrypto) December 9, 2025

The research frames these features as the first major factor behind the digital asset’s potential role in global payment flows. The traits are real, but adoption varies and has not yet reached large commercial scale.

Stablecoins And XRP Working Together

Ripple plans to use RLUSD as a fiat-backed anchor while relying on the crypto to provide liquidity between different corridors.

The concept is simple: Stablecoins maintain price stability tied to fiat, while XRP acts as the connector for moving value across currencies. This pairing is presented as the second major point in DAS Research’s findings.

Ripple Prime, ZK-enabled identity tools, and licensing efforts are being built to meet compliance requirements from regulated institutions.

Early RLUSD corridors have started to appear, but the level of real-world transaction volume remains small compared to the broader payments industry.

Catalysts Forming In The Background

The final point focuses on developments that analysts believe could help XRP move closer to regulated financial rails.

RippleNet partnerships are growing, institutional custody services are improving, RLUSD integrations are underway, and conversations around possible ETF structures have emerged.

Each of these adds some weight to the idea that XRP may gain a deeper role in payment systems in the future. Some of these steps are active today, while others remain early discussions. Custody upgrades, for example, are happening across the crypto sector, not only for the altcoin.

While procedural steps like exchange listings and filings have progressed for multiple XRP ETF proposals, the US Securities and Exchange Commission has not yet given formal approval to a spot XRP ETF. Even so, these developments show how Ripple is preparing for broader institutional use.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced on Dec. 11, 2025 that it has withdrawn its 2020 interpretive guidance on when a crypto trade counts as “actual delivery,” a move the agency said responds to major changes in crypto markets and trading practices.

According to the CFTC press release, Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham called the guidance “outdated and overly complex” and said removing it will help promote access to safer US markets.

Actual Delivery And The 28-Day Test

According to the 2020 rulebook and federal filings, the CFTC’s earlier guidance treated a retail crypto trade as excluded from futures-style rules if the asset reached the buyer’s control within 28 days of the transaction — a technical standard used to decide whether a deal was a spot sale or a regulated futures-style transaction.

That guidance included examples showing when transfer on a public ledger or control over a wallet would or would not count as actual delivery. The 28-day reference is rooted in the Commodity Exchange Act’s existing exceptions and was central to how many platforms structured retail offerings.

More news from the CFTC! It previously published guidance the interpretation of “actual delivery” in the context of retail commodity transactions in crypto. This is imp because if a trans qualifies as AD, it is NOT regulated as a futures contract. /1 https://t.co/L2U46VRbQl

— Katherine Kirkpatrick Bos (@kkirkbos) December 11, 2025

Industry Reaction And Risk

Reports have disclosed that many market participants greeted the withdrawal with relief, saying it gives exchanges more room to design products and operate without a narrow staff interpretation dictating settlement timing.

Some lawyers and platform staff argued the 2020 tests made it hard for venues to offer certain customer-facing services unless they met strict delivery steps.

At the same time, legal observers warned that pulling the guidance without a clear replacement leaves open questions about how regulators will treat similar trades going forward, and which platforms must register as futures venues.

How The Move Fits In Politically

Based on reports, the action was framed as part of policy priorities under US President Donald Trump’s administration to modernize rules that affect digital asset markets.

The CFTC said the change lines up with broader interagency efforts and public engagement initiatives the agency has been running this year. That framing has prompted renewed attention from exchanges, trading firms, and lawmakers who are watching for any follow-up steps.

The CFTC signaled it may seek public input and consider new materials to replace the withdrawn guidance, including FAQs or fresh interpretive notes.

Market operators will now weigh operational changes and legal advice as they decide whether to alter product design or customer terms.

Some firms are expected to adjust custody and transfer procedures, while others may wait for clearer written standards before making big changes.

Featured image from Quality Company Formations, chart from TradingView

Crypto markets saw a modest lift after the US Federal Reserve made another move on rates, and traders are watching for a clearer follow-through. According to reports, the Fed has carried out three consecutive interest rate cuts totaling 0.75% from September to December. The move was widely expected. Still, market responses have been mixed and somewhat choppy.

Fed Moves And Market Takeaway

According to CoinEx chief analyst Jeff Ko, much of the Fed’s action was already priced in, and the updated dot plot leaned a bit more hawkish than some had hoped.

Ko pointed to $40 billion in short-term Treasury purchases as a technical step to ease liquidity and lower short-term rates, not as a broad stimulus program.

Markets took the measures as mildly positive. US stocks rose, and that helped Bitcoin find some footing after an early dip.

Santiment And The Short-Term Reaction

Based on reports from onchain analytics firm Santiment, each cut has prompted a classic “buy the rumor, sell the news” move where initial optimism is followed by short selling.

The US Fed made three strategic cuts over the past 3 months, resulting in a total of an 0.75% reduction to interest rates.

1⃣ September 17, 2025: Fed lowered the target range to 4.00 %–4.25 % (from 4.25 %+) at the 16–17 Sep meeting.

2⃣ October 29, 2025: Fed cut the rate to… pic.twitter.com/X6DWypvq5t

— Santiment (@santimentfeed) December 11, 2025

Cuts are seen as bullish for crypto over the long haul, yet they have triggered brief pullbacks in practice. Santiment adds that a small wave of FUD or retail selling often signals that the mild post-cut downswing is finished and a bounce may follow once things calm down.

Technical Levels Traders Are Watching

Bitcoin was volatile in the aftermath. It fell under $90,000 then popped to $93,500 on Coinbase before settling near $92,300 at the time of reporting. Key resistance sits between $97,000 and $108,000.

On the daily chart, BTC remains inside a small rising channel that sits within a larger downtrend, and technical traders note that a MACD histogram is approaching a positive crossover — a sign some see as possible renewed momentum.

ETF activity has been tepid, with only $219 million in net inflows since late November, which keeps some investors cautious.

Dollar Weakness And Equity Signals

A weaker dollar has been part of the backdrop; the DXY index fell to 98.36 and is showing bearish momentum on its own MACD.

Nasdaq’s move back above its 50-, 100- and 200-day simple moving averages helped lift risk assets briefly, and that has supported Bitcoin’s rebound attempts.

Yet correlation with equities remains uneven — losses in stocks tend to hit Bitcoin harder than gains help it, creating an asymmetric risk profile for traders.

Featured image from Impossible Images, chart from TradingView

YouTube has quietly added a new payout option that lets creators in the US receive earnings in PayPal’s dollar-pegged token, PYUSD. According to several reports, the change appears to be active now and is being offered through PayPal’s payout rails rather than through any direct crypto custody by YouTube.

How The Option Works

PayPal’s head of crypto, May Zabaneh, confirmed the setup to Fortune and said the company uses its existing payout network to deliver PYUSD to recipients who opt in.

That means YouTube will still calculate and send creator earnings in dollars to PayPal’s system, and PayPal is then responsible for the conversion to the stablecoin and distribution to creators. The move builds on PayPal’s broader push to offer stablecoin tools to businesses and individual users.

PYUSD was introduced by PayPal in 2023 and has since been plugged into services such as Venmo and PayPal’s merchant tools. Reports have made clear that YouTube itself is not holding or moving crypto on behalf of creators; PayPal handles the token side.

Scope And Availability

For the moment, the option is available only to creators based in the US. A Google spokesperson confirmed the rollout but declined to share a schedule for any expansion beyond American users.

Creators who qualify for YouTube’s monetization programs may be able to opt into the new payout method for monthly earnings like ad revenue and paid memberships.

Some creators will value the extra choice. Receiving PYUSD could let a creator hold a dollar-pegged token onchain, spend it where PayPal tools accept it, or convert back to fiat through PayPal.

There are tradeoffs: holding a stablecoin brings different custody and tax considerations than a straight bank transfer. Reporting systems and bank rules may differ depending on how the creator finally cashes out.

What Creators Should Expect

The signup step should be familiar to anyone who already uses PayPal payouts on YouTube; it will likely appear as an alternative payment method in creator settings.

Once chosen, payments will flow through PayPal’s established payout system and show up as PYUSD in the recipient’s compatible wallet or PayPal balance, per the descriptions circulating in the trade press.

PYUSD In Numbers

PYUSD’s onchain presence has grown rapidly. Market trackers list the stablecoin with close to $4 billion in circulating value and roughly 3.8 billion tokens in supply at the moment, figures that underline how much the token has expanded since launch.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Do Kwon, the South Korean co-founder of Terraform Labs, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on December 11, 2025 in a Manhattan federal court after pleading guilty to fraud tied to the collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin and its sister token, Luna.

According to court documents and news reports, the judge described the scheme as a massive fraud that left thousands of investors facing heavy losses.

Sentence And Court Ruling

Judge Paul A. Engelmayer handed down the 15-year term after prosecutors urged for a sentence of up to 12 years and the defense asked for a much lighter term.

Do Kwon pleaded guilty in August 2025 to conspiracy to defraud and wire fraud, and as part of the plea he agreed to forfeit roughly $19 million.

The US Attorney’s office says the guilty plea admits he misled investors about how the stablecoin kept its $1 peg.

Scale Of The Losses

Reports have placed the market fallout from the Terra collapse at about $40 billion in erased value. Many ordinary investors lost life savings and some victims gave emotional testimony at sentencing, describing real financial ruin.

News outlets and court filings tie the crash in May 2022 to a sudden loss of confidence that cascaded through markets and hurt other crypto firms.

Civil Penalties And Settlements

Before the criminal case reached this point, Kwon and Terraform faced a major civil action from the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

According to the SEC, Terraform Labs and Kwon agreed to pay more than $4.5 billion in disgorgement, interest and penalties, while Kwon personally faced an $80 million civil fine and a ban from crypto trading.

That civil judgment was filed in 2024 and has been used by regulators as part of the overall effort to make investors whole.

International Arrest And Extradition

Kwon was arrested in Montenegro in March 2023 after leaving Singapore; authorities say he was using forged travel documents when detained.

He fought extradition in Montenegrin courts but was eventually transferred to the US late in 2024 to face federal charges. Reports outline a long legal fight across borders that ended with his return to New York to answer criminal counts.

What The Sentence Means

Legal analysts say a 15-year term signals the court’s view that the fraud caused wide damage and that punishment should deter similar schemes. Victims’ statements at sentencing appear to have weighed heavily.

Kwon still faces separate probes and possible charges in other countries, and the civil judgment means substantial sums are earmarked for recovery efforts tied to Terraform’s bankruptcy.

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView

Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, has been honored with a new “disappearing” statue installed at the New York Stock Exchange this week.

According to reports, the piece was placed by investment firm Twenty One Capital and is part of a broader public art effort linking Bitcoin’s cultural presence with major financial sites.

Installation And The Artist

The sculpture was made by Italian artist Valentina Picozzi and is built so that it appears nearly invisible from certain angles, then clearly forms when seen from the side.

“Satoshi Nakamoto” Valentina Picozzi – @satoshigallery

Twenty One Capital places a statue of Satoshi Nakamoto, the inventor of bitcoin, in NYSE. Its new home marks a shared ground between emerging systems and established institutions. From code to culture, the placement… pic.twitter.com/sTiNq3h5HY

— NYSE (@NYSE) December 10, 2025

The work took about 21 months to design and build, and this NYSE placement is the sixth of a planned series of 21 monuments scattered around the globe. The layered-metal technique creates the optical effect that mirrors Satoshi’s elusive identity.

Past Incidents And Recovery

The statue’s arrival at Wall Street follows earlier headlines tied to the same design. In August, a version of the disappearing Satoshi in Lugano was briefly missing after being taken and later recovered from Lake Lugano, with the recovery drive boosted by a 0.1 BTC reward offered by the art collective behind the pieces.

This is such an achievement, even in our wildest dream we wouldn’t think about placing the statue of Satoshi Nakamoto in this location!

The 6th/21 statues of Satoshi Nakamoto found its home in the NYSE.

Thank you https://t.co/iIEvZawAte

— Satoshigallery (@satoshigallery) December 10, 2025

Reports have disclosed that municipal workers found the sculpture in pieces, and the episode drew attention to the artwork’s symbolic value and physical fragility.

Market Reaction To The Installation

Trading and market news have shown a mixed response to the spectacle. Reports indicate that Twenty One Capital, which organized the NYSE installation, saw its shares fall about 19% during its trading debut, an early sign that symbolic moves do not always calm investor nerves. Some coverage framed the firm as a multibillion-dollar company while noting the sharp initial swing in its stock.

Where is Satoshi?

We are offering 0.1 btc to whoever will help us recovering the Statue of Satoshi Nakamoto that was stolen yesterday in Lugano.

You can steal our symbol but you will never be able to steal our souls.

Thank you all for the nice messages.

We are all in this… https://t.co/cAGCqg4CuP pic.twitter.com/iGrBOdVYhe

— Satoshigallery (@satoshigallery) August 3, 2025

What This Means For Cultural Adoption

According to market and cultural commentators, placing the Satoshi statue at the NYSE signals growing acceptance of Bitcoin imagery by established institutions.

The move places a public symbol of the cryptocurrency inside one of the oldest trading venues in the US, and that contrast is being read as an example of how ideas from digital currency culture are entering mainstream spaces.

Observers say the artwork functions as both tribute and provocation, inviting debate about anonymity, value, and public memory.

What To Watch Next

Reports have noted that more of the planned installations will appear in other cities, bringing the total project aim to 21 locations.

Other institutions’ reactions remain to be seen, including whether additional major venues will host similar statues and how public opinion may shift following the recent theft and recovery in Switzerland.

The disappearing sculpture now stands as a real-world example of how art connected to the cryptocurrency world interacts with public spaces.

Featured image from Advance Innovations, chart from TradingView