Strategy Buys 22,628 BTC in December as RWAs Top $19B
Michael Saylor’s public company Strategy bought 22,628 BTC in December, bringing its total holdings to 672,497 BTC (about 3.3% of circulating supply). Strategy disclosed purchases in 41 weeks of 2025, a sharp increase from prior years; its debt-funded approach has inspired other firms to adopt Bitcoin treasury strategies. Bitcoin slid more than 4% in December and traded near $88,000 at the time of reporting, below its October all-time high. Prediction markets are expanding but face legal challenges: Kalshi and Polymarket encountered cease-and-desist actions in 11 U.S. states even as mainstream outlets like CNBC integrate market data. Security incidents fell in December to $22.5 million across 10 hacks, but 2025 still saw $3.4 billion in crypto thefts according to Chainalysis, with significant state-sponsored activity attributed to North Korea. Real-world assets (RWAs) in DeFi rose to over $19 billion, led by tokenized U.S. Treasurys (~$8.7B) and commodities (~$3.5B), pushing RWAs past DEXs in DeFi rankings. Tokenized treasury products from firms like BlackRock, Circle, Franklin Templeton and Ondo are major contributors. Key metrics for traders: large institutional accumulation by Strategy, a modest month-end BTC price decline, ongoing regulatory risk for prediction markets, persistent security threats, and growing liquidity and TVL in RWAs that may shift capital within DeFi.
Neutral
The news contains mixed signals for markets. Bullish element: Strategy’s large December purchase (22,628 BTC) and sustained 2025 accumulation demonstrate continued institutional demand and increased Bitcoin treasury adoption, which supports long-term price underpinning. The rise of RWAs to $19B, driven by tokenized Treasurys and institutional products, indicates growing DeFi maturation and new liquidity sinks for capital. Bearish/neutral elements: Bitcoin fell ~4% in December and faces short-term downside risk amid macro pressures; prediction markets face regulatory crackdowns in 11 U.S. states, introducing legal uncertainty for related tokens and platforms. Security remains a concern after $3.4B in 2025 thefts, though December hacks were smaller. For traders: expect muted near-term volatility driven by profit-taking and macro news, with potential support from continued institutional flows. Short-term trading implications include possible consolidation or further retracement (some analysts cite deeper pullbacks), making risk management and watchlists for institutional accumulation useful. Long-term outlook leans constructive if institutional demand and RWA integration continue, but regulatory and security risks could intermittently weigh on sentiment.