Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Crypto lending has rebounded: centralized finance (CeFi) outstanding loans climbed to roughly $25 billion by Q3, while on-chain (DeFi) borrowing surged, pushing combined crypto-collateralized borrowing to multi-year highs. CeFi recovery is driven by a smaller set of surviving platforms offering higher collateralization, clearer reporting and tighter risk controls; Tether/USDT is the dominant lending asset within CeFi. DeFi borrows recovered strongly from the 2022–2023 trough to materially higher levels, reflecting renewed on-chain demand as some users moved away from constrained centralized options. Market concentration is a key theme: a few CeFi firms now hold a large share of outstanding loans, creating single-point-of-failure risk. Key trading signals: accelerating lending volumes, dominant USDT lending share, rising on-chain borrow metrics, higher collateral ratios across CeFi, and ongoing regulatory scrutiny. Risks for traders include liquidity squeezes from concentrated CeFi exposure, volatility-driven liquidations, and policy or compliance-driven changes that could reduce lending capacity. Traders should monitor quarterly loan books, on-chain borrow balances, collateralization levels, margin/liquidation events, and capital flows into lending desks to gauge market liquidity and contagion risk.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a record monthly outflow in November, driven largely by redemptions from the two largest funds (BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC). A concentrated single-session withdrawal on November 20 accounted for a sizable share of exits. Macro headwinds — a strong dollar, elevated interest rates and cautious central bank commentary — together with institutional profit-taking after prior gains, were cited as main drivers. Rather than exiting crypto, institutional investors rotated capital into altcoin-focused ETFs: Solana and XRP products drew significant inflows, and thematic ETFs tied to Web3 infrastructure, smart-contract platforms and tokenized real-world assets saw increased demand. Analysts characterize the moves as strategic rotation, not a structural sell-off: unlike 2022, there were no exchange failures or systemic liquidity crises. However, the outflows tightened Bitcoin’s near-term ETF liquidity and increased downside pressure. Traders should expect short-term volatility from profit-taking and rebalancing, monitor ETF flows into altcoins as a gauge of institutional diversification, and watch futures open interest and on-chain metrics to assess whether positioning is transient. If macro conditions ease and ETF demand returns, Bitcoin could stabilize given post-halving supply dynamics; continued ETF weakness would leave BTC vulnerable to further losses.

Crypto investment products saw $1.07 billion in net inflows last week, reversing four weeks of outflows totaling $5.7 billion as investors priced in a potential Federal Reserve rate cut. XRP recorded a record weekly inflow of $289 million, its sixth consecutive week of net inflows and representing roughly 29% of XRP ETP assets under management (AUM). The surge followed launches and approvals of U.S. spot XRP ETFs from issuers including Canary Capital, Grayscale, Bitwise and Franklin Templeton, with 21Shares joining and some XRP-related AUM surpassing $680 million for certain issuers. Bitcoin ETPs led overall flows at $461–464 million, while Ethereum ETPs added about $308–309 million. Short-Bitcoin products saw $1.9 million of outflows, implying reduced bearish positioning. Regionally, the U.S. accounted for the bulk of inflows ($994 million), Canada $97.6 million and Switzerland $23.6 million; Germany posted $57.3 million of outflows. Notable redemptions included Cardano with $19.3 million withdrawn (≈23% of its ETP AUM). Weekly trading volumes were lower (~$24B vs. $56B the prior week, affected by the Thanksgiving holiday). For traders, these flows indicate renewed institutional and retail demand — especially for XRP and Bitcoin — driven by changing rate expectations. Key metrics to monitor: weekly flows, AUM changes, short-product activity, and Fed/central-bank communications that could alter risk appetite. This is informational and not financial advice.

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce publicly defended crypto self‑custody and financial privacy as core individual rights on the Nov. 29 Rollup podcast, calling herself a “freedom maximalist” and arguing privacy should be the default for transactions. Her remarks come amid measurable shifts from self‑custody to Bitcoin ETFs: researchers at Uphold reported the first meaningful decline in self‑custodied BTC in about 15 years. The trend accelerated after the SEC’s July approval of in‑kind creations/redemptions for crypto ETFs, which permits exchanging BTC for ETF shares without triggering immediate tax events, making spot ETFs (notably IBIT and other institutional offerings) more tax‑efficient than cash‑settled products. Large institutional inflows — BlackRock’s IBIT drew billions from big investors — and public figures moving holdings into ETFs reflect convenience, tax efficiency and tighter integration with traditional finance. Critics warn this undermines the “not your keys, not your coins” ethic and increases centralized custody risk. The reporting also notes a recent SEC Division of Corporation Finance no‑action letter to Fuse Crypto Limited. For traders, the shift implies higher ETF flow liquidity, changing on‑chain supply dynamics, altered tax treatment for inflows/outflows, and evolving custody risk profiles that may affect short‑term liquidity and longer‑term supply availability of BTC.

Yearn Finance’s yETH vault was exploited on Nov. 30, 2025 after attackers triggered an unlimited mint of the yETH liquid-staked ETH (LST) index token and emptied the vault in a single transaction. On-chain data shows the attacker minted near-infinite yETH, withdrew roughly 1,000 ETH (about $3 million) from a pool that held about $11 million, and routed proceeds through Tornado Cash. The exploit used newly deployed smart contracts that self-destructed after the transaction. Yearn confirmed the breach, paused the affected yETH vault, said V2 and V3 vaults were unaffected, and engaged independent auditors to review and patch the minting logic vulnerability. The incident follows a broader increase in DeFi losses — CertiK reported about $127M lost to hacks in November — and echoes Yearn’s past incidents (yDAI in 2021, treasury script in 2023). Traders should watch Yearn announcements, on-chain flows from the exploit addresses, and any recovery or reimbursement plans. Immediate risk-management steps: reduce or withdraw exposure to yETH and related LST products, monitor liquidity and oracle behavior, and flag older or complex vault contracts as higher risk.

S&P Global Ratings downgraded Tether’s USDT stability assessment to a weak rating, citing growing exposure to volatile, less‑liquid assets such as Bitcoin and gold and flagging potential liquidity risk under rapid redemption scenarios. Tether’s Q3 report (not independently audited) shows roughly $181B in assets versus $174B in USDT liabilities, including about $139B in cash and cash equivalents, ~87,200 BTC (≈$8B), gold, loans and other illiquid holdings. S&P warned that in a run on redemptions mark‑to‑market losses and limited immediate liquidity could strain Tether despite positive net assets on paper. Industry responses diverge: critics (including Arthur Hayes) argue a ~30% fall in BTC+gold could eliminate Tether’s equity and threaten USDT solvency, while others (including some former bank analysts) say market price swings don’t necessarily equal insolvency and point to Tether’s large asset base. Key datapoints for traders: $174B USDT liabilities, $181B assets, $139B cash equivalents, ~87,200 BTC, and an estimated cash‑equivalent shortfall in an instant redemption stress scenario cited by S&P. Trading implications: the downgrade raises counterparty and liquidity risk for USDT exposure. Traders should monitor USDT peg stability, Tether redemption behavior, BTC and gold volatility, on‑chain flows out of USDT, and any independent audits or regulatory actions that could alter market confidence and short‑term liquidity. Primary keywords: Tether, USDT, S&P downgrade, Bitcoin, stablecoin liquidity.

Bitcoin sentiment is shifting from prolonged panic to cautious optimism after the Crypto Fear & Greed Index rose to 28 on Nov. 30, moving out of the “Extreme Fear” zone for the first time since Nov. 10. Social-tracking firm Santiment reports increased bullish discussion and a higher positive-to-negative post ratio as BTC approaches the $92,000 area, signaling renewed retail interest. Small inflows into U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs and corporate treasury buys are cited as short-term drivers of the recovery, but analysts—including Bitwise Europe’s André Dragosch—warn the rebound is fragile and could be undone by macro risks such as a potential recession. Capital rotation remains limited: CoinMarketCap’s Altcoin Season Index sits at 22/100, indicating continued dominance of Bitcoin over altcoins. For traders: Bitcoin is the primary market focus, with improving but delicate sentiment; expect limited breadth in any rally until ETF flows, macro outlooks, or risk-on conditions materially change. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, fear and greed index, altcoin season; secondary keywords: market sentiment, ETF flows, Santiment.

Zcash (ZEC) staged a sharp late‑December rally, with a 17% one‑day surge to about $515 on Dec. 27 and a broader ~30% Santa rally that recovered roughly 43% for the month and erased half of Q4 losses. Perpetual futures activity spiked: global 24‑hour perp volume for ZEC briefly reached about $2.9 billion (≈7% market share), temporarily surpassing Solana (SOL) and ranking third behind BTC and ETH. Futures open interest and spot volumes also climbed, signaling rising speculative demand. On‑chain metrics show increased real use of ZEC’s privacy features — shielded supply doubled in recent months to roughly 4–5 million ZEC — while exchange outflows and accumulation indicate holders are moving coins off exchanges. Technicals turned constructive as ZEC reclaimed its 50‑day moving average and cleared Supertrend resistance; analysts cite upside targets from $600 up to $746–$800 if momentum continues, with key short‑term support near $450. Traders should note heightened perp volume and rising open interest (confirmation of demand), stronger on‑chain adoption of shielded pools (narrative tailwind), and the risk of profit‑taking or volatility typical of privacy coins. Key action points: monitor perp volumes and open interest for sustained demand, watch $450 support and the 50‑day MA for trend validity, and manage position size given elevated volatility.

South Korea extradited a 29-year-old Lithuanian national accused of stealing about 1.7 billion won (~$1.8M) in cryptocurrency using KMSAuto, a malicious Windows activation tool. The National Office of Investigation (NOI) concluded a five-year, multi-country probe that found the malware — downloaded more than 2 million times between 2020 and 2023 — performed real-time memory/clipboard manipulation to swap destination wallet addresses during transactions. Investigators say the campaign compromised over 3,100 addresses worldwide and successfully intercepted roughly 840 transactions, netting the attacker ~1.7 billion won; eight South Korean victims reported combined losses of about 16 million won. The inquiry began after an August 2020 complaint about a stolen bitcoin. Law enforcement traced funds through exchanges in six countries, seized 22 devices from the suspect’s residence, worked with Lithuanian authorities, issued an Interpol red notice, and arrested him in Georgia before extradition to Korea. Authorities warned users to avoid unlicensed software, verify wallet addresses before sending funds, and be aware of wallet‑swapping malware. For crypto traders: the case highlights continued risk from address‑hijacking malware targeting users of pirated or third‑party tools, the importance of address verification practices (hardware wallets, address whitelisting, copy‑paste checks), and that coordinated cross‑border enforcement can recover leads and disrupt persistent malware campaigns.

Kraken-backed xStocks has launched on The Open Network (TON), enabling Telegram users outside the U.S. to trade tokenized US stocks and ETFs inside the chat app. xStocks already operates on Solana and Ethereum with roughly $180M in assets across ~50,000 wallets, and the TON rollout targets Telegram’s native audience to broaden retail access to on-chain equities. Tokens are marketed as claim tickets — fully collateralized custodial securities held in Switzerland and Jersey — and Kraken’s recent acquisition of Backed Finance centralizes issuance, trading and settlement within its stack. The service excludes U.S. users and carries legal, custody and smart-contract risks: token holders receive creditor claims rather than regulated shareholder rights. For traders, expect greater retail access, cross-chain market fragmentation (Solana, Ethereum, TON), increased competition in RWA tokenization, and new counterparty/technical risks. Short-term impacts may include higher demand and trading volumes for linked tokens on TON/Telegram; long-term effects include intensified platform competition and heightened regulatory scrutiny. Key SEO keywords: tokenized stocks, TON, Telegram, xStocks, Kraken, RWA tokenization.

Solana (SOL) has repeatedly failed to break above the key $150 resistance, prompting some investors to rotate capital into smaller-cap DeFi opportunities seeking asymmetric upside. One such project, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) — an Ethereum-based lending and borrowing protocol — has seen strong presale momentum: roughly $19.45M raised, about 18,650 holders, and a current presale price near $0.035 after ≈250% gains since early 2025. Phase 6 of MUTM’s presale is over 99% allocated; the next phase will raise the price by about 20%, tightening available supply. Mutuum highlights security credentials (CertiK token scan 90/100), an ongoing Halborn audit, and a $50k bug bounty. Its design mints mtTokens for suppliers, ties some protocol revenue to buy-and-distribute mechanics, and targets a V1 deployment on Sepolia testnet in Q4 2025 with ETH and USDT as initial assets. For traders, the contrasting dynamics matter: SOL’s large market cap and liquidity make rapid upside less likely without major catalysts, while MUTM’s presale structure and reduced float can produce sharp short-term moves around phase transitions and listings — presenting higher risk/reward. Key trading considerations: presale phase schedule and price steps, token allocation and supply concentration, audit and security progress, listing and liquidity plans, and overall market sentiment. Perform due diligence; presale projects carry execution, liquidity, and regulatory risks.

Jesse Knutson, Head of Operations at Bitfinex Securities, forecasts that tokenized real-world assets (RWA) could reach $1 trillion within the next decade, driven primarily by rapid adoption in emerging markets. Tokenization converts physical assets — such as real estate, commodities and fixed-income instruments — into blockchain tokens, enabling fractional ownership, on-chain funding and stablecoin settlement. Knutson says developed markets are currently focused on tokenizing fixed-income products (US Treasuries, money market funds), while emerging economies are more likely to tokenize tangible assets and scale faster by bypassing legacy financial infrastructure and integrating digital payments. Key barriers remain: legal enforceability of on-chain contracts, liquidity and settlement risk, investor protections, and interoperability between permissioned and public blockchains and token standards. Knutson emphasizes the need for pilots to move into production-ready, transferable tokens that can act as DeFi collateral to unlock wider utility. For traders, the trend points to growing demand for tokenized real assets and expanding on-chain collateral use — opportunities that hinge on regulatory clarity and improving secondary-market liquidity.

Uniswap executed a governance-approved ‘UNIfication’ that permanently burned 100 million UNI (~$596M), confirmed on-chain around 2025-12-28 04:30 UTC. The burn reduces total supply from 1 billion UNI toward a circulating supply near ~730 million. The UNIfication vote passed with roughly 99.9% approval and >125 million UNI voting in favor. In addition to the one-off burn, the proposal activates protocol fee-burning for Uniswap v2 and selected v3 pools: trading fees (after OP and L1 data costs are deducted) will be routed to UNI burns going forward. The change also sets interface fees to zero and consolidates Uniswap Foundation teams into Uniswap Labs, a governance and organizational shift intended to streamline operations and improve fee capture. Market reaction was modestly positive: UNI traded near $6.01 at publication, up ~0.8% over 24 hours and ~5% since the burn, with a 19% weekly gain and elevated on-chain trading volume and volatility around the event. For traders, the key takeaways are: (1) the UNI burn and activated fee-burn mechanism create ongoing deflationary pressure tied to DEX volume; (2) reduced supply is a bullish structural factor if demand holds or rises, but not a price guarantee — macro crypto conditions, ETH action, and DEX liquidity matter; (3) expect elevated volatility around governance-driven token events and subsequent fee-burn milestones; (4) monitor UNI liquidity pools, concentrated liquidity ranges, trading volumes, and whale activity for directional signals. Primary SEO keywords: UNI burn, Uniswap, fee burn. Secondary/semantic keywords: protocol fees, deflationary model, circulating supply, governance vote, Uniswap Labs.

Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank, has completed a pilot crypto-collateral corporate loan to Bitcoin miner Intelion Data, marking what the bank calls Russia’s first loan secured by domestically mined cryptocurrency. The bank did not disclose loan amount, term or the exact coin used, but said pledged assets were held in its in-house custody solution, Rutoken. Sberbank described the deal as a test of processes for accepting mined digital assets as collateral, validating custody, compliance and operational mechanisms ahead of planned regulatory changes in 2026. For Intelion — one of Russia’s large miners — the financing provides liquidity without selling mined coins, easing hardware and operating financing needs. Key takeaways for traders: growing institutional acceptance of BTC in Russian banking infrastructure; custody solutions like Rutoken reduce counterparty/custody risk for collateralized loans; potential increased demand for on-chain BTC custody and lending markets in Russia; and regulatory developments through 2024–2026 could alter regional mining economics and capital flows. Primary keywords: Sberbank, crypto-collateral loan, Bitcoin, crypto custody, Intelion. The main keyword "Bitcoin" appears multiple times to aid discoverability.

Cardano (ADA) shows technical weakness and short-term downside risk while investor capital chases high-upside presale tokens. On the daily chart, ADA has formed a head-and-shoulders pattern with an upward-sloping neckline; a break of that neckline would target roughly an 18% decline toward $0.24. Momentum and flow indicators — including a falling Chaikin Money Flow and a sub-1 long/short ratio in derivatives — point to reduced buying pressure and bearish positioning. Key intraday support sits near $0.35; reclaiming that level and a CMF reversal would be required to blunt the downside case. Meanwhile, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is advancing through its token presale: Phase 6 at $0.035 is nearly sold out after raising about $19.5 million from ~18,590 investors. Phase 7 will start at $0.04 (≈20% higher), with a planned exchange listing price of $0.06. The project highlights security credentials (CertiK token scan 90/100, ongoing Halborn review, $50k bug bounty), a two-layer lending model, an over-collateralized stablecoin, Layer-2 integration for lower fees and microtransactions, and plans for multi-chain launches. The coverage frames ADA’s technical vulnerability alongside investor FOMO toward presale opportunities like MUTM, positioning MUTM as a high-risk, high-reward growth play. Traders are advised to conduct due diligence and weigh short-term bearish signals on ADA against speculative flows into new-token presales.

Reports say Ripple is in late-stage talks to pursue an initial public offering in 2026. The company is preparing for a public listing that would bring stricter audits, fuller disclosures and ongoing regulatory oversight—changes likely to increase institutional trust. An IPO could make Ripple more attractive to banks, payment providers and large enterprises that require transparency and governance. Ripple’s core product is an XRP-powered payments network for fast, low-cost cross-border transfers already integrated in some financial systems. A 2026 IPO could accelerate institutional adoption of Ripple technology, raise payment volumes on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) and drive genuine demand for XRP as an on‑chain liquidity bridge. Over time, a public listing may shift XRP’s narrative from a speculative token toward infrastructure-backed utility, though that transition depends on regulatory clarity and steady uptake by enterprises. Traders should note the IPO would likely increase disclosures and institutional participation, which could support XRP’s fundamentals, but near-term price reactions may be volatile and hinge on concrete regulatory developments.

Coinotag, citing CoinMarketCap data, reports the Altcoin Season Index has declined to 16 as of December 28, 2025, down sharply from a peak near 78 on September 20. The index compares the 90‑day performance of the top 100 altcoins against Bitcoin; a reading of 16 means roughly 16 projects outperformed BTC over the past 90 days. Earlier coverage noted episodic spikes (a high of ~78) followed by pullbacks; the latest update confirms the rally did not broaden and that altcoin breadth is now narrow. Coinotag highlights that class‑leading altcoins can still deliver outsized returns even when overall altcoin market momentum is weak, and it recommends traders treat the Altcoin Season Index as a tactical signal rather than a long‑term forecast. Key takeaways for traders: - Market breadth is limited: only a small subset (~16 of top 100) is outperforming BTC over 90 days. - Capital concentration: gains are driven by select tokens rather than broad rotation from Bitcoin to altcoins. - Tactical trading advice: favor targeted exposure, position sizing and strict risk management over blanket altcoin bets. - A low index reading does not preclude individual token rallies — stock‑picking remains important. Primary keywords included: Altcoin Season Index, altcoins, Bitcoin. Secondary/semantic keywords included: 90‑day performance, CoinMarketCap, market breadth, tactical signal, risk management.

Dexsport is a crypto-native decentralized sportsbook and casino optimized for in-play (live) betting. The platform supports 38+ cryptocurrencies across 20 networks, requires no KYC, and offers instant deposits, withdrawals and near-instant balance updates via stablecoins (e.g., USDT). Key live features include over 100 in-play markets for major sports (football, basketball, tennis, MMA, boxing, hockey, golf), active esports markets (CS2, Dota 2, Valorant), live streaming without funding, and real-time Cash Out to manage risk. Dexsport emphasizes speed and execution — rapid odds refreshes, fast bet confirmations and predictable bet-slip behavior — which benefits traders during volatile in-play events. It also highlights transparency with a public live bet desk and independent audits (CertiK, Pessimistic), plus tailored bonuses for live bettors (multi-stage welcome offers, stablecoin cashback without wagering requirements, and a Sports Club awarding free bets). Limitations noted include occasional brief market pauses during major events and variable market depth by sport or tournament. For crypto traders and active bettors, Dexsport reduces friction (no forced token economy), enables verifiable settlements, and provides cash-out and position-management tools that can improve execution and risk control in fast-moving live markets.

BitMine Immersion Technologies increased its Ethereum staking exposure, depositing 154,176 ETH (≈$451M) in two transactions on Dec. 27 to earn staking rewards and relieve balance-sheet pressure from roughly $3.5–3.9B in unrealized losses. Earlier reports noted BitMine had also initiated large-scale staking (74,880 ETH) as part of a broader yield-and-infrastructure strategy (MAVAN) to offset losses and expand validator capacity. At reporting, BitMine held just over 4 million ETH — about 3.37–3.4% of circulating supply — with plans to continue accumulation and target up to 5% of total supply, potentially buying as much as $5.88B more and deploying up to $1B into staking as scale allows. The moves lock up sizeable ETH supply, reducing immediate sell pressure and increasing institutional staking influence and potential governance weight. Not all institutions followed suit: SharpLink unstaked ≈$104.4M in ETH on Dec. 27 and CoinGlass recorded institutional sells (~$164.9M) over a recent three-day window, though institutions still hold roughly $17B in assets. For traders, key points are larger on-chain ETH lock-ups from a major public holder, continued institutional accumulation amid some short-term selling, and potential liquidity implications that could support ETH price if staking flows persist.

The Flow Foundation has opened an investigation into a potential mainnet security issue affecting the Flow network that powers NFT platforms such as NBA Top Shot. The announcement (Dec 27, 2025) triggered immediate market panic: FLOW plunged from about $0.17 to $0.11 (a >35% intraday drop) and has lost roughly 69–70% over 90 days. Spot trading largely remained available, but major South Korean exchanges — Upbit, Bithumb and Coinone — suspended on‑chain FLOW deposits and withdrawals under DAXA guidance and issued risk warnings; they say customer balances remain secure. Trading volume spiked to roughly $164 million (CoinMarketCap) as volatility and intraday liquidity surged. Flow engineering teams are working with network partners to assess the issue; no confirmed exploit or on‑chain losses have been reported so far and details and scope remain unconfirmed. Key takeaways for traders: elevated tail risk for FLOW until a technical postmortem is published, higher intraday volatility and volume, potential withdrawal delays on some venues (regional liquidity constraints), and the possibility of further downside if an exploit is confirmed.

Google Trends shows global search interest for “crypto” has fallen to 26/100 — the lowest in over a year — with U.S. searches at a similar one-year trough. The decline follows major market shocks in 2025: an April sell-off linked to tariff-policy headlines and a severe October flash crash that caused nearly $20 billion in leveraged liquidations and saw some altcoins drop as much as 99% intraday. Bitcoin fell from highs above $125,000 to roughly $80,000 in November and has since consolidated between $80,000–$90,000; it traded near $87,520 at publication, about 8% down year-to-date. Sentiment measures remain weak: the Crypto Fear & Greed Index hit 10 in November and lingered around 20 (“extreme fear”) in late December. High-profile memecoin collapses — including Trump-related memecoins plunging over 90% — have further eroded retail confidence. Despite muted retail interest, several analysts and executives project strong upside for Bitcoin in 2026, citing targets such as $150,000 (Standard Chartered, Bernstein analysts) and $250,000 (Charles Hoskinson). For traders: monitor Google Trends, on-chain activity, liquidity and sentiment indicators for signs of retail re-engagement or renewed liquidation risk; current conditions imply higher fragility and potential for volatility in the near term.

Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) led raids in Karachi that arrested 34 suspects (15 foreigners, 19 Pakistanis) tied to an international crypto and forex fraud ring operating as the “International Fraud Group.” Authorities say the unregulated scheme used manipulated trading dashboards, Telegram and other messaging platforms to display fake profits and socially engineer victims into repeated deposits — typically starting around $5,000 — then extracting additional “tax,” verification or withdrawal fees before locking accounts. Officials estimate nearly $60 million flowed through the operation. Law enforcement seized 37 computers, 40 mobile phones, over 10,000 international SIM cards and six illicit gateway devices. Investigators say funds were moved abroad, converted into cryptocurrency and routed across borders; digital forensics teams are tracing wallets and coordinating with foreign jurisdictions. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) issued advisories warning investors to avoid unregistered crypto and forex platforms and perform due diligence. Cases were filed under Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and relevant penal code sections; 22 suspects remain in judicial custody while investigations continue and more arrests are possible. For traders: this crackdown highlights persistent fraud risks, increased cross-border tracing of illicit crypto flows, and likely tighter regulatory scrutiny ahead of expanded licensed market access.

Grayscale’s 2026 Digital Asset Outlook forecasts Bitcoin (BTC) will reach a new all‑time high in the first half of 2026, driven by rising institutional capital, clearer U.S. regulatory prospects, and growth in spot crypto ETFs. The report calls 2026 the “Dawn of the Institutional Era,” citing bipartisan U.S. crypto legislation prospects, continued ETF inflows (spot BTC ETFs have already amassed large sums), and broader ETP offerings as primary catalysts. Grayscale expects slower institutional allocations and internal reviews to conclude in 2026, unlocking meaningful capital inflows that should support higher BTC prices and trickle into altcoins. It flags macro headwinds such as fiat devaluation as an added tailwind for scarce digital money like Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH). The firm downplays near‑term risks from quantum computing and from corporate digital asset treasuries (DATs), saying a quantum attack is unlikely before 2030 and DATs won’t be a principal price driver in 2026, though projects will increase research into post‑quantum cryptography. Grayscale also highlights sectors and tokens to watch in 2026: stablecoins (USDT, USDC), tokenization platforms, privacy assets, AI‑linked crypto, DeFi projects, and next‑generation chains. Current market context noted in the reports: BTC trading materially below prior peaks but positioned to benefit as institutional flows and ETF adoption broaden. Key SEO keywords: Bitcoin, BTC price, Grayscale, crypto ETF, institutional inflows, 2026 outlook.

Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin warned the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) could create a digital environment with “no space” for controversial ideas and privacy‑focused products, arguing the real harm stems from algorithmic amplification rather than the mere presence of unpopular content. He urged user‑empowerment measures — algorithmic transparency, user‑controlled feeds and verifiable, privacy‑preserving proofs (eg, zk‑proofs) — as alternatives to heavier surveillance or blunt enforcement. The commentary appears amid intensified EU crypto regulation in 2025 (MiCA implementation, stricter AML, sanctions and operational cybersecurity rules), which has narrowed compliant service offerings and led some exchanges to delist privacy tools. Market reactions show capital rotating into privacy coins: ZEC surged strongly YTD (reports cite >700%) while XMR has held up comparatively well; trading volumes and market‑cap rankings for privacy coins have risen. Analysts note that verifiable privacy tools and zk‑tech (aligned with Ethereum’s privacy roadmap and Layer‑2 zk solutions) could let platforms prove DSA compliance without exposing proprietary code or user data. For traders: expect heightened volatility and increased trading interest in privacy coins and zk‑focused projects as regulatory pressure reshapes flows; longer‑term adoption of verifiable privacy and zk solutions could strengthen fundamentals for related ecosystems.

Midnight (NIGHT), a Cardano‑native privacy token, initially recorded an extraordinary surge in liquidity — briefly spiking to roughly $9 billion in 24‑hour trading volume after launch and entering top‑five volume rankings. Major exchanges (Binance, Bybit, Kraken and others) quickly listed NIGHT pairs, fueling heavy spot activity. In the days following the spike the token’s price rose to a six‑day high near $0.1198 before retracing to $0.07 and then stabilising. By the latest report 24‑hour volume had fallen about 45% to roughly $110.9 million while price held near $0.084 (up ~6.4% on the day, down ~15% week‑over‑week). Market capitalisation is near $1.4 billion, placing NIGHT close to the top 50 by market value; CoinGecko flagged it as a top trending asset. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson publicly praised Midnight and forecasts material DeFi integrations that could boost usage and TVL. Analysts attribute the sharp volume decline mainly to holiday thin liquidity and subdued market activity since October rather than waning project interest. For traders, the episode indicates very high short‑term liquidity and volatility for NIGHT immediately after listings, followed by a rapid normalization of volume — signalling opportunities for intraday liquidity plays but also elevated risk from fast moves, exchange delistings/re‑listings dynamics, and low off‑cycle liquidity.

Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz warned that XRP and Cardano (ADA) risk losing relevance unless they demonstrate tangible utility, revenue models and measurable on-chain activity. He said the crypto market is shifting from narrative- and hype-driven valuations toward business-driven tokens with clear use cases and profit potential. Novogratz contrasted Bitcoin’s valuation as money with many tokens that must behave like businesses to attract institutional capital. He highlighted metrics traders should watch: transaction fee revenue, protocol revenue distribution, enterprise partnerships and developer activity. Novogratz also pointed to emerging token models (for example Hyperliquid-style structures that reward holders based on business performance) and predicted exchanges/wallets will evolve into neobank-like platforms offering stablecoins, tokenized assets and financial products — raising the bar for underutilized blockchains. For traders, the takeaway is to prioritise fundamentals (growing on-chain activity, revenue links, enterprise adoption and developer engagement) over community narratives when sizing XRP and ADA exposure ahead of the 2025 market cycle.

Aave DAO voters rejected a December 2025 proposal to transfer key brand assets (domain, trademarks, code repositories and social accounts) from Aave Labs to DAO control, with 55.29% opposed, 41.21% abstaining and 3.5% supporting. The vote followed heated governance debates over alignment between Aave Labs and AAVE token holders and concerns about concentrated voting power — the top three addresses held over 58% of voting weight. Founder Stani Kulechov disclosed that the Aave DAO treasury reported record 2025 revenue of $140 million, exceeding the prior three years combined, and reiterated that AAVE token holders govern treasury allocations. Kulechov also revealed he purchased roughly $15 million of AAVE (around $176 average) shortly before the vote but said those tokens did not participate in voting. Allegations surfaced about fee routing to a Labs-linked CoW Swap wallet; Kulechov denied improper routing. The outcome highlights persistent governance friction, delegation concentration risks and demands for greater transparency from Aave Labs. Traders should watch upcoming governance proposals, further disclosures on revenue and fee flows, and any shifts in voting concentration — developments that could affect protocol risk perception and AAVE price volatility in both the short and long term.

Dogecoin (DOGE) can reach $1 between 2026 and 2030 only if multiple factors align: significantly higher adoption, technical improvements, and supportive market conditions. Both articles review DOGE’s history (launched 2013; peak $0.7376 in May 2021) and its inflationary issuance (roughly 5 billion DOGE/yr; current circulating supply ~132–1320 billion depending on source — traders should verify current on-chain supply). Institutional price models cited (WalletInvestor, DigitalCoinPrice, TradingBeasts) generally place 2026 targets in the $0.15–$0.45 range and 2030 projections near or below $1. Key bullish drivers are Bitcoin-led market rallies, endorsements and social-media momentum (notably Elon Musk/X), merchant and payment integrations, higher transaction volume and active addresses, and Dogecoin Foundation-led upgrades to security and fees. Major barriers include DOGE’s large circulating supply (requiring a very large market-cap at $1), continuous miner issuance, limited protocol upgrades so far, competition from payment-focused coins, regulatory scrutiny (US/EU), and macro conditions like interest rates and liquidity. The later summary adds emphasis on actionable on-chain metrics to monitor — daily active addresses, transaction volume, development activity, and merchant integrations — and reiterates that $1 by 2027 is plausible only under accelerated adoption or large institutional inflows; by 2030 the milestone becomes more attainable if utility and integration improve. Trading guidance: use dollar-cost averaging, cap portfolio allocation to a high-risk percentage, set clear stop/exit rules, and watch BTC correlation and regulatory signals. SEO keywords: Dogecoin, DOGE price prediction, on-chain metrics, crypto adoption, merchant integration.

Analysts expect XRP to trade sideways near current levels (~$1.84) through late 2025, with a more constructive environment for upside not likely until H2 2026. Nansen senior analyst Jake Kennis is short-term bearish on altcoins and cites macro risk appetite and Bitcoin stabilization as prerequisites for a sustained rally; he highlights potential 2026 drivers such as US spot ETF approvals, deeper integration with global payment rails, and expanded bridge-asset use but offers no 2026 price targets. Posidonia21 CEO Jesus Perez likewise forecasts consolidation rather than a new uptrend, pointing to prevailing market narrative and XRP’s lack of clear staking/yield features. Despite XRP’s ~14.6% YTD decline, institutional and payments adoption indicators are growing: U.S. spot XRP ETFs reached roughly $1 billion in assets and Ripple reports processing over $95 billion via RippleNet plus regulatory and licensing gains. Traders view $2 as a key bullish breakout level; absent ETF progress, wider ETF flows, or stronger BTC momentum, XRP is likely to remain rangebound. Key catalysts to monitor: spot ETF approvals and inflows, expansion of RippleNet bank partners and payment volumes, Bitcoin price action and macro risk appetite. Short-term outlook: rangebound/neutral until concrete ETF or product-integration developments and BTC support emerge.