Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Binance has launched a whistleblower program offering up to $5 million for verifiable tips identifying individuals or firms impersonating the exchange and charging fees to secure token listings. The exchange published a partial internal blacklist naming entities and people found soliciting paid listings, including BitABC, Central Research, May/Dannie, Andrew Lee, Suki Yang, Fiona Lee and Kenny Z. Binance also formalized a stricter listing framework, reiterated that it does not authorize any third party to broker or charge for listings, and said it will pursue legal action against impersonators. Founder Changpeng Zhao reiterated on X that anyone claiming to guarantee a Binance listing is a scammer. The announcement aims to protect token projects and users, reduce listing-related fraud and improve transparency in the listing process. Traders should note increased enforcement may reduce scams around new token announcements and lower the risk of rug-pulls tied to fake listing promises. The move comes amid reports about Binance potentially planning a return to the U.S. market and possible changes in CZ’s ownership stake.

ETHGas raised $12 million in a seed round led by Polychain Capital and launched what it calls Ethereum’s first blockspace (gas) futures market with roughly $800M in commitments from validators, builders and relays. The platform lets validators sell blockspace up to 64 blocks (~12.8 minutes) ahead and offers three pre‑confirmation types: full‑block sales, top‑of‑block reservations and execution guarantees. Buyers (traders, dApps, institutions) can hedge gas costs, prepay execution and reduce fee volatility. Validators post ETH or restaked ETH (via EigenLayer) as collateral and face slashing for failures; ETHGas reports a ~99.96% fulfillment rate so far. The team is testing a “Real‑Time Ethereum” model that slices blocks into ~50ms windows (240 slices per block) to speed execution, reduce MEV and target >10,000 TPS; parts of this system have run on mainnet with wider rollout planned next quarter (or Jan–Feb 2026 in later reports). ETHGas charges a 5% fee on futures trades and plans additional fees for real‑time settlement. Founder Kevin Lepsoe says selling blockspace gives validators revenue certainty and can increase MEV capture, but he also acknowledges centralization risks from concentration of validator rewards and dependence on builders/relays; the team plans leader‑election nodes and community engagement to mitigate those risks. For traders: ETHGas introduces tradable gas‑futures and pre‑confirmation products that enable hedging of gas fees and more predictable execution, which may reduce fee volatility and improve UX—but it raises questions about validator incentives, centralization and how blockspace pricing may shift across Ethereum.

A large ASTER holder (whale) sold 4.68 million ASTER at about $0.71 each, generating roughly $3.34 million in proceeds. On-chain analysis shows the whale originally acquired ~68.25 million ASTER across ~15 wallets at an average price near $1.66 and still holds ~63.22 million ASTER, creating realised and unrealised losses collectively exceeding $64 million. Earlier reporting noted a separate whale (0x7771) sold 3 million ASTER at ~$0.78, realising a smaller loss — together these sales reflect a broader trend of concentrated holders trimming exposure amid market uncertainty. The ASTER team recently moved 235.2 million tokens to a Community & Ecosystem wallet and stated no immediate sell plans; the timing of transfers, however, has heightened investor skepticism. Traders and analysts warn the concentrated supply and large on-chain transfers raise risks of market manipulation, inflated volumes, and a supply overhang. Market impact: large sales by concentrated holders can increase downward pressure, strain liquidity in mid-cap markets, and amplify short-term volatility. Actionable guidance for traders: monitor on-chain wallet flows and major wallet activity, check liquidity and order book depth on primary exchanges, size positions defensively, use tighter risk controls (stop losses, reduced leverage), and watch for follow-up transfers or coordinated selling that could accelerate declines.

HM Treasury has laid a final statutory instrument before Parliament to bring cryptoassets into the UK financial regulatory perimeter and place them under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) supervision from 2027. The legislation defines regulated activities for cryptoassets — including qualifying stablecoins, safeguarding of qualifying and specified investment cryptoassets, operation of cryptoasset trading platforms, intermediation (lending/borrowing), and staking — and requires firms to meet existing transparency, licensing and safeguarding standards. Chancellor Rachel Reeves framed the reform as strengthening consumer protection and encouraging investment and innovation; Economic Secretary Lucy Rigby said it supports the UK’s ambition to be a digital finance hub. The FCA has started a consultation to design tailored rules and guidance covering market integrity, consumer protection, competition and the “unique aspects of cryptoassets,” and will use the consultation to build a final rulebook for trading platforms, intermediaries, DeFi activity and custody. Industry lawyers welcomed the clarity provided by definitions, offences and carve-outs in the legislation. The regime replaces the prior registration-only approach and aims to tighten oversight of custody, exchanges, AML/suspicious-activity detection and market-abuse monitoring. Implementation begins now with full enforcement expected in 2027 — giving firms time to apply for authorisation and adapt operations while signalling the UK’s intent to attract legitimate digital-asset businesses and exclude bad actors.

US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net inflows of $457.3 million on Dec. 17, led by Fidelity’s FBTC ($391.5M) and BlackRock’s IBIT ($111.2M), according to Farside. The flows coincided with extreme intraday Bitcoin volatility — a rise from about $87,000 to above $90,000 then a drop below $86,000 — and roughly $400 million in liquidations affecting about 123,200 traders. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw their fifth consecutive day of outflows totaling $22.4 million. ETF inflows briefly supported an $80 billion expansion in broader crypto market cap before a $120 billion pullback. Market moves were driven by expectations for the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) report and the Bank of Japan’s CPI and rate decisions as additional macro catalysts. Traders should watch spot Bitcoin ETF flows, FBTC and IBIT activity, CPI outcomes and resulting liquidity swings for short-term trading signals and elevated liquidation risk.

Ava Labs says Avalanche’s growth is driven by sovereign, purpose-built Layer‑1 chains tailored to institutional and enterprise use cases rather than short-term crypto narratives. John Nahas, Ava Labs’ chief business officer, told TheStreet Roundtable that Avalanche supports private, public and hybrid interoperable chains. The network currently has about 80 live Layer‑1 chains and over 100 on testnet, and Ava Labs projects roughly 200 enterprise and institutional chains across finance, digital identity, AI and government by next year. Notable adopters cited include Toyota (building four distinct Avalanche chains), FIFA and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC). Ava Labs argues that banks, asset managers and enterprises prefer dedicated blockchain rails — with independent governance, custom performance parameters and bespoke economic models — to meet regulatory, compliance and operational needs. For traders, these adoption metrics — growing live chain count and institutional deployments — are positive fundamentals for AVAX, signalling increased long-term demand for network services even if short-term market narratives shift. Primary keywords: Avalanche, AVAX, purpose-built chains, enterprise blockchain. Secondary keywords: layer‑1, institutional chains, private permissioned chains, interoperability, Toyota, FIFA, SMBC.

Binance is exploring a relaunch of its American affiliate Binance.US that could involve a recapitalization diluting former CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao’s majority stake. The discussions, which remain fluid, follow CZ’s presidential pardon and his stated push to make the US a core market. Binance exited direct US retail services in 2019, spawning Binance.US (operated separately) that lacks access to Binance’s global liquidity and derivatives—limits that a successful US re-entry would remove. Reported options include a buyback or dilution of CZ’s holdings, governance and leadership changes, and a faster decision timetable driven by regulatory and political pressures. Binance is also pursuing strategic partnerships, most notably with BlackRock — including possible integration of BlackRock’s tokenized money-market fund and co-developed products — and closer ties with World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a crypto venture linked to Trump family members. Yi He has been elevated to a public strategic role to steady operations. Market context: BNB (BNB) has corrected roughly 38% from its October all-time high and traded near $846 at report time. For traders: a successful US relaunch and partnerships with institutional players like BlackRock could improve Binance’s legitimacy, access to US liquidity and depth for BNB and spot markets, which is bullish longer term; however, ownership changes, governance uncertainty and political/regulatory risk introduce short-term volatility and downside risk for BNB and related tokens.

Crypto analyst Dark Defender publishes a monthly Elliott Wave study concluding that XRP’s multi-month corrective phase (Monthly Wave 4) is complete. He maps Wave A down to roughly $1.60–$1.88, Wave B up to about $3.66, and Wave C finishing inside an identified accumulation band between $2.2222 and $1.8815. With the correction deemed complete, Dark Defender projects a Wave 5 impulse using Fibonacci extensions targeting approximately $5.85 — a structural target based on wave counts and ratios rather than speculative price calls. The analyst emphasizes this is technical analysis (not financial advice) and recommends a disciplined, long-term structural approach. Key SEO terms: XRP, XRP price, Elliott Wave, Fibonacci, price target. The main keyword "XRP" appears multiple times to aid discoverability.

Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), manager of Norway’s ~$2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, publicly backed Metaplanet ahead of a 22 December extraordinary meeting, voting in favor of management’s proposals to restructure capital and enable an institutional issuance. Metaplanet will (1) reduce capital stock/reserves to free surplus funds, (2) expand authorised shares and create two preferred classes — Class A (MARS) with variable monthly dividends and Class B (MERCURY) with fixed quarterly dividends, conversion and redemption features — and (3) is authorised to use proceeds to buy Bitcoin. The company plans to raise about $150 million by issuing MERCURY to institutions and explicitly allocate proceeds for BTC purchases as it pursues an ambitious target to scale holdings toward 100,000 BTC by 2026 (up from a previously stated 30,000 BTC). NBIM holds roughly 0.3–0.49% of Metaplanet and also has positions in MicroStrategy; its public “Yes” vote is seen as institutional validation for corporate Bitcoin treasury strategies and for BTC-exposed equities. Short-term headwinds remain: Metaplanet paused BTC purchases after 29 September because market NAV (mNAV) fell below 1x, creating near-term uncertainty about immediate accumulation. For traders: watch for a planned $150m institutional issue, potential resumption of large BTC buys by a listed Asian firm, and the legitimising effect NBIM’s support may have on Bitcoin-treasury equities and investor appetite. Keywords: Metaplanet, Norges Bank, Bitcoin treasury, institutional issuance, BTC purchases.

Mizuho Securities surveyed 230 Robinhood and Coinbase users and found stronger interest and intended capital allocation to prediction markets among Robinhood customers. About 50% of Robinhood respondents plan to use new funds for prediction-market trades versus 37% at Coinbase. Users on both platforms trade prediction markets mainly around economic (81%), political (49%) and sports (47%) events and often add new capital rather than selling existing crypto holdings. Based on this behavior gap, Mizuho raised its revenue outlook for Robinhood and trimmed Coinbase’s price target, citing risk that prediction-market activity could cannibalize Coinbase’s core spot crypto trading fees. For traders, the note implies potential shifts in volume and fee mixes: Robinhood may invest more in prediction-market features, promotions and event offerings to monetise its retail base, while Coinbase may be more cautious to avoid diverting fee-bearing crypto volume. The coming quarters will show whether Robinhood’s broader, event-driven user base converts into materially higher prediction-market revenue and whether Coinbase can integrate prediction products without eroding spot trading fee income.

A California class-action proposes a $10 million settlement for customers who deposited fiat into FTX- or Alameda-related accounts at Silvergate Bank between 2019 and 2022. The settlement, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of California, targets depositors identified by the FTX bankruptcy process; more than 46,000 potential claimants were mailed notice. Claimants have until Jan. 30 to file a claim or opt out; a final fairness hearing is scheduled for Feb. 9. The suit alleges Silvergate, Silvergate Capital and former CEO Alan J. Lane aided tortious conduct by FTX, Alameda and Sam Bankman‑Fried. Because the claimant pool exceeds 46,000, recoveries from the $10M fund would likely be pro rata and small per claimant. Silvergate — formerly a key crypto-friendly bank — voluntarily wound down operations in March 2023 after FTX’s collapse. The filing frames the settlement as an additional recovery beyond distributions from the FTX bankruptcy estate. Separately noted: former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison was moved to community confinement during part of her two-year sentence; her projected release is Feb. 20, 2026. Key trader takeaways: deadline (Jan. 30) to preserve claims, modest $10M pool versus >46,000 potential claimants implying limited per-claim recoveries, and ongoing civil fallout from the FTX collapse that may keep regulatory and legal scrutiny on crypto banking relationships.

Moody’s Ratings has proposed a formal rating framework for USD‑pegged stablecoins (roughly a $300bn market) that prioritizes redemption reliability over returns. The methodology evaluates the credit quality of each reserve asset and related counterparties, then applies market‑value adjustments by asset class and maturity to derive haircuts. Moody’s will treat the lowest scoring reserve asset as the key constraint (a “weakest link” approach). The framework also incorporates liquidity, governance, regulatory context, and operational/technical risks (eg. blockchain forks). Short‑term government securities and cash deposits score higher; algorithmic stablecoins are excluded. Issuers would pay for assessments. Moody’s says the ratings are intended to clarify a stablecoin’s ability to return dollars on demand, not to predict price performance. Public consultation is open until late January. For traders, the new ratings could shift perceived counterparty and reserve risks across stablecoins, change liquidity assessments, and influence flows between USD‑pegged tokens as markets reprice reserve quality and redemption reliability.

California Governor Gavin Newsom launched a page on the state website that highlights people President Donald Trump pardoned, focusing on convicted figures from the cryptocurrency world such as former Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and BitMEX co‑founders. Presented as a “top 10 criminal cronies” tracker, the page compiles pardons and uses stylized imagery labelling some subjects “FELON.” Newsom framed the effort as putting facts in one place to show who Trump “elevates and protects,” and his move is part of ongoing public criticism of Trump amid Newsom’s rising national profile. The White House had no immediate comment. For crypto traders: the action escalates political and regulatory scrutiny of high‑profile industry figures and highlights potential executive interference in prosecutions — risks that can raise short‑term market volatility for tokens and firms tied to the implicated platforms. Keywords: Trump pardons, CZ, Ross Ulbricht, crypto regulation, political risk.

Shima Capital, a crypto venture firm that raised roughly $200M in 2021, is winding down after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed fraud charges against founder Yida Gao. The SEC alleges Gao raised more than $158M from 349 investors (May 2021–Mar 2023) using marketing materials that misrepresented returns — claiming a 90x return that was actually 2.8x — and ran an alleged BitClout SPV scheme in which he raised about $11.9M from five investors, bought tokens at discounts and sold them to the SPV at higher prices, secretly profiting about $1.9M. Gao has consented to pay roughly $4.2M in disgorgement and prejudgment interest, faces a permanent officer-and-director bar, and is subject to a parallel criminal case by the U.S. Attorney’s Office (NDCA). Gao resigned as managing director; FTI Consulting and FTI Capital Management will lead an independent wind-down and act as replacement registered investment adviser. Shima says its finance team will remain through transition and no forced sales are planned. Notable portfolio holdings included Berachain, Monad, Pudgy Penguins and positions tied to meme projects such as Shiba Inu. The SEC action highlights heightened scrutiny of venture-capital practices in crypto, raising governance and transparency concerns for VC-backed token projects and the potential for closer enforcement of fund reporting and fund-advisor conduct.

Polkadot’s native token DOT fell sharply after key support levels broke, first slipping below an ascending trendline near $2.05 and then collapsing through the $1.90 psychological level to around $1.82. The move unfolded despite Coinbase announcing direct Polkadot network support. CoinDesk Research’s technical models flagged decisive violations and heavy selling in the final trading hours, with volume spiking to roughly 284%–340% above the 24‑hour average (peak hourly flows ~400% above baseline), suggesting institutional distribution around the $1.90–$1.95 zone. Technical structure shifted from neutral/bullish tests to clear bearish momentum: lower highs, a descending channel from the $1.92 high, and a potential double‑top after failed breakouts near $1.95–$2.00. Immediate support sits near $1.82–$1.95 (psychological $1.95 and $1.90 levels noted); failure of $1.82 risks extension toward $1.75–$1.80. Immediate resistance is the broken $1.90–$2.00 range, and a sustained recovery requires reclaiming $2.00 with convincing volume. Broader markets were weaker during both reports (CoinDesk 20 index down ~0.6% to ~2%). Traders should watch price action around $1.82, $1.90–$1.95, volume trends, and whether DOT can retake $2.00 to reassess short‑term bias.

Shiba Inu engineering lead known as Johndoeshib resigned on December 12, 2025, calling his tenure a “natural conclusion.” He had been a visible contributor to Shibarium and SHIB infrastructure and frequently posted development updates. Colleagues including developer Kaal Dhairya and the OSCAR team publicly thanked him. Two days after leaving, he announced a new venture, HypeIt, offering software development, web design and programming services and inviting community collaboration. The departure prompted mixed community reaction and came amid broader ecosystem tensions — notably K9 Finance DAO, Shiba Inu’s liquid-staking partner, warned it may reconsider ties with Shibarium after complaints about a Shibarium Bridge hack and alleged poor communication from the SHIB team. Johndoeshib said his exit is unrelated to that controversy and that he remains a long-term SHIB observer. At publication SHIB traded near $0.0000077. For traders: this is primarily a personnel change with limited immediate on-chain impact, but it occurs alongside governance and security disputes that could affect market sentiment. Monitor on-chain activity, liquid-staking partner statements (K9), and community governance signals for potential short-term volatility in SHIB.

The Bank of Canada and federal authorities will implement stablecoin rules in 2026 requiring one-to-one pegs to a central-bank currency (e.g., CAD or major fiat) and full backing by high-quality liquid assets such as Treasury bills and government bonds. Issuers must ensure redeemability at par, disclose redemption terms, timing and fees, and meet strict reserve, risk-management and operational-resilience standards—especially for issuers not already prudentially regulated. The rules will extend oversight through amendments to the Retail Payment Activities Act to cover payment service providers handling stablecoin transactions and introduce national security safeguards. The government also plans to advance a Real-Time Rail for instant settlement and continue open-banking work. Officials said the framework aims to balance innovation with consumer protection and financial stability and align Canada with other jurisdictions tightening stablecoin oversight.

Uniform Labs has launched Multiliquid, a protocol that enables continuous 24/7 swaps between tokenized money market funds (tokenized RWA funds) and major stablecoins such as USDC and USDT. Combining continuous liquidity pools, smart-contract automated execution, cross-chain compatibility and institutional-grade infrastructure, Multiliquid aims to provide instant onchain liquidity for holders of tokenized Treasury and money-market assets from managers like Wellington. The protocol addresses a key liquidity friction in the roughly $20bn tokenized RWA market—particularly tokenized money market funds—by allowing holders to convert into payment stablecoins on demand instead of waiting for issuer-controlled offchain redemption windows. Uniform Labs says the design was informed by recent U.S. stablecoin rules that separate payment stablecoins from yield-bearing instruments; Multiliquid’s swap layer preserves stablecoins as payment rails while enabling yield exposure through regulated tokenized funds. For traders, this could increase usable onchain liquidity for RWA-backed instruments, reduce redemption delays that previously limited their use as collateral, and improve capital efficiency across DeFi. Primary risks include regulatory uncertainty, initial liquidity depth, and smart-contract vulnerabilities. No specific deployment date was provided; market participants should monitor Uniform Labs’ channels for launch and liquidity updates.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) saw large on-chain movements across two reporting windows. Early reports flagged roughly 47 billion SHIB moved onto exchanges, increasing short-term sell risk and nudging exchange reserves slightly higher. A later update showed a much larger flow in the opposite direction: nearly 100 billion SHIB withdrawn from exchanges within 24 hours, causing a clear contraction in exchange reserves. Combined, the data indicate short-term supply dynamics have shifted — recent heavy withdrawals reduce immediate sell pressure unless inflows resume. Price action remains bearish: SHIB trades below major moving averages, the 200-day MA is sloping down, and market structure shows an extended downtrend with a shallow ascending base (price compression). Technical indicators such as RSI are compressed, implying further downside would likely need renewed volume. For traders: monitor exchange flows closely (watch for new inflow spikes), follow moving averages and volume for trend confirmation, and expect heightened volatility with potential fake-outs during relief rallies. Primary scenarios are (1) renewed exchange inflows trigger selling that breaks the base and revisits lows (bearish), or (2) the market absorbs withdrawals, the base holds, and reserves support a relief rally if selling pressure subsides (bullish).

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has made progress on UK-issued sterling stablecoins a central growth priority for 2026 and will expand its regulatory sandbox to allow firms to trial stablecoin issuance and payments. The FCA said it will accelerate finalising digital asset rules next year, but still awaits primary legislation to secure full rulemaking powers. The regulator’s 2026 agenda also emphasises AI digitisation, tokenisation of asset management, faster supervision and approvals, and deeper US market integration via the Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future. The FCA highlighted prior work from May consultations proposing requirements for stablecoin issuers — third‑party custody, segregated reserves, a minimum on‑demand reserve of 5%, a ban on paying interest to holders, direct redemption within one working day, and a minimum capital requirement of £350,000 — and expects to publish final rules in 2026. Industry lawyers welcomed the sandbox expansion as a signal of UK intent to lead digital payments innovation. Traders should watch for sandbox pilots, rule finalisation, and any enabling primary legislation — events that could materially affect sterling stablecoin adoption, on‑ramps/off‑ramps and short‑term liquidity in stablecoin markets.

SaucerSwap Labs launched a full redesign and rebrand of SaucerSwap, Hedera’s leading decentralized exchange. The update preserves audited smart contracts and the platform’s non‑custodial architecture while introducing a refreshed visual identity, modern navigation and integrated on‑platform analytics. Workflows are reorganized into trading, token discovery, liquidity provisioning, staking, governance and portfolio monitoring. New UI components standardize pair and pool charts, liquidity depth, fee APYs, LP analytics, historical performance and protocol health metrics. A bridge modal enables asset transfers between Hedera and external networks including Base and BNB Chain. SaucerSwap says the relaunch does not change on‑chain governance (SAUCE and xSAUCE), existing LP positions, stakes or rewards. The UX overhaul is explicitly positioned as preparation for a planned V3 protocol upgrade that could add perpetuals, limit orders, DCA tools and ETF‑style products. Leadership frames the product as a “workstation for capital” that aims to serve retail newcomers (with guided flows), advanced traders (with deeper analytics) and institutional partners. For traders, the update improves on‑chain transparency and tooling for LP risk/return analysis and introduces cross‑chain flow options — changes likely to increase user engagement and on‑chain activity ahead of V3 feature rollouts.

J.P. Morgan has launched MONY, its first tokenized money-market fund on the Ethereum blockchain, seeding the vehicle with $100 million of its own capital and opening external subscriptions on December 16, 2025. The fund runs on JPMorgan’s Kinexys Digital Assets platform and targets qualified investors with high minimums. The move represents a significant institutional endorsement of Ethereum as infrastructure for on-chain finance and could support structural demand for ETH. Market and on-chain indicators, however, are mixed: ETH ETF net flows showed $224 million in outflows, exchange inflows rose over a three-day window but fell by $700K in the last 24 hours to $382K, and CryptoQuant’s Average Inflow increased from 35 ETH to 42 ETH. Circulating supply is about 121.44 million ETH, and continued issuance along with risk-managed selling from large holders may limit near-term upside. Traders should watch these technical and flow levels: short-term resistance near $3,600, critical support and breakdown risk around $2,600 (mid–high $2,600s band), and potential structural demand from institutional tokenization that could benefit ETH over the medium term. Key SEO keywords: J.P. Morgan, tokenized fund, Ethereum, ETH price, MONY, tokenization, on-chain finance.

Solana sustained a prolonged distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack that peaked near 6 terabits per second and sent billions of packets per second, yet the network reported no measurable performance degradation. Monitoring showed median transaction confirmation times remained around 450 ms and operators observed no increased latency, missed slots, or delayed confirmations. Solana Labs co‑founder Raj Gokal and Pipe Network reported no observable impact on performance. Helius CEO Mert Mumtaz and Solana co‑founder Anatoly Yakovenko credited improved engineering, better-provisioned validator infrastructure and high validator counts for the network’s resilience. The incident lasted more than a week and is contrasted with a recent DDoS on the Sui network, which experienced performance issues — highlighting that validator configuration and infrastructure quality, not just validator numbers, determine robustness. For traders, the episode underscores operational improvements that preserve uptime and user trust on high-throughput chains, while also signaling a growing need for DDoS mitigation and validator hardening across blockchain networks.

Bitcoin (BTC) failed to reclaim the $88,000 level as a cluster of upcoming macroeconomic and policy events pushed markets risk-off. Roman Trading reiterated a bearish target of $76,000, citing weak rebounds and low-volume declines that raise the likelihood of revisiting late-November lows. Conversely, analyst Mark Cullen highlights short-liquidation liquidity bands above $95,000 — and a potential short squeeze toward ~$98,000 if large short positions are cleared — though he allows for an interim liquidity sweep near $83,000 first. Near-term catalysts increasing downside risk and volatility include an upcoming U.S. inflation report, a Japanese interest-rate decision, political developments around the U.S. Fed chair nomination, a pending Supreme Court ruling, and MSCI’s classification decision on crypto reserve companies. Traders should monitor key technical and liquidity levels (~$76K, $83K, $88K, $95K, $98K), incoming macro data for directional bias, and order-book clusters for short-squeeze setups. This report is for information, not investment advice.

A YouGov survey commissioned by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found crypto ownership among UK adults fell to about 8% in 2025 from 12% in 2024, based on 2,353 interviews conducted Aug. 5–Sept. 2. Awareness of crypto remains high at about 91%, but ownership has pulled back after a year of large price swings, liquidations and losses. The composition of holders shifted toward larger balances: the share with very small holdings (under £100) declined, while those holding £1,001–£5,000 rose to roughly 21% and 11% held £5,001–£10,000. Among holders, 57% reported owning Bitcoin and 43% owned Ether; Solana ownership was around 21%. Risk tolerance remains higher among holders (63% willing to accept high risk for higher returns), but use of credit to buy crypto fell to 9% and staking participation dropped to 22%. The FCA noted participants in lending/borrowing tend to be more knowledgeable and risk-tolerant. The FCA also launched three consultations on crypto market rules covering exchanges, staking, lending and DeFi, with responses requested by Feb. 12, 2026 and aims to finalise regulation by end-2026. Key implications for traders: capital concentration in larger holdings may amplify volatility on big moves; reduced use of leverage/credit lowers immediate liquidation tail risk; and ongoing regulatory work could change product availability, custody and counterparty risk — all factors that may affect liquidity and execution for traders.

South Korea has postponed submission of the proposed "Basic Digital Asset Act (Phase 2)" after the Financial Services Commission (FSC) missed a Dec. 10 deadline, citing the need for further coordination with the Bank of Korea (BOK) and other agencies. The bill would set licensing, capital, disclosure and enforcement rules for stablecoins and other digital assets. The central dispute concerns issuance rules: the BOK wants stablecoin issuers to be majority-owned (≥51%) by a bank consortium and seeks unanimous sign-off from relevant authorities to safeguard currency stability. The FSC prefers a more flexible model aligned with frameworks like the EU’s MiCA and Japan’s fintech-led issuance approach. Lawmakers and the ruling party’s Digital Asset Task Force argue a bank-centred model could stifle innovation; observers suggest possible compromise tying ownership thresholds to issuer business models. The ruling party still aims to table the bill by January 2026. The delay extends regulatory uncertainty for Korean stablecoin projects and market participants while agencies negotiate approval powers, timelines and operational requirements. Key entities: Financial Services Commission (FSC), Bank of Korea (BOK), Democratic Party Digital Asset Task Force. Keywords: stablecoin regulation, Bank of Korea, Financial Services Commission, issuer ownership, consortium model, regulatory delay.

BlackRock transferred roughly 47,463–47,500 ETH (about $140 million) to a Coinbase Prime wallet identified by on‑chain analytics amid a market selloff that pushed Ether ~6% lower and below $3,000. Data providers (Arkham Intelligence, Arkham) flagged the deposit; timing suggests an operational institutional move tied to BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) — likely seeding the trust, supporting creation/redemption mechanics or custody ahead of increased fund activity. The transfer occurred alongside volatile ETF flows: ETHA recorded a roughly $139 million net outflow on the same day, contributing to about $225 million pulled from U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs, while ETHA still holds ~3.7M ETH and trails some competitors like BitMine Immersion (~4M ETH). For traders, the large Coinbase Prime deposit signals continued institutional engagement and adds to a medium/long‑term bullish structural narrative for ETH (greater institutional custody, liquidity and legitimacy), but the concurrent ETF outflows and market selloff increase short‑term liquidity risk and downside pressure. Actionable monitoring: watch on‑chain flows from institutional addresses, further deposits/withdrawals to prime custody, ETF daily flows and official BlackRock filings for confirmation before trading. Primary keywords: BlackRock, Ethereum, ETH transfer, Coinbase Prime, ETHA ETF.

Custodia Bank, a Wyoming-chartered cryptocurrency bank, filed an en banc petition at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit after a three-judge panel upheld the Federal Reserve’s denial of its request for a master account. Custodia argues the panel misread the Monetary Control Act (MCA), improperly granting regional Reserve Banks “unreviewable discretion” to deny payment services that MCA says “shall be available” to eligible depository institutions. The bank says the denial effectively nullifies Wyoming’s SPDI charter—designed to attract digital-asset firms with 100% reserve rules—and raises federalism and constitutional concerns, including potential Appointments Clause issues if Reserve Bank presidents exercise unchecked executive power. Internal Federal Reserve records reportedly found Custodia’s capital adequate, but the Kansas City Fed denied the application in January 2023 after a 27‑month review, citing crypto-related risks. Custodia emphasizes a circuit split and asks the full Tenth Circuit to resolve conflicting interpretations of the MCA. The petition keeps the dispute over crypto banks’ access to U.S. payments infrastructure active and is being watched by market participants and regulators, since outcomes could influence banking access, custody infrastructure and short-term sentiment for regulated crypto firms.

PayPal has launched a PYUSD Savings Vault on Spark Protocol to deepen integration of its dollar-pegged stablecoin with DeFi lending. The vault issues accrual tokens (spPYUSD), routes 90% of deposits through Spark’s Liquidity Layer into yield strategies and keeps 10% in-contract for instant withdrawals. Yields are anchored to Spark’s Sky Savings Rate (around 4.25% APY). Early metrics show roughly $146M PYUSD supplied to the vault (currently yielding ~2.11% APY on reported composition) and about $67M borrowed at a ~5.25% borrow rate. The vault’s allocation includes stablecoins, on-chain and OTC crypto lending, AAA corporate bonds and U.S. Treasuries; Spark’s broader lending and reserve backing (cited at about $8B in stablecoin reserves) provide liquidity support. The move follows PayPal’s regulatory steps toward forming “PayPal Bank” and expanding on‑chain lending services. For traders: the vault may increase PYUSD on-chain utility and deposits into SparkLend, could tighten PYUSD liquidity premium vs other stablecoins, and may modestly affect PYUSD funding and lending spreads. This is informational and not investment advice.