Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

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.

Coinbase has launched U.S.-regulated perpetual futures for Shiba Inu (SHIB) on its Coinbase Derivatives platform, listing a 1k SHIB Index that meets existing U.S. regulatory standards. The product is available to retail traders and institutions (via approved Futures Commission Merchants) and trades 24/7. The SHIB listing is part of a broader rollout that added several altcoins — ADA, AVAX, DOGE, SUI, DOT, HBAR, BCH, LTC and LINK — to Coinbase’s regulated derivatives slate. Coinbase confirmed regulatory compliance but did not provide trading-volume forecasts. Community figures and observers framed the move as a sign of SHIB’s maturation beyond pure meme status, citing prior regulatory progress (such as Japan’s “green list”) and growing institutional exposure via ETF filings and other exchange-traded products. For traders, the launch increases regulated access and liquidity pathways for SHIB, enabling leveraged trading in a U.S.-compliant framework and likely affecting short-term liquidity, derivatives flows and volatility for SHIB and correlated altcoins.

Bitcoin (BTC) surged above $87,000 (Binance USDT ~ $87,035) in a sharp rally that cleared prior resistance around $85,000. The move is attributed to rising institutional allocations, macroeconomic concerns driving demand for inflation hedges, and positioning ahead of the upcoming Bitcoin halving. Traders should watch for sustained volume above $87,000 to confirm the breakout; failure to hold could prompt a retest of the $85,000 area or lower. The next round-number upside target is near $90,000. Key trading guidance: manage risk with profit-taking plans, avoid emotional late entries at local highs, monitor on-chain flows, exchange volumes and sentiment for signs of a false breakout, and consider dollar-cost averaging or stop-losses given BTC’s historical volatility. Historical halving cycles and increased institutional flows have correlated with multi-month bullish trends, but short-term pullbacks remain possible.

Do Kwon, co‑founder and former CEO of Terraform Labs, was sentenced in the United States to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud and wire fraud over the 2022 TerraUSD (UST) and LUNA collapse. Montenegrin authorities detained Kwon in 2023 for traveling on fake documents; he was extradited to the US on 31 December 2024. Under his US plea deal he may apply for transfer to serve the remainder of his sentence under the International Prisoner Transfer Program after serving half the term, and US authorities did not oppose such a transfer. Separately, South Korean prosecutors have signalled intent to pursue domestic charges tied to fraud and violations of the Capital Markets Act; if convicted in Korea, Kwon could face penalties that in aggregate may exceed 30 years. Seoul estimates about 200,000 local victims and roughly $204 million in losses; ten alleged accomplices are already on trial in South Korea. Prosecutors argue a domestic trial would better serve victim compensation and could involve concurrent or additional prosecutions despite the US conviction. For traders: the developments extend legal and regulatory risk around Terra‑related projects and algorithmic stablecoins, sustaining negative sentiment for related forks and contagion concerns. Monitor legal updates, potential asset freezes or recoveries, and regulatory responses — all of which can affect liquidity and price action in tokens tied to the Terra ecosystem and the wider stablecoin narrative.

Cloudflare’s 2025 year-in-review found about 5.6% of global email traffic it analyzed was malicious — roughly 1 in 20 emails — with a November peak approaching 9.7% (nearly 1 in 10). Malicious emails are defined as attempts to steal information, money or account access; deceptive links accounted for 52% of detections and impersonation (spoofed or similar domains/display names) 38%. The report calls out heavy abuse of certain top-level domains (TLDs), notably ".christmas" (over 92% malicious), and high-malware rates in ".lol", ".forum", ".help", ".best" and ".click". Independent research from Barracuda and Hornet Security corroborates rising spam, malicious HTML attachments and year‑over‑year increases in malware-laden email. Cloudflare highlights that crypto traders, executives and investors face elevated risk from increasingly sophisticated phishing campaigns aimed at stealing credentials or tricking users into irreversible transfers to scam addresses. Key trader takeaways: increase email hygiene, verify links and sender domains, treat TLDs and unfamiliar domains with suspicion, enable strong wallet security (hardware wallets, two-factor auth, address whitelists), and avoid on-chain transfers unless destination is verified. Primary keywords: Cloudflare, malicious email, phishing, crypto phishing. Secondary keywords: email threat spike, deceptive links, impersonation attacks, TLD abuse, crypto security.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission held a crypto roundtable on Dec. 15 focused on the trade-off between blockchain surveillance and user privacy as on‑chain activity rises. SEC Chair Paul Atkins warned that poorly designed policy could make distributed ledgers “the most powerful financial surveillance architecture ever invented,” criticizing past approaches that treated every wallet like a broker. Commissioner Hester Peirce and other commissioners stressed that public blockchains are broadly viewable, increasing demand for privacy-preserving tools and challenging traditional transaction-monitoring frameworks. Industry and privacy advocates — including Zcash, the Blockchain Association and the Crypto Council for Innovation — participated, urging policies and technologies that protect users without imposing excessive surveillance. The meeting is the sixth organized by the SEC Crypto Task Force and comes amid legislative talks (notably the CLARITY Act) that could shift some jurisdictional authority between the SEC and CFTC. Commissioners also noted internal staffing changes that may compress the window for comprehensive digital-asset rules. For traders: expect heightened regulatory scrutiny of on‑chain data, potential changes in agency oversight (SEC vs. CFTC) and continued industry push for privacy tools — all factors that may affect compliance costs, market messaging and liquidity conditions.

Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), led by Green Digital, has signed a multi-year non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cumberland, the digital-asset arm of Chicago trading firm DRW, to jointly explore and develop national digital-asset infrastructure. The agreement centres on Bitcoin reserve management supported by Cumberland, an on-the-ground Cumberland presence with local hiring and training, and knowledge transfer to build local capacity. Planned areas of exploration include renewable-powered (hydro) sustainable Bitcoin mining, AI compute, yield-generation strategies, stablecoin infrastructure, and modern financial frameworks. Cumberland — an institutional crypto liquidity provider since 2014 — will deploy subject-matter experts but the MoU does not guarantee specific deployments. Bhutan has already integrated Bitcoin, Ethereum and BNB into official reserves this year, operates sovereign Bitcoin mining using surplus hydropower, and recently issued TER, a government-backed gold-pegged token scheduled to launch on Solana. The partnership emphasises sustainability and alignment with Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness model while aiming to deepen crypto infrastructure and the country’s digital-economy ambitions. For traders: this is a strategic, structural development that may support longer-term BTC demand from sovereign reserve management and mining activity, while immediate market impact is limited given the non-binding nature of the MoU and gradual implementation timeline.

PayPal has applied for a Utah-chartered industrial bank license with the Utah Department of Financial Institutions and for FDIC deposit insurance, aiming to form PayPal Bank to directly originate loans, hold deposits and access payment and card networks. The move is intended to reduce reliance on partner banks, accelerate small-business lending and embed PYUSD stablecoin and crypto functions into regulated payment flows. Recent PayPal crypto developments include expanding PYUSD beyond Ethereum to chains such as Tron and Avalanche and enabling U.S. YouTube creators to receive PYUSD payouts. If approved, the charter would place PayPal under federal oversight as an industrial bank and could enable new products — for example, interest-bearing deposit accounts, crypto-collateralized lending, on-chain settlement with lower costs, and closer integration between stablecoins and deposit services. Timing for regulatory approval is unspecified. Key keywords: PayPal, Utah industrial bank license, PYUSD, stablecoin, FDIC, small-business lending, crypto payments.

The UK Supreme Court refused permission for BSV Claims Limited to appeal a lawsuit seeking over $13 billion in damages after major exchanges delisted Bitcoin SV (BSV) in 2019. Claimants said delistings by platforms such as Binance and Kraken triggered an immediate collapse in BSV’s price and prevented a “missed growth” effect whereby BSV would have climbed to parity with Bitcoin. A three-judge panel found the appeal raised no arguable point of law or public importance, leaving intact earlier rulings by tribunals — including a July 2024 Competition Appeal Tribunal decision that rejected the “missed growth” theory and applied the market mitigation rule requiring investors to take reasonable steps to limit losses. The Supreme Court decision removes a potential high-value liability for exchanges and reinforces precedent that investors in functioning markets must mitigate losses. For traders, the ruling underlines exchange delisting liability limits, highlights liquidity and delisting risk management, and underscores persistent divergence between Bitcoin (BTC) and forked altcoins like BSV, which has fallen over 96% from its 2021 peak.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) convened a cryptocurrency working-group roundtable to weigh crypto surveillance needs against privacy protections, with privacy-focused projects such as Zcash singled out. Participants included SEC staff, industry representatives, privacy advocates and law-enforcement observers. Key topics were on-chain analytics, law-enforcement access to transaction data, and whether privacy technologies—especially zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs)—can meet compliance requirements. The session examined potential policy approaches: tailored surveillance standards, transparency mandates for centralized entities (exchanges, custodians, broker-dealers and ATSs), and limited-use exceptions for privacy tech. No new rules were announced; the meeting was positioned as evaluative and could inform future guidance or enforcement. For traders, the roundtable signals sustained regulatory scrutiny of privacy coins and analytics practices—issues that could affect exchange listings, compliance costs and short-term liquidity. Primary SEO keywords: SEC, crypto privacy, Zcash, zero-knowledge proofs. Secondary keywords: broker-dealers, ATS, custodians, on-chain analytics.

A rapid sell-off forced liquidations above $500 million, driving Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH) and XRP to weekly lows as leveraged long positions were closed across spot and derivatives markets. The downturn was amplified by stop-loss cascades and concentrated liquidations in high-leverage perpetuals and futures. Market indicators showed rising intraday volatility, wider bid-ask spreads and increased futures open interest ahead of the move, suggesting fragile positioning. Funding rates adjusted amid the volatility, and correlations across major tokens briefly widened during the crash. Retail and some institutional traders holding leveraged long positions bore the bulk of forced exits. Traders should monitor short-term technical supports, exchange-specific open interest, funding-rate shifts, order-book depth and on-chain flows for signs of capitulation or renewed accumulation. Recommended responses include reducing leverage, tightening risk limits, and considering mean-reversion or volatility-based strategies if volatility subsides. Key stats: total liquidations > $500M; BTC, ETH and XRP at weekly lows; liquidations concentrated in high-leverage derivatives.

Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) registered roughly $864 million in net inflows over the past week, marking a third consecutive week of positive flows, according to CoinShares. Bitcoin (BTC) and XRP were the primary beneficiaries: BTC drew between $352M and $522M depending on regional reporting, while XRP attracted about $245M. Ethereum (ETH) products also saw substantial demand (reported ~$338M) and Chainlink (LINK) recorded approximately $52.8M. Total assets under management for crypto investment products rose to about $180 billion, still well under the $264 billion peak. Regionally, US-listed products accounted for the largest share of inflows (roughly $483M–$796M), followed by Germany and Canada; those markets together represent nearly all year-to-date ETP inflows. At the product level, iShares, Fidelity, ProShares and Volatility Shares collected notable inflows while Grayscale continued to see outflows. CoinShares noted mixed price reactions to a recent Fed rate cut and flagged that monetary-policy signals (including Fed messaging) could quickly alter flows. Key takeaways for traders: sustained institutional ETP demand is concentrated in BTC and XRP, flows remain highly regionally concentrated, and continued inflows may support market liquidity — but macro developments and Fed communication could rapidly change sentiment.

Tether offered an unsolicited all-cash bid of roughly €2.66 per share (just over €1 billion) to buy Exor’s 65.4% stake in Juventus, proposing to fund the purchase from its reserves and to pledge up to an additional €1 billion for stadium, commercial and sporting investment. Exor — the Agnelli family holding company and Juventus’ long-term owner — unanimously rejected the offer, saying the club is a core asset and not for sale. The announcement triggered a near-14% intraday jump in Juventus shares (JUVE.MI) before prices settled. Analysts estimate Juventus represents about 2% of Exor’s net assets; a sale could have lowered Exor’s net debt by an estimated €650m–€1.6bn. Juventus has raised about €600m in capital over the past six years. The episode underscores growing intersections between large crypto treasuries and mainstream sports finance, highlighting that deep pockets alone may not overcome cultural, governance and reputational barriers when targeting legacy, family-controlled European assets. Crypto traders should watch for any follow-up bids, official disclosures from Exor or the Agnelli family, and related corporate or regulatory commentary — all potential catalysts for volatility and for broader discussions about tokenized sponsorships, real-world-asset strategies and governance safeguards in future bids.

mETH Protocol, a top-10 liquid restaking provider (peak TVL $2.19B), has launched a liquidity upgrade that integrates Aave’s ETH market through a curated Buffer Pool to speed ETH redemptions and deepen institutional liquidity. The hybrid design uses an Instant Buffer Pool for small-to-medium on‑demand withdrawals (targeting ~24‑hour redemptions subject to buffer capacity and network conditions) and direct access to Aave’s ETH market for larger institutional flows. About 20% of mETH’s TVL will be staged into Aave in phases to create a blended yield combining validator staking rewards with Aave supply interest, while preserving competitive APY, FIFO processing and zero additional redemption fees. Institutional features include custody and validator partnerships (Fireblocks, Anchorage, Copper, OSL; Kraken Staked, A41), exchange and collateral support (Bybit, Kraken), and DeFi composability via Aave. mETH will coordinate the Buffer Pool rollout with Bybit for campaign and collateral use cases. For traders, the upgrade reduces staking exit friction, increases liquidity depth for mETH holders, and may improve price resilience during redemption events by providing faster, on‑chain liquidity routes.

The UK government will introduce legislation to bring cryptocurrency firms under existing financial services law, with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) supervision to take effect in October 2027. A bill will be tabled in Parliament building on draft rules published in April that cover crypto exchanges and stablecoin issuance. The move aligns the UK more with the US approach—folding crypto into traditional financial regulation—rather than a bespoke regime like the EU’s MiCA. The Bank of England has separately proposed a stablecoin oversight regime (consultation open until February 2026). Chancellor Rachel Reeves said clearer rules will attract investment, create jobs and keep “dodgy actors” out of the market; the Treasury indicated openness to international regulatory cooperation where appropriate. For traders: expect clearer compliance requirements for exchanges and stablecoin issuers, potential higher onboarding friction for some services, and reduced regulatory uncertainty over the medium term—factors likely to affect liquidity, custodial practices and stablecoin usage.

Itaú Asset Management, Brazil’s largest private asset manager, recommends a strategic Bitcoin allocation of 1%–3% for investor portfolios. The year‑end analyst note from Renato Eid, head of beta strategies, cites Bitcoin’s low correlation with traditional assets and potential role as a partial hedge against currency depreciation and macroeconomic instability. Itaú stresses a disciplined, long‑term approach: set a strategic allocation, avoid reacting to short‑term volatility, and keep the position between 1% and 3%. The guidance aligns Itaú with prior institutional recommendations from firms such as Bank of America and BlackRock and may channel institutional flows into local products, notably Itaú’s BITI11 spot Bitcoin ETF and other unit trusts and pension wrappers. Itaú has built regulated crypto capabilities — including a dedicated crypto division and participation in local crypto products — and manages roughly R$850 million in its regulated crypto suite within a broader R$1+ trillion AUM platform. The endorsement is viewed as increasing institutional credibility for Bitcoin in Brazil and could encourage adoption among high‑net‑worth clients and family offices. Traders should note the potential for incremental institutional inflows into BTC spot products in Brazil, which may support demand over time while volatility and macro drivers continue to influence short‑term price action.

Dogecoin (DOGE) remains range-bound near $0.13–$0.14, trading about $0.139 with roughly $700m daily volume as sellers defend the $0.14 area and support clusters sit in the mid-$0.13s. Technical resistance sits near $0.21 with a key daily break above $0.150–$0.155 required for a bullish leg toward $0.16–$0.18 (and a larger run toward $0.30). Downside scenarios cited include falls to $0.136, $0.12 or as low as $0.08–$0.10 if selling pressure intensifies. Recent macro easing failed to spark a sustained memecoin rally, leaving DOGE largely driven by sentiment and volume rather than fresh on-chain fundamentals. By contrast, Remittix (RTX) is attracting capital as a payments-focused project. Project milestones include a live wallet (Apple App Store beta), a near-beta crypto-to-fiat web app, a CertiK audit (Skynet Score ~80, Grade A), and presale metrics showing about $28.5m raised via sale of ~693m RTX at ~$0.119 with over 30,000 buyers. Confirmed and expected CEX listings (BitMart, LBank and a larger listing planned in December) and staged presale pricing have drawn investor interest. For traders: DOGE is a sentiment-driven, range-trading instrument until volume and price decisively clear $0.14–$0.15; RTX offers a product-progress narrative, security audit, and sub-$1 pricing that may support capital rotation into the token. Risk notes: content is third-party partner material and not investment advice — always do your own research.

Whale.io has launched a 1:1 asset-backed $WHALE NFT card collection on Solana. Each NFT holds a fixed on-chain amount of $WHALE tokens redeemable at any time. Minting opened exclusively at mintwhale.io and cards are already tradable on secondary marketplaces such as Magic Eden. The NFTs turn $WHALE into a hybrid collectible-and-token instrument designed to increase liquidity, lower onboarding friction for new users, and allow instant in-game top-ups for Whale Originals titles (e.g., Crock Dentist, Blackjack). Current utility for $WHALE includes gameplay payments, battle passes, staking rewards and platform features. Roadmap items highlighted alongside the mint include a staking mechanism to lock liquid $WHALE into cards, a one-click token-swap/redemption interface, and routine market buybacks with permanent burns aimed at supporting token health. Whale.io says all activity is transparent via on-chain treasury wallets and is promoting updates via mintwhale.io and @Whalegames_en. The launch is presented as a pre-market phase ahead of the Token Generation Event (TGE). Primary keywords: $WHALE, NFT, Solana, mint, Magic Eden, Token Generation Event (TGE).

Coinglass data shows a cumulative net outflow of 25,141.37 BTC from centralized exchanges (CEXs) over the past seven days. The largest single exchange withdrawal came from Coinbase Pro with 11,236.77 BTC, followed by Binance (4,652.85 BTC) and Kraken (3,811.00 BTC). Over a 24‑hour snapshot earlier, Coinotag/C oinglass data recorded a 426.48 BTC net outflow, with major withdrawals from Coinbase Pro (1,119.30 BTC) and Binance (862.13 BTC) while Kraken posted a 1,150.41 BTC inflow — highlighting shifting, exchange‑level liquidity. Among major venues, Gate.io registered the largest seven‑day inflow (+415.60 BTC). Flows are fragmented across venues rather than showing a single uniform trend, suggesting active trader repositioning and custody movements. Traders should monitor exchange flows, on‑chain metrics and funding rates: large concentrated outflows from specific venues can reduce sell-side liquidity on those platforms and may create short‑term price pressure or funding‑rate dislocations, while inflows to custodial venues can signal accumulation or staging for sell orders. Maintain disciplined cross‑exchange transfer practices and verify custody/audit status during elevated volatility.

Ether.fi has launched a limited-time promotion, 10 Days of ETHmas (12 Dec 00:00 UTC – 21 Dec 11:59 UTC), offering cashback denominated in wrapped ETH (wETH) for retail spending on its Ether.fi Cash card. Standard card spending can earn up to 4% wETH cashback; a referral mechanic lets both referrer and new user receive up to 10% wETH cashback when both complete eligible card transactions. The campaign has a total reward cap of $200,000 (in wETH) and per-referrer limits (combined referral payouts capped at $5,000). Rewards are subject to per-user and regional caps, KYC completion, card activation, and exclusion of certain transaction types (refunds, pre-auths, P2P transfers, cash advances, gambling). Distribution is scheduled on or before 31 Jan 2026; Ether.fi may modify or cancel the offer and will withhold or reclaim rewards for abuse (VPNs shared IDs, etc.). Participants are responsible for taxes. For traders: the promotion increases direct demand for ETH/wETH via reward issuance to users’ Ether.fi accounts, but the fixed $200k pool and short duration limit systemic price impact — more likely to create localized retail buying pressure and brief demand spikes rather than sustained market movement.

DAS (Digital Asset Solutions) research, amplified by influencer Amonyx, argues Ripple is repositioning XRP from a speculative token toward bank‑grade payment infrastructure for cross‑border and institutional flows. The report highlights XRP’s structural advantages — fast settlement, low fees, neutral bridge liquidity and a globally distributed ledger — and states integration with fiat‑backed stablecoins (notably Ripple’s RLUSD) could let XRP provide corridor liquidity while stablecoins serve as price anchors. Short‑term catalysts cited include an EVM‑compatible sidechain, RippleNet expansion, RLUSD corridor pilots, improved institutional custody (Ripple Prime), identity and compliance tooling (ZK identity), and growing ETF conversations. The research stresses adoption remains limited: many partners use RippleNet without on‑ledger XRP settlement and RLUSD volumes are small. Competition from USDT, USDC and potential CBDCs, plus XRP’s price volatility and unresolved regulatory clarity (no spot XRP ETF approval), are material constraints. For traders: the narrative utility of XRP as payments infrastructure could create medium‑term structural demand if pilots scale, custody and compliance improve, and regulators provide clearer guidance — but these outcomes are conditional and gradual. Primary SEO keywords: XRP, Ripple, RLUSD, RippleNet, stablecoins, institutional custody, cross‑border payments.

On-chain alerts from Lookonchain show a wallet address linked to Ethereum co‑founder Vitalik Buterin sold roughly $16,796 in tokens. The moves, detected about five hours before the latest alert, comprised ~1,400 UNI (~$7,480), 10,000 KNC (~$2,470) and 40 trillion (40T) DINU (meme token, very large supply). Transactions appear to be portfolio rebalancing or liquidity management by a major self‑custodial address rather than a systemic vote of no confidence. Market reaction has been limited so far: the sale size is modest relative to total liquidity, though founder‑linked activity can sway retail sentiment and trigger short‑term volume or price moves for UNI, KNC and DINU. Traders should verify chain data on Etherscan, Nansen or Lookonchain and treat this as one data point — possible short‑term volatility and higher volume for the mentioned tokens, but unlikely to change their long‑term fundamentals or Ethereum’s outlook. Primary keywords: Vitalik Buterin, UNI sale, KNC transfer, DINU move, USDC conversion. Secondary keywords: on‑chain analytics, liquidity management, token rebalancing, retail sentiment.

An on-chain whale or institutional account has been executing repeated BTC→ETH swaps via THORChain, signaling strategic cross-chain rebalancing rather than one-off arbitrage. The latest reported tranche converted 317 BTC into 9,105 ETH (≈$28.15M). Since Nov. 25 the same actor has swapped a cumulative 2,289 BTC for 67,253 ETH (≈$204M), giving an average entry near $3,036 per ETH. Monitoring groups (e.g., EmberCN) flagged earlier tranches and cost-basis estimates; the activity underscores fragmentation of cross-chain liquidity and the growing use of decentralized bridges like THORChain for capital deployment and risk management. For traders, this represents notable ETH accumulation funded by BTC — a flow that can create directional pressure on ETH price and suggest reallocation of BTC reserves. Key signals to monitor: continued tranche size and cadence, on-chain custody changes, THORChain liquidity and slippage, and broader market reaction to large ETH accumulation.

Bitcoin fell sharply below the $88,000 mark, trading around $87,985 on Binance USDT markets, after a sudden sell-off. The decline followed recent profit-taking, thin liquidity on some exchanges, technical selling near resistance levels and macroeconomic worries including interest-rate concerns. Analysts described the move as a likely healthy correction rather than a structural breakdown, but warned it could increase short-term volatility and drag correlated altcoins lower. Traders are advised to manage risk: review strategies, consider dollar-cost averaging for accumulation, set clear stop-loss and take-profit orders, diversify portfolios and monitor key support levels. The reports also note Bitcoin’s strong fundamentals — growing institutional adoption, robust network security and its store-of-value narrative — but stress that outcomes depend on evolving liquidity, institutional flows and macro/regulatory developments.

The Bank of Japan is widely expected to raise its policy rate by 25 basis points to around 0.75% at the Dec. 18–19 meeting — the highest level since 1995. Crypto traders view the announcement as a near-term catalyst because BOJ hikes since 2024 have coincided with sharp Bitcoin corrections (roughly -23% in Mar 2024, -26% in Jul 2024 and >-30% in Jan 2025). Analysts note a repeating pattern: higher Japanese rates can strengthen the yen, increase Japanese bond yields, unwind yen-funded carry trades and reduce capital flows into global risk assets, pressuring liquidity and crypto prices. Some traders and analysts (e.g., 0xNobler, AndrewBTC) flag a potential downside target near $70,000 if the pattern repeats. Offsetting views point to technical support: Bitcoin is trading near the monthly EMA-21, a level that has historically provided support, and some analysts (e.g., Ted Pillows) forecast a possible short-term move toward $100,000–$105,000 before any renewed sell-off. Market context includes already-risen JGB yields and a weaker dollar after recent Fed easing, which could blunt an abrupt carry unwind. For traders, key signals to monitor are USD/JPY and yen strength, JGB yields, carry-trade flows, equities volatility, and Bitcoin’s monthly EMA-21 and $90k/$70k price levels. Expect elevated volatility around the BOJ decision; manage position sizing and stop levels accordingly.

Yo Labs closed a $10 million Series A on Dec 13, 2025, led by Foundation Capital with participation from Coinbase Ventures, Scribble Ventures and Launchpad Capital, bringing total funding to $24 million after a Paradigm-led seed. Proceeds will accelerate Yo Protocol, a cross‑chain yield optimization platform that uses isolated “embassy” vaults (eg. yoETH, yoUSD) to keep native assets on each chain and reduce bridge risk. The protocol integrates third‑party risk scoring from Exponential.fi and a DeFi Graph that maps dependencies up to five levels to automate safety actions and limit contagion. Yo emphasizes conservative, risk‑optimized strategies that avoid high‑risk DeFi primitives while seeking higher yields across multiple chains. The raise signals continued VC interest in scalable DeFi yield infrastructure and may drive developer momentum and integrations for Yo Protocol, with implications for liquidity flows and yield products in the multi‑chain DeFi ecosystem.