Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

Lookonchain reported two newly created wallets withdrew a combined 26,241 ZEC (roughly $13.5M) from Binance within a 12-hour window. Earlier reporting noted a single newly created wallet moved 30,000 ZEC (~$13.25M) from the exchange; the later update consolidates the event as two withdrawals totaling ~26.2K ZEC. Transfers moved funds from exchange custody to external addresses with no identified recipients, further on-chain activity, or links to custodial services reported. Traders should watch ZEC liquidity — large outflows from Binance can precede OTC deals, custody reshuffles, or potential selling pressure. Key near-term actions: monitor Binance order books and spreads, check OTC desk interest and reported block trades, and follow on-chain flows for subsequent transfers or clustering of coins that could signal distribution. This report is market information only and not investment advice.

Gold and silver added roughly $16 trillion to combined market value in 2025, driven by a ~9% year-to-date US dollar decline and Federal Reserve rate cuts beginning in September, Bloomberg data shows. Gold’s gains outpaced the S&P 500 by about four times. Silver led the rally — up roughly 175% year-to-date with an eight-month winning streak and a 41% jump in December, Shanghai silver trading near $85/oz and at a multi-dollar premium to US spot. China’s stronger physical activity is a key factor: the People’s Bank of China reported 118 tonnes of silver purchases in Q3, while external analysts (e.g., Goldman Sachs) estimate much larger covert accumulation. Beijing will require export licences for silver shipments from Jan 1, 2026, prompting pre-rule buying in Shanghai and tightening available physical supply. By contrast, Bitcoin (BTC) is down about 6% for 2025 after earlier gains and a leveraged-driven crypto market crash. Key drivers for traders: US dollar weakness, Fed easing, central-bank and institutional accumulation of precious metals, China’s export controls and elevated physical demand, and deleveraging in crypto markets. Actionable considerations: reduce crypto directional leverage, monitor Fed guidance and dollar moves, track China physical flows and new export rules, watch silver premiums in Shanghai as a supply signal, and reassess portfolio exposure to safe-haven metals versus risk assets. Primary keywords: silver price, gold rally, Bitcoin, China silver export controls, Fed rate cuts. Secondary/semantic keywords: Shanghai silver premium, PBoC purchases, US dollar weakness, leveraged unwind, market volatility.

Ripple CTO David Schwartz said the company could reduce or halt routine XRP sales if it develops sustainable non-XRP revenue streams. Ripple originally received 80 billion XRP and placed 55 billion into escrow in 2017, releasing 1 billion XRP monthly; up to 80% of each monthly release (about 800 million XRP) can be sold to fund operations. Sales have long worried investors due to potential liquidation pressure on XRP, though XRP frequently tracks broader crypto market moves. In a community discussion, Schwartz dismissed the idea that Ripple’s USD-backed stablecoin RLUSD would replace XRP’s liquidity role. He identified alternative revenue sources — payments services, licensing blockchain solutions, and institutional adoption — as ways to generate operating income without selling XRP. For traders: successful revenue diversification could lower routine sell pressure and reduce XRP volatility over time, which is potentially bullish for the token; however, XRP sales remain possible while Ripple requires operational funding, so short-term selling risk persists. Keywords: Ripple, XRP sales, revenue diversification, RLUSD, crypto trading.

Global billionaire wealth rose sharply in 2025 as equity markets rallied and AI investments concentrated gains in major tech firms. Forbes data show the combined net worth of more than 3,100 billionaires increased by $3.6 trillion to $18.7 trillion. The top 10 biggest gainers added roughly $730 billion; Elon Musk led with an approximate $333.2 billion rise driven by a jump in SpaceX’s private valuation, a favourable Delaware court decision restoring large Tesla stock awards, and xAI financing that pushed his net worth toward a potential trillion-dollar level. Google co‑founders Larry Page (+$98.7B) and Sergey Brin (+$86.1B) benefited from Google’s revenue strength and advances in Gemini AI; NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang (+$42.3B) gained from the AI chip boom as NVDA’s market cap exceeded $5 trillion. Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and several non‑US figures (Amancio Ortega, Germán Larrea, Masayoshi Son, Carlos Slim) also posted notable increases. Market drivers include broad equity rallies (S&P 500 +17%), concentrated AI investment, and corporate events (SpaceX valuation surge, Tesla compensation ruling, xAI financing and speculation of SpaceX/xAI IPOs). Trader takeaways: expect continued concentration of market gains in AI and large-cap tech equities (TSLA, GOOG, NVDA, ORCL, META), elevated correlation between major founders’ fortunes and stock moves, and potential volatility around high-profile corporate actions and IPOs that can quickly shift liquidity and risk sentiment.

Analysts led by Steph (@Steph_iscrypto) and other chartists observe XRP forming an accumulation pattern similar to prior cycles that preceded major rallies. XRP fell from highs near $3.4 in January 2025 (and around $2.8 in Oct 2025 in one report) to about $1.84 by late 2025, sliding below the $2 mark and showing a sideways/declining band. Steph compares the current structure to the 2015–2017 and mid‑2023–late‑2024 cycles that led to sharp gains (notably rallies to roughly $3.31 in Jan 2018 and ~$3.4 in Jan 2025) and warns sellers who exit early could miss upside if history repeats. Other technical commentators (Chart Nerd, Zach Rector) interpret price action as an ABC corrective reset with the $1.8–$2 zone flipping to support, suggesting a possible near‑term push higher. Market participants also list potential macro/regulatory catalysts—SEC lawsuit resolution, progress toward XRP ETFs, and proposed legislation such as the Clarity Act—that could amplify any bullish technical breakout. This coverage is technical analysis and opinion, not financial advice.

Aave DAO voters rejected a proposal to transfer domains, social handles and other intellectual property from Aave Labs and BGD Labs to full DAO control, with over 55% of participating token holders voting against on Snapshot and turnout above 20% of circulating AAVE. The vote exposed community concerns about timing, legal risk and transition safeguards and followed public debate including opposition from founder Stani Kulechov. The governance dispute coincided with a roughly 14% weekly decline in AAVE price, a spike in trading volume and weakening technicals: RSI near oversold (~30–35), negative Chaikin Money Flow and AAVE trading below key moving averages. On-chain analytics (Nansen, Dune, Santiment, CryptoQuant) showed mixed sentiment and institutional abstention while protocol fundamentals remained stable — TVL stayed above $10 billion and borrowing volumes were largely intact. TradingView analysis highlighted potential rebound resistance at $165–$170 if buyers return. For traders: expect elevated volatility around further governance updates, watch exchange inflows/outflows, on-chain accumulation metrics and RSI for signs of capitulation or renewed buying, and monitor any phased-transfer or legal-risk mitigation proposals that could restore confidence.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson publicly denied claims he sold large amounts of ADA when the token peaked above $3 in September 2021. The allegation re-emerged after a year-end post on X, with a commenter accusing him of not rebuying ADA after its fall to roughly $0.30. Hoskinson called the narrative "made-up noise," blamed bots for amplifying the claim and dismissed repeated assertions as false. Market data show ADA trading near $0.35 after a failed 2025 rebound, down about 5.4% week-on-week and 16.8% month-on-month, and roughly 88% below its $3.09 September 2021 all-time high. Looking ahead, Cardano has roadmap items scheduled for 2026 — including the Leios upgrade, DeFi enhancements and the mainnet launch of the privacy-focused Midnight sidechain — which supporters say could underpin longer-term interest in ADA. For traders, key technical levels to watch are immediate support near $0.35 (break could target $0.30) and resistance in the $0.38–$0.40 band; a meaningful recovery would likely require reclaiming and holding above $0.50 to trigger short-covering and renewed spot demand. Primary keywords: Cardano, ADA, Charles Hoskinson. Secondary keywords: ADA price, ADA correction, Leios upgrade, Midnight mainnet, DeFi upgrades.

Pi Network launched its mainnet on 19 February 2025 and listed the PI token on major exchanges including Bitget, OKX and MEXC. Early momentum — driven by extended KYC windows, PiFest events, a .pi domain push, Pi Ad Network expansion, Pi App Studio, hackathons and a $100M Pi Network Ventures fund — pushed PI to an all-time high of $2.99 in late February. Following the listing-driven spike, PI entered a prolonged decline, falling roughly 95% to an October low near $0.172 and stabilizing around $0.20 by December. Short-term price moves have been tightly correlated with ecosystem announcements and listing rumors (notably Binance listing rumors in May that briefly lifted PI above $1.70). The project continued rolling out on-chain products — Pi DEX and AMM, Pi App Studio, venture investments and partnerships such as CiDi Games — but market response has been muted and volatility remains high. Key takeaways for traders: expect extreme post-listing volatility, large drawdowns from hype-driven peaks, and price sensitivity to announcements and listing news; the $0.20 area has emerged as a near-term support zone. PI’s medium-term recovery depends on tangible user adoption, transparent execution of DEX/AMM and venture investments, and improved liquidity from sustained exchange support. (Primary keywords: Pi Network, PI token, mainnet launch, price volatility, exchange listing.)

XRP spot ETFs posted their first day of zero net inflows on December 26, interrupting a prior run of steady daily capital entering the products. Cumulative net inflows across XRP spot ETFs remain about $1.14 billion and total net assets sit near $1.24 billion. Daily trading volume held at roughly $16.61 million and XRP traded around $1.85 during the session. Canary’s XRPC led provider net assets at $325.93 million, followed by 21Shares ($250.68M), Bitwise ($227.15M), Grayscale ($225.11M) and Franklin Templeton ($206.90M). Most ETFs finished the day positive despite flat flows, which analysts interpret as short-term consolidation rather than waning investor conviction. Continued institutional interest in spot crypto ETFs — especially Bitcoin ETFs — is cited as ongoing support. For traders, the halt may slow momentum in the near term but does not appear to undermine longer-term demand for XRP ETFs; watch daily flows, ETF AUM rankings, and XRP spot liquidity for signals of renewed inflows or broader market rotation.

India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested two bank insiders in Patna — an assistant manager at Canara Bank and a business development associate at Axis Bank — accused of creating and managing mule accounts to launder stolen funds into cryptocurrencies. Investigators say the suspects opened accounts using altered customer identities, provided operational guidance to cybercrime operators, and took commissions. Funds were fragmented across thousands of small-value transfers into mule accounts, then converted to digital assets on peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms and moved overseas. Forensic analysis of seized digital devices reportedly shows communications and payments between the suspects and criminal operators. The CBI noted that over 70% of recent Indian cyber-fraud cases involve crypto exits, prompting banks to tighten digital onboarding and regulators to push stronger KYC and AI-driven anomaly detection. Both officials have been suspended and will face court proceedings; Axis Bank says it is cooperating. Experts warn such mule networks rely on high-volume layering to break traceability and recommend real-time AI monitoring and stricter internal controls to curb account-takeover and mule-account schemes.

JPMorgan has frozen bank accounts and paused transaction processing for two stablecoin-focused startups, Kontigo and Blindpay, after labeling them “high risk” clients amid concerns about AML controls, transaction monitoring and operational weaknesses. The freezes disrupted treasury operations, client payouts and onboarding for both firms. JPMorgan described the action as targeted and said it will continue to serve compliant crypto businesses; the startups and the bank provided limited public detail. The move follows rising regulatory scrutiny of fiat‑backed stablecoins in the US and Europe, including tighter rules on reserve transparency, audits/attestations, sanctions screening and Travel Rule data sharing. For traders, this elevates operational risk for stablecoin issuers that rely on traditional banking rails: expect short‑term volatility in stablecoin markets and payment‑sector tokens, potential liquidity or on‑/off‑ramp strain for affected tokens, and a higher compliance bar that may narrow bankable counterparties. Monitor official statements from JPMorgan, Kontigo and Blindpay, regulatory guidance, and on‑chain flows for signs of contagion or shifts to alternative banking partners and native on‑chain settlement.

MicroStrategy has effectively become a leveraged Bitcoin proxy: the company bought large amounts of BTC financed with debt, convertible notes and equity, making Bitcoin the dominant driver of its balance sheet and valuation. Recent technicals show BTC losing momentum around major resistance and trading near critical support, with weak momentum indicators implying downside risk. MSTR shares have tracked that weakness and are trading well below prior highs after losing key supports; leverage, debt servicing and preferred dividends amplify downside moves for shareholders. MicroStrategy carries sizable obligations (convertible debt, preferred stock and near-term interest/dividend costs) while holding a limited cash buffer, and it states it will not sell BTC. The combined effect: prolonged BTC drawdowns could create large unrealized losses, restrict access to capital markets and risk corporate distress or forced asset sales. Traders should monitor Bitcoin key support zones and momentum, MSTR debt levels and upcoming maturities, financing and capital-raising ability, and any signs of margin-like pressures or distressed selling. Short-term, elevated correlation between BTC and MSTR increases volatility and trade amplification; longer-term, a sustained crypto winter raises the risk MSTR underperforms or faces solvency stress even if Bitcoin eventually recovers.

Anatoly Yakovenko, co‑founder of Solana, forecast on X that the global stablecoin market will exceed $1 trillion by 2026, up from the current market size of roughly $300+ billion. Yakovenko cited stablecoins’ price stability and growing use in payments, remittances, DeFi and traditional finance as primary adoption drivers. He pointed to faster, low‑cost networks such as Solana as beneficiaries — on‑chain analysts cited stablecoin issuance and transfers on Solana surging over 200% in recent quarters — positioning Solana to capture meaningful share of stablecoin activity due to low fees and high throughput. Analysts noted key growth levers: real‑world payments, DeFi integrations and increased on‑chain liquidity. Major headwinds include heightened regulatory scrutiny, potential centralization risks, and competition from central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). For traders: (1) the projection implies a possible large expansion in stablecoin liquidity and on‑chain trading volume, which could lift activity and swap flows across spot and derivatives markets; (2) Solana (SOL) may see increased fee and volume-driven demand if it captures more stablecoin rails; (3) regulatory developments and CBDC progress are principal downside risks that could reallocate flows away from private stablecoins. Monitor stablecoin issuance metrics, on‑chain transfer volume on Solana, regulatory announcements, and capital flows between stablecoins and native tokens to assess short‑term volatility and medium‑term liquidity trends.

Dogecoin (DOGE) and Shiba Inu (SHIB) slipped amid thin year‑end liquidity and weak large‑cap crypto action, with moves driven by technical selling rather than fresh fundamental news. DOGE traded around $0.123, facing a supply zone at $0.1260–$0.1264 and a demand shelf at $0.1208–$0.1220; a sustained break below $0.122 would likely trigger deeper losses toward roughly $0.1250 or lower. Volume on DOGE ran about 11–53% above recent averages across reports, with high‑volume rejections on rebounds indicating active seller distribution. SHIB fell to roughly $0.000007165 after breaching a $0.00000717–$0.00000718 floor; near supports lie at $0.000007145 and $0.00000707, and resistance around $0.00000722–$0.00000725. Ether (ETH) underperformance was cited as a proxy for weaker altcoin risk appetite, and broader crypto benchmarks remained relatively stable — pointing to a rotation away from high‑beta memecoins rather than a market‑wide selloff. For traders, key levels to watch are DOGE holding $0.122 (to avoid a rapid downside leg) and reclaiming/holding above $0.1325–$0.1264 (to neutralize bearish setups), and SHIB reclaiming $0.00000717–$0.00000718 to stop the breakdown. Monitor BTC and ETH momentum and meme‑coin volume spikes for continuation or reversal signals.

XRP fell to $1.86 despite steady institutional accumulation through spot XRP ETFs. Recent inflows of roughly $8.19 million lifted total ETF-held net assets to about $1.25 billion, signaling growing institutional preference for regulated, custody-light exposure. Price has traded in a tight range (~$1.85–$1.91) with sellers repeatedly defending the $1.90–$1.91 supply zone and buyers supporting $1.86–$1.87, creating congestion that limits momentum. Intraday volume spiked to ~75.3 million XRP (~76% above average) during a rejection near $1.906, indicating meaningful overhead selling pressure. Key technical levels: support cluster at $1.86–$1.87 and strong resistance at $1.90–$1.91; a sustained close above $1.90 could trigger short-covering toward $1.95–$2.00, while a break below $1.86 would shift focus to demand around $1.77–$1.80. For traders, ETF inflows act as a stabilizer that may blunt sharp downside moves, but near-term price direction is governed by technical supply and demand zones—momentum strategies should respect $1.86 (support) and $1.90 (resistance).

Versan Aljarrah, founder of Black Swan Capitalist, urged traders to focus on XRP’s real-world utility for cross-border payments rather than short-term price swings. XRP has slid ~16.5% over the past month and ~34.2% over three months, trading near $1.84 after a December drop of roughly 16%. Aljarrah argued that higher XRP prices can improve liquidity and network efficiency, which supports broader adoption, but stressed that long-term value is determined by technology, execution, leadership and clear strategy — not daily volatility. He pointed to growing institutional and ecosystem developments bolstering XRP’s payments use case: partnerships with firms such as Tranglo and SBI, Ripple joining the Evernorth project to build a $1B+ XRP reserve, DeFi integrations (Flare, Axelar) enabling yield and potential staking, and at least five U.S. spot XRP ETFs that accumulated about $1.24 billion in net assets shortly after launch. Community reactions were mixed — some agreed that utility-led adoption is key but noted liquidity and price remain interlinked; others expect regulatory clarity and time to validate XRP’s infrastructure role. Overall, the message for traders is to treat short-term swings as noise, weigh on-chain and off-chain adoption indicators, and monitor liquidity, partnerships and regulatory signals as primary drivers of XRP’s medium- to long-term price prospects. Disclaimer: informational only; not financial advice.

Kazakhstan’s National Bank (NBK) has approved three coordinated digital-asset pilot projects: tokenization of NBK-held refined gold reserves, a QR-code crypto payments trial that converts crypto to tenge at point of sale, and issuance of a tenge-pegged stablecoin. The gold tokenization pilot follows large 2025 reserve purchases (at least 32 tonnes YTD) and aims to digitize NBK-refined gold to boost liquidity, transparency and institutional access to gold-backed digital assets. The QR-code pilot tests an interbank QR system mandated for all banks by Q1 2026; regulators maintain that direct crypto payments remain banned, so the system is expected to convert crypto to fiat at checkout. The tenge stablecoin project builds on recent private and public efforts (including a Solana-based KZTE issuance) and seeks to enable regulated digital transactions outside Astana International Financial Centre. NBK officials have also discussed creating a $1 billion national crypto reserve, with some allocations (reportedly $300m) already considered and potential reserve investments into major cryptocurrencies flagged. For traders: gold tokenization could deepen liquidity in gold-linked tokens and link traditional reserve flows with crypto markets; a fiat-convertible QR on-ramp and a regulated tenge stablecoin would expand on- and off-ramps in Kazakhstan but under strict regulatory control, which may limit retail crypto spending while formalizing institutional channels. Primary keywords: Kazakhstan central bank, gold tokenization, QR crypto payments, tenge stablecoin, KZTE. Secondary/semantic keywords: reserves, liquidity, on-ramp, off-ramp, Solana, regulatory framework.

Pakistani authorities, led by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), dismantled an international crypto and forex investment fraud network that reportedly stole about $60 million and arrested more than 34 suspects. Scammers recruited victims via social media and unregulated trading platforms, used fake profit screenshots to build trust, then demanded extra fees; after larger deposits victim accounts were frozen and funds diverted. Proceeds moved through multiple bank accounts, were converted into digital assets and transferred across borders. The takedown coincides with rollout of the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA), which is preparing licensing and AML controls for virtual-asset firms. PVARA has issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to Binance and HTX to begin AML registration while full licensing is pursued. Islamabad also signed a memorandum with Binance to explore tokenising up to $2 billion of state assets and is planning a national stablecoin and studying a CBDC. For crypto traders: expect stronger AML scrutiny and KYC friction for services serving Pakistan, potential removal of illicit liquidity from regional markets, and the prospect of increased local liquidity and institutional access if licensed exchanges enter. Short-term volatility or regional capital flows are possible as illicit services are shut down and compliance ramps up.

Apex Crypto Insights host Jesse publicly challenged a recent Lewis Jackson video that made disputed claims about XRP flow, utility, and interactions between public and private ledgers. Jesse said Jackson’s video contained multiple technical inaccuracies—citing at least three major errors early on—and warned that those errors could mislead XRP holders about liquidity movement and token utility. He emphasized the XRP Ledger (XRPL) is a public, decentralized blockchain and that private institutional ledgers are separate systems that interoperate through documented frameworks rather than undocumented "flows." Jesse’s earlier attempt to clarify the matter was removed, prompting a fresh, public rebuke. He plans to publish a series of fact-based response videos within four to eight days to correct misinformation; the rollout was delayed by work on Apex Crypto Academy and holiday travel. Jesse expressed respect for Jackson’s past work while insisting a careful, documentation-backed rebuttal is needed. Community response has been largely supportive, urging patience and reliance on verified XRPL documentation. This is informational, not financial advice.

X’s new “Edit Image” feature, powered by Grok AI, lets any user prompt edits to public images. After rollout, high-profile digital artists — including manga creator Boichi and illustrator Iomaya — reported widespread non-consensual edits, watermark removal, reattribution as “AI-generated,” and harassment. A viral case involving a commissioned piece that was edited and maliciously reposted drew millions of views and intensified creator backlash. Artists are pausing posts, migrating to platforms like Instagram, adding watermarks, restricting visibility, or halting uploads. Creator groups and analysts call for metadata standards, edit-permission controls and clearer moderation policies. For traders, the episode signals reputational and user-retention risks for X and similar platforms integrating aggressive AI tools: potential outcomes include policy rollbacks, increased moderation costs, creator migration, lower engagement and advertising revenue, and elevated regulatory scrutiny. Market-relevant SEO keywords: X, Grok AI, AI image editing, creator rights, platform moderation.

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out coordinated raids at 21 residential and office locations across Karnataka, Maharashtra and New Delhi on 18 December 2025 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, targeting 4th Bloc Consultants and linked entities accused of running a crypto investment fraud since at least 2015. The probe identifies 26 fake trading platforms — including goldbooker.com and cryptobrite.com — that cloned legitimate exchanges and promised unusually high returns on deposits denominated in bitcoin and other digital assets. Promoters recruited victims via Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram, used unauthorised images of crypto commentators and celebrities, and offered referral bonuses and staged early payouts to build trust. Investigators seized digital devices, property records and information on bank and crypto accounts for forensic analysis. The ED says operators laundered proceeds through crypto wallets, peer‑to‑peer (P2P) transfers, shell companies, foreign bank accounts and hawala channels, and used illicit funds to buy real estate in India and abroad. The agency has not disclosed total losses, victim count or seizure values; next steps include tracing flows from the 26 platforms into identified accounts and assets and possible further enforcement. For traders: the advisory and public naming of fraudulent sites raise short‑term reputational pressure on crypto onshore channels and highlight persistent fraud vectors (fake platforms, P2P laundering, social‑media recruitment). Key keywords: Enforcement Directorate, crypto scam, fake platforms, money laundering, bitcoin, hawala, 26 websites.

Derivatives analytics firm CoinGlass reports roughly $150 billion in forced liquidations across crypto markets in 2025, averaging $400–$500 million per day. Most routine days saw liquidations in the tens-to-hundreds-of-millions range with limited medium-to-long-term price impact. A concentrated deleveraging on October 10 produced the largest single-day liquidation in recorded history: exchanges reported about $19 billion in long and short liquidations that day; CoinGlass estimates the true peak may have been $30–$40 billion after accounting for delayed exchange disclosures and market-maker data. The October 10 event was heavily long-biased (≈85–90% long liquidations), indicating crowded long leverage ahead of the crash. CoinGlass cites a near-term catalyst — then-U.S. political news (announced tariffs on Chinese goods) — that triggered a sharp risk-off move, but stresses the market’s fragile structure (high valuations and elevated leverage) made a large correction likely. Derivatives volume spiked alongside the deleveraging (one-day volume reached $748.3 billion versus a yearly average near $264.5 billion); total annual derivatives volume hit $85.70 trillion in 2025. At publication, Bitcoin was trading around $87,000–88,000. Key takeaways for traders: heightened tail-risk from concentrated leverage, pronounced susceptibility of long positions, potential underreporting of peak liquidation figures, and the importance of monitoring futures basis, open interest and leverage metrics to manage event risk.

GrubHub is probing a wave of fraudulent emails that impersonated its merchant subdomain and promised recipients a 10x return for sending Bitcoin to scammer-controlled wallets. The campaign began circulating on December 24 and used sender addresses such as merry-christmas@b.grubhub.com and crypto-promotion@b.grubhub.com. Messages included personalized recipient names, short time windows to urge quick transfers, and links or wallet addresses that appeared authentic and passed basic checks, prompting speculation about DNS or email-spoofing techniques. GrubHub confirmed the activity was unauthorized, said it contained the incident and launched an investigation, but provided few technical details. The FBI has warned of increased holiday crypto scams and reported that non-delivery/non-payment crypto frauds caused more than $785 million in losses in 2024. Recommended actions for traders: delete suspicious emails, verify promotions via official GrubHub channels, avoid clicking unsolicited links, enable multi-factor authentication, report incidents to authorities (for example, IC3), and monitor wallets and transactions. Primary keywords: GrubHub scam, Bitcoin scam, phishing. Secondary keywords: email spoofing, FBI warning, DNS spoofing, wallet safety.

Bitcoin’s outlook is sharply divided as analysts debate whether 2025 was a stealth bear market or the quiet start of a decade-long bull run. Proponents — including Jan3 founder Samson Mow and analyst PlanC — argue 2025 represented the worst of the cycle and that structural conditions (institutional interest, spot‑ETF flows) set the stage for a sustained bull market possibly extending toward 2035. Opponents warn of renewed downside in 2026: trader Peter Brandt forecasts a drop to around $60,000 by Q3 2026, and Fidelity’s Jurrien Timmer calls 2026 a likely “rest year” around $65,000. Optimists such as Phong Le and Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan point to fundamentals and renewed US spot‑ETF purchases as supporting medium‑term gains. Market data shows caution — BTC trades near $87k, down roughly 9% year‑to‑date, and the Crypto Fear & Greed Index sits near 20 (“extreme fear”). Key takeaways for traders: the community is split between a view that the bear phase is over and one that predicts further downside; near‑term price action will remain sensitive to macro indicators and ETF inflows; volatility and sentiment are likely to drive trading opportunities into 2026; and disciplined risk management (position sizing, stop rules, hedges) is essential given wide forecast dispersion.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) slumped to a multi-year low of $0.0000066 in 2025 and trades around $0.00000716, underperforming despite Bitcoin and Ethereum reaching new highs. Bulls cite potential regulatory clarity from the CLARITY Act, the planned launch of Zama’s fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) on Shibarium, and the availability of regulated SHIB futures on Coinbase as possible catalysts for inflows in 2026. Critics point to persistent structural weaknesses: an enormous circulating supply (≈589 trillion SHIB), token burns that have fallen from billions to millions daily, anonymous and intermittently silent core contributors, and multiple unfinished or stalled utility projects (Shibarium upgrades, SHIB: The Metaverse, K9 Finance staking, AI initiatives). Past milestones produced limited sustained price response, and a Shibarium exploit followed by sparse team communication hurt confidence. For traders: SHIB is highly speculative with both limited immediate demand drivers and concentrated structural constraints. Watch on-chain metrics (burn rate, exchange flows, wallet activity), adoption signals for Shibarium FHE, any regulated product listings (futures/ETF exposure), and team transparency. Use tight risk controls, conservative position sizing, and prefer event-driven trades around confirmed regulatory or technical developments rather than buy-and-hold exposure.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has launched a brief, one‑minute statewide survey to gather user experiences and complaints about cryptocurrency ATMs amid rising scam activity. The questionnaire asks about ATM operators used, machine types, referral sources and any financial losses. The survey follows a December 19 scam alert and is part of the Consumer Protection Division’s ongoing investigation into crypto ATM fraud. The FBI reported roughly $246.7 million lost to crypto ATM–related fraud in 2024, highlighting national concern. The initiative aims to map fraud hotspots, identify vulnerable kiosk operators, and inform potential measures such as enhanced ID checks, geofencing and fraud detection requirements for operators. The move comes as enforcement actions increase — including a Washington, D.C. lawsuit alleging Athena Bitcoin allowed scam-driven deposits — and the AG urged residents who used crypto ATMs to participate. For traders, the survey and likely regulatory scrutiny reinforce preferences for regulated exchanges (e.g., Coinbase, Gemini) over irreversible ATM transactions and may increase oversight of ATM operators, affecting on‑ramp liquidity and retail flows.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) shows waning user engagement and sustained downward price pressure, prompting parts of its community to consider alternatives. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) has emerged as a leading presale opportunity: the project says it completed a security audit and has raised more than $19.5 million from about 18,500–18,580 investors. MUTM is in Phase 6 of its presale at $0.035 per token (claimed ~99% sold), roughly 250% above its initial price. Later presale phases will price tokens at $0.04, with a planned public launch target of $0.06. The protocol markets two lending models — a communal asset pool and customizable loan contracts — plus an in-development $1 stablecoin and a daily leaderboard that rewards top buyers. The coverage frames this shift as part of a broader rotation from memecoins like SHIB toward projects with defined DeFi utility and structured tokenomics. The piece is a sponsored press release and includes a disclaimer urging independent due diligence.

Zcash’s shielded (private) supply has stabilized at about 23% of total supply after an earlier 8 percentage‑point rise in 2025, signaling sustained adoption of optional zk‑SNARKs transactions. On‑chain metrics show steady shielded usage and stable ZEC volumes, while privacy coins such as Monero have also seen correlated gains as users and businesses grow concerned about transparent ledgers exposing full transaction histories. Developers at Electric Coin Company and analytics firms (e.g., Messari, Chainalysis) note ongoing work to improve Zcash usability and scalability. Separately, Grayscale has filed to list a Zcash ETF on NYSE Arca under ticker ZCSH, a significant test of whether privacy‑focused assets can be integrated into regulated, custodial products with compliance and sanctions screening. For traders: the 23% shielded ratio confirms persistent demand for privacy features; the Grayscale filing could attract institutional flows and liquidity if approved but may introduce custody/compliance constraints that affect how privacy features are used; on‑chain volumes remain steady, suggesting no immediate sell‑off. Primary keywords: Zcash, shielded supply, ZCSH ETF. Secondary/semantic keywords: zk‑SNARKs, privacy coins, Monero, on‑chain metrics, institutional flows.

Investors pulled roughly $1 trillion from active equity mutual funds in 2025 as returns concentrated in seven U.S. megacap tech stocks (the “Magnificent Seven”) left most active managers underperforming. Bloomberg Intelligence’s analysis of Investment Company Institute data shows active equity outflows totaled about $1T — the 11th consecutive year of net withdrawals — while passive equity ETFs gathered more than $600 billion. Narrow market breadth, with fewer than 20% of stocks rising on many trading days, created a wide performance gap between cap-weighted indexes and equal-weighted benchmarks. Consequently, 73% of U.S. equity mutual funds underperformed their benchmarks, one of the weakest records since 2007. A small set of concentrated, non-benchmark active strategies outpaced peers — for example, Dimensional Fund Advisors’ international small-cap value portfolio (up >50%) and select sector/thematic funds (resource and diversified thematic bets) — by avoiding megacap tech or taking concentrated exposures. For traders, the news signals continued passive ETF inflows that may boost liquidity and price support for large-cap tech names, higher market concentration risk, and uneven participation across smaller caps. Active managers face a dilemma: track megacap-driven benchmarks to justify fees or deviate and risk underperformance. Keywords: active equity funds, passive ETFs, megacap tech, fund outflows, market concentration.