Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

XRP has seen sustained, controlled outflows from Binance this month, pushing Binance’s XRP reserves down to about 2.66 billion — the lowest level this year. On-chain analytics (CryptoQuant) and market observers (Stellar Rippler) indicate these flows are deliberate withdrawals to off-exchange custody rather than retail panic selling, which would normally show as sudden exchange deposits. Concurrently, spot XRP ETFs continue to register net inflows, signaling steady institutional demand even as liquidity leaves other crypto assets. Price has traded weakly around $1.80–$1.95 and repeatedly failed to hold above $2.00. For traders, the key takeaways are: (1) shrinking exchange reserves reduce immediate sell-side liquidity and can amplify price moves if demand returns; (2) persistent ETF inflows point to structural institutional accumulation beneath the surface; and (3) short-term price may remain muted, so monitor Binance and other exchange reserve metrics alongside ETF flows to anticipate potential volatility. Primary keywords: XRP, exchange reserves, Binance, XRP ETF, ETF inflows, on-chain analytics.

Circle minted an additional $500 million USDC on the Solana blockchain, bringing total USDC issuance on Solana for 2025 to about $55 billion, according to on-chain monitoring by Onchain Lens. The mint was newly created on Solana; the report did not disclose recipient addresses, the purpose of the mint, or reserve details backing the issuance. Traders should note that large USDC issuances on high-throughput chains like Solana can materially affect on-chain liquidity, stablecoin circulation, and short-term funding flows across DeFi and DEX markets. Key SEO keywords: USDC, Circle, Solana, stablecoin issuance, DeFi liquidity.

Binance has listed KGST, a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the Kyrgyz som, after Kyrgyzstan advanced several state-led crypto initiatives. President Sadyr Japarov announced the listing and said KGST will facilitate cross-border payments, increase digital use of the som and attract international business. The token will launch on BNB Chain, with Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) — who began advising Kyrgyz authorities in April — calling KGST the first nation-backed stablecoin on BNB Chain and suggesting more sovereign stablecoins may follow. Kyrgyzstan has also moved to create a national crypto reserve, passed crypto legislation, and released USDKG, a dollar-pegged stablecoin reportedly backed by physical gold (initial supply 50 million on TRON, with plans to expand to Ethereum). The development is presented as part of a broader global trend of fiat-backed and nation‑linked stablecoins (examples cited include projects in Japan, the EU and the UAE). Market context: global stablecoin market capitalization is noted at roughly $308.9 billion (source: DefiLlama). For traders: watch KGST issuance, circulating supply and reserve backing transparency, potential on-chain liquidity on BNB Chain, and any parity pressures vs. the Kyrgyz som — these factors will determine short-term price stability and market acceptance.

Hyper Foundation said a community validator governance vote has confirmed that HYPE tokens held in the aid-fund address 0xfefef…fefe are permanently burned. The proposal passed with 85% support, 7% opposed and 8% abstaining, and the foundation clarified the Assistance Fund balance is inaccessible and irrecoverable. No token amount or USD value was disclosed. The governance-backed burn removes the specified HYPE from both circulating and total supply metrics, improving supply transparency. For traders, this could tighten the token float and affect short-term liquidity and market sentiment; the change is primarily a supply-side update that may support bullish sentiment if market demand holds. Keywords: HYPE token, token burn, governance vote, supply update, circulating supply.

Vitalik Buterin said xAI’s chatbot Grok is a “net improvement” for X’s information ecosystem despite frequent errors and hallucinations. He argued Grok’s tendency to push back on biased or extreme prompts can reduce echo‑chamber amplification of conspiracies and polarized content on the X platform. Buterin frames his view with a “net improvement” lens, valuing changes to platform truthfulness over absolute model accuracy. Critics and technologists warn Grok has produced fabricated content (for example, a false Bondi Beach shooting clip) and can show pro‑Musk or other fine‑tuning biases; they caution that concentrating powerful models at a single company risks institutionalizing bias and creating authoritative‑seeming but incorrect narratives. Buterin did not endorse centralization; he suggested Grok’s unpredictable, sometimes oppositional outputs can unintentionally counter single‑script political messaging. The debate underscores broader industry tensions between “imperfect honesty” and “safe, sanitized” AI as information warfare and platform moderation pressures intensify through 2026. For traders: monitor X’s information dynamics and sentiment flows — Grok’s behavior may change how political and crypto narratives spread on X, affecting short‑term sentiment and volatility more than long‑term crypto fundamentals.

OKX intraday token snapshot: LEO led gains, rising between 1.40% and 3.76 across reports and trading around $8.45–$9.49 during the day. Other modest gainers included ZK, TRX and COMP. On the downside, OM was the largest decliner (down ~4.67%), with FIL, ZIL, APE and ENJ also recording notable intraday losses. Earlier data sets showed different intraday magnitudes but the same directional moves — LEO as top gainer and several small-cap tokens among the biggest losers. Data are sourced from OKX and reflect intraday price moves; this briefing is for market information only and does not constitute investment advice.

China’s Guangzhou Futures Exchange (GFEX) will impose limits on new daily openings and raise minimum opening sizes for select platinum and palladium futures (PT2606, PT2608, PT2610, PT2612 and PD2606, PD2608, PD2610, PD2612), effective December 29, 2025. The measures — a cap on daily new openings for non‑futures firms (300 lots) and an increase of minimum opening size from one lot to two — respond to extreme price volatility and persistent onshore premiums versus London and COMEX. Platinum rallied to about $2,377.50 before retreating to ~$2,220 (roughly +145% YTD) and palladium reached three‑year highs near $1,684 (~+85% YTD). The move follows chaotic silver trading in China (Shanghai silver briefly near $80/oz; global spot ~ $72/oz) and stress in China’s UBS SDIC Silver Futures Fund, which hit its 10% daily loss limit after earlier huge gains amid delivery shortages. For traders: expect elevated volatility around Dec 29, potential liquidity squeezes in onshore metals markets, wider Shanghai–COMEX spreads, and knock‑on effects for commodity‑linked derivatives and crypto products that track metals or use them as collateral. Monitor GFEX notices for exact position caps and settlement/delivery rules, watch onshore vs international price dislocations, and adjust short‑term risk management, leverage and position sizing accordingly.

Bitcoin whale transfers and continued spot ETF outflows raised short-term caution on December 25. Onchain Lens reported BlackRock deposited 2,292 BTC (~$199.8M) to Coinbase while an eight‑year dormant wallet moved 400 BTC (~$34.9M) to OKX — roughly $234M of BTC headed to exchanges. SoSoValue recorded five straight days of net outflows from U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs, signaling weakening institutional demand amid price consolidation around $87,700. Exchange metrics show BTC price slipped ~0.35% and open interest fell ~0.99% to $57.42B, indicating modest deleveraging. CoinGlass flagged leverage clusters with approximately $646M of longs concentrated near $85,966 and $422M of shorts near $88,636, creating localized squeeze risk. Key technical levels: $86,000 support and $93,500 resistance; a daily close below $86,000 could trigger deeper corrections, while a decisive breakout above $93,500 would favor further upside. Traders should monitor exchange inflows (notably BlackRock and dormant-wallet deposits), ETF flow reports, open interest shifts and leverage concentrations for potential short-term volatility and directional cues.

Trust Wallet has confirmed a security vulnerability in its browser extension build v2.68 and advised users to immediately disable the extension and update to v2.69 from the official Chrome Web Store. The issue is reported to affect only the 2.68 browser extension; mobile apps and other extension versions are not impacted. Social-media on-chain observers flagged rapid automated fund drains, suspicious outflows, hidden code in a recent update, and patterns consistent with automated exploitation or a supply‑chain attack. Trust Wallet’s engineering team is investigating but has not yet released full technical details or an affected-wallet count. Recommended actions for traders and users: disable the vulnerable extension, revoke token approvals, move assets to new wallets, avoid connecting to dApps, and only install the fixed v2.69 from the official Chrome Web Store. Traders should monitor on‑chain activity for addresses tied to the exploit and watch official Trust Wallet updates for scope and remediation details.

Short sellers increased positions as Bitcoin faced intensified selling into late 2025 after a 23% Q4 drop. On-chain and derivatives metrics show bearish dominance: the Taker Buy/Sell Ratio fell to multi-month lows, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded consecutive net outflows since Dec. 18, and CME Bitcoin futures open interest slipped below $10 billion — the weakest since Sept. 2024 — signaling waning institutional exposure. The previously profitable basis trade (buy spot ETF, short CME futures), which once yielded up to ~10%, has seen yields compress to about ~5%, reducing its appeal to hedge funds and contributing to reduced ETF demand. Options and derivatives positioning shows concentrated downside hedges near $85,000 and upside interest around $88,000–$90,000. CoinGlass data indicates roughly $3 billion of leveraged short liquidations could be triggered if BTC reclaims about $90,600, while leveraged long liquidation clusters sit near $83,900 and $86,100. Analysts warn that absent fresh catalysts — regulatory clarity, macro improvements, or renewed retail inflows — Bitcoin could remain range-bound with a downside bias and may test sub-$80,000 in early 2026. Traders should monitor ETF flows, CME open interest, the taker buy/sell ratio, and key liquidation levels for short-term volatility and potential squeeze scenarios.

Bitcoin slipped below its 50‑week simple moving average (SMA) and failed to reclaim resistance near $90,000, raising downside risk for traders. Analyst Ali Martinez noted that previous breaks of the 50‑week SMA have preceded average drawdowns around 54%, a historical analogue pointing to a potential target near $40,000 if weekly closes remain below the SMA. CryptoQuant on‑chain data and market metrics show weak spot demand: market sentiment sits in “Extreme Fear,” Coinbase Premium is negative, large inflows from whales to exchanges have slowed, and there are increased movements of 7–10‑year‑old coins — patterns historically associated with distribution or trend transitions. Despite record year‑to‑date spot‑BTC ETF inflows, US‑based spot demand appears muted and price reaction has been limited. Separately, Binance experienced a localized liquidity glitch on its BTC/USD1 pair that briefly printed a $24,111 dip before rapid recovery; exchanges and analysts attribute that event to low liquidity on the pair rather than a fundamental market change. Key watchpoints for traders: whether BTC reclaims the 50‑week SMA on weekly closes, shifts in sentiment out of “Extreme Fear,” spot ETF flows and Coinbase Premium trends, and exchange‑specific liquidity anomalies that can create temporary price dislocations. Overall, the combined technical and on‑chain signals warrant a cautious to bearish near‑term outlook until clear demand recovery is visible.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson said ADA holders do not need to sell ADA to gain exposure to Midnight Network’s NIGHT token, calling the projects complementary. Speaking on the Discover Crypto podcast in December 2025, Hoskinson described Midnight as a privacy-first smart contract layer for Cardano that uses zero-knowledge proofs to enable confidential dApps — “the ChatGPT of privacy” — while ADA remains responsible for Cardano staking, governance and consensus. Midnight launched NIGHT as a Cardano native asset via a Glacier Drop (total supply 24 billion): 50% allocated to Cardano wallets, 20% to Bitcoin wallets and the remaining 30% split among Ethereum, Solana, XRP Ledger, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Brave Wallet and one other ecosystem. Midnight’s randomized thaw shows about 4.5 billion NIGHT (19% of supply) claimed by 170,000+ wallets; claimed tokens unlock over 360 days in quarterly releases to avoid simultaneous cross-chain unlocks. Hoskinson said Midnight provides optional privacy tooling and developer infrastructure that should complement ADA-led growth and help attract cross-chain liquidity (including Bitcoin DeFi) to ecosystems that offer yield, credit markets and real-world utility. For traders: the announcement clarifies that NIGHT is positioned as complementary rather than competitive to ADA, highlights a substantial airdrop distribution and staged unlock schedule that may affect NIGHT’s sell pressure, and signals potential cross-chain flows into Cardano-linked products without forcing ADA holders to divest.

Bitcoin (BTC) is consolidating around $86,400–$88,000 (near $87.5K) amid thin holiday liquidity and cooling institutional participation. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded notable net outflows — about $189M on Dec. 23 and $175.29M on Dec. 24 — marking multiple consecutive withdrawal days and weighing on sentiment despite cumulative ETF inflows for the year. Technical indicators show fading bullish momentum: RSI has dipped below 50 and MACD lines are converging, increasing the risk of downside if buying interest does not return. Key intra-day levels for traders: support at $86,400–$86,700 (break could lead to $85,500 then $84,000–$82,000 or a deeper test of $80,000) and resistance at $89,000–$90,000 (a decisive close above could target $93,000–$94,000). Market factors pressuring BTC include ETF outflows, reduced market-maker activity and a temporary decoupling from gold’s rally. Trading action to watch: ETF flow updates, volume and market-maker liquidity, RSI/MACD shifts, and price reaction at $86.4K support and $89–90K resistance. Overall outlook: neutral-to-cautiously bullish while support holds, but sustained ETF outflows create meaningful near-term downside risk.

Prediction markets emerged as a breakout sector in 2025, driven by wider crypto adoption, improved on‑chain infrastructure, and clearer regulation in several jurisdictions. Platforms offering event markets—covering politics, macroeconomics, crypto price outcomes and protocol upgrades—saw rapid user growth, record liquidity and higher trading volumes. Key innovations included on‑chain automated market makers (AMMs) for binary outcomes, cross‑chain liquidity integration, oracle upgrades for faster and more reliable settlement, and tokenized governance that funded liquidity incentives. Institutional interest and VC/DAO treasury allocations boosted capital inflows. Short‑term effects included spikes in speculative flows and volatile volumes around major events; longer‑term trends point to deeper derivatives‑like instruments, improved price discovery, tighter correlations between prediction prices and underlying crypto assets, and expanded TVL. Regulatory clarifications in some countries reduced legal uncertainty and encouraged incumbents and new entrants, while selective enforcement prompted some operators to adjust offerings or exit markets. For traders, the sector offers new liquidity and hedging opportunities but raises risks from regulatory enforcement, smart‑contract bugs and oracle manipulation. Key SEO keywords: prediction markets, on‑chain AMM, liquidity, oracles, institutional adoption.

Bitcoin (BTC) traded below $88,000 as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows for a fifth consecutive trading day, totaling more than $825 million over that period. On Dec. 24 the 12 tracked spot ETFs posted $175.29 million in outflows, led by BlackRock’s IBIT (≈$91.37M). Grayscale’s GBTC and Fidelity’s FBTC also saw notable withdrawals. December outflows are roughly $804.3M so far, adding to a broader trend of several hundred million to multi-billion dollar outflows since October (earlier reports cited ~ $3.5B net outflows over the prior month). Analysts attribute selling pressure to seasonal factors—Christmas liquidity thinness and tax-loss harvesting—plus positioning ahead of a large Deribit options/futures expiry (~$23.6B) due Dec. 26. Technical indicators point to near-term weakness: BTC trading below its 50-day SMA, bearish MACD, and a potential bearish flag on the daily chart. Immediate support sits around $85,200, with a break possibly targeting the Nov. 21 low near $80,757. Key resistance is near the $91k area (23.6% Fib noted in earlier analysis). Market commentators expect flows to recover after seasonal pressure eases, but institutional demand appears weakened and short-term downside risk is elevated. This summary is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.

Borrowing euros against crypto is an increasingly common liquidity strategy for European holders who prefer not to sell long-term positions or trigger taxable events. Crypto-backed loans let users deposit collateral (BTC, ETH, stablecoins, or altcoins) and receive EUR via SEPA or internal balances; platforms set loan-to-value (LTV) limits and interest, and enforce margin calls or liquidation if collateral drops below thresholds. Centralized lenders remain the primary route for direct EUR withdrawals because of banking integrations and reliable fiat rails, while DeFi routes use EUR-pegged stablecoins (EURC, agEUR) and add conversion and smart-contract risk. The piece compares leading European options for 2026: Clapp — a Czech-licensed VASP offering a multi-collateral revolving credit line with pay-as-you-use interest, instant EUR/SEPA withdrawals and support for 19+ assets; Nexo — an established CeFi lender with revolving credit lines, tiered rates and SEPA support; YouHodler — EU-focused fixed-term loans with clear LTVs and higher stablecoin weighting; Binance Loans — exchange-integrated lending with deep liquidity but region-dependent EUR withdrawal availability; CoinLoan — a historically regulated European lender with variable availability; and DeFi protocols such as Aave for borrowing EUR-pegged stablecoins. Clapp is highlighted for 2026 as especially efficient for flexible EUR access due to its revolving, pay-only-on-used model and immediate EUR access. Key trader takeaways: prioritise platforms with SEPA withdrawal support, transparent liquidation rules, predictable interest and clear EU/EEA regulatory status; use conservative LTVs and liquidity buffers to reduce liquidation risk; verify custodial security and insurance on CeFi providers; and factor in country-level EUR withdrawal variability. For quick, flexible EUR needs, credit-line models (e.g., Clapp) may be best; for fixed-term borrowing with defined repayment schedules, traditional lenders fit better. Risks include price-volatility-driven liquidation, custodial counterparty risk, and regulatory/withdrawal constraints that can affect access to EUR and margin management.

Bybit published a December 17 proof-of-reserves (PoR) snapshot showing over-collateralization across major assets. Independent auditor Hacken verified reserve ratios above 100% for reported tokens, including BTC 105%, ETH 101%, XRP 101%, SOL 103%, USDT 102% and USDC 112%. Bybit uses Merkle Tree proofs so users can independently verify inclusion of funds. The exchange frames these disclosures as part of broader industry moves toward transparency after past exchange failures, stressing that >100% ratios provide liquidity buffers to meet withdrawals and reduce counterparty risk. The report also notes that PoR is one solvency indicator and should be considered alongside security measures (cold storage, compliance, insurance). For traders, the snapshot aims to reinforce market confidence and reduce short-term solvency concerns for the listed assets while not guaranteeing operational risk removal.

The crypto sector recorded 267 deals worth about $8.6 billion in 2025, driven by clearer US policy, regulatory rollbacks and renewed institutional demand. Major transactions included Coinbase’s acquisition of Deribit (~$2.9B), Kraken’s purchase of NinjaTrader (~$1.5B) and Ripple’s acquisition of Hidden Road (~$1.25B). Eleven crypto-related IPOs raised roughly $14.6B globally — notable listings cited include Bullish (~$1.1B), Circle Internet Group (~$1B) and Gemini (~$425M). Analysts attribute the surge to a more crypto-friendly US administration, appointments of crypto-aligned regulators, and new EU/US rules that reduced legal uncertainty. Deal activity was often motivated by pursuit of regulatory licences, derivatives access and institutional infrastructure ahead of anticipated licensing regimes in the US and UK in 2026; stablecoin businesses were singled out as likely high-demand targets. The deal wave persisted despite a late-year crypto price pullback (BTC down >30% from an October peak). For traders: the trend signals stronger institutional capital flows, improved market infrastructure and potential long-term liquidity gains, even as short-term volatility may continue while markets adjust to macro and regulatory developments. Primary keywords: crypto M&A, IPOs, stablecoins, regulation, institutional investment.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong recounted his tech background, early fundraising challenges, and the pivotal partnership with Fred Ehrsam while outlining Coinbase’s evolution from a retail exchange to a global platform for retail, institutional clients and developers. Armstrong said Coinbase failed to raise its target $1M at Y Combinator and initially closed $600K, and credited Ehrsam’s traditional‑finance experience for strengthening product design and regulatory credibility. He emphasized Coinbase’s current focus on infrastructure, developer tools and new product categories rather than specific token listings. Armstrong highlighted prediction markets and tokenized equities as high‑potential areas—prediction markets could improve policy signaling, while tokenized stocks could expand accessibility and enable 24/7 trading—signaling strategic priorities that may shape product roadmaps and institutional demand.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) has posted a notable rise in futures-market activity across multiple exchanges, with open interest increasing and spot prices ticking higher amid broader weakness in major tokens. CoinGlass data show SHIB open interest rose about 1.84% over 24 hours to roughly 10.97 trillion SHIB (≈$81.2M). Exchange-level gains were concentrated at MEXC (+37.69%), Coinbase (+20.04%), LBank (+15.04%), Kraken (+12.86%), HTX (+10.52%) and Bitget (+10.16%), while KuCoin (-44.53%) and Bitunix (-11.79%) saw declines. The long/short split favors longs at 51.35% vs 48.65% (long-to-short ratio ~1.06). Over the same window, open interest fell for Bitcoin (-1.14%) and XRP (-2.3%), underscoring SHIB’s relative strength; SHIB’s spot price rose ~3.21% to $0.000007239, about 3.5% above a recent low but still ~27.6% below the $0.00001 psychological level. Traders cite potential catalysts supporting further upside—possible CLARITY Act passage, deployment of Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) on Shibarium, and speculation about a standalone SHIB ETF—suggesting renewed speculative interest and likely short-term volatility. For traders, higher open interest plus a slight long bias can signal increased leverage and conviction but also raises liquidation risk if momentum reverses. This summary is informational and not financial advice.

Dragonfly Capital partner Rob Hadick told CNBC that tokenization will enable multiple public blockchains — notably Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) — to grow alongside each other rather than one eliminating the other. Hadick argued different chains will serve distinct use cases: Ethereum currently hosts far more stablecoins and institutional tokenized money-market funds (examples cited: BlackRock’s BUIDL, Fidelity’s FYHXX, JPMorgan’s MONY), while Solana captures higher trading volume, lower fees and is optimized for fast transaction flows, suiting scalable trading applications. Market-data cited (RWA.XYZ) put Ethereum’s on-chain market value including stablecoins at about $183.7 billion versus Solana’s $15.9 billion. Hadick said no single public blockchain can scale to serve every use case and predicted public chains will remain central despite banks’ interest in private networks; he also left open the possibility of new chains emerging. The reporting notes practical migration examples — Sorare and Render moving parts of their infrastructure to Solana and Galaxy Digital swapping ETH for SOL to build a sizable SOL treasury — suggesting an industry trend toward blockchain-specific roles rather than winner-takes-all dominance. For traders, the takeaway is clear: expect ongoing multi-chain demand, differentiated value propositions for ETH and SOL, and continued flow-based activity favoring high-throughput networks.

XRP broke the key $1.90 support after earlier losing $2.00 and briefly dipping under $1.80, now trading around $1.86–$1.88 following a short rebound. Analysts flagged the close below $1.90 as a critical technical event that could open a larger decline toward ~$1.10 — a level not seen since late 2024. Short-term indicators (TD Sequential) and recent price action signal retracement risk, while nearer supports sit at $1.85 and $1.60 (0.618 weekly Fibonacci). On-chain metrics are mixed: active addresses have declined, but whale wallets show accumulation and spot taker CVD points to prevailing buying pressure despite the price drop. XRP ETFs continue to record inflows, supporting demand (cumulative flows around $1.1bn). Key trade considerations: (1) $1.90 has flipped to a critical resistance — a confirmed weekly close below increases probability of a run toward $1.10; (2) reclaiming $1.90 (and $2.00) is needed to re-establish bullish structure and could trigger short-covering; (3) whale accumulation and positive taker CVD could cap downside or spark a bounce; (4) traders should monitor on-chain flows, ETF inflows, whale wallet activity, and whether price can hold above near supports before increasing exposure. This is informational and not financial advice.

A record $23.7 billion (≈300k contracts) Bitcoin options expiry, concentrated on major platforms such as Deribit, is set to conclude this Friday. Market participants including QCP Capital and industry analysts say the expiry — coming during typically low Christmas liquidity — could release suppressed volatility and prompt sizable intraday moves. The reported “max pain” level sits near $95,000. Traders will watch whether large December $85,000 put positions are rolled, closed or adjusted; how those positions settle is likely to influence directional bias and may create upward pressure if downside protection is removed. BTC has traded in a tight $85k–$90k range for weeks, described as a “waiting game” while capital rotates between equities, gold/silver and crypto. Strength in precious metals (notably record moves in gold) has drawn flows; some commentators expect a metals pullback could free capital to rotate back into BTC and ETH. Short-term expectations include heightened intraday volatility around expiry and an initial bullish target cited near $100,000, though outcomes depend on whether large option blocks are reclaimed or repositioned. This report is informational and not investment advice.

Binance launched a promotional yield program offering up to 20% APR for flexible USD1 deposits over $50,000, running until 23 January 2026 and paying tiered rewards daily. The announcement coincided with a roughly $150 million jump in USD1’s market cap — from about $2.74B to $2.89B — and helped push the stablecoin into the global top-seven by market cap. Binance also expanded USD1 support by adding trading pairs, enabling 1:1 conversion of BUSD collateral to USD1, and reportedly using USD1 in settlement linked to a $2B MGX investment. USD1 is issued by World Liberty Financial (WLFI) and has reported ties to the Trump family; questions remain about technical and business links between Binance and WLFI after Bloomberg reported Binance helped develop part of USD1’s code, a claim Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao has disputed. Lawmakers have expressed concern over the relationship. For traders, the promotion drove yield-seeking inflows and increased on-exchange liquidity for USD1, reducing immediate sell pressure and concentrating stablecoin supply on Binance. Key trader takeaways: the yield-driven inflows are time-limited and may reverse when the program ends; peg maintenance and transparent reserves are critical for USD1’s stability; heightened liquidity can compress spreads and enable larger on-exchange arbitrage or settlement activity while raising counterparty and regulatory risk exposure.

Analyst Nick Anderson (BullRunners) urges retail holders not to panic-sell XRP after the token fell from near $3.65 to below $2, arguing institutional accumulation is underway despite price weakness. Physically backed XRP ETFs from issuers such as Grayscale, Bitwise, Franklin Templeton and Canary Capital have reportedly pushed combined AUM above $1 billion, and these funds require actual XRP purchases to back shares. Anderson says institutions are buying millions of dollars of XRP daily while exchange-listed supply has tightened — over 1 billion XRP has been withdrawn from exchanges in the past two months. Regulatory developments also matter: the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency reportedly cleared national banks to execute XRP trades as riskless-principal transactions, which could let banks offer XRP exposure via standard banking apps without placing XRP on their balance sheets. Anderson highlights Ripple’s strategic moves — a U.S. bank charter application, large acquisitions to expand institutional trading and payments, and the RLUSD stablecoin — as infrastructure that supports XRP’s role as a bridge asset for cross-border flows. He warns short-term volatility or sideways action may persist but views the current weakness as consistent with strategic, medium- to long-term institutional accumulation. This is informational and not financial advice.

In 2025 five major jurisdictions moved from regulatory uncertainty to clearer, more accessible crypto licensing frameworks. Key developments: (1) United States — the GENIUS Act established a unified federal stablecoin framework and licensing pathway, reducing reliance on state money-transmitter regimes; (2) European Union — full MiCA implementation began and activated passporting for Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs) across all 27 member states, with Germany authorizing 21 CASPs and emerging as a gateway; (3) UAE (Dubai) — VARA published Version 2.0 of its rulebook, switching to an activity-based licensing model, clarifying custody and collateral standards, and streamlining application checklists and deadlines; (4) Hong Kong — a dedicated stablecoin licensing framework introduced capital and reserve rules plus a legal “safe harbour” for specified cross‑border DeFi arrangements after HKMA sandbox testing; (5) United Kingdom — authorities advanced plans to fold crypto into the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA), with FCA consultations clarifying rules for trading venues, intermediaries and promotional conduct. Across jurisdictions, AML, custody and consumer-protection standards tightened even as licensing processes became more predictable. For traders, clearer crypto licensing lowers legal tail risk, improves on‑ and off‑ramp access, encourages institutional flows into regulated venues, and may shift liquidity toward jurisdictions with predictable frameworks rather than regulatory arbitrage. This summary emphasizes crypto licensing and stablecoin regulation — it is not investment advice.

Evernorth, a treasury vehicle backed by Ripple executives, has accumulated about 389 million XRP at a reported cost basis of roughly $947 million. At the current XRP price near $1.86, the position is valued at about $724 million, implying an unrealized loss of approximately $220 million. XRP has fallen roughly 16% over the past 30 days, a decline that coincides with broader market weakness in Bitcoin and a wider crypto correction. This pullback has occurred despite ongoing inflows into U.S.-listed XRP ETFs, which have taken in over $100 million since launch. For traders, the report highlights notable whale risk and mark-to-market exposure from a large treasury holding that could increase downside pressure on XRP if Evernorth reduces holdings to realize losses, or conversely provide liquidity support if it refrains from selling. Key metrics: Evernorth ~389M XRP; cost basis ~$947M; current value ~$724M; unrealized drawdown ~$220M; 30-day XRP decline ~16%; current price cited ~$1.86. Primary keywords: XRP, Evernorth, Ripple, unrealized loss, XRP ETFs. Secondary keywords: crypto treasury, market correction, Bitcoin weakness, large-holder risk, selling pressure.

Solana Foundation launched Kora on December 22, 2025 — a fee-relayer and signing node that enables fee-free user experiences and lets dApps pay transaction fees in arbitrary tokens instead of requiring users to hold SOL. Kora supports sponsored transactions where designated fee wallets cover fees for users, and accepts any token (including stablecoins such as USDC and in-game tokens) to pay gas. The tool targets gaming and consumer-facing dApps by removing SOL as an onboarding prerequisite and enabling flexible revenue models and subsidy flows. Kora integrates with standard RPC servers, CLI tools and configuration-based policy controls; developers can set allowed users/programs and custom fee rules. Security and operations features include remote signing integrations (AWS KMS, Turnkey and other providers), runtime verification, differential fuzz testing, six remote signers deployed, monitoring metrics and low-balance alerts for fee wallets. For traders, Kora could change on-chain fee dynamics and SOL utility over time by reducing the requirement for users to hold SOL for transactions; market observers should watch dApp adoption, fee sponsorship volumes and any resulting effect on SOL demand and protocol fee patterns. Keywords: Solana, Kora, fee relayer, gasless transactions, SOL, USDC, blockchain gaming.

Bitcoin (BTC) remains range-bound near $85,800–$90,600 as on-chain metrics and exchange inflows show tightening liquidity and falling participation. CryptoQuant data shows the 30-day moving average of active BTC addresses dropped to about 807,000 — a one-year low — indicating weaker retail and short-term trader engagement. Binance deposit and withdrawal address counts also sit at yearly lows. Seven-day cumulative exchange inflows that peaked on Nov. 24 (Coinbase ~$21B; Binance ~$15.3B) have contracted sharply: Coinbase inflows fell ~63% to ~$7.8B while Binance inflows declined to ~$10.3B by Dec. 21, suggesting fresh liquidity has cooled. Price trades below the monthly VWAP and is neutral-to-cautious within the range. Liquidity clusters on Binance highlight key liquidation zones: a buy-side fair-value gap (FVG) around $85,800–$86,500 that could threaten roughly $60M of leveraged long positions, and an upside sell-side FVG near $90,600–$92,000 containing about $70M in short liquidation exposure. With lower participation and tight liquidity, analysts say a sustainable break above $90,000 is unlikely until on-chain activity and exchange liquidity recover; near-term direction will likely depend on which side of the range is tested first. This is market analysis, not investment advice.