Latest Crypto News | Bitcoin, Ethereum and Altcoin Updates

PEPE price has extended its bearish trend despite Bitcoin’s recent ~5% rebound. The memecoin fell about 2% in 24 hours and roughly 21% since December’s high. Open interest in PEPE derivatives dropped from $121.5M on Dec 20 to $114.5M, signalling waning trader conviction and reduced liquidity. Daily technicals show a bearish breakdown from the $0.000044–$0.000050 supply zone, RSI around 40, and a declining Accumulation/Distribution line — all indicating sustained selling pressure. 1-hour charts confirm continued bearish momentum. Key levels to watch: $0.0000420 (near-term resistance), and higher resistance at $0.0000452 and $0.0000476; failure to reclaim these suggests further downside. Traders should prioritise risk management: monitor open interest and volume for signs of liquidation or renewed buying, use protective stops, avoid aggressive long positions, and consider short or sell setups around identified resistance until indicators show a clear reversal.

Fold Holdings, a Bitcoin-focused fintech with a reported treasury exceeding ~1,500 BTC, has been added to the Russell 2000 index. Russell 2000 inclusion typically raises a small-cap company’s profile among institutional investors, fund managers and index-tracking funds, which can increase liquidity and attract passive inflows. Fold’s dual model—consumer fintech products combined with a significant Bitcoin treasury—positions it as a regulated equity route for investors seeking indirect BTC exposure. Traders should expect potential increases in Fold’s share trading volume and greater correlation between Fold stock and BTC price movements. Key risks include Bitcoin volatility, regulatory uncertainty for crypto firms, and small-cap equity risks. The news sits alongside an industry debate over index eligibility for companies holding substantial digital-asset treasuries (MSCI proposed rules in October to exclude firms with ≥50% digital-asset holdings), a decision that could drive reallocation and passive outflows for at-risk firms. For traders, Fold’s Russell inclusion is likely to improve market access and liquidity for its shares and may modestly amplify BTC-stock cross-asset flows, but broader implications for other crypto-treasury companies remain uncertain pending index-provider decisions.

Aave governance has erupted into a dispute over control of off‑chain brand assets — domains, website and social accounts — after BGD Labs co‑founder Ernesto Boado proposed that the Aave DAO formally own core brand assets to prevent concentration of control in third parties. The proposal emphasized ownership and licensing, not restricting Aave Labs’ product development. After several days of forum debate, Aave founder Stani Kulechov moved the proposal to a Snapshot vote; Boado said advancing to Snapshot was premature and opposed the move. The clash exposed a broader DeFi issue: DAOs can govern on‑chain contracts but struggle to assert collective control over off‑chain identity and user gateways. The dispute correlated with a significant market reaction — a whale sold 230,350 AAVE (~$37.6m), triggering an intraday price drop of roughly 8–11% into the mid‑$100s and broader token weakness. Traders should monitor the Snapshot vote outcome, turnout and any follow‑on proposals that define transfer mechanisms or legal frameworks for domains and social handles, as these will affect protocol risk perception, governance norms and short‑term AAVE sentiment. Primary keywords: Aave, AAVE, governance, brand ownership. Secondary keywords: Snapshot vote, DAO control, domains, social handles.

Bitcoin (BTC) faced another rejection near $90,000 on December 22, 2025, pulling back toward the $88,000 area as bullish momentum weakened. This marks the third near-$90K failure in December and has produced a tightening pattern of lower highs since early December. Short-term BTC correlation with gold on the 12-hour chart flipped to about -0.14 (from positive readings in late November), suggesting Bitcoin is decoupling from gold and behaving more like a high-beta risk asset than a safe haven. Key technical levels: immediate support is $86,000–$87,000 (a break opens liquidity toward ~$83,000); upside requires a clean close above $90,500 to invalidate the lower-high structure and restore bullish momentum. Traders should watch volume, macro indicators (interest rates, geopolitical risk) and order flow — the negative gold correlation may amplify short-term volatility. Historical precedents in 2022–2023 show similar negative gold correlations preceded corrections of up to ~20% before later recoveries, so risk management (position sizing, stop levels) is advised. Primary keywords: Bitcoin, BTC price, gold correlation, $90K resistance, crypto volatility. Secondary keywords: support levels, TradingView analysis, risk-on behavior, portfolio diversification.

Commentator Vincent Scott warns that current market conditions are unusually harsh for XRP holders as large institutional investment firms are extracting retail liquidity to cover weak fourth-quarter results, increasing downward pressure on XRP prices and squeezing retail traders. Scott says institutions drive aggressive narratives, recycled bullish price forecasts and sudden sentiment swings that distort price discovery. He criticizes repeated optimistic predictions that fail without accountability and links the root cause to inconsistent regulation. Potential U.S. legislative changes such as a Clarity-style framework are cited as a longer-term corrective. Despite weak spot prices (XRP remaining below $2 amid volatility), XRP-linked spot ETFs continue to add assets, highlighting a disconnect between institutional flows and immediate retail relief. Reactions in the XRP community vary: some traders step back to avoid emotional decisions; others emphasize diversification and stricter risk management. Scott suggests retail may rationally reduce activity amid noise and recommends caution and independent research. Primary keywords: XRP, institutional liquidity, retail investors, regulation, price forecasts.

The EU Council has endorsed the European Central Bank’s digital euro design, approving a dual online/offline CBDC model that complements cash and existing payments. The offline mode uses central-bank-signed tokens stored in certified secure elements on devices (smartphones or smart cards) and transfers value peer-to-peer via NFC to preserve cash-like privacy while enabling AML controls. The European Data Protection Board warned of NFC relay attacks and that physical-proximity guarantees are imperfect; strong encryption, secure hardware and audits are needed. ECB President Christine Lagarde noted the endorsement advances the project but the European Parliament and Council must still finalise legislation. The ECB aims to complete the investigation phase by late 2025 with a potential pilot in 2026 if approvals proceed. Policy goals include protecting monetary sovereignty, offering a public alternative to private payment systems and stablecoins, promoting inclusion (notably for low-connectivity users), and limiting holdings to avoid bank disintermediation. Adoption remains years away; technical, legal and security challenges must be resolved. Key terms: digital euro, ECB, offline CBDC, NFC, privacy, AML.

Dogecoin (DOGE) has stabilized around a critical support at $0.13 after a three-month decline that erased roughly 57% of its value. The token recently traded near $0.134, up about 1.6% over 24 hours, while 24-hour trading volume jumped roughly 85% to ~$885 million, signaling renewed trader interest. Technical data from TradingView shows the Average Directional Index (ADX) at 26.28, indicating meaningful directional momentum, and weekly candles suggest a potential reversal pattern if $0.13 holds. Derivatives flows on CoinGlass reveal concentrated liquidation clusters near $0.1273 (large long liquidations) and $0.1345 (short liquidations), pointing to a bullish intraday bias and the potential for short squeezes should price rise. Key levels to monitor: $0.13 (critical pivot), downside target near $0.096 if daily/weekly close falls below $0.13, and liquidation bands at $0.1273 and $0.1345. Traders should watch price action around $0.13, accompanying volume, ADX strength, and liquidation clusters to manage position sizing and risk—short-term setups favour opportunistic long entries only if volume-backed support holds; failure to hold increases downside risk.

Strategy (MSTR) sold 4.535 million Class A shares via its at‑the‑market (ATM) program on Dec. 15–21, raising $747.8 million in net proceeds and increasing its USD reserve to $2.19 billion. The reserve, created in early December to cover preferred dividends and interest, was initially $1.44 billion; management said it aims to hold at least 12 months of dividends and eventually 24 months, with the size and terms remaining discretionary. As part of a rebalancing amid the crypto downturn, Strategy has paused Bitcoin purchases. The company holds 671,268 BTC on its balance sheet with an aggregate purchase cost of $50.33 billion and an average buy price of $74,972 per BTC; its most recent purchase was 10,645 BTC on Dec. 15 for $980.3 million (avg. $92,098). Strategy still has $11.8 billion of common stock capacity under its ATM program and multiple preferred‑stock issuance tranches available. Strategy’s common shares are down roughly 50% over the past 12 months. For traders: the pause in buys removes a steady, company‑sourced buyer from the market for now, while the larger USD reserve and available ATM capacity mean Strategy can resume purchases or issue stock again depending on market and liquidity needs—factors likely to influence BTC liquidity and sentiment in both short and longer terms.

Venezuelan oil exporters have shifted heavily to Tether’s USDT for crude payments, with local economist Asdrúbal Oliveros estimating roughly 80% of oil sales settled in USDT since 2024. The move follows intensified U.S. and international sanctions, tanker seizures and banking restrictions that disrupted traditional dollar settlement channels. Venezuela’s oil output reportedly rose toward 1 million barrels per day and GDP expanded in 2024, supporting increased export volumes. State-linked entities and private intermediaries route proceeds through crypto-friendly jurisdictions and on-chain USDT flows tied to Venezuelan counterparties have risen. Practical frictions remain: Caracas faces obstacles liquidating large USDT holdings due to controls on cashing out and FX conversion, creating foreign-exchange bottlenecks and pressure on the bolívar. Compliance actions are already visible — Tether froze 41 wallets linked to Venezuelan sanction-evasion probes in 2024 — and U.S. measures including tariffs and tanker seizures continue to target sanctioned oil trade. For crypto traders, the shift could increase transactional demand and liquidity needs for USDT on regional and peer-to-peer markets, amplify sensitivity to regulatory enforcement targeting sanctioned flows or stablecoin channels, and raise volatility risk around news of freezes, sanctions or liquidity squeezes. Key SEO keywords: USDT, Tether, Venezuela, oil trade, stablecoins, sanctions, FX bottleneck.

Bitcoin slipped below the key $89,000 level after a recent rally, trading around $88,900 on Binance USDT pairs. Analysts cite profit-taking by short-term holders and large whales, overbought technical signals on shorter timeframes, and broader macroeconomic uncertainty—notably interest-rate concerns—that have tightened risk appetite. The break of near-term support likely triggered automated sell orders; traders are watching support zones at roughly $88,000, $85,000 and $82,000, while a recovery above $90,000 would suggest renewed buying pressure. Recommended trader actions include reviewing portfolio allocation, applying dollar-cost averaging for long-term accumulation, and setting stop-losses for active positions. On-chain indicators — exchange flows, whale activity and market dominance — and trading volume should be monitored to gauge conviction. The move is presented as a common market correction in a volatile asset class rather than proof the broader bull market has ended. This update integrates earlier reporting of a drop below $88,000 and later confirmation of continued selling pressure and technical overextension on short timeframes.

Shift4 Payments has launched a global stablecoin settlement platform that allows merchants to receive and move funds using stablecoins such as USDT, USDC and DAI. The company says the solution speeds settlement versus traditional rails, reduces banking constraints on cross-border and near-instant payouts, and can integrate with existing payment flows to convert stablecoins to fiat or hold digital cash balances. The announcement drove Shift4’s shares about 3.1% higher in afternoon trading. Shift4 positions the product for merchants seeking faster, lower‑friction settlement and digital-asset interoperability; the firm has not disclosed a detailed launch timeline, full list of supported tokens, or fee structure. Key themes for traders: stablecoin settlement, merchant payments, faster cross‑border transfers, fiat conversion options, and potential operational efficiency gains for payment processors.

Ethereum underwent a major deleveraging in Q4 2025: open interest (OI) dropped by more than 50%—about a $35 billion leverage flush from a $70 billion peak—while Bitcoin’s OI fell roughly 38%. After ETH plunged to near $3,000 in mid‑November, key on‑chain metrics stabilized: total value locked (TVL) steadied around $70 billion after a Q4 contraction, and total value swapped (TVS) has remained above 36 million since November. The later report adds institutional context: Chainalysis cites a 25% YoY rise in institutional inflows in 2025 (supported by ETF approvals and staking yields), network upgrades in 2025 (including Dencun) improved Layer‑2 scalability and cut costs, and fee‑burn mechanics continue to reduce supply (around 2 million ETH burned since 2022). Analysts interpret the OI purge as a healthy removal of excess leverage that lowers near‑term downside risk and could set conditions for an ETH/BTC relative rally in Q1 2026 if risk appetite returns. Primary SEO keywords: ETH/BTC breakout, Ethereum deleveraging, ETH OI, TVL. Secondary/semantic keywords included: open interest, leverage flush, TVS, DeFi, institutional inflows, Dencun, fee burns.

CoinShares reported $952 million of outflows from digital asset investment products in the week to 22 December 2025 after delays to the US Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (Clarity Act) undermined investor confidence. Exchange-traded products (ETPs) were the main source of redemptions: Ethereum-linked funds saw $555 million withdrawn and Bitcoin-linked products $460 million. Total crypto ETP assets under management fell to $46.7 billion from $48.7 billion year‑on‑year. Outflows were concentrated in the United States (about $990 million), partially offset by inflows in Canada ($46 million) and Germany ($15.6 million). CoinShares’ head of research, James Butterfill, blamed prolonged regulatory uncertainty and concerns about large investor (whale) selling. The later article adds that the Clarity Act’s Senate markup has been delayed into January 2026, extending the timeline for regulatory clarity and keeping US-listed ETPs vulnerable to further outflows. On-chain data show differing positioning: “smart money” remained net long Ether with substantial leveraged long positions while Bitcoin saw net short exposure. Key takeaways for traders: expect heightened short-term volatility for ETH and BTC amid regulatory uncertainty; US-listed ETP liquidity may weaken as investors reduce exposure; divergence between institutional flows and on‑chain smart‑money positioning could create trade opportunities and rapid directional moves once clarity returns. Main keywords: crypto ETP outflows, Clarity Act, ETH ETP, BTC ETP, regulatory uncertainty.

Digital asset investment products saw $952 million in net outflows last week, ending a four-week inflow run as US regulatory uncertainty and large-holder selling weighed on sentiment. CoinShares data show US-domiciled products dominated withdrawals, with roughly $990 million pulled from US funds, partly offset by inflows to Canada ($46.2 million) and Germany ($15.6 million). Ethereum-linked products experienced the largest redemptions (~$555 million), driven by concerns about staking and classification rules amid delays to US Clarity Act guidance. Bitcoin funds also saw significant outflows (~$460 million) though year-to-date BTC fund inflows remain large. In contrast, select altcoins — Solana (SOL) and XRP — attracted targeted buying, drawing about $48.5 million and $62.9 million respectively. Total assets under management in digital asset products fell to about $46.7 billion from last year’s $48.7 billion peak. For traders: expect elevated short-term volatility tied to US policy developments and whale activity; ETH and BTC products face heightened redemption risk, while assets with clearer regulatory outlooks (SOL, XRP) may offer tactical buying opportunities. Primary keywords: digital asset fund outflows, US regulatory uncertainty, Ethereum outflows. Secondary/semantic keywords: Bitcoin redemptions, Solana inflows, XRP inflows, Clarity Act delays, AUM decline.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) open interest in derivatives rose roughly 8% in 24 hours to $75.76 million — equal to over 10 trillion SHIB in unsettled positions, per CoinGlass. The pickup signals renewed trader engagement as year-end positioning accelerates. Price gained about 1.8% in the same period to $0.000007344 but remains down on the week. Research firm 10x Research notes that holiday liquidity is typically thin, yet current futures, ETF flow and options activity point to coordinated de-risking and renewed momentum into the close of the year. Separately, Shiba Inu partner Zama completed a Decentralized Key Generation (DKG) ceremony for its mainnet, advancing infrastructure for the Zama Confidential Blockchain. For traders: rising open interest alongside muted price movement suggests new leveraged positions are being opened without a decisive directional break. This increases the potential for leverage-driven volatility or a short-term breakout if open interest and volume continue to climb. Key watch points: OI growth, derivatives funding rates, volume spikes, and any catalyst from Zama’s mainnet progress.

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), reiterated on the Breakdown podcast that continued large-scale corporate accumulation of Bitcoin could sharply tighten available supply and drive extreme price appreciation. Strategy has bought 671,268 BTC for about $50.3 billion at an average cost of $74,972, representing roughly 3.2% of total supply. Saylor said the same capital would buy far less BTC today, and he expects Strategy to continue buying until it holds about 5%–7.5% of total supply before significantly slowing purchases. He projected that reaching 5% could push Bitcoin toward $1,000,000 per coin, and 7% could imply a $10,000,000 price — scenarios framed as opinion rather than investment advice. Saylor also argued that institutional flows (for example, large inflows into BlackRock’s IBIT plus Strategy’s buying) concentrate coins among long-term holders and reduce circulating float, amplifying supply shocks. For traders: the report highlights elevated supply-side concentration risk, potential for significant upside if demand continues, and increased volatility as large corporate buyers accumulate; this is market information, not trading advice.

Financial Times documents reported by Cointelegraph show Binance allowed 13 flagged high‑risk accounts to process roughly $1.7 billion in crypto flows from 2021–2025, including about $144 million after Binance’s $4.3 billion US plea deal in November 2023. Internal files — KYC records, IP/device logs and transaction histories — reveal anomalous patterns: one account linked to a 25‑year‑old Venezuelan received about $177 million and changed bank details 647 times in 14 months; another account tied to a Caracas bank employee moved roughly $93 million and registered impossible IP jumps (Caracas to Osaka in under 10 hours). All 13 accounts shared suspicious markers and received about $29 million in USDT later frozen by Israeli authorities under anti‑terror laws. Transfers trace to addresses linked to Tawfiq Al‑Law (sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury) and to wallets alleged to have ties with Hizbollah and Iran‑backed Houthis. Login and device patterns suggest either account compromise or coordinated misuse; former prosecutors said the activity resembles an unlicensed money‑transmitting business. The files raise doubts about Binance’s implementation of post‑settlement controls — real‑time monitoring, enhanced due diligence and periodic customer reviews — and add regulatory and reputational pressure following founder Changpeng Zhao’s pardon and the appointment of independent monitors. Binance maintains it enforces strict compliance and zero tolerance for illicit activity. Key keywords: Binance, flagged accounts, $1.7B, $144M, plea deal, USDT, AML, sanctions.

Metaplanet won shareholder approval for a package of capital-structure changes designed to attract institutional investors and expand corporate Bitcoin accumulation. Approved measures include issuing dividend-paying Class A and Class B preferred shares, doubling authorized preferred share capacity, and reclassifying capital reserves to support preferred dividends and buybacks. Class A will feature a monthly floating-rate instrument — the Metaplanet Adjustable Rate Security (MARS) — with market-linked monthly payouts. Class B carries quarterly dividends plus investor protections: a 10-year issuer call at 130% and investor put/sell-back rights if agreed IPO conditions aren’t met; Class B may also be issued directly to overseas institutional buyers. Management says the moves shift funding toward traditional capital-market instruments instead of equity dilution and create a Sponsored Level I ADR (ticker MPJPY) to open another liquidity/arbitrage route. Metaplanet currently holds about 30,823 BTC (roughly $2.7–2.8bn), making it among the largest corporate Bitcoin treasuries and the largest in Asia. The Tokyo-listed stock rose — reported between ~4.2% and 6.5% after announcements — and has recovered from November lows but remains well below its June 2025 peak. For traders: the changes increase the company’s fundraising flexibility to buy more BTC, may raise corporate demand for BTC over time, and create new cross-listing/ADR liquidity that can affect price discovery and arbitrage opportunities. Primary keywords: Metaplanet, Bitcoin, preferred shares, dividend-paying shares, institutional investors; secondary keywords: MARS, capital restructuring, buybacks, ADR, BTC treasury.

Kaspa (KAS) has gained renewed momentum as HTX opened deposits ahead of a planned spot listing, pushing the token above $0.048–$0.05. Trading volume surged over 100% (to >$33M) and KAS has rebounded from recent lows (~$0.040 on Dec 18 and a weekly low near $0.009 in October), outperforming many altcoins as BTC and ETH also recover. On-chain data showed exchange balances falling, a short-term bullish sign as holders move to self-custody. Technical indicators across daily and weekly charts point to a bullish reversal: price is approaching a downtrend line/wedge breakout, RSI is rising but not yet overbought, and MACD hints at a bullish crossover. Short-term targets cited include $0.05 (immediate resistance), then $0.081 and $0.10; longer-term reference levels mentioned range up to $0.5–$1. Additional catalysts include a Crescendo protocol upgrade planned for Q1 2026 and possible further exchange listings. Traders should watch $0.05 as the key breakout level, confirm moves with rising volume, monitor exchange flow and on-chain balances, and track macro moves in BTC/ETH that typically drive altcoin flows. Increased liquidity from the HTX listing could amplify volatility; risk management is advised.

Uniswap governance approved the UNIfication package, passing the long‑debated fee switch with more than 69 million UNI votes in favor and negligible opposition. The proposal immediately authorises a one‑off burn of 100 million UNI from the Uniswap Foundation treasury and will enable protocol fee switches for Uniswap v2 and v3 on mainnet after a two‑day timelock. Once activated, a portion of protocol fees will be directed to ongoing UNI burns and may be used via the new Protocol Fee Discount Auctions to improve liquidity provider returns. The package also creates a 20 million UNI growth budget for developers, aligns Uniswap Labs, the Uniswap Foundation and on‑chain governance under a Wyoming DUNA legal framework, and is backed by prominent DeFi figures. Market reaction was prompt: UNI rallied roughly 25% during the vote and briefly approached $9.70 before trading near $6 at the time of reporting. Traders should note this creates a potential deflationary dynamic by lowering circulating supply and tying protocol revenue to token economics — a material change that increases UNI holders’ exposure to protocol cash flows and could affect liquidity and volatility dynamics for the token.

The Federal Reserve has opened a 45‑day public comment period on a proposal to create limited “payment accounts” that would let eligible non‑bank payment firms and crypto companies clear and settle payments directly on Fed rails without full master account privileges. These accounts would be separate from standard master accounts, carry balance caps (the Fed is considering an overnight cap equal to the lesser of $500 million or 10% of an institution’s assets), earn no interest, have no access to Fed credit facilities, and prohibit correspondent services or settling on behalf of others. The design aims to modernize payment infrastructure, reduce supervisory and systemic risk, and accommodate fintech and crypto business models. Governor Christopher Waller endorsed the move as supporting payment innovation and Fed work with blockchain tools. Governor Michael Barr warned such access could raise money‑laundering and terrorist‑financing risks unless safeguards and supervision are clear. The proposal follows the Fed’s withdrawal of a 2023 statement that had restricted banks’ crypto activities and amid legal challenges from firms denied master accounts. Traders should monitor eligibility rules, balance limits, and operational timelines (Waller suggested a Q4 2026 target) because direct Fed access for stablecoin issuers and crypto payment processors could lower settlement friction, speed fiat on/off ramps, and change on‑chain/off‑chain settlement dynamics—factors that may affect liquidity and short‑term flows in stablecoins and related payment tokens.

Bybit’s head of B2B, Yoyee Wang, told an Abu Dhabi HSC Asset Management conference that institutional adoption of crypto hinges on capital-efficient custody designs and clearer regulation. On a panel with executives from Gate, Binance and Bitpanda, Wang said custody debates must go beyond security and transparency to address capital usage as custodians and off-exchange settlement models expand. She credited the UAE’s regulatory clarity — one reason Bybit relocated its headquarters there — with boosting innovation and institutional confidence. Wang highlighted Bybit’s work on tokenized real-world assets (RWAs), citing tokenized money-market products launched with Qatar National Bank and UBS, but cautioned the RWA market remains uneven and needs well-structured, regulated, tradable products to support secondary-market liquidity. She urged institutions to engage beyond passive exposure — including liquidity provision, agency trading and tech collaboration — to build viable institutional markets. Key themes for traders: custody design, capital efficiency, UAE regulatory clarity, tokenized RWAs, and Bybit’s push for institutional-grade infrastructure.

CryptoQuant analysts report that Bitcoin (BTC) demand growth materially slowed from October 2025, indicating the market may have entered a new bear phase. They outline three prior demand waves in the cycle — ETF launches in early 2024, a post-2024 election spike, and later corporate/“vault” accumulation — but say incremental institutional buying has largely been exhausted. Key on-chain and market metrics cited: roughly 24,000 BTC of ETF outflows in Q4 2025 versus strong ETF buying in Q4 2024; perpetual futures funding rates falling to their lowest levels since December 2023; and BTC price trading below the 365-day moving average (~$98,172), a dynamic support many traders monitor. Sentiment indicators remain weak (CoinMarketCap Fear & Greed Index in ‘fear’), and CME FedWatch assigns only a ~22% chance of a near-term Fed rate cut, reducing the likelihood of a rate-driven relief rally. While some analysts keep a bullish view for 2026 if demand returns and rates fall, the current combination of weakening ETF flows, depressed funding rates, and breach of the 365-day MA are near-term bearish signals that increase downside risk and potential consolidation. Traders should watch institutional ETF flows, funding-rate trends, the 365-day moving average, and Fed policy as primary catalysts for volatility and directional shifts.

On-chain monitors reported a wave of LINK withdrawals from Binance: over the past three days 11 newly created wallets moved a combined 1,567,000 Chainlink (LINK) — roughly $19.8 million — off the exchange. Earlier reporting had flagged a single wallet that previously withdrew hundreds of thousands of LINK in two transfers (about $2.49M and $3.08M), leaving it with roughly 445,775 LINK. The new report expands the scope, showing the outflows are concentrated across multiple new addresses rather than a lone wallet. No destination patterns, identities, or follow-up on-chain activity were disclosed. Traders should note the size, concentration and timing of these Binance outflows: such transfers can presage large sell-side pressure if moved to trading wallets, or indicate consolidation into cold storage if funds are being secured. Monitor subsequent on-chain movements and order-book activity for signs of liquidation or redistribution.

Santiago Roel Santos, founder and CEO of Inversion Capital, warned that fintechs embedding prediction markets (casino-like event betting) into retail platforms risk accelerating user churn and account liquidations. While he supports prediction markets in principle, Santos argued in a Dec. 20 blog post that these speculative products increase the chance retail users will be fully wiped out and permanently exit platforms, turning them into zero lifetime value. He cited recent industry moves — Robinhood’s partnership with Kalshi and planned 2025 push, Coinbase’s announcement to add prediction markets, and a Gemini affiliate licensing event contracts — driven partly by the 2024 US election surge in adoption. Santos urged fintechs to prioritise durable, "boring" financial products that protect household liquidity and grow with users (credit cards, insurance, savings) rather than short-term engagement from speculative offerings. For traders, the key implications are higher platform-level volatility in retail activity and the potential reputational and regulatory scrutiny that could affect token-listed services or partner exchanges. Primary keywords: prediction markets, fintech, user churn. Secondary/semantic keywords: Robinhood, Coinbase, Gemini, Kalshi, account liquidation, financial super app.

Coins.ph, the Philippines’ largest digital-asset platform, has launched an institutional-grade foreign exchange (FX) service offering ultra-tight spreads of 2 basis points (0.02%) on major G10 pairs including USD/PHP, USD/EUR and USD/JPY. Backed by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) licences for Foreign Exchange, Remittance & Transfer and Money Changing, the service targets corporate and institutional clients with a $20,000 minimum trade size, no maximum transaction limit, near-instant settlement, and next-business-day spot hedging. CEO Wei Zhou credits the pricing to the company’s regulated agility, faster settlement and improved risk management, allowing it to undercut typical Philippine bank institutional fees (~10 bps) and far below retail spreads (80–90 bps). The launch complements Coins.ph’s recent moves into stablecoin-enabled remittances and partnerships (including BCRemit and a Memorandum of Understanding with Vietnam’s Best Way Corporation) and participation in Circle’s Arc testnet for stablecoin settlement. For crypto traders and institutional treasury desks, the offering signals deeper FX liquidity, lower hedging and cross-border payment costs, and a regulated counterparty alternative for fiat and digital-asset flows—potentially improving execution and reducing FX costs for large-volume trading and corporate FX operations.

A single whale wallet (0xa923) executed a concentrated sell-off of 230,350 AAVE (~$37.59M) over roughly three hours, swapping the tokens into 5,869.46 stETH (~$17.52M) and 227.8 WBTC (~$20.07M), according to on-chain data (Onchain Lens). The rapid reallocation coincided with roughly a 9.6–10% decline in AAVE within 24 hours, with CoinMarketCap showing AAVE near $161.70 after the move. Unlike an exit to fiat, the trade was a portfolio shift into blue‑chip crypto, suggesting the whale rotated exposure rather than sold out. For traders: monitor on‑chain flows and whale addresses (Etherscan, Nansen, Arkham), check liquidity and order‑book depth across centralized and decentralized venues, and expect short‑term volatility after large swaps. Distinguish trade-driven price pressure from fundamental protocol news; use position sizing and diversification when holding mid‑cap DeFi tokens. Keywords: AAVE, whale sell-off, stETH, WBTC, on‑chain analytics.

Bipartisan U.S. House members led by Reps. Max Miller (R-OH) and Steven Horsford (D-NV) have drafted a crypto tax framework that would create a tax safe harbor for routine payments made with regulated, dollar‑pegged stablecoins and defer taxation on blockchain validation rewards. Key provisions propose exempting capital gains on regulated stablecoin payments of small value (example threshold drafted around $200, with peg stability criteria like a $0.99–$1.01 band and issuer standards tied to legislation such as the GENIUS Act), allowing an annual cap on the exemption, and excluding brokers/dealers from the safe harbor. The draft also would permit deferral of staking, mining and verifier rewards (taxed later as ordinary income, possibly up to five years), offer optional mark‑to‑market accounting for eligible traders, extend wash‑sale rules to crypto, and waive appraisal requirements for large charitable crypto donations. The framework aims to align crypto tax treatment with existing securities tax regimes, improve reporting accuracy following IRS moves to push more reporting and cost‑basis obligations onto exchanges (Form 1099‑DA phased in 2025–2026), and reduce compliance burdens for small transactions. Negotiations continue over exact thresholds, anti‑abuse measures and caps. Traders should monitor final language for the size of the safe‑harbor threshold, exclusions for brokers, timing of staking‑reward taxation and any annual caps, as these details could affect transaction costs, tax planning, exchange reporting flows and short‑term stablecoin demand.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson warned developers against hastily adopting post-quantum cryptography (PQC), saying premature upgrades could sharply reduce blockchain throughput, increase proof sizes and raise costs for users and validators. He noted NIST published PQC standards in 2024 but argued that deploying them before validator hardware and ecosystems are ready would be costly and could harm finality and performance. Hoskinson recommends a staged, benchmark-led approach — monitoring independent measures such as DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (targeting a 2033 feasibility decision) and NIST/DARPA objective metrics — before network-wide protocol changes. He contrasted two principal approaches: hash-based signatures (favoured by some projects for signatures) and lattice-based schemes (Cardano’s preference), noting lattice methods can better leverage existing GPU/AI infrastructure. For traders, the key takeaways are the potential for significant protocol upgrade costs and performance impacts if networks rush PQC, plus a lower near-term probability of immediate disruptive changes to Cardano (ADA) while the project advocates measured, hardware-aligned deployment.