🗓 SEC's Financial Surveillance Roundtable: Navigating Crypto Privacy Tools

🔍 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is set to host a Roundtable on Financial Surveillance and Privacy on December 15 in Washington D.C. This event will focus on the impact of rapidly evolving crypto privacy tools on regulatory oversight and consumer protection.

🗣 Commissioner Hester M. Peirce emphasized the importance of this discussion, stating,

New technologies give us a fresh opportunity to recalibrate financial surveillance measures to ensure the protection of our nation and the liberties that make America unique.

She expressed anticipation for the insights that roundtable participants will provide regarding these new tools.

📋 The agenda includes opening remarks from key SEC officials, followed by two expert panels moderated by Yaya J. Fanusie from the Crypto Council for Innovation. Panelists will include executives and researchers from various organizations such as Espresso Systems, Zcash, and the American Civil Liberties Union.

🌐 The roundtable will be open to the public and available for online viewing without registration. While the discussions will center on surveillance and privacy, crypto advocates may use this platform to highlight how decentralized networks can enhance consumer protection and regulatory transparency.

🔗 In summary, the SEC's upcoming roundtable presents an opportunity to explore the intersection of crypto privacy tools and financial oversight, with the potential to reshape regulatory approaches in the evolving digital landscape.

🚨 Breaking: SEC Ends Ondo Finance Probe With No Charges, Boosting Tokenized Treasuries Push

👉 Read more

📉 Bitcoin and Ethereum Experience Volatile Weekend Ahead of Fed Meeting

🔄 Bitcoin and Ethereum experienced significant price fluctuations over the weekend, with Bitcoin trading between $88,000 and $92,000, and Ethereum rising from $2,910 to $3,150. This volatility was exacerbated by thin year-end liquidity in the crypto market. Despite these sharp movements, the impact on liquidations was minimal, indicating a decrease in retail interest and risk-taking among traders.

📉 Google search activity for terms like "crypto" and "bitcoin" has fallen to mid-bear-market levels, and open interest in perpetual futures has also declined significantly. BTC perpetual open interest has dropped over 44% from October highs, while ETH perpetual open interest is down more than 50%.

📊 However, a quiet trend of accumulation by larger investors is emerging. Approximately 25,000 BTC have been withdrawn from centralized exchanges in the past two weeks. For the first time, ETFs and corporate treasuries are holding more bitcoin than exchanges, suggesting that long-term holders are pulling supply off the market. Ethereum shows a similar pattern, with exchange balances reaching decade lows.

👀 Despite this on-chain accumulation, all eyes are on the upcoming Fed meeting for potential market catalysts. A 25 basis point cut is widely expected, but investors are particularly interested in any indications regarding future balance sheet policy. Even a slight hint of renewed asset purchases could bolster risk assets, including crypto.

⚖️ Currently, bitcoin is in a holding pattern, with traders closely monitoring two key levels: a drop below $84,000 or a rise above $100,000. Options traders are preparing for a decisive move, as reflected in the strong demand for wide-range structures. With liquidity already thinning, sharp price movements in either direction are likely.

🚀 U.S. Crypto Regulation Shifts Towards a Pro-Crypto Stance

🔄 The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced a significant shift in its approach to cryptocurrency regulation by withdrawing outdated guidance that has been seen as a barrier to innovation in the industry. This move, announced on December 11, aims to align regulatory oversight with the rapidly evolving crypto markets.

🗣 Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham emphasized the importance of this decision, stating,

Eliminating outdated and overly complex guidance that penalizes the crypto industry and stifles innovation is exactly what the Administration has set out to do this year.

The guidance being withdrawn was established in June 2020 and outlined the conditions under which certain retail crypto transactions would fall outside the CFTC’s authority. It focused on virtual currencies used as a medium of exchange and has become increasingly irrelevant due to the rapid changes in the crypto landscape over the past five years.

📉 The CFTC acknowledged that the 2020 framework no longer provides significant value to market participants and may even conflict with its efforts to implement recommendations from the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets. By removing this legacy guidance, the CFTC is signaling a more constructive and innovation-friendly approach to regulation.

📅 This withdrawal officially took effect on December 10 and marks a pivotal moment for U.S. crypto regulation. It suggests a shift towards greater regulatory clarity and broader market access for digital assets, which could facilitate their integration into American financial markets. The CFTC also indicated that it will reevaluate the need for updated guidance and encourages public engagement through its Crypto Sprint initiative.

💬 Pham concluded,

Today’s announcement shows that with decisive action, real progress can be made to protect Americans by promoting access to safe U.S. markets.

This proactive stance by the CFTC could pave the way for a more vibrant and accessible crypto market in the United States.

🌐 Standard Chartered and Coinbase Strengthen Institutional Crypto Partnership

🤝 Standard Chartered and Coinbase are advancing institutional cryptocurrency adoption by expanding their global digital asset partnership. This move signifies a deeper integration between regulated banking systems and crypto platforms as demand from institutions grows.

📅 On December 12, the two companies announced an enhanced collaboration focused on institutional services. The partnership aims to create a comprehensive digital asset solution for institutional clients worldwide, ensuring a secure and seamless experience for trading and managing digital assets.

By combining Standard Chartered’s cross-border trading and custody expertise with Coinbase’s advanced digital-asset capabilities and global market reach, we aim to explore how the two organisations can support secure, transparent and interoperable solutions that meet the highest standards of security and compliance

said Margaret Harwood-Jones, Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Financing and Securities Services.

🔍 The expanded partnership will focus on developing solutions for trading, prime services, custody, staking, and lending tailored for institutional clients. It builds on their existing collaboration in Singapore, where Standard Chartered facilitates real-time SGD transfers for Coinbase customers, supporting broader international expansion.

This partnership represents a significant step forward in delivering institutional-grade digital asset solutions

explained Brett Tejpaul, Coinbase Institutional Co-CEO.

📈 As digital asset markets mature and regulatory frameworks clarify, global financial institutions are increasingly interested in compliant custody and cross-border digital asset services. Collaborations between regulated banks and crypto platforms are seen as a practical approach to institutional adoption that balances innovation with governance and security.

🚨 XRP News: Ripple’s RLUSD Eyes Wider Adoption as Stablecoin Expands to Coinbase’s L2 Base

👉 Read more

🚨 State Regulators Warn of Rising Investment Fraud as Year-End Approaches

⚠️ As the year-end approaches, state securities regulators are raising alarms about a surge in investment fraud activities. The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI)’s Securities Division recently released a list of “the 12 top investor threats,” emphasizing that scammers are increasingly exploiting fear of missing out (FOMO), new technologies, and the urgency of the holiday season to deceive investors.

The data reveals that while scammers are using new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to dress up their schemes, their nefarious goal remains the same: separating victims from their hard-earned money.

📊 The TDCI's guidance is based on extensive enforcement findings in collaboration with the North American Securities Administrators Association, which reflect thousands of investigations and significant financial harm to investors across the country.

🛑 Among the 12 warnings issued, the first highlights affinity or “pig butchering” schemes that combine online relationships with fraudulent investment platforms. Other warnings address deepfake impersonations using AI-generated voices or videos, phantom AI trading bots promising guaranteed returns, and digital asset and crypto fraud through unregistered offerings. Additionally, there are alerts about fake AI equity pitches, social media lures, short-form video hype on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, text and WhatsApp traps, scams targeting older investors, account takeovers, website and app spoofing, and unregistered solicitors presenting professional-looking pitches.

👩‍💼 TDCI Assistant Commissioner for the Securities Division, Elizabeth Bowling, emphasized that

Fraudsters are pitching new investments that often have nothing to do with latest tech developments and instead play on consumers’ fear of missing out.

🛡 To protect themselves, regulators advise investors to independently verify registrations and to be cautious of unsolicited opportunities.

🌊 China Discovers Asia's Largest Undersea Gold Deposit

🇨🇳 China has announced the discovery of what it claims to be the largest undersea gold deposit in Asia. This significant find is located off the coast of Laizhou in Shandong province and was revealed during a conference by the Yantai Municipal People’s Government.

Officials from the Yantai Municipal People’s Government confirmed earlier this week that the specific subsea site, known as the Sanshan Island (Haiyu) Gold Mine, contains proven cumulative reserves of 562 tonnes.

📈 This discovery increases Laizhou’s total proven gold reserves to over 3,900 tonnes, which is about 26 percent of China’s national total. This positions Laizhou first in the country for both gold reserves and output. To support the extraction of this deposit, which lies at depths of up to 2,000 meters below sea level, the government plans to invest 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion).

The state-of-the-art facility is expected to process 12,000 tonnes of ore daily, yielding an estimated 15 tonnes of gold annually and providing a significant boost to China’s domestic supply chain.

🔍 This offshore discovery is part of a broader strategy by Chinese authorities to enhance domestic mineral resources through ongoing investment and technological advancements. Recent inland discoveries have also been significant, including a large low-grade gold deposit in Liaoning and another in the Kunlun Mountains near Xinjiang. These findings come at a time when global gold prices have surged, trading near $4,340 per ounce as of mid-December.

According to the report, the undersea gold find forms part of a wider push by Chinese authorities to expand domestic mineral resources through sustained investment and technological upgrades.

💡 China remains the world’s largest producer of gold ore, with an output of 377 tonnes last year. Gold is crucial not only as a financial asset but also as a material in electronics and aerospace manufacturing.

🚨 Michael Saylor’s Strategy Pauses Bitcoin Buying as Crypto Market Anticipates a ‘Santa Rally’

👉 Read more

🇯🇵 Bybit to Cease Services for Japan-Based Users Amid Regulatory Compliance

🚫 Bybit has announced that it will discontinue its services for residents of Japan and will implement account restrictions starting in 2026. This decision was made to comply with local regulations. Users who receive a residency notice must complete Identity Verification Level 2 (proof of address/KYC 2) by January 22, 2026, to maintain access to the platform. Failure to do so will result in being classified as Japanese residents and facing service limitations.

📜 This move is part of Bybit's proactive compliance strategy with Japanese regulatory requirements. Affected customers are directed to the verification portal and are encouraged to reach out to Bybit's support team for any assistance they may need.

Completion of Identity Verification Level 2 (POA/KYC 2) by January 22, 2026

is required for Japanese users, and gradual account restrictions will begin in 2026 for these residents. The only users impacted by this change are those residing in Japan.

📉 The Phantom Bitcoin Crash: Understanding the December 25 Incident

🚨 On Christmas Day, a viral post on X claimed that Bitcoin had plummeted to $24,000, causing a stir on social media. However, this was not a market collapse but rather a localized "flash crash" affecting a specific trading pair on Binance.

📊 The panic was triggered by a 72% drop in Bitcoin's price within seconds. Yet, this volatility was limited to the BTC/USD1 pair on Binance. During this brief period, the primary trading pair, BTC/USDT, which accounts for most of Bitcoin's trading volume, remained stable above $86,400. By December 26, Bitcoin's price was rising again, nearing $89,000.

“The ‘crash’ existed on exactly one order book,”

market analyst Shanaka Anslem Perera stated.

“It wasn’t a bitcoin crash; it was a liquidity vacuum.”

💧 The flash crash was attributed to a Binance promotion that offered a 20% annual percentage yield on deposits of USD1, a stablecoin. This high yield led traders to swap USDT for USD1 aggressively, draining liquidity from the BTC/USD1 pair. When a large market sell order was placed, the price dropped to $24,111 before being quickly corrected by arbitrage bots.

⚠️ Perera noted that a similar incident occurred on December 10 with the same trading pair. He warned that promotional trading pairs in the stablecoin sector can behave like "landmines" for traders. As long as these yield campaigns continue to disrupt liquidity, such "wicks" are likely to recur.

🔍 In summary, the December 25 incident was a reminder that not all price movements reflect the broader market. For informed traders, it serves as a lesson in market dynamics; for casual observers, it highlights the importance of context in interpreting market data.

🚨 ETH Treasury: Trend Research Uses USDT Loans to Expand Holdings to $1.8B, Eyes 2026 Bull Run

👉 Read more

📉 Bitcoin and Ether ETFs Struggle While XRP and Solana Show Resilience

🔻 The week leading up to the year-end saw Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) facing significant outflows, while XRP and Solana funds maintained their positive momentum. From December 22 to December 26, thin liquidity and cautious investor positioning characterized the market.

💸 Bitcoin spot ETFs experienced a sharp net outflow of $782 million, with all 12 funds reporting losses. Blackrock’s IBIT was a major contributor to this decline, suffering consecutive daily exits that resulted in one of its weakest weekly performances of the quarter. Fidelity’s FBTC also faced pressure, recording daily outflows that significantly added to the weekly total. Other funds like Grayscale’s GBTC and Bitwise’s BITB saw persistent redemptions, highlighting a trend of traditional products losing ground during risk-off periods.

📉 Ether spot ETFs fared slightly better but still ended the week in the red with a net outflow of $102.34 million. Blackrock’s ETHA bore much of the downside, while Grayscale’s ETHE fluctuated throughout the week but ultimately contributed to the net outflow. However, its Ether Mini Trust saw a substantial inflow. Smaller products like Bitwise’s ETHW and Franklin’s EZET also experienced light but consistent redemptions, indicating a subdued institutional appetite for ETH exposure as the year comes to a close.

💪 In contrast, XRP ETFs continued their strong post-launch performance, recording a weekly net inflow of $64 million. Franklin’s XRPZ led the group by absorbing the majority of new capital, while other funds like Bitwise’s XRP and Grayscale’s GXRP also added incremental inflows. This reinforces XRP’s position as one of the strongest ETF narratives as 2025 approaches.

🌟 Solana ETFs ended the week on a positive note with a collective net inflow of $13.14 million. Fidelity’s FSOL and Bitwise’s BSOL were the primary drivers, while Grayscale’s GSOL and Vaneck’s VSOL made smaller but steady contributions. These uniform inflows reflect sustained confidence in SOL exposure despite broader market caution.

📊 Overall, the week highlighted a clear divide in investor behavior. While Bitcoin and Ether ETFs faced year-end de-risking, XRP and Solana continued to benefit from structural demand and momentum from newer products.

📉 Year-End Crypto ETF Trends: Altcoins Gain Ground Over Bitcoin and Ether

📊 As 2025 came to a close, investors continued to reduce their exposure to bitcoin and ether ETFs, while XRP and Solana saw a slight increase in capital. The thin holiday liquidity amplified these movements, indicating a cautious positioning as we head into the new year.

💰 Bitcoin spot ETFs ended the year with a significant $348.10 million outflow. Blackrock’s IBIT led the way with $99.05 million in redemptions, followed by Ark & 21Shares’ ARKB with $76.53 million and Grayscale’s GBTC shedding $69.09 million. Other funds like Fidelity’s FBTC and Bitwise’s BITB also experienced notable outflows. Despite these heavy redemptions, net assets held steady at $113.29 billion.

📉 Ether ETFs also closed the year lower, recording a $72.06 million net outflow. The largest share came from Grayscale’s Ether Mini Trust with a $31.98 million exit, followed by Blackrock’s ETHA and Vaneck’s ETHV. Total value traded was $808.12 million, with net assets ending at $17.95 billion.

📈 In contrast, XRP ETFs saw a positive trend with a $5.58 million inflow. Franklin’s XRPZ led this group, while Bitwise’s XRP also added to the gains. Trading activity totaled $22.36 million with stable net assets at $1.24 billion.

🌟 Solana ETFs finished the year on a high note as well, posting a modest $2.29 million inflow driven by Bitwise’s BSOL. Total value traded reached $34.40 million, bringing net assets close to the $1 billion milestone at $950.82 million.

🔍 Overall, the final trading day of 2025 highlighted a selective approach to crypto ETF exposure. While bitcoin and ether ETFs faced sustained outflow pressure, XRP and Solana quietly attracted capital, signaling a shift in investor preferences as we move into 2026.

🆕 Vitalik Buterin Announces Major Ethereum Upgrades

🚀 Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has revealed that recent upgrades have significantly enhanced the blockchain's performance. He stated that zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines (ZK-EVMs) have achieved production-quality performance and that PeerDAS data-availability sampling is now operational on the mainnet. These advancements provide Ethereum with decentralized consensus and high bandwidth.

🔄 Buterin compared these improvements to previous peer-to-peer models like Bittorrent's bandwidth-heavy, consensus-free design and Bitcoin's consensus-only, low-bandwidth replication. He emphasized that the remaining work focuses on safety, with full ZK-EVM deployment expected by 2026 and larger gas-limit increases anticipated through 2027-2030.

🗺 Additionally, Buterin outlined a roadmap for distributed block building aimed at reducing centralized control and enhancing geographic fairness, all while adhering to applicable regulatory environments.

🚨 Will Ethereum Price Hold $3,100 Level Amid U.S.-Venezuela Conflict?

👉 Read more

💰 Introducing Buck: A Savings-Focused Digital Asset

🌟 The Buck Foundation has launched a new digital asset designed for savings and backed by Strategy’s bitcoin-collateralized perpetual preferred stock. This innovative product offers holders a 7% annual reward that accrues continuously, positioning itself as a savings-oriented alternative to traditional stablecoins.

🔗 The credibility of the Buck digital asset is reinforced by its backing from the Buck Foundation’s holdings in Strategy’s perpetual preferred stock (STRC). STRC is a bitcoin-collateralized instrument that provides monthly returns to Buck’s treasury at a variable annual rate. Token holders can vote on the distribution of these earnings, fostering a transparent savings community rooted in STRC’s overcollateralization.

💼 Buck Labs, the U.S. technology company behind this initiative, is led by Travis Vanderzanden, a seasoned bitcoin investor and former executive at Lyft and Uber. Vanderzanden emphasizes that Buck is designed to offer a straightforward way for people to earn crypto rewards without speculation. He stated,

By offering access to the Bitcoin Dollar with 7% rewards, we aim to make saving in crypto intuitive and accessible for everyone.

💵 Priced at $1 per token, Buck allows for 24/7 trading with rewards accruing based on the exact duration of token ownership. This enables investors to transact directly in cryptocurrency, avoiding fiat conversions and traditional banking systems. The aim is to provide a borderless and user-friendly savings experience.

🔄 Vanderzanden also highlights Buck’s complementary role to stablecoins:

Stablecoins act as the checking account, providing liquidity for daily activity. Buck is positioned as the high-reward savings coin, delivering dependable returns and financial discipline.

🩺 The End of Bitcoin's Four-Year Cycle? Willy Woo Weighs In

🔍 Willy Woo, an on-chain analyst, is challenging the growing skepticism surrounding Bitcoin's four-year cycle. He argues that the data still supports this traditional pattern until at least 2026. Woo compares the misinterpretation of social media to misunderstanding a heartbeat's existence when its pace varies.

if your heart beats at 70 bpm and drops slightly while you sleep, it does not mean a resting heartbeat no longer exists just because the timing varied

Woo explains. He suggests that minor deviations in timing or intensity due to external factors do not undermine the fundamental health of the four-year cycle driven by supply and demand mechanics.

⚖️ Woo's perspective contrasts with industry leaders like Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan and researcher Ryan Rasmussen. They argue that the 2024–2026 period signifies a permanent shift in Bitcoin's macro reality. They believe that the forces driving these cycles, such as halving and leverage-fueled busts, are weaker than before. They assert that the influx of institutional capital through spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is creating a prolonged bull market without the violent crashes of the past.

📈 Experts interviewed by Bitcoin News support this view, stating that institutional capital flows and ETF demand now shape Bitcoin's trajectory more than miner reward halvings. This shift has resulted in slower, steadier movements rather than the sharp boom-and-bust patterns of earlier cycles. They argue that Bitcoin has outgrown its halving-driven DNA and is now influenced more by institutional adoption and macroeconomic forces.

No, that was Murad’s fund,” Woo explained. “My first fund was Crest in 2022; it’s 4 years old and is still operational today having delivered consistent returns

Woo responded to a critic questioning his credibility. He pointed to two primary drivers supporting the cycle: the internal halving supply shock and the four-year global liquidity cycle that determines risk-on/risk-off behavior.

Two impacts: internal halvening supply shock and 4-year global liquidity cycle determining risk on/off

Woo noted that Bitcoin has historically led the macro market into risk-off environments. He mentioned that the current federal injection of billions into the market may eventually fuel the cyclical expansion he expects to continue.