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Gold and silver are surging as investors hedge against monetary debasement, macro uncertainty, and the possibility of the Federal Reserve cutting rates while inflation remains above target. Concerns around sticky inflation, with measures like Core PCE drifting back toward 3%, have pushed traders into hard assets, leaving Bitcoin lagging behind. Precious metals have dramatically outperformed this year, with silver up 86% and gold up 60%, while Bitcoin has slipped slightly into negative territory. U.S. equities have also rallied strongly on earnings growth, buybacks, and AI-driven investment, creating a wide divergence between metals, stocks, and crypto.
Bitcoin remains trapped in a mid-cycle repair phase following the October liquidation shock and subsequent de-leveraging that broke its earlier uptrend. On-chain data shows rising supply in loss and capitulation among short-term holders, typical of a reset rather than a deeper bear market. Although Bitcoin has dropped more than 26% from its peak, it has stabilized around the true market mean, a key level separating mild corrections from more significant downturns. Analysts expect Bitcoin’s disconnect from metals and equities to be temporary, but note that its sensitivity to macro shocks will persist unless it can reclaim higher price levels. Source
The CFTC has approved spot cryptocurrency products to trade on federally regulated futures exchanges, marking the first time spot crypto can operate under this framework. Acting Chair Caroline Pham said the decision aligns with directives from President Trump and reflects collaboration with the SEC, the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, and the CFTC’s own Crypto Sprint initiative. The move is intended to keep trading activity on US exchanges with established safeguards, rather than pushing it offshore. Bitnomial is set to be among the first to launch spot trading under this approval, joining Coinbase as a platform authorized as a Designated Contract Market.
The announcement comes as leadership changes loom at the CFTC, with Pham expected to step down once the Senate confirms Trump’s nominee, Michael Selig. Four commissioner seats remain vacant, adding urgency to upcoming decisions on market oversight. Lawmakers are also preparing to advance a digital asset market structure bill that would more clearly define the regulatory boundaries between the CFTC and SEC. The anticipated framework is expected to expand the CFTC’s authority over digital assets and reshape how crypto markets operate in the United States. Source
Solmate has signed a nonbinding term sheet to acquire RockawayX in an all-stock deal that would transform the Abu Dhabi–based Solana-focused treasury company into a broader platform offering infrastructure, liquidity and asset-management services. The merger would fold RockawayX’s validator infrastructure, onchain liquidity operations and its venture and credit funds into Solmate, creating a combined business with more than $2 billion in assets under management. The companies have already begun collaborating by launching new Solana validator infrastructure in the UAE, and say a full merger would enable them to provide transaction-ordering and latency-sensitive services for exchanges and high-frequency traders.
The move reflects a wider shift among digital asset treasury companies, which are increasingly expanding beyond simple crypto balance-sheet exposure. Firms like ETHZilla and Strategy have diversified into AI-driven finance and new investor-facing securities, while major Bitcoin-heavy corporates and miners are broadening into AI and high-performance computing. RockawayX brings a long history of investing in crypto infrastructure and DeFi since 2018, with more than $1 billion in combined investments and staked assets. Solmate’s shares rose over 6% on the announcement, signalling investor confidence in its transition toward a multi-line digital asset business. Source
Alien has launched a decentralized identity app designed to confirm that users are human without storing biometrics or government documents. The system performs encrypted facial scans inside secure enclaves, deletes raw images immediately and records only anonymized vectors on-chain, making it resistant to data harvesting. Alien positions its tool as a response to rising AI-driven automation and bot activity online, aiming to offer a privacy-first alternative to centralized digital ID systems. Verification also requires an invitation from an already verified user, strengthening assurances that each identity is both human and unique.
The project enters a growing landscape of decentralized identity efforts such as RariMe, Proof of Humanity, Gitcoin Passport, Billions Network and Worldcoin, all seeking ways to distinguish real people from automated agents without relying on traditional institutions. Alien argues that expanding AI capabilities make trust a critical layer of the internet and warns that, without decentralized options, governments and corporations could default to centralized ID systems. By keeping biometric data on-device and inaccessible to the company itself, Alien seeks to offer a model that balances verification with privacy while enabling more secure participation in digital spaces. Source
The IMF outlines that while global regulatory frameworks for stablecoins are expanding across major regions, they remain fragmented and inconsistent, creating inefficiencies and cross-border hurdles. The fund stresses that emerging rules can help manage risks to financial stability, but they cannot substitute for strong macroeconomic policies and resilient institutions, which it says must serve as the primary safeguard. It highlights concerns about the rapid proliferation of stablecoins across multiple blockchains, noting that limited interoperability can deepen operational risks and complicate oversight.
According to the report, the two largest stablecoins by market value, USDT and USDC, are largely backed by short-term US Treasurys, though Tether also holds a portion of reserves in Bitcoin. Dollar-pegged stablecoins dominate the market, which exceeds 300 billion dollars, though some issuers are experimenting with alternative currency denominations. The IMF’s analysis arrives as the United States rolls out the GENIUS Act, prompting shifts in liquidity between US and EU stablecoin pools as regulators build a formal framework for payment stablecoins. Source
Solana and Base are now linked through a new bridge that enables users to move assets seamlessly between the two ecosystems. Powered by Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol and supported by Coinbase, the bridge lets Base integrate SOL and other Solana-based tokens, reinforcing the network’s goal of making on-chain activity easily accessible across chains. It is already live on Base mainnet and available through major applications like Zora and Aerodrome, allowing users to trade and migrate assets effortlessly.
The bridge is open-source, enabling any app to implement it and offer cross-chain asset movement between Solana and Base. Base describes this as a step toward becoming a central hub for a globally connected digital economy, with Solana marking the start of broader multi-network support. The launch comes as Base climbs to become one of the largest blockchains by bridged total value locked at nearly 15 billion dollars, while Solana’s TVL stands at more than 29 billion dollars. Coinbase has also acknowledged it is exploring a potential Base token, though no firm plans are in place. Source
Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan says Strategy (MSTR) is unlikely to sell its Bitcoin holdings even if its stock price declines, countering concerns that a market drop could force liquidations. With $1.4 billion in cash, no debt due until 2027, and Bitcoin trading above the company’s average acquisition cost, Hougan argues there is no immediate financial pressure requiring a sale. He notes that a forced liquidation of MSTR’s $60 billion Bitcoin stash would be extreme, equivalent to two years of Bitcoin ETF inflows, but current obligations and cash reserves provide sufficient flexibility to weather short-term market volatility.
Hougan also dismissed fears stemming from potential delisting from MSCI indices, noting that historically, index additions or deletions have had smaller-than-expected impacts on stock prices. While CEO Phong Le suggested selling Bitcoin as a “last resort” if the company’s market value falls below the value of its holdings, Hougan emphasizes that MSTR’s obligations, including $800 million a year in interest, are manageable given its cash reserves. Bitcoin trading around $92,000 remains 24 percent above the company’s average cost basis, allowing Strategy ample leeway to maintain its position without liquidating assets. Source
Markethive is presented as an all-encompassing digital ecosystem designed to integrate social networking, marketing tools, analytics, and blockchain-driven incentives into a unified platform for entrepreneurs and content creators. It enables users to build extensive audiences through its external and internal social networks, manage unlimited interconnected WordPress blogs, and distribute content widely through an expansive network of APIs, news sites, and decentralized HivePress integrations. The platform emphasizes collaboration, using groups and community-driven engagement to amplify reach while offering advanced visual analytics, clustering technology, and detailed metrics across capture pages, blogs, groups, profile pages, plugins, and third-party widgets. These features help users understand audience behaviour, refine strategies, and generate organic growth supported by interactive research tools and multidimensional visualization displays.
Markethive also positions itself as a blockchain-based movement centred on user empowerment, income generation, and data ownership. Its integrated cryptocurrency systems, including the Hivecoin rewards and Faucet program, compensate users for engagement while providing new economic opportunities within a secure, decentralized environment. With advanced research tools like Vector Research, a unified Social Networks Control Panel, and a strong focus on privacy and transparency, the platform aims to redistribute power to individuals and foster a fair digital economy. Drawing on 25 years of development, it aspires to redefine digital entrepreneurship by merging market networks, social media, and blockchain into a single foundation where creators retain control of their data, reach global audiences, and participate meaningfully in the platform’s growth. Source
Bitcoin and Ethereum have regained key price levels, and traders on Myriad are leaning bullish again. Bitcoin’s rebound to above 92,000 has pushed predictors to give a 75 percent chance that it reaches 100,000 before dipping to 69,000, helped by expectations of a near-certain December rate cut. Ethereum has outperformed Bitcoin with stronger weekly gains, shifting odds slightly in favor of a move toward 4,000 despite mixed technicals. Confidence has been supported by the recent Fusaka network upgrade, increased whale accumulation, and continued large weekly buys from BitMine Immersion Technologies.
Predictors are also weighing the odds of another major liquidation wave after October’s record 19 billion wipeout, but sentiment currently favors no repeat of a 2 billion liquidation day before year-end, with traders giving a roughly 69 percent chance that markets avoid such volatility. Large liquidation events of that magnitude remain rare, with only fourteen exceeding that level in crypto history and most concentrated in 2021. While both Bitcoin and Ethereum may see additional boosts if rate cuts materialize next week, traders currently expect prices to rise more smoothly rather than through another violent liquidation spike. Source
Brian Armstrong says major US banks that continue resisting digital assets risk losing ground as regulatory and political momentum shifts in favor of crypto. Speaking at the DealBook Summit, he noted that several top banks are already running pilots with Coinbase involving stablecoins, custody, and trading, suggesting that forward-looking institutions are preparing for tokenized financial infrastructure while hesitant banks fall behind. He emphasized that the institutions leaning into the technology see it as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Armstrong appeared alongside Larry Fink, who highlighted BlackRock’s evolving stance on crypto as its Bitcoin ETF has become the largest in the market. Fink pointed to the $4.1 trillion held globally in digital wallets, mostly in stablecoins, and argued that tokenizing broader asset classes will unlock greater access to capital. Their comments together signal growing institutional acceptance of digital assets and the expectation that tokenization will play an increasingly central role in global finance. Source
Italy has begun a detailed review of retail investors’ crypto exposure amid rising concerns about the growing links between digital assets and traditional finance. The country’s Macroprudential Policy Committee warned that increasing interconnections and fragmented global rules could amplify systemic vulnerabilities. The Ministry of Economy and Finance aims to assess protections for both direct and indirect crypto holdings as Europe faces oversight blind spots while global digital-asset markets surge. Experts say diverging regulations push high-risk activity into loosely supervised jurisdictions but expect greater alignment by 2026 as the U.S. clarifies its own regulatory path.
The move follows the Bank of Italy’s warnings that crypto’s expanding integration, sharp market swings, and concentration of major players in the U.S. could create instability for European markets. Italy’s review signals a shift toward more aggressive supervision, alongside broader EU efforts to enforce stricter licensing, capital requirements, and anti-money-laundering standards. While compliance burdens will rise for firms operating in the region, industry leaders say the trade-off will be clearer rules, easier EU-wide market access, and a competitive advantage over companies in permissive jurisdictions. Source
Around 37,000 Bitcoin options contracts, worth roughly $3.4 billion, are set to expire on December 5, though the size is smaller than previous expiries, suggesting minimal impact on spot markets. Bitcoin’s put/call ratio stands at 0.94, indicating balanced long and short positions, with max pain near $91,000. Open interest is concentrated at the $100,000 strike, totaling $2.7 billion on Deribit, while nearly $2 billion is held at $80,000 and $85,000 strikes targeted by short sellers. Institutional participation in Bitcoin options has surged in 2025, with October and November recording high monthly volumes and year-to-date activity up 36 percent from 2024.
Ethereum options are also expiring, with 210,000 contracts valued at $667 million, max pain at $3,050, and a put/call ratio of 0.78, bringing the combined crypto options expiry to about $4 billion. Spot markets have been relatively stable following recent volatility, with Bitcoin struggling to break $93,000 and Ethereum near $3,177, while altcoins like XRP and Solana have seen sharper declines. Traders remain cautiously bullish, watching for whether current levels around $95,000 to $100,000 represent a market bottom amid mixed signals from term structures and bearish put skew. Source
Canary Capital has filed with the SEC to launch the first U.S. Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) focused on SUI, the native token of the Sui network, marking a major step toward broader institutional and retail access. The SEC has acknowledged the application, which, if approved, would allow the ETF to trade publicly and provide investors with direct exposure to SUI through a familiar, regulated investment vehicle. This development highlights growing confidence in Sui as a scalable Layer 1 blockchain capable of supporting diverse applications from DeFi to enterprise solutions.
Institutional interest in Sui has surged, with major players such as Grayscale, Franklin Templeton, VanEck, and Ant Financial launching products or initiatives on the network in the past six months. The ecosystem has surpassed $70 billion in decentralized exchange volume and amassed over 67 million accounts, showcasing its technological advantages in speed, security, and scalability. By offering an ETF, Canary Capital aims to open Sui exposure to a wider audience, enabling institutions and retail investors to participate in its growth without directly managing or custodying tokens, following a model that has driven record inflows in Bitcoin ETFs. Source
Prediction platform Kalshi has signed an exclusive agreement with CNBC to provide real-time prediction market data across the network’s TV, digital, and subscription channels, beginning next year with appearances on flagship programs like Squawk Box and Fast Money. This comes shortly after Kalshi became CNN’s official prediction market partner, giving the company two major U.S. news networks for distribution. The partnerships aim to bring prediction markets, which track probabilities of future events, into mainstream media coverage, providing viewers and investors with forward-looking context on economic, political, and cultural developments.
Rival platform Polymarket has also expanded its visibility through deals with Yahoo Finance and the UFC, while both Kalshi and Polymarket are being incorporated into Google Finance search results. Combined, they have surpassed $45 billion in cumulative trading volume in 2024, reflecting growing institutional and retail interest. Kalshi recently doubled its valuation to $11 billion, and Polymarket is valued at $9 billion. As media exposure increases, prediction markets may shift from niche trading tools to widely recognized financial instruments or sentiment indicators, offering real-time insight into how probabilities for key events evolve throughout the day. Source
1Money has launched 1Money.com, a global stablecoin orchestration platform offering zero platform fees, pay-as-you-go pricing, and gasless transactions on its upcoming Layer-1 blockchain network. The platform allows businesses to seamlessly receive, buy, sell, convert, send, and store stablecoins and fiat currencies with on/off ramps to bank accounts worldwide. By eliminating monthly minimums, account fees, custody charges, and wallet limits, 1Money.com provides a transparent, low-cost alternative to legacy providers, while its developer portal and intuitive web interface enable instant self-onboarding and enterprise-grade infrastructure access.
The platform supports multi-currency fiat on/off ramps, stablecoin-to-stablecoin conversions, dedicated virtual accounts, global pay-ins and pay-outs, payments, remittance, FX settlement, and institutional-grade custody. Backed by a patent-pending Layer-1 blockchain network, 1Money delivers faster, cheaper, and fully compliant transactions for stablecoins and real-world assets, positioning itself as a foundational infrastructure provider in digital finance. Holding more U.S. money transmitter licenses than competitors, 1Money aims to merge regulatory rigor with Web3 efficiency, accelerating the mainstream adoption of stablecoins and real-world asset settlements. Source
A group of former executives from the collapsed Signature Bank has launched N3XT, a blockchain-based, state-chartered bank designed to enable instant 24-hour payments. Founded by Signature Bank’s Scott Shay and led by former director of digital asset strategy Jeffrey Wallis as CEO, N3XT operates under a Wyoming Special Purpose Depository Institution charter and focuses on programmable payments through smart contracts. Its systems are interoperable with stablecoins, utility tokens, and other digital assets, aiming to deliver seamless, instant transactions for institutional clients without offering lending services.
N3XT maintains reserves backed one-to-one by cash or short-term U.S. Treasurys, with daily transparency on holdings, and lists initial clients in crypto, foreign exchange, shipping, logistics, and other sectors. The bank has secured funding through three rounds from investors including Winklevoss Capital, Paradigm, and HACK VC. The founders’ prior experience building Signature Bank, a major U.S. crypto-friendly institution that collapsed during the 2023 banking crisis, underpins their approach to regulated digital banking. Source
Disclaimer: These articles are provided for informational purposes only. They are not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other advice.
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