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Crypto tokens are becoming more effective at returning value to holders as new regulations and protocol upgrades encourage designs that directly benefit investors. Matt Hougan argues that this shift, alongside growing attention on mechanisms like fee burns and rewards redistribution, could help drive a broader market rebound in 2026. Uniswap’s recent proposal to introduce a protocol-level fee burn and improve liquidity incentives exemplifies this trend, and Hougan believes that if approved, the changes could push UNI into the top ten tokens by market cap.
Ethereum may also lead a recovery as the upcoming Fusako upgrade, expected in December, enhances execution efficiency and strengthens staking economics. Other networks are exploring similar improvements, including XRP, where community discussions around adding staking could reshape tokenholder incentives. Hougan maintains that value capture across digital assets is rising and dynamic, suggesting growing alignment between network activity and tokenholder benefits. Source
Ark Invest continued its aggressive dip-buying strategy by adding substantial positions in several crypto-related equities during a broad market selloff. The firm purchased around $10 million worth of Coinbase shares for its Fintech Innovation ETF, bringing its COIN holdings in that fund to nearly $58 million. It also added more than $9 million each in BitMine Immersion Technologies and Circle, along with significant purchases of Bullish and Robinhood. These moves extend several weeks of steady accumulation across Ark’s ETFs, even as prices for many of these assets have fallen sharply.
The firm has now built more than $500 million of exposure to Coinbase across three ETFs, alongside large positions in Circle, Robinhood, BitMine, and Bullish. BitMine’s recent earnings and dividend announcement came amid a drop in its share price tied to concerns around Ethereum’s decline, while broader crypto markets have suffered heavy liquidations with Bitcoin sliding and then partially recovering. Despite volatility, Wood remains long-term bullish, projecting Bitcoin could reach about 1200000 dollars by 2030, though this revised target still requires a substantial price increase from current levels. Source
Coinbase carried out a scheduled internal migration of its crypto holdings, shifting large balances of Bitcoin, Ether, and other tokens to new internal wallets as part of its routine security practices. The exchange emphasized that the move was not prompted by any breach or external threat, but was instead part of a long-standing approach to reducing exposure from keeping funds in publicly known addresses for extended periods. Users were cautioned to stay alert for scammers who might exploit the migration by impersonating Coinbase staff and attempting to steal credentials or funds.
The exchange’s actions highlight ongoing cybersecurity risks in the crypto ecosystem, where centralized servers and hot wallets remain prime targets for hackers. Experts note that attackers are increasingly aided by artificial intelligence and may even be preparing for future quantum computing breakthroughs that could compromise current cryptography through harvest now, decrypt later strategies. To counter these threats, researchers stress the urgency of transitioning to post-quantum security standards to protect digital assets from both present and future vulnerabilities. Source
Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw nearly 1.2 billion dollars in net outflows this week, marking one of their weakest performances since launching. November’s total outflows reached about 3.79 billion dollars, matching February’s record, as Bitcoin’s price slumped to 81000 dollars on Friday, its lowest since April. Thursday alone saw more than 900 million dollars withdrawn across the 11 funds, with BlackRock’s IBIT losing over 1 billion dollars. The downturn coincided with a six-week slide in Bitcoin’s price, driven by broader macroeconomic uncertainty, fading expectations of additional 2025 Federal Reserve rate cuts, and concerns about overheating in the AI sector.
Despite the heavy weekly losses, Friday showed a partial rebound as Fidelity’s FBTC took in 108 million dollars, with additional inflows for the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust and GBTC. Meanwhile, investor appetite has surged for newly launched ETFs tied to Solana, XRP, and Dogecoin, including the Canary Capital XRP ETF, which set a 2025 opening-day investment record. The strong performance of these altcoin funds underscores growing demand for diversified digital asset products even as Bitcoin suffers a significant drawdown. Analysts remain optimistic about Bitcoin’s long-term resilience, noting its historical pattern of recovering from major declines to reach new highs. Source
A solo Bitcoin miner using only 1.2 terahashes per second achieved an extraordinary stroke of luck by solving block 924569 and earning just over 3.146 BTC, valued at about 266000 dollars. Operating with hardware far weaker than the industrial-scale miners that dominate the network, the miner overcame odds estimated at roughly 1.2 million to one per day. The reward consisted of the 3.125 BTC block subsidy plus 0.021 BTC in transaction fees, an unusually large payout for a hobby-level setup.
This win continues a notable streak for solo miners in 2025, with 13 independently solved blocks recorded through CKpool so far, including a 347455 dollar reward last month and multiple other successes earlier in the year. While small miners enjoy occasional breakthroughs, major mining firms are shifting toward new revenue streams as Bitcoin’s latest halving tightens profitability. Companies such as CleanSpark and TeraWulf are expanding into AI-driven data centre infrastructure, signalling a broader industry pivot beyond traditional Bitcoin mining. Source
SOL Strategies interim CEO Michael Hubbard argues that digital asset treasuries built on simply holding tokens have no sustainable future, as regulated ETFs now offer cleaner exposure with clearer structures and fewer balance sheet complexities. He believes staking ETFs provide an even stronger alternative by giving investors access to staking rewards on networks like Solana and Ethereum, a feature that DATs cannot easily match. The success of the Bitwise Solana Staking ETF, which has seen consistent inflows since launch, reinforces his view that ETFs will outcompete treasuries that rely solely on holding assets.
Positioning SOL Strategies as a DAT++, Hubbard emphasizes that the company aims to capture the value of the entire Solana economy through its growing validator operations, not just the price of SOL. The firm now oversees more than 2.8 million SOL in delegated stake and manages over 526000 SOL in treasury assets. While Solana’s token price has declined sharply, SOL Strategies maintains that its long-term model resembles a diversified ecosystem play, not a simple token bet, aspiring to function like the Berkshire Hathaway or S&P 500 of Solana by accelerating network growth while benefiting from it. Source
Cardano experienced a temporary chain split after a malformed delegation transaction triggered an old software bug, causing nodes to disagree on how to process the data and briefly partitioning the blockchain. Staking pool operators were instructed to upgrade their node software to repair the network, but concerns emerged over orphaned transactions and potential double-spend losses. The transaction was pushed by a staking pool operator known as Homer J, who used AI-generated code and later accepted responsibility, sparking debate within the community over whether the event was a helpful stress test or an attack on the network.
Charles Hoskinson said the FBI is now investigating the incident, describing it as a serious act that could have economic consequences for users. Despite the severity of a chain split, ADA’s price reacted only modestly, sliding from 0.44 dollars to around 0.40 dollars amid a wider market downturn that has weighed on cryptocurrencies since October’s historic flash crash. Some observers noted that the mild market reaction reflected minimal on-chain activity, fuelling criticism about low usage on the network. Source
The Markethive Founding Share Token is positioned as a central element within the platform’s ecosystem, linking community participation with the company’s capital formation through its Initial Loan Procurement model. These limited-edition tokens allow members to align themselves closely with the platform’s growth by securing a share of future net profits, with distributions tied directly to Markethive’s financial performance. The ILP framework treats these tokens as part of a blockchain-based loan agreement rather than speculative securities, enabling transparent interest payments, fractional ownership, and a structure designed to fuel both platform development and user-driven wealth generation. As Markethive expands its services and adoption increases, demand for these tokens may rise, potentially driving significant value appreciation for holders.
The ILP system provides legally binding, UCC-compliant smart contract loans, offering advantages such as transparency, liquidity, and debt-based protections that differ markedly from traditional equity instruments like stock options. With only 1,000 MFSTs available, holders receive priority interest distributions funded by 20% of Markethive’s net revenue, paid in Hivecoin through the Markethive Wallet, with long-term principal settlement after twenty years. The tokens are transferable, divisible for reward distribution, and will be tradeable on Markethive’s forthcoming decentralized ILP Exchange, giving investors autonomous exit control. By linking token value to verifiable revenue rather than speculation, Markethive positions its ILP and MFST structure as a secure, scalable way for early supporters to participate directly in the platform’s long-term success. Source
Crypto Dispensers, a Chicago-based Bitcoin ATM operator, is considering a potential sale valued at about $100 million shortly after both the company and its founder, Firas Isa, were charged with participating in a $10 million money laundering scheme. Prosecutors allege that Isa used the company’s ATMs to convert illicit funds into cryptocurrency while bypassing required customer verification processes, though both he and the firm have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they could face significant penalties, including asset forfeiture and up to 20 years in federal prison.
The company says it has retained advisors as it evaluates a possible sale in the midst of growing consolidation across the cash-to-crypto and digital asset infrastructure sector. Isa stated that the review aims to determine the best path for future growth and value creation for the platform. The situation unfolds against the backdrop of a sharp downturn in the crypto market, with Bitcoin dropping to roughly 81,000 after reaching a record high of 126,000 in early October. Source
Grayscale has positioned Chainlink as a central infrastructure component for the next phase of blockchain adoption, describing it as the “critical connective tissue” linking cryptocurrency with traditional finance. The firm highlights Chainlink’s suite of tools as essential for tokenization, cross-chain settlements, and integrating real-world assets onto blockchain networks. By enabling on-chain applications to securely access off-chain data, interact across multiple blockchains, and meet compliance standards, Chainlink has grown into the largest non-layer 1 crypto asset by market capitalization, offering investors exposure across various ecosystems rather than a single chain.
Tokenization is identified as the primary area where Chainlink’s value becomes most apparent, as most financial assets remain off-chain and must be tokenized to gain blockchain efficiency and programmability. Chainlink’s partnerships with entities like S&P Global and FTSE/Russell are expected to accelerate this process, supporting the tokenization of real-world assets. A recent pilot involving JPMorgan’s Kinexys network and Ondo Finance demonstrated Chainlink’s capabilities in facilitating cross-chain delivery-versus-payment settlements, enabling tokenized assets to exchange for fiat while remaining on their native chains. Source
Zcash developers are actively preparing for the potential threat posed by quantum computers, which could one day compromise blockchain cryptography and expose past user activity. Unlike Bitcoin, where the primary risk is theft, Zcash faces dual challenges: the possibility of counterfeiting coins and the loss of user privacy. The network’s structure, community-driven governance, and long-standing focus on privacy and security have allowed Zcash to plan for these risks over time, giving developers flexibility to implement major protocol updates if necessary. Industry concerns have intensified following warnings from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin that Bitcoin and Ethereum could be vulnerable by 2028, though practical quantum attacks remain years away.
One of Zcash’s key strategies is quantum recoverability, a framework designed to allow the network to withstand an initial quantum attack and upgrade safely before funds or privacy are compromised. Much of the protocol work for this approach has already been completed, with remaining updates primarily involving wallet software rather than consensus rules. Developers expect these wallet updates to be implemented next year, giving users a path to preserve their funds even if elliptic-curve cryptography fails. While Bitcoin’s network may struggle to coordinate an effective response, Zcash’s preparation and modular governance make it better positioned to adapt to future quantum threats without significant disruption. Source
The New York Stock Exchange has approved Grayscale’s Dogecoin and XRP exchange-traded funds, with trading scheduled to begin Monday. The approvals by NYSE Arca, confirmed through filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, allow the Grayscale XRP Trust ETF (GXRP) and Grayscale Dogecoin Trust ETF (GDOG) to go live. Grayscale’s ETF tied to Chainlink is expected to follow within the next week. The Dogecoin ETF converts an existing trust into an ETF that tracks DOGE prices, with first-day trading volume projected around $11 million, while the XRP ETF joins a growing number of competing products in the market.
The launch occurs amid a wave of new XRP ETFs from providers like Franklin Templeton, WisdomTree, Bitwise, 21Shares, and CoinShares, following regulatory easing after the U.S. government shutdown. Despite the influx of ETFs, XRP has seen an approximate 18% decline since early November, suggesting that market sentiment has not yet fully responded to the new investment vehicles. The approvals mark a notable step in the expansion of crypto-based ETFs in the U.S., reflecting growing institutional interest in offering investors regulated exposure to digital assets. Source
Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan argues that most digital asset treasury (DAT) companies are unlikely to trade at a premium over their underlying crypto holdings due to structural drag factors. He identifies illiquidity, operational expenses, and execution risk as persistent pressures that push DAT valuations below the value of their crypto assets. While a few exceptional firms may succeed in generating a premium, Hougan emphasizes that only a narrow set of strategies—such as issuing debt, lending tokens, using options, or buying assets at a discount—can potentially increase crypto-per-share, and even then only under the right conditions without introducing additional risk.
Hougan’s commentary reflects a broader market shift, as sentiment increasingly favors regulated spot and staking ETFs over DATs, which are seen as more complex and costly. Analysts argue that ETFs provide cleaner, more predictable exposure to crypto assets and replicate performance more reliably, reducing the appeal of DATs for most investors. While certain institutional investors who can only hold traditional securities may still find DATs useful, Hougan and others suggest that these use cases are limited, meaning the majority of DATs are likely to face persistent discounts rather than sustained premiums. Source
Jan van Eck, CEO of VanEck, warned that Bitcoin’s encryption and privacy could be at risk from future quantum computing developments, though he considers it a solid investment for now. He noted that the Bitcoin community is actively debating whether its current cryptography will be sufficient to withstand quantum threats and stated that VanEck would exit the market if the cryptocurrency’s foundational thesis were “fundamentally broken.” Despite these concerns, VanEck continues to offer multiple Bitcoin products, including a U.S. spot ETF that has seen over $1.2 billion in inflows since early 2024.
Van Eck highlighted that some Bitcoin enthusiasts are turning to privacy-focused tokens like Zcash for greater transactional anonymity, coinciding with Zcash’s recent surge of over 1,300% in three months. He also addressed market cycles, advising dollar-cost averaging during bear phases rather than chasing bull markets, and pointed to the upcoming 2026 halving as a potential bearish period. Overall, while he acknowledges long-term quantum risks, Van Eck recommends including Bitcoin in portfolios due to its liquidity and entrenched on-chain position, even amid recent price volatility. Source
Bitcoin has recorded its fourth consecutive weekly loss, marking the longest downtrend since June 2024, with its fourth-quarter performance on track to be the worst since 2018, down 24.43%. Despite the slump, on-chain data indicates potential underlying demand, as the aggregate spot bid-ask delta at 10% depth has spiked to the second-highest level in 2025, signaling dip-buying activity. Bitcoin has recovered slightly to around $87,400 following a November 21 low of $82,100, aided by rising odds of a December Federal Reserve rate cut, which have jumped from 40% to nearly 70%, reflecting shifting market expectations for monetary policy.
Market analysts caution, however, that a brief bull trap could occur below $80,000 before a sustained year-end recovery, as options traders continue to hedge with puts in the $80,000 to $85,000 range. Ongoing pressures from digital asset treasuries trading below net asset value and concerns over sticky inflation suggest that a full rebound may be delayed. While a potential recovery to $100,000 by the first quarter of 2026 is possible, sentiment remains in “extreme fear” territory, with key Federal Reserve decisions in early December expected to play a pivotal role in shaping Bitcoin’s short-term trajectory. Source
JPMorgan Chase closed the bank accounts of Strike CEO Jack Mallers in September, citing “concerning activity” without providing specifics, reigniting fears of debanking practices targeting crypto executives. The move comes despite a Trump executive order in August prohibiting the debanking of crypto-related initiatives, raising questions about the persistence of alleged campaigns like “Operation Chokepoint 2.0.” Mallers noted the lack of transparency from the bank, and industry observers warned that restricting crypto access could push innovation overseas and limit U.S. participation in digital finance.
The closure joins a broader context of high-profile banking restrictions in the crypto space, with some public figures, including Eric Trump, reporting similar experiences. While JPMorgan has taken steps to integrate crypto with its services—such as enabling Bitcoin and Ethereum as collateral for institutional loans and partnering with Coinbase for direct bank-to-wallet connections—the incident underscores ongoing tensions between traditional financial institutions and cryptocurrency companies. Experts caution that delegating account access decisions to regulators without clear standards may raise legal and democratic concerns, highlighting the fragility of crypto banking relationships in the U.S. 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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