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Ripple closed a transformative year in 2025, ending its multi-year legal battle with the SEC after both sides dropped their appeals, cementing an earlier ruling in Ripple’s favour as precedent for crypto asset classifications. The clearer regulatory environment helped XRP surge to an all-time high of 3.65, though the price later cooled to around 1.90 by December as ambitious forecasts like 5.50 fell out of reach. XRP climbed as high as the third-largest crypto asset by market cap and joined the ETF wave with launches from Rex Shares, Osprey Funds, Canary Capital, Grayscale, Bitwise, and Franklin Templeton, with nearly 1 billion in net inflows by mid-December.
Meanwhile, Ripple expanded aggressively as a broader financial services company. Its stablecoin RLUSD reached 1.3 billion in market cap after integration into tokenization platforms, payment services in Singapore, and even credit card settlements via Mastercard and WebBank, while also receiving conditional approval for a national bank charter. Ripple spent billions acquiring firms like Hidden Road and GTreasury, plus Rail and Palisade, to strengthen infrastructure and institutional reach. The expansion culminated in a 500 million strategic investment at a 40 billion valuation, signalling confidence in Ripple’s future beyond XRP and in the company’s ambitions to shape global crypto finance. Source
Brian Armstrong criticized banks for lobbying Congress to revise the GENIUS Act, warning that reopening the bill to restrict stablecoin rewards would cross a red line for Coinbase. He argued that banks are trying to limit yield-sharing mechanisms to protect deposits, even though the current law already prevents stablecoin issuers from paying direct interest while allowing platforms and third parties to offer rewards. Armstrong said banks earn around 4% on reserves while offering consumers far less, and predicted they will eventually lobby to pay yield on stablecoins once they recognize the opportunity.
The push to revisit the law includes efforts to classify indirect rewards as interest, which advocates like Max Avery say could restrict consumer access to yield products without evidence of harm to community banks. Armstrong dismissed the lobbying as wasted effort, calling it unethical and rooted in fear rather than data. Meanwhile, lawmakers are moving in a different direction with a proposal to exempt small stablecoin payments up to 200 dollars from capital gains taxes and to allow deferred taxation on staking and mining rewards for up to five years, signaling broader discussions on how to regulate crypto in everyday financial use. Source
Bitmain has sharply reduced prices on its ASIC mining hardware, offering discounts and bundle deals on multiple generations of machines, including the S19 and S21 series, as well as newer S21 immersion-cooled units discounted by 7 dollars per terahash-second. Some bundles were even auctioned with operators naming their own price. These sweeping price cuts reflect one of the worst profitability periods the mining sector has faced, with hashprice falling to about 35 dollars per terahash per day, well below the 40 dollar breakeven threshold, prompting some miners to consider shutting down equipment until conditions stabilize.
The industry’s struggle follows the April 2024 halving that cut block rewards to 3.125 BTC, coinciding with a downturn in Bitcoin’s price from an October peak above 126,000 dollars to lows around 80,000 dollars in November. Rising energy costs, regulatory pressure, and supply chain issues have further squeezed margins, forcing miners to explore renewable energy to reduce expenses. With Bitcoin now trading more than 7% lower than at the start of 2025 and nearly 20% below its post-inauguration high, the mining sector faces a reckoning as it contends with volatile economics and heightened competition. Source
The BNB Smart Chain’s Fermi hard fork will go live on mainnet on January 14 after a two-month testnet phase, cutting block intervals from 750 milliseconds to 250 milliseconds to enable sub-second settlement for time-sensitive applications. The update introduces extended voting parameters to offset communication delays from faster block production, and includes a new indexing feature that lets users access only the parts of the ledger they need instead of downloading the full history. This is designed to reduce computing overhead and support wider participation. The fork reflects the broader push in blockchain to match or outperform traditional financial infrastructure in speed and throughput.
BNB Chain processes about 222 transactions per second today, but it has a theoretical ceiling of more than 6,000, while legacy systems like Visa handle around 1,700 transactions per second. Faster block times are expected to improve usability for payments, high-frequency trading, and DeFi applications, where lag and slippage can lead to failed or inefficient trades. The chain’s active address count is nearing 2.9 million, close to Solana’s figures, signaling strong adoption as the network focuses on scaling to meet demand and reduce friction compared to centralized systems. Source
OpenSea and Magic Eden have shifted beyond NFTs as the market collapsed from a peak market cap of 184 billion in 2023 to 487 million, adding fungible token trading and new features to stay relevant. OpenSea rebuilt its platform into OS2 to include cross-chain DEX trading across 19 blockchains with a rewards system called Voyages, aiming to support whatever digital assets users want to trade. Despite hitting a record 2.41 billion in October DEX volume before falling to 581.48 million in November, the shift helped stabilize engagement, though still far behind major DEXs like Uniswap. Analysts say this expansion is a response to cooling NFT activity and the need to broaden economic foundations, rather than a simple pivot.
Magic Eden also integrated token trading, acquiring Slingshot and adding multi-chain support, but says it is instead focused on building a “crypto entertainment” ecosystem. Its Packs platform, featuring virtual packs with real-world assets like Pokémon cards, has already generated tens of millions in volume, and the company is planning new ventures including the Dicey crypto casino and sportsbook. Researchers note Magic Eden has been more aggressive in Solana and gaming spaces, positioning itself as an application layer for digital culture instead of a pure NFT marketplace. Both platforms are becoming cultural liquidity hubs, with long-term success depending on whether users see them as essential infrastructure as digital culture and tokenized economies evolve. Source
Uniswap has burned 100 million UNI, valued at about 596 million, in its first major onchain token reduction following overwhelming governance approval of the UNIfication proposal. The vote passed with 99.9% support, activating protocol fees and paving the way for future supply cuts to strengthen UNI’s economic model. The move is one of the largest token burns ever by a DeFi protocol and immediately reduced the circulating supply to around 730 million UNI out of 1 billion total. Several major figures in crypto governance backed the proposal, and UNI’s price rose more than 5% after the burn alongside increases in trading volume and market capitalization.
UNIfication also introduced fee changes, setting interface fees from Uniswap Labs to zero while activating fees on Uniswap v2 and select v3 Ethereum pools. Fees from Unichain will now contribute toward UNI burns after covering operational costs. To maintain growth while reducing supply, the Uniswap Foundation plans to allocate 20 million UNI as a Growth Budget to support ecosystem development, grant programs, and builders. These steps aim to reinforce Uniswap’s long-term sustainability and competitiveness in the DeFi landscape. Source
Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis says Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller’s proposal to grant crypto firms access to restricted “skinny” master accounts could curb debanking and effectively end what the industry calls Operation Chokepoint 2.0. These accounts would give crypto and fintech startups access to the Federal Reserve system in a limited way similar to traditional master accounts, supporting faster, cheaper, and more secure payments. The move signals a regulatory shift as US officials begin to view cryptocurrencies and fintech as essential to modernizing payments and financial infrastructure.
Despite President Trump’s executive order prohibiting banks from debanking without lawful cause, crypto firms have continued reporting account closures and frozen funds, including incidents involving Strike CEO Jack Mallers and stablecoin startups BlindPay and Kontigo. Some banks cited compliance and sanctioned jurisdiction risks, while others offered no explanation. Supporters argue that implementing skinny accounts could ensure fairer access and protect crypto companies from arbitrary debanking, helping rebuild trust between the industry and traditional financial institutions. Source
Markethive is introducing Hivepress and its Franchive model to reshape digital publishing by enabling individuals to launch and operate independent news sites with unique domains and IP addresses. Hivepress streamlines press release creation, submission, editing, and syndication across a widespread network while offering analytics tools that track performance and audience response. Franchives integrate with Markethive’s Sitemaker and over 100 customizable templates to simplify website building and automate content publishing, allowing owners to target specific niches or local markets without the traditional cost and complexity of starting a news outlet. The initiative includes a commission structure for press releases and sponsored articles, with site owners earning a percentage of publication fees while retaining full revenue from banner and video advertising.
The system emphasizes autonomy, brand independence, and flexible payment options including Bitcoin, credit cards, PayPal, and Hivecoin, with incentives to promote ecosystem adoption. A 500 setup fee supports SEO services to boost visibility and funds professional writers whose content is syndicated to Franchive sites, reducing the burden of content creation and strengthening each outlet’s authority. With growth projections reaching into the millions of potential sites, Markethive positions its network as a transformative force capable of dominating press release distribution through scale, financial empowerment, and decentralized infrastructure. The model aims to redefine digital media through a community-driven ecosystem that merges monetization, accessibility, and distributed reach for a new era in publishing. Source
Brian Armstrong argues that Bitcoin helps maintain the US dollar’s reserve currency status by acting as a counterbalance against inflation and excessive deficit spending. He claims that when markets fear overspending or rising inflation in the US, investors shift to Bitcoin, creating pressure on policymakers to maintain financial discipline. Armstrong believes this dynamic indirectly reinforces trust in the dollar and extends its global relevance, especially as US debt is rising by billions daily and inflation risks could otherwise threaten reserve status.
The article also notes rising interest in alternative assets like gold and Bitcoin during economic uncertainty, alongside legislative efforts such as the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and the Bitcoin Act of 2025, though neither currently involves direct purchasing. Some analysts suggest stablecoins may play an even greater role in sustaining dollar dominance by expanding global access to digital dollars and driving demand for US debt. With the stablecoin market valued at over 312.6 billion and projected to reach 2 trillion by 2028, and supported by recent regulatory frameworks like the GENIUS Act, many see dollar-backed digital assets as a crucial path to preserving influence. Source
Crypto firms surged into public markets in 2025 as improving conditions, renewed retail enthusiasm, and political support opened the IPO window after years of stalled attempts. Circle and Bullish, both of which previously failed to go public via SPAC deals, finally listed with dramatic early trading momentum; Circle’s debut was halted multiple times due to volatility and Bullish saw its valuation soar. eToro joined the wave with a Nasdaq listing that pushed its valuation to 5.4 billion, reflecting investor appetite even as it had scaled back crypto offerings the year before.
Kraken positioned itself to follow suit by filing for an IPO after raising 800 million and securing a 20 billion valuation, signaling confidence that regulatory reviews will clear the path for its debut. Behind them, companies like BitGo, Grayscale, and Blockchain.com explored IPO options, while others such as FalconX remained unconfirmed. The year marked a turning point reminiscent of Coinbase’s breakthrough in 2021, transforming crypto listings from sporadic exceptions to a crowded roster and setting expectations for an even larger class of offerings in 2026. Source
Ethereum’s staking network has seen a dramatic shift, with nearly twice as much ETH queued for staking as ETH waiting to exit. The entry queue now holds approximately 745,619 ETH with a 13-day wait, while the exit queue has around 360,518 ETH and an eight-day wait. The change began when both queues were roughly equal at 460,000 ETH, and the entry queue has since surged. Analysts note that staking indicates confidence and long-term holding, whereas unstaking reflects potential sell pressure, and this flip in the queue may signal reduced ETH selling pressure ahead.
Several factors appear to be driving the spike in the entry queue. Large digital asset treasuries like BitMine have staked substantial amounts of ETH, including over 342,000 ETH in just two days, while network upgrades such as Pectra have improved the staking process and increased maximum validator limits. Additionally, market dynamics including DeFi deleveraging may have contributed. Experts predict that if the exit queue reaches zero by early January, sell pressure on ETH could ease, supporting a stronger staking-driven network. Source
In 2025, long-term Bitcoin holders, including some who had held coins for over a decade, began selling massive amounts of BTC as the cryptocurrency reached new highs. These whale movements started after Bitcoin surpassed $100,000 in December 2024 and continued in waves through the summer and October, contributing to downward price pressure. Analysts have described this as a "great redistribution," with BTC transferring from long-term holders to new investors, while institutional buyers, ETFs, and digital asset treasuries absorbed much of the supply, helping stabilize the market despite large sales.
One of the largest whale transactions occurred in July when a Satoshi-era investor sold 80,000 BTC, worth around 9 billion, through Galaxy Digital. The coins were quickly purchased by companies like Strategy, limiting negative market impact. While Bitcoin’s price has fallen from its October peak of 126,000 to around 86,000, market dynamics are evolving due to new liquidity channels such as exchange-traded funds and corporate crypto treasuries. Analysts suggest that these shifts could alter the traditional bull-bear cycle, potentially setting the stage for further gains in 2026. Source
Mirae Asset Group is negotiating the acquisition of Korbit, South Korea’s fourth-largest cryptocurrency exchange, in a deal estimated between 100 billion and 140 billion won, or approximately 70 million to 100 million dollars. The acquisition would be led by Mirae Asset Consulting, a non-financial affiliate of the group, which has reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with Korbit’s major shareholders. Korbit is primarily owned by NXC and its subsidiary Simple Capital Futures, holding about 60.5% of the exchange, while SK Square owns an additional 31.5% stake. The exchange’s full operating license and compliance infrastructure make it an attractive option for a major financial group seeking regulated exposure to digital assets.
Despite its regulatory advantages, Korbit accounts for a small portion of South Korea’s crypto trading market, with just 5.75 million dollars in daily volume out of a total of 1.21 billion dollars across six domestic exchanges. This is significantly lower than competitors like Upbit, Bithumb, and Coinone. The potential acquisition comes amid broader consolidation in the South Korean crypto market, highlighted by Naver Financial’s plan to acquire Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, in a deal valued at 15.1 trillion won, signaling increasing interest from traditional financial firms in digital asset platforms. Source
USX, a Solana-based US dollar-pegged stablecoin, briefly traded below its dollar peg on decentralized exchanges due to heavy sell pressure that exceeded available liquidity on Orca and Raydium. The issuer, Solstice Finance, intervened by injecting liquidity into secondary markets, stabilizing USX near 99 cents. During the episode, isolated trades showed USX dipping as low as 10 cents, though aggregated data indicated a more moderate decline to around 80 cents where most trading volume occurred. Solstice confirmed that reserves remained overcollateralized, primary-market redemptions were unaffected, and 1:1 redemptions were still available for institutional partners with permissioned access.
The incident highlights potential risks in the rapidly growing stablecoin market, which has expanded to a market cap of over 308 billion dollars since July. Regulators and financial authorities have warned that volatility in dollar-pegged tokens could amplify financial stress, affect reserve asset markets, and influence inflation. The IMF and European Central Bank have noted that while regulatory frameworks like the GENIUS Act aim to mitigate risks, global oversight remains fragmented, and the spread of stablecoins across blockchains and exchanges may create interoperability and cross-border challenges. Source
Digital asset treasury companies, including those holding Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, face a challenging 2026 as valuations and investor confidence decline. Many of these firms, which expanded rapidly in 2025 to give Wall Street investors access to crypto, saw share prices initially rise with market peaks but have since been hit by broad declines. Executives predict that most Bitcoin treasury companies and those focused on altcoins will fail unless they can offer additional value beyond simply holding crypto, such as generating consistent returns or implementing strong treasury management frameworks. The outlook for the sector is particularly bleak for companies that lack proper operational structures and treat accumulation of crypto purely as a marketing strategy.
Survival in the downturn will likely favor companies that integrate yield strategies, manage assets actively, and maintain operational liquidity, rather than relying solely on holding digital assets. Bitcoin treasuries that align with traditional finance expectations, including transparency, compliance, and auditability, are better positioned to compete with crypto exchange-traded funds, which now provide regulated exposure and staking returns. Executives emphasize that the treasury model must evolve from speculative accumulation to structured financial management, linking with established finance infrastructure to sustain long-term viability. Source
The Flow blockchain faced a major disruption after a $3.9 million exploit allowed an attacker to mint tokens without authorization and move funds across bridges. In response, the Flow Foundation initially proposed a chain rollback to remediate the issue, prompting deBridge founder Alex Smirnov to advise validators to stop processing transactions until a clear plan was in place. The rollback plan sparked concern over doubled balances for users who bridged assets during the affected window and raised broader issues about undoing confirmed transactions, which can undermine trust in decentralization and network security. The incident caused the FLOW token to drop 42% following the exploit, while the blockchain itself became stuck at a single block height for several hours.
Following backlash, the Flow Foundation revised its approach, announcing a remediation plan that avoids a rollback and preserves legitimate user activity. Dapper Labs supported the new plan, noting that no user balances or assets, including its treasury, were affected. Critics argued that the initial rollback proposal could have caused greater financial harm to bridges, exchanges, and honest users. The episode highlights ongoing challenges in managing exploits on Layer 1 blockchains and the tension between rapid remediation and maintaining trust and operational stability within the ecosystem. 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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