Crypto

Cynthia Lummis is one of the key Republicans responsible for pushing members of Congress to pass a crypto market structure bill under consideration in the Senate. Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, one of the most outspoken advocates for digital assets in the current session of the US Congress, will leave office in 2027. In a Friday X post, Lummis announced that she would not seek reelection to the Senate in 2026. She was elected to a six-year term and assumed office in January 2021, quickly establishing herself as a blockchain and Bitcoin-focused politician who later aligned with US President Donald Trump’s crypto agenda. “Deciding not to run for reelection does represent a change of heart for me, but in the difficult, exhausting session weeks this fall I’ve come to accept that I do not have six more years in me,” said Lummis. “I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesn’t match up.” Read more

Cynthia Lummis is one of the key Republicans responsible for pushing members of Congress to pass a crypto market structure bill under consideration in the Senate. Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, one of the most outspoken advocates for digital assets in the current session of the US Congress, will leave office in 2027. In a Friday X post, Lummis announced that she would not seek reelection to the Senate in 2026. She was elected to a six-year term and assumed office in January 2021, quickly establishing herself as a blockchain and Bitcoin-focused politician who later aligned with US President Donald Trump’s crypto agenda. “Deciding not to run for reelection does represent a change of heart for me, but in the difficult, exhausting session weeks this fall I’ve come to accept that I do not have six more years in me,” said Lummis. “I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesn’t match up.” Read more

The Bank of Japan tightened policy on Dec. 18, lifting its benchmark rate to 0.75%, the highest since 1995. Governor Kazuo Ueda framed the move as a formal break with the “ultra-accommodative” regime that has helped fuel global risk-taking for decades. Following the news, Bitcoin was little changed near $87,800, but the calm surface belies […] The post Japan’s rate hike ends the ‘free money’ era and puts Bitcoin on notice appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Expanding the stablecoin yield prohibition to include the application layer is an anti-competitive practice, industry advocacy groups say. The Blockchain Association, a non-profit crypto advocacy organization, wrote a letter to the US Senate Committee on Banking, signed by over 125 crypto industry groups and companies, opposing the ban on third-party service providers and platforms offering customer rewards to stablecoin holders. Expanding the prohibition on stablecoin issuers sharing yield directly with customers, outlined in the GENIUS stablecoin regulatory framework, to include third-party service providers stifles innovation and leads to “greater market concentration,” the letter said. The letter compared the rewards offered by crypto platforms to those offered by credit card companies, banks and other traditional payment providers. Read more

Expanding the stablecoin yield prohibition to include the application layer is an anti-competitive practice, industry advocacy groups say. The Blockchain Association, a non-profit crypto advocacy organization, wrote a letter to the US Senate Committee on Banking, signed by over 125 crypto industry groups and companies, opposing the ban on third-party service providers and platforms offering customer rewards to stablecoin holders. Expanding the prohibition on stablecoin issuers sharing yield directly with customers, outlined in the GENIUS stablecoin regulatory framework, to include third-party service providers stifles innovation and leads to “greater market concentration,” the letter said. The letter compared the rewards offered by crypto platforms to those offered by credit card companies, banks and other traditional payment providers. Read more

FDIC reveals a path for bank-issued stablecoins under the GENIUS Act as corporate BTC treasuries expand, Anchorage buys Securitize’s RIA arm and Bhutan taps reserves. Washington is inching closer to putting bank-issued stablecoins on a clearer regulatory track. This week, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), the US agency that oversees bank safety and insures deposits, laid out a proposed framework for how insured banks, via subsidiaries, could seek approval to issue payment stablecoins under the GENIUS Act, a move that could reshape who gets to mint digital dollars and under what rules. That same push toward institutionalization is also evident elsewhere in the crypto business landscape. Despite Bitcoin’s (BTC) lackluster performance, corporate treasuries are still in accumulation mode, with American Bitcoin vaulting past ProCap in the race to stack BTC.  Read more

FDIC reveals a path for bank-issued stablecoins under the GENIUS Act as corporate BTC treasuries expand, Anchorage buys Securitize’s RIA arm and Bhutan taps reserves. Washington is inching closer to putting bank-issued stablecoins on a clearer regulatory track. This week, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), the US agency that oversees bank safety and insures deposits, laid out a proposed framework for how insured banks, via subsidiaries, could seek approval to issue payment stablecoins under the GENIUS Act, a move that could reshape who gets to mint digital dollars and under what rules. That same push toward institutionalization is also evident elsewhere in the crypto business landscape. Despite Bitcoin’s (BTC) lackluster performance, corporate treasuries are still in accumulation mode, with American Bitcoin vaulting past ProCap in the race to stack BTC.  Read more

In its annual predictions report, Galaxy’s analysts said onchain dollar transfers could process more volume next year than the US bank system that handles payroll and bill payments. Stablecoins could process more transaction volume than the US Automated Clearing House system in 2026, as regulatory clarity and rising adoption expand their usage, according to a new forecast. Galaxy Research, the research arm of digital asset company Galaxy Digital, pointed to existing transaction data and regulatory developments to support its prediction, noting that “stablecoin transactions already eclipse major credit card networks such as Visa and now process roughly half the transaction volume of the automated clearing house (ACH) system.” Thad Pinakiewicz, vice president of research, said stablecoin supply has continued to grow at a 30%–40% compound annual growth rate, with transaction volumes rising alongside issuance. Galaxy also cited the expected implementation of definitions under the GENIUS Act in early 2026 as a fac...

In its annual predictions report, Galaxy’s analysts said onchain dollar transfers could process more volume next year than the US bank system that handles payroll and bill payments. Stablecoins could process more transaction volume than the US Automated Clearing House system in 2026, as regulatory clarity and rising adoption expand their usage, according to a new forecast. Galaxy Research, the research arm of digital asset company Galaxy Digital, pointed to existing transaction data and regulatory developments to support its prediction, noting that “stablecoin transactions already eclipse major credit card networks such as Visa and now process roughly half the transaction volume of the automated clearing house (ACH) system.” Thad Pinakiewicz, vice president of research, said stablecoin supply has continued to grow at a 30%–40% compound annual growth rate, with transaction volumes rising alongside issuance. Galaxy also cited the expected implementation of definitions under the GENIUS Act in early 2026 as a fac...

The European Central Bank says it plans to support distributed ledger technology transactions from 2026, as debate intensifies over privacy protections in the proposed digital euro. The post ECB Confirms DLT Transactions Coming in 2026 as Digital Euro Privacy Debate Heats Up appeared first on Cryptonews.

U.S. crypto regulation entered a new phase this week, marked by a convergence with leadership changes, and a visible retreat from the enforcement-heavy posture that defined the previous regulatory cycle. The post Weekly Regulation Roundup: Pardons, Pullbacks, and a Pro-Crypto Reset in Washington appeared first on Cryptonews.

DraftKings launches a prediction markets app in 38 states, setting the stage for future crypto-linked contracts under a regulated US derivatives framework. DraftKings is expanding beyond sports betting into the realm of prediction markets, laying the groundwork for future crypto-linked contracts as regulated event trading gains momentum in the United States. As Bloomberg reported, the company announced on Friday that it has launched the DraftKings Predictions app, which allows users to trade contracts on sports and financial outcomes. At launch, the app is available in 38 states, with sports-related trading permitted in 17 of them. DraftKings ultimately plans to expand its prediction market offerings beyond sports and finance to include contracts linked to crypto, entertainment and cultural events, according to Bloomberg. Read more

DraftKings launches a prediction markets app in 38 states, setting the stage for future crypto-linked contracts under a regulated US derivatives framework. DraftKings is expanding beyond sports betting into the realm of prediction markets, laying the groundwork for future crypto-linked contracts as regulated event trading gains momentum in the United States. As Bloomberg reported, the company announced on Friday that it has launched the DraftKings Predictions app, which allows users to trade contracts on sports and financial outcomes. At launch, the app is available in 38 states, with sports-related trading permitted in 17 of them. DraftKings ultimately plans to expand its prediction market offerings beyond sports and finance to include contracts linked to crypto, entertainment and cultural events, according to Bloomberg. Read more

Bitcoin and several major altcoins are attempting to start a recovery, but negative investor sentiment and selling at the range highs are preventing a stronger bull trend from forming. Key points: Bitcoin is attempting a recovery from the $84,000 level, but the bears continue to sell on rallies. Several major altcoins are struggling to start a recovery, but Bitcoin Cash looks strong in the near term. Read more

Bitcoin and several major altcoins are attempting to start a recovery, but negative investor sentiment and selling at the range highs are preventing a stronger bull trend from forming. Key points: Bitcoin is attempting a recovery from the $84,000 level, but the bears continue to sell on rallies. Several major altcoins are struggling to start a recovery, but Bitcoin Cash looks strong in the near term. Read more

Securities and Exchange Commission filed proposed consent judgments seeking decade-long prohibition for Caroline Ellison and eight-year restrictions for Gary Wang and Nishad Singh, formalizing settlement terms despite their extensive testimony against Sam Bankman-Fried during criminal proceedings. The post SEC Seeks 10-Year Ban for Ellison, 8 Years for Wang and Singh appeared first on Cryptonews.

Keonne Rodriguez said on social media that he will report to prison on Friday to begin his five-year sentence for operating an illegal money transmitter. Keonne Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty to one felony count related to his role at Samourai Wallet, is calling on US President Donald Trump to pardon him, citing similar language that has been successful in previous pardon applications. In a Thursday X post, Rodriguez said he would report to prison on Friday, where he will serve a five-year sentence for operating an illegal money transmitter. The Samourai co-founder claimed there were no “victims” to his crime, and blamed his incarceration on “lawfare perpetrated by a weaponized Biden DOJ.”  In a message tagging Trump, Rodriguez expressed hope that the US president would issue a federal pardon for him and William “Bill” Lonergan Hill, another Samourai executive who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years. Rodriguez blamed “activist judges” for his legal troubles, claiming he was targeted by a “political ...

Keonne Rodriguez said on social media that he will report to prison on Friday to begin his five-year sentence for operating an illegal money transmitter. Keonne Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty to one felony count related to his role at Samourai Wallet, is calling on US President Donald Trump to pardon him, citing similar language that has been successful in previous pardon applications. In a Thursday X post, Rodriguez said he would report to prison on Friday, where he will serve a five-year sentence for operating an illegal money transmitter. The Samourai co-founder claimed there were no “victims” to his crime, and blamed his incarceration on “lawfare perpetrated by a weaponized Biden DOJ.”  In a message tagging Trump, Rodriguez expressed hope that the US president would issue a federal pardon for him and William “Bill” Lonergan Hill, another Samourai executive who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years. Rodriguez blamed “activist judges” for his legal troubles, claiming he was targeted by a “political ...

ETH's leverage ratio just reached an all-time high, signaling aggressive risk-taking as traders chase a rebound.

BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, IBIT, has emerged as a notable outlier on the 2025 ETF flow leaderboard, ranking sixth by year-to-date inflows despite posting a negative return for the year, according to data highlighted by Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Eric Balchunas. The post Bitcoin ETF IBIT Ranks Among Top 2025 Fund Flows Despite Negative Returns appeared first on Cryptonews.