Cointelegraph.com

Found 8821 news

  • Prenetics scraps Bitcoin strategy to focus on Beckham-backed nutrition brand
    Cointelegraph.com - 21:45 Dec 30, 2025
    The company will keep its Bitcoin holdings but stopped accumulating BTC as it shifts capital toward scaling its consumer health brand. Prenetics Global Limited halted its Bitcoin treasury buying program, ending daily purchases announced in June to refocus on its consumer health brand co-founded with former football player David Beckham. According to an announcement on Tuesday, the company paused its Bitcoin purchases on Dec. 4 and will not pursue additional BTC acquisitions, focusing instead on scaling its nutritional brand IM8, which Prenetics said surpassed $100 million in annualized recurring revenue within 11 months of launch. The company will keep 510 Bitcoin (BTC) on its balance sheets, along with more than $70 million in cash and cash equivalents. IM8, a subsidiary of Prenetics, sells an all-in-one daily nutrition supplement marketed as a replacement for multiple standalone products. Read more
  • South Korea delays crypto bill over stablecoin concerns: Report
    Cointelegraph.com - 19:52 Dec 30, 2025
    The introduction of a stablecoin bill pioneered by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will reportedly be delayed into 2026 after concerns about issuers. South Korean lawmakers have reportedly delayed submission of a cryptocurrency bill that could allow the issuance of domestic stablecoins as key issues remain unresolved. According to a Tuesday Yonhap News report, officials in South Korea’s government were continuing to work on the Digital Asset Basic Act, but expected to submit the bill sometime in 2026. The reported delay was due to “major issues that raise disagreements with relevant organizations, including stablecoin issuers.” The bill, proposed by the country’s ruling Democratic Party in June, would permit the issuance of stablecoins pegged to the won and is expected to boost South Korea’s crypto market. Under the proposed bill, stablecoin issuers would reportedly be required to entrust all their reserve assets to authorized custodies, like banks. Read more
  • How privacy prevailed in an otherwise dismal Q4 for crypto
    Cointelegraph.com - 18:30 Dec 30, 2025
    Relative outperformance by privacy-focused cryptocurrencies such as Zcash suggests defensive positioning as markets absorbed losses and broader structural stress. The digital asset sector is closing out a turbulent quarter marked by losses, strained market infrastructure and investor disappointment. Yet one corner of the market stood out: privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. According to Grayscale’s latest quarterly market summary, privacy emerged as an unexpected investment theme in the fourth quarter, with assets such as Zcash (ZEC) significantly outperforming the broader crypto market.  Zcash’s price surged in the fourth quarter, rising from about $50 in mid-September to a peak near $700 by mid-November, CoinMarketCap data shows. Read more
  • Cypherpunk lifts crypto treasury with $29M Zcash purchase
    Cointelegraph.com - 17:53 Dec 30, 2025
    The digital asset treasury company backed by Winklevoss Capital seeks to capture 5% of the total supply of the privacy-focused cryptocurrency. Nasdaq-listed Cypherpunk Technologies has expanded its crypto corporate treasury with a new purchase of Zcash tokens for about $29 million. According to Tuesday’s announcement, the company bought 56,418 Zcash (ZEC) paying an average price of $514 per token. The purchase brings Cypherpunk’s total holdings to 290,062.67 ZEC, or about 1.76% of the token’s circulating supply. Zcash, launched in 2016 as a Bitcoin fork, is a privacy-focused blockchain that uses zero-knowledge proofs to verify transactions without revealing the sender, recipient or transaction amount. Like Bitcoin, its native token has a 21 million cap. Read more
  • Grayscale moves toward exchange listing for TAO trust in US
    Cointelegraph.com - 17:15 Dec 30, 2025
    The proposed TAO investment vehicle, one of the first exchange-traded products that could be available to US markets, is expected to be listed on NYSE Arca following approval. Digital asset management company Grayscale Investments has filed to list and trade shares of an exchange-traded product (ETP) tied to Bittensor’s native token, TAO. In a Tuesday filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Grayscale filed an S-1 registration statement for shares of its Bittensor Trust (TAO). The filing came more than a year after the asset manager introduced the TAO trust and signals Grayscale’s move to transition its over-the-counter TAO product to NYSE Arca. The filing is subject to SEC review before listing under the ticker GTAO. The SEC has green-lit several exchange-traded fund offerings from Grayscale tied to cryptocurrencies, including those for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH). Read more
  • Ethereum quietly sets a record: 8.7M contracts deployed in one quarter
    Cointelegraph.com - 16:43 Dec 30, 2025
    Onchain development activity on Ethereum has rebounded sharply, driven by tokenized assets, stablecoins and infrastructure, according to Token Terminal. Despite sluggish Ether price action, developers are increasingly choosing Ethereum as a settlement layer, with the fourth quarter shaping up to be a record period for the network. Data from Token Terminal shows that the number of new smart contracts created and published on the Ethereum blockchain reached an all-time high of 8.7 million in the fourth quarter. The milestone marked a sharp rebound from the previous two quarters, when contract deployment activity was significantly lower. Read more
    Tags: Ethereum
  • XRP supply on exchanges hits 8-year lows: Will it spark a 2026 price rally?
    Cointelegraph.com - 15:12 Dec 30, 2025
    XRP exchange supply hitting eight-year lows has tightened the available supply for sale and set the stage for a potential 2026 supply-shock rally. XRP (XRP) held above a key demand zone that has provided support for its price throughout 2025. Will holding this level and a reducing balance on exchanges trigger the start of a sustained recovery in 2026? Key takeaways: XRP supply on exchanges has dropped to an eight-year low, signalling reduced selling pressure. Read more
    Tags: Will
  • How Strategy keeps buying Bitcoin during market downturns
    Cointelegraph.com - 14:30 Dec 30, 2025
    Strategy keeps buying Bitcoin during downturns by tapping equity markets and reserves, turning dilution and financing costs into a repeatable accumulation engine. Strategy funds its dip buying primarily through ATM equity sales rather than operating cash flow. Preferred shares and other financing tools add buying power but create ongoing dividend and interest obligations. A $1.44-billion reserve is intended to reduce “forced seller” concerns during prolonged market slumps. Read more
    Tags: Bitcoin
  • Russia targets unregistered crypto miners with new criminal penalties
    Cointelegraph.com - 14:15 Dec 30, 2025
    Russia’s justice ministry proposed fines and prison for illegal crypto mining, as officials say most miners still haven’t joined the tax register. Russia has proposed a new draft bill seeking to crack down on unregistered cryptocurrency miners in the country, following concerns from the finance minister about illegal mining activity. Russia’s Ministry of Justice has proposed imposing penalties of up to 1.5 million rubles (about $19,000) and up to two years of forced labor for illegal cryptocurrency mining, according to new draft amendments to the Criminal Code, published on Monday. For crypto mining activities involving outsized profits, the maximum sentence could reach up to five years in prison, 480 hours of forced labor, and a fine of up to 2.5 million rubles. Read more
    Tags: Russia
  • Strategy in 2026: Can its Bitcoin-first model hold up?
    Cointelegraph.com - 14:00 Dec 30, 2025
    As Strategy doubles down on its Bitcoin-first treasury approach, analysts warn that debt, dilution and market volatility could test the model’s resilience heading into 2026. In early 2025, Michael Saylor’s technology company MicroStrategy officially rebranded to Strategy and adopted a Bitcoin-themed visual marketing program to reflect its core focus as the world’s largest corporate BTC holder. As of Dec. 30, Strategy has accumulated 672,497 Bitcoin (BTC), valued at nearly $59 billion and acquired at an average price of $74,997 per coin. With Bitcoin trading near $88,000, the company is sitting on an unrealized gain of roughly 17%. However, despite the paper profits, pressure has been building. Strategy must continue servicing dividends and financing costs tied to the preferred shares and debt used to fund its Bitcoin purchases, creating fixed cash obligations regardless of Bitcoin’s price moves. Read more
  • CARF tax rules go live on Jan. 1: What crypto users and exchanges need to know
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:58 Dec 30, 2025
    CARF data collection starts Jan. 1, 2026, in 48 jurisdictions, including the UK and EU, pushing crypto platforms to gather tax residency details and report transactions. From Jan. 1, 2026, crypto users in 48 jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and the European Union, will start to feel the first real effects of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD’s) Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) as early‑moving jurisdictions begin collecting standardized data from exchanges and platforms. CARF requires in-scope providers to gather more detailed customer information, verify tax residency and report users’ balances and transactions annually to their domestic tax authorities, which will then share that data across borders under existing information‑exchange agreements. Lucy Frew, partner and head of the global Regulatory & Risk Advisory Group at international law firm Walkers, told Cointelegraph that CARF is a “game-changer,” and “set to reshape compliance for digital asset busine...
    Tags: CARF
  • How the UK plans to regulate crypto like traditional finance
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:10 Dec 30, 2025
    The UK plans to bring crypto in line with traditional finance by 2027, with FCA proposals shaping trading platforms, DeFi and oversight of political donations. The UK plans to bring cryptocurrency within the financial services perimeter by October 2027, shifting toward a structured regulatory regime. The Financial Conduct Authority has launched consultations to define standards and requirements for crypto firms, with final rules expected in 2026. The new framework marks a move away from basic Anti-Money Laundering registration toward a detailed licensing system that mirrors traditional financial products. Read more
  • Crypto executives share 6 stablecoin predictions for 2026
    Cointelegraph.com - 13:00 Dec 30, 2025
    Cointelegraph asked 20 crypto executives for their stablecoin predictions in 2026. We identified five key themes… and one stark warning. Stablecoins have shifted from speculative assets to essential infrastructure in emerging markets, and adoption in developed regions has surged. Yet the market remains divided. Some expect stablecoins to dominate through decentralized protocols, while others foresee tokenized deposits as the main growth driver. ​This raises critical questions about the future of money. Will stablecoins revolutionize payments globally, or will traditional banking adapt in ways that blur the lines? And critically, will stablecoins destabilize markets? Read more
  • Bitcoin 2026 bull case: Traders see 'strong signals' for 6-figure BTC price
    Cointelegraph.com - 12:44 Dec 30, 2025
    Traders spotted strong bullish signals for Bitcoin, including a potential bear trap reversal and a technical breakout projecting a rally to $107,000 next month. Bitcoin (BTC) entered its final week of the year down 30% from its $126,000 all-time high reached on Oct. 6. Has BTC finally peaked, or is there a relief in the cards going into 2026? Key takeaways: A typical "Christmas bear trap" may precede a potential relief rally into 2026. Read more
  • Binance confirms Visa, Mastercard withdrawal pause for Ukrainian users
    Cointelegraph.com - 12:25 Dec 30, 2025
    Binance has halted Visa and Mastercard withdrawals for Ukrainian users who relied on Bifinity services, citing changes linked to regulatory shifts. Binance has suspended card-based withdrawals for users in Ukraine, according to a notice sent to customers this week. The changes took effect on Monday and include the temporary halt of direct withdrawals to bank cards issued by Visa and Mastercard, several local Ukrainian news outlets reported. A Binance spokesperson confirmed the news to Cointelegraph, adding that the “announcement regarding changes to payment methods applies exclusively to users from Ukraine who previously used Bifinity services.” Read more
  • Lighter’s LIT tokenomics split DeFi as Polymarket bets top $74M
    Cointelegraph.com - 11:09 Dec 30, 2025
    Lighter’s LIT token launch sparked debate over insider ownership, while prediction markets and whale trades revealed divided expectations regarding valuation. Lighter, one of the fastest-growing perpetual decentralized exchanges (DEXs), drew mixed reactions in the decentralized finance (DeFi) community after unveiling the tokenomics of its new Lighter Infrastructure Token (LIT). Under its structure, 50% of LIT’s supply is reserved for the ecosystem, while the remaining 50% is allocated to the team and investors, with a one-year cliff and a multi-year vesting schedule. As part of the rollout, Lighter said it had already distributed 25% of LIT’s total supply through an airdrop tied to its first two points seasons, which ran throughout 2025. Read more
  • Bitcoin’s $90K rejection: Is BTC's digital gold narrative losing to bonds?
    Cointelegraph.com - 10:40 Dec 30, 2025
    Bitcoin's recovery relied on a shift toward the "digital gold" narrative, but global growth risks and strong equity markets have delayed that breakout. Key takeaways: Bitcoin failed to break $90,000 again as investors favored gold and bonds. S&P 500 record highs and lower interest rates have reduced Bitcoin’s appeal as a hedge compared to traditional equities. Read more
    Tags: Bitcoin
  • $11B Bitcoin whale sells $330M ETH, opens massive $748M longs in top cryptos
    Cointelegraph.com - 10:20 Dec 30, 2025
    An $11 billion Bitcoin whale is betting hundreds of millions of dollars on price increases of Bitcoin, Ether and Solana, while "smart money" traders remain net short on leading tokens. The $11 billion Bitcoin whale who correctly predicted the $19 billion October market crash is betting on the price appreciation of the top cryptocurrencies, signaling a potential market recovery. After cashing out $330 million in Ether (ETH), the whale opened three leveraged long positions worth a cumulative $748 million, betting on price increases of Bitcoin (BTC), Ether and Solana (SOL). The largest is an ETH long position worth $598 million, opened at $3,147, which faces liquidation if Ether’s price falls below $2,143, according to blockchain data platform Lookonchain’s Tuesday X post. Read more
    Tags: Bitcoin
  • Spot XRP ETFs maintain 29-day inflow streak despite turbulent December
    Cointelegraph.com - 09:40 Dec 30, 2025
    US-listed XRP ETFs continued to draw steady inflows through December, even as Bitcoin and Ether funds posted sharp monthly outflows. Spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States continued to attract capital through December, extending their inflow streak to 29 consecutive days despite choppy market conditions. According to data from SoSoValue, spot XRP (XRP) ETFs recorded $8.44 million in net inflows on Monday, pushing cumulative inflows to $1.15 billion since they launched. Total net assets stood at about $1.24 billion, even as XRP prices and broader crypto markets faced selling pressure during the month. “XRP inflows are a function of regulatory clarity and steady accumulation into a less crowded trade, than BTC/ETH,” Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at Kronos Research, told Cointelegraph, adding that XRP’s cross-border settlement use case “offers differentiated exposure that continues to attract longer-horizon capital.” Read more
    Tags: December
  • Metaplanet adds $450M in late-December buys, ending 2025 above 35,000 BTC
    Cointelegraph.com - 09:23 Dec 30, 2025
    Metaplanet added 4,279 BTC to take its treasury to 35,102 BTC, as its Bitcoin Income Generation business beat forecasts. Metaplanet added another 4,279 Bitcoin at an acquisition cost of about $451 million, bringing its total stack to 35,102 BTC (worth around $3 billion) as the Tokyo-listed firm leaned harder into a hybrid model of the Bitcoin treasury and income business.  In a Tuesday filing, the company also reported that revenue from its Bitcoin (BTC) Income Generation business had overshot previous forecasts, jumping to 8.58 billion Japanese yen (about $54 million) for 2025. Metaplanet’s revenue is driven by option-based strategies that turn its BTC into recurring cash flow rather than a dormant, volatile asset.​ These options-based strategies use a separate pool of Bitcoin to sell options, earn premiums and cycle those trades, while keeping Metaplanet’s core long-term BTC stash untouched. Read more

8821 items