Ether price held $2,800 support amid ETF inflows and undervalued signals, but $3,000 resistance and Bank of Japan rate hike fears stopped the recovery. Ether (ETH) fell to $2,800 on Monday, failing to hold $3,000 as surging expectations of a Bank of Japan rate hike unnerved the market. Meanwhile, technicals and onchain data sent mixed signals on Ether’s ability to buck the downtrend. Key points: Ethereum price fell 5.5% on Monday, dropping below $3,000 again amid Bank of Japan rate-hike fears. Read more
South Korean lawmakers set a Dec. 10 deadline for a stablecoin regulation draft, warning they’ll legislate independently if regulators miss the deadline. South Korean lawmakers are pressing financial regulators to deliver a draft stablecoin bill by a deadline set for later this month, as disagreements over the role of banks continue to stall progress. According to a Monday report by a local news outlet, Maeil Business Newspaper, South Korea’s ruling party sent a “last-minute notice” to financial regulators to submit a stablecoin regulatory framework draft by Dec. 10. Kang Joon-hyun, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party, said, “If the government bill does not come over within this deadline, we will take a drive through legislation by the secretary of the political affairs committee.” If it is delivered in time, he expects the bill will be discussed at the extraordinary session of the National Assembly in January 2026. Read more
Prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi surge for the pro-crypto candidate as Trump’s likely Fed chair pick, just as internal Fed reforms spark pushback from veterans. Prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi view Kevin Hassett, US President Donald Trump’s National Economic Council director, as the favorite to replace Jerome Powell as the next Federal Reserve chair. The odds of Hassett filling the seat have spiked to 66% on Polymarket and 74% on Kalshi at the time of writing. Hassett is widely viewed as crypto‑friendly thanks to his past role on Coinbase’s advisory council, a disclosed seven‑figure stake in the exchange and his leadership of the White House digital asset working group. Founder and CEO of Wyoming-based Custodia Bank, and a prominent advocate for crypto-friendly regulations, Caitlin Long, commented on X: Read more
Crypto ETPs rebound with $1.07 billion inflows after four weeks of losses, while XRP hits record weekly gains amid US ETF launches. Cryptocurrency investment products snapped a four-week losing streak, drawing about $1 billion in fresh money after four consecutive weeks of losses totaling $5.5 billion. Crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) recorded $1.07 billion of inflows last week, their first week of gains since late October, according to the European crypto asset manager CoinShares. James Butterfill, CoinShares’ head of research, attributed the rebound to optimism over a potential US interest rate cut, following remarks from Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) member John Williams. Read more
HKEX published a post-hearing information pack for HashKey Holdings, pushing Hong Kong’s top crypto exchange closer to a high-profile IPO. HashKey Holdings, the parent company of one of Hong Kong’s biggest licensed crypto exchanges, moved a step closer to a public listing, according to new filings from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). On Monday, the HKEX published a 633-page post-hearing information pack for HashKey Holdings. The document was published at the request of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and the local financial regulator, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). A post-hearing information pack is only published after HKEX’s listing committee formally clears an applicant at the listing hearing. In other words, without explicitly stating it, this document indicates that HashKey has moved closer to listing on the exchange and is progressing toward its initial public offering (IPO). Read more
Bitcoin gained fresh BTC price crash predictions as it fell to $85,000 in flash volatility at the monthly close amid a lack of liquidity. Bitcoin (BTC) threatens a fresh crash as December begins with a snap 5% BTC price drawdown. Bitcoin price volatility hits around the November monthly close, with BTC/USD falling to near $85,000. Analysis blames a lack of market liquidity, while history warns that bearishness may continue in December. Read more
Sony Bank is reportedly pursuing a US license and partnering with Bastion as it develops a 2026 dollar stablecoin connected to its growing Web3 unit, BlockBloom. Sony Bank, the online lending subsidiary of Sony Financial Group, is reportedly preparing to launch a stablecoin that will enable payments across the Sony ecosystem in the US. Sony is planning to issue a US dollar-pegged stablecoin in 2026 and expects it to be used for purchases of PlayStation games, subscriptions and anime content, Nikkei reported on Monday. Targeting US customers — who make up roughly 30% of Sony Group’s external sales — the stablecoin is expected to work alongside existing payment options such as credit cards, helping reduce fees paid to card networks, the report said. Read more