Cointelegraph.com
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Cointelegraph.com - 00:44 Dec 31, 2025
Former Binance boss Changpeng Zhao has praised Pakistan for its speedy crypto adoption in 2025, saying the country is on track to become a crypto leader by 2030. Pakistan's ability to “move fast” with crypto regulation and adoption could make it a world leader in crypto by 2030, according to former Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao. In a recent interview with Pakistan Crypto Council CEO Bilal bin Saqib, CZ credited Pakistan’s leadership for recognizing the demand for digital assets among its relatively young and tech-savvy population. “If we keep moving at this speed in five years, Pakistan will be the crypto leader, one of the crypto leaders in the world,” said CZ, who serves as strategic adviser to the crypto council. Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 00:21 Dec 31, 2025
Investors will be more excited about crypto if the Fed continues cutting rates in 2026, says a crypto analyst. The aggressiveness of Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026 will determine whether retail investors return to the crypto market next year, according to a crypto analyst. But there are doubts about how likely the Fed is to continue cutting, after already making three reductions in 2025. Clear Street managing director Owen Lau told CNBC on Tuesday that Fed rate decisions are “one of the key catalysts for the crypto space in 2026.” Read more -
Cointelegraph.com - 21:54 Dec 30, 2025
The possible retrial of two brothers alleged to have exploited the Ethereum blockchain could come soon, but the US government argued one amicus brief isn't relevant to consider. The US government has filed a letter opposing the introduction of an amicus brief from the digital asset advocacy group DeFi Education Fund as the court considers a possible retrial for two brothers allegedly behind a $25 million exploit of the Ethereum blockchain. In a Tuesday filing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, interim US Attorney Jay Clayton submitted a letter to Judge Jessica Clarke requesting that a brief from the DeFi Education Fund (DEF) not be accepted while the court considers a motion to dismiss the case against Anton and James Peraire-Bueno. “Detached from the trial record, the brief merely recites legal arguments already rejected by this Court,” said Clayton, referring to the DeFi Education Fund’s amicus brief, adding: Read more -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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... -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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
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