Crypto’s next phase of growth is unfolding quietly, with crypto narratives shifting toward everyday use. Adoption in 2026 is increasingly shaped by how people already use crypto in daily financial life.

In an interview with BeInCrypto, representatives from CakeWallet and SynFutures explained where crypto is realistically headed over the next year. According to them, payments, savings, and risk management are replacing speculation as the main drivers of sustained activity.

Crypto as Everyday Money

One of the clearest signs of real crypto adoption heading into 2026 is its growing role as everyday money, particularly in regions where traditional financial systems are unreliable or inaccessible. 

Rather than being used for speculation, crypto is increasingly becoming a practical tool for saving, spending, and transferring value.

“The answer to this varies widely based on where in the world you are, but I see two massive cases for growth in 2026,” said Seth for Privacy, Vice President of CakeWallet. “The first is in the Global South, where demand for stablecoins has skyrocketed in the last few years.”

Crypto adoption shifts from wallet counts to weekday spending as new behavioral metrics and loyalty economics redefine what real usage means. pic.twitter.com/Hv014vx6Ej

— Kira (@Kira_Crypto247) December 22, 2025

In these regions, crypto often fills gaps left by inflation, capital controls, or weak banking infrastructure. Stablecoins, in particular, allow people to hold value in a currency that does not rapidly depreciate, while remaining easy to transfer.

“The possibility for an average person in Nicaragua, for instance, to use stablecoins like USDT in a privacy-preserving way to store wealth and pay for real needs will help to protect and shield them against malice and theft,” the executive explained.

As crypto becomes more visible, privacy also becomes more important. For users relying on crypto for daily expenses, protecting transaction data is less about ideology and more about personal safety. 

In this context, adoption is driven by necessity rather than enthusiasm, and growth continues regardless of market cycles.

As these use cases mature, the tools supporting them—especially stablecoins—are becoming increasingly central to how crypto functions globally.

Stablecoin Yield and Payments

While stablecoins have long been associated with emerging markets, their role is expanding rapidly across more developed economies as well. In 2026, they are increasingly positioned as a core financial tool rather than a temporary bridge between crypto and fiat.

“By far the biggest market left untapped today is the West,” Seth said. “Many people have overlooked the usefulness of stablecoins due to easy access to banking and fiat on-ramps.”

Our 2026 Infra Year Ahead Report is out now!

Stablecoins have become the most important infrastructure story in crypto.

Every fintech wave promised to fix payments but just layered better UX on the same infrastructure. Revolut and Nubank delivered better experiences while… pic.twitter.com/zEhC6sndmv

— Delphi Digital (@Delphi_Digital) December 17, 2025

However, that perception may shift as users begin to compare the speed and simplicity of stablecoin transfers with traditional financial rails. For many, the appeal lies in avoiding delays, fees, and unnecessary intermediaries.

“Once these users grasp how much easier it is to move back and forth between something like Bitcoin and USDT instead of fiat, the pace of adoption will escalate exponentially,” he added. 

Stablecoins are increasingly shaping how on-chain financial activity functions. More users will likely be attracted to stablecoins for passive income in 2026, tapping into DeFi yield.

“Stablecoins are becoming the base layer of DeFi trading and derivatives markets,” said Wenny Cai, COO at SynFutures. She added that, rather than sitting idle, these assets are increasingly used as active balances. Users are beginning to treat stablecoins as “working capital—funds that are actively deployed, not just parked.”

This shift in how value is held and moved is also changing how users interact with crypto beyond simple payments.

When Usage Becomes Intentional

As crypto markets mature, user behavior is changing alongside them. Instead of chasing short-term price movements, many users are focusing on using crypto in more controlled and intentional ways.

“We’ll see them shift to using crypto as money, finally!” Seth told BeInCrypto. “When speculation dies down and prices stabilize, we will continue to see massive growth in usage of crypto to actually pay for goods and services.”

At the same time, some users are engaging with tools that allow them to better manage exposure and uncertainty. According to Cai, retail users in 2026 are gravitating toward active capital management, not passive speculation.

Rather than overdiversifying, users are narrowing their focus.

“Instead of buying and holding dozens of tokens, users increasingly prefer to trade major assets with leverage, hedge downside risk, or deploy structured strategies—all on-chain,” she explained.

While the underlying mechanics can be complex, the motivation is straightforward. Users want more control, clearer outcomes, and fewer surprises.

As user behavior evolves, adoption is also broadening across different groups and industries.

DeFi and TradFi Integration

Crypto adoption in 2026 is not limited to a single demographic. 

Instead, it spans individuals, businesses, and professional market participants, each driven by different needs.

“The biggest overall growth is still happening in the Global South, where real people have real needs today, not just a desire to speculate,” Seth explained. “Poor access to banking, rapidly depreciating fiat currencies, and harsh remittance controls make these countries especially ready to accelerate their usage of crypto in 2026.”

"But no one uses it as money!"

For years, skeptics dismissed Bitcoin with the same tired line: "No one actually uses it for payments."

That argument no longer stands up under scrutiny.

As of mid-December 2025, there are now 24,113 verified bitcoin-accepting merchants… pic.twitter.com/xpL00iY8cp

— Alex Stanczyk ∞/21m (@alexstanczyk) December 17, 2025

In parallel, professional users are increasingly integrating crypto tools into existing operations.

“Beyond fintech, trading firms, digital asset managers, and online brokerages are leading adopters of DeFi tools in 2026,” Cai said.

What has changed is readiness. Infrastructure has improved, platforms are more stable, and tools now support consistent, high-volume activity. As a result, adoption is no longer framed as experimentation but as a practical business decision.

Yet even as adoption broadens, one challenge continues to shape how far crypto can realistically expand.

Platforms that Make Crypto Easy to Use

Across both interviews, one common conclusion stands out: the main barrier to broader adoption is no longer technical capability, regulation, or liquidity.

“Absolutely user experience,” said Seth when asked what would most unlock crypto’s growth in 2026. “For too long, crypto tools have been built ‘by nerds and for nerds’.”

Cai echoed that view from the trading side. 

“The infrastructure works, liquidity exists, and demand is proven—but advanced trading tools still feel intimidating to many users,” she said.

As crypto enters its next phase, success will increasingly depend on clarity and simplicity. Platforms that make powerful tools feel intuitive and safe are likely to capture sustained usage.

In 2026, the crypto narratives that matter most may be the ones users barely notice—because they simply work.

The post What are the Top Crypto Narratives Worth Paying Attention to in 2026? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

This year, crypto looked less like an experiment and more like a maturing market, shaped by institutional consolidation, faster-moving regulation, and growing macroeconomic pressure. 

As the industry moves toward 2026, its direction will depend on which assets can withstand institutional scrutiny and how recession risk, monetary policy shifts, and stablecoin adoption reshape crypto’s place within the dollar-based financial order.

Institutional Capital Forces Crypto Consolidation

Throughout 2025, BeInCrypto spoke with veteran investors and leading economists to assess where the crypto industry is headed and what lies ahead for a sector long defined by uncertainty.

Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary starts from a simple premise. As institutional capital moves in, crypto shifts away from endless token hunting and toward a narrow set of assets that can justify long-term allocation.

He pointed to his own experience as a case study. O’Leary began as a crypto skeptic, but as regulation started to take shape, he chose to gain exposure.

At first, that meant buying broadly. His portfolio grew to 27 tokens. He later concluded that the approach was excessive. Today, he holds just three cryptocurrencies, which he said are more than enough for his needs.

“If you statistically look at the volatility of just Bitcoin and Ethereum and a stablecoin for liquidity… That’s all I need to own,” O’Leary told BeInCrypto in a podcast episode.

For O’Leary, each asset serves a specific function. He described Bitcoin as an inflation hedge, often comparing it to digital gold defined by scarcity and decentralization. 

Ethereum, by contrast, serves not as a currency but as core infrastructure for a new financial system, with long-term growth tied to its technology. Stablecoins, he noted, were held for flexibility rather than upside.

🦈 Kevin O’Leary says Ethereum is not just a trend but a market shift.

What drives this shift: scalability, trust, or something bigger? pic.twitter.com/yLV5sE7Bhi

— BeInCrypto (@beincrypto) September 9, 2025

That framework informs his outlook for 2026. As regulation advances and institutional participation deepens, O’Leary expects capital to concentrate around Bitcoin and Ethereum as the market’s core holdings. Other tokens will struggle to justify sustained allocation and will compete largely on the margins.

In that environment, crypto investing shifts away from speculation and toward disciplined portfolio construction, closer to how traditional asset classes are managed.

But even as investors narrow their holdings, the issue of who ultimately controls crypto’s monetary rails is becoming more complicated.

Dollar Control Moves Onchain

While investors like O’Leary focus on narrowing exposure, Greek economist and former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis pointed to a different shift.

In a BeInCrypto podcast episode, he argued that control over crypto’s monetary infrastructure is tightening, particularly as stablecoins move under closer state and corporate oversight.

Varoufakis pointed to recent US policy as a turning point. By advancing legislation such as the GENIUS Act, Washington is embracing a stablecoin-based extension of the dollar system. Rather than challenging the existing financial order, stablecoins are being positioned to reinforce it.

Wall Street’s next move to control crypto https://t.co/ixPa4ZoOZh

— Yanis Varoufakis (@yanisvaroufakis) October 30, 2025

He linked this approach to the logic of the so-called Mar-a-Lago Accord, which seeks to weaken the dollar’s exchange value while preserving its dominance in global payments. That contradiction sits at the center of his concern.

Varoufakis warned that this model outsources monetary power to private issuers, increasing financial concentration while reducing public accountability. The risks, he said, extend beyond the US, as dollar-backed stablecoins spread across foreign economies.

“As we speak, there are Malaysian companies, Indonesian companies, and companies here in Europe that increasingly use Tether… which is a huge problem. Suddenly, these countries… end up with central banks that do not control their money supply. So their capacity to effect monetary policy diminishes and that introduces instability,” Varoufakis said in a BeInCrypto podcast episode.

Looking ahead to 2026, he described stablecoins as a systemic fault line. 

A major failure could trigger a cross-border financial shock, exposing crypto’s deepest vulnerability, not volatility, but its growing entanglement with legacy power structures.

These risks remain largely theoretical in calm conditions. The real test comes when growth slows, liquidity tightens, and markets begin to strain.

Former economic advisor to Ronald Reagan, Steve Hanke, warned that such a stress test is approaching.

Economic Slowdown Stress Tests Markets

In a BeInCrypto podcast episode, the Johns Hopkins professor of applied economics said the US economy is heading toward a recession, driven not by inflation but by policy uncertainty and weak monetary growth.

Hanke pointed to inconsistent tariff policy and expanding fiscal deficits as key drags on investment and confidence. 

“When you have that, investors that are investing in, let’s say, a new factory or something, hunker down and say, ‘well, we’re going to wait and let the dust settle to see what’s going to happen.’ They stop investing,” Hanke said.

As economic conditions deteriorate, Hanke expects the Federal Reserve to continue to respond with looser monetary policy.

He did not address crypto directly. His macro outlook, however, defines the conditions under which crypto will be tested.

Tight liquidity followed by sudden easing has historically exposed weaknesses across financial markets, particularly in systems reliant on leverage or fragile confidence.

For crypto, the implication is structural rather than speculative. 

In an environment shaped by recession risk and policy volatility, stress reveals what growth conceals. What endures is not what expands fastest, but what is built to withstand contraction.

The post Three Financial Giants Predict Why Crypto Faces Its Hardest Test Yet in 2026 appeared first on BeInCrypto.

In 2025, the most influential narratives in crypto shifted away from hype toward utility and systems delivering measurable, real-world impact. The year marked a transition to production-ready systems that enhance the global movement and settlement of value.

Experts from SynFutures, Brickken, and Cake Wallet said that stablecoins, privacy, tokenized assets, and applied AI shaped adoption through genuine demand rather than speculation.

The Year Crypto Became Infrastructure

In many ways, 2025 was an exceptional year. It marked the first time crypto reached this level of institutional integration, with users often interacting with crypto rails without consciously engaging with “crypto” as a product.

While the sector remained shaped by volatility, only a few crypto narratives stood out for their practical utility. By contrast, those driven primarily by hype and sensationalism faded quickly.

In conversations with BeInCrypto, industry representatives offered a consistent assessment: narratives grounded in integration and execution endured, while novelty-driven stories steadily lost relevance.

Despite a wide range of narratives, stablecoins consistently emerged as the most frequently cited theme.

Stablecoins Became Crypto’s Core Use Case

Stablecoins have helped bridge the gap between risk-tolerant crypto participants and more cautious users seeking limited exposure to an industry long associated with volatility.

By maintaining a peg to assets such as the US dollar or gold, stablecoins positioned themselves as a more reliable alternative to other types of digital assets. Their borderless nature also gave them particular appeal over fiat currency.

Our 2026 Infra Year Ahead Report is out now!

Stablecoins have become the most important infrastructure story in crypto.

Every fintech wave promised to fix payments but just layered better UX on the same infrastructure. Revolut and Nubank delivered better experiences while… pic.twitter.com/zEhC6sndmv

— Delphi Digital (@Delphi_Digital) December 17, 2025

Regulatory milestones, including the passage of the GENIUS Act, further strengthened confidence in stablecoins, allowing their utility and infrastructure efficiency to stand on their own merits.

“Stablecoins solved a very concrete, everyday problem: moving and settling money efficiently across borders without relying on slow, fragmented, and expensive banking rails,” said Brickken CEO Edwin Mata. “For users, they provided access to digital dollars and euros in jurisdictions where banking access is limited, costly, or unreliable,” he added. 

The impact was concrete, not theoretical, as Stripe and Visa integrated stablecoins into settlement and treasury operations. At the same time, Circle enabled businesses to use USDC as working capital rather than as a speculative asset.

As stablecoins matured into dependable settlement tools, they enabled the expansion of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).

Tokenization Advanced Beyond Pilot Programs

According to SynFutures CEO Rachel Lin, RWAs managed to bridge the gap between traditional finance and crypto. However, the way this was achieved wasn’t comprehensive. 

The success of RWAs was actually much more selective than previously anticipated. 

“Tokenized treasuries, funds, and yield products showed real traction because they offered tangible benefits: better settlement, composability, and broader access,” Lin told BeInCrypto, adding, “However, 2025 also clarified that RWAs only work when legal clarity, liquidity, and credible issuers are in place. The narrative moved from experimentation to execution, but it’s still early.”

The evidence spoke for itself, with large banks and asset managers relying on tokenization to improve efficiency. Earlier this week, JPMorgan launched a tokenized money market fund on Ethereum, marking a move beyond internal testing or pilot programs. 

Meanwhile, asset managers such as BlackRock expanded tokenized fund offerings, and banks integrated stablecoins into treasury and settlement workflows.

Another narrative that drew widespread attention across industries, particularly within the crypto sector, was artificial intelligence (AI).

Where AI Delivered Measurable Value

Early AI hype centered on fears that autonomous agents would replace human decision-making, a narrative that quickly lost momentum. 

What endured was a more practical focus on how AI could enhance the user experience by helping individuals understand exposure and manage risk.

“AI added real value where it reduced cognitive and operational complexity—particularly in trading interfaces, risk controls, and decision support. Products that used AI to help users understand exposure, automate execution within guardrails, or avoid costly mistakes delivered tangible improvements,” Lin explained.

The rise of AI agents also generated significant attention, though expectations became more measured over the year. 

Their success depended less on autonomy and more on trust, auditability, and user-defined limits. Use cases such as liquidity management, automated strategy execution, and treasury optimization demonstrated potential when clear guardrails were in place.

Yet, as AI became more deeply embedded in crypto products, it also sharpened long-standing concerns around data exposure.

This convergence pushed privacy from a niche concern into a central narrative of 2025.

Why Privacy Could No Longer Wait

Privacy emerged as one of the most consequential crypto narratives of the year, driven by growing awareness of how financial systems expose user information and behavior. 

spent last night deep in the a16z state of crypto 2025 report…

and wow, privacy is quietly becoming the next trillion-dollar narrative

> google searches for “crypto privacy” and “financial privacy” are up 10x since january
> total flows through railgun passed $200M
> zcash’s… https://t.co/zv36Kcgi10 pic.twitter.com/T8p3EsR9Hn

— Pix🔎 (@PixOnChain) October 24, 2025

As a result, long-standing concerns around data visibility moved to the forefront. In parallel, privacy, once treated as a niche preference, increasingly appeared as a structural requirement.

“One of the biggest narrative shifts in the industry to date happened this year, where people woke up to the need (and market demand) for simple, approachable privacy for their money,” Seth for Privacy, Vice President of Cake Wallet, told BeInCrypto.

Rising usage of Monero, increased global media attention on Zcash, and a broader shift toward privacy features across stablecoin and Layer 2 networks reinforced this pivot. 

“All of that solves one of the biggest painpoints of crypto for users – how do I retain privacy that I have today in the financial system or with cash, with the decentralization and power of crypto?” Seth added. 

The rise of privacy solutions, alongside other successful narratives of the past year, reinforced that crypto adoption increasingly hinges exclusively on utility. 

As crypto continues to mature, success may be defined not by how loudly it announces itself, but by how reliably it works.

The post Why 2025 Became the Year Crypto Stopped Chasing Hype appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Kontigo is gaining traction by promoting a stablecoin-first banking model as a global alternative to traditional financial services.

At the same time, its rapid rise has prompted skepticism within the crypto community. The model has raised questions over whether it can scale sustainably without repeating the missteps that have defined past industry failures.

Kontigo’s Rapid Rise Draws Attention

A new bank building its entire identity around stablecoins is rapidly climbing the ranks of the financial services industry.

Kontigo positions itself as a stable-currency platform offering self-custodial wallet services that allow users to store value in Bitcoin and spend in local stablecoins, with all transactions recorded on the blockchain.

On Tuesday, Kontigo CEO Jesus Castillo announced that the company had raised $20 million in a seed funding round to pursue its ambition of building the world’s largest bank. 

We just raised a $20M seed round to build the largest bank in the world.

Kontigo crossed $30M in annual revenue, $1B in payment volume, and 1M users in under 12 months, with a team of six engineers and one designer.

We are the fastest-growing stablecoin neobank in the world.… pic.twitter.com/pOmQ6gSy2H

— Jesus A. Castillo F. (@jecastillof) December 16, 2025

Castillo also described Kontigo as the fastest-growing stablecoin neobank globally. He said the platform allows individuals and businesses to earn a 10% yield on digital dollars, use a stablecoin-linked card with Bitcoin cashback, and invest in tokenized US stocks, among other features.

The leadership team says Kontigo aims to expand access to basic financial services to nearly 5 billion people worldwide. Prominent institutional investors, including Base and Coinbase Ventures, back the company.

Despite gaining significant traction almost immediately, Kontigo has also faced skepticism. Some observers questioned whether it represents a familiar crypto narrative, one that has previously generated catastrophic consequences for the broader market.

No-KYC Access Triggers Warning Signs

Among the various benefits Kontigo has highlighted, the company has emphasized that users from anywhere in the world can open an account and begin transacting in USDC or USDT without having to comply with Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.

While this approach may appear less bureaucratic on the surface, it quickly raised concerns among users and industry observers. 

KYC rules are designed to protect financial institutions from bad actors. They require identity verification and confirmation of customer legitimacy.

Without such safeguards, both financial platforms and users face increased exposure to risks of fraud, money laundering, and terrorist financing.

Within the crypto industry, the absence of KYC standards has previously proven harmful for users relying on unprotected platforms.

A multinational stablecoin operation
Promising a fixed above-market yield
And access to tokenized stocks
With no KYC

Where have I seen all this before? pic.twitter.com/YAKiPpWH9B

— Zack Guzmán ♻️ (@zGuz) December 17, 2025

Last week, Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon was sentenced to 15 years in prison for orchestrating a $40 billion cryptocurrency fraud. Terra’s ecosystem operated without meaningful KYC controls, enabling vast sums of capital to enter the system anonymously and at scale.

When confidence in its algorithmic stablecoin unraveled, that absence of oversight intensified the run on the network, limited transparency around fund flows, and amplified losses for millions of users. The case underscored how the lack of basic safeguards can transform rapid expansion into systemic collapse.

The absence of KYC standards is not the only factor that has raised concerns about Kontigo’s mission.

Yield Promises Test User Confidence

Castillo clarified at one point that the 10% yield on USDC holdings comes from lending through DeFi protocol Morpho, exposure to US Treasury bills, and custody or yield-related services via Coinbase. 

Yet, critics said the numbers did not add up, raising concerns over the credibility of Kontigo’s advertised promises. Yields from these sources typically range between 3% and 7% annually, even when combined under current market conditions. 

be @kontigo_app a new Fintech

offer 10% yield on USDC

when asked where does it comes from lie saying is lending in Morpho + Tbills + Coinbase

math ain't mathing as those APRs are 5-7% short of 10%

Ignore people who point this shortage

any comments @jecastillof ? https://t.co/xegvZiODrg pic.twitter.com/blSKZLN7g7

— Cisco | CryptoAlert (@CiscoCANFT) December 17, 2025

Skeptics questioned how Kontigo can sustainably offer a 10% return. They pointed to the possibility of undisclosed risk, leverage, or opaque strategies.

Meanwhile, another user reported that a USDC transfer had not been credited to their wallet several hours after its initiation. 

For platforms that position themselves as banks or payment infrastructure, even short delays in fund availability can erode user confidence. Reliability and timely settlement are foundational expectations, regardless of transaction size.

As Kontigo scales, its long-term credibility will depend less on growth claims than on execution and earned user trust.

In a sector shaped by past failures, the company now faces mounting pressure to show that rapid expansion can be sustained without repeating the mistakes that have defined earlier crypto collapses.

The post Coinbase Ventures-Backed Stablecoin Bank Triggers Terra UST-Style Fears appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Bitcoin mining company Hut 8 announced on Wednesday an AI data center lease valued at $7 billion with cloud infrastructure provider Fluidstack. The move reinforced a growing trend among crypto miners to pivot toward AI infrastructure.

Following the announcement, Hut 8 shares surged, snapping a prolonged period of volatile stock performance and reflecting renewed investor interest.

Inside Hut 8’s Landmark AI Lease

The agreement covers 245 megawatts of AI computing capacity at Hut 8’s River Bend campus in Louisiana under a 15-year base lease.

It includes three optional five-year extensions, which could lift the total contract value to approximately $17.7 billion over its full term. The deal also gives infrastructure provider Fluidstack priority rights to lease up to an additional 1,000 megawatts as the campus expands.

At first glance, this $HUT deal looks like one of the strongest AI/HPC colocation deals disclosed so far:

🟠 ~$28–29M contract value per MW (high end of the peer set)
🟠 ~$1.85M guided NOI per MW-yr (peers typically disclosed ARR, not NOI)
🟠 15-yr base term + guidance to ~85%… https://t.co/eMa2Qoqnn7 pic.twitter.com/TgSPIR1rJ0

— matthew sigel, recovering CFA (@matthew_sigel) December 17, 2025

Beyond the initial lease, the agreement forms part of a broader collaboration between Hut 8 and AI developer Anthropic that could eventually scale to as much as 2.3 gigawatts of capacity.

Alphabet-owned Google is providing a financial backstop for the initial lease term, highlighting major cloud providers’ urgency to secure long-term power for energy-intensive AI workloads.

Hut 8 expects the project to generate roughly $6.9 billion in net operating income over the initial lease period.

Investors responded positively, with Hut 8 shares jumping about 20% in pre-market trading following the announcement. 

The move highlights the company’s efforts to stabilize its business, reflecting a broader trend among Bitcoin miners to pivot toward AI computing as a path to long-term relevance.

Bitcoin Mining Faces a Structural Reset

Throughout the year, Bitcoin mining has become a structurally more challenging business. Rising network difficulty, periodic surges in hash rate, higher energy costs, and the post-halving environment have steadily compressed margins.

As a result, many publicly listed miners that remained pure-play Bitcoin operators have struggled to deliver consistent earnings or a clear growth narrative. In response, an increasing number have moved to diversify their operations beyond mining alone.

At the same time, the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence has driven a sharp increase in demand for computing power. Because Bitcoin miners already control large-scale power access and industrial infrastructure, shifting toward AI data centers has emerged as a practical and increasingly necessary strategy.

Hut 8 has recognized this broader backdrop, particularly as its shares have struggled to find stability in recent weeks amid heightened volatility in Bitcoin prices.

The post Will Hut 8’s AI Pivot Reverse Its Stock Slump for Good? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

A meme coin called HERO has gained traction over the past few days, created in honor of a man who helped disarm one of two attackers during a deadly assault at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, over the weekend.

The token briefly reached a market capitalization of $1.7 million. The team behind the initiative says the project will donate all creator fees to support the victims of the attack.

HERO Launched to Support Bondi Victims

A grassroots initiative has gathered momentum following the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on Sunday, which left 15 people dead and at least 42 others injured.

An individual known as DefiANT on X launched the HERO meme coin in honor of Ahmed al-Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit shop owner who managed to disarm one of the attackers during the incident.

the whole world is talking about the heroic act of Ahmed.

meanwhile, we have established ourselves as the only true $hero coin by donating $20k in creator rewards so far, with much more to come.

we had our first space in which people shared their experiences, expressed…

— DefiAnt™ (build/acc) (@defi_tm) December 15, 2025

According to DexScreener, HERO runs on Solana and currently has a market capitalization of $180,000. The meme coin was created via Pump.Fun and reached a peak of nearly $1.7 million in market cap. Although the meme coin was launched on the same day as the attack, the original developer rugged the project and later abandoned it.

Since then, the community has taken over stewardship of the token, with DefiANT emerging as the primary driving force. It has since evolved into a fully community-led initiative, with all proceeds dedicated to supporting the victims.

Fundraising Campaign Surpasses $2.3 Million Mark

Alongside the token, the team launched a parallel GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for those affected by the attack.

According to the fundraising page, nearly 40,000 contributors have collectively raised over $2.3 million. The campaign has set a target of $3.1 million.

The official HERO website states that donations will be distributed to victims in multiple tranches. DefiANT also confirmed on social media that 47,000 Australian dollars have already been donated to individuals impacted by the attack. 

The post Aussie Hero Meme Coin Rallies Community Support After Sydney Terrorist Attack appeared first on BeInCrypto.

As Bitcoin’s price continues to trend lower, China’s renewed crackdown on domestic mining activity may help explain the sudden downturn.

In Xinjiang province, an estimated 400,000 miners were forced to shut down operations and go offline. The abrupt disruption cut off revenue streams, pushing some operators to sell Bitcoin holdings to cover operating costs or finance relocation efforts.

Mining Disruptions Add Pressure to Bitcoin’s Decline

In a recent social media post, former Canaan chairman Jack Kong said that China’s computing power fell by roughly 100 exahashes per second (EH/s) within 24 hours. He noted that the decline, estimated at around 8%, followed the shutdown of hundreds of thousands of mining machines.

Bitcoin Hash Rate Falls by Most Since 2024 Halving

Ex-Chairman of $CAN says 400k BTC mining machines shut off in China https://t.co/4RQ0O2esh3 pic.twitter.com/q5OopJq10M

— matthew sigel, recovering CFA (@matthew_sigel) December 15, 2025

The news emerged shortly before Bitcoin slid to $86,000 on Tuesday, breaking below the $90,000 level it had managed to hold over the past week.

Some analysts view the timing as more than coincidental, pointing to a correlation between the mining shutdowns and the price decline. 

They note that abrupt and stringent measures often force miners to take immediate actions, which can amplify short-term market pressure.

Miner Shutdowns Trigger Liquidity Stress And Selling

According to Bitcoin analyst NoLimit, when miners are forced offline, a chain reaction typically follows. 

This includes an immediate loss of revenue, an urgent need for liquidity to cover operating expenses or relocation costs, and, in some cases, the forced sale of Bitcoin holdings.

These dynamics can spill directly into the broader crypto market. When roughly 8% of Bitcoin’s computing power is suddenly taken offline, uncertainty rises, adding short-term stress to Bitcoin’s price.

🚨 BITCOIN IS CRASHING AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY!!!

Bitcoin is down today for a very simple reason, and almost nobody is explaining it properly.

It’s coming straight from China, and the timing matters.

That’s right, china’s crashing bitcoin, AGAIN.

Here’s what’s happening:… pic.twitter.com/RV3k9JzA0T

— NoLimit (@NoLimitGains) December 15, 2025

“That creates real sell pressure, not the other way around,” NoLimit explained. 

Timing magnified the impact. China’s mining sector had only recently re-established itself as a major contributor to global hashrate.

A Mining Comeback Meets Abrupt Regulatory Pressure

Less than a month ago, China regained its position as the world’s third-largest Bitcoin mining hub. According to the Hashrate Index, the country accounted for roughly 14% of global hashrate by October.

Despite the formal mining ban imposed in 2021, underground activity has continued to expand across the country.

Analysts point to access to low-cost power and surplus electricity in certain regions as key drivers behind the resurgence.

Against this backdrop, this week’s crackdown caught miners off guard. With regulations suddenly tightened and Bitcoin’s hashrate falling, miner revenues quickly became a central concern.

These pressures were compounded by Bitcoin’s roughly 30% decline from its October peak and persistently low transaction fees, pushing miner revenues to recent lows.

Given that mining underpins the security and operation of the Bitcoin network, the recent price pullback appears consistent with the broader disruption, though its full impact may unfold over time.

The post Why China’s Recent Mining Crackdown Triggered Bitcoin’s Latest Sell-Off appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Bitcoin has broken from its long-standing correlation with equities, marking its first full-year divergence from stocks in over a decade.

The shift highlights a growing disconnect between crypto and traditional markets, raising questions about Bitcoin’s role in the current cycle.

A Historic Market Decoupling

Bitcoin and stocks have historically moved in tandem. However, that relationship appears to have fractured.

According to Bloomberg data, the S&P 500 has climbed more than 16% this year while Bitcoin is down 3%, marking the first such split since 2014.

BREAKING: Bitcoin is headed for its first full-year split from stocks in over a decade, marking the first time since 2014 equities rallied while crypto fell. pic.twitter.com/Ns25xJ2KV2

— Short Squeez (@shortsqueeznews) December 7, 2025

Such a clean break is unusual even by crypto standards, prompting renewed scrutiny of Bitcoin’s role within global markets. The divergence challenges expectations that regulatory optimism and institutional participation would automatically translate into sustained performance.

It is especially striking given the broader environment, where artificial intelligence stocks are soaring, capital spending is accelerating, and investors are pouring back into equities. At the same time, traditional defensive assets are attracting attention, suggesting investors are reallocating rather than broadly embracing risk.

Crypto-specific pressures, including forced liquidations and a sharp decline in retail participation, have materially exacerbated Bitcoin’s underperformance. Billions of unwound positions have amplified downside moves, turning what began as a correction into an industry retreat.

As these signals accumulate, market sentiment has weakened, sparking debate over whether this represents a routine correction or a more significant structural change.

Normal Pullback Or Something More?

Bitcoin has long behaved as a momentum-driven asset, but the breakdown in sustained upside suggests that leadership within risk markets has shifted elsewhere.

Inflows into Bitcoin ETFs have slowed, prominent endorsements have grown quieter, and key technical indicators are flashing renewed weakness.

Price action reflects that cooling confidence. Bitcoin has struggled to regain momentum since its October peak near $126,000 and is now hovering closer to $90,000, reinforcing the sense that this divergence is being driven by fading conviction rather than short-term volatility alone.

Despite the current divergence, longer time horizons complicate the narrative. 

On a multi-year basis, Bitcoin continues to outperform equities, suggesting the recent split may reflect earlier excess gains unwinding rather than a decisive break in trend. 

From that perspective, underperformance could still align with a normal pullback within a broader bull-market cycle, despite calendar-year contrasts.

The post Bitcoin’s First Full-Year Split From Stocks in Over a Decade appeared first on BeInCrypto.

The OCC today conditionally approved five digital asset-oriented companies for national trust bank charters, signaling a measured but tangible expansion of crypto firms into the federal banking system.

The decision challenges claims from parts of the banking industry that crypto cannot comply with regulatory standards. However, it also complicates the sector’s own narrative of a coordinated effort to cut it off from financial services.

The Five Firms Behind Approval

Alongside Ripple National Trust Bank, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) conditionally approved four additional digital asset-focused institutions, signaling a broader regulatory move rather than an isolated exception.

In addition to Ripple, the OCC approved a de novo trust bank application for First National Digital Currency Bank and authorized Circle, BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Paxos to convert from state charters.

🚨 JUST IN: The OCC just approved conditional national trust bank charters: Ripple. Paxos. BitGo. Fidelity Digital Assets. Circle.

A national trust charter means federal supervision, 50-state reach, and the credibility to custody assets for ETFs, treasuries, and institutions… pic.twitter.com/DWQyX6jKsm

— Simon Taylor (@sytaylor) December 12, 2025

All five approvals remain conditional, requiring each institution to meet specific operational, governance, and compliance standards before final authorization.

“New entrants into the federal banking sector are good for consumers, the banking industry and the economy,” said OCC Comptroller Jonathan Gould in a press release. “They provide access to new products, services and sources of credit to consumers, and ensure a dynamic, competitive and diverse banking system.”

The unifying factor across these firms is their business model and regulatory positioning within the financial system.

None of them intends to operate as a full-service commercial bank offering deposits or traditional lending products. Instead, they focus on custody, settlement, and digital asset infrastructure designed primarily for institutional clients.

For established players like Fidelity and Paxos, a national charter provides a single federal supervisor and nationwide authority. That shift replaces fragmented state-level oversight, simplifying regulatory engagement for institutional-scale operations.

For newer entrants such as Ripple National Trust Bank and First National Digital Currency Bank, the approvals open federal access without consumer banking exposure.

Taken together, the approvals suggest the OCC is not blocking crypto firms, but refining which models gain entry.

The Debanking Dispute Explained

The debate over crypto “debanking” has intensified over recent years, often framed as a standoff between regulators, banks, and digital asset firms.

Crypto industry leaders have repeatedly argued that banks, encouraged by regulators, systematically restricted access to basic financial services. This narrative gained traction under the label “Operation Choke Point 2.0,” drawing comparisons to past regulatory crackdowns closely attributed to former SEC Chair Gary Gensler.

Banks and regulators pushed back, arguing they made decisions based on risk management, compliance, and reputational concerns rather than ideology.

Those tensions resurfaced on Wednesday, when the OCC released preliminary findings from its review of alleged debanking by the largest US banks.

Debanking Was Real, But Limited

In its December 10 review, the OCC concluded that between 2020 and 2023, the nation’s largest banks engaged in debanking practices. 

The agency said banks made inappropriate distinctions among lawful businesses, restricting access or imposing heightened reviews driven by reputational concerns.

The OCC is committed to ending efforts that weaponize finance. Read the OCC’s preliminary findings from its supervisory review of debanking activities at the nine largest national banks. https://t.co/pFMi7Rt8kh pic.twitter.com/XWfbCheo91

— OCC (@USOCC) December 10, 2025

Digital asset activities were explicitly listed among the affected sectors, alongside firearms, energy, adult entertainment, and payday lending. 

However, the OCC’s framing is narrower than the industry’s “Operation Choke Point 2.0” rhetoric. The report focuses on bank-created policies and escalation processes, not a centralized directive ordering banks to cut off crypto firms. 

 That distinction matters for how this newly unfolding debate is interpreted.

Much of the period under review overlaps with the 2022–2023 crypto downturn and its spillover into banking. 

The review was released under Gould, who was appointed earlier this year by President Donald Trump. Gould framed the findings as part of an effort to limit “weaponized” finance and reputational-risk-driven exclusions.

Against that backdrop, the OCC’s conditional approvals for five crypto-oriented trust banks complicate claims of ongoing systemic exclusion. 

Even as banks and trade groups warn of regulatory asymmetry, the approvals indicate that federal access is expanding for compliance-focused trust bank models.

The post OCC Approves Five Crypto Trust Banks as ‘Debanking’ Claims Face Scrutiny appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Ripple has received conditional approval for a federal banking license, which could potentially enable its operation under US banking regulations. If granted, the license would allow Ripple to operate as a federally regulated financial institution under US banking law.

The approval strengthens Ripple’s position in cross-border payments and digital asset settlement infrastructure across regulated financial markets. However, the development may not result in an immediate or substantial impact on XRP’s market price.

OCC Opens Federal Charter Path

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has opened a pathway for Ripple to charter Ripple National Trust Bank.

To receive full approval, Ripple must still meet specific OCC regulatory and operational requirements before licensing is finalized.

HUGE news! @Ripple just received conditional approval from the @USOCC to charter Ripple National Trust Bank. This is a massive step forward – first for $RLUSD, setting the highest standard for stablecoin compliance with both federal (OCC) & state (NYDFS) oversight.

To the…

— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) December 12, 2025

Even if approved, Ripple would not operate like traditional banks such as Bank of America or JPMorgan Chase. Trust banks are legally restricted from accepting public deposits or offering conventional lending products, such as consumer loans.

Instead, a Ripple National Trust Bank would focus primarily on custody, settlement, and digital asset management services. That distinction matters.

A national trust bank:

• Can provide custody, fiduciary, and settlement services
• Can hold assets on behalf of clients
• Is federally supervised by the OCC
• Cannot take retail deposits or issue loans
• Does not get FDIC insurance

So Ripple is becoming a regulated financial infrastructure provider.

Despite limitations, the approval represents a meaningful regulatory milestone for the company’s long-term operational strategy. Unlike state money transmitter licenses, which limit operations geographically, a federal charter enables nationwide regulatory coverage.

Such approval may influence broader market sentiment, but its primary significance lies in infrastructure development and long-term institutional adoption, rather than short-term speculative demand for XRP.

CEO Brad Garlinghouse acknowledged the decision publicly, framing it as a response to long-standing resistance from traditional banking industry lobbyists toward crypto-native firms entering federally regulated financial markets.

The post Is Ripple Becoming a Bank Good or Bad for XRP? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Sanctioned Russian exchange Garantex is quietly moving funds again, according to an on-chain payout architecture uncovered by blockchain analytics firm Global Ledger. 

The forensic evidence confirmed that Russian actors have rebuilt a functioning payout system despite law enforcement efforts.

Garantex Quietly Moves Millions

A new investigation by Global Ledger reveals that Garantex, a Russian crypto exchange previously hit by Western sanctions and a server seizure, is still managing to move large sums of money. 

Researchers have uncovered new Garantex-linked wallets on Bitcoin and Ethereum that, together, hold more than $34 million in cryptocurrency. At least $25 million has already been paid out to former users. These movements confirm that the operation is active despite international pressure to shut it down.

Global Ledger explained that Garantex is operating a payout system designed to conceal the flow of money. The exchange shifts its reserves into mixing services such as Tornado Cash, which scramble the funds to obscure their origin. 

The money is then routed through a series of cross-chain tools. These facilitate the transfer of assets between networks, including Ethereum, Optimism, and Arbitrum. These transfers eventually end up in aggregation wallets, and from there, the funds are distributed to individual payout wallets.

The investigation also found that most Ethereum reserves remain untouched. More than 88% of the ETH linked to Garantex remains in reserve, indicating that only the initial phase of payouts has commenced.

The findings in the Global Ledger report are situated within a broader transformation within Russia’s financial system.

How Russia Uses A7A5 to Keep Trade Alive

Russia has made a remarkable shift in its approach to digital assets. 

In early 2022, the Russian Central Bank proposed a blanket ban on cryptocurrencies, describing them as a threat to financial stability. By 2024, the country had reversed its position and began using crypto to support trade under sanctions.

President Vladimir Putin has also personally backed a new payment network called A7. 

A7 launched a rouble-backed stablecoin named A7A5 at the start of 2025. This token enables the flow of money in and out of the conventional financial system, and according to Chainalysis, it has already supported more than $87 billion in trading activity.

Russian companies utilize A7A5 to convert rubles into USDT. This allows Russian firms to continue making cross-border payments even when banks refuse to process transfers linked to Russia.

While Russia works to build a financial system that no longer depends on Western channels, the Global Ledger findings add a critical new layer by showing that Garantex has not disappeared. 

Instead, it has adapted its operations and continues to move money through structures that mirror newer state-backed systems.

Taken together, the evidence shows how states are developing new crypto-based payment systems that circumvent country-specific sanctions and erode traditional forms of external pressure.

The post Russia Revives Blacklisted Crypto Empire Garantex to Outrun Sanctions appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Twenty One Capital has made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), entering the public markets with a substantial Bitcoin treasury and a similarly large spotlight. 

Its stock slid sharply on day one, raising a clear question for investors and the industry: what comes next for a company built around Bitcoin during a market downturn?

A Bitcoin Giant’s Wall Street Debut

Trading under the ticker XXI, the company enters the market with more than 43,500 Bitcoin on its balance sheet. 

That holding, worth about $3.9 billion, makes Twenty One Capital one of the largest corporate holders of the asset. Jack Mallers, who co-founded the firm, framed the listing as a bid to give Bitcoin a defined place in traditional markets. He argued that investors deserve access to a company built entirely on Bitcoin’s monetary logic.

Hello, world. $XXI pic.twitter.com/SFoLLwGnCd

— Twenty One (@twentyone) December 9, 2025

“Bitcoin is honest money. That’s why people choose it, and that’s why we built Twenty One on top of it,” Mallers said in a press release. “Listing on the NYSE is about giving Bitcoin the place it deserves in global markets and giving investors the best of Bitcoin: its strength as a reserve and the upside of a business built on it.”

This is not a fringe effort. Tether, Bitfinex, SoftBank, and Cantor Equity Partners sit behind XXI, giving the company a level of institutional weight rarely seen in Bitcoin-native launches. 

Cantor Equity Partners itself comes from a high-profile lineage: it was formed as a public acquisition vehicle backed by Cantor Fitzgerald, the investment firm led by Brandon Lutnick, son of US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. That connection adds another layer of institutional pedigree to XXI’s entry into public markets.

Yet the first trading session was rough, with shares falling more than 24%. The reaction indicates caution, with investors likely wanting to see how XXI plans to operate beyond its headline treasury.

DATs Struggle as Bitcoin Slides

Twenty One Capital’s stock exchange debut arrives at a time of renewed pressure in crypto markets. 

Bitcoin has fallen by roughly 30% from its October peak, and related equities have weakened in tandem. 

Meanwhile, digital asset treasuries (DATs) have been particularly hard-hit, as their valuations often fluctuate in tandem with their reserves. Analysts now stress that DATs must prove they offer more than exposure to Bitcoin. The generous mNAV premiums of earlier quarters have faded, and investors are demanding clearer business models.

1/ I see a lot of bad analysis of DATs, or digital asset treasury companies. Specifically, I see a lot of bad takes on whether they should trade at, above, or below the value of the assets they hold (their so-called “mNAV”).

Here's how I approach it.

— Matt Hougan (@Matt_Hougan) November 23, 2025

Against this backdrop, XXI faces a challenging environment for a new listing. It must demonstrate its ability to navigate volatility and build operations that can withstand Bitcoin’s fluctuations.

Growth Plans Await Market Validation

Mallers and his team have said the company aims to grow far beyond simple accumulation. 

XXI has stated that it plans to develop Bitcoin-based lending tools and capital markets products.

It also aims to create educational and media initiatives to promote broader Bitcoin adoption.

These remain early-stage intentions rather than launched business lines, reflecting the company’s ambition to build a broader ecosystem rather than remain a static treasury.

Whether investors will welcome that approach remains uncertain. 

Some see XXI as a future industry heavyweight, backed by deep institutional networks. Others note the weak crypto market and broader investor caution toward merger-driven listings. 

The debut is a milestone, but the next phase will depend on proven results rather than vision.

The post Twenty One Capital Goes Live on the NYSE – Now What? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Last month marked the weakest period for NFT sales in 2025, with the market cap shedding hundreds of millions of dollars.

The latest figures reinforce the ongoing decline in demand for these assets, which once surged to record highs before entering a prolonged reversal after the 2022 crypto winter.

NFT Sales Sink to New Lows

November’s slump was steep. Total non-fungible token (NFT) sales fell to $320 million, nearly halving from October’s $629 million, according to CryptoSlam. That places monthly activity back near September’s $312 million, erasing what little momentum the sector had regained earlier in the fall. 

According to CoinMarketCap, the weakness has already carried into December, where the first seven days generated just $62 million in sales, marking the slowest weekly performance of the year.

NFTs are soo downbad right now.

Market cap dropped from $6.6B to $3.5B and volume is down about 65 percent.

OpenSea’s most hyped token even got pushed to Q1 2026.

Most holders aren’t down because of price. They’re down because nobody is buying.

The healthiest reboot this… pic.twitter.com/YTrWoK3UKv

— Salem☠️ (@web3_Salem) December 3, 2025

The broader valuation picture reflects the same downward pressure. CoinGecko data shows the market cap of NFT marketplaces has fallen to $253 million, its lowest level on record, as prices continue to decline across even the most established collections.

This downturn is not an isolated event but the continuation of a broader, years-long contraction that has reshaped the NFT landscape since its explosive rise in the early 2020s.

From Hype Cycle to Hard Reset

NFTs first entered mainstream awareness in 2020, when early art sales and experimental drops attracted niche communities.

By 2021, the market had become a full cultural phenomenon. Trading volumes on platforms like OpenSea soon surged to billions each month.

Collections like CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club turned into status symbols. They drew celebrities, global brands, and institutional investors. The momentum lasted into early 2022, when NFT activity hit record highs.

The peak did not last. As the broader crypto market weakened in mid-2022, NFT trading volumes contracted fast.

Liquidity dried up. Speculative capital pulled back, and floor prices across major collections fell sharply. Wash trading scandals hurt trust, and oversaturation added pressure. Thousands of low-effort collections competed for limited attention.

By late 2022, monthly volumes had decreased by more than 90% from their peak. Over the next two years, the market continued to normalize.

Some utility-driven NFTs, such as gaming assets and loyalty tokens, held steady pockets of activity. But legacy profile-picture collections lost relevance. Marketplaces fought for users with aggressive incentives, often boosting volume without creating real profit.

By 2025, the sector had shifted into a quieter role. It now operates as a niche segment within the broader digital asset market.

The post November Might Have Killed NFTs For Good appeared first on BeInCrypto.

A Maryland man was sentenced to prison this week for helping IT workers linked to North Korea infiltrate US companies.

This incident fits into a wider pattern in 2025, where insider access and rising crypto theft are becoming key features of North Korea’s cyber strategy. 

US Jobs Opened to North Koreans

The Justice Department announced on Thursday the sentencing of Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong, an American citizen convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors proved that Vong used false credentials to secure remote software development jobs for North Korean nationals at 13 American companies.

According to public documents, Vong allowed a foreign operator to use his logins, devices, and identity documents to perform the work remotely. The man, who operated from China, is believed to be from North Korea.

One job created a particular risk when a Virginia technology firm hired Vong for work on a Federal Aviation Administration contract in 2023. 

Maryland Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud https://t.co/avJWBhOWVi

— National Security Division, U.S. Dept of Justice (@DOJNatSec) December 4, 2025

The role required US citizenship and granted him a government-issued personal identity verification card. Vong installed remote-access tools on the company laptop. The move allowed the North Korean man to complete the work from abroad inconspicuously.

The company paid Vong more than $28,000, and he sent part of those earnings to his overseas partners. Court filings show he collected over $970,000 across all companies, with most of the work performed by North Korean-linked operatives. Several firms also subcontracted with him for US government agencies, further expanding the exposure.

Vong was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

The case comes as North Korea intensifies its global cyber operations. 

Record Year for North Korean Hacks

In October, blockchain analytics firm Elliptic reported that North Korea-linked hackers had stolen over $2 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025. This figure represents the highest annual total ever recorded. 

The overall amount attributed to the regime now surpasses $6 billion. These proceeds are widely believed to support nuclear and missile development.

This year’s surge stemmed from several major incidents, including the $1.46 billion Bybit breach, as well as attacks on LND.fi, WOO X, and Seedify. Analysts have also connected more than 30 other hacks to North Korean groups.

Most breaches in 2025 began with social engineering rather than technical flaws. Hackers relied on impersonation, phishing, and fabricated support outreach to gain wallet access. The trend highlights a growing focus on human weaknesses over code vulnerabilities.

Taken together, these trends suggest a coordinated approach, with North Korea combining insider infiltration with advanced cryptocurrency theft to expand both its income and operational footprint.

The post Maryland Man’s Fraud Conviction Highlights North Korea’s Rising Crypto Threat appeared first on BeInCrypto.

With 2026 on the horizon, uncertainty is mounting over whether the crypto market structure bill will sail through early in the year or become mired in a political fight that pushes its passage further down the calendar.

Key unresolved issues continue to slow momentum, including how the bill should address stablecoin yield, conflict-of-interest language, and the treatment of decentralized finance under federal law.

Path to Senate Vote Uncertain

The CLARITY Act cleared the House in July with broad bipartisan support, marking the strongest move yet toward a federal digital asset framework.

The bill now awaits action in the Senate, where the Banking and Agriculture committees are advancing parallel versions of a market-structure framework. The Senate’s split jurisdiction adds complexity, with the Banking Committee overseeing securities, while the Agriculture Committee handles commodities.

Both committees have now published discussion drafts, but a unified package has yet to emerge. Lawmakers still need to reconcile differences before either committee can send a combined bill to the Senate floor.

One major technical dispute involves how the legislation should treat yield-bearing stablecoins.

Banks Push Broader Yield Restrictions

The GENIUS Act, passed earlier this year, bars permitted stablecoin issuers from paying holders any form of interest or yield. 

However, the restriction is narrowly written. It applies only to direct payments from payment-stablecoin issuers and does not explicitly cover reward programs, third-party yield, or other digital asset structures.

The banks demanded the exclusion for yield-bearing stablecoins in the GENIUS Act. Now they're upset that the language they asked for doesn't screw over stablecoin holders hard enough.

Sorry you guys did a bad job negotiating your regulatory moat. Try lobbying better next time! https://t.co/3BbjUxmZlm

— Jake Chervinsky (@jchervinsky) August 13, 2025

Banking groups argue these gaps could allow workarounds and are urging lawmakers to expand the prohibition in upcoming market structure legislation. They want a broader rule that covers all forms of yield associated with stablecoins. 

Several senators appear open to that approach, giving the issue significant weight in negotiations. Any expansion would influence how stablecoins compete with traditional bank deposits, which remains a central concern for the banking lobby.

Meanwhile, lawmakers remain divided over how the broader framework should address potential conflicts of interest.

Concerns Over Political Influence Intensify

The involvement of US President Donald Trump and his family members in crypto-related projects has prompted renewed scrutiny of potential ethical concerns. 

Some lawmakers, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren, argue that new conflict-of-interest language is necessary to ensure that political figures and their relatives are prohibited from engaging in activities that could raise questions about their influence over digital asset policy.

Such measures would help insulate the legislation from perceptions of political interference.

However, the proposed language does not appear in the House-passed CLARITY Act, nor was it included in earlier Senate drafts. Its absence has become a point of debate, and the disagreement is contributing to ongoing hesitation.

Meanwhile, questions remain regarding how the bill should address decentralized finance (DeFi).

DeFi Oversight Remains Unresolved

The market structure bill is designed for centralized intermediaries, including exchanges, brokers, and custodial platforms. Yet the rapid rise of DeFi introduces questions the Senate has not fully resolved.

First Ken Griffin screwed over Constitution DAO

Now he's coming for DeFi, asking the SEC to treat software developers of decentralized protocols like centralized intermediaries

Bet Citadel has been lobbying behind closed doors on this for years

Okay thats all pretty bad, but… pic.twitter.com/ExoNhbhadu

— Hayden Adams 🦄 (@haydenzadams) December 4, 2025

Current drafts primarily focus on custodial activity. However, some traditional financial institutions are advocating for broader definitions that would classify developers, validators, and other non-custodial actors as regulated intermediaries.

Such an approach would significantly expand federal oversight and reshape the legal environment for open-source development.

Until lawmakers define that boundary, the bill is unlikely to advance. The DeFi question remains one of the key factors shaping when the market structure bill may finally move forward in 2026.

The post What Does the Market Structure Bill ‘CLARITY Act’ Need to Pass in 2026? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Michael Saylor is once again at the center of Crypto Twitter’s scrutiny after new regulatory filings revealed that Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) recently spent $27 million on a deposit for a corporate aircraft.

The disclosure has fueled a wave of criticism from users who argue that the purchase reflects misplaced priorities during a period of sharp volatility for both Bitcoin and Strategy’s stock.

Shareholders Question Strategy’s Spending Priorities

According to MicroStrategy’s Form 10Q filed on November 3, the company’s net cash used in investing activities rose sharply year-over-year. 

The filing revealed that for the nine months ending on September 30, Strategy made a $27 million deposit on a new corporate aircraft.

It also disclosed $19.38 billion in Bitcoin purchases funded through convertible notes, stock offerings across its STR series, and ongoing ATM programs.

Despite $MSTR being down 55% in the last year, @saylor needs a new jet.

The 10Q notes two major cash uses of cash in their investing activities

– $15.4B used to purchase BTC

– $27M “deposit on a new corporate jet”

I bet it’s gonna be a nice jet and painted orange. #MSTR pic.twitter.com/wxIpqdPwQu

— Novacula Occami (@OccamiCrypto) December 2, 2025

Although companies often use corporate funds for executive travel, critics argued that the context is especially important for Strategy. 

The firm no longer resembles a traditional product-driven software company. Instead, it functions as a vehicle tied to Bitcoin’s volatile price movements. 

With MSTR down about 30% over the past month, some investors questioned whether a multimillion-dollar aircraft aligns with its stated Bitcoin-first strategy.

Investor Confidence Tested

Crypto Twitter reacted sharply, arguing that shareholder capital should focus on increasing the firm’s Bitcoin position rather than expanding executive privileges. 

Users expressed frustration that the jet deposit came alongside billions in financing tied directly to new equity issuances. Others suggested the timing of the purchase undermined confidence in the company’s alignment with its retail investor base.

Strategy supporters countered that corporate aircraft are common for firms with global operations and high-volume executive travel requirements. They also noted that the $27 million deposit represents a small fraction of the capital committed to Bitcoin accumulation during the same nine-month period. 

Ok you named companies that actually have real product and services, and extremely profitable.

Michael Saylor and Strategy are on the verge of bankruptcy, facing major losses from BTC, and about to be forced to sell.

Maybe use your brain for once instead of relying on AI.

— Jacob King (@JacobKinge) December 3, 2025

Still, the dispute reflects a broader disagreement over how a Bitcoin-focused public company should balance its operational needs with public optics.

As Bitcoin continues to fluctuate, the episode highlighted how closely Saylor’s decisions are tied to market sentiment, especially during periods of heightened volatility. 

The debate also revealed how investor expectations shift when a company positions itself almost entirely around a single macro-sensitive asset. 

The post Michael Saylor Faces Backlash Over Private Jet Purchase Amid MicroStrategy Slide appeared first on BeInCrypto.

A lawsuit against Binance is testing the extent to which crypto platforms can be held liable for real-world harm. Filed by families of victims of the October 2023 attacks against Israel, it arrives amid continued backlash over the recent presidential pardon of founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ).

More than a new legal headache, the lawsuit is being watched as a potential blueprint for a shift from regulatory fines to high-stakes private liability tied to terrorism financing.

Terror Financing Claims Hit Binance

The case, brought by more than 70 families in a US federal court last week, accuses Binance of knowingly enabling transactions for Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and other US-designated terrorist groups.

The plaintiffs, mostly relatives of those killed or injured in the October 7 attacks, argue Binance was not merely exploited. They say the platform structurally enabled terrorist financing at scale.

“For years, Defendants knowingly, willfully, and systematically assisted Hamas… and other terrorist groups to transfer and conceal the equivalent of hundreds of millions of US dollars through the Binance platform in support of their terrorist activities. This assistance directly and materially contributed to the October 7 Attacks and to subsequent terrorist attacks,” read the complaint.

Earlier government investigations have focused on Binance’s anti-money laundering failures. However, this lawsuit reframes the narrative, arguing that CZ’s stewardship of the platform has systemically contributed to real-world violence. 

The lawsuit also arrives at a consequential moment for the company.

Last month, US President Donald Trump granted Binance founder CZ a pardon after Binance participated in a multibillion-dollar deal tied to a crypto venture linked to the Trump family. 

The move cleared CZ’s criminal record and could allow him to take on a more direct role at the company.

Just posted: the pardon that Trump issued to @cz_binance on Tuesday.

It wipes away CZ's conviction for failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program, which prosecutors said allowed Hamas, Al Qaeda & ISIS to move money using @binance. https://t.co/ptbRCzxhd3 pic.twitter.com/1B9tKnZG6P

— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) October 25, 2025

The case also arises two years after Binance’s 2023 settlement with US authorities, which included a $4.3 billion penalty. The company admitted to violating the Bank Secrecy Act and US sanctions laws. CZ pleaded guilty, stepped down as CEO, and served a four-month prison sentence.

While CZ’s pardon suggested Binance was in the clear, the lawsuit shows neither he nor the company is insulated from civil liability.

Despite Criminal Leniency, Civil Claims Intensify

The families’ lawsuit builds on facts already established by US criminal enforcement, giving the plaintiffs a strong legal foundation.

Because Binance has already admitted to sweeping violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and US sanctions laws, the burden of proof is significantly lower. The families argue Binance embedded these flaws in its core operations, not in isolated compliance failures.

Rather than leaning on broad allegations, the complaint reportedly names specific wallets, laundering intermediaries, and transaction flows tied to designated terrorist groups. 

In its structure, the case closely mirrors the way federal prosecutors assemble complex criminal indictments. The difference is that this same evidentiary framework is now being deployed by private plaintiffs under US anti-terrorism statutes.

Those laws allow victims of terrorism to pursue civil damages against entities accused of providing material support, even indirectly. This legal pathway transforms Binance’s past regulatory violations into the foundation of a potentially massive civil liability case.

For years, crypto enforcement followed a cycle: regulators investigated, companies paid fines, executives stepped aside, and markets moved on. Civil litigation tied directly to terrorism financing breaks that rhythm. 

Unlike regulatory settlements, which cap financial exposure and close legal chapters, terror-related civil cases can involve multiplied damages and years of continuing risk.

A New Enforcement Class?

For the crypto industry, the implications extend far beyond one exchange or one courtroom. If the case survives early dismissal and proceeds to discovery, it could lead to new scrutiny of how centralized platforms monitor, flag, and freeze high-risk activity. 

More significantly, a win for the families could establish that private plaintiffs—not just regulators—now pose one of the most serious financial threats to crypto businesses. 

In that scenario, compliance failures would no longer result in fines alone. They would become long-tail liabilities that follow platforms for years to come.

The post Why the Latest Binance Lawsuit Is More Dangerous Than Any Regulator appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Tokenized gold is gaining momentum as geopolitical uncertainty and rising gold prices weaken trust in fiat-backed assets. Major institutions and sovereign actors are launching or expanding gold-backed tokens. 

This shift suggests tokenized gold may soon move beyond its niche role amd become a credible next-generation, stable, and globally usable digital value.

A Five-Year Flight to Safety

The turbulence of the past few months has reinforced the role of gold as a safe-haven asset. It was only two months ago that the metal’s price hit a record, surpassing $4,000 per ounce. 

This isn’t only a recent phenomenon. Between 2020 and 2025, the price of gold more than doubled, reflecting a wider flight to safety as global markets confronted a pandemic, inflation, wars, sanctions, and persistent geopolitical tensions. 

At the same time, advances in blockchain technology have transformed the use of gold. Tokenization, instant settlement, and 24/7 global liquidity now make a traditionally static asset far more flexible in digital form.

Several developments show how quickly the trend is gaining traction across both crypto and traditional finance.

Institutional Gold Tokens on the Rise

Last month, Swiss metals giant MKS PAMP, one of the world’s largest gold refiners and a major supplier of precious metals to global markets, relaunched DGLD, a gold-backed token designed for institutional investors.

In the crypto space, Tether Gold (XAUt) continues to see steady growth. Pax Gold (PAXG), launched by New York–regulated blockchain firm Paxos, is also expanding. Together, their market caps now exceed $3 billion, making them the most widely used gold-backed digital assets available to the public.

What if "Digital Gold" is really tokenized gold?

$1b to $3b YTD with trillions to go. pic.twitter.com/cJQF7RYkDA

— Emperor Osmo 🐂 🎯 (@Flowslikeosmo) November 28, 2025

Traditional banking players are also testing the waters. HSBC, one of the largest multinational banks and a major custodian of physical gold through its London vaults, is experimenting with its own gold token for clients.

While these digital gold products are still relatively small compared to the market value of gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), their expansion signals a growing confidence that blockchain-based gold is becoming a credible financial instrument.

In fact, the movement is not even limited to the private sector. 

In November, Kyrgyzstan launched USDKG, the first gold-backed stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. Backed by the country’s national gold reserves, it offers a sanction-resistant tool for cross-border payments and trade. Kyrgyzstan’s approach could also encourage other, larger nations to follow suit. 

Still, some challenges remain. 

Regulators Stay Wary

Gold-backed tokens still have no clear industry standard, which makes it harder for users to compare their reliability. 

Transparency also varies. Some issuers publish regular third-party audits, while others offer limited details about their vaults or redemption processes. Regulations differ widely across countries, adding another layer of uncertainty for consumers and businesses. 

These gaps explain why many governments remain cautious. 

Officials worry that freely circulating gold-backed assets could weaken confidence in national currencies and complicate monetary policy. They also fear that digital gold could facilitate the movement of money outside traditional banking controls.

Even so, momentum is unmistakable. 

If clearer rules and rising geopolitical pressures push the industry forward, tokenized gold could move from the margins to become a core pillar of stable, globally usable digital money.

The post Could Tokenized Gold Become the Next Standard in Stablecoins? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Two major economies are tightening control over digital currencies just as the US pushes to cement its leadership in the stablecoin sector. Israel is accelerating its digital shekel plans while China continues to expand the digital yuan. 

These moves signal a broader global shift toward sovereign digital money that could challenge the reach and influence of US dollar–based stablecoins.

Israel Tightens Rules, Advances Digital Shekel

Stablecoins have become a central pillar of the digital asset market, moving well beyond their early role as a trading convenience. 

The sector now processes more than $2 trillion in monthly volume and holds a market cap above $310 billion, almost all of it in dollars. That growth has prompted private companies to assume a leading role in operating key components of global payment infrastructure.

As their influence expands, governments are stepping back in. Many are introducing new rules aimed at limiting the reach of USD-linked tokens.

During a recent conference in Tel Aviv, Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron stated that the country is preparing to implement much stricter oversight of stablecoins, citing growing concerns over the sector’s concentration.

With most activity dominated by Tether and Circle, he warned that any issue with their reserves or backing could spill into the wider financial system. 

Yaron also noted that stablecoins are now so embedded in global money flows that they can no longer be treated as a niche market, adding that the sector’s scale already rivals that of a mid-tier international bank.

Alongside these warnings, Israel is also accelerating its digital shekel initiative, its proposed central bank digital currency. 

The Bank of Israel recently published a detailed design document outlining user journeys, technical architecture, and key policy considerations. Officials say the project aims to strengthen the country’s payment infrastructure and reduce reliance on private digital assets.

As Israel builds its regulatory and technological framework, China is taking a far more forceful path.

Beijing Shuts Out Stablecoin Influence

China’s central bank has doubled down on its broad crypto ban, working with different government bodies to target stablecoin activity and close remaining loopholes.  Officials say digital assets fuel money laundering and capital flight, and they stress that these tokens carry no legal currency status.

The crackdown is also unfolding alongside the rapid growth of the digital yuan. 

According to Ledger Insights, the People’s Bank of China recently reported that e-CNY transaction volumes nearly doubled in the past 14 months, reaching $2 trillion by September. 

Pilot programs are now operational across major cities, public-sector payment systems, and select commercial routes. This push is embedding the state-issued currency deeper into daily financial activity.

🇨🇳 People's Bank of China announces full integration of its digital cross-border system with ten ASEAN countries and six Middle Eastern countries

This will significantly increase global trade through digital yuan. Many experts believe that figures of up to 38% will be achieved,… pic.twitter.com/bagM1owks8

— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) November 14, 2025

By walling off stablecoins and accelerating the digital yuan, China aims to cut dependence on foreign currency rails, especially those tied to the US dollar. The strategy also helps preserve tight control over data, capital flows, and payment infrastructure.

Together with Israel’s more measured but still sovereignty-driven approach, China’s escalation highlights a clear global shift. 

Major economies are no longer willing to let USD stablecoins define the future of payments. Many are now building or enforcing their own digital systems and challenging the US’s ambitions for stablecoin dominance.

The post Are Israel and China Threatening the US Stablecoin Plan? appeared first on BeInCrypto.

Texas has become the first US state to purchase Bitcoin for its treasury, making a $10 million acquisition as part of a broader strategic initiative. The move comes during a market pullback that some view as a favorable entry point. 

This decision positions Texas as an early leader in state-level digital asset adoption and may influence how other states approach cryptocurrency in the future.

Texas Starts With ETF Access

State officials said Texas executed the transaction through BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF as a regulated and practical entry point. The purchase was presented as a step toward integrating Bitcoin into long-term treasury planning and improving diversification.

Texas Blockchain Council President Lee Bratcher later confirmed the move, noting that treasury teams had monitored market conditions closely and executed the purchase on November 20, when Bitcoin briefly dipped to $87,000. Officials added that direct self-custody remains the goal, but the ETF offers a compliant solution while the state builds its custody framework.

TEXAS BOUGHT THE DIP!
Texas becomes the FIRST state to purchase Bitcoin with a $10M investment on Nov. 20th at an approximately $87k basis!
Congratulations to Comptroller @KHancock4TX and the dedicated investments team at Texas Treasury who have been watching this market… pic.twitter.com/wsMqI9HrPD

— Lee ₿ratcher (@lee_bratcher) November 25, 2025

The acquisition marks the beginning of a broader reserve strategy focused on developing infrastructure, oversight, and digital asset controls. This initial allocation will help test workflows, risk management, and governance processes before any future expansion.

More broadly, Texas’s move comes as institutional interest in Bitcoin grows, supported by strong ETF inflows and wider participation from major financial firms.

A Symbolic First Step

While $10 million is a small share of state reserves, the symbolic impact is significant. It marks the first instance of a US state treating Bitcoin as a treasury-level asset.

Analysts say this early government involvement could shape how other states approach digital asset exposure. It may spark debates on reserve diversification, tech competitiveness, and long-term fiscal planning.

If more states follow, Texas could become the catalyst for a new phase of public-sector engagement with cryptocurrency.

The post Texas Becomes the First State to Buy Bitcoin — What Happens Next? appeared first on BeInCrypto.