🌍 Visa Expands Stablecoin Settlement Network in CEMEA Regions

🚀 Visa has announced a significant expansion of its stablecoin settlement program across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA), through a new partnership with Aquanow. This collaboration enables regional issuers and acquirers to utilize approved stablecoins, such as USDC, for settlements with reduced steps and costs.

💬 Godfrey Sullivan, Visa’s head of product and solutions for the region, stated:

By harnessing the power of stablecoins and pairing them with our trusted global technology, we are enabling financial institutions in CEMEA to experience faster and simpler settlements.

He emphasized that the integration with Aquanow represents Visa’s transition away from traditional settlement frameworks.

🔗 Aquanow CEO Phil Sham highlighted:

Visa’s reliable global network has long moved money securely and efficiently. Together, Visa and Aquanow are unlocking new ways for institutions to participate in the digital economy, leveraging stablecoin technology to settle with the speed and transparency of the internet.

📈 The demand for quicker cross-border payments has surged as banks seek lower friction and year-round settlement availability. Visa began testing stablecoin settlements in 2023, introducing USDC for client obligations and subsequently exceeding a $2.5 billion annualized volume run rate.

🌐 Aquanow operates regulated services in Dubai and supports significant monthly crypto flows, positioning itself as a key player in digital asset liquidity and infrastructure. This expansion reflects a growing institutional interest in blockchain-based settlements, despite the inherent risks associated with stablecoins, such as volatility and limited investor protections. Proponents argue that crypto settlements can minimize intermediaries and enhance transparency compared to traditional methods.

👀 Bybit's Humanitarian Aid Amid Southeast Asia Flooding Crisis

‼️ Cryptocurrency exchange Bybit has pledged $100,000 in humanitarian aid to support relief efforts in Sri Lanka following the devastating impact of Cyclone Ditwah. The cyclone has triggered severe flooding across several Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, resulting in over 420 fatalities region-wide, with 123 deaths reported in Sri Lanka alone.

📌 Bybit’s Mini-Global Regional Manager, Nazar Tymoshchuk, stated, emphasized the company’s commitment to supporting relief efforts during this critical time. In Sri Lanka, more than 44,000 individuals have been displaced due to the disaster, which has caused significant infrastructure damage, landslides, and disruptions to public services.

⛔️ Bybit is working directly with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to facilitate the distribution of emergency assistance to affected communities. Their contribution will prioritize the provision of essential supplies such as food, clean water, medical aid, and temporary housing for displaced families.

🚨 Major European Crackdown on Crypto-Fraud Network

💰 European authorities have successfully dismantled a large-scale cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering network responsible for laundering over EUR 700 million. This operation, announced by Europol on December 4, marks a significant victory against criminal networks exploiting digital assets.

🪙 The criminal network operated fake cryptocurrency investment platforms, attracting thousands of victims with deceptive advertisements promising high returns. Victims were then pressured into making further payments by criminal call centers that used social engineering tactics to showcase inflated returns on fake trading platforms.

🔍 The investigation began years ago with a probe into one fraudulent platform but expanded as authorities uncovered a wider network of fake trading sites, call-center operations, and cross-border laundering channels. The first coordinated phase of the operation took place on October 27, with raids in Cyprus, Germany, and Spain, resulting in nine arrests and the seizure of various assets including bank balances, crypto holdings, cash, digital devices, and luxury items.

⚠️ A second phase on November 25-26 targeted the affiliate-marketing systems that funneled victims into the fraud through manipulated online advertising and deepfake promotions. The investigation revealed a complex web of cryptocurrency exchanges used to conceal illicit flows.

🌍 Authorities from multiple countries participated in the operation, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Israel, Malta, and Spain. Europol stated that investigative authorities will continue to track the criminal organization’s assets in the countries where it operates to support prosecutions and recover funds.

🗓 Upcoming Sentencing and Upgrade Fuel LUNA and LUNC Price Surge

📈 Do Kwon's impending sentencing and the upcoming Terra Classic v2.18 upgrade have sparked a significant price increase for luna classic (LUNC) and luna (LUNA) over the past two weeks. Despite the collapse of Kwon's venture over three years ago, development now relies on community governance proposals approved through on-chain voting.

🔔 The Terra Classic protocol is set for an upgrade on December 8, 2025, aimed at addressing recent exploits targeting IBC functionality. Kwon is expected to be sentenced for conspiracy to commit fraud and wire fraud just a few days later on December 11. This combination of events may be driving the recent surge in both tokens' prices.

📊 Luna classic (LUNC) has risen by 191% in the past fortnight and gained another 40% today against the U.S. dollar. However, it remains 54% lower over the past 12 months at $0.00006742 per LUNC. LUNA's price has increased by 104.3% in the past week and added 26.8% today, but it is still down 79.7% over the past year.

⚠️ Despite these price jumps, both tokens are remnants of a collapsed ecosystem and their long-term viability is questionable. While they may experience brief bursts of speculative interest, these spikes often fade quickly. The market's memory is long, liquidity is thin, and the fundamentals have not improved. These rallies appear more like temporary sugar highs rather than indicators of a sustainable future.

🔔 Former Coinbase CTO Urges Indian Tech Workers to Rethink U.S. Immigration

💬 Balaji Srinivasan, the former CTO of Coinbase, recently took to social media to advise Indian tech professionals to reconsider their pursuit of immigration to the United States. He suggests three alternative paths: focusing on opportunities within India, utilizing the internet economy, and exploring international options as digital nomads in countries like the UAE and Singapore.

🌍 Srinivasan emphasizes the potential of blockchain platforms such as Solana and Ethereum to create a "digital rule-of-law" that promotes equality among global tech workers. He points out that these platforms can reduce discrimination by offering transparent, smart contract-based economic opportunities. Additionally, he highlights India's position as the fastest-growing economy and the rise of global digital platforms as viable avenues for professional and economic advancement.

We should explore the opportunities that our own country and the global digital landscape offer,

Srinivasan suggests. This perspective encourages Indian tech workers to think beyond traditional pathways and consider the evolving nature of work in a digital world.

📈 Bitcoin and Ether ETFs See Strong Inflows Amid Growing Investor Confidence

💰 On Wednesday, December 10, the crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF) market experienced a significant boost with combined inflows of $282 million. This marked the second consecutive day of fresh capital inflows, indicating a rebuilding institutional appetite for cryptocurrencies. While not a market boom, the day reflected a steady progress.

🚀 Leading the charge were Bitcoin ETFs, which attracted $223.52 million in inflows, primarily driven by Blackrock’s IBIT that absorbed $192.95 million. This was a notable turnaround from earlier outflows earlier in the week. Fidelity’s FBTC contributed an additional $30.58 million. This brought the total traded volume to $4.04 billion with net assets remaining stable at $122.43 billion.

📈 Ether ETFs also performed well, recording their third consecutive day of positive inflows with $57.58 million. Blackrock’s ETHA led this category with $56.45 million, supported by Grayscale’s Ether Mini Trust which saw a smaller inflow of $7.91 million. Despite a minor outflow of $6.78 million from Fidelity’s FETH, the overall trend remained positive with total value traded at $2.24 billion and net assets steady at $21.43 billion.

📈 Solana ETFs added a modest $4.85 million in inflows, primarily from Bitwise’s BSOL which brought in $3.68 million. Additional contributions came from Vaneck’s VSOL ($454K), Fidelity’s FSOL ($411K), and Grayscale’s GSOL ($303K). The category maintained healthy activity with $26.46 million traded and net assets unchanged at $949.18 million.

💪 XRP ETFs closed the day with an additional $10.20 million in inflows, split between Bitwise’s fund ($7 million) and Grayscale’s GXRP ($3.20 million). Trading volumes reached $24.53 million with assets holding steady at $939.46 million.

🌟 Overall, Wednesday’s session showcased a consistent push of inflows across major sectors, reflecting growing investor confidence and a broader midweek surge in the ETF market.

🚨 Breaking: Michael Saylor’s Strategy Buys 10,645 Bitcoin as Crypto Market Braces for Japan Rate Hike

👉 Read more

📉 Bitcoin and Ether ETFs Face Outflows as Solana and XRP Attract Capital

📊 As the week began, Bitcoin and Ether ETFs experienced significant outflows, while Solana and XRP continued to draw in fresh capital. This shift indicates a cautious market rotation rather than a complete withdrawal from digital assets.

💰 Bitcoin ETFs saw a combined outflow of $357.69 million, with Fidelity’s FBTC taking the brunt of the hit at $230.12 million. Other notable outflows included Bitwise’s BITB with $44.32 million and Ark & 21Shares’ ARKB at $34.49 million. Despite these withdrawals, trading activity remained robust with a volume of $5.27 billion.

📉 Ether ETFs mirrored this trend, recording $224.78 million in net outflows. Blackrock’s ETHA led the decline with an exit of $139.09 million, followed by Grayscale’s ETHE and Ether Mini Trust with outflows of $35.10 million and $20.18 million respectively.

🌟 In contrast, Solana ETFs stood out by attracting $35.20 million in inflows, primarily driven by a $38.72 million addition to Fidelity’s FSOL. XRP ETFs also performed well, pulling in $10.89 million with Franklin’s XRPZ leading the way at $8.19 million.

🔄 Overall, the session highlighted a clear rotation in investor sentiment. While Bitcoin and Ether faced renewed selling pressure, the demand for Solana and XRP suggests that investors are still willing to deploy capital but are doing so more selectively and with a focus on growth narratives.

🪙 Bitcoin's Current Market Position: A Balancing Act Between Bulls and Bears

📉 Bitcoin has been experiencing significant fluctuations recently, hovering just below $88,000. The relative strength index (RSI) indicates indecision among traders, while the moving average convergence divergence (MACD) suggests downward momentum. However, some indicators like the momentum oscillator and commodity channel index are showing slight bullish signals.

🔍 The 4-hour chart reveals a potential bullish reversal setup after a sharp decline. Bitcoin has climbed back towards the $87,500–$88,000 range, but faces critical resistance at around $89,752 and $89,891 from the exponential and simple moving averages.

📈 Short-term action on the 1-hour chart shows a modest uptrend with higher highs and higher lows. However, the volume supporting this movement is weak. The next test for this trend lies just above current levels, with a potential pullback towards $87,000 offering a low-risk inflection point for traders.

🌐 Looking at the broader landscape of moving averages reveals a challenging environment. The 100-period and 200-period EMAs are positioned above current price action, indicating that the long-term trend is still recovering from recent highs. Bitcoin needs a significant momentum boost to regain favor.

⚖️ In summary, Bitcoin is navigating a complex market situation between bear fatigue and bull hesitation. The one-hour chart suggests potential for intraday traders, while the daily chart remains cautious. A decisive break above $90,000 could shift the narrative, but until then, price action is slow and cautious.

🐂 Bull Verdict: Short-term charts show potential for a broader reversal if Bitcoin can push past the $88,500–$90,000 range with strong volume.

1/2 🚀 Breaking: Public Korean giant Netmarble (via MarbleX) invests in $OPEN.

This isn't just another partnership it's a major signal of institutional confidence in on-chain AI infrastructure.

2/2 OpenLedger's momentum is undeniable:

🔹 Key partners: Cambridge, Chainbase
🔹 Public technical roadmap
🔹 Price: +15% (24h)

The inflection point is here. Next target: $0.30?

Check it out:

👉 Announcement
👉 Telegram: English | China | Korea
👉 Twitter: Global | China

📉 XRP's Price Struggles: A Tightrope Between Recovery and Downtrend

🔍 On December 21, 2025, XRP was trading at $1.91, showing a slight bounce after weeks of declining prices. However, its short-term future depends on reclaiming key resistance levels. The 1-hour chart indicates that XRP is stuck in a narrow range between $1.89 and $1.96, with a recent rejection from the $1.94 to $1.96 zone leading to a significant pullback. This behavior suggests a "bull trap", highlighting the need for caution unless there is a clear close above $1.96.

📊 The 4-hour chart presents a slightly more optimistic view, showing a strong bounce from $1.774 to around $1.96 supported by increased volume. If XRP can maintain the $1.88–$1.90 zone as support, it may establish a higher low and indicate a potential short-term bullish structure. However, resistance at $1.96 remains a significant hurdle.

📉 The daily chart reveals that XRP is still in a downtrend, having fallen from highs of $2.31 to $1.77. Despite some signs of buyer interest, such as long lower wicks and green candles, key indicators like the relative strength index (RSI) and Stochastic oscillator are in neutral territory. This technical ambivalence suggests that traders should exercise patience.

🚫 On the moving average front, all key averages are signaling bearish trends. The exponential and simple moving averages across various periods are flashing red, indicating that the longer-term trend remains downward. This suggests that any short-term rallies may be corrective rather than indicative of a fundamental shift.

⚖️ In summary, XRP is at a critical juncture between potential recovery and continued decline. While short-term charts hint at possible rebounds, the daily chart and moving averages advise caution. For XRP to reclaim the $2.00 level, it must establish a convincing close above $1.96 on strong volume. Otherwise, the bears may maintain control, with the risk of further declines if support levels are not held.

📌 Bitwise Asset Management's 2026 Crypto Predictions: A Bitcoin-Centric Bullish Outlook

📈 Bitwise Asset Management has released its report titled "10 Crypto Predictions for 2026," presenting a bullish outlook centered on Bitcoin. The report highlights several factors driving this optimism, including increased demand for ETFs, institutional adoption, regulatory advancements, and supply constraints.

We think the bulls will win out in 2026. The prevailing positive trends, from institutional adoption to regulatory progress, appear too strong and too far-reaching to be subdued for long,

states the report, authored by Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan and Head of Research Ryan Rasmussen.

🔝 The first prediction asserts that Bitcoin will break its four-year cycle and reach new all-time highs. Bitwise argues that traditional factors causing pullbacks, such as halvings and interest-rate spikes, have diminished. The second prediction suggests that Bitcoin will become less volatile than Nvidia as ETFs expand ownership, indicating a shift towards a lower-risk profile. The third prediction anticipates that ETFs will buy more than 100% of the new Bitcoin supply along with Ethereum and Solana, creating a structural supply-demand imbalance.

📊 The report elaborates on the long-term bullish stance, stating,

One of the primary reasons we’re bullish on crypto in the long term is that we think demand from institutional investors will outpace new supply for years to come.

🚀 The remaining predictions further support Bitcoin's positive outlook. The fourth predicts that crypto equities will outperform tech equities due to regulatory clarity. The fifth anticipates that Polymarket open interest will reach new highs during the 2024 U.S. election. The sixth predicts that stablecoins will be blamed for destabilizing emerging-market currencies despite their adoption reflecting inflation pressures.

🔔 The Phantom Bitcoin Crash: Understanding the Binance Incident

📉 On Christmas, a viral post claimed that Bitcoin had plummeted to $24,000, causing a stir on social media. However, this was not a market collapse but rather a localized "flash crash" affecting a specific trading pair (BTC/USD1) on Binance due to low liquidity and aggressive trading behavior.

🔍 The panic was triggered by a 72% drop in Bitcoin's price within seconds. Yet, this volatility was limited to the BTC/USD1 pair on Binance. During this brief period, the primary trading pair, BTC/USDT, which accounts for most of Bitcoin's trading volume, remained stable above $86,400. By December 26, Bitcoin's price was rising again, nearing $89,000.

📢 Critics like Jacob King highlighted the incident, sharing screenshots of the drop that went viral and fueled investor panic. However, market analyst Shanaka Anslem Perera clarified that the so-called crash was confined to one specific order book and had minimal impact on the overall market. He stated,

The ‘crash’ existed on exactly one order book. It wasn’t a bitcoin crash; it was a liquidity vacuum.

💡 The flash crash was rooted in a Binance promotion launched just a day earlier, offering a 20% annual percentage yield on deposits of USD1, a stablecoin. This high yield led traders to swap USDT for USD1 aggressively, draining the sell-side liquidity from the BTC/USD1 pair. When a large market sell order was placed on the now-empty order book, the price dropped to the nearest available bid at $24,111 before being quickly corrected by arbitrage bots.

⚠️ Perera noted that a similar event had occurred on December 10 with the same trading pair. He warned that the rise of USD1, which recently surpassed a $3 billion market cap, exposes a growing risk in the stablecoin sector. New and promotional trading pairs can act more like "landmines" than reliable venues for trading.

📈 Rising DeFi Activity Signals Bullish Momentum for XRP and XRPL

📊 Recent data indicates that XRP is shedding its passive reputation as a significant portion of FXRP remains locked in decentralized finance (DeFi), suggesting increased user activity and liquidity for XRP and the XRP Ledger through the Flare Network. Flare Network highlighted this trend on social media, stating that XRP holders are actively engaging in DeFi, contrary to the perception that they are passive users.

Over 80% of FXRP is locked in DeFi – more than $124M actively deployed on Flare... Turns out the issue was never demand. It was infrastructure. Flare is unlocking XRP DeFi

the team added.

📈 As of December 30, approximately 80% of the total FXRP supply, equating to about $125.8 million, is committed to DeFi protocols, even during a challenging market. Flare's data shows a total FXRP supply of around 83.95 million tokens, with nearly 67.8 million FXRP dedicated to DeFi applications. User participation is also on the rise, with over 5,800 DeFi users and FXRP users making up more than 55.5% of total FXRP holders. Transaction activity remains robust, exceeding 1.2 million DeFi transactions and including more than 1.12 million FXRP swaps.

📊 Additional data supports a bullish outlook for XRP and the XRP Ledger by demonstrating how infrastructure has unlocked previously inaccessible utility. FXRP serves as a 1:1 representation of XRP minted through Flare’s FAssets system, allowing non-custodial interaction with EVM-compatible decentralized applications while staying economically linked to XRPL liquidity.

The data underscores that XRP’s historical DeFi limitations stemmed from missing infrastructure rather than lack of demand

💪 With Flare Network extending smart contract functionality and DeFi access, XRP and the XRP Ledger are increasingly positioned as scalable liquidity layers capable of supporting sustained decentralized finance growth.

🟡 Bitcoin's Price Action: A Market in Limbo

📉 Bitcoin's price has remained stable in a narrow range of $87,831 to $88,067 over the past hour, indicating a hesitant market poised for its next move. With a market cap of $1.75 trillion and a 24-hour trading volume of $35.50 billion, the cryptocurrency appears to be range-bound for now. However, the price action over the last 24 hours has created an intraday range of $86,855 to $88,037, suggesting a quiet tug-of-war within the market.

📊 Analyzing the daily chart, the broader trend shows a cool-down phase after a decline from a swing high near $94,652 per bitcoin. The current structure is characterized by lower highs, with the price recently bouncing off support at $83,814 before being pushed back down near the $89,000–$90,000 range. The candlesticks indicate indecision—small-bodied, low volume, and significant hesitation. Traders looking for a break above $88,800 may be chasing ghosts unless volume increases. Conversely, a dip below $86,500 would signal that bears still dominate the market.

🔍 Zooming into the 4-hour chart, bitcoin shows signs of weakness after a sharp fall from $90,307 to $86,584, with a lackluster recovery to the $88,000 region. Resistance at $88,200 acts like a stubborn ceiling, while support at $86,500–$86,800 holds firm. Momentum is fragile, and every bullish push lacks conviction due to waning volume. For those monitoring this timeframe, the market is flirting with potential but lacks commitment.

📈 On the 1-hour chart, the tone is cautiously optimistic. Bitcoin recently dropped from $90,307 to $86,701 and is now attempting to recover with a rounded base forming near $88,000. This level has been a sticky resistance zone. While candles are stacking up with more optimism than before, the momentum remains shaky. Traders seeking a decisive move will need to see a clean break above $88,000 accompanied by significant volume.

📉 Looking at the technical indicators, the oscillators show mixed signals. The relative strength index (RSI) is neutral at 46, the stochastic oscillator reads 53, and the commodity channel index (CCI) rests at −40, all reflecting indecisiveness. The average directional index (ADX) is at 18, indicating low trend strength. However, the moving average convergence divergence (MACD) sits at −1,019, suggesting a glimmer of bullish momentum.