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A leading market expert argues that most investors misunderstand what would need to happen for an XRP supply shock to unfold. The analyst stressed that a true supply shock is driven by measurable XRP absorption, with early signs showing how quickly tokens are removed from circulation relative to how quickly they return. 

How A Real XRP Supply Shock Forms

Crypto analyst Pumpius took to X this Wednesday to outline the conditions he believes must align before XRP can experience an actual supply shock. The expert noted that many in the community often talk about an explosive squeeze that could drive XRP’s price higher, yet few understand the mechanics behind such a shock.

Pumpius argued that a real supply shock is not driven by speculation or hype, but by a measurable reduction in the amount of XRP available on the open market. In his view, such an event only occurs when tokens are absorbed faster than they can be replenished, creating an imbalance between circulating supply and future buyers. 

The analyst explained that the first big trigger for a supply shock would be the launch of Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). Once all ETFs go live, their issuers will need to buy real XRP rather than derivatives or IOUs, which could gradually drain the amount of available tokens on crypto exchanges. 

Pumpius added that institutional participation would amplify the supply impact of ETFs, since banks and large asset managers typically custody assets rather than actively trade them. He explained that XRP set aside for settlement purposes, treasury management, or long-term liquidity planning would be removed from day-to-day circulation, further contributing to a potential supply shock.   

Another point Pumpius mentioned in his post was that companies could start holding XRP in their corporate treasuries to support international payments and XRP Ledger (XRPL) based settlement corridors. If this occurs, the analyst suggests that these operational XRP balances would remain in working capital accounts rather than flowing back to exchanges.  

He added that Ripple’s management of its escrow further limits XRP’s supply. Currently, Ripple has little to no incentive to oversupply the market, and unused escrow releases are often returned, keeping the amount of net new XRP entering circulation tightly controlled.

On-Chain Utility And ZK Identity Drive Supply Crunch

In his post on X, Pumpius highlighted two other factors needed for XRP to experience a real supply shock. He stated that growing on-chain utility will further reduce the supply of XRP, ultimately contributing to a supply crunch. These include tokenized funds built on the XRPL, such as RLUSD, liquidity pools, identity layers, and payment rails—all of which rely on XRP as a core asset.

A Zero Knowledge identity infrastructure on the XRP Ledger could also lock away more tokens. Pumpius emphasized that these systems link XRP to identity-verified flows and validation processes, which naturally tighten supply. 

Together, these forces create the ideal conditions for a real XRP supply shock. Pumpius notes that as exchange balances drop and OTC desks hold less inventory, overall liquidity becomes thinner. Buyers are then forced to compete for the shrinking supply of tokens, potentially driving prices higher as demand outweighs supply.

Even with its price facing volatility, XRP, one of the top 5 crypto assets by market cap, is still gaining recognition around the world. XRP is currently picking up pace at a significant rate in regions such as Asia, and large companies are starting to adopt the leading altcoin in order to create a treasury reserve backed by the token.

Japan-Listed Firm Goes Crypto With XRP Treasury

As a leading asset in the cryptocurrency and financial landscape, XRP is making notable inroads into the Asian region. A publicly traded corporation in Japan has chosen to include the token directly on its balance sheet, causing a new uproar in the country’s corporate sector.

Specifically, this move, which has sent ripples throughout the community, is being carried out by AltPlus, a company that focuses on the design, creation, and running of mobile and social games. The Japanese company has decided to engage with the altcoin by including it in its official treasury strategy, bolstering the XRP Treasury initiative.

In the report shared by BankXRP, a crypto and DeFi enthusiast, outlined that the token is now officially part of the corporate strategy of AltPlus, marking its shift into the ever-evolving cryptocurrency landscape. This move reflects an act of conviction among institutional investors in an environment where the majority of corporations still keep a wary eye on digital assets.

According to the pundit, the move was revealed in the company’s new shareholder filing. This new document confirms that the firm will purchase and hold XRP alongside Bitcoin, the flagship cryptocurrency, as a strategic asset. AltPlus aims at acquiring value in the long run, diversification, and staking-based income.

The filing details a complete transition of AltPlus into digital assets as the company expands into crypto operations. In this way, the firm is improving its balance sheet and navigating Web3 connections across its gaming and Internet Protocol (IP) ecosystem.

A Huge Wave Of Capital Flowing Into The Asset

While the crypto market is slowly recovering, several major assets witnessed a massive wave of capital, with XRP being among the leaders in inflows. A significant inflow into the altcoin reflects the growing conviction among retail and institutional investors.

Data from CoinShares disclosed by Coin Bureau on X shows that the altcoin pulled in capital worth $289 million in a week, which marks one of its biggest yet. The large inflow coincides with an improvement in investors’ sentiment toward the token, driven by strategic advancements in the larger ecosystem and expanding usefulness throughout international payment corridors.

Meanwhile, the total net inflows for digital asset Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) recorded in a week were more than $1 billion, signaling intensifying market interest. As more liquidity pours into digital assets, on-chain activity and market depth seem to be rising dramatically.

Bitcoin ha mostrato una certa forza nelle ultime ore, superando la soglia dei 93.000 dollari grazie a un incremento degli acquisti in tutto il comparto delle criptovalute. Nonostante il rialzo dei prezzi, le riserve di Bitcoin custodite su Binance risultano in calo, secondo i dati on-chain. Questo arretramento dell’offerta su uno dei principali exchange internazionali è tra i fattori che gli operatori indicano come responsabili della riduzione delle monete effettivamente disponibili alla vendita.

Riserve Binance in Contrazione

Secondo un’analisi di CryptoQuant, le riserve di Bitcoin su Binance continuano a diminuire, mentre una quota crescente di BTC viene spostata fuori dalla piattaforma. Una parte di questo flusso riguarda investitori che trasferiscono fondi verso portafogli privati, scegliendo la custodia autonoma per maggiore sicurezza.

Parallelamente, anche acquirenti istituzionali negli Stati Uniti – in particolare i gestori degli ETF spot – stanno ritirando Bitcoin dai mercati per conservarli presso custodi regolamentati. Questi movimenti contribuiscono a ridurre la quantità di BTC in circolazione sugli exchange e possono generare pressione rialzista nei momenti in cui la domanda aumenta.

Why Binance’s Bitcoin Reserves Are Declining

“Historically, such conditions have supported medium- to long-term price appreciation. The current trend suggests that Binance’s reserve decline is a normal re-accumulation phase.” – By @xwinfinance pic.twitter.com/g3TCG4o6GD

— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) December 3, 2025

ETF Spot e Self-Custody

Gli analisti segnalano che gli ETF spot statunitensi hanno acquistato quantità significative di Bitcoin per alimentare i loro prodotti. Le risorse dei principali emittenti vengono custodite presso soggetti specializzati e non rimangono sulle piattaforme di scambio.

Allo stesso tempo, sia investitori individuali sia grandi detentori tendono a spostare le proprie riserve verso portafogli privati durante le fasi di rialzo, una scelta che spesso indica l’intenzione di mantenere le posizioni per un periodo prolungato.

Nel complesso, questi comportamenti riducono ulteriormente l’offerta disponibile sugli exchange e spiegano il calo delle riserve su Binance.

Derivati e Liquidazioni

Anche il mercato dei derivati ha inciso sulle variazioni dei saldi degli exchange. Le liquidazioni giornaliere nei futures sono aumentate: nella precedente fase di mercato la media oscillava attorno ai 28 milioni di dollari in posizioni long e 15 milioni in posizioni short; nell’attuale ciclo si è passati a circa 68 milioni di long e 45 milioni di short.

Il picco è stato registrato il 10 ottobre, quando oltre 640 milioni di dollari all’ora in posizioni long sono stati liquidati mentre il prezzo di Bitcoin scendeva da 121.000 a 102.000 dollari. L’open interest è calato di circa il 22% in meno di dodici ore, passando da quasi 50 miliardi a 38 miliardi.

Un Mercato Ancora Sovraffollato

Nonostante questi episodi di volatilità estrema, il settore dei futures continua a crescere. L’open interest ha toccato il record di 67 miliardi di dollari e i volumi giornalieri dei derivati hanno raggiunto i 68 miliardi. Oltre il 90% di questa attività riguarda contratti perpetui, che tendono a esacerbare i movimenti di breve periodo e, allo stesso tempo, ad attirare un elevato numero di operatori.

Livelli di Prezzo da Monitorare

Secondo i trader, l’area compresa tra 92.000 e 94.000 dollari rappresenta un’importante zona di resistenza. Una chiusura giornaliera stabile sopra questo intervallo potrebbe favorire un’accelerazione verso la soglia psicologica dei 100.000 dollari.

Il supporto più vicino si colloca invece tra 88.000 e 89.000 dollari, livello in cui è probabile l’ingresso di nuovi acquirenti in caso di correzioni. In una delle giornate più attive, i volumi di scambio hanno sfiorato gli 86 miliardi di dollari, segnale del rinnovato interesse da parte sia degli investitori al dettaglio sia degli operatori istituzionali.

Рынок спекулятивных токенов снова в фокусе: за последние недели сегмент мемкоинов демонстрирует рост около 10%, а интерес розничных инвесторов вернулся на уровни начала цикла. После долгого периода бокового движения трейдеры снова ищут риск, быстрое движение капитала и яркие истории роста.

При этом на первый план выходят не просто смешные картинки, а проекты, пытающиеся соединить мем-культуру с реальной механикой вовлечения. Инвесторы стали избирательнее: им уже мало токена с собакой на логотипе, им нужны игровые модели, доходность и ощущение участия в чем‑то новом. На этом фоне усиливается конкуренция среди новых мемкоинов, о чем свидетельствуют.

Часть аудитории постепенно уходит от классических форков известных мемов и смотрит в сторону игровых концепций и формата play‑to‑earn. Однако многие старые модели добычи и фарминга выглядят устаревшими: сложное оборудование, скучная статика и слабая мотивация для ранних участников. Здесь появляются проекты, которые переосмысляют саму идею майнинга как развлечения.

Именно в этом контексте на радаре у активных трейдеров оказался PEPENODE ($PEPENODE) — заявленный как первый в мире mine‑to‑earn мемкоин с виртуальным майнингом без железа и счетов за электричество. Для части аудитории, уставшей от обычных аирдропов и пассивного хранения токенов, подобный формат выглядит логичным следующим шагом.

КУПИТЬ PEPENODE

Почему мемкоины снова в центре внимания

Рост интереса к мемкоинам традиционно совпадает с фазами оптимизма на рынке: участники готовы рисковать и охотно заходят в более волатильные активы. Кроме того, мемкоины часто становятся входной точкой для новых пользователей, которым проще понять шутливый токен, чем сложный DeFi‑протокол с десятком показателей доходности.

При этом внутри категории уже формируется конкуренция форматов. Одни проекты делают ставку на простое владение токеном и маркетинг в социальных сетях, другие добавляют элементы игр, аукционов или лотерей. На рынке появляются эксперименты с моделью mine‑to‑earn, где пользователю предлагают не просто держать монету, а «добывать» ее через внутриигровую активность и улучшение виртуальных объектов.

Инвесторы, следящие за новыми мемкоинами, уже привыкли к быстрым циклам хайпа, поэтому все чаще обращают внимание на более проработанные концепции и долгосрочную механику. В этом же сегменте обсуждаются и проекты вроде PEPENODE, которые пытаются соединить юмор, игровую экономику и опыт виртуального майнинга, но пока остаются одной из нескольких альтернатив в формирующейся нише mine‑to‑earn. Дополнительный интерес к подобным форматам подогревают обзоры новых мемкоинов на профильных площадках, где тематике уделяется все больше места.

Как PEPENODE переизобретает майнинг для мем‑эпохи

На фоне скучных и технически сложных моделей классического майнинга PEPENODE делает ставку на виртуальный майнинг, доступный без оборудования, настройки ферм и растущих счетов за электричество. Пользователь покупает и настраивает виртуальные узлы‑майнеры, улучшает «объекты инфраструктуры» и за счет геймификации получает вознаграждения в виде мем‑монет вроде PEPE и Fartcoin.

Ключевая идея — превратить добычу в игру с уровнями и ранними преимуществами. Чем раньше пользователь подключается к экосистеме, тем более мощные узлы и более высокие коэффициенты наград он может получить. Такой подход адресует сразу несколько проблем: скучную механику майнинга, слабые стимулы для ранних участников и технический барьер входа, который раньше требовал вложений в оборудование и навыков настройки.

Финансовые показатели раннего этапа подтверждают интерес к концепции mine‑to‑earn. По данным команды проекта, на момент подготовки материала на предварительной продаже собрано около 2 262 962,60 доллара, при цене токена порядка 0,0011778 доллара за $PEPENODE. Дополнительно интерес крупных участников подчеркивает факт, что данные отслеживания движения на блокчейне показывают: два крупных адреса накопили около 215 000 долларов в токене за недавний период, что можно проверить на блокчейне. Для читателей, которые рассматривают спекулятивные активы с элементами геймификации, логичным шагом может стать ознакомление с концепцией mine‑to‑earn и участие в предварительной продаже $PEPENODE на раннем этапе через официальную страницу предпродажи $PEPENODE.

 

Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade is now live on mainnet, marking a major structural change in how the network handles data and scaling. The upgrade was activated at epoch 411392 at 21:49:11 UTC, with the official Ethereum account first signalling “upgrade in progress . . . activating Fusaka @ epoch 411392 // 21:49:11 UTC” and then confirming that “Fusaka is live on Ethereum mainnet!”

In its announcement, the account highlighted three core elements of Fusaka. PeerDAS “now unlocks 8x data throughput for rollups,” substantially expanding the amount of data that rollup-based layer 2 networks can publish to the network. The upgrade also introduces “UX improvements via the R1 curve & pre-confirmations,” and is described as explicit “prep for scaling the L1 with gas limit increase & more.” The project added that community members and core developers will “continue to monitor for issues over the next 24 hrs.”

Why Fusaka Is ‘Significant’ For Ethereum

Vitalik Buterin framed the core of the upgrade in unusually direct terms. “PeerDAS in Fusaka is significant because it literally is sharding,” he wrote. “Ethereum is coming to consensus on blocks without requiring any single node to see more than a tiny fraction of the data. And this is robust to 51% attacks – it’s client-side probabilistic verification, not validator voting.” In other words, the network can now agree on blocks even though no node has to download all of the associated data, relying instead on probabilistic verification on the client side.

Buterin tied this to a long-running research line, noting that “sharding has been a dream for Ethereum since 2015, and data availability sampling since 2017,” and linking back to early research work on data availability and erasure coding. With Fusaka, that architecture is no longer just a roadmap concept but a live mechanism securing Ethereum’s data layer.

At the same time, Buterin was clear that Fusaka does not complete the sharding roadmap. He stressed that “there are three ways that the sharding in Fusaka is incomplete.” First, he argued that “we can process O(c^2) transactions (where c is the per-node compute) on L2s, but not on the ethereum L1,” adding that “if we want to scaling to benefit the ethereum L1 as well, beyond what we can get by constant-factor upgrades like BAL and ePBS, we need mature ZK-EVMs.”

Second, he pointed to the “proposer/builder bottleneck,” where “the builder needs to have the whole data and build the whole block,” and said “it would be amazing to have distributed block building.” Third, he noted bluntly: “We don’t have a sharded mempool. We still need that.”

Despite those caveats, Buterin called Fusaka “a fundamental step forward in blockchain design.” He argued that “the next two years will give us time to refine the PeerDAS mechanism, carefully increase its scale while we continue to ensure its stability, use it to scale L2s, and then when ZK-EVMs are mature, turn it inwards to scale ethereum L1 gas as well.”

He closed by sending “big congrats to the Ethereum researchers and core devs who worked hard for years to make this happen,” underscoring that for the Ethereum community, Fusaka is not a routine protocol update but the arrival of a long-promised sharding era on mainnet.

At press time, ETH traded at $3,194.

CoinPoker представил обновленную мобильную платформу, которая работает прямо в браузере — без установки приложений. Теперь играть можно мгновенно на смартфонах и планшетах с iOS и Android.

Новая версия сайта получила современный интерфейс, улучшенную графику, дополнительные настройки, заметки о соперниках и обновленный мультитейблинг. Для начала игры достаточно открыть CoinPoker в браузере — платформа доступна сразу, без установки и скачивания.

Новая версия CoinPoker для всех устройств

Обновление обеспечивает мгновенный доступ к играм, новые функции и полную совместимость с любыми браузерами, будь то Safari, Chrome или любой другой. Теперь пользователи могут играть в покер где угодно и с какого угодно устройства.

При этом CoinPoker сохранил главный принцип — прозрачность и честность игры. Децентрализованный генератор случайных чисел (RNG) гарантирует честность каждой раздачи, а игроки могут самостоятельно проверить случайность карт.

Обновленный интерфейс стал более удобным, а новые функции вроде плавного слайдера ставок, заметок и цветовых меток дополнительно повышают комфорт.

ПЕРЕЙТИ НА САЙТ COINPOKER

Ключевые возможности платформы CoinPoker

CoinPoker объединил все лучшее в одном месте. Среди ключевых возможностей:

• Игра без скачивания: мгновенный запуск в браузере на iOS и Android. Все форматы покера доступны в один клик.
• Обновленный дизайн: современная графика, анимации и визуальные эффекты.
• Расширенные игровые функции: мультитейблинг до четырех столов, плавный слайдер ставок, заметки о соперниках, цветовые теги и возможность показать или скрыть карты на шоудауне.
• Честная раздача: система децентрализованного RNG гарантирует случайность карт и позволяет игрокам убедиться в прозрачности процесса.
• Простое пополнение: возможность внести депозит с криптокошелька, биржи или банковской карты.

Игры, доступные на CoinPoker

CoinPoker — одна из самых функциональных онлайн-платформ для игры в покер.

Игрокам доступны кэш-игры, турниры и live-покер с реальными дилерами. В кэш-формате представлены NLH, PLO и PLO5 на любых лимитах — от микролимитов до хайстейксов.

Любители турниров найдут десятки событий ежедневно — от бесплатных фрироллов до крупных турниров с шестизначными гарантиями. Также доступны игры с живыми дилерами, где можно сыграть против казино в спокойном формате и со ставками от $0,20 за раздачу.

Регулярные акции и чемпионаты, такие как Cash Game World Championship и CoinMasters, позволяют соревноваться за дополнительные призы и престижные звания.

Ключевые дисциплины

• Texas Hold’em (NLH) — классика безлимитного Холдема на любых лимитах.
• Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) — больше карт, больше экшена и крупных банков.
• 5 Card Pot Limit Omaha (PLO5) — новая версия с пятью картами, более динамичная и стратегическая.

Игры с живыми дилерами

CoinPoker также предлагает возможность сыграть против реальных дилеров в Caribbean Stud, 3-Card Poker и Texas Hold’em Bonus.

Каждая раздача — новый шанс на выигрыш:

• Caribbean Stud Poker — пятикарточная версия с одной точкой принятия решения, простая и динамичная.
• 3-Card Poker — ускоренный формат с трехкартовыми комбинациями и дополнительными ставками.
• Texas Holdem Bonus — вариант, максимально приближенный к классическому NLH-покеру, но с живым дилером.

Как начать играть с мобильного устройства

1. Перейдите на страницу регистрации CoinPoker.
2. Создайте аккаунт, заполнив короткую форму.
3. Войдите в систему и начните игру прямо в браузере — без установки приложений.

Бонусы и промо-акции CoinPoker

CoinPoker предлагает выгодные условия как новым пользователям, так и постоянным игрокам:

• 150% Welcome Bonus: бонус на первый депозит до $2 тыс.
• 33% Weekly Rakeback: еженедельный возврат рейк — до 33% от суммы взносов.
• Турнирные и кэш-лидерборды: дополнительные призы для активных участников — до $12 тыс. ежедневно в CoinRaces и $5 тыс. еженедельно в турнирных рейтингах.

Кроме того, регулярно проводятся reload-бонусы и сезонные акции.

Заключение

Обновленная мобильная версия CoinPoker делает игру доступной буквально в один клик. Платформа объединила функциональность, скорость и децентрализованную прозрачность, сохранив привычный формат.

Теперь CoinPoker становится полноценным решением для тех, кто хочет играть без ограничений — где угодно, когда угодно и без лишних сложностей.

 

Solana Mobile will roll out a native token called SKR at the start of next year, a move that ties a new crypto asset directly to the company’s Seeker smartphone and its growing app network.

According to the company’s own blog and subsequent reports, SKR is being positioned as a governance and incentive token for people who use, build for, or operate parts of the platform.

Solana Mobile Confirms SKR Launch

Solana Mobile confirmed that SKR will launch in January 2026 and that the total supply will be 10 billion SKR. The announcement appeared on the company’s official channels and was widely picked up by crypto news outlets.

SKR Tokenomics

The total SKR supply is 10 billion SKR.

SKR distribution: – 30% Airdrops – 25% Growth + Partnerships – 10% Liquidity + Launch – 10% Community Treasury – 15% Solana Mobile – 10% Solana Labs pic.twitter.com/pluKRzTDVZ

— Seeker | Solana Mobile (@solanamobile) December 3, 2025

Token Distribution And Staking

Reports have disclosed a detailed split of that 10 billion. Some 30% is reserved for airdrops. 25% goes to growth and partnerships. 10% is set aside for liquidity and launch, another 10% for a community treasury, and 15% for Solana Mobile itself, etc.

This arrangement puts a large chunk of supply into the hands of users and partners from day one, with a sizeable allocation kept for the company and its parent.

How SKR Will Be Used

According to the Solana Mobile post, SKR will be used to reward builders and reinforce device security, and it will help coordinate how the dApp Store and related services work on Seeker devices.

The company also described a “Guardian” model meant to involve trusted actors in tasks like app review and device verification.

Who Might Benefit First

Seeker owners and early dApp developers are the most likely to see immediate benefits. Airdrops are intended for users and builders, so people who actively use Seeker apps or who run services for that ecosystem could receive SKR at launch.

Based on reports, the token’s real value will hang on how many people buy Seeker phones, how many apps appear, and how active the community becomes.

A big airdrop number does not guarantee broad usage, and governance systems often face challenges if participation is low or power concentrates with a few parties.

Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

BlackRock chairman and CEO Larry Fink has framed Bitcoin’s latest boom-and-bust swing as the clearest expression yet of its core narrative: not a growth asset, but “an asset of fear.”

Speaking at the New York Times’ DealBook “Crypto and Capital” event alongside Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, Fink contrasted the $13.5 trillion BlackRock manages with the motivations behind Bitcoin demand. BlackRock’s portfolios, he said, are essentially “managing hope” over decades: “The $13.5 trillion that BlackRock managed on behalf of our clients, it’s basically managing hope. That’s all it is. I mean, why would anybody invest in a 30-year outcome unless you’re hopeful that in 30 years you’re going to have the compounding effect.”

Why Bitcoin Is ‘An Asset Of Fear’

Bitcoin, by contrast, he placed on the opposite side of the psychological ledger. “Bitcoin is an asset of fear,” Fink said. “You own Bitcoin because you’re frightened of your physical security. You own it because you’re frightened of your financial security. The long-term fundamental reason you own it [is] because of debasement of financial assets because of deficits.”

His comments came against the backdrop of a sharp reversal in the Bitcoin market. The asset hit an all-time high above $125,000 in early October 2025 before sliding nearly 30% and briefly dropping below $90,000 in mid-November. Fink explicitly referenced that move to illustrate just how violent the swings can be. “If you had bought it at $125,000 and it’s now sitting at $90,000,” he said, anyone treating it as a trade is dealing with “a very volatile asset” and “you’re going to have to be really good at market timing, which most people aren’t.”

For investors using Bitcoin as a macro hedge, he argued, the volatility looks different. “If you’re buying it as a hedge against all your hope, you know, then it has a meaningful impact on a portfolio.” In his telling, Bitcoin rallies when fear rises and retreats when fear subsides, citing episodes such as a US–China trade agreement or talk of a possible Ukraine settlement, after which Bitcoin “fell a little bit.” The pattern, he suggested, is consistent with a fear-driven hedge against geopolitical risk and fiscal slippage.

Fink also underscored that structurally, the market remains fragile. “The other big problem of Bitcoin is it is still heavily influenced by leveraged players,” he said, linking the asset’s outsized volatility to leverage even as flows through his firm’s spot ETF channel normalize.

Since launching IBIT, BlackRock has already lived through several drawdowns on the order of 20–25%, he noted, yet the holder base is shifting. “We’re seeing more and more legitimate long-only investors investing in it,” he said, citing a large foundation endowment and adding that “a number of sovereign funds” are “adding incrementally at $120k, at $100k,” and “bought more in the $80k’s.” For those allocators, he stressed, “this is not a trade. You own it over years. This is not a trade. You own it for a purpose.”

The stance marks a striking reversal from Fink’s 2017 description of Bitcoin as an “index for money laundering… and thieves.” He told the audience that during the pandemic he “took it upon myself to visit and talk to a lot of people who were advocates of it,” asking, “What am I missing?” and that “around 2021–22” he began to “evolve those views.” It is, he conceded, “a very glaring public example of a big shift in my opinion,” adding, “I have very strong views but that doesn’t mean I’m not wrong.”

At press time, Bitcoin traded at $93,107.

As the sector continues to gain global momentum, Taiwanese authorities have announced that a locally issued stablecoin could be launched next year, pending the imminent approval of the country’s regulatory crypto framework and related legislation.

First Local Stablecoin To Debut Next Year

On Wednesday, Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) Chairman Peng Jin-long revealed that the island’s first regulated stablecoin could debut in the latter half of 2026, local news outlet Focus Taiwan reported.

The FSC chair affirmed that the Virtual Assets Service Act (VASA), which incorporates stablecoin regulation, could be passed during its third hearing in the next legislative session, scheduled for this week, after clearing initial reviews with a “high level of consensus.”

After the framework’s approval, stablecoin-centered regulations would be developed within six months, setting the launch of a locally issued token pegged to the New Taiwan Dollar (NTD) or the US Dollar (USD) to the second half of the year.

The VASA supports the efforts by Taiwanese authorities to establish a comprehensive crypto framework that promotes industry growth and safeguards investors. Last year, the FSC announced an overhaul of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) framework to include crypto businesses, introducing stricter AML guidelines for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) and requiring all crypto firms to complete the AML registration by September 2025.

In January, Peng stated that investors could have a “convenient” entrance to crypto assets in the future through stablecoins, which could serve as a bridge between the country’s legal tender and virtual currency.

In March, the FSC published the finalized draft of its landmark crypto legislation, which the VASA’s draft proposed authorizing banks to issue stablecoins pegged to the New Taiwan Dollar or the US Dollar.

Meanwhile, Premier Cho Jung-tai and Central Bank Governor Yang Chin-long recently expressed support for a formal Bitcoin (BTC) policy, pledging to study the flagship cryptocurrency as a strategic reserve asset, accelerate pro-BTC rulemaking, and pilot treasury exposure through government-seized assets.

Taiwan Sets Financial Institutions’ Role

At the legislative hearing, the FSC’s chair highlighted that the bill’s draft draws from the European Union (EU)’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). He explained that the Virtual Assets Service Act doesn’t require stablecoins to be issued exclusively by financial institutions, which has been a divisive topic in other jurisdictions.

As reported by Bitcoinist, South Korea’s long-awaited stablecoin legislation could be delayed until next year as the Korean Financial Services Commission clashes with the Bank of Korea (BOK) over the role of banks in the sector.

A local news media outlet recently noted that the BOK and regulators agree that financial institutions must be involved in the issuance of won-pegged tokens, but differ on the extent of their role.

The central bank is pushing for a consortium of banks owning at least 51% of any stablecoin issuer seeking regulatory approval. Meanwhile, regulators are concerned that giving a majority stake to banks could reduce participation from tech companies and limit the market’s innovation. Earlier this week, authorities set December 10 as the deadline for the government to deliver a draft bill.

Unlike South Korea’s financial authorities, Focus Taiwan reported that the regulator and the central bank have agreed that only financial institutions will be allowed to issue stablecoins in the initial stage to reduce risk management, suggesting that companies could join at a later stage of the project.

Stay Ahead with Our Immediate Analysis of Today’s Bitcoin Insights

Check out our Live Bitcoin Updates for December 4, 2025!

In 2010, Bitcoin was worth a few cents. One year later, it hit $20. In six years, it was $17,000, and only a month ago, it hit an ATH of $126K, a 641% in six years and 629,900% in 14 years.

Historically, if you’d invested in Bitcoin at launch, you’d have an ROI of 188,643,000%. The likes of Mastercard, JP Morgan, and scores of S&P 500 companies are buying Bitcoin in droves.

Arthur Hayes just predicted $BTC to hit $200K by the end of 2025, and Saylor is doubling down on Bitcoin despite the crypto’s slump to under $85K.

There’s never been anything like Bitcoin before, and investors are waking up to that reality. If you’re looking for the newest insights on Bitcoin, you’re in the right place.

We update this page regularly throughout the day with the latest insider insights for Bitcoin maxis. Keep refreshing to stay ahead of the pack!

Disclaimer: No crypto investment comes without risk. Our content is for informational purposes, not financial advice. We may earn affiliate commissions at no extra cost to you. When Corporate Bitcoin Hoarding Slows, Bitcoin Hyper Shifts The Trade Toward Usage

December 4, 2025 • 12:00 UTC

Strategy, the biggest corporate $BTC holder, has slashed monthly Bitcoin buys from 134,000 $BTC at the 2024 peak to 9,100 $BTC in November 2025, with just 135 $BTC added so far this month. 

At the same time, it built a $1.4B cash reserve to cover 12–24 months of debt and dividend costs, preparing for a drawn-out bear market rather than racing to accumulate every coin. 

That signals a shift: less reflexive treasury buying, more focus on sustainable usage and infrastructure.

For you, that means the clean ‘corporates stack infinite $BTC’ narrative becomes less dominant, while infra that keeps Bitcoin usable at scale gains relative appeal.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is designed for that outcome. It is the first Bitcoin Layer-2 built on the Solana Virtual Machine, using a canonical bridge to

With $28.95M raised and a token price of $0.013375, you tilt from owning passive reserves toward owning active Bitcoin utility.

Here’s how to buy $HYPER now.

Shifting Bitcoin Regulation Mood Opens Space For Maxi Doge’s High-Beta Meme Exposure

December 4, 2025 • 11:00 UTC

The SEC’s short-selling disclosure rule, 13f-2, has just been kicked another two years down the road, and the new chair openly calls for a ‘reset’ on heavy-handed disclosure.

Legal analysts read this as repeal-by-extension, not a simple delay, and see it as a broader retreat from the Gensler-era clampdown on markets, including crypto-exposed stocks and proxies tied to $BTC.

That softening stance tends to bring risk appetite back because big funds can run aggressive books without constant new reporting friction.

In that environment, high-beta meme exposure becomes more interesting as a complement to plain $BTC.

Maxi Doge ($MAXI) leans hard into meme culture while actually shipping features: an ERC-20 design, live staking, and degen-style leveraged trading hooks rather than just vibes.

Audits from Coinsult and SolidProof add a basic security layer, which matters when leverage and memes collide. With $4.26M raised at a token price of $0.0002715, you are effectively targeting a more explosive expression of a friendlier Bitcoin regulatory mood.

Read our Maxi Doge price prediction for upside potential.

Bitcoin ETF Euphoria Steers Bitcoin Liquidity Toward Bitcoin Hyper’s Layer-2 Bet

December 4, 2025 • 10:00 UTC

Bitcoin has bounced from $84K to around $93K in a 7% move while analysts map a path toward $120K, as long as the five-day streak of $58.5M in daily spot Bitcoin ETF inflows holds. 

BlackRock’s IBIT alone added $120.1M in one day, which shows that the marginal buyer is now an ETF, not a degen on leverage.

That kind of regulated demand keeps $BTC structurally bid and pushes more value onto the base chain over time.

As more volume and capital move through Bitcoin, blockspace and fees trend higher, and the trade shifts from hoarding coins to owning the rails that keep the network usable.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is that rails play. It is a Bitcoin Layer-2 built on the Solana Virtual Machine, using a canonical bridge so you can move $BTC into an environment with fast execution and Solana-style dApp support while still anchored to Bitcoin’s brand and security.

Explore Bitcoin Hyper’s presale in our guide.

BlackRock’s Bitcoin-Aware ‘Mega Forces’ Narrative Aligns With SUBBD Token’s Creator Economy Push

December 4, 2025 • 10:00 UTC

BlackRock’s latest outlook stays risk-on and leans into ‘mega forces’ like AI, tokenization, and stablecoins, arguing these trends will reshape markets over the next decade rather than just fuel a short-term pump.

With $BTC trading near $93K and stablecoins at a multi-hundred-billion-dollar market cap, capital clearly prefers programmable rails over legacy intermediaries. That backdrop rewards projects where real economic activity, not just speculation, settles on-chain.

SUBBD Token ($SUBBD) fits that lane by turning the $85B creator economy into an on-chain, AI-powered subscription stack. 

The platform uses an ERC-20 token to handle subscriptions, tipping, and staking, while AI tools automate fan engagement and content flows, so value accrues to creators and holders instead of Web2 middlemen.

With $1.38M already raised at a presale price of $0.0571, you step into an early-stage play that sits exactly where BlackRock expects structural growth: AI, payments, and Bitcoin-adjacent on-chain liquidity.

Here’s how to buy $SUBBD now.

Authored by Bogdan Patru, Bitcoinist — https://bitcoinist.com/bitcoin-live-news-today-december-4-2025

The United Kingdom (UK) has reached a significant milestone in its approach to digital assets with the recent passage of the Property Act 2025, which now officially categorizes cryptocurrencies as legal property. 

UK’s New Law Sets Criteria For Digital Assets

The creation of this dedicated legal category for digital assets followed recommendations from the Law Commission, which advocated for a framework that acknowledges assets not fitting traditional definitions of personal property.

This legal evolution is seen as part of a broader strategy to position the UK as a leading digital finance hub, responding to experts’ calls for the country to align its regulatory environment with that of the United States in order to promote growth in the digital asset market. 

According to law firm Clyde & Co, a key provision in the law states that “a thing (including a thing that is digital or electronic in nature) is not prevented from being the object of personal property rights merely because it is neither (a) a thing in possession, nor (b) a thing in action.” 

This phrase confirms that digital assets can now be recognized as a third category of personal property, distinct from the traditional classifications of tangible and intangible assets.

However, the Act does not guarantee that any specific type of asset qualifies as personal property; rather, it aims to “unlock” the common law’s ability to adapt to technological advancements and new asset types, as outlined in the Explanatory Notes from Parliament. 

The interpretation of existing digital assets—such as cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs)—as well as any emerging forms will ultimately depend on future court rulings. 

The law firm also noted that, under this new law, a digital asset must meet certain criteria to qualify as personal property: it must be definable and identifiable by third parties and capable of being assumed by them, as well as possess a degree of permanence.

Additionally, digital assets will be included in bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, allowing them to be treated as part of the overall asset pool available to creditors and heirs. 

Government Moves To Ban Crypto Donations

While momentum continues for digital asset recognition, the UK government is also addressing concerns surrounding cryptocurrency in the political sphere. 

Ministers are reportedly working on legislation aimed at banning political donations made through digital currencies, although this crackdown may not be ready in time for the upcoming elections bill in the new year. 

Officials have raised alarms that cryptocurrency donations pose risks to the integrity of the electoral process, primarily due to their difficult-to-trace nature, which could open the door to exploitation by foreign entities or criminal organizations.

At the time of writing, the market’s leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, was trading at $92,180, surging 4% in the past 24 hours. 

Featured image from Shutterstock, chart from TradingView.com 

Quick Facts:

• BlackRock’s 2026 Global Outlook report shows that the company still bets on AI in 2026 and beyond.
• BlackRock doubling down on its AI interest supports a utility narrative, as compared to pure speculative moves.
• PEPENODE ($PEPENODE) introduces a mine‑to‑earn memecoin model with virtual nodes, letting users ‘mine’ without hardware while earning meme‑asset rewards on Ethereum.
• SUBBD Token ($SUBBD) targets the $85B creator economy with AI assistants, voice cloning, and token‑gated content built around Web3 payments.

BlackRock isn’t just talking about ‘mega forces’ anymore – it’s positioning around them.

In its recent 2026 Global Outlook, the world’s largest asset manager has highlighted AI, digital infrastructure, and the rapid growth of stablecoins as structural trends reshaping capital markets through 2030 and beyond.

The company states that it still prefers AI for 2026 because:

We see the AI theme supported by strong earnings, resilient profit margins and healthy balance sheets at large listed tech companies. Continued Fed easing into 2026 and reduced policy uncertainty underpin our overweight to U.S. equities.

—BlackRock, 2026 Global Outlook

So, utility. That’s a very different conversation from the last cycle’s purely speculative narrative.

Retail traders might still chase memes, but institutions are quietly mapping out rails and cash‑flow models.

The most interesting projects now sit where those worlds intersect: consumer‑friendly apps with meme energy, AI‑native platforms that fix creator economics, and blue‑chip chains that already clear billions in volume.

In other words, you’re looking for tokens that either power the rails or make those rails useful to normal users.

With that lens, three names stand out right now: PEPENODE ($PEPENODE) as a mine‑to‑earn memecoin that gamifies infrastructure themes, SUBBD Token ($SUBBD) as an AI‑first creator economy play, and BNB ($BNB) as the blue‑chip chain asset that already benefits when stablecoin and AI activity hits scale.

1. PEPENODE ($PEPENODE) – Mine‑to‑Earn Memecoin for Retail Rails

If BlackRock is leaning into AI and stablecoins as macro ‘mega forces,’ PEPENODE ($PEPENODE) tries to package that institutional thesis into something the retail market actually wants to touch: a gamified, mine‑to‑earn memecoin that runs entirely on virtual infrastructure instead of real‑world rigs.

Think of it as a playful UX layer on top of serious Ethereum rails.

Billed as the world’s first mine-to-earn memecoin, $PEPENODE lets you acquire and customize virtual Miner Nodes, upgrade digital facilities, and earn rewards in meme assets like $PEPE and $FARTCOIN.

There’s no hardware to assemble, no electricity bill, and no hash‑rate charts to decode – the ‘mining’ is abstracted into a dashboard that looks more like a mobile game than a mining pool.

Under the hood, $PEPENODE is a standard ERC‑20 on Ethereum’s proof‑of‑stake network, with smart contracts handling staking logic, node‑tier rewards, and governance hooks.

The market seems to be noticing. The PEPENODE presale has already raised over $2.26M, with $PEPENODE currently priced at $0.0011778 – a sub‑penny entry point for a concept aiming to sit at the intersection of mining narratives, meme culture, and Ethereum yield.

Given the project’s meme potential and utility proposition, our price prediction for $PEPENODE considers a potential 2026 target of $0.0072 for a corresponding ROI of 511%. The coin could permeate into the mainstream by 2030, which could push it to $0.0244 and an ROI of 1,971% based on today’s price.

Join the $PEPENODE presale to get your mining nodes early.

2. SUBBD Token ($SUBBD) – AI Creator Stack for the Stablecoin Era

If BlackRock is right that AI will be a core driver of earnings growth, creator platforms built natively around AI tooling and crypto payments are a logical downstream bet.

SUBBD Token ($SUBBD) is targeting exactly that intersection: Web3 rails plus AI workflows for an $85 billion‑plus content creation industry.

SUBBD Token’s pitch is straightforward: give creators AI‑powered assistants, voice cloning, and even full AI influencer generation, while keeping fees low and control of earnings and IP in the creator’s hands.

Instead of surrendering margins to Web2 platforms, creators can token‑gate content, accept crypto – including stablecoins – and automate fan interactions using an AI personal assistant that runs 24/7.

On‑chain, SUBBD leans on its native token for payments, access, and incentives.

The presale has already raised $1.38M, with $SUBBD priced at $0.0571, signaling meaningful early demand for an AI‑centric creator stack that doesn’t rely on YouTube or TikTok economics.

From a marketing perspective, the project is already ahead of the curve after contracting the top 2,000+ content creators, bringing a combined following of 250M+.

Based on the project’s presale performance and innovative factor, a realistic price prediction for $SUBBD suggests a 2026 target of $0.48. Make that $2.50 by 2030, once the ecosystem sees mainstream adoption. In terms of raw numbers, we’re looking at ROIs of 740% and 4,278% respectively.

In a world where stablecoins become the default internet money and AI handles more of the creative workload, platforms like SUBBD sit in a sweet spot: they provide the tools, take a smaller cut, and let creators plug directly into Web3 rails.

If you want in, the earlier, the better. So, read our guide on how to buy $SUBBD today, while the presale is still open.

Buy your $SUBBD on the official presale page.

3. BNB (BNB) – Blue‑Chip Bet on On‑Chain Activity Growth

Every AI app, stablecoin payment, or mine‑to‑earn game ultimately needs a chain to live on. BNB ($BNB) is the blue‑chip way to express that view on the BNB Chain ecosystem, combining exchange utility with smart‑contract infrastructure that already handles massive throughput at low cost.

BNB powers transactions, gas fees, and smart contracts across the BNB Chain, while also unlocking trading discounts and other perks within the Binance exchange ecosystem. With high‑speed, low‑cost execution, the ecosystem has become a natural hub for DeFi, NFTs, and consumer dApps that can’t tolerate Ethereum mainnet fee spikes.

Token‑economically, BNB combines that utility with a deflationary burn model, where periodic token burns reduce supply over time.

That dynamic has underpinned its long‑term performance and helped keep BNB consistently in the top five cryptocurrencies by market cap as one of the leading exchange‑backed and smart‑contract platform tokens.

$BNB is now trading at $910 after a 2.13% pump of the last week and a bullish behavior.

If you want a large‑cap way to play the growth of AI apps and stablecoin flows on BNB Chain, $BNB remains the go‑to asset. Learn more about the ecosystem via its official website before buying.

Get your $BNB on Binance today while it’s hot.

Recap: As AI and stablecoins solidify into institutional ‘mega forces,’ PEPENODE ($PEPENODE), SUBBD Token ($SUBBD), and BNB ($BNB) offer three very different but complementary angles – gamified mine‑to‑earn, AI creator infrastructure, and a blue‑chip chain.

This isn’t financial advice. DYOR and manage risks wisely before investing.

Authored by Bogdan Patru, Bitcoinist: https://bitcoinist.com/best-crypto-to-buy-blackrock-backs-ai-stablecoins

Bitcoin showed some muscle today, breaching the $93,000 mark, as buying saw a good amount of activity across the digital currency market. Even with prices heading north, Bitcoin stored on Binance has been retreating, according to on-chain data.

That shrinking supply on a major exchange is one of several forces traders point to as tightening available coins for sale.

Binance Reserves Shrink

Based on an analysis by CryptoQuant, Binance’s Bitcoin reserves have declined as more coins move off the exchange. Some of that shift comes from holders moving funds into private cold wallets for safekeeping.

Reports show that large buyers in the US — including spot ETF managers — are also taking coins off the market and placing them with custodians.

Those moves reduce the float available to traders and can add upward pressure on prices when demand rises.

Why Binance’s Bitcoin Reserves Are Declining

“Historically, such conditions have supported medium- to long-term price appreciation. The current trend suggests that Binance’s reserve decline is a normal re-accumulation phase.” – By @xwinfinance pic.twitter.com/g3TCG4o6GD

— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) December 3, 2025

ETF Buying And Self-Custody

According to analysts, US spot ETFs have been buying meaningful amounts of Bitcoin for their products. Funds from big issuers are held by trusted custodians rather than on trading platforms.

At the same time, ordinary holders and whales frequently shift holdings to self-custody during rallies, signaling they do not plan to sell soon.

Together, these trends remove supply from exchanges and help explain why reserves on Binance are shrinking.

Derivatives And Liquidations

Derivatives activity also played a role in recent exchange balances. Daily futures wipeouts have climbed from averages of about $28 million long and $15 million short in the prior cycle to near $68 million long and $45 million short in the current run.

That uptick in forced exits peaked on Oct. 10, when over $640 million per hour in long positions were liquidated as Bitcoin slid from $121,000 to $102,000.

Open interest dropped roughly 22% in under 12 hours, falling from close to $50 billion to $38 billion at the time.

Still At A High

While those liquidations were dramatic, the futures market has grown overall. Open interest is at a record $67 billion and daily futures turnover reached $68 billion.

More than 90% of that activity is in perpetual contracts, which tend to amplify short-term moves. That combination raises both trading volume and the potential for sharp moves when sentiment flips.

Price Levels To Watch

Based on trader calls, the market is watching the $92,000–$94,000 zone as a key resistance area. A clean daily close above that band could speed momentum toward $100K.

Nearer-term support sits around $88,000–$89,000, where buyers are expected to step in if prices pull back. Trading volume on a busy day climbed close to $86 billion, showing renewed interest from both retail and institutional participants.

Featured image from Safelincs, chart from TradingView

Concerns regarding the potential exclusion of Strategy (MSTR) from the MSCI index emerged last week, with estimates from JPMorgan analysts indicating that such a move could result in approximately $2 billion to $8 billion in outflows.

Amid mounting concerns within the crypto community, Michael Saylor confirmed that the company is in discussions with MSCI regarding its potential exclusion from the provider’s indices. 

Michael Saylor Weighs In On Exclusion Concerns

MSCI has stated that by January 15, it will decide whether to remove companies whose business models focus on purchasing cryptocurrencies, amid concerns that these firms resemble investment funds, which are currently ineligible for index inclusion.

Reuters reported that Saylor acknowledged the discussions with MSCI but expressed skepticism regarding JPMorgan’s projections of potential outflows. He commented, “It won’t make any difference, in my opinion,” regarding the implications of a possible exclusion. 

Saylor noted that the equity associated with Strategy is inherently volatile due to its significant reliance on Bitcoin’s (BTC) price. He cautioned, “If Bitcoin falls 30% or 40%, then the equity is going to fall more, because the equity is built to fall.” 

Currently, Strategy operates with a leverage ratio of 1.11, and Saylor indicated that the company could withstand a steep decline of 95% in Bitcoin prices.

Reports from NewsBTC indicated that Saylor Strategy’s position emphasizing that it is not merely a passive Bitcoin holding entity. Instead, he highlighted that the company functions as a software firm with a proactive financial strategy, countering the narrative surrounding MSCI’s concerns.

Strategy Establishes New USD Reserve 

The recent fluctuations in Bitcoin prices have reignited fears of a potential bear market, raising questions about whether Strategy would consider selling some of its substantial Bitcoin reserves, currently exceeding 650,000 coins. 

This speculation intensified after Strategy CEO Phong Le addressed the possibility of selling some holdings during an interview on the “What Bitcoin Did” podcast. 

Le stated that if the company’s stock trades below the value of its Bitcoin holdings and it is unable to raise additional capital for preferred dividends, a sale might become unavoidable. 

“If the stock trades below the value of our Bitcoin, then mathematically we would have to sell some Bitcoin. It would be the last resort,” he explained.

To support this vision, the Virginia-based company recently announced the establishment of a $1.44 billion reserve fund allocated for dividend payments on preferred stock and to meet its debt obligations.

The newly created reserve is funded through proceeds from its at-the-market stock offering. The company aims to maintain a balance sufficient to cover at least 12 months of dividends, with ambitions to extend this coverage to 24 months or more in the future. 

Saylor remarked, “Establishing a USD Reserve to complement our BTC Reserve marks the next step in our evolution. We believe it will better position us to navigate short-term market volatility while delivering on our vision of being the world’s leading issuer of Digital Credit.”

At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading just above $93,000, marking a 4.5% increase over the past 24 hours. MSTR, the stock of the investment firm Strategy, traded up 2% in the premarket. 

Featured image from Bloomberg, chart from TradingView.com 

XRP is now moving into one of its most decisive weeks in years, based on a perfect alignment of institutional developments, ETF expansion, and changing supply dynamics. The most important factor behind this trend is the concentration of Spot XRP exchange-traded funds now competing for liquidity in the United States. 

Ripple’s growing institutional footprint is also feeding expectations that this week could represent the beginning of a new bullish phase in XRP’s long-term market direction, especially as exchange reserves continue to decline.

A Landmark Week For Spot XRP ETFs

The arrival of 21Shares’ US Spot XRP ETF has modified the ETF niche, because for the first time five major issuers are trading XRP-backed funds simultaneously. Bitwise, Grayscale, Franklin Templeton, Canary Capital, and now 21Shares have consolidated into a new institutional layer for XRP, and the combined demand is starting to reshape how investors are looking at XRP.

According to data from SoSoValue, total inflows into these funds have already surpassed $824 million, and it’s not even yet a full month of trading. The most interesting thing is that since launch, not a single session has recorded net outflows.

The rise in ETF demand is unfolding at the same moment that the supply of liquid XRP on exchanges continues to thin. Analysts monitoring these flows describe this as one of the most structurally significant developments in years because several Spot XRP ETFs are competing directly for circulating supply while being legally unable to source tokens from Ripple’s escrow.

A price-path sensitivity simulation run by Mohamed Bangura, which was shared by crypto analyst Chad Steingraber, adds another layer to the discussion of how Spot XRP ETFs are a game-changer for the cryptocurrency. His model assumes a baseline ETF demand of 74.5 million XRP per day, an available exchange supply of 2.7 billion XRP, and a periodic escrow addition of 300 million XRP every thirty days. 

He built three scenarios using price elasticity values of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 over a 180-day window. All of these scenarios point to huge bullish price targets, with targets ranging from $6 to extreme spikes approaching $600, depending on elasticity.

Ripple’s New Regulatory Milestone Boosts XRP

Ripple has secured a major regulatory upgrade in Singapore, giving its local subsidiary approval to operate a fully licensed payments platform capable of handling fund collection, custody, token conversion, and payouts. This step strengthens Ripple’s global payments push and positions XRP for deeper integration into regulated financial channels.

At the same time, the XRP Ledger is showing a significant rise in on-chain activity. Recent data reveals a jump in AccountSet operations to levels not seen in years, along with a noticeable uptick in new wallets and overall transaction volume. 

The combination of Ripple’s growing regulatory footprint and the XRP Ledger’s latest activity suggests that real-world usage and ecosystem growth are rising just as institutional demand through spot ETFs increases.

A consortium of major European banks has formed Qivalis, a new entity in Amsterdam to launch a euro-pegged stablecoin in 2026.

A Tenth Bank Has Now Joined The Euro Stablecoin Consortium

Back in September, nine big European banks announced a consortium aimed at developing and launching a euro-based stablecoin, a digital asset that will have its price pegged to the euro (EUR).

Currently, stablecoins are overwhelmingly dominated by the US dollar (USD), with USDT and USDC, the two largest such cryptocurrencies in the space, accounting for 85% of the market. The consortium’s euro stablecoin intends to provide a real alternative to the USD tokens.

The nine banks that initially kickstarted the plan included ING, Banca Sella, KBC, Danske Bank, DekaBank, UniCredit, SEB, CaixaBank, and Raiffeisen Bank International. As announced in a press release, a tenth European bank in France’s BNP Paribas has now joined the effort.

BNP Paribas is the second largest bank in the bloc and eighth largest globally with over $2.8 trillion in assets. The list of banks part of the consortium already included some heavy-hitters, but BNP Paribas now adding its backing further elevates the project.

BNP Paribas is classified as a global systemically important bank (G-SIB) by the Financial Stability Board, meaning that its stability is integral to the world financial order. Netherlands’ ING, another member of the consortium, is also included in a lower bucket of the same category.

In the initial announcement, the banks had noted that they had formed a new company in the Netherlands to handle the issuance of the euro stablecoin. As revealed by the consortium’s CaixaBank, the Amsterdam-based firm has now been incorporated and named Qivalis.

Qivalis is working on obtaining an electronic money institution license from the Dutch Central Bank, seeking to launch the euro-denominated stablecoin in the second half of 2026. This asset will be compliant with Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCAR), the EU’s framework for digital assets.

Jan-Oliver Sell has been lined up to serve as Qivalis’ CEO. Sell has previously had roles at Coinbase Germany and Binance. “A native Euro stablecoin isn’t just about convenience – it’s about monetary autonomy in the digital age,” noted the CEO.

Caixabank has said that the consortium is open to more banks joining. In October, Bloomberg reported that America’s Citigroup would be joining the group, but so far, the bank’s name hasn’t appeared in any subsequent press release related to the stablecoin project.

In some other news, PayPal’s PYUSD has witnessed some sharp growth since September, as DeFi analytics firm DefiLlama has highlighted in an X post.

As displayed in the above chart, PayPal’s stablecoin had a supply of $1.2 billion in September, but today that figure has sharply gone up to $3.8 billion.

Bitcoin Price

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading around $92,800, up more than 7% over the last week.

US President Donald Trump issued a full pardon on December 2, 2025, freeing former Honduran leader Juan Orlando Hernández from a US federal sentence.

Hernández had been convicted in 2024 on drug trafficking and weapons charges and was serving a 45-year term after prosecutors said he helped traffickers move hundreds of tons of cocaine toward the United States.

Prison Tie Raises Eyebrows

According to reports, the pardon by Trump drew quick praise from Sam Bankman-Fried, who is serving a 25-year federal sentence after his conviction in the FTX collapse case.

In a post on X, Bankman-Fried wrote: “I’m so glad Juan Orlando is free — few are more deserving than him.”

The two men once shared one prison dormitory while detained in the US, a detail that adds a personal dimension to the reaction.

Political Timing And Pushback

Based on reports, the move came just before a closely fought Honduran vote and prompted sharp criticism from lawmakers and anti-drug officials. Opponents said freeing a former head of state convicted in the US weakens long-standing efforts to curb trafficking.

I’m so glad Juan Orlando is free–few are more deserving than him.

— SBF (@SBF_FTX) December 2, 2025

Supporters argued that Hernández faced political attacks and that the Trump pardon corrected an injustice. Multiple voices in Congress called the decision troubling, and several advocacy groups said it could undercut trust in US drug enforcement.

Questions About International Impact

Reports have disclosed concern among analysts that the pardon could affect US ties in the region and might influence public opinion inside Honduras. Some legal experts warned the action risks setting a precedent where high-level convictions can be overturned by executive clemency after sentencing.

Others noted that clemency is a long-standing presidential power, and pointed to past instances when presidents used it for political or humanitarian reasons.

Trump Pardon: Reaction On The Ground

Local and international reaction was mixed. Human rights organizations urged careful review of the pardon’s implications for rule-of-law efforts, while certain political allies in Honduras hailed the release as a victory.

Commentators also highlighted that prosecutors had linked Hernández to large-scale shipments of narcotics, a fact that made the pardon especially controversial among drug-control officials.

What This Means For Bankman-Fried

Based on reports, Bankman-Fried’s public support appears tied to his own efforts to seek clemency. Observers suggested that the endorsement could be intended to draw attention to his case or to court favor.

Whether the presidential action will have any bearing on other clemency requests remains unclear, but the episode has already sparked debate over the boundaries of presidential pardon power.

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView

Paulo Vidal, a Dogecoin Foundation developer, has created a new protocol that transforms DOGE addresses into International Bank Account Numbers (IBANs). This development could make it easier to link Dogecoin with conventional financial systems, offering a new level of usability for both crypto enthusiasts and mainstream players. While the protocol is still in its early stages, Vidal has shared updates on its developments and insights into its core features. 

Dogecoin Dev Introduces Banking IBAN For DOGE

Dogecoin could be taking a step closer to mainstream financial integration as Vidal unveils an innovative protocol that allows addresses tied to the meme coin to function like bank-validated IBANs. Announced on X this week, the Dogecoin developer explained that his effort to simplify Dogecoin addresses has evolved into a D-IBAN system fully compliant with ISO 13616-1:2020 Standard. 

Vidal has explained that the D-IBAN protocol allows Dogecoin addresses to be formatted in a way that banking systems can easily validate, effectively bridging the gap between cryptocurrency and traditional finance. He explained that the system supports multiple address types, including P2PKH, P2SH, P2WPKH, and time-locked addresses, automatically detecting the type from the address prefix. Additionally, it automatically detects the address type and uses the same MOD-97-10 Checksum algorithm used by banks worldwide. 

The Dogecoin developer notes that the D-IBAN encoding is fully reversible, allowing users to convert back and forth without losing any data. The protocol also formats the IBAN into standard four-character groups for readability, making DOGE addresses more user-friendly and appearing bank-compliant. 

Beyond the core D-IBAN functionality, Vidal has also introduced playful and practical extensions of the system. The DogeMoji protocol converts addresses into memorable, visually appealing emoji sequences—ideal for social media or QR codes. 

The second DogeWords protocol encodes addresses into short, positive word sequences that are easy to read and remember, while maintaining complete reversibility and ensuring accuracy through validation. Both D-IBAN features are designed to make Dogecoin easier to share and interact with in creative ways. 

Community Reacts To D-IBAN Invention

Members of the crypto community who read about Vidal’s new D-IBAN protocol responded with a mix of enthusiasm, curiosity, and caution. Crypto analyst Astro noted that sending fiat to a crypto address via IBAN would require compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules, KYC verification, and potentially obtaining a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) license. 

Astro warned that integration with traditional banks could undermine the decentralized narrative of blockchain technology, contending that banks and crypto have inherently conflicting interests. A community member also highlighted that creating a mathematically valid IBAN from a Dogecoin address does not guarantee that banks will process actual transactions. He stated that only IBANs issued by authorized institutions are recognized for fund transfers. 

Vidal addressed these concerns by emphasizing that the D-IBAN protocol is intended to provide optional banking integration rather than enforce it. He argued that banks could handle Dogecoin in a familiar format while users retain full control of their wallets, preserving self-custody and upholding the core principles of decentralization.

Strategy CEO Phong Le signaled the company may eventually lend part of its bitcoin holdings once large US banks fully enter the market with institutional-grade custody and lending infrastructure, while stressing that the core strategy remains to “buy and hold bitcoin.”

Building A Dollar Buffer Around A Bitcoin Core

Speaking on Bloomberg Crypto on December 2, Le outlined why the company built a $1.4 billion dollar reserve to fund dividends and interest, even as BTC price has endured a sharp drawdown from its early-October high near $125,000 to a brutal November that saw a further 17% decline before a rebound above $92,000.

Le framed Strategy’s balance sheet as a barbell between long-term BTC exposure and short-term cash obligations: “We have long-term strategy, which is to buy and hold bitcoin. That is our primary treasury reserve asset. And we have short-term dollar obligations created because of the dividends we have on our preferred notes.”

To avoid being forced to sell BTC when the company’s equity trades close to or below the value of its underlying holdings, Strategy created a dedicated US dollar reserve: “If we want to really create a bulletproof balance sheet, let’s have the global reserve digital asset, bitcoin, for the long term, and the global reserve digital currency for the short term. That is why I created the US dollar reserve, to pay down dividends in the short term any case that we needed.”

Le said Strategy recently issued equity “in 8.5 days” to pre-fund roughly 21 months of preferred dividends, and now aims to maintain a cash buffer equal to “two to three years of dividends,” a policy he expects to maintain for “the next five or 10 years” before reassessing as the capital structure evolves.

He defended the company’s insistence on continuing the dividend, arguing that suspensions “create fear, uncertainty, doubt” and harm equity holders: “Our objective is to pay the dividend into perpetuity. Never say never, but I think preserving the payment of the dividend […] is the right thing for the short term. It is also important for the bitcoin asset class.”

At the same time, he sought to defuse concerns that Strategy is overleveraged or at imminent risk of selling BTC. Le said Strategy has “12% leverage” on its debt alone and “27% leverage” including preferreds, versus “60% to 80%” at a typical US public company. If the company continues to grow its cash reserves to cover multiple years of dividends, he said, “really [we’re] talking about the end of 2028” before any realistic scenario where selling bitcoin to fund dividends might be considered.

Le also pushed back against MSCI’s suggestion that “digital asset treasury” companies may resemble funds and could be excluded from indices. He argued Strategy is a “fully integrated, vertically integrated bitcoin operating company” that buys bitcoin, issues securities, creates products, generates operating income and employs full corporate staff, and therefore should trade at a premium reflecting its ability “to grow our treasury and our operating income over time.”

From HODL To Considering Bitcoin Lending

On lending, Le said Strategy has deliberately kept its business “very simple” so far: “We buy and we hold bitcoin.” However, that may change as traditional finance ramps up BTC offerings: “Over the course of the next year […] big, real banks will offer custody, lending service and staking and otherwise. I think when they enter that space and when they have different counterparties, it is something we would consider and be enthusiastic about.”

Le added that Strategy has already had “a lot of constructive discussions” with large US banks exploring bitcoin custody, exchange and lending and is “excited to partner with them” once those platforms are fully in place.

At press time, Bitcoin traded at $92,997.

Bitcoin (BTC) climbed back above the $93,000 level this week as improving liquidity conditions and a major shift in institutional policy helped stabilize market sentiment following sharp volatility.

Related Reading: Crypto Investors Brace As Japan Proposes 20% Tax By 2027

The move follows a month-long slide that erased nearly 20% from recent highs and raised questions about whether the broader uptrend was losing strength. Consequently, about $250 million in BTC short positions have been liquidated.

Institutional Access Expands as Vanguard Lifts ETF Ban

The most notable catalyst for the rebound came from Vanguard, which reversed its long-standing ban on Bitcoin ETFs. The decision immediately opened access to tens of millions of retail accounts and allowed products such as BlackRock’s IBIT to trade on the platform, generating more than $1 billion in volume on day one.

The policy shift triggered a rapid surge in demand and helped fuel more than $400 million in short liquidations as Bitcoin jumped from the mid-$88,000 area to above $93,000 within hours.

Analysts note that several major firms, including Robinhood and Fidelity, added significant BTC exposure during the session. Combined with stablecoin issuers expanding supply in recent weeks, liquidity across the crypto market has broadened.

Macro Shifts and Technical Levels Support the Recovery

The rebound coincided with the U.S. Federal Reserve ending its quantitative tightening programme and injecting fresh funds into short-term markets. Repo facility usage also increased, improving liquidity for risk assets. Traders now assign high probability to a rate cut at the Fed’s December meeting.

Across the market, major assets followed Bitcoin higher. Ethereum traded near $3,000, Solana reached $142, and XRP climbed back above $2.18. Market indexes tracking large-cap cryptocurrencies rose around 7%, while the Crypto Fear & Greed Index moved off extreme fear levels.

Technical indicators are showing early signs of stabilisation. Analysts highlight the $86,000–$88,000 range as a key support zone that has held through repeated tests in recent months. Bitcoin is also pressing against resistance between $92,500 and $94,000, forming an ascending triangle pattern.

Renewed $100K Bitcoin Targets, but Debate Over Trend Strength Remains

Despite the strong bounce, analysts remain divided on whether Bitcoin is entering a renewed expansion phase or simply retracing after a sharp correction.

Some warn that deeper downtrends historically unfold over longer periods. Others argue that rising institutional participation and on-chain activity resemble previous mid-cycle resets rather than the start of a prolonged decline.

Related Reading: Bank Of America Opens Up To Bitcoin, Recommends Up To 4% Crypto Allocation

For now, BTC’s ability to maintain levels above $92,000 is viewed as critical. A sustained move higher would keep $100,000 firmly in focus, while failure to break resistance could send the market back into the high-$80,000 range.

Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart from Tradingview