The Bank of Lithuania set 31 December 2025 as the final deadline for crypto-asset service providers to obtain MiCA authorisation. After that date, unlicensed operations will be deemed illegal financial activity and can be punished by up to four years of imprisonment. More than 370 firms are registered, around 120 are active, and about 30 have applied for licences.

On December 25, 2025, the cryptocurrency market is modestly higher, with total market capitalization up about 0.7% to roughly $3.04 trillion and 24-hour volume near $69.9 billion. Bitcoin is trading close to $87,400 while Ethereum hovers just under $2,930, as sentiment remains cautious with a Fear and Greed Index reading of 28 and continued outflows from US spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs.

On Wednesday, the S&P 500 set a new high at 6,920, adding $18 trillion in value since the April 2025 bottom. Gold and Silver also reached records, while Bitcoin trades around $88,000 amid calls it could reach $150,000 in 2026. Some analysts discuss potential rotation from stocks and metals into major crypto assets.

On Dec. 25, Binance's BTC/USD1 pair briefly registered an abnormal low of $24,111.22 before rebounding toward the $87,000 area, highlighting how thin liquidity on a single market can create a flash-crash style wick. XRP's weekly chart is nearing a death cross with traders watching a potential move down toward the 200-week moving average near $1.3762, while Cardano's historical January performance shows positive average and median returns that keep a bullish seasonal narrative in play.

According to the Central Bank of Lithuania, crypto service providers must obtain a MiCA license by December 31, 2025, or operating without authorization will be treated as illegal from January 1. The regulator warns of fines, website blocking, and possible criminal liability, while only about 30 applicants have filed out of more than 370 registered firms.

Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao outlined new wallet security proposals after an investor lost $50 million in USDT to an address poisoning scam in December 2024. He suggested blacklist checks, warning prompts and filtering of low-value transactions to block "poison" addresses and reduce phishing risks for blockchain users.

At the start of 2025, a hypothetical $1,000 split evenly across Bitcoin, Solana, Ethereum, and Avalanche was aligned with Anthony Scaramucci's stated crypto preferences. As of December 25, that mix was worth roughly $680–$710, with BTC down around 6–8%, ETH off about 12%, SOL lower by approximately 36%, and AVAX down about 66%.

In 2025, the cryptocurrency sector recorded 267 deals worth about $8.6 billion, marking sharp growth from the prior year. Major transactions included Coinbase's $2.9 billion Deribit acquisition and $14.6 billion raised through 11 crypto-related IPOs. Analysts expect continued momentum in mergers, acquisitions, and stablecoin firms in 2026, supported by new crypto-friendly rules.