SEC Chair Paul Atkins, speaking at an SEC Crypto Task Force roundtable, warned that expanding government oversight could turn blockchain and crypto systems into a financial surveillance tool. He argued that treating every wallet as a broker and every transaction as reportable risks creating a financial panopticon, and called for a regulatory framework that protects lawful activity and individual privacy while still allowing innovation.

The SEC's crypto task force convened its sixth roundtable on Monday, bringing regulators together with industry representatives to examine financial surveillance and user privacy. Commissioner Hester Peirce argued that crypto is prompting a reassessment of financial privacy, while participants from Zcash, the Blockchain Association and the Crypto Council for Innovation weighed in on policy implications.

CME Group debuted spot-quoted XRP and Solana futures, expanding a suite that already includes Bitcoin and Ether. Since launch, average daily volume in the spot-quoted BTC/ETH contracts was 11,300, rising to 18,400 in the fourth quarter and 35,300 in December, with a late November peak day of 60,700 combined contracts.

On December 15, CME Group introduced spot-priced XRP and SOL futures, with contracts stated to become effective on December 15, 2025. The products expand its U.S. crypto suite alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum futures and feature longer expirations to reduce rollovers. CME cited more than 1.3 million Spot-Quoted Bitcoin and Ether contracts traded since June.

Bitget has opened a private beta that lets a group of users trade forex, gold, commodities and stock derivatives using USDt as margin and settlement. The exchange says positions are collateralized with stablecoins and remain in a restricted testing phase while it monitors performance and risk controls. As other platforms like Kraken and Bybit also add traditional assets, crypto exchanges are increasingly positioning themselves as unified venues for both digital and TradFi markets.

Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon has been sentenced to 15 years in a U.S. prison for wire fraud linked to the Terra-Luna collapse and could later face up to 30 additional years if convicted in South Korea. He may apply for transfer to South Korea after serving half of his U.S. term, where prosecutors have prepared a separate case tied to Capital Markets Act violations and large investor losses.

JPMorgan Chase has introduced the tokenized My OnChain Net Yield Fund on Ethereum with $100 million in internal seed capital, targeting institutional and high-net-worth investors. The fund, operated by JPMorgan Asset Management via the Kinexys platform, tokenizes money market fund shares and focuses on bond-based assets. Ethereum's role in on-chain financial products continues to grow as its market value and dominance evolve amid recent price declines.

On Dec. 15, analysts highlighted that Bitcoin remains pinned below intraday range highs, with sellers defending resistance and eyeing a potential move toward $84,000 and possibly $80,600. Several major altcoins such as ETH, BNB, XRP, SOL, DOGE, ADA and BCH are testing or nearing critical support zones, with upside scenarios hinging on reclaiming their 20-day or 50-day moving averages. The broader backdrop includes a Bank of Japan rate decision expected on Dec. 19, which has previously coincided with double‑digit Bitcoin drawdowns.