Gemini, joined by more than 125 organizations, has asked the U.S. Congress to retain the Genius Act's original language to preserve stablecoin reward programs. The coalition argues that curbing rewards would weaken competition and user incentives across platforms such as Gemini, Kraken, and Coinbase. The Genius Act was passed in June 2025.

On 20 December 2025, BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF IBIT ranked among the year's leading ETFs by inflows, even though it has posted negative returns in 2025. The fund attracted more than $25 billion in new capital, indicating investors are prioritizing long-term Bitcoin exposure over short-term price performance and increasingly viewing Bitcoin ETFs as structural portfolio assets comparable to gold.

Bitcoin is trading above $88,000 after several failed attempts to break $89,500 and earlier rejections near $94,500, while its market capitalization stays above $1.750 trillion. ZEC has recorded another double-digit price increase to above $450, as major altcoins such as Ethereum, XRP, ADA, DOGE, HYPE, CRO, UNI, and CC also post notable daily gains.

Led by the Blockchain Association, 125 crypto and fintech organizations sent a letter on December 18, 2025 to Senate Banking leaders Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren opposing efforts to widen the GENIUS Act's stablecoin yield ban beyond issuer payments. The coalition argued the move would suppress consumer rewards and shield traditional banks, and disputed Treasury's $6.6 trillion deposit-flight projection.

On December 20, 2025, performance data showed gold and silver-focused funds led 2025 rankings. Franklin Gold and Precious Metals Fund returned 184.33%, with multiple UK and EU strategies posting gains above 150%. Record gold above $4,300/oz and silver crossing $60/oz were cited as drivers, alongside easing-rate expectations and macro uncertainty.

Prosecutors charged 23-year-old Brooklyn resident Ronald Spektor with stealing roughly $16 million in cryptocurrency from about 100 Coinbase users. He allegedly impersonated a Coinbase representative and used social engineering to pressure victims to transfer funds, with a judge setting bail at $500,000. Authorities reported asset seizures and said recovery efforts continue.

On December 20, 2025, BitMex co-founder Arthur Hayes argued that altcoin season is continuous and that many traders overlook the true winners. He cited Hyperliquid's move from $2–$3 to $60 and Solana's rebound from about $7 in 2022 to nearly $300 early this year. The Altcoin Season Index stood at 35, indicating conditions not yet consistent with an altcoin season.

Cynthia Lummis, the junior U.S. senator from Wyoming since 2021, announced on December 19, 2025 that she will not seek another term, citing the demands of six more years. A longtime bitcoin advocate, she reportedly first bought BTC in 2013, and filings from 2021 show purchases between $50,000 and $100,000. She has championed pro‑crypto legislation, including calls for a strategic U.S. Bitcoin reserve.