On Friday, Bitcoin rebounded toward $88,279 after a CPI-driven swing, while Ethereum rose to $2,938 and Shiba Inu (SHIB) advanced 5% to about $0.00000739. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse publicly objected to Coinbase describing XRPL issues as a "Ripple Network" incident, just as a key fixDirectoryLimit amendment was activated on the XRP Ledger. On-chain data also showed a wallet many link to an early Bitcoin holder transferring 5,152 BTC, valued near $444.73 million, to Binance, raising questions about potential weekend selling pressure.

On December 19, 2025, the crypto market rose 1.6% to a $3.05 trillion capitalization, with total trading volume at $164 billion. Ninety of the top 100 assets advanced, and all top 10 coins gained; BTC was 1.4% higher around $87,906 while ETH climbed 4.1% to $2,953.

Arthur Hayes has moved 508.647 ETH, valued at about 1.50 million US dollars, to Galaxy Digital, a transaction tracked by LookIntoChain. At the same time, his family office Maelstrom is buying high-quality altcoins during market pullbacks, while he maintains a prediction that Bitcoin could eventually reach 1,000,000 US dollars. Ethereum's recent price performance and trading metrics further frame market reactions to Hayes' latest moves.

As of December 19, 2025, total crypto market capitalization fell to $2.93 trillion, an eight‑month low that erased 2025 gains. Fear gauges hit "extreme" levels, with Bitcoin swinging between $90,200 and $84,800 and some analysts flagging possible downside toward $10,000.

On 19 Dec 2025, Intercontinental Exchange, owner of the New York Stock Exchange, was reported to be in talks to acquire a stake in crypto payments firm MoonPay at a valuation near $5 billion. This prospective deal would follow ICE's earlier backing of Bakkt and a $2 billion investment in Polymarket, expanding its reach from trading venues into consumer and institutional payment flows. MoonPay, last valued at $3.4 billion in a 2021 Series A, has also secured a limited purpose trust charter in New York, giving institutions a regulated option for crypto custody and OTC trading.

On December 19, $3.18B in BTC and ETH options expired on Deribit, with BTC notional around $2.7B and max pain near $88,000. Positioning showed heavier puts below $91,000 and notable liquidity at $85,000. Another roughly $23B of options are scheduled to expire on December 26, as open interest remains subdued near $39B in Q4.

Bybit, the Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchange, is resuming UK operations on December 19 after a two-year suspension by operating under Archax's FCA-compliant framework. The collaboration enables access to 100 spot cryptocurrency trading pairs, including assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, with zero deposit and withdrawal fees via Archax. Bitcoin's market dominance, price performance and broader regulatory alignment in the UK may shape how users engage with this newly regulated trading venue.

On 19 December 2025, U.S. lawmakers confirmed that the CLARITY Act will not be brought to the Senate floor this year, with the earliest window for action now set for January 2026. Senators John Kennedy and Tim Scott cited unresolved disputes over DeFi oversight and partisan tensions, including concerns tied to President Donald Trump's crypto-related business ventures. The delay extends uncertainty around how the U.S. will structure regulation for digital assets and decentralized finance.