According to Coincu, North Korean‑linked hacking groups stole over $2 billion in cryptocurrencies in 2025, with a February breach at Bybit allegedly contributing up to $1.5 billion. Analysts cited in the article say tactics increasingly involve social engineering and insider access, and total thefts since 2016 are reported at $6.7 billion.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said the digital euro's preparatory phase is complete. The ECB is urging EU institutions to pass legislation by 2026, with a pilot possibly starting in 2027 and a potential launch in 2029. The initiative is designed to complement cash and strengthen resilience in European payments.

On December 18, 2025, after issues on Polygon PoS, a Polymarket team member said in Discord the platform will prioritize building its own Layer 2 to reduce future disruptions. Posts on X noted services were restored, while Downdetector saw a spike in reports, with 86% tied to website access and 11% to login problems.

Intercontinental Exchange is in discussions to take a stake in MoonPay as part of a new funding round that could value the crypto payments company near $5 billion. MoonPay has been expanding into regulated custody via a New York Limited Purpose Trust Charter and broadening partnerships, while ICE builds its digital asset footprint through Bakkt, Polymarket and Chainlink.

PayPal said its PYUSD stablecoin will support USD.AI in extending credit and financing to AI companies, with loans disbursed in PYUSD for GPUs and data center buildouts. The partners plan a one‑year 4.5% rate on up to $1 billion in deposits starting early January as a customer incentive. The initiative accompanies broader PYUSD adoption and PayPal’s late‑October payments integration with OpenAI.

On December 18, 2025 in Geneva, TRON DAO announced that Kalshi, described as the world's largest prediction market platform, has integrated the TRON blockchain. The move allows domestic Kalshi users to deposit and withdraw TRX and USDT on TRON directly, while international users can access the integration through linked exchange accounts, expanding Kalshi's multichain liquidity and connection to the blockchain economy.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said Wednesday that the FBI disrupted E-Note, a cryptocurrency cashout service allegedly used by cybercriminals. Prosecutors unsealed an indictment against Russian national Mykhalio Petrovich Chudnovets, who faces up to 20 years in prison, after investigators identified more than $70,000,000 in illicit proceeds moved through the platform.

SoFi Bank introduced SoFiUSD on December 18, 2025, positioning a USD-pegged, fully reserved stablecoin for banks and fintechs, according to a company statement. The firm says it runs on a public, permissionless blockchain with near-instant, 24/7 settlement, and reserves are held in cash at the Federal Reserve with 1:1 redemption.