Spain plans to apply the EU's DAC8 directive from January 1, 2026, requiring crypto exchanges and service providers to report user transactions and balances. The country also aims to complete implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework by July 2026, bringing standardized rules for token issuance, marketing, and stablecoins. These changes will tighten tax oversight and align Spain with broader European crypto regulation.

In VanEck's 2026 outlook, David Schassler argues that Bitcoin's current underperformance versus the Nasdaq 100 Index could set it up to be a leading asset next year. He links the recent downturn to softer risk appetite and temporary liquidity pressure, while colleague Matthew Sigel says the four-year cycle remains intact after an early October 2025 peak. Market expert Ruslan Lienkha expects macroeconomic factors and corporate treasury allocations to be key drivers for BTC and ETH in 2026, alongside wider institutional participation as regulation advances.

On December 18, 2025, Arkham Monitoring said BitMine's Ether purchases for the week reached at least $229.31 million, including a 30,075 ETH ($88.73 million) withdrawal from FalconX. The NYSE American–listed firm also said Monday it holds over 3.2% of ETH supply, while CoinGecko data shows 407,331 ETH added in the past 30 days.

At the ECB's final press conference on Thursday, Christine Lagarde said the digital euro is technically ready and now awaits decisions by the European Council and European Parliament. In September, Executive Board member Piero Cipollone called a rollout around mid-2029 "a fair assessment." Lagarde also said MiCA-compliant stablecoins can be supervised and regarded as safe.

Russian State Duma lawmaker Anatoly Aksakov has reiterated that payments inside Russia must be settled exclusively in rubles, rejecting any prospect of Bitcoin, Ethereum or other cryptocurrencies becoming legal tender. Under Russia's existing digital financial assets law, crypto is classified as property and may only be used for investment, even as the country leads Europe in crypto adoption and recorded $376.3 billion in transfers between July 2024 and June 2025. Lawmakers have proposed initiatives such as a national crypto bank and Russia legalized cryptocurrency mining on November 1, 2024, but authorities still oppose using crypto for payments.

During an Oval Office event on Monday, President Donald Trump said he is aware of the Samourai Wallet case and is willing to review a possible pardon for its CEO, Keonne Rodriguez, who recently received a five-year federal prison sentence. Rodriguez, accused of operating a Bitcoin mixing service allegedly used to launder $237 million and running an unlicensed money-transmitting business, responded that Trump's remarks are an important step as his prison term begins in four days. The crypto community has rallied behind Rodriguez with the #pardonsamourai hashtag and calls from industry figures to free him, citing previous presidential pardons in high-profile crypto-related cases.

On Monday, PayPal submitted an application for a Utah state-chartered industrial bank license to establish an industrial loan company called PayPal Bank. The payments firm plans to serve US small businesses with lending, deposits, and direct access to payment networks while extending the reach of its PYUSD stablecoin. The move follows a broader rise in bank charter applications by crypto-related companies and builds on PayPal's existing digital asset integrations.

The UK Treasury said it is drafting rules to bring crypto assets under FCA supervision beginning in 2027. Britain plans formal regulation from October 2027, with digital assets treated similarly to other financial products. The government also signaled a draft bill and cooperation with the US via a Transatlantic Taskforce.

On December 11, 2025, World, Sam Altman's biometric identity project, unveiled an app update adding end-to-end encrypted chat and in-chat crypto payments. The announcement said World Wallet supports USDC, EURC, wrapped Bitcoin and Ethereum, plus 100+ tokens, and introduces virtual accounts for send, deposit and withdraw. Altman and CEO Alex Blania outlined privacy features at a San Francisco event.