On 22 December, analysts pointed to XRP, Solana and Ethereum as standout crypto opportunities ahead of a potential 2026 uptrend, with technical gauges showing oversold or corrective conditions. XRP has corrected around 50% from its peak, SOL trades well below Ethereum's valuation despite higher reported revenue, and ETH remains significantly off its 2025 highs while holding key support zones.

Russia's Urals crude fell to about $34 a barrel on Friday, with Baltic loadings at $34.82 and Black Sea cargoes at $33.17, according to Argus Media. The slide widened the gap to Dated Brent near $61 as U.S. sanctions introduced in October made trade more difficult and pushed deeper export discounts.

US-focused digital asset funds logged $952 million in weekly outflows, with most withdrawals concentrated in Ethereum and Bitcoin products as the CLARITY Act faced fresh delays. Solana and XRP funds bucked the trend with tens of millions of dollars in inflows, even as total crypto ETP assets under management fell compared to the same point in 2024. Lawmakers now expect the Senate markup for the CLARITY Act in January 2026, pushing back earlier hopes the bill would be signed by the end of 2025.

In 2025, the Indian rupee has turned into Asia's weakest-performing currency as it dropped from 85.64 to 89.6 against the U.S. dollar, with some forecasts pointing to 92 by the end of March. Heavy foreign portfolio outflows, high U.S.-bound tariffs and uncertainty over a trade agreement with Washington have pressured the currency, even as the central bank has reportedly intervened to slow the decline. Analysts argue the rupee looks undervalued and see potential benefits for exports, but warn that prolonged weakness, policy uncertainty and investor caution could keep it under strain.

On December 22, 2025, JPMorgan Chase began evaluating institutional cryptocurrency trading, with potential spot and derivatives offerings under review. The bank is in an early exploratory phase, assessing compliance, operations, and risk, amid rising client demand and expanding competitor services.

ChatGPT 5.2 sets out a 2026 investment outlook spanning equities, fixed income, commodities, and crypto. It anticipates uneven but positive growth, cooling inflation, selective equity gains anchored by AI, lower bond yields, resilient credit, strength in metals like copper, a stable oil backdrop, and a maturing crypto market under clearer regulation, with Japan and parts of Europe presenting value.

CoinShares reported last week that digital asset ETPs recorded $952M in outflows, the first weekly decline in four weeks, while XRP drew $62.9M in net inflows. Ethereum and Bitcoin saw withdrawals of $555.1 million and $460 million, highlighting shifting preferences amid market volatility.

On December 17, Robert Kiyosaki warned on the Rich Dad YouTube channel that further interest rate cuts could push the U.S. toward hyperinflation, drawing comparisons to Weimar Germany. He cited rising consumer debt, including a typical $3,600 credit card balance at about 22% interest, and argued asset holders in gold, silver, Bitcoin, real estate, or cattle would fare better than wage earners.