MSCI is considering excluding companies with large crypto treasuries from its equity indexes, with a final decision expected by Jan. 15 and possible implementation in February 2026. Analysts estimate that passive funds could be forced to sell between $10 billion and $15 billion of crypto-linked exposure, with Strategy accounting for roughly three-quarters of the affected float-adjusted market capitalisation. JPMorgan projects Strategy alone might face $2.8 billion in outflows if removed, potentially adding pressure to already weakening crypto markets.

Dash core member Joël Valenzuela outlined why privacy-focused assets are drawing users amid tighter KYC and surveillance concerns. He cited growing legal clarity, AI-related anxieties, and Bitcoin’s transparency, and referenced Tyler Winklevoss’s $50m Zcash investment while highlighting Dash’s 2014 focus on instant, low-cost private payments and upcoming feature work.

Vitalik Buterin argues that Ethereum must simplify its protocol so more people can fully understand how the blockchain works, which he views as key to genuine trustlessness. He says Ethereum should sometimes sacrifice features to make the system clearer, while projects like privacy-focused layer 2 INTMAX echo that complex designs merely shift who users must trust. Ethereum’s roadmap already targets easier node operation, smart contract wallets and a Web2-like user experience to lower barriers for everyday users.

On December 18, 2025, PeckShield reported that a whale's multisig wallet was emptied of about $27.3M following a private key compromise. The drainer pushed roughly $12.6M (4,100 ETH) through Tornado Cash, retained about $2M in liquid assets, and controls a wallet that holds a leveraged Aave position with around $25M in ETH against roughly $12.3M in DAI debt.

Solana's price has slipped below the $132 level and is now trading under $128 and the 100-hourly simple moving average while consolidating recent losses. The SOL/USD pair is seeing resistance near $125, $128 and $131, with key support highlighted around $122 and $120, and a potential slide toward $112 or $105 if $120 fails.

Veteran trader Peter Brandt has warned that XRP's chart may be forming a double-top pattern, with price action now threatening a key neckline support. If this classical setup completes, XRP could slide back toward the $0.50 area, while a sharp move above $2.00 would invalidate the bearish scenario Brandt is tracking.

Binance is weighing an ownership reshuffle and potential U.S. partnerships as it looks for a path back into the American market. Talks are described as early, and speculation intensified after an Oct. 23, 2025 pardon for co‑founder CZ, which drew political criticism and renewed debate over the exchange’s U.S. ambitions.

On Tuesday, the Competition Commission of India cleared Coinbase Global Inc.'s planned purchase of a minority stake in local crypto exchange CoinDCX. The deal, whose size remains undisclosed, implies a $2.45 billion valuation for CoinDCX and follows a period marked by a $44 million hack and Coinbase’s renewed push into the Indian market.