On December 18, the Federal Reserve said it would rescind its 2023 restrictions on state member banks' crypto activities and introduce a new, more flexible framework effective in 2025. The change lets state banks seek approval for digital-asset services under risk and supervisory criteria, signaling a broader shift toward integrating assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum into regulated banking.

U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin and Jerry Moran introduced the SAFE Crypto Act, proposing a Treasury-led task force to coordinate law enforcement and financial regulators against crypto scams. The bill centers on prevention and local enforcement support rather than market rules. Bitcoin traded at $89,337.71 at the last update on December 17, 2025.

Dune Analytics data shows Polymarket's open interest has risen to about $326 million in 2025, representing a 170% increase since the start of the year and marking a new annual high. Activity is concentrated in sports, politics, and crypto markets, while a previous $385 million peak in political open interest during the 2024 U.S. election underscores the platform's sensitivity to major events.

Since its launch in November, the US Spot XRP ETF has accumulated more than $1 billion in net inflows, signaling heightened institutional appetite for XRP-based products. While Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs have seen notable outflows, XRP trades around $1.90 with a market cap near $114.97 billion and a sharply higher 24-hour volume, highlighting a shift in market positioning toward alternative assets.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority has published new proposals for regulating crypto assets and opened them for public consultation until 12 February 2026. The draft rules cover asset issuance, disclosure standards, platform governance, staking and lending protections, and how they may apply to DeFi arrangements. Ethereum has seen sharp price swings and a multi‑month drawdown as these UK regulatory moves unfold alongside broader market volatility.

MANTRA plans to upgrade its OM token to MANTRA on 19 January 2026 with a 1:4 non-dilutive split at target block 11,888,888. On-chain OM holders on MANTRA Chain will be converted automatically, while off-chain EVM holders must migrate to avoid stranded balances. The upgrade is designed to simplify tokenomics, support governance Proposal 26, and strengthen the project's institutional positioning.

HashKey Holdings Ltd. priced its Hong Kong IPO at HK$6.68 per share, selling 240.6 million shares to raise HK$1.6 billion. Share trading is slated for December 17, 2025, with most allocation directed to major institutional investors. The company did not increase the offering size, and proceeds are expected to support technology and operations.

China’s Justice Network has issued a proposal to guide courts in handling criminal cases involving virtual currency, detailing standards for asset disposal and victim protection. The plan introduces third‑party auction assistants and dual technical standards for evidence and financial procedures, aiming to improve recovery and prevent seized assets from reentering markets.

On December 14, Pakistan's Ministry of Finance signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Binance to assess tokenizing up to $2 billion in sovereign bonds, treasury bills and commodity reserves. The initiative, which follows initial approval from the Pakistan Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, aims to study blockchain’s role in financial instruments and its potential impact on liquidity, investor access and the country's wider digital reform agenda.