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.

Acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham is leaving the commission after nearly four years to become MoonPay's Chief Legal and Administrative Officer. The article says crypto lawyer Mike Selig is set to succeed her, with a Senate confirmation vote expected early next week. Pham will oversee global legal and administrative functions and lead policy strategy in Washington.

On December 16, 2025, MP Raghav Chadha urged India's government in the Rajya Sabha to introduce a Tokenization Bill enabling fractional ownership of real estate, infrastructure, and intellectual property. In November, Maharashtra's chief minister said digitizing asset transfers could unlock an estimated ₹50 trillion in idle capital, while regulators continue limited pilots and caution.

On December 17, Ripple and AMINA Bank unveiled a partnership to integrate Ripple Payments for 24/7 real-time cross-border settlement, with AMINA described as the first European bank to adopt the service. The collaboration seeks to reduce correspondent-banking friction and improve stablecoin settlement capabilities for crypto-native enterprises.

Senators Elissa Slotkin and Jerry Moran introduced the bipartisan SAFE Crypto Act to strengthen federal responses to crypto fraud. The move follows the FBI's finding that U.S. residents lost about $9.3 billion in 2024, a 66% rise year‑over‑year. The bill would require the Treasury to convene a cross‑agency task force within 180 days.

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.

Uniform Labs has introduced Multiliquid, an institutional liquidity layer designed for tokenised financial markets that enables atomic swaps between stablecoins and blue-chip tokenised money market funds or other real-world assets. The protocol, live on Ethereum with a Solana deployment planned, currently supports stablecoins such as USDC and USDT alongside tokenised Treasuries and other regulated RWA portfolios.