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At Pragma Taipei 2025, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warned that Mini Apps relying on proprietary APIs risk creating 'Walled Gardens' that lock users into specific platforms. He emphasized that using such closed systems contradicts blockchain principles aimed at user autonomy and security. Buterin highlighted the danger of Mini Apps that do not adopt standardized interfaces or 'bring your own keys,' which undermines key blockchain guarantees.

A fraudulent platform claiming to offer tokenized gold and silver swaps under Circle's branding was exposed as fake. The misinformation was circulated through a press release distributed on Christmas Eve, falsely quoting Circle executives. Circle has officially stated that the release and the platform are not legitimate.

Data from Arkham reported by ChainCatcher shows a transfer of 3,227.41 PAXG from a Null Address to Paxos at 02:09. This transfer might indicate token issuance or activation from a previously unassigned state. The market impact depends on subsequent actions by Paxos involving these tokens.

Christmas-themed crypto tokens like SANTA HAT, RIZZMAS, and GIGAMAS have historically shown sharp price surges ahead of the holiday followed by steep collapses, resulting in significant investor losses. Despite often having multiple holders and some on-chain mechanics, these tokens fail to sustain long-term value or utility. Investors are cautioned to avoid these tokens in 2025 due to their cyclical boom-and-bust patterns.

Circle has launched GLDC and SILC, two tokenized assets allowing users to swap USDC for gold and silver exposure on-chain. The tokens are backed by liquidity aligned with COMEX reference markets and integrate with DeFi, wallets, and institutional platforms. This move coincides with record-high prices for gold and silver, driven by expectations of looser monetary policy in 2026.

Pudgy Penguins, an NFT and merchandise brand, will wrap the Las Vegas Sphere for a week during Christmas, focusing on physical products rather than crypto. This contrasts with the failed attempt by Solana meme coin Dogwifhat to advertise at the venue due to strict crypto advertising policies. Pudgy Penguins’ physical product success and broad mainstream following helped them gain approval for the advertising campaign, reportedly costing up to $600,000.

Fidelity’s Director of Global Macro suggests Bitcoin could have ended its recent four-year cycle in October, signaling a potential bear market. Key indicators show a collapse in stablecoin inflows, increased selling by long-term holders, and declining mega-whale activity, while Bitcoin remains below critical moving averages. However, some long-term cycle indicators have yet to confirm a bear market, making the December monthly close around $82,800 a crucial determinant of Bitcoin's near-term trend.

Bitcoin wallets linked to Mt. Gox hacker Aleksey Bilyuchenko have transferred 1,300 BTC (~$114M) to unknown exchanges in the past week, continuing a controlled selloff that started months ago. These wallets still hold about 4,100 BTC ($360M) which may be liquidated gradually, adding to existing whale selling pressure on Bitcoin markets facing their weakest year-end performance in seven years. The selloff and significant ETF outflows have created heavy supply resistance, capping price rebounds and prolonging consolidation conditions into early 2026.

A new Bitcoin proposal named 'The Cat' seeks to permanently ban Ordinals inscriptions and NFT transactions by marking certain dust-sized outputs as unspendable to reduce UTXO bloat. The proposal faces strong opposition from key Bitcoin developers like Greg Maxwell who warn it could equate to theft and trigger evasion tactics. Supporters argue it is necessary to clean up the rapidly expanding UTXO set, while an alternative proposal, 'Lynx,' suggests periodic cleanup without targeting specific protocols.

The stablecoin USD1, linked to Donald Trump's family, saw a $150 million market cap increase after Binance launched a 20% annual yield promo for USD1 holders. Binance's program offers flexible earning options with tiered bonuses and limits per user to attract passive income seekers. USD1 has grown rapidly, now ranking seventh in stablecoin market cap globally, despite scrutiny over its development and political ties.

PIPPIN's price has surged close to its all-time high, boosted by significant whale accumulation. However, retail investors are beginning to take profits, causing outflows to exceed inflows, which suggests early signs of distribution. Continued whale buying supports bullish momentum, but risks remain if selling intensifies and price drops below key support levels.

The Philippines' National Telecommunications Commission has ordered ISPs to block access to 50 unlicensed cryptocurrency platforms, including major exchanges Coinbase and Gemini. This action follows directives from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to enforce licensing rules under BSP Circular No. 1206 to protect consumers and ensure financial stability. Regulators emphasize that funds lost on unregistered platforms will not have legal recourse, while promoting growth in licensed crypto services under new regulatory frameworks.

In 2025, numerous crypto gaming projects shut down due to a sharp decline in venture capital funding, leaving developers unemployed and digital assets worthless. The industry’s shift to token-first investment strategies pressured developers prematurely, while gaming tokens plummeted in value, eroding investor confidence. As venture capital and retail investors lose interest, many crypto game studios are pivoting to AI and other sectors, signaling a bleak future for crypto gaming.

Garrett Jin, suspected to be the '1011 insider whale,' recently unstaked 96,574 ETH, valued at approximately $282.76 million. This large movement was followed by transferring all these Ethereum tokens to a Binance exchange deposit account. The transaction was reported by on-chain analyst Eye, highlighting significant whale activity on the Ethereum network.

In 2025, the S&P 500 gained nearly 20% while Bitcoin declined about 4%. US cryptocurrency-related stocks displayed varied outcomes, with BitMine, IREN, and Robinhood Markets delivering the strongest performances. Conversely, Sol Strategies, Fold Holdings, and Gemini were among the worst performers, experiencing significant losses.

Chile’s recent conservative presidential win has sparked speculation about a crypto-friendly regime akin to El Salvador’s Bitcoin legal tender experiment. However, Chile’s large and regulated pension funds, cautious central bank, and formal tax treatment of crypto indicate a more measured, institutional approach to adoption. The focus will likely be on regulated Bitcoin ETFs, bank custody services, and gradual pension fund exposure rather than sudden, symbolic moves.

Trend Research, linked to LD Capital, significantly increased its Ethereum position by acquiring 46,379 ETH in a recent transaction. This purchase raised its total Ethereum holdings above 580,000 ETH. With this accumulation, the firm now ranks among the largest public Ethereum holders according to CoinGecko data.

Former acting chair of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Caroline Pham, has joined crypto payment service MoonPay as its Chief Legal Officer and Chief Administrative Officer. This move highlights MoonPay's focus on regulatory compliance and administrative leadership. The appointment is viewed positively as it brings experienced regulatory insight into the rapidly evolving crypto payments sector.