Crypto Braces for a Fed Shake-Up as Trump Hints at His Pick
Donald Trump has signaled that the race to appoint the next chair of the Federal Reserve is entering its decisive phase, telling reporters that while multiple candidates remain under review, he already has a favorite in mind. Interviews with finalists are set to begin this week, with a formal announcement expected in January—setting the stage for one of the most market-sensitive decisions of the coming year.
Prediction markets and political insiders currently favor Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council, whose odds surged after Trump publicly referred to him as a “potential Fed chair.” While former Fed governor Kevin Warsh and sitting governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman remain in the running, the betting markets are clearly leaning in one direction as the final interviews approach.
For crypto markets, this isn’t just another Washington power struggle. The identity of the next Fed chair could define the trajectory of U.S. interest rates, liquidity conditions, and risk appetite just as Bitcoin and digital assets once again move in lockstep with macro policy. A shift toward easier monetary conditions could reignite speculative momentum across crypto, while a firmer inflation stance could keep pressure on risk assets well into 2025.
There’s also a deeper narrative at play. A Fed chair seen as closely aligned with the White House could revive long-standing concerns about political influence over monetary policy—an idea that has historically strengthened Bitcoin’s appeal as a hedge against fiat control, even as higher rates tend to weigh on short-term crypto demand.
With Trump openly hinting that the decision may already be taking shape behind the scenes, the countdown has begun. For digital asset investors, the coming Fed appointment may prove to be one of the most important macro catalysts of the year.
Washington Signals a Breakthrough as Crypto Regulation Inches Toward a Turning Point
Momentum may finally be returning to U.S. crypto regulation as Senator Cynthia Lummis signals that the long-stalled market structure bill could reach a pivotal markup stage before Congress breaks for the holidays. Speaking at the Blockchain Association Policy Summit, Lummis said the Senate’s Responsible Financial Innovation Act may move into formal markup as early as next week—an important procedural step that would allow lawmakers to finalize amendments before sending the bill to the full Senate for debate.
The development marks the strongest sign of life for U.S. crypto legislation in months. After early momentum faded following a summer draft and prolonged political gridlock, bipartisan talks are now said to be regaining traction. Lummis indicated that a new working draft could be released by the end of this week, giving industry leaders and lawmakers a chance to review the text ahead of markup.
For the digital asset sector, the stakes are enormous. The bill is designed to clarify how cryptocurrencies are classified, which federal agencies oversee different parts of the market, and how exchanges, brokers, and custodians must operate. Today, much of the industry still functions under a regulation-by-enforcement regime driven largely by lawsuits rather than clear statutory rules—an approach that many argue has pushed innovation offshore and distorted capital formation in the U.S.
If passed, the legislation would likely shift significant oversight authority toward the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, reducing the dominance of the Securities and Exchange Commission in shaping crypto policy through enforcement actions. Supporters say that could introduce a more predictable, market-oriented framework, while critics continue to raise concerns about how decentralized finance could be treated under the final rules.
A $4B Bitcoin War Chest Wasn’t Enough to Impress Wall Street—Yet
Twenty One Capital entered the public markets carrying one of the largest corporate Bitcoin treasuries in the world — more than 43,500 BTC worth roughly $4 billion — and backing from crypto heavyweights including Tether. Yet despite the scale of its balance sheet and the hype surrounding its debut, the company’s first full trading session ended with shares down nearly 20%.
Led by Jack Mallers, the founder of Bitcoin payments firm Strike, Twenty One went public through a merger with Cantor Equity Partners. The stock opened well below the prior close of the SPAC and struggled to find momentum throughout the session, signaling that investors are growing more selective about how they value Bitcoin-linked equities.
While the market reaction was swift, Mallers has been clear that Twenty One does not want to be treated as just another passive Bitcoin treasury company. He has emphasized that Bitcoin remains the foundation of the business, but that the long-term vision is to build a full operating company capable of generating recurring revenue through areas such as brokerage services, exchange infrastructure, and Bitcoin-based credit. For now, however, Wall Street appears to be pricing the company primarily as a leveraged bet on BTC itself.
The timing of the debut also matters. After a powerful rally earlier in the year, shares of miners, exchanges, and treasury-style Bitcoin companies have cooled alongside broader crypto markets. Even large BTC holdings are no longer enough on their own to guarantee a strong equity premium. Investors now want clearer business models, predictable cash flow, and proof that these firms can perform even when Bitcoin’s momentum slows.
Strive’s $500M Bitcoin Bet Signals a New Phase of Wall Street Accumulation
Public companies are accelerating the race to build massive Bitcoin treasuries — and Strive Asset Management just made one of its boldest moves yet. The firm has launched a $500 million stock sales program aimed primarily at expanding its Bitcoin holdings, reinforcing the growing trend of using public capital markets to gain large-scale BTC exposure.
The strategy marks a dramatic evolution for the company, which was co-founded in 2022 by Vivek Ramaswamy and initially focused on traditional asset management. That approach shifted sharply this year as Strive pivoted into a full Bitcoin treasury model through a public reverse merger, reorienting its balance sheet around long-term BTC accumulation. Today, the company ranks among the top corporate Bitcoin holders globally with more than 7,500 BTC on its balance sheet.
The playbook closely mirrors the model pioneered by Michael Saylor, whose firm transformed itself into a leveraged Bitcoin proxy through aggressive equity and debt-funded purchases. Strive is now following a similar path — blending capital raises, balance sheet engineering, and strategic acquisitions to scale its exposure far beyond what most traditional asset managers would attempt.
Markets have responded favorably, with Strive’s share price pushing higher following the funding announcement as investors continue to seek leveraged exposure to Bitcoin through public equities. But the company’s rise is also reshaping the broader financial debate. Its growing influence has placed pressure on MSCI as the index giant weighs whether companies holding large amounts of crypto should remain eligible for inclusion in major passive investment benchmarks — a decision that could impact billions in institutional capital flows.
Stablecoin Payments Go Live: Tempo Switches On a Global Testnet With Top-Tier Partners
Stablecoin payments just moved a major step closer to everyday financial use as Tempo officially launched its public testnet, backed by Stripe and crypto investment firm Paradigm. The live network debut opens the door for real-world testing of on-chain payments at scale, shifting Tempo from concept into active market experimentation.
Alongside the launch, Tempo revealed a powerful expansion of its institutional partner group, adding Mastercard, Klarna, and UBS to a roster that already includes Deutsche Bank, Visa, Shopify, OpenAI, and Nubank. The lineup now spans global banking, card networks, fintech, AI, and consumer commerce — a signal that stablecoin infrastructure is rapidly becoming enterprise-grade.
Tempo is positioning itself as a purpose-built settlement layer for high-volume, real-time payments. The network is designed to eliminate many of the friction points that have historically held blockchain back in everyday finance, including volatile gas fees, network congestion, and slow finality. Transactions are priced directly in dollar-denominated stablecoins at roughly a fraction of a cent, offering predictable costs ideal for merchants, remittances, and large-scale payment flows.
The testnet will now serve as the proving ground for Tempo’s claims of instant finality, low fees, and enterprise reliability. Banks, fintech firms, and developers can begin stress-testing performance under real-world conditions ahead of a future production launch.
The timing is critical. Stablecoins have quietly grown into a roughly $300 billion market and are increasingly being used for cross-border payments, treasury operations, and merchant settlement. As dollar-based digital money becomes embedded into global commerce, competition to define the dominant blockchain rails is intensifying.
Crypto Index Investing Hits the Big Leagues on the NYSE
Crypto index investing just crossed a major threshold in U.S. markets. Bitwise’s $1.25 billion Bitwise 10 Crypto Index Fund has officially begun trading on NYSE Arca, becoming only the second U.S.-listed multi-asset crypto index to reach a fully regulated exchange. The move gives investors diversified exposure to the largest digital assets — including Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, XRP, and others — through a single, exchange-traded product.
Previously trading over-the-counter, the fund’s transition to a regulated exchange dramatically expands access for institutions, financial advisors, and retirement platforms that require exchange-listed securities. Rather than picking individual winners in a fast-moving market, investors can now track the broader crypto sector through a rules-based, monthly rebalanced index inside a familiar market structure.
The listing places crypto index exposure alongside traditional exchange-traded products tied to gold, oil, and equities, reinforcing how digital assets are being absorbed into mainstream finance. With only one other similar multi-asset crypto index currently trading in the U.S., the debut underscores both the growing demand for diversified crypto exposure and the slow, deliberate pace of regulatory expansion. It also signals a new phase where crypto is no longer treated purely as a speculative trade, but increasingly as a strategic portfolio allocation.
Wall Street Sleeps, Bitcoin Wakes: A New ETF Tries to Trade the Clock
Fresh market data is challenging long-held assumptions about how Bitcoin behaves during the global trading day — and a newly proposed ETF is trying to turn that insight into a fully engineered investment strategy. Analysis from crypto data firm Velo.xyz shows that Bitcoin has consistently delivered stronger performance during overnight hours, while returns often stall or turn negative once U.S. markets open.
Now, an ETF filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is attempting to transform that statistical edge into a structured product. The proposed “AfterDark” Bitcoin ETF would hold BTC only during the overnight window, selling exposure just before Wall Street opens and rotating into short-term U.S. Treasuries during the day. The goal is to capture Bitcoin’s historically strongest returns while reducing exposure to daytime volatility driven by ETF rebalancing, futures hedging, macro headlines, and equity-linked risk sentiment.
Market analysts say spot Bitcoin ETFs have tied BTC more tightly than ever to traditional trading flows, with large institutions actively adjusting positions during U.S. hours. That dynamic can suppress upside or accelerate sell-offs when positioning becomes crowded. By contrast, overnight trading tends to be driven more by global liquidity, Asia-Europe flows, and organic crypto demand — conditions that have quietly favored consistent gains.
If approved, the AfterDark ETF would mark a major departure from traditional spot Bitcoin products by introducing time as a core design variable. It would also underscore how far the Bitcoin ETF ecosystem has evolved, as issuers now compete not only on fees and custody, but on market microstructure itself. More broadly, it highlights a growing reality: Bitcoin’s integration into traditional finance is reshaping how, when, and why price moves occur.
FLOKI’s Momentum Accelerates After 4% Jump, Breakout in Sight
Following a fresh 4% rally, FLOKI is now approaching a technically critical area where the next directional move is likely to be decided. The recent push higher confirms that buyers have stepped back in with conviction after a prolonged digestion phase, shifting short-term momentum firmly in favor of the bulls. What happens next will depend on whether this strength can translate into sustained follow-through or fades into another local rejection.
From a market structure perspective, the recent pump places FLOKI directly below a heavy supply zone that has previously capped rallies. If buying pressure continues to build and this zone is cleared with strong daily continuation, the move could quickly extend into a broader breakout phase as short sellers are forced to cover and sidelined traders chase momentum. This would signal that the recovery phase is evolving into a full trend expansion.
However, if momentum stalls at current levels and the price begins to stall or wick lower, the market could rotate back toward prior support as traders lock in short-term profits. In that scenario, the most important signal to watch will be how the price reacts on any pullback — a shallow retracement with strong buyer response would still favor bullish continuation, while a deeper breakdown would warn that the pump was primarily driven by short-term speculation.
Order book positioning adds to the tension of this setup. Strong bid clusters below suggest that downside is still being actively defended, while layered sell walls overhead represent the final obstacle before a potential upside acceleration. The balance between these two forces will likely decide whether FLOKI enters a new bullish leg or returns to consolidation.
With volatility expanding and momentum accelerating, FLOKI now sits at a point where the next daily close could define its direction for the weeks ahead.
SHIB Rally Hits Resistance — Continuation or Bull Trap Next?
Shiba Inu has just posted a sharp 4% daily advance, pushing the price directly into a technically sensitive area where the next major move is likely to be defined. The rally confirms that buyers are regaining short-term control, but it also places SHIB directly beneath a key resistance band that has repeatedly capped upside attempts in recent weeks.
From a trend perspective, this push higher strengthens the developing recovery structure on the daily chart. Short-term momentum is now clearly bullish, and the broader downtrend pressure has weakened materially. The most likely immediate scenario now becomes a direct test of overhead resistance. If buyers maintain volume and prevent a fast rejection, the market could quickly transition from recovery into a confirmed bullish continuation phase.
The critical question is whether this 4% pump attracts follow-through or profit-taking. A clean daily close above resistance would significantly increase the probability of a continuation leg toward the next major upside zone, implying that this move may still be in its early stages. In that scenario, momentum traders are likely to step in aggressively, accelerating volatility to the upside.
However, if the price stalls and gets rejected at resistance after this fast push, the move risks turning into a classic liquidity sweep rather than a true breakout. In that case, SHIB could rotate back toward its near-term support zone, where the market would decide whether this rally was a trend shift or just a relief bounce inside a larger consolidation structure.
Order-book positioning suggests that both outcomes remain viable. Heavy sell-side liquidity above the price means any upside continuation must be earned through sustained demand, while strong bid concentration below provides a temporary safety net against immediate collapse. If the upside walls are absorbed, the technical projection shifts decisively bullish. If they hold, consolidation or pullback becomes the dominant path.
After ADA’s Surge, a Volatility Expansion Now Looks Inevitable
Following ADA’s sharp surge over the past 24 hours, the daily chart now points toward a critical phase rather than the initial recovery itself. The recent impulse move confirms that buyers have regained short-term control of the trend, but the structure ahead suggests that the next directional expansion—either continuation or rejection—is now close.
From a technical standpoint, the rally has shifted momentum firmly into bullish territory, but it has also carried price directly into a dense supply zone where large sell orders are concentrated. This sets up a textbook post-breakout test: either bulls absorb this overhead liquidity and drive a continuation toward the next higher resistance band, or price stalls and resolves into a controlled pullback toward newly formed support.
Order book dynamics now become critical. While strong bid defenses remain stacked below, the near-term battle is clearly shaping up on the sell side near the psychological resistance zone above. If buyers clear that wall convincingly, the rally is likely to accelerate as sidelined momentum traders and breakout algorithms are triggered. If not, the surge risks transforming into a short-term exhaustion move.
Importantly, momentum indicators suggest that ADA now has the energy to sustain follow-through rather than immediately roll over. That tilts the probability slightly toward continuation, but only confirmation through structure and volume will validate that bias. A failed attempt at pushing higher would instead shift the narrative toward consolidation after the impulse move.
In short, ADA has completed the surge phase. The market is now transitioning into the decision phase—where continuation toward higher resistance or a measured cooldown back into support will determine the next multi-day direction.
$10 Million Bitcoin? Saylor Says Corporations Are the Engine
Michael Saylor says Bitcoin could one day reach $10 million per coin if corporate balance sheets continue accumulating at scale, arguing that public companies are now the financial motor powering Bitcoin’s long-term monetization. Speaking at Bitcoin MENA, the Strategy executive chairman said corporate equity and credit instruments are delivering Bitcoin exposure to tens of millions of investors and creating the institutional on-ramps that simply did not exist a few years ago.
The comments come as Strategy continues to expand its already massive Bitcoin position, pushing closer to $50 billion in total BTC investment. Saylor maintains that without this corporate infrastructure, Bitcoin would likely still be trading near $10,000 rather than operating at today’s multi-trillion-dollar scale.
At the same conference, Japan’s Metaplanet revealed plans to launch its own Bitcoin-linked perpetual credit products, signaling that Asia may soon become the next major front for corporate Bitcoin finance. At the same time, market analysts are warning that technical indicators are flashing early bear-market signals, setting up a high-stakes clash between long-term corporate conviction and near-term market risk.
Why a Top Crypto CIO Is Betting on the Entire Market—Not Individual Tokens
Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise Asset Management, says his highest-conviction bet in crypto isn’t Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any single blockchain—it’s the entire market.
With regulation, tokenization, stablecoins, and onchain finance accelerating at the same time, Hougan argues that trying to pick the long-term winning chain carries more risk than most investors realize. Instead, he’s building his core exposure through crypto index funds, aiming to capture the full upside of what he believes could be a 10–20x market expansion over the next decade.
As U.S. equities and traditional finance continue their shift toward blockchain rails, his message is clear: owning the market may be the smartest way to stay positioned for crypto’s next major phase.
Bitcoin Replacing the Dollar by 2026? Experts Say the Math Tells a Different Story
A viral prediction from a well-known online Bitcoin commentator has reignited debate across financial markets after he claimed Bitcoin could replace the U.S. dollar as the world’s dominant currency as early as next year. The forecast follows a string of ultra-bullish calls, including a $220,000 Bitcoin price target within weeks and assertions that recent price action reflects only temporary market manipulation.
The claim has split social media, with supporters pointing to institutional inflows, long-term adoption trends, and growing skepticism toward fiat systems. But economists and systemic risk experts argue that replacing the dollar would require seismic shifts in global trade, central banking, and monetary infrastructure — not just price appreciation. Using G20 money supply as a benchmark, analysts estimate Bitcoin would need to trade well above $1 million per coin to match the purchasing power of traditional money alone.
For now, most experts agree that while Bitcoin continues to mature as a global asset, predictions of it dethroning the dollar within a year remain firmly in the realm of extreme speculation.
Abu Dhabi Gives Tether’s USDT the Institutional Green Light
Abu Dhabi has taken another decisive step in shaping the future of digital finance by formally approving Tether’s USDT as an accepted fiat-referenced token within the Abu Dhabi Global Market. The designation clears the way for regulated institutions to offer trading, custody, settlement, and other financial services tied to the world’s largest stablecoin by circulation.
This approval is more than symbolic. It strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position as one of the most advanced regulatory jurisdictions for digital assets, offering a clear and structured environment for exchanges, custodians, and financial institutions looking to integrate blockchain-based dollars into their operations. For Tether, it represents a major institutional validation at a time when stablecoins are becoming a core part of global payments, remittances, and digital market liquidity.
The move also fits into a broader regional strategy. Abu Dhabi is rapidly positioning itself as a stablecoin and tokenized finance powerhouse, with multiple dollar-backed and locally backed stablecoin initiatives now moving through regulatory pipelines. As global demand for fast, borderless settlement continues to grow, the UAE’s proactive regulatory framework is drawing serious institutional capital and infrastructure into the region.
For the wider crypto and financial markets, the message is clear: stablecoins are no longer operating on the edges of finance. They are becoming embedded within regulated systems, supported by sovereign-level regulatory clarity, and increasingly viewed as essential plumbing for the next generation of financial infrastructure.
Crypto Steps Into the Heart of US Derivatives Markets
US regulators have taken a major step toward integrating digital assets into traditional finance after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission launched a pilot program allowing bitcoin, ether and stablecoins such as USDC to be used as regulated collateral in US derivatives markets. The initiative gives qualifying futures commission merchants the ability to post select digital assets as margin for futures and swaps under strict custody, reporting and risk controls.
The move signals a sharp shift in US policy, especially as the CFTC simultaneously withdrew outdated guidance that previously restricted crypto’s use as collateral and aligned the new framework with updated federal rules under the GENIUS Act. Industry leaders say the pilot could unlock deeper institutional participation by allowing crypto to function not just as a tradable asset, but as part of the core market infrastructure.
If successful, the program could reshape how liquidity, margining and settlement work across US futures markets, accelerating the transition of digital assets from the fringes of finance into regulated financial plumbing.
CoinShares Says Hybrid Finance Is Quietly Rebuilding the Financial System
CoinShares says digital assets are rapidly shifting from a fringe experiment into a core layer of global financial infrastructure as major institutions increasingly build on public blockchains. In its 2026 Digital Asset Outlook, the firm describes the next phase of the market as “hybrid finance,” where crypto rails merge with traditional finance to create new settlement and market plumbing.
The report points to stablecoins and tokenized assets — especially private credit and U.S. Treasuries — as the clearest signs of integration, alongside the rapid mainstreaming of Bitcoin through ETFs and corporate treasury adoption. CoinShares also highlights intensifying competition among blockchains to become the settlement layer for this new hybrid system, growing regulatory divergence across regions, and structural shifts such as miners moving into AI and prediction markets gaining relevance.
The message is clear: crypto is no longer operating outside the system — it is increasingly becoming part of its foundation.
SEC Drops Ondo Probe as US Tokenization Enters a New Phase
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has officially closed its multi-year investigation into New York–based tokenization platform Ondo Finance without bringing any charges, marking one of the clearest regulatory signals yet that real-world asset tokenization is moving toward structured integration in the United States.
The inquiry, which began in 2023 under a far more aggressive enforcement environment, examined whether Ondo’s tokenized real-world assets complied with federal securities laws and whether its ONDO token should be classified as a security. With the case now formally closed, a major legal cloud hanging over U.S. tokenization efforts has been lifted.
The decision also reflects a broader shift in regulatory posture since Paul Atkins took over as SEC chair, with the agency winding down several high-profile crypto cases while bringing tokenization onto its formal policy agenda. For the industry, this move reinforces the idea that onchain versions of stocks, funds, and other financial instruments are no longer at the margins of the U.S. financial system.
While most tokenized equity platforms still primarily serve overseas clients—especially in Europe—the end of this probe raises new questions about whether large-scale U.S. access to tokenized securities could finally be on the horizon. With traditional asset managers and infrastructure firms accelerating their own onchain strategies, the regulatory groundwork for a domestic tokenization market now appears closer than at any point in the past five years.
Michael Saylor Calls Bitcoin the Foundation of the Next Global Banking System
Michael Saylor is urging governments and sovereign wealth funds to rethink the future of banking through Bitcoin-backed digital deposit systems designed to attract trillions of dollars in global capital. Speaking at Bitcoin MENA in Abu Dhabi, Saylor outlined how overcollateralized digital credit, backed by sovereign BTC reserves, could power regulated digital bank accounts offering higher yields and lower volatility than traditional savings products.
The push comes as Strategy continues to aggressively accumulate Bitcoin, adding nearly $1 billion in BTC in its latest purchase. The move lifts the company’s total holdings above 660,000 BTC, even as Strategy’s stock remains sharply lower over the past year and broader digital asset treasury inflows show signs of cooling.
Saylor described Bitcoin as “digital capital” and positioned it as the monetary base for a new financial layer of digital credit that can strip volatility from capital and deliver consistent yield. Despite market skepticism and equity pressure, his message remains unchanged: Bitcoin is evolving from a speculative asset into the core reserve for a new era of global digital finance.
PENGU Price Compresses Into a Critical Decision Zone
PENGU is tightening into one of its most technically sensitive zones on the daily chart as bearish momentum continues to fade without a full bullish takeover. After an extended period of downside pressure, sellers are showing visible signs of exhaustion, yet buyers have not delivered the conviction needed to trigger a confirmed trend reversal. This balance of weakening downside pressure and hesitant demand has pushed the market into a classic compression phase.
The broader structure still reflects a recovery attempt rather than a confirmed trend shift. Price remains vulnerable beneath key resistance, meaning rallies are still at risk of rejection until buyers reclaim control with follow-through strength. Momentum behavior suggests that downside acceleration has slowed dramatically, but the market remains stuck in a neutral-to-bearish regime where sudden volatility expansions become more likely.
Order-book dynamics further reinforce the tension. Dense layers of sell liquidity overhead are capping upside attempts, while massive bid walls deeper below price reveal just how much air exists under the market if near-term support fails. This split liquidity environment creates a high-stakes battleground where both breakout traders and breakdown traders are positioning ahead of a larger directional move.
Until confirmation arrives, PENGU remains trapped between fading bearish pressure and unproven bullish strength. The next clean move through resistance or support is likely to define momentum for the days ahead.