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Crypto ETPs to enter ‘cheesecake factory’ era by 2026

Crypto exchange-traded products could surge in 2026, with analysts predicting more than 100 new launches after US regulators streamlined approval rules, expanding investor choice across spot, index and altcoin-linked funds.

Bank of Canada lays out criteria for ‘good money’ stablecoins

Canada’s central bank is setting strict standards for stablecoins, signalling that only fully fiat-backed, high-quality tokens will qualify as “good money” under future regulations. Governor Tiff Macklem says the approach aims to balance innovation with safety as Canada modernises its financial system ahead of planned stablecoin rules in 2026.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) fell below $87,000 on Monday after sell orders intensified shortly after Wall Street opened, accelerating a sharp intraday decline.

Market data showed BTC dropping to around $86,625, extending a period of choppy and uneven trading seen over recent sessions.

PayPal has launched a new PYUSD Savings Vault on the decentralised lending platform Spark, offering users a listed annual percentage yield of 4.25%.

The vault allows holders of PayPal’s dollar-backed stablecoin to earn on-chain yield through Spark’s existing liquidity and lending infrastructure.

MetaMask has rolled out native Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) support, marking a major shift for the wallet as it moves beyond its long-standing focus on Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) and EVM-based networks.

The update allows users to buy Bitcoin with fiat, transfer BTC on-chain and swap between Bitcoin, EVM assets and Solana (CRYPTO:SOL) directly within the wallet.

Circle has acquired key Interop Labs engineers and proprietary technology to strengthen its blockchain interoperability capabilities.

The acquisition brings the original development team behind the Axelar (CRYPTO:AXL) Network into Circle’s internal engineering organisation.

President Donald Trump said he is open to exploring a pardon for Samourai Wallet developer Keonne Rodriguez as the case draws renewed attention from the crypto industry.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump acknowledged awareness of the case and indicated he would review the request.

“I’ve heard about it, I’ll look at it,” Trump said.

The UK Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) Satoshi Vision investors seeking more than $13 billion in damages from major crypto exchanges.

The appeal was filed by BSV Claims Limited following the delisting of Bitcoin SV (CRYPTO:BSV) from platforms including Binance and Kraken in 2019.

Adventure White Mountain Pvt. Ltd. has announced an expanded range of adventure trekking packages across Nepal’s Himalayan regions.

The Nepal-based adventure travel company said the new offerings are aimed at trekkers and outdoor enthusiasts of all experience levels.

J.P. Morgan has launched MONY, a $100 million tokenised money market fund built directly on the public Ethereum network.

Netflix executives were initially captivated in 2018 by early footage of a sci-fi project titled 'White Horse', created by director Carl Rinsch.

Former Netflix originals chief Cindy Holland testified that she read the script at Keanu Reeves’ home and found both the script and footage impressive.

The cryptocurrency market has entered a markedly lower-volatility phase, with industry participants pointing to structural changes driven by institutional adoption and the growing use of derivatives.

Sidrah Fariq, head of retail sales at Deribit, said bitcoin’s (CRYPTO:BTC) implied volatility, measured by the BTC DVOL index, has stayed below 100 since 2022 despite bitcoin reaching fresh all-time highs.

TRM Labs has reported that cryptocurrency usage in Venezuela is largely organic, with stablecoins playing a central role as citizens navigate economic instability and limited access to global payment systems.

The blockchain analytics firm said adoption is primarily driven by everyday financial needs rather than speculation or illicit activity, despite the country’s complex compliance environment.

YouTube has begun allowing eligible US-based creators to receive earnings in PayPal’s US dollar-pegged stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD), marking a notable step towards mainstream adoption of regulated digital currencies in creator monetisation.

The new payout option was reported by Fortune on 11 December and reflects growing interest among major technology firms in using stablecoins as practical payment tools rather than speculative assets.

United States crypto regulation is entering a new phase after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced it would withdraw legacy digital asset guidance seen as misaligned with today’s market realities.

The decision, confirmed on 11 December, signals a regulatory pivot that could reduce compliance burdens and widen institutional access to crypto markets across the country.

Memecoins are not dead despite the collapse in prices and fading hype, according to MoonPay president Keith A. Grossman, who believes the sector is undergoing a structural reset rather than a permanent decline.

Grossman argued that memecoins were never solely about jokes or financial nihilism, but about the technological ability to tokenise attention cheaply and at scale using blockchain infrastructure.

Standard Chartered and Coinbase have expanded their strategic partnership to build trading, custody and financing infrastructure for institutional cryptocurrency clients.

The British multinational bank said the collaboration will focus on developing secure and compliant digital asset services tailored to large financial institutions.

A senior executive at Itaú Asset Management has recommended that investors allocate between 1% and 3% of their portfolios to Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) as part of a diversified strategy.

Itaú Unibanco is the largest private bank in Latin America and a key player in Brazil's traditional financial system.

Legacy DeFi options vaults created by Ribbon Finance and later absorbed by Aevo were exploited for around $2.7 million on December 12.

The affected products were Ribbon’s DeFi Options Vaults, which once held more than $300 million in total value locked during DeFi’s peak.

Solana (CRYPTO:SOL)-linked exchange-traded funds recorded seven consecutive days of net inflows even as SOL continued to trade near its weakest levels of the year amid a broader crypto market downturn.

Data from Farside Investors shows approximately $16.6 million flowed into Solana ETFs on Tuesday alone, marking the strongest single day of inflows during the streak.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) has retreated sharply from its early-October peak, unsettling traders and reviving concerns that the market could be heading towards a prolonged downturn into 2026.

The recent decline has coincided with wider macroeconomic uncertainty, prompting some investors to question whether the current bull phase has already lost momentum.

Solana (CRYPTO:SOL)-focused exchange-traded funds have recorded seven consecutive days of net inflows even as the wider cryptocurrency market remains under sustained pressure.

Data from Farside Investors shows that Solana ETFs attracted a cumulative $674m in net inflows during the period, highlighting continued institutional engagement.

The strongest single day of inflows was recorded last Tuesday, when $16.6m entered Solana-linked ETF products.

Bitcoin's (CRYPTO:BTC) long-discussed four-year market cycle remains intact but is now shaped by political events and liquidity conditions rather than the asset’s halving mechanism, according to new analysis from 10x Research.

Markus Thielen, head of research at 10x Research, said the belief that the cycle has broken down misunderstands how Bitcoin's market dynamics have evolved in recent years.

Twenty One Capital's highly anticipated debut on the New York Stock Exchange ended with a sharp sell-off, highlighting growing investor restraint toward Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC)-heavy public companies.

Trading under the ticker XXI, the stock fell by almost 20% on its first day, defying expectations fuelled by its sizeable Bitcoin treasury and prominent institutional backers.