Crypto Brief
NFT Market Slumps to 2025 Lows without Holiday Boost
NFT markets continued to weaken in December, with valuations, trading activity, and participation falling to their lowest levels of 2025.
The Briefs section compiles short, high-importance updates across cryptocurrency, blockchain, digital asset markets, regulation, venture activity, exchanges, and product launches. It is built for readers who want fast access to material developments without the length or structure of full reported features. This page serves as a running editorial feed for time-sensitive items that can affect sentiment, pricing, policy, or sector direction. It complements longer news and analysis by offering a condensed format for tracking the pace of change across the crypto industry.
NFT markets continued to weaken in December, with valuations, trading activity, and participation falling to their lowest levels of 2025.
US-listed Bitcoin ETFs recorded $825 million in net outflows over five trading days, underscoring seasonal selling pressure and reduced institutional risk appetite.
Spain will fully implement the EU’s MiCA framework by mid-2026, alongside stricter crypto reporting rules under the DAC8 directive starting earlier that year.
The Philippines has begun blocking access to Coinbase and Gemini as regulators intensify enforcement against crypto platforms operating without local licenses.
Prediction market Polymarket said recent account breaches were linked to a third-party login provider, after users reported missing funds and unauthorized access.
Bitget Wallet has integrated Hyperliquid to expand its onchain perpetual trading offering. The move adds lower fees, broader asset coverage, and advanced trading tools within a self-custodial environment.
OKX reported a sharp increase in trading activity after expanding into regulated markets in the United States and Europe. The exchange cited licensing approvals and regulatory clarity as key drivers.
BC Card has completed a pilot enabling foreign visitors to pay South Korean merchants using stablecoins converted into prepaid cards.
A new XRP-denominated yield product, earnXRP, has launched using Flare Network infrastructure, aiming to expand XRP use in decentralized finance.
Hyperliquid said a wallet accused of insider shorting of its HYPE token belongs to a former employee dismissed in early 2024.
Tether-backed Northern Data has sold its Bitcoin mining unit to companies linked to senior Tether executives.
Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis, a leading pro-crypto voice in Congress, said she will not seek reelection in 2026, raising questions about future crypto legislation.