According to Onchain Lens, a newly created wallet (0x9a9...0bb5) that may belong to Bitmine received 48,049 ETH from FalconX, worth $141.78 million.

Bitwise: Bitcoin to Hit New High in 2026 and End Four-Year Cycle. Crypto asset management firm Bitwise predicts that Bitcoin (BTC) will reach a new all-time high in 2026, surpassing its current all-time high of $126,080 and ending its traditional four-year cycle. Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan stated that factors that have driven the four-year cycle in the past, including the impact of Bitcoin halvings, interest rate cycles, and the leveraged booms and busts of cryptocurrencies, will have a significantly weaker impact in future cycles. He pointed out that with each halving, its importance to the market decreases. Hougan expects interest rates to decline in 2026, and the risk of major liquidations will be reduced due to relatively lower leverage and improved regulation. Meanwhile, the continued inflow of institutional funds since the approval of Bitcoin ETFs and favorable regulatory conditions will drive Bitcoin to new highs.

According to TechFlow, on December 17, blockchain analysis platform Lookonchain reported that Bitmine is suspected to have acquired 48,049 ETH approximately five hours ago. This transaction is valued at around $140.58 million. The purchase was detected through monitoring activities on the platform.

According to ChainCatcher, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced on Tuesday a proposed settlement with Illusory Systems, the operator of the Nomad crypto bridge, following a hacking incident that resulted in the theft of nearly all platform funds. The FTC's complaint states that Illusory Systems introduced a critical vulnerability during a code update in June 2022, which hackers exploited starting August 1, leading to the theft of approximately $186 million in Ethereum, USDC, DAI, and WBTC assets. Users suffered losses exceeding $100 million. The FTC accuses Nomad of failing to adequately test its code, maintain clear vulnerability reporting and incident response processes, and deploy basic security measures to limit user losses, despite claiming to be a "security-first" platform. Under the proposed settlement, Illusory Systems will be prohibited from misrepresenting its security practices, required to implement a formal information security program, undergo independent security assessments every two years, and return any recovered funds to affected users that have not yet been reimbursed. Following the hack, Nomad managed to recover only $22 million of the stolen funds.

Bitwise, the world’s largest crypto index fund manager, has made a prediction that institutional demand for crypto ETFs will exceed the new Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana supply in 2026. The asset management fund manages over $15 billion in client assets over 30 investment products. The Chief Investment Officer of Bitwise, Matt Hougan and Head of […] source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/etfs-will-buy-new-btc-eth-sol-supply-in-2026/

According to Hyperbot data, "Brother Machi" deposited approximately 1.1997 million USDC into Hyperliquid seven hours ago to continue his long position on ETH. These funds have been used to open 25x leveraged long positions in ETH, totaling 4,050 ETH, worth approximately $1.19 million, with a liquidation price of $2,694. Currently, "Brother Machi" has accumulated losses of $21.21 million on Hyperliquid.

null source: https://x.com/stackersatoshi/status/2001086691352646017

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has written to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Attorney General Pamela Bondi, requesting an investigation into the potential national security risks of decentralized exchanges (DEXs), specifically naming PancakeSwap. The letter mentions that PancakeSwap is suspected of involvement in money laundering related to funds stolen by North Korean hackers, as well as trading the stablecoin USD1, which is associated with Trump. A report by blockchain analytics firm Allium indicates that approximately $263 million (20% of the stolen funds) was laundered through PancakeSwap in the $1.4 billion cryptocurrency theft that occurred on the Bybit exchange. Warren points out that the lack of robust anti-money laundering and KYC controls on decentralized platforms allows bad actors to transfer, mix, and cash out illicit funds. Warren requests that the two departments respond by January 12, 2025, regarding the risks and actions being taken, as well as measures to prevent conflicts of interest related to cryptocurrencies, including those within the Trump family.

According to ChainCatcher, a report from CITIC Securities indicates that the United States saw a significant reduction in non-farm employment numbers for October. This decline is partly attributed to federal government employees who accepted a 'delayed resignation' plan, subsequently exiting payrolls and impacting overall figures. CITIC Securities suggests that if the unemployment rate does not continue to rise in December, the Federal Reserve is likely to pause interest rate cuts in January of the following year. The remaining two Federal Open Market Committee meetings may see one more 25 basis point rate cut.

According to BlockBeats, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media that Venezuela is now completely surrounded by the largest fleet in South American history. He stated that the fleet will continue to grow and that Venezuela will face unprecedented pressure until it returns all the oil, land, and other assets allegedly stolen from the United States. Trump declared the Venezuelan regime a foreign terrorist organization and ordered a comprehensive blockade on all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. He accused the "illegal" regime of using oil from stolen fields to fund itself, terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnapping. This move signifies an escalation in the Trump administration's pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Last week, the U.S. seized a sanctioned oil tanker near the Venezuelan coast.

Jinse Finance launches its cryptocurrency and blockchain industry daily news bulletin, "Jinse 8 AM," issue 2911, providing you with the latest and fastest news on the digital currency and blockchain industry.

RWA, RWA's sudden popularity: opportunity or scam? Golden Finance, why did RWA suddenly become so popular?

Since the birth of cryptocurrencies, privacy coins have been a major sector. If a one-stop integrated application combining privacy and Web3 social features can be achieved, it will undoubtedly possess the potential to become a killer product in the crypto industry.

Recommended reading tonight: 1. Looking back at 2025: What progress has been made in global crypto regulatory policies?; 2. The crypto bull market will continue in 2026; 3. Bitwise's 2026 prediction: Bitcoin will break its four-year cycle and reach a new all-time high;

MetaMask, the world-renowned crypto wallet initially built for Ethereum, has officially added Bitcoin support, nearly ten months after first hinting at the integration.

x402 Protocol, The Economic Order of Machines: The Full-Stack Path of Intelligent Agent Commerce (Jinse Finance), From Protocol Stack to Payment Ecosystem: Agent Investment Map.

HashKey Holdings raised HK$1.6 billion in its IPO, pricing shares near the top of the marketed range despite crypto market volatility. The offering attracted strong demand from institutional and retail investors, highlighting confidence in the company’s regulated crypto platform.

The sentencing of Samourai Wallet developer Keonne Rodriguez has become a defining moment in the escalating battle between crypto privacy advocates and U.S. regulators—and now, President Donald Trump’s suggestion of a potential pardon could mark a rare turning point for the industry.

PayPal applied for a U.S. bank charter to offer direct loans to small businesses and interest-bearing savings accounts. The company also filed with the FDIC to ensure deposits would be federally insured.

Conservative estimates suggest that approximately 2 billion crypto assets are withdrawn from circulation each year due to a lack of heirs.