The PEPE memecoin's official website has been compromised, redirecting visitors to phishing pages designed to steal wallet credentials. Cybersecurity firm Blockaid detected malicious code linked to the Inferno Drainer toolkit embedded in the site's front end. Meanwhile, the PEPE/DOGE trading pair is on track to close its second consecutive weekly gain, marking the first back-to-back weekly advance since June.

BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust recorded more than $2.7 billion in withdrawals across five consecutive weeks ending November 28, marking its longest outflow period since launching in January 2024. The fund, which manages over $71 billion in assets, logged an additional $113 million in redemptions on Thursday. Data show the outflows accelerated following a crypto market liquidation in early October that eliminated more than $1 trillion in digital asset value.

Negotiations on U.S. Senate crypto market structure legislation have stalled over three unresolved disputes, Variant Fund Chief Legal Officer Jake Chervinsky said Thursday. The issues involve stablecoin yield restrictions, presidential family conflicts of interest, and protections for decentralized finance developers. Chervinsky said he does not expect committee markup sessions before year-end.

U.S. spot XRP exchange-traded funds recorded $12.84 million in net inflows on December 5, extending their growth streak to 13 consecutive trading days. Cumulative inflows have reached $887.12 million since the mid-November launch, with the funds collectively holding more than 400 million tokens. XRP traded at $2.07, down more than 3% on the same day, despite the sustained institutional interest.

A British individual allegedly connected to the theft of $243 million from a Genesis creditor may have been detained in Dubai, blockchain investigator ZachXBT stated on December 5. Approximately $18.58 million in cryptocurrency was reportedly seized from addresses linked to the suspect. UAE authorities have not publicly confirmed any arrests or asset seizures related to the case.

Italy's securities regulator CONSOB has set December 30, 2025 as the final deadline for crypto platforms to transition from domestic registration to the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets regime. Firms that file for MiCA authorization before the cutoff may continue serving Italian clients provisionally until approval or until June 30, 2026. Platforms that do not seek authorization must cease operations, notify users, and return all funds by the deadline.

XRP dropped more than 4% on December 5, extending a decline that has erased over 30% of the token's value since October 5. Data show $7.83 million in long positions were liquidated in the past 24 hours as bearish pressure mounted. Sentiment metrics turned 72% more bearish, reaching their lowest level in approximately two months, according to Santiment.

HashKey Holdings Ltd. plans to begin accepting investor orders for its Hong Kong initial public offering as early as next week. The cryptocurrency exchange operator aims to raise at least $200 million, according to Bloomberg. The company may list shares before the end of December, though the offering size and timing remain subject to market conditions.