On December 26, 2025, the crypto market extended its advance for a second straight session, with total capitalization up about 1% to roughly $3.07 trillion and 24‑hour turnover near $91.4 billion. Bitcoin is hovering around $88,681 and Ethereum near $2,967, while analysts highlight key resistance around $89,000–$90,500 for BTC and $2,980–$3,000 for ETH, alongside cautious sentiment and recent ETF outflows.

On December 26, 2025, BTC and ETH options on Deribit saw a record year-end expiry with around $28B in notional value, covering monthly, quarterly, and annual contracts. The event impacted more than half of the exchange's open interest, with BTC's $23.6B notional and ETH's $3.71B notional highlighting heavy downside protection and expectations of possible volatility.

On December 25, Chinese silver prices hit record levels, with Shanghai quoted at $80/oz and up over +150% YTD, while Bitcoin moved sideways on low holiday liquidity. The split highlights a macro shift as investors prioritize physical scarcity and industrial demand over digital scarcity during supply stress.

Sberbank's Deputy Chairman Anatoly Popov said the bank is prepared to work with regulators on launching crypto-backed lending as Russia moves toward a July 1, 2026, deadline for a unified digital asset framework. Moscow and St. Petersburg exchanges have already confirmed they can support regulated crypto trading under the upcoming rules, which separate qualified and non-qualified investors and cap retail purchases at 300,000 rubles per year. Russia has recorded $376.3 billion in crypto receipts over 12 months, while Sberbank continues to expand tokenization and blockchain-based investment products ahead of the new regime.

Roughly $27 billion worth of Bitcoin and Ethereum options are set to expire on December 26, marking one of the largest combined crypto derivatives expiries on record. With Bitcoin max pain near $96,000 and positioning concentrated at key strikes, traders are focused on post-expiry flows rather than immediate spot price moves.

The Bank of Lithuania has set December 31, 2025 as the final date for crypto-asset service providers to obtain licenses, making unlicensed activity illegal afterward. The mandate, which affects more than 120 operating firms and additional entities under review, aligns national rules with the EU’s MiCA framework and introduces penalties including fines, website blocking, and potential imprisonment. Market observers note that this shift is likely to reshape business structures and client communication practices across Lithuania’s crypto sector.

On Dec. 26, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index fell three points to 20/100, extending an ‘extreme fear’ streak that began on Dec. 13. Bitcoin traded at $88,650, nearly 30% below its Oct. 6 all-time high of $126,080, as tariff concerns and rate-cut uncertainty weighed on sentiment.

On 25 December, Schizoxbt reported steep 2025 declines across major Layer-1s, with Ethereum -15.3%, Solana -35.9%, Avalanche -67.9%, Sui -67.3%, and TON -73.8%, while BNB and TRX rose 18.2% and 9.8%. Token Terminal data showed Tron led revenue at $3.5 B; Solana fees hit $699.9 M and Ethereum $549.3 M, as user activity stayed elevated.