On December 23, reports claimed U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent favored expanding the Federal Reserve's 2% inflation goal into a wider range. No official confirmation or primary-source statements have surfaced, and policymakers have not commented. With verification lacking, markets showed little reaction and key indicators were largely stable, limiting any immediate policy implications.

On December 23, MicroStrategy expanded its cash holdings to $2.2 billion after raising $748 million via stock sales, aiming to secure roughly $824 million in annual dividends over the next 30 months and support $1 billion in convertible bonds maturing in September 2027. During this period Bitcoin was trading around $87,716.35, highlighting the firm's effort to buffer against ongoing crypto market volatility.

Hyperliquid rejected accusations about its solvency and transparency after a December 22 article questioned its operations. The platform emphasized decentralization via BFT Proof-of-Stake nodes and real-time visibility of transactions. The piece also notes Hyperliquid handled $10. 31B in liquidations efficiently during volatile conditions.

On December 21, 2025, Binance Futures launched USDS-margined perpetual contracts for ZKPUSDT, GUAUSDT and IRUSDT with leverage of up to 40x. The new instruments expand Binance's derivatives lineup and may affect trading strategies and liquidity for the underlying tokens as traders access higher-risk, leveraged exposure.

At its December 18–19 meeting, the Bank of Japan signaled it may raise policy interest rates if economic activity and price developments track existing projections. This potential normalization of monetary policy could tighten yen liquidity and influence global markets, including cryptocurrencies, while Bitcoin trades above $87,000 with a market cap near $1.74 trillion as of December 19, 2025.

The U.S. SEC approved a universal listing standard for crypto ETPs, cutting launch timelines to 75 days as of September, according to Cryptoslate. Analysts expect more than 100 ETFs by 2026, while custody concentration at Coinbase raises single-point-of-failure concerns noted by James Seyffart. CoinMarketCap shows BTC at $86,176.20 with 59.44% dominance and a 25.41% 90-day decline.

On December 18, the Federal Reserve said it would rescind its 2023 restrictions on state member banks' crypto activities and introduce a new, more flexible framework effective in 2025. The change lets state banks seek approval for digital-asset services under risk and supervisory criteria, signaling a broader shift toward integrating assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum into regulated banking.

U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin and Jerry Moran introduced the SAFE Crypto Act, proposing a Treasury-led task force to coordinate law enforcement and financial regulators against crypto scams. The bill centers on prevention and local enforcement support rather than market rules. Bitcoin traded at $89,337.71 at the last update on December 17, 2025.

Dune Analytics data shows Polymarket's open interest has risen to about $326 million in 2025, representing a 170% increase since the start of the year and marking a new annual high. Activity is concentrated in sports, politics, and crypto markets, while a previous $385 million peak in political open interest during the 2024 U.S. election underscores the platform's sensitivity to major events.