U.S. crypto oversight entered a new phase this week as President Donald Trump signaled openness to reviewing the Samourai Wallet conviction and the Senate confirmed Mike Selig to lead the CFTC. At the same time, regulators including the SEC and Federal Reserve pulled back from earlier restrictive policies, while Congress advanced targeted anti-scam legislation. Together these moves point to a shift away from enforcement-heavy strategies toward clearer rules and a more focused consumer protection approach.

On December 19, 2025, silver reached a record $69.6/oz, rising 2.3% intraday and securing an 8.1% weekly advance after touching $67.20 earlier. Gold climbed to $4,346.69/oz, with futures at $4,380, while softer inflation and a weaker labor report bolstered rate‑cut hopes. U.S. equities rose, led by Oracle’s 8% jump tied to a planned TikTok U.S. venture.

Russia’s executive authorities plan to start making budget payments in the digital ruble from 2025, including public sector salaries, pensions, and social transfers. The Ministry of Finance outlined that these transactions, based on recent legal amendments, will be voluntary for recipients and precede a full-scale CBDC rollout planned for the second half of 2026. The Bank of Russia and the Federal Treasury are coordinating integration of the digital ruble into the federal budget process, with free transfers between individuals and low merchant fees already announced.

Bybit is set to re-enter the UK market on December 19 through a partnership with London-regulated exchange Archax, enabling spot trading across 100 cryptocurrency pairs. The relaunch focuses on aligning with UK financial promotion rules, providing transparent access and products tailored to local users. Bitcoin's market value stands at $1.76 trillion with a price of $88,153.56 and 24-hour trading volume of $55.17 billion amid this move.

Crypto hedge funds are on track for their weakest year since 2022. Directional managers finished November down 2.5%, while altcoin‑focused portfolios fell about 23%. An Oct. 10 liquidation wave erased nearly $20 billion after a 100% tariff pledge on Chinese goods drove Bitcoin down 14% within hours, and institutional flows compressed arbitrage spreads.

A court‑appointed administrator overseeing Terraform’s wind‑down sued Jump for $4 billion, alleging undisclosed trading and incentive arrangements used to defend TerraUSD’s peg, according to The Wall Street Journal. The dispute emerges as dollar‑pegged tokens gain roles in settlement and remittances, testing what $1 stability really entails. Jump has denied the claims.

Gemini Asia Pacific head Saad Ahmed said institutional investors now dictate how crypto markets digest shocks, focusing more on long-term positioning than daily price swings. He highlighted the November to December 2025 sell-off, when Bitcoin fell from near $100,000 to about $87,000 and Ethereum dropped from around $3,900 to roughly $2,745 before partially recovering, as an example of more disciplined risk management. Ahmed added that ETF flows, stablecoin activity and real-world asset usage are increasingly important signals of market health alongside on-chain fundamentals.

Federal Reserve governor Chris Waller said that after his Oval Office interview with President Donald Trump for the Fed chair role, he walked out convinced he would not be selected. Trump is continuing to meet other candidates, including Rick Rieder, Kevin Hassett and Kevin Warsh, while Waller has publicly argued rates could be cut by 50–100 basis points amid weakening job growth. Trump has stated he wants a chair who believes in much lower interest rates and is willing to engage with him directly on economic policy.