Today's Cryptocurrency News (December 16) | MetaMask adds support for Bitcoin; Huang Licheng has been liquidated 200 times since October 11

This article summarizes cryptocurrency news as of December 16, 2025, focusing on the latest Bitcoin updates, Ethereum upgrades, Dogecoin trends, real-time cryptocurrency prices, and price forecasts. Major Web3 events today include:

1. Circle announces acquisition of Axelar initial development team Interop Labs and its intellectual property to accelerate cross-chain interoperability layout

On December 16, according to official sources, USDC issuer Circle announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the Interop Labs team and its proprietary intellectual property. The acquisition is expected to be completed in early 2026. Circle aims to contribute to a broader interoperability field and continue exploring opportunities aligned with its vision of open, interconnected, and scalable on-chain economies. Interop Labs has been a core contributor to Axelar, one of the most advanced frameworks in cross-chain communication and token transfer, and works with a growing open-source contributor community to promote Axelar’s core development. By integrating Interop Labs’ talent and technology directly into Circle, the goal is to accelerate two core initiatives: one is Arc—Circle’s enterprise-level application designed to become a layer of blockchain for the internet economy; the other is the cross-chain transfer protocol. It should be clarified that this transaction only involves the Interop Labs team and its proprietary intellectual property. With the team joining Circle, the Axelar network, foundation, and AXL tokens will continue to operate independently under community governance, and open-source intellectual property will remain accessible. Another contributor to the Axelar project, Common Prefix, will take over related work from Interop Labs.

2. MetaMask launches Bitcoin support, continues to expand multi-chain business

According to an announcement released on Monday, MetaMask has added native support for Bitcoin, including on-chain Bitcoin network transfers and exchanges between EVM-native assets and BTC using SOL.

This move coincides with the launch of a series of new features by MetaMask, a subsidiary of Consensys, including Polymarket access, the release of the mUSD stablecoin, and in-app perpetual contracts supported by Hyperliquid.

3. Nasdaq plans to extend trading hours to 23 hours on trading days

Nasdaq announced it will submit documents to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday to apply for near 24/7 stock trading, extending trading hours from the current five trading days per week of 16 hours to 23 hours. Currently, Nasdaq has three trading sessions on trading days: pre-market from 4:00 AM to 9:30 AM Eastern Time, regular trading from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and after-hours from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. When implementing “23/5” (trading 23 hours on each of the five trading days), two trading sessions are planned: daytime trading from 4:00 AM to 8:00 PM, followed by one hour for maintenance, testing, and settlement; nighttime trading from 9:00 PM to 4:00 AM the next day. The daytime session will continue to include pre-market, regular, and after-hours trading, with opening and closing bells at 9:30 AM and 4:00 PM respectively. Transactions executed between 9:00 PM and midnight will be counted as next-day trading. Under the new plan, the trading week will start at 9:00 PM on Sunday and end at 8:00 PM after the daytime trading session on Friday.

4. SEC Chair: Cryptocurrency may become the ultimate financial surveillance tool, calls for regulatory balance between privacy and security

On December 15, local time, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler stated that cryptocurrencies could develop into “the most powerful financial surveillance architecture in history,” but emphasized that regulation should avoid overreach to seek a balance between safety and personal privacy.

At the sixth roundtable of the SEC crypto working group, Gensler pointed out that blockchain technology can efficiently track transactions and senders. If regulation is misdirected, the government might treat each wallet as a broker and each software as an exchange, turning the crypto ecosystem into a “financial panorama prison.” However, he also believes it is still possible to build a regulatory framework that does not sacrifice individual privacy.

5. Huang Licheng has been liquidated 200 times since October 11 market crash, with total losses exceeding $22.88 million

According to Lookonchain monitoring, Huang Licheng (@machibigbrother) was liquidated 10 more times, bringing his total liquidations since the market crash on October 11 to 200 times, with total losses exceeding $22.88 million. His account balance now remains only $53,178.

6. SBI Holdings and Startale plan to launch a regulated JPY stablecoin in Q2 2026

Japanese financial group SBI Holdings and Web3 infrastructure company Startale Group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a fully regulated Japanese yen-pegged stablecoin aimed at tokenized asset markets and global settlement. According to the MoU, the project will be issued and redeemed by Shinsei Trust & Banking, a wholly owned subsidiary of SBI Shinsei Bank, and supported by licensed crypto asset trading service provider SBI VC Trade for circulation. SBI Holdings Chairman and President Yoshitaka Kitao stated that issuing a yen stablecoin with Startale will serve as the foundation for Japan’s transition to a token economy. The stablecoin is expected to launch in Q2 2026, depending on regulatory approval and compliance framework completion. This move comes as Japan accelerates stablecoin issuance under a clear regulatory framework, placing trust banks and licensed entities at the core of on-chain settlement infrastructure.

7. Tom Lee: Cryptocurrency and AI present exponential growth opportunities; pullbacks are buying opportunities

On December 16, Tom Lee, Chairman of Ethereum treasury company BitMine, stated, “Cryptocurrencies (ETH, BTC) and AI are exponential growth opportunities, which means current stock prices are highly sensitive to risk perception fluctuations. Therefore, pullbacks are good buying opportunities.”

8. US crypto market legislation delayed until 2026; Senate Banking Committee cannot complete review this year

According to Cointelegraph, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee confirmed that it will not complete the legislative process for crypto market structure within 2025, with hearings postponed to early 2026. As the last legislative week of 2025 approaches, senators from both houses will start returning home for holidays this Wednesday, forcing a halt in legislative progress. It is reported that the committee has been drafting a bipartisan consensus bill over the past two months, but it is uncertain whether the latest draft will be released before recess. Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee has not scheduled a review date for its related bill, further extending the legislative timeline initially planned for this year. This delay will cause the crypto industry to continue operating amid regulatory uncertainty for at least several more months.

9. Grayscale: Bitcoin expected to reach new highs in the first half of 2026

In its outlook report for 2026 released on Monday, Grayscale predicts that Bitcoin prices will hit new highs in the first half of 2026, driven by increased global macro demand for alternative value storage and improved regulatory clarity in the U.S. Grayscale believes this will mark the end of the so-called “four-year cycle” theory. The firm notes that due to rising public sector debt and its potential inflation impact, fiat currencies face increasing devaluation risks, which could continue to boost demand for Bitcoin and Ether in portfolios. Grayscale expects that by 2026, the U.S. Congress will pass bipartisan crypto market structure legislation, solidifying blockchain-based finance’s position in U.S. capital markets and encouraging ongoing institutional investment inflows. The report also highlights stablecoin market growth, asset tokenization reaching a turning point, and significant DeFi growth led by lending markets as key investment themes for 2026.

10. Top 25 US banks actively deploying Bitcoin business

As of December 2025, several of the top 25 US banks have launched or announced Bitcoin-related products. PNC Group has officially launched custody and trading services; JPMorgan and Charles Schwab have announced Bitcoin trading services; American Express has launched a Bitcoin rewards card; USAA offers exchange integration features. Notably, financial giants like Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley currently only provide Bitcoin trading services to high-net-worth clients, while institutions like Bank of America and TD Bank have yet to launch related services. Several banks such as BNY Mellon and U.S. Bank already offer custody services for high-net-worth clients, and Citigroup and Fifth Third Bank are exploring potential Bitcoin business opportunities.

11. XRP news: Ripple stablecoin RLUSD launches multi-chain pilot, expanding into Ethereum L2 ecosystem

Ripple Labs officially launched its USD-backed stablecoin RLUSD multi-chain expansion pilot, furthering Ripple’s layout in stablecoins and multi-chain infrastructure. According to an official statement, RLUSD will first expand to multiple Ethereum L2 networks—including Optimism, Base, Ink, and Unichain—before full regulatory approval is obtained.

This expansion was completed in cooperation with cross-chain interoperability protocol Wormhole. Wormhole’s cross-chain technology enables secure transfer of assets between different blockchains and is regarded as a key infrastructure in the current multi-chain ecosystem. RLUSD has previously been issued on XRP Ledger and Ethereum mainnet. Ripple states that expanding to Ethereum L2 is crucial for building a more scalable, efficient, and interoperable financial system.

Ripple team notes that the crypto industry is rapidly moving toward a multi-chain landscape. Stablecoins must be deployed on networks with real demand and use cases to better serve institutional finance and the growing on-chain economy. As blockchain technology gradually enters real-world applications, the demand for compliant, regulated stablecoins continues to rise.

It is noteworthy that RLUSD will use Wormhole’s native token transfer (NTT) standard in this pilot. This means RLUSD can transfer as a “native asset” across multiple chains, rather than through common lock-and-wrap mechanisms. This design helps avoid liquidity fragmentation and ensures RLUSD maintains a unified standard across different chains, with Ripple holding and managing related contracts.

Ripple also revealed plans to launch RLUSD on more blockchains next year, contingent on final regulatory approval. RLUSD is issued under the trust company charter of the New York State Department of Financial Services, and Ripple has applied to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a federal trust bank charter to further enhance compliance. Ripple’s stablecoin business leader states that stablecoins are an important gateway connecting DeFi and institutional-grade applications.

According to market data, RLUSD was launched in December 2024, with a current market cap of approximately $1.3 billion. Although still smaller than top stablecoins like USDT and USDC, RLUSD has gained noticeable attention in retail markets and is expanding its practical use cases through wallet and payment platform integrations. (Cointelegraph)

12. Trump sues BBC for misleading editing of documentary, seeking at least $10 billion in damages

On December 16, Bloomberg reported that former U.S. President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against the BBC over misleading editing in a documentary last year, seeking at least $10 billion in damages. Trump claims that the editing created a false impression that he directly called for violence in a speech before the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. The lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was filed Monday in the Federal Court in Miami. The complaint includes two charges: defamation and violation of Florida’s trade practices law. Trump is seeking at least $5 billion for each charge and also demands compensation for other related costs.

13. AI proxy whale suffers painful liquidation, losing 92% on a $30 million bet

A major crypto whale heavily invested in AI proxy tokens recently completed a liquidation, turning one of the most talked-about speculative themes of the year into a costly lesson. On-chain monitoring shows that this address sold a total of approximately $31.12 million worth of AI proxy tokens, ultimately recovering only about $2.57 million, with total losses around $28.54 million, nearly 92%.

The whale accumulated positions early in the year during the peak of AI proxy narratives, when market funds flooded into tokens related to autonomous trading bots, AI-driven trading execution, and smart proxies. However, as market liquidity shrank and sentiment cooled, these narrative-dependent assets gradually lost support, forcing liquidation at very low prices.

Looking at individual tokens, losses are equally staggering. AIXBT lost about 91%, approximately $15.89 million; FAI lost about 92%, nearly $9.87 million. NFTXBT and POLY from the Virtuals ecosystem were almost wiped out, with 99% declines, losing about $690,000 and $780,000 respectively. AI art and curation project BOTTO declined about 84%, losing around $930,000, while MAICRO fell about 90%, with a loss of approximately $380,000.

Due to limited market depth of these AI proxy tokens, the whale’s concentrated sell-off directly impacted prices. On-chain analyst Yu Yan’s data shows that during the liquidation, AIXBT dropped about 10%, FAI 8%, NFTXBT 29%, BOTTO 32%, MAICRO 48%, and POLY 26%. The weak order book further amplified the price declines with each sale.

Arkham’s on-chain tracking indicates that this address engaged in intensive large transfers with multiple liquidity pools, suggesting it was an active stop-loss liquidation rather than a gradual long-term adjustment. This implies the whale chose to lock in losses rather than wait for AI proxy narratives to rebound.

This incident highlights the high-risk nature of narrative-driven crypto sectors. Many AI proxy tokens launched at the peak of hype lack real use cases and sustained demand. When capital shifts away, liquidity quickly dries up. For the market, this serves as a warning and reflects that even well-funded participants may pay a heavy price when exiting in illiquid environments.

14. CZ shares investment logic: long-term holders who buy at low prices often persist during market downturns

CZ posted on X: “If you ever admired those who buy cryptocurrencies at low prices and hold long-term through market cycles, think about what they did during such times.”

This statement essentially reminds the market of a repeatedly validated but often overlooked fact—long-term returns are often born in the most difficult phases.

Most people only see the successful results of “buying low and surviving bull and bear markets” but ignore the choices made when market sentiment is worst, prices are repeatedly falling, and narratives are cooling. The key is not about precise bottom-fishing but whether one can maintain positions and discipline amid uncertainty and continuous retracement.

Looking at the current market environment, Bitcoin and mainstream assets are experiencing a phase of macro disturbances, liquidity fluctuations, and cooling sentiment. This is precisely when most short-term funds are shaken out and long-term funds gradually build advantage cost bases. CZ’s statement is not about bullish or bearish calls but emphasizes the importance of cycle awareness.

Historically, whether during the 2018 bear market, the 2020 pandemic shock, or the 2022 liquidity crunch, those who achieved excess returns often did so by positioning during the “most hopeless” phases of the market and reaping time premiums during subsequent rebounds.

The true meaning of this is not “reckless holding,” but a reminder for investors to consider: during sentiment-driven phases, are you being led by the market, or executing a long-term strategy based on cycles, positions, and risk management?

In short, in bull markets, have vision; in bear markets, have patience.

15. Yi Lihua: ETH fundamentals remain strong, current fluctuations are within normal range

Yi Lihua, founder of Liquid Capital (formerly LD Capital), posted on X: “I remain optimistic about ETH’s fundamentals, but since the October 11 crash, market liquidity has greatly decreased, with derivatives dominating over spot markets. The current volatility is within normal range, especially with the 4-year cycle resonance and approaching Christmas. However, for spot investors, it’s not necessarily about buying at the lowest price but about the most suitable investment price zone. From a medium- to long-term perspective, especially in the new era of on-chain finance, ETH remains a core investment asset.”