Crypto News

Cryptocurrency asset manager Bitwise has released an optimistic forecast for 2026, painting a picture of comprehensive strength across digital assets. The firm predicts Bitcoin will reach new all-time highs, ETF demand will surge dramatically, crypto-related equities will outperform traditional markets, and institutional adoption will deepen across various market segments.

The holiday season has brought an unwelcome gift to the cryptocurrency community: a marked escalation in fraudulent activity across multiple attack vectors. Scammers are ramping up phishing campaigns, fake token presales, romance schemes, impersonation tactics, and malicious applications, all designed to separate distracted users from their digital assets during a period of reduced vigilance. The timing is deliberate. Holiday distractions, year-end financial activity, and the general atmosphere of goodwill create ideal conditions for social engineering attacks. Users juggling shopping, travel, and family obligations may exercise less caution when reviewing messages or evaluating opportunities. Scammers understand this seasonal psychology and calibrate their campaigns accordingly.

The Bitcoin-to-gold ratio has collapsed by 50% in 2025, marking a dramatic reversal in the relative performance of the two assets often positioned as alternatives to traditional fiat currencies. Gold has surged to record highs on the back of unprecedented central bank accumulation and robust ETF inflows, while Bitcoin has struggled amid persistent ETF outflows and significant selling pressure from long-term holders. This divergence challenges the narrative that has gained traction over the past decade positioning Bitcoin as "digital gold"—a superior store of value offering gold's monetary properties with added portability, divisibility, and verifiability. In 2025, investors have voted decisively for the original over its digital challenger, at least in relative terms.

Exodus, known for its user-friendly self-custody wallet supporting multiple blockchains, will integrate the new stablecoin into its product suite, providing its user base with seamless access to the digital dollar. MoonPay, which has established itself as a leading fiat on-ramp and off-ramp service, brings its payment rails and regulatory relationships to the partnership. M0, a newer entrant focused specifically on stablecoin infrastructure, provides the underlying technology stack.

The Lightning Network, as Bitcoin's layer-2 scaling solution, enables near-instant and low-cost transactions by establishing payment channels off-chain. This technology is seen as a critical pathway for solving Bitcoin mainnet bottlenecks such as slow transaction speeds and high fees, and represents essential infrastructure for achieving large-scale Bitcoin payment adoption. Tether's decision to lead Speed's funding round indicates it is extending its strategic vision from traditional strongholds like Ethereum and Tron into the Bitcoin ecosystem. This positioning echoes Tether's recent moves to issue USDT on the Bitcoin network, suggesting the company is systematically building its presence in Bitcoin payments.

According to Armstrong, younger generations increasingly "feel locked out of the old wealth ladder" that previous generations climbed to build prosperity. This sense of exclusion from conventional pathways to wealth accumulation is driving them toward cryptocurrency as an alternative financial system that operates outside traditional gatekeepers.

According to The Information, OpenAI is in discussions with Amazon regarding an investment exceeding $10 billion and plans to adopt Amazon's artificial intelligence chips. If confirmed, this would mark a momentous strategic alliance between two heavyweight players in the AI space. For OpenAI, this potential funding would provide ample capital for its continuously expanding AI infrastructure development. The computational costs required to train and run large language models are extraordinarily high, and rapid user growth has further intensified demand for computing resources. Additional capital injection would help OpenAI maintain its technological edge in the ongoing AI arms race.

Aave founder Stani Kulechov recently unveiled the decentralized lending protocol's 2026 strategic plan, revealing an ambitious development blueprint. This master plan centers on three core pillars: the next-generation Aave V4 protocol upgrade, Horizon—a real-world asset (RWA) platform built specifically for institutional investors—and a new Aave application designed to lower barriers for users. In presenting this roadmap, Kulechov demonstrated unwavering confidence in Aave's future, concluding with a succinct and powerful declaration: "Aave will win."

President Donald Trump is scheduled to interview Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller on Wednesday for the position of Federal Reserve Chair, according to the Wall Street Journal. The meeting signals that crypto-friendly credentials have become valuable qualifications for the nation's most influential economic policy role. Waller, who joined the Federal Reserve Board in 2020, has distinguished himself as one of the central bank's more open-minded voices on digital assets. His potential elevation to the chairmanship would place a crypto-sympathetic policymaker atop an institution that wields enormous influence over the financial system's approach to digital currencies.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first nation to distribute universal basic income payments on-chain, utilizing USDM1 sovereign bonds issued on the Stellar blockchain network. This groundbreaking initiative merges traditional government finance mechanisms with cryptocurrency infrastructure, creating a novel model for public benefit distribution that other nations may eventually emulate.