Cryptocurrency News

December, 2025

• 23 December

  Peter Thiel-Backed Bank Erebor Raises $350M at $4.35B Valuation

  

  Erebor Bank, a digital banking startup backed by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and co-founded by Anduril CEO Palmer Luckey and Joe Lonsdale, has raised $350 million in a funding round led by Lux Capital, achieving a post-money valuation of $4.35 billion as of December 22, 2025. The round, which more than doubles the company’s prior ~$2 billion valuation, includes participation …
• 23 December

  Tom Lee’s BitMine Bets Big on Ether With $88M Boost as ETH Nears Cycle Lows

  

  BitMine Immersion Technologies (NYSE: BMNR), the Ethereum-focused treasury firm chaired by Fundstrat co-founder Tom Lee, accumulated approximately **$88 million** worth of Ether on December 22, 2025, according to on-chain trackers. The purchase involved ~29,462 ETH transferred from BitGo and Kraken, as ETH traded near **$2,978**—close to recent cycle lows. This latest buy extends BitMine’s aggressive accumulation, following a weekly disclosure …
• 23 December

  Matador Wins Ontario Approval to Raise $58M for Fresh Bitcoin Purchases

  

  Matador Technologies Inc. (TSXV: MATA, OTCQB: MATAF), a publicly traded Bitcoin ecosystem company, announced on December 22, 2025, that it has received final approval from the Ontario Securities Commission for a CAD $80 million (~$58 million USD) base shelf prospectus. This allows the firm to issue common shares, warrants, debt securities, or units over a 25-month period, providing flexible capital …
• 23 December

  BlackRock Puts Spot Bitcoin ETF at the Center of Its 2025 Investment Themes

  

  BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has named its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) spot Bitcoin ETF one of its three primary investment themes for 2025, placing it alongside short-term Treasury bills and Magnificent Seven mega-cap tech stocks. This prominent positioning, highlighted on the firm’s iShares homepage as of December 22, 2025, underscores growing institutional conviction in Bitcoin despite a challenging …
• 23 December

  IMF–El Salvador Talks Continue Over Bitcoin Project and Chivo Wallet Sale

  

  Negotiations between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and El Salvador have progressed significantly, with discussions on the country’s Bitcoin project and the potential sale or wind-down of the state-run Chivo e-wallet described as “well advanced” as of December 22-23, 2025. The update follows the second review of El Salvador’s 40-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program, a $1.4 billion arrangement approved …
• 23 December

  Stablecoins, RWAs and AI Set to Power Crypto Growth in 2026: Mudrex CEO Edul Patel

  

  As cryptocurrency enters 2026, the sector is poised for a shift from speculation to scalable, real-world financial infrastructure, driven by stablecoins, real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, and artificial intelligence (AI) integration, according to Edul Patel, CEO and Co-founder of Mudrex. In his December 22 outlook, Patel highlights how 2025 marked progress in tokenizing assets, stablecoin adoption for global trade, and regulatory …
• 23 December

  Bitcoin Hashrate Slides 4% in December—VanEck Sees Signs of a Bullish Turn

  

  Bitcoin’s network hashrate declined approximately 4% in the 30 days through mid-December 2025—the steepest drop since April 2024—amid tightening miner margins and regional shutdowns, according to a new report from asset manager VanEck. Rather than a bearish omen, analysts view this as a potential contrarian bullish indicator signaling miner capitulation. Hashrate, the total computational power securing the Bitcoin network, serves …
• 23 December

  Pro-Crypto Leader Michael Selig Takes Charge at CFTC as Caroline Pham Steps Down

  

  The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) welcomed a new era on December 22, 2025, as Michael Selig was sworn in as Chairman, succeeding Acting Chairman Caroline Pham, who stepped down after nearly four years at the agency. Selig, confirmed by the Senate on December 18, brings a strong pro-crypto perspective. Previously chief counsel for the SEC’s Crypto Task Force …
• 22 December

  Hyperliquid Links $HYPE Shorting Address to Former Employee Fired in 2024

  

  Decentralized perpetuals exchange Hyperliquid addressed community concerns on December 21-22, 2025, confirming that a wallet accused of heavily shorting its native token **$HYPE** belongs to a former employee terminated in **Q1 2024**. The team stated via Discord: “This individual is no longer associated with Hyperliquid Labs, and their actions do not reflect our team’s standards or values.” The clarification followed …
• 22 December

  US Lawmakers Push IRS to Revisit Crypto Staking Tax Rules Before 2026

  

  A bipartisan group of 18 US House lawmakers, led by Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH), sent a letter on December 19, 2025, to IRS acting commissioner Scott Bessent urging a review of current staking rewards taxation. They argue the 2023 IRS guidance—treating rewards as taxable income upon receipt—creates “double taxation” (income tax at receipt, capital gains at sale) and burdensome compliance, …