Tech

December, 2025

• 17 December

  Robinhood Rolls Out Sports Betting Feature Before NFL Playoffs

  

  Robinhood Markets Inc. has expanded its prediction markets platform with new sports-focused features, including player proposition bets and preset combination contracts for NFL games, just in time for the upcoming playoffs starting in January 2026. Announced on December 16, 2025, the updates allow users to trade event contracts on individual player performances—such as touchdowns, passing yards, or rushing stats—as well …
• 17 December

  SBF’s Ex Caroline Ellison Moved to Early Community Confinement

  

  Caroline Ellison, the former CEO of Alameda Research and ex-girlfriend of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), has been quietly transferred to community confinement after serving approximately 11 months of her two-year prison sentence. The move, which occurred on October 16, 2025, places her in a less restrictive setting—likely a halfway house or home confinement—while she remains under federal supervision. Ellison, …
• 16 December

  One of the Largest DDoS Attacks Hits Solana, But Network Remains Unscathed

  

  Solana, a top blockchain platform, has emerged unscathed from one of the largest DDoS attacks in history, demonstrating unparalleled network resilience amid escalating cyber threats. The sustained assault, ongoing for over a week as of December 16, 2025, peaked at nearly 6 terabits per second (Tbps)—ranking as the fourth-largest DDoS event against any distributed system, per data from SolanaFloor. Attackers …
• 16 December

  US Financial Watchdog No Longer Views Crypto as a Systemic Threat: Report

  

  The U.S. Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) has removed cryptocurrencies from its list of potential systemic threats to financial stability in its 2025 annual report, marking a dramatic regulatory pivot toward embracing digital assets. Released on December 11, 2025, the report eliminates previous warnings about crypto’s contagion risks, stablecoin vulnerabilities to runs, and market concentration issues highlighted in 2024. Instead, …
• 16 December

  Asia Market Open: Bitcoin Slides to $85K Amid Falling Asian Shares

  

  Bitcoin plunged nearly 4% to around $85,900 during Asian trading hours on December 16, 2025, extending a broader cryptocurrency sell-off as risk assets faced renewed pressure. The decline coincided with lower openings in major Asian stock indices, underscoring heightened investor caution in global markets. After failing to sustain above $90,000 following a rejection near $100,000 earlier in the month, Bitcoin …
• 16 December

  PayPal Moves to Secure State-Chartered Bank License for PYUSD

  

  PayPal Holdings Inc. announced on December 15, 2025, that it has applied for a Utah state-chartered industrial bank license to establish **PayPal Bank**, aiming to expand small-business lending and offer interest-bearing savings accounts while reducing reliance on third-party partners. The applications, filed with the Utah Department of Financial Institutions and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), would allow PayPal to …
• 16 December

  Texas Goes Full Crypto: Bitcoin ATM Operator Plans 200 New Machines

  

  Bitcoin Bancorp (OTC: BCBC), a publicly traded Bitcoin ATM operator and holder of foundational patents for the technology, announced plans on December 15, 2025, to deploy up to 200 licensed Bitcoin ATMs across Texas starting in the first quarter of 2026. This expansion targets one of the most crypto-friendly U.S. states, leveraging Texas’ clear regulatory framework under the Money Services …
• 16 December

  SEC Dropped Nearly 60% of Crypto Cases During Trump Era: Report

  

  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has paused, dropped, or eased enforcement in over 60% of ongoing cryptocurrency cases since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, according to a New York Times investigation published December 14. The probe, analyzing thousands of documents and court records across recent administrations, found this retreat unprecedented for a single industry. …
• 15 December

  Bitcoin Edges Lower Amid Clouded Tech Outlook in Asian Markets

  

  Bitcoin edged lower during Monday’s Asian session, trading around **$88,000–$89,000**, as broader risk sentiment weakened amid mounting doubts over the sustainability of technology stocks’ valuations and aggressive AI spending. The modest decline reflects thinned year-end liquidity and fading demand following recent macroeconomic signals, with Bitcoin retreating from levels above $90,000 seen last week. Market Performance Bitcoin dipped during the Asian …
• 15 December

  Crypto Crime Crackdown: Five Arrested in Spain Over Kidnapping Case

  

  Spanish National Police have arrested **five individuals** in connection with the April 2025 kidnapping and murder of a man in Mijas, Málaga, targeted for his **cryptocurrency holdings**. Four additional suspects have been charged in Denmark, highlighting a cross-border criminal network. Details of the Crime The incident began when attackers ambushed a couple, shooting the man in the leg as he …