Daily Crypto Briefing – December 26, 2025

Markets remain subdued as crypto enters the final days of 2025, with Bitcoin struggling to maintain momentum above $89K while traditional assets like gold and silver hit new records.

Top Stories

Bitcoin Struggles While Precious Metals Soar

Bitcoin sits out Santa rally as stocks and precious metals set records as investor flows continue to favor traditional hedges and equities. Bitcoin ETFs are extending outflows despite broader markets rising, highlighting the disconnect between crypto and traditional risk assets during the holiday period.

Trust Wallet Security Breach Hits $7 Million

Trust Wallet confirms extension vulnerability after users report Christmas drains affecting hundreds of users. The popular multi-currency wallet confirmed a security incident with its Chrome browser extension version 2.68, with Binance's CZ indicating that affected users will be reimbursed for their losses.

Uniswap Governance Approves Major Token Economics Change

Uniswap governance passes major 'UNIfication' proposal; 100 million token burn imminent in a near-unanimous vote receiving over 125 million votes in support. The proposal shifts trading fees from liquidity providers to the protocol and will burn 100 million UNI tokens, transforming UNI into a value-accruing asset.

$150 Billion in Crypto Liquidations Marked 2025

How $150 billion was liquidated from crypto market in 2025 driving Bitcoin crash according to CoinGlass data. The massive liquidation figure reflects the volatile nature of leveraged trading throughout the year, contributing to significant price swings across the market.

Markets

Bitcoin and Major Altcoins

• Bitcoin crawls to $88K as Aave faces governance drama with cryptocurrency markets experiencing modest recovery amid thin year-end liquidity
• XRP price holds firm amid 30% volume spike as the token maintains support near $1.85 despite dropping below $2.00 this week
• Uniswap price gains as 100M UNI burn proposal passes with UNI trading at $5.90 following the governance victory

Market Sentiment

• Crypto Fear Hits Extreme on Christmas as Bitcoin, Ethereum ETF Outflows Persist with the Fear & Greed Index hitting 27
• Bitcoin drops nearly $3,000 as over $70M in longs liquidated in past 4 hours highlighting risks of high leverage trading

Technology

Blockchain Upgrades

• XRPL flips to quantum-safe signatures; 2,420-byte proofs replace elliptic curves as the XRP Ledger implements major technological developments
• BNB Chain Fermi hard fork scheduled for January activation following successful testnet deployment in November
• Ethereum's 2026 Overhaul Aims To Cut Costs, Boost Speed, Limit Censorship with two major hard forks planned

DeFi

Protocol Developments

• Arthur Hayes acquires $2 million in LDO, PENDLE tokens amid DeFi rotation signaling growing confidence in decentralized finance protocols
• USX briefly depegs on Solana DEXs before liquidity support restores price after the issuer injected liquidity into secondary markets
• Hyperliquid adds over 609K users, reaching $2.9T trading volume in 2025 highlighting growth in decentralized trading platforms

Regulation

Global Policy Updates

• Lithuania to crack down on crypto firms operating without licenses after December 31 as the country enforces strict licensing requirements
• Crypto regulation in 2026: SEC's ambitious agenda meets a more empowered CFTC with regulators preparing for a busy year under the Trump administration
• Japan's 2026 Tax Reform Blueprint Maps Out New Framework for Crypto Assets outlining potential shifts in cryptocurrency treatment

Quick Hits

• Former Alameda CEO Caroline Ellison to be released from federal custody next month with release scheduled for January 21, 2026
• Zcash's shielded supply holds firm at 23% as privacy adoption proves sticky
• Russia's Largest Bank Considers Launching Crypto-Collateral Lending as Sberbank signals readiness for crypto services
• Crypto ETFs set to explode higher in 2026, analysts say due to regulatory clarity and falling interest rates
• [From Tether to the Trump-Backed USD1: The 7 Fastest-Moving Stablecoins of 2025](https://decrypt.co/352767/tether-trump-usd1-7-fastest-moving-