Standard Chartered Bank and Coinbase have announced an expanded partnership to enhance their offerings for institutional clients in the cryptocurrency sector. The collaboration aims to provide a range of crypto financial services, including trading, custody, staking, and lending. This development builds on their existing relationship in Singapore, where Standard Chartered facilitates real-time Singapore dollar transfers for Coinbase users.

Coinbase and Standard Chartered have announced an expansion of their collaboration in the digital asset sector. The partnership will focus on developing trading, Prime services, custody, staking, and lending products for institutional clients. This initiative builds on their existing relationship in Singapore, where Standard Chartered provides banking connectivity for Coinbase, enabling real-time Singapore dollar transfers for users.

DragonVerse has launched a new royalty-driven buyback and dividend system, announced during the Abu Dhabi BNB Hackathon. The initiative was discussed with CZ, who expressed support for the project and welcomed Dragon Ball to the BNB Chain. Nina Rong and BNB Chain's official accounts also endorsed the development. In addition, DragonVerse revealed plans to introduce a second Dragon Ball IP series next week, aiming to enhance annualized returns and expand its on-chain universe. Traders are expected to monitor support and resistance levels for these new assets closely.

Jake Claver, CEO of Digital Ascension Group, has reiterated his prediction that XRP could experience a 100-fold increase, reaching triple-digit values. Speaking on the Good Evening Crypto podcast, Claver highlighted the potential impact of ETF launches, regulatory changes, and macroeconomic factors, including BlackRock's rumored ETF and Japan's reverse carry trade unwind. XRP ETFs have already attracted $970.75 million in a month, with Vanguard joining the market. Claver also cautioned about a possible geopolitical shock by late 2025, while noting the importance of the fear and greed index in gauging market sentiment.

Northern Trust, a prominent crypto custodian, currently holds 1.488 million shares of MicroStrategy (MSTR), valued at $260 million. This significant position underscores the ongoing institutional interest in equities linked to the cryptocurrency sector. MicroStrategy, known for its substantial Bitcoin holdings, continues to attract attention as a key player in the crypto space. Northern Trust manages a total of $140 billion in assets, further highlighting the scale of its investment capabilities.

TYCOON token experienced a significant surge of 83% after Dino Tycoon revealed plans for a token buyback using profits from Season 1. The AI-driven Web3 game intends to continue repurchasing tokens with future earnings, a move that has bolstered investor confidence. The initial buyback is scheduled to occur before the end of the year, coinciding with the launch of Season 2 in early December. This strategic approach has already resulted in notable market activity.

Metaplex has released the first public version of its Genesis SDK, announced at the Solana Breakpoint conference. This new tool enables developers to create token launch platforms and aggregators, facilitating the tracking of token activity. The SDK is designed to support fair token distribution via smart contracts, enhancing the efficiency of token launches on the Solana network.

Drift is set to launch a multi-collateral perpetual mobile app on the App Store and Solana Mobile in the first quarter of 2026, as announced by co-founder Cindy Leow at the Solana Breakpoint conference. The app will feature a native liquidity provider, Prop AMM, and a fully on-chain central limit order book, with plans for a community-owned ownership token. Drift V3, currently live, boasts significant improvements including 10x faster execution, 5x tighter stop-loss prices, and 10x lower slippage. It supports SOL and LST as collateral, with on-chain data indicating enhanced performance metrics, positioning Drift as a notable altcoin to watch in 2026.

China's M2 money supply increased by 8% year-on-year in November, reaching 336.99 trillion yuan, according to the People's Bank of China. The M1 money supply grew at an annualized rate of 4.9%. Total social financing at the end of November stood at 440.07 trillion yuan, marking an 8.5% increase from the previous year. Government bonds outstanding amounted to 94.24 trillion yuan, up 18.8% year-on-year, while RMB loans totaled 267.42 trillion yuan, a 6.3% rise. In the first eleven months, social financing increased by 33.39 trillion yuan, 3.99 trillion yuan more than the same period last year, with government bond net financing reaching 13.15 trillion yuan.

VanEck has announced the rebranding of its Gaming ETF to the VanEck Degen Economy ETF. This strategic shift will focus on digital gaming, gambling, and online speculation, reflecting the growing interest and investment in these sectors. The move aims to capitalize on the expanding digital economy and the increasing popularity of speculative online activities.

Jump Crypto has successfully launched its Solana validator client, Firedancer, on the Solana mainnet as of December 12. Developed over a span of three years, Firedancer has been operational on select validator nodes for the past 100 days, during which it produced 50,000 blocks. This mainnet deployment represents a significant milestone for the Solana network, enhancing its infrastructure and performance capabilities.

Hyperliquid Strategies has initiated a $30 million stock buyback program aimed at increasing its exposure to the HYPE token. The Nasdaq-listed company, which emerged from a SPAC merger, plans to execute this buyback over the next year. Hyperliquid holds a significant allocation of HYPE tokens, which it utilizes for staking and decentralized finance (DeFi) activities. The decision comes amid rising interest in altcoins, with HYPE gaining popularity among investors. On-chain data indicates a growing trend of investment in alternative cryptocurrencies, positioning HYPE as a notable asset in the market.

deBridge, a cross-chain protocol, has introduced its 'Bundles' execution model to enhance user experience in cross-chain interactions. Launched on December 12, the new model allows users to sign only the intent of their desired actions, eliminating the need to handle gas fees, slippage, or confirmations. This innovation aims to reduce complexity and improve efficiency for users engaging in blockchain transactions. deBridge continues to focus on enhancing cross-chain interoperability with this latest development.

At the Solana Breakpoint conference on December 12, Backpack founder Armani Ferrante emphasized Solana's unparalleled scalability for large-scale decentralized execution. Ferrante noted that while many projects raised significant funds in 2017 and 2018, they struggled to achieve true scalability. In contrast, Solana has successfully delivered on this promise, setting it apart as the only network capable of supporting extensive decentralized operations.

The S.1498 bill, introduced by Senator Josh Hawley in April 2025, aims to enhance financial regulations for public officials to counter terrorism financing. The bill, which passed the Senate Committee on December 10, 2025, restricts Congress members and top executive officials from holding risk-on assets. It requires these officials to divest certain assets and imposes penalties for noncompliance. This legislation builds on the 2012 STOCK Act, promoting ethical reforms in financial activities of public officials.

BBVA Bank has entered a multi-year partnership with OpenAI to deploy ChatGPT Enterprise for its 120,000 employees across 25 countries. This initiative is part of BBVA's strategy to become an AI-native bank, enhancing customer experience, risk analysis, and internal operations. As global crypto policies evolve, BBVA aims to maintain a competitive edge by integrating advanced AI solutions into its core banking functions.

Basic Attention Token (BAT) continues to exhibit a bullish trend, maintaining its position above crucial moving averages. The cryptocurrency is experiencing an increase in futures open interest, indicating heightened trader activity. Spot inflows suggest selective accumulation near resistance levels. Market participants are closely monitoring the potential for BAT to break above $0.285, which could pave the way for a target of $0.302. Conversely, a pullback to $0.255 could test support levels.

YesWap, a leading Web3 financial infrastructure company, is participating in Bitcoin MENA 2025 in Abu Dhabi. The event, held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, attracted over 10,000 attendees, including key figures from the crypto and fintech sectors. Led by Global Technical Director Sergio Bernal, YesWap highlighted its technological advancements and strategic expansion plans. Focusing on the Middle East, YesWap has chosen Abu Dhabi as the launch point for its global brand tour. The company aims to enhance Web3 infrastructure and foster global cryptocurrency adoption, positioning itself as a pivotal player in the evolving digital finance landscape.

In a surprising turn of events at UFC 2025 Q4, Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili with a strategic and calculated performance. Yan's victory highlighted the effectiveness of smart damage over sheer output, as he managed to outmaneuver Dvalishvili in a closely watched bout. Meanwhile, in the heavyweight division, Tom Aspinall showcased his dominance by overpowering Ciryl Gane with relentless takedowns. Aspinall's efficient fighting style reaffirmed his status as a leading contender in the heavyweight category. The event also saw a significant shift in the fear and greed index among bettors, with underdogs like Yan and Aspinall causing a stir. Live betting emerged as a more profitable option compared to parlays, with trading volumes peaking during critical rounds.