In December, Bitcoin traded under pressure and drifted toward the mid-$87,000 area as momentum and participation weakened. On-chain data indicates whale deposits to Binance fell from around $7.9 billion to roughly $3.9 billion, even as U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw net outflows on December 23. Technical indicators such as RSI and MACD point to fading downside momentum, suggesting a stabilizing backdrop despite the risk of sudden whale-driven volatility.

On 20 December 2025, Tether's CEO Paolo Ardoino said the company is building a new engineering team to develop a self-custodial consumer wallet focused on a narrow set of assets, including Bitcoin via Lightning, USDT, XAUT and USAT. The product is designed around payments, value storage and on-device AI through Tether's QVAC platform, marking a shift from pure stablecoin infrastructure toward a vertically integrated financial technology stack.

On 13 December 2025, Pyth Network outlined a DAO-approved reserve model that will direct about one-third of ongoing protocol revenue to buy PYTH on the open market and hold it as reserves. The approach is meant to connect usage with token demand. PYTH traded near $0.06 after a yearlong slide of more than four-fifths.

On 12 December 2025, Ripple said it received conditional approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to create Ripple National Trust Bank, with New York DFS oversight referenced by CEO Brad Garlinghouse. XRP hovered near $1.98, below $2, as traders awaited further milestones and clarity around RLUSD's regulated framework.

A U.S. lawsuit filed in late October alleges unauthorized Pi token transfers, centralized validator control, and off‑books sales. The plaintiffs seek up to $10 million in damages. Researcher Dr. Altcoin, posting on X, argues the case misrepresents Pi’s token economics and governance, including claims of prior triple‑digit pricing that he says never appeared on reputable markets.

Bitcoin dropped below $90,000 on December 5, 2025, trading near $89,200. Technical indicators show an RSI of 41 and negative MACD readings, pointing to sustained bearish momentum. Liquidations totaling $167 million—primarily long positions—have amplified selling pressure across the market.

Bitcoin dropped below $87,000 on December 1, 2025, following renewed regulatory pressure from China's central bank targeting stablecoins and crypto speculation. The decline triggered over $600 million in leveraged position liquidations within 24 hours. Major altcoins including Ethereum, Solana, and XRP posted losses between 6% and 9%.