The cryptocurrency sector recorded mergers and acquisitions exceeding $12.9 billion in 2025, with U.S.-based deals alone surpassing $8.60 billion by November 20, according to PitchBook data. Major transactions included Coinbase's $2.9 billion acquisition of Deribit and Ripple's $1.25 billion purchase of Hidden Road. The surge reflects growing institutional confidence driven by reduced interest rates and clearer regulatory frameworks in the United States.

The United Kingdom officially recognized cryptocurrencies and digital assets as personal property on December 2, 2025, when King Charles granted royal assent to the Property (Digital Assets, etc.) Bill. This legislative milestone establishes a distinct legal framework for digital holdings, enhancing ownership rights and investor protections across the UK market.

Huione Pay, a payment subsidiary of Huione Group, suspended all withdrawal operations in Cambodia on December 1, 2025. The halt follows liquidity challenges and intensified regulatory scrutiny from U.S. authorities targeting alleged money laundering activities, according to a FinCEN representative. Tether's USDT trades at $1.00 with a market cap of $184.74 billion.

Chicago-based exchange Bitnomial has secured regulatory approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to launch spot cryptocurrency trading. The platform becomes the first U.S. derivatives exchange authorized to offer regulated spot crypto products, with services including retail leveraged trading capabilities. CFTC Acting Chair Caroline Pham indicated new products are expected to commence trading before year-end, with the platform's full launch scheduled for November 2025.

Yearn Finance's yETH staking token was exploited on December 1, resulting in approximately $3 million in ETH losses. The attacker minted tokens without authorization and transferred 1,000 ETH to Tornado Cash. Yearn confirmed its V2 and V3 Vaults remain secure and unaffected by the breach.

HM Revenue and Customs has directed cryptocurrency exchanges to collect detailed transaction records of UK customers starting January 2026, with submission to HMRC required by 2027. The mandate aligns the UK with jurisdictions adopting the OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, including EU countries and Canada. Industry observers note platforms will face increased operational costs for system upgrades and compliance infrastructure.

South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Upbit disclosed unauthorized withdrawals on the Solana network affecting $36 million worth of digital assets. The breach involved 24 tokens including SOL and USDC. Parent company Dunamu pledged complete customer reimbursement and froze assets totaling approximately 2.3 billion KRW while temporarily suspending withdrawals for affected tokens.

Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin has secured regulatory approval from the Abu Dhabi Global Market, marking a significant milestone for institutional adoption in the Gulf region. The authorization enables Financial Services Regulatory Authority-licensed entities to deploy RLUSD for cross-border payments, lending operations, and collateral management. The stablecoin currently maintains a market capitalization of approximately $1.03 billion.

Uniswap Labs' UNIfication governance proposal has secured 63 million UNI tokens in preliminary support, with minimal opposition recorded. The proposal seeks to restructure governance and introduce protocol-level fees. Formal on-chain voting is scheduled to begin next week, with potential implications for UNI tokenomics and the decentralized finance sector.