This Week Crypto Token Unlocks in Focus: Dates, quantities, and recipient groups indicate potential supply surges and short-term volatility for altcoins.

On 15 December 2025, digital asset manager Hashdex released a market outlook arguing that crypto's next expansion phase will be led by stablecoins, tokenized securities, and AI-related projects. The firm expects stablecoin circulation to roughly double by 2026 and sees tokenized stocks, bonds, and government securities growing multiple times from current levels, while also projecting AI-crypto networks could reach about $10 billion in value by that year.

A dense slate of U.S. economic releases from Dec. 15 to 19 has traders bracing for turbulence, while Bitcoin briefly dipped below $88,000 in a late Sunday slide. Tuesday features October retail sales and the November jobs report; Thursday brings CPI and the Philly Fed index; Friday includes Core PCE, housing, expectations, and sentiment.

According to officials, Japan will begin selling more than $500 billion in ETFs next month and will proceed at an unusually slow pace to avoid market stress. The Bank of Japan set the annual sale at ¥330 billion at its September board meeting, a rate that would take around 112 years if left unchanged.

Barclays, in a year-end report published Friday, projects a subdued 2026 for crypto markets as spot trading volumes decline and retail engagement wanes. The bank expects few immediate catalysts, noting any regulatory progress could take time to influence activity. It also lowered its Coinbase price target to $291 amid near-term earnings pressure.

On Sunday, Kevin Hassett said on CBS News' Face the Nation that the Federal Reserve's process should remain independent, with a chair announcement expected in mid-January. On Friday, Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal the finalists are Kevin Hassett and Kevin Warsh. Crypto markets stayed muted after last Wednesday's 25 bp cut to 3.5%–3.75%.

Germany's exports to China have fallen by a quarter since 2019, while imports from China have continued to climb, driving the 2025 trade deficit toward €88 billion. In response, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other officials are backing measures such as shielding domestic steelmakers, tightening bans on Chinese components in networks and promoting "buy-European" rules, as industry groups call for diversification and new trade defenses.

Goldman Sachs raised its S&P 500 outlook, citing earnings resilience and AI-enabled productivity, and sees the index near 7,600 in 2026. Morgan Stanley targets roughly 7,800 by the end of 2026, while Goldman projects EPS in the low $300s next year with further gains into 2027.