Digital asset investment products saw $864 million of inflows last week, marking a third consecutive week of gains dominated by $796 million from US investors. Bitcoin products attracted $522 million but remain behind prior yearly levels, while an analyst warned the asset could face a deeper correction after falling from about $126,000 to $90,000, with potential downside targets as low as the $54,000–$60,000 range by late 2026.

Recent data shows retail market participants are heavily positioned for further downside in cryptocurrencies, with mentions of falling prices dominating trading chatter in mid-December. At the same time, sentiment gauges such as a low Fear & Greed Index reading and weakening momentum indicators suggest markets may be nearing a zone where short-term stabilization or a relief bounce becomes more likely.

On Monday, Ark Invest's trade filing showed purchases across crypto-linked equities: $17 million of BitMine, $16.26 million of Coinbase, $9.9 million of CoreWeave, and $10.8 million of Circle via ARKK, ARKW, and ARKF. The firm also added $5.94 million in Block, $5.2 million in Bullish, $1.24 million to its Ark‑21Shares Bitcoin ETF, and sold 124,867 Tesla shares for about $59.35 million.

The XRP Ledger Foundation has called on XRPL node operators and developers to urgently upgrade to rippled v3.0.0, which introduces several new but inactive amendments and core ledger fixes. Shiba Inu is trading near a downside liquidation area around $0.00777, while Solana has recorded a 40% surge in trading volume alongside a bullish golden cross pattern as its price recovers toward $132.9.

On 16 December 2025 at 20:30, PayPal applied to U.S. regulators to establish a Utah-based industrial loan company. The bid aims to expand small‑business lending, cut reliance on partner banks, and, if approved, allow the firm to accept FDIC‑insured deposits and manage its own balance sheet.

The FDIC published a 38-page proposal outlining how regulated banks could apply, via subsidiaries, to issue payment stablecoins. According to an FDIC website posting, the draft lays out approval criteria and oversight; as Bloomberg reported, it will undergo a public consultation before advancing. The GENIUS Act cleared the Senate in June and was signed by President Donald Trump on July 18.

RedotPay, a stablecoin payments fintech, closed an oversubscribed $107 million Series B. The company reports more than 6 million registered users across over 100 countries and an annualized payment volume above $10 billion as of November 2025, alongside over $150 million in annualized revenue and year‑on‑year transaction growth.

On December 16, 2025, SRx Health Solutions announced plans to acquire EMJ Crypto Technologies, with Eric Jackson slated to become CEO if the deal closes early next year. Jackson is building a multi‑asset, options‑hedged crypto treasury that may hold Bitcoin, Ether and select stocks, while Keystone Capital Partners pledged up to $1 billion for 2.5 billion shares.