Author: James Wilson
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only. Crypto holders may now have an easier time acquiring mortgages after William Pulte, director of the FHFA, gave a direction that could see lenders considering cryptocurrency assets during the mortgage application process. Summary The FHFA has directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to consider cryptocurrency in mortgage risk assessments, potentially making home loans more accessible to crypto holders. While crypto-backed mortgages offer convenience and avoid forced conversion to fiat, extreme volatility raises serious risks for borrowers who use digital…
Bitcoin has joined Woori Bank’s main Seoul trading room dashboard, displayed alongside FX and stock indicators as Korea tightens crypto rules and eyes bank-led stablecoins. Summary Woori Bank now shows live Bitcoin prices in its primary dealing room, treating BTC as a key market sentiment gauge next to FX and equity data. Korean banks deepen crypto ties, with Hana partnering Upbit’s operator and policymakers pushing bank-controlled won stablecoin consortia. Regulators plan stricter travel rule thresholds and pre-emptive account freezes for suspicious crypto flows, aligning with FATF standards by 2026. Woori Bank has begun displaying Bitcoin prices in its main trading…
USPD is facing a severe security breach after an attacker quietly gained control of its proxy contract months ago and used that access to mint new tokens and drain funds. Summary USPD suffered an exploit after an attacker seized proxy admin rights during deployment. The breach led to unauthorized USPD minting and stETH outflows worth about $1 million. The incident adds to a month of major exploits affecting exchanges and decentralized finance protocols. USPD disclosed the incident on Dec. 5, saying the exploit allowed an attacker to mint roughly 98 million USPD and remove about 232 stETH, worth around $1…
Base and Solana have taken a step toward cross-chain access with a new connection now live on mainnet. Summary A Base-Solana bridge secured by Chainlink CCIP and Coinbase validators has been launched. Users can move SOL and SPL tokens into Base apps and access multi-chain liquidity. Coinbase’s Solana strategy and future CCIP integrations point to wider network expansion. The new bridge is now live on mainnet and secured through Chainlink’s cross-chain interoperability protocol and Coinbase-operated infrastructure. In a Dec. 4 announcement, Base said the new connection allows anyone to move assets between Base and Solana using a mechanism jointly verified…
MetaMask is expanding its mobile wallet into a wider trading hub with a new integration built around Polymarket. Summary MetaMask has added native prediction markets to its mobile app through an exclusive Polymarket integration. Users can fund trades with any EVM token, settle outcomes in seconds, and earn MetaMask Rewards points. The move positions MetaMask as a gateway for mainstream access to decentralized forecasts and on-chain event trading. MetaMask has rolled out “MetaMask Prediction Markets,” a feature that lets users trade the outcomes of real-world events directly in the mobile app. The update, announced on Dec.4, introduces a dedicated predictions…
Decentralized perpetual exchange Aster has announced a roadmap for the first half of 2026 that includes the launch of Aster Chain, a custom Layer-1 blockchain designed to support high-volume trading and expand the platform’s infrastructure, according to a company statement. Summary Aster Chain is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2026, with internal testing planned for late 2025, the company said. The blockchain will include Aster Code, a developer toolkit that enables applications to be deployed on the network. TK Aster Chain is scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2026, with internal testing planned for late…
Robinhood Markets Inc. stock traded higher in recent sessions, closing Thursday at $137.08 per share, up 2.57%, despite Connecticut regulators issuing a cease-and-desist order related to the company’s prediction market operations, according to market data. Summary Robinhood shares rose in early trading despite a cease-and-desist order from Connecticut regulators. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection cited Robinhood Derivatives, KalshiEX, and Crypto.com for offering contracts without proper licensing. Robinhood emphasized it is a financial technology company, not a bank, noting that customer deposits are held through a partner bank with FDIC coverage, while the state ordered the platform to halt contracts…
21Shares has launched the first leveraged exchange-traded fund linked to the Sui blockchain project, the company announced, with the 2x Leveraged SUI ETF now trading on the Nasdaq following approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Summary The SEC approval marks an expansion of cryptocurrency-related investment products available on traditional U.S. exchanges The new leveraged ETF provides institutional and retail investors with exposure to the Sui ecosystem. 21Shares is also hoping to launch a spot Dogecoin ETF in the U.S. The product, delayed back in September, represents the first ETF tied to the Sui network, according to the company.…
Bitcoin is pressing up against one of its most consequential resistance zones of the cycle, and popular crypto analyst Trader Mayne says the next few days will determine whether bulls reclaim momentum—or watch the rally stall into a lower high. Summary Bitcoin’s ability to clear the heavy confluence zone at $98K–$100K will dictate whether the market stages a final leg higher into year-end or slips back into a broader downtrend. “This remains the critical area for me,” Trader Mayne says. A clean break of the $98K–$100K band could flip those odds—and potentially ignite the last major rally of the cycle.…
The XRP price retreated after hitting a crucial resistance level following Ripple Labs’ recent GTreasury acquisition. Summary The XRP price pulled back after hitting a crucial resistance level. Ripple Labs closed the $1 billion GTreasury buyout. All spot XRP ETFs are nearing the $1 billion asset milestone. Ripple (XRP) token retreated to a low of $2.1215 from the week’s high of $2.2245. It remains ~42% below the year-to-date high of $3.6680. Ripple Labs closed that recent $1 billion buyout of GTreasury, a 40-year-old company that helps institutions manage their treasuries well. The company hopes that the buyout will enable its…