Last night's and this morning's important news (December 10 - December 11)

Meteora Discloses Q4 Investment of 10 Million USDC for 2.3% Token Buyback and Launches the “Comet Points” Rewards System

Solana-based liquidity protocol Meteora posted on X that in Q4 2025, it spent 10 million USDC to buy back MET tokens, representing 2.3% of the total supply. Future buybacks will be conducted using the same wallet. Additionally, Meteora announced the launch of the “Comet Points” rewards system, where users can earn points by staking MET tokens and using the platform. Meteora plans to build a “Comet Points” redemption system allowing users to redeem points for airdrops/pre-sale access, offline shopping in redemption stores, liquidity mining guidance services, and more.

A whale/Institution has swapped 1469 BTC for 43647 ETH in the past two weeks

According to on-chain analyst Yu Yan monitoring, a whale/institution exchanged 1469 BTC cross-chain into 43647 ETH via THORChain in the past half-month, worth approximately (1.31 billion), with ETH at an average price of $3,000.

Tom Lee: Ethereum Has Bottomed Out, and BitMine is Actively Buying

According to Decrypt, Tom Lee, co-founder of Fundstrat and Chairman of BitMine, said in an interview: “BitMine believes Ethereum has bottomed out. Compared to two weeks ago, we have doubled our ETH holdings.” Lee and BitMine are more optimistic about Ethereum’s prospects over the next 10-15 years, especially as Wall Street has embraced the Ethereum network and its role in future finance. He stated: “The reason we’re excited about Ethereum is that Wall Street is choosing to use this blockchain to position for the future. It started with stablecoins, which was a significant ‘epiphany’ moment for Wall Street… but that’s just tokenizing dollars. Now, Wall Street wants to tokenize everything, and they’re not building on Bitcoin—they need a smart contract platform.” The company recently increased its Ethereum holdings significantly, purchasing over 138,452 ETH last week, valued at approximately $460 million at current prices. This is the largest transaction since BitMine bought over 200,000 ETH in October. As of Wednesday, the company holds about 3.864 million ETH, roughly 3.2% of the circulating supply.

CBOE Approves Listing and Registration of 21Shares XRP ETF

According to Cointelegraph, the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) has approved the listing and registration of the 21Shares XRP ETF.

A whale/Institution withdrew $13.89 million worth of SOL tokens from Kraken 10 hours ago

Onchain Lens monitoring revealed that a whale withdrew 101,365 SOL (valued at $13.89 million) from Kraken 10 hours ago. Currently, this whale holds a total of 628,564 SOL (worth $84.13 million), with 519,217 SOL in its wallet and 109,348 SOL staked.

Huang Licheng deposits about 255,000 USDC again into Hyperliquid to increase his ETH long position

Lookonchain monitoring shows that Huang Licheng(@machibigbrother) has just deposited 254,727 USDC again into Hyperliquid to continue going long on ETH. His position now stands at 11,100 ETH (worth $363.6 million), with a liquidation price of $3,201.04.

U.S. OCC warns Wall Street that “debanking” practices targeting digital asset industries are “illegal”

According to CoinDesk, U.S. President Trump launched an action concerning the U.S. de-banking efforts against controversial sectors like digital assets, prompting the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to publish a new report. The report confirms past practices and warns that banks involved may face penalties. The OCC’s brief review of the nine largest U.S. national banks concludes: “Between 2020 and 2023, these banks publicly and privately implemented policies restricting certain industries from banking services, including requiring enhanced review and approval before providing financial services.” The report states that some large banks impose higher entry barriers for controversial, environmentally sensitive, or activities conflicting with their values. Major financial firms such as JPMorgan, Bank of America, and Citigroup are highlighted with links to their past public policies, especially regarding environmental issues. The report states: “The OCC intends to hold these banks accountable for any illegal ‘debanking’ activities, including referring cases to the Attorney General.” It remains unclear which specific laws these activities may have violated.

U.S. CFTC announces initial members of CEO Innovation Committee including CEOs from Gemini, Kraken, and others

According to CoinDesk, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced the first members of its “Chief Executive Officer Innovation Committee,” which will explore developments in derivatives market structures, focusing on tokenization, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain technology. The full list includes: Shayne Coplan (CEO of Polymarket), Craig Donohue (CEO of Cboe Global Markets), Terry Duffy (Chairman and CEO of CME Group), Tom Farley (CEO of Bullish), Adena Friedman (Chairman and CEO of Nasdaq), Luke Hoersten (CEO of Bitnomial), Tarek Mansour (CEO of Kalshi), Kris Marszalek (CEO of Crypto.com), David Schwimmer (CEO of London Stock Exchange Group), Arjun Sethi (Co-CEO of Kraken), Jeff Sprecher (CEO of Intercontinental Exchange), Tyler Winklevoss (CEO of Gemini). CFTC Chair Caroline Pham stated that in two weeks, the committee will focus on the evolution of derivatives markets, including tokenization, digital assets, 24/7 trading, perpetual contracts, prediction markets, and blockchain infrastructure. With Pham’s term ending soon, the Senate confirmation of nominee Mike Selig is expected as early as Wednesday.

“Insider whale #1011” adds approximately 19,000 ETH, bringing total holdings to 120,000 ETH

On-chain analyst @ai_9684xtpa detected that after ETH briefly fell to its order book level, the “October 11 flash crash insider whale” fully completed its short and added 19,108.69 ETH. Its latest position is 120,094.52 ETH, valued at about $392 million, with an average entry price of $3,177.89, and an unrealized profit of approximately $10.13 million.

A new wallet receives 300 BTC from Galaxy Digital again, worth $27.6 million

Onchain Lens monitoring shows that a newly created wallet received an additional 300 BTC from Galaxy Digital, valued at $27.6 million. Currently, this wallet holds 1,200 BTC, with a total value of $110.47 million.

Lighter surpasses Hyperliquid in 24-hour perp DEX trading volume, ranking first

According to Cointelegraph, Lighter overtook Hyperliquid in 24-hour perp DEX trading volume, reaching $8.83 billion, while Hyperliquid’s volume was $8.52 billion.

U.S. government transfers 1,934 WETH and 13.58 million BUSD seized from FTX Alameda to a new wallet

Onchain Lens monitoring indicates that the U.S. government transferred 1,934 WETH (worth $6.43 million) and 13.58 million BUSD from FTX Alameda’s seized funds to a new wallet.

State Street and Galaxy to launch tokenized liquidity fund on Solana next year

CoinDesk reports that State Street and Galaxy Asset Management plan to launch a tokenized liquidity fund in early 2026, utilizing stablecoins to enable around-the-clock investor fund flows and expand public chain applications in institutional cash management. Named “State Street Galaxy Onchain Liquidity Sweep Fund” (SWEEP), the fund will accept subscriptions and redemptions in PayPal-issued stablecoin PYUSD, provided sufficient assets are available. Qualified buyers meeting certain thresholds can invest. Ondo Finance has committed approximately $200 million as seed capital. The funds are expected to be issued on Solana initially, with subsequent additions on Stellar and Ethereum. Galaxy plans to leverage Chainlink tools for cross-chain data and asset transfers.

“Insider whale #1011” adds over 20,000 ETH early morning, current position at about 165.4 million USD profit

According to hyperbot data, the “October 11 flash crash insider whale” has continued to increase its ETH long position by over 20,000 ETH in the past six hours, bringing the total to 100,985.8357 ETH (about $335 million). The average entry price is $3,158.57, with an unrealized profit of about $16.54 million.

Bitmine purchases 33,504 ETH from FalconX again, valued at $112 million

Onchain Lens monitoring shows Bitmine bought 33,504 ETH from FalconX again, worth $112 million.

Stripe acquires Valora wallet team to expand stablecoin services

According to The Block, payments giant Stripe has acquired the team of crypto startup Valora through “acquihire,” expanding its crypto offerings. On Wednesday, Valora founder Jackie Bona announced the team joining Stripe, aiming to broaden access to global financial systems. The specific terms were not disclosed, including how many Valora employees joined Stripe. Bona stated that Stripe’s acquisition does not seem to include the intellectual property behind Valora’s technology. She wrote that the app will “return to its birthplace at cLabs for continued development, led by cLabs.” Valora launched in 2021, developing a mobile-first, user-custodied crypto wallet app focused on stablecoins on the CELO blockchain. Valora aims to make sending crypto as simple as sending a text message, collaborating with P2P apps like M-Pesa to expand in Africa and partnering with Tether to promote global stablecoin adoption.

Gemini receives CFTC approval to enter prediction markets, may expand to crypto futures, options, and perpetual contracts

According to The Block, Gemini Space Station, Inc. (stock code GEMI) has been approved by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to operate in the prediction markets sector, receiving approval on Wednesday to operate designated contract markets (DCM). Gemini stated that its “Gemini Titan” prediction platform will initially offer simple binary event contracts—“yes or no” questions on future events. In the future, the platform may expand into other derivatives markets under CFTC regulation, including crypto futures, options, and perpetual contracts.

“Federal Reserve voice”: Three rate cuts won’t resolve internal disputes, watch out for ‘stagflation risk’

According to Jinshi, Nick Timiraos, a “voice” of the Federal Reserve, wrote that the Fed has cut rates three times in a row, but concerns about inflation and employment remain. There are unusual disagreements within the Fed, and officials are less inclined to continue cutting rates. Public comments from Fed officials in recent weeks show deep divisions, and decisions may ultimately depend on Chair Powell’s direction. Powell’s term ends last May, meaning he will chair only the next three rate-setting meetings. Price pressures persist even as the labor market cools, creating a troubling trade-off never faced in decades. During the 1970s stagflation period, similar dilemmas saw the Fed’s stop-and-go approach entrench high inflation. UBS chief U.S. economist Jonathan Pingle said: “As rates approach neutral, each cut risks losing more support; data will be needed to motivate the majority to cut again.”

Trump criticizes Fed rate cuts as weak; “Another Kevin” to undergo ultimate interview today

According to Global Market Broadcast, President Trump on Wednesday criticized the Fed’s small rate cuts and said he will meet with former Fed governor Kevin Warsh for an interview on the chair position. Trump said he did not ask Powell’s successor to express rate-cut intentions but believes “our rates should be much lower.” “I pretty much know what I want in a candidate. Again, I want someone honest about rates,” Trump added. He said he might announce his decision within two weeks. Just before his speech, the Fed announced its third 25 basis point cut. Trump called the move “a small adjustment, should have been doubled, at least doubled.” He criticized Powell as “rigid” and “stubborn.” The selection of the new Fed chair is nearing completion; Trump said Tuesday he is considering “several candidates,” but he is very clear about whom he wants. Chief of the National Economic Council Kevin Hasset is considered the top choice, and Trump has hinted at this multiple times. However, he often surprises with personnel decisions, so no official announcement is certain before nomination. Other finalists include current Fed Board members Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, as well as BlackRock’s Rick Reider. Bessent has recommended four out of five candidates.

Powell: Fed shifts to a wait-and-see stance; rate hikes are not the base case now

According to Caixin, on Wednesday after the Fed’s expected 25 basis point cut, Chair Powell spoke, saying current interest rates are at a good level to respond to economic changes but did not provide guidance on whether to cut again soon. Powell noted: “It’s worth noting that since September last year, we’ve cut rates by 175 basis points in total, including a 75 basis point cut since September this year. Currently, the federal funds rate is in a broad neutral range, and we’re in a good position to observe further economic developments.” He added: “Monetary policy is not a fixed predetermined path; we will make decisions based on each meeting’s situation.” After Powell stated no one expects further rate hikes, the US stock market surged. Analysts said his remarks eased traders’ nerves, prompting stock buying, as markets interpreted that the Fed would not consider rate hikes but focus on future easing, even if that easing might not arrive soon.

Fed cuts interest rates by 25 basis points, projected to do so only once more by 2026

According to Securities Times, on December 10, local time, the Fed announced a 25 basis point rate cut, lowering the federal funds rate from 3.75–4% to 3.5–3.75%. This is the third consecutive rate cut, totaling 75 basis points. The statement noted that current indicators show moderate economic growth, but job gains have slowed this year, with unemployment rising before September. Recent indicators support these developments. Notably, Fed policymakers showed significant disagreement again. FOMC member Milan cast his third dissenting vote, as his term expires in January. Schmitt also cast his second dissenting vote. Three members voted against, the first such occurrence since September 2019. The “dot plot” forecast indicates only one rate cut in 2026, another in 2027, and a long-term rate around 3%. These forecasts are unchanged from September but reflect internal disagreements. Besides rate decisions, the Fed also announced it will resume bond purchases.

If SpaceX goes public with a valuation of $1.5 trillion, Elon Musk’s net worth will approach $1 trillion

According to Bloomberg, if SpaceX IPOs in 2026 at a $1.5 trillion valuation, Elon Musk’s net worth will jump from $460.6 billion to approximately $952 billion, with the SpaceX stake alone worth $625 billion. The IPO could make Musk the world’s first “instant trillionaire” after Tesla. SpaceX’s valuation is currently around $800 billion, planning to sell $2 billion in employee stock options; if completed, it would reclaim the title of the “world’s most valuable private company.”

Crypto AI platform Surf completes $15 million funding led by Pantera Capital

According to Forbes, crypto AI platform Surf, led by Pantera Capital with participation from Coinbase Ventures and DCG, completed a $15 million funding round. Co-founded by former UC Berkeley AI researcher Ryan Li, Surf focuses on providing more accurate, hallucination-free crypto market analysis. The platform has over 300,000 users and annual revenue of several million dollars, aiming to reach $100 million by late 2026. Surf plans to launch an upgraded model, Surf 2.0, in February 2026, to strengthen its position in crypto-specific AI.

Sei to partner with Xiaomi to pre-install Web3 payment apps on new global phones

According to Sei Network, Sei will collaborate with Xiaomi, the world’s third-largest smartphone maker, to pre-install next-gen crypto wallets and discovery apps powered by Sei on new Xiaomi phones sold outside China and the U.S. The app will support stablecoin payments, P2P transfers, and DApp access, expanding into Xiaomi’s 20,000 retail outlets globally, initially in Hong Kong and the EU, with a target launch in Q2 2026. Sei also announced a $5 million global mobile innovation fund to accelerate blockchain adoption in consumer devices.

Coinbase supports MKR migration to SKY, pausing related services from January 12

According to Coinbase Markets, Coinbase will support the migration of Maker (MKR) tokens to SKY from January 12 to 14, 2026, at a conversion ratio of 1 MKR : 23,520 SKY. During this period, MKR trading and transfers will be suspended. Users who do not want to auto-exchange must transfer MKR to a self-custody wallet before January 12.

Strategy submits formal opposition to MSCI’s proposal to exclude “digital asset finance companies”

As per an open letter to MSCI, Strategy strongly opposes MSCI’s proposal to exclude companies with over 50% of assets in digital assets from its global investable market index. The letter states that entities like Strategy are operating companies, not investment funds, with business innovation and revenue streams. The proposal would unjustly interfere with innovation and capital formation, weaken U.S. leadership in digital assets, and impact billions of passive dollars. Strategy urges MSCI to extend consultation and avoid discriminatory rules.

Japan plans to shift crypto regulation from Payments Law to Securities Law framework

According to Cointelegraph, Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) released a report planning to transfer regulation of cryptocurrencies from the Payment Services Act (PSA) to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA), treating them as investment products. This will enhance IEO disclosure requirements and give regulators more power to crack down on unregistered platforms, especially offshore and DeFi projects, while introducing insider trading bans.

He Yi: Personal BNB airdrops will compensate users who incurred losses from WeChat account theft

Binance co-founder He Yi tweeted that her rarely used WeChat was hacked early morning, with attackers using her contacts and messages to lure users into buying certain meme coins, causing losses. She said she will personally allocate some BNB to airdrop to users who traded the coin via Binance non-custodial wallets or Alpha platform during the hack period and suffered “definite losses.” She emphasized that neither she, official accounts, nor Binance staff will recommend meme coins and warned that such tokens lack long-term support and will not be subsidized again.

ETHZilla acquires about 21 million USD stake in digital mortgage platform Zippy

According to ETHZilla’s official site, the company acquired a 15% stake in digital mortgage platform Zippy for about $21 million and agreed to tokenize manufacturing mortgage loans as on-chain RWA. Zippy, focused on the U.S. manufactured housing market with $14 billion annual financing, will expand ETHZilla’s RWA strategy. Over the next 36 months, Zippy’s on-chain operations will use ETHZilla’s Liquidity.io and other platforms, providing on-chain bond purchasing channels for institutional investors.

Superstate launches on-chain direct issuance, supports companies issuing tokenized stocks for fundraising

According to The Block, Superstate, led by Compound founder Robert Leshner, announced “Direct Issuance Programs” allowing public companies to raise funds by issuing tokenized stocks directly to verified investors with stablecoin payments and instant settlement. The service will run on Ethereum and Solana, with initial offerings expected in 2026. The program requires no underwriters, complies with SEC regulations, and aims to promote on-chain capital markets.

Fed to announce rate decision Thursday at 3:00 AM, market expects 25 basis point cut

According to Jinshi, the Fed will release its rate decision at 3:00 AM Thursday, with markets expecting a 25 basis point cut to 3.50–3.75%. Internal disagreements among FOMC members are rare, with some voting against further cuts. Due to government shutdown, key October data are missing, so SEP and dot plot are expected to show limited changes. Regarding liquidity, markets focus on whether the Fed will launch a “Reserve Management Purchase” (RMP) after ending quantitative tightening, with Bank of America predicting about $45 billion in short-term U.S. debt purchases monthly starting January; including MBS reinvestments, total could reach about $60 billion. If RMP is announced, focus may shift from interest rates to the balance sheet.

Dormant early Ethereum address with 850 ETH reactivated after 10+ years

Whale Alert reports that an early mined address holding 850 ETH, dormant for 10.4 years, was recently activated (sending 1 ETH to Coinbase), with a current total value of about $2.81 million. In 2015, its holdings were worth only $263.

American Bitcoin increases holdings by 416 BTC, total now 4,783 BTC

PR Newswire states that American Bitcoin Corp. (Nasdaq: ABTC) disclosed that its Bitcoin reserves increased to 4,783 BTC as of December 8, up 19.5% from November 5. The company updated “Satoshis Per Share” (SPS) to 507, up 17.3% month over month. Between December 2 and 8, it added about 416 BTC from self-mining and strategic purchases, some held in custody or pledged for mining equipment purchased from BITMAIN.

BlackRock’s IBIT transfers 2,100 BTC to Coinbase Prime

Solid Intel reports that moments ago, BlackRock’s Bitcoin spot ETF IBIT transferred a total of 2,100 BTC to Coinbase Prime, valued at approximately $1.939 billion at current prices. The transfer consisted of 7 transactions, each of 300 BTC.