Author: James Wilson

Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial. Today, AI is omnipresent, influencing everything from how we boost productivity at work to how we resolve emotionally-charged personal matters. And while innovation in this sense has its benefits, it lacks the capacity to make a tangible impact in the most disadvantaged corners of the world.  Summary Centralized AI fails the Global South, reinforcing bias, eroding data sovereignty, and creating opaque, unaccountable systems that undermine the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Decentralized AI — powered by federated learning…

BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes called the Federal Reserve’s Reserve Management Purchases (RMP) program “QE in disguise,” predicting renewed liquidity will drive Bitcoin higher. Summary Arthur Hayes says the Fed’s RMP program functions like quantitative easing. He expects Bitcoin to trade between $80K–$100K before breaking above $124K. Hayes predicts renewed liquidity could push Bitcoin toward $200K in 2026. The Maelstrom Fund CIO expects Bitcoin (BTC) to trade between $80,000 and $100,000 near-term before reclaiming $124,000 and potentially targeting $200,000. Hayes published his analysis in a December 19 essay titled “Love Language,” arguing that RMP functions identically to quantitative easing through indirect…

The week of December 14-20, 2025, recorded $335.1 million in crypto VC funding across 18 projects. As per the data, RedotPay’s $107 million Series B round led a year-end funding period. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of this week’s crypto funding activity as per Cryptofundraising data: RedotPay Raised $107 million in a Series B round RedotPay is a Hong Kong-based stablecoin payment fintech firm Investment was backed by Goodwater Capital, Pantera, and Blockchain Capital The project has raised $194 million so far Thrilled to share that we’ve successfully closed our Series B funding round, a major step in our mission to…

Zcash price bounced back, reaching its highest point since December 13 and 47% above its lowest level this month.  Summary Zcash price jumped as many experts placed their bets on the privacy sector. The rebound also happened as investors bought the recent dip. Technical analysis suggests that it may keep rising in the near term. Zcash (ZEC), the biggest player in the privacy industry, jumped to a high of $440, bringing its market capitalization to over $7.3 billion. This rally happened in a high-volume environment, with the 24-hour figure rising to $763 million. Zcash token has rebounded as most analysts…

According to CryptoSlam data, NFT sales volume has climbed by 12.03% to $67.76 million, up from last week’s $64.95 million. Summary NFT sales rose 12% to $67.76M as buyers and sellers returned to the market. Ethereum led NFT blockchains with $28.06M in sales, up over 45% week-on-week. Bitcoin fell to $88K and ETH dropped below $3K, but NFTs bucked the market trend. Market participation has rebounded, with NFT buyers surging by 49.30% to 231,210 and sellers jumping by 43.43% to 164,944. NFT transactions remained essentially flat, down just 0.16% to 910,892. The market has also taken a hit as Bitcoin’s…

European Union governments have agreed on a common position for the digital euro, marking a significant step toward strengthening the bloc’s monetary sovereignty and reinforcing the euro’s role in global finance amid the prominence of U.S. dollar-denominated stablecoins. Summary The ECB launched its digital euro initiative in 2021, and the European Commission submitted a proposal in 2023. Member states took over two years to reach agreement on a common approach. The next step requires the European Parliament to finalize its position before formal negotiations with the Council can begin. “The digital euro is an important step toward a more robust…

A solo Bitcoin miner successfully mined an entire Bitcoin block on December 18, after renting hashpower through the NiceHash marketplace, according to blockchain data. Summary The probability of a solo miner finding a block, particularly when using rented hashpower, remains extremely low given current network difficulty levels. Bitcoin’s network hashrate is dominated by large-scale industrial mining operations using specialized hardware in extensive facilities. Most miners participate in mining pools to distribute rewards more consistently over time. Per ETH News, the miner discovered Bitcoin (BTC) block 928,351, earning the standard block subsidy plus transaction fees. The total payout reached approximately $271,000…

The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark interest rate to 0.75% on Dec. 18, marking the highest level since 1995, according to statements from the central bank. Governor Kazuo Ueda characterized the move as a departure from the “ultra-accommodative” monetary policy that has supported global risk-taking for decades. Summary Market analysts indicated the rate increase represents a test of global funding mechanisms. If the Fed shifts to rate cuts while Japan continues raising rates, the U.S.-Japan interest-rate spread would compress, eroding the economic foundations of global leverage. Bitcoin has maintained levels above recent intraday support despite the monetary policy shifts.…

BlackRock Inc., the world’s largest asset manager, has posted job openings for multiple cryptocurrency leadership positions as the firm expands its digital asset operations globally, according to listings on the company’s careers page. Summary Robert Mitchnick, BlackRock’s global head of digital assets, announced the crypto hiring initiative on LinkedIn. The positions span locations in the U.S., Singapore, England, and Ireland The Managing Director position in New York offers a salary range of $270,000 to $350,000. The positions span locations in the U.S., Singapore, England, and Ireland, with roles ranging from associate to managing director levels, the listings show. Robert Mitchnick,…

XRP-linked exchange-traded funds reached more than $60 million in assets under management on December 17, according to market reports, while the token’s spot price declined over the same period. Summary XRP was trading lower at the time of reporting, having fallen during the previous week. XRP has faced downward price pressure for several months. The divergence between ETF asset growth and declining spot prices warrants a closer look. XRP was trading lower at the time of reporting, having fallen during the previous week. The divergence between ETF asset growth and declining spot prices has drawn attention from market participants. Chad…