The Bank of Canada has set out guidance that from 2026 it will only approve high-quality stablecoins that are fully backed, maintain 100% reserves, and are pegged 1:1 to a central bank currency. Issuers will need robust risk management, transparent redemption terms, and strong data and cybersecurity protections as part of a broader effort to modernize Canada's financial system and make digital payments faster and safer.

On December 16, 2025, the FTC said it has proposed a settlement with Illusory Systems, operator of the Nomad bridge, following the August 1, 2022 exploit. The order would prohibit misleading security claims, mandate a formal program with biennial independent assessments, and require the return of recovered funds after about $186 million was stolen and client losses exceeded $100 million.

MetaX Integrated Circuits Shanghai Co. is set to begin trading in Shanghai after raising $585.8 million in an IPO that was oversubscribed 2,986 times on the retail tranche. The AI GPU maker, whose valuation at listing is 41.8 billion yuan, is seen by some fund managers as having potential upside of 10–12 times, which could fuel a broader rally in Chinese tech stocks. The company's Xiyun C500 series accounted for nearly 98% of its 2024 revenue, and MetaX captured about 1% of China's AI chip market.

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.

On December 16, 2025, Grayscale said in its 2026 Digital Asset Outlook that quantum computing is a long‑term challenge and will not threaten Bitcoin or broader crypto markets in 2026. The firm added that adoption, regulation, and capital flows will drive performance, while machines capable of breaking Bitcoin's cryptography are unlikely before 2030.

As of December 16, 2025, President Donald Trump's preferred candidate for Federal Reserve chair, Kevin Hassett, is meeting resistance from senior advisers, lawmakers, and markets. According to reports, concerns over Fed independence have coincided with Kalshi odds shifting: Hassett at 51% versus more than 80% earlier this month, while Kevin Warsh has risen to 44% from around 11%.

On December 15, 2025, MetaMask introduced native Bitcoin support, enabling users to hold, buy, send, and swap BTC inside the wallet. The company said SegWit is supported with Taproot planned, and users may earn reward points under a $30 million community program. Purchases can be made via credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal, or bank transfers.

Since early September, trading in credit default swaps linked to major US technology firms has risen by 90%, reflecting investor concern over bond-funded AI projects. Oracle has become a focal point, with its CDS costs climbing to their highest level since 2009 and its AI and data center debt load exceeding $100 billion. As companies such as Meta, Amazon, Alphabet, and Oracle turn from cash to borrowing to finance infrastructure, more investors are using single-name and basket CDS to hedge potential AI-related credit stress.

From 2027, the UK plans to bring crypto markets within a framework comparable to mainstream financial products under FCA oversight. The UK Treasury said legislation extending current financial services rules to crypto firms will be tabled in Parliament in the coming months. Ministers are also pursuing a proposal to outlaw political donations made in cryptocurrency.