Stocks

U.S. spot XRP ETFs have notched 30 consecutive days of net inflows since launch, according to Coin Bureau, adding about $990.9 million and taking net assets to around $1.18 billion within a month. By contrast, Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs have recently posted outflows, highlighting shifting investor preferences toward XRP's utility-focused exposure.

Bitcoin’s rejection near the $94,000 zone and a potential retest of the $80,000 area are heightening concerns over Strategy’s highly leveraged BTC balance sheet. The company now holds 671,268 BTC worth just over $50 billion, with its mNAV and convertible note structure creating added risk if the BTC price stays low into upcoming maturities. Investors are watching how falling mNAV and rising dilution pressure may force tough choices between new debt issuance and possible Bitcoin sales.

On December 15, 2025, Bitcoin Bancorp announced plans to deploy up to 200 licensed Bitcoin ATMs across Texas beginning in Q1 2026. The OTC-traded operator (BCBC) cited Texas' clear rules and strong demand, and its shares rose 7.83% on the day and 29.53% over five days.

On Monday, Ark Invest led by Cathie Wood increased positions in BitMine, Coinbase, Circle, Block, Bullish and its Ark-21Shares Bitcoin ETF, according to its trade filing. Purchases included $17 million in BitMine, $16.26 million in Coinbase and $10.8 million in Circle across ARKK, ARKW and ARKF, as all six holdings finished the day lower.

Nasdaq has submitted a proposal to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to expand trading in stocks and ETPs from 16 to 23 hours per day across five weekdays. The plan details a day session from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, a one-hour pause, and a night session from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. The trading week would open Sunday 9 p.m. ET and close Friday 8 p.m. ET.

Bitcoin has underperformed U.S. tech stocks in H2 2025, with the Nasdaq up 17% while BTC fell about 15%, and last week slipping from $94k to below $90k. CPI arrives Thursday (18th) and the BoJ decision Friday (19th December), with Glassnode highlighting a $85.5–$87k liquidation zone and $83k as U.S. spot ETF cost basis, as $94k stands as heavy resistance.

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%.

Bitget has opened a private beta that lets a group of users trade forex, gold, commodities and stock derivatives using USDt as margin and settlement. The exchange says positions are collateralized with stablecoins and remain in a restricted testing phase while it monitors performance and risk controls. As other platforms like Kraken and Bybit also add traditional assets, crypto exchanges are increasingly positioning themselves as unified venues for both digital and TradFi markets.

American Bitcoin, backed by Eric Trump, has moved ahead of Anthony Pompliano's ProCap Financial in total corporate Bitcoin holdings after adding over 1,000 BTC since the start of December, bringing its stack to 5,044 BTC worth about $443 million. While both firms continue accumulating BTC and the top 100 public companies now hold more than 1.08 million BTC, their share prices and other Bitcoin proxy stocks have come under heavy pressure amid heightened market volatility.

Microsoft, valued at $3.59 trillion, is projected to reach about $5 trillion in market capitalization by 2026 as it expands artificial intelligence across Azure, Office, Windows and other products. The company has invested roughly $13 billion in OpenAI and holds a 27% stake, yet most of its AI revenue already comes from Azure AI services rather than reselling OpenAI models. Microsoft is also spending heavily on AI infrastructure, including a planned $80 billion outlay through fiscal 2025 and a $5 billion commitment to Anthropic.