Dogecoin has lagged the broader crypto market in the current bull cycle, recording the weakest year-to-date performance among the top 10 coins while several smaller meme tokens have rallied. Analysts highlight five alternatives—Fartcoin, Pepe, Pippin, Maxi Doge, and Pepenode—which feature low to mid caps, high trading volumes or presale inflows, and in some cases staking rewards or on-chain activity that could support stronger upside into 2026. These projects span Solana- and Ethereum-based ecosystems and are being accumulated by so-called smart money investors looking for higher risk-reward opportunities.

On 16 Dec 2025, the US Senate Banking Committee postponed markup of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, known as the CLARITY Act, pushing any decision on federal crypto market structure rules into early 2026. The House had already passed H.R.3633 in July 2025, so the Senate delay leaves trading platforms, token issuers and financial institutions without a unified national framework for digital asset trading and custody.

The UK Financial Conduct Authority has published new proposals for regulating crypto assets and opened them for public consultation until 12 February 2026. The draft rules cover asset issuance, disclosure standards, platform governance, staking and lending protections, and how they may apply to DeFi arrangements. Ethereum has seen sharp price swings and a multi‑month drawdown as these UK regulatory moves unfold alongside broader market volatility.

On Wednesday, Gemini Titan received a designated contract market license from the CFTC. On Monday, Gemini said via X that its Gemini Predictions platform is now available in all 50 US states. The product lets users trade on real-world outcomes and is part of the exchange’s push toward a super-app spanning crypto trading, staking, rewards, tokenized stocks, and prediction markets.

Wyoming-chartered Custodia Bank filed a December 15 petition asking the full Tenth Circuit to rehear its case contesting the Federal Reserve's denial of a master account. The filing argues the October 2-1 panel ruling misread the Monetary Control Act and raises constitutional issues by giving Reserve Banks unreviewable discretion over access to core payment services.

On December 16, 2025, Nasdaq said it will submit an SEC filing to enable 23-hour, five-day trading with new day and night sessions, targeting a second-half 2026 launch. The exchange cites $17 trillion in foreign holdings and rising overnight demand; DTCC’s nonstop clearing is required by end-2026.

Bitcoin slid under $85,000 overnight, triggering close to $600 million in long liquidations across the crypto market as traders positioned for a potential interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan this week. The move erased more than $218 million in Bitcoin longs and over $213 million in Ethereum longs while major altcoins, including Solana, XRP, BNB, Cardano, and Dogecoin, also posted notable 24-hour losses.

Digital Euro from 2027: EU Council Pushes for Launch. ECB Plans Tests, Banks Warn of Costs – Stablecoins and MiCAR Increase Pressure.