The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has closed its multi‑year investigation into the Aave Protocol without recommending enforcement, following a process Aave's founder said demanded substantial resources. The probe, which began around late 2021 or early 2022, had focused on DeFi lending and borrowing services, and its conclusion eases immediate regulatory pressure on Aave while its AAVE token recently traded between $184 and $194.

Bitcoin has declined about 26% over the past three months and roughly 30% from its near $126,200 peak, but on-chain data indicates it is still outperforming most major crypto sectors. While the total crypto market cap has fallen around 27.5% and altcoin segments such as AI, DeFi, meme coins and real-world asset tokens have recorded much deeper losses, investors are concentrating capital in BTC as a comparatively defensive asset. At the same time, mid-sized "shark" holders have rapidly accumulated around 54,000 BTC in a week, even as long-term whales distribute coins and keep near-term upside constrained.

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 December 15, Bitcoin extended its recent pullback while shares of Strategy (MSTR) dropped 7.29% to $163.55 on heavy trading volume. During the second and third quarters of 2025, the New York State Common Retirement Fund, which oversees about $284 billion in assets, increased its MSTR position to roughly 0.10% of the company, valued at around $113.8 million, even as the stock remained highly correlated with Bitcoin's volatility.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission withdrew its 2020 "actual delivery" guidance for Bitcoin and other virtual currencies on December 11, citing market maturity, according to Acting Chair Caroline Pham. Days earlier, the agency cleared spot crypto trading on U.S. futures exchanges. On December 8, it began a pilot allowing Bitcoin, Ether and USDC to serve as derivatives collateral under weekly reporting.

On December 10, 2025, the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency released preliminary findings from a review of debanking practices at nine major national banks. The agency said internal policies in place from 2020 to 2023 imposed inappropriate restrictions on lawful sectors, including digital-asset firms, according to the OCC. It added that supervisory investigations into the banks' practices are ongoing.

Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood told Fox Business on Tuesday that large institutional investors are reshaping Bitcoin’s long-term pattern, weakening the historic four-year halving cycle. She said past 75%–90% crashes are giving way to shallower pullbacks as ETFs, corporate treasuries, and other regulated products lock up supply. Analysts are split, with some declaring the cycle "dead" while others present data suggesting the current market structure still lines up with prior multi‑year peaks.

At a Tuesday policy summit, Rep. Max Miller said he expects a comprehensive U.S. crypto tax bill to advance before the August 2026 congressional recess, after circulating a draft among House Ways and Means Committee members. He and Rep. Steven Horsford are developing provisions to simplify reporting, consider small-transaction relief, and align new exchange reporting rules with forthcoming IRS requirements and international standards such as CARF. The IRS has increased warning letters to investors. Centralized exchanges are due to begin issuing 1099-DA forms on January 1, 2026.

Canada’s tax authority has stepped up crypto enforcement by focusing a probe on 2,500 Dapper Labs users linked to about C$72 million ($54 million) in suspected unpaid taxes, according to The Canadian Press. A court approved an “unnamed persons requirement” in September allowing officials to obtain user data. Despite recovering more than C$100 million through crypto audits over the past three years, the agency has not brought criminal charges in any crypto tax case since 2020.