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On December 16 2025, the FDIC board approved the first proposal detailing how insured banks and state nonmember institutions must apply to issue payment stablecoins under the GENIUS Act. The framework explains subsidiary requirements, filing procedures, evaluation timelines, and an appeal process, while opening a 60‑day public comment period once published in the Federal Register. In parallel, major Wall Street banks have issued over $530 million in Bitcoin‑linked structured notes and have begun offering Ether‑based products to meet growing institutional demand.

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.

In 2025, the Bitcoin-to-gold ratio slid from roughly 40 to 20 ounces per BTC as gold outperformed and drew strong buying interest from central banks and ETF investors. Over the same period, spot Bitcoin ETF assets fell from $152 billion to $112 billion and long-term holders realized substantial profits, pressuring BTC on a relative basis. The move reflects diverging demand patterns for gold and Bitcoin rather than a fundamental collapse in BTC's long-term narrative.

On December 16, 2025, the US unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, above the 4.5% forecast and the prior 4.4%. Commentators say the highest reading since September 2021 could drive Federal Reserve easing in 2026. Bitcoin traded near $88,000 after the release, up 1.84% over the past three hours.

On December 16, 2025, SRx Health Solutions announced plans to acquire EMJ Crypto Technologies, with Eric Jackson slated to become CEO if the deal closes early next year. Jackson is building a multi‑asset, options‑hedged crypto treasury that may hold Bitcoin, Ether and select stocks, while Keystone Capital Partners pledged up to $1 billion for 2.5 billion shares.

American Bitcoin Corp. reported that as of December 14, 2025, it had accumulated about 5,098 BTC in its strategic reserve, lifting the Nasdaq-listed miner into the top 20 publicly traded Bitcoin treasury holders. The reserve, built in a little over three months since its September 3 listing, combines self-mined coins, market purchases, and BTC pledged under a Bitmain agreement, while new metrics such as Satoshis Per Share and Bitcoin Yield are being used to track shareholder-level exposure.

Hyperscale Data Inc., listed on NYSE American, reported a Bitcoin treasury of approximately $75.5 million, about 97.5% of its market capitalization, using pricing from December 14–15, 2025. American Bitcoin said on December 16 it now holds over 5,098 BTC following its September 3 Nasdaq debut, highlighting continued accumulation and a 96.5% BTC Yield through December 14.

Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, in a note to clients late Monday, said bitcoin could break its four-year cycle and reach new all-time highs in 2026. He expects lower volatility and weaker correlation with equities, noting bitcoin was less volatile than Nvidia stock throughout 2025. According to The Block, bitcoin is down over 30% from its Oct. 6 peak near $126,000.

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.

Chinese battery and power‑equipment stocks have rallied in 2025 as AI data centers ramp up procurement. CATL shares are up 45% and Sungrow has climbed 130%, while Shenzhen's CSI New Energy index has gained 38%. Export demand and pricing power are lifting profits as domestic competition keeps margins thin.