Today's Cryptocurrency News (December 15) | UK's New Crypto Regulations to Take Effect in 2027; Trump Supports "Two Kevins" in the Race for Fed Chair

This article summarizes cryptocurrency news as of December 15, 2025, focusing on the latest Bitcoin updates, Ethereum upgrades, Dogecoin trends, real-time crypto prices, and price forecasts. Major Web3 events today include:

1. UK Treasury drafts new regulations, crypto market to be regulated by FCA, expected to take effect in 2027

The UK Treasury is drafting new regulations aimed at bringing cryptocurrencies and digital assets under regulatory oversight. Under this legislation, cryptocurrencies will be regulated similarly to other financial products, with an expected implementation in 2027. The new rules will require crypto companies to meet standards supervised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that including cryptocurrencies in regulation is a key step to ensuring the UK remains a leading global financial center in the digital age. This move will provide clear rules for businesses, stronger protections for consumers, and exclude illicit actors from the UK market. According to the proposed amendments, companies providing crypto services will fall under FCA jurisdiction, and their services will be regulated like other financial products, including adherence to transparency standards. These companies include cryptocurrency exchanges and digital wallets; if their services fall within UK anti-money laundering regulations, they must register with the FCA.

2. This week’s unlock data overview: ZRO, ARB, STRK, and others to experience large token unlocks

On December 15, according to Token Unlocks data, ZRO, ARB, STRK, and others will experience large one-time token unlocks this week: LayerZero (ZRO) will unlock approximately 25.7 million tokens on December 20, representing 6.79% of total supply, worth about $37.79 million; Arbitrum (ARB) will unlock about 92.65 million tokens on December 16, representing 1.9% of total supply, worth about $19 million; Starknet (STRK) will unlock approximately 127 million tokens on December 15, accounting for 5.07% of total supply, worth about $13.2 million; Sei (SEI) will unlock approximately 55.56 million tokens on December 15, representing 1.08% of total supply, valued at about $6.93 million.

3. Willy Woo: If quantum threats materialize, Bitcoin OGs will buy Satoshi’s BTC

Renowned crypto analyst Willy Woo said that if quantum computer hacking triggers a flash crash, Bitcoin OGs would purchase Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin.

It is known that Satoshi Nakamoto holds about 1.1 million Bitcoin, primarily mined during the early phase of Bitcoin (January 2009 to mid-2010), distributed across over 22,000 addresses, accounting for approximately 5.2% of total Bitcoin supply, making them the largest known Bitcoin holders.

As of July 2025, with Bitcoin reaching a new all-time high of $122,000, Satoshi’s net worth is estimated at around $134 billion. This scale ranks him 11th among the world’s wealthiest, surpassing tech billionaires like Michael Dell, and second only to Oracle founder Larry Ellison. Based on the current Bitcoin price (~$89,000), these BTC are worth about $97.9 billion.

If Bitcoin’s price rises further to $370,000 per BTC—an estimate some analysts predict for the next market cycle—Satoshi’s net worth would exceed $400 billion, making him the world’s richest person, surpassing Elon Musk’s estimated wealth of about $404 billion. (Cointelegraph)

4. Eric Trump: Bitcoin has no “management,” so no issues of corruption, fraud, or abuse

Eric Trump, son of Donald Trump, stated on the Full Send podcast that Bitcoin has a fixed total supply of 21 million coins, which is a “beautiful” design, as it cannot expand through continuous mining like commodities such as gold. This finite nature creates genuine scarcity, making Bitcoin a global asset. Additionally, he noted that Bitcoin is easier to transfer worldwide compared to gold, and since it has no “management,” there are no issues of corruption, fraud, or abuse.

5. Cathie Wood’s top three preferred cryptocurrencies: BTC/ETH/SOL

Ark Invest Tracker posted on X that Cathie Wood listed her top three favorite crypto assets:

• Bitcoin as a global currency system and entry point for institutions;
• Ethereum as an institutional infrastructure layer;
• Solana as a consumer-focused blockchain.

6. Base co-founder accused of RUG token pump, facing strong community criticism

On December 15, Base co-founder Jesse publicly promoted and invested funds in the malicious Soulja Boy RUG token, provoking strong community backlash. ZachXBT questioned, “Why promote Soulja Boy to scam new users?” In April 2023, ZachXBT revealed that “Soulja Boy is one of the most reckless promoters in the crypto community. In my research, I found he participated in 73 promotions and issued 16 NFT projects, many of which were scams.” Jesse has also promoted various MEME coins, such as the “Base is for everyone” event (which surged to a $200 million market cap then dropped 90%) and his personal token jesse (dubbed by the community as the most failed fair launch in Base history). Such promoted tokens often generate short-term speculative hype but lack stable long-term performance and returns.

7. Curve founder proposes donating $17 million CRV funds to R&D team

Curve Finance founder Michael Egorov proposed on the Curve DAO governance forum to allocate 17.45 million CRV tokens (worth about $6.6 million) as funding to support Swiss Stake AG, the company behind it, for ecosystem growth, research, and technical development. The funds will enhance Curve’s lending protocol with security and technical upgrades and support a team of 25 contributors. Swiss Stake AG’s goals for 2026 include launching and expanding a new version of its lending system Llamalend, creating on-chain foreign exchange, and improving Curve’s user interface. If approved, Swiss Stake AG can stake some CRV to generate additional yields, and its intellectual property will be released under an open-source license compatible with the Curve software repository.

8. Former Canaan CTO states approximately 400,000 Bitcoin miners in Xinjiang recently shut down

On December 15, former Canaan CTO and Nano Labs founder and chairman Kong Jianping cited his earlier tweet stating “Bitcoin mining farms in Xinjiang are gradually shutting down.” Combined with recent hash rate declines, at an average of 250 TH/s per machine, it is estimated that at least 400,000 Bitcoin miners have recently been shut down. Previously, F2Pool data showed the total Bitcoin hash rate at 988.49 EH/s, down 17.25% from the same time last week. Notably, foreign media reported in November that Bitcoin mining activity in Xinjiang and other Chinese regions had become active again. By the end of October 2025, China’s share of global Bitcoin hash rate had rebounded to about 14% (third largest in the world). Subsequently, on the 28th, China’s central bank led a joint effort with 13 departments to crack down on virtual currency trading and speculation.

9. Trump publicly supports two “Kevins” for Fed Chair, Hasset emphasizes Fed independence, markets cautious and watching

Amid U.S. President Trump publicly backing Kevin Hassett and Kevin Warsh as candidates for the next Federal Reserve Chair, Hassett emphasized the Fed’s independence in monetary policy. This statement followed the Fed’s latest rate cut, prompting close market and crypto market attention.

According to CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Hassett stated in an interview that Fed decisions are not influenced by political pressure. He said the 12 voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will base judgments on data and logic, not the president’s personal preferences. “The president’s views are only relevant when supported by data,” Hassett emphasized.

The Fed is expected to announce its new Chair candidate in mid-January. Trump previously told The Wall Street Journal that the candidate pool has narrowed to Hassett and former Fed governor Kevin Warsh, praising both as “excellent,” and explicitly naming Warsh as one of his “very preferred” choices.

This statement quickly affected market expectations. Earlier this month, platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket showed Hassett’s probability of winning at 85%. But after Trump praised Warsh, expectations shifted markedly. Currently, Polymarket shows Hassett’s odds at 52%, Warsh at 39%, with the race tightening.

Trump also expressed hope that future Fed Chair would heed his opinions more on interest rate decisions, though not necessarily follow all advice. This re-ignited discussions on the Fed’s independence.

On policy, the Fed announced a 25 basis point rate cut last week, lowering the federal funds rate target to 3.5%–3.75%. Powell noted that inflation risks remain tilted upward, while employment risks are tilted downward, indicating a “non-easy path” for policy.

Market reactions after the rate cut have been generally stable, with sentiment remaining cautious. Some analysts believe that until the new Chair is confirmed and future rate paths become clearer, risk assets may continue to fluctuate.

10. Metaplanet CEO hints at major Bitcoin decision imminent, stock price fluctuates before special shareholders meeting

Ahead of the upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), Japanese-listed Metaplanet’s stock traded around 440 yen, with continued volatility. CEO Simon Gerovich recently hinted that the meeting will make significant decisions regarding “key Bitcoin purchases and capital structure adjustments,” which could profoundly impact the company’s future Bitcoin strategy.

On December 15, Metaplanet officially announced via X that it will hold an online special shareholders meeting on December 22. The meeting will discuss corporate governance and medium-to-long-term strategies, with particular attention to Bitcoin accumulation plans for 2025 and beyond. The company emphasized that this EGM is “crucial” to its future development and urged shareholders to exercise their voting rights early within the deadline.

Gerovich further stated that the EGM will consider multiple key proposals, including issuing Class A preferred shares (MARS) and Class B preferred shares (MERCURY), as well as reducing existing share capital and capital reserves. These measures are viewed as important tools to support the company’s long-term Bitcoin treasury strategy. The goal is to increase Bitcoin holdings to 100,000 by the end of 2026, making it one of the most aggressive corporate Bitcoin holders globally.

Market-wise, Metaplanet’s stock rose nearly 15% after its mNAV (modified net asset value) recovered above 1, but as uncertainty about the EGM and Bitcoin price volatility increased, the short-term trend turned weaker again. Latest data show the stock closed at 436 yen, down about 1.36% for the day, with intraday trading between 408 and 439 yen. Its U.S.-listed stock MTPLF also declined about 2.8%, closing at $2.71.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin hovers around $89,000 with declining volume. The market generally views the final EGM decision as a key catalyst for Metaplanet’s stock and Bitcoin treasury strategy; short-term uncertainty is expected to dominate trading sentiment.

11. Hong Kong JPEX case: 8 defendants charged with fraud and related offenses, trial postponed to March next year

According to Hong Kong Economic Daily, there has been new progress in the JPEX virtual asset trading platform fraud case. Eight defendants face multiple charges, and the case has been postponed to March 16, 2026.

The defendants include former TVB actor Zheng Junxi (31), Xiao Yingqian (28), Lam Tso (35), internet celebrity “Chen Yi” Chen Yingyi (38), Qu Zhuoji (31), Zhao Jingxian (25), YouTuber “Xiangxiang” Liang Qixiang (31), and Ho Jiwun (28).

Charges include conspiracy to defraud, fraud, inducing others to invest in virtual assets with known or believed to be proceeds of crime, and handling property believed to be obtained from criminal conduct. Zheng Junxi has applied for no bail, while the other seven defendants are permitted to continue on original bail conditions, with travel restrictions and surrender of all travel documents.

12. Crypto market rebound in sight? Traders focus on US CPI, unemployment data, and Bank of Japan decision

After a phase of sell-off, the crypto market may see a key short-term rebound window. Despite the Fed’s rate cut last week, market sentiment remains cautious, with traders closely watching macroeconomic data and central bank signals, including US CPI inflation data, initial jobless claims, and the Bank of Japan’s rate decision.

On Monday morning, total crypto market cap slightly declined to about $3.13 trillion, down roughly 1.5%. However, overall trading activity remained steady, with 24-hour total volume around $90.9 billion, indicating no large capital outflows. Bitcoin trades around $89,000, down about 1% intraday; Ethereum shows relative resilience, with less than 1% decline, indicating a “converging decline and stable volume” pattern.

Sentiment indicators show the crypto fear and greed index fell to 16, in the “extreme fear” zone, reflecting low short-term risk appetite, though this level is better than last month’s extreme sentiment phase.

Analysts believe macro data this week will be critical for directional decisions. US CPI inflation data will directly influence market expectations for future rate paths. A lower-than-expected CPI previously sparked a short-term Bitcoin rally; continued cooling could support risk assets again. Similarly, US initial jobless claims are closely watched; a weakening labor market may reinforce expectations for easing policy.

Additionally, the Bank of Japan’s rate decision remains a major uncertainty. Recent signs of improved manufacturing sentiment have sparked speculation about rate hikes. Historical data shows that during Japan’s rate hike cycles, Bitcoin often experienced significant corrections, adding a risk factor that keeps some traders cautious.

From a seasonal perspective, markets are also beginning to watch for the “Christmas rally.” Historically, year-end liquidity improvements tend to benefit risk assets. If macro data align, crypto markets may see a temporary recovery.