In December 2025, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission unveiled the first roster for its CEO Innovation Council, bringing in executives from crypto firms and major exchanges to advise on changes in the derivatives market. The council, assembled over roughly two weeks, will focus on tokenization, 24/7 trading, perpetual contracts, prediction markets, and blockchain infrastructure. Its work is intended to align with broader federal efforts to develop more supportive digital asset policies, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Crypto exchange Gemini Space Station, Inc. has obtained CFTC authorization to run Gemini Titan as a Designated Contract Market, paving the way for a federally regulated prediction market platform. The venue will debut with binary event contracts before expanding into other CFTC-regulated crypto derivatives, including futures, options and perpetuals. The approval comes amid rapid growth in U.S. prediction markets and follows the return of Polymarket to the domestic market under federal oversight.

Jonathan Gould of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said on December 8 that cryptocurrency and fintech firms seeking federal bank charters should be evaluated using the same criteria as conventional banks. He pointed to recent OCC approvals of crypto-focused trust banks and a sharp increase in charter applications, according to the OCC. Banks and financial industry groups remain uneasy about supervision, while Argentina’s central bank is considering whether to let local banks offer cryptocurrency trading.

Tether has invested roughly $81.6 million in Italian humanoid-robotics firm Generative Bionics as part of a €70 million funding round, marking another major step in its expanding AI and robotics strategy. The company is also pushing deeper into commodities lending as it channels stablecoin-driven profits into diversified sectors.

Former People’s Bank of China monetary policy adviser Liu Shijin has urged China to increase imports and settle more foreign trade in yuan over the next five years to narrow its trade surplus and boost offshore yuan liquidity. He also called for more yuan-denominated financial products to be launched in overseas markets, according to his recent remarks. At the same time, China’s top leadership has outlined plans to prioritize domestic demand from 2026. The comments come as the European Union, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, signals the possibility of strong measures over trade imbalances.

On December 9, 2025, Fitch Ratings cautioned that U.S. banks expanding into crypto and digital-asset services face reputational, liquidity, operational, and compliance risks that could weigh on their ratings. The report cited initiatives at large institutions including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo. It highlighted that rapid stablecoin growth may threaten financial stability and affect U.S. dollar and Treasury markets. Moody's has likewise flagged systemic risks if USD-linked stablecoins see widespread adoption.

U.S. senators are negotiating a comprehensive crypto framework that would clarify the oversight roles of the SEC and CFTC. On December 8, Senator Bernie Moreno criticized the talks at a Washington, D.C. policy summit, and sources said Democrats and Republicans plan to meet on December 9. Committee leaders are considering a markup as early as December 17–18, though the schedule remains uncertain.

A public court filing dated Monday, December 8, shows US District Judge Paul Engelmayer seeking detailed information on the charges and potential sentences Do Kwon faces in South Korea and Montenegro. Kwon is scheduled to be sentenced in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, December 11, after pleading guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy. Defense attorneys have asked for a sentence of five years, while prosecutors are seeking at least twelve years.

On December 9, 2025, the CFTC launched a pilot program that allows Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDC to be posted as margin collateral in U.S. derivatives markets, limiting their use to collateral for the first three months, according to the agency. The CFTC also cleared spot crypto trading on CFTC‑registered venues, and Bitnomial plans to introduce leveraged spot products this week.