New SEC Chair Paul Atkins outlined a sweeping shift in the agency’s approach to digital assets, announcing a new classification framework and an “innovation exemption” safe harbor that could launch as early as January 2025. The reforms mark a clear break from years of enforcement-heavy oversight and will unfold alongside a still-pending crypto bill in Congress that will redefine SEC–CFTC jurisdiction.

The American Federation of Teachers sent a letter to the US Senate on Monday urging lawmakers to withdraw the Responsible Financial Innovation Act, a bipartisan bill that would define digital assets and payment stablecoins, according to CNBC. The union, which represents 1.8 million members, warned that the proposal could expose pensions and working families to crypto-related risks by enabling tokenized securities and expanding digital assets in retirement portfolios. It also cautioned that gaps in the bill’s oversight of illegal activities could help set the stage for a future financial crisis.

SK Hynix said in a Wednesday regulatory filing that it is considering a New York ADR listing to help narrow its valuation gap with U.S. chipmakers. The move comes after a year-to-date share price gain of almost 240%, with the stock closing at $402.87. The company also reported record third-quarter earnings and stronger AI server demand in late October.

Interest Rate Cut in Focus: BCH, LINK, and PIPPIN Could Benefit, Bitcoin Fluctuates, Whales Are Buying – A Brief Crypto Overview.

Crypto markets are trading defensively as Bitcoin slips toward $90,000 and traders position ahead of key US labor data. Altcoins remain under pressure, the Fear & Greed Index has fallen back into fear territory, and institutional developments across North America and Asia continue to shape sentiment.

On December 9, 2025, a post on X claiming BlackRock had filed an S-1 for a staked ASTER ETF sparked speculation and short-lived price volatility before key figures debunked the rumor as fake. ASTER had previously been the subject of similar ETF rumors involving Grayscale, and recent trading has also been shaped by buybacks and a DEX token unlock that released $9.47 million worth of tokens. Developers criticized parts of the community for spreading false ETF headlines, warning that such behavior undermines the project’s long-term growth.

On Tuesday, Solana's official account posted the number "589", reviving long-running XRP meme speculation. Ripple CTO David Schwartz said markets undervalue the company's XRP escrow in light of a $500 million secondary share sale at a $40 billion valuation, according to the article. Andrew Tate reiterated he is "huge on Bitcoin" and questioned why a 10,000 BTC purchase had little visible impact on price.

On December 5, Binance posted net inflows of 162,084 ETH, the largest daily increase since April 2023, with exchange reserves rising to 3.88M ETH. ETH open interest held above $17.62B, with more than 70% of traders positioned long. The token traded just above $3,000 as large whale deposits boosted spot inflows.