Chinese automakers are cutting EV prices in Thailand to gain share, with BYD reducing the Seal by up to 38% and SAIC trimming the MG4 by about 27%. Subsidies launched in 2022 can reach 150,000 baht per vehicle, while EV deliveries rose more than 20% in October and November amid dealer margin pressure and cautious, delay-prone buyers.

Offshore yuan bond issuance has reached about 870 billion yuan ($123 billion) in 2025, marking a new annual peak after eight straight years of expansion. Issuers are increasingly selling long‑dated dim sum bonds to lock in China's relatively low interest rates, while investors rebalance away from dollar assets amid yuan appreciation. Policy measures such as the July expansion of Southbound Bond Connect are also supporting wider participation and sustained demand for yuan-denominated debt.

Privacy-focused tokens such as Zcash have sharply appreciated in recent months, while venture firms highlight privacy as a core focus area for 2026. Investors argue that institutional traders, traditional finance and everyday users increasingly need confidential onchain activity, even as regulatory uncertainty and usability challenges still threaten broader adoption.

Veteran trader Peter Brandt has outlined two potential downside zones for Bitcoin, signaling targets near $81,852 and $59,403 per BTC. Ripple completed a $500 million share sale at a $40 billion valuation, while Bitcoin and XRP gained Wall Street exposure via Bitwise’s 10 Crypto Index Fund listing on NYSE Arca. Shiba Inu saw a surge in whale transfers, a 1.06 trillion SHIB rise on exchanges and an eight-trillion-token outflow from centralized platforms, pointing to shifting volatility and positioning.

U.S. banking trade groups challenged the OCC's approval of national trust charters for crypto firms, while regulators and institutions advanced integration. Itaú Unibanco has recently advised clients to allocate up to 3% to Bitcoin, and TRM Labs reported that more than 38% of Venezuelan crypto traffic used a single P2P venue as stablecoins filled banking gaps.

Gulf equities retreated on Sunday after crude ended the week down 4% and profit-taking curbed risk appetite. Saudi Arabia's main index fell 1.2% to 10,589, with Al Rajhi Bank down 1.3% and Saudi Basic Industries Corp off 1.2%. Qatar slipped 0.4% to 10,855, while Kuwait and Oman edged up 0.1%.

On December 14, 2025, Fed chair contender Kevin Hassett said interest‑rate decisions would remain with the FOMC, even if he becomes chair, and that a president's views carry no formal weight. He addressed inflation data discussed in the interview—CPI up 3% year over year and PCE up 2.8%—and highlighted item‑level shifts in drugs, gas, eggs, and groceries.

Binance co-CEO Richard Teng set out his expectations for 2026, arguing the crypto market is shifting toward steadier cycles and deeper integration with traditional finance. He anticipates broader institutional participation, corporate treasury diversification beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, and greater policy engagement, alongside progress at the intersection of blockchain and AI.