CryptoPatel

🇷🇺 Russia: Crypto Will NEVER Be Legal Payment

A top Russian lawmaker just made it crystal clear: #Bitcoin and #crypto will never be accepted as payment for goods and services in Russia.

Anatoly Aksakov, Chairman of the State Duma's Financial Markets Committee, told TASS:
"Cryptocurrencies will never become money in Russia. They can only be used as an investment instrument."

Key points:
→ All domestic payments must be in rubles only
→ Crypto allowed strictly as investment assets
→ This aligns with Russia's 2020 law banning crypto payments
→ However, crypto IS permitted for international trade (to bypass sanctions)

Russia continues walking a fine line, Embracing crypto for cross-border deals while keeping it firmly out of everyday transactions.

US SPOT ETFs Yesterday Flows Data update (16-12-2025):

🟥 Bitcoin ETFs: -3,210 $BTC (-$277.09M)
🟥 Ethereum ETFs: -75,660 $ETH (-$224.26M)
🟩 Solana ETFs: +28,187 $SOL (+$3.64M)
🟩 XRP ETFs: +4.50M $XRP (+$8.54M)
🟩 CHAINLINK ETFs: +106.53K $LINK (+$1.38M)
🟩 DOGECOIN ETFs: ZERO
🟩 LTC ETFs: ZERO
🟩 HBAR ETFs: ZERO

Total Net Flow: −$487.79M

Fact: Spot #BitcoinETFs Sold ~7 days of mined supply in a single day. 🚀

$COS Market structure is clearly bearish: Consecutive Lower Highs and Lower Lows show sellers remain in control. After the impulsive sell-off, price is now expected to pull back into an overlapping resistance zone, where supply has previously stepped in.

Entry Zone: $0.00130 | SL: $0.00134 | TPs: $0.00124/$0.00124

Strategy:
Patience first. Wait for price to tap the overlap and show clear rejection (upper wick or bearish close). That rejection is the trigger for continuation to the downside.

Clean setup. Clean execution. No confirmation, no trade.

#COS @Contentos-COS

SEC Closes 4-Year Aave Investigation: No Action Taken

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has officially ended its investigation into Aave Protocol without recommending any enforcement action.

Aave founder Stani Kulechov confirmed the news, saying the process demanded significant resources from the team over four years to protect the protocol and the broader DeFi ecosystem.

Key points:
→ Investigation lasted 4 years
→ No charges or enforcement recommended
→ Aave currently holds $32.60B in TVL
→ $AAVE trading around $185

This adds to the growing list of crypto cases dropped under the current administration, signaling a shifting regulatory environment for DeFi builders.

#AAVE @Aavegotchi

TOP 10 CRYPTO HEADLINES: TODAY

Here’s what’s moving markets, policy, and adoption today 👇

1️⃣ Trump & the Fed
President Trump is set to interview pro-crypto Fed Governor Christopher Waller for Fed Chair on Wednesday (WSJ).

2️⃣ Generational Shift to Crypto
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says a broken traditional financial system is pushing younger generations toward crypto as they feel “locked out of the old wealth ladder.”

3️⃣ FDIC Opens Door to Bank Stablecoins
The FDIC unveiled a framework allowing U.S. banks to issue payment stablecoins under the GENIUS Act, defining approval paths for bank subsidiaries entering digital dollars.

4️⃣ Bitwise: Bullish 2026 Ahead
Bitwise forecasts new Bitcoin ATHs, massive ETF inflows, crypto equity outperformance, and deeper institutional adoption in 2026.

5️⃣ BNB Chain Stablecoin Incoming
BNB Chain announced plans for a new native stablecoin to power liquidity across major application scenarios.

6️⃣ Mastercard Expands in Middle East
Mastercard is scaling blockchain & stablecoin payments in the Middle East via new ADI Foundation partnerships.

7️⃣ Aave Clears the SEC
Aave founder Stani Kulechov confirms the SEC has officially closed its four-year investigation into the Aave protocol.

8️⃣ Onchain Commodities Push
DMCC and Crypto.com partner to explore onchain infrastructure for commodities including gold, energy, and agriculture.

9️⃣ Visa Goes Live with Stablecoin Settlement
Visa will offer stablecoin settlement for U.S. institutions, using Circle’s USDC on Solana.

🔟 Youth Leading Crypto Adoption
Coinbase’s State of Crypto Q4 2025 report: 45% of younger U.S. investors own crypto, compared to just 18% of older investors.

Regulation, stablecoins, and institutions are converging: crypto’s next phase is unfolding in real time.

🔔 Follow for real-time, institutional-grade #CryptoNews

The Hyper Foundation proposes a validator vote to burn $HYPE in the Assistance Fund, permanently removing the tokens from circulating supply.

BREAKING: The FDIC just approved its first stablecoin proposal under the GENIUS Act.

U.S. banks can now apply to issue stablecoins through subsidiaries: A major step toward regulated, bank-issued digital dollars.

60-day comment period is now open. More rules coming in 2026.

#Stablecoins #FDIC

"I'm not at a loss, I'm at a long-term investment"

👉 Guy who bought #Bitcoin at $125K and Now watching $87K

$BTC #CryptoPatel

🇲🇭 HISTORIC: Marshall Islands Becomes First Country to Distribute UBI On-Chain

The Republic of the Marshall Islands just made history by completing the world's first blockchain-based Universal Basic Income distribution.

Here's what happened:
➜ Citizens now receive UBI payments through USDM1, a digital sovereign bond on Stellar blockchain
➜ USDM1 is fully backed 1:1 by U.S. Treasury bills - not a typical stablecoin, but an actual sovereign obligation
➜ Payments go directly to the Lomalo wallet app, replacing slow physical cash deliveries across 1,200+ scattered islands

Why it matters:
This isn't a pilot or experiment - it's a live national program delivering real money to real citizens using blockchain rails.
Stellar CEO Denelle Dixon called it "what adoption looks like for blockchain technology."

While others debate crypto regulation, the Marshall Islands just quietly showed the world how governments can use blockchain for public good.

Real adoption. Real utility. No hype.

#Cryptonews $BTC

#bitcoin Lightning Network capacity makes a NEW ALL TIME HIGH! 🚀

BREAKING: #Tether Invests $8M in Lightning Network Payments

Tether leads $8M funding round for Speed, a Bitcoin Lightning-powered payment infrastructure enabling instant $USDT & $BTC settlements.

🔹 Speed processes $1.5B+ annually
🔹 Serves 1.2M users globally
🔹 Co-led with Ego Death Capital

“Lightning paired with USDT is ready for mainstream commerce” - Paolo Ardoino, Tether CEO

Major push for real-world crypto payments beyond speculation.

#Bitcoin sell-off fueled by leverage liquidations, as much as spot selling 👇
Price could stabilize as forced selling subsides

President Trump has filed a $10 BILLION defamation lawsuit against the BBC, accusing it of misleading editing in a Panorama documentary aired just before the 2024 election.

Trump says the #BBC spliced his Jan 6 speech to remove calls for peaceful protest and make it appear he urged violence.
The BBC says it will fight the case.

This is the third media lawsuit Trump has launched while in office: After securing $16M from CBS and $15M from ABC in earlier settlements.

#BITCOIN SHORT-TERM HOLDERS AT LOSS

Since Oct 30, $BTC has stayed below the $104K short-term holder cost basis, putting recent buyers in unrealized losses.
During this period, STH have also been selling at realized losses averaging -12.6%, signaling active capitulation.

MICHAEL SAYLOR: "Even if #Bitcoin goes to $1, Strategy will not get Liquidated. We'll just keep buying more!"

Super Bullish

Elon Musk is BACK in Politics
The world's Richest man just opened his wallet for Republicans again.

What happened:
→ Musk started funding GOP campaigns for 2026 midterm elections
→ He's writing "Big Checks" for House and Senate races
→ More donations expected throughout 2026

The backstory:
Remember when Musk and Trump had that messy breakup earlier this year?
Well... they made up. 🤝

Musk recently:
Had dinner with VP JD Vance and top White House officials
Attended Trump's dinner for Saudi Crown Prince MBS
Dropped his plan to create a third political party

Why this matters:
Musk spent $291 MILLION on the 2024 election.

If he goes all-in again, it could be a game-changer for Republicans trying to keep control of Congress.

Just months ago, Musk said he'd spend "a lot less" on politics.
That didn't last long. 😏

#ElonMusk #TRUMP

🇺🇸 FDIC issues first official stablecoin proposal under the GENIUS Act
The proposal will allow banks to apply to issue stablecoins
(Source: CoinDesk)

$150 BILLION TAX REFUNDS COMING TO AMERICANS IN Q1 2026

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent just made a major announcement that could impact the economy.

What's happening?
The U.S. government will send out $100-150 billion in tax refunds starting early 2026 — that's $1,000 to $2,000 per household.

Why are Refunds so Big this Time?
Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" passed in July includes:
→ No tax on tips
→ No tax on overtime
→ No tax on Social Security
→ Auto deductibility
Most workers haven't changed their tax withholding yet, so they will receive large refund checks.

What happens after that?
Bessent says once people get their refunds, they will update their withholding. This means less tax taken from paychecks and more money in their pockets every month.

White House advisor Kevin Hassett confirmed Americans could receive an extra $1,600-$2,000 next year.

Why this matters:
$100-150 billion going directly to consumers in Q1 could boost spending across the economy. More money in people's hands often means more investment activity, including in stocks and crypto.

Something to watch closely for early 2026.

#CryptoNews

Crypto Miners ARRESTED: Tajikistan's NEW Crypto Mining Law

Up to 8 YEARS in prison + $8.2K fines for mining with stolen electricity.

Parliament approved new Criminal Code amendments targeting unauthorized miners after illegal operations caused:
▪️ Power outages across multiple cities
▪️ $4.26M losses to the government
▪️ 190 criminal cases involving nearly 4,000 people

The Penalties are serious:
▪️ Fines: $1,650 to $8,200
▪️ Group operations: 2-5 years jail
▪️ Large-scale theft: 5-8 years jail

Why the crackdown? Country faces severe winter energy crisis, Some areas only get 2-4 hours of Electricity per day. Illegal miners are making it worse by stealing power from the national grid.

Central Asia is cracking down hard on crypto mining theft. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia are all doing the same.