Bitcoin

Castle

Adam Back

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="top-stories-of-the-week">Top Stories of the Week</h2>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="us-clarity-act-unlikely-to-be-world-shaking-for-bitcoins-price-brandt">US Clarity Act unlikely to be world-shaking for Bitcoins price: Brandt</h3>
<p>Veteran trader <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-clarity-act-bitcoin-price-action-peter-brandt-crypto-trader" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Peter Brandt said</a> the potential passage of the US Clarity Act is unlikely to have a significant impact on Bitcoins price after indications that it could pass Congress as soon as January.</p>
<p>Is it a world-shaking macro development? Nope. Needed for sure, but not something that should redefine value, Brandt told Cointelegraph on Friday. Having an asset regulated, particularly an asset for which die-hard investors never wanted to be regulated, is not an earth-shattering event, he added.</p>
<p>His comments came after White House crypto and AI czar David Sacks said on Thursday, We are closer than ever to passing the landmark crypto market structure legislation.</p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="us-senate-confirms-pro-crypto-selig-to-lead-cftc-hill-to-head-fdic">US Senate confirms pro-crypto Selig to lead CFTC, Hill to head FDIC</h3>
<p>The US Senate has confirmed <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/us-senate-confirms-crypto-friendly-cftc-fdic-chairs" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">crypto-friendly lawyer Mike Selig</a> as the new chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and has elevated Travis Hill to chair the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.</p>
<p>The two confirmations were included in a package of nearly 100 other nominees that the Trump administration had selected for various roles across the government, which passed the Senate in a 53-43 vote on Thursday.</p>
<p>Selig, who has previous experience at the CFTC and the Securities and Exchange Commission, pledged to make crypto a priority when he was nominated in October to take over from the previous nominee, Brian Quintenz.</p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="how-a-single-copy-paste-mistake-cost-a-user-50m-in-usdt">How a single copy-paste mistake cost a user $50M in USDt</h3>
<p>A <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/address-poisoning-copy-paste-mistake-50m-usdt-loss" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">single transaction error</a> led to one of the largest onchain losses seen this year, after a user mistakenly sent nearly $50 million in USDt to a scam address in a classic address poisoning attack.</p>
<p>According to pseudonymous onchain investigator Web3 Antivirus, the victim lost 49,999,950 USDt after copying a malicious wallet address from their transaction history.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Address-poisoning scams rely on look-alike wallet addresses being inserted into a victims transaction history via small transfers. When victims later copy an address from their transaction history, they may unknowingly select the scammers look-alike address instead of the intended recipient.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://s3.magazine.cointelegraph.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Digest_20-12_3-1024x682.png" alt="Bitcoin may dip to $65K in 2026, Clarity Act speculation grows: Hodler’s Digest, Dec. 14 – 20">
</figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="uk-crypto-regulation-is-coming-what-the-fcas-new-consultation-means">UK crypto regulation is coming: What the FCAs new consultation means</h3>
<p>The United Kingdom is taking a decisive step toward fully <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/uk-crypto-regulation-fca-new-consultation-podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">regulating its crypto market</a>. This week, the Financial Conduct Authority launched a wide-ranging consultation outlining proposed rules for crypto exchanges, staking services, lending platforms and decentralized finance.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The proposals follow new secondary legislation from the UK Treasury that formally brings crypto activities into the countrys financial services framework, with a target implementation date of Oct. 25, 2027.</p>
<p>In this weeks episode of Byte-Sized Insight, Cointelegraph explored what this consultation signals for the UK crypto market and how industry leaders are interpreting the regulators direction.</p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="fidelity-macro-lead-calls-65k-bitcoin-bottom-in-2026-end-of-bull-cycle">Fidelity macro lead calls $65K Bitcoin bottom in 2026, end of bull cycle</h3>
<p>Bitcoin may have ended its historical four-year cycle, signaling an incoming <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/fidelity-macro-lead-65k-bitcoin-bottom-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">year of downside</a> despite widespread analyst expectations for an extended cycle driven by regulatory tailwinds.</p>
<p>Bitcoins $125,000 all-time high on Oct. 6 may have signaled the top of the current four-year Bitcoin halving cycle, both in terms of price and time, according to Jurrien Timmer, the director of global macroeconomic research at asset management firm Fidelity.</p>
<p>While I remain a secular bull on Bitcoin, my concern is that Bitcoin may well have ended another 4-year cycle halving phase, wrote Timmer in a Thursday X post.</p>
<p>Bitcoin winters have lasted about a year, so my sense is that 2026 could be a year off (or off year) for Bitcoin. Support is at $65-75k.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="winners-and-losers">Winners and Losers</h2>
<p>At the end of the week, Bitcoin <strong>(</strong><a href="https://cointelegraph.com/bitcoin-price" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><strong>BTC</strong></a><strong>) </strong>is at $88,119, Ether <strong>(</strong><a href="https://cointelegraph.com/ethereum-price" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><strong>ETH</strong></a><strong>)</strong> at $2,974 and <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/xrp-price-index" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><strong>XRP</strong></a> at $1.92. The total market cap is at $2.99 trillion, <a href="https://coinmarketcap.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">according</a>to CoinMarketCap.</p>
<p>Among the biggest 100 cryptocurrencies, the top three altcoin gainers of the week are Midnight <strong>(NIGHT)</strong> at 48.70%, Canton <strong>(CC)</strong> at 40.50% and Uniswap <strong>(UNI)</strong> at 14.50%.</p>
<p>The top three altcoin losers of the week are Pump.fun <strong>(PUMP)</strong> at 28.50%, Aster <strong>(ASTER)</strong> at 24.70% and Bittensor <strong>(TAO)</strong> at 22.10%. For more info on crypto prices, make sure to read <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/markets" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Cointelegraphs market analysis</a>.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img width="1024" height="826" src="https://s3.magazine.cointelegraph.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Winners-and-Losers20.12-01-1024x826.jpg" alt="Bitcoin may dip to $65K in 2026, Clarity Act speculation grows: Hodler’s Digest, Dec. 14 – 20">
</figure>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="strong-top-prediction-of-the-week-strong"><strong>Top Prediction of the Week</strong></h2>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="crypto-etps-could-see-a-flood-of-liquidations-by-2027-analyst">Crypto ETPs could see a flood of liquidations by 2027: Analyst</h3>
<p><a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/many-crypto-etfs-could-get-liquidated-after-launching" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">More than 100</a> crypto exchange-traded products are likely to hit the market in 2026, but many of them will quickly be shuttered due to a lack of demand, Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart said.</p>
<div class="article-suggest">
 <div class="article-suggest__title display3">
  Read also
 </div>
 <div class="article-suggest__items">
  <div class="article-suggest__item"><a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/peter-mccormack-new-podcast-what-bitcoin-did-mccormack-show/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><span>Features</span><p>‘Everything feels like it’s going to shit’: Peter McCormack reveals new podcast</p></a>
  </div>
  <div class="article-suggest__item"><a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/animism-japanese-characters-nft-blockchain/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><span>Features</span><p>Why Animism Gives Japanese Characters a NiFTy Head Start on the Blockchain</p></a>
  </div>
 </div>
</div>
<p>Seyffart stated on Wednesday that he agreed with a 2026 prediction from crypto asset manager Bitwise that over 100 crypto ETFs would launch, but he said that many wouldnt last.</p>
<p>Were going to see a lot of liquidations in crypto ETP products. Might happen at [the] tail end of 2026 but likely by the end of 2027, Seyffart said, adding that over 126 ETP applications are currently awaiting an outcome from the US Securities and Exchange Commission.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="strong-top-fud-of-the-week-strong"><strong>Top FUD of The Week</strong></h2>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="adam-back-slams-bitcoiner-vc-for-uninformed-noise-about-quantum-risk">Adam Back slams Bitcoiner VC for uninformed noise about quantum risk</h3>
<p>Blockstream <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/quantum-computing-bitcoin-adam-back-nic-carter-debate" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CEO Adam Back</a> has criticized Castle Island Ventures founding partner Nic Carter for amplifying concerns about quantum computing threats to Bitcoin.</p>
<p>You make uninformed noise and try to move the market or something. Youre not helping, Back said in an X post on Friday, after Carter explained in an X post why Castle Island Ventures invested in Project Eleven, a startup focused on protecting Bitcoin and other crypto assets from the threat of quantum computing.</p>
<p>Back said the Bitcoin community is not in denial about the need to research and develop protections against potential quantum computing threats, but is instead doing that work quietly. However, Carter refuted Backs comment, arguing that many Bitcoin developers are still in total denial about the risk of quantum computing to Bitcoin.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://s3.magazine.cointelegraph.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Digest_20-12_2-1024x682.png" alt="Bitcoin may dip to $65K in 2026, Clarity Act speculation grows: Hodler’s Digest, Dec. 14 – 20">
</figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="sec-confirms-years-long-director-bans-for-former-alameda-ftx-executives">SEC confirms years-long director bans for former Alameda, FTX executives</h3>
<p>Former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison and former FTX executives Gary Wang and Nishad Singh <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/sec-confirms-years-long-director-bans-for-former-alameda-ftx-executives" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">will be barred</a> from assuming company leadership roles for eight to 10 years following a court judgment.</p>
<div class="article-suggest">
 <div class="article-suggest__title display3">
  Read also
 </div>
 <div class="article-suggest__items">
  <div class="article-suggest__item"><a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/you-can-now-clone-nfts-as-mimics-heres-what-that-means/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><span>Features</span><p>You can now clone NFTs as Mimics: Heres what that means</p></a>
  </div>
  <div class="article-suggest__item"><a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/phishing-crypto-erc-20-bait-scammers/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"><span>Features</span><p>Ethereum’s ERC-20 design flaws are a crypto scammer’s best friend</p></a>
  </div>
 </div>
</div>
<p>In a Friday notice, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said that it had obtained final consent judgments against Ellison, Wang and Singh for their roles in the misuse of investor funds at FTX from 2019 to 2022.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The former Alameda CEO consented to a 10-year officer-and-director bar, while Wang and Singh consented to eight-year officer-and-director bars each. All three are also subject to five-year conduct-based injunctions, according to the SEC.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://s3.magazine.cointelegraph.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Digest_20-12_1-1024x682.png" alt="Bitcoin may dip to $65K in 2026, Clarity Act speculation grows: Hodler’s Digest, Dec. 14 – 20">
</figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="pro-crypto-us-senator-lummis-wont-seek-reelection-in-2026">Pro-crypto US Senator Lummis wont seek reelection in 2026</h3>
<p><a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/cynthia-lummis-not-seeking-reelection-senate" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis</a>, one of the most outspoken advocates for digital assets in the current session of the US Congress, will leave office in 2027.</p>
<p>In a Friday X post, Lummis announced that she would not seek reelection to the Senate in 2026. She was elected to a six-year term and assumed office in January 2021, quickly establishing herself as a blockchain and Bitcoin-focused politician who later aligned with US President Donald Trumps crypto agenda.</p>
<p>Deciding not to run for reelection does represent a change of heart for me, but in the difficult, exhausting session weeks this fall Ive come to accept that I do not have six more years in me, said Lummis. I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesnt match up.</p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="top-magazine-stories-of-the-week">Top Magazine Stories of The Week</h2>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="bitcoins-critical-level-is-82-5k-ethereum-not-done-yet-trade-secrets">Bitcoins critical level is $82.5K, Ethereum not done yet: Trade Secrets</h3>
<p>A Bitcoin analyst says institutional buying will be <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/bitcoin-price-critical-level-ether-price-surge-chances-speculation-trade-secrets/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">critical over the</a> next week or so, Ethereum may surge soon: Trade Secrets.</p>
<div class="subscribe subscribe--inner">
 <div class="container">
  <div class="subscribe__inner">
   <div class="subscribe__content">
    <div class="subscribe__title display2">
     Subscribe
    </div>
    <div class="subscribe__desc text-l">
     The most engaging reads in blockchain. Delivered once a week.
    </div>
    <div class="wpcf7 no-js" id="wpcf7-f13672-o30">
     <div class="screen-reader-response">
      <ul></ul>
     </div>
     <p>Email address</p>
     <p>SUBSCRIBE</p>
     <div class="wpcf7-response-output"></div>
    </div>
   </div>
   <div class="subscribe__img"><img src="https://images.cointelegraph.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=373,dpr=1,gravity=0.5x0.5/https://s3.magazine.cointelegraph.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/reading-copy.png" alt="Subscribe to Magazine by Cointelegraph Newsletter.">
   </div>
  </div>
 </div>
</div>

Bitcoin may dip to $65K in 2026, Clarity Act speculation grows: Hodler’s Digest, Dec. 14 – 20

Table of Contents

Cointelegraph

Other articles published on Dec 24, 2025

Join our free newsletter for daily crypto updates!