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<p class="is-style-lead">In this week’s edition of the weekly recap, Bitcoin pulled back sharply from its October all-time high while trading around $78,000, Tether disclosed record annual profits exceeding $10 billion, and the Department of Justice secured legal title to over $400 million in assets connected to darknet mixing service Helix.</p>
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 <div class="cn-block-summary__nav tabs"><span class="tabs__item is-selected">Summary</span>
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  <ul class="wp-block-list">
   <li>Bitcoin fell sharply from its peak, trading near $78,000 after months of ETF-driven gains.</li>
   <li>Tether closed 2025 with over $10B in profit and $6.3B in excess reserves.</li>
   <li>The DOJ secured legal title to $400M linked to the Helix darknet mixing service.</li>
  </ul>
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</div>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="bitcoin-retreats-from-record-highs">Bitcoin retreats from record highs</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>Bitcoin (<a href="https://crypto.news/price/bitcoin/" target="_blank">BTC</a>) declined to approximately $75,000 before recovering slightly to $78,000.</li>
 <li>This correction follows months of price appreciation driven by institutional adoption, spot ETF inflows, and expanding corporate treasury strategies throughout 2025.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="tether-reports-record-10-billion-annual-profit">Tether reports record $10 billion annual profit</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>The world’s largest stablecoin issuer <a href="https://crypto.news/tether-holds-140-tons-of-gold-worth-23b-ceo-reveals/" target="_blank">closed</a> 2025 with net profits exceeding $10 billion.</li>
 <li>BDO Italy’s fourth-quarter attestation confirmed Tether maintains $6.3 billion in excess reserves beyond its $186.5 billion in liabilities tied to issued tokens.</li>
 <li>USDT circulating supply expanded by $50 billion throughout the year, reaching over $186 billion.</li>
</ul>
<p>You might also like: <a href="https://crypto.news/here-s-why-the-crypto-crash-is-intensifying-as-liquidations-hit-1-6-billion/"> Here’s why the crypto crash is intensifying as liquidations hit $1.6 billion </a></p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="doj-obtains-title-to-helix-darknet-assets">DOJ obtains title to Helix darknet assets</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>The Department of Justice <a href="https://crypto.news/us-doj-finalizes-400-million-asset-linked-to-crypto-mixer-helix/" target="_blank">announced</a> Thursday it has secured legal title to more than $400 million in seized cryptocurrency, real estate, and cash connected to the darknet Bitcoin mixing service Helix.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="buterin-funds-open-source-projects-from-personal-holdings">Buterin funds open-source projects from personal holdings</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin transferred 16,384 ETH worth approximately $45 million to personally finance open-source security and public technology initiatives.</li>
 <li>The Friday announcement coincided with Buterin describing the Ethereum Foundation as entering a “period of mild austerity.”</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="binance-converts-safu-reserves-to-bitcoin">Binance converts SAFU reserves to Bitcoin</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>The exchange announced Friday plans to convert $1 billion in stablecoin reserves from its Secure Asset Fund for Users entirely into Bitcoin over the next 30 days.</li>
 <li>Binance stated in an open letter that this conversion aims to support the industry through market cycles and periods of uncertainty.</li>
</ul>
<p>You might also like: <a href="https://crypto.news/wintermute-founder-binance-wasnt-fault-october-crash/"> Wintermute founder says Binance wasn’t at fault in October flash crash </a></p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="bybit-introduces-retail-banking-service">Bybit introduces retail banking service</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>The cryptocurrency exchange <a href="https://crypto.news/bybit-to-launch-retail-banking-services-with-iban-accounts-in-february/" target="_blank">revealed</a> plans to launch retail bank accounts for users immediately following Know Your Customer verification completion.</li>
 <li>CEO Ben Zhou unveiled “My Bank” during a keynote speech outlining Bybit’s strategic priorities for 2026.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="uae-registers-first-foreign-dollar-stablecoin">UAE registers first foreign dollar stablecoin</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>Universal Digital Intl Limited <a href="https://crypto.news/uae-unveils-first-central-bank-approved-stablecoin-challenging-usdc-on-home-turf/" target="_blank">launched</a> USDU Thursday, claiming status as the first U.S. dollar stablecoin registered under the UAE’s Payment Token Services Regulation.</li>
 <li>The company became the “first Foreign Payment Token Issuer registered by the Central Bank of the UAE.”</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="optimism-governance-approves-token-revenue-alignment">Optimism governance approves token-revenue alignment</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>The layer-2 ecosystem’s governance <a href="https://crypto.news/optimism-governance-op-token-buyback-superchain-2026/" target="_blank">passed</a> a proposal linking the OP token directly to Superchain economic performance with 84.4% voting approval.</li>
 <li>The measure passed after several days of discussion among delegates and tokenholders through Optimism’s onchain governance portal.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="fidelity-announces-digital-dollar-stablecoin">Fidelity announces Digital Dollar stablecoin</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>One of the world’s largest asset managers <a href="https://crypto.news/fidelity-unveils-fidd-what-first-stablecoin-the-fidelity-digital-dollar/" target="_blank">disclosed</a> plans to launch the Fidelity Digital Dollar, branded FIDD.</li>
 <li>The stablecoin will be issued by Fidelity Digital Assets’ national trust bank and is expected to become available to both retail and institutional customers in coming weeks.</li>
</ul>
<p>You might also like: <a href="https://crypto.news/bitcoin-etfs-extend-4-day-outflow-streak-btc-stalls/"> Bitcoin ETFs extend four-day outflow streak while BTC stalls near $83,000 </a></p>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="russia-bans-whitebit-exchange-operations">Russia bans WhiteBIT exchange operations</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>The Prosecutor General’s Office <a href="https://epp.genproc.gov.ru/ru/gprf/mass-media/news/main/e8358714/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">declared</a> cryptocurrency exchange WhiteBIT “undesirable,” effectively prohibiting its operations within the country.</li>
 <li>Russian authorities cited WhiteBIT’s provision of financial and technical support to Ukraine-linked initiatives. This includes fundraising programs connected to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="strategy-moderates-bitcoin-acquisition-pace">Strategy moderates Bitcoin acquisition pace</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>Strategy added approximately 2,900 Bitcoin to its stockpile last week for $267 million.</li>
 <li>The company now holds 712,647 Bitcoin.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="bitmine-records-largest-ether-purchase">BitMine records largest Ether purchase</h2>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
 <li>The largest corporate Ether holder executed its biggest single acquisition of 2025 Monday, adding 40,302 ETH worth approximately $117 million following shareholder approval for expanded capital raising.</li>
 <li>Total holdings reached over 4.24 million tokens and represent 3.52% of Ether’s circulating supply.</li>
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Bitcoin retreats below $77,000, Tether posts $10B annual profit, DOJ seizes $400M in Helix assets | Weekly recap

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