1. Several countries, including the UK, implemented CARF starting January 1st, enabling cross-border sharing of encrypted transaction data.
The UK and over 40 other countries implemented new tax regulations for crypto assets starting January 1st. Under the Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) developed by the OECD, major crypto exchage to collect complete transaction records for UK users and report user transaction information and tax residency status to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The UK is one of the first 48 countries to implement this framework. According to the agreement, from 2027, HMRC will automatically share relevant data with EU member states and participating countries such as Brazil, the Cayman Islands, and South Africa. A total of 75 countries have committed to implementing CARF, with the US planning to implement it in 2028 and begin information exchange in 2029.
2. a16z crypto releases 17 key areas to watch in the crypto industry for 2026
a16z crypto released 17 key areas of focus for the crypto industry in 2026, including: more efficient and intelligent stablecoin deposit and withdrawal channels; advancing RWA and stablecoin tokenization in a more crypto-native way; stablecoins driving upgrades to bank ledgers and new payment scenarios; the evolution of the internet towards "banking"; inclusive wealth management; the shift from "KYC" to "Know Your Agent (KYA)"; AI undertaking substantial research tasks; privacy becoming a core competitive advantage; decentralized and quantum-resistant messaging systems; the rise of staking media; and unleashing the full potential of blockchain when legal and technological architectures are aligned.
3. Bitcoin's return in Q4 2025 was -23.07%, marking its second-worst performance in history, while Ethereum's was -28.28%.
Bitcoin's return in the fourth quarter of 2025 was -23.07%, far below the historical average of 77.07% and the median of 47.73%, marking the second-worst fourth-quarter return in history, second only to the -42.16% return in the fourth quarter of 2018. Ethereum's return in the fourth quarter of 2025 was -28.28%, marking the fourth-worst fourth-quarter return in history.
4. The Cyberspace Administration of China: 1,418 counterfeit websites have been removed this year, some of which were impersonating financial institutions to promote "stablecoin" wealth management products.
The Cyberspace Administration of China's Reporting Center reported that it has coordinated the removal of 1,418 illegal and counterfeit websites and platforms this year, a 1.7-fold increase compared to last year. These websites often used pretexts such as "investment and wealth management" and "recharge and consumption" to commit fraud, with servers mostly located overseas and domains frequently redirecting. Among them were 61 websites impersonating financial institutions, using names such as China Merchants Securities and CITIC Bank to lure users into downloading apps for stock trading or purchasing so-called "stablecoins" and other financial products, causing financial losses to netizens. In addition, various counterfeit websites published false investment and recharge information, inducing netizens to purchase virtual goods or fake recharge cards, thus committing fraud.
5. Two American men pleaded guilty to using ransomware to attack multiple victims, with the ransom amounting to approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin.
Two U.S. men have pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida federal court to using the ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware to attack multiple U.S. victims and disrupt interstate business activities through extortion between April and December 2023. Court documents show that the two men and a co-conspirator paid 20% of the ransom to the ALPHV BlackCat administrators in exchange for access to the ransomware platform, and successfully extorted approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin from one victim. Both defendants work in the cybersecurity industry. They each face up to 20 years in prison and are scheduled to be sentenced on March 12, 2026.
