🔍 December 18, 2025 Daily Briefing
📊 I. Key Data
Fear & Greed Index: 22 (Fear)
US BTC Spot ETF: Net inflow yesterday -$22.4 million
US ETH Spot ETF: Net inflow yesterday $457 million
📰 II. Important News of the Day
1️⃣ Macroeconomics and Regulation
1) On December 18, the Federal Reserve announced the withdrawal of a restrictive policy statement issued in 2023 that had imposed a strong presumption of opposition on state member banks' participation in the crypto industry. Under the new policy, state member banks holding FDIC deposit insurance remain subject to strict restrictions under Section 24 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, but state member banks without deposit insurance can now apply to the Federal Reserve for approval on a case-by-case basis for certain prohibited activities. This means that banks have more regulatory space for new activities related to crypto assets, and is seen as another signal of a continued shift in the US regulatory environment.
2) On December 17th, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce issued a statement, in conjunction with a newly released set of FAQs from the Department of Trading and Markets, soliciting broad market feedback on issues related to cryptocurrency trading on national securities exchanges and alternative trading systems. Key issues raised included: how to lower the entry barriers for cryptocurrency securities and trading pairs platforms; whether a dedicated Form ATS should be established for cryptocurrency ATSs or existing disclosure requirements should be adjusted; and whether clarification of compliance methods for converting non-dollar assets to US dollars is necessary. This statement was seen by the market as another signal that the SEC is relatively open to reforming the cryptocurrency trading market structure.
3) On December 18th, the market widely expected the Bank of Japan to raise its overnight call rate by 25 basis points to 0.75% at its policy meeting ending this Friday, marking the first rate hike since January and pushing the benchmark interest rate to its highest level since 1995. Analysts believe that a more hawkish signal from the central bank could help stabilize the yen, but could also push up bond yields, putting pressure on the Japanese government as it prepares its budget for the next fiscal year. 2️⃣ Industry News
1) Coinbase announced on Wednesday the launch of a customized stablecoin service, allowing users to create branded stablecoins for their businesses. These stablecoins are custodied by Coinbase and backed by 1:1 collateralized assets. Advantages include: earning rewards based on usage and trading activity, seamless cross-chain interoperability, and access to Coinbase's global distribution network. Additionally, Coinbase announced a series of new products and services, aiming to create a comprehensive trading platform integrating crypto assets, stocks, derivatives, and asset tokenization.
2) On December 18th, the crypto wallet project Phantom announced on social media that its prediction market for Kalshi is now open to eligible users. Users can participate in predictions using Solana ecosystem tokens in their wallets, including the CASH stablecoin.
3) On December 17th, tokenization service provider Securitize announced plans to launch what it claims to be the first fully compliant, fully blockchain-operated real-world listed company stock trading platform in early 2026. This platform will allow investors to directly hold real shares of listed companies issued and registered on-chain and trade them through a blockchain interface. Unlike synthetic stocks that only track stock prices through derivatives or offshore structures, Securitize's model provides full legal ownership; shares are directly issued by the issuing company and recorded in the official shareholder register.
3️⃣ Focused Target Developments/AI-Related Progress
1) On December 17th, Tencent announced a deep restructuring of its AI R&D system, establishing three new departments: AI Infra, AI Data, and Data Computing Platform. The AI Infra department will build self-controllable AI infrastructure; the AI Data department will be responsible for building and evaluating high-quality data for large models; and the Data Computing Platform department will create an intelligent computing platform integrating big data and machine learning. This move signifies that Tencent's AI strategy has officially upgraded from "product-driven" to a systematic approach integrating "infrastructure + engineering + scenario implementation."
2) On December 18th, Gaode Maps officially released its "Smart Wearable Solution" on its open platform. This solution integrates Gaode's full range of travel data and navigation engine, introduces the "Xiao Gao Teacher" AI spatial intelligence agent, and connects services across the entire value chain, including ride-hailing and local life services. Gaode provides differentiated scenario support for different hardware forms, such as voice broadcasting and vibration alerts for smartwatches, and HUD information projection technology for smart glasses. Currently, this solution has been implemented in smartwatches from brands such as Xiaomi and Honor. In addition, Alibaba's Qianwen App officially announced full integration with Gaode Maps, allowing users to directly search for nearby restaurants, entertainment venues, and the most suitable charging stations along the way within the Qianwen App.
