Your Weekend Crypto Roundup | December 2025 (Week 1)

Ethereum led the charge this week with Fusaka, an upgrade that multiplies data throughput and brings near-instant UX one step closer. But it wasn’t the only headline: big banks moved deeper into digital assets, courts reopened old wounds for Binance, AI agents triggered security concerns, and global regulators tightened their grip. Crypto might be maturing, but it’s doing so at full speed.

This article provides a comprehensive recap of crypto’s biggest moments.

Ethereum’s Fusaka Upgrade Activates PeerDAS, Boosting Throughput and Cutting Fees

Ethereum activated the Fusaka upgrade at Epoch 411392 on December 3, introducing PeerDAS and lifting data throughput by 8x. By breaking rollup data into smaller cells, the network reduces blob fees, eases node data loads, and improves Layer 2 efficiency. Users also gain near-instant confirmations as latency drops from minutes to milliseconds.

The upgrade strengthens Ethereum’s position against competitors, with analysts expecting positive market sentiment following recent gains. Lower data demands for nodes and cheaper rollup operations could accelerate adoption across DeFi and broader applications.

Other News Making Waves

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  Citadel urged the SEC to expand oversight of DeFi developers, sparking backlash from the crypto community over fears of stifled innovation and centralization.
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  Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse forecasts Bitcoin hitting $180,000 by end-2026, driven by U.S. regulatory clarity and major institutional inflows.
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  A Florida appeals court reinstated a lawsuit alleging Binance mishandled a 2022 theft of approximately 1,000 BTC, ruling the exchange has sufficient ties to the state.
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  Bitcoin enters a pivotal week as U.S. manufacturing, employment, and PCE data could shape Fed rate-cut expectations and risk sentiment across markets.
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  Ten major EU banks formed Qivalis to issue a regulated euro stablecoin by late 2026, aiming for digital monetary autonomy under Dutch oversight.
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  Ethereum set a new throughput record at 32,950 TPS, driven by Lighter’s high-performance ZK rollup and broader ecosystem scaling.
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  Cantor Fitzgerald disclosed holding 58,000 shares of the Solana ETF (SOLZ), marking its first regulated Solana exposure and underscoring rising TradFi interest.
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  New research shows AI agents autonomously exploiting smart-contract vulnerabilities, generating $4.6 million in real-world attacks and uncovering zero-day flaws.
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  Bank of America now advises Merrill and Private Bank clients to allocate 1–4% to crypto, enabling advisers to recommend four regulated bitcoin ETFs.
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  Hawkish signals from the BOJ sparked broad crypto deleveraging, sending BTC down $4K amid thin liquidity and compressed yen carry trades.
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  Yearn Finance reclaimed $2.4 million of the $9 million stolen in the November 30 yETH exploit after tracing 857 pxETH with support from Plume and Dinero.
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  Kalshi rolled out tokenized versions of its event contracts on Solana, targeting crypto-native users and increasing competitive pressure on Polymarket.
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  Merchants lose approximately 3% per card transaction to intermediaries, pushing growing adoption of stablecoins that settle for under 1% with near-instant transfers.
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  David Sacks slammed a New York Times report as a “willful misunderstanding,” saying he divested 99% of conflict-risk assets as an unpaid SGE.
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  Digital asset ETPs saw $1.07 billion in inflows after four weeks of $5.7 billion outflows, led by Bitcoin, Ethereum, and a record $289 million into XRP.
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  CeFi lending rebounded to nearly $25 billion in Q3 2025, driven by improved transparency and new entrants like Tether, Nexo, and Galaxy.
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  Upbit will resume deposits on December 1 after hackers stole $37 million in Solana-based tokens, prompting deletion of all old deposit addresses.
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  A Yearn attacker exploited a legacy yETH contract to mint over 235 trillion tokens, draining Balancer pools of millions in real assets.
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  Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino disputed S&P’s “weak” peg rating, citing $215 billion in assets, $7 billion excess equity, and $500 million monthly profits.

Around the World: Bold Moves and Regulations

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  Russia may formally count cryptocurrency flows in its balance of payments, citing growing cross-border usage and mining as a “hidden export.”
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  Fed Governor Michelle Bowman plans new rules for banks and stablecoin issuers, enforcing Genius Act reserve standards to ensure fair competition.
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  Japan’s government supports cutting crypto taxes to a flat 20% by 2026, aligning digital assets with equities and reversing burdensome 55% income rates.
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  South Korean lawmakers agreed on a consortium model for issuing won-based stablecoins, giving banks majority control with tech firms participating.

Market Trends: Winners and Losers

Project Spotlight

Sony Bank’s USD-Pegged Stablecoin & Soneium L2 Bring Web3 Payments to PlayStation

Sony Bank is preparing to launch a USD-pegged stablecoin in 2026, enabling blockchain-based payments for PlayStation games, subscriptions, and anime purchases across the U.S. market. Backed by partnerships with Bastion and Coinbase Ventures, the initiative ensures regulatory compliance and ready-to-use infrastructure. Alongside the stablecoin, Sony introduced Soneium, a new layer-2 blockchain aimed at gaming, entertainment, and finance developers.

Why It Matters:
Sony’s move brings one of the world’s largest entertainment ecosystems into regulated Web3 payments, reducing fees, improving user experience, and accelerating mainstream crypto adoption.