Cryptopolitan

Federal prosecutors said on December 8 that they have found a massive smuggling ring that secretly pushed Nvidia H100 and H200 GPUs, worth $160 million, from US warehouses into China between October last year and May this year.

The operation allegedly involved fake companies, illegal border entries, and relabeling high-end GPUs to sneak them out of the country, according to the prosecutors.

The investigation, named Operation Gatekeeper, was focused on chips; not weapons, not drugs, just raw compute power. These specific Nvidia chips are central to AI development, both for civilian and military systems.

And despite Beijing’s push to build local alternatives, it’s clear China still leans heavily on Nvidia’s gear to fuel its booming AI market.

Feds planted an agent inside New Jersey warehouse to catch fake GPU exporters

In Secaucus, New Jersey, U.S. officials said they sent an undercover agent into a shady shipping operation who allegedly watched suspects put fake branding on Nvidia hardware, packaging them under the name Sandkayan.

Instead of declaring the GPUs for what they were, the group would mislabel them as random electronics like “adapters,” “adapter modules,” and “contactor controllers.”

According to the prosecutors, three trucks showed up at the warehouse on May 28, ready to move the GPUs to the next stop before they hit international waters.

But something spooked them. A message flew through a private group chat used by the smugglers: one of the truck drivers had run into police asking about the destination of the cargo.

“Just say they don’t know anything,” the group allegedly told the drivers. Then five minutes later, another message: “Dissolve this group chat. Delete everyone.” But it was too late. Federal agents stormed the site and seized the hardware before it could leave the country.

Prosecutors said this bust wasn’t a one-off. Similar cases of illegal Nvidia shipments have popped up throughout the year.

The Center for a New American Security estimated that anywhere between 10,000 and several hundred thousand AI chips were illegally funneled to China in just this past year. That includes chips from older Nvidia lines, not just the latest models.

Analysts say China’s AI still depends on Nvidia despite local chip push

Ray Wang, a chip analyst at SemiAnalysis, said China still leans on Nvidia’s platforms to train most of its advanced AI models.

“I think more than 60% of the leading AI models in China are currently using Nvidia’s hardware,” Ray said. “Nvidia have a systematic advantage ranging from hardware to software. And I think for now, if you combine those two factors together, it’s still a thing that China is trying to catch up to.”

Ray also pointed out that once the chips are out in the wild, it’s hard for the company to track them.

“In today’s world, I feel there’s so many ways that you can get your hand on Nvidia’s chips in all kinds of illegal ways,” Ray said. “You can set up your data center globally, you can have shell companies to purchase Nvidia chips. And it’s so hard for Nvidia to track and do due diligence.”

Even Nvidia admitted the government’s export laws were tight. A Nvidia spokesperson told CNBC that even secondary-market sales of older chips are subject to federal reviews. “While millions of controlled GPUs are in service at businesses, homes, and schools, we will continue to work with the government and our customers to ensure that second-hand smuggling does not occur,” the spokesperson said.

Trump’s export deal throws prosecutors’ case into chaos

On the same day prosecutors dropped the case, President Donald Trump went online and dropped something bigger. Posting on Truth Social, Trump said the U.S. would now allow exports of Nvidia’s H200 GPUs, the same ones at the center of this case, to China, so long as the U.S. government gets a 25% cut of the sales.

The most advanced GPUs in Nvidia’s lineup, like the Blackwell and Rubin chips, are still restricted. But the H200s? Fair game, under Trump’s terms.

This blew up the argument prosecutors were trying to make. If the President was greenlighting the export of the very chips the defendants allegedly smuggled, then how could the DOJ claim those same exports were a national security threat?

Defense attorneys wasted no time. In a filing the very next day, they tore into the government’s narrative. “The President gave the lie to that claim when he announced that the United States will now allow Nvidia’s H200 GPUs, the most powerful GPUs seized by authorities in this case, to be exported to China,” the filing read.

And the case isn’t over. Two businessmen have been arrested. One man from Houston has already pleaded guilty, along with his company. But experts like Ray say this won’t stop anything.

“I don’t believe the smuggling will just stop,” Ray said. “It is unclear to me that the new opening of the H200 chips will be enough for Chinese AI demand. The compute demand we are seeing globally has been accelerating, and I believe that should be the case in China as well.”

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Retail traders in 2025 broke their own records more than once with a flood of cash into the stock market, outpacing all previous years by 53%.

The so-called “Dumb Money” came back and took the wheel, all without its king Roaring Kitty, whose last appearance was in January right before Trump’s inauguration.

Armed with real conviction and a strategy that ran counter to Wall Street’s panic, these guys outperformed, outplayed, and outlasted the pros.

Retail traders bought $3 billion in one day during Trump tariff panic

Everything turned the week of April 2, when President Donald Trump hit the global economy with a fresh wave of tariffs he branded “liberation day.” The S&P 500 tanked. Big funds bailed. But retail went straight in. They bought over $3 billion in stocks on April 3 alone, even as the market plunged nearly 5%. They kept buying the next day, through another 6% drop, according to VandaTrack.

Seven days after Trump’s announcement, on April 9, he put most of the tariffs on pause. The S&P 500 shot up 9.5%, and those same retail traders were already in position. Since April 2, the index has gained more than 21% and is on track to end the year up 17%.

“We often talk about retail as being sort of late to the party,” said Viraj Patel, deputy head of research at Vanda. “But this has been the polar opposite.”

Mark Malek, chief investment officer at Siebert Financial, said, “They’ve been much more accurate in their dealings than my colleagues in the institutional space.”

Retail traders also leaned hard into what Zhi Da, a finance professor at the University of Notre Dame, called the “TACO trade,” short for Trump Always Chickens Out.

The strategy is simple; we buy when Trump policies tank the market, expecting him to reverse course. It has worked literally every single time, so that helped dumb money a lot.

JPMorgan’s quant analyst Arun Jain called it a “successful year” for retail investors, thanks mostly to how quickly they bought during drawdowns, while Bespoke Investment Group called 2025 the “second-best year for dip-buying since the early 1990s.”

Starting in May, many small investors turned their attention from individual names to ETFs. One of the biggest winners was the SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) fund. Retail poured so much money into it that 2025 inflows beat the last five years combined. Gold soared, and GLD finished the year up over 65%.

The payoff was clear. Retail’s stock portfolios delivered higher profit-to-loss ratios than JPMorgan’s own AI and software baskets. Their ETF holdings outperformed both the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ).

This year, while a few meme names like OpenDoor popped up again, most cash flowed into Tesla, Nvidia, and Palantir, the top performers of the past 5 years. No drama. No games. Just chasing winners and cashing out right.

Retail participation in Wall Street hits highs not seen even in the GameStop saga

Retail’s surge is part of a movement that started during the pandemic with the legendary appearance of Keith Gill, the man Google has nicknamed “the greatest retail investor in the world.”

In 2024, over one in three 25-year-olds had already moved big chunks of money from checking accounts into investments by the time they turned 22.

Compare that to just 6% in 2015, and you’ll see what we mean. JPMorgan said retail trading jumped over 50% from last year and beat the 2021 meme stock mania by 14%. Retail’s share of total trades returned to levels last seen during the GameStop short squeeze.

A working paper by researchers at Chapman University, Boston College, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that retail activity this year rivaled 2021’s peaks. But the story’s different now. Pete Davidson’s “Dumb Money” film captured the old attitude, and now that attitude’s been replaced.

Patel said, “The average retail investor’s just becoming more and more sophisticated.” More access to data. More understanding of timing. More accurate plays.

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Uganda’s main opposition, Bobi Wine, has identified Bitchat as a suitable alternative communication channel amid growing concerns about an imminent internet shutdown in the country. Uganda is preparing for general elections in mid-January 2026, an event that has historically prompted the country’s ruling administration to shut down internet services and block social media.

Bobi Wine, Uganda’s opposition leader, urged his supporters to download a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging service, Bitchat, as the country gears up for elections on January 14, 2026.

The politician alleged that the current regime in Uganda will try to shut down communication services during the democratic process to prevent the mobilization of protests and the verification of election results.

Bobi Wine calls for Bitchat usage amid concerns about internet shutdown

Bobi Wine wrote on X that Uganda’s current government is plotting to block internet services in the country and restrict information relay on social media channels. Wine claims that the regime has done so in the past elections and could be laying down plots to do the same in the upcoming elections. 

HAVE YOU DOWNLOADED BITCHAT YET?

As we all know, the regime is plotting an internet shutdown in the coming days, like they have done in all previous elections. They switch off the internet in order to block communication and ensure that citizens do not organise, verify their… pic.twitter.com/KPVyc0ZW4H

— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) December 30, 2025

In 2016, Uganda’s current and longest-serving president, Yoweri Museveni, blocked internet and social media access in the country, citing concerns over safety and security. Wine emphasized that Bitchat will allow users to “communicate with thousands of people in record time” when the government shuts down the internet.

He also explained that users “will be able to send pictures of DR Forms and share any other critical information to specific or other users” through the platform.

A report from the Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network, a human rights umbrella organization, stated that Museveni disconnected the entire country from internet access during the 2021 elections. The organization noted that the internet blockage lasted approximately 4 days, from the day before the election (January 13) to January 18. 

Jack Dorsey, co-founder and former Twitter (now X) exec, launched Bitchat in July this year. The application provides a peer-to-peer messaging platform that enables users to send messages offline via Bluetooth, eliminating the need for an internet connection.

The Bitchat application utilizes a decentralized infrastructure that prevents users from providing personal details, such as phone numbers and email addresses, to use the platform, unlike traditional messaging platforms. 

Bitchat saw widespread usage during protests in Madagascar in September this year. The application received over 70,000 downloads from the country alone in just one week. Protests in Nepal also prompted nearly 50,000 downloads in the country on September 8 alone.

Ugandan government restricts Starlink importation and usage

The news comes after the Ugandan government issued a memo restricting the importation of Starlink, a satellite internet constellation by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The internet firm provides high-speed connections even in remote areas that previously had no reliable options.

The memo detailed that any importation of Starlink and its associated equipment should “be accompanied by a clearance certificate/authorization letter from the Chief of Defense Forces.” The restriction also comes just weeks before Uganda’s elections, where Yoweri Museveni will face his leading contender Bobi Wine for the second time.

Bobi Wine said that the ruling regime is operating in fear and asked the government why it was so concerned about people accessing the internet, if it was not planning mischief or electoral fraud.

Starlink has not received a formal license to operate in Uganda. However, citizens in the country have been importing the equipment and using the internet services.

Starlink has secured operating licenses in over 20 African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, and Zambia. However, significant regulatory hurdles in some African countries have restricted Starlink’s expansion plan. Cameroon, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Sudan have emerged as complex markets for Starlink due to regulatory constraints.

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The American dollar is heading for its worst performance in nearly a decade. Market experts think there’s more weakness coming, and it depends on who ends up running the Federal Reserve.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index has fallen 8.1% this year. That’s the steepest yearly drop in eight years. The dollar got hammered after President Donald Trump rolled out his April tariffs, which he called “Liberation Day”, and it’s been under pressure ever since.

Trump has been pushing hard for a more accommodating Fed chairman to take over next year, and that’s kept the currency on the back foot.

Yusuke Miyairi analyzes foreign exchange markets at Nomura. He said “The biggest factor for the dollar in first quarter will be the Fed,” adding that “it’s not just the meetings in January and March, but who will be the Fed Chair after Jerome Powell ends his term.”

Markets are betting on at least two interest rate cuts next year. That puts American monetary policy out of step with several other wealthy nations, making the dollar less appealing to investors.

Europe’s currency has been gaining against the dollar. Inflation there has stayed manageable, and there’s a wave of military spending on the horizon. That’s keeping expectations for rate cuts close to zero. Canada, Sweden, and Australia are different stories; traders are actually betting on rate hikes in those countries.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission puts out data on currency positioning. For the week ending December 16, it showed something interesting. There was a brief moment this month when people got bullish on the dollar again. That didn’t last. It flipped back to the pessimistic view that’s been around since those April tariffs got everyone worried about the American economy.

All eyes on Powell’s replacement

Right now, everything comes down to the Fed and who’s replacing Jerome Powell. His term as chairman ends in May.

Trump dropped hints recently that he’s picked someone but won’t say who yet. He’s also floated the idea of firing the current Fed leader before the term is up.

Kevin Hassett runs the National Economic Council. He’s been seen as the front-runner for a while now. Trump’s also talked about Kevin Warsh, who used to be a Fed governor. Then there are Fed governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman. Rick Rieder from BlackRock is in the mix too.

Andrew Hazlett trades foreign currencies at Monex Inc. He explained, “Hassett would be more or less priced in since he has been the frontrunner for some time now, but Warsh or Waller would likely not be as quick to cut, which would be better for the dollar.”

Fed officials split on next moves

Federal Reserve officials can’t seem to agree on when they’ll cut borrowing costs again. Most think more cuts could happen if inflation keeps cooling. But several officials want rates to stay where they are for a while. That came out in meeting records released Tuesday.

The minutes from the Fed’s December 9-10 session showed the disagreements aren’t going away as previously reported by Cryptopolitan. Most backed another rate cut last month, but it wasn’t an easy call for everyone.

The Fed voted 9-3 to trim its key rate by a quarter point in December. That’s three cuts in a row now. The rate is between 3.5% and 3.75%, as Cryptopolitan previously reported.

The minutes stated that “A few of those who supported lowering the policy rate at this meeting indicated that the decision was finely balanced or that they could have supported keeping the target range unchanged.”

Officials changed their statement after the meeting. The new version showed they’re less certain about when future cuts will happen. Their middle projection had just one quarter-point reduction coming in 2026. Individual forecasts were all over the place, though. Market watchers are putting their money on at least two cuts next year.

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Chinese car manufacturers hit a record in November. They grabbed 12.8% of Europe’s electric vehicle market despite facing new tariffs from the European Union.

Dataforce numbers seen by Bloomberg show Chinese brands also passed 13% in hybrid vehicle sales across the EU, EFTA countries, and the UK. BYD and SAIC Motor are leading. Newer players like Chery Automobile and Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology are pushing in too.

The reason? Too much manufacturing capacity back in China. Carmakers there are stuck in brutal price wars at home. They need somewhere else to sell.

BYD goes all-in on Europe

BYD is setting up local factories in Europe. Adding plug-in hybrids and premium brands. Competition at home is getting rough with rivals like Geely and Xiaomi gaining ground fast.

The Shenzhen company already did the heavy lifting. Built its brand. Got dealer networks running. Put charging stations across Europe. They want everything ready before the next wave of Chinese competitors arrives.

Stella Li is BYD’s executive vice president. She told reporters in Zhengzhou that machinery for their first European factory in Hungary should be installed by year’s end. Test runs start in the first quarter of 2026. Full production begins in the second quarter.

Hungary’s not their only project. BYD’s building new plants in Brazil and Turkey. They already have one running in Thailand that started shipping cars to Europe in August. Li admits making cars in Hungary will cost more at first than in China. But she says it’s necessary for building a brand people trust. Costs will drop eventually. It’ll also help them handle whatever happens with tariffs.

Another European factory might come later. Li said they’re looking at sites. Spain’s on the list as previously reported Cryptopolitan.

“We’ll ramp up our Hungary plant first, then the Brazil facility, and the Turkey one,” she said. “Then we’ll see what’s next, but we don’t have a clear plan yet.”

CEO Wang Chuanfu recently sent research and development managers to Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. They need to adapt vehicle designs for what people want in each place.

BYD’s already doing well in major European markets. October numbers tell the story. They registered over four times as many vehicles as Tesla in Germany. Almost seven times more in the UK. That’s from government and trade authority data.

Chinese carmakers mostly absorbed the extra fees from EU tariffs on Chinese-made EVs that started late 2024. They also pushed into areas the tariffs don’t touch. Hybrid models. Non-EU markets like the UK.

Explosive growth for newer brands

Leapmotor’s European EV sales jumped more than 4,000% through October. That’s from Jato Dynamics data. A partnership with Stellantis helped fuel that growth. Stellantis owns Peugeot, Fiat, and Opel. Chery’s Omoda brand saw a 1,100% jump in EV sales during the same period.

European automakers are scrambling to keep up. They’re also lobbying officials to ease rules that phase out regular gas and diesel cars.

EU officials floated dropping plans to ban new combustion engine vehicle sales by 2035. It’s the latest move to protect one of the continent’s biggest industries from a messy energy transition.

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The largest crypto gains do not usually begin when everybody is buying. According to the views of trade analysts in the market, the most promising cryptocurrency to invest in is the one that frequently appears silent before it engages and gains momentum. 

Rather than pursue assets that have already rocketed, most investors are now searching for lower priced tokens with products visible and development in sight. With Q1 2026 just around the corner, there is a new DeFi cryptocurrency, another project that is being mentioned as a potential value play. That is the name Mutuum Finance (MUTM).

What Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is Building

Mutuum Finance is developing a decentralized borrowing and lending protocol in which they have constructed two different markets that will serve different customers in diverse ways. The peer-to-contract market gives the users the opportunity to place assets in common pools. They, in their turn, are given mtTokens. These mtTokens give them a portion of the pool and yield to them as the interest is paid by borrowers. 

To illustrate, when a user deposits an ETH value of $6,000 in the pool and the pool has an APY of 5%, the mtTokens will gain value with time passing. This model is appropriate among users that desire passive yield but do not control loans.

The peer to peer market is concerned with direct borrowing. Users are able to lend out collaterals and borrow either at variable rates that fluctuate with the demand or at constant rates to ensure they can have predictable costs. 

Risk is capped by means of Loan-to-Value limit. In case the prices of the collateral become too low, then liquidations are set off. Liquidators get a reduced rate of repaying the debt and acquire discounted collateral allowing them to save lenders and the protocol.

It is this two-facet developing application that has netted Mutuum Finance some interest. It has already collected over $19.5M, and has over 18,700 holders. Such involvement is important in that it represents a wide interest as opposed to a dependence on a few people. The team is also on the way to prepare V1 of the protocol with a beta release on the Sepolia testnet so that users could test the product firsthand.

The Importance of Timing

MUTM is currently selling at $0.04 in presale phase 7. There are 4B in total supply, 45.5% or approximately 1.82B MUTM distributed to the presale in general. To date, 820M are already sold.

The initial stage was at $0.01. That is a 300% token appreciation since the presale was launched. The Phase 1 participants are expected to grow by 500% in case MUTM achieves the official launch price of 0.06.

Every stage includes a predetermined cost and budget. When the demand is high the phases fill faster and the token price goes up. The following stage represents an increase in the price of the MUTM almost by 20%. This is what early entrants are concerned about regarding timing. The earlier panels purchased, the greater the number of tokens of the same purchase price would be gained before the long run, in case the adoption increases.

Security is a key issue in investor confidence. Mutuum Finance has a 90/100 CertiK Token Scan score that can ensure that the structure of the token and its transparency are valid.

Moreover, Halborn security has fully audited the lending and borrowing contracts. The code is concluded and undergone under formal analysis. As another measure to enhance security, Mutuum Finance has come up with a 50k bug bounty that is aimed at uncovering buggy code. These steps entail decreasing the technical risk because the protocol gets altered to closer to the live usage.

Increasing Demand and Availability

The interest of investors has been growing gradually. Subsequent stages of selling out are happening at a greater rate and the nearer the V1 the more the activity is happening. According to market commentators, this sort of urgency tends to manifest itself in situations in which a project is transitioned between theory and implementation.

Mutuum Finance also promotes active engagement with an all-day leaderboard where the most active contributor gets $500 worth of MUTM per day. This compensates being involved on a consistent basis, and not just on a one time basis. The site also accepts the use of cards, which reduces the obstacle to entry of the new users who are new to crypto.

Positioning Ahead of Q1 2026

Mutuum Finance is developed on Ethereum that will provide access to deep liquidity and an established ecosystem. Once the Layer-2 is widely adopted, Ethereum-based DeFi protocol will be able to enjoy decisions that are cheaper and quicker.

According to some analysts, when the current price range is seen in retrospect, it might represent a cheap price range provided that the roadmap is being followed by the Mutuum Finance. A shift of $0.04 to $0.06 is already the indication of the next milestone. In the bullish case, it is projected to have an additional upshift given the lending business and the use by the users spread to 2026.

Mutuum Finance has a product focus, a security position, and an explicit roadmap, making it very appealing. Though nothing can be guaranteed, the low entry price combined with a rising demand and an impending V1 launch justifies the reason why MUTM is widely considered to be one of the cheapest crypto opportunities in the next four years right before Q1 2026.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mutuum.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

A trader with decades of experience told silver investors to watch out just before prices took a dramatic swing this week. Peter Brandt issued his warning over the weekend, and the market proved him right within hours.

Brandt was on X congratulating people who made money betting on silver and platinum lately. But he added a note of caution. “Being right is fun,” he wrote. “But know this, moves can far exceed anything expected. And tops come quickly when they come. And retracements are almost always full.”

The market turned sharply on Monday morning. Silver prices broke through $80 an ounce for the first time ever before dropping to around $70 by day’s end. Prices bounced back on Tuesday, climbing 10% to reach around $78. This year alone, silver futures have jumped over 150%.

The Monday drop came after CME, which runs the exchange, made traders put up more money to place their bets on metals contracts. This requirement forced many to come up with extra cash.

Brandt, who has traded commodities for nearly 50 years and has more than 840,000 followers on X, posted again Monday afternoon after silver fell. He said that in almost every market cycle, even the most determined buyers who promise never to sell eventually hit a breaking point. They reach a stage where they “no longer care if price goes to zero or a million, they have had enough pain and they want out.”

He said he’s “not sure” if silver has reached that point yet. “Time will tell,” he added.

Why precious metals keep rising

Precious metals like silver and gold have hit record highs this year. Lower interest rates have made them more attractive compared to cash and bonds. Some traders bought silver to get a piece of the AI boom, since the metal goes into AI equipment like microchips and data centers. Silver conducts electricity well, making it useful in circuit boards, switches, electric vehicles, and batteries.

Investors have also turned to precious metals as protection against global uncertainty and government debt problems, which could hurt the dollar and stock markets.

Trader defends cautious approach

Late Monday, Brandt defended his careful approach to the silver rally. He mentioned trading silver since it sold for below $4 an ounce back in the 1970s, and once handled orders for 200,000 ounces at a time.

“Yet, I am jealous because there is an entire generation of Z babies trading on Silver on laptops from their mommy’s basements that know everything there is to know about Silver,” he posted, adding laughing emojis.

Brandt rejected the idea that supply shortages are driving silver prices up. “It has never been different,” he wrote. “Never will be. So enjoy it now.”

He was blunt about what’s really happening. “This price action has NOTHING to do with supply shortages,” he wrote. “This now is a game of money.”

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The crypto market as a whole ended 2025 with a net loss, down from a $3.5T to $3T valuation. The MSCI blockchain economy index outperformed, gaining over 37% in the past 12 months. 

In 2025, the MSCI blockchain economy index gained a net 37.03%, outperforming most narratives and major coins. The index is based on tech stocks, reflecting the overall gain of the sector. 

The MSCI blockchain economy index gained over 37% in 2025, boosted by the performance of NVDA, IREN, and HOOD, as well as the stability of other components. | Source: MSCI indexes.

The MSCI blockchain economy index contains legacy stocks from the era of highly active mining. As a result, the index also reflects the gains of NVDA, as well as the recently recovering IREN. 

As a result, the blockchain index tapped the latest trends in tech and the wider economy, bypassing the underperformance of assets targeting crypto insiders. The index improved on the 2024 performance, when the basket of shares added around 34% in net gains. 

The blockchain economy index outperformed the MSCI World Index, which achieved 21.9% net gains for 2025. The index also improved on its 2024 gains, when it added 18.67% net. 

MSCI puts in best performance for the past two years

The MSCI Blockchain Economy reflected the shift of mining companies into data centers, and captured the rise of NVDA. As a result, index investment did not reflect the relatively weak year for crypto. 

The index had its best performance since 2023, when it added 98.88% in gains. MSCI reflected the crypto winter with over 46% losses in 2022. 

The 2025 performance also reflected the shift to overseas investment in US stocks, which make the biggest component of the index. Additionally, the flow into AI companies boosted some of the index stocks. 

MSCI financial component lagged behind tech stocks

The MSCI index carries a 39% weight for its financial stock component. VISA shares ended the year with minimal net change, trading above $353. Mastercard MA shares also retained their range at $577. 

Robinhood (HOOD) boosted the index’s final performance with 200% net gains for 2025, offsetting PayPal’s 30% loss. Coinbase Global (COIN) lost around 9.3% for the period. The stocks were still boosting the index with their relatively high liquidity. 

The financial stocks are also reflecting the shift to using blockchain components and stablecoins in traditional settlement and as part of regular payment systems. 

In comparison, the crypto large-cap S&P index fell by 14.49% by the last day of the year, reflecting the weakened sentiment for direct coin and token investments. Blockchain as infrastructure gained adoption among mainstream companies, but the native trading and speculation were abandoned in the past year, pushed aside by the AI narrative. 

The S&P broad digital asset index had an even worse performance, wiping out 16.22% in the past year, with most of the steep losses concentrated in Q3.

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With the future of the market trending in 2026, the question that is being raised by many investors is what is the best crypto to invest in today and grow over the long term? It is a fact that big moves usually precede actual improvement in prices. Market commentators allude that instead of running with what is already running, one should monitor projects that have just left planning to run. 

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) has also become a name that has repeatedly been used in such debates as a DeFi cryptocurrency with a real financial use-case, as opposed to the hype of short-term excitement.

What Mutuum Finance (MUTM) Is

Mutuum Finance is a decentralized lending and borrowing protocol that is being developed with balance and predictability as the pillars. Users can provide assets to receive yield or borrow on security without selling the assets.

As the users provide assets, they are issued with mtTokens. These tokens are the manifestation of their location and their growth in value when interest paid back by the borrowers into the system unwinds. The borrowers get access to the liquidity with the defined rules, the collateral requirements and liquidation thresholds that secure the protocol.

The team is in development of V1 of the lending and borrowing platform with a beta that will roll out into the Sepolia testnet. This will enable the community to directly test the protocol with ETH and USDT. Security has been a major development factor. 

Funds Raised and Price Development

Mutuum Finance has already collected $19.5M and received 18,700 investors. This is important since extensive participation usually signifies a feeling of assurance among numerous sizes of wallet instead of the overdependence on a limited group.

The initial token price was $0.01. The price of MUTM is at present $0.04 and this is the 300% increase over the initial stage. According to the commentators of the market, such kind of growth as achieved prior to total access to the products is a possible indication of faith in the road map and not short term trading.

To crypto price observers in the current day, appreciation of prices can fluctuate in relation to development, as illustrated in this pattern of the price. There are some critics who hold that further implementation might enable MUTM to push it further once it is adopted, particularly, in case the metrics of their use are measured after implementation.

Distribution of Tokens and Participation

The amount of MUTM supplied amounts to 4B tokens. There are 45.5% or approximately 1.82B tokens of that part that are distributed early on. This is important to determine the extent of supply to the market before the wider trading starts.

Engagement incentives have also been introduced in Mutuum Finance. It will have a 24-hour leaderboard, which rewards the leader of the day with $500 in MUTM to ensure an individual participates daily rather than a single day. 

Moreover, it also accepts card payments, reducing the barrier to entry of new users who desire exposure and do not have to go through difficult on-chain procedures. Investors considering the option of investing in a crypto project usually consider access as a major factor in the long-term adoption than anticipated.

CertiK Audit and Stablecoin

Trust is still a major influence in crypto investment. Mutuum Finance has a CertiK 90100 CertiK Token Scan Score, which facilitates the building of trust in the format of the token. Such an overall score, coupled with the filled out Halborn review, makes the project one of the ones that focus on security initially.

Another key area is the stablecoins. Mutuum Finance will also lend stablecoins: this is one of the developing roadmap use cases. Stablecoins make borrowing and lending deflated with uncertainty and allow the activity to remain steady when other markets are active and volatile. It is believed by many analysts that the lending of stablecoins will continue to be one of the best growing resources of DeFi in the following cycle.

The Importance of Timing

Phase 6 of MUTM distribution was sold out very fast and this is one of the reasons that the commentators in the market see it as an indicator of an increasing demand. Timing is of the essence to those in need of the potential next big crypto or the most promising cryptocurrency to invest in before the first quarter of 2026. 

According to some analysts, in case Mutuum Finance keeps on achieving its roadmap and it is adopted, price levels as we will have to live in today might be quite different in 2026. Although no result can be predicted, the stir of funds, active purchasers, scrutinized code and an imminent V1 launch is the reason why MUTM is becoming a legitimate name amongst a growing number of DeFi initiatives that are setting their eyes on the subsequent phase of market development.

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mutuum.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

Nvidia is under pressure to deliver after Chinese tech giants flooded it with orders for over 2 million H200 chips.

But here’s the problem: Nvidia only has 700,000 units available right now, so it had to go back to its main foundry partner, TSMC, asking them to speed up production. Three people familiar with the situation allegedly told Reuters that TSMC has been asked to start making more H200 units, with production expected to begin by the second quarter of 2026.

The order rush could strain global AI chip supply again. While Nvidia tries to satisfy Chinese demand, it still has to support customers elsewhere. Things are even riskier because Beijing hasn’t approved the chips for import.

Cryptopolitan reported in November that President Donald Trump’s administration lifted the U.S. export ban, allowing H200 shipments to China, but with a 25% fee.

Chinese firms order millions of chips as Nvidia balances supply gaps

The talks with TSMC, as well as the size and price of Chinese orders, have not been reported before. Nvidia has priced the H200 chips at around $27,000 each, depending on the buyer and order size.

Two sources said the company will offer two chip variants to Chinese customers: the standalone H200 and the GH200 Grace Hopper superchip, which combines the Grace CPU with the Hopper GPU.

Of the 700,000 units Nvidia currently has, about 100,000 are GH200s, with the rest being H200. The first deliveries will come from this existing inventory and are scheduled to reach clients before the Lunar New Year holiday in mid-February. Additional supply will follow once TSMC ramps up.

Chinese firms view the H200 as a serious step up from what they can currently access. The now-blocked H20, a weaker chip made specifically for the Chinese market, is no longer available after Beijing banned it. But the H200 delivers roughly six times the performance, according to people familiar with the matter.

The eight-chip module is priced at about 1.5 million yuan, more than the H20’s 1.2 million yuan price tag. Even so, it’s still cheaper than gray-market options, which are going for over 1.75 million yuan.

ByteDance is already gearing up to spend 100 billion yuan on Nvidia’s chips in 2026, up from 85 billion yuan in 2025, if Chinese regulators approve the H200 imports.

Beijing still undecided on greenlighting incoming chip shipments

Despite the U.S. now allowing H200 exports, Chinese regulators haven’t given the all-clear. They’re worried that letting in more advanced foreign chips could slow progress in China’s own semiconductor sector. Officials haven’t blocked the shipments, but they haven’t signed off either.

Local chipmakers have built products that match the H20, but nothing yet rivals the H200. One idea that’s reportedly being discussed in Beijing is to tie every imported H200 chip to a mandatory purchase of a set amount of locally made chips.

This plan would let China’s domestic players stay in the game while letting internet giants like ByteDance keep scaling up.

Nvidia responded to a request for comment saying it manages its supply chain actively. A company spokesperson added, “Licensed sales of the H200 to authorised customers in China will have no impact on our ability to supply customers in the United States.”

The spokesperson also reportedly said, “China is a highly competitive market with rapidly growing local chip suppliers. Blocking all U.S. exports undercut our national and economic security and only benefited foreign competition.”

The H200 is part of Nvidia’s Hopper architecture and is made using TSMC’s 4-nanometer process. Even though Nvidia is also working on newer chips like Blackwell and the upcoming Rubin, this sudden surge in Chinese demand is pushing it to expand H200 output fast.

Sources said Nvidia hasn’t finalized exactly how many more chips it’ll ask TSMC to build, but the target is to keep up with massive demand while avoiding deeper supply shortages in other regions.

That balance just got a lot trickier.

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Michael Burry, the investor known for calling the US housing crash years before the painful year that was 2008, said he is not betting against Tesla stock right after he called it “ridiculously overvalued.”

The clarification came after users on X pressed him on whether his consistent bearish comments meant he was short the TSLA stock too.

“But I am not short,” Michael wrote in response to one of those questions. The TSLA stock had already gone through a sharp swing this year. Shares slid in April after Elon Musk’s political activity raised questions about his focus on running the automaker. Since then, Tesla has rebounded hard and now trades near record highs, despite rising concern around vehicle demand and slowing deliveries.

Tesla publishes delivery estimates as sales pressure builds

Tesla added to the debate on Monday when it abruptly published vehicle delivery estimates on its website. That step stood out. The company usually shares this data privately with analysts and investors.

The numbers pointed to a second straight annual decline in vehicle sales, as Tesla compiled an average estimate of 1.6 million deliveries, a drop of more than 8% from the prior year. The outlook for the next three years also came in below averages tracked by Bloomberg, showing weaker momentum than many investors had priced in.

For the fourth quarter, analysts expect Tesla to deliver 422,850 vehicles, according to data posted by the company. That would be a 15% fall from the same period last year.

Bloomberg’s average stood higher at 440,907 vehicles, which still implied an 11% annual decline. Tesla had not published these averages before, even though its investor relations team has long compiled similar data behind the scenes.

Despite the sales slowdown, Tesla stock has held up, surging 11% through Tuesday’s close, even as the S&P 500 gained 17% over the same period. The gap shows investors remain willing to pay for future growth, even as delivery volumes soften.

Elon Musk defends Tesla scale while Burry stays skeptical of AI

While delivery estimates triggered bearish argument, Elon Musk continued posting on X, saying, “Tesla Model Y is now officially the world’s best-selling car for the third year in a row.” In another, Elon addressed criticism tied to his $1 trillion pay package, which shareholders approved at an October meeting.

“My Tesla and SpaceX shares, which are almost all my wealth, only go up in value as a function of how much useful product those companies produce and service,” Elon wrote. He added that shareholders and employees benefit from stock gains and described himself as “a maker, not a taker,” targeting politicians like Bernie Sanders.

Meanwhile, Michael remains with short positions on Nvidia, Palantir, and Google, arguing that AI has turned into a bubble. He has said, in his new Substack “Cassandra Unchained,” he does not believe AI demand will justify current valuations and expects the trade to unwind next year.

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On December 30, Bitwise increased its efforts to introduce more digital assets into regulated markets by submitting applications for 11 new cryptocurrency ETFs to the U.S. SEC. Key elements, such as fees and trading symbols, are still pending, but the proposed funds would obtain exposure through a combination of direct token ownership, crypto-linked ETPs, and derivatives.

The Securities and Exchange Commission stated that the primary goal of the Fund is to provide capital appreciation.

According to the filing documents, the ETFs focused on tokens include $AAVE, $CC, $ENA, $HYPE, $NEAR, $STRK, $SUI, $TAO, $TRX, $UNI, and $ZEC. The report revealed that the products are expected to take effect on March 16, 2026. 

Bitwise ETFs outline crypto allocation strategy

In terms of investment strategy, the aforementioned ETFs intend to allocate roughly 60% of their assets directly to the corresponding cryptocurrency. According to the SEC report, the remaining 40% would be invested in exchange-traded products (ETPs) that track the same asset, with potential additional exposure gained through derivative instruments.

The report revealed that Fund may invest in derivatives contracts that use an Applicable Token or an Applicable Token ETP as the reference asset, such as futures contracts and swap agreements (“Applicable Token Derivatives”). The report further stated that each Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets plus borrowings in an Applicable Token, Applicable Token ETPs, and Applicable Token Derivatives under typical market conditions. 

Additionally, Derivative contracts will be valued at their notional value to comply with this investment policy.

SEC noted that each Fund shall buy and sell an Applicable Token on digital asset trading platforms. The report revealed that the buying and selling of Applicable Token would also occur through over-the-counter transactions with specific, independent third-party trading counterparties (referred to as “Trading Counterparties”).

SEC scrutiny shapes Bitwise’s expanding crypto ETF push

The recent filing comes at a time when U.S. regulators are closely examining and gradually approving ETFs. In January 2024, the SEC approved eleven spot Bitcoin ETFs, setting a significant framework. The SEC had previously proposed that several cryptocurrencies could be classified as securities, extending beyond Bitcoin.

Earlier this year, the SEC granted fast-track approval for Bitwise’s spot Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF). The fast-track approval drastically reduced the typical review period. Bypassing the customary 240-day process, approval was granted within 45 days of filing.

On January 30, 2025, the SEC accepted NYSE Arca’s 19b-4 filing, allowing Bitwise’s ETF to be listed and traded. According to the report, the Fund consisted of Bitcoin and Ethereum, along with cash reserves, allocating assets according to their respective market capitalizations.

The SEC claimed that the ETF qualified for rapid approval because it resembled previously authorized spot cryptocurrency ETFs. The Commission declared that it has good reason to adopt the proposal before the 30th day after the date on which the notice of Amendment No. 126 was published in the Federal Register.

This ruling followed the approval by the SEC in December 2024 of Hashdex and Franklin Templeton’s first-ever combined Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. 

On July 22, 2025, the SEC approved Bitwise’s attempt to convert its Bitwise 10 Crypto Index Fund (BITW) into a spot exchange-traded fund (ETF). Notably, the approval was abruptly halted, creating new questions about the agency’s requirements for cryptocurrency ETFs.

In the same month, the SEC released a letter stating that “the Commission will review the delegated action,” which is the same message Grayscale received when its ETF was put on hold.

The SEC initially approved Grayscale’s Digital Large Cap Fund (GDLC), a comparable product that tracks BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, and ADA. However, the government then changed its mind and halted the launch of the fund.

In a statement, a Grayscale representative said that the SEC’s suspension “was unexpected” but “reflects the dynamic and evolving nature of the regulatory landscape surrounding a first-of-its-kind digital asset product like GDLC.”

The Grayscale’s 8-K filing stated that the company remains committed to listing the Fund on NYSE Arca and is working closely with key stakeholders to secure approval of the application.

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About 10% of banking jobs across Europe could disappear by 2030 as lenders lean harder on AI, with analysts saying that more than 200,000 roles are now exposed over the next five years.

The forecast comes from Morgan Stanley, which reviewed 35 banks employing around 2.12 million people combined. A straight 10% workforce reduction equals roughly 212,000 job cuts.

The expected job cuts focus on central services, meaning back-office roles, middle-office teams, risk management, and compliance units; basically the parts of banks where automation replaces repeat work fastest.

Banks are targeting central service jobs for AI replacement operations

Morgan Stanley said many lenders expect efficiency to increase by as much as 30% from AI and deeper digital use.

Banks have already started acting too, like in November, Dutch lender ABN Amro said it plans to cut about 20% of its full-time workforce by 2028. In March, Société Générale chief executive Slawomir Krupa warned that “nothing is sacred” as the French bank tries to shrink a stubborn cost base.

Morgan Stanley analysts said AI helps improve cost-to-income ratios, one of the most watched metrics by investors. These ratios remain high at many consumer-focused lenders, especially in France and Germany.

Branch networks remain expensive. Digital channels are cheaper. AI fits directly into that math. Across Europe, banks serving retail customers face the biggest shake-up as more services shift to apps and automated platforms.

The surge in AI use has also sparked fear well beyond banking. Several industries already face job losses as software replaces people. Financial services sit near the top of that list. Analysts warn that this wave will not stay limited to support teams. Over time, more functions could be affected as systems grow more capable.

Executives warn speed matters as training risks grow

At UBS, analysts say AI already changes how banks present themselves to clients. The firm has started turning analysts into digital avatars, sending recorded AI-generated videos to customers.

Jason Napier, head of European banks research at UBS, said banks have not yet delivered clear efficiency gains, as cost bases remain large and powerful tools are still early in deployment. Napier added that anyone doubting AI’s impact should spend time testing tools already available.

UBS also sent 250 senior leaders to Oxford University for an AI leadership summit in recent months. The goal was to prepare top executives for wider rollout decisions.

Still, caution exists. Conor Hillery, co-chief executive for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at JPMorgan Chase, warned banks not to move too fast. He said leaders must avoid losing sight of core skills while rushing toward automation.

JPMorgan aims to use AI to speed up basic work while still training junior staff in fundamentals like cash flow models and price-to-earnings ratios. Hillery said failing to balance both could create future problems.

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When investors are in demand for the next crypto to blow out of proportion, they often fail to realize that there is no screamer about it very often. Rather than hype, strong candidates generally tend to have consistent funding, definite product plans and increasing participation. 

With the debate on the most successful crypto to invest in today once more spreading the proliferation of conversations, the market analysts reckon that there are DeFi projects selling under $0.05 worth looking into. Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is the name of one of such altcoins that received that attention.

Presale Momentum

Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is now valued at $0.04, and it has clearly risen to the group of potential best cheap cryptos to buy at the early stage among many investors. The presale system is determined by stages, and every stage has a fixed number of tokens allocated at a predetermined price. With more demand, the phases will close more rapidly and the pricing also will rise.

Until now, Mutuum Finance has accumulated $19.5M, had 18,700 holders, and sold over 820M tokens. Out of the total 4B MUTM, 45.5% are distributed to the presale. This implies that much of it remains in distribution though pricing has already gone out.

The presale began at $0.01 in early 2025. Early investors have also already MUTM appreciation as the token is currently priced at $0.04. Its price at the time of official launch is formulated at $0.06 which most observers consider to be a major psychological point. 

To the investors, who are comparing the cannot be made the same prices of crypto today, there is a difference between the price at $0.04 and those nearer to the launch. A $2,000 entry now secures 50,000 MUTM. This would only purchase a lot fewer tokens in the launch pricing.

What Mutuum Finance (MUTM) is Creating

Mutuum Finance is developing a lending protocol which is decentralized. The protocol enables users to provide assets and or raise yield or borrow based on collateral in a designed manner. The system will have a gradual scaling structure, where the rules will be adjusted to the market demand, not predetermined incentive.

Assets are provided by users and they are rewarded with mtTokens. Such tokens are reflective of their status and increase in worth as borrowers pay up interest. This directly correlates protocol usage to user returns.

The system adopted by Mutuum Finance is also buy-and-distribute. MUTM bought on the open market is redistributed to users who post mtTokens in the safety module. This is binding token demand onto real activity rather than short-term trade. Other observers think such an arrangement will encourage more healthy pricing over the long term.

Security has been a priority. Mutuum Finance is rated at 90/100 CertiK Token Scan and the Halborn Security audit is complete, awaiting final update. Audits would also significantly help to weed out serious and risky projects to investors as they seek to know what crypto to invest in next.

Price Outlook and Design

The issue of comments revolves around stablecoins which form the basis of lending schemes since they make them less volatile and encourage a stable demand to borrow. Mutuum Finance is highly engaged in the use of stablecoins, which may fund the protocol even in the time when crypto charts may appear shaky.

The protocol is meant to be based on sound oracle infrastructure, and the plans consist of Chainlink price feeds, fallback options, and aggregated data sources. Pricing of liquidations and collateral management requires appropriate pricing. The protocols with good oracle systems are said to be more resilient when markets move fast, therefore, industry speculation.

On this basis, certain observers think that the progression of Mutuum Finance may be cautious to a bullish trend. In a measured case, the MUTM could protrude its initial launch price as the adoption increases. Under a bullish case, it is projected that in the long term of usage and revenue upsurge, a 10x to 15x improvement can be achieved.

Whale Interest and V1 Launch 

The timeline of Mutuum Finance development is another factor why it is becoming one of the top crypto companies to watch. The team is getting ready in the V1 of the lending protocol, and it is expected to run on the Sepolia testnet. This enables the community to experience such features as liquidity pools, mtTokens, and liquidation logic with ETH and USDT.

Phase 6 of the presale was quickly sold which channeled an evidence of an increasing demand. Large individual allocations have also been witnessed in recent updates on funding. Inclusion of whales is usually relevant since it implies trust in prolonged results instead of exchanges in the short-term.

The investor activity in the first quarter shows that there is a shift in capital flow between better-developed tokens and newer projects in DeFi that have noticeable achievements. This change is significant to the crypto beginner who wants to purchase a crypto that has the potential to grow over time. 

When a protocol shifts further in its life cycle past presale to live testing, the story shifts usually to performance. As MUTM continues to sell under $0.1, its presale continues, and a beta launch is on the cards, Mutuum Finance is gaining growing popularity as a next cryptocurrency. 

For more information about Mutuum Finance (MUTM) visit the links below:

Website: https://www.mutuum.com

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mutuumfinance

President Donald Trump has officially started gutting funding at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), killing off rules that were invented with a mission to stop Wall Street and other lenders from screwing over Main Street.

But now, under Trump’s second term, that protection is getting axed, as his budget director Russell Vought, who also runs the place, wants to shut it down completely.

Investigations are being pushed over to the Justice Department, which wasn’t built to chase credit card scams or payday loan schemes.

Trump, speaking about his decision at the White House, said, “It’s very important to get rid of the agency,” claiming that Senator Elizabeth Warren used it “as her little personal agency to go around and destroy people.”

Elizabeth, who helped create the CFPB in 2010, fired back almost immediately, saying that she will fight back because “this is about enforcing the law as it is written, so that billionaires and billionaire corporations don’t cheat American families.”

White House tries to fire workers and reroute enforcement

The Trump administration is trying to fire as many as 90% of CFPB employees and stop the agency from getting more money. Vought, in an October podcast appearance, said he has no plans to keep it running.

The Federal Reserve, which funds the CFPB, was told it needs to return to what the administration calls “profitability” before more money can be requested. That argument got tossed out by a federal judge this week, who called it legally baseless. But that hasn’t stopped the machine. In July, Congressional Republicans cut the CFPB’s max funding limit.

Since then, a decade of consumer finance rules have been dismantled. We’re talking protections around student loans, credit card fees, mortgages, and overdraft charges. Most of the watchdog’s pending actions have either been paused or dropped altogether.

Insiders are quitting. Oversight is crumbling. The agency has basically stopped checking in on the very industries it was made to watch.

People who rely on the CFPB have noticed. Reuters spoke to lawyers, counselors, and broke Americans who said they’re scared. The agency was their only help against creditors who play dirty. With it fading, people with medical bills, job losses, or bad luck say they’ll be left alone with financial predators.

Elizabeth Warren warns no other agency protects consumers first

Elizabeth, reflecting on her time as a bankruptcy law professor, said the system used to be chaos. “I was stunned by the number of people in financial trouble who had lost a job or got sick but who had also been cheated by one or more of their creditors,” she said.

She said no other agency put consumer protection first. Most agencies, she said, treated it as an afterthought, somewhere between fifth and tenth on the priority list.

With no CFPB, people getting scammed have no backup. The agency used to go after shady lenders and hold them accountable. Now, Trump’s team wants that job shifted elsewhere, which critics say means nowhere.

Meanwhile, over in China, the government is doing the exact opposite; pumping money into consumer protections. Xinhua, the country’s state media, reported that 62.5 billion yuan in long-term bond funds is being given to local governments to support a 2026 subsidy program.

The plan gives Chinese citizens cash back when they swap out old fridges, TVs, and even bikes or cars. The country launched this scheme in 2024 to fight sluggish demand. It’s now being expanded.

Li Chao, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission, said the money is already going out to support the Spring Festival and New Year holiday spending. Buyers get 15% back when they replace appliances like washing machines or smartphones, capped at 500 yuan per item.

If they trade in old cars, they can get 12% of the price of a new electric vehicle, up to 20,000 yuan. If they’re just upgrading to a newer clean vehicle, they still get 8%, maxing out at 15,000 yuan.

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Crypto investing is no longer about relying on an all-in-one platform. To truly reap the benefits of the market swings, most investors use a stack of specialized mobile apps. These are often designed for different needs. One can be for instant swaps, one for market data, another for DeFi wallet access and so on. The investor profile has shifted from simply buy and hold to users that now expect easy to use, secure tools that help them make the most of their assets, from portfolio tracking to advanced analysis. 

This article highlights the six must-have cryptocurrency applications that investors actually use, each excelling in its own distinct category. These apps were selected based on daily usability, strong mobile performance across operating systems, security, multi-chain support, speed/reliability and most importantly a clear use case for those managing or looking to gain exposure to digital assets. 

By using these crypto apps in combination, a crypto investor in 2026 can cover all the facets required to potentially build wealth in this space. 

ChangeNOW – Best Crypto App for Fast, Non-Custodial Crypto Swaps 

Why it ranks #1 

ChangeNOW is on the top of our list for quick and easy crypto swaps. It’s a non-custodial exchange platform with minimal onboarding steps. Users can swap coins directly from their wallet without depositing into a centralized exchange. This means no custody and fewer verifications for most basic swaps, unlike traditional crypto exchanges. Crypto swaps are near-instant and all carried out on a single terminal, making it extremely simple for those new to crypto swaps. For users looking to add or reduce exposure to a specific crypto on the go, the app is available on both Android and IOS. 

Key Strengths 

Despite its simplicity, ChangeNOW supports a huge number of crypto assets. This includes over 1,500 cryptocurrencies across 110+ blockchain networks and support for over 70 fiat currencies. Users can convert everything from Bitcoin to small cap altcoins or even gain more exposure to a specific crypto sector all in one place. With over 5 million users worldwide, ChangeNOW stands out for its clean and beginner friendly interface. It lowers the barrier for anyone looking to rebalance their portfolio or react to market moves on the go. 

Speed and transparency are the biggest strong points for the platform. Swaps are typically completed within 1-2 minutes. Transparency is also at its core with rates clearly mentioned on the terminal before any swaps are initiated. ChangeNOW aggregates rates from various exchange partners to offer the most competitive prices. In addition, users have access to 24/7 customer support. For investors, the platform essentially provides a very convenient way to do quick swaps without managing orders on a traditional exchange. 

Best for 

ChangeNOW is an ideal platform for users looking to quickly rebalance their portfolios with the help of fast swaps. The platform makes it extremely easy to rotate out of one token into another in just a matter of seconds and taps. 

As a non custodial service, it’s also great for those who value privacy and security. For those looking for convenience without the complexity of charts and trader heavy jargon, ChangeNOW is a platform that will appeal to this group. 

Limitations 

With its simplicity however comes its flipside. It is not a platform built for traders as there are no advanced trading features, order books or charting tools. The platform also does not provide you with a comprehensive overview to track your portfolio over time. 

In this sense, ChangeNOW should be considered as a specialist swapping tool in one’s arsenal but you will probably be better off combining this with the other apps mentioned on our list to create a well rounded investor toolkit. Overall, however, its speed, non-custodial swaps with broad asset support makes it a top utility app for crypto investors in 2026. 

CoinRabbit – Best Crypto App for Crypto Backed Loans and Passive Growth  

Why it’s essential

Launched in 2020, CoinRabbit started as a crypto lending and is now growing into an all-in-one crypto platform. It combines crypto loans with a wallet, exchange and savings tools in one place. While the platform continues to evolve, crypto lending remains at its core, allowing users to use crypto as collateral and receive stablecoin loans instantly. This way, they can access liquidity for any needs without having to sell their holdings . In terms of asset support, currently CoinRabbit lets people use over 350 cryptocurrencies as collateral with a loan-to-value (LTV) of up to 90%, depending on the asset. 

CoinRabbit also ensures a no rehypothecation policy, meaning your crypto stays untouched and is stored in cold wallets with multisig access. This gives full control and safety of your assets. 

Loans are usually issued in under 10 minutes without any credit checks and the platform offers 27/7 human support. The loan feature starts at amounts under $100 so the barrier to entry is not high for even small holders. 

For high net worth individuals or institutions managing $500,000 or more in digital assets, the platform has a dedicated Private Program. The perks in this exclusive service include a personal relationship manager, cross-collateralization, special loan, restoration options and personalized borrowing rates. 

Apart from instant loans, the platform is also known for its easy to use Earn feature. Users can deposit stablecoins like USDT and USDC or certain cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum generate yield in a passive manner. A compound interest of 5% APY can be expected from stablecoins across different networks and interest is paid on a daily basis. Users also have flexibility here as they can opt to withdraw the complete amount or partially at any time. 

Best For

CoinRabbit is a platform best suited for investors looking to unlock extra liquidity without having to sell their crypto assets. This is especially useful during volatile periods as the platform’s model allows investors to hold and not sell at a potentially inopportune time. Investors who are in crypto for the long term will also find this platform useful for its Earn feature. The ease of use along with high security standards allows long term holders to earn passive interest on their idle assets. 

MetaMask – Best App for Web3 & DeFi Access 

Why it’s included

Metamask has built a reputation as the best web3 wallet app. It is a must have for anyone looking to explore DeFi, interact with decentralized applications (dApps) or on-chain invest/trade. Launched in 2016, it’s an established self-custodial wallet, putting you in control of your private keys while providing a gateway to the world of decentralized web. 

Starting out as a browser extension, MetaMask later expanded to a full mobile app on both IOS and Android. With MetaMask, you can receive, store and send cryptocurrency, primarily Ethereum and ERC-20 tokens. Its real utility however comes from how easy it is to connect to dApps. The app has a web3 browser that lets you navigate to a decentralized exchange, NFT marketplace, DeFi lending and borrowing protocol etc and Metamask can directly connect and act as your wallet login. 

This way, MetaMask essentially becomes a users key that unlocks the word of web3. This simplicity has enabled MetaMask to acquire around 30 million monthly active users globally as of 2025. 

Another reason for its popularity is its strong ecosystem support and flexibility. MetaMask is not limited to Ethereum’s mainnet, it supports connecting to multiple Ethereum compatible networks like Polygon, BNB chain, Arbitrum, Optimism, Avalanche and others. 

Best For

MetaMask is undoubtedly made for those looking to explore the world of dApps. It’s the go to crypto app for holding your crypto in a secure place with an option to use your crypto in the decentralized space. Long term holders can use MetaMask to store their assets while active traders can use it to link to a decentralized exchange or earn yield through lending protocols. 

TradingView – Best Crypto App for Charting & Technical Analysis 

TradingView is the ultimate platform for technical analysis and charting. This application is not limited to cryptocurrencies as it’s an established tool used in other traditional markets like stocks, commodities, forex etc as well. This support across various asset classes is actually a massive strength as users can analyze how crypto is performing against other assets from a macro perspective. 

The mobile application comes with almost all trading pairs and these can be overlaid with trendlines and technical indicators. It comes loaded with 100+ pre built technical indicators and 90+ drawing tools. It also comes with the flexibility of custom script support, meaning those who want to code their own indicators can do so. 

One of its stand out features is the ability to set alerts. You can set custom price alerts on a specific asset and TradingView will automatically push a notification when that condition is met. For a market like crypto that runs 24/7, this feature is especially useful. 

Multi device and account syncing is another strong feature of TradingView. Once you sign in and set up your charts, all the data, including trendlines, indicators and alerts are synced across devices. 

Apart from this, it can also be seen as a place to learn from other technical analysts. It has an active community wherein traders post their ideas with live charts enabling knowledge sharing.

Best for 

TradingView is best suited for technical traders and anyone looking for in-depth market analysis. During volatile periods, timing can become crucial. TradingView helps in strategizing your trades by providing the resources to identify market structures, trends and signals. 

Even long term investors can use TradingView to identify potential local bottoms or tops by keeping a longer timeframe on the charts. Crucially, TradingView is built for both beginners who just want to check real time prices and for pro traders who might build their own strategy using various indicators. 

CoinStats – Best Crypto App for Portfolio Tracking

Why Investors Use it 

For many crypto investors, tracking your balances across different exchanges and wallets becomes a challenging task. CoinStats is a platform that tackles this problem by creating a unified dashboard where investors can track all their balances from these different sources in one place. CoinStats is basically a complete view of your entire portfolio in one application. It does this by having access to 300+ exchanges and wallet services (portfolios are connected via API or public addresses), effectively aggregating your balances and transaction history automatically

Best for

CoinStats is best for crypto users who store their assets across different wallet addresses or between different networks. Whether you’re a long term holder or using hot wallets for shorter term trades, this platform gives you a birds eye view of your entire portfolio on any given day. 

Google Authenticator (or Authy) – Best Crypto App for Security 

Last but not least, strong account security is a must have for crypto traders and investors. As crypto scams get more sophisticated by the day, the use of two factor authentication (2FA) apps like Google Authenticator or Authy becomes non-negotiable. 

These authenticator apps generate time based 6 digit code that you must enter when loggin into your exchange or wallet that has 2FA. This basically adds another layer of safety beyond a password. 

This sort of security is especially important in crypto, as breaches to your wallet or exchange can mean irreversible loss when transferred. 

Best for

An authenticator app is best for everyone’s security. It’s essentially mandatory for account protection in 2026. It dramatically reduces risks when holding crypto and is a security practice that most exchanges and wallets require you to set up. 

Summary

AppCategoryPrimary UseChangeNOWSwapFast, non-custodial conversionsCoinRabbitLendingCrypto loans & passive incomeMetaMaskWalletWeb3 accessTradingViewAnalysisCharting & TACoinStatsPortfolioPerformance trackingAuthenticatorSecurityAccount protection 

FAQs

What is the most important crypto app in 2026?

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South Korea’s financial reports revealed that the country’s price growth declined at a slower rate, mainly due to a slight increase in food and general living costs. However, even with this finding, consumer inflation levels have remained above the Bank of Korea’s 2% target for the fourth consecutive month.

Consumer prices rose 2.3% in December from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, slowing slightly from November’s 2.4% pace. The figure was in line with economists’ forecasts, which had projected inflation at around 2.3% for the month.

South Korea’s consumer price surges as anticipated 

Core inflation, which eliminates the fluctuating prices of food and energy, increased at a rate of 2%, similar to the rate recorded in November. At this moment, analysts have discovered that both overall and core inflation rates remain near the Central Bank of South Korea’s target.

Following the release of this data, analysts anticipated that price pressures in the country were starting to decline. However, they noted that there is a high possibility that these figures may not be sufficient to influence the BOK to consider restarting its monetary easing cycle when its officials establish policy on January 15.

In the meantime, the current strength demonstrated in the property market sparks discussion in the industry regarding surging mortgage debt levels that could lead to financial problems, prompting the central bank to exercise caution about adding more stimulus.

Furthermore, sources highlighted a high likelihood that the cost of living will continue to increase. This assumption was made after officials in the country issued a warning, suggesting that high food prices could cause inflation levels to rise more than anticipated in 2026, despite basic price pressures remaining in check most of the time.

As uncertainties surrounding South Korea’s financial status intensify, a reliable source released a report this month noting that prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages have increased sharply by approximately 3.6% compared to last year. The costs of Housing and utilities, on the other hand, dropped drastically by 3%, while costs related to transportation soared by 3.2%.

Costs of telecommunications, alcoholic drinks, and tobacco products are reported to be the primary factor behind this decline. In response to this situation, policymakers acknowledged the weakness of the won. They vowed to closely examine the possible risks that could result from this weakness as they weigh suitable measures to address the issue. They warned that these risks could lead to price hikes for imported goods in the nation, which depends heavily on foreign food and energy supplies. 

Generally, consumer price rises were moderate in November, with the costs of education soaring by approximately  1.6% and recreation and culture increasing by about 1.2%, both slower than in the last month.

On the other hand, apartment prices in Seoul continued to rise for the 47th consecutive week as of December 22, according to data from the Korea Real Estate Board, thereby raising concerns among central bank officials who worried that lowering interest rates could lead to financial imbalances. 

The BOK opts to eliminate the possibility of further rate cuts in 2026

The BOK decided to keep its key interest rate unchanged at 2.5% in late November. At this point, the central bank opted to increase its growth and inflation predictions slightly. Its team also chose to eliminate a statement regarding continuing to think about rate cuts, prompting several economists to believe that the cycle of easing rates could be wrapped up.

To address this issue, officials have declared that they are exploring various possibilities. One suggested effective solution was noted after the bank announced that it would discard the possibility of further rate cuts next year as it focuses on financial stability threats from foreign exchange and housing markets. 

“We think CPI will stay high for a while because a weaker won raises import costs and keeps underlying pressures strong. This ongoing inflation situation supports our belief that the BOK will overlook the recent dip in factory production and maintain the policy rate at 2.5%,” said economist Hyosung Kwon. 

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Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) has gone out of her way to back the bipartisan digital asset market structure legislation that she has played an active role supporting and shaping of throughout the year.  

Her recent post from December 30, 2025 reiterates that: “Our market structure legislation enables public-private partnerships to combat illicit finance. With our bill, we can protect Americans and foster innovation.” 

The effort ultimately aims to draft clear regulatory rules for cryptocurrency while encouraging innovation and safety for customers. 

Senator Cynthia Lummis worked with others on the guiding principles for market structure and has shared statements supporting what they come up with to combat illicit finance 

Senator Cynthia Lummis doubles down on market structure legislation 

Senator Cynthia Lummis worked with Senate Banking Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) and Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) on the guiding principles for market structure legislation. 

Those principles lay emphasis on pro-innovation rules, consumer protections, as well as the recognition of tokenization as an efficiency-enhancing evolution in finance. 

A core element of those principles explicitly addresses illicit finance with a draft including compliance requirements for centralized intermediaries, deliberate measures to curb money laundering and encouragement of public-private partnerships to increase detection rates. 

Lummis has repeatedly highlighted that the legislation mainly targets people with nefarious purposes and poses no risk to innovation. 

Her recent post from December 30, 2025 reiterates that. She shared the post via her official X page, and wrote: “Our market structure legislation enables public-private partnerships to combat illicit finance. With our bill, we can protect Americans and foster innovation.” 

At the time of this publication, the bill is stuck amid bipartisan negotiations. Many had been anticipating a markup in late 2025, but that has been postponed until early 2026. 

Lummis’ time at the Senate ends in January 2027, and she is determined to make sure the bill passes by the time she has to leave, viewing it as critical to keeping the growth of America’s digital assets domestic rather than offshore. 

Lummis has revealed she will not seek reelection

Cynthia Lummis is currently the chair of the Senate Banking Committee’s crypto subpanel and a reliable ally for the crypto industry. She is currently handling negotiations as part of an industry-backed push for the broader regulation of cryptocurrency. 

However, when her tenure ends in 2027, the popular administrator has revealed she will not be seeking reelection, triggering contemplation among those who have dubbed her the cryptocurrency industry’s fiercest advocate on Capitol Hill. 

Lummis cited the “difficult, exhausting” final weeks of this year’s Congress as the main reason she chose to withdraw her reelection bid, saying she’s “come to accept that I do not have six more years in me.”

Crypto interests have bemoaned her retirement, but it sets up a primary for her seat in Wyoming in 2026. 

“Senator Lummis has been a great ally on crypto — very sorry to see her go!” said David Sacks, the White House AI and crypto czar, in a post to X. 

Conner Brown, the head of strategy and the Bitcoin Policy Institute, echoed similar sentiments, calling Lummis “the Senate’s first and finest bitcoiner.”

“We are incredibly lucky to have had her leadership at so many critical moments for bitcoin policy over these critical years,” Brown said.

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The DeFi Education Fund had sought to submit an amicus brief, but the US government has opposed the request. The move comes as the court reviews a potential retrial for two brothers accused of exploiting the Ethereum blockchain to obtain $25 million.

In a filing dated Tuesday, December 30, in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, interim US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton wrote to Jessica Clarke, a United States district judge in New York requesting her to decline the DeFi Education Fund’s (DEF) brief while the court evaluates a motion to withdraw the allegations raised against Anton and James Peraire-Bueno. 

US Attorney Clayton raised concerns about DEF’s amicus brief

In a statement, US Attorney Clayton argued that DEF’s amicus brief, which is disconnected from the trial record, restates some legal claims that the court has already rejected.

He further explained, “Since the Court has already made decisions on the legal matters discussed in the amicus brief and DEF does not provide any new information relevant to the current motion, their submission is unlikely to help the Court in considering these specific issues [related to a motion for acquittal].” 

Considering the intense nature of the situation, reports dated November noted that Judge Clarke declared a mistrial just after jurors found it difficult to decide whether the two brothers should be pronounced guilty or not guilty. 

Regarding the case raised against the brothers, sources close to the situation claimed that they were accused of inappropriately utilizing automated maximal extractable value (MEV) bots for their own benefit. Later in the week, the US government requested that the court consider setting a retrial date for either late February or early March 2026. 

At this point, a draft representing the DEF brief, issued on December 19, illustrated that the organization supported the motion to clear or withdraw the claims against the two brothers. According to them, the case presented significant consequences for the industry.

DEF further commented on the matter, stating that, “[P]rosecutions like this one create confusion and fear among software developers, discouraging involvement in DeFi and pushing participants to other countries”. They added, “The DOJ should not rush into indictments based on misinterpretations of current laws, as this will hinder growth by creating uncertainty about the rules.” 

Uncertainties surrounding the two brothers’ fate raise controversy in the ecosystem 

The announcement regarding the US government’s opposition to the Defi Education Fund’s brief prompted several reporters to reach out to the organization for comment on the situation. However, it declined to respond.

Even with this decline, analysts noted that several individuals in the crypto industry are still paying close attention to the possibility of how this case could impact MEV-related activities. The individual adopted this move at a time when uncertainties surrounding the fate of the Peraire-Bueno brothers grew intense.

Meanwhile, reports unveiled that Coin Center, a leading non-profit research and advocacy center focused on crypto-related matters, issued an amicus brief during the criminal trial. Sources claimed that this brief opposed the US government’s outlook. As a result, prosecutors requested the court to discard the brief.

On the other hand, another reliable source disclosed that the two brothers initially encountered allegations including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering activities, and conspiracy to acquire stolen property. With these claims in place, they noted that if, by any chance, the brothers undergo a retrial on these similar allegations and are found guilty, they could be subjected to a prison sentence of up to 20 years for each count.

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