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Bank of America Opens the Door to Crypto Allocations for Wealth Clients

Bank of America now permits advisers to recommend regulated crypto allocations between 1% and 4%.

Coverage of four major Bitcoin ETFs begins 5 January, providing compliant digital-asset exposure.

The move aligns the bank with peers adopting crypto guidance despite recent Bitcoin volatility.

Bank of America will open up crypto allocations for its wealth clients from next year, providing a pathway for investors across Merrill, Bank of America Private Bank, and Merrill Edge to place between 1% and 4% of their portfolios into digital assets. 

This marks a shift from the previous arrangement, where access to crypto products was only provided when clients specifically asked for it, limiting the bank’s 15,000-plus advisers from initiating any conversations about the asset class.

The bank’s new guidance positions digital assets as an option for those prepared to handle not only thematic innovation but also considerable price volatility, with the lower end of the proposed allocation designed for conservative investors and the upper limit intended for clients willing to shoulder greater risk. 

Bank of America’s chief investment officer for the Private Bank stated that a 1%–4% exposure could be suitable for investors who understand the risks and opportunities associated with digital assets, emphasising the use of regulated products rather than unregulated trading approaches.
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Digital Infrastructure and Market Access

Fink's letter also emphasized the need for better digital identity systems, citing India's success where over 90% of the population can securely verify smartphone transactions. This infrastructure, he argued, is crucial for expanding access to capital markets and democratizing investing through tokenization and fractional ownership.

The letter comes amid ongoing discussions about raising the U.S. debt ceiling, with potential default looming this summer. Fink's comments may influence regulatory discussions around cryptocurrencies and their role in the global financial system, particularly as other financial leaders like Ray Dalio have issued similar warnings about potential U.S. debt crises.

As the leader of the world's largest asset manager, Fink's comments carry significant weight. His letter suggests we may be approaching a pivotal moment in the evolution of global finance, with potential far-reaching consequences for both traditional and digital assets.
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OpenAI’s foundation is donating US$ 40.5 million to U.S. nonprofits.

✅ What happened

The newly named OpenAI Foundation announced it will award US$ 40.5 million in grants this year to 208 (or “over 200”) nonprofits across the United States.

This represents the first major wave of grants under its recently introduced philanthropic structure — i.e. the first fund distribution since the foundation’s rebranding.

The grants come from the broader commitment announced in mid-2025: a US$ 50 million “People-First AI Fund” intended to support nonprofits and mission-driven organizations working at the intersection of AI, community needs, and social good.

🎯 What kinds of causes/getting support

The foundation is looking to fund nonprofit work in three broad areas:

AI literacy & public understanding — helping communities understand what AI means, building skills, and more broadly raising public awareness.

Community innovation & civic life — supporting community-led initiatives, health and wellbeing, services in local settings (schools, libraries, clinics, community centers), especially benefiting under-served or historically excluded groups.
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#BinanceBlockchainWeek is the hashtag commonly used for Binance’s global blockchain conference, where builders, founders, investors, and enthusiasts gather for talks, workshops, and ecosystem updates.

Want industry insights or talkin
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PAXG is an ERC-20 token.

The “null address” (also known as the “burn address” or “zero address”) is a special Ethereum address (e.g. 0x0000…0000) used in ERC-20 logic to represent token creation/minting (or destruction/burning). When tokens are minted, the “from” field in the on-chain event is typically the null address.

So a transfer from null address → Paxos means: Paxos has minted (created) new PAXG tokens. Those tokens are now on Paxos’s issuance address (or a Paxos-controlled wallet) before they are distributed — e.g. sold or allocated to customers.
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Concerns Raised Over Potential Federal Reserve Chair Appointment

According to BlockBeats, insiders from Wall Street and the U.S. business community are expressing concerns to U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the potential appointment of Kevin Hassett as Federal Reserve Chair. The apprehensions stem from Hassett's political role as Director of the National Economic Council and his perceived lack of credibility among Federal Reserve staff and market participants. The business community emphasizes the importance of the Federal Reserve's independence, fearing that Hassett's appointment could lead to increased long-term interest rates and internal chaos within the institution.
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BlackRock’s CEO Larry Fink acknowledging a “past misjudgment” on Bitcoin is a big deal.

✅ What Did Fink Actually Say?

In October 2025, during a widely reported interview, Fink declared that Bitcoin is “not a bad asset.” That marked a sharp turnaround from his earlier, very skeptical stance.

He said that markets “teach you to always rethink your assumptions,” effectively admitting he got it wrong earlier.

He compared Bitcoin to “digital gold,” viewing it as a legitimate alternative asset — useful for diversification and protection against economic uncertainty.

Still, he kept a note of caution: he doesn’t believe Bitcoin should be a major portion of most portfolios.

📌 Why It Matters: Implications of The Shift

Fink runs one of the largest asset-management firms in the world, so his views carry weight. His “change of heart” may influence other institutional investors to seriously consider Bitcoin as part of a diversified portfolio.

By calling Bitcoin “not a bad asset” and likening it to gold, he helps legitimize the cryptocurrency — undermining some of the older prejudices and skepticism that painted it as reckless or shady.

The shift could help further accelerate capital flows into crypto via regulated financial products (ETFs or institutional allocations).
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the “U.S. Bitcoin company” is most likely American Bitcoin Corp. (ABTC), and why its stock recently increased after a prior sharp decline.

✅ triggered the rebound

Hut 8 Corp. — via its subsidiary American Bitcoin — recently saw shares plummet after a share lock-up period expired, releasing a large number of pre-merger shares into the market. That flood of supply triggered the steep drop.

After the initial shock, shares of American Bitcoin “steadied” and rose by around 8.9% to about $2.38. Market participants appeared to interpret the selling flush as mostly behind them — many of the released shares found new holders rather than triggering further sell-offs.

Executives of Hut 8 and the Trump-family backers of American Bitcoin reportedly did not sell during the lock-up expiry — which likely helped reassure investors that the rebound in price had structural support rather than speculative panic.

🌐 Broader context: crypto & mining-stock sentiment

The rebound is happening amid a wider resurgence in interest for crypto-related assets: many Bitcoin mining and infrastructure companies have seen share-price gains in 2025.

Improved mining profitability, rising Bitcoin prices, and bullish analyst outlooks on mining firms (notably Riot Platforms and MARA Holdings) have helped restore investor confidence in the sector.

Within that environment, a company like American Bitcoin — which combines mining operations and publicly traded exposure — becomes an attractive “leveraged play” on a potential Bitcoin rally.

🔎 What this means (and what to watch)

The rebound suggests that much of the post-lockup panic may have been transient, giving the firm a chance to recover value.

That said — volatility remains high. Share price swings tied to events like lock-ups or broader crypto-market sentiment can be sharp.

If Bitcoin continues to rally — or if mining profitability remains favorable — companies like American Bitcoin could benefit further. #BinanceBlockchainWeek #DireCryptomedia #Write2Earn $BTC $ETH

🔎 What the record does show from Pantera-backed deals

Pantera recently led a US$ 25 million Series A funding for Coinflow, a stablecoin payments infrastructure startup.

Pantera also backed TransCrypts — which raised US$ 15 million to build blockchain-based identity verification systems.

Another example: Accountable, a firm building real-time financial verification tools, raised US$ 7.5 million in a round led by Pantera.

These show that Pantera is actively investing — but none match the “Fin, US$17 M” description.

✅ What we do know — and what doesn’t match

Historically, a company called Circle Internet Financial raised US$ 17 million — but that was a round many years ago (2014), and Circle is very different from just “Fin”.

There is no recent credible press release, news article or fintech-investment tracking database entry describing a startup named “Fin” with a 17 M funding round from Pantera.

None of the recent funding-round summaries (e.g. weekly VC news digests) mention a “Fin — 17 M” deal. For instance, in a recent funding-round roundup, Pantera-led deals are listed, but “Fin” does not appear.

⚠️ Why the “Fin 17 M” claim is likely incorrect or mis-attributed

The 17 million number associates almost exactly with the 2014 funding for Circle possibly leading to a mix-up between “Fin” vs “Circle.”

No contemporary sources (2024–2025) back this funding claim. If such a round had occurred recently, we’d expect at least a press release or mention in VC-deal trackers.

In the cryptocurrency and fintech funding news cycle, rounds of that size tend to be reported — but there’s no trace of “Fin” in major coverage.
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📉 Why DATs Are Struggling Now

Crypto market volatility & falling prices: As crypto prices drop or fluctuate strongly, the value of DAT firms’ holdings goes down. That directly undermines their balance sheets.

Liquidity and financing risk: Many DATs rely on issuing new equity or debt (convertible bonds, stock offerings) to buy more crypto or fund operations. In a down market, raising capital becomes harder, and doing so may lead to dilution — which hurts existing shareholders.

Premium collapse / discount to NAV (net asset value): In good times, DATs often trade at a premium relative to the crypto value of their holdings. But that can reverse quickly: now many trade at or even below their NAV — showing how much investor confidence has waned.

Regulatory pressure & scrutiny: Some regulators and exchanges (e.g. Nasdaq) are increasing oversight of publicly listed crypto-holding firms, demanding more transparency. That makes the “crypto-as-treasury” story less smooth, especially for risk-heavy or poorly structured DATs.

⚠️ The Bigger Risks — What Could Go Wrong

Liquidity crisis: If too many DATs are forced to sell crypto holdings — perhaps to meet debt obligations or cover operating costs — that could further depress crypto prices, hurting not just them but the broader crypto-linked ecosystem.

Dilution and investor losses: New share issuance or convertible debt could dilute existing shareholders — especially bad when share prices already trade at or below NAV.

Survivorship of smaller DATs in question: Larger, more established DAT firms may have a chance of weathering the storm; smaller or highly leveraged ones (especially those holding more speculative crypto) look far more vulnerable.

Potential systemic impact on crypto + traditional finance overlap: As institutional exposure to crypto – via DATs – becomes riskier, broader confidence in merging crypto and trad-finance could erode.
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AMINA Bank (Swiss-regulated crypto bank) has just added USDG — a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin issued by Paxos — to its institutional offerings.

Through this integration, AMINA now offers custody, trading, and a “rewards programme” on USDG holdings, with up to 4% annual yield for clients who hold USDG via the bank.

As part of the deal, AMINA has joined the Global Dollar Network (GDN), a consortium of regulated financial institutions and crypto firms working to build global digital-dollar infrastructure.

🔹 Why it matters

Institutional-grade stablecoin access in traditional banking framework: With AMINA being regulated by FINMA and having banking credentials, USDG via AMINA gives institutional clients a compliant, bank-anchored way to hold stablecoins — bridging traditional finance and crypto.

Improved liquidity and interoperability: By joining GDN, AMINA connects institutional clients to a broader stablecoin ecosystem already used by major platforms (e.g., exchanges, custodians). That helps ensure USDG holdings are more liquid and easier to move across institutions globally.

Yield on stablecoin holdings: The 4% rewards offer makes USDG holdings attractive not just as a stable value store, but also as yield-bearing — something many institutional clients might value in low-interest-rate or volatile markets.

🔹 What does this say about the broader trend

This move reflects a growing trend of regulated banks embracing crypto-assets, especially stablecoins, offering them under traditional banking oversight rather than informal or unregulated crypto exchanges.

As more regulated institutions adopt stablecoins like USDG (and previously RLUSD, USDC, etc.), stablecoins may increasingly be viewed as “digital cash” inside regulated finance — usable for custody, trading, cross-border payments, or yield-bearing holdings.

The growth of networks like GDN suggests a push toward global, interoperable digital-dollar rails — which could reshape how international payments, treasury operations, #BinanceHODLerAT #DireCryptomedia #Write2Earn

BlackRock's (BLK) latest reported adjusted Earnings Per Share (EPS) for Q3 2025 was $11.55. The GAAP diluted EPS for the same quarter was $8.43. 
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a breakdown of what Federal Reserve (the Fed) recently said about capital levels in the U.S. banking system

✅ What the Fed is saying now

In its most recent report, the Fed said that in the first half of 2025, the vast majority of U.S. banks remained “well-capitalized.”

Aggregate common-equity (CET1) risk-based capital ratios — a core measure of bank capital adequacy — were around 13% on average, roughly unchanged from the prior year.

Another measure, “tangible common equity (TCE),” rose to approximately $2.2 trillion by the second quarter of 2025, up from about $2.0 trillion a year earlier.

According to the semi-annual financial stability update, the capital strength of banks combined with stable liquidity conditions underpins the Fed’s view that the U.S. banking system remains resilient.

🔎 Why it matters

Capital ratios well above regulatory minimums — and a large pool of tangible capital — help ensure banks have a cushion to absorb losses in difficult economic conditions (e.g. recession, loan defaults). This reduces the risk of bank failures.

Strong capital and liquidity mean banks are better positioned to continue lending to households and businesses even under stress — which supports economic stability and growth.

The resilience of the banking system helps underpin broader financial stability — protecting savers, investors, businesses, and the economy at large.

⚠️ But the Fed also flags some risks

The Fed’s recent commentary emphasises that, while capital levels are strong now, there remain vulnerabilities, especially in areas like asset valuations (which could be over-stretched) and shifts in lending activity — for example, greater reliance on non-bank financing and private-credit markets rather than traditional bank loans.

Another structural concern the Fed noted relates to evolving financial-market dynamics — including increased complexity of financial instruments, higher involvement of non-bank financial institutions, . #BTCRebound90kNext? #DireCryptomedia #Write2Earn $BTC $XRP

Plasma: The Next-Generation Blockchain for Global Stablecoin Payments

Plasma is a next-generation blockchain infrastructure designed specifically for fast, secure, and low-cost global stablecoin payments. Built to support high-volume financial transactions, Plasma combines cutting-edge scalability solutions with institutional-grade security, enabling seamless movement of digital dollars across borders, applications, and financial networks.

Key Capabilities

Instant finality for real-time payments

Ultra-low fees optimized for stablecoin transfers

High throughput capable of supporting millions of daily transactions

Interoperability with major blockchains and payment rails

Compliance-ready architecture suitable for enterprises and fintech platforms

Plasma aims to power the next era of global financial infrastructure—bridging traditional finance and the digital economy through stablecoin-driven payments that are fast, borderless, and accessible
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Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency market experienced a sharp decline at the start of December, with BTC dropping from $90,000 to below $87,000 and ETH falling from $3,000 to around $2,800. This triggered over $430 million in liquidations, predominantly long positions.

The primary catalyst was a major regulatory announcement from China. Multiple high-level Chinese authorities, including the People's Bank of China, held a meeting reaffirming a strict prohibitive stance on virtual currencies. Key points from the meeting were:

Virtual currency business activities are illegal financial activities.

Stablecoins are classified as virtual currency and highlighted for risks like money laundering and fraud.

A coordinated crackdown across departments was emphasized.

This news severely damaged market confidence, drawing parallels to previous major Chinese regulatory crackdowns in 2017 ("94") and 2021 ("519").

Industry analysts point to deeper, ongoing market weaknesses:

Lack of Capital Inflows: There is virtually no new incremental capital entering the market aside from specific corporate treasuries, with ETF inflows no longer providing sufficient support.

Macroeconomic Headwinds: Expectations for U.S. rate cuts have faded amid persistent inflation, a weakening job market, and rising geopolitical risks, fueling broader risk aversion.

Historical Pattern: One analyst notes Bitcoin's current price movement has an 80-98% correlation with its 2022 bear market trajectory, suggesting a true recovery may not begin until Q1 of the next year.

Market sentiment is now in "extreme panic," with the monthly chart turning bearish and breaking the prior bull market structure.
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The global stone market (natural and engineered) is experiencing steady growth driven by the construction industry, infrastructure development, and a rising demand for durable and aesthetically pleasing materials in both commercial and residential projects. 

Key Market Updates and Trends

Overall Growth: The natural stone market is projected to grow to approximately $61.5 billion by 2033. The construction stone market specifically is expected to reach over $81 billion by 2031.

Driving Factors: Key drivers include global infrastructure investments (expected to reach $94 trillion by 2040), urbanization, and a growing trend towards sustainable building practices using natural materials. The desire for luxurious interiors, particularly using marble and granite, is also fueling demand.

Engineered Stone Growth: The engineered (artificial) stone market is also expanding significantly, valued at over $29 billion in 2024 and projected to reach over $43 billion by 2031. This growth is driven by demand for durable, low-maintenance surfaces in kitchens and bathrooms, though the sector is addressing health and safety concerns by reducing silica content.

Regional Dominance: The Asia-Pacific region is expected to lead the global natural stone market in terms of revenue, with a high growth rate attributed to rapid urbanization and industrialization. North America currently holds a significant share in the stone processing market.

Material Popularity:

Granite was the largest revenue-generating natural stone product in the Middle East & Africa region in 2024, widely used in kitchen countertops and heavy engineering projects.

Marble is the fastest-growing segment in the MEA region and is popular for high-end decorative applications due to its luxurious finish.

Limestone is gaining popularity due to its availability and ease of maintenance.

Technological Advancements: Innovations in stone processing, such as advanced Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinery, are improving precision, efficiency, #BinanceHODLerAT #DireCryptomedia #Write2Earn $BTC $ETH

Hats Finance has announced it will permanently shut down its custodial operations and services, with the user interface and server expected to go offline by December 31, 2025. The decision was made due to sustainability issues in maintaining a centralized UI and server infrastructure. 

Key Details and User Actions

Custodial UI/Server Shutdown: The main website's custodial front-end and back-end will be taken offline on December 31, 2025.

Withdrawal Deadline via UI: Users can submit withdrawal requests through the current custodial UI until December 17, 2025.

Post-Deadline Withdrawals: After December 17, users will need to interact directly with the smart contracts on-chain to complete withdrawals.

Protocol Status: The core Hats protocol will remain deployed on-chain and managed by a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO), intended to operate continuously according to its code.

Alternative Access: A version of the user front-end based on IPFS is available, though its long-term performance is not guaranteed as payments to service providers will cease. 
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Bitcoin is stumbling again. Why the crypto is faltering as December kicks off

Bitcoin's sell-off resumed on Monday, extending a sell-off that's dragged the crypto deeper into a bear market.

Bitcoin and tech stocks were moving lower in tandem as risk sentiment soured.

The crypto is being hurt by liquidity concerns and worries about selling among big corporate holders.

The last month of the year is kicking off with more selling in bitcoin.

December opened up with bitcoin falling deeper into its bear market, with the price of the token trading as low as $85,461 on Monday. That puts bitcoin around 32% down from its all-time high in early October, when the crypto hit a peak of around $126,200.

Ethereum also plunged again, down 7% to trade around $2,800.

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It's an unusual trend for bitcoin, which tends to enjoy a rally in the final months of the year. Over the last 14 years, bitcoin ended December in the green around half the time, with an average increase of 29.7%, according to Alex Kuptsikevich, the chief market analyst at FxPro.

"This seems to be part of the Bears' plan to create the most emotional pressure, as the beginning of the month is considered an emotional precursor for the weeks to come," Kuptsikevich wrote in a note on Monday. "Technically, a bearish picture is emerging," he added of recent moves in bitcoin.
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📌 What’s happening — Trump’s Fed pick (and why now)

As of late November 2025, sources report Kevin Hassett — currently director of the White House National Economic Council — has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Jerome Powell as Fed Chair.

According to the U.S. Treasury Secretary, the administration may announce the new Fed chair before Christmas.

This comes after a protracted public showdown: Trump has repeatedly criticized Powell for keeping interest rates high, calling him “a major loser,” and demanding more aggressive rate cuts.

The pick is viewed as a potentially radical departure from current Fed leadership style — which many see as “cautious” and “independent.” A new chair aligned with Trump’s preferences could shift Fed policy significantly.

🌍 Why this could shake every market — ripple effects globally

Monetary policy and interest rates: The Fed chair sets the tone for interest-rate decisions via the committee (FOMC). A more “dovish” chair (favoring lower rates) might lead to easier money, cheaper borrowing — which tends to boost equities, commodities, and risk assets.

Volatility in fiat currencies & FX markets: If U.S. rates go down or are expected to go down, that tends to weaken the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies — affecting global trade, commodities priced in dollars (oil, metals), and FX-denominated debt worldwide.

Bond yields & fixed-income shock waves: Shifts in the Fed’s posture (toward cuts) could push up bond prices (lower yields), making bonds more attractive vs. stocks or alternatives — which could reallocate capital worldwide.

Risk-on sentiment: Stocks, crypto, commodities: Lower rates often fuel “riskier” assets. Indeed, already, the crypto market (e.g. Bitcoin) has seen a rally after reports of Trump’s expected Fed pick.
Global spillover effects: Because the U.S. economy and U.S. monetary policy influence global capital flows, a big shift at the Fed could ripple through emerging markets, debt markets, #BinanceHODLerAT #DireCryptomedia $ETH $ETH