Cryptocurrency News December 13, 2025 — Bitcoin, Ethereum and Main Market Trends

Crypto News, Saturday, December 13, 2025: Market Seeks Balance After Fed Rate Cut, Ethereum Shows Moderate Growth, Institutional Investors Maintain Interest, Top 10 Cryptocurrencies, and Market Outlook

By the morning of December 13, 2025, the global cryptocurrency market had relatively stabilized after a volatile reaction to the US Federal Reserve's decision to cut interest rates. The market's flagship asset, Bitcoin, briefly dropped below the psychological level of $90,000 but is now consolidating near this mark. Key altcoins are showing mixed dynamics: some are attempting to recover recent losses, while others remain under pressure from profit-taking by investors following the rally in the first half of the year. The overall cryptocurrency market capitalization remains around $3.2–3.3 trillion, with Bitcoin's dominance hovering around 59–60%. The Fear and Greed Index is currently in the "fear" zone, reflecting market participants' caution, despite the theoretically positive move for risk assets by the regulator. However, fundamental factors instill optimism: institutional investors continue to increase their presence, major economies are establishing clearer rules, and technological upgrades are improving blockchain infrastructure. This review will discuss the latest trends and events in the industry: from the state of the top 10 coins to regulatory shifts, technological breakthroughs, institutional inflows, security issues, and future market prospects.

Top 10 Most Popular Cryptocurrencies

1. Bitcoin (BTC) – The largest cryptocurrency, accounting for approximately 58–60% of the entire market. In October, BTC reached a new all-time high (around $126,000), but the subsequent correction brought the price down to the current ~$90,000. Despite the sharp volatility in recent months, Bitcoin remains the main indicator of market sentiment and is viewed by investors as "digital gold" - a safe-haven asset with a limited supply (21 million coins) and growing recognition in traditional finance.
2. Ethereum (ETH) – The second largest coin by market capitalization and the leading platform for smart contracts. ETH is trading around ~$3,200, which is below the peak values from early autumn but indicates a recovery after a decline in November. The Ethereum blockchain is the backbone of decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT ecosystems. Recently, the network successfully underwent a hard fork named Fusaka, which improved scalability and reduced fees—strengthening Ethereum's market position and laying the groundwork for further usage growth.
3. Tether (USDT) – The largest stablecoin pegged to the US dollar at a 1:1 ratio. USDT remains a key source of liquidity on cryptocurrency exchanges, allowing traders to weather periods of volatility by "parking" their capital in a stable asset. The market capitalization of Tether is estimated at around $180 billion, and its price consistently stays close to $1.00, making it a sort of "digital dollar" for the global crypto economy.
4. XRP (Ripple Token) – A cryptocurrency focused on instant global payments. XRP confidently holds a place in the top five, with a market capitalization of around $120 billion and a price of about $2 per token. In 2025, interest in XRP increased significantly following favorable legal developments: the ongoing lawsuit between Ripple and the SEC in the US approached resolution, restoring investor confidence and contributing to price growth. The token is actively used in banking blockchain solutions for cross-border transfers and remains one of the most recognizable cryptocurrencies.
5. Binance Coin (BNB) – The native token of the largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, and a key asset in the BNB Chain network. BNB is widely used to pay trading fees, participate in Launchpad token sales, and execute smart contracts within the Binance ecosystem. Currently, the coin is trading near $850, with a market capitalization of around $120 billion, keeping it among the market leaders. Despite regulatory pressure on Binance in various jurisdictions, BNB's limited issuance and mechanisms like regular token burnings help sustain its value and position among the top ten cryptocurrencies.
6. USD Coin (USDC) – The second-largest stablecoin issued by Circle and fully backed by US dollar reserves. USDC trades steadily at $1.00, with a market capitalization estimated at $75–80 billion. This coin is often favored by institutional investors and DeFi protocols due to its transparency and regular audits of reserves. Although in 2025, USDC's market share decreased somewhat in favor of the more popular USDT, this stablecoin continues to be regarded as one of the most reliable and regulated digital counterparts to the dollar.
7. Solana (SOL) – A high-performance blockchain focusing on scalability and minimal fees. The price of SOL is around $130 (with a capitalization of around $70+ billion), significantly higher than levels at the beginning of the year, despite a recent pullback. In 2025, Solana considerably strengthened its infrastructure: a series of updates improved the network's stability (dramatically reducing the number of outages from the previous year), and plans are in place to implement technologies for parallel transaction processing to further enhance throughput. The development of DeFi and GameFi projects based on Solana, along with expectations of launching exchange-traded funds on this asset, is boosting demand for SOL and helping it secure a spot among the leading cryptocurrencies.
8. Tron (TRX) – A blockchain platform known for its active use in entertainment and stablecoin issuance. TRX is trading around $0.28, with a market value of ~$26 billion. The Tron network attracts users with low fees and high throughput, allowing a significant portion of USDT's issuance to circulate on its platform. The project, led by Justin Sun, continues to evolve, supporting decentralized applications (including DeFi and games), keeping TRX in the top 10 global crypto assets.
9. Dogecoin (DOGE) – The most famous meme coin that started as a joke but has since transformed into a cryptocurrency with a multibillion-dollar capitalization (over $20 billion at a price of ~$0.14). The popularity of DOGE is bolstered by an active community and periodic attention from high-profile individuals (especially Elon Musk). The volatility of this coin is traditionally high, yet Dogecoin has shown remarkable resilience in capturing investor interest, remaining a "people's coin" and a consistent part of the top ten largest cryptocurrencies.
10. Cardano (ADA) – A major blockchain platform using a Proof-of-Stake algorithm, developing with a research-focused approach. ADA is trading around $0.40 (with a capitalization of about $15 billion), significantly down from its historical highs. In 2025, the Cardano team continued technical upgrades aimed at improving network scalability - for instance, they implemented solutions such as Hydra for creating off-chain channels, promising to increase throughput. Despite stiff competition in the smart contract segment and relative price stagnation, Cardano maintains one of the most dedicated communities, believing in the project's long-term potential.

Global Market Overview

Overall, the global cryptocurrency capitalization is now close to the levels observed at the peak of the autumn rally. However, recent weeks have brought significant correction. As of the morning of December 13, the total market value remains about 20% below the historical maximum recorded earlier this year and slightly lower than a week ago. All major top-10 coins have shown declines in recent days during the overall market pullback. Bitcoin, after a sharp surge and subsequent drop, is consolidating around $90,000—as investors attempt to determine whether the recent Fed rate cut will act as a catalyst for new gains or be seen as a signal for caution. Notably, traditional stock indices (S&P 500, Nasdaq) reacted positively to the Fed's decision, while crypto assets, conversely, partially lost in value. Analysts note an increased correlation between Bitcoin and high-tech stocks: in 2025, both markets experienced similar rises and declines related to the fluctuating sentiment around artificial intelligence prospects and changes in monetary policy.

Following an impressive rally in early 2025 (largely spurred by capital inflow amid expectations for the approval of the first spot Bitcoin ETFs and the advent of a White House administration more favorable to the crypto industry), the cryptocurrency market faced a period of turbulence. The October decline, driven by unexpected external economic moves from the US (such as new tariffs and increased geopolitical tensions), led to a record wave of margin liquidations exceeding $19 billion. Since then, Bitcoin and several large altcoins have struggled to return to their recently achieved peaks. November turned out to be one of the worst months in recent years with a month-on-month price drop, marking the largest since 2021, which significantly dampened the optimism of some investors.

Nevertheless, comparing current quotes with the beginning of 2025, many crypto assets still demonstrate significant growth. Several altcoins (such as XRP or Solana), despite the current drop, are trading significantly higher than at the end of 2024, thanks to earlier successes (regulatory clarity on XRP's status, technological advancements of Solana, etc.). Bitcoin's share of total capitalization fluctuates around 55–60%, indicating investors' desire to maintain a significant portion of funds in the most reliable digital asset during times of market uncertainty. The sentiment among players can currently be characterized as cautious optimism: the "fear and greed" index for cryptocurrencies has slightly increased after recent turmoil, but it still signals the predominance of fear elements. Market participants are awaiting new signals—from macroeconomic data to progress in launching new investment products (such as upcoming crypto ETFs or institutional services)—before a confident upward trend can resume.

Regulatory News

• USA: The regulatory landscape of the crypto industry in 2025 has significantly clarified. After years of discussions, US authorities greenlit the first spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for Bitcoin and Ethereum, marking an important milestone for the legitimization of crypto assets. Additionally, financial regulators officially permitted US banks to act as custodial holders of cryptocurrencies for clients, paving the way for pension and investment funds to safely invest in digital assets. Despite these achievements, regulators continue to monitor the market closely: the SEC still requires compliance with securities laws in token issuance, and Congress is discussing new rules for stablecoins and crypto exchanges, focusing on investor protection.
• Europe: In the EU, a comprehensive regulatory framework known as MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) has come into effect, establishing uniform rules for the cryptocurrency market within the EU. This means clearer requirements for token issuers, crypto exchanges, and wallet providers regarding registration, reserve adequacy, and anti-money laundering measures. European crypto firms have generally viewed MiCA favorably, as consistent regulation eases their operations across all EU markets. Concurrently, authorities in individual EU countries continue initiatives to implement central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and test blockchain solutions in the public sector.
• Asia and Other Regions: A mixed approach to cryptocurrencies remains in the Asia-Pacific region. On one hand, the financial hub of Hong Kong launched regulated platforms for retail cryptocurrency trading in 2025, while Singapore expanded licensing requirements while also encouraging blockchain innovations. On the other hand, mainland China still strictly restricts cryptocurrency operations for the population, betting on its digital yuan. In several other countries (for instance, the UAE and Switzerland), efforts to build crypto-friendly jurisdictions with clear rules for businesses continue to power blockchain startups and investment funds toward these regions. Overall, by the end of 2025, regulatory clarity in key jurisdictions significantly increased, reducing legal risks for the industry and boosting trust from traditional investors.

Blockchain Technological Updates

• Ethereum – Fusaka Hard Fork: In December, the Ethereum network successfully activated a major protocol upgrade known as Fusaka. This hard fork became the second significant upgrade for Ethereum in the year and aimed to enhance the blockchain's underlying capacity. The update increased the gas limit per block, improved compatibility with second-layer (L2) solutions, and added optimizations for smart contracts. These changes will help reduce transaction fees and expedite transactions within the network, given the increasing load from DeFi applications. Ethereum continues to move forward with its roadmap aimed at further scalability (with plans for implementing Danksharding in the future) and strengthening network security.
• Bitcoin – Scalability and New Use Cases: In 2025, no hard forks occurred in the Bitcoin mainnet; however, the ecosystem surrounding the first cryptocurrency continued to develop dynamically. The capacity of the Lightning Network (the second layer designed for fast micropayments) reached record levels in terms of total channel capacity, expanding the practical use of Bitcoin in retail payments and transfers. Simultaneously, the Bitcoin community is actively discussing several improvement proposals (BIP), aimed at increasing privacy and functionality in the network, such as mechanisms for partially signed transactions and so-called "covenants" for more flexible fund management. Additionally, cross-chain initiatives have gained traction: the emergence of Bitcoin Ordinals protocols and other solutions for token issuance on the BTC blockchain demonstrated that even conservative Bitcoin can support new use cases (such as NFT collections and stablecoins on the Bitcoin blockchain) without changing the underlying consensus.
• Other Blockchain Projects: Among altcoins, 2025 has marked a series of technological breakthroughs. The Solana platform, following critical upgrades, significantly increased operational reliability—outages that plagued the previous year have nearly vanished. Solana developers are preparing to implement technologies for parallel transaction execution (such as through the Firedancer client accelerator), which could greatly increase the network's throughput. Cardano progressed in implementing scaling protocols: the launch of the Hydra solution for creating off-chain channels is expected to increase transactions per second without overloading the main network. Additionally, rapid development of L2 networks for Ethereum, such as Polygon, Arbitrum, and Optimism, has settled into becoming an integral part of the industry, offering cheap and fast transactions. The total value locked (TVL) on these L2 platforms has significantly increased over the year, reflecting demand for solutions that alleviate the main Ethereum network. New projects at the intersection of blockchain and artificial intelligence have also emerged, promising synergistic opportunities (for example, decentralized AI platforms), though they are still in the early stages of development. Overall, technological progress in the crypto sector is not slowing down: each update enhances efficiency, security, and attractiveness of blockchains for businesses and users.

Institutional Investments

• Breakthrough with the Launch of Crypto ETFs: The departing year has marked a historical breakthrough for institutional integration—the first spot ETFs for cryptocurrencies have debuted on traditional exchanges. In the USA, followed by several other countries, regulators have approved exchange-traded funds that invest directly in Bitcoin and Ethereum. Renowned companies from Wall Street (including investment giant BlackRock) have become issuers of such funds. Since the launch of trading, these ETFs have attracted considerable capital: the total inflow in the first months has reached billions of dollars. For example, on one day in December, US Bitcoin ETFs received over $200 million in investments. The emergence of accessible exchange instruments based on crypto assets has significantly increased the trust of conservative players—such as pension funds, insurance companies, and banks—that previously avoided direct purchases of digital coins.
• Participation of Banks and Payment Systems: Major banks and financial corporations expanded their presence in the crypto market in 2025. Many Wall Street banks launched custodial cryptocurrency storage services for high-net-worth clients and established trading divisions for operations with digital assets. Global payment giants began integrating blockchain technologies into their products: for instance, PayPal launched its own stablecoin (PYUSD) to simplify digital transactions, and Visa implemented the ability to facilitate cross-border payments using Solana's blockchain and USDC stablecoin, greatly speeding up and lowering the cost of international transactions. Such steps taken by traditional financial institutions indicate an increasing institutional demand for cryptocurrencies and acknowledgment of them as a legitimate asset class.
• Corporate Treasuries and Venture Capital: Institutional acceptance of crypto assets has also manifested in the corporate sector. An increasing number of S&P 500 companies are including Bitcoin in their treasury reserves or investing in blockchain startups. Prominent enthusiast Michael Saylor, through his company MicroStrategy (which transformed into a holding firm), has continued to increase BTC holdings on its balance sheet, although following autumn volatility, he warned of the possibility of another "crypto winter." Venture investments in the sector have also revived: major funds (Andreessen Horowitz, Binance Labs, etc.) announced the launch of new investment products aimed at Web3 projects, decentralized finance, and blockchain + AI. The influx of institutional and venture capital in 2025 has supported the market during downturns and provided funds for developing infrastructure solutions.
• The Role of Sovereign Funds and States: An important trend has been the increasing involvement of government entities in the crypto market. Sovereign wealth funds from Middle Eastern and Asian countries have made significant investments: from purchasing stakes in global crypto exchanges to directly acquiring top cryptocurrencies for their portfolios. Some central banks—such as El Salvador, where Bitcoin has the status of legal tender—have increased their cryptocurrency reserves amid a declining dollar. In the USA, regulators have definitively legalized the ability for banks to serve clients wishing to invest in digital assets, enabling pension and investment funds to access cryptocurrencies through familiar financial intermediaries. These shifts suggest that institutional and even governmental players have firmly entered the ecosystem of the crypto market, enhancing its liquidity and resilience.

Major Hacks and Scams

• Record Hacker Attacks: Despite the overall maturation of the industry, 2025 has been one of the most problematic years regarding the amount of funds stolen as a result of hacks. In the first six months, attackers stole more than $2 billion in cryptocurrencies, and by the end of the year, this figure approached historical records of theft. The most notorious incident was a February attack on one of the leading exchanges, Bybit, where hackers siphoned off around $1.5 billion in digital assets—an unprecedented sum for a single hack. Experts estimate that this attack was carried out by North Korean hacking groups, which ramped up operations in 2025 and are believed to be responsible for approximately $2 billion in stolen funds. The stolen assets were subsequently laundered through complex transaction chains, mixers, and decentralized exchanges, complicating tracking efforts.
• Vulnerabilities in DeFi Protocols: Decentralized finance platforms have also regularly become targets. Mid-year saw a wave of attacks on DeFi applications: for example, an exploit of a vulnerability on the popular decentralized exchange GMX led to losses of about $40 million, and insider schemes at the Indian centralized exchange CoinDCX resulted in around $44 million being siphoned off. In total, the five largest hacks of DeFi platforms in July inflicted over $130 million in damages on users. These incidents underline the persistent risks associated with smart contracts: coding errors, inadequate security audits, and sophisticated attack methods lead to immediate financial losses, making DeFi users perpetually vigilant.
• Fraud and Legal Consequences: Law enforcement agencies in different countries intensified their fight against organizers of large crypto scams from previous years in 2025. In New York, the trial of Do Kwon, co-founder of the failed Terra/Luna stablecoin project, is nearing its conclusion: prosecutors are seeking over 10 years in prison for defrauding investors out of tens of billions of dollars. Recall that the collapse of the Terra ecosystem in 2022 triggered a chain reaction of bankruptcies (including the infamous fall of FTX) and became one of the most instructive events for the industry. Additionally, international investigations continue against the creators of the OneCoin pyramid and several dubious DeFi projects suspected of embezzling investors' funds. Regulators and police have notably ramped up their efforts against fraudsters in the departing year: dozens of arrests were made globally, hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto assets confiscated, and the first real sentences handed to executives of bankrupt crypto companies. All this indicates that the era of unchecked schemes is nearing its end. Nonetheless, users must remain vigilant—get-rich-quick schemes, one-day projects (rug pulls), and phishing attacks continue to emerge, especially around new tokens and NFT collections.

Conclusions and Outlook

As 2025 draws to a close, the cryptocurrency market presents a mixed picture. On one hand, the industry achieved impressive milestones: new price records were set in the first half of the year, digital assets became more deeply integrated into traditional finance (through the launch of ETFs and banking services), and technological progress enhanced the reliability and scalability of blockchains. On the other hand, high volatility and a series of shocks (both external and internal) have reminded investors of the inherent risks associated with this asset class. In the short term, much will depend on the macroeconomic environment: further easing of monetary policy from leading central banks may stimulate demand for risk assets; however, ongoing uncertainty in the global economy (including the potential formation of a "bubble" in high-tech stocks) will continue to influence sentiment in crypto as well.

Nevertheless, fundamental trends indicate further maturation and growth of the crypto industry. Increased institutional participation brings greater liquidity and resilience to the market, while expanding regulatory clarity in key regions lowers barriers for new major players. Technological innovations broaden the applications of cryptocurrencies—ranging from payment services and decentralized finance to gaming platforms and metaverse projects. Investors are advised to maintain a balanced approach: diversify portfolios within major cryptocurrencies, carefully monitor news about regulatory developments and the adoption of crypto products by large corporations, and above all—not neglect cybersecurity principles when dealing with digital assets. As we enter 2026, the crypto market remains a dynamic and global phenomenon, capable of both remarkable growth and facing unexpected challenges. New opportunities are forming for those investors willing to think strategically and with a long-term perspective.