Theme DeFi

The crypto market faced a sharp correction in the final quarter of 2025, with total market capitalization plunging -23.7% to finish at $3.0 trillion. This marked a -10.4% Year-on-Year decline, crypto’s first annual downturn since 2022. While the quarter saw a brief all-time high of $4.4 trillion, a historic $19 billion liquidation event in October, sent prices slumping. Despite the price retreat, volatility pushed average daily trading volumes to a yearly high of $161.8 billion, while the stablecoin sector climbed +48.9% annually to hit a record $311.0 billion.

While DAOs were meant to embody the promise of decentralized governance, Vitalik Buterin today delivers a harsh assessment: their current model is exhausted. In a widely shared post, the Ethereum co-founder denounces rigid structures, dominated by large holders and unable to address complex coordination challenges. His call for a new design marks a pivotal moment for DAOs, urging them to move beyond simple voting logic to become true on-chain infrastructures.

In Washington, crypto puts the Senate in a tailspin: Coinbase says no, the law collapses, and banks fear that open code will become uncontrollable.

U.S. lawmakers have put a major crypto market structure bill on hold after strong pushback from Coinbase. Fresh criticism from the exchange’s chief executive raised doubts about whether the proposal could move forward without changes. As a result, Senate Banking Committee members delayed a planned markup while reassessing industry and regulatory concerns tied to the draft.

Singapore, 16 January 2026 – Veera, a crypto-powered financial services platform focused on inclusion and usability, has raised a total of $10 million across its pre-seed and seed funding rounds to accelerate product development and to expand access to on-chain financial services globally. 

Explosion on the Ethereum network: 447,000 new investors in one day, an unprecedented record in 7 years! All the details here.

In Washington, senators want to "clarify" crypto, but Coinbase slams the door. Clarity or control? The CLARITY Act turns regulation into a political battleground.

Investment firm VanEck expects the first quarter of 2026 to favor risk assets, citing clearer fiscal policy, steadier monetary signals, and renewed interest across several major investment themes. After years of uncertainty, improved visibility is shaping how investors position their portfolios heading into the new year.

Ukraine has just blocked access to Polymarket, a crypto predictive markets platform. The authorities consider that the service resembles unlicensed online gambling. This decision does not only target a site. It mainly reminds that as soon as there is a stake and a possible gain on an uncertain event, the line with gambling becomes very thin. And crypto does not offer automatic immunity.

A new piece is added to the crypto puzzle: World Liberty Financial, supported by Trump’s entourage, wants to turn the stablecoin USD1 into the locomotive of decentralized finance.

A new advertising campaign tied to crypto policy has stirred debate in Washington as lawmakers prepare to review a major market structure bill. Ads airing on Fox News urge viewers to pressure senators to support legislation that excludes decentralized finance provisions. The timing of the campaign coincides with key Senate activity on crypto regulation.

Nexo reinvents itself and announces zero interest crypto loans. The crypto finance market finally seems to turn the page on post-FTX chaos. Beware of getting too excited.

JPMorgan plays the bankers of the future: its JPM Coin infiltrates Canton, the blockchain of the big players. It smells like crypto fragrance on Wall Street, with more control than utopia.

A stablecoin backed by BlackRock, a crypto ecosystem in superapp mode… what if Jupiter was preparing the discreet invasion of the dollar into our decentralized wallets?

Aave Labs founder Stani Kulechov has suggested sharing revenue from outside the protocol with token holders amid ongoing governance debates.

Crypto markets are entering 2026 with stronger structural support than in earlier cycles. Clearer regulation, expanding financial products, and closer links to traditional finance are reshaping how digital assets are adopted and perceived. Coinbase’s research leadership expects this momentum to persist rather than weaken.

Crypto giants rush into a rapidly growing market: tokenized stocks. Discover the latest figures!

While the crypto market is struggling, onchain perpetual contracts are breaking records. A discreet but massive explosion that reshapes the backstage of an overheated DeFi.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has addressed growing questions about ADA’s weak price performance amid growing interest in Midnight ($NIGHT), a new project linked to the Cardano ecosystem. Midnight has quickly gained attention across the crypto market, highlighting a clear contrast between rising development interest and ADA’s stagnant price action. Hoskinson’s remarks offer insight into both the project’s ambitions and the broader state of the crypto market.

Kalshi saw a sharp rise in trading activity last week, pushing weekly volume to a new high. Data shows the prediction market processed more than $2 billion in trades, placing it well ahead of Polymarket over the same period. Increased demand for sports contracts and broader blockchain access supported the growth.

Do you want to benefit from StandX airdrops without wasting time? Here are 3 simple steps to accumulate points with DUSD, provide liquidity, or trade perpetual contracts.

Aave, a pillar of DeFi, is faltering under the weight of a controversial decision. Far from the technical debates about yield or innovations in smart contracts, it is governance that crystallizes the tensions. A rushed vote on the transfer of the protocol's brand assets to the DAO was launched without consensus, provoking a strong reaction within the community. Between accusations of forcing the issue and criticism of the transparency of the process, the crisis exposes the fragility of a model often cited as an example.

Stablecoins continue to gain a stronger foothold across global crypto markets. This growth now appears not only in supply figures but also in transaction activity across blockchains. In Europe, momentum is building around euro-linked tokens, while USDC continues to expand across multiple networks. Recent data points to a shift toward transaction-driven expansion rather than passive issuance.

Crypto 2025: invisible hackers, billions lost, a rogue state involved... What if your wallet was the next silent victim?

Aave enters a new growth phase after the SEC ends its investigation, planning V4, Horizon, and a mobile app to drive growth in 2026.

Tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) is moving closer to mainstream finance, though its short-term impact on crypto markets may remain limited. NYDIG says longer-term value will depend on how open, connected, and regulated these assets become across blockchain networks.

In a DeFi market seeking stability, the launch of StandX on November 24, 2025, does not go unnoticed. This new DEX, dedicated to perpetual contracts, introduces an automatic yield stablecoin, without staking action. Supported by a team from Binance Futures and Goldman Sachs, the project claims a community-driven and self-financed approach. Unlike classic models, StandX aims to establish itself in a sector still largely dominated by centralized platforms.

Traditional finance is shifting into the era of RWAs: Real Finance just raised 29 million dollars to tokenize 500 million in real assets. With Nimbus Capital and giants like Goldman Sachs lurking, this revolution will redefine investment.