2025 wasn’t just another year on the calendar; it was the moment humanity truly looked up and saw a different universe. From engines that could turn a Mars mission into a summer vacation to the discovery of cosmic structures so massive they break our understanding of physics, this year redefined the possible.
We watched black holes dance, saw the Earth from the Moon’s perspective once again, and waved goodbye to our oldest robotic ambassador. Here is your definitive look at the space milestones of 2025—Metaverse Planet style.
Mars in 30 Days? The Speed Revolution
For decades, we were told a trip to Mars would take nearly a year. In 2025, that rulebook was thrown out the window. Scientists in Russia unveiled a prototype plasma electric rocket engine that aims to cut the journey down to just 30-60 days.
This isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a paradigm shift. If this technology delivers, the Red Planet won’t just be a frontier for astronauts; it could be the next destination for humanity.
And it’s not just space getting faster. Japan’s new suborbital flight project promises to turn intercontinental travel into a 60-minute hop. Imagine grabbing sushi in Tokyo and being back in New York for dinner. The sky is no longer the limit.
Meet “Quipu”: The Giant of the Universe
We thought we knew the map of the cosmos, but 2025 proved us wrong. Astronomers discovered the largest rotating structure ever observed: Quipu. Named after the ancient Inca knot system, this super-structure stretches a mind-boggling 1.3 billion light-years across.
Along with a newly discovered 5.5 million light-year-long cosmic filament, these findings show us that the universe is far more connected—and organized—than we ever imagined.
Black Holes and Star Births: The Extreme Physics
This year, the universe put on a show. For the first time, we didn’t just theorize but actually saw a binary black hole system dancing in the dark.
We also witnessed a cosmic tragedy turned into a light show: a star swallowing a small black hole, causing a gamma-ray burst that lasted seven hours! On the flip side, we also observed the direct birth of a new star system in the Orion Constellation. Destruction and creation, side by side.
Humanity’s New View: Polar Orbits & Artificial Eclipses
SpaceX made history again with the Fram2 mission. For the first time, humans flew over Earth’s polar regions, gazing down at the auroras from 430 kilometers up—a view previously reserved for satellites.
Meanwhile, the European Space Agency (ESA) played god with the sun. Their Proba-3 mission successfully created an “artificial solar eclipse” in space, allowing satellites to study the Sun’s corona on demand.
Farewells and New Hellos
Voyager 1: Our silent traveler has reached a symbolic milestone. It is now exactly “One Light Day” away from Earth. A message sent to it takes 24 hours to arrive. It is truly alone, yet it remains our greatest connection to the void.The Blue Ghost: Firefly Aerospace’s lander touched down on the Moon and sent back a photo that stopped the world: a single frame capturing the lunar surface and the “Pale Blue Dot”—our home—hanging in the void.3I/ATLAS: The mysterious comet (or was it an alien ship? 👀) that visited our solar system has officially left, heading back into interstellar space, leaving us with more questions than answers.
The Verdict
2025 was the year the “future” officially arrived. From designs for generation ships bound for Alpha Centauri to commercial moon landings, the boundaries are dissolving.
At Metaverse Planet, we don’t just watch the stars; we prepare for them. Which of these breakthroughs excited you the most? Let us know in the comments!
Memecoins represent financial nihilism, not failed investing—users knowingly trade chaos instead of promises.
Coins like Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, PEPE, BONK, and FLOKI thrive because they are culturally legible, not technically superior.
As crypto heads into 2026, memecoins reflect growing distrust in institutions, narratives, and expert certainty.
Unlike traditional projects, memecoins don’t sell roadmaps or fundamentals—they sell participation, attention, and momentum.
No roadmap, no fundamentals, just vibes… and somehow billions in market cap (heading into 2026).
Let’s get one thing out of the way: memecoins are not pretending to be serious. There is no whitepaper you’re supposed to read—and definitely not understand. There is no “10-year vision.” There is usually a dog, a frog, or a very questionable piece of internet humor involved.
And yet, as we move closer to 2026, memecoins still refuse to die.
Analysts call them irrational. Economists call them dangerous. Crypto Twitter calls them “generational wealth (not financial advice).” But here’s the uncomfortable truth: memecoins are not broken finance—they’re honest finance.
They don’t sell you a dream. They sell you chaos. And somehow, year after year, people keep buying.
Memecoins are what happens when people stop believing the pitch
Traditional crypto projects love a good story. “Revolutionizing finance.” “Changing the world.” “Disrupting legacy systems.”
After three full cycles of this, a lot of users simply checked out emotionally. And by the time we reached the mid-2020s, the pitch fatigue was real.
Memecoins are however the opposite. Coins like Dogecoin never promised to change banking. Shiba Inu didn’t claim to reinvent payments. PEPE didn’t even pretend to be polite. And newer names like BONK or FLOKI leaned fully into internet-native chaos.
They don’t promise to fix anything. They don’t pretend to be early-stage startups. They look at the entire financial system — inflation, bailouts, insider advantages — and say: “None of this makes sense anyway, so let’s just speedrun the absurdity.”
That’s not ignorance. That’s financial nihilism.
And heading into 2026, it’s becoming less of a joke and more of a worldview.
The joke is the feature
Here’s why memecoins keep working while “serious” projects struggle: they’re culturally legible.
You don’t need to understand tokenomics to understand a meme. You don’t need to read Discord updates to know whether something is funny, viral, or dead.
Memecoins trade on the same mechanics as internet culture itself: attention, momentum, and collective belief.
That’s why coins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu outlived hundreds of technically superior projects. Not because they were better technology, but because they were better content.
As crypto heads into 2026, this line is getting blurrier: finance, media, and culture are no longer separate lanes. Memecoins just accepted that reality earlier than everyone else.
Fundamentals are optional when everyone knows it’s a casino
The funniest part of memecoins is that they don’t lie.
No one buying PEPE thinks they’re investing in discounted cash flows. No one aping into FLOKI is asking about EBITDA. The social contract is very clear:
This could go to zero.
This could 10x for no reason.
The timeline will be unhinged.
Compare that to “serious” projects that implode after months of carefully worded Medium posts. At least memecoins don’t ghost you. They rug or moon — immediately.
Low expectations. High emotional clarity.
In 2026, that honesty is starting to look like a feature, not a bug.
Memecoins are a protest, not a product
At a deeper level, memecoins are a reaction to a system that feels increasingly fake. When:
banks collapse and get bailed out.
insiders win quietly.
retail gets told to “be patient.”
People stop looking for meaning and start looking for momentum.
Memecoins like Dogecoin or PEPE are less about fundamentals and more about collective disbelief in the idea that markets are rational, fair, or merit-based. They are the financial equivalent of laughing during a horror movie because screaming feels pointless.
Memecoins are less about making money (though some do) and more about expressing disbelief in the idea that markets are rational, fair, or merit-based.
As we approach the new year, that disbelief isn’t fringe anymore — it’s mainstream.
Why regulators hate them (And users don’t care)
From the outside, memecoins look like pure speculation. From the inside, they look like radical transparency.
There’s no illusion of safety. No authority figures promising protection. Just risk, vibes, and collective participation. That’s terrifying if you believe finance should be orderly. It’s comforting if you’ve already accepted that it isn’t.
And in a 2026 market where everything from ETFs to tokenized assets is becoming “institutional,” memecoins remain one of the few corners that feel unapologetically human.
The final truth: Still uncomfortable in 2026
Memecoins survive because they understand something most financial products still don’t:
People are tired of being talked down to.
They don’t want lectures. They don’t want promises. They don’t even want certainty. They want to participate, joke, cope, and maybe win — together.
Memecoins aren’t the future of finance.
But heading into 2026, coins like Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, PEPE, and BONK are a mirror the market can’t look away from.
And what they’re reflecting back isn’t great — but it’s honest.
In a system where everything pretends to be serious, the joke is still the only thing that feels real.
And somehow… that’s still bullish.
Also Read: How to create and buy Memecoins on pump.fun? A Beginner’s Guide
We are all fascinated when we watch sci-fi movies or follow Elon Musk’s ambitious plans for Mars, aren’t we? I am too. I often catch myself thinking, “I wish I could stand there and watch Jupiter’s Great Red Spot with my own eyes.” But when I step into the “kitchen” of this business—that is, the real science—I realize a harsh truth: The universe is actively trying to kill us.
This weekend, I didn’t want to just write another standard article for you. Instead, I sat down and coded an interactive “Space Survival Calculator” based on real NASA data, astrophysical laws, and the limits of human biology.
My goal isn’t to scare you; it’s to let you personally experience how technology keeps us alive (or fails to) in those extreme conditions.
How Does This Calculator Work?
I didn’t use random numbers when building this tool. The algorithm running in the background is based on the “Rule of 3s”—a fundamental survival principle—combined with the actual atmospheric data of the planets.
What are these rules?
Without Air: 3 MinutesWithout Water: 3 DaysWithout Food: 3 Weeks
However, when you add other planets into the equation, these rules get thrown out the window. For example, while coding the Venus section, I realized something terrifying: On Venus, even if you have an unlimited oxygen supply, the 92 atmospheres of pressure and 465°C heat will destroy you in seconds. Even the most advanced suit has a survival limit measured in mere minutes there.
What Can You Test?
In the tool below, you can manipulate 3 key variables:
The Planet: Choose your destination, from Mercury to Pluto, or even the void of Deep Space.The Equipment: Are you out in civilian clothes, or safe inside a habitat base? (Hint: If you try walking on Mars in a t-shirt, your blood will boil in seconds due to the Armstrong Limit!)The Resources: How much oxygen, water, and food do you have in stock?
Technology: Our Only Shield
At Metaverse Planet, we constantly talk about “Human 2.0” and future technologies. This calculator is the ultimate proof of why that technology is vital. Biologically, we are creatures trapped on Earth. The only things that will keep us alive on the Moon or Mars are the armor we build and the habitats we engineer.
It’s Your Turn!
Go ahead and test the simulation I prepared below. Let’s see who can outrun Jupiter’s radiation or establish a successful colony on Mars.
In my own tests, I tried landing on Jupiter with an “Advanced Mech Suit,” but let’s just say the radiation warning didn’t take long to appear… 🙂
Share your results and your most interesting “cause of death” (hopefully virtual!) in the comments. Good luck—you’re going to need it!
The End of Silicon? Stop scrolling for a second and look at the device in your hand. Whether it is a smartphone or a laptop, it runs on silicon chips. These chips are cold, rigid, and dead. But what if the future of computing isn’t metal and plastic? What if it is squishy, biological, and… alive?
Welcome to the era of Organoid Intelligence (OI). This is not a scene from a dystopian sci-fi movie; it is a scientific reality happening right now in laboratories. We are transitioning from the “Silicon Age” to the “Biological Age,” and the implications are both fascinating and terrifying.
The Experiment: Playing Pong with 800,000 Brain Cells
The breakthrough came from Cortical Labs in Melbourne, Australia. Their team created something called “DishBrain”—a petri dish containing approximately 800,000 living neurons (derived from both human stem cells and mouse embryos).
They connected this “biological computer” to a simulation of the classic arcade game Pong.
The Setup: Electrodes sent electrical signals to tell the neurons where the ball was.The Feedback: When the neurons moved the paddle correctly (hit the ball), they received a predictable, rhythmic electrical pulse. When they missed, they received chaotic, random noise.The Result: Living neurons hate chaos. To avoid the random noise, they reorganized themselves to hit the ball.The Shock: It took Artificial Intelligence (AI) hours to learn Pong. DishBrain learned it in just 5 minutes.
Why Biology Beats Silicon: The “20 Watt” Miracle
Why are scientists obsessed with replacing silicon? The answer is simple: Efficiency.
Supercomputers: Frontier, one of the world’s fastest supercomputers, requires 21 megawatts of power to run. That is enough to power a small town.The Human Brain: Your brain is more powerful than Frontier, yet it runs on just 20 watts of power—roughly the energy of a dim light bulb.
Silicon chips separate memory and processing (the von Neumann bottleneck). Brain cells, however, are both the memory and the processor. They physically rewire themselves to learn. This “biocomputing” approach promises machines that are a million times more energy-efficient than anything we have today.
The “Literal” Virus Threat Here is a technical detail most people miss. When your laptop gets a “virus,” it is just malicious code. You can wipe it. But a biological computer? It can catch a literal virus. Bacteria, pathogens, or organic infections could “kill” the computer. Imagine needing to give your server farm antibiotics instead of an antivirus update. This brings a whole new layer of complexity to IT maintenance!
The Ethical Nightmare: Is Unplugging Murder?
This is where the technology gets weird. If we succeed in building computers that are biologically based—machines that learn, adapt, and technically “live”—we face a massive moral dilemma.
Sentience: DishBrain “chose” to play Pong to avoid the pain of chaotic noise. Does that constitute a primitive form of feeling or preference?Rights: If a biocomputer develops consciousness, does it have rights?The Kill Switch: If you turn off a silicon computer, it just stops. If you cut power to an organoid, the cells die. Does unplugging a biocomputer count as property damage, or is it murder?
The Brave New World We are just scratching the surface. Currently, DishBrain has the intelligence of a fly. But scientists are aiming for systems with 10 million neurons—comparable to a tortoise. As these systems grow, the line between “machine” and “being” will vanish.
The future isn’t just about faster phones; it’s about computers that might look back at us.
Stay tuned to Metaverse Planet as we continue to explore the edges of reality.
Vitalik Buterin warned that the EU’s Digital Services Act creates a no-space environment that stifles permissionless innovation.
He argued that administrative hurdles disproportionately harm small entrepreneurs and decentralized projects.
Buterin called for a regulatory balance that protects digital freedoms while maintaining the core values of the European project.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has expressed his opposition to the kind of regulation being pursued by the European Union regarding the Digital Services Act. In an X post on December 26, he described what he terms “an ideology taking pride in a neat, sanitized online environment” as a call for a more pirate party-oriented means of empowering users.
This opposes a more controlled approach where the EU has a say in what constitutes a pluralistic view versus a controlled view of the online world. It is a criticism based on the philosophical foundations of modern content moderation.
This is what I worry Europe will get negatively polarized into: an ideology taking pride in a neat, sanitized online environment free of evil corporate and fascist pathogens.
I hope European govs do not go this way, and instead take a Pirate Party approach of user empowerment.… https://t.co/oH7Yfdg9pa
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) December 26, 2025
He said the approach seems like there is a desire to leave no space for ideas or expressions that people may dislike or find contentious. And it seems like there is a philosophical underpinning here, which is basically totalitarian. Buterin added that if society thinks there is a benefit to eliminating all pathogens, it seems like they have no choice but to overlook good-faith disagreements and construct a system of control by experts.
Redefining a free society
Buterin argued that in “a free society, you have to bite the bullet that some people, somewhere, will be selling things that you consider dangerous and saying things you consider disinformation and vicious lies.”
The Digital Services Act (DSA) is seen as one of the European Union’s flagship laws that regulates online platforms. The EU considers the Digital Services Act as a means of ensuring that there is protection of fundamental rights and that there is a safe internet.
However, such measures are seen from a different perspective by individuals such as Buterin, who foresees that Europe is slowly progressing toward an ideology that celebrates a clean and hygienic internet space that is free from corporate or fascist infections.
Buterin analogized the ideal online world with biotic environments and not impenetrable fortresses. This is because the biggest problem with online communities such as X isn’t the presence of fringe communities, but rather that the algorithm promotes and shoves their content into the faces of the wider public.
He referenced the Taiwanese model introduced by Audrey Tang as a possible way for online communities to offer incentives for more healthy online conversation without necessarily banning everything.
Technical solutions and future policies
Buterin also recommended some technical and policy changes to avoid what he terms the “dark path of having something that claims to support fundamental rights but actually is not trusted by anyone.” These included encouraging the EU to begin enabling rather than hindering its users through interoperability and competition.
By analogizing to his own position on the EU’s USB-C charging port initiative, which he supported because of its market-enhancing competition rationale, he encouraged social media to “support incentivizing social platforms to be more open, and to be more transparent.”
He proposed one particular idea about requiring platforms to share their algorithm with a one to two-year lag. He also spoke about zero-knowledge proofs (zk-proofs) to ensure that there is no discrepancy between the algorithm used presently and one that is later shared publicly. In essence, he opposed banning anonymity on social media.
In its place, he suggested privacy-preserving macro-scale analytics to determine which groups promote particular ideas. The intervention of one of the most celebrated players in the decentralized tech world draws attention to the growing tensions running between the libertarian ethos of the Silicon Valley model and the ambitions of the European regulators.
Buterin’s take on the issue was to spot a chance to reiterate the value of the freedom of speech by standing up for the ideal of pluralism against the manipulation of the powerful. His warning was that if the EU keeps on the same course, it risks building a world that pretends to be in support of all the basics of human freedom but gets perceived as the ‘basic human right’ to follow in the footsteps of a few tech elites. It should be a place where the harmful stuff doesn’t dominate, but isn’t a place where it’s all eliminated.
Also Read: Vitalik Buterin Sells UNI, KNC, and DINU for $16.8K USDC
Indian authorities have arrested a former Coinbase customer support agent.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong confirmed the arrest, thanking the Hyderabad Police and indicating that further arrests may follow.
Indian law enforcement has arrested a former customer service agent tied to a significant data breach at Coinbase, the U.S. cryptocurrency exchange.
The arrest was revealed by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong in a post on X, where he thanked the Hyderabad Police and said authorities are continuing efforts to bring “bad actors” to justice. Armstrong indicated this is the first arrest in a larger probe and suggested further detentions may follow.
We have zero tolerance for bad behavior and will continue to work with law enforcement to bring bad actors to justice.
Thanks to the Hyderabad Police in India, an ex-Coinbase customer service agent was just arrested. Another one down and more still to come.
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) December 26, 2025
India Law enforcement has yet to make any public announcement regarding the arrest.
Background: The 2025 breach and outsourced customer support
The arrest connects back to a major breach disclosed by Coinbase in mid-2025, in which hackers reportedly bribed outsourced support personnel to extract sensitive customer data.
The breach, which affected tens of thousands of users and triggered at least one class-action lawsuit, was traced to agents working for TaskUs, a Texas-based business process outsourcing (BPO) firm with centers in India.
According to disclosures, the attackers were unable to access private keys or passwords. However, the stolen customer information was sufficient to carry out targeted social engineering attacks, where victims were impersonated and persuaded to hand over access to their accounts. Coinbase warned that remediation, reimbursements, and security upgrades related to the breach could cost the company around four hundred million dollars.
Reports also indicated that the attackers attempted to extort Coinbase for $20 million, threatening to further exploit the stolen data.
Impersonation scam arrest in New York
Separately, U.S. authorities recently arrested Ronald Spektor, a 23-year-old Brooklyn resident, in connection with a widespread phishing and impersonation scam that targeted Coinbase users.
Prosecutors in Brooklyn charged Spektor with orchestrating a scheme that allegedly stole nearly $16 million in cryptocurrency from about 100 Coinbase users nationwide by impersonating Coinbase support representatives and convincing victims that their assets were at risk.
The Coinbase case highlights how social engineering, rather than direct system hacks, has emerged as one of the most effective attack vectors against crypto users in 2025.
Also Read: Coinbase Challenges Three US States Over Prediction Markets
Published: December 26, 2025 at 9:40 am Updated: December 26, 2025 at 9:22 am
by Ana
Edited and fact-checked:
December 26, 2025 at 9:40 am
To improve your local-language experience, sometimes we employ an auto-translation plugin. Please note auto-translation may not be accurate, so read original article for precise information.
In Brief
Gemini has added trading and custody support for BNB, joining Kraken in offering the token while Coinbase plans to list it in the future.
Cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, recognized as the third-largest digital asset platform in the United States, has announced the addition of trading and custody support for BNB, the native token of the BNB Chain ecosystem. BNB, originally issued by Binance in 2017, is widely used for transactions, network fees, and various applications built on the BNB Chain.
Historically, Binance has offered fee discounts and promotional incentives for BNB holders under specific terms and conditions.
With this update, BNB becomes one of the cryptocurrencies available for both trading and custody on Gemini’s platform. Other US-based exchanges, such as Kraken, already provide BNB support, while Coinbase has included the token in its listing roadmap but has yet to enable active trading.
The token serves as the primary currency within the BNB Chain ecosystem, facilitating digital payments, covering network fees, and supporting operations of applications built on the network.
Gemini highlighted in a blog post that BNB has historically been used for fee reductions and promotional programs offered by Binance.
The move to expand BNB availability across multiple exchanges signals sustained interest in established altcoins, despite broader challenges facing the altcoin market throughout the year.
As of the current writing, BNB is trading at $841, reflecting a 24-hour increase of over 0.74 percent, with a low of $827 and a high of $845, according to CoinMarketCap.
Gemini Expands Offerings With New Prediction Market Contracts Following Nasdaq IPO
Gemini, a New York–based cryptocurrency exchange and custodian backed by the Winklevoss twins, operates as a regulated platform allowing users to buy, sell, trade, and store digital assets under the supervision of the New York State Department of Financial Services, with availability in more than 60 countries. In September, the company completed its initial public offering (IPO), and its shares began trading on the Nasdaq.
Continuing to expand its product offerings, Gemini recently launched new prediction market contracts. The exchange’s prediction market division, Gemini Predictions, has introduced additional event contracts in both sports and political categories, further developing its recently established platform.
Disclaimer
In line with the Trust Project guidelines, please note that the information provided on this page is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of advice. It is important to only invest what you can afford to lose and to seek independent financial advice if you have any doubts. For further information, we suggest referring to the terms and conditions as well as the help and support pages provided by the issuer or advertiser. MetaversePost is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice.
About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
More articles
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
Published: December 26, 2025 at 8:26 am Updated: December 26, 2025 at 8:26 am
by Ana
Edited and fact-checked:
December 26, 2025 at 8:26 am
To improve your local-language experience, sometimes we employ an auto-translation plugin. Please note auto-translation may not be accurate, so read original article for precise information.
In Brief
Delphi Digital reports that prediction markets are emerging as mainstream financial derivatives, enabling institutions to hedge and manage portfolios dynamically using real-time probability-based insights.
Delphi Digital, a research and investment firm specializing in digital assets, has highlighted that prediction markets are increasingly being recognized as mainstream financial derivatives, offering institutional investors a mechanism for dynamic, probability-based hedging and portfolio management, according to its latest “2026 Infra Year Ahead” report.
The firm notes that prediction markets are evolving into fully integrated traditional-finance-style derivatives. Traditional financial events such as earnings reports, CPI announcements, and guidance changes often do not align neatly with existing derivative products. While options can approximate exposure to these events, prediction markets distill these complexities into binary outcomes with continuously updating probabilities, providing a more precise and real-time reflection of risk.
As tokenized equities and real-world asset (RWA) rails continue to develop, prediction markets integrate seamlessly within unified on-chain brokerage accounts. For instance, a trader holding a spot position in a stock like AAPL could borrow against that position and allocate a portion of collateral to hedge earnings risk or adjust exposure dynamically based on market probabilities, such as whether Apple will beat earnings expectations.
Earlier in the year, the Intercontinental Exchange, owner of the New York Stock Exchange and a major systemic market operator, made a multi-billion-dollar strategic investment in Polymarket, emphasizing growing institutional interest. Thomas Peterffy, founder of Interactive Brokers, described prediction markets as providing a live information layer for institutional portfolios.
Initial demand on the IBKR platform has focused on weather-related contracts tied to energy usage, logistics, and insurance risk. However, Thomas Peterffy’s vision extends beyond this, suggesting that portfolios could be continuously updated based on probability shifts from event markets rather than relying on static analyst estimates, offering a more responsive and dynamic approach to portfolio management.
Stablecoins Set To Become Core Infrastructure For Payments, Driving Innovation And Adoption In 2026
Delphi Digital’s report also emphasizes that stablecoins are becoming a fundamental layer for modern payment systems, offering faster, lower-cost, and more programmable settlement that bypasses multiple intermediaries inherent in traditional financial infrastructure.
Stablecoins reduce transactional friction, streamline reconciliation processes, and enable features such as conditional transfers, automated compliance, and near-instant cross-border payments.
Concurrently, the process of stablecoin issuance is becoming increasingly standardized, with established procedures for custody, reserve management, and mint-and-burn functions lowering barriers for new participants.
This shift is driving competition toward distribution networks, liquidity provision, and seamless integration with real-world payment rails, merchant ecosystems, and enterprise platforms.
With a range of actors—including neobanks, fintech companies, and stablecoin-focused blockchains—competing to capture settlement demand, 2026 is anticipated to witness continued technological innovation, expanded adoption across global commerce, and eventual consolidation among the leading stablecoin issuers and infrastructure providers.
Disclaimer
In line with the Trust Project guidelines, please note that the information provided on this page is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of advice. It is important to only invest what you can afford to lose and to seek independent financial advice if you have any doubts. For further information, we suggest referring to the terms and conditions as well as the help and support pages provided by the issuer or advertiser. MetaversePost is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice.
About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
More articles
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
Published: December 26, 2025 at 7:40 am Updated: December 26, 2025 at 6:46 am
by Ana
Edited and fact-checked:
December 26, 2025 at 7:40 am
To improve your local-language experience, sometimes we employ an auto-translation plugin. Please note auto-translation may not be accurate, so read original article for precise information.
In Brief
The third week of December saw moves in the crypto industry toward regulated infrastructure, enterprise adoption, and real-world integration, highlighted by partnerships across major financial platforms, institutional blockchain networks, and compliance-focused initiatives.
The third week of December came a definite shift in cryptocurrency alliances towards regulated infrastructure, enterprise adoption, and real-world integration. These partnerships span from stablecoin settlement within conventional fintech apps to institutional blockchain deployments and compliance-led partnerships.
We’re seeing crypto gradually integrating itself into the realm of mainstream finance, payments, and worldwide markets.
Ripple Expands Institutional Brokerage Partnership With TJM
Ripple has expanded its long-standing partnership with broker-dealer TJM Investments, deepening institutional collaboration across execution, clearing, and financing services. As part of the agreement, Ripple is making a strategic investment in TJM while continuing to provide infrastructure support for its trading and clearing operations.
Ripple described the relationship as centered on its multi-asset prime brokerage offering, Ripple Prime, noting that the enhanced partnership enables TJM to deliver stronger capital and collateral efficiency, alongside improved clearing stability and balance-sheet support. TJM plans to tap deeper into Ripple Prime’s digital market capabilities, with the goal of extending digital asset coverage for clients such as hedge funds, family offices, asset managers, and global investors.
TJM leadership said the partnership provides the infrastructure required to handle growing institutional order flow, particularly as demand for digital asset exposure accelerates.
The expansion comes during an active period for Ripple. The company recently received regulatory approval to broaden its payments operations in Singapore and to deploy its stablecoin within Abu Dhabi’s ADGM financial center. Earlier this month, Ripple also partnered with fintech RedotPay to expand stablecoin payment use cases.
The move aligns with a broader industry shift toward enterprise-focused blockchain infrastructure, including the rising adoption of permissioned ledgers by major financial institutions seeking regulatory-ready digital asset solutions.
BlackRock, Mastercard, and Franklin Templeton Partner with ADI Chain
Just days after its mainnet launch, ADI Chain—the MENA region’s first large-scale institutional Layer 2—has secured high-profile partnerships with BlackRock, Mastercard, and Franklin Templeton, signaling early institutional confidence in a compliance-first blockchain model.
BlackRock signed a memorandum of understanding with the ADI Foundation to explore accelerating blockchain adoption across financial markets and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s role as a global digital asset hub. The collaboration is centered on institution-grade tokenized asset structures, improved distribution, and clearly defined regulatory frameworks that support sustainable market growth.
Mastercard’s partnership focuses on blockchain-based payments and asset tokenization across the Middle East, bringing stablecoin settlement, cross-border payments, and digital asset rails to the region with regulatory alignment “built in.”
Franklin Templeton also entered an MoU with the ADI Foundation to examine regulated digital asset infrastructure within ADGM. The initiative targets compliant pathways for institutions to launch tokenized products, develop digital rails for distribution and settlement, and research stablecoins and tokenized assets that meet regulatory requirements.
These three partnerships, announced within days of launch, highlight institutional demand for blockchain infrastructure designed around regulation. ADI Chain now supports an ecosystem spanning 20 countries, with more than 50 institutional and enterprise projects in its deployment pipeline. Recent use cases range from tokenized real estate pilots to energy transition platforms and onchain payment settlement, reinforcing ADI Chain’s positioning as a regulatory-ready foundation for enterprise blockchain adoption.
SoFi Introduces Bank-Issued Stablecoin to Expand Enterprise-Grade Onchain Payments
SoFi Technologies has unveiled SoFiUSD, a fully reserved U.S. dollar stablecoin issued by SoFi Bank, positioning the company as a stablecoin infrastructure provider for banks, fintechs, and enterprise platforms. The launch allows partners to tap into SoFi’s bank-grade infrastructure to enable faster, more efficient money movement while operating within a regulated framework.
With SoFiUSD deployed on a public, permissionless blockchain, partners gain access to near-instant, 24/7 settlement at minimal cost, improving liquidity management and operational transparency. SoFi noted that it is the first national bank to offer open access to a bank-issued stablecoin, combining regulatory oversight with onchain settlement capabilities. The stablecoin is also expected to become available to SoFi’s consumer members.
SoFi’s leadership described blockchain as a financial “technology super cycle,” emphasizing that the company is applying a decade of infrastructure development to address persistent industry challenges such as slow settlement, fragmented service providers, and opaque reserve models. By pairing national bank regulation with “fully reserved on-chain technology,” SoFi aims to provide partners with a safer and more efficient settlement layer.
SoFiUSD is designed for broad use cases, including crypto trade settlement, card network payments, retail transactions, and international remittances through SoFi Pay. It will also support Galileo partners processing billions in payments annually and offer a dollar-denominated option for users in volatile currency markets. The launch builds on SoFi’s recent move to offer consumer crypto trading, reinforcing its strategy to bridge traditional banking with onchain financial infrastructure.
Intuit and Circle Team Up to Bring USDC Settlement Into TurboTax and QuickBooks
Intuit has entered a multi-year partnership with Circle to integrate USDC-based stablecoin payments across TurboTax and QuickBooks, signaling a move toward faster and lower-cost settlement within mainstream financial software. Through the agreement, Intuit gains access to Circle’s payments infrastructure to support flows tied to tax refunds, payroll, and business payouts.
USDC, issued by Circle, remains the second-largest dollar-backed stablecoin globally, with circulating supply exceeding $78 billion. While Intuit has not outlined a public rollout timeline, the collaboration centers on embedding stablecoin settlement into existing products, potentially starting as backend infrastructure rather than a consumer-facing wallet feature.
The partnership gives Circle exposure to one of the largest recurring money-movement engines in consumer finance. Intuit processes billions of dollars annually across tax, invoicing, and small-business payments, serving a customer base of more than 100 million users. Stablecoins are increasingly viewed by large fintechs as an alternative to legacy rails like ACH and wires, particularly for 24/7 and cross-border settlement.
Momentum has accelerated following clearer U.S. regulation under the GENIUS Act, which established a federal framework for dollar-backed stablecoins. Circle’s leadership framed the deal as extending the “speed, power, and efficiency” of USDC into everyday financial workflows, while Intuit positioned the integration around enabling faster, lower-cost payments across business and tax-focused platforms.
Crypto.com has announced a new partnership with ERShares and Signal Markets to develop a prediction market intelligence platform designed to translate market expectations into real-time economic insight. Revealed on December 15, the initiative aims to move beyond traditional financial analysis by combining macroeconomic data with continuously updated probability models.
Built through Crypto.com’s Derivatives North America arm, which operates under CFTC registration as both an exchange and clearinghouse, the platform is structured to aggregate data across interest rates, inflation, employment, equities, commodities, digital assets, and corporate earnings. Rather than isolating single events, the system emphasizes how markets collectively respond to policy changes, data releases, and corporate results as they unfold.
Crypto.com provides trading, custody, and payment systems, in addition to direct access to a global user base. ESHARES contributes the research methods and data-integration expertise acquired through ETF and index management, while Signal Markets supports the technical infrastructure for probability modeling and forecasting which is capable of turning uncertainty into quantifiable results.
The partnership showcases a transition to financial instruments, which give more weight to the market expectations rather than relying on the past models. The platform, which relies on constant signals and not on fixed assumptions, is set to equip the users in a more proactive manner to interpret the cross-asset dynamics and the risks coming up. The introduction is also consistent with the expansion of Crypto.com into event-driven and prediction-based markets across different industries.
BlockchainUnmasked Joins U.S.-Led IVAN Partnership to Combat Illicit Crypto Activity
The blockchain intelligence firm BlockchainUnmasked has become a member of the Illicit Virtual Asset Notification (IVAN) Public-Private Partnership, a U.S. government initiative that centers on identifying and counteracting illicit activities involving digital assets. IVAN is a coalition of government agencies, law enforcement and private firms that share intelligence about the threats posed by virtual assets and thereby becomes a global coordinated response to crypto-enabled crimes.
By entering into the alliance with IVAN, BlockchainUnmasked will offer its capabilities in forensic intelligence and investigation to facilitate information sharing, victim recovery actions, and thwarting of illicit financial networks, among others. The company has described its partnership with IVAN as a means of enhancing trust and security in the crypto ecosystem and emphasized the role of public sector collaborations in making the space safer and more transparent, and also addressing the issue of criminal misuse directly.
BlockchainUnmasked, in the past, has provided support to over 16,000 victims of crypto-associated crimes and has been involved in over 20 federal investigations with a total of more than $1.4 billion in digital assets. The joining of IVAN partnership is another milestone in that direction. Besides, Circle and Binance are among the other major industry players in the partnership indicating the evolving harmonization between regulators, law enforcement, and crypto- native firms.
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About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
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Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
Aave holders rejected a proposal to shift control of brand assets to the DAO, with over 55% voting against it.
Some token holders said AAVE still lacks a clear way to capture value, highlighting broader DeFi governance challenges.
Lido advisor Hasu urged aligning governance under a single token or equity structure to resolve conflicting incentives.
Aave token holders have decisively voted against a contentious governance proposal that aimed to give the DAO full ownership of the protocol’s brand assets. The Snapshot vote ended in a clear rejection, with most participants either voting against the plan or choosing not to support it.
When the poll closed on Friday, about 55% of voters voted “no,” while more than 41% abstained. Only around 3.5% voted in favor.
If approved, the proposal, known as the Brand Asset ARFC, would have shifted control of Aave’s domains, social media accounts, naming rights, and other intellectual property to a DAO-controlled legal entity.
The Spark: “Stealth privatization” concerns
The governance rift intensified following a December 4 partnership with CoW Swap. On December 11, community delegates discovered that swap fees were being directed to a private wallet controlled by Aave Labs rather than the DAO. This led to accusations of “stealth privatization” and prompted a “poison pill” counter-proposal suggesting the DAO absorb Aave Labs entirely.
Tensions reached a breaking point on December 22, when Aave Labs moved the brand ownership proposal to a Snapshot vote. The proposal’s listed author, Ernesto Boado of BGD Labs, publicly denounced the move, calling it a “disgraceful breach of trust” because the vote was triggered while community debate was still active.
Kulechov’s conviction and “healthy debate”
Aave Founder Stani Kulechov, moved the proposal to a Snapshot vote on December 22. Critics said the decision came without broad community agreement and while discussions were still ongoing, raising concerns about process and participation.
The episode also renewed debate around influence in token-governed systems. Some community members pointed to Kulechov’s recent AAVE purchase as highlighting how large holders can draw scrutiny during contentious governance decisions.
The recent DAO vote has wrapped up, and it has raised important questions about the relationship between Aave Labs and $AAVE token holders. This is a productive discussion that’s essential for the long-term health of Aave.
While it’s been a bit hectic, debate and disagreement…
— Stani.eth (@StaniKulechov) December 26, 2025
Kulechov said the vote sparked an important discussion about alignment between Aave Labs and AAVE token holders. He described the debate as a normal part of “decentralized governance” and acknowledged that Aave Labs has not clearly explained its economic relationship with the DAO in the past, saying this would improve going forward.
Addressing concerns around his recent $15 million AAVE purchase, Kulechov said the tokens were not used to vote on the proposal and were never intended to influence the outcome. Instead, he framed the buy-in as a personal signal of long-term alignment at a time when Aave generated a record $885 million in fees in 2025.
He added that the DAO earned about $140 million this year, which remains under the control of AAVE holders, and said Aave Labs will be clearer about how its products create value for the DAO. “This is my life’s work, and I am putting my own capital behind my conviction,” he said.
Deeper structural tensions
Supporters tended to think it would improve decentralization and resolve questions about who owns the Aave brand. Many community members felt the proposal raised more questions than answers, especially about long-term rewards and governance.
The failed vote exposed deeper tensions within Aave’s ecosystem. Some large token holders argued that the protocol still lacks a clear way for the AAVE token to capture value, a problem they say affects not just Aave but many major DeFi projects.
Wintermute CEO Evgeny Gaevoy said his firm voted against the proposal while calling for more serious discussions about long-term alignment between the protocol, token holders, and related entities.
Others focused on structural issues. Lido advisor Hasu said the dispute highlights a broader problem with setups where governance tokens coexist with separate equity-based companies.
According to him, these dual structures create conflicting incentives and make effective governance harder over time, adding that many investors view them as temporary and expect a clearer, unified structure in the future.
Hasu added, “As a long-time investor in Aave, I hope all parties can come to the table and design a solution that aligns everything either under a singular token or equity structure, similar to Uniswap’s UNIfication proposal.”
Overall, the episode has become a case study in DAOs’ challenges of managing power, identity, and value. While the proposal failed, it has intensified the debate over how Aave-and similar protocols-should structure governance going forward.
Also Read: Bitcoin UTXO Bloat Sparks Debate Over “The Cat” Proposal
