Institutional & Regulation Developments
JPMorgan launches blockchain fund: The bank rolled out a new tokenized money market fund on Ethereum, aimed at wealthy and institutional investors — a big step for traditional finance into crypto.
UK proposes crypto rules: The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) unveiled a consultation on comprehensive crypto market rules including token listings, insider trading safeguards, and platform standards, open for public feedback.

Legal & Fraud Developments
👨‍⚖️ Do Kwon, co-founder of Terraform Labs (Terra/LUNA), was sentenced to 15 years in prison for fraud tied to a $40 billion collapse — one of the largest crypto fraud cases ever.
🇬🇧 A lawyer linked to the OneCoin case was cleared of professional discipline charges related to her past representation of the scheme.
🇮🇳 Fake crypto racket busted in Agra with ~1,500 investors allegedly duped out of significant funds.

🏛️ Regulation & Policy
📌 U.S. Crypto Policy Developments:
A U.S. Senate bill on crypto market structure is hitting friction, with the White House shutting down parts of the proposal and lawmakers negotiating changes.
🪙 Major Crypto Corporate Moves
💼 Nexo Expansion:
Crypto firm Nexo is acquiring Argentina’s Buenbit, expanding its footprint in Latin America and signaling growing institutional interest in emerging markets.
⚖️ Legal & Crime News
⚖️ Do Kwon Sentencing:
Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon is set to be sentenced in a major fraud case tied to the $40B TerraUSD/Luna collapse, a key

Stability & Innovation: Privacy Coins, Stablecoins, and Institutional Tools
The firm behind stablecoin Circle USD Coin (USDC) is reportedly planning a more privacy-focused stablecoin — aimed at “banking-level privacy,” which could appeal to traditional institutions cautious about public blockchain transparency.
Meanwhile, ongoing macro events (rate-cut expectations, bond yield shifts) continue to drive crypto price swings, as investors debate whether current moves are sustainable rallies or temporary rebounds.

Institutional Sentiment & Price Forecasts Shift
Long-time bullish forecaster Standard Chartered has sharply reduced its near-term projection for Bitcoin: now expecting BTC to reach US$150,000 by end of 2026 (down from prior US$300,000). Its longer-term US$500,000 target is also delayed to 2030.
Some analysts argue this isn’t a permanent bearish turn — they frame the recent drawdown as a “cold breeze,” not a full-blown crash.

What Experts & Analysts Are Saying (Outlook & Sentiment)
According to a note by JPMorgan, Bitcoin could surge to ~$170,000 in the next 6–12 months — nearly doubling from current levels — assuming favorable market conditions and institutional inflows.
Still, caution remains: a mix of macroeconomic uncertainty (interest rates, liquidity), high leverage, and recent volatility have tempered expectations for a quick rebound.

🏦 Institutional & Regulatory Shifts
Bank of America — via its wealth-management arm (Merrill / Merrill Edge) — will soon be allowed to recommend crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) to clients, starting January 2026. This marks a major step toward mainstream institutional adoption of crypto.
On the legislative front, a bill in Indiana (USA) was introduced to allow public pension funds to invest in Bitcoin ETFs and to protect crypto “self-custody” rights — reinforcing the trend of state-level formal acceptance of cryptocurrencies.

Bank of America announced that its wealth-management clients will soon be able to get access to crypto ETPs (exchange-traded products) starting January 2026 — signalling growing mainstream financial involvement.

• Geo-politics and regulation stir caution in Europe
In Europe, specifically in Italy, financial regulators have launched an in-depth review of the risks posed by cryptocurrency investments — especially for retail investors — as concern rises over crypto’s growing systemic footprint.

Global Market & Price Moves
Bitcoin (BTC) rebounded to a two-week high, as traders look for signs of broader crypto-market recovery.
The wider crypto market likewise recovered: total market capitalization rose to about US $3.13 trillion, signalling renewed investor confidence after recent volatility.
Some analysts note that BTC’s recent chart behaviour resembles Q4 2018 — a pattern that preceded a strong rally in 2019 — raising hopes that early 2026 could bring a market resurgence.

🇳🇬 Nigeria & Africa-Specific Developments
In Nigeria, a new cash-out option was launched by RedotPay in partnership with Ripple. The service allows people to convert crypto (BTC, ETH, XRP, USDC, USDT, etc.) to naira instantly — a major step for practical crypto adoption and fiat-off-ramp ease.
At the same time, regulatory uncertainty looms. Under the upcoming 2026 enforcement of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), crypto-related businesses and users will face stricter compliance and reporting requirements. Some stakeholders warn this could push activity into peer-to-peer (P2P) channe