CoinDesk

Scott Bessent, a cryptocurrency enthusiast, is said to be President-elect Donald Trump's top pick for Treasury Secretary, according to Bloomberg. Bessent runs Key Square Group, a macro investing firm, and was described by the Wall Street Journal as "one of the driving forces" behind Soros Fund Management's famous bet, which bet against the British pound in 1992. Bessent has said he believes crypto is the future of money and that Trump's embrace of it "fits very well with the Republican Party."

With Bitcoin eyeing $100,000 and “Peanut the Squirrel” grabbing headlines with 3,000% gains, crypto is firmly back on the menu this holiday season. Family debates about Bitcoin, meme coins, and “the dog thing Elon tweets about” will no doubt liven up the dinner table and you, as the designated

Polymarket has blocked French users amid an investigation by France's national gaming authority, ANJ, for gambling law compliance. The ban was not reflected in Polymarket's terms of service. The reason for the ban remains unknown, and neither Polymarket nor the ANJ has commented.

The UK is drafting a regulatory framework for the crypto industry that will include rules on stablecoins and staking services by early next year, ending months of uncertainty for the sector, according to Economic Secretary Tulip Siddiq.

Bitcoin (BTC) is close to reaching $100,000, with prices hovering just over $99,000 after a recent spike.
U.S. spot BTC ETFs have seen over $1 billion in net inflows, with BlackRock’s IBIT leading at $600 million.
While there's strong demand and bullish long-term bets with futures and options

XRP surged 25% in 24 hours as SEC Chairman, Gary Gensler, announced his resignation, fueling hopes of a crypto-friendly regulatory environment for US-based companies. The token’s market cap sits at $77 billion, and some traders anticipate an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the near future.

Solana (SOL) surpasses its previous all-time high as it continues its massive recovery from a crypto winter price collapse of over 95%. Trading just over $263, it has risen 360% YoY, benefiting from robust meme coin trading and surging DeFi activity on its blockchain as well as increasing institutional interest. The odds of a US-based SOL ETF greatly increased with the election of Donald Trump, and there have been positive talks between possible ETF issuers and the SEC.

One of the more impressive runs higher ever seen in stocks took at least a brief breather on Thursday, with Bitcoin Development Company MicroStrategy (MSTR) sporting a double-digit percentage loss even as the price of bitcoin (BTC) surged to a new record high just shy of $100,000.
At one point

The collaboration is to enhance B2B cross border payments “providing greater transparency and faster settlement as well as reducing time zone friction.”
By integrating Mastercard MTN's connectivity with Kinexys Digital Payments, mutual customers of MTN and Kinexys will be able to settle B2B

Phillip Banks, the creator of the "Chill Guy" meme, said he's copyrighted the character and plans to issue takedown notices for any for-profit use.
Notable figures in the crypto community responded by humorously suggesting Banks accepts tokens or money through a Solana address.
The CHILLGUY

BTC futures on Deribit expiring in 2025 trade above $100k, indicating expectations of high spot prices. The $100k call option stands at $2bn.

Bitcoin continues to surge, with momentum showing no signs of slowing down. It has reached above $95,000 and is less than 6% away from a $100,000 figure, which would push it above a $2tn market capitalisation. This run is being called the “Trump trade” among traders, with pro-crypto government policies and fresh rate cuts from the Federal Reserve generating rising risk appetite among investors. The launch of BlackRock IBIT options has aided institutional confidence in the digital currency. Banks and traditional finance analysts have targeted Bitcoin at $200,000 in the coming months following the Republican win.