Morning News | Visa launches stablecoin consulting service; JPMorgan introduces its first tokenized money market fund; C1 Fund announces acquisition of Consensys equity
Overview of Important Market Events on December 15整理：ChainCatcher
Important News:
- Nano Labs Founder Kong Jianping: Approximately 400,000 Bitcoin mining machines in Xinjiang, China have recently shut down
- Cathie Wood Reveals Her Top Three Crypto Assets: BTC, ETH, and SOL
- Swiss AMINA Bank Becomes the First European Bank to Launch Ripple Payments
- Visa Announces Launch of Stablecoin Consulting Services, Offering Stablecoin Strategy and Implementation Solutions
- JPMorgan Launches Its First Tokenized Money Market Fund, Injecting $100 Million as Startup Capital
- Crypto Fund C1 Fund Announces Purchase of Consensys Equity
- Bitwise Submits Amendment for Its Hyperliquid ETF, May Be Coming Soon
What Important Events Happened in the Past 24 Hours?
According to ChainCatcher, Kong Jianping, former co-chairman of Canaan Creative and now founder and chairman of Nano Labs, cited his previous tweet stating "Bitcoin mining farms in Xinjiang are shutting down one after another," indicating that, based on the recent drop in Bitcoin's hash rate and an average of 250 T (hash rate calculation) per machine, at least 400,000 Bitcoin mining machines have shut down recently.
Previously, market reports indicated that the total Bitcoin network hash rate was temporarily reported at 988.49 EH/s, down 17.25% from the same time last week. Notably, in November, foreign media reported that Bitcoin mining activities in Xinjiang and other regions of China had become active again, with China's Bitcoin mining hash rate share rebounding to about 14% by the end of October 2025 (the third largest in the world). Subsequently, on the 28th, the People's Bank of China led thirteen departments to deploy a special rectification to combat virtual currency trading speculation.
Bitwise Submits Amendment for Its Hyperliquid ETF, May Be Coming Soon
According to ChainCatcher, Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas posted on social media that Bitwise has just submitted an amendment for its Hyperliquid ETF, which includes new 8(a) provisions, a fee rate (0.67%), and a stock code (BHYP).
Typically, this indicates that the product is about to be launched.
Crypto Fund C1 Fund Announces Purchase of Consensys Equity
According to ChainCatcher, as reported by Businesswire, the crypto fund C1 Fund announced that it has purchased equity in Consensys, the infrastructure provider for the Ethereum ecosystem and the parent company of the self-custody crypto wallet MetaMask, but has not disclosed specific purchase amounts or equity ratios.
It is reported that C1 Fund had previously announced a public offering of $60 million, intending to increase investments in the digital asset technology sector, and has also purchased equity in Ripple and Chainalysis.
According to ChainCatcher, as reported by Fortune, Visa announced the launch of "stablecoin consulting services," aimed at providing fintech companies, banks, and other enterprises with stablecoin strategy and implementation solutions.
"Helping clients grow is, frankly, the reason we exist in the stablecoin space," said Carl Rutstein, global head of Visa's consulting and analytics business, in an interview with Fortune magazine. "Visa's initiatives in this area are just a new piece of the puzzle in the landscape of client demand."
Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that maintain their value by being pegged to reserve assets (usually the US dollar). Since former President Trump signed the "Genius Act" in July this year—legislation establishing rules for issuing digital assets—many companies in the traditional finance sector have recently embraced stablecoins. In the following months, other payment giants like PayPal and Mastercard have also strengthened their stablecoin business capabilities.
Rutstein revealed that Visa's stablecoin consulting service already has dozens of clients, including Navy Federal Credit Union, VyStar Credit Union, and a financial institution named Pathward. He stated that the service will assist businesses in developing stablecoin operations from strategic planning, technical operations, and implementation deployment perspectives. Their clients' applications for stablecoins cover cross-border transactions (especially remittances to countries with significant currency fluctuations) and inter-business transactions. Rutstein pointed out that after consulting with Visa, some businesses may advance their stablecoin plans, while others may determine that there is currently no client demand. The company expects the client base for this service to expand to hundreds.
Visa is no stranger to the cryptocurrency space. In 2023, the company piloted using USDC for stablecoin settlements and currently operates over 130 stablecoin-related card issuance projects in more than 40 countries. Visa's annual stablecoin settlement volume has reached approximately $3.5 billion.
JPMorgan Launches Its First Tokenized Money Market Fund, Injecting $100 Million as Startup Capital
According to ChainCatcher, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, JPMorgan Chase has officially launched its first tokenized money market fund, marking an important step for this banking giant in the application of blockchain technology.
The private fund will operate on the Ethereum blockchain and is open to qualified investors. JPMorgan will inject $100 million of its own funds as startup capital for the fund.
Cathie Wood Reveals Her Top Three Crypto Assets: BTC, ETH, and SOL
According to ChainCatcher, Ark Invest Tracker released an interview video with ARK Invest founder Cathie Wood on the X platform, where she listed her top three crypto assets: Bitcoin as the global monetary system and institutional entry point, Ethereum as the institutional-grade infrastructure layer, and Solana as a consumer-centric blockchain.
Federal Reserve's Probability of Keeping Interest Rates Unchanged in January Next Year is 75.6%
According to ChainCatcher, as reported by Jin10, CME's "FedWatch" shows that the probability of the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates unchanged in January next year is 75.6%, while the probability of a 25 basis point rate cut is 24.4%. By March next year, the cumulative probability of a 25 basis point rate cut is 41.9%, the probability of keeping rates unchanged is 49.8%, and the cumulative probability of a 50 basis point rate cut is 8.3%.
UK Treasury Drafts New Regulations, Cryptocurrency Market to Be Regulated by FCA, Expected to Take Effect in 2027
According to ChainCatcher, the UK Treasury is drafting new regulations aimed at bringing cryptocurrencies and digital assets under regulatory oversight.
Under this legislation, cryptocurrencies will be regulated similarly to other financial products, expected to take effect in 2027. The new regulations will require cryptocurrency companies to meet a series of standards supervised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that bringing cryptocurrencies under regulatory oversight is a key step in ensuring that the UK remains a leading global financial center in the digital age.
This move will provide clear rules for businesses while offering stronger protections for consumers and excluding criminals from the UK market. According to the proposed amendments, companies providing cryptocurrency services will fall under the FCA's jurisdiction, and their services will be regulated like other financial products, including compliance with transparency standards. These companies include cryptocurrency exchanges and digital wallets, which must register with the FCA if their services fall under UK anti-money laundering regulations.
According to ChainCatcher, market news indicates that AI blockchain security platform TestMachine recently completed $6.5 million in financing, planning to accelerate the global expansion of its AI security platform Predator.
This round of financing was led by BlockChange Ventures, New Form Capital, Decasonic, and Delphi Digital, with participation from Baboon, UDHC, Auros Global, Generative Ventures, Contango Digital, and Santiago Santos.
Predator is now integrated into Coinbase's CEX and DEX for real-time monitoring of risks across over a million tokens. The official claims that the system has accurately identified all $12 million rug pull cases from a sample of 11,000 tokens.
Swiss AMINA Bank Becomes the First European Bank to Launch Ripple Payments
According to ChainCatcher, as reported by CCN, the crypto bank AMINA, regulated by the Swiss FINMA, has become the first European bank to officially launch Ripple payment cross-border settlement solutions. This integration connects blockchain settlements with traditional banking systems, allowing customers to efficiently transfer money across borders within a regulated framework.
Myles Harrison, Chief Product Officer of AMINA, stated that traditional correspondent banking networks cannot support both fiat and stablecoin rails simultaneously, while Ripple's technology significantly enhances banking capabilities, reduces cross-border friction, and helps crypto-native clients maintain a competitive edge.
Vitalik Sells Various Tokens, Including 1,400 UNI
According to ChainCatcher, recently, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin conducted a series of token sales, including 1,400 UNI (worth approximately $7,480), 10,000 KNC (worth approximately $2,470), and 400 trillion DINU, with a total transaction value of 16,796 USDC.
Hassett: Trump's Opinions Hold No Weight, Fed Decision-Making Independence is Paramount
According to ChainCatcher, Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council, stated that if he were selected to lead the Federal Reserve, he would consider President Trump's policy opinions, but the Fed's interest rate decisions would remain independent.
Kevin Hassett said on CBS's "Face the Nation" last Sunday that the President has very strong and well-founded views on the Fed's actions. However, he added that the Fed's responsibility is to maintain independence and work collectively with board members and FOMC colleagues to reach a consensus on interest rate levels.
Kevin Hassett was responding to questions about Trump's comments last Friday, where Trump stated that he should be able to suggest rates set by the Fed. For months, Trump and his senior advisors have been pressuring Fed Chair Powell to cut rates while also weighing candidates to replace Powell.
Yili Hua: ETH Whales Continue to Buy, Still Believe Now is the Best Spot to Buy
According to ChainCatcher, Jack Yi, founder of Liquid Capital, tweeted, "The downside is limited, the upside is infinite. The core of investing is to control risk and measure the risk-reward ratio. Recently, ETH whales have been continuously buying, and I still believe now is the best spot to buy."
China's National Data Bureau Signs Cooperation Memorandum with Singapore's InfoComm Media Development Authority to Collaborate on Blockchain and Other Digital Technologies
According to ChainCatcher, as reported by Zhitong Finance, China's National Data Bureau, the Chongqing Municipal Government, and Singapore's InfoComm Media Development Authority jointly signed a memorandum of cooperation on "Building a New Digital Land-Sea Corridor," aiming to deepen cooperation between China and Singapore under strategic connectivity demonstration projects, empowering the construction of the land-sea new corridor through digital transformation and creating a future-oriented smart economic corridor.
According to the memorandum, the three parties will focus on practical cooperation in the following areas:
Digital connectivity, promoting the safe and orderly cross-border flow of data through digital infrastructure connectivity and cooperation under the framework of both parties' digital rules, exploring the establishment of an efficient, convenient, and secure digital corridor.
Digital technology and innovation, encouraging and supporting enterprises and research institutions from both countries to carry out joint R&D and scenario application cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and big data, sharing experiences and achievements in smart city construction.
Digital talent exchange and training, strengthening the cultivation of professional talents in the digital field through seminars, skills certification, and talent exchange programs, providing solid talent support for the development of the digital economy.
CZ Responds to Rumors: All Interactions Only Involved 3 Messages and 10 Minutes of Offline Communication
According to ChainCatcher, in response to rumors circulating in the community, CZ posted on the X platform stating that all interactions with the relevant parties involved "3 messages exchanged back and forth and a 10-minute face-to-face conversation," and that he met with several KOLs before debating with Peter Schiff, deciding on the spot to have that KOL present a heavy gold bar, which was not previously arranged.
Strategy Spends $980.3 Million to Increase Holdings of 10,645 Bitcoins
According to ChainCatcher, in an official announcement, Strategy Company stated that it has purchased 10,645 Bitcoins at a cost of approximately $980.3 million, with an average price of about $92,098.
As of December 14, 2025, the company holds a total of 671,268 Bitcoins, with a total investment of approximately $50.33 billion and an average price of about $74,972.
Meme Popularity Rankings
According to the meme token tracking and analysis platform GMGN, as of December 16, 09:00,
The top five popular ETH tokens in the past 24 hours are: SHIB, LINK, PEPE, UNI, ONDO
The top five popular Solana tokens in the past 24 hours are: TRUMP, PENGU, Fartcoin, ME, UPT
The top five popular Base tokens in the past 24 hours are: PEPE, BASED, NATO, SKYA, B3
What Are Some Noteworthy Articles to Read in the Past 24 Hours?
When Token Issuance Becomes a Production Line, Someone is Paying Bitcoin Developers' Salaries
A few days ago, the Bitcoin ecosystem research and consulting team 1A1z published an in-depth report on Bitcoin Core builders.
The article seems to be just an ordinary developer interview survey, but it uncovers a layer of reality that is easily overlooked in the crypto industry: there is a group of people far from the traffic center, not discussing narratives or doing marketing, who are maintaining the most fundamental and critical infrastructure of this industry for the long term.
In the list of sponsors supporting Bitcoin Core, OKX's name is not prominently featured. Because of this low profile, many people realized for the first time that there are still major platforms in this industry investing resources in "public research and development," which may not yield short-term returns but will determine the direction of the industry in the long run.
Starting with a16z's Retreat from Asia to Discuss the Twilight of VC Empires and New Kings
On December 10, 2025, a16z Crypto announced the establishment of an office in Seoul. The press release described it as an "offensive," but if you delve deeper, seeing a16z's extreme reliance on liquidity exits and surging regulatory liabilities, you will realize this may be a "retreat" for a16z.
The long arm of U.S. jurisdiction has cornered Crypto. The SEC's ongoing lawsuit against Uniswap Labs and the large-scale crackdown on DeFi front ends have made Silicon Valley no longer a breeding ground for innovation but a cage of compliance. In contrast, Paradigm established a shadow network in Singapore two years ago, and Binance has never left its Asian home ground.
No One is Happy in the Casino Economy, Young Americans are Losing Confidence in the Future
If you have lost trust in the surrounding system, then why follow collective norms? Working hard seems to yield no rewards, so why not "take a gamble"? Institutions are lying! But that YouTuber who makes the cover image won't lie; his cover image features a big-mouthed expression pointing at a bowl of spaghetti, asking some "serious questions." We no longer trust each other. As Jordan Schwartz, student president of the Harvard Public Opinion Project, said:
"The Z generation is on a path that could threaten the future stability of American democracy and society. This is a five-alarm crisis, and if we want to restore young people's confidence in politics, America, and each other, we must act immediately."
The Dilemma and Future of Chinese Entrepreneurs in Web3
As the crypto industry becomes increasingly mainstream, Chinese entrepreneurs seem to be moving further away from the center stage.
Once upon a time, projects founded by Chinese people occupied half of the industry, including well-known cryptocurrency exchanges like Binance, OKX, Bybit, Bitget, Gate, HTX, and Bitmart. The same applies to mining, where projects like Bitmain, Canaan Creative, and Spark Pool hold significant positions in the industry. Their commonality is that they were mostly founded in 2017-2018 or even earlier.
Although Zhao Changpeng, Xu Mingxing, Wu Jihan, and Sun Yuchen are still actively involved in the industry, a general consensus has gradually formed since the DeFi Summer boom in 2020: the visibility and voice of the new generation of Chinese entrepreneurs in the global crypto industry have declined, and no leaders have emerged to stand alongside the previous generation of industry figures. In this context, what has the ecosystem of Chinese entrepreneurs experienced? Where are the future opportunities?
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