Hope everyone is having a great holiday break.
Whatever you’re doing, one thing stays the same: crypto never sleeps.
That’s why this felt like a good moment for a small crypto news update, plus some reflection.
Nothing too heavy. Just the things that actually matter if you’re trading, farming, or just staying informed. According to Coinbase prediction markets, you were 95% waiting on this update.
Let’s dive in.
Coinbase adds prediction markets and goes full “single app”
There was a time when Coinbase was always late adding new features. That time is over. Coinbase prediction markets are now officially part of a much bigger plan.
Coinbase is no longer positioning itself as just a crypto exchange. Instead, it’s pushing toward becoming a full, mainstream financial app where users can trade everything from crypto to stocks, futures, and now prediction markets.
The idea is simple.
Always-on engagement wins.
Prediction markets are being integrated through Kalshi, while Coinbase also expands into equities, more advanced trading tools, and a broader tokenization roadmap. The end goal is clear. Brian Armstrong wants Coinbase to be the place where people trade everything.
This move comes as competition in outcome trading heats up fast.
DraftKings is buying its own exchange.
FanDuel is teaming up with CME.
Polymarket is re-entering the U.S. through a newly approved venue.
Robinhood is leaning hard into LedgerX and already calling prediction markets its fastest-growing revenue stream.
The real rivalry remains regulated rails versus crypto-native liquidity. Kalshi versus Polymarket. (Check our guide on farming both).
Armstrong argues that prediction markets are not just about trading. They are about sentiment. About understanding what people think will happen next. In his words, most users are not trading these markets as an asset class, but as a way to forecast reality. Almost like a competitor to traditional media.
Coinbase is also pairing this expansion with a serious tokenization roadmap.
Stocks today are just the first step.
Tokenized equities are the real prize.
The company is launching Coinbase Tokenize, an institutional stack aimed at real-world asset tokenization. Armstrong believes this could democratize access to markets globally and unlock new futures and derivatives tied to equities inside the U.S.
At the same time, Coinbase is expanding its business-facing products.
More APIs.
A lot more custody options.
And more stablecoin tooling.
Even custom-branded stablecoins for companies.
The strategy is clear.
Retention and diversification.
When crypto volumes cool, Coinbase wants users to stay active inside its ecosystem anyway.
Airdrop claims and farming updates
This part is always important.
If you’re farming airdrops, missing a claim or TGE is one of the most painful and inefficient mistakes you can make. It happens more often than people like to admit, especially around holidays.
Quick updates to keep on your radar:
Aster
Stage 4 has officially finished. The claim is coming soon, and we’ll keep everyone posted.
Stage 5 has already started. If you’re continuing to farm, here’s the full guide:
https://airdropalert.com/airdrops/aster-dex-stage-5/
Lighter
The Lighter TGE is highly anticipated and approaching fast. Pre-markets are already opening, including the $LIT pre-market on Aster. This could turn into a double cook if timing lines up.
FOGO
The snapshot has been completed. Now it’s a waiting game.
As always, staying organized matters more than farming harder. And make sure to read our guide on how to be capital-efficient while farming airdrops.
Trust Wallet Chrome extension compromised
If you were online around Christmas, hopefully you saw this in time.
Trust Wallet users lost roughly $7 million after a compromised Chrome extension update. The issue affected version 2.68 of the extension. Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao confirmed that affected users will be reimbursed.
Important points:
Do not open version 2.68
Upgrade immediately to version 2.69
Mobile users were not affected
The breach was first flagged by on-chain investigator ZachXBT and later confirmed by the Trust Wallet team. While the exact root cause is still being analyzed, this incident is another reminder of how browser extensions remain a high-risk attack surface.
Crypto wallet compromises continue to rise. According to Chainalysis, total crypto theft hit $6.75 billion this year, with personal wallet compromises jumping sharply in number.
We actively track major security breaches like this and alert our community in real time when something breaks. Events like these are exactly why staying plugged in, even during holidays, can save real money.
Silver prices keep melting faces
Silver has quietly become one of the best-performing assets around.
The price of silver just crossed $78 per ounce for the first time, extending a record-breaking run across precious metals. Gold, silver, and platinum are all hitting new highs.
What makes this even crazier is the pace.
We first wrote about silver roughly three weeks ago, when it was trading near $58. Since then, it’s up nearly 40%. That’s outperforming most risk assets, including bitcoin, by a wide margin.
Current numbers:
Silver around $78.65
Gold around $4,562
Silver up more than 146% year over year
Platinum surged nearly 9% in a single day
Copper up over 5%
The drivers are a mix of rate cut expectations, AI-related demand, supply constraints, and tariff uncertainty. Retail interest is also picking up, with more amateur investors viewing precious metals as a hedge in uncertain markets.
It’s a reminder that sometimes the quiet trades outperform the loud ones.
Fundstrat leak warns of a 2026 crypto correction
This one caused a lot of debate.
A leaked document attributed to Fundstrat Global Advisors suggests a sharp crypto correction in early 2026. The projections sharply contrast with Tom Lee’s very public bullish predictions.
According to the leaked guidance:
Bitcoin: $60,000–$65,000
Ethereum: $1,800–$2,000
Solana: $50–$75
Fundstrat has denied internal disagreement, saying different frameworks are used for different client profiles. The bearish outlook reportedly targets active managers with higher exposure, while Tom Lee’s public commentary is aimed at institutions allocating small percentages.
Still, the contrast is hard to ignore.
Tom Lee continues to publicly talk about Bitcoin reaching $150,000 to $250,000, while internal risk scenarios suggest deep drawdowns are possible.
Personally, this is why words matter less than positioning. When actions and commentary don’t fully align, it’s worth paying attention.
Trump Media continues to deepen its crypto exposure.
The company recently bought 451 BTC and then moved roughly 2,000 bitcoin across multiple wallets. About $12 million ended up in Coinbase Prime Custody, with the rest remaining in linked wallets.
This does not signal a sale.
It looks like treasury management.
The timing is notable. Trump Media’s equity has rallied more than 30% over the past five days, while bitcoin continues to chop sideways below key psychological levels.
Regardless of short-term price action, it remains bullish that the sitting U.S. president’s media company continues to actively manage and expand its bitcoin holdings.
Support Our Work
If you found this helpful, consider signing up on BloFin (Non-KYC) or Bybit using our referral links. Your support keeps this content free and flowing.
Looking back
We started these broader crypto news updates about a year, maybe a year and a half ago. The idea was simple.
Airdrops don’t exist in a vacuum.
News, macro events, security breaches, and market structure changes all affect your strategy. I live online, see these things unfold in real time, and sometimes trade around them. Turning that into a weekly or semi-regular update just made sense.
Even if you’re only skimming, staying informed helps.
If you’re farming airdrops today, trading skills are no longer optional. Knowing when to hold and when to fold matters more than ever. And that means keeping an eye on the bigger picture, not just the next claim button.
Final words
Markets are quieter around the holidays, but the groundwork is always being laid.
New products launch.
Risks surface.
Opportunities build slowly.
Stay sharp, stay curious, and don’t miss your claims.
If you enjoyed this blog, you may want to check our other crypto news updates.
As always, don’t forget to claim your bonus below on Bybit. See you next time!
Credit: Source link
