The Block
Quick Take The Block reached out to key Asian crypto players for their insights on this year’s major crypto developments across the region. The general outlook for 2025 is that Asian markets will further develop their regulatory landscapes, potentially refining their frameworks to enhance crypto adoption.
Quick Take The odds of Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick becoming Trump’s pick for Treasury Secretary have increased on Polymarket following Elon Musk’s endorsement, placing him slightly ahead of hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, seen as the other current favorite. While Bessent’s views on crypto are largely unclear, Lutnick is a vocal proponent of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Many top crypto executives have privately lobbied Trump to appoint Lutnick, according to a New York Times report.
Quick Take Washington is expected to have the most pro-crypto Congress yet and support from the top with President-elect Donald Trump’s many promises to crypto. It will take about three to four months for lawmakers to get settled in, but afterward, they will likely “hit the ground running,” said Ron Hammond, director of government relations at the Blockchain Association.
Quick Take At the end of November, SEC Chair Gary Gensler and Democratic Commissioner Jaime Lizárraga both said they were stepping away from the SEC. Trump’s pick for SEC Chair Paul Atkins “truly understands crypto,” said Alison Mangiero, executive director at the Proof of Stake Alliance, in an interview with The Block.
Quick Take South Korea is imposing sanctions on 15 North Korean individuals and one entity involved in illicit cyber activities, including cryptocurrency heists. North Korean hackers stole $1.34 billion worth of cryptocurrencies in 2024, according to Chainalysis.
The price of Ripple’s XRP token has rocketed up over 20% in the past 24 hours, likely buoyed by hopes of a favorable regulatory environment and the resolution of its long-running legal battle with the SEC.21Shares recently filed for an XRP ETF, hoping to bring a fund to market in the likeness of its spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.
Quick Take Montenegro’s Constitutional Court rejected Kwon’s appeal of a Supreme Court ruling that gave the Justice Minister authority over his extradition.
Quick Take This represents a stark contrast to the period between April and November when Runes often consisted of over 50% of daily Bitcoin transactions. The following is an excerpt from The Block’s Data and Insights newsletter.
Quick Take Six mutual funds that track the price of Bitcoin are set to launch in Israel on December 31 after the country’s securities authority issued approvals last week, according to a report from Israeli business news site Calcalist. The approvals are the result of a years-long lobbying effort from financial institutions, the report states.
Quick Take A Polymarket whale lost big betting on Mike Tyson to win his boxing bout against Jake Paul, who secured a unanimous decision victory after eight rounds. The whale lost $3.6 million — a hefty sum, but still less than a third of their $11 million winnings from betting on Trump to win the Presidential election.
