Morning News | BNB Chain will launch a new stablecoin; RedotPay completes $107 million Series B financing; Rainbow may conduct TGE on February 5 next year
Overview of Important Market Events on December 16整理：ChainCatcher
Important News:
- U.S. Crypto Market Legislation Delayed Until 2026, Senate Banking Committee Unable to Complete Review This Year
- Animoca Brands to Collaborate with GROW Investment Group and Invest in Its Subsidiary GROW Digital Wealth
- Hong Kong SFC Lists "Hong Kong Stablecoin Exchange" on Warning List of Suspicious Virtual Asset Trading Platforms
- Hong Kong Stablecoin Payment Company RedotPay Completes $107 Million Series B Financing, Led by Goodwater Capital
- BNB Chain: New Stablecoin to Launch, Designed for Large-Scale Applications
- U.S. Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.6% in November, Highest Since September 2021
- Rainbow May Conduct TGE on February 5, 2026
What Important Events Happened in the Last 24 Hours?
Hong Kong Stablecoin Payment Company RedotPay Completes $107 Million Series B Financing, Led by Goodwater Capital
According to ChainCatcher, Hong Kong fintech company RedotPay, focused on stablecoin payments, announced the completion of $107 million in Series B financing, led by Goodwater Capital, with participation from Pantera Capital, Blockchain Capital, Circle Ventures, and existing investor HSG (formerly Sequoia Capital China).
Payment Infrastructure Company Speed1 Completes $8 Million Financing, Led by Tether
ChainCatcher reports that payment infrastructure company Speed1 announced the completion of $8 million in financing, led by Tether, with participation from Ego Death Capital. The company aims to build instant global settlement channels using the Bitcoin Lightning Network and stablecoins.
U.S. Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.6% in November, Highest Since September 2021
ChainCatcher reports that, according to Jin10, the U.S. unemployment rate for November recorded at 4.6%, higher than market expectations, marking the highest level since September 2021.
Rainbow May Conduct TGE on February 5, 2026
ChainCatcher reports that crypto wallet Rainbow released a video on social media indicating that its token RNBW may conduct TGE on February 5, 2026.
ChainCatcher reports that, according to Cointelegraph, on-chain activity across several major networks has sharply declined, with the number of active addresses on 11 blockchains decreasing over the past year. Ronin saw the largest drop at 70%, while Bitcoin fell by 7.2%, and several Ethereum Layer 2 networks also made the list.
The report also states that the number of active addresses on Ethereum's base layer increased by 25%, with transaction volume rising by over 20%. However, as activities related to airdrops cooled down, the usage of several Ethereum Layer 2 networks declined, with ZKsync experiencing a notable 90% drop in transaction volume.
U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls for August and September Revised Down by 33,000
ChainCatcher reports that, according to Jin10, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released data showing that non-farm payrolls for August were revised from -4,000 to -26,000; September's non-farm payrolls were revised from 119,000 to 108,000. After revisions, the total non-farm payrolls for August and September were 33,000 lower than previously reported.
BNB Chain: New Stablecoin to Launch, Designed for Large-Scale Applications
ChainCatcher reports that, according to BNB Chain's Chinese official news, a brand new stablecoin will officially launch on BNB Chain.
It is reported that the stablecoin aims to integrate liquidity across various application scenarios, specifically designed for large-scale applications.
Hong Kong SFC Lists "Hong Kong Stablecoin Exchange" on Warning List of Suspicious Virtual Asset Trading Platforms
ChainCatcher reports that the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission announced that it has listed the "Hong Kong Stablecoin Exchange" on its warning list of suspicious virtual asset trading platforms. The SFC stated that the entity claims to operate a virtual asset trading platform, suspected of conducting unlicensed activities/engaging in virtual asset-related fraud, and falsely claims to be established by "the three major exchanges in Hong Kong: HKEX, the Stock Exchange, and the Futures Exchange," while in fact, it has no connection to any of them.
Glassnode: Average Returns of Almost All Cryptocurrencies Below BTC in the Past Three Months
ChainCatcher reports that Glassnode stated on the X platform that in the past three months, the average returns of almost all cryptocurrencies have been below Bitcoin. This ongoing relative weakness highlights a market environment that favors capital concentration towards BTC.
Tom Lee: Cryptocurrency and AI Present Exponential Growth Opportunities, Pullbacks Are Buying Opportunities
ChainCatcher reports that Tom Lee, chairman of BitMine, stated, "Cryptocurrency (ETH, BTC) and AI are exponential growth opportunities, meaning current stock prices are very sensitive to risk perception. Therefore, pullbacks are buying opportunities."
Top 25 U.S. Banks Actively Entering Bitcoin Business
ChainCatcher reports that, according to market news, as of December 2025, several of the top 25 banks in the U.S. have launched or announced Bitcoin-related products. PNC Group has officially launched services in both custody and trading, while JPMorgan and Charles Schwab have announced Bitcoin trading services. American Express has launched a Bitcoin rewards card, and USAA offers exchange integration features.
Notably, financial giants such as Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley currently only provide Bitcoin trading services to high-net-worth clients, while institutions like Bank of America and TD Bank have yet to launch related services. Several banks, including BNY Mellon and Bank of America, have provided custody services for high-net-worth clients, while Citigroup and Fifth Third Bank are exploring the possibility of Bitcoin business.
ChainCatcher reports that, according to The Block, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Paul Atkins stated that he believes there is a path forward that balances national security concerns with personal privacy protection, but warned that excessive government intervention could tilt the balance too far. On Monday, during the SEC's sixth cryptocurrency roundtable meeting, Atkins cautioned that blockchain is particularly efficient at linking transactions to senders, and if directed incorrectly, cryptocurrency could "become the most powerful financial surveillance architecture in history."
Atkins stated, "Indeed, if the government's instinct is to treat every wallet as a broker, every piece of software as a trading platform, every transaction as a reportable event, and every protocol as a convenient surveillance node, then the government will turn this ecosystem into a financial panopticon." However, Atkins noted that there are ways to balance innovation with privacy protection. He said, "I firmly believe that we can work together to build a framework that ensures technological advancement and financial development do not come at the expense of personal freedom."
Game Development Studio Aether Games Announces Official Shutdown
ChainCatcher reports that Aether Games has officially announced its shutdown. The project released a statement on social media indicating that despite various efforts and adjustments by the team, it has failed to attract the player base needed for survival. The project admitted that the TGE (Token Generation Event) was a turning point, with many transactions involving KOLs, partners, and advisors proving to be dishonest, leading to significant capital loss. Meanwhile, major exchanges including KuCoin, Gate, and Bybit have issued delisting risk notifications for the AEG token, making it impossible for the project to continue.
Aether Games also pointed out that the high costs, complexity, and security risks of the crypto gaming market were key factors leading to its failure. Recently, the project faced multiple hacking attempts, one of which successfully compromised some users. To prevent further fraud risks, the official team has decided to close the Discord community. In their farewell letter, the team advised future project developers to consider small-scale fair fundraising and focus on DEX liquidity, rather than relying on expensive commitments and unstable partnerships.
Musk's Wealth Hits New High, Net Worth Surpasses $600 Billion for the First Time
ChainCatcher reports that, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the world's richest person, Musk, has reached a new high in wealth, with his net worth surpassing $600 billion for the first time, approaching $638 billion.
Previously, SpaceX achieved an estimated valuation of about $800 billion in an internal share sale, making it the most valuable private company in the world. Musk is the founder and CEO of the company. After applying liquidity discounts for private companies, Musk's 42% stake in SpaceX is valued at approximately $317 billion. This is the first time the Bloomberg Wealth Index has calculated an individual's wealth to exceed $600 billion. (Jin10)
ChainCatcher reports that, according to the official blog, Animoca Brands announced that it has signed a letter of intent with GROW Investment Group, an investment and asset management platform. According to the letter of intent, Animoca Brands will establish a strategic partnership with GROW and make an equity investment in GROW Asset Management (HK) Limited. GROW Asset Management (HK) Limited will subsequently be renamed GROW Digital Wealth (GDW), becoming GROW's flagship platform.
Under the proposed cooperation agreement, Animoca Brands and GROW will build GDW into one of the first platforms in Asia to offer both cryptocurrency and traditional financial investment products to family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. GDW holds licenses issued by the Hong Kong SFC for Type 1 (Securities Trading), Type 4 (Securities Advisory), and Type 9 (Asset Management).
Animoca Brands plans to introduce crypto assets (including real-world assets) to the GDW platform, while GROW will bring its selected investment products to GDW. Independent financial advisors (IFAs) will be able to provide their clients with cryptocurrency and traditional financial products through GDW's institutionally compliant platform. As part of the proposed transaction, Animoca Brands plans to acquire up to 15% equity in GDW, subject to final agreements and any necessary approvals.
ChainCatcher reports that, according to Cointelegraph, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee has confirmed that it will be unable to complete the marking process for cryptocurrency market structure legislation in 2025, with related hearings postponed until early 2026.
As the last legislative week of 2025 approaches, members of both the House and Senate will begin to return home for the holidays this Wednesday, causing the legislative process to be interrupted. It is reported that the committee has been drafting a bipartisan consensus version of the bill text for the past two months, and it is currently uncertain whether the latest draft will be published before the recess. Meanwhile, the Senate Agriculture Committee has also not scheduled a review date for its related text, further extending the legislative process that Senate leadership originally planned to complete within the year. This delay will leave the crypto industry operating under regulatory uncertainty for at least several more months.
Meme Popularity Rankings
According to the meme token tracking and analysis platform GMGN, as of December 17, 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, FO, ME
The top five popular Base tokens in the past 24 hours are: PEPE, BASED, NATO, SKYA, B3
What Are Some Must-Read Articles from the Last 24 Hours?
"Legitimate" Harvesting? The Profit Chain and Scandal Behind the Trump Couple's Meme Coin Frenzy
These tokens saw their prices soar, with the Trump family's and their business partners' token holdings exceeding $50 billion within hours. Subsequently, the prices plummeted, leaving hundreds of thousands of ordinary investors with significant losses. According to estimates from cryptocurrency analysis firms Chainalysis Inc. and Bubblemaps SAS, the Trump team may have cashed out over $350 million.
Aside from a few who made a profit, almost no one could leave this turmoil satisfied. Critics accuse it of corruption—believing that TRUMP is essentially a scheme to "allow foreign investors to anonymously funnel unlimited funds to the new president"; cryptocurrency traders accuse the Trump family of orchestrating a scam. Meanwhile, the new administration assures the public that "everything is compliant." "The president and his family have never been, nor will they ever be, involved in conflicts of interest," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt later stated in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek.
From Yen Rate Hikes to Mine Closures, Why Is Bitcoin Still Falling?
The week following the rate cuts did not start well.
Bitcoin has fallen back to around $85,600, with Ethereum losing the $3,000 mark; crypto-related stocks are also under pressure, with Strategy and Circle both down nearly 7% on the day, Coinbase dropping over 5%, and mining companies CLSK, HUT, and WULF seeing declines exceeding 10%.
From expectations of interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan to uncertainties regarding the Federal Reserve's subsequent rate cut path, and the systemic de-risking by long-term holders, miners, and market makers, the reasons for this decline lean more towards macroeconomic factors.
Deutsche Bank analyzes that if Walsh is elected as Fed Chair, his policy proposals may present a unique combination of "rate cuts and balance sheet reduction."
On December 16, Wall Street Journal mentioned that U.S. President Trump stated in a media interview that former Fed Governor Kevin Walsh has emerged as a leading candidate alongside Kevin Hassett for the Fed Chair position. He stated:
"I think both Kevins are great."
Trump's statement led to a significant drop in Hassett's odds in the prediction market Kalshi. As of Tuesday, Polymarket data showed that the prediction market believes Walsh has a greater chance of becoming the next Fed Chair than Hassett.
The Economic Order of Machines: The Full-Stack Path of Agentic Commerce
Agentic Commerce refers to a complete commercial system where AI agents autonomously complete service discovery, credibility assessment, order generation, payment authorization, and final settlement. It no longer relies on human step-by-step operations or information input, but rather allows agents to automatically collaborate, place orders, make payments, and fulfill contracts in a cross-platform, cross-system environment, forming a self-executing commercial loop between machines (M2M Commerce).
In the crypto space, the most practically valuable scenarios are currently concentrated in stablecoin payments and DeFi. Therefore, in the process of integrating Crypto and AI, the two most valuable paths are: AgentFi, relying on existing mature DeFi protocols in the short term, and Agent Payment, gradually improving around stablecoin settlement, relying on protocols such as ACP/AP2/x402/ERC-8004.
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