Live Crypto Update Dec 15, 2025: Ripple Secures US Trust Charter, Xiaomi Integrates Crypto Wallets, Coinbase Partners with Kalshi
- Ripple's Game-Changer: What Does the US Trust Charter Really Mean?
- Korean Stablecoin Standoff: Who Controls the Digital Won?
- EU Gold Grab? How Bitcoin Could Benefit From Proposed Nationalization
- Robinhood's Crypto Expansion: 7x Leverage Comes to Europe
The crypto world never sleeps, and today's developments are shaking up the industry in major ways. From Ripple's landmark banking approval to Xiaomi's surprise crypto wallet integration and Coinbase's strategic partnership, we've got all the breaking news you need to stay ahead. Bitcoin's holding steady at $89,093 while altcoins show mixed performance - let's dive into today's most important crypto stories.
Ripple's Game-Changer: What Does the US Trust Charter Really Mean?
In what could be a watershed moment for crypto banking, Ripple and Circle received preliminary approval from the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish national trust banks. This conditional license - also granted to BitGo, Paxos, and Fidelity Digital Assets - allows these companies to operate nationwide custody services for digital assets.
As Jonathan V. Gould of the OCC stated: "New market participants in the banking sector benefit consumers, banking, and the economy." But here's the catch - these licenses don't permit accepting customer cash deposits or making loans. Since 2021 policy changes, there's been a flood of trust charter applications, driven largely by the stablecoin boom and cross-border payment solutions.
Not everyone's celebrating though. The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) has raised significant concerns about these approvals, citing political and legal risks. Meanwhile, Anchorage Digital remains the only crypto platform with a full national trust charter for digital assets.
Korean Stablecoin Standoff: Who Controls the Digital Won?
South Korea's financial regulators can't seem to agree on stablecoin governance. The Bank of Korea and Financial Services Commission (FSC) are locked in a power struggle over who should oversee Won-pegged stablecoins, delaying crucial cryptocurrency legislation.
The central bank wants banks to hold 51% stakes in stablecoin issuers through a consortium model, but the FSC strongly opposes this approach, fearing financial instability. With Korea being Asia's crypto hub, this regulatory tug-of-war could set important precedents for the region.
Complicating matters, Korea's banking laws prohibit financial institutions from owning more than 15% of non-financial companies. As the December 10 legislative deadline passes without resolution, the industry faces prolonged uncertainty.
EU Gold Grab? How Bitcoin Could Benefit From Proposed Nationalization
European gold owners might want to check their safes - there's growing talk about nationalizing private gold reserves. With governments eyeing untaxed, undeclared gold holdings as potential revenue sources, Italy appears most likely to make the first MOVE given its economic challenges and substantial private gold stocks.
Meanwhile, bitcoin - often called "digital gold" - trades at $89,093 with modest weekly gains of 0.15%. While not its usual stellar performance, BTC's decentralized nature makes it immune to such confiscation risks. Russia's recent gold mine nationalization adds fuel to the debate, with some speculating Europe might follow suit.
The most bullish case comes from EMJ Capital's Eric Jackson, who predicts Bitcoin could hit $50 million by 2041. Whether you buy that prediction or not, the gold debate certainly makes crypto's value proposition more compelling.
Robinhood's Crypto Expansion: 7x Leverage Comes to Europe
Robinhood is doubling down on crypto with new perpetual futures offerings in Europe and a planned Layer-2 chain on Arbitrum. Starting December 22, European traders can access 7x Leveraged XRP and SOL perpetual contracts alongside over 1,000 tokenized stocks.
The platform also introduces enhanced tax tracking tools and staking for 45 cryptocurrencies including BNB and TON. With MiCA and MiFID approvals secured, Robinhood positions itself as a full-service crypto provider in the EU, though at higher fee tiers (starting at 0.03% for high-volume traders).
This expansion comes as perpetual futures trading volumes surge industry-wide. Robinhood's move signals growing institutional interest in crypto derivatives, despite regulatory uncertainties in some markets.
