Norman Reed, acting CEO of Binance.US, presented an interesting analogy for the cryptocurrency market: an ascending staircase, where each new cycle is built on the foundation of the previous one. In his opinion, cryptocurrencies are already firmly integrated into the global financial system and will continue to strengthen their positions.

US imposes sanctions on North Korea’s crypto laundering network
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned two individuals and one entity for laundering cryptocurrencies for the North Korean Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Two Chinese nationals, Lu Huaying and Zhang Jian, helped the crypto money laundering as part of a more extensive illicit network headed by a sanctioned DPRK banking representative named Sim Hyon Sop, according to the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Li and Zhang worked at a front company in the United Arab Emirates named Green Alpine Trading, which allegedly served as a core component of the money laundering network. The company has been designated as a sanctioned organization.
“The DPRK continues to use agents and proxies to access the international financial system to conduct illicit financial activities, including fraudulent IT work, digital assets heists, and money laundering, in support of its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs.” the statement said.
North Korea-backed hacker groups, including the Lazarus Group, are accused of orchestrating some of the largest hacks in crypto, such as the $600 million hack of the Ronin Ethereum sidechain in 2022.
One common tactic reportedly employed by North Korean hackers is disguising themselves as recruiters or high-level executives in crypto investment companies.
Blockchain security firm SlowMist previously stated that a member of the Lazarus hacker group impersonated an executive member of Chinese blockchain asset management firm Fenbushi Capital to lure LinkedIn users into clicking malicious links.
North Korea’s state-backed crypto hacker groups earned the country around 50% of its foreign currency, a large share of which was allegedly used for developing weapons of mass destruction, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported in March this year citing the UN Security Council.
#NorthKorea #USACryptoTrends #BitcoinTherapist #Cryptomarket #CryptoNews

Trump Doubles Down on Regulation Cuts—Plans to Slash 10 Rules per New Policy
Donald Trump unveils an aggressive plan to slash 10 regulations for every new one, promising unprecedented deregulation to spur jobs, innovation, and economic growth.
Regulation Overhaul: Trump’s Ambitious 10-for-1 Cut Strategy Explained
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is gearing up to initiate sweeping regulatory reforms across numerous industries, promising significant changes aimed at boosting economic growth.
Speaking on Monday, Trump emphasized his administration’s commitment to reducing regulations he described as harmful to job growth, outlining a bold regulatory approach. He stated:
Already preparations are underway to slash massive numbers of job-killing regulations, eliminating 10 old regulations for every new one. You put a new regulation on, you have to get rid of 10, and we’ll be able to do it.
Reflecting on his earlier term, he added: “We cut more regulations than any president has ever cut by far, actually by approximately five times.
Some of those regulations, unfortunately, were put back on, but we’ll catch up very quickly. We’ll catch up with it.”
While Trump did not specifically address cryptocurrency regulations during his remarks on Monday, his recent actions suggest a shift toward a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment.
He has voiced support for reducing barriers in the crypto sector, including proposals to establish a strategic bitcoin reserve.
By nominating key advocates for innovation, such as appointing Paul Atkins as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair and naming a Treasury Secretary favorable to crypto advancements, Trump appears poised to position the United States as a global leader in the digital currency industry.
These moves, combined with a surge in bitcoin prices surpassing $100,000, underscore the potential impact of his policies on the sector.
Trump’s broader deregulatory agenda includes appointing Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to helm the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a newly created body designed to overhaul federal bureaucracy.
Musk and Ramaswamy are tasked with cutting regulations, auditing agencies like the IRS, and implementing cost-cutting measures to reduce federal spending.
These initiatives align with Trump’s long-standing commitment to minimizing government intervention and fostering economic growth through reduced regulatory burdens.
#Cryptopolicy #Trump #Bitcoin #USACryptoTrends #CryptoNews

#SHIB 💥 SHIB Lead Shytoshi Kusama Changes Location on Twitter, SHIB Army Puzzled #cryptonews $SHIB 0.01 instantly once a time. I have to say buy $1000 shiba inu and hold it That's all 🚀🤝A Shiba Inu-focused Twitter/X account whose owner belongs to the Japanese SHIB army, @kuro_9696_9696, has shared a screenshot of the X account of the Shiba Inu lead developer Shytoshi Kusama, pointing out a change in Kusama's location mark.Shytoshi Kusama in Singapore? According to it, the pseudonymous leader of the SHIB developer team is currently in Singapore. The SHIB community responded with mixed comments to that tweet. Some tweeted that the leader of SHIB developers is having some time to himself. Several SHIB fans criticized Kusama and the SHIB development team for lack of activity, which, allegedly, leaves the Shiba Inu community on its own.Similar thoughts were voiced by the SHIB community in May last year, when Kusama changed his location tag for "Japan." Shytoshi Kusama changes his location mark on Twitter occasionally, and every time it causes waves of puzzled and/or supportive comments from the community.New SHIB burn era about to arrive Earlier this week, Shiba Inu's marketing lead expert Lucie tweeted that the SHIB team is launching a newera in SHIB burns, referring the community to a Shiba Magazine issue released prior to her tweet. Currently, SHIB developers have started transitioning the layer-2 blockchain Shibarium's Puppynet from one Ethereum-based network to another - from Goerli to Sepolia. This will ensure faster transactions, improved functionalities of smart contracts and overall a better user experience.Aside from that, the developers are currently busy launching an automated system of burning Shiba Inu meme coins in exchange for the manual system used previously.In November, December and January so far, the SHIB development team has burned more than 40 billion SHIB in five massivetransactions, where each one carried more than four trillion SHIB to unspendable blockchain addresses.#trendingtoday #USACryptoTrends #etf

Crypto vs. Banks: Trump’s Plan to Eliminate the FDIC
Federal bank regulators may soon be on the chopping block. President-elect Donald Trump’s team is exploring eliminating agencies like the FDIC, sparking a debate that could reshape America’s financial landscape.
Trump’s Plan to Eliminate the FDIC could be a step toward innovation, or are we gambling with stability?
What the FDIC Does—and Why It Matters
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or FDIC is the authority that keeps banks in check. It makes sure that your money remains safe even if the bank fails.
This system was created after the Great Depression to build a secure banking system. People need to know their savings won’t just vanish.
Trump’s idea to cut back on such oversight is bold, to say the least. During his first term, he pushed to reduce bureaucracy, saying regulations hold back the economy.
Trump’s Plan to Eliminate the FDIC shows how committed he is to evolve the blockchain technology in America.
His team argues that less regulation could boost innovation, especially in areas like cryptocurrency. DFIC secures banks but their recent actions show they don’t like cryptocurrencies.
Crypto Dreams or Banking Nightmare?
Here’s the twist: Trump wants America to lead the cryptocurrency revolution. Bitcoin, blockchain—all of it. He believes that cutting federal oversight could open the door for crypto startups and investors. He wants the U.S to become the hub for decentralized finance and outpace competitors like China.
However, not everyone is in favor of closing down the regulatory authority. According to critics, shutting down the regulations could leave the banks in a vulnerable state and people will lose faith as their money will not be secured anymore.
Supporters say crypto’s decentralized nature could offer a safety net—but is that really enough?
What’s at Stake
Traditional banks might struggle without the FDIC. People could lose confidence, and that’s dangerous. For consumers, weaker protections might leave them exposed to fraud or loss.
The crypto advocates see this as an opportunity as this will give a chance to Bitcoin adoption and blockchain innovation. This could encourage global investors to shift their focus towards the U.S., which aligns perfectly with Trump’s vision to make America great.
Of course, there’s a catch. Congress needs to approve any major changes, and bipartisan resistance is likely. Financial experts point to the 2008 crisis as a cautionary tale. Back then, deregulation played a big role. Could history repeat itself?
What to Expect
Trump’s deregulation plan is ambitious, no doubt. It’s about cutting red tape and betting on crypto as the future of finance. But the risks are real. Will the U.S. become the world’s crypto capital, or are we opening the door to financial chaos?
The coming months will reveal whether this vision leads to innovation or instability. Only time will tell if Trump’s Plan to Eliminate the FDIC works or will it backfire.
#CryptoVsBank #Trump #USACryptoTrends #cryptomarket #CryptoNews

Bitcoin Sets a New All-Time High Above $106K Based on Optimism Over Fed Rate Cut and Trump’s Pro-Crypto Policies
As of 9:50 a.m. UTC on Monday, December 16, Bitcoin is trading at $104,800, up 2.6% over the past twenty-four hours.
Earlier today, Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $106,533 at 12:35 a.m. UTC, reflecting strong bullish momentum as the market awaits an important announcement from the U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday.
The crypto market’s bullish sentiment has been building throughout 2024, starting on January 10 when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the first spot Bitcoin ETFs.
A few months later, the SEC approved spot Ethereum ETFs, further boosting optimism in the sector.
However, concerns about regulatory clarity for altcoins like Solana and Cardano persisted until the November 5th U.S. presidential election, when Donald Trump won, solidifying confidence in a more favorable regulatory environment.
Trump’s victory catalyzed a massive rally in the crypto market. Bitcoin, which traded at $68,500 on November 4, has surged roughly 52% to its current price.
This momentum is driven by Trump’s promises during his campaign, including his speech at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in July.
There, he pledged to be the “crypto president,” vowing to fire SEC Chair Gary Gensler on his first day in office, establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve, and champion cryptocurrency innovation in the United States.
Since his victory, Trump has also named several pro-crypto individuals to key positions:
David Sachs: Venture capitalist and former PayPal COO, appointed as the White House’s Crypto and AI Czar.
Scott Besant: Selected as Treasury Secretary.
Paul Atkins: Nominated as the new SEC Chair.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting scheduled for December 17–18 will also play a pivotal role in shaping Bitcoin’s near-term trajectory.
According to the CME FedWatch Tool, there is a 97.1% probability that Fed Chair Jerome Powell will announce a twenty-five basis point rate cut.
The decision will be announced via a press release at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, followed by Powell’s press conference at 2:30 p.m.
Historically, Bitcoin has shown positive momentum during December, with many in the cryptocurrency community referring to this seasonal uptrend as the “Santa Claus rally.”
Despite the optimistic outlook, some market participants remain cautious. Concerns linger that Powell may strike a hawkish tone during his press conference, signaling a more restrained approach to monetary easing in 2025 due to persistent inflationary pressures.
#USACryptoTrends #Bitcoin #cryptocurrencies #CryptoMarketSurge #CryptoNews