What Happened in Crypto Today: 19 Dec Real-Time Crypto News

What Happened in Crypto Today: Check Major Updates of December 19

Bitcoin Restaking on Sui: A DeFi Game-Changer

Bitcoin's integration into the Sui blockchain through SatLayer is a major breakthrough for DeFi, combining Bitcoin’s $2T market cap and security with Sui’s speed. This partnership enables developers to leverage Bitcoin's robustness to create secure dApps and protocols. With Bitcoin Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) and future Liquid Restaking Tokens (LRTs), Sui’s ecosystem will enhance liquidity and capital efficiency. This collaboration aims to revolutionize DeFi by offering Bitcoin-secured decentralized applications on Sui, marking a significant advancement in the blockchain space.

Pro-Crypto SEC Could Transform the Crypto Market

The US SEC is shifting towards a pro-crypto stance, with key nominations under President Trump signaling significant changes. Gary Gensler will be replaced by Paul Atkins as SEC chairman, while David Sacks becomes the AI and Crypto Advisor. Trump's appointments, including Elon Musk's involvement, indicate a supportive environment for cryptocurrencies. Ripple Labs is gaining ground in its legal battle against the SEC. With Caroline Crenshaw's renomination rejected, the SEC's new direction could lead to fewer regulations, potentially boosting the crypto market and investor confidence.

Bitcoin Drops: Market Fears Over Fed's Rate Cuts & Future Guidance

The crypto market crashed, losing over $1.5 trillion, influenced by the US Federal Reserve's 25 basis point rate cut and guidance for 2025, causing Bitcoin to drop below $100K. Market unease, driven by the Fed’s projections and a shift from Extreme Greed to Fear, led to $781.31 million in liquidations. Despite the turmoil, the Fear and Greed Index remains high at 75. Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes predicts another sell-off around January 2025, yet analysts see potential buying opportunities and anticipate new all-time highs in 2025. At the time of writing, BTC was trading at $101,794.03, after an intraday drop of 1.95% with $95.62B in 24-hour trading volume. 

New Tokens Added to Binance Alpha Pre-Listing Pool

Binance Alpha, a pre-listing token selection pool, has announced its second batch of projects, adding CKP (BNB Chain), GEAR, SD, and SYRUP (Ethereum), and fartcoin (Solana). This follows the first batch, which included KOMA, Cheems, APX, ai16z, and AIXBT. Binance Alpha offers early access to potential future listings, emphasizing transparency and user-informed decisions. Features like a Quick Buy button and automated MEV protection enhance the trading experience. This platform aims to reduce reliance on influencers and insider tips, promoting a safer and clearer token discovery process.