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Crypto.com is launching an internal market maker for its prediction markets to enhance liquidity while ensuring full regulatory compliance, amid growing interest in event-based trading platforms. This move supports fair trading without conflicts of interest, as disclosed to the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Crypto.com's internal market maker operates under the same rules as external [...]

Despite official claims of recovery, Venezuela is heading toward 2026 burdened by deep structural weaknesses and rising uncertainty. Economist Aldo Contreras and political analyst Pablo Quintero told Invezz the country remains trapped in a prolonged downturn that began more than a decade ago. Venezuela’s gross domestic product peaked at over $460 billion in 2012. The International Monetary Fund now estimates GDP will total just over $109 billion in 2025 —a nominal contraction of roughly 75%. Contreras describes the current moment as part of an extended economic cycle marked by lost output, weak investment, and persistent fragility. Politically, risks are intensifying. Quintero said Venezuela’s outlook is increasingly defined by escalation, confrontation, and unpredictability, particularly in its relationship with Washington. Those tensions sharpened this month after President Donald Trump said the US would begin seizing sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela—an action that followed within days. Writing on Truth Social on December 16, Trump said he had ordered “a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.” Caracas condemned the move as an attack on its sovereignty, pledging a response without specifying countermeasures. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves and produces about one million barrels a day. But US sanctions have pushed state oil company PDVSA to sell much of its output at steep discounts to Chinese refiners, effectively sidelining the country from global energy markets. While the measures appear designed to pressure President Nicolás Maduro’s government, analysts warn they risk further straining an economy already under severe stress—most acutely for ordinary Venezuelans. A fragile macroeconomic outlook While Venezuela’s government has highlighted growth figures for 2024 and 2025, Contreras says the numbers fall far short of signalling a genuine recovery when measured against historical benchmarks. On a per-capita basis, nominal GDP has fallen from about $15,500 to roughly $2,500 today. Looking ahead to 2026, macroeconomic indicators remain fragile. Independent estimates put inflation as high as 600%, the bolívar is expected to keep depreciating, and a wide foreign-exchange gap continues to distort prices and raise costs across the economy. The spread between the official exchange rate and parallel markets exceeded 60% in 2025, based on daily central bank data. The divergence has inflated corporate expenses and disrupted pricing throughout supply chains. If current trends persist, the exchange rate could reach 450 bolívares per dollar by 2026, raising the risk of a renewed bout of hyperinflation. Such a scenario would further erode purchasing power in a country where more than 70% of the population earns less than $50 a month. Inequality and a survival economy Contreras says inequality has reached unprecedented levels. Once among Latin America’s most egalitarian societies, Venezuela now exhibits stark income disparities. Only about 30% of the working population earns more than $300 a month, while just 6% makes over $1,000. The result is what Contreras describes as a “survival economy,” in which most households struggle to meet basic needs. Tax revenues have risen—from $5.6 billion in 2024 to a projected $11 billion in 2025—and oil output has increased following the partial easing of Chevron-related sanctions. But those gains have not translated into higher wages. The minimum monthly salary remains about $0.30, or 130 bolívares. Tight monetary conditions have compounded the strain. A reserve requirement of roughly 73% and limited access to bank credit have constrained lending and suppressed broader economic activity. Commerce without development The existing growth is largely concentrated in trade and services. Small businesses—bakeries, bodegones, hardware stores and mini-markets—have expanded, supported in part by remittances estimated at more than $4 billion a year. By contrast, productive sectors such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture and livestock remain largely dormant. Construction activity, for example, has been effectively paralysed for more than a decade. The imbalance has widened regional disparities. Urban centres show pockets of consumer spending and housing shortages, while rural and peripheral areas face deteriorating public services. Sales of an estimated 34,000 imported vehicles in 2025, according to industry estimates, stand in contrast to the absence of long-term mortgage financing. Sanctions, crypto and oil risk Contreras says the selective easing of sanctions has done little to unlock sustainable growth. “Sanctions have been partially relaxed, but without legal certainty, credit or infrastructure, alternative sectors simply don’t take off,” he said. Tourism, banking and construction hold potential but remain constrained by political risk and capital shortages. One adaptation has been the increased use of cryptocurrency. With limited access to formal foreign-exchange markets, state oil company PDVSA has reportedly accepted stablecoins such as USDT for some oil transactions. “The use of stablecoins like USDT and USDC has become a relief valve in the absence of official foreign-currency supply,” Contreras said. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis estimates Venezuela transferred about $44.9 billion in cryptocurrency over the past year, underscoring the growing role of digital assets as a parallel payment system. The oil sector, however, remains the biggest source of uncertainty. Recent statements by US President Donald Trump on possible blockades of sanctioned oil tankers threaten 2026 growth projections that currently assume GDP expansion of about 6.5%. “If these measures turn into a de facto oil embargo in the Caribbean, Venezuela would lose almost all of its foreign-currency income,” Contreras said. Oil exports account for more than 83% of hard-currency inflows. Such an outcome could trigger a renewed cycle of hyperinflation, currency collapse and economic contraction similar to that seen between 2016 and 2018. Even the modest stabilisation recorded in 2025 could quickly unravel. Politics of escalation Political analyst Pablo Quintero says Venezuela’s outlook toward 2026 is increasingly shaped by escalation, confrontation and uncertainty. Rather than moving toward negotiation or de-escalation, the coming months—particularly early 2026—are likely to intensify internal and external tensions. Venezuela, he argues, is entering a phase in which conflict becomes the organising principle of political power. If international pressure increases, Quintero expects the government to reinforce its narrative of an external enemy to consolidate its base and maintain internal cohesion. The approach feeds a cycle of mobilisation, propaganda and ideological alignment within the ruling Socialist Party. Recent remarks by Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio portraying pressure on Venezuela as effective have added to the atmosphere. Quintero says the strategy relies less on direct military action than on psychological, economic and diplomatic coercion. Oil remains a central lever. Measures such as tanker seizures, shipping restrictions and tighter maritime controls are designed to disrupt exports and limit the involvement of partners such as China and Iran. “What we’re seeing isn’t conventional warfare, but a strategy of maximum pressure through blockades, seizures and influence campaigns,” Quintero said. The domestic consequences could be severe. Fuel shortages as early as the first quarter of 2026, reduced investor confidence, and deeper isolation from global markets are among the risks. Aviation could also be affected if airspace restrictions tighten. Dialogue stalled Diplomatic talks appear effectively frozen, Quintero said, with no meaningful negotiations advancing. Support from allies such as Russia and China has been cautious and limited. Trump’s rhetoric has further inflamed tensions. One statement asserting broad US influence over Venezuela’s oil sector triggered regional backlash. Quintero says the message was aimed less at Caracas than at Beijing, Tehran and oil-importing nations. Paradoxically, such rhetoric may bolster President Nicolás Maduro domestically, reinforcing the government’s anti-US narrative and weakening an already fragmented opposition. As 2026 approaches, Venezuela faces a convergence of external pressure, internal propaganda and stalled diplomacy. Both analysts warn that without political dialogue and structural economic reforms, the country risks remaining trapped in stagnation, with rising instability ahead. The post Why 2026 could be another tough year for Venezuela's economy under Maduro? appeared first on Invezz

Russia’s flagship Urals crude collapsed to roughly $34 a barrel, sending a clear price signal through the oil market that US sanctions are starting to hurt. On Friday, barrels loading from the Baltic Sea traded at $34.82, while cargoes from the Black Sea slipped even further to $33.17, based on figures from Argus Media. Over the same period, Dated Brent sat near $61, showing how sharply Russian grades have underperformed global benchmarks this year. The price gap widened after President Donald Trump rolled out broad sanctions in October against the country’s two largest oil producers. Shipments kept moving, but the trade became harder to execute. Sanctions force deeper discounts and strain oil revenues At the point of export, Ural barrels are selling at an average markdown of about $27 per barrel, Argus data showed. By the time the crude reaches Indian refiners, that gap tightens to around $7.50. How much of that difference ends up back with producers remains unclear, leaving questions over who absorbs the loss. Officials in Moscow have said the discounts should narrow in the coming months. Traders remain cautious. Oil and gas generate around one-quarter of the federal budget, so a drawn‑out slump directly cuts into the cash pool used to fund military operations in Ukraine. The longer prices stay this low, the heavier the pressure on public finances. There is also a familiar market twist. As prices fall, incentives grow for refiners to look past restrictions. Cheaper barrels can tempt buyers willing to take legal or logistical risks. In past cycles, that dynamic helped Russian crude prices stabilize after an early drop. This time, tighter enforcement and added shipping scrutiny have slowed that rebound. Attacks on energy assets widen as global oil tensions rise While prices slide, physical risks are climbing. An oil tanker caught fire after an overnight drone strike near the southern city of Rostov, part of Ukraine’s campaign against energy targets. Emergency crews were still battling the blaze hours later. Alexander Skryabin, the city’s mayor, said on Telegram that the fire spread across 20 square meters. Regional governor Yury Sluysar reported two crew members were killed and three others injured. In recent weeks, Ukrainian strikes have focused on assets in the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, including a key terminal handling crude flows. The energy conflict cuts both ways. As winter deepens, Russian forces have stepped up attacks on Ukrainian power infrastructure. Major cities, including Kyiv, now face blackouts lasting more than 10 hours a day, according to local officials. Tensions are also spilling beyond Eastern Europe. China criticized Washington for seizing oil tankers near Venezuela, signaling support for Caracas as the standoff with the US escalates. Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.

Oil prices are now slumping to their lowest point since the 2020 pandemic crash. Brent crude crashed below $60 per barrel and dropped over 2% today, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is barely holding above $53, according to data from Google Finance as of press time. This is the second week in a row of losses for the oil market, and every major trader is betting on this surplus sticking around. Trafigura Group even expects Brent to stay stuck in the low $50s until the middle of 2026. The core problem? Way too much supply. OPEC+ brought back barrels too fast, and other producers jumped in too. Add in the fact that global demand has been pretty weak, and you’ve got a full-blown glut. With Christmas and New Year right around the corner, oil trading volume has thinned out. Fewer people at the desks means smaller trades are moving prices more than usual. On Friday, Brent’s traded volume was way below normal levels for that time of day. And the drop isn’t being helped by sanctions either. The UK just slapped three minor Russian producers with new restrictions, while the U.S.-brokered peace talks between Russia and Ukraine remain stalled. Prices have fallen sharply, but not because there’s no risk. Supply from Venezuela and Russia could easily get hit. But that just hasn’t been enough to fight the overwhelming glut. The mindset right now is clear: too much oil, not enough demand. US tech stocks bounce as bond yields edge up Outside the oil pits, Wall Street had a better start to Friday. S&P 500 futures rose by 0.1%, Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.2%, and the Dow Jones dropped just 22 points. It followed a decent Thursday session, where all three indexes ended higher. Oracle has surged over 4% premarket, after news that TikTok would sell its U.S. arm to a new group that includes Larry Ellison and Silver Lake. The Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.4% as tech stocks clawed back earlier losses. The S&P 500 and Dow also snapped a four-day losing streak. Meanwhile, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose over 3 basis points to 4.149%, while the 2-year climbed to 3.477%. The 30-year yield pushed up to 4.835%. That’s a clear signal that inflation fears aren’t gone. For reference, 1 basis point = 0.01%, and remember, bond yields go up when prices drop. Here’s where U.S. yields stood Friday: 1-month: 3.622% (+0.009) 3-month: 3.610% (–0.003) 6-month: 3.595% (+0.001) 1-year: 3.495% (+0.002) 2-year: 3.477% (+0.017) 10-year: 4.149% (+0.033) 30-year: 4.835% (+0.035) In the Asia-Pacific, Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed up 1.03% at 49,507.21, and the Topix rose 0.8% to 3,383.66. The yen dropped 0.33% to 156.06 per dollar, and Japan’s 10-year at 2.022%, the highest since 1999, and the 20-year at 2.962%, per Google Finance data . Over in South Korea, the Kospi rose 0.65% to 4,020.55, while the Kosdaq jumped 1.55% to 915.27. Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.39% to 8,621.40. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.75%, and China’s CSI 300 gained 0.34%, ending at 4,568.18. Precious metals were mostly steady. Gold hovered at $4,327.33 an ounce, slightly up on the week. It hit a record above $4,381 back in October. Silver jumped 0.9% to $66.08, near its all-time high of $66.89. Platinum edged down, while palladium rose 0.6%. Meanwhile, the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rose 0.2%. In Europe, stocks were mixed: CAC 40 (France): 8,142.08 (–0.11%) FTSE MIB (Italy): 44,626.54 (+0.37%) FTSE 100 (UK): 9,838.45 (+0.01%) DAX (Germany): 24,185.72 (–0.06%) IBEX 35 (Spain): 17,119.40 (–0.08%) STOXX Europe 600: 584.88 (–0.08%) Sign up to Bybit and start trading with $30,050 in welcome gifts

This content is provided by a sponsor. Victoria, Seychelles, December 18, 2025 — Bitget, the world’s largest Universal Exchange (UEX), today announced the launch of the private beta for Bitget TradFi, a new cross-market feature that gives crypto users direct access to global forex, metals, commodities, indices, and stock CFDs using USDT as margin. Selected

As an acting chairman at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Caroline Pham pulled no punches in pursuing crypto-friendly policy aims.

Former president of The ETF Store and current NovaDius Wealth Management President, Nate Geraci, outlined Hashdex’s 2026 cryptocurrency forecast on X, discussing the fate of stablecoins, tokenized assets, and AI-driven crypto markets. According to the Hashdex forecast, the stablecoin market capitalization will double, tokenized real-world assets will grow tenfold, and the investments in the exponentially growing “AI crypto” sector will balloon to a $10 billion valuation. ‘Cryptodollar’ to replace ‘petrodollar’ amid USD stablecoin adoption rates Hashdex’s prediction for 2026 signals that the stablecoin market could expand from $295 billion to more than $500 billion. The economists propounded that while China and Russia continue reducing dependence on the US dollar, stablecoins are effectively “re-dollarizing” global finance in the UAE and Latin America. 2026 crypto predictions from @hashdex … 1) Stablecoins will double in market cap 2) Tokenized real-world assets grow by factor of ten 3) "AI Crypto" market will grow to $10bil Also now recommending a 5-10% crypto allocation for most investors. pic.twitter.com/2CfIXfT0Ea — Nate Geraci (@NateGeraci) December 14, 2025 Payments via platforms such as PayPal in the United States, and USDC adoption in countries like Brazil, mean there is strong international reliance on dollar-backed digital currencies. The high inflation and current-account deficits during the Vietnam War era weakened the dollar, prompting a 1971 suspension of dollar convertibility to gold. By 1973, major currencies began floating freely, and the oil embargo by OPEC later that year took global energy markets away from dollar dependency. Half a century later, the United States has reduced its dependence on Saudi oil, while Middle Eastern nations now seek access to the USD stablecoin market. In late November, Ripple’s dollar-backed stablecoin RLUSD gained clearance for use within the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and is formally recognized as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token. The regulatory approval allows licensed firms to conduct regulated activities with the RLUSD within the ADGM financial ecosystem, adding more dollars in circulation on the market. Tokenization of real-world assets accelerates The 2026 forecast also mentioned tokenized assets as a growth area, with market capitalization expected to surge from $36 billion to approximately $400 billion. Financial institutions, including BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, UBS, and Siemens, are rebuilding infrastructure on blockchain to accommodate this transformation. The global addressable market for tokenized assets is estimated at $664 trillion, emphasizing the sector’s long-term potential. US-based regulatory developments, including the GENIUS Act have convinced more countries to rethink their digital asset laws. While the act initially addressed digital currencies, its next phase could influence other governments to reduce the friction financial firms had faced trying to offer tokenized assets to their clientele. Cryptopolitan reported on Saturday that Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Binance to tokenize up to $2 billion in state-owned assets. The partnership also includes plans for a national stablecoin and blockchain-based distribution of sovereign bonds, treasury bills, and commodity reserves such as oil, gas, and metals. Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb termed the MoU “a sign of reform to deliver results with speed and quality.” AI boom strengthens case for crypto investment Artificial intelligence is a catalyst for cryptocurrency growth in itself, and Hashdex believes the AI crypto market could reach $10 billion in 2026. The crypto asset manager noted that blockchain technology’s verification, coordination, and economic autonomy created opportunities for AI-driven investments. AI chip sales have surged, exemplified by Nvidia’s $57 billion revenue in the three months ending October under the demand for processors used in AI training. However, as reported by the World Economic Forum, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai said “no company would be immune” to an AI market bubble burst. This anxiety has tempered speculative appetite for cryptos, with Bitcoin’s 30% price decline since October causing panic of a broader market correction. “We can look back at the Internet right now. There was clearly a lot of excess investment, but none of us would question whether the Internet was profound. I expect AI to be the same. So I think it’s both rational and there are elements of irrationality through a moment like this,” Pichai said, speaking to the BBC at Google’s California headquarters. Still, Hashdex’s report showed that crypto represents roughly 1% of the global investable market, and a 5% crypto allocation increased annualized returns from 7.2% to 8.7% for a traditional 60/40 portfolio over the period from April 2022 to September 2025. Nate Geraci further pointed out that 45% of financial advisors surveyed by Charles Schwab plan to allocate funds to crypto ETFs in 2026. Want your project in front of crypto’s top minds? Feature it in our next industry report, where data meets impact.

Bitget Launches TradFi Public Testing Using USDT for Gold, Forex, Indices, and Commodities

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has withdrawn its outdated 2020 guidance on the "actual delivery" of virtual currencies, removing a key regulatory barrier that classified many crypto transactions as futures contracts. This move promotes innovation, enhances consumer protection, and aligns digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum more closely with traditional commodities under a [...]