Cryptocurrency Industry Hotspot Summary as of December 31, 2025: Alpha Airdrop Launching Soon, Token Unlocking Wave, and New Global Regulatory Developments

December 31, 2025, the cryptocurrency market迎来year-end climax. Despite fluctuations in global stock markets, the linkage effect between coins and stocks has become evident: the overall price of crypto assets has increased by over 2%, thanks to ETF capital inflows and the altcoin boom, with mainstream coins like Bitcoin leading the rally. Meanwhile, token unlock events are occurring frequently, posing potential supply pressures; on the regulatory front, many countries are advancing the integration of crypto into traditional financial frameworks. This article summarizes today’s key developments, including the upcoming launch of Binance Alpha airdrop, major unlock information, and trends in coin-stock interactions.

1. Binance Alpha Airdrop Soon to Launch: First Come, First Served Opportunity

Binance will officially start the Alpha airdrop distribution activity today at 15:00. Users need to hold at least 240 Binance Alpha points to participate. The event operates on a first-come, first-served basis until the airdrop pool is exhausted or the event ends. Specific details about the airdropped tokens will be announced through Binance’s official channels. This airdrop has a relatively low threshold, which may attract a large number of retail participants and boost short-term market activity. Combining recent trends, similar airdrop events are often linked with token launches, stimulating secondary market trading volume.

2. Token Unlock Wave: December Unlocks Exceed $5 Billion, Watch for Supply Shocks

December, as the last month of 2025, becomes a peak period for token unlocks, with a total unlock scale exceeding $5 billion across multiple popular projects. Among them, Jito (JTO) unlocks about $498 million, Sui (SUI) unlocks $221 million, and Aptos (APT) unlocks $113 million. Additionally, the second week sees a total unlock of $237 million, covering several altcoins. In the second half of the month, high-impact unlocks include HYPE, XPL, and JUP, totaling over $566 million. These events may intensify market volatility. Investors should pay attention to selling pressure post-unlock, especially in the low-liquidity environment at year-end. WuBlockChain’s top 10 projects news for 2025 also mentions the WLFI token unlock proposal, which allocates up to 5% of unlock funds for new expenditures.

3. Strengthening Coin-Stock Linkage: Coinbase Expands Stock Trading and Tokenized Assets

Coin-stock linkage has been a recent hot topic in the crypto industry. Coinbase announced expanding its business, including launching prediction markets, stock trading tools, stablecoins, and new features for enterprises and developers. Additionally, the platform plans to introduce tokenized stocks and prediction market products, deepening the integration of crypto with traditional stock markets. This move reflects the trend of crypto market penetrating mainstream finance. Similar altcoins like SUI and APT’s unlocks may also influence related stock performance. Year-end market data shows that some of the crypto price surges are partly due to expectations of altcoin pumps, with five major altcoins expected to rebound in December. This linkage may pave the way for a bull market in 2026.

4. Global Regulatory Developments: Accelerating Crypto Inclusion into Traditional Frameworks

Regulatory news dominated today’s headlines, with many countries advancing the standardization of crypto assets.

UK: Plans to include cryptocurrencies within the scope of financial services by October 2027, moving towards structured regulation. The Financial Conduct Authority has launched consultations, with final rules expected in 2026. The new framework shifts from anti-money laundering registration to a detailed licensing system and initiates reviews of foreign financial interventions, potentially restricting crypto use for political donations.

Russia: The Ministry of Justice proposed amendments to the Criminal Code, imposing fines of up to 1.5 million rubles (about $19,000) and two years of forced labor on unregistered crypto miners. Large-scale illegal mining could result in five years of imprisonment. Currently, only 30% of miners are registered legally. This move aims to crack down on underground mining.

China: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China announced that from January 1, 2026, they will pay interest on digital renminbi real-name wallet balances at the current deposit rate, consistent with demand deposits. This policy enhances the attractiveness of digital renminbi and promotes its integration with the traditional banking system.

Florida, USA: Senator Joe Gruters submitted SB 1038 and SB 1040, proposing the establishment of strategic cryptocurrency reserves and trust funds funded by the state budget. The effective date is July 1, 2026, marking an exploration of state-level crypto reserves.

Hong Kong: Dering Holdings (01709.HK) subsidiary Dering Securities received approval from the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission to provide virtual asset trading services, upgrading to a Type 1 license. The company is also advancing the upgrade of a Type 4 license, expected to be approved soon. This enhances Hong Kong’s position as a crypto hub.

While these regulatory developments may increase compliance costs in the short term, they are beneficial for the long-term maturity of the industry. Especially in the context of coin-stock linkage, they help attract institutional capital.

5. Market Outlook: Opportunities and Risks at Year-End

As 2025 concludes, the upcoming Alpha airdrop, token unlocks, and coin-stock expansion offer short-term trading opportunities. However, regulatory tightening and supply pressures warrant caution. Investors are advised to monitor the launch of new Coinbase products and the price performance of SUI, APT, and other tokens post-unlock. Looking ahead to 2026, the integration of crypto and traditional finance will deepen further.

(Note: This article is based on publicly available information and does not constitute investment advice.)