Macro Trends

This article analyzes Russia's cryptocurrency policy and its global implications. It explores how Russia leverages digital currencies to counter Western sanctions and establishes a significant position in the global cryptocurrency landscape through a systematic policy framework involving the promotion of the digital ruble, legalization of mining, and regulation of exchanges. As the world's third-largest Bitcoin mining nation, Russia is advancing the domestic application and internationalization of the digital ruble while collaborating with BRICS countries like China to build a new international payment network, showcasing its strategic positioning in the global financial system.

In December 2024, the Web3 crypto industry was significantly influenced by a combination of policy updates, economic reports, and market activity. U.S. economic data releases, Hong Kong's legislative process regarding stablecoins, the decline in U.S. consumer confidence, and the implementation of the EU's MiCA regulation collectively shaped the industry’s policy landscape and influenced market expectations. The implementation of MiCA is of particular significance, marking a significant step forward for the EU in crypto-asset regulation. By providing clear rules and expectations for the market while imposing higher compliance requirements on industry participants, MiCA is expected to contribute to enhanced market stability, increased credibility, and promote healthy development within the Web3 crypto space in the long term.

Gate Research Daily Report: Over the past 24 hours, BTC price dropped by 1.63%, exhibiting a clear downward trend, while ETH price slightly declined by 0.48%, remaining within a consolidation range. The total stablecoin market cap surpassed $200 billion, with USDT continuing to dominate the market. Managed token pools' TVL exceeded $1.1 billion, reflecting increased ecosystem activity. Ethena partnered with Berachain to launch deposit Vaults, introducing a new ecosystem reward model. Meanwhile, Sophon's mainnet entered Phase Two mining, optimizing reward mechanisms to drive ecosystem growth. Despite market volatility, the crypto market remains active as ecosystem platforms continue to innovate, injecting new growth momentum into the market.

Banking, long considered a neutral utility, has become a battleground for cultural, political, and economic conflicts. The question we must ask is: when financial access becomes weaponized, who decides who gets to participate in the modern economy?

Gate Research Daily Report: BTC dropped by 1.35%, and the double-bottom support level remains under test. ETH fell by 2.36%, with market sentiment staying cautious and showing no signs of a breakout. In 2024, total crypto venture capital reached $13.7 billion, marking a 28% year-on-year increase, reflecting strong confidence from the capital markets in the industry. DEX trading volume hit a historic high, highlighting the strong vitality of the decentralized ecosystem. The estimated storage value of Bitcoin has reached $1.03 trillion, reflecting an 85% increase this year. The Hyper mainnet staking function has been launched, offering users more opportunities to participate and earn. The industry is experiencing both innovation and market momentum, and its future outlook remains promising.

While Japan has quickly embraced Web3 technologies and rolled out supportive policies, the deeply ingrained conservative culture and complex bureaucratic systems have made the pace of innovation unusually slow.

Gate Research Daily Report: In the past 24 hours, BTC rose by 3.93%, showing signs of a bottoming rebound. ETH increased by 3.31%, maintaining an upward trend. The total value locked (TVL) of Real World Assets (RWA) surpassed $8.2 billion, setting a new all-time high. Decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume on the Solana blockchain once again exceeded $100 billion, continuing to lead the market. The Base Network's active addresses have surged over 40-fold year-to-date. Gate Group has officially entered the Japanese market by acquiring Coin Master. MicroStrategy plans a significant stock expansion to support its Bitcoin strategy, increasing Class A shares to 10.3 billion. Gasp has launched its Alpha version and first DEX while announcing a GASP token airdrop plan to attract community participation.

From the evolution of stablecoins as a financial backbone to advancements in scalable infrastructure and high-performance blockchains, the ecosystem is now ready to support real-world applications. After years of anticipation, we believe 2025 will mark the beginning of blockchain’s true adoption phase, with Asia at the forefront, catalyzing a fair and transparent global distributed ledger.

Explore Japan's leading role in the Web3 revolution with an in-depth analysis of the latest developments in Japan’s Web3 landscape for 2024. This article examines the evolution of Web3 from social-political, corporate challenges, and individual user needs perspectives. It highlights how Japan is driving Web3 technology adoption through legal frameworks, tax reforms, and regulatory changes, showcasing Web3 applications across finance, gaming, and real estate. Gain a comprehensive view of Japan's pivotal role on the global Web3 stage.

Gate Research Weekly Report: This week, BTC fluctuated between $99,000 and $92,600, repeatedly testing resistance levels in its upward movement. ETH displayed an ascending triangle convergence pattern, with significant resistance near $3,540. Gate.com's quantitative fund achieved a record-breaking annualized return in the industry. Runes' transaction share on the Bitcoin network fell to a new low. The BIO Protocol community proposed "Bridge BIO to Solana". Investors should monitor upcoming significant token unlocks for SUI, OP, and ZETA from public blockchains next week. Additionally, the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation will take effect on December 30.

This paper presents a pair of related arguments against the interpretation (and expansion) of Section 1960(b)(2) put forth by the government in the Tornado Cash prosecution.

Gate Research Daily Report: ETH has bottomed out and rebounded, with its price rising by 4.93% over the past 24 hours; Bitcoin remains weak with slight price fluctuations and a small decline. Former President Trump announced that former football player Hines will serve as the Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Digital Assets. Total BTC options open interest has fallen to $38.88 billion, with $20 billion worth of options set to expire on the 27th. The DeSci protocol Bio Protocol has released its roadmap for Q1 2025. The dYdX community has voted to approve a $4 million DEP funding plan. Avalon Labs, a company focused on the Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem, completed a $10 million Series A funding round. The decentralized stablecoin issuance platform Usual also raised $10 million in a Series A funding round.

While the SocialFi sector in 2024 is smaller compared to others, the strong viral potential and appeal of social projects may draw renewed global interest. This report analyzes 2024 SocialFi market performance, covering aspects like market size, user growth, key project performance, token trends, and funding conditions.

An in-depth exploration of the current state of the cryptocurrency market in Southeast Asia, analyzing the characteristics of on-chain fund flows, potential financial risks, and their connections to illicit industries. The report also provides recommendations such as strengthening regulations, improving users' risk awareness, and promoting technological innovation.

The blockchain investment market is trending back towards community-based funding after going through phases of ICOs and VC-led private markets. This shift is occurring because there has been growing resistance to VCs investing at relatively low prices, then listing tokens at high valuations and selling them to retail investors.