Overview:

• XRP ETFs are growing at a record pace with daily inflows and nearly $1 billion in assets, backed by new issuers and leveraged products.

• Aster burns 77.8 million tokens and expands its 2026 roadmap, while Chainlink whales accumulate millions of tokens during market recovery.

• The USPD stablecoin protocol suffers a complex exploit, Italy enforces MiCA deadlines, and Bitcoin ETFs see significant outflows.

The crypto market continues to experience a highly active week filled with institutional shifts, token supply changes, security breaches, and regulatory updates. From XRP's explosive ETF growth to Aster’s aggressive burn program and a sophisticated DeFi exploit, here are the major developments shaping today’s crypto market.

XRP ETFs Become the Fastest-Growing New Crypto Products in the US

XRP-linked ETFs are rapidly approaching the $1 billion asset mark in just weeks. Since their launch in mid-November, these ETFs have posted consistent daily inflows without recording a single session of net outflows.

Canary Capital's ETF was the main catalyst for this growth, attracting several hundred million dollars. This early influx made it easier for other issuers, such as Bitwise, Franklin Templeton, and Grayscale, to accelerate the launch of their own XRP products.

There will be more new products as 21Shares has just been given the approval to bring out a new product with the ticker TOXR.

The growing interest of investors was also supported by the introduction of leveraged trading options, such as the 2x XRP ETF opened by REX Shares with Tuttle Capital.

Also Read: Will XRP Price Break Out Soon? Check the Signs of a Potential Rally

AsterDex Burns 77.8 Million Tokens as It Announces Its 2026 Roadmap

Aster (ASTER) continues to capture market attention following the execution of a major token burn in which ASTER removed 77.8 million tokens from circulation. This burn was part of a larger strategy that included a buyback of 155.7 million tokens under the S3 program. 

Additionally, the project locked another 77.8 million tokens while allocating the remainder to future airdrops. Aster has spent $173.3 million on buybacks, tightening the circulating supply.

Also, AsterDex unveiled its ambitious 2026 roadmap. The team plans to introduce shield mode for private high-leverage trading and TWAP strategies.

Aster is currently trading within a consolidation range. Analysts believe that if the price holds above the crucial $1 level, it may reclaim $1.1 and $1.3. 

Chainlink Whales Accumulate as ETF Demand Builds

Over the last 48 hours, whale activity for Chainlink (LINK) has increased. The wallets with 100,000 to 1 million LINK have bought another 4.73 million tokens, growing their total from 155 million to 159.47 million. 

This growth indicates the market's assurance has increased again after LINK's climb from around $12 to $14.

Less than 130 million LINK tokens now remain on centralized exchanges, and the liquidity pressure is continuously getting better, resulting in further recovery.

The launch of Grayscale Chainlink Trust (GLNK) helped promote institutional interest, as the trust managed to attract $37 million just on its first day and currently has more than $67.5 million in assets.

USPD Stablecoin Protocol Hacked Through Sophisticated Proxy Attack

The US Permissionless Dollar (USPD) stablecoin protocol was hit by a major exploit that allowed an attacker to mint 98 million USPD tokens and drain over $1 million in liquidity. 

The breach was executed through a complex “Clandestine Proxy In the Middle of Proxy” attack, which enabled the hacker to seize administrative control during contract deployment while disguising malicious code behind what appeared to be an audited implementation. 

USPD has notified law enforcement and major exchanges and has offered the attacker a resolution in the form of a 10% bug bounty if the stolen funds are returned.

Italy Warns Crypto Firms to Meet MiCA Deadline

Italy’s financial regulator, Consob, issued a reminder that all virtual asset service providers must comply with the EU’s MiCA regulations by December 30, 2025. 

Firms that do not intend to transition to full CASP licensing will be required to cease operations in the country and return user assets. 

Authorities warned that crypto-related vulnerabilities may increase due to rising market interconnectedness.

Bitcoin Spot ETFs Record $194.6 Million Net Outflow

Bitcoin Spot ETFs registered $194.64 million in net outflows yesterday, marking one of the largest daily exits in recent weeks. 

BlackRock’s IBIT accounted for $112.96 million in outflows, while Fidelity's FBTC reported $54.2 million. However, the net inflows were still robust and amounted to $57.56 billion in total. 

The total Bitcoin ETF assets stand at $120.68 billion and accounting for 6.54% of the total market value of Bitcoin.

Also Read: Bitcoin Price Climbs Back Above $92,000 After Sharp Weekly Drop Below $86,000

FAQs:

1. Why are XRP ETFs growing so quickly?
XRP ETFs have seen uninterrupted inflows since launch, driven by issuer expansion, leveraged products, and growing institutional access.

2. What impact does Aster’s token burn have on its price?
The 77.8 million burn reduces circulating supply, helping stabilize price and potentially supporting a move toward $1.1-$1.3 if demand holds.

3. Why are Chainlink whales accumulating more LINK?
Whales added 4.73 million LINK amid declining exchange supply and rising institutional interest through the new Grayscale LINK trust.

4. What caused the USPD stablecoin hack?
A sophisticated proxy-based exploit allowed attackers to mint 98 million USPD and drain liquidity undetected for months.

5. Why did Bitcoin ETFs record heavy outflows?
Bitcoin Spot ETFs saw $194.6 million in net outflows, with major withdrawals from BlackRock and Fidelity, despite strong long-term inflow totals.