The popular AI framework Virtuals Protocol will host an in-person meet-up in Hong Kong on Friday, January 17.

TOKYO (Dec 24) — Minutes from the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) October policy meeting revealed key insights on inflation trends, fiscal policy, and yen depreciation risks: - One board member noted business and household inflation expectations had reached 2%, emphasizing the need to monitor upside price risks. - Another member highlighted fiscal policy as a critical factor in shaping economic and price forecasts. - Several members pointed out core inflation was gradually accelerating but had not yet hit 2%. - One member projected Japan would meet the BOJ’s price target by next spring, adding wage growth would likely be necessary to sustain the goal. - Multiple members flagged that yen depreciation could drive inflation overshoots due to higher import costs. (Source: Wall Street News)

December 24, according to Cointelegraph, internet service providers (ISPs) in the Philippines have started blocking major cryptocurrency exchanges as regulatory authorities ramp up local licensing oversight of crypto service providers. Users have reported that Filipino users cannot access global crypto exchanges Coinbase and Gemini, with several local ISPs restricting access to these platforms. The ISPs’ blocking actions were taken under orders from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). The order directed providers to restrict access to 50 online exchange platforms identified by the Philippine Central Bank (BSP) as operating without proper authorization.

On December 24, Arkham analyst Emmett Gallic reported that Aleksey Bilyuchenko—accused by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) of being a Gate.io hacker—has seen a related entity deposit 1,300 BTC (valued at approximately $114 million) into an unknown exchange over the past seven days. The address cluster linked to the entity still holds 4,100 BTC ($360 million), and a total of 2,300 BTC have been sold to date. Public records show Bilyuchenko has been involved in operating BTC-e alongside Alexander Vinnik since 2011. BTC-e, a notorious exchange, was implicated in global criminal money laundering activities including ransomware, identity theft, and drug trafficking before being shut down by law enforcement in 2017. The U.S. DOJ accuses Bilyuchenko and Aleksandr Verner of hacking Mt. Gox—then the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange—starting in 2011, stealing roughly 647,000 bitcoins and contributing to Mt. Gox’s bankruptcy. They face charges of money laundering conspiracy and using st

December 24th — Per monitoring from HyperInsight (Telegram: @HyperInsight), the crypto address **0x880a** (nicknamed the "20 Million Bandit") has been continuously closing short positions across multiple assets including ETH and HYPE over the past 6 hours. Key position breakdown: - **ETH**: ~$68.3M short position, average entry price $3132, liquidation threshold $3767 - **HYPE**: ~$41.97M short position, average entry price $31.7, liquidation threshold $34.27 Total short exposure: ~$111M — making it the largest ETH and HYPE short holder on Hyperliquid. Trader background: - Longtime high-frequency multi-asset arbitrageur, with an average holding period of ~20 hours - Since October, has realized **over $104M in profits** on an initial capital of ~$20M - Today alone, has already banked $1.3M in gains Historical shift: Previously held 83.6% of positions in shorts for PUMP, PAXG, and HYPE; recently reallocated to focus on ETH and HYPE shorts, which now account for 98.6

December 24th: Per Onchain Lens monitoring, the "BTC OG Insider Whale" deposited 100,000 ETH into Binance 3 minutes ago, with the deposit valued at $2.9212 billion.

**CNBC: Trump Admin Impose Visa Ban on Former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, 4 Anti-Disinformation Activists** On December 24, the Trump administration has imposed a visa ban on former European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton—key architect of the Digital Services Act (DSA)—and four anti-disinformation activists, accusing them of pressuring American social media platforms. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement: “The State Department is taking decisive action against five individuals who systematically coerced American platforms into content moderation, stripped them of profit eligibility, and suppressed American viewpoints they disagree with. These radicals and weaponized NGOs have driven foreign government censorship and repression—always targeting American speakers and American companies. Their entry into the U.S. could therefore have serious adverse foreign policy consequences.” Breton served as an EU Commissioner from 2019 to 2024. The ban stems from a