Hasset: Fed Needs to Cut Rates Cautiously, Has Not Discussed Fed Chair Nomination with Trump

U.S. stocks opened higher on December 5, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) rising 0.08%, the S&P 500 gaining 0.17%, and the Nasdaq Composite climbing 0.26%. Crypto-related stocks posted declines: MicroStrategy (MSTR) fell 2.78%, Circle (CRCL) dropped 2.40%, Coinbase (COIN) was down 1.66%, SBET slipped 2.06%, and BMNR declined 3.89%.

CoinDesk – December 5 MicroStrategy (MSTR)’s Senior Secure Equity (STRF) has climbed 36% since its March issuance, currently trading at $110 — a sharp 20% rebound from its November 21 low. STRF is highly correlated with Bitcoin’s price action, with its bounce aligning as Bitcoin stabilizes around $80,000. STRF features a 10% fixed annual interest rate, governance rights, and a penalty interest rate mechanism. Thanks to its strong downside protection and lower risk profile, it has sustained robust market demand, with the current effective yield at roughly 9.03%. Since October, the spread between STRF and MSTR’s Mezzanine Preferred Stock (STRD) has widened steadily, hitting a record high in November — signaling investors are piling into lower-risk assets. Meanwhile, MicroStrategy announced a $1.44 billion cash reserve for preferred stock dividends, pushing its common stock from an early-month low of $155 to $185 and lifting overall market sentiment sharply.

On December 5, on-chain investigator ZachXBT revealed that Danny/Meech—also known as Danish Zulfiqar (Khan)—is suspected of being arrested by law enforcement and having his crypto assets seized. He was linked to the $243 million Genesis creditor theft in August 2024 alongside Malone, Veer, Chen, and Jeandiel. But a report from The Block notes that as of now, neither Dubai Police nor UAE regulatory bodies have issued any public statements, and no local media reports have confirmed villa raids, arrests, or asset seizures tied to Zulfiqar, the Genesis creditor theft, or the earlier Kroll SIM-swapping incident.

**December 5** As monitored by AI Auntie, Binance’s Smart Money live contract has seen a shift in its top holder. A user named “0xPickleCati” recently opened a live contract, with the account’s accumulated profits reaching up to $45.46 million. While position details and trading history remain private, the account’s P&L curve shows notable growth in three key periods: January–April 2024, October–November 2024, and July–October 2025. A preliminary analysis suggests the address netted substantial gains during the October 11 Flash Crash event.

On December 5th, per OnchainDataNerd monitoring, a whale address (0x1D1) deposited 2,459 remaining AAVE tokens (≈$465k) into Gate just one hour prior to reporting. Over the past year, the whale accumulated the tokens at an average cost of ~$117—netting a total profit of ~$3.3M and a return on investment (ROI) of ~145%.

**December 5th** JPMorgan Chase maintains its "Bitcoin vs. Gold Volatility-Adjusted Model" despite Bitcoin’s recent steep plunge, projecting a theoretical price target of ~$170,000 for the crypto over the next 6–12 months. In a Wednesday report, the bank noted strategy remains a key driver for Bitcoin, with markets closely watching the firm’s Bitcoin holding value-to-enterprise value ratio (mNAV). Currently at ~1.13, a drop below 1.0 would signal a "forced selling" risk. The metric still sits above 1.0, providing reassurance—JPMorgan holds $1.4 billion in cash reserves to buffer against needing to sell Bitcoin. The January 15 MSCI index decision acts as an "asymmetric catalyst": - A rejection would mean most negative news is already priced into the sharp decline since October 10; - A positive outcome could trigger a sharp stock rebound. Bitcoin has tumbled from a record high above $120,000 to a low of ~$82,000 in recent weeks. JPMorgan cut its estimated Bitcoin productio