10x XRP Spike Possible on This Fundamental Metric: Will Payments Volume Change Everything?

Toronto, Canada, December 15th, 2025, Chainwire

New capability enables confidential, audit-ready asset transfers on a public permissioned blockchain.

Polymesh, the public permissioned blockchain purpose-built for regulated assets, today announced the launch of Confidential Assets on the Polymesh DevNet. This new capability introduces private, fully auditable settlement flows for real-world assets (RWAs), enabling institutions to conduct onchain activity without exposing sensitive positions, transaction sizes, or counterparty information.

The launch of Confidential Assets allows institutional participants to move RWA workflows onchain while keeping participant identities, balances, and transfer amounts confidential, with controlled visibility for auditors and regulators.

Confidential Assets are powered by P-DART, a protocol developed by Polymesh Labs in collaboration with researchers at the University of Edinburgh. The system encrypts key elements of a transaction – including identity, amounts, and asset identifiers – while maintaining verifiability and settlement finality. The approach allows issuers to appoint auditors who can decrypt activity when required for regulatory, legal, or operational reasons.

Institutions have historically faced a trade-off between staying in private, siloed environments to preserve confidentiality or operating on public chains that introduce transparency incompatible with market workflows. Confidential Assets are designed to remove this tension by combining privacy with enforcement and oversight on a public permissioned network.

Key Capabilities

• Encrypted balances, amounts, and identities, preserving confidentiality for market participants.
• Designated auditor access, enabling regulated entities to view transaction details for reporting or dispute resolution.
• Non-interactive confidential transfers, supporting asynchronous workflows used in institutional settings.
• Issuer-led force transfer support, allowing corrections related to errors, legal actions, or key loss within appropriate frameworks.
• Multi-asset atomic settlement, enabling confidential multi-leg transactions to settle simultaneously.

The DevNet release provides a dedicated environment for developers and market operators to test confidential settlement workflows ahead of future testnet and mainnet deployments without impacting broader network stability. The environment is suited for prototyping confidential OTC workflows, private asset issuance, fund operations, block trades, and other regulated market structures.

Confidential Assets are available now on the Polymesh DevNet for developers, custodians, tokenisation platforms, and market operators evaluating confidential settlement workflows ahead of future network rollouts. To access the DevNet, users can go to https://devnet-confidential.polymesh.dev/.

About Polymesh Labs

Polymesh Labs is dedicated to the growth of the Polymesh ecosystem through Polymesh and Polymesh Private. Polymesh is a leading public permissioned blockchain purpose-built for real-world assets that streamlines capital markets and opens the door to new financial products. Polymesh Private is a private permissioned instance of Polymesh that can be deployed by enterprises.

Users can visit polymesh.network to learn more.

Contact

Senior Marketing Manager

Zoe Poole

Polymesh Labs

zoe@polymesh.network

A newly discovered loophole in one of the web’s most used development tools is giving hackers a new way to drain cryptocurrency wallets.

Cybersecurity researchers have reported a surge in malicious code uploaded to legitimate websites through a vulnerability in the popular JavaScript library React, a tool used by countless crypto platforms for their front-end systems.

Crypto Drainer Attacks Surge via React Flaw

According to Security Alliance (SEAL), a nonprofit cybersecurity organization, criminals are actively exploiting a recently disclosed React vulnerability labeled CVE-2025-55182.

“We are observing a big uptick in drainers uploaded to legitimate crypto websites through exploitation of the recent React CVE,” SEAL stated on X (formerly Twitter). “All websites should review front-end code for any suspicious assets NOW.”

The flaw enables unauthenticated remote code execution, allowing attackers to secretly inject wallet-draining scripts into websites. The malicious code tricks users into approving fake transactions via deceptive pop-ups or reward prompts.

Read more: Hackers Exploit JavaScript Accounts in Massive Crypto Attack Reportedly Affecting 1B+ Downloads

SEAL cautioned that some compromised sites may be unexpectedly flagged as phishing risks. The organization advised web administrators to conduct immediate security audits to catch any injected assets or obfuscated JavaScript.

“If your project is getting blocked, that may be the reason. Please review your code first before requesting phishing page warning removal.The attack is targeting not only Web3 protocols! All websites are at risk. Users should exercise caution when signing ANY permit signature.”

Phishing Flags and Hidden Drainers

The group warned that developers who find their projects mistakenly blocked as phishing pages should inspect their code first before appealing the warning.

In September, a major software supply-chain attack infiltrated JavaScript packages, raising the risk that cryptocurrency users could be exposed to theft.

The incident involved the compromise of a reputable developer’s account on the Node Package Manager platform, allowing attackers to distribute malicious code through packages that have been downloaded more than one billion times.

“There’s a large-scale supply chain attack in progress: the NPM account of a reputable developer has been compromised,” Guillemet explained. “The affected packages have already been downloaded over 1 billion times, meaning the entire JavaScript ecosystem may be at risk.”

Ripple Labs executive Reece Merrick has hinted at the potential regulatory expansion of the blockchain firm in South Africa. Merrick emphasized that South Africa is a key market for Ripple, thus improvements in regulation and licensing signal progress for the firm.

What FSCA approval means to Ripple

Reece Merrick, Ripple Labs' Managing Director for Middle East & Africa, highlighted rapid advancement in South Africa's crypto regulation.

Merrick said that South Africa's Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has announced its licensing approvals for Crypto Asset Service Providers (CASP). 

He noted that the FSCA approved 300 out of 512 CASP applications as of December 2025. The approvals indicate that the FSCA is actively processing and approving compliant applicants at a rapid pace. Additionally, it creates a growing pool of regulated and legitimate cryptocurrency providers.

Meanwhile, 512 applications show strong interest from businesses wanting to operate legally in the crypto space in South Africa. However, 121 applicants voluntarily withdrew their applications after FSCA consultations. 

This emphasizes that the FSCA is supportive yet with a rigorous approach, potentially reducing barriers for compliant firms while weeding out unprepared ones. Additionally, 14 applications were rejected, likely due to failure to meet standards.

Merrick went on to state that South Africa is a strategic priority for Ripple. Essentially, clear, progressive regulation reduces uncertainty. It also builds investor and institutional confidence, protects consumers and attracts more innovation and capital. 

For Ripple, a maturing licensed ecosystem in South Africa will make it easier for the firm to expand partnerships and offer services to customers in the region.

Ripple makes progress in Africa 

Notably, the regulatory advancement in South Africa aligns with Ripple's recent moves in the region. For instance, Ripple partnered with Absa Bank, a leading bank in South Africa, to launch institutional-grade crypto custody services.

As South Africa's regulatory progress is accelerating, it creates favorable conditions for Ripple to grow its customer base in the region. Beyond South Africa, Ripple positions itself as a leading crypto hub in Africa.

According to Reece Merrick, Ripple is gaining traction in Sub-Saharan Africa, amid increasing crypto adoption. The Ripple executive outlined that transactions exploded 52% to $205 billion from July 2024 to June 2025 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In an earlier U.Today report, Merrick said the company is committed to advancing the cryptocurrency ecosystem in the region. He pointed out key focus areas, including cryptocurrency custody, tokenization and stablecoin regulation.

MicroStrategy purchased 10,645 Bitcoins for $980.3 million between Dec. 8 and 14, averaging $92,124 per BTC, according to a Monday announcement. This acquisition was financed through proceeds from at-the-market (ATM) equity offerings.

This marks the company's biggest Bitcoin purchase since July. 

This addition brings total holdings to 671,268 BTC

The latest purchase is a tad bigger than the 10,624 BTC (about $963 million worth) that Strategy purchased between Dec. 1 and 7. 

Despite the mammoth Bitcoin buy conducted by Strategy, the price of Bitcoin remains below the psychologically important $90,000 level. 

Could Strategy sell Bitcoin? 

As reported by U.Today, CEO Fong Lee did not rule out selling some of Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings if there is a prolonged crypto winter.

Lee noted that Bitcoin remains a core part of Strategy’s long-term plan.

However, Lee has also noted that Bitcoin remains a core part of Strategy’s long-term plan.

The ADA price is under renewed scrutiny as a weekly indicator revives memories of Cardano’s 2022 collapse, per an popular chartist. However, while technical signals are triggering fear, the broader context in 2025 suggests a very different environment. This one seems to be shaped by deeper utility, stronger governance, and a more mature ecosystem. Why it feels this way, please continue reading to know more in detail.

ADA Price and the 2022 Supertrend Comparison

Recent discussions around the ADA price chart focus on a weekly supertrend signal that last appeared in 2022, just before an 80% correction. This was shared by popular chartist and analyst Ali Martinez on X, that doesn’t sound wrong when looking only at price action and chart.

But when we expand our view. Then, it suggests that back then in 2022, Cardano was still struggling to convert research into real adoption. As a result, technical weakness quickly cascaded into a deep structural breakdown.

Bitcoin treasury company Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) acquired more than 10,000 BTC for the second week in a row, adding another 10,645 BTC to its treasury for approximately $980.3 million at an average price of $92,098 per bitcoin between Dec. 8 and Dec. 14, according to an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday.

Strategy now holds a total of 671,268 BTC — worth around $60 billion — bought at an average price of $74,972 per bitcoin for a total cost of around $50.3 billion, including fees and expenses, according to the company's co-founder and executive chairman, Michael Saylor. To put that in perspective, the haul represents more than 3% of Bitcoin's total 21 million supply and implies around $9.7 billion of paper gains at current prices.

The latest acquisitions were made using proceeds from at-the-market sales of its Class A common stock, MSTR, perpetual Strike preferred stock, STRK, and perpetual Stride preferred stock, STRD. 

Strategy's STRK, STRC, STRF, and STRD perpetual preferred stock's respective $21 billion, $4.2 billion, $2.1 billion, and $4.2 billion ATM programs are in addition to the firm's "42/42" plan, which targets a total capital raise of $84 billion in equity offerings and convertible notes for bitcoin acquisitions through 2027 — upsized from its initial $42 billion, "21/21" plan after the equity side was depleted.

STRD is non‑convertible with a 10% non‑cumulative dividend and the highest risk‑reward profile. STRK is convertible with an 8% non‑cumulative dividend, allowing equity upside. STRF is non‑convertible with a 10% cumulative dividend, making it the most conservative. STRC is a variable‑rate, cumulative preferred stock offering monthly dividends, with adjustable rates designed to keep it near par.

'Back to more orange dots' despite index scrutiny

Saylor again hinted at the firm's latest acquisitions ahead of time, sharing an update on Strategy's bitcoin acquisition tracker on Sunday, stating, "Back to more orange dots."

Strategy's bitcoin acquisitions. Image: Strategy.

Last Monday, Strategy announced it had purchased another 10,624 BTC for approximately $962.7 million at an average price of $90,615 per bitcoin. That took its total holdings to 660,624 BTC and marked its largest set of acquisitions since July — marginally beaten by last week's addition.

During the week, Strategy also urged MSCI to drop a proposal that would bar companies whose digital-asset holdings exceed 50% of total assets from its global equity benchmarks, warning the move would create unstable index churn and contradict the U.S. government's push to foster digital-asset innovation.

In a 12-page letter to the MSCI Equity Index Committee on Wednesday, Strategy argued that bitcoin-treasury firms would “whipsaw on and off” major indexes if bitcoin prices move or accounting standards differ, creating “chaos and confusion” for index providers and investors.

MSCI has argued that digital asset treasuries (DATs) like Strategy and BitMine function more like investment funds than traditional operating businesses, which MSCI's core equity indexes typically avoid. Critics, however, have pushed back against that description, saying it could ignore other operational activities and that MSCI's proposed 50% threshold is arbitrary, especially as more U.S. corporations build crypto treasuries.

A final decision by MSCI is expected by Jan. 15 ahead of its February index rebalancing.

Meanwhile, Strategy held onto its place in the Nasdaq 100 on Friday following the index's annual rebalancing despite the growing scrutiny around its bitcoin-heavy business model.

DAT downturn

According to Bitcoin Treasuries data, there are 192 public companies that have adopted some form of bitcoin acquisition model. MARA, Tether-backed Twenty One, Metaplanet, Adam Back, and Cantor Fitzgerald-backed Bitcoin Standard Treasury Company, Bullish, Riot Platforms, Coinbase, Hut 8, and CleanSpark make up the remainder of the top 10, with 53,250 BTC, 43,514 BTC, 30,823 BTC, 30,021 BTC, 24,300 BTC, 19,324 BTC, 14,548 BTC, 13,696 BTC, and 13,011 BTC, respectively.

However, the value of many of the cohort's shares is down significantly from their summer peaks and their market cap-to-net asset value ratios have sharply contracted, with Strategy itself down 61%, for example. Strategy's mNAV currently sits at around 0.85.

Strategy's common stock closed down 3.7% on Friday at $176.45 and is currently up 0.4% in pre-market trading on Monday, according to The Block's Strategy price page. MSTR fell 3.8% last week overall, and is now negative to the tune of 41.2% year-to-date, compared to bitcoin's 3.8% 2025 loss.

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