The cryptocurrency landscape remains a hub of constant activity, marked by innovative financial services, significant market movements from major holders, and critical security challenges. Recent developments highlight these facets, from a leading Japanese financial group expanding its crypto lending offerings to the re-emergence of a dormant Shiba Inu whale, and a stark reminder of digital asset risks with a multi-million dollar Ethereum hack.
SBI VC Trade Expands Crypto Lending in Japan
SBI VC Trade, a prominent Japanese cryptocurrency exchange and subsidiary of financial giant SBI Holdings, is once again opening recruitment for its popular "Rent Coin" (lending) service. Starting December 18, 2025, this program allows users to generate returns on their otherwise idle crypto holdings, supporting an impressive 34 assets including major players like XRP and Bitcoin, alongside meme coins such as Dogecoin. The service, initially launched in 2020 with Bitcoin, offers a compelling alternative to traditional wallet storage, though popular assets are known to reach capacity quickly on a first-come, first-served basis.
Shiba Inu Whale Awakens Amid Market Flux
In a notable on-chain event, a significant Shiba Inu (SHIB) whale, previously inactive for approximately a year, has resurfaced with a substantial transfer. The wallet, identified as "0x1b1" and linked to Coinbase, recently received over 53.5 billion SHIB, valued at around $415,000. This calculated move comes as the meme coin's price has experienced a prolonged drawdown throughout 2025, suggesting a potentially strategic re-engagement by the large holder who had previously moved similar large blocks of SHIB.
Ethereum Whale Suffers Multi-Million Dollar Private Key Compromise
A major security breach has rocked the Ethereum community, as an Ethereum whale's multisig wallet was drained of an estimated $27.3 million following a private key compromise. The attacker swiftly funneled approximately $12.6 million (4,100 ETH) through the privacy mixer Tornado Cash, while retaining control over the victim's multisig wallet. This compromised wallet astonishingly still holds a leveraged ETH long position of about $25 million against borrowed DAI, operating with a health factor that, while active, remains vulnerable should ETH prices decline further, underscoring the severe risks associated with compromised private keys.
