Crypto News: Visa’s New Partnership to Offer Bitcoin Rewards, Solana ETFs Defy Market Trend

Key Insights:

• As per the latest crypto news, Visa strikes a new partnership that will issue rewards in Bitcoin.
• Solana ETFs remain positive as Ethereum and Bitcoin ETFs kick off the week in the red.
• S. Treasury yield expansion raises concerns over potential recession.

Crypto prices might be concluding 2025 on a dull note, but the crypto news segment still carried some excitement in the last week of the year.

Here are some of the latest top crypto news events that occurred this week. Starting off with deeper integration between traditional finance and crypto.

Visa made crypto news headlines on Monday after it was reportedly revealed to be experimenting with Bitcoin rewards. The global payments giant has historically had cash back programs that reward cardholders every time they use their Visa cards.

The development highlighted yet another instance where blockchain, crypto, and traditional finance continue to be intertwined. Visa reportedly has more than 4 billion cards issued across the world, hence it is backed by a massive user base.

The Bitcoin rewards initiative was tailored to encourage cardholders to pay with their Visa cards. This incentive marked the latest mainstream application of Bitcoin.

Crypto News Casts a Spotlight on Solana ETF

Solana ETFs have been making crypto news headlines this December. This was largely because they have been attracting positive flows even as Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs experienced significant outflows during the month.

Solana ETFs may have maintained positive flows in December, but something interesting just happened. They recorded zero net flows on Monday this week and the same on Friday last week.

This time, it was on par with Ethereum ETFs, which also registered zero net flows on Monday. Meanwhile, Bitcoin ETFs kicked off the week with about $6.7 million worth of net outflows.

Solana ETFs currently have roughly $755 million worth of assets under management (AUM). But will the last 2 market days signal the end of the inflows streak?

A closer look at Solana ETF flows revealed that they cooled off substantially, especially towards the holidays. This could be due to weaker market activity during this time, but it remains to be seen whether demand for SOL ETFs will resume.

Yield curve reversal triggers market downturn concerns

Macro factors have been at the top of crypto news headlines in 2025. Analysts have therefore been keeping up with key macro data points that offer insights into economic health.

Yield curve reversion was among the top highlights of the year. The yield curve inverted within the last 3 years, but it has also been recovering. This means interest rates for short-term bond yield are now lower than their long-term counterparts.

The yield curve often makes a buzz in the market when it inverts. However, it is the recovery or reversion that eagle-eyed analysts watch. This is because recessions often occur when the yield curve enters a recovery uptrend.

This aligns with the recent macro concerns, and it could potentially set the pace for 2026. An economic recession or a stagflation environment may push crypto investors over the edge.

Such an outcome would likely constitute negative crypto news. The crypto market would experience more liquidity outflows under such circumstances. This may explain why the U.S Federal Reserve opted to slash interest rates to stimulate the environment.

The above factors highlight why investors anticipate some dramatic periods ahead. Meanwhile, the crypto market may have already priced in potential disruptions through the H2 crash.