Today in crypto, BitMine chair Tom Lee appears to have quietly backed away from his $250,000 year-end Bitcoin prediction. Bolivia moves to integrate crypto and stablecoins into its financial system, and the UK’s financial watchdog tests new disclosure rules with top exchanges.
Tom Lee cools on $250K Bitcoin call, year-end ATH now just a ‘maybe’
BitMine chair Tom Lee has seemingly eased off his widely promoted $250,000 year-end Bitcoin forecast, now only giving it a “maybe” that Bitcoin can reclaim its October all-time high of $125,100 before the end of the year.
“I think it’s still very likely that Bitcoin is going to be above $100,000 before year-end, and maybe even to a new high,” Lee said during an interview with CNBC on Wednesday.
This appears to be the first time Lee has publicly softened his $250,000 year-end Bitcoin (BTC) price target, which he initially floated earlier in 2024 and continued to reiterate through early October.
Lee’s prediction was one of the more bullish. Other crypto executives, including Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz, warned around October that “crazy stuff” would need to happen for Bitcoin to reach that level.
That being said, Lee said some of Bitcoin's strongest days may still lie ahead before the end of 2025.
“I still think some of those best days are going to happen before year-end,” he said, with 35 days remaining until the end of 2025.
Bolivia to integrate crypto, stablecoins into the financial system
The government of Bolivia will integrate cryptocurrencies and stablecoins into the financial system in a push to modernize the country’s economy, Bolivia’s economic minister, Jose Gabriel Espinoza, announced on Tuesday.
Banks will be allowed to custody crypto on behalf of clients, enabling digital currencies to function as a legal tender for savings accounts, credit products, and loans, according to Reuters.
“You can’t control crypto globally, so you have to recognize it and use it to your advantage,” Espinoza said.
Bolivia, like other countries in Latin America, suffers from high fiat currency inflation, prompting some residents to turn to stablecoins as a store of value and a medium of exchange.
The rush by nation-states to integrate cryptocurrencies into the financial system reflects the high-stakes game theory cited by analysts, who say that a fear of missing out (FOMO) is the primary force driving nation-state adoption of crypto.
FCA trials crypto transparency templates as UK shapes new rulebook
The UK FCA has approved regulatory technology (RegTech) company Eunice to run experiments in its sandbox, which offers one of the clearest indications yet of how the country intends to build its forthcoming crypto rulebook.
On Wednesday, the FCA announced that Eunice will test a set of standardized crypto disclosure templates with major exchanges, including Coinbase, Crypto.com and Kraken. The company will test whether the templates improve transparency when used in real-world settings.
The FCA also highlighted that its regulatory sandbox is still accepting applications from companies looking to test their ideas. “We encourage any firm to apply who are looking to test a similar solution to help inform our regulatory approach to cryptoassets,” said Colin Payne, the head of innovation at the FCA.
By testing industry-led tools rather than relying on theoretical policy, the FCA signals that future crypto rules will be shaped through practical trials and real-world feedback.
Cointelegraph reached out to Eunice for comments, but had not received a response by publication. Eunice co-founder and CEO Yi Luo said the sandbox provides a space where regulators and industry members can work together to strengthen the foundations of the UK's crypto markets.