Proprietary research from Paybis shows that cryptocurrency is increasingly being used as a long-term financial tool, with many users incorporating digital assets into their saving strategies and seeking alternatives to traditional banking systems.

When asked about their primary reasons for using crypto platforms, users selected:

• Long-term investment (24%)
• Using crypto as a savings alternative to banks (23%)
• Short-term trading (20%)
• Everyday payments and transfers (19%)

Moreover, users show cryptocurrency ranks second in savings methods at 31%, behind bank deposits at 59% but ahead of retirement funds (18%). signaling its rising role as a long-term investment and bank alternative.

A Shift Toward Everyday Utility

Findings reveal that many users rely on crypto for practical day-to-day needs, including cross-border transfers. Nearly 12% frequently use crypto as a way to send or receive money internationally, supporting family, paying for services, or simplifying the global movement of funds.

“Cryptocurrencies are moving decisively beyond speculation to being a long-term financial tool,” said Paul Afshar, Chief Marketing Officer at Paybis.  “Trade uncertainty with the US, along with the prospects of a global economic downturn, pushes more and more ordinary savers into crypto. This is crypto growing up into infrastructure with real-world utility.”

Paybis encourages the industry to support this shift by investing in transparent products, educational resources, and responsible regulatory alignment. As user expectations evolve, so must the systems around them.

About Paybis:

Paybis provides crypto tools to the world’s leading businesses.

Trusted by the world’s leading businesses and over 5 million users since 2014, Paybis makes crypto simple, from on or off-ramping, processing crypto payments and payouts or managing digital assets through secure wallets.

We help businesses:

Paybis experts work with the world’s leading Crypto exchanges, DeFi, Wallets, Fintechs, e-commerce companies, and acquirers, offering 27/4 support to simplify crypto for their businesses.

All our products have simplicity at their heart, from one-click Apple Pay to lightning-fast ID verification to customisable, easy integrations.

• Retail & Corporate On/Off-Ramp – Let your customers buy, sell, or swap crypto efficiently using local payment methods across the globe.
• Business Wallets & OTC Desk – Designed for businesses — buy, sell, swap, manage crypto and stablecoins with a built-in fiat exchange globally.
• Crypto Payouts – Settle anyone in crypto in an efficient and risk-free way globally via the API or dashboard – enhanced by a dedicated IBAN for fiat deposits.
• Payment Processing – Allow global payments from your customers in 45+ fiat currencies and get paid in stablecoins with an instant withdrawal option.

Licensed in the US, UK, Canada, and Europe, Paybis combines regulatory-grade compliance with simple integrations to help companies bridge traditional finance and the digital economy.

Aster (ASTER) continues to navigate a challenging market environment as altcoins struggle to regain momentum. The token has dropped nearly 48% over the past 30 days, closely mirroring the broader market decline. Despite this downturn, the Aster team remains committed to reinforcing long-term holder confidence through accelerated buybacks and ongoing deflationary measures. Its latest announcement underscores this strategic focus.

Aster Accelerates Stage 4 Buyback Program

In a new update, Aster confirmed a significant enhancement to its Stage 4 buyback program, increasing the pace of daily executions to provide stronger support during periods of heightened volatility.

Starting December 8, the project raised its daily buyback execution rate from roughly $3 million to approximately $4 million. This faster schedule aims to push all accumulated Stage 4 fees on-chain more rapidly, helping stabilize price movements and bolster market confidence.

With this adjustment, Aster expects to clear the backlog of fees collected since November 10 far more efficiently. Based on current revenues, the project anticipates reaching a consistent execution rhythm within 8 to 10 days. Once stabilized, daily buybacks are expected to continue at 60% to 90% of the previous day’s revenue until Stage 4 is completed.

Token Burns and Roadmap Progress Add Long-Term Support

Aster’s efforts extend well beyond buybacks. On December 5, the official buyback wallet burned 77.86 million ASTER, valued at approximately $79.81 million. This burn permanently removed nearly 1% of the total token supply, reinforcing Aster’s deflationary model and strengthening holder conviction.

Adding to long-term optimism, Aster recently unveiled its H1 2026 roadmap, which includes major ecosystem milestones. Among the highlights is the planned launch of Aster Chain, a custom Layer-1 blockchain engineered for sub-second finality and high-volume perpetual trading — a key step in expanding Aster’s utility and infrastructure.

Outlook

Although short-term market conditions remain fragile, Aster’s expanded buyback strategy, significant token burn activity, and forward-looking roadmap demonstrate a strong commitment to ecosystem stability. Should the broader crypto market recover, these foundations may help position Aster for renewed momentum.

Crypto merger and acquisition (M&A) activity has reached unprecedented levels in 2025, with total deal value hitting $8.6 billion by November and a record 133 transactions completed. The surge marks the strongest year ever for crypto-sector consolidation, surpassing the combined totals of the past four years, according to data from PitchBook.

Coinbase Leads With Landmark Acquisitions

Coinbase has emerged as the year’s most aggressive buyer, completing six major deals. The centerpiece was its $2.9 billion acquisition of Deribit, one of the industry’s largest crypto-derivatives marketplaces. The company also expanded deeper into infrastructure, advertising, and Web3 product ecosystems through acquisitions including:

• Spindl (blockchain advertising)
• Roam Browser Team (Web3 browsing tech)
• Echo (on-chain capital raising platform)
• Vector.Fun (memecoin exchange platform)
• Liquifi (token management infrastructure)

These moves underscore Coinbase’s strategy to build a vertically integrated ecosystem ahead of intensifying U.S. regulatory clarity and improving macro conditions.

Ripple and Kraken Make Strategic Plays

Ripple also recorded a milestone year with four major acquisitions, signaling ambitions beyond its payments-focused roots. Key deals included:

• Hidden Road ($1.25B) – prime brokerage expansion
• GTreasury ($1B) – corporate treasury management capabilities
• Rail ($200M) – stablecoin infrastructure
• Palisade – wallet and security integrations

Meanwhile, Kraken closed five deals in 2025, positioning itself for broader derivatives and institutional market access. Highlights include:

• NinjaTrader (futures trading platform)
• Breakout (proprietary trading tech)
• Small Exchange ($100M) – boosting U.S. derivatives capabilities
• Backed Finance AG – issuer of tokenized stocks via xStocks

The acquisition of Backed Finance further strengthens Kraken’s push into real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.

Why Crypto M&A Is Exploding

Despite a market-wide correction, M&A activity is being driven by several tailwinds:

• Regulatory clarity in the U.S.
• Lower interest rates following Federal Reserve policy shifts
• Institutional expansion into tokenization and derivatives
• A maturing environment where consolidation accelerates product innovation and cross-market connectivity

The record-breaking year signals that crypto companies are not only adapting to macro conditions—they’re scaling aggressively to shape the industry’s next growth cycle.