Bank of America is advising its wealth management clients to consider adding cryptocurrency to their investment strategies. The bank now recommends a 1%–4% crypto allocation across Merrill, Bank of America Private Bank, and Merrill Edge accounts. Beginning January 5, its strategists will cover four major bitcoin ETFs, including offerings from Bitwise, Fidelity, Grayscale, and BlackRock.

Bank executives say the shift reflects growing demand as more investors look for regulated, secure ways to enter the digital asset market. Clients with higher risk tolerance may lean toward the upper end of the allocation range, while conservative investors are urged to stay closer to 1%. Previously, advisers were limited in recommending crypto, leaving many clients to seek access elsewhere.

Major financial institutions—including Morgan Stanley, Fidelity, BlackRock, and JPMorgan—are also expanding crypto options, signaling broader Wall Street acceptance despite recent market volatility. Bitcoin has dipped from its $126,000 peak to about $85,000, but banks say long-term investor interest remains strong.

Vanguard Group will allow bitcoin and crypto-linked exchange-traded funds and mutual funds to trade on its platform, reversing a policy that for years barred retail clients from accessing digital-asset products through the firm.

Starting Tuesday, Vanguard brokerage customers will be able to trade ETFs and mutual funds that primarily hold select cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and other crypto, according to Bloomberg reporting. 

The move marks a shift for the world’s second-largest asset manager, which has long argued that digital assets were too volatile and speculative for long-term portfolios.

The decision follows growing demand from both retail and institutional…

Read more on BitcoinMagazine

The bitcoin price stumbled into December with fresh volatility, plunging 8% early Monday to the mid-$84,000s before clawing back toward $85,456 at the time of writing.

The world’s largest digital asset is now teetering at a key $85,000 level — a price band analysts say could determine whether the bitcoin price stabilizes or slides toward a deeper test of $75,000 in the weeks ahead.

The pullback extends a two-month downtrend that has erased more than 30% from Bitcoin’s October record highs. Over the past 24 hours, BTC traded between $91,866 and $83,800, with thin liquidity and a surge in forced liquidations accelerating the move.

Bitcoin price key levels: $85,000,… Read more on BitcoinMagazine

Law enforcement agencies in Switzerland and Germany have shut down Cryptomixer.io, one of Europe’s largest illicit Bitcoin-mixing operations. 

The takedown unfolded between Nov. 24 and 28 in Zurich, with Europol coordinating cross-border support.

Authorities seized three servers, the cryptomixer.io domain, more than EUR 25 million in bitcoin and over 12 terabytes of data. A seizure banner (see below) now replaces the site. Investigators say the disruption will fuel new leads tied to ransomware groups, dark-web marketplaces and cross-border money-laundering schemes.

Cryptomixer launched in 2016. It quickly became a go-to service for cybercriminals who needed to hide their…

Read more on BitcoinMagazine