Crypto Market News Today, December 11: The Rise and Fall of Do Kwon as 15-Year Jailtime Sentenced, YouTube PayPal Stablecoin Payout, All While Bitcoin Price About to Pounce

Ben Graham · December 12, 2025

The crypto market started the day with three stories dominating the headlines: Do Kwon 15 years sentence, the new YouTube PayPal stablecoin payout option, and the bullish Bitcoin price after a depressing few weeks. These tidings intersect more than people think. Sentiment, regulation, and tech adoption all move markets.

Do Kwon’s confirmed 15 years sentence closes a long chapter that began with the 2022 Terra Luna collapse, a $40 billion meltdown many still consider the black swan event of that cycle. His punishment is somehow lighter than Sam Bankman-Fried’s 25-year term, and there are reasons for it.

JUST IN: Terra Luna Founder Do Kwon officially sentenced to 15 years in prison.

— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) December 11, 2025

Do Kwon pled guilty, expressed remorse earlier, and cooperated to a degree, some factors that judges traditionally weigh. Meanwhile, SBF fought aggressively in court, was found guilty on all counts, and faced victims with clearer fraud evidence. But, Do Kwon may not be done; South Korea can add decades if it convicts him on pending charges.

The comparison between SBF and Do Kwon will fuel debates for years. SBF’s fraud was more direct and orchestrated, while Do Kwon’s case leaned toward reckless engineering, denial, and mismanagement, not the intentional theft prosecutors demonstrated at FTX. That distinction, fair or not, often influences sentencing.

Does the time fit the crime?

SBF sentenced to 25 years for 8 billion FTX collapse

Do Kwon sentenced to 15 years for 5x the value pic.twitter.com/z1OPR09prn

— CHESUS (@chesus) December 11, 2025

From SBF to Do Kwon, crypto is entering a new stage where fraudsters face real consequences. That deterrence strengthens the industry in the long term and reduces the odds of another Terra-sized disaster.

All of their stories were harrowing and reminded me again of the great losses that I’ve caused. I want to tell these victims that I am sorry.” – Do Kwon, from the Courtroom

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Beyond Do Kwon and His Terra Luna Falls: YouTube PayPal PYUSD Payouts Expand Stablecoin Adoption

The new YouTube PayPal payout option shows a different kind of maturation. Eligible US YouTube creators can now receive earnings in PYUSD, a PayPal dollar-backed stablecoin issued by Paxos. This development gives creators fast, low-cost, cross-border payment capabilities.

YOUTUBE NOW ALLOWS USERS TO RECEIVE THEIR PAYOUTS IN STABLECOINS pic.twitter.com/eWhgm1LAeL

— 0xMarioNawfal (@RoundtableSpace) December 12, 2025

This follows Google Cloud’s earlier acceptance of PYUSD, a good sign of institutional comfort towards crypto. The timing is ideal, though. Creators increasingly want efficient revenue tools, and YouTube PayPal PYUSD payouts provide.

Adoption is expected to start slowly, but crypto is, again, aligning with real-world use.

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Bitcoin Price Recovery and Post-SBF Market Psychology

Despite the “sell the news FOMC aftermath” dip, Bitcoin price is stabilizing above $92,000 and showing a few signs of a higher leg. Key support still sits at $85,000, with $95,000 acting as the first breakout zone. The RSI is at neutral territory, giving it room to retrace and pounce.

We’ve seen this movie before, after SBF’s 25 years sentence in 2024, Bitcoin price briefly slid to $64,000 before grinding higher for weeks, which then eventually pushed to all time high of 124K.

(source – Bitcoin price, TradingView)

As we know, the market reacts emotionally to just about any news, then reverts to fundamentals, ETF inflows, institutional accumulation, and long-term scarcity. With BlackRock recently adding another major buy, the momentum is still pointing up.

With Do Kwon’s 15 years sentence finalized, YouTube PayPal rolling out PYUSD payouts, and the Bitcoin price climbing back from its FOMC pullback, crypto is navigating yet another defining moment since the Terra implosion.

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2 hours ago

Altcoins Bouncing Back, Why is Hedera Left Behind? Downside Dominates HBAR Price in December

By Akiyama Felix

The altcoin market has continued its rally this week, with major caps leading the way. SOL, HYPE, and AAVE are all up over +6% in the past 24 hours, while many others are up between +1% and +3%. However, Hedera appears to be lagging, with HBAR up just 0.2% on the day, trading at around $0.13.

HBAR is down -28% over the past 30 days, struggling to break out of its longstanding downtrend. It is down -77% from its all-time high of $0.56, reached in September 2021. The Hedera community is loyal, but even their commitment is being tested by the price action in 2025.