Aave to Enter 2026 With a Master Plan, SEC Ends 4-Year Investigation
US regulators officially closed a long-running investigation into DeFi protocol Aave AAVE $179.2 24h volatility: 4.8% Market cap: $2.73 B Vol. 24h: $302.45 M after dropping cases against Ondo Finance (ONDO) earlier this month.
Also, Aave’s founder has shared a long-term roadmap that discusses how the platform plans to scale into one of the core credit systems of the onchain economy.
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SEC Closes Four-Year Investigation Into Aave
Aave founder Stani Kulechov confirmed that the US Securities and Exchange Commission has ended its investigation into the DeFi protocol without taking enforcement action.
The probe lasted nearly four years and included a Wells Notice, which is usually a sign that regulators are considering legal action.
According to information shared by Kulechov, the SEC informed Aave in a letter dated August 15 that it does not plan to recommend enforcement.
The investigation began under former US President Joe Biden, when regulators took a tougher stance on digital assets.
https://x.com/StaniKulechov/status/2000963157150388267
Aave Labs confirmed that it had remained in regular contact with regulators throughout the process and can now operate without legal uncertainty.
Aave’s Long-Term Roadmap and Scale
Kulechov released a detailed roadmap outlining how Aave plans to grow in the coming years. The strategy focuses on three core areas: Aave V4, Horizon, and the Aave App.
https://x.com/StaniKulechov/status/2001036446098919461
The goal is to move the next trillion dollars in assets and onboard millions of new users onchain.
Interestingly, data shared by Kulechov shows the platform has processed more than $3.33 trillion in total deposits since launch and has issued close to $1 trillion in loans.
This year alone, Aave generated around $885 million in fees and currently controls about 59% of the DeFi lending market. Kulechov described Aave as still being in its early stage despite its size.
As explained by Kulechov, Aave V4 is a full redesign of the protocol’s structure. The new version is designed to combine liquidity across different networks into unified hubs. Horizon, which launched earlier this year, focuses on regulated and compliance-aligned lending.
On the other hand, the Aave App is designed for everyday users and aims to simplify access to DeFi.
AAVE Price Analysis: Market Still Cautious
AAVE price has not reacted positively in the short term. The token was down around 2% on Wednesday, while trading volume dropped by roughly 28%.
As per the chart below, the altcoin is trading below a major resistance zone near the upper Bollinger Band, around the $360 area.
AAVE price analysis on weekly chart. | Source: TradingView
If selling continues, the chart shows a key support zone near the $135 to $150 range. Holding this area could stabilize prices.
However, AAVE would need to reclaim the $250 to $280 region first, followed by a clean move above $360, to signal a stronger recovery.
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Aave founder details trillion-dollar strategy and faces debate at DAO.
Aave V4 targets unified liquidity and institutional adoption.
Horizon focuses on credit with RWA and tokenized securities.
Aave DAO Governance Discusses Fees and Revenues
Aave founder Stani Kulechov unveiled a long-term strategic roadmap that projects the protocol's expansion to a trillion-dollar scale in on-chain assets. The plan was released as Aave DAO undergoes intense discussions regarding governance, economic alignment, and rights over revenue streams, at a crucial time for the largest DeFi lending protocol.
https://t.co/s1ozjoYDyX
— Stani.eth (@StaniKulechov) December 16, 2025
Kulechov, who also serves as CEO of Avara, the parent company of Aave Labs, described the vision as consolidating Aave into the “fundamental credit layer” of the blockchain-based economy. The strategy rests on three pillars: Aave V4, Horizon, and the Aave app, with a stated focus on institutional adoption, integrated liquidity, and bringing in millions of new users.
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According to data shared by the founder, Aave has already processed $3,33 trillion in deposits, originated nearly $1 trillion in loans, and generated $885 million in fees this year, holding approximately 59% of the DeFi lending market. “Aave will win,” stated Kulechov, adding that the protocol “is still in its early stages compared to what’s to come.”
At the heart of the plan is Aave V4, a redesign that proposes a hub-and-spoke liquidity model. The architecture seeks to reduce fragmentation between networks by concentrating liquidity in main hubs, while enabling specialized markets for different asset types. The proposal includes new tools for developers, aiming to accelerate integrations and support institutional volumes.
The second pillar, Horizon, was launched as a regulatory-compliant environment for trading tokenized real-world assets, such as Treasury bonds. The platform has already reached $550 million in net deposits and aims to reach $1 billion by 2026, supported by partnerships with companies in the traditional financial sector.
The Aave app was designed as a gateway for retail users into DeFi. The solution integrates Push, a tool for converting fiat currency to stablecoins without fees, covering more than 70% of global capital markets. Full launch is planned for early 2026, with the goal of attracting the first million users.
The announcement comes amid tensions at the Aave DAO, following questions about interface changes and fee redirection. In response, Kulechov stated: “I have been following many of the discussions on the DAO forum. Let me be very clear: nobody cares more about Aave than I do.” He added that
"Open debate is a characteristic of DeFi governance and not a symptom of misalignment."
The moment was also marked by the conclusion, without sanctions, of a four-year SEC investigation into Aave. For Kulechov, the outcome reinforces the sector's maturity and validates the trajectory of DeFi on a global scale.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the author, or anyone mentioned in this article, are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment or other advice. Investing or trading cryptocurrencies carries a risk of financial loss.
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Morning Minute: A Big Day for Stablecoins
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Morning Minute is a daily newsletter written byTyler Warner. The analysis and opinions expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Decrypt. Subscribe to the Morning Minuteon Substack.
GM!
Today’s top news:
Crypto majors mostly chop on day; BTC at $87,000
Visa expanded its stablecoin settlement to U.S. banks, leveraging Solana
FDIC greenlights proposal showing how U.S. banks can issue their own stables
Rainbow Wallet announces TGE for Feb 5, 2026 along with airdrop
Cantor Fitzgerald calls for $200B+ price target on HYPE in new report
💵 A Big Day for Stablecoins
Two separate announcements today pointed in the same direction.
Stablecoinsare moving deeper into the U.S. financial system.
📌 What Happened
First, Visa expanded its USDC settlement program to U.S. banks, enabling participating institutions to settle obligations using Circle’s USDC on Solana.
The expansion allows banks and payment firms to move funds outside of traditional banking hours, with onchain settlement finality and integration into Visa’s existing treasury and reconciliation systems.
Visa has previously tested stablecoin settlement internationally and with select partners, but this marks a broader U.S. rollout.
At the same time, the FDIC approved a proposed rulemaking to implement the GENIUS Act, outlining how FDIC-supervised banks could issue payment stablecoins through subsidiaries.
The proposal describes application requirements, governance standards, reserve and liquidity expectations, and ongoing supervisory oversight.
Banks would be required to maintain high-quality reserves backing issued stablecoins and operate within defined risk-management and compliance frameworks.
🗣️ What They’re Saying
“Visa is expanding stablecoin settlement because our banking partners are not only asking about it—they’re preparing to use it”- Visa’s Global Head of Growth Products and Strategic Partnerships Rubail Birwadker
“Fintech and crypto innovators increasingly ask us to bring stablecoins into their existing product suite.” - Gilles Gade, founder, president, and CEO of Cross River Bank
A powerful milestone in the mainstream adoption and acceptance of USDC, with Visa announcing that all US card issuers (banks, fintechs, crypto firms) can now settle directly with Visa using USDC. Visa also working with Circle to prepare for launching on @Arc.
Dollar digital… pic.twitter.com/c7ilmCrXWY
— Jeremy Allaire - jda.eth / jdallaire.sol (@jerallaire) December 16, 2025
🧠 Why It Matters
Stablecoins are increasingly being treated as payments infrastructure rather than a niche crypto product.
Visa’s expansion shows how large payment networks are integrating stablecoins into existing systems, while the FDIC’s proposal outlines the framework banks would use to issue and manage them.
The combination matters.
Institutional adoption tends to accelerate once large financial intermediaries and regulators move in the same direction.
BlackRock predicted stablecoins would be a mega force of 2026 impacting the global economy, in their 2026 outlook report.
It looks like they will be right…
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🌎 Macro Crypto and Memes
A few Crypto and Web3 headlines that caught my eye:
Crypto majorswere mostly flat;BTC -0.3% at $87,000; ETH -1% at $2,930, BNB -1% at $858, SOL even at $128
NIGHT (+11%), MORPHO (+10%) and MYX (+5%)led top movers
Bitwiseforecastednew Bitcoin all-time highs in 2026, pointing to structural factors like institutional capital inflows, regulatory clarity, and continued adoption to outweigh historical bearish factors
TheSECended its four-year investigationinto AAVE, closing the file without recommending enforcement action
VISAexpandedits stablecoin pilot to more US Banks and to include settlement on Solana
The FDICapproveda proposal to implement the GENIUS Act, outlining how FDIC-supervised banks could issue payment stablecoins through subsidiaries
Trumpsaidhe would be open to nominating Democratsto the SEC and CFTC, a shift that could help unblock the stalled Senate crypto market-structure bill
Elizabeth Warrenraised concernsabout DEX risks, flagging PancakeSwap and alleging links to Trump-connected flows and North Korea–tied laundering
The FTCsaidNomad must repay recovered fundsafter the $186M 2022 bridge hack
Hong Kong influencersface chargesrelated to their promotion of the collapsed JPEX exchange, which left investors with roughly $206 M in losses
The South Korean governmentapprovedabout $15M in debt relief for crypto traders
In Corporate Treasuries / ETFs
The Bitcoin ETFshave seen net outflowsof $635M so far this week, with ETH seeing -449M
KindlyMDwas warnedit risked Nasdaq delisting after shares stayed under $1, and said it had until June 2026 to regain compliance
In Memes / Onchain Movers
Memecoin leadersare mostly red with Fartcoin leading;DOGE -1%, Shiba -2%, PEPE -1%, PENGU -3%, BONK -2%, TRUMP -1%, SPX +1%, and FARTCOIN +4%
Burwick Lawshared an ongoing lawsuitagainst Pump Fun and Solana
WOJAKrebounded 60% to $31M; Anon +60% to $23M and 1 jumped 42% to $7M
💰 Token, Airdrop Protocol Tracker
Here’s a rundown of major token, protocol and airdrop news from the day:
Cantor Fitzgeraldreleaseda 62-page report on Hyperliquid, calling for a $250B market cap on a 10-year time frame
Hyper Foundationto voteon recognizing the Assistance Fund HYPE as officially burned and thus removed from circulating supply
BNBannounceda new stablecoin “unifying liquidity across use case” is coming soon
Rainbow Walletannouncedtheir TGE coming Feb 5, 2026
RedotPayraised $107Min a Series B round to expand its stablecoin payments platform
Tetherco-led an $8M roundinto Speed, backing Lightning-based stablecoin payments
Worldcoinlaunchedtheir WorldID on Tinder to help solve its bot problem
🚚 What is happening in NFTs?
Here is the list of other notable headlines from the day in NFTs:
NFT leaderswere mixed; Punks -1% at 27 ETH, Pudgy +3% at 4.69, BAYC +3% at 4.99 ETH; Hypurr’s -3% at 445 HYPE
Nonotable movers
Pudgy Penguinsconfirmedthey will appear on the Las Vegas Sphere, securing a roughly $500,000 ad placement