{"id":57265,"date":"2025-12-20T16:08:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T20:08:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-escalate-as-us-enforces-venezuela-blockade-crypto-market-sees-uniswap-surge-amid-regulatory-hopes-target-recovers-from-outage\/57265\/"},"modified":"2025-12-20T16:08:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T20:08:20","slug":"geopolitical-tensions-escalate-as-us-enforces-venezuela-blockade-crypto-market-sees-uniswap-surge-amid-regulatory-hopes-target-recovers-from-outage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-escalate-as-us-enforces-venezuela-blockade-crypto-market-sees-uniswap-surge-amid-regulatory-hopes-target-recovers-from-outage\/57265\/","title":{"rendered":"Geopolitical Tensions Escalate as US Enforces Venezuela Blockade; Crypto Market Sees Uniswap Surge Amid Regulatory Hopes; Target Recovers from Outage"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-escalate-as-us-enforces-venezuela-blockade-crypto-market-sees-uniswap-surge-amid-regulatory-hopes-target-recovers-from-outage\/57265\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-escalate-as-us-enforces-venezuela-blockade-crypto-market-sees-uniswap-surge-amid-regulatory-hopes-target-recovers-from-outage\/57265\/#Geopolitical_Tensions_Mount_Over_Venezuela\" >Geopolitical Tensions Mount Over Venezuela<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-escalate-as-us-enforces-venezuela-blockade-crypto-market-sees-uniswap-surge-amid-regulatory-hopes-target-recovers-from-outage\/57265\/#Cryptocurrency_Market_Sees_Uniswap_Soar_Amid_Regulatory_Discussions\" >Cryptocurrency Market Sees Uniswap Soar Amid Regulatory Discussions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-escalate-as-us-enforces-venezuela-blockade-crypto-market-sees-uniswap-surge-amid-regulatory-hopes-target-recovers-from-outage\/57265\/#Target_Stabilizes_Online_Operations_After_Holiday_Outage\" >Target Stabilizes Online Operations After Holiday Outage<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-escalate-as-us-enforces-venezuela-blockade-crypto-market-sees-uniswap-surge-amid-regulatory-hopes-target-recovers-from-outage\/57265\/#Japan_Joins_EUs_E110_Billion_Research_Scheme\" >Japan Joins EU&#39;s \u20ac110 Billion Research Scheme<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-escalate-as-us-enforces-venezuela-blockade-crypto-market-sees-uniswap-surge-amid-regulatory-hopes-target-recovers-from-outage\/57265\/#Financial_Pioneer_Robert_Mnuchin_Dies_at_92\" >Financial Pioneer Robert Mnuchin Dies at 92<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>US forces escalated pressure on Venezuela, stopping two sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean, following President Trump\u2019s order for a blockade on oil tankers.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The cryptocurrency market saw significant movement, with Uniswap (<a href=\"\/stock\/UNI\">UNI<\/a>) surging nearly 19%, while US lawmakers propose a new tax framework for digital assets, including a stablecoin safe harbor.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Target Corp. (<a href=\"\/stock\/TGT\">TGT<\/a>) successfully stabilized its online operations after a critical technology outage impacted holiday period sales and digital services.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Argentina&#39;s President Javier Milei publicly backed US President Donald Trump&#39;s &quot;liberation&quot; efforts for Venezuela, signaling a unified regional stance against the current regime.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Japan is set to join the European Union&#39;s \u20ac110 billion Horizon research scheme, fostering international scientific collaboration.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Geopolitical_Tensions_Mount_Over_Venezuela\"><\/span>Geopolitical Tensions Mount Over Venezuela<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The United States has intensified its pressure on Venezuela, with US forces stopping and boarding two sanctioned merchant vessels in international waters off the Venezuelan coast on Saturday. This action follows an order from <strong>President Donald Trump<\/strong> to enforce a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela. One of the intercepted vessels was identified as a <strong>Chinese-owned oil tanker<\/strong> in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n<p>Argentine President <strong>Javier Milei<\/strong> voiced strong support for President Trump&#39;s efforts to &quot;liberate&quot; Venezuela, stating at a Mercosur summit in Brazil that cautious approaches are no longer acceptable. This development signals a growing regional alignment with the US stance against Venezuela.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cryptocurrency_Market_Sees_Uniswap_Soar_Amid_Regulatory_Discussions\"><\/span>Cryptocurrency Market Sees Uniswap Soar Amid Regulatory Discussions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The cryptocurrency market experienced notable fluctuations, with <strong>Uniswap<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/UNI\">UNI<\/a>) leading the gains, surging by <strong>+18.95%<\/strong> to <strong>$6.2544<\/strong>. Other major cryptocurrencies saw more modest movements, with <strong>Bitcoin<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/BTC\">BTC<\/a>) trading at <strong>$88,236.00<\/strong> (+0.5%) and <strong>Ether<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/ETH\">ETH<\/a>) at <strong>$2,978.30<\/strong> (+0.15%). <strong>BitcoinCash<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/BCH\">BCH<\/a>) saw a decline of <strong>-4.48%<\/strong> to <strong>$594.78<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In a significant development for the digital asset space, a bipartisan duo in the US House of Representatives is reportedly drafting a new cryptocurrency tax framework. This proposed framework aims to provide a <strong>safe harbor for certain stablecoin transactions<\/strong> and would delay the taxation of rewards earned through verifying blockchain transactions, potentially offering clarity and relief to crypto investors and developers.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Target_Stabilizes_Online_Operations_After_Holiday_Outage\"><\/span>Target Stabilizes Online Operations After Holiday Outage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Target Corp. (<a href=\"\/stock\/TGT\">TGT<\/a>)<\/strong> has successfully stabilized its online operations following a technology outage that disrupted the retailer\u2019s digital order pickup, returns, and other critical functions. The disruption occurred during the all-important holiday shopping period, posing a challenge for the retail giant. The stabilization of these services is crucial for Target as it navigates the competitive holiday retail landscape.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Japan_Joins_EUs_E110_Billion_Research_Scheme\"><\/span>Japan Joins EU&#39;s \u20ac110 Billion Research Scheme<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In a move to foster international scientific collaboration, Japan is set to join the <strong>European Union&#39;s \u20ac110 billion Horizon research scheme<\/strong>. This partnership is expected to open new avenues for joint research and innovation between Japanese and European scientists and institutions.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Financial_Pioneer_Robert_Mnuchin_Dies_at_92\"><\/span>Financial Pioneer Robert Mnuchin Dies at 92<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Robert Mnuchin<\/strong>, a prominent figure in finance known for pioneering block trading during his 33-year career at <strong>Goldman, Sachs &amp; Co.<\/strong>, has passed away at the age of 92. Mnuchin was also the father of the former US Treasury Secretary during the first term of President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways US forces escalated pressure on Venezuela, stopping two sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean, following President Trump\u2019s order for 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