Japan’s biggest loyalty program may have just become one of crypto’s most unexpected entry points. Related Reading: Bitcoin Could Hit $85K Before April Ends, Analyst Says A Rewards System Worth $23 Billion Opens Up Rakuten is sitting on more than 3 trillion loyalty points — valued at roughly $23 billion — and users can now convert those points into XRP. That single detail changes the nature of this integration. It is not just another tech company adding a crypto option. It is an existing, widely used rewards system being turned into a direct path into digital currency, no exchange account required. Reports confirmed the points-to-XRP conversion feature is part of the rollout inside the Rakuten Pay app and Rakuten Wallet. The announcement pushed XRP to $1.38, with the token’s market cap climbing above $84 billion. Trading volume came in at $2.4 billion over the past 24 hours, though that figure was down 25% from the prior period. ????IT’S OFFICIAL: XRP is LIVE for 44 million users on one of the largest wallets in Japan, Rakuten Wallet. Enabling users purchasing anything by using #XRP! pic.twitter.com/pOd9CNXpTe — JackTheRippler ©️ (@RippleXrpie) April 15, 2026 44 Million Users, 5 Million Merchant Locations The scale of Rakuten’s network is what makes this stand out. Around 44 million users will be able to hold XRP in the Rakuten Wallet, buy it with loyalty points, and fund Rakuten Cash to spend in physical stores and online. That covers more than 5 million merchant locations across Japan. Users can also spot trade XRP directly inside the app. Rakuten had already added Bitcoin, Ether, and Bitcoin Cash in earlier phases. XRP now joins that group inside one of Japan’s largest consumer platforms — one that most of its users visit for shopping, not for investing. Ripple’s senior ecosystem growth manager Tatsuya Kohrogi called this one of the most significant milestones for XRP, pointing out that Rakuten Pay is a mainstream commerce app, not a product built for crypto users. That means XRP is being placed in front of tens of millions of people who may have never bought or held digital currency before. Related Reading: ‘Extremely Good News’ – XRP DeFi Momentum Builds As SEC Softens Position On Interfaces Whether Everyday Shoppers Follow Matters Most XRP has long been associated with institutional cross-border payments. A move into retail point-of-sale spending in Japan marks a clear shift in how the token is showing up in real-world use. Based on reports, analysts see the potential as real but conditional. The bigger question is not whether Rakuten has the infrastructure — it clearly does. The question is whether ordinary shoppers choose XRP when it is time to pay, or stick to yen and existing payment methods they already trust. If even a fraction of that $23 billion in loyalty points finds its way into XRP and circulates through everyday commerce, it could push other large consumer platforms to take a closer look at similar moves. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
An analyst on X has made a bold call on Ethereum, stating that the asset is on the verge of a parabolic move. The claim is based on a golden triangle formation on the chart, a setup that shows a breakout could be approaching for the leading altcoin. This approaching breakout could also serve as the driving force for a broader altcoin market rally. Related Reading: Cardano In Danger Zone? Trader Drops ‘Time Bomb’ Claim Golden Triangle Pattern 9 Years In The Making Technical analysis of Ethereum’s 3-week chart stretching back to 2017 shows the cryptocurrency trading within a narrowing triangular structure. The pattern is defined by a rising lower trendline anchored from the March 2020 Covid crash low and a horizontal upper trendline connecting the rally peaks of 2021, 2024, and 2025. Over nearly a decade of price action, ETH has repeatedly respected both boundaries, with bounces within the narrowing range. This has led to the formation of a golden triangle, which is a macro structure with a better possibility of resolving to the upside. As it stands, the ETH price is trading at the lower end of this formation in what looks like a higher low compared to the lowest price in 2025. The projected move shows a bounce from this level that eventually pushes Ethereum to break above resistance and transition into an upward parabolic move. The projected breakout path on the chart shows ETH exiting the apex of this triangle to the upside, with a parabolic rally that climbs above $12,000 and beyond by 2027 to 2028. This move is expected to spill into other cryptocurrencies with a huge rotation that supports an altcoin season. Ethereum’s Golden Triangle. Source: @zenkaixbt On X $2,800 As The Next Stop While the Golden Triangle analysis looked at the macro context, analyst Crypto Feras has identified a more immediate target that could cement the first significant milestone of any sustained recovery. The analysis is based on the 3-day candlestick chart, and it is centered on the idea that Ethereum’s current structure is more important than short-term headlines. As noted by the analyst, Ethereum has maintained a consistent 3D pattern on higher time frames since February, even as markets reacted to external shocks, most especially the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This consistency has led to the same creation of a higher low compared to the 2025 bottom that respects a rising support line. This rising diagonal support line, visible in the chart below, connects the lows of 2022, 2023, and 2025, and each of those cycle bottoms preceded substantial rallies. Ethereum Price Chart. Source: @CryptoFeras On X The 2022 low produced a 91.72% recovery, the 2023 low was followed by a 167.79% rally, and the 2025 low was followed by a 223% rally. Related Reading: Ethereum Steals The Spotlight As Capital Moves Away From Bitcoin The current 2026 low, printed in February around $1,800, appears to be setting up along the same structural sequence, with the projected path on the chart showing ETH targeting $2,800 as the first recovery level and then an extension to $3,393. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
A dispute over stablecoin rewards — not sweeping disagreements about crypto itself — is what’s holding up one of the most significant digital asset bills in US history. Related Reading: XRP Faces No Immediate Quantum Threat As Only 0.03% Supply Seen At Risk: Analyst Banks And Crypto Firms Clash Over Stablecoin Yields At the center of the standoff is a narrow but contentious question: should third-party firms like Coinbase be allowed to pass stablecoin yields on to their customers? Banks say no, warning it could drain deposits from traditional financial institutions. Crypto companies say yes, arguing it’s essential to staying competitive. That single point of friction has stalled the CLARITY Act in the Senate for months, even as the Trump administration pushes hard for a vote. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent went public Tuesday with a blunt message — Congress needs to move now, before Senate floor time runs out. According to reports, Bessent described the situation as urgent, saying “time is scarce, and now is the time to act.” He framed the legislation not just as a financial policy matter but as a national security concern, arguing that economic security and national security are one and the same. The U.S. Treasury Secretary is weighing in on the push to pass crypto market structure legislation in a new @WSJ op-ed.@SecScottBessent framed it as a national priority, saying “economic security is national security,” and argued the Clarity Act is the cornerstone to bringing… — Eleanor Terrett (@EleanorTerrett) April 9, 2026 Adoption Numbers Add Weight To The Push The case for urgency isn’t just political. Data shows that roughly one in six Americans already holds some form of digital asset. Major banks and financial institutions have either launched crypto-related products or applied to do so. Blockchain technology, according to Bessent, has worked its way into payments, settlements, and the trading of real-world assets at a scale that regulators can no longer ignore. The global crypto market swung between $2 trillion and $3 trillion in value over the past year alone — a range that reflects both the size and the volatility of the industry. That backdrop gives the push for a regulatory framework added weight, especially as traditional finance continues to wade deeper into the space. Senator Cynthia Lummis joined Bessent’s call, saying the conditions for passing the CLARITY Act are as good as they’ve ever been. “We have the administration, the momentum, and we’ve made bipartisan progress,” she said. A Senate markup of the bill is expected sometime in April, though similar deadlines have slipped before. Related Reading: Bitcoin Faces Quantum Risk As Bernstein Sees 3–5 Year Window For Upgrades White House Study Adds Fuel To Banking Debate A White House analysis recently found that the risk of deposit flight from allowing stablecoin rewards is, by its own description, “quantitatively small.” Under the GENIUS Act framework, stablecoin issuers are barred from paying yields directly. The CLARITY Act, however, would open the door for third-party distributors to do it instead. Some banking members pushed back on the White House findings, arguing the analysis overlooked key funding risks beyond deposit levels. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView
JPMorgan CEO, Jamie Dimon, warned investors in his latest annual letter that the bank must accelerate its efforts in blockchain technology to meet mounting competition from the crypto sector. Dimon told shareholders that a “whole new set of competitors” has emerged around blockchain-based products — including stablecoins, smart contracts, and broader tokenization — and that the bank needs to “roll out our own blockchain technology” to defend its market position. JPMorgan Doubles Down On Crypto The call to action comes as the US regulatory landscape for crypto undergoes notable shifts and traditional financial institutions increasingly adopt decentralized technology. JPMorgan is not starting from scratch: the firm introduced JPM Coin on a permissioned blockchain in 2019 and has continued to build capabilities through its Kinexys blockchain unit, which focuses on tokenization and payments. The bank has also been involved in experiments on permissionless chains; executives from JPMorgan’s Commercial and Investment Banking units recently pointed to the bank’s role in a 2025 US commercial paper issuance on Solana (SOL) for Galaxy Digital Holdings as a sign of broader exploration. Related Reading: Ethereum (ETH) Outlook: $2,500 Break Could Trigger Major Rally — Expert’s Price Scenarios Dimon’s stance toward crypto has evolved visibly over the past year. Once a vocal skeptic, he publicly acknowledged last year that he has become “a believer in stablecoins,” and later reiterated that “blockchain is real,” predicting it would displace elements of the traditional financial system. JPMorgan has already ramped up its internal crypto activity. In a separate investor note, the co‑CEOs of the bank’s Commercial and Investment Banking division reported that transactions on JPMorgan’s blockchain-based products have expanded roughly thirtyfold since 2023. At the same time, JPMorgan and other major banks have been active in shaping regulatory outcomes. The banking industry has pressed to alter provisions of the GENIUS Act and the anticipated CLARITY Act, seeking to prevent what they call a regulatory “loophole” that might allow stablecoin issuers to offer yield. Banks’ Push To Bar Stablecoin Rewards Banks argue that yield-bearing stablecoins could serve as substitutes for deposit accounts, posing a risk to their deposit bases and potentially destabilizing lending. Yet, those concerns were challenged on Wednesday by a new analysis from the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Using a model calibrated to current market conditions, the report found that banning stablecoin yields would have only a marginal effect on deposit flight from banks. Specifically, it estimated that eliminating stablecoin yield would raise bank lending by roughly $2.1 billion — about 0.02% of total loans — while imposing an estimated $800 million net welfare loss on consumers, suggesting the costs could outweigh any systemic benefits. Related Reading: FDIC Advances Rulemaking For GENIUS Act: New Framework For Stablecoin Issuers The study also tested a worst‑case scenario in which stablecoins pose a much larger threat to lending, but that outcome required assumptions — such as zero excess reserves and a major shift in Federal Reserve policy — that do not reflect present conditions. It remains uncertain whether the White House analysis will shift negotiations between banks and the crypto industry over whether yield and rewards should be permitted on stablecoins. Those involved in the talks have largely remained silent over the past two weeks amid Congress’s Easter recess. However, two sources familiar with the discussions told Crypto In America that they remain cautiously optimistic that the talks are progressing. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
A 33-day dry spell for solo Bitcoin miners ended last week when one small operator cracked a block that, statistically, should not have been cracked for decades. Related Reading: XRP Eyes $8.30 Target As Rare Chart Pattern Emerges From Prolonged Decline One Miner, One Block, One Very Long Shot The winning miner earned 3.139 BTC — worth roughly $210,000 — after successfully validating block 943,411 on April 3. The payout included the standard 3.125 BTC block subsidy and approximately 0.014 BTC in transaction fees. Data from mempool.space confirmed the transaction. The miner operated through CKPool, a platform built for independent operators who prefer to go it alone and keep most of what they earn. What made the win remarkable was the hardware behind it. The miner’s setup ran at just 230 terahashes per second. At the time, Bitcoin’s total network hashrate sat at approximately 1 zettahash per second. That put the miner’s share of global computing power at around 0.00002% — a slice so thin it barely registers. A solo Bitcoin miner with a small setup just hit the jackpot earning 3.139 BTC block rewards worth $210,000. His setup was so small, he should statistically win once every 76 years. pic.twitter.com/z7s1LxIhZT — Bitcoin Archive (@BitcoinArchive) April 6, 2026 CKPool developer Con Kolivas put the daily odds of success at roughly 1 in 28,000. Bitcoin Archive analyst Archie framed it differently: a miner at that power level should statistically win once every 76 years. This particular miner didn’t wait that long. Congratulations to miner bc1qtt7cr9cxykyp9g4hq47zf5lq9t97cxvq72lun3 with ~230TH for solving the 312th solo block at https://t.co/UWgBvLk5AE! A miner of this size has a 1 in ~28k chance per day of solving a block.https://t.co/dx3lUuDRbl pic.twitter.com/uiDOzZdHts — Dr -ck (@ckpooldev) April 2, 2026 A Pattern Of Unlikely Wins The April win marked the 312th solo block ever mined through CKPool, based on data from the Bennet solo-miner tracker. It snapped a 33-day gap since the previous solo success, recorded on February 28. But the result is far from an isolated case. Reports show a string of similar upsets over recent months. In December, a miner running at 270 TH/s walked away with more than $284,000. Before that, a setup running at just 6 TH/s — far smaller than the latest winner — pulled in around $265,000. A 200 TH/s rig scored approximately $350,000 back in September. Even rented computing power produced results: in late February, a miner reportedly spent about $75 on cloud hashrate and came away with close to $200,000 in rewards. Each of those wins carried odds steep enough to discourage most rational participants. And yet they kept happening. Related Reading: Bitcoin Mood Sours To Levels Not Seen Since Late February Big Miners Head In A Different Direction While independent operators occasionally pocket life-changing sums, large mining companies have been moving away from holding Bitcoin. Riot Platforms sold 3,778 BTC in the first quarter of 2026, generating roughly $289 million, while still holding 15,680 BTC at quarter’s end. MARA Holdings moved even faster, selling more than 15,000 BTC between early and late March to raise approximately $1.1 billion, using the proceeds to handle debt-related obligations. Featured image from Meta, chart from TradingView
About 97% of the machines used to mine Bitcoin currently come from companies based in China. This heavy reliance on foreign technology has created a bottleneck at American ports and raised alarms about the long-term security of the network. Related Reading: Bitcoin ETFs Pull In $56B As CEO Pitches Crypto Over Gold To fix this, US Senators Bill Cassidy and Cynthia Lummis introduced the Mined in America Act. The bill aims to move the production of specialized computer chips and mining rigs onto American soil. Cleaning Up The Mining Supply Chain The proposed law creates a special “Mined in America” certification for data centers. To earn this label, a facility must prove it is not using equipment made by “foreign adversaries.” This would force a massive shift in how the industry operates. Right now, most miners buy their hardware from Chinese giants like Bitmain or MicroBT. Under the new rules, companies would have to phase out that gear in favor of US-made alternatives. It is a bold attempt to build a domestic industry from the ground up. Digital asset mining is a big part of our economy. We should be doing it here in America. Proud to introduce the Mined in America Act with @SenLummis, which secures supply chains, backs U.S. manufacturing, and supports this key industry.https://t.co/qZdv6SEe3g — U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (@SenBillCassidy) March 30, 2026 Reports indicate that federal agencies would play a major role in this transition. The National Institute of Standards and Technology would be tasked with helping US manufacturers develop more efficient chips. This move is designed to ensure that the US does not just host the mining power, but actually owns the technology behind it. By making the hardware at home, the industry could avoid the shipping delays and customs seizures that have slowed down growth over the last year. Connecting Mining To National Reserves The legislation does more than just worry about hardware. It also seeks to lock in a plan for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. US President Donald Trump has previously expressed support for the government holding a stockpile of the digital currency. This bill would codify that idea into law. It suggests that the Bitcoin held in this national reserve should ideally come from “Mined in America” facilities. This creates a direct link between national security and the computers humming in rural warehouses across the country. Related Reading: Bitcoin Faces Fresh Pressure As Oil Crosses $104 For First Time In 4 Years Data shows the US currently accounts for roughly 38% of the global hashrate, which is the total computing power used to secure the Bitcoin network. While that makes the US a leader in operations, it remains a follower in manufacturing. Officials said the bill would use the Manufacturing Extension Partnership to give small and medium-sized American factories the tools they need to compete. The goal is to turn Bitcoin mining into a pillar of American industrial policy rather than just a niche financial activity. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Altcoin trading activity has continued to weaken across the crypto market, which is another sign of the current investor appetite for altcoins. New data shared by CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost shows spot trading volume on Binance and other major exchanges is now at extreme lows compared to levels seen during the crypto market’s more active phases in February and October 2025. Altcoin Trading Volumes Drop Across The Board Analysis of altcoin flows shows how much of the remaining altcoin activity is now flowing through Binance compared to the rest of the crypto market. Data from CryptoQuant shows altcoin spot volumes on Binance have collapsed to $7.7 billion, which is a fraction of the $40 billion to $50 billion trading volumes recorded during last year’s peak activity periods. Related Reading: Bitcoin Gains Ground On Gold Even As Both Assets Slide On the other hand, other major exchanges combined account for about $18.8 billion in altcoin trading volume. That puts Binance’s share near 40% of the total market, meaning close to one out of every two dollars traded in altcoins is now passing through the exchange. MEXC ranks second at 7.62%, followed by Bybit at 6.07%, OKX at 6%, and Bitget at 5.61%. HTX, Coinbase, and Upbit each hold between 4.57% and 5.38%, while smaller platforms including Crypto.com, Gate.io, KuCoin, and Kraken account for the remainder. Altcoin Spot Trading Volume By Exchange. Source: CryptoQuant Those figures are far below altcoin trading volumes normally observed during more active periods. In October 2025, Binance alone recorded between $40 billion and $50 billion in altcoin trading volume, with other exchanges reaching around $63 billion. The February 2025 peak was even more pronounced, with competing platforms collectively processing approximately $91 billion in altcoin movements. The Altcoin Spot Trading Volume chart from January 2025 through March 2026, which is shown below, reveals the decline very well. What were frequent spikes well above the $40 billion mark have given way to a prolonged suppression of activity, with readings largely hugging the baseline since the beginning of 2026. Altcoins Spot Trading Volume. Source: CryptoQuant Decline In Interest Could Matter For What Comes Next The fading interest in altcoins is happening against a context that is hostile to risk-taking. Ongoing geopolitical tensions and a bear market structure have left investors more defensive, and that caution has hit altcoins harder than Bitcoin. Capital inflows are now much more selective; Bitcoin is absorbing attention first, leaving the rest of the market struggling for momentum. Even so, Darkfost pointed to an idea that long-term investors will likely keep in mind. The volume spikes observed in October and February occurred when the crypto market was forming local tops. These phases are during periods of FOMO, during which well-positioned investors use the surge in demand as exit liquidity. Related Reading: Bitcoin Holds As Gold Posts Worst Week Since 1983 Amid Iran War On the other hand, periods of extremely low interest are worth watching closely because they often develop when sentiment is most depressed and expectations are at their lowest. These are when the most attractive opportunities tend to emerge. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Security certifications topped the list of concerns for financial institutions weighing tokenization partners, with 97% saying standards like ISO and SOC II were non-negotiable — a sign that trust, not just technology, is now driving deals in institutional crypto finance. Related Reading: Bitcoin Gains Ground On Gold Even As Both Assets Slide Stablecoins Lead As Finance Firms Shift Crypto Focus A new survey from Ripple, released Thursday, found that 72% of more than 1,000 financial industry executives worldwide believe their companies must offer digital asset solutions to remain competitive. Ripple surveyed 1,000+ global finance leaders in 2026. A few things stood out: https://t.co/414dTO9Qit → 72% say digital assets are now table stakes to stay competitive → 74% see stablecoins as a cash-flow tool, not just a payment rail → 89% of those surveyed say digital… — Ripple (@Ripple) March 19, 2026 The poll covered banks, asset managers, fintechs, and corporate firms across global markets. What stood out wasn’t just the appetite for digital assets — it was how differently each type of firm plans to get there. Fintech companies are moving fast and building in-house. About 47% of fintech respondents said they plan to develop their own digital asset infrastructure. Corporate firms are taking the opposite approach. Nearly three-quarters of them said they intend to work with outside providers. Banks and asset managers are looking for something in the middle — experienced partners who can guide strategy while also supplying the technology. Stablecoins drew the strongest interest across the board. According to Ripple, 74% of respondents said stablecoins have the potential to improve cash flow and free up capital that would otherwise sit idle. Ripple said institutions are treating stablecoins not just as payment tools, but as instruments for managing treasury operations. Custody Rises As A Core Priority Tokenization is also gaining ground, though institutions aren’t rushing in without safeguards. Among those assessing potential tokenization partners, 89% named secure asset storage as a top requirement. Token lifecycle management came in at 82%, and primary distribution ranked at 80%. Banks showed a particular appetite for advisory help. Based on survey data, 85% of bank respondents called pre-issuance structuring support important. Asset managers were close behind at 76%. Reports indicate that institutions aren’t just buying crypto infrastructure — they want guidance on how to use it. Ripple credited several forces for pushing digital assets higher on the priority list: shifting regulations, growing interest from major banks, wider use of fintech services, and the continued rise of stablecoins. Related Reading: XRP Still In Danger Zone Without This Key Breakout: Analyst The Build-Or-Buy Question Takes Center Stage The survey suggests the industry’s internal debate has moved on. The question is no longer whether to get involved with crypto. It’s who to work with and what to build. That shift, if accurate, marks a turning point in how seriously established financial institutions are treating the space. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
Tempo launched its mainnet with the Machine Payments Protocol, enabling autonomous agent payments and a directory of over 100 services.
Ethereum users may soon interact with the blockchain in ways that were not possible before. According to co-founder Vitalik Buterin, native smart accounts — a feature that has been in the works for over a decade — are now expected to arrive within the year as part of the network’s upcoming Hegota upgrade. Related Reading: Bitcoin In The Line Of Fire: Price Dips To $63k As US, Israel Launch Strikes On Iran Privacy Tools Stand To Benefit Most For privacy-focused users, this shift could matter more than most people realize. Protocols like Railgun have long depended on middlemen called “public broadcasters” to push transactions through. These go-betweens have been a persistent source of headaches for users. Reports say Buterin wants to remove them entirely by replacing that system with a general-purpose public memory pool — cutting out the intermediary and putting more control directly in the hands of the user. His words were direct: “Intermediary minimization is a core principle of non-ugly cypherpunk Ethereum — maximize what you can do even if all the world’s infrastructure except the Ethereum chain itself goes down.” That is a strong statement. And it signals just how seriously the Ethereum team takes self-sufficiency at the protocol level. Now, account abstraction. We have been talking about account abstraction ever since early 2016, see the original EIP-86: https://t.co/HYLSTLHgWH Now, we finally have EIP-8141 ( https://t.co/jYqeS55j6P ), an omnibus that wraps up and solves every remaining problem that AA was… — vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 28, 2026 A Decade In The Making Buterin acknowledged the long road to get here. He pointed out that account abstraction has been discussed since early 2016. Now, with EIP-8141 bundled into the Hegota fork, the goal is to finally tie up every problem the concept was originally meant to fix — and then some. The Ethereum Foundation’s public roadmap, called the “Strawmap,” places native account abstraction in the second half of 2026. The technical approach being proposed centers on what Buterin calls “frame transactions.” Rather than a transaction being one single action, it becomes a series of frames. Each frame can point to another’s data, and each can authorize a sender or a gas payer. One frame handles the signature check. Another handles execution. It is modular by design and built to be broadly useful. This also means paying transaction fees without holding ETH becomes possible. Users could pay in other tokens through a paymaster contract or a specialized exchange that supplies ETH on the spot — no third party needed. Related Reading: Vitalik Buterin Lays Out A Plan To Make Ethereum 1,000 Times More Capable Quantum Resistance Also In Scope The Hegota upgrade is not stopping at smart accounts. Buterin also rolled out a separate quantum resistance roadmap earlier in the week, identifying four areas of concern: validator signatures, data storage, user account signatures, and zero-knowledge proofs. Existing accounts are expected to fit into the new framework without being left behind, gaining access to batch operations and transaction sponsorship along the way. After 10 years of promises, the pieces finally appear to be falling into place. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The U.K. bank would rival JPMorgan and others in using decentralized technology for banking services.
A finance expert believes XRP may be approaching a notable moment amid ongoing market and regulatory developments. Related Reading: Jim Cramer Suggests US Government Could Buy Bitcoin Near $60K Finance guru Coach JV points to regulatory delays, policy uncertainty, and behind-the-scenes activity as factors that could shape the token’s next moves. While the situation is far from certain, his perspective highlights why investors are watching XRP closely despite broader market swings. Regulatory Delays Could Signal Change According to Coach JV, the long-running Ripple vs. SEC saga and slow progress on bills like the Clarity Act and the GENIUS Act have left a lot of questions in play. Some of those gaps are legal. Some are practical. When rules are fuzzy, large funds hesitate to move. When rules are clearer, capital tends to follow. That is simple, yet it’s not automatic. Many factors decide where big investors put money: liquidity, custody solutions, legal safety, and return potential. Reports say the Clarity Act aims to define how digital assets should be treated beyond stablecoins. That could matter a lot for tokens with institutional use cases. Market Psychology And Misinformation Reports note Coach JV also warned about noise. Social posts, clips, and AI-made headlines can push short-term moves that don’t reflect fundamentals. He urged calm and a plan. That was practical advice: set buy rules, remove emotion, stick to them. A crypto analyst added a different tone. He said he’s watching for curveballs — a one-line way to say unexpected policy shifts or regulatory surprises might appear. Those surprises could involve stablecoins or new banking rules. A crackdown on certain stablecoins would change flows in the market. It would not automatically hand the keys to XRP, but it would reshape choices for payments and custody. Accumulation And The Case For Patience Coach JV explained his own approach: disciplined accumulation across select assets during dips. He mentioned continuing to buy Bitcoin and XRP on weakness. That method is time-tested for many investors. It works when an investor has a long horizon and can tolerate swings. Reports say accumulation is a defensive way to act when headlines flash and sentiment whipsaws. Related Reading: Calm Down: Ethereum Has Survived 8 Major 50% Falls, Lee Reminds Investors Institutional Flows And Real-World Use According to market watchers, true separation from broader crypto moves will need more than clearer laws. Real demand must appear. That means banks or payment firms using blockchain rails, meaningful custody offerings, and on-ramps that work at scale. If institutions begin to run settlement tests and then roll out services, token activity could change for good. But right now most large allocators are still waiting on clearer rules and proven infrastructure. Some moves may be passive in the system; others will be driven by active adoption. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Ethereum’s recent sell-off has weighed heavily on sentiment after the price fell below the $2,000 level and pulled much of the altcoin market lower alongside it. The move has caused sweeping fear and caution among Ethereum traders. However, some analysts are of the notion that a bullish upside will roll in soon. In a post shared on X, crypto analyst ChainHub said the current conditions point more toward exhaustion, and after massive downside comes massive upside. Related Reading: Bitcoin Edges Past Gold In Appeal, JPMorgan Says ETHBTC Structure Holds ChainHub emphasized that the ETH/BTC pair is still technically valid and has not seen any structural invalidation despite the recent price crash. Although Ethereum’s price fell much lower than many expected during the crash, it is not going to keep falling forever. He also pointed to fear levels that are now climbing to extremes rarely seen, noting that such environments always tend to appear near major turning points. “After massive fear and massive downside comes massive upside,” the analyst said. On Ethereum itself, ChainHub acknowledged that losing the $2,000 handle was important, but he highlighted the next major area of interest near $1,700. This zone is technically consistent with a broader corrective structure, and it is possible that Ethereum might not even fall that far before it rebounds. However, even if Ethereum does fall to $1,700, price action reaching this area means Ethereum is finally at a region where buyers may begin to reassert control. He linked this outlook to Bitcoin’s recent behavior. Bitcoin’s rejection at $72,000 opened the door to a retest of the upper portion of its summer 2024 demand range, which stretches from around $59,000 down to $49,000. ChainHub pointed out that this is the first significant interaction with that demand area since 2025, with Fibonacci alignment clustering around $57,000 to $58,000. This increases the odds that Bitcoin is in the process of forming a base, and that is where it establishes a bottom. Altcoins Touching Meaningful Demand Levels ChainHub also noted that Ethereum is not alone in testing critical levels. Several major altcoins, including Solana and XRP, have moved into important demand zones. Many of these altcoins have revisited August 2024 lows or filled prior wicks, areas that have not yet been broken on an initial attempt. Solana, for instance, has broken below $100 for the first time since January 2024 and recently traded at a low of $75. As noted by ChainHub, this move saw Solana finally touch meaningful demand for the first time in 2 years. Related Reading: Polygon Hits $3.50 Billion In Payments As Crypto Activity Expands Dogecoin, Cardano, and Avalanche have also all filled the downward wicks on October 10, restoring balance and touching the August 2024 low. Although there is still the possibility for limited downside, the expectation is that the market begins forming a range and then starts building bullish momentum in the coming weeks. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Plaintiffs say insiders sold millions of dollars’ worth of tokens immediately after Cere’s 2021 ICO, sending prices into a near-total collapse.
Ripple launched Ripple Treasury following its $1 billion acquisition of treasury management provider GTreasury.
Crypto traders often assume that meaningful gains need long timelines to take place, and they often give up during the wait and silence. However, crypto has a habit of shattering that belief without warning. History shows that when conditions line up, altcoins do not grind higher over years. They release and erase multiple years of drawdowns in a matter of weeks. That memory was highlighted by a crypto commentator known as Waterman on the social media platform X, who noted a familiar seasonal window between February and late April to early May for an altcoin explosion. Related Reading: Gold Becomes The Whale Safe Haven As Bitcoin Takes A Back Seat Speed Matters More Than Time The most notable example of an altcoin rally season was in 2021, when the entire altcoin market went on a rally to new all-time highs, many of which are still unbroken for some cryptocurrencies. The 2021 cycle delivered some of the clearest reminders of just how fast capital can rotate once momentum takes hold. Solana moved from roughly $20 to $200 in about 50 days, a clean tenfold run. Although Solana has since broken above this peak to register a new all-time high of $293 in January 2025, this was still Solana’s most explosive rally to date. Dogecoin followed an even sharper trajectory, climbing from $0.07 to a peak of $0.73 in under a month due to speculative interest that flowed into other memecoins like Shiba Inu. Unlike Solana, Dogecoin is yet to reclaim or surpass this peak price. Avalanche went further, rallying from around $3 to $60 in less than 40 days, a twentyfold expansion that unfolded faster than most long-term projections ever anticipate. None of these moves required years of development or prolonged accumulation. A Timeframe To Watch Closely Notably, February through late April or early May has more often than not been the period where altcoin performance increases the most. If that pattern repeats, the coming weeks may matter far more than the years that came before them. At the time of writing, the notion of an altcoin season is still impeded by strong Bitcoin dominance. Much of that comes down to how the entire crypto industry ecosystem has changed massively since 2021, especially after the launch of crypto-based ETFs. That steady demand has kept capital inflows concentrated around Bitcoin and slowed the usual rotation into altcoins. Meme coins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu have struggled to keep up in terms of price action, even with the launch of Dogecoin ETFs. Although the ETF has boosted visibility, it has not yet resulted into sustained upside. At the same time, investors have become more selective, favoring cryptocurrencies tied to clearer utility. As a result, many crypto communities have been working to create utility for their meme coins. Related Reading: XRP Showing Strength, Analyst Points To $4 Potential Nonetheless, as noted by Waterman, you only need about four to six weeks for an altcoin to wipe out three to four years of suffering. You don’t need one to two years for altcoins to make massive gains. Featured image from YouHodler, chart from TradingView
Sui’s blockchain resumed normal activity after a network stall that halted transactions for roughly six hours on January 14, 2026. According to reports, validators identified the problem in the mid-afternoon and worked to roll out a fix that restored block creation and transaction processing later that evening. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s New Power Buyers: Companies Bought 3 Times What Miners Produced Outage Timeline And Recovery Based on reports, Sui’s team first flagged the issue at about 2:52 pm UTC when block production and checkpoint creation stopped. Validators applied changes and began bringing nodes back into sync. Service was reported as restored at about 8:44 pm UTC, a span of roughly five hours and 52 minutes from detection to recovery. During that interval, no new blocks were finalized and user activity stopped across wallets and decentralized apps. The Sui network is now back and fully operational. Transactions are flowing normally. If you are still seeing issues, please refresh your app or browser window. Thanks for your patience. We will share a full incident review in the coming days. Please check… — Sui (@SuiNetwork) January 14, 2026 Transactions Halted And Value Frozen The halt left a large amount of on-chain value inactive while the network was stalled. Reports indicate more than $1 billion in value was effectively frozen during the outage, though there were no signs of funds being stolen or altered. Users and apps that rely on the chain saw failed or queued transactions, and many dApps displayed errors until validators finished their updates. Cause, Response And Market Reaction Reports have disclosed that the problem was recorded as a consensus outage, meaning the mechanism used to agree on new blocks stopped finalizing. A full technical root-cause writeup has not yet been published. The Sui Foundation said an incident report will appear later with more detail. The SUI token showed modest movement during the event, trading around $1.80–$1.85 in the hours after the network came back, with a brief spike recorded on some exchanges as the news circulated. Past Interruptions And Context Sui launched mainnet in May 2023, and this outage follows previous incidents that raised similar questions about validator coordination and uptime. One earlier major disruption occurred in November 2024, which also involved issues around consensus and validator operation. Developers who build on Sui said many of their services experienced interrupted user flows while the chain was stalled. Related Reading: Russia Drafts Bill That Could Change Who Can Buy Crypto Questions About Network Reliability Some community members and outside observers have asked how often such consensus stalls can happen and what measures will reduce future occurrences. Validators and the Sui team said they were focused on patching the immediate bug and improving monitoring so problems are detected faster. Based on reports, the foundation plans to share specific steps for validators and node operators in the upcoming post-mortem. Sui’s team has said transactions are flowing again and advised users to refresh wallets or apps if they still see problems. The network’s operators have promised more transparency with a formal incident report, which will be watched closely by developers, exchanges, and investors who depend on the chain’s steady operation. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Ethereum’s price action has spent an unusually long time moving sideways, and this behavior has tested the patience of many long-term bullish investors. When speaking of sideways movement, this movement has dragged on for many months, although Ethereum did manage to make a new all-time high in 2025. Interestingly, a technical analysis shared on X by Egrag Crypto shows how Ethereum’s current price action fits into previous playouts when viewed through an inverted monthly chart. This offers a perspective on what appears to be stagnation about to break into new price highs. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Next Peak Might Ignite ADA’s Rally, Says Cardano Creator A Repeating Cycle With Changing Behavior The analysis is based on an inverted monthly Ethereum chart, which offers an interesting perspective that flips conventional interpretations of price movement. Ethereum’s inverted monthly chart shows a consistent pattern that’s changing with time in market structure across multiple cycles. A look at the inverted chart shows that previous price cycles were characterized by short accumulation phases followed by aggressive moves. As the market matured, those accumulation zones stretched out, and the resulting moves became less violent and more controlled. The first instance was in 2016, when Ethereum traded in a range for about 10 months before breaking out and going on a violent drop. A similar structure appeared between mid-2018 and mid-2020, when a longer consolidation phase preceded another drop that played out gradually at a softer pace. The current cycle, however, is playing out with a much longer accumulation. Therefore, the eventual drop should be shorter, according to Egrag Crypto. Inverted Ethereum Price Chart. Source: @egragcrypto on X A Drop Here Actually Means A Breakout The most important detail in this technical framework is that the chart is inverted. What looks like a downside move on this view actually points to upside expansion on the real Ethereum price chart. According to the previous outcomes, once Ethereum exits this range, the next move is likely to unfold quickly. It may not match the explosive nature of early-cycle rallies, but it is expected to be more orderly, sustained, and carry Ethereum to new price highs. When the structure is converted back into real price terms, Egrag Crypto identifies the $3,800 to $4,500 area as the first critical zone. This region represents initial resistance that must be cleared to confirm a bullish continuation. Only after a decisive move above this range would the $6,000 to $7,500 zone come into focus as a realistic upside target. Related Reading: Crypto Market Watches As Clarity Act Enters Senate Debate Next Week: US Senator The analysis also highlights a defined risk scenario. A pullback to the $1,800 to $2,200 region would postpone the breakout and act as a final shakeout before a final lift-off. However, as long as Ethereum holds its broader consolidation structure, such a retest would not invalidate the thesis. At the time of writing, Ethereum is trading at $3,100. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
XRP’s recent price action in 2025 was more of a dynamic movement than a simple sideways drift. After rallying strongly earlier in 2025 and pushing to new all-time highs, the cryptocurrency has spent much of the recent months digesting those gains through pullbacks and consolidations. That structure was referenced in a chart shared on the social media platform X by Steph, which proposed that XRP’s current market behavior is beginning to resemble the long compression phase that preceded its breakout in 2017. Related Reading: Bitcoin Dominance Grows As Altcoins Post Another Losing Year: Analyst XRP Completes Nearly 400 Days Of Sideways Accumulation According to Steph’s analysis, XRP has just completed roughly 393 days of sideways accumulation, a duration that almost perfectly matches the 395-day consolidation phase it went through between 2016 and 2017. During that earlier cycle, XRP spent months moving within a relative range, producing a choppy price action. This kind of extended consolidation reflects a balance between buyers and sellers, where neither side is strong enough to force a decisive trend. In 2017, that balance led to a transition into another technical formation of a descending channel before breaking out. The current setup in 2024-2025, at least structurally, shows XRP once again spending an unusually long time building a base in a range. A more detailed look at the chart shows another important similarity with the transition into another descending channel. Back in the 2016-2017 cycle, XRP transitioned from sideways movement into a descending channel that gradually pushed the price lower over several months. That downward-sloping structure ultimately resolved with a sharp breakout to the upside. The 2024-2025 chart shows XRP moving through a comparable descending channel, with price compressing toward the lower boundary before showing early signs of a breakout while attention is still low. XRP Price Comparison. Source: @Steph_iscrypto on X What To Expect For XRP The 2016-2017 chart segment above shows XRP trading for roughly 395 days in a broad sideways range between about $0.005 and $0.01. Once XRP broke out of the descending channel in early 2017, price moved up very fast, first reclaiming $0.01, then surging past $0.03 and $0.05 within a few days. The expansion did not stop there, as XRP eventually rallied into the $0.40 region later that year, cementing XRP’s first 5,000% move in its history. The 2024-2025 chart shows XRP peaking near the $3.40 zone before entering a sideways consolidation phase throughout 2025. Price action is now in the descending channel, which is gradually compressing around the $1.70-$1.90 area. Related Reading: Crypto ETFs Defy The Pullback With $32 Billion In Fresh Investor Cash That channel now looks similar to the location where XRP was in 2017 before its breakout, adjusted for scale. A comparable 5,000% move from the current zone of price action would mathematically project the XRP price to about $100. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
A crypto analyst has predicted that the Ethereum price could balloon to $3,500 soon, potentially breaking free of the bearish pressure that has suppressed its momentum for much of 2025. Although ETH is currently trading more than 37.5% below its all-time highs, the analyst has outlined technical indicators and market structure signals suggesting $3,500 is a realistic short-term target for the cryptocurrency. Related Reading: Crypto ETFs Defy The Pullback With $32 Billion In Fresh Investor Cash Ethereum Price Setup Points To $3,500 Rebound Crypto market analyst Tryrex has delivered a fresh outlook on the Ethereum price, pointing to conditions that could support a strong upside move to $3,500 in the coming months. In his post on X, the expert suggested that ETH may be approaching the end of its prolonged corrective phase and may be preparing for a decisive bounce. Tryrex highlighted the possibility of a strong rebound developing in the first quarter of 2026, driven by Ethereum’s current hold of a critical liquidity zone between $2,800 and $3,000. He explained that while Bitcoin (BTC) bottomed out in 2025 and entered a range-bound period right after, Ethereum showed relative strength by firmly defending the liquidity region. Based on the analyst’s weekly TradingView chart, this price area also represents a weekly demand zone that has absorbed repeated selling pressure. The fact that the price continues to hold this area indicates that market participants are buying ETH rather than distributing it. Volume behavior at the bottom of the chart also suggests that selling pressure has been weakening compared to earlier phases of Ethereum’s downtrend. Tryrex expects an impulsive move to emerge as Ethereum continues to react to the $2,800 to $3,000 liquidity range. If momentum builds as anticipated, ETH could break out of its current structure and push toward higher resistance levels, with a move above $3,500 seen as an increasingly likely near-term target. With its price currently sitting above $3,000, this would represent a more than 13% increase. The analyst has also revealed that his bullish forecast for ETH reflects broader conditions across the altcoin market. He highlighted that many major altcoins appear to be bottoming out after extended downtrends, increasing the possibility of coordinated upside moves if market sentiment and volatility improve. Ethereum Shows Early Moves In 2026 The market is just three days into 2026, and although major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Dogecoin closed 2025 in the red, Ethereum appears to be showing early signs of recovery. Initially, the ETH started the year in a similar downtrend, but over the past 24 hours, its price has increased by approximately 2.5%. Related Reading: Bitcoin Dominance Grows As Altcoins Post Another Losing Year: Analyst CoinMarketCap data shows that from January 1 to date, Ethereum has declined by more than 9.5%. However, its trading volume in the last 24 hours has increased by over 100%, signaling strong trader interest despite the recent price dips. In addition, whales have been steadily accumulating ETH, taking advantage of lower prices to increase their positions. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
Ethereum has spent much of December under pressure, and the recent fall below $3,000 has left a visible mark on investor positioning. On-chain data now shows a notable deterioration in profitability across the network, with the share of ETH supply sitting in profit falling below 60%. At the same time, institutional demand has decreased, with data from Glassnode showing how both retail profitability and institutional participation in Ethereum have weakened simultaneously. Related Reading: Could XRP Make Trillionaires? Tech Firm Founder Thinks It’s Possible Ethereum’s Percent Supply In Profit Falls Below 60% The drop in Ethereum’s percent supply in profit has been one of the clearest signals of stress for Ethereum. Ethereum’s investors have fallen into deeper losses, and this is a reflection of recent price action. Speaking of price action, Ethereum had initially reclaimed the $3,000 price level on December 22. During this time, the percentage of ETH supply in profit pushed back above 60% and reached as high as 63%. However, this break was for only a very brief time, and price action fell back below $3,000 after just a few hours. As ETH broke below $3,000 again, the share of supply held at unrealized gains fell under 60%, down from above 70% earlier in December. This fall shows that the pullback has not been limited to recent buyers but has begun to impact investors who accumulated during the beginning of the month. ETH Percent Supply In Profit. Source: Glassnode ETF Net Outflows Indicate Waning Institutional Participation The weakness in on-chain profitability and price action is also a reflection of trends in the ETF market. Another data metric from Glassnode shows that since early November, the 30-day moving average of net flows into US Spot Ethereum ETFs has turned negative and remained there. This persistence of outflows points to a phase of muted participation and disengagement from institutional traders. The ETF chart below shows that inflows, which supported Ethereum’s push to new all-time highs in August, have faded, replaced by continued outflows through November and December. This matters for price action because ETF demand has been a key source of incremental buying. As that bid has weakened, Ethereum has struggled to absorb sell-side pressure, contributing to its failure to hold above $3,000. ETH: US Spot ETF Net Flows. Source: Glassnode The combination of negative ETF net flows and Ethereum’s recent price behaviorhelps explain rising unrealized losses. Interestingly, various on-chain data sources also reveal different instances of whale addresses reducing their exposure to Ethereum outside of spot ETFs. For instance, Lookonchain recently highlighted activity from a wallet believed to be linked to Erik Voorhees, which swapped 4,619 ETH, valued at about $13.42 million, into Bitcoin Cash (BCH) over the past two weeks after having been inactive for nearly nine years. Voorhees later responded by clarifying that the wallet does not belong to him and that he does not hold any Bitcoin Cash. Related Reading: Ethereum’s 2026 Overhaul Aims To Cut Costs, Boost Speed, Limit Censorship Lookonchain also pointed to selling pressure from Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, who has offloaded a total of 1,871 ETH at about $5.53 million in the past week. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin supporters are warning holders not to rush out of BTC to buy gold even as the metal climbs above $4,000 per ounce. According to market educator Matthew Kratter, Bitcoin’s features — like ease of transfer, clear supply rules, and divisibility — make it a stronger long-term store of value than gold. Related Reading: Bitcoin Feels The Weight Of Quantum Risk Concerns, Industry Leaders Warn Gold Supply Concerns Kratter points to steady increases in the gold supply, estimating it has risen about 1-to-2% annually for decades. Based on that rate, supplies would double roughly every 47 years. That steady growth, he says, can be amplified by large new finds — on land or, he adds, potentially beyond Earth — which could flood markets and push prices down after a surge. Reports have disclosed that sudden inflows of precious metal have reshaped economies before, citing how the arrival of New World gold into Europe in the 1500s contributed to major inflation and the collapse of Spain’s power. Gold’s Practical Limits The physical nature of gold creates limits in a world that moves value over networks. Moving large amounts is costly and risky. Kratter has argued that tokenized gold — digital tokens claiming to represent physical reserves — brings back counterparty risk: issuers might mint more tokens than they hold, refuse redemption, or see reserves seized. Based on reports from market watchers, these concerns have pushed some buyers toward assets that are easier to move or verify over the internet. Industrial Metals Catch Up Reports have disclosed that industrial metals also posted huge gains in 2025, a year when copper, lithium, aluminum, and steel ran as strong as gold in many markets. Demand from AI data centers, electric vehicles, and clean-energy projects has pushed consumption higher. Supply hiccups — like mine outages and stretched inventories — tightened markets at the same time. That mix of stronger demand and shakier supply has helped lift prices across the board. Tariffs And Trading Rushes Trade policy has added more heat. US President Donald Trump’s announcements of 50% tariffs on certain copper, steel, and aluminum products prompted traders and buyers to rush shipments and stockpile supplies. BTCUSD trading at $87,915 on the 24-hour chart: TradingView That front-loading behavior briefly drained available inventories and sent prices swinging. Traders told reporters that even short-term tariff threats can cause big moves because firms try to avoid future costs by buying early. Where Bitcoin Fits In The debate between gold and Bitcoin is still active. Bitcoin proponents highlight scarcity — the fixed BTC supply rule — and speed of transfer. Gold advocates contend that gold has centuries of use as money and that Bitcoin’s volatility remains a hurdle for some investors. Related Reading: Banks Could Favor A Higher XRP Price, Finance Expert Says The industrial metals rally adds a third thread: these materials are tied to real economic activity, not just safe-haven flows. Analysts say investors should weigh different risks. Gold can act as a hedge in turbulent times, but steady mine output and big discoveries can change its long-term math. Industrial metals may keep rising if energy and tech demand holds. And Bitcoin’s supporters argue its digital traits make it better suited to a world that values fast, verifiable transfers. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin (BTC) investors may need to temper their expectations as the cryptocurrency heads into its final bull run. Analysts indicate that the bull rally could unfold slowly, suggesting a gradual climb to new highs. Traders are being urged to prepare for heightened volatility and plan their strategies carefully to protect gains while staying positioned for potential upside. Slow Climb Expected In Bitcoin’s Final Bull Run A market expert who calls himself Crypto Waterman has shared his latest outlook on Bitcoin’s final bull run. He expects the last leg of the rally to be a slow and deliberate process rather than a sudden spike. According to him, the parabolic move could take roughly one to two months to complete, potentially unfolding during the first quarter of 2026. Related Reading: XRP ETFs Grow Past $60M As Price Struggles To Respond Crypto Waterman warns that before this final surge, there will likely be intense market pressure to push out inexperienced investors. This period could include sudden shakeouts and volatility designed to test retail traders’ resolve. He also stated that many investors may exit too early as euphoria builds, while others will become bag holders as prices climb rapidly. The analyst emphasized that smart wallets and BTC whales tend to sell into strength during this phase. For average investors, he suggests a careful strategy of dollar-cost averaging out of positions once gains become significant. Observing coins doubling in a single day could be an early signal to start reducing exposure. Crypto Waterman also shares his personal approach to profit-taking, which involves selling 25% of his holdings when the price doubles. If Bitcoin triples, he says that he would offload 30-40% and consider selling nearly everything if the market feels overheated. He also stated that he would leave a small portion, “a moonbag,” to capture any remaining upside potential. Analyst Warns Last Chance To Accumulate BTC Crypto Waterman offers guidance for traders looking to position themselves ahead of Bitcoin’s anticipated parabolic move. He suggests that the next two to three weeks may be the last chance to accumulate Bitcoin before the rally begins. He also highlighted the importance of timing, recommending that investors buy Bitcoin during significant dips rather than chasing rising prices. The analyst has hinted at knowing the timing of the expected market shakeout, emphasizing that market conditions over the coming days will determine the exact moment it happens. He warns that traders should prepare for volatility and short-term price fluctuations. He also reminds investors to stay disciplined during periods of market euphoria. Related Reading: Bitcoin Feels The Weight Of Quantum Risk Concerns, Industry Leaders Warn He shared that investors and traders should follow the “Warren Buffett” principle of being cautious when others are greedy and opportunistic when others are fearful. This strategy eliminates emotional decision-making in trading and investing, allowing holders to make rational moves as the Bitcoin market approaches its final bull phase. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Ethereum’s derivatives market is showing signs of a decisive shift beneath the surface, and price action is about to return above the $3,000 mark. On-chain data suggests trader behavior on major exchanges is shifting into a more accumulative phase. Even as ETH continues to linger below the psychologically important $3,000 price level, this metric indicates that market participants are already preparing for a bullish move and a test of direction in the days ahead. Related Reading: XRP ETFs Grow Past $60M As Price Struggles To Respond Ethereum Leverage Ratio Prints New All-Time High Data from on-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant shows that Ethereum’s Estimated Leverage Ratio on Binance has climbed to 0.611, the highest level ever recorded for this metric. The Estimated Leverage Ratio compares open interest to exchange reserves, and this offers insight into how much borrowed capital traders are deploying relative to available liquidity. Sustained increases in this ratio are a reflection of an increase in risk appetite from investors. It means that traders are committing larger leveraged positions in anticipation of favorable price movement. The current reading surpasses previous cycle peaks, and this environment can amplify price moves, since even modest spot price changes can trigger large liquidations when leverage is elevated. Ethereum: Estimated Leverage Ratio – Binance: CryptoQuant Another important metric points to an increase in Ethereum demand alongside record leverage. This metric is in the form of the Taker Buy Sell Ratio, which recently spiked to 1.13 on Binance. This is interesting because this level was last observed in September 2023. A reading above 1 indicates that market participants are executing more buy orders than sell orders. This combination of strong taker demand and rising leverage reveals optimism is now dominating short-term sentiment. The chart below shows the spikes in the Taker Buy Sell Ratio have more often than not coincided with periods of increased volatility. This buying pressure is now notable, with Ethereum trading around $2,900 in the past few hours, and this means that many traders are positioning ahead of a potential attempt to reclaim $3,000. Ethereum: Taker Buy Sell Ratio – Binance. Source: CryptoQuant Analyst Maps Out Ethereum’s Path Back Above $3,000 Adding a price-based perspective to the on-chain signals, crypto analyst Ted Pillows has outlined a clear technical roadmap for Ethereum’s next move. According to his analysis, ETH recently tapped into an important demand zone between $2,700 and $2,800 and has started to rebound from that area. This move occurred when Ethereum broke below $3,000 again this week to reach a low of $2,781 on December 18, which is highlighted on the chart below as a major support band. Ethereum Price Chart. Source: @TedPillows On X Pillows noted that holding this support zone keeps the bullish structure intact. If buyers continue to defend the $2,700-$2,800 range, Ethereum could build enough momentum for a push to the $3,100 to $3,200 region. That zone also sits just above the psychologically important $3,000 level. Related Reading: Bitcoin Feels The Weight Of Quantum Risk Concerns, Industry Leaders Warn The downside scenario is equally clear. A failure to hold the current support would expose Ethereum to a deeper pullback, with the chart pointing toward a potential retest of the $2,500 level. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
A recent technical analysis shared on X by crypto analyst Merlijn The Trader presents Ethereum’s price action on the 2-day candlestick chart as a textbook example of Wyckoff accumulation. In his assessment, Ethereum has already moved through several key stages of the model and is now approaching a powerful expansion phase, provided the structure stays intact. Related Reading: American Bitcoin Makes Big Buy, Adds 416 BTC To Its Stack Wyckoff Accumulation Structure Taking Shape On Ethereum Chart Over the past several days, Ethereum has traded between roughly $3,050 and $3,400, repeatedly failing to secure a sustained move beyond either boundary. At the time of writing, Ethereum’s price action is trading around $3,100. This prolonged standoff has reinforced the view that Ethereum has returned to consolidating rather than trading in a defined trend, a behavior that aligns closely with the accumulation phase highlighted in a technical analysis by Merlijn The Trader. In his post, Merlijn described Ethereum’s chart as a “Wyckoff masterclass,” pointing to a sequence of events that align with textbook behavior from the Wyckoff accumulation schematic, which have been playing out for the entirety of 2025. According to the annotated structure, the spring occurred when ETH briefly dipped below $1,500 in the first half of the year. Price did not linger below that level for long, reclaiming the range within days and going on a rally that eventually ended at a selling climax (SC) of $4,946 Within this structure, the initial selling climax and automatic downtrend reaction established a clear range in which the cryptocurrency has been trading up until now. The chart labels show this as Ethereum moving through Phase D, and this has been highlighted by a downtrend in recent months. However, based on the Wyckoff framework, Ethereum seems to now be approaching the breakout zone, with a transition into a full Phase E and a potential vertical markup coming next if the structure continues to play out. Phase E Projection Points To Strong Upside Scenario If the Wyckoff roadmap continues to unfold as outlined, Merlijn believes Ethereum is setting up for a full Phase E, the final stage of the accumulation process. This phase is characterized by a sustained markup, where price exits the selling climax (SC) decisively and trends higher with increasing momentum. Ethereum / US Dollar: @MerlijnTrader on X The projection on the chart shows a sharp upside expansion once overhead resistance is cleared, with Merlijn pointing to $10,000 and higher as a long-term objective if the structure completes. The path higher is not expected to be linear. The model anticipates an initial push into new all-time highs, followed by a modest rejection around the $5,000 area before the price pauses to consolidate towards the Backup and Last Point of Support Related Reading: Do Kwon Falls Hard — Terraform Labs Chief Gets 15 Years For Wire Fraud According to the chart, this BU/LPS would likely form around $3,750. If Ethereum holds above that level during the pullback, it would confirm structural strength, with the subsequent expansion targeting above $10,000. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
XRP’s recent pullback to $2 has not changed the broader technical picture, according to a new analysis shared on X by crypto analyst Egrag Crypto. Despite the lack of bullish price action in recent weeks, the technical analysis proposes that the market structure continues to favor an upside continuation rather than the trend ending. This outlook places the next three to six months in a constructive zone for XRP’s price action, where the probability of further upside is higher than the risk of a downward move. Related Reading: Do Kwon Falls Hard — Terraform Labs Chief Gets 15 Years For Wire Fraud XRP Currently In Consolidation, Not Distribution The assessment of Egrag’s technical analysis is based on XRP’s price action currently ticking a list of boxes that points to the next move being up. The first of these boxes is what the analyst referred to as a regime shift, which occurred after the XRP price made a decisive breakout from a multi-year base around $0.5 last year. This decisive breakout shifted the market from accumulation to expansion. Pullbacks in this phase are usually corrective, not trend-ending. In that context, the current price action can be viewed as part of a natural pause rather than a signal that the larger bullish move has failed. Another central argument in the analysis is that the current price behavior represents consolidation rather than distribution. Egrag Crypto describes the market as being in a compression phase following an impulse, and this is a pause, not a top. Although XRP has spent about 13 months ranging within this structure, the analyst interpreted this as extended consolidation instead of a distribution process. Chart Image From X. Source: @egragcrypto On X EMA Structure Keeps Bullish Bias Intact Another reason as to why the trend is more likely bullish is because XRP is still trading in alignment with its long-term exponential moving average, which remains above the 21 EMA. That relationship preserves the bullish bias, even though price currently sits below the faster 9 EMA, but this only reflects short-term weakness rather than a structural breakdown. Beyond pure chart structure, fundamental developments have added weight to the case for longer-term appreciation. XRP is currently holding $2 as an important support zone, and recent developments have emerged that could increase bullish sentiment. An example is Ripple’s conditional approval alongside other crypto firms for a national trust bank charter from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Related Reading: Solana’s Long-Awaited Firedancer Launch Sparks 5% Rally Although the outlook is much more bullish, there is always the possibility of turning bearish within the next six months. According to Egrag, this outlook can only turn bearish if XRP records a sustained monthly close below the $1.80 to $1.60 region. Taken together, the analysis concludes that XRP is more likely to resolve higher than lower over the next three to six months, even if there is price volatility along the way. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
XRP has struggled to create any upside traction over the past few days, with the price rejecting above $2.15 in the middle of the week and now back to lingering just above the $2 level. A new long-term technical comparison shared by crypto analyst ChartNerd places XRP’s price behavior since its July all-time high of $3.65 into an interesting context, implying that what XRP is doing now resembles a phase from its 2016 market cycle that points to an incoming huge rally. Related Reading: American Bitcoin Makes Big Buy, Adds 416 BTC To Its Stack Repeating 2016 Rejection And ABC Crash Structure According to crypto analyst ChartNerd, XRP’s current structure matches a similar price action that unfolded in late 2016. when price rejected an accumulation supply block and rolled into an ABC corrective move. That correction ultimately produced a 69% flash-wick decline that extended into the first quarter of 2017. The drop was severe and unfolded over several months, eventually pushing XRP to as low as $0.00240, but it eventually represented the end of the correction rather than the end of the bullish cycle. The chart accompanying the analysis, which is shown below, highlights a similar rejection pattern forming now. This pattern is based on how the XRP price rejected at its most recent all-time high in July. Since then, the monthly price chart has been printing consecutive red candles, with monthly closes consistently below opens. At the time of writing, XRP is about a 44% correction from this all-time high. This means a 69% correction is yet to play out in its entirety. Therefore, if history repeats, a full 69% ABC-style move from the all-time high would drag XRP back below $1 and as low as $0.8. This move is expected to play out into the first quarter of 2026. XRP Price Chart. Source: @ChartNerdTA Potential Drop Could Be A Set-Up For A Much Larger Rally XRP is currently trading at $2.04. Therefore, a deeper pullback below $1 will translate to a 51% decrease from the current price action. The idea of a deeper pullback from $2 is tough to imagine, especially given the inflows into Spot XRP ETFs. In fact, a pullback of that magnitude could test conviction across the market and cause many bullish traders to step aside. However, the technical analysis frames it as a structural reset rather than anything else. In 2017, the post-crash consolidation laid the groundwork for one of XRP’s most explosive rallies on record, ultimately delivering gains in excess of 110,000%. Related Reading: Is Dogecoin Waking Up? Critical On-Chain Metric Explodes Higher If this sequence plays out as expected, then the real bullish opportunity would develop later in 2026. From that reset zone, the chart projects a long-term advance to the 1.618 Fibonacci extension, placing a potential upside target around $27. The visual projection in the chart above shows a clean multi-month expansion zone that delivers a 2,300% gain after the corrective phase. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
A crypto analyst has made an unexpected declaration, predicting that XRP investors could become extremely rich in just a few months. This bold claim comes with a new technical analysis, suggesting that XRP is now entering a pivotal price area that previously triggered explosive rallies. Despite the cryptocurrency’s low price and recent downtrend, the analyst remains confident that XRP could mirror past trends and skyrocket to new highs. Related Reading: Bitcoin Adoption Is Just Getting Started — 200x Growth Possible, Tom Lee Says XRP To Make Holders Wealthy In 3 Months? In a recent X post, popular market analyst ‘Steph Is Crypto’ issued a dramatic warning to XRP holders, announcing that investors will become extremely rich within the next three months. The analyst’s bold prediction elicited mixed reactions from the XRP community, with some expressing optimism and others skepticism. Steph Is Crypto shared a price chart with colored bands to support his ambitious claims, tracking XRP’s performance through multiple past bull cycles. The chart highlights a recurring pattern in which XRP enters a higher-colored zone during periods often associated with altcoin strength. In previous cycles, those moments were followed by unexpected, explosive upward price moves. During the bull cycle in 2018, XRP skyrocketed by 100x, pushing its price up towards its current all-time high of $3.84. A similar uptrend occurred again during the 2020 to 2022 cycle, with XRP entering a prolonged bull phase that saw its price rally by 20x. According to Steph Is Crypto, the current chart setup appears similar to these past bullish phases. His chart analysis suggests that XRP is once again approaching the same colored region that previously marked the start of strong price rallies. While the scale of the projected acceleration this time may differ from the peaks seen in the last two cycles, Steph Is Crypto remains confident that it will still be substantial enough to make holders significantly wealthy by March 2026. XRP Maintains Bullish Monthly SuperTrend Crypto market analyst ChartNerd has released a fresh technical analysis of XRP, suggesting that the cryptocurrency continues to show strong positive signals. According to him, XRP’s monthly SuperTrend remains firmly bullish. He emphasized that maintaining a price above the green SuperTrend line near $1.30 signals a long-term upward trajectory, with no red trends currently indicating the onset of a bear market. ChartNerd shared a chart with a SuperTrend overlay where green lines represent bullish conditions and red lines highlight previous bear markets. The current monthly candles for XRP remain well above the green zone, reinforcing the belief that broader market conditions favor an upside. The analyst interprets this as confirmation that XRP’s long-term price trend is still predominantly bullish. Related Reading: A New Era Begins: CFTC Approves Spot Bitcoin On Regulated US Markets Historical data on the chart also indicate that past declines in XRP coincided with prolonged red SuperTrend phases. This happened before the big 2017 and 2020 breakout, with each recovery triggered once the price moved back above the green SuperTrend line. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The project utilizes a blockchain infrastructure developed with Tanssi's technology, enabling predictable transaction fees and reliability, rather than relying on public blockchains.
Monad’s listing illustrates how low-float launches can anchor valuation even when macro conditions point in the opposite direction, leaving traders mispricing outcomes that hinge more on supply than on sentiment.