THE LATEST CRYPTO NEWS

On Monday, Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, announced a new acquisition of Bitcoin (BTC) in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Notably, this latest purchase brings the company’s total holdings to nearly 680,000 BTC, with current figures standing at 672,497 BTC.  Bitcoin Buys Vs. Stock Struggles Analysts, including Lirrato on the social media platform X, revealed that the company acquired 22,498 BTC in December alone. To reach the target of 680,000 BTC by January, Strategy needs only 7,503 more coins—an amount they surpassed last month. Related Reading: Bitcoin Reaches $93,000 Amid Renewed Optimism: What To Keep An Eye On This Week However, despite this bullish acquisition, the company’s stock (MSTR) has experienced a significant decline, plummeting by over 50% throughout 2025 to its current trading price of around $163 on Monday.  Adding to the challenges facing Strategy, the firm could be just ten days away from being delisted from the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) index, awaiting for the formal announcement.  In an October proposal, MSCI indicated that firms holding digital assets amounting to 50% or more of their total assets should be removed from its global benchmarks. This move was justified by MSCI’s assertion that these firms resemble investment funds, which are excluded from its indexes.  Strategy Braces For Potential Financial Turmoil  Presently, MSCI is conducting a public consultation, and if it determines that Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) companies like Strategy should be excluded, it could set a precedent that other index providers might follow. In a public letter, Strategy’s CEO, Phong Le, and co-founder Michael Saylor discussed the possible implications of an MSCI exclusion. They estimated that such a decision could lead to around $2.8 billion worth of the company’s stock being liquidated, creating a potential chilling effect across the entire industry.  Analysts from TD Cowen highlighted that approximately $2.5 billion of Strategy’s market value is tied to MSCI, while an additional $5.5 billion hinges on other indexes. JPMorgan’s analysis suggests that if MSCI were to exclude Strategy, the company could face $2.8 billion in outflows, a number that could escalate to $8.8 billion if it were delisted from additional indexes, including the Nasdaq 100, the CRSP US Total Market Index, and various Russell indexes owned by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). Related Reading: Consumer Crypto Spending Grows in 2026 as Visa Reports Major Card Growth Alongside these potential challenges, Strategy may soon have to contend with substantial financial losses that starkly contrast the $2.8 billion profit they reported in the previous year’s third quarter.  Additionally, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index indicates that Michael Saylor has seen his personal wealth diminish dramatically during this downturn, dropping approximately 40% to about $3.8 billion. Nevertheless, on Monday, cryptocurrency prices saw a notable recovery, with Bitcoin and other digital assets such as Ethereum (ETH), Binance Coin (BNB), Solana (SOL) and XRP climbing back above key levels, sparking a new wave of optimism among investors.  Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

According to an exchange on X, a user asked when Bitcoin would “boom.” A crypto expert answered bluntly that relying on a single price explosion to get rich is the wrong plan and summed up his approach as “time plus stacking.” The remark cut through the guessing and put the focus back on steady habits, not wild hopes. Related Reading: A Maduro Bet, A Market Alarm: US Lawmaker Targets Trading Abuses Bitcoin As A Store Of Value Bitcoin’s supply is fixed, with a hard cap of 21 million coins. That matters because, as Jeremie and other long-term holders point out, Bitcoin is best used to hold value you earned elsewhere. Stacking, in practice, means buying small amounts regularly. Time means keeping those holdings for years. Both together reduce the pressure to guess tops and bottoms and make the plan mechanical rather than emotional. Many buyers still chase quick gains. They ask when the next big run will hit. The answer from long-term traders is simple: hope is not a plan. Fiat money often loses buying power over time, while Bitcoin’s limited supply is designed to preserve value for those who hold through cycles. If you’re relying on #Bitcoin to “boom” to make you rich, you’re doing it wrong. Bitcoin is for storing what you earn. The win is time plus stacking. https://t.co/PDdrf3G6nv — Davinci Jeremie (@Davincij15) January 5, 2026 Price Movements And Political Ties Based on reports, Bitcoin hit a three-week high and traded above $93,000, rising as much as 2.54% on Monday morning. The token cleared its 50-day moving average for the first time since the market tumble that began in early October. Bitcoin is up about 6% so far this year after plunging roughly 22% in the fourth quarter. Ether also moved higher alongside Bitcoin as broader markets rallied. Political events, including the ouster of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro by US special forces and related developments, pushed some investors toward safe-haven assets like gold and silver while not putting a clear dent in appetite for riskier bets like tech stocks. Trading activity and headline news have been linked to short-term moves in crypto prices more than once this year. How Ordinary Investors Should Act According to veteran holders, the mix of steady buying and patience beats timing the market. That is the core of Jeremie’s message. Buy small. Keep adding. Don’t watch the screen every hour. Over time, that habit smooths out the big swings and removes emotional buying at highs and panic selling at lows. Reports indicate many newcomers still treat Bitcoin like a lotto ticket. That mindset fuels big swings. When prices climb, people rush in. When they fall, sellers rush out. The strategy Jeremie described aims to flip that behavior: make accumulation routine, make holding routine. Related Reading: Crypto Users Lose Far Less To Phishing As Losses Drop 83% – Details Market Signals And A Clear Choice Traders can use signals such as moving averages to judge momentum, but technical signs are not a plan by themselves. For people who want to use Bitcoin to protect savings, the clear choice is steady accumulation plus a long holding period. For those chasing a sudden “boom,” the risk is high and the outcome uncertain — at least according to the analyst. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Crypto heads into the second week of January jam-packed with crucial events. Here’s what crypto holders need to know: #1 BTC: Bank Of America Opens The Advisory Spigot Starting January 5, advisers across Bank of America Private Bank, Merrill, and Merrill Edge can recommend “several crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs)” for client portfolios, removing prior asset thresholds and shifting advisers from execution-only to active allocation guidance. In an early-December note tied to the rollout, Merrill’s Chris Hyzy framed the bank’s stance in portfolio-construction terms: “For investors with a strong interest in thematic innovation and comfort with elevated volatility, a modest allocation of 1% to 4% in digital assets could be appropriate.” Related Reading: 2026 Crypto Market Prediction: Will Prices Soar Or Face Continued Declines? The market relevance is less about one day of flows and more about plumbing. Bank of America is one of the largest US wealth distribution networks; even a modest allocation over the long-term could have significant price impact. #2 Ethereum Blob Capacity Steps Up Again Ethereum’s latest scaling cadence continues on January 7 via the second “Blob Parameter Only” upgrade (BPO2), which increases the per-block blob target and maximum to 14 and 21, respectively, an incremental move designed to expand rollup data throughput without bundling the change into a larger named hard fork. The Ethereum Foundation has positioned the BPO track as a deliberately minimal, config-only mechanism to “safely increase blob throughput” after Fusaka. For L2 users, the direct linkage is data availability pricing. More blob supply, all else equal, can pressure blob fees lower, which is the component many rollups pass through into end-user transaction costs. The nuance is that these gains are conditional: if demand for blobspace ramps as quickly as capacity, fee relief can be muted, and operators still have to validate stability as targets rise. #3 Hyperliquid (HYPE) Token Unlock Hyperliquid’s HYPE token has a scheduled supply event on January 6: Hyperliquid Labs team members are set to receive an initial 1.2 million HYPE allocation, valued at roughly $31.2 million. Core contributors hold rights to approximately 237 million tokens under a structured release plan, nearly one quarter of the total supply. The setup for traders is straightforward: token unlocks are reflexively modeled as potential sell pressure, but the realized impact depends on recipient behavior and any offsetting mechanics. #4 Stellar’s Privacy Track Moves To Testnet Stellar is scheduled to upgrade its testnet to Protocol 25, branded “Stellar X-Ray”, on January 7 at 21:00 UTC, with the mainnet vote slated for January 22. In its developer guidance, Stellar explicitly calls out the operational requirement: SDK and infrastructure operators should upgrade ahead of the testnet date, with holiday timing cited as a reason for the unusually long runway between stable releases and activation. Related Reading: Austin Arnold Unveils His Top 6 Crypto Altcoin Picks For 2026 On the product side, Stellar frames X-Ray as foundational privacy infrastructure: “laying the groundwork for developers to build configurable, compliance-forward privacy applications using zero-knowledge (ZK) cryptography,” while keeping the network’s transparency model intact. #5 Macro Outlook Macro is doing crypto no favors in terms of clean narratives. Over the weekend, US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a move that pushed Bitcoin and crypto prices higher. Oil initially jolted but then softened amid expectations that near-term supply disruption is limited. Geopolitically, the spillover risk is in escalation rather than the single event. US President Trump raised the possibility of further interventions in the region, including language around Colombia. Overall, the weekly US market open will be crucial for the week. Rates politics are the other macro overhang. Trump has repeatedly said he will name his pick to succeed Fed Chair Jerome Powell “early next year,” with Powell’s leadership term ending in May 2026; the process has turned into a live market variable because of what it implies about the White House’s preferred rate path and perceived Fed independence. With prediction markets explicitly trading on whether a nomination lands by January 9, some crypto desks will treat the date as a volatility waypoint even if mainstream reporting stays looser on timing. At press time, the total crypto market cap stood at $3.12. trillion. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Bitcoin climbed past the $92,000 mark on Monday, driven by a mix of strong buying and fresh geopolitical noise. Traders watched as BTC moved toward $93,000 after brief gains in global markets, hitting roughly $92,800 in early US trading. Related Reading: Shiba Inu’s 16% Pop Signals Meme Coin Revival – Details Geopolitical Jitters And Market Moves According to market reports, comments from US President Donald Trump about potential action in Colombia added to market uncertainty, helping send flows into risk assets like Bitcoin. Traders sold some positions and then bought back into BTC as prices steadied near the highs. ETF inflows were also cited as supporting demand, with one report noting about $645 million in net flows into Bitcoin spot ETFs around the same session. Bitcoin’s climb was modest in percentage terms, but the dollar amounts grabbed attention. Data showed BTC trading in the low $92,000s before attempts to push higher toward $93,000. Reports have also pointed to liquidations and futures activity that rearranged short positions, prompting quick moves in both directions. PRESIDENT TRUMP JUST NOW: Trump: “Colombia is run by a sick man, he’s not going to be doing it for very long.” Reporter: “So there will be an operation by the US in Colombia?” Trump: “Sounds good to me.” pic.twitter.com/66fQM7cEIY — The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) January 5, 2026 Colombia On Trump’s Crosshairs Based on reports, the recent US operation in Venezuela and wider tensions in Latin America had a role in shifting sentiment. Speaking on Sunday, Trump took aim at Colombia over cocaine trafficking, saying a fresh US military operation tied to the country “sounds good to me,” according to Reuters. He also warned that action may be needed in Mexico. Trump described Colombia as “very sick” and accused its leader of fueling the cocaine trade into the United States, saying that situation “won’t last very long.” Total crypto market valuation at $3.12 trillion on the daily chart: TradingView Institutional Flows And Market Structure Meanwhile, spot ETF purchases and macro traders were active during the move higher. The inflows cited in market pieces suggest institutions continued to add exposure, even as headline risk rose. At the same time, derivatives desks reported notable liquidations that briefly amplified volatility. Some analysts told outlets they see technical hurdles near the current range that could cap gains without fresh catalysts. Others said the next key levels to watch are the area around $93,000 and the lows near the $88,000s to $90,000s, where stop orders and margin calls could trigger sharper swings. Related Reading: $18 Million Ethereum Loss Sends Whale Running To Gold Mixed Signals Market signals remain mixed. While ETF inflows point to steady interest from larger pools of capital, geopolitical headlines from the region keep a risk premium live in prices. Traders are watching US economic data this week as well, since work on jobs and inflation prints could alter the tone for both stocks and crypto. Bitcoin’s push above $92,000 came at a moment of heightened news flow — where comments from US President Donald Trump and big institutional buying intersected. Prices moved quickly, numbers mattered, and traders now watch whether demand can hold near current levels or if headline risk will force a pullback. Featured image from Britannica, chart from TradingView

Large crypto holders moved about $2.4 billion in Bitcoin and Ether to Binance in the past week, a flow split almost evenly between the two tokens. According to CryptoOnchain, the size of individual deposits has jumped — average transfers onto the exchange rose from around eight to 10 Bitcoin to highs near 22 to 26 Bitcoin. Related Reading: $18 Million Ethereum Loss Sends Whale Running To Gold At the same time, withdrawals have shrunk, with the Exchange Outflow Mean reported between 5.5 and 8.3 Bitcoin. That change in behavior signals a shift away from taking coins into long-term storage and toward holding tradable balances on-platform. Rising Deposit Sizes And Flat Stablecoin Flows Based on reports, the move onto Binance did not arrive with fresh buying power. Stablecoin net flows were essentially flat, showing an inflow of $42 million for the week, a figure that analysts say mostly reflected token transfers between Ethereum and Tron rather than new capital entering crypto. CryptoOnchain said that such large transfers to exchanges can mean preparation for selling or the use of assets as collateral in derivatives markets. In plain terms: more supply is ready to hit the market, while obvious signs of new demand are missing. Market Action Tested By Geopolitics Bitcoin traded around $92,620 after earlier hitting a 24-hour peak of $93,180, and it was reported to have climbed to a three-week high of $93,340 in early Asian trading. The price moves came as political tension rose following the US military’s action on Venezuela that resulted in the capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro. Meanwhile, gold climbed above $4,400 an ounce, and silver jumped as much as 4.8%. According to FalconX, the recent Bitcoin uptick was driven in part by crypto-focused firms and by limited selling from miners and big holders. Selling Pressure Versus Thin Demand Analysts are watching the mismatch. Large deposits and a fall in the average size of withdrawals suggest that major holders are less willing to lock up Bitcoin in cold storage. Reports say accumulation has stalled since October. That combination creates a scenario where price rallies are more likely to be met by selling from holders who have quietly moved assets onto exchanges. Related Reading: A Maduro Bet, A Market Alarm: US Lawmaker Targets Trading Abuses Outlook: Cautious, Not Catastrophic Based on these signals, the risk of downward pressure has risen but a major crash is not guaranteed. Price strength right now appears tied to headlines and cross-market moves as much as to fresh crypto demand. Traders and investors will be watching whether stablecoin inflows pick up or whether whales actually press sell. US President Donald Trump’s previously cited pro-crypto stance was not enough to reverse the accumulation lull by year-end, and until buyers return in force, gains may be limited and short lived. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

The acquisition adds staking as a new business line under a newly launched infrastructure solutions division at The Tie.

Consumer use of crypto-linked payment cards continued to gain traction heading into 2026, following a sharp rise in spending volumes reported by Visa for 2025. Data from Dune Analytics shows that spending across Visa-backed crypto cards increased steadily throughout last year, a significant growth. Related Reading: XRP Is Setting Up For Its ‘Next Explosive Move,’ Analysts Say: Here’s The Target Across six Visa-partnered crypto card programs, total net spending rose from $14.6 million in January 2025 to $91.3 million by December. The increase represents a 525% jump over the year and reflects growing consumer comfort with paying directly from crypto wallets at traditional points of sale. The cards are issued by a mix of crypto payment platforms and decentralized finance projects, including EtherFi, Cypher, GnosisPay, Avici Money, Exa App, and Moonwell. ETH's price trends slightly to the upside on the daily chart. Source: ETHUSD on Tradingview EtherFi and Cypher Lead Visa Crypto Card Spending Among the tracked programs, EtherFi recorded the highest spending volume, accounting for $55.4 million in transactions during 2025. That figure placed it well ahead of Cypher, which ranked second with $20.5 million in total spend. The remaining card issuers posted smaller but consistent increases, suggesting broader participation across the ecosystem rather than growth driven by a single outlier. Monthly spending data shows a gradual rise throughout the year, with no major spikes or sharp reversals. Analysts say this pattern points to routine usage rather than one-off events. Commenting on the data, Polygon researcher Alex Obchakevich noted that crypto card spending increasingly reflects regular financial behavior, indicating that crypto-linked cards are moving beyond experimental use cases. Visa Expands Stablecoin Infrastructure Visa’s growing role in crypto payments has been supported by its expanding stablecoin infrastructure. The payments firm now enables stablecoin settlement across multiple blockchains, including Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, and Stellar. This setup allows card issuers to convert crypto balances to fiat in real time during transactions, while still relying on Visa’s global merchant network. In December 2025, Visa also launched a stablecoin advisory team focused on helping banks, merchants, and fintech companies design and manage stablecoin-based products. The initiative highlights Visa’s view that blockchain-based settlement and programmable money are becoming more relevant to mainstream payments. Outlook for Crypto Card Usage in 2026 With spending volumes rising and infrastructure continuing to expand, crypto card usage is expected to grow further in 2026. While volumes remain concentrated in the U.S., Europe, and parts of the Asia-Pacific region, the steady increase suggests consumer crypto spending is becoming more normalized. Related Reading: Memecoin Strength Returns After Historic Market Decline: A Setup For A Comeback? How sustained this trend will be may depend on broader market conditions and continued integration between crypto platforms and established payment networks. Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart from Tradingview

On Monday, Bitcoin successfully reclaimed the $93,000 mark, spurred by a wave of renewed optimism that has also revitalized altcoins such as Ethereum (ETH), XRP, and Solana (SOL), all of which are experiencing recoveries not seen in nearly a month.  According to data from CoinGecko, Bitcoin has recorded a weekly surge of 7%, while Ethereum and Solana have outperformed the leading cryptocurrency with increases of nearly 9% during the same period. Notably, XRP has taken the lead, boasting a significant 15% uptrend. Large Holders Drive Bitcoin Surge A key driver behind this recent surge, especially for Bitcoin, can be attributed to large holders, or “whales,” who have acquired approximately 270,000 BTC in the last 30 days, amounting to roughly $23 billion.  Related Reading: Dogecoin Price On The Brink Of A 9,000% Rally To $10? What Historical Performance Shows Market analyst NoLimit highlighted this crucial development in a recent social media post, noting its significance: this accumulation represents 1.3% of Bitcoin’s total supply and marks the largest net buy from this group in 13 years. However, NoLimit asserts that this doesn’t imply that Bitcoin will see an immediate surge in its value. It indicates that long-term investors are aggressively positioning themselves even while the broader market sentiment remains mixed. Will BTC Establish A Macro Lower High? In the short term, though, market analyst Rekt Capital warns that despite Bitcoin hovering just above $93,400, it has closed its 12-month candle below the $93,500 mark. This suggests that the $93,500 level is likely to act as resistance moving forward.  Historical patterns across four-year cycles indicate that such resistances can hinder price movement for an extended period, often resisting for up to three years before being breached in the next Halving year. Related Reading: Venezuela, Geopolitical Risk, And Bitcoin: What On-Chain Data Really Shows Should Bitcoin indeed be in the early stages of a bear market, this could imply that prices might surpass the $93,500 resistance in the coming months only to establish a macro lower high before continuing their downward trajectory.  According to Rekt Capital, the sustainable breakout above this resistance is more likely to occur in the next halving year in 2028. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Shiba Inu (SHIB) has ridden a fresh wave of speculative buying this week, with the token jumping nearly 16% while the broader meme coin sector surged. Related Reading: $18 Million Ethereum Loss Sends Whale Running To Gold According to Santiment, total meme coin valuation rose by about 23% over the period as traders piled back into higher-risk tokens. Trading volumes jumped from $2.16 billion to roughly $8.6 billion, a whopping increase that shows how fast money rotated into this corner of the market. Supply Concentration Raises Eyebrows Reports have disclosed that supply remains highly concentrated among a handful of wallets. The top 10 holders control over 60% of SHIB’s maximum supply, which equals around 1 quadrillion tokens. ???????? Meme coins, the most “speculative” of assets, have proceeded with their post-holiday run. The entire meme market cap is now above $45.3B, growing by +20.8% in just the past week. ???? Notable 7-day gainers include: ???? $PEPE +54% ???? $USELESS +54% ???? $MOG +38% ???? $DOG +36% ????… pic.twitter.com/htdfiXLaLf — Santiment (@santimentfeed) January 4, 2026 Those wallets together hold about 630 trillion SHIB. Based on Santiment’s figures, the official burn wallet alone holds roughly 40% of the total supply, a stake valued at over $3 billion. This kind of concentration can magnify price swings if large holders move coins onto exchanges or sell. Technical Setup Points To A Test Analyst Charting Guy flagged the token’s weekly chart as “looking good” in a January 4 tweet, noting a strong weekly candle that closed up 22%. Based on reports, SHIB started 2026 at $0.000006904 and has since pushed higher. $SHIB weekly looks good pic.twitter.com/YigTTQ3kEW — Charting Guy (@ChartingGuy) January 4, 2026 The meme coin briefly traded above $0.0000093 before a pullback and is currently around $0.000008766. Year-to-date gains sit near 64% and the token was up 2.14% over the past 24 hours and 15.7% over the last week. Charting Guy’s chart shows SHIB approaching the tip of a long-running descending trendline that traces back to a high of $0.0000334 in December 2024. A break above that line would raise the chance of a larger move higher. Meme Coins See Wide Gains Other tokens have also posted big moves. Dogecoin recorded about a 20% rise while Pepe surged roughly 65% over the same span. The group’s sharp gains came as speculative interest accelerated and traders chased short-term returns. Related Reading: A Maduro Bet, A Market Alarm: US Lawmaker Targets Trading Abuses Market Volume And Trader Behavior Santiment’s data highlights that trading activity spiked dramatically, signaling a swift return of hot money to meme coins. The jump from $2.17 billion to $8.7 billion in daily traded value shows more participants are active and willing to take bigger risks. Based on the mix of heavy supply concentration and a crowded technical setup, Shiba Inu’s path could widen in either direction. A decisive breakout above the descending trendline might extend last week’s rally, while heavy selling from large wallets could trigger sharp pullbacks. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

Crypto VCs told The Block they expect disciplined activity to persist in 2026, with a higher bar for new investments.

A large crypto wallet that recently took a sharp loss on Ethereum has restructured its holdings, moving away from volatile tokens and increasing exposure to stablecoins and tokenized gold, according to on-chain tracking data. Related Reading: A Maduro Bet, A Market Alarm: US Lawmaker Targets Trading Abuses The address drew attention after an aggressive Ethereum purchase late last year went wrong. Between November 3 and November 7, 2025, the wallet spent about $110 million to acquire 31,005 ETH at an average price of $3,581. As prices slid, the position was unwound. Nearly the entire holding was sold for roughly $92.19 million, locking in a loss close to $18 million within two weeks. At current prices near $3,020, that same Ethereum stack would now be valued at around $93.6 million. Shift Away From Ether After Costly Exit Based on reports from blockchain monitoring platforms, the sell-off marked a clear change in behavior. The wallet, once heavily tied to Ethereum, no longer holds a large directional bet on the asset. Instead, balances have been spread across cash-like tokens and commodities. The move reflects caution rather than an attempt to quickly recover losses. An unknown whale, who lost $18.8M on $ETH in just 2 weeks, has abandoned $ETH and rotated into #gold. The whale has spent $14.58M to buy 3,299 $XAUT at $4,421 over the past 7 hours.https://t.co/hit6agWmHd pic.twitter.com/X7k94zV0iQ — Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 2, 2026 Gold Buying Shows Preference For Lower Volatility According to on-chain records, the address began building a position in Tether’s tokenized gold product, XAUT. Starting on Friday, the wallet spent $14.58 million in USDT to buy 3,299 XAUT across several transactions. The average purchase price came in near $4,421 per token. This was not the first gold buy. A smaller XAUT acquisition was made on December 13, roughly three weeks earlier. As of the latest data, the wallet holds 3,386 XAUT tokens worth about $14.92 million. The broader portfolio now totals close to $91 million. About $58 million sits in USDT, another $18 million is held in USDC, while the remainder is split between XAUT and a reduced Ethereum balance. The composition points to capital protection rather than high-risk positioning. Metals Outperform Crypto In 2025 Returns from last year help explain the change. Reports have disclosed that Bitcoin fell by 6% in 2025, while Ethereum dropped 11%. Over the same period, gold surged over 60%, and silver rose an even steeper 147%. Related Reading: Bitcoin Dominance Grows As Altcoins Post Another Losing Year: Analyst Major stock indexes such as the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq 100 also posted stronger performance than much of the crypto market. With those results in view, some investors appear more comfortable holding assets linked to metals or cash. Meanwhile, analysts at asset manager VanEck have pointed to 2026 as a possible recovery year for the crypto market. Their view contrasts with the current behavior of large wallets moving into stablecoins and gold-linked tokens. The divide shows how uncertain sentiment remains after a year when metals and traditional assets delivered stronger gains than major cryptocurrencies. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Crypto phishing losses plunged in 2025, but experts warn the threat has only changed shape rather than disappeared. Reports show a sharp fall in money stolen by wallet-draining scams, even as attackers tested new tricks tied to recent protocol changes. Related Reading: Bitcoin Dominance Grows As Altcoins Post Another Losing Year: Analyst Scam Sniffer Data Shows Drop According to Scam Sniffer’s 2025 analysis, wallet drainer phishing losses fell to about $83.85 million — an 83% decline from roughly $494 million in 2024. The number of affected wallets dropped to around 106,000, a fall of about 68% year-on-year. These figures come from the security platform’s annual study and were picked up by major crypto outlets. Attackers Shift, Not Stop Only 11 incidents topped $1 million in 2025, down from 30 the prior year, signaling fewer headline grabs but a rise in smaller hits. The largest single theft recorded last year was roughly $6.5 million, tied to a malicious Permit signature attack. Average losses per victim fell to roughly $790, which suggests attackers moved toward more frequent, lower-value strikes. Market Moves Mattered Losses followed market activity. The third quarter logged the highest damage at about $31 million, when Ethereum’s rally brought more users and approvals onchain. Monthly peaks included August, which posted about $12.17 million, while December was the quietest with roughly $2 million. That pattern shows fraudsters target busy trading windows. 1/ Ever woken up to an empty crypto wallet? With scammers draining $107K+ across EVM chains JUST THIS WEEK (per @zachxbt), it’s scarier than ever! Shoutout to @realscamsniffer for their 2025 report – losses down 83%, but threats are evolving FAST. Let’s recap & warn on 2026… https://t.co/uSerpsg80d — JP (@rugpullfinder) January 3, 2026 Permit Signatures And New Vectors Reports highlighted Permit and Permit2 signature abuses as a major driver of big losses, accounting for a large share of multi-million cases. Scam Sniffer also flagged EIP-7702 batch signature techniques that were used in a few complex attacks after network upgrades. Security teams say these methods exploit user approval flows rather than raw smart-contract bugs. Why The Drop Happened Analysts attribute much of the improvement to better wallet warnings, wider use of approval revocation tools, and more active tracking by onchain monitors. Some defenders also point to reduced market froth in parts of the year, which lowered the pool of high-value targets. Still, multiple outlets stress that reduced totals do not equal safety. Related Reading: A Maduro Bet, A Market Alarm: US Lawmaker Targets Trading Abuses Based on reports, phishing will likely remain cyclical: losses could spike again during big rallies or when new signing features are introduced. Security firms urge users to check approvals, avoid blind signing, and use wallet tools that flag risky requests. Regulators and exchanges are watching the trend, but responsibility for many attacks still falls to individual users and wallet software. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

According to market observers, the US strikes on Venezuela early Saturday are not expected to push Bitcoin into a large sell-off. The strikes took place at around 6 a.m. UTC and lasted for about 30 minutes, reports show. Related Reading: The Bitcoin Whale Comeback Story May Be Overblown, Onchain Data Shows Michael van de Poppe, founder of MN Trading Capital, wrote on X that he does not expect “a widespread correction” tied to the attack, arguing the event was planned and has already passed market participants. Other analysts shared a similar view, saying dramatic moves usually come when traders expect worse things ahead. Bitcoin: Market Moves And Liquidations Based on reports, Bitcoin held firm above the $90,000 mark. CoinGecko data showed a rise of 1.50%, putting the token at $91,320 at the time of publication. I don’t think we’ll see a widespread correction based on the attack in Venezuela on #Bitcoin. It’s a planned and coordinated attack on Maduro, and is already past us. The likelihood of more negativity on the markets from that single event are relatively slim. I would assume… — Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) January 3, 2026 CoinGlass figures indicate about $60 million in Bitcoin positions were liquidated over the prior 24 hours, with roughly $55 million of that coming from short bets. That kind of forced selling can amp up volatility for a short period. Still, the broader pattern this time looked muted. Historical Drops Have Happened Fast There have been episodes when conflict pushed prices down quickly. In June 2025, for example, Bitcoin fell nearly 3%, sliding from $106,000 to $103,000 inside roughly 90 minutes after explosions in Tehran. Traders point out that sudden moves often follow when markets fear ongoing escalation. Here, many market watchers see less chance of follow-up actions that would deepen panic. Federal Debt And Genesis Day In The Middle Of Market Noise Based on reports, the US national debt passed $38 trillion on Saturday, with the US National Debt Clock placing it near $38.5 at the time. That milestone came as Bitcoin fans marked “Genesis Day,” the anniversary of the first block mined by Satoshi Nakamoto. Happy Bitcoin Genesis Block day — Paolo Ardoino ???? (@paoloardoino) January 3, 2026 Paolo Ardoino, CEO of stablecoin issuer Tether, posted a celebratory message, while Sam Callahan, director of strategy and research at BTC treasury firm OranjeBTC, echoed the sentiment. For many in the community, the headline embedded in the Genesis Block remains a symbol of a monetary system capped in supply and not subject to the same printing pressures as fiat. Yeah generally the market really nukes when we expect things to get worse afterwards which doesn’t seem to be the case. Could see this actually bring some green to the market as people take this as a sign of strength tho — Tyler Hill (@Tylerhill) January 3, 2026 Community Reaction And Context Reports have shown some in the crypto space treated events like the strike and the rising US debt as separate but related stories. A few traders said the strike could bring “green” to markets as investors interpret decisive action as a sign of control, an outlook voiced by analyst Tyler Hill. Related Reading: Bitcoin Dominance Grows As Altcoins Post Another Losing Year: Analyst Meanwhile, others emphasized that the immediate market response has been calm rather than panicked. Social posts and onchain flows were watched closely by hedge funds and retail traders alike. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

US Rep. Ritchie Torres said he will introduce legislation to curb what he and other lawmakers describe as possible insider trading on prediction markets, after a single, highly timed wager on Polymarket paid off when Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured. Related Reading: Bitcoin Dominance Grows As Altcoins Post Another Losing Year: Analyst Reports have disclosed that the bill — being called the Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026 — would bar federally elected officials, political appointees and executive branch staff from trading on event markets when they hold material nonpublic information. Public Integrity In Focus According to reporting, a newly created Polymarket account placed roughly $32,500 in bets on a contract that asked whether Maduro would be out of power by January 31, 2026. That stake bought about 438,000 shares when the market price was as low as $0.07 per share late Friday. Within about 24 hours, after action by US forces and an announcement by US President Donald Trump, the position surged—returning more than $400,000 to the account. NEW — RITCHIE TORRES (D-N.Y.) will introduce a bill on this. Bill will be called the Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026 Description, per a source: This bill prohibits federal elected officials, political appointees, and Executive Branch employees… https://t.co/eZZ9BmAMgJ — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 3, 2026 The trade’s timing set off immediate questions. Social media users and some investors flagged the purchase as suspicious because it came hours before the public announcement. Observers noted that prediction markets can move quickly on small flows of information, and that enforcement rules vary across platforms. Reports note that other markets, like Kalshi, had priced similar outcomes at roughly $0.13, underlining how unexpected the outcome was to many traders. A newly created Polymarket account invested over $30,000 yesterday in Maduro’s exit. The US then took Maduro into custody overnight, and the trader profited $400,000 in less than 24 hours. Insider trading is not only allowed on prediction markets; it’s encouraged. https://t.co/EtZyW1IWTa pic.twitter.com/MzsU9kOU73 — Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) January 3, 2026 How The Bill Would Work Torres’s proposal would adapt principles from existing rules that limit trading by officials in traditional securities markets and extend them to online prediction exchanges. The draft language aims to make it unlawful for covered government figures to trade on contracts tied to government actions or political events when they possess nonpublic information because of their official roles. The measure would also task regulators with clarifying which platforms are covered and how violations would be enforced. Market Reaction And Questions Platform operators have long said their terms forbid trading on material nonpublic information, but critics say those rules are hard to police in real time. Some analysts and lawmakers argue that this episode shows a gap between written policies and effective oversight. Others warn against overreach that could stifle legitimate market activity used for forecasting and research. Related Reading: A Maduro Bet, A Market Alarm: US Lawmaker Targets Trading Abuses Investigations may look at the account’s origins and any links to people with privileged knowledge. Lawmakers, meanwhile, are pushing for clearer legal guardrails. If Congress moves quickly, new rules could reshape who may legally bet on political and national security events. Featured image from AFP/Getty Images, chart from TradingView

According to onchain data from CryptoQuant, claims that big holders are massively reaccumulating Bitcoin are exaggerated. The numbers that many share on social media can be distorted by exchange moves, not fresh buying. That distortion matters because large transfers tied to exchanges can look like one entity is piling in, when the action is often internal bookkeeping. Related Reading: Crypto Exchange Korbit Fined $1.90 Million By South Korean Regulators Whale Wallet Totals Can Be Misleading Exchange firms often merge funds from many small accounts into fewer large wallets for operational or compliance reasons. When that happens, onchain trackers may count those consolidated addresses as “whales,” inflating the apparent number of very large holders. According to Julio Moreno, head of research at CryptoQuant, once those exchange-related shifts are removed from the data, the balance held by true large holders is still falling. Balances in addresses holding between 100 to 1,000 BTC have dropped, a trend that lines up with outflows from spot ETFs. No, whales are not buying enormous amount of Bitcoin. Most Bitcoin whale data out there has been “affected” by exchanges consolidating a lot of their holdings into fewer addresses with larger balances, this is why whales seem to have accumulated a lot of coins recently. We… pic.twitter.com/dk9XqqckIX — Julio Moreno (@jjcmoreno) January 2, 2026 Long-Term Holders Turning Buyer Reports have disclosed that another group has shifted its behavior. Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research at VanEck, says long-term holders have been net accumulators over the past 30 days after what was their biggest selling spree since 2019. That change could reduce one major source of selling pressure. It does not guarantee a rally, but it does mean at least one key cohort stopped adding to the sell side. Markets react to who is buying and who is selling, and this move by long-term holders softens the case that a single group is driving prices lower. Price Action Shows Mixed Signals Bitcoin has been hovering around the $90,000 area during thin holiday trading. At the time of reporting, the price was about $89,750 Saturday, with 24-hour volume near $52 billion. The token sits roughly 2.8% below a recent day high of $90,250 and carries a market capitalization of about $1.75 trillion based on a circulating supply close to 20 million BTC. Trading has seen sharp moves up and down, but volume has been weak, which means moves lack the support needed for a clear breakout or breakdown. Market Moves Hinge On ETF Flows Since US spot Bitcoin ETFs became active in early 2024, the ownership picture has changed. ETFs now hold a large share of on- and off-chain demand, which can shift where Bitcoin is stored and how flows appear on onchain charts. Reports suggest that ETF outflows have helped drive lower balances in the 100–1,000 BTC band, while at the same time some long-term holders are quietly buying. Related Reading: Bitcoin Dominance Grows As Altcoins Post Another Losing Year: Analyst What This Means For Investors Taken together, the evidence points to consolidation more than a new bull run or a major crash. Claims of a massive whale reaccumulation wave were overblown because they did not account for exchange consolidation. Yet the story is not one-sided. Long-term holders have shown buying interest, even as large non-exchange addresses continue to shed some holdings. Future price direction will likely depend on whether ETF flows return in size and whether trading volume picks up enough to confirm any move. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Industry insiders expect deal momentum to continue into 2026, driven by consolidation, targeted acquisitions, and a still-open IPO window.

With 2025 now closed, the crypto market is beginning 2026 with attempts to recover from one of its most challenging years. After a tumultuous period, total market capitalization has surged back above $3 trillion. However, many investors are left wondering what the new year has in store for digital assets. Institutions Forecast Bullish Crypto Prices For 2026 According to a recent report by analysts at Bull Theory, the past year proved to be robust for traditional markets, particularly for metals, while cryptocurrencies fell short of expectations. Silver surged by 160%, and gold followed suit with a 66% increase.  In contrast, Bitcoin (BTC) wrapped up 2025 down approximately 5%, despite several positive indicators, such as consistent purchasing by Strategy, strong inflows into Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and growing institutional interest.  Related Reading: Is The Dogecoin Bottom In? 3 Analysts Break Down the Charts Yet, when one asset class lags significantly while liquidity remains abundant, historical trends show that the gap typically narrows. In terms of specific projections, various major institutions and prominent investors have offered their forecasts for both Bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH).  Standard Chartered targets Bitcoin to reach $150,000 by the end of 2026, and JPMorgan projects a price of $170,000. Meanwhile, Citi’s base case stands around $143,000, with a more aggressive bull case suggesting a potential rise to $189,000.  Cathie Wood of ARK Invest envisions a long-term scenario where Bitcoin could hit $500,000, contingent on widespread institutional adoption. Tom Lee from Fundstrat anticipates Ethereum will trade between $7,000 and $9,000 by early 2026, fueled by the tokenization of real-world assets. New Regulations And Economic Optimism The analysts further highlighted that, unlike previous years, this cycle looks distinct in several key aspects. For one, crypto is no longer encumbered by operating within a legal gray area.  New regulatory frameworks, particularly in the US, are poised to offer clearer guidelines, reducing uncertainty and facilitating easier access for institutional investors. The anticipated changes aim for simplified regulations that could enhance market structure while broadening institutional participation beyond just Bitcoin and Ethereum.  Moreover, several factors suggest that a sharp movement in the crypto markets could be on the horizon. The end of quantitative tightening on December 1, 2025, coupled with a growing GDP, signals a conducive environment for crypto.  Related Reading: Dogecoin Long-Term Bullish Structure Still In Play And Will Cross $10 With inflation stabilized below 3% and unemployment at 4.6%, there are indications that the Federal Reserve (Fed) may adopt a more dovish stance, especially with a new Fed Chair expected to take office in May 2026.  Overall, as the new year begins, the crypto market finds itself in a position of underperformance rather than excess. This contrasting state often results in rapid repricings as gaps are closed in response to liquidity alignment.  As a result, Bull Theory analysts believe that 2026 could very well be the year when these disparities start to correct, leading to a potentially bullish environment for cryptocurrencies. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

As 2025 came to a close, Bitcoin (BTC) ended on a negative note, trading more than 30% below its all-time highs and grappling with the formation of a death cross—a technical indicator that traditionally precedes significant price corrections.  Currently hovering just above $89,200, Bitcoin recently saw its 10-week and 50-week simple moving averages (SMAs) cross paths on December 8, a development highlighted by market analyst Ali Martinez on social media site X (previously Twitter). Bitcoin May Face 50%-60% Correction  Martinez emphasized the importance of watching the behavior of these two moving averages on the weekly chart. Historically, each time Bitcoin has registered a death cross between the 10-week and 50-week SMAs, it has been followed by substantial corrections.  Related Reading: Dogecoin Long-Term Bullish Structure Still In Play And Will Cross $10 As seen in the cryptocurrency’s weekly chart below, past occurrences of such crossovers have led to price declines of 67% in September 2014, 54% in June 2018, 53% in March 2020, and 64% in January 2022.  With the recent death cross-forming, Martinez suggests that if history is any guide, Bitcoin could face a correction between 50% and 60%, which would place its price anywhere between $50,000 and $38,000.  Adding another layer of complexity to the analysis, market expert Mags has outlined two potential scenarios for Bitcoin’s near future.  Two Scenarios For BTC’s Future Following Bitcoin’s downturn since its October highs above $126,000, it has been trading around the $85,000 mark for several weeks. Coinciding with this, Tether’s USDT dominance has broken out of its previous range, currently maintaining levels above the breakout zone. Since Bitcoin and USDT dominance exhibit an inverse correlation, Mags has identified two main scenarios moving forward. The first, a bullish scenario, hinges on the idea that if USDT dominance begins to decline, the current breakout could turn out to be a fakeout.  Mags asserts that such a move could potentially ignite another expansion in Bitcoin’s price, possibly even leading to a new all-time high before any significant distribution occurs. Related Reading: Here’s How Much The XRP Price Will Be If It Overtakes Ethereum In Market Cap Conversely, Mags outlined a second scenario indicating early signs of a bearish structure. If the broader market trend weakens, Bitcoin might experience a temporary bounce, while USDT dominance forms a higher low near its mid-range before trending back upwards.  In this case, BTC would exhibit a slow distribution pattern, marking neither a crash nor a rapid decline, but rather a gradual, choppy downward movement characteristic of initial bearish market behavior. The next move in USDT dominance is poised to play a crucial role in determining whether the current market represents a mere pause before further price continuation or the onset of an extended distribution phase leading up to a new all-time high. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

A well-known finance coach in the XRP community has urged patience, calling the cryptocurrency’s price sliding under $2 a rare long-term chance to buy. According to his public posts, he described XRP trading below $2 as “one of the greatest blessings of our lifetime” and said he remains actively accumulating at current levels. Related Reading: Crypto Exchange Korbit Fined $1.90 Million By South Korean Regulators XRP Below $2 Seen As Entry Point Coach JV’s portfolio centers on a mix of major coins and infrastructure tokens. His top crypto holdings include XRP, Bitcoin, WLFI, Solana, XLM, HBAR, and VET. On the equities side, he highlighted American Bitcoin Corp (ABTC) and Twenty One Capital (XXI) as key stock positions. The disclosure was used to argue that steady exposure, not frantic trading, fits a long-term plan. Market watchers in the XRP sphere are pointing to several possible tailwinds. According to other commentators, growing interest in XRP spot ETFs has pushed combined holdings to about $1.16 billion. There are also reports that companies such as VivoPower and Wellgistics Health have added XRP to their treasuries, which some analysts say could take supply off the market and tighten available coins. Investor Mix Of Crypto And Stocks XRP under $2.00 is one of the greatest blessings of our lifetime. I am still accumulating. My top crypto holdings: XRP Bitcoin WLFI Solana XLM HBAR VET My top two stocks: ABTC XXI Cash-value life insurance is the foundation of my family’s wealth empire. Cash flow is the… — Coach, JV (@Coachjv_) January 1, 2026 Mason Versluis, a popular crypto YouTuber, offered a grounded view about expectations. He urged followers to focus on “the real things” and fundamentals, rather than clinging to failed three-digit forecasts. Versluis reminded the community that XRP began January 2025 at $2.08 and moved to $3.40 by the end of that month. The token then reached a yearly high of $3.66 in July before sliding back to close 2025 at $1.84, which represented an 11.5% YTD decline. “We just look at the fundamentals,” he said, adding that those who loudly predict extreme prices often end up wrong. My thoughts on Jake Claver’s TRIPLE DIGIT $XRP prediction: (Clip from my stream today) pic.twitter.com/y7JJQfPsPf — MASON VERSLUIS (@MasonVersluis) December 31, 2025 According to several voices in the space, regulatory moves could also matter. One influencer cited a White House confirmation that the CLARITY Act markup is scheduled for January 2026, which supporters believe may clarify crypto rules and encourage institutional flows. Based on reports, such policy milestones are being watched closely by investors who expect clearer rules to broaden participation. Focus On Systems Over Hype As for Coach JV’s public statements on this issue, he emphasized and stressed the process more than making predictions. JV explained that he maximized cash-value life insurance as part of his wealth strategy, managed debt very carefully, and created systems which enforce discipline on himself and his business. Related Reading: Crypto ETFs Defy The Pullback With $32 Billion In Fresh Investor Cash The mix of voices in the community reflects two linked ideas: some see current prices as a buying window, while others warn that timing markets is risky. Based on reports and the coach’s disclosures, the common advice is simple — build a plan, stick to it, and buy if the thesis still holds. For many holders, the current sub-$2 trading range is being treated not as failure, but as an opportunity to prepare for possible wider adoption down the road. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Altcoins closed 2025 weaker versus Bitcoin, marking a fourth consecutive year of underperformance. According to market data that tracks the TOTAL3/BTC ratio — which measures all altcoins excluding Bitcoin and Ethereum against Bitcoin — the ratio finished lower for calendar years 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. That streak has left traders and fund managers rethinking the old pattern where smaller tokens would often surge after Bitcoin rallies. Related Reading: Crypto ETFs Defy The Pullback With $32 Billion In Fresh Investor Cash Altcoins Underperform Bitcoin Market watchers say Bitcoin’s share of the overall crypto market has grown. Bitcoin dominance was reported at roughly 59–60% during the late 2025 selloff, a level that squeezed room for other tokens. Based on reports, small-cap tokens hit their lowest point in four years as money flowed into larger, more liquid assets. Bitcoin itself slipped from an October peak and ended the year in negative territory, a development covered by major outlets that noted it was the first yearly loss for Bitcoin since 2022. Altcoins have now dropped against Bitcoin for 4 years in a row pic.twitter.com/K3rJhSh1tM — Benjamin Cowen (@intocryptoverse) January 1, 2026 Widespread Losses And Heavy Market Moves Several data providers found the median performance among the top 30 altcoins was negative for the year. Market value across the crypto sector fell sharply in late 2025, with some estimates saying more than $1 trillion was erased from total market capitalization during the downturn. Traders described 2025 as a year that began with optimism but closed with broad losses, and many small tokens that rose earlier in the year gave those gains back when risk appetite faded. What Analysts Are Saying Some analysts argue that institutional flows and investor preference for liquidity were important drivers of this trend. Others point to macro pressures in the US and global markets that reduced appetite for speculative positions. Reports note that for an altcoin rebound to beat Bitcoin again, fresh capital would need to rotate specifically into smaller tokens, rather than simply following Bitcoin’s moves. That shift has not been evident so far as 2026 unfurls. The TOTAL3/BTC measure is being used by many traders to gauge altcoin strength versus Bitcoin. When that ratio falls year after year, it means a unit of Bitcoin buys more altcoin market cap than before. Market trackers used by exchanges and analytics firms flagged the persistent downward trend across the last four calendar years, which is an unusual run relative to prior cycles when altcoins sometimes outpaced Bitcoin for parts of a market cycle. Related Reading: Crypto Exchange Korbit Fined $1.90 Million By South Korean Regulators Cautious Stance Investors are staying cautious. Volatility remains high and liquidity can dry up fast in smaller tokens, which makes large moves possible both ways. Based on reports, any meaningful restoration of altcoin gains will likely require clear, sustained capital flows and improved market sentiment. Until that happens, Bitcoin’s share of market capital will probably remain elevated, keeping pressure on smaller tokens. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Prediction markets and analyst desks are sending different signals about Bitcoin’s near-term path. Traders on Polymarket appear cautious, while some big-name firms keep calling for big gains in 2026. Related Reading: Crypto Exchange Korbit Fined $1.90 Million By South Korean Regulators Market Odds And Trader Caution According to Polymarket prices, Bitcoin has just a 23% chance of reaching $150,000 before 2027. The odds are higher at lower targets: 47% for $120,000, 35% for $130,000 and 29% for $140,000. Traders are most comfortable with $100,000, which carries about an 80% chance. That spread shows bettors are pricing risk tightly as the clock runs toward the new year. Bitcoin closed 2025 in the red, a fact that has likely cooled some enthusiasm. Reports have disclosed that gold and silver hit fresh highs in the fourth quarter of 2025, while crypto prices held mostly flat. The old four-year halving cycle that many chartists relied on is being questioned, and that doubt is being priced in. Technical Signals Based on the latest Bitcoin price outlook, BTC is expected to climb 3% to about $91,815 by February 1, 2026. Technical signals point to a Bearish mood, while the Fear & Greed Index stands at 28, reflecting Fear. Over the past 30 days, Bitcoin posted gains on 15 of those days, or 50%, with price swings averaging 2%. Policy Shifts Could Change The Math US President Donald Trump is expected to name a new Federal Reserve chair soon, and many market participants are betting that interest rates will be cut afterward. That idea has already helped send precious metals higher. At the same time, regulators in Washington are pushing crypto bills such as the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act, which backers say could give clearer rules and, in time, more institutional interest. Analysts Still Offer Bullish Targets Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has publicly predicted that Bitcoin could reach $180,000 by the end of 2026, citing stronger institutional interest and better regulatory clarity as reasons for his bullish outlook. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Bear Market Might Not Be New: Data Points To A 2-Month Slide Analysts at JPMorgan have suggested a theoretical Bitcoin price around $170,000 in 2026, based on a model comparing Bitcoin’s behavior to gold and assuming continued capital flows into the crypto market. Grayscale’s 2026 digital asset outlook expects Bitcoin to exceed its previous all-time high in the first half of 2026, implying a move above its record peak of around $126,000 (though not giving a specific numerical target, the implication is toward significant upward momentum). Policymakers, traders and analysts are all weighing different risks. Market prices reflect caution today, while forecasts offer a brighter view for the months ahead. Which one proves right will depend on policy moves, investor appetite and whether new trading patterns replace the cycle many thought they could count on. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

According to CryptoQuant’s head of research Julio Moreno, Bitcoin may already be two months into a bear market after several of his indicators flipped to bearish in early November. Related Reading: Crypto Headed For A $10 Trillion Future? Hoskinson Says RWA Is The Key Moreno pointed to the price sliding below its one-year moving average as the clearest technical confirmation, and he used that signal to argue a lower trading range may be on the path ahead. Bitcoin Technical Signals, Market Mood Moreno said a likely bottom could sit near the realized price, which he put in the $56,000–$60,000 band. That would mean a drawdown of roughly 55% from Bitcoin’s all-time high — a drop that is large but smaller than past crashes that hit 70% or 80%. Market momentum is muted. Bitcoin began 2025 near $93,000, peaked at about $126,050 in October, and ended the year below where it started, according to CoinGecko. Trading hovered around $88,920 as of Friday, based on available data. Derivatives Show Caution Ahead Of Expiry Bitcoin was holding the $87,000–$89,000 range as $1.85 billion in options approached expiry. Reports show derivatives volume fell 39% while open interest remained flat, a mix that points to hesitation rather than aggressive positioning by traders. Technical measures show price compression near support, and traders are watching expiry closely because a larger move could follow when those contracts settle. Volatility has been lower than in some previous selloffs, and that has left price action tighter than many expected. Institutional Accumulation And The Missing Shock Moreno and others note the environment feels structurally different. Large institutional players and regulated ETFs have been buying more regularly, and those flows are not known to be selling in panic. That steady demand has helped prevent the kind of cascading failures seen in 2022, when Terra, Celsius and FTX collapsed and amplified losses across the market. Because those big shocks did not occur this time, the drawdown looks more controlled, even if prices are moving down. Outlook Hinges On Macro And Regulation Some analysts still predict 2026 could bring fresh highs, citing expected US rate cuts and a friendlier policy stance in Washington. At the same time, observers are watching whether Bitcoin’s tighter link to US stocks holds as macro and regulatory decisions land. If the correlation weakens, crypto may chart its own course. If it stays strong, the path for Bitcoin could be shaped largely by broader market moves rather than crypto-specific flows. Related Reading: Crypto Exchange Korbit Fined $1.90 Million By South Korean Regulators What Traders Will Watch Based on reports and Moreno’s view, the key items to monitor are the one-year moving average, realized price levels near $56,000–$60,000, the outcome of options expiries, and whether institutional buyers continue steady purchases. Price action has been calmer than some past crises, but that calm has masked real downside risk. Analysts and traders are split; some expect a return to growth next year, while others are preparing for lower prices before any sustained recovery. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Altcoin Daily host Austin Arnold used a Jan. 1 video titled “Top 6 Crypto Altcoins To Invest In For 2026” to lay out what he framed as three “first-time” catalysts for crypto in 2026 and a corresponding list of six altcoins he says he’d “buy and hold” into that backdrop, spanning smart-contract platforms, AI infrastructure, and tokenization-focused plays. Arnold opened with the claim that crypto sits at the center of “two mega trends”: digital assets and the tokenization of financial assets and argued the combination of macro policy, US legislation, and SEC posture could drive “trillions of dollars” of new inflows. The 3 Bullisch Crypto Catalysts First, Arnold pointed to what he described as a monetary-policy regime shift, including the resumption of “reserve management purchases,” and framed it as supportive for risk assets broadly. “We’re starting to see significant stimulus,” he said, adding that markets were already seeing “quantitative easing light” as “the Fed is starting to buy its own bonds,” while suggesting demand for government debt could fall alongside lower rates. Related Reading: Scaramucci Picks His Top 3 Crypto Altcoins As Rate-Cut Tailwinds Build Second, he argued crypto-specific regulation could function like a green light for institutional capital. He singled out the market structure focused Clarity Act, saying its passage would be “like a starter gun for ETH and SOL to run into trillions of dollars of value,” and noted discussion of a US Senate markup date of Jan. 15 with hopes of movement by late January or February. Third, Arnold highlighted what he called a tokenization push led by SEC chair Paul Atkins, describing “Project Crypto” as an effort to “bring all of traditional finance on the blockchain.” He paired that theme with a distribution angle around spot crypto ETFs, leaning on a quote he cited about how unusual the early ETF growth was: “These were the single best-selling product in the world and no one was allowed to make a phone call to sell it or advertise it,” he said. Top 6 Crypto Altcoins To Invest In For 2026 Arnold’s first pick is Ethereum. He frames it as the primary beneficiary of stablecoin growth and added that stablecoins are “mostly on the Ethereum blockchain,” and tied the thesis to regulation via the Genius Act, citing a view that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expects the sector to grow “10x in the next few years.” Arnold also said Ethereum’s stablecoin share rose to 53% from the high-40s “just a few months” earlier, and argued the link to ETH value accrual runs through fees: “30% of all fees on Ethereum are actually stablecoin revenue,” he said. “So as this is 10x’es the amount of fees, the amount of Ethereum being burned should be 10x to match.” Arnold’s second pick was Solana, which he portrayed as a usage leader relative to its market value versus Ethereum. He argued Solana is “already one of or if not the most used chain in crypto,” and claimed that through 2025 it was “more used than the entire rest of the industry combined times 2 to three.” He also cited a real-world asset milestone, saying Solana “RWA holders…have surpassed 125,000 holders.” Cardano is next, which Arnold said had a weak 2025 but could benefit from founder Charles Hoskinson’s push around Midnight. Arnold played a longer excerpt in which Hoskinson argued privacy could be the wedge that changes user behavior: “They can go through Midnight to Cardano and they get privacy. They do something new and different,” Hoskinson said. “Midnight my view will be through hybrid applications… private prediction markets, private DEXes, private stable coins… maybe… those Bitcoin people are going to want to trade on a private DEX instead of a public DEX.” Related Reading: Crypto ETFs Defy The Pullback With $32 Billion In Fresh Investor Cash Arnold then shifted to AI infrastructure with Bittensor (TAO), calling it “decentralized AI” plumbing and noting it had a recent “halving” and a fixed supply model he compared to Bitcoin’s. He also pointed to early-2026 ETF momentum, saying Grayscale filed an S-1 for a TAO product and Bitwise followed with a Bittensor ETF filing. For tokenization exposure, Arnold highlighted Ondo Finance (ONDO) ahead of what he described as an Ondo Summit on Feb. 3, where “world leaders, investors, policy makers” would reconvene, and closed his list with Propy, a real-estate-focused project he said is “US licensed” for title and escrow closing and “backed by Coinbase,” positioning it as a bet on bringing home buying and selling “on-chain.” Arnold closed his list with Propy, explicitly flagging it as the most speculative end of the spectrum and pairing it with a warning that lower-cap exposure can mean “these altcoins go to zero.” The Altcoin Daily host described it as “essentially real estate on-chain.” He emphasized operational and regulatory positioning as part of the pitch, saying Propy is “US licensed title and escrow closing,” and also highlighted its backers: “They’re backed again by Coinbase.” The investment thesis, as Arnold presented it, is straightforward tokenization logic applied to housing: bringing parts of the buying and selling process onto rails that can be settled and recorded on-chain, with Propy positioned as a project already operating within the US compliance perimeter he expects to matter more in 2026. At press time, the total crypto market cap stood at $2.98 trillion. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

South Korea’s top money-laundering watchdog has slapped crypto exchange Korbit with a fine worth about ₩2.73 billion, or roughly $1.90 million, after finding widespread lapses in its compliance controls. Related Reading: Crypto Headed For A $10 Trillion Future? Hoskinson Says RWA Is The Key According to regulator statements and multiple news reports, the move follows an on-site inspection that uncovered thousands of rule breaches and several risky transfers abroad. Regulatory Findings And Scope Of The Inspection The Financial Intelligence Unit said inspectors found nearly 22,000 breaches related to AML and KYC rules. The FIU said the inspection, carried out from October 16 to 29, 2024, exposed serious gaps in how Korbit verified customer identities and handled transactions. Reports have disclosed that the exchange allowed some customers to trade before full verification was completed and accepted unclear or incomplete identity documents in many cases. The regulator also flagged 19 overseas transfers involving three unregistered foreign virtual asset service providers, a practice that is restricted under Korean law. The FIU highlighted the failure to carry out required risk checks for certain services, including some nonfungible token activities. In total, 655 cases were cited where mandatory risk assessments were not completed, according to the findings. Corporate responsibility measures were taken as well: the CEO received a formal caution and the compliance officer was reprimanded. An institutional warning was issued alongside the monetary penalty. Transaction Failures And Enforcement Details The inspection report described multiple instances where trading or withdrawals proceeded despite incomplete KYC steps. Such lapses raise the chance that illicit funds could move through the platform without timely detection. The FIU’s action is part of a broader push by South Korean authorities to tighten oversight of exchanges and bring them into closer alignment with international anti-money-laundering standards. Market sources indicate Korbit has been in discussions with Mirae Asset Group about a potential deal, with the exchange’s valuation reported at around ₩140 billion — roughly $97–$98 million. That interest comes even as regulators step up scrutiny, showing that traditional finance remains curious about crypto assets despite compliance headaches. Related Reading: Crypto ETFs Defy The Pullback With $32 Billion In Fresh Investor Cash What The Penalty Means For The Industry Other exchanges have also faced tougher checks in recent years as authorities press platforms to shore up controls. The Korbit case is likely to prompt more internal reviews across the sector and could speed up changes in procedures, staffing and technology meant to prevent repeat failures. Some measures will be public, while others may be handled behind closed doors. Korbit declined to comment directly to some outlets, while the FIU confirmed the sanction on December 31, 2025. The exchange will now need to demonstrate fixes or face possible further action. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

A veteran market analyst has flagged a technical pattern that could signal a turning point for Bitcoin after months of underperformance versus gold. The move comes as traders weigh whether the long run of gains for the yellow metal has exposed limits in Bitcoin’s safe-haven story. Related Reading: Gold And Stocks Ran Ahead, But Bitcoin May Close The Gap In 2026 Bitcoin Versus Gold Ratio Down The Bitcoin-to-gold ratio has plunged. It fell from 32 on Oct. 5 to about 20 today, a drop of more than 37%. According to the data, that means one Bitcoin bought roughly 32 ounces of gold in early October but now buys about 20. The ratio’s slide has accelerated since gold’s rally took hold and Bitcoin’s price slipped below key levels. Daily readings point to a possible change in momentum. On Nov. 21 the BTC/GOLD pair hit a low of 20 and the RSI stood at 21.30. A lower low near Dec. 1 came with a higher RSI low of 26.83. Then another trough at 19 on Dec. 26 coincided with a higher RSI low of 32.21. That’s a valid bullish divergence on the daily timeframe for BTCUSD vs. Gold. Interested to see where that leads us into 2026. pic.twitter.com/D6ei8HsIDy — Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) December 31, 2025 Based on reports, Michaël van de Poppe called this pattern a “strong” bullish divergence on the daily chart, a setup traders watch because it can show selling pressure easing even as prices make new lows. Technical Signals Show Cooling Selling Pressure On the weekly chart the picture adds weight to the signal. The weekly RSI for the BTC/GOLD pair has sunk to about 31.85 at press time. That level was last seen during the November 2022 sell-off tied to the FTX collapse, a point that marked a bottom in that cycle. Reports also link similar RSI lows to the bottoms seen in 2015 and 2018. Taken together, the daily divergence and the low weekly RSI make a stronger case that the downtrend may be losing steam, though nothing is guaranteed. Market Sentiment Splits Investors Gold’s rally has been dramatic. Reports show gold surged by over 70% in 2025 while Bitcoin fell by 7% over the year in some measures. At press time Bitcoin trades at $87,750, down 4.8% year-to-date. The breakdown in the Bitcoin-to-gold ratio and Bitcoin’s continued weakness below $100,000 have prompted fresh questions about the “digital gold” story as bullion posts historic gains. Short-term money appears to favor gold for capital protection. Many traders are treating the metal as a shelter while it climbs to new highs. Long-term holders, however, still point to Bitcoin’s potential for big upside once risk appetite returns. Related Reading: Crypto Headed For A $10 Trillion Future? Hoskinson Says RWA Is The Key According to market watchers, the near-term outlook hinges on whether the BTC/GOLD ratio and price action deliver follow-through above key levels. Until that happens, signals will remain tentative. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

According to Farside Investors data, US investors put close to $32 billion into US crypto exchange-traded funds in 2025 even as markets lost steam late in the year. Related Reading: Crypto Headed For A $10 Trillion Future? Hoskinson Says RWA Is The Key Spot Bitcoin ETFs drew the biggest share, with $21.4 billion in net inflows. That is smaller than the $35 billion that poured into Bitcoin ETFs in 2024. Blackrock Dominates Flows BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF, IBIT, accounted for most of the activity. Reports show IBIT took in about $24.7 billion. That makes its inflows roughly five times larger than the nearest rival, Fidelity’s FBTC. Market watchers noted IBIT ranked near the top among all ETF flows, placing behind only a few broad index funds and a big treasury bond fund. If IBIT’s number is removed, the wider spot Bitcoin ETF group actually finished the year with about $3 billion in combined outflows. Grayscale’s Bitcoin product lost nearly $4 billion on the year. Bitcoin’s price was lower than at the start of 2025; it began the year around $93,500. Ethereum Interest Strong But Cooling Based on reports, interest in Ethereum ETFs was real, but the momentum looks uneven. BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust, ETHA, sits at nearly $12.6 billion in inflows. Fidelity’s FETH follows at $2.6 billion, while Grayscale’s Ethereum Mini Trust ETF holds about $1.5 billion. Still, public on-chain data showed little renewed demand for spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs in the last month of the year, suggesting flows may slow into 2026. Ether ETFs benefited from being new and giving investors a regulated way to own ETH, but recent days have seen quieter buying. Spot Ether ETFs, which only became widely tradable after their July 2024 launch, gathered $9.6 billion in their first full year. Spot Solana ETFs, launched in late October, added $765 million through year end. Altcoin ETFs Show Curiosity, Not Frenzy Litecoin and XRP ETFs also began trading in the latter half of the year, giving investors more choices for regulated altcoin exposure. The sums are small compared with Bitcoin and Ether. Solana’s $765 million is an example of early interest that has not yet turned into a large, steady stream of assets. These products are being tested by the market. Related Reading: Gold And Stocks Ran Ahead, But Bitcoin May Close The Gap In 2026 Global Flows Tell A Different Story Industry trackers reported that crypto ETFs listed worldwide experienced $2.95 billion in net outflows in November, and there was about $179 billion invested in crypto ETFs globally at the end of that month. Regulators and exchanges moved faster this year under new SEC leadership that was more open to approvals, which in turn helped institutional adoption in the US. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Anthony Scaramucci says a friendlier US policy mix: rate cuts, looser financial conditions, and a renewed push for crypto legislation could set up 2026 as a better tape for “quality” altcoins, even after what he described as an unexpectedly bruising 2025 for the sector. In a Dec. 31 interview with Altcoin Daily, the SkyBridge Capital founder framed 2025 as a year where positioning and sentiment broke down under selling pressure he said he didn’t anticipate. “There’s probably $4.6 billion of whale selling this year into the ETF demand,” Scaramucci said, arguing that the deleveraging event around Oct. 10 amplified the move. “There was a massive amount of deleveraging. It impacted some of the market makers. It forced a liquidity crisis,” he added, describing a 30% drop as “garden variety” for bitcoin, but still a surprise for traders leaning bullish. Scaramucci said he now sees the setup improving precisely because sentiment turned so negative. “We were tilted to the bulls, we’re now decidedly very bearish,” he said, claiming his internal “bull meter” sits around 13 or 14 out of 100. The flip side, he argued, is that incremental good news, less large-holder selling, steadier ETF inflows, or regulatory progress, could matter more than usual. Related Reading: Crypto Hacks Swipe Nearly $3 Billion In 2025 Despite Fewer Attacks – Report A central part of Scaramucci’s thesis was that the market still expects US market-structure legislation to pass, and that the timeline matters. “I do think it is detrimental because I do think there is still a market expectation that it’s going to pass. I do think you need that clarity,” he said of the Clarity Act. Without it, he argued, serious tokenization efforts remain constrained by legal uncertainty: “Who’s going to spend the kind of money that you need to switch over the financial system if you’re not guaranteed that you’re going to be able to use it.” He also tied the policy fight to a broader economic claim: “There’s between, depending on how you measure it, there’s three and a half to $4 trillion dollars worth of transaction verification expenses in the global economy per year… If you could get that down, let’s say you cut it in half, you could unleash a $2 trillion capital spend in other areas of the economy or just better wages for people.” Related Reading: RWA Tops Crypto Narratives In 2025: CoinGecko Reports 185% Growth Pressed on odds of passage before the midterms, Scaramucci said it should be “north of 50%,” arguing Democrats have learned there is “no anti-crypto voter,” while crypto-aligned spending can be decisive in tight races. Scaramucci’s Top-3 Altcoins And Bitcoin Prediction Asked for his current top-three altcoins, Scaramucci named Solana first, followed by Avalanche and Telegram-linked TON. “My three top coins then would be Solana, it would be Avalanche and believe it or not… it would be the Telegram token known as Ton,” he said, while acknowledging he has been early or wrong on timing. He said he first bought TON at $7.50, averaging near $4.00, while saying it was trading around $1.50 at the time of the interview, but still sees it as a token that could be used across Telegram’s network as it grows. On why Solana sits at No. 1, Scaramucci kept it simple and comparative: “Cheap, low cost, very fast, easy to use, easy to develop on,” he said, adding he’s “not an Ethereum negative person” and expects “a multicoin world.” Macro is the other pillar. Scaramucci expects “two to four interest rate cuts” next year and argued a president facing midterms will want growth optics. “He’s going to flood the zone with capital. He’s going to drop interest rates. He’s going to try to perk up the economy,” Scaramucci said. “That bodes well for the stock market… for the altcoin market… and… for crypto.” For bitcoin, he stuck with his $150,000 call—“I’m off by a year, I think”—and said he recently “bought more Bitcoin” for his family, betting that ETF flows and easier policy can overpower the hangover from 2025’s whale-driven selling. At press time, the total crypto market cap stood at $2.94 trillion. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

According to market intelligence firm Santiment, Bitcoin is trailing both gold and the S&P 500 after a sharp pullback in November. Gold has climbed 9% since early November, the S&P 500 is up 1%, and Bitcoin is down about 20%, trading near $88,000 as of Wednesday. Based on reports, that gap has left crypto quieter while other markets show modest rebounds. Related Reading: Crypto Headed For A $10 Trillion Future? Hoskinson Says RWA Is The Key Whale Accumulation Signals Santiment’s data points to a split in behavior among holders. Small wallets were busy buying in the second half of 2025, while large wallets largely held steady and sold after pushing up to October’s all-time high. Large holders are often treated as market movers, so their cautious posture has kept pressure on prices. Historically, a shift where big holders start buying while retail eases off has marked real trend shifts, but that condition is not fully obvious yet. ???? The correlation between Bitcoin & crypto compared to other major sectors is still lagging behind. Since November began, price performances are: ???? Gold: +9% ???? S&P 500: +1% ???? Bitcoin: -20% ???? Heading to 2026, there will remain an opportunity for crypto to play “catch up”. pic.twitter.com/FW8JaQboTV — Santiment (@santimentfeed) December 30, 2025 On-Chain Data Mixed Reports note some signs of stabilization. Long-term Bitcoin holders trimmed holdings from 14.8 million coins in mid-July to 14.3 million by December, then paused further selling. Active Bitcoin addresses rose 5.51% in the last 24 hours, yet transactions fell almost 30% over the same window. That mismatch suggests more people are watching the market, while fewer are committing funds. The raw numbers show interest, but not a clear shift back to broad trading activity. Market Voices Weigh In Garrett Jin, who once ran exchange BitForex, said traders are already reallocating capital, arguing that money moves from one market to another when opportunities appear. Capital is the same and as always, it is wise to sell high and buy low, Jin wrote, according to posts on social channels. Another analyst, CyrilXBT, described the current setup as late-cycle positioning before a possible rotation: when liquidity turns, gold could cool, Bitcoin might lead, and other tokens could follow. Bitcoin right now continues to look just like the 2016-2017 period, just before a parabolic move. These two setups continue to flash in our mind due to the extreme similarities and bullish signals are even holding & flashing here too.$BTC‘s looking ready to absolutely GO ????… pic.twitter.com/H1hInYwix8 — JAVON⚡️MARKS (@JavonTM1) December 30, 2025 Price Calls And Technical Views Technical commentators remain split. Javon Marks has pointed to parabolic patterns in Bitcoin’s chart that echo the 2016–2017 build-up and continues to forecast a rally toward $125K. Based on CoinCodex data, a more modest move is expected first: the platform forecasts BTC could reach $91,500 by January 30, 2026, a rise of 3.68% from current levels. Related Reading: Crypto Policy In The Hot Seat As US Lawmaker Calls SEC Hearing CoinCodex lists sentiment as bearish and the Fear & Greed Index at 23 (Extreme Fear). The site also notes Bitcoin had 15/30 green days and 2.11% volatility over the past 30 days, with the last update on Dec 31, 2025. Short-term traders should focus on whether large wallets resume buying in volume, and whether transactions pick up alongside rising active addresses. If whales start accumulating again while long-term holders stop reducing positions, that combination would give a stronger signal than either metric alone. In the meantime, reports point to stabilization rather than a confirmed reversal, leaving room for a catch-up move in 2026 if liquidity and sentiment turn. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

A massive crypto position opened by a high-net-worth holder has traders debating whether a short, sharp bounce is coming — or if the market is setting up for more pain. According to on-chain trackers, an $11 billion Bitcoin whale recently sold assets and placed nearly three quarters of a billion dollars on bets for higher prices in Bitcoin, Ether and Solana. Whale Opens Massive Longs Based on reports by Lookonchain, the wallet sold about $330 million worth of Ether before opening three leveraged long positions totaling $748 million. The single biggest position is a $598 million long on Ether opened at $3,147 with a liquidation trigger under $2,143. Related Reading: Crypto Policy In The Hot Seat As US Lawmaker Calls SEC Hearing The same reports list entry prices near BTC $87,883 and SOL $124.43 for the other parts of the bet. At the time of the trades, Ether was trading around $2,975. The whale is carrying close to $50 million in unrealized losses on those leveraged bets, according to the on-chain data. BREAKING! The #BitcoinOG(1011short) with a massive $749M long position in $BTC, $ETH, and $SOL, just deposited 112,894 $ETH($332M) into #Binance again.https://t.co/rM9dXV3Ln4https://t.co/Fsi6okD47f pic.twitter.com/qVlZ4c6Htx — Lookonchain (@lookonchain) December 30, 2025 Smart Money Still Cautious Reports have disclosed that other whale addresses also piled into spot Ether around the same window. One thread of transactions shows about $5B of Bitcoin moved into Ether holdings since August, with an earlier swap that saw $2.59B of BTC exchanged for $2.2 billion in spot ETH and a $577M perpetual long. In one burst of activity, nine large addresses added a combined $456 million in ETH within a day. Nansen data shows 19 wallets collecting a total of 7.43 million spot ETH in recent weeks. Nansen’s data tells a very different story. Based on figures from the analytics firm, high-performing traders reduced their bullish Ether positions by $6.5 million in a single day and are now holding net short positions of $121 million on ETH. The same group is also betting lower on Bitcoin, with $192 million in short exposure, and on Solana, totaling $74 million. While large holders buying on the spot market can push prices higher in the short run, experienced traders appear to be bracing for further weakness rather than a sustained move up. Year-End Rally Failed As Liquidity Thinned Bitcoin and Ether ended December without the expected year-end rally, highlighting the fragility of crypto markets when liquidity is low and risk appetite declines. Repeated attempts by Bitcoin to reclaim key levels were unsuccessful, and the quarter closed with negative performance while precious metals such as gold posted gains. Related Reading: Crypto Heat Fizzling Out? US Search Interest Plunges As Retail Shy Away The market is now watching whether the alpha crypto can hold support into the new year; the failed rally may mean a deeper reset is needed before a sustained recovery. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Charles Hoskinson isn’t backing away from big predictions. The Cardano founder says crypto is still early, despite years of growth and repeated boom-and-bust cycles. In his view, the industry is setting up for something much larger—both in size and in reach. Related Reading: Crypto Heat Fizzling Out? US Search Interest Plunges As Retail Shy Away Today, crypto counts more than 500 million users worldwide. The combined market value already sits in the trillions, with Bitcoin alone worth about $1.75 trillion. That’s impressive, but Hoskinson argues it’s nowhere near the finish line. He believes the sector can grow to 2 billion users and hit a $10 trillion total valuation. That’s a fourfold jump in adoption and more than triple today’s market size. His timeline is clear too. Hoskinson says this could happen within the next 10 years, by 2035. Why Hoskinson Thinks Crypto Explodes From Here The key driver, according to Hoskinson, is real-world asset tokenization, often called RWA. It’s the idea of putting traditional assets—like bonds, property, and commodities—onto blockchains. This isn’t theoretical anymore. Data from RWA.xyz shows close to $20 billion worth of assets, including bonds and real estate, have already been tokenized. That number keeps climbing, even during slow market periods. UPDATE: #Cardano $ADA Founder Charles Hoskinson says the crypto industry will “grow to 2 billion users over the next 10 years and a $10 trillion market cap, because of the RWA revolution and the unification of the financial markets.” $NIGHT pic.twitter.com/F9mntPZd0I — Angry Crypto Show (@angrycryptoshow) December 28, 2025 Hoskinson says this trend changes everything. When assets move on-chain, crypto stops being just about trading tokens. It becomes financial infrastructure. Add in global payment rails and shared standards across blockchains, and you get what he calls a “unified financial market.” Privacy-focused projects also matter here. Hoskinson has pointed to initiatives like Midnight, which aim to balance compliance and privacy. He believes these tools could make institutions more comfortable bringing large pools of capital on-chain. Cardano’s Reality Check In The Market Still, Hoskinson’s optimism comes at an awkward time for his own network. Cardano (ADA) is ending the year under pressure. Selling has stayed heavy, and rallies haven’t lasted. Buying volume remains thin. Price action is stuck below key resistance levels, and momentum hasn’t flipped. As a result, ADA is hovering near important support zones. If those levels break, traders warn the token could drop below $0.30, a psychological line many are watching closely. Market activity overall has slowed, and for now, sellers are still in control. This disconnect hasn’t gone unnoticed. Critics argue Hoskinson’s push for cooperation is partly driven by Cardano’s struggle to attract users at the pace seen on other major chains. Abundance Of Wealth Hoskinson rejects the idea that crypto is a winner-takes-all game. He says the future isn’t about one chain dominating the rest. Instead, he sees room for many networks to grow together. Related Reading: Crypto Policy In The Hot Seat As US Lawmaker Calls SEC Hearing There’s lots of wealth to spread around, he’s said recently. In his view, projects with real use cases will find users naturally as the market expands. That thinking explains his openness to partnerships. Hoskinson has previously hinted at collaborations involving major ecosystems like XRP and Solana. The goal, he says, is shared growth, not tribal fights. Whether the industry reaches $10 trillion remains an open question. But here’s the thing: If RWAs keep moving on-chain and global finance truly starts to merge with crypto rails, the market Hoskinson imagines won’t sound so far-fetched anymore. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView