THE LATEST CRYPTO NEWS

Despite a mixed performance throughout 2025, XRP has emerged as one of the standout performers in the cryptocurrency market. Currently trading slightly below $1.90, the fifth-largest cryptocurrency has retraced nearly 50% from its all-time highs achieved in July.  Nevertheless, Standard Chartered is optimistic about XRP’s future, forecasting a significant upward trend driven by anticipated inflows into spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and increased regulatory clarity. Spot XRP ETFs Could Drive $4-$8 Billion In Inflows  The bank predicts that the launch of spot XRP ETFs could bring in between $4 billion and $8 billion into XRP throughout 2026. Should these inflows materialize, the resulting demand—coupled with XRP’s relatively limited supply—could catalyze a sharp increase in the coin’s price.  Related Reading: US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: Key Catalyst For Potential Surge Toward $150,000 Next Year Analyst Geoffrey Kendrick has laid out an ambitious roadmap for XRP’s future, anticipating prices of $8.00 in 2026, and potentially reaching $12.50 by 2028. To put this into perspective, XRP’s current circulating supply is approximately 57 billion coins. Even modest inflows of a few billion dollars could create a meaningful supply shock in the market.  So far, XRP ETFs have gathered around $1.25 billion. To reach the $8 target, it would require annual flows to hit the range of $5 billion to $10 billion, similar to the initial enthusiasm surrounding Bitcoin ETFs. Regulatory Resolution As Key Catalyst  A parallel factor influencing XRP’s potential rise is the resolution of regulatory uncertainty surrounding the cryptocurrency. The US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) long-standing lawsuit against Ripple Labs has significantly impacted XRP’s narrative.  Yet, in August 2025, the SEC withdrew its appeal, resulting in Ripple agreeing to a $125 million settlement and affirming that XRP sales on secondary markets are not classified as securities transactions.  Related Reading: Bitcoin And Ethereum Influx: Strategy Grabs 1,200 BTC, Bitmine Immersion Ups ETH by 44,000 This resolution eliminates a substantial legal burden and is seen by Standard Chartered as a catalyst for increased adoption. With legal uncertainties removed, capital that had been sidelined could finally enter the market. However, for XRP to achieve a price of $8 by 2026, favorable economic conditions, including low interest rates and a risk-on attitude among investors, would be critical. Should macroeconomic challenges escalate, investors may shy away from altcoins. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

US Representative Maxine Waters has formally asked House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill to schedule an oversight hearing with Securities and Exchange Commission  (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins, saying the agency must explain recent choices that, she argues, weaken enforcement of securities laws. Related Reading: Bitcoin Rules The Decade: Outshines Gold And Silver, Analyst Says Waters Seeks Answers On Dropped SEC Cases According to Waters’ letter, the SEC has terminated or stayed a number of high-profile crypto enforcement actions that had been moving through the agency’s process, and committee Democrats want an explanation for those decisions. Reports have disclosed that the letter names actions involving Coinbase, Binance, Justin Sun, Kraken, and Ripple among those of concern. The request lists nine areas where the SEC’s recent conduct raises questions for lawmakers, including whether enforcement choices were driven by legal judgment or by outside pressures. Waters, who is the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, told Chairman Hill that the public deserves clarity about changes to enforcement strategy and about how investor protections will be preserved. Concerns About Politicization And Investor Protections Based on reports, Waters expressed particular alarm that the agency’s handling of cases since US President Donald Trump took office looks different from prior enforcement patterns, and she argues that some moves could amount to an erosion of investor protections. Industry observers and several media outlets have picked up the story, noting the broader context: a year of big shifts in crypto policy and new legislation that has altered the regulatory picture. ???? MAXINE WATERS CALLS FOR HEARING ON SEC CHAIR ATKINS’ CRYPTO DECISIONS — The Wolf Of All Streets (@scottmelker) December 30, 2025 Some outlets say the timing of Waters’ letter—sent late in December—reflects rising pressure from Democrats as they prepare for oversight if they regain more committee influence. What Waters Wants From The SEC In her request, Waters seeks direct answers about why certain cases were dropped or delayed, what internal analyses the SEC relied on, and whether staff reductions or policy shifts affected enforcement. She also asked that Chairman Atkins appear before the committee so members can question him in public. Committee Role And Next Steps Reports indicate the letter was delivered to Chairman Hill on December 29, 2025, and that Waters urged him to set a date for an oversight hearing as soon as possible. Related Reading: Crypto Heat Fizzling Out? US Search Interest Plunges As Retail Shy Away The committee could use a hearing to examine documents and testimony from SEC officials, and to press for a public accounting of how decisions were made about major crypto matters. How quickly that happens will depend on the committee’s calendar and on whether Hill agrees to a formal public session. The issue has drawn attention because it involves both enforcement of existing securities law and the future of crypto oversight in the US. Investors, industry groups, and lawmakers on both sides are watching to see whether the SEC’s recent moves represent a long-term policy shift or isolated choices tied to individual cases. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Investor Paul Barron’s hint at “big news” has reignited attention on XRP exchange-traded funds this week, sending the community into speculation over possible upcoming announcements or launches. Related Reading: Crypto Heat Fizzling Out? US Search Interest Plunges As Retail Shy Away Traders and holders reacted fast on social channels, pushing chatter and price focus higher even as specifics remain unclear. ETF Flows Heat Up According to data shared by Nate Geraci, President of NovaDius Wealth, Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs dominated year-to-date inflows. BlackRock’s IBIT Bitcoin ETF led with $25 billion in inflows. Grayscale’s Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF followed at $1.11 billion. Fidelity and VanEck posted $477 million and $305 million respectively. On the Ethereum side, BlackRock’s offerings recorded about $9.12 billion. A Solana staking ETF from Bitwise pulled in $839 million. These numbers show where most large investors are putting money right now. Expect some big news this week $XRP ETFs https://t.co/3BY5XJosPx — PaulBarron (@paulbarron) December 29, 2025 Community Reaction And Speculation Barron’s remark has been read by many as a hint at another XRP-related announcement. Some expect a new ETF launch; others are watching for updates from issuers already in the market. That talk has helped push attention — and inflows — to XRP products that only debuted late in the year. XRP Ledger Tokenization Surge Based on reports from rwa.xyz, on-chain data indicates tokenized real-world assets on the XRP Ledger rose by 2,200% in 2025. The network saw about 23x growth in the value of native real-world assets, including stablecoins, and crossed the $500 million threshold. Themes around RWA tokenization were widely discussed this year by figures such as BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and former SEC Chair Paul Atkins, and the XRPL appears to be drawing benefit from that interest. XRP ETFs Show Early Strength Canary’s XRP ETF (XRPC) registered $384 million in year-to-date inflows after launching in November. Other XRP spot funds have built sizable holdings too: 21Shares holds about $250 million, Bitwise roughly $227 million, Grayscale around $244 million, and Franklin about $206 million. Based on reports, all of these XRP spot ETFs launched in November and December and now tally roughly $1.24 billion in total assets under management with cumulative inflows near $1.14 billion. For a new category, that level of money moving in over a short span is notable; some industry voices point out the total might have been higher if market mood had not cooled recently. Reports also say XRP ETFs pulled in over $1 billion through 21 days of steady inflows. Pending Products And Rumors WisdomTree’s XRP ETF is among the pending offerings that market watchers expect to arrive next. At the same time, talk about a BlackRock XRP ETF has circulated widely. There is currently no public filing tied to a BlackRock XRP product, and reports caution that such expectations are premature without official filings or approvals. Related Reading: Bitcoin Rules The Decade: Outshines Gold And Silver, Analyst Says Current flows note that XRP’s ETF debut has shifted part of investor focus from pure crypto bets to spot ETF allocations and tokenization themes. Whether Barron’s hinted “big news” becomes a concrete catalyst will depend on filings and formal product launches. For now, the mix of solid early inflows and rapid XRPL tokenization growth has put XRP squarely in the conversation among ETF-focused investors and network adopters. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Crypto is seeing a shuffling of cards of sorts. Long-term holders of Bitcoin have eased up on selling after months of steady reductions, while large Ethereum wallets have been piling on more tokens, according to recent reports. Related Reading: Bitcoin Rules The Decade: Outshines Gold And Silver, Analyst Says Traders remain careful as prices swing and data gives mixed signals about where money is moving next. According to on-chain figures cited in market commentary, wallets that have held Bitcoin for at least 155 days cut their total from nearly 15 million coins in mid-July to a little over 14 million in December. Ether Whales Increase Holdings Based on reports quoting CryptoQuant and a crypto newsletter, addresses holding large amounts of ether have added around 120,000 ETH since Dec.26. Analysts at Milk Road said wallets with 1,000+ ETH now control roughly 70% of the supply, and that share has been climbing since late 2024. Heavy concentration can point to strong conviction from a few players, and it can also leave the market exposed if those same wallets move to sell. Both outcomes would shape liquidity and price swings. Long-term holders have stopped selling $BTC for the first time since July 2025. Things are looking good for a relief rally here. pic.twitter.com/t7Sl2hS9Ub — Ted (@TedPillows) December 29, 2025 Long-Term Bitcoin Holders Pause Selling Crypto investor Ted Pillows was quoted on X saying long-term holders “have stopped selling Bitcoin for the first time since July 2025,” a point that market watchers flagged as a possible turning point in holder behavior. That change in activity is often read as a sign of exhaustion after a long stretch of distribution. It can mean sellers are done for now, but it does not guarantee a fresh uptrend. Capital Moves And Market Chops Garrett Jin, formerly of exchange BitForex, suggested that some capital may be shifting from metals into crypto after a short squeeze in precious metals. Reports referenced gains in silver and platinum as part of the backdrop. At the same time, bitcoin traded in a tight range recently, bouncing between $86,740 and $90,060 over seven days, a pattern that has kept many traders on edge. Silver’s price rose by more than 1,570% this year, a figure that would represent an extreme move and which will need independent confirmation. Meanwhile, bitcoin remains well below its record highs. Some analysts argue that lukewarm ETF demand and market mechanics, including derivatives and liquidity patterns, play a larger role in price action than headline sentiment. Related Reading: Crypto Heat Fizzling Out? US Search Interest Plunges As Retail Shy Away Taken together, the data points to a market that is stabilizing more than rallying decisively. Large ether holders are buying, long-term bitcoin owners have paused selling, and US flows look soft. Featured image from GaijinPot Blog, chart from TradingView

With Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) prices facing significant corrections, the two largest publicly traded holders of these cryptocurrencies, Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) and Bitmine Immersion, have made substantial moves to bolster their portfolios over the past week. Strategy Resumes Bitcoin Acquisitions  On Monday, Strategy announced that, between 22 and 28 December, it had acquired 1,129 Bitcoin at an average price of around $88,568 each, totaling approximately $108.8 million.  This latest purchase increased Strategy’s Bitcoin portfolio to 672,497 tokens, originally acquired for roughly $74,997 per token, making the total investment approximately $50.44 billion.  Related Reading: Bitcoin Nears Red Yearly Close: Galaxy Digital Explains The Setup Alongside these acquisitions, the company sold $108.8 million in Class A common stock under its at-the-market equity offering, leaving a major $11.7 billion still available for future issuance and sale. This follows the week after 24 November, during which the company did not make any new crypto acquisitions or issue any securities. Notably, Strategy also paused its purchasing activities between 15 and 21 December, ending a three-week streak of acquisitions. During this time, it sold common stock amounting to $747.8 million. Bitmine Stashes 4,110,525 Ethereum On the other side, Bitmine Immersion has disclosed a significant increase in its Ethereum holdings, adding 44,463 ETH in just the past week. This move brings its total stash to 4,110,525 ETH, which constitutes about 3.41% of the entire Ethereum supply. Out of this cache, Bitmine has staked 408,627 ETH. Tom Lee, the Chairman of Fundstrat and a key figure at Bitmine, commented on the market’s seasonal activity, noting that trading tends to slow as the year draws to a close. He stated, “Bitmine added 44,463 ETH in the past week, as we continue to be the largest ‘fresh money’ buyer of ETH in the world.”  Lee attributed the downward pressure on cryptocurrency and related equities to year-end tax-loss selling, which typically peaks between December 26 and December 30. Emphasizing Bitmine’s strategic focus, Lee remarked that the company remains dedicated to enhancing shareholder value. This commitment involves accretively acquiring ETH per share, optimizing yields, and income on its Ethereum holdings. Crypto Market Woes Despite these acquisitions, both cryptocurrencies have failed to regain their key levels, with BTC consolidating below $90,000 at around $87,400 and ETH trading just above $2,920. On a year-to-date basis, both ETH and BTC are set to close 2025 with losses of 12% and 6%, respectively.  Related Reading: Ethereum’s Quiet Bounce Faces A Bigger Test Above $3,550 Strategy’s stock, which trades under the ticker name MSTR, is currently priced at around $156 per share. This represents a substantial 71% decline from the all-time high of $540 reached in November 2024.  At the time of writing, Bitmine’s BMNR stock was trading at $28.40, having recorded an even greater loss than Strategy when compared to its all-time high price of $161. This equates to an 82% loss for the company’s stock since July of this year.  Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

As Bitcoin (BTC) maintains a consolidated trading range between $86,000 and $90,000 after experiencing a 30% correction from its all-time high in October, market expectations for the cryptocurrency’s future remain optimistic.  Market analyst Dominic Basulto from The Motley Fool believes that despite the persistent challenges seen in the fourth quarter of the year, Bitcoin could soar to $150,000 by 2026, fueled by the newly established US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. Is $150,000 Possible For Bitcoin?  Historical context supports Basulto’s prediction; Bitcoin’s performance over the years has shown significant recovery potential, with 2015 marking its worst bull market year at just a 36% gain. Significantly, in seven of its years, Bitcoin has achieved triple-digit percentage returns. The analyst suggests that 2026 may resemble 2019, a year when Bitcoin appreciated by 95% following the dismal performance in 2018, when it plummeted by 74%. Related Reading: XRP Supply Shock Incoming? Expert Reveals The Truth In 2019, several catalysts, such as heightened global economic uncertainty and a surge in institutional interest, propelled Bitcoin upwards—situations that appear similar to current conditions.  Institutional investors are increasingly adding BTC to their portfolios, driven by spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Meanwhile, concerns over global tariffs and macroeconomic instability in the US continue to resonate among investors, setting the stage for potential bullish movement. However, Basulto emphasizes that Bitcoin can only reach the $150,000 milestone if it is perceived as a long-term store of value. If investors view it merely as another high-risk asset, they may choose to favor physical gold over digital gold, which has seen a record-breaking year.  The crux of his argument centers on one pivotal factor that could significantly impact Bitcoin’s price: a notable increase in purchases by the US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.  What Happens If Nations Stockpile BTC? Basulto claims that if the US government were to start buying substantial quantities of Bitcoin, it could trigger a global arms race among other countries keen to create their own strategic BTC reserves.  According to the analyst, such purchases from national reserves could dramatically inflate Bitcoin’s price, likely surpassing the impact of corporate treasury companies that have already amassed close to 5% of the world’s circulating BTC supply. Related Reading: Investment Firm CEO Drops Utility Bomb On XRP, Is Community Hype A Detriment? Although reaching the $150,000 mark may seem ambitious given Bitcoin’s recent performance, more aggressive predictions exist for 2026. For instance, JPMorgan Chase has forecasted a potential price of $170,000, while Wall Street strategist Tom Lee from Fundstrat has suggested that BTC might even hit $250,000 next year. While a variety of factors must align for BTC to reclaim its status as digital gold, the possibility of elevated prices hinges on strategic actions by both the US government and institutional investors.  Basulto concluded that if the leading cryptocurrency can consolidate its position and the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve gains traction, the predicted price of $150,000 could be achieved by next year. At the time of writing, BTC’s price retraced towards $87,330 following an early Monday move above $90,500.  Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Search interest for the word “crypto” has fallen to levels not seen in a year, signaling a sharp drop in retail curiosity as 2025 ends. According to recent Google Trends readings, worldwide interest stood at 26 on the 0–100 scale, just above this year’s low of 24. Related Reading: Bitcoin Forecasts For 2026 Range From $65K To $250K As Sentiment Hits ‘Extreme Fear’ Searches Slide As Prices And Headlines Stumble Based on reports, US search activity for “crypto” hit a one-year low of 26, underscoring that casual investors are not hunting for basic information the way they did in earlier cycles. The dip follows a turbulent year that included a severe market sell-off in April and a sharp October flash crash that knocked major coins down from recent highs. Market watchers point to several triggers. Memecoin collapses tied to high-profile figures shook confidence. Policy shocks tied to US President Donald Trump’s tariff moves also coincided with big drops in interest during the spring. Some commentators say retail users moved on after heavy losses and viral token drama. There is close to no retail interest in crypto right now Do we need to start pumping the dino coins again to get retail to come back? After the Trump/Melania memecoin drama it seems that retail lost a lot of faith in the space None of my normie friends or family ask me… pic.twitter.com/ZNnOwT4FKe — 0xMarioNawfal (@RoundtableSpace) December 27, 2025 Retail Pullback Could Mean Quieter Weeks Ahead The practical effect is a quieter retail base. Trading volumes from small accounts have thinned. That does not mean prices must fall; it can mean fewer headline-grabbing rallies driven by newcomers. Institutions, which do not typically show up in Google searches, still play a big role in market flow. Year-end coverage highlights that institutional activity and regulatory moves shaped much of 2025’s action. Analysts Offer Different Takes On What Comes Next Some analysts warn that low retail interest removes a source of quick upside, making long rallies harder to sustain without strong macro catalysts. Others argue this lull is a pause, and that interest can return if prices break out or a major positive regulatory decision lands. Mario Nawfal and other commentators have described the current environment as a near-total absence of retail buzz. Data Points And What They Show The Google Trends scale gives a quick read. A 26 reading is low compared with earlier peaks during boom months. Reports from several industry outlets show the same pattern across regions, with the US particularly muted. Industry trackers note that big headline events still move markets, but everyday search traffic — the kind that often signals mass retail involvement — is down. Related Reading: Bitcoin Rules The Decade: Outshines Gold And Silver, Analyst Says A fall in Google searches is a sentiment indicator, not a trading rule. It shows fewer people are asking basic questions like how to buy or where to trade. That can cut both upside and downside volatility driven by inexperienced traders. Crypto is likely to remain under the radar until new catalysts appear, like significant price changes, regulatory updates, or a compelling story that captures mainstream interest again. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Peter Schiff has warned that Bitcoin could suffer the opposite fate of silver after the metal posted a sudden, sharp rise. Based on reports, traders and analysts are debating whether the move in silver marks a broad shift back to real assets or a brief, crowded trade that may unwind quickly. Related Reading: Bitcoin Rules The Decade: Outshines Gold And Silver, Analyst Says Silver’s Rapid Climb According to trading data, silver jumped more than 10% in a single session and rose from about $78 to $79 in roughly ninety minutes. Spot silver climbed 18% last week to close at a record $79.31 on thin post-Christmas volume and its new status as a strategic metal. Reports have disclosed that this rally is being driven by a supply deficit and Washington’s decision to classify silver as a critical mineral, not by geopolitics or hopes for US rate cuts. A TradingView chart showed a near-vertical breakout, and a monthly RSI reading reached its highest level in 45 years, a sign of extreme momentum. What is happening with silver may soon be happening with Bitcoin, only in reverse. But since markets tend to melt down faster than they melt up, the time frame for the move should be condensed. — Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) December 27, 2025 Tokenized Commodities And Market Value Tokenized versions of metal assets have also gained ground. Based on reports, these crypto-linked commodity tokens are approaching a $4 billion overall valuation, reflecting growing investor curiosity. CompaniesMarketCap data showed silver’s market value closing the gap with NVIDIA, a comparison that highlights heavy institutional demand for metal exposure. Still, tokenized assets remain small compared with spot markets and big ETFs, which means the shift is visible but not yet broad-based. Silver Vs. Bitcoin Bitcoin traded near $87,000 with little movement over the same period, according to CoinMarketCap snapshots, and some market charts show Bitcoin losing relative ground to silver since 2017. A silver-to-Bitcoin valuation model places Bitcoin’s trend value near $394,000, a figure that prompts debate among traders about where each market could go next. The BlackRock Bitcoin ETF’s strong inflows in 2025 point to steady institutional accumulation in crypto, while other indicators suggest Bitcoin’s gains can stall without fresh catalysts. Spot Silver Surge Spot silver’s strong weekly gain has left technicians and strategists split. Some say the move reflects a true supply-demand mismatch reinforced by the US critical mineral designation, which has encouraged long-term buying. Others point to the thin volume after the holidays as a factor that magnified price moves. A closing price reversal top pattern at record highs has been flagged by chart watchers, signaling that a correction could follow after such rapid ascent. These signs, combined with extreme RSI readings, raise questions about the sustainability of the current breakout. Related Reading: Bitcoin Forecasts For 2026 Range From $65K To $250K As Sentiment Hits ‘Extreme Fear’ Technical Warning Signs Market veterans emphasize that fast rallies can reverse quickly when liquidity dries up. Peter Schiff argued that declines often accelerate under pressure, and that idea matters because crowded positions can be unwound in a short span. At the same time, long-term flows into Bitcoin-related ETFs and institutional products should not be ignored; they can support higher prices over time. What traders watch next will be trade volumes, whether silver holds above current levels, and whether Bitcoin regains momentum in the face of metal strength. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Sberbank used its in-house crypto custody tool to back a loan for mining firm Intelion Data, signaling broader interest in crypto lending.

According to market commentators, a sharp split has opened between backers of Bitcoin and supporters of precious metals after a year of big moves in both camps. Bitcoin’s long-run gains are being held up as proof it remains the top performing asset, while gold and silver have staged a dramatic rally that has surprised some investors. Opinions are divided and the debate is loud. Related Reading: Bitcoin Forecasts For 2026 Range From $65K To $250K As Sentiment Hits ‘Extreme Fear’ Bitcoin’s Big Lead Since 2015 Bitcoin has climbed about 27,700% since 2015, a figure cited by analyst Adam Livingston. That figure dwarfs the gains recorded for silver and gold over the same stretch, which are roughly 400% and 280% respectively. Livingston argued that even if you ignore Bitcoin’s earliest years, the cryptocurrency still outpaced the metals by a large margin. Some see that as a clear win for the crypto thesis. Others are not convinced. Bitcoin vs. Silver vs. Gold since January 1st, 2015: Silver: 405% Gold: 283% Bitcoin: 27,701% Even ignoring the first 6 years of Bitcoin’s existence for the crybabies who whine about the timeframe comparison… …gold and silver drastically underperform the APEX ASSET.… pic.twitter.com/vdAnatqRKG — Adam Livingston (@AdamBLiv) December 27, 2025 Critics Push Back On Timeframes Gold advocate Peter Schiff told Livingston to focus on a shorter span — the last four years — and said Bitcoin’s moment may have passed. That challenge reflects a wider worry among metal holders that past performance may not repeat. Now do the last four years only. Times have changed. Bitcoin’s time has passed. — Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) December 27, 2025 Orange Horizon Wealth co-founder Matt Golliher offered a different angle, saying commodity prices tend to move back toward the cost of making them, and that higher prices often trigger more supply. He also pointed out that sources of gold and silver that were not profitable a year ago are now being mined at a profit. Supply And Macro Forces Driving Prices Gold and silver both surged to new highs in 2025. Reports show gold reached about $4,533 per ounce and silver approached nearly $80 per ounce. At the same time, the US dollar has weakened, with the US Dollar Index down roughly 10% for the year. Several analysts linked those moves to expectations around Fed easing in 2026 and to growing geopolitical tensions that can push traders into scarce assets. Zaner Metals strategist Peter Grant said thinner trading and the Fed outlook helped fuel sharp swings. Surprisingly unpopular opinion: Gold and silver do not need to slow down for Bitcoin to do well. Bitcoiners thinking that needs to happen, are low T, and don’t understand any of these assets. — _Checkmate ????????⚡☢️????️ (@_Checkmatey_) December 28, 2025 Related Reading: Bitcoin Forecasts For 2026 Range From $65K To $250K As Sentiment Hits ‘Extreme Fear’ Bitcoin’s Path Is Not Tied To Metals According to analysts from Glassnode and macro strategists, Bitcoin does not need gold or silver to cool off before it can rise again. James Check, a lead analyst at Glassnode, argued that the assets do not have to trade against one another. Macro strategist Lyn Alden echoed that view, noting the two can both attract demand at the same time and are not strict rivals in practice. Arthur Hayes added that Fed easing and a weaker dollar should lift scarce assets broadly, including digital and physical stores of value. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

XRP is trading around $1.87 and has slipped below the $2 mark after a recent slide. According to market trackers, the token is down about 30% in the fourth quarter of 2025, yet some analysts say the current weakness may be part of a larger build-up that has preceded strong rallies before. Investors and commentators are watching price action closely as debate grows over whether the token is setting up for a sharp rebound or more weakness. Related Reading: Bitcoin Forecasts For 2026 Range From $65K To $250K As Sentiment Hits ‘Extreme Fear’ Historical Accumulation Patterns Based on reports from chart watchers, XRP has shown what some call repeatable accumulation phases in past cycles. One run of consolidation unfolded from early 2015 through early 2017. During that span a steep drop took XRP from $0.00885 to $0.005, and later it rallied hard, climbing to about $3.30 by January 2018. A second cycle ran from mid-2023 into late 2024, where an August to November slide saw prices fall from $0.62 to $0.50, before a quick push up to roughly $3.4 in January 2025. Analysts point to these past moves as a pattern that could provide clues about what happens next. Recent Downtrend And Support Levels Reports show that since October 2025, XRP has fallen from about $2.8 to the current price near $1.84. Technical commentators have highlighted that the $1.8–$2 band, which acted as resistance earlier, may now be acting as support after recent trading. One analyst framed the present setup as an ABC reset, a short-term corrective structure that sometimes precedes renewed upward movement. Still, traders are split; some see a base forming, while others view the decline as evidence of continued selling pressure. The most hated $XRP rally is about to start! ???? pic.twitter.com/HTwbTIwxZ2 — STEPH IS CRYPTO (@Steph_iscrypto) December 16, 2025 Market Voices And Possible Catalysts According to community commentators, legal and market actions could influence XRP’s next leg. The potential end of a long-running SEC case, the arrival of XRP-focused ETFs, and pending legislation known as the Clarity Act were all cited as items that might change investor sentiment. One market watcher went so far as to say this could become the “most hated” rally, a phrase meant to describe a sudden surge that comes while many remain doubtful and frustrated. Utility Versus Price Several observers have urged a focus on real-world use. According to Aljarrah, the token’s value comes from practical utility and improved liquidity, which allows larger transfers with fewer tokens and makes the payment rails more efficient. People obsess over price, but XRP’s value is in its utility. A higher price strengthens liquidity, efficiency, and adoption. Let the tech and leadership do the work, short-term noise doesn’t matter. — Black Swan Capitalist (@VersanAljarrah) December 21, 2025 Related Reading: Big Bet On Ethereum: CEO Sees 10X TVL Growth In 2026 Price moves matter, he said, but not as speculation—rather as a factor that can broaden adoption by improving liquidity and network function. Traders should note that past patterns do not guarantee future results. While the accumulation thesis rests on historical parallels and technical charts, the market remains sensitive to news and flows. Selling now could mean missing gains if a rally follows, some warn; others say patience and careful sizing remain essential. For investors, the coming weeks may tell whether the current slump is the end of a retracement or the start of another climb. Featured image from LumerB/Getty Images, chart from TradingView

XRP is slowly entering one of the most important structural phases in its history. Price action has been mostly bearish and sentiment across the broader crypto market has been cautious, but on-chain data tells a very different story.  Data from Glassnode shows XRP balances on centralized exchanges falling to around 1.5 billion XRP, their lowest in over a year. This trend is unfolding alongside accumulation from newly launched XRP ETFs, creating conditions that could change the altcoin’s price dynamics heading into 2026. Related Reading: Bitcoin Forecasts For 2026 Range From $65K To $250K As Sentiment Hits ‘Extreme Fear’ XRP Exchange Balances Fall To Multi-Year Lows Data from Glassnode’s XRP balance on exchanges metric points to a clear and persistent downtrend in balances held on crypto exchanges throughout 2025. Earlier in the year, about 4 billion XRP sat on centralized platforms.  Since then, balances have steadily declined, with a particularly sharp drop visible in the fourth quarter of the year. As it stands, exchange-held XRP has compressed toward the 1.5 billion mark, one of the lowest levels recorded in recent years. This decline has occurred despite the current downtrend in XRP’s price action, meaning that some holders are increasingly opting to move tokens into longer-term custody, even as some others are selling off their holdings. This trend is important for bullish momentum, as falling exchange balances reduce near-term sell pressure and make cryptocurrencies more sensitive to incoming demand. At the center of this supply contraction are US-based Spot XRP ETFs, which have risen as a powerful new source of demand. Market estimates indicate that about 750 million XRP have been absorbed by the six Spot ETF products since the first one launched in November.  As ETFs continue pulling XRP off exchanges, the pool of liquid supply available to the spot market keeps shrinking. This dynamic does not force an immediate price response, but it changes the balance between supply and demand, and we could start to see the effects on the crypto in 2026. Related Reading: Big Bet On Ethereum: CEO Sees 10X TVL Growth In 2026 Weekly Chart Points To Exhaustion As XRP Sits On Support While on-chain data highlights tightening supply, technical conditions are beginning to reflect a similar theme. Crypto analyst Steph Is Crypto recently pointed out that XRP is now sitting on an important horizontal support zone on the weekly timeframe.  The chart shows XRP’s price action is now compressing into the $1.90 to $2.00 range after an extended decline from mid-2025 highs near $3.50, placing XRP back at a level that previously acted as a launch point earlier in the cycle.  Furthermore, the weekly Stochastic RSI is now in extreme oversold territory and this means that selling pressure has already done much of its work. Steph’s analysis noted that turning points tend to form when downside momentum is exhausted and there is little energy left for sellers to continue pushing price lower. Based on this, traders can expect XRP to transition into bullish momentum in early 2026. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

Crypto analyst and XRP advocate Levi Rietveld recently shared a short post on X stating that “$XRP is built for this,” alongside a video clip of US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaking about reviewing regulatory barriers around blockchain, stablecoins, and new payment systems like the crypto industry. Bessent’s comments focused on reforming financial infrastructure so capital markets can function more efficiently for mainstream users. In turn, Rietveld viewed those comments as closely matching the original purpose XRP was created to serve. Related Reading: Ethereum’s 2026 Overhaul Aims To Cut Costs, Boost Speed, Limit Censorship What XRP Was Designed To Do In the video clip that Levi Rietveld shared on X alongside his statement of XRP being built for this, Scott Bessent outlined a policy direction that places emphasis on evaluating regulatory impediments to blockchain technology, stablecoins, and new payment systems.  Bessent stated that officials will take a close look at regulatory impediments to blockchain, stablecoins, and new payment systems and consider reforms to unleash the power of American capital markets. Notably, this plan corresponds to a more crypto-positive approach adopted by the current US administration under President Donald Trump.  $XRP Is Built For This! pic.twitter.com/WNDUoeFPC4 — Levi | Crypto Crusaders (@LeviRietveld) December 22, 2025 These are a part of efforts by the US government to modernize crypto regulation and define clearer frameworks for digital assets, including proposed acts aimed at bringing clarity to markets and stablecoins. One example of this is the Clarity Act, a legislative proposal that aims to clearly define the regulatory treatment of digital assets, separate payment-focused tokens from securities, and assign clearer oversight roles to agencies such as the SEC and CFTC.  Bessent’s comments focused on improving payment systems and removing friction around new financial technology. XRP proponents like Levi Rietveld would quickly point out that the theme aligns closely with how the cryptocurrency and the XRP Ledger were engineered.  The XRP Ledger works with transparent settlement, predictable transaction costs, and finality that does not depend on mining or complex smart contract execution. These characteristics are important for institutions that need clarity and reliability.  In practice, XRP’s real-world role is most visible through payment solutions developed by Ripple. Banks and other financial institutions do not need to hold large balances of foreign currencies, since XRP can be used as an intermediate asset during settlement.  XRP’s Current Regulatory And Institutional Position Progress on regulatory clarity has been helping real institutional infrastructure around XRP. Multiple Spot XRP ETFs have gained approval and launched in 2025 and early numbers are positive, with over $1.14 billion worth of inflows. Bloomberg estimates suggest these funds could draw $5 billion to $7 billion in institutional capital by 2026.  Related Reading: Could XRP Make Trillionaires? Tech Firm Founder Thinks It’s Possible This creates new avenues for asset managers, pension funds, and other institutional allocators to hold XRP within traditional investment vehicles. All these cannot be possible without the clear framework for blockchain, stable coins, and new payment systems proposed by Bessent. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

According to a well-known crypto analyst, Bitcoin’s (BTC) long-standing four-year cycle can no longer dictate the direction of the crypto market. For months, both Bitcoin and major altcoins have struggled to regain their previous highs, while traditional markets have flourished. This difference in performance has sparked discussions about whether the old cycle rule still applies and what could come next for the broader market. Analyst Declares Bitcoin 4-Year Cycle Dead  A popular crypto analyst with over 227,000 followers on X, @theunipcs, has announced that the Bitcoin four-year cycle is dead. He stated that this market cycle is now unable to determine the behavior of BTC and many major altcoins.  Related Reading: Ethereum’s 2026 Overhaul Aims To Cut Costs, Boost Speed, Limit Censorship Traditionally, crypto’s four-year cycles have relied on the Bitcoin halving to reduce supply and trigger price surges. However, based on Unipcs’ analysis, these mechanisms no longer govern the market, especially as factors such as monetary policy, Spot ETFs, liquidity flows, macroeconomic factors, and dramatic liquidation events have significantly altered it.  Unipcs emphasized that the market has been in a long phase of consolidation and accumulation, showing little of the explosive activity historically expected after halving events. He pointed out that the price of Bitcoin and leading altcoins have remained depressed for months, trading roughly 30% or more below their all-time highs.  This decline stands in stark contrast to other major asset classes, which continue to climb. The analyst noted that Silver has been hitting record levels almost daily, while Gold continues to climb to new peaks. Additionally, major US stock indexes, such as the S&P 500, are hitting fresh highs, while crypto remains stagnant and underperforming.  Notably, this extended period of weakness is highlighted by Bitcoin’s crash below $85,000 earlier this month after peaking above $126,000 during the first week of October. Many altcoins, including Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and others, have followed a similar trajectory, surging explosively before plunging to new lows.  Technical indicators, such as the Fear & Greed Index, indicate that investor sentiment remains deeply negative, while analyst insights point to a bearish market structure. Overall, Unipcs’ analysis signals the possible end of the historically repetitive 4-year cycle, though he suggests it could mark the beginning of a new bullish phase for crypto.  What’s Next For BTC And The Crypto Market?  Despite the prolonged slump, Unipcs believes that the ongoing accumulation trend could end soon, triggering an aggressive rally in the crypto market. He believes that once this happens, Bitcoin and major altcoins could surge explosively to new all-time highs once the dormant market transitions into a new bullish phase.  Related Reading: Could XRP Make Trillionaires? Tech Firm Founder Thinks It’s Possible While the timing of his optimistic outlook remains uncertain, the analyst is confident in the market’s potential for a decisive breakout and recovery. Unipcs has stated that the crypto market will eventually catch up and potentially outperform all asset classes soon.  Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

According to Sharplink co-CEO Joseph Chalom, Ethereum could see a major jump in total value locked (TVL) next year if certain onchain trends pick up. Chalom put a bold number on it: 10X TVL in 2026. That claim ties together rising stablecoin use, bigger tokenization of real-world assets, and increased interest from big financial groups. Related Reading: Bitcoin Forecasts For 2026 Range From $65K To $250K As Sentiment Hits ‘Extreme Fear’ Stablecoin Activity On Ethereum Based on reports, the total stablecoin market stands at about $308 billion now and could grow to $500 billion by the end of next year, a rise of roughly 62%. Over half of all stablecoin activity — about 54% — happens on Ethereum. That math matters: more stablecoin flows on Ethereum tends to lift the protocol’s TVL because many of those dollars sit in smart contracts for swaps, lending, and liquidity pools. Sharplink Gaming holds 797,704 Ether, worth roughly $2.30 billion at the time of publication, a signal that some public treasuries are already staking big bets on the network. Tokenized Assets Gain Traction Chalom also expects tokenized real-world assets to expand rapidly, forecasting a $300 billion market for RWAs in 2026 and saying tokenized assets will 10X in AUM next year as funds, stocks, and bonds get wrapped onchain. In 2026, I believe Ethereum’s Total Value Locked (TVL) will increase 10X. Why and how? ???? Views ≠ investment advice. — Joseph Chalom (@joechalom) December 26, 2025 He points to rising interest from mainstream firms like JPMorgan, Franklin Templeton, and BlackRock. Reports note that sovereign wealth funds may increase their Ethereum exposure by five- to tenfold, which could bring large, patient capital into tokenization projects and protocol deposits. Ethereum Price Action Ethereum was trading near $2,921 on December 25, 2025, giving the network a market value of about $352 billion, while 24-hour trading volume came in at roughly $11.47 billion. Over the course of 2025, ETH moved through a full market swing. It opened the year around $3,298, climbed to about $4,390 in August, and stayed below its record high of $4,942, before sliding back to the $2,921 area by year-end. Price swings were heavy, with annual volatility close to 140%. Technical readings show mixed momentum. The weekly RSI sits at 41.7, placing Ethereum in a neutral-to-bearish zone, while the daily MACD histogram remains negative at -0.15. Price action has also been boxed into a narrow band between $2,774 and $3,038. Futures data adds to the cautious tone. Total open interest stands near $37 billion, down 0.62% over the past 24 hours, pointing to reduced exposure from traders. Liquidation data shows more than $100 million in potential long liquidations clustered between $2,880 and $2,910, an area now seen as a key pressure point. Related Reading: Could XRP Make Trillionaires? Tech Firm Founder Thinks It’s Possible Market Signals And Risks Not everyone agrees that token flows will translate into quick price gains. According to crypto analyst Benjamin Cowen, Ether is unlikely to hit new highs next year given current Bitcoin conditions. That caution lines up with technicals that point to range-bound trading and with the fact that open interest has eased slightly. The liquidation cluster near $2,880–$2,910 shows where leveraged positions could be forced out, and that kind of stress can push price moves faster than fundamentals. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView

According to reports, Bitcoin’s outlook for 2026 is sharply divided as traders close the year. The coin was trading at $87,520 at the time of publication and is down 8% since Jan. 1, year to date. Market mood has been weak. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index hit 20 on Dec. 26, marking a stretch of two weeks labeled “extreme fear.” Related Reading: Could XRP Make Trillionaires? Tech Firm Founder Thinks It’s Possible Analysts Split On Market Direction According to posts on X, Jan3 founder Samson Mow contend that 2025 was the bear market and that Bitcoin could be entering a bull run that lasts into 2035. PlanC, another well-known analyst, posted that Bitcoin has never had two red yearly candles in a row and suggested that surviving 2025 meant surviving the bear phase. Those comments have been picked up across industry pages and sparked fresh debate. 2025 was the bear market. https://t.co/1ganX0YSbI — Samson Mow (@Excellion) December 26, 2025 Some Big Price Calls Remain Bullish Several prominent voices still expect sharp gains. Geoff Kendrick at Standard Chartered and Gautam Chhugani at Bernstein each forecast $150,000 for Bitcoin in 2026. Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, predicted $250,000 by 2026, pointing to constrained supply and rising institutional demand as the main drivers. Arthur Hayes and Tom Lee also pushed big targets as recently as October, with $250,000 mentioned as a possible outcome by year-end. Sentiment And Market Data Based on reports, sentiment readings have not helped bullish momentum. The fear index that reached 20 on Dec. 26 stayed in “extreme fear” territory for multiple days. At the same time, Bitcoin’s price sits below many earlier projections. Market watchers note the coin is under pressure even though several forecasts remain optimistic. Bears Put Forward Sharp Downside Scenarios Mike McGlone, senior commodity strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, expects a decline of roughly 60% from the historical peak above $126,000 by 2026. Jurrien Timmer of Fidelity warned that 2026 could be a “year off,” with prices possibly falling toward $65,000. Those views rely heavily on historical drawdowns and macro headwinds. They carry weight because large drops have happened before, though past behavior does not guarantee future action. Where The Numbers Diverge The spread of projections is wide. Some firms suggest about $150,000, which would represent roughly 74% upside from a cited $86,000 level. Others point to $250,000, while downside scenarios reach $65,000 or worse when measured from the $126,000 peak. That gap shows how different assumptions about supply, demand from institutions, and macro conditions lead to very different price targets. Related Reading: Ethereum’s 2026 Overhaul Aims To Cut Costs, Boost Speed, Limit Censorship Traders and asset managers will be watching flows into regulated products, corporate treasury moves, and changes in on-chain demand. Headlines and big calls make for talk, but actual flows often decide short-term moves. Volatility is likely to remain, and the wide range of forecasts suggests that both sharp rallies and sudden drops are possible in 2026. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

As the first crypto ETFs targeting Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) near their second anniversary in the US, Galaxy Digital has made optimistic predictions regarding future inflows, projecting that they will outpace 2025 figures.  Institutional Adoption Expected To Skyrocket In its 2026 forecast report, which concentrates on 26 critical areas, the firm anticipates that net inflows into US spot crypto ETFs will exceed $50 billion. This comes on the heels of a successful 2025, which saw net inflows reach $23 billion.  Related Reading: Bitcoin Correction Timeline: Analyst Predicts Potential Bottom In October 2026 Galaxy Digital believes that as institutional adoption continues to grow, these figures will accelerate in 2026. Wirehouses lifting restrictions on advisor recommendations and Vanguard introducing crypto funds, are expected to facilitate this. BTC and ETH exchange-traded funds alone are forecasted to surpass their 2025 inflow levels. In addition to Bitcoin and Ethereum, Galaxy Digital reports an anticipated wave of new crypto ETFs, particularly in the spot altcoin products.  Galaxy Digital Forecasts Over 100 New Crypto ETFs The firm estimates that over 50 spot altcoin exchange-traded funds, along with another 50 crypto ETFs that do not focus on single coins, will debut in the US.  Following the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent approval of generic listing standards, the number of spot altcoin ETF launches is expected to gain momentum in 2026.  In 2025, more than 15 spot crypto ETFs were launched for various altcoins, including Solana (SOL), XRP, Hedera (HBAR), Dogecoin (DOE), Litecoin (LTC), and Chainlink (LINK).  Galaxy Digital anticipates that notable assets yet to file their spot ETFs will soon follow suit, and in addition to single-asset products, the market is also likely to see the introduction of multi-asset ETFs and leveraged crypto ETFs.  Over 290 Crypto Companies Ready For US IPO Beyond Crypto ETFs, Galaxy Digital also predicts that more than 15 cryptocurrency companies will pursue initial public offerings (IPOs) or uplist in the US. Over the past year, 10 crypto-related firms, including Galaxy itself, successfully went public or uplisted.  Related Reading: Ethereum Fails To Surpass $3,000: Predictions For The Final Days Of The Year The firm notes that more than 290 crypto and blockchain companies have completed significant private funding rounds since 2018, positioning them to seek US listings as regulatory conditions improve.  Among the companies believed to be potential candidates for initial public offerings or uplisting in 2026 are CoinShares, BitGo (which has already filed), Chainalysis, and FalconX. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $87,480, which is a 30% retracement from the all-time highs reached in October, and a 3% drop over the past month. Similarly, the gap between Ethereum’s current trading levels of $2,930 and its all-time highs is 40%, with a 3% drop over the past 30 days.  Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

In a recent report, the data aggregator CoinGecko has unveiled the leading crypto narratives of the year, with the Real-World Asset (RWA) sector emerging as a major contender with notable returns RWAs Lead Crypto Market Growth The report highlights that RWA has become the standout narrative in 2025, boasting an impressive average price return of 185.8% year-to-date (YTD) across key tokens, such as Figure Heloc, Chainlink (LINK), Stellar (XLM), Tether Gold (XAUT), and BlackRock’s BUIDL.  This surge in the RWA sector can largely be attributed to the performance of specific platforms. Notably, Keeta Network has skyrocketed by 1,794.9% YTD, while Zebec Network and Maple Finance have recorded gains of 217.3% and 123.0% respectively.  Related Reading: Bitcoin Correction Timeline: Analyst Predicts Potential Bottom In October 2026 Current statistics show that the crypto RWA sector boasts a Distributed Asset Value of $18.88 billion, reflecting a 2.56% increase over the past month. However, the Represented Asset Value has seen a slight decline, standing at $407.93 billion, down 2.36%. For context, RWA’s approach facilitates asset managers and projects the digital transformation of tangible assets, such as real estate and commodities, creating a solid foundation for trading, managing, and securing these assets. Layer-1 (L1) solutions have emerged as the second most profitable narrative this year, achieving an average price gain of 80.3% YTD. The success of this narrative can be attributed to the performance of privacy-focused blockchains such as Zcash and Monero, which have seen rallies of 691.3% and 143.6%, respectively.  Another noteworthy crypto narrative, “Made in USA,” is also on track to end the year positively, with average gains of 30.6% YTD, primarily driven by Zcash’s performance that mitigated the moderate losses of other tokens in that category. Top Meme Tokens Suffer Heavy Losses Despite their popularity, narratives such as memecoins and artificial intelligence (AI) have struggled this year, with average returns of -31.6% and -50.2% year-to-date, respectively.  Leading memecoins in the crypto space, such as Dogecoin (DOGE) and Shiba Inu (SHIB), have demonstrated the volatility of this sector by suffering significant losses of over 60% year-to-date.  Similarly, the report notes that many artificial intelligence-focused crypto assets have recorded declines between 49.8% and 84.3%, with only Alchemist AI and Kite performing relatively better. Related Reading: Ethereum Fails To Surpass $3,000: Predictions For The Final Days Of The Year Lastly, the decentralized finance narrative faced a challenging year, experiencing average returns of -34.8%, which is consistent with the returns seen in the memecoins segment.  The decentralized exchange (DEX) narrative has mirrored this decline with average losses of -55.5%, while layer-2 (L2) solutions have also struggled, recording average returns of -40.6% for the second year in a row. At the time of writing, the market’s leading crypto, Bitcoin (BTC), was trading at $88,960, having recorded losses of 10% year-to-date.  Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

As the year draws to a close, XRP investors are increasingly adopting a bearish outlook, anticipating that the altcoin will remain below the critical $2 threshold.  XRP Forecasts Dipped A recent poll conducted by cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, running from December 12 to 23, reveals that 73% of investors predict XRP will finish the year between $1.50 and $2.00, suggesting a muted conclusion for the altcoin’s performance in 2025. Just weeks prior, market sentiment was more optimistic, with around 38% of traders expecting XRP to rally to a range of $2.00 to $2.50 by December 31. However, that figure has since dropped to 28%, reflecting a significant decline in confidence.  Related Reading: Bitcoin Correction Timeline: Analyst Predicts Potential Bottom In October 2026 The possibility of the cryptocurrency exceeding $2.50 appears almost non-existent, as only about 4% of respondents foresee it reaching the $2.50 to $3.00 range, and a similar 4% predict it could surpass $3.00.  The consensus of 73% predicting an XRP finish between $1.50 and $2.00 marks an increase from the 63% recorded earlier in the poll. This growing alignment among poll participants indicates that they are consolidating around this range as the most likely scenario. Furthermore, the sentiment towards higher price levels has significantly shifted. The percentage of voters anticipating a rally into the mid-$2 range has dwindled to a mere 4%, reflecting dwindling confidence after several failed attempts to break through resistance levels.  Even the outlook for the altcoin’s price to drop below $1.50 has risen slightly to 7%, up from 6%, although most believe a sharp sell-off is unlikely. Rising Supply From Early Investors This prevailing sentiment aligns with Futures data indicating a prevalence of aggressive sell orders, while the slow accumulation of XRP in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) at a pace of $30 to $50 million daily cannot keep up with profit-taking and risk reduction activities in the market.  On-chain data reveals that significant realized gains have been secured as XRP approached its recent highs. For instance, a long-term holder who initially acquired the altcoin around $0.40 sold over 350 million tokens at approximately $2.00, reaping an estimated profit of $721 million. Related Reading: Ethereum Fails To Surpass $3,000: Predictions For The Final Days Of The Year With many early investors reportedly cashing out at the $2 level, there has been minimal support for dip-buying to bolster the price, keeping it in the current range between $1.7 and $1.8 recorded in the week.  Experts suggest that when the supply increases from long-term holders, whose initial investments were made at $0.40 to $0.60, it creates a resistance ceiling that is challenging to break without substantial new demand entering the market. At the time of writing, XRP was trading at $1.830. The altcoin has recorded major losses in all time frames, with a year-to-date decline of 15%, in line with the broader market’s performance.  Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

According to Charles Hoskinson, the race between Solana and Ethereum looks different depending on the time frame. Solana may win ground quickly because it moves fast. Ethereum looks set to aim for a broader, slower build that could matter more later. Related Reading: Could XRP Make Trillionaires? Tech Firm Founder Thinks It’s Possible Short-Term Gains For Solana Solana’s appeal is plain. Its network pushes a lot of transactions every day and it can adopt upgrades more quickly, Hoskinson said. That speed has helped projects bring tokenized stocks and other finance tools onto the chain. Reports have disclosed that the total value of tokenized equities on Solana recently hit about $185 million. Platforms such as xStocksFi, Superstate, and Remora Markets are among those building there. For traders and some institutions, low fees and high throughput are hard to ignore. A Large Financial Gap Remains Still, there are big differences under the surface. Solana’s total value locked and stablecoin use sit at about 10% of Ethereum’s levels. That gap means the kinds of financial activity seen on Ethereum are not yet matched on Solana. The size of a chain’s financial ecosystem affects what kinds of services and markets can grow on it. So while adoption on Solana is growing, the scale of on-chain lending, staking and stablecoin volumes is still much smaller when compared with Ethereum. Ethereum’s Research-First Approach Ethereum’s work is focused on research and longer-term upgrades, especially in areas like zero-knowledge proofs and advanced scaling methods. Reports have suggested that Ethereum is aiming to move more of its validation to cryptographic proof systems so it can act as a verification layer for many networks. Speed Now, Strategy Later Hoskinson framed the difference as one of timing. Solana’s leadership and design allow quicker decisions and faster rollout of new features. Ethereum’s path is marked by heavy research and slow coordination. This means Solana may capture use and attention in the near term, while Ethereum’s technical direction could shape broader infrastructure over a longer span. Both approaches come with trade-offs. One focuses on quick adoption, the other on building systems that rely on stronger mathematical proofs. Tokenized stocks on Solana reach a new All-Time High with ~$185M in total value. Solana stands as the institutional infrastructure of choice for leading tokenized stock platforms like – @xStocksFi – @SuperstateInc’s Opening Bell – @RemoraMarkets pic.twitter.com/xr7q54sucs — Capital Markets (@capitalmarkets) December 24, 2025 Related Reading: Ethereum’s 2026 Overhaul Aims To Cut Costs, Boost Speed, Limit Censorship What This Means For Markets For investors and builders, the split is clear: architects chasing rapid growth may prefer Solana today, while those betting on deep financial stacks and broad verification may stick with Ethereum. The $185 million milestone for tokenized stocks on Solana signals rising trust in blockchain-based equity products, but it is small compared with traditional markets. Reports and comments from industry figures like Hoskinson help explain why different teams pick one chain over another. In the end, both chains are being tested by real use, and their paths will be measured by what users and institutions choose to run on them. Featured image from Equiti, chart from TradingView

According to reports, Ethereum plans two major hard forks in 2026 that aim to change how the network runs. Mid-2026 will see the Glamsterdam upgrade, and late 2026 is set for Heze-Bogota. These steps are meant to speed up transaction handling, add new validation tools, and make the chain harder to censor. Related Reading: Could XRP Make Trillionaires? Tech Firm Founder Thinks It’s Possible Ethereum Trading, Options Pressure Ethereum is currently above $2,900 as the market awaits a large options expiry. Reports put the expiring notional at $6 billion, with more call options than puts. Many contracts could end up worthless if ETH fails to rise above $3,100, the so-called max pain level. Analysts see a consolidation range between $2,700 and $3,100 into year-end, and some experts offer a bearish 2026 view, pointing to possible drops toward $1,800–$2,000 if broader market conditions worsen. Parallel Execution Glamsterdam targets parallel processing by letting multiple transactions run at the same time instead of one after another. Block access lists will tell nodes which data each transaction needs, which makes parallel work safer and more efficient. Ethereum will undergo key upgrades in 2026, with the Glamsterdam fork enabling parallel processing and increasing the gas limit to 200 million, up from 60 million. Validators will shift to validating ZK proofs, paving the way for Ethereum L1 to achieve 10,000 transactions per… — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) December 25, 2025 Protocol-level proposer-builder separation, or ePBS, is also planned. That move is expected to cut some centralization risks and make it easier for validators to use zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs without being penalized for extra compute time. Gas limits are expected to rise in stages, with talk of reaching 200 million per block after key changes land. About 10% of validators could start verifying ZK proofs rather than rechecking all transactions by year-end, based on current projections. The push toward parallel execution could reduce slowdowns that happen when demand spikes. But higher gas limits come with tradeoffs. Running bigger blocks or faster workloads can raise hardware needs, which could make it harder for smaller validators to stay in the network. That balance between speed and decentralization will be watched closely. Layer-2 Throughput Could Jump Sharply A major part of the story is layer-2 scaling. Increasing the number of data blobs per block to 72 or more would give L2 systems much more space to store transaction data, which could let them process hundreds of thousands of transactions per second in aggregate. Designs like ZKsync’s Elastic Network aim to let users keep money on Ethereum while using faster L2s. An interoperability layer is also being discussed to move activity between different L2s more easily. Still, user experience, liquidity splits, and coordination between chains remain open issues that need work. Related Reading: JPMorgan Eyes Crypto Services As Institutional Demand Grows – A Boost For BTC Price? Heze-Bogota: Censorship Resistance Heze-Bogota will add tools to help groups of validators make sure certain transactions are included. Fork-choice inclusion lists are meant to reduce the risk that transactions get blocked if only part of the network remains honest. That change is more about values and permissionless access than it is about raw speed. Featured image from Firi, chart from TradingView

As Bitcoin (BTC) struggles to maintain its position below the $90,000 threshold, market sentiment appears to be shifting toward the possibility of a new bear market. Notably, analyst Ali Martinez has drawn comparisons with historical market cycles to forecast Bitcoin’s trajectory.  Bitcoin Market Patterns In a recent social media post, Martinez highlighted a recurring pattern that suggests it typically takes around 1,064 days for Bitcoin to transition from a market bottom to a market top, followed by approximately 364 days from a market peak back to the next bottom. Related Reading: Ethereum Fails To Surpass $3,000: Predictions For The Final Days Of The Year In the first cycle, the market bottomed out in January 2015 and reached its peak in December 2017, exactly 1,064 days later. This was followed by a bear market that lasted 364 days, culminating in the bottom in December 2018.  The second cycle mirrored this pattern: the market bottomed in December 2018 and reached its apex in November 2021, again over a span of 1,064 days. Subsequently, another downturn followed, leading to a bottom in November 2022, when Bitcoin traded around $15,500. Next Bottom At $37,500? Currently, the analyst highlights that the market is in what could be the third cycle, having witnessed a market bottom in November 2022 and a current peak above $126,000 reached back in October.  Applying the historical patterns of these cycles, it suggests that Bitcoin is now within the 364-day correction window, indicating a potential bottom could materialize around October 2026 — approximately 288 days from now. Related Reading: Altcoin Struggles: What The Future Holds And The Potential For A 2026 Revival Examining past bear markets offers additional context for projecting potential downside. The bear market from 2017 to 2018 saw a correction of approximately 84%, while the market decline from 2021 to 2022 experienced a retracement of roughly 77%.  Averaging these two corrections, Martinez suggests an expected retracement of around 80%, positioning Bitcoin’s next market bottom at around $37,500. Currently, the market’s leading cryptocurrency is trading slightly above the $88,290 mark, which is a 30% gap from the current peak.  Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

According to reports, Joshua Dalton, founder of Triblu, has put forward a striking scenario: that XRP holders could become millionaires, billionaires, or even trillionaires if the token were used as part of a US strategic crypto reserve. Related Reading: JPMorgan Eyes Crypto Services As Institutional Demand Grows – A Boost For BTC Price? Dalton argued that XRP, because of its ties to a US-based company, is a safer fit for a national reserve than Bitcoin. The claim has energized some corners of the crypto community, but it also faces steep legal and market obstacles. Dalton’s Bold Claim And The Numbers Dalton’s case relies on hard math. Based on reports, the US national debt is about $38 trillion. Ripple’s escrow holds roughly 34.4 billion XRP. Using those figures, Dalton and others calculate that an XRP price near $883 would be needed to offset roughly 80% of that debt. Many people won’t like what I say below. “Bitcoin cannot be the official currency for the United States’ reserves because Satoshi Nakamoto is still unknown and it could be the currency operated by China. The government can ???? trust XRP because it is operated by @Ripple and ????… — Joshua Dalton (@J9Dalton) January 23, 2025 At present, XRP trades around $1.91. That would mean a rise of over 46,000% for the token. By comparison, Bitcoin is trading near $89,000 and would have to reach about $30 million per coin to meet a similar debt-offset goal if the plan focused on 1 million BTC, an idea once floated by US Senator Cynthia Lummis. That would be a gain of more than 33,000% from current levels. Legal And Market Limits US President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this year creating a national Bitcoin reserve and a wider crypto stockpile framework. But policymakers appear to be focused mainly on Bitcoin for the reserve role, with other coins treated as seizure assets or general holdings. Importantly, Ripple’s escrow is privately controlled and governed by contracts. It cannot be commandeered by a government without legal action and likely long court fights. Even if US authorities somehow obtained large amounts of XRP, unloading such a position on global markets would likely push the price down, not up. Markets are not built to absorb trillions of dollars without heavy distortion. Holders And Wealth Scenarios Based on wallet data, some XRP addresses would see big nominal gains at an $880 price. For example, a holder of 10,000 XRP — currently worth about $19,100 — could see that stake climb to nearly $9 million on paper. Reports show 179,546 wallets hold between 5,000 and 10,000 XRP. About 2,006 addresses sit between 500,000 and 1 million XRP. Yet most of the largest reserves are held by Ripple, its founders, or exchanges. Only 20 wallets contain between 500 million and 1 billion XRP, and six addresses hold more than 1 billion. 2026 is going to be epic! Locked in! XRP will be the star of 2026. — Coach, JV (@Coachjv_) December 23, 2025 Market Reaction And Expert Views Matthew Sigel, lead researcher at VanEck, has argued in public that Bitcoin offers the best path to large-scale fiscal uses, and other analysts remain skeptical of any single token being used to “solve” national debt. Related Reading: XRP To $1,000? Korean Researcher Lays Out 10-Year Roadmap Coach JV and other commentators have shifted attention to 2026 as a potentially strong year for XRP price action, framing the outlook as speculative and time-bound. These views are primarily sentiment-driven and rely on factors beyond government policy, such as market demand and regulatory clarity. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from TradingView

Recent market dynamics have seen Ethereum (ETH) at the forefront of a significant decline in the altcoin sector, pushing many top cryptocurrencies below crucial price levels.  Market expert CyrilXBT has taken to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to unravel the factors contributing to this downturn and explore the potential for a recovery rally in 2026. Altcoin Struggles CyrilXBT began his analysis by addressing the role of Bitcoin (BTC) dominance in the market. When Bitcoin’s dominance increases, capital tends to concentrate within the asset rather than exiting the broader cryptocurrency market.  Related Reading: Expert Predicts Bitcoin Could Hit $70,000, Drawing Parallels To December 2021 Crash This indicates that Bitcoin becomes a refuge for investors seeking safety, while altcoins transform into sources of liquidity. As a result, risk compresses prior to any expansion, a pattern consistently observed in previous cycles before altcoins regain strength. Another contributing factor to the current turmoil is tax-loss harvesting. Cryptocurrencies are one of the few major asset classes that have seen declines compared to January 1st, with equities and gold demonstrating gains.  To lock in losses before year-end, funds are actively selling off unprofitable altcoin positions, crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other high-risk assets. CyrilXBT noted that this pressure would likely dissipate as the calendar turns to the new year. Liquidity Lag And Exhausted Demand The expert further highlighted that liquidity tends to work on a lagging basis. Although the Federal Reserve (Fed) has started to inject liquidity back into the system, markets typically do not react immediately.  Historically, improvements in liquidity occur first, followed by Bitcoin stabilizing, with altcoins lagging behind. Currently, the market remains in the lag phase, not yet experiencing the anticipated breakout. With low volatility, stagnant Bitcoin prices, and declining altcoins, CyrilXBT asserts that it evokes memories of previous cycles, such as the early 2019 and early 2023 recoveries.  Related Reading: Ethereum Bearish Structure Meets Bullish Supply Signal – What Happens Next Overall, the drop in the altcoin market can be attributed to several interconnected factors: rising Bitcoin dominance, peak tax-loss selling, thin liquidity, exhausted demand, and the delayed effects of macro liquidity.  Instead of a capitulation scenario, the expert suggests that this moment appears to represent compression—a phase that frequently precedes significant recoveries. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

As the Bitcoin (BTC) price settles below the critical $90,000 support level, discussions about the potential onset of a new bear market are growing among experts and market analysts.  The market’s leading cryptocurrency, currently trading at approximately $87,370, has experienced a decline of over 30% from its all-time high of more than $126,000, drawing comparisons to past market behaviors, particularly those witnessed in December 2021. Fractal Patterns Resurface Notably, on December 24, 2021, Bitcoin was valued at around $51,700, marking a local peak before it plummeted to $34,000 by January 24, 2022. This decline represented a significant 34% drop within just one month.  Related Reading: This Friday’s Bitcoin Options Expiry Could Shake Up The Market: What To Look Out For An expert analyzing the current market dynamics has applied a fractal model derived from that previous sell-off to Bitcoin’s present price. According to this analysis, there is a potential trajectory that could see the cryptocurrency move toward the $70,000 mark in the coming days.  The expert argues that given the current price action and current market conditions, this scenario is plausible and suggests an additional decline of about 20% for the Bitcoin price if a similar pattern unfolds. However, without clear direction, the question remains whether this situation will unfold into a recovery above key price levels or into an extended bear market heading into the first quarter of 2026. As such, perspectives among analysts vary widely.  Expert Predicts ‘Bitcoin Supercycle’ Ahead CryptoKaleo, another figure on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), posits that the current market mirrors conditions seen in the fall of 2020.  Both scenarios involved Bitcoin losing a critical support level that had been established in the wake of significant market corrections, leading to a “mini-bart” scenario where the price retraced nearly all of its previous gains, eventually finding a new base. During the recovery phase after the COVID-19 crash in 2020, traditional stocks, particularly in the tech sector, significantly outperformed Bitcoin, leading many to claim that the leading cryptocurrency was fading into irrelevance.  Related Reading: These Five Key Drivers Could Boost XRP To $5 By 2026, Claims Top Analyst Today, as equities frequently reach new all-time highs, a similar narrative is emerging, with some asserting that Bitcoin has become stagnant and altcoins are lacking momentum. Despite this, CryptoKaleo remains optimistic, suggesting that the present situation does not conform to the typical four-year market cycle for the cryptocurrency.  Instead of a prolonged bearish phase, he predicts that when Bitcoin reaches new all-time highs in 2026, it will usher in an exciting “supercycle,” characterized by prolonged upward trends, robust altcoin seasons, and a resurgence of retail interest in mainstream cryptocurrencies. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

South Korean scientist YoungHoon Kim has sketched an extreme long-term view for XRP, saying the token could reach $1,000 within the next 10 years. Related Reading: JPMorgan Eyes Crypto Services As Institutional Demand Grows – A Boost For BTC Price? According to his posts on X, the forecast rests on a series of big macro shifts — a major flow of capital into crypto, a weaker US dollar, and prolonged high inflation. Kim added that this is not financial advice and framed the number as contingent on those assumptions. High Price Scenario And The Assumptions According to Kim, moving from around $1.87 today to $1,000 by 2035 requires more than sentiment. The math is stark. XRP’s circulating supply is about 60.57 billion tokens. At $1,000 a coin, that implies an overall market value near $60.57 trillion. Some critics pointed out that such a figure would place XRP above assets like gold in total market value. Update: In my view, #XRP could potentially approach $1,000 over the next 10 years. (NFA / DYOR) pic.twitter.com/fZaxmZaF1Q — YoungHoon Kim, IQ 276 (@yhbryankimiq) December 22, 2025 Others in the community pushed back, saying that headline targets miss other important measures such as adoption and liquidity. Support And Skepticism In The Community Some supporters are vocal. Matthew Brienen, COO of CryptoCharged, is among those who have suggested ranges from $100 to $1,000 over a decade are “highly possible,” saying he holds a large amount of XRP. Investor Armando Pantoja also told followers he is willing to wait up to 10 years for a very large payoff, arguing that regulatory strain from the SEC previously capped XRP’s price. On the other side, X users and creators like Utumax and YouTuber Zach Humphries asked for clearer methods behind the forecast, noting the implied $60 trillion valuation raises obvious questions. Short-Term Performance And Market Moves At the time these comments appeared, XRP traded near $1.84 and was down almost 30% over the previous three months. Market watchers say tokens can move quickly when sentiment flips. Coach JV, a finance coach and market analyst, said he expects “fast and aggressive” moves when bullish momentum returns, though he stopped short of offering price targets. That kind of volatility has been seen before in crypto markets, where large moves can come in either direction. XRP will move fast and aggressively when the time comes! pic.twitter.com/DHh4e1md7O — Coach, JV (@Coachjv_) December 22, 2025 How Realistic Is $1,000? Reaching $1,000 would mean XRP would capture value at a scale not supported by current on-chain use or settlement volume. Long-term value depends on real-world use, steady liquidity, and broad market acceptance. Regulatory clarity could help, but it alone would not automatically produce multitrillion-dollar market caps. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s $126K Sprint May Be Over — Fidelity Predicts 2026 Slide Some commentators dismiss round-number targets as attention-grabbing rather than rigorous forecasting. The conversation around Kim’s forecast highlights a split: a group ready to bet on huge upside, and many who want clearer proofs and step-by-step logic. Investors should weigh the big assumptions behind any sky-high target, and remember that bold forecasts depend on events well outside a single token’s current reach. Featured image from Yellow, chart from TradingView

More than 80% of the tokens launched this year are trading underwater, marking a definitive shift in the market's appetite for venture-backed cryptocurrency projects. Data from Memento Research showed that it tracked 118 major token generation events in 2025 and found that 100 of them, or 84.7%, are trading below their opening fully diluted valuations. […]
The post Crypto insiders stopped buying new tokens 2 years ago, creating a liquidity trap that’s crushing retail buyers appeared first on CryptoSlate.

As the year comes to a close, Bitcoin (BTC) is approaching a pivotal moment that could lead to increased market volatility. This Friday, December 26, more than $23 billion worth of Bitcoin options are set to expire, marking the largest options expiration in the cryptocurrency’s history. How $23 Billion Roll-Off May Impact Bitcoin Prices Market expert NoLimit took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to elucidate the significance of this event. Understanding options expiration is crucial to grasping its potential impact on the market.  In the expert’s words, options are leveraged bets on the future price of Bitcoin: call options anticipate an increase in price, while put options anticipate a decrease. When these options expire, one of two things happens: either they expire worthless, or they trigger hedging actions that necessitate buying or selling in the spot market. Related Reading: XRP Price Forecasts For 2026 Unveiled By AI Simulation: Should Investors Remain Bullish? With a massive $23.6 billion worth of Bitcoin options rolling off at once, a substantial amount of risk is being removed from dealer books in a single day. This clearing of positions is a primary driver of volatility. For perspective, previous year-end expiries have been significantly smaller: around $6 billion in 2021, $2.4 billion in 2022, $11 billion in 2023, and $19.8 billion in 2024.  The sheer scale of this upcoming expiry highlights a shift in the market landscape, indicating that it is now largely shaped by institutional investors rather than retail traders. The specificity of this Friday is particularly noteworthy. Dealers have strategically hedged their positions around key Bitcoin price levels, and as the options expiry arrives, these hedges will be unwound.  This process could lead to sharp price movements in either direction, especially given the current low-liquidity conditions in the market. The holiday season has resulted in diminished trading volume, which means that individual orders can impact prices more dramatically—potentially leading to violent price swings. Key Price Ranges Adding to the complexity, fellow market analyst MartyParty highlighted that significant gamma exposure is clustered in critical price ranges, particularly between $86,000 and $110,000.  Estimates suggest that high gamma—around $238 million or more in notional sensitivity—will expire, amplifying volatility through delta-hedging flows as Friday approaches. The maximum pain point, where Bitcoin option sellers face the greatest loss, is pegged at $96,000. Related Reading: New Crypto Tax Proposal: Bipartisan House Duo Pushes For Stablecoin Safe Harbor Furthermore, analysts from CryptoQuant weighed in on the situation, noting that while downside positioning has eased with the open interest in $85,000 puts declining, there remains a notable presence of $100,000 Bitcoin calls.  This suggests a cautious but persistent optimism for a potential “Santa rally,” according to the analysts. The risk reversals also indicate a softening of bearish sentiment as Bitcoin’s spot price stabilizes. At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at $87,292, having recorded a loss of 2.5% in the past 24 hours and a 30% gap between the current trading price and the record high. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

XRP, currently the fifth largest cryptocurrency by market cap, has recently fallen below the crucial $2 mark amid a broader market correction that has dampened investor sentiment since October. However, market analyst Sam Daodu has identified five critical catalysts that could drive the altcoin to new all-time highs of $5 by 2026. Potential Bullish Catalysts For XRP In a detailed report, Daodu emphasized that for XRP to reach $5, multiple specific factors need to work in unison. Each of these catalysts aims to address various barriers that have kept XRP’s price stagnant. At the forefront of Daodu’s analysis is the potential for a BlackRock-backed XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF). Since mid-November 2025, spot XRP ETFs have attracted over $1 billion in cumulative inflows. Should BlackRock move forward with its ETF, estimates suggest that inflows could exceed $2 billion.  Related Reading: XRP Price Forecasts For 2026 Unveiled By AI Simulation: Should Investors Remain Bullish? Daodu’s analysis points that such capital influx would not only reshape market demand but would also solidify XRP’s position as the sole cryptocurrency tied to a fully regulated token in the United States, significantly enhancing its case for reaching $5. Next on the list is the evolving significance of Japan within the XRP narrative. Ripple, in collaboration with SBI Holdings, is set to launch RLUSD—Ripple’s USD-backed stablecoin—in Japan by the first quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approval.  The use of RLUSD on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) can create substantial demand for XRP as a bridge currency, supporting the case for it to reach $5, even if this impact unfolds gradually over time. From Tokenization To ETFs The third catalyst that Daodu identified is the tokenization of assets. Ripple’s expanded partnership with Archax aims to bring in “hundreds of millions of dollars” in tokenized equity, debt, and funds onto the XRP Ledger by mid-2026.  Should the XRP Ledger capture even a modest 5-10% of the tokenized asset settlement market, the demand for XRP would increase significantly, further supporting its goal of reaching $5. In fourth place, macroeconomic policy plays a crucial role in shaping XRP’s upside potential. Anticipated rate cuts by the Federal Reserve (Fed) would likely decrease returns on cash and short-term bonds, traditionally driving capital toward riskier assets that offer growth and liquidity.  Related Reading: New Crypto Tax Proposal: Bipartisan House Duo Pushes For Stablecoin Safe Harbor Lastly, recent on-chain data points to a noteworthy change in supply dynamics. Exchange-held XRP has decreased, with 1.35 billion XRP removed from exchanges in less than two months.  Balances plummeted from approximately 3.95 billion tokens to about 2.6 billion, with more than a billion leaving in just a short span of three weeks. Such withdrawals are indicative of a behavioral shift among holders, as many are opting to move XRP into long-term storage solutions. Daodu posits that reaching the $5 mark will not stem from a singular headline or moment of exuberance. It will necessitate a convergence of multiple factors, including strong ETF inflows, institutional adoption, and favorable macroeconomic conditions. As of this writing, the altcoin was trading at $1.88, dropping by almost 50% from all-time high levels reached back in July of this year.  Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Bank of Russia outlined a new framework intended to let retail and qualified investors buy crypto under defined tests and caps by 2027.