Ripple’s chief technology officer David Schwartz said transaction activity and liquidity are the most reliable indicators of real economic use on the XRP Ledger, as debate continues over how to measure blockchain adoption beyond price movements. Speaking during a discussion on on-chain data and market trends, Schwartz said metrics that reflect sustained usage and value …
Aster is launching Phase 5 of its ASTER buyback program on December 23, committing up to 80% of daily platform fees to repurchasing tokens. Forty percent will drive automated on-chain buybacks to maintain steady market demand, while the remaining 20%-40% will focus on strategic opportunities in favorable market conditions. This balanced approach aims to stabilize …
Ghana has officially made crypto trading legal. After years of fast-growing but loosely regulated crypto activity, Ghana’s parliament has passed the Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASP) Bill, 2025, giving the country a clear legal framework for digital assets. The move brings crypto trading into the open, placing exchanges and service providers under formal oversight for …
Tokyo-listed Metaplanet, holding 30,823 BTC worth $2.75 billion, approved issuing preferred shares without affecting common stock. Following MicroStrategy’s approach, the company doubled its Class A (MARS) and Class B (MERCURY) shares, added floating-rate and quarterly dividends, and targeted institutional investors. Recently, it raised $150 million through MERCURY shares and $250 million via credit for Bitcoin purchases. The stock jumped 18% to …
Binance launches ADA/USD1, ASTER/USD1, ZEC/USD1, LUNA/USDC, and LUNC/USDC spot pairs on December 24 at 08:00 UTC, with full Trading Bots support, including spot algo orders. USD1 from World Liberty Financial packs a $2.72 billion market cap as Treasury backed USD stablecoin under BitGo custody. Terra Classic fans celebrate LUNC/USDC as a big win after years of …
Crypto staking is emerging as a major pressure point in US tax policy, with lawmakers now urging regulators to rethink how rewards are taxed. A bipartisan group of 18 members of the House of Representatives has formally asked the Internal Revenue Service to revisit its current approach, arguing that existing rules are misaligned with how …
Hong Kong is set to become the first Asian financial hub to let insurance companies invest in cryptocurrencies and regulated stablecoins, according to Bloomberg. The move comes after a draft proposal from the Hong Kong Insurance Authority (IA). Hong Kong New Crypto Rules: Insurers Allowed to Invest in Digital Assets The draft rules treat crypto …
Hong Kong’s Insurance Authority is proposing new rules that could let insurance companies invest in cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and infrastructure projects, a first-of-its-kind in Asia. Under the draft plan, crypto assets would carry a 100% risk capital charge, meaning insurers must hold capital equal to the full value of such holdings. Stablecoins would face risk charges …
After surviving the weekend in consolidation mode, the crypto markets today open the trade within the same range-bound levels. The price action turned choppy as traders avoided aggressive positioning. The global crypto market capitalisation is hovering near $3 trillion, showing stability but no decisive expansion. Trading activity, however, picked up modestly. 24-hour market volume climbed …
Bitcoin has entered a bear market as demand weakens and large investors reduce exposure, blockchain analytics firm CryptoQuant said on Thursday, warning prices could fall toward $70,000 or even $56,000 in the longer term. CryptoQuant said bitcoin demand growth has slipped below its long-term trend since early October, meaning the main drivers of this cycle …
Expectations around XRP exchange-traded funds were seen as a turning point that could unlock new institutional demand and change XRP’s price structure in favor of buyers. However, recent on-chain data suggests the price response has diverged immensely from that narrative. Metrics tracked by the on-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant point to a very different dynamic unfolding beneath the surface, one that explains why the altcoin continues to struggle for traction despite headline optimism and inflows into Spot XRP ETFs. Related Reading: Banks Could Favor A Higher XRP Price, Finance Expert Says Whale Exchange Inflows Expose Supply Pressure Data from on-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant reveals an interesting trend among XRP whale addresses and their activity on crypto exchange Binance. A closer look at the Binance Inflow-Value Band chart shows that recent XRP deposits to exchanges are overwhelmingly concentrated in the 100,000 to 1 million XRP range and transactions exceeding 1 million coins. These are not retail-sized movements. They reflect activity from large holders moving significant balances onto exchanges, and this behavior aligns with distribution or preparation for selling. The chart showing the exchange inflow into Binance makes this pattern clear, with repeated inflow spikes driven almost entirely by these higher-value bands, while smaller transaction sizes are comparatively lower. The chart image below shows inflows in chunks between 100,000 XRP and 1 million XRP in purple and inflows of chunks more than 1 million XRP in light blue. Most of the inflows into Binance in the past few days have been characterized by these two cohorts, with a few instances of inflows in chunks between 10,000 XRP and 100,000 XRP. XRP Ledger: Exchange Inflow Value Bands – Binance. Source: CryptoQuant This imbalance means that supply is being added to the market by whales at a pace that smaller buyers cannot absorb, and this is why inflows into Spot XRP ETFs have failed to have a positive effect on the altcoin’s price action. Lower Highs, Lower Lows Confirm Supply Overpowering Demand As shown in the price action overlaid in the chart above, the coin printed repeatedly lower highs and lower lows after major exchange deposits. This happens because of the relatively low numbers of new spot buyers on Binance, and even moderate selling pressure has been enough to cap rallies. As it stands, the crypto is facing selling pressure every time it approaches $1.95. Based on the intensity of exchange inflows and the market’s reaction, the first meaningful support zone is between $1.82 and $1.87. However, if large inflows persist, the data suggests the XRP price could continue declining to the $1.50 to $1.66 range. Related Reading: Bitcoin Feels The Weight Of Quantum Risk Concerns, Industry Leaders Warn The interpretation is that the ETF trend did not translate into sustained spot demand for XRP. Instead, whales who accumulated XRP ahead of ETF approval expectations appear to have used the resulting attention as an opportunity to dump their holdings. That said, inflows into Spot XRP ETFs may have helped limit deeper downside, as data from SoSoValue shows these funds recorded $82.04 million in inflows over the recent week. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
The crypto market in 2025 looks very different from previous cycles. While some familiar patterns remain, new factors like institutional adoption, ETFs, and real-world use cases are changing how investors think about the future. Because of this shift, analysts say that choosing the right altcoins to buy for 2026 should be based on data and …
Canary Capital’s Steven McClurg recently said that Bitcoin has already reached its peak for this market cycle and may be heading into a downturn. Normally, when Bitcoin falls, altcoins like XRP also move lower. However, XRP is behaving differently. “Just watching XRP perform as everything’s going straight down and we continue to get inflows every …
Bitcoin has pulled back slightly again, but the bigger picture has not changed much. Prices are still moving inside a familiar range, and the market remains under pressure overall. In the very short term, Bitcoin could be close to a temporary turning point. The next 24 hours are especially important. If buyers step in, the …
The exchange-traded fund playbook that powered Bitcoin and, later, Ethereum into institutional portfolios may not apply neatly to XRP. According to asset managers behind the new XRP ETF launches, the product is carving out what one executive called a “third path” — one that may be less dependent on crypto’s traditional boom-and-bust cycle and more …
Bitcoin is back in focus after an outlook from Citigroup, where analysts mapped out a wide price range for the next year that captures both upside momentum and lingering downside risks. The bank’s latest projections point to a base-case target of $143,000 over the next 12 months, anchored in expectations around a growth in ETF participation and clearer regulatory frameworks. Furthermore, Citi outlined an optimistic path that stretches to $189,000, alongside a bearish scenario that projects a downward move to $78,500. Related Reading: Banks Could Favor A Higher XRP Price, Finance Expert Says ETF Adoption And Institutional Demand Citi’s base and bullish scenarios are built around the same core thesis: the growing role of regulated investment vehicles in shaping Bitcoin’s market structure. Crypto analysts are always noting that Spot Bitcoin ETFs have lowered barriers for institutional investors, making it easier for large pools of capital to gain exposure without direct custody concerns. Analysts at Citi are leaning into this school of thought and are projecting bullish price levels for Bitcoin. With the expectations of ETF interest and regulatory clarity in mind, Citi sees Bitcoin trending toward $143,000 under its base case within the next 12 months. Interestingly, the outlook of a bullish scenario from the analysts projected that Bitcoin will be trading somewhere around $189,000 within the next 12 months. These projections are notable considering the current state of Bitcoin’s price action, which is currently struggling near $90,000. They are also contingent on a turnaround in the state of flows surrounding Spot Bitcoin ETFs. LATEST: ???? Citi analysts put Bitcoin’s 12-month price base case at $143,000, driven by anticipated ETF interest and regulatory clarity, with a bullish scenario of $189,000 and a bearish one of $78,500. pic.twitter.com/jAukEDkXQe — CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) December 20, 2025 Despite its constructive outlook, Citi also flagged downside risks that could derail bullish momentum. A bearish framework by Citi analysts projects the Bitcoin price sliding to $78,500 within the next 12 months. Fundstrat’s Internal View Contrasts With Citi’s Optimism Citi’s bullish projections are in contrast to a more cautious internal outlook recently reported by Fundstrat Global Advisors. Internal discussions within the firm are warning of a possible drawdown of the Bitcoin price toward the $60,000 to $65,000 range. According to an internal note circulated to clients, Fundstrat’s head of digital asset strategy, Sean Farrell, cautioned that a further correction may unfold during the first half of 2026 as macroeconomic pressures and tightening financial conditions weigh on risk assets. According to @_FORAB, Tom Lee’s fund, Fundstrat, stated in its latest 2026 cryptocurrency strategy advice to internal clients that a significant correction is expected in the first half of the year, completely contradicting Tom Lee’s public statements. The internal report sets… pic.twitter.com/HbRoNzr85z — Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) December 20, 2025 The report outlined downside targets that place Bitcoin in the $60,000 to $65,000 range, a level that would represent a 30% decrease from its current price range. The same internal framework also projected Ethereum retreating downwards to $1,800 to $2,000, alongside Solana falling into a $50 to $75 range. Related Reading: Bitcoin Feels The Weight Of Quantum Risk Concerns, Industry Leaders Warn This goes against the public stance of Fundstrat co-founder Tom Lee, who has publicly maintained a bullish stance on the long-term trajectory and new all-time highs for Ethereum and Bitcoin. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
A quiet but important shift is unfolding in Japan’s bond market, and macro investors are starting to take notice. Long-term Japanese government bond yields have climbed to record highs, signaling a change in one of the world’s most influential funding environments. While the move may not grab headlines immediately, history suggests adjustments in Japan’s rates …
A new crypto-focused tax framework is quietly gaining traction in the US House of Representatives, signaling a potential turning point for how digital assets are taxed. Led by Republican Rep. Max Miller and backed by Democrat Rep. Steven Horsford, the draft proposal reflects growing bipartisan agreement that US crypto tax rules need modernization. Although the …
Bitcoin (BTC) investors may need to temper their expectations as the cryptocurrency heads into its final bull run. Analysts indicate that the bull rally could unfold slowly, suggesting a gradual climb to new highs. Traders are being urged to prepare for heightened volatility and plan their strategies carefully to protect gains while staying positioned for potential upside. Slow Climb Expected In Bitcoin’s Final Bull Run A market expert who calls himself Crypto Waterman has shared his latest outlook on Bitcoin’s final bull run. He expects the last leg of the rally to be a slow and deliberate process rather than a sudden spike. According to him, the parabolic move could take roughly one to two months to complete, potentially unfolding during the first quarter of 2026. Related Reading: XRP ETFs Grow Past $60M As Price Struggles To Respond Crypto Waterman warns that before this final surge, there will likely be intense market pressure to push out inexperienced investors. This period could include sudden shakeouts and volatility designed to test retail traders’ resolve. He also stated that many investors may exit too early as euphoria builds, while others will become bag holders as prices climb rapidly. The analyst emphasized that smart wallets and BTC whales tend to sell into strength during this phase. For average investors, he suggests a careful strategy of dollar-cost averaging out of positions once gains become significant. Observing coins doubling in a single day could be an early signal to start reducing exposure. Crypto Waterman also shares his personal approach to profit-taking, which involves selling 25% of his holdings when the price doubles. If Bitcoin triples, he says that he would offload 30-40% and consider selling nearly everything if the market feels overheated. He also stated that he would leave a small portion, “a moonbag,” to capture any remaining upside potential. Analyst Warns Last Chance To Accumulate BTC Crypto Waterman offers guidance for traders looking to position themselves ahead of Bitcoin’s anticipated parabolic move. He suggests that the next two to three weeks may be the last chance to accumulate Bitcoin before the rally begins. He also highlighted the importance of timing, recommending that investors buy Bitcoin during significant dips rather than chasing rising prices. The analyst has hinted at knowing the timing of the expected market shakeout, emphasizing that market conditions over the coming days will determine the exact moment it happens. He warns that traders should prepare for volatility and short-term price fluctuations. He also reminds investors to stay disciplined during periods of market euphoria. Related Reading: Bitcoin Feels The Weight Of Quantum Risk Concerns, Industry Leaders Warn He shared that investors and traders should follow the “Warren Buffett” principle of being cautious when others are greedy and opportunistic when others are fearful. This strategy eliminates emotional decision-making in trading and investing, allowing holders to make rational moves as the Bitcoin market approaches its final bull phase. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Ethereum’s derivatives market is showing signs of a decisive shift beneath the surface, and price action is about to return above the $3,000 mark. On-chain data suggests trader behavior on major exchanges is shifting into a more accumulative phase. Even as ETH continues to linger below the psychologically important $3,000 price level, this metric indicates that market participants are already preparing for a bullish move and a test of direction in the days ahead. Related Reading: XRP ETFs Grow Past $60M As Price Struggles To Respond Ethereum Leverage Ratio Prints New All-Time High Data from on-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant shows that Ethereum’s Estimated Leverage Ratio on Binance has climbed to 0.611, the highest level ever recorded for this metric. The Estimated Leverage Ratio compares open interest to exchange reserves, and this offers insight into how much borrowed capital traders are deploying relative to available liquidity. Sustained increases in this ratio are a reflection of an increase in risk appetite from investors. It means that traders are committing larger leveraged positions in anticipation of favorable price movement. The current reading surpasses previous cycle peaks, and this environment can amplify price moves, since even modest spot price changes can trigger large liquidations when leverage is elevated. Ethereum: Estimated Leverage Ratio – Binance: CryptoQuant Another important metric points to an increase in Ethereum demand alongside record leverage. This metric is in the form of the Taker Buy Sell Ratio, which recently spiked to 1.13 on Binance. This is interesting because this level was last observed in September 2023. A reading above 1 indicates that market participants are executing more buy orders than sell orders. This combination of strong taker demand and rising leverage reveals optimism is now dominating short-term sentiment. The chart below shows the spikes in the Taker Buy Sell Ratio have more often than not coincided with periods of increased volatility. This buying pressure is now notable, with Ethereum trading around $2,900 in the past few hours, and this means that many traders are positioning ahead of a potential attempt to reclaim $3,000. Ethereum: Taker Buy Sell Ratio – Binance. Source: CryptoQuant Analyst Maps Out Ethereum’s Path Back Above $3,000 Adding a price-based perspective to the on-chain signals, crypto analyst Ted Pillows has outlined a clear technical roadmap for Ethereum’s next move. According to his analysis, ETH recently tapped into an important demand zone between $2,700 and $2,800 and has started to rebound from that area. This move occurred when Ethereum broke below $3,000 again this week to reach a low of $2,781 on December 18, which is highlighted on the chart below as a major support band. Ethereum Price Chart. Source: @TedPillows On X Pillows noted that holding this support zone keeps the bullish structure intact. If buyers continue to defend the $2,700-$2,800 range, Ethereum could build enough momentum for a push to the $3,100 to $3,200 region. That zone also sits just above the psychologically important $3,000 level. Related Reading: Bitcoin Feels The Weight Of Quantum Risk Concerns, Industry Leaders Warn The downside scenario is equally clear. A failure to hold the current support would expose Ethereum to a deeper pullback, with the chart pointing toward a potential retest of the $2,500 level. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
Discussions around XRP supply have resurfaced after a detailed post on X by an XRP investor known as Lord Belgrave, who offered a perspective that goes beyond the usual conversations about the XRP tokens locked in escrow. According to the XRP investor, Ripple’s escrow mechanism is a deliberately structured system designed years in advance with institutional deployment in mind, and we might see more details in the near future as NDAs start to expire. Related Reading: Bitcoin Feels The Weight Of Quantum Risk Concerns, Industry Leaders Warn Why Ripple Created The XRP Escrow In The First Place Lord Belgrave’s remarks on the Ripple escrow system address questions about how XRP supply is managed, why the escrow exists in its current form, and what its role could be as Ripple’s infrastructure matures. The argument is that Ripple’s escrow was never designed internally as a pool of tokens just waiting for the best market distribution. In the discussions he describes, escrowed XRP was presented as locked supply governed by deterministic release schedules and multi-year planning phases. The emphasis was on predictability and control, with supply aligned not to short-term trading dynamics but to institutional readiness. Although not publicly assigned or disclosed, portions of the supply were viewed as conceptually reserved for future system deployments. Lord Belgrave claims these conversations occurred under strict non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and involved institutions across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. These institutions included central banks, systemically important financial institutions, multilateral bodies, the International Monetary Fund and the Bank for International Settlements. Ripple introduced its escrow system in 2017 to bring transparency and discipline to XRP supply. XRP was created with a total supply of 100 billion tokens. However, not all of these tokens were in circulation during launch. About 55 million XRP was locked into on-ledger escrow contracts during launch, with 1 billion XRP scheduled for release each month. However, Ripple also re-locks around 700-800 million XRP, and only 200-300 million XRP is effectively released into circulation each month. This rules-based approach has become a cornerstone of XRP’s tokenomics for the past few years. NDAs, Disclosure Timing, And What Could Come Next Lord Belgrave also pointed to a perceived change in institutional language following Ripple’s regulatory progress, interpreting it as a sign that long-standing NDAs may be nearing a disclosure phase. Systems are now moving from preparation into active deployment, and as such, previously reserved liquidity will become operational. That interpretation was met with a response from Vincent Van Code, another popular XRP enthusiast on X. In his view, many NDAs exist but disclosure does not occur automatically. He explained that information is typically revealed only when both parties formally agree to share specific confidential details. Related Reading: XRP ETFs Grow Past $60M As Price Struggles To Respond From this point of view, the NDAs are so that Ripple does not disclose its counterparties and keeps them clear of regulatory scrutiny until compliance checks, audits, and approvals are complete. Any future transparency from Ripple and its partners would likely follow coordinated decisions instead of just NDA expiration. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin’s long-term outlook may still look bright in public discussions, but behind closed doors, Fundstrat is urging restraint. While co-founder Tom Lee continues to speak confidently about fresh all-time highs, the firm’s internal guidance to clients paints a more guarded picture for early 2026. Fundstrat expects a meaningful correction phase, with Bitcoin potentially retreating toward …
A crypto user lost nearly $50 million in USDT after falling for an address-poisoning scam. The victim accidentally copied a look-alike wallet address from their transaction history and sent 49,999,950 USDT to the attacker. After receiving the funds, the scammer converted the USDT into ETH, split it across multiple wallets, and moved part of it …
A new policy fight is taking shape in Washington. More than 125 crypto and fintech organizations, led by the Blockchain Association, have urged the U.S. Senate Banking Committee to reject efforts that would expand restrictions on stablecoin rewards under the GENIUS Act. The group warns that broadening the rules would hurt consumers, slow innovation, and …
The Solana price has shown encouraging signs of recovery, climbing 6% on Friday to approach the $126 mark. This uptick follows a concerning dip below the crucial $120 level, which had sparked fears of a potential downtrend that could drag the cryptocurrency down toward the $100 threshold. Solana Price Gains Ground Chris MacDonald, an analyst at The Motley Fool, recently highlighted two key factors contributing to Solana’s resurgence. One significant catalyst is a proactive initiative by the Solana Foundation. Bitcoinist reported earlier this week that the organization is currently assessing whether its network can withstand potential threats from quantum computing technologies. Related Reading: Bitwise’s 2026 Crypto Forecast: Bitcoin, Ethereum, And Solana Poised For New Record Highs In collaboration with Project Eleven, a security firm specializing in post-quantum cryptography, the Solana team has launched a quantum-resistant testnet following a comprehensive threat assessment. The second notable factor driving the Solana price uptick is the announcement from health and wellness company Mangoceuticals, which revealed plans to allocate $100 million toward acquiring and holding SOL. Despite the positive momentum, experts caution that Solana’s price is currently following a “clean corrective structure.” Moving Averages Signal Downtrend From a technical analysis perspective, the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) is situated around $143, significantly higher than the current trading range, while the 200-day SMA looms even further at approximately $170, suggesting a prevailing downtrend rather than a healthy consolidation phase. In the short term, the 20-day exponential moving average has also rolled over near $133 and has consistently rejected previous attempts at a bounce. Analysts note that until the Solana price can close above the low-$130s for an extended period, any rebounds will likely be seen merely as counter-trend movements. Immediate support lies just below current trading levels at the $125 mark, followed by critical levels in the $121–$120 range, and another demand zone around $110. A more significant downturn could push the price into the high $90s, with projections indicating a potential dip to around $80 if liquidations accelerate further, as NewsBTC reported on Thursday. Related Reading: Crypto Payments Firm MoonPay Set For $5 Billion Valuation With NYSE Owner’s Backing The market has already registered an eight-month low near $116.9. A decisive close beneath that level could likely drag the Solana price toward the psychologically significant $100 mark. On the upside, the Solana price could encounter initial resistance clustered in the $133–$138 range, with stronger resistance observed in higher levels between $144 and $147 that could prevent any new recoveries in the short-term. To facilitate further price recovery, the Solana price will need to clear that second group of resistance levels on a daily close, ideally supported by increased trading volume, to pave the way toward prices between $160 and $165. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
Over the past few months, Strategy (formerly known as MicroStrategy), the largest publicly traded Bitcoin (BTC) treasury company, has found itself at the center of a pressing issue that could lead to its exclusion from the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) index. This potential move not only poses significant financial risks for the firm but could also have broader implications for the cryptocurrency sector, with analysts estimating that it could result in losses up to $9 billion in demand for its shares. Industry-Wide Consequences The MSCI proposed in October that companies holding digital assets comprising 50% or more of their total assets should be removed from its global benchmarks, arguing that such companies resemble investment funds, which are excluded from its indexes. However, many firms, including Strategy, assert that they are operational companies creating innovative products and argue that MSCI’s proposal is biased against the cryptocurrency industry. Related Reading: Solana (SOL) Support Shattered, Potential $100 Test Looms, Says Analyst MSCI is currently conducting a public consultation, and analysts warn that if it decides to exclude Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) companies, it could prompt other index providers to follow suit. “The conversation already extends beyond just MSCI… to the eligibility of DATs in equity indexes in general,” said Kaasha Saini, head of index strategy at Jefferies, who anticipates that most equity indexes will align with MSCI’s decisions. Asset managers are believed to hold as much as 30% of a large-cap company’s free float, leading to potentially significant outflows if these companies are dropped from major indexes. This situation is particularly precarious for the DAT sector, which often finances its token purchases by selling stock. The company’s CEO, Phong Le, and co-founder Michael Saylor addressed the potential MSCI exclusion in a public letter. They estimated that such a move could lead to $2.8 billion worth of the company’s stock being liquidated and may “chill” the entire industry. In their letter, they explained that excluding DATs could shut them out from the roughly $15 trillion passive investment market, drastically undermining their competitive standing. Major Outflows Predicted For Strategy Analysts at TD Cowen estimated in November that around $2.5 billion of Strategy’s market value is linked to MSCI, with an additional $5.5 billion reliant on other indexes. JPMorgan’s analysis suggested that if MSCI were to exclude Strategy, the company could see $2.8 billion in outflows, a figure that could rise to $8.8 billion if it faced exclusion from other indexes, such as the Nasdaq 100, the CRSP US Total Market Index, and various Russell indexes owned by LSEG. In addition to Strategy, MSCI’s preliminary list identifies 38 companies at risk of exclusion, with a combined issuer market cap of $46.7 billion as of September 30, including French firm Capital B, which is also investing in Bitcoin. Related Reading: Crypto Payments Firm MoonPay Set For $5 Billion Valuation With NYSE Owner’s Backing Alexandre Laizet, Capital B’s director of Bitcoin strategy, remarked that while the current holdings of passive funds in their shares are limited, having access to passive flows is crucial for future adoption. Matt Cole, CEO of US-based Bitcoin buyer Strive—which is not at risk of exclusion—notes that the proposals have largely been factored into market valuations. He added, “On a longer-term basis, I think it raises the cost of capital for all Bitcoin treasury companies.” At the time of writing, the firm’s stock, which trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol MSTR, was trading at $165, marking gains of almost 4% ahead of the close of trading this week. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
The Bitcoin price has experienced a significant correction after reaching all-time highs above $126,000 in October, currently trading just above $87,900. This marks a notable 30% decline over the past few months. Despite this setback, analysts at Citi express optimism for the cryptocurrency’s future, forecasting that its value will continue to rise through 2026. Optimistic Bitcoin Price Predictions According to Citi’s analysts, the base case for the Bitcoin price is set at $143,000, reflecting a potential 62% increase from current levels. In a more bullish scenario, the cryptocurrency could surge to over $189,000, indicating a substantial 114% increase. Conversely, the analysts also present a bear case for the leading crypto, with an estimated price around $78,500, which would represent an additional 10.6% decline from current trading levels. Related Reading: Solana (SOL) Support Shattered, Potential $100 Test Looms, Says Analyst The forecast from Citi relies on the assumption that investor adoption will persist, particularly with an influx of funds into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) projected to reach $15 billion. This influx is seen as a catalyst that could significantly boost the Bitcoin price. Furthermore, ongoing negotiations in the US Senate regarding their version of the crypto market structure bill, namely the CLARITY Act, which aims to regulate Bitcoin under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), is anticipated to enhance market adoption. In contrast to Bitcoin, analysts express concerns regarding Ethereum’s (ETH) potential for growth. They argue that Ethereum, being viewed more as “programmable money,” has seen decreased activity, which has resulted in its current trading price of just below $3,000—40% below its all-time high of $4,964. Additional Catalyst For Price Growth Chris Neiger, an analyst at The Motley Fool, also attaches bullish predictions to the Bitcoin price future, highlighting that recent US job data reflects an unemployment rate increase to 4.6%, the highest since 2021. He asserted that if the Federal Reserve (Fed) chose to lower interest rates by 2026, the Bitcoin price could benefit since lower rates typically enhance the cryptocurrency’s value by making borrowing more affordable. In November, JPMorgan provided a more conservative estimate, suggesting that Bitcoin could reach $170,000 by 2026, with potential upside expected over the next six to twelve months. Related Reading: Crypto Payments Firm MoonPay Set For $5 Billion Valuation With NYSE Owner’s Backing Meanwhile, even more aggressive predictions from market researcher Fundstrat forecast the Bitcoin price could soar between $200,000 and $250,000 by the end of 2026, largely driven by the mainstream adoption of ETFs. Additionally, the establishment of the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve by the federal government has encouraged states to consider similar initiatives. Neiger concludes that just as ETFs have contributed to the credibility of cryptocurrencies and facilitated price increases, the formation of state-level Bitcoin reserves could serve as another critical driver propelling Bitcoin’s value higher in 2026. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Michael Selig as the new chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), putting a pro-crypto legal expert in charge of one of America’s most influential financial regulators. Selig was confirmed in a 53–43 vote, and his past comments on XRP are now drawing attention across the crypto world. Selig’s …
Bitcoin’s price stayed mostly stable after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates, surprising many investors who expected a big move. Some predictions said Bitcoin would crash, while others claimed it would rise sharply. Neither happened. Here’s why. Last week, the Bank of Japan increased its key interest rate to around 0.75%. This may sound …
Coinbase is pushing back against state-level resistance as it moves deeper into prediction markets, filing lawsuits against regulators in Connecticut, Illinois, and Michigan. At stake is a much larger question than one company’s product launch: who gets to regulate prediction markets in the United States, and whether they are treated as financial instruments or gambling …